The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-04-12
EkyNSClenCe |
4 'szlventiOn|


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The British government encourages
inventors and scientists by extending
financial assistance to those whose
work is considered Of sufficient value to
warrant such development. The grants
are made through le British Royal So
ciety, and range in value from $50 to
$2,5OO according to the nature Of the
invention to be exploited.
Experiments are being carried out in
the Austrian army with new portable
oven for field and transport purposes.
The oven at present in use is a very
unwieldy and heavy article and has to
be transported in sections. The new
oven, however, may be carried intact
upon cart, and. If necessary, can be
utilized for baking purposes while on
the march.
A German bOtanist is said to have dis
covered that out Of 1890 species OF
flowers cultivated in Europe only 40
possess an agreeable perfume. Flowers
with white or cream-colOred petals are
more frequently odoriferous than
others. Next in order come the yellow
flowers, then the red, after them the
blue, and finally the violet Of which
only 13 varieties out of 30S give OF a
pleasing perfume. In the whole list
1850 varieties are offensive in odOr, and
1900 have no percepdble SMELL either
good or bad.
Prof. o. f. Cook, Of Washington, re-
ports the surprising discovery Of cam
phOr as an animal secretion. The ami
NAL concerned is a myriapod, resem-
bling a worm, or small slug, and scien-
tifcally known as Polyzonium rosal-
bum. It lives in the humus of moist,
undisturbed forests. When handled it
gives off a very distinct odor of cam
phor, and elects a milky fluid which
possesses the smell, flavor and taste OF
ordinary camphor. Prof. Cook thinks
the camphOr is secreted instead Of the
prussic or hydrocyanic acid found in
other myriapods as a means of defense.
Recent reports from DR.. Sven Hedin,
who is again exploring Central Asia,
strengthen the impression which his
previous explorations have given Of the
extraordinary character of that part Of
the world Salt lakes. dried up lake
, beds. abandoned habitations and tenn
pies and interesting people, hitherto al
most unknown, are among his discover
, les. He also reports that the Tarim
] River in Eastern Turkestan. which he
f has surveyed for long distance, is the
=. largest river in the interior of Asia
5 Over a part Of its course the river is
] simply a multitude Of small interchain-
e ed lakes.
7 The cork Of the ordinary life pre-
] server soon becomes saturated with wa
ter, greatly reducing its efficiency. In
T the new life preserver Of NJ. Rober. of
y the Lyceum Of CherbOrrg, the cork is
r reduced to fine grains and coated with
d lamp-black. which seals the pores and
e makes the material absolutely imper.
b vious to water. The cork in grains is
S more readily adapted to convenient
3 shaping for wearing. A garment that
e can be worn permanently as an under
s vest weighs twenty-six pounds, has
IT been shown by tests to make the human
body unsuitable. and has met with IA
vor in the French army and navy.
In the middle Of the space inclosed by
the so-called ring nebula." in the con
stellation Lyra. CLEANS a minute stal
b which very few telescopes are powerful
enough to reveal Even with the hug
, Lick refractOr it is a very faint object
N Yet the Crossley Photographic telescope
on Mount Hamilton is Sble. with twl
:. minutes exposure. TO obtain a surpris
- ingly strong image Of this star, togetbe
- with a well-marked impression of tn
:. nebula encircling it, On photograph
=. made with longer exposures the strang
star becomes a large blur Of light
n There are other instances in which pho
"a tographs Of celestial objects either shO'
~ what the eye cannot detect at all, or $
- alter the visual aspect Of the object tina
~ 1t becomes hardly recognizable.