The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-05-30
Correspondence Baltimore County linton.
SCIENTIFIC MIS- CELLANY.

Guns Made Noiseless-Canada's Diamond
Mines-Care Is Needed In Athletics
Money in Smoke-A Faithful Servant
Silk Colored by Food-Stem-FedP Plants
Are the Oceans Dwindling P-Lumi-
nous Fog-Fireproof Costume.
A device for suppressing sound and smoke has
been provided for the ordinary rife by French
soldier. 1t consists essentially of steel tube
about 30 inches long, with several partitions hay
ing orifces slightly larger than the bore Of the
gun, and this tube is attached in front of the
muzzle by a bayonet clasp whenever its use is
desired. On firing the gun the gases are retard-
ed by each partition in turn, finally escaping
without sound or smoke. With knife at the
end the auxiliary tube can be made to serve as
bayonet
From seven Misunderstanding from 2 to 81
carats-that have been picked up in Wisconsin
and adjoining states, Prof. William H. Hobbs
traces the diamond fields of North America to
the volcanic region Of the Canadian wilderness,
south of Hudson Bay. The only known matrix
of the diamond is the black shale-or "blue
ground'-around the necks of burned-out vol
canoes. The loose stones found seem to have
been transported by glaciers, and on following
up the probable courses of these ancient ice
rivers the lines converge in the barren territory
stated.
Excessive muscular development is pronoun-
ced by an experienced physician to be not only
unnecessary but positively dangerous. On ceas-
ing athletic training, which every person must
do sooner or later, the system adapts itself very
slowly to new conditions, and digestive and liver
troubles are very liable to follow. The great
lungs, not needed in sedentary work, degener-
ate, often leading to consumption.
"a
The late surveys of the English coast show a
loss of land of 10000 acres since 1867 although in
has been pushed out two miles or more into the
sea.
To put smoke to profitable use has been the
aim of Tobiansky, the Belgian engineer. In his
process the smoke is forced by fan into filter
ing tower charged with coke, or other porous
absorbent sprinkled with uaphtha or alcohol,
and the SCOT is retained by the coke, while the
filtered gases, mixed with vapor from the naph-
tina or alcohol, are collected in gasomete, to be
fed to Welshbach burners stoves or gas engines
This gaseous mixture, which has been named
pyrogas, burns with bright fame and an entire
absence of smoke. The valve of pyrogas even
makes it profitable to burn fuel of low grade
for its smoke alone, and it is computed that
plants as small cost will enable cities to derive
a material income from the conversion of their
garbage into purified smoke for light and power.
Large factories and small establishments in Bel
GUM are making experiments both in saving and
in producing smoke for its combustible gas.
80
One of the earliest steam engines ever built is
still the main source of power in some rolling
lu OF r1orv
the original wooden beam has lately been re-
placed by an iron one after 1876 years of continu-
GUS service. Aside from this iron beam and a
cylinder that was put in new in 1902, the engine
is the same as at first, even to the connecting
rod. For its special purpose the old engine has
been pronounced more economical than many
modern engines, and it is likely to do duty many
years more.
-.
The silkworm secretes silk in two glands of
coiled tubes, which have a single orfice, from
which the honey-like thread issues and is hard
ened as it reaches the air. Though usually
colorless, silk is sometimes yellow or preenish
Various theories of the color have been offered
but that it is due to the green of the food ap-
pears from late experiment in which both silk
worms and silk took on the red and blue of arti-
ficially-dyed mulberry leaves.
sFA
Recent British experience is claimed to show
that propeller blades of circular shape have q
much more powerful grip of the water than
those of oval form.
By his method of feeding through the stems
instead of the roots, s. A. Mokrshezki the Rus
sian entomologist, believes that trees and plants
can be cured of disease and greatly stimulated
In growth. His special apparatus is intended to
Introduce salts of iron-either solid or in solu-
tlonrinto apple and pear trees and he has used
trees on the southern shore OF Tie CfInl9is
The weak and diseased condition of the trees
was remedied, while an unusual developT emit
followed An important new field seems to be
opened up, and the possible effects of varied
dietry, administered to different plants in this
way. remain to be shown.
-
An old theory is that the earth is slowly dry
ing through chemical combination of the water
with the crust. A French geographer, NJ. Mar
tet, has been investigating numerous caverns
and drying valleys, and has convinced himself
that more rapid absorption is taking place, and
that our water supply is being swallowed up at
an appreciable rate by the assures and cavities
of rocks and soil. He urges a more thorough
study, with view of lessening absorption il
possible.
The milky sea. as it is known to mariners, is
not yet fully understood. It seems to be most
common in the tropical waters of the Indian
Ocean, and is described as weird, chastity and
awe-inspirng, and as giving the observer on ship
board the sensation of passing through sort of
luminous fog in which sea and sky seem to join
and all sense of distance is lost. The phenome-
non is probably due to some form of phospho-
rescence.
The freproof suit of French-Canadian inven-
tor consists of a smock of asbestos, with gloves,
cap and boots of the same material. The asbes-
tos mask is fitted with kind of respirator that
enables the wearer to breathe without inhaling
dangerous vapors. In this costume man has
remained in a burning building. performing the
work of a fireman, without injury or serious
discomfort.