Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-04-15
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1t was only recently that the Bra
zilians found out the value of the
balata tree as producer of the gum
that makes gutta-percha. They have
been in the habit of cutting it down for
firewood and building material. 1t is
said that the tree grows in such abund-
ance near Para and along the tribu-
taries of the Amazon for hundreds OF
miles that there is practically no limit
to the supply. More sap is yielded
by the balata than by the rubber tree,
but it is not so easily obtained.
By the Hubon process. black pigment
is made by pumping acetylene into
steel cylinders to pressure of about
two atmospheres, and then passing
an electric spark through the vessels,
the gas being thus disassociated into its
carbon and hydrogen. The hydrogen
is collected for any convenient use; the
carbon is ready for the market. Acety-
ties of ordinary lamp-black, and the
demand is already so great that the
first factory-now running in Switzer-
land-is likely to be followed by others
in other countries.
A snowflake, like hailstone, Is
formed on a particle of dust in the
upper atmosphere. 1t begins its ca
reer at the top of a cloud, many miles
above the earth, and passes in its
downward course through many at
mospheric strata, differing in their
temperature and the quantity of mois-
ture they contain. In a stratum of
warmer air it catches moisture and
when it enters a cold stratum below
the moisture is frozen, and so the flake
grows until it reaches the earth. In s
thawing air, many fakes come to-
gether, forming larger ones.
It is said that cement for mendine
iron, which is strong enough to resist
the blows of sledge-hammer, may be
made by a mixture of equal parts OF
sulphur and white lead, with about
one-sixth proportion of boraX, the three
being thoroughly incorporated so as
to make a homogeneous mass. Wher
the composition is to be applied it i:
wet with strong sulphuric acid, and
thin layer of it is placed between the
| two pieces of iron, which are immedi
ately pressed together. 1t will be per
fectly dry in five days, all traces Of
the cement having disappeared. ant
the work having every look of weld
ing.
The gardens and fields of YucataI
are filled with vegetables and fruits
almost unknown to the outside world
| The forests and jungles also contain
wild fruits, excellent even in their un
| cultivated state, which might be bret
into valuable food products. One O
the most important native Yucatal
grains, kim, called by the natives
"Grace of God" somewhat resembles
| the Indian corn of the United States
| There are six native varieties cult
vated. Xmic nal, the long-stalked
| large grained variety is the most large
| ly planted. The seed is put into thu
ground in May and the plant is full.
matured by January. Under the prim
tive nature methods twenty or thirt,
bushels to the acre are raised.
The following thermo-dynamica
problem is stated and solved by tn,
| Engineer: A boy eats two ounces o
ice Let US see what is the approx
mately thermo-dynamic equivalent o
the work he has made his interior do
assuming he takes five minutes to ca
| it. In melting the ice he will require
eighteen units to reduce it to water
| To raise it in temperature to that o
| his inside he will require seven mor'
units, or total of twenty-five British
| thermal units. Taking the mechanical
equivalent as III foot pounds, thi
will be equal to 1925 foot pounds. l
the boy weighs 100 pounds he will
| have called upon his stomach to do a
much heat work as would with a ma
chine, having unit efficiency, raise hin
| 1914 feet high, or a heat eXtracatiol
equal to nearly an eighth Of hors,
power"