Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-04-04

light that it coIld use for signalling in
daytime as well as at night and it has
found such light in a"etylene gas
mixed with a certain proportion O!
oxygen. which is three times as power
ful as limclieht. Ii can he used in day
time even VIXEN the sun is shining. for
signalling a distance OF five miles, and
1T night for fifteen miles.
Professors Haga and Wind of Ilol-
land. in 1899 announced that the X-rays
we're subject TO diffraction. They have
recently repsate! their experiments and
have again proved the existence of diff
fraction phenomena and conclude that
there is no longer doubt that the X
rays are. like light waves, perturba-
tons OF the equilibrium of the ether.
They have sought TO evaluate the wave
lengths of the X-radiations, and con.
dude that these radiations have wave
lengths of the same order of magni-
tude as light waves.
We may have white oranges in the
United States within few years. One
d the explorers sent out by the agricul-
tural department discovered an orange
of that kind on the shores of the Medi-
terrancan n few months ago. and
brought cuttings home with him. They
were carefully grated at the depart
ment grounds, and are now three feet
in height. A cutting from them was
sent to Santa Ana. Cal. and the fruit
may be expected in two years. If the
flavor proves to be fine cuttings will
be scattered over the country.
Most people are aware of the power
of egg shells TO resist external pressure
on the ends but not many would cred
it the results of tests recently made
which appear to be genuine. Eight or
binary hens eggs were submitted to
pressure applied externally all over
the surface of the shell, and the break
ing pressures varied between 400
pounds and Cts pounds per square
inch. With the stresses applied intern
ally to twelve eggs. these gave way at
pressures varying between thirty-two
pounds and sixty-five pounds per
square inch The pressure required to
crush the eggs varied between forty
pounds and rs pounds. The average
thickness of the shells was $4,000 inch
An ingenious process has lately been
devised which. by the use of paraffin
furnishes a convenient smokeless fire
The arrangement. which is very SIM
pie and readily applicable to an ordin
airy domestic stove. consists of a metal
ray for receiving an incombustible alb
sorbent soaked in paraffin specially
prepared for the purpose. The advan.
tage of the process is that the paraffin
in its preparation is freed of its ex-
plosive properties. so that no danger is
attached to its use. The oil can even
be poured directly on TO the flames
without the contents of the feeding can
catching fire. The use of the oil does
not produce any trace of evil odor The
absorbent used is prepared by a secret
process.
4 naturalist at Hanover. Cape Col
ony. describes many remarkable small
animals which about there. Among
them is gecko. called by the Dutch
farmers "getje" whose large tail comes
off with a slight touch. and remains
jumping about on the ground, attract
ing the attention of an enemy, while
the animal itself sinks away, and
animals which abound there. Among
the solifugae is a most extraordinary
animal resembling a spider. sometimes
nearly three inches long. and of which
Mr.. Cronwright Schreiner says that he
knows mo creature which for its size
is so terribly armed" Its disproportion-
ately large head is made up mainly of
a double pair Of nippers of great pow
er. The ''jacht spinnekop." as the
Dutch call the animal. hunts for its
living and is fierce fighter. Sometimes
it will kill scorpion. There are many
tray-door spiders that display great in
genuity. and several poisonous species
of dreadful appearance.