The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-10-26

The Japanese in Formosa are dis.
couraging the use Of sun-dried bricks.
During the typhoon of 1898 there were
1898 mua-brick houses totally de-
stroyed within a radius of two miles,
from the American consulate at Tam
sui, while not more than one building
made of kiln-burnt bricks suffered any
damage.
Among recent novelties in electric
lighting is an incanoescent lamp hav-
ing two Independent filaments. one
giving 16 and the other only one can
dle-power. The low power light is in
tended for burning in sick room. or
wherever a faint illumination is de-
sired. The current is changed from
one filament to the other by turning
the lamp in q screw socket.
Recent reports from both French
and English botanists say that the tu
chung" tree of China contains valua-
BILE rubber or gutta-percha. The sub
stance is believed to be true caout-
chouc, and it is thought that the tree
will become of great commercial i'm
portance. This is mentioned as one OF
the good effects that will follow the
Opening up" of the country.
Recent improvements in the process
es of making wool out of turf fibres
have resulted in the production of
soft material that can be spun as
readily as lambs wool. Besides, it mas
excellent absorbent qualities, and is
capable of being bleached and colored
for use in various textile industries.
Much of it is now used at Dusseldorf,
Germany, for manufacturing cloth,
rugs, hats and other articles.
It Is we'll known that many insects
bear a close resemblance to leaves.
twigs and other things, and there 10
no doubt that this is for their protec-
ton against, or their concealment
from, their enemies. One of the most
remarkable cases Of this kind was re-
Gently made known to the Entomologi-
cal Society of London. 1t is that of a
spider that lives in the rocks near
Cannes. A certain kind of moths in
habit the rocks also, and their cases
are to be found all about. 1t was no.
ticed that the spider, when at rest,
looked exactly like one of the moth
cases.
A scientific problem Of much inter-
est will confront the engineers Of the
Transvaal gold mines when the war
between the English and the Beers
is over, and that is the depth to which
shafts will be sunk in search of gold
bearing veins. Some Of the shafts al
ready opened will descend 1000 to 5000
feet, but 1t is thought by some Of the
engineers that a depth Of $4,000 feet
will be reached in other cases. The
temperature at that depth will be
about 100 degrees, the warmest, per-
haps, at which men can work, but the
suggestion has been made that still
81 SdICI OCptA Aoy OC AouAN PA~SsA
cable If means be devised for cooling
the air.
Consul Frederick w. Hossfelj thinks
there is splendid opportunity to in
crease the volume of sulphate of cop
per exported from the United States
to Greece, where there is big demand
for it. It is estimated that from 1000
to 5000 tons are used annually by the
currant growers. The wholesale cur
rant trade of Greece is practically in
the hands OF banks and commercial
syniicates, and they have arranged to
import sulphate Of copper in large
quantities and to sell it to the farmers
at cost, in order to encourage the
growers to spray their vines. Nearly
all the importations have so far been
from Great Britain. but it is the opin-
ion of the consul that the United
States could easily secure goodly
portion of the trade. There is no tar
if on the commodity.