St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-01
OUR FOREIGN LETTER
Dealing with Commercial and In
dustrial Affairs Abroad.
The Rect Sugar Industry In France
Success of the First soda-Foun-
tains in Great Britain and
Other Items.


tains in Great Britain and
Other Items.
In Yates Australian Annual for 1900,
are noticed descriptions of several nov
veaat.h,e Naxe,. elites in vegetables,
49, which should prove
a boon to localities
where droughts are not infrequents
and especially to cabbage growers. As
certain cabbage, called Yates aphis-
proof cabbage, an Australian-raised
| variety, gave, notwithstanding the in
tense drought of last summer, good
| hearts and remained almost entirely
free from aphis. while every other va
riety of cabbage was riddled by the
pest. A better opportunity could not
have occurred for testing its hardness.
After the heart is cut, it throws out a
numberof small hearts and loose leaves.
all Of which are tender and of a. good
flavor; and, as they rapidly reproduce
themselves after cutting, a bedof these.
cabbages will keep a house in yegeta-
bles all through the summer and au-
tumn. A cabbage that would really re-.
sist aphis and stand the hot, dry sum-
mers has long been a desideratum in
Australian gardens. and 1t is thought
that this variety will meet the want.
Another vegetable worthy Of aften-
tion is an African cucumber, plant.
of the cucumber family from Rhodesia.
South Africa. The fruit is six inches
long. of a bright. orange color, and
covered with spines. Even for orna-
mental purposes the plant is well
worth growing; but it may be also used
as fruit. the flesh being soft and juicy,
and in appearance much hike passion
fruit Eaten with sugar the flavor is
very similar to that Of a rock melon.
Another novelty is called the mon
gri," or edible podded radish. 1t is a
new vegetable from Java. and is as cas-
lily grown as the ordinary radish, pro-
ducing enormous crops of long pods,
which are crisp and tender, with a de-
icious flavor. Persons who cannot eat
the common radish because of its indi-
gestible qualities should hail this new
variety with pleasure. It makes an ex-
cellent salad. 1T is also delicious when
boiled, having delicate asparagus
flavor.
In a window of drug store in the
Grand hotel block..so Colnaore row.
Birmingham. Eng
-, land, there has
80 : - ?. been for over three
months a sign on an American soda
fountain advertising various sodas and
phosphates. The fountain has been
a striking success. The proprietor is
an enterprising man who is ready TO
try new things. Following the install
tation of the fountain came hot wealth
er, and on one day he sold 1000 glasses
of various favors; on other days, GEO
or 700 glasses; and even during re-
cent cooler weather there has been a
profitable business. The winter use
of the soda fountain having been ex
planned, he expects to build up hot
beef tea. hot clam juice Gf he can get
the clam juice) and soda tonics trade.
It was not possible to introduce ice
cream soda this year, owing to the
small size of the shop. Doctors called
and denounced the use of soda water.
fearing harmful effects from the dam
gerous ice-cold liquid. and then took
it themselves, just as they do at home
The success Of this fountain is another
indication of the growth Of the ice
habit in England. Co.more row is d
great thoroughfare, but is not as likely
a place for soda water fountain as
is crowded New street. 1t seems that
an American soda fountain syndicate
has taken up the matter of the intro
duction of soda water fountains in
England ana is determined to, and will,
succeed. They offered inducements
the past summer in prices. etc, to any
one in any British city who would put
in the first fountain, and number Of
cities have them now in successful OPP
Grafton.
DR. ormandy, of st. Helenss, England,
formerly master of science at the Gam
"A GsaAN
tute, that city, has
= = = recently discovered
process by which good furnace brick
can be made from glass works refuse.
ST. Helen S, which is few miles from
Liverpool, is not only the center of the
English chemical trade, but contains
number of large glass works. The mil
lions of tons of refuse which have accu-
muIated around the glass works here
tofore have been treated as of no COM
mercial value. The refuse consists
mainly of spent sand, minute particles
of glass, and about three per cent. of
iron from the various processes, and
1t has hitherto been considered that the
presence of the iron prevented the use
of the material for the manufacture
of bricks.
Patents have been taken out to pre-
tect the process, and q large firm has
engaged DR.. 0rmandy's services. After
making various experiments, the firm
is now putting up an extensive plant
for the manufacture of the bricks. 1t
is claimed that the bricks will stand
great amount of heat They are about
the color of silica bricks and can be
glazed. Considerable secrecy is OBJ
served as to the process.
4 $ n