Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-08-08
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
In southern France successful er-
forts have been made to arrest forest
fires by growing the juicy cactus
plants in open spaces separating the
sections of the forests.
Water is the hardest of all sub
stnnces to heat, with the single eXcep-
ton OF hydrogen gas. The easiest TWO
are mercury and lead, which stand IN
this respect on nearly the same loot
ing.
In Germany at points where there
Is danger of high voltage electric cur
rents, there is conventional represeh-
tation of zigZag bolt of lightning
This is painted on transformer CHAM
bers, poles and similar places.
Alfred A,tstins latest verses on the
war South Africa have taught us ut
least one thing. namely, haw to pro
nounce Mafeking. We have grown
tired of hearing Ma-feek-ing, Ma-fahe-
ing. Maf-ache-ing, May-fek-ins, etc.
The laureate says Maffyking, or Maf-
e-king.
Authorities differ as to the rate OF
growth of the human hair, ana II IL
said to be very dissimilar in different
individuals. The most usually accept
ed calculation gives six and one haiI
inches per annum. A mans halr, al
lowed to grow to its extreme length,
rarely exceeds u inches or IA inches.
while that of a woman will grow In
rare instances to 10 inches or 40
inches, though the average does not
exceed % inches to 80 inches.
In the Russian engineer corps an
Ingenious ple-dpiver which acts With
great speed, is used. On two sides OF
the pile one-inch gas-pipes are placed
in longitudinal grooves. At the lower
end the pipes are furnished with noZ-
zles inclined Inward toward the point
of the pile. \ force-pump drives wa
ter into the pipes, and the water is
suing from the noZ2les under pres
sure of 20 pounds to the square inch,
removes the dirt so rapidly beneath the
pile that it sinks three times as fast
as if hammered by pile-drfver.
Luminous glass letters for street
names. house numbers, etc. are sue
cessful German product. They are
made in all colors from pressed glass,
are hollow, being open at the back,
and before being attached to their tin
backings, they are filed with lumt-
nous material, which is now supplied
by chemical factories. The tin backs
are nailed to the wall, the glass being
then fastened to the tin by pin With
screws. Being protected from the air
and moisture, the luminous substance
lasts long time. and is much superior
to coatings of luminous paint.
Some curious spiral fossils, recently
discovered in rocks of the Permian pc
riod in Russia, appear to represent
kind of sawlike appendaGe, armed
with enamelled teeth. and capable OF
being rolled up in the manner of
spiral spring which once belonged TO
a species of fish related to the rays
and doSfsh of today. A French geoi-
ogist, Monsieur Priem, suggests that
the fish carried this singular weapon
as an extension of its upper jaw. EX-
cept in its capabillty of being rolled up,
such an appendagc seems to be no
more wonderful than that of the saw
fish or the swordfish.
As there is an absence of coal in
Switzerland. it is not possible for the
people of that country to produce the
iron used in many of their manufac-
lures, and it must be imported from
Germany. Instead of being depend
ent on coal for smelling the iron ores
which are to be found within the
boundaries of Switzerland it has re-
Gently been determined to make use of
the electric furnace for this purpose,
and such proposition is now being
developed by Herr Muller Landsmann
in the Bernese Oberland, near Meir-
ingen. A concession has been OBJ
tained from the government to work
an outcrop of heiHtite which occurs
along the mountain face at this local
fty, the vein having a thickness or
seven feet. and being visible for about
two miles. The ore will be trans
ported by aerial ropeway to Innertkir-
chen below, and power to the extent of
10000 horsepower will be derived
from the Aar, and used to drive the
machinery and supply the current for
the electric furnaces. Switzerland is
particularly rich in water-powcr as
well as deficient in coal, and the re-
suits of this enterprise will be awaited
with much interest