Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-12-11
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

| IYorkvtlle.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
la MiIIionaire's opportunity-A New
Source of Fuel-A Weather Pro-
dietion-A Scientific Study Of Char.
acter Sians-Sand as Building Ma
teriaI-EIeetrie Spark Designing
coIors of Autumn Leaves.
A magnificent experiment awaits
only an appropriation from some cap
italist's wealth. Sir oliver Lodge men
tions that twenty years ago he proved
that fog could be dissipated electrical
lly. and in a dense fog he cleared a
space of so to go yards radius by
means Of the discharges from a Wins
hurst machine. Only lack Of means
prevented an attempt to give London
a clear atmosphere. Recent advances
make possible the desired kind OF dy-
namo for a continuous current, ana IL
Is believed that an excessive amount
Of machinery would not be necessary,
for the fogs occur in still atmosphere
and are seldom Of considerable height.
Sir Oliver suggests also that rain
might be electrically produced, as IN
India, where the dark monsoon clouds
pass over without discharging.
Bituninous shale is estimated to
cover $4,000 square miles in the United
States to an average depth of 30 feet.
The newly patented process of Otto
Oppelt, a Kentucky chemist, is ex-
pected to produce from this waste
material a good quality Of gas and
oil, and to supply these for industrial
purposes at a cost much lower than
that Of the gas now used. The process
will yield also valuable by-products,
Including silicate and sulphate OF
alumina, ammonia, sulphate Of iron,
paraffine and phosphoric acid.
i A long weather cycle Of about S5
years seems to appear in the British
Isles. From records Of 80 years, MI
Douglas ..rchibald concludes that a
/ dry period as just passed, and that
the years 1903 to about 1920, will show
more than average rainfall and low
barometer, and two bushels per acre
deficiency in wheat yield.
! London produces ten lunatics per
day; New York nearly as many with
greater proportionate increase.
i While character may be often read
from physical peculiarities, Mr.. Kari
J. Pearson, F. r. S. points out that the
value Of the indications can be esti-
mated only from careful statistics
Tabulated observations upon large
numbers of school children have given
interesting results. The color OF the
eyes seems to have some relation to
conscientiousness, II per cent Of boys
with light eyes being keenly con-
scientious, while the percentage was
only 81 in boys with dark eyes
I curiiness- -snfoetAasss-of the hair
has slight significance, If any. The
color of the hair Is more important
II per cent Of the redhaired being
keenly conscientious, but only So per
cent of the dark-haired and 55 per
cent Of the black-haired. The very
dark haired show twice as many indi-
yiduals Of sullen temper as the red
haired, although the red-haired are
much more quick-tempered. The dark
eyed are rather healthier than the
light, but the latter show rather
higher intelligence. OF shy and quiet
people, rs per cent are keenly con-
scientious, while the percentage In the
self f-assertive is but so. Bad hand
writing often attends great moral fall
ing, but good handwriting betokens
health, good temper. ability and con-
scientiousness.
Houses OF sand, as substantial as
granite, are offered by the new pro-
cess of Mr.. L. P. Ford OF Gresford
Eng. A mixture of sand and quick
lime in suitable proportions is forced
into a very strong steel mold, which Is
placed in a box, from which the cir is
then pumped, when hot water Is ad-
mitted. The heat and pressure Of the
Stacking lime and steam mold the
materials into a rock having so per
cent Of the strength Of granite. This
building stone ready for use In eight
hours, is very durable, and it's cost Is
low, bricks by this process costing lit
!, tie more than half as much as the
ordinary.
Statements Of the length of thread
in a silkworm's cocoon have varied
from a few hundred yards up to eleven
miles. Measuring four specimens, Mr
IL. o. Howard has found the lengths
to range from $50 to 1120 yards.
Some remarkable photographs OF
Prof. Stephan Leduc Of Nantes, rep
resent kind Of electric stenciling up
on the dry plates. A symmetrical de-
sign cut from cardboard Is laid upon
!, the plate, which is then sprinkleo
!. with an insulating powder, Such as
starch, sulphur, or a powdered oxide
or metallic salt, when the cardboard Is
removed. The non-sensitive surface
of the plate Is placed on a metallic
leaf connected to one pole Of an In
duction coil or electric machine, while
point in the center Of the design Is
connected to the other pole. A single
discharge is produced, the plate Is
freed from powder, and the picture Is
developed in the usual way. The re-
!, suit is always unforeseen. 1t may be
varied not only by different designs
but by distributing over the sensitive
surface various bits Of different met
ais, and by using different powders
variously distributed. The beauty
and diversity of the designs pictured
give great fascination to the expert
ments.
The changes of color of leaves ir
autumn are found by DR.. Keegan, ar
English investigator, to depend on the
mineral matters, especially the silica
! and lime. Leaves that become red are
those containing less than 10 per cen,
of silica, while those that become yel'
:. low or brown have more than 10 pei
E cent. The mineral matters seem tc
flow to the dying leaf in quantity pro-
nortionate to the decay Of Its vitality