The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1901-04-18
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

The Sweetwater dam, said to be the
finest example of masonry in Califor-
MIA, as well as the largest dam on the
Pacific slope, has been dry for more
than three years, until the recent
heavy rains. 1t is now overlooking.
Sweetwater dam is one of the sights
visited annually by thousands Of tour
lists. 1t supplies water to National
City.
Paris has been suffering for months
from a great plague of flies and other
insects. Naturalists trace this to the
wholesale slaughter of birds for wom-
ems hats. and the ministry of agri-
culture has issued a circular ordering
a stricter observance of the laws en-
acted for the protection of birds.
Caterpillars occasionally crawl from
their hiding places on warm days in
winter The most common of these is
a thick furred worm with red coat
banded with black, which has the APP
pearance of chenille. OF the caterpil-
lars that live through the winter a
large number belong to species that
require more than one season to devel-
op from the egg to the perfect insect.
The Year 1900 was an excellent year
for fruit in Switzerland, and a manu-
featuring firm in the canton of Aagau
decided to erect a plant for utilizing
the apple crop. Machinery was put in
for peeling, coring and slicing apples.
The baking was accomplished by plac-
ing the slices on trays which were
something Ike gridirons, one being
placed over another in the ovens. An
electric motor was used to warm the
air for the baking.
Large deposits of magnesite have been
found in southern India and:he officers
of a Portland cement works at Ma
dras have succeeded in producing a
white cement plaster which has magne-
SUM for a basis. This cement can be
used for plastering walls, and dries
so speedily that rooms are ready for
occupancy within 48 hours. 1t can be
painted or else colored by mixing col
oring matters, and it is extremely val
liable from a sanitary standpoint as
it can be washed down. The cement is
as hard as Portland cement, while at
the same time, it can be moulded like
plaster of paris. 1t is thought that the
material, which can be used either in
doors or outside, will play an impor-
tant part in house building in India.
In the Hemshof dye and soda fac
tory near Mannheim, Ger, workman
named Montag has invented a substi-
tute for coal, which costs about %
cents per 220 pounds to manufacture.
Peat is the basis, with the addition OF
certain secret chemicals pressed into
bricks. The product gives a great
heat, burns with a bright flame, leaves
no Stag and only a small quantity OF
white ash. Certain Mannheim capital
lists have tried to obtain the secret
from the inventor by Offering him a po-
sitiOn as director in a company to be
established, giving him a salary OF
$4,000 and percent of the net profits,
but he has refused this offer because
he wants to control the sale of the in
vention himself. Mr.. Gehrig. the sec
rotary of the Mannheim chamber Of
commerce. has undertaken to procure
the means to manufacture the article
in partnership with the inventor. They
have bought peat land, and will erect
the buildings large enough to keep sew
erel hundred men at work, with a
daily output of 60 tons.