The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-11

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY, NEW YORK.

dolomite.like coral rock. The drill. operated from the
deck of the ship Porpoise. at q place where the water
was about 100 feet deep. penetrated rapidly to o total
depth of is feet, passing through sandy material
composed of fragments of calcarious organisms.
among which hits Of coral became more frequent in
descending. At the depth mentioned q piece OF
hard coral was struck which could not be pierced,
as the great length of the unsupported pipe on the
one hand and the loose nature Of the material on
the other prevented any use OF the ordinary meth
DDS. On removing the ship to o spot ninety feet
nearer the middle of the lagoon the depth was
found to be the same. and tho bore carried II2 feet
into the bed, at which place, as before. there was
sand to the depth of 80 feet. while the remainder
consisted of somewhat harder coral gravel. the
Jumps ran ging up to the size of Q mans fist.
Among those who have made a close and prolonged
study Of the effect of light on the sugar contents of
plants is Prof. Weber of the Ohio State University,
aud with results of peculiar scientific interest. Prof.
Weber's Investigations show. contrary to the opinions
ofmany. that plants with . long period of vegetation
are not so much affected by climatio changes, loca-
ton. &c. as those of Q short period of vegetation.
and for the Il ter. therefore. the conditions named are
to be specially cared for in order to secure the prod
uct. Thus. higher latitudes arc found to be better
for sugar production than lower ones, other things
being equal, and the proximity of large bodies of
water is to be regarded as most favorable to success
full sugar production. Further. the typographical
features of the land are not Of uncomfortable impor.
tance in locating sugar factories at the most conven.
lent place e. that of production. in order to insure
the greatest success.
The latest data in railway locomotive construction
places at the head, in respect to proportions and Eff
fciency, the locomotive now added 10 the equipment
of the Carnegie Steel Company's plant. The weight
on the drivers is given as 2oS. 900 pounds, and an in
dication of the power excrted is furnished by the
character OF the service demanded of II. Thus.
about four miles Of the line upon which it 10 oper-
ated has a grade of seventy feet q mile. and one
stretch of about 1000 feet up across the main line
Of the Pennsylvania Railroad and reaching to the
base of q sevonty-foot hill, has a grade of IA per
cent; the trains of many cars are loaded down with
iron, coke and mill and furnace products aggreeat.
ing many tons to q car. The locomotive IL now in
daily use and in the most satisfactory manner. not
] only in the amount Of Notk accomplished. but in
respect of economy of fuel and water required.
One of the most notable results arrived at by e.
perimenters who have disseoted the electric ara
light. according 20 Prof. Dolbeare. 10 the fact that
practically all the energy of the light. either In the
form of light, heat. or anything else. radiates from .
small dot, rarely more than one-half Of an inch in
diameter. which is Invariably found in pit on the
end Of the carbon, called the "crater,' the radiant
energy of this dot has been measured and found to
have a curious correspondence with the Compound
radiant energy of the sun'sSsurface. viz. at the rate
Of 100, 90 horse power TO the square meter. Obs r
walton shows that there IL always q definite ratio bss
tween the energy Of any body and its temperature,
so that II the radiant energy OF two bodies is the
same. SO Is their tempersture-that OF tho radiant
dot of the electric arc Is nearly 5000 f., hence the
probability Of the suns surface being that. in view
OF sbe correspondence in measure of energy.
Experts in gold mining agree that pretty much the
bottom fact now known about such metal 10. briefly
that all original pyrites OF small grain texture cor
tain gold TO a greater or less extent-this. of course.
not covering such secondary large crystal pyritous
deposits derived from veins. 1t is not yet known,
however. whether tho gold in those pyriteBi Is In chem
ical combination with the sulphide of gold or
whether each minute particle OF gold is simply COW
cred with u coating OF sulphide Of iron-or. finally,
whether such particles are In the metallic state. but
alleged with ailver or other metal which combines
moro rapidly with sulphur than the gold docs.
and consequently forms a coat or sulphide OF silver
over the gold. Tho particles OF gold are so minute
and the combinati'n ms follow so rap dy during the
splitting mp OF these pyrites that the finest instru-
ments and tests known to chemistry have a. yet bsen
| unable TO settle this part of the question TO the salts.
faction of all concerned-this fact showing how easy
1t is to put in a mill that will not save the values.
One of the most peculiar OF German industries ana
| employing multitudes OF operatives is located in the
town of Cora, where tho manufacture OF the we'll
known vegetable ivory buttons Is carried on, The
curious material thus employei-an ivory nut-is
the fruit of Z speIiss OF South American palm. mainly
procured through Hamburg importers. Before be-
ing manufactured into buttons the nuts are shellod
by means of a rotating sheet-iron drum, provided on
the interior with sharp three'odgsd irons. There are
two methods OF cutting the muslin ono the kernel
Is cut into halves. out OF which the raw buttons are
bored by machines, this being termed the Saxon
method and preferred for small sizes; the berlin
method consists In cutting the kernel into small
blocks, and buttons ~ q large size are made from
them by means OF a shaping machine. The process
Of dyeing requires great skill on the part OF the
workmen, who ara carefully trained for the purpose
and must possess some chemical knowledge: but
| almost every factory has is special combinations a
| Solors, Witch are kept carefully secret