New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-21
NEEDED INVENTIONS.
Many Fertile Brains WOrkiHg Tozc-
ard Similar Goals.

UU OtHtttH IOttto.
II will begin with what may be recloned cur DO
nestle primaries. the matters which affect f
Immediately in the familiar circle OF home life q
says Hudson Maxim. writing in The Wonsn's E
Home Companion about inventions that ought TO
be invented. II refer to inventions which havs to
do with light. heat and food. Obviously there - .
scope for immense revolution. Hundreds OF &
electricians at this striving to con- Z
struct lamps IN which nothing r. consumed
the electrical energy applied TO them-lamps that &
have the radiance OF the and the coIdness OF &
the moon The reason why determined study 10
thus being prosecuted with respect to illumfnants
is the need for lamps OF longer life and pursr
light than the and incandescent lamps now IN
vogue The economy of these IS not high enough f
They not really very superior the best forms
OF gas. which for cheapness. still holds its own.
With regard to the great fuel problem. It IS well
known that Mr.. Edison is concentrating much OF
his attention the higher economies OF the uss
Of coal Coal is king to-day. The immediats task
Of scientists IS draw from this commodity some
thing like its real value IN work. so to obvfats
the enormous waste involved present methods.
IIr Edison declares that bucketful of coal should
drive express train from New-York to Philadel-
phia. and a few tons be sufficient for the largest
ocean steamship. whose bunkers must now hold
thousands. The Oceanic consumes ton Of coal
every three minutes about five hundred tons
day. during her voyage between New-York and
Liverpool But single pound OF coal burned under
perfect conditions would do much work as ths
strongest hOdcarrer climbing stairs ladder with
brick and mortar during weary day OF ten hours
working time. At present waste six-sevenths
of the value Of coal Our inventors will know
until they have found the furnace the engine
or the appliance. whatever II may turn out TO
be. which will substitute absolute economy FOR this
/ immense extravaganza.
Both for domestic and for manufacturing pur-
poses engineers and men OF science are diligently
/ studying the art Of Harvesting the direct OF
the They anticipate the time when the worlds
supplies Of coal petroleum and other combustiblss
Will be practically exhausted. Vast regions OF tbs
earths surface sunburned to ardity. and every
where the suns heat is constantly deuging that
surface with Of latent potential which
might be made available for the purposes OF civil
ized humanity. Water power and wind power both
derive their energy from the suns rays and many
/ clever inventions yet unheard of will have for
their special object the application OF each OF thess
sources of activity But the defect in each case 10
the lack Of certainty. Wind and tide are variable
and intermittent. Therefore. scientists look with
great expectations TO the perfection OF the solar
engine. which was produced by Ericsson in an ele-
mentary form. Some day there will be discovered
method Of gathering and storing the energy OF ths
direct rays Of the sun for use in producing heat
motor But the practical sun engine is still among
\ the 'unnvented Inventions
Science viii be more and more concerned with
problems of food supply. Here the chemist comes
into evidence. Scientists predict wonderful results
as the ultimate rewards Of the research now going
CT quietly IN many a laboratory The way win Be
so1ad Of growing strawberries large as frs
apples. a1S raspberries and backberries VIII be
produced oS such dimensions that will suffice
for the fruit course OF each person.
"Cranberries. gooseberries and currents win be
large oranges. One cantalOupe will supply a
large family. Melons. cherries. grapes. plums.
apples. pears and peaches will be seedless. All f
varieties Of suraaer fruits will be OF such a
hardy nature that they win be capable OF storage
all through the winter. potatoes now are. Cheap
native rubber viii be grown. and viii be har- .
vested by machinery all this country. Roses 4
g,r,1 mill tain
size OF fine orchids. aEd a hcart's-eass will be OF 4
the sunfower magnitude. There win be practised 4
the constant transfer Of the perfume OF any .
scented flower to another that IS naturally nodOr-
GUS Plants will be rendered micrObe proof How
will all these wonders in culture be achieved7 BY .
the discovery of new methods Of applying electric 4
agency in glass gardens. that and the Il
same time currents viii be passed through the soil .
to make plants grow faster and larger. and also
to exterminate weeds and to destroy bacteria:
while plants will be bathed all night in electric
light to stimulate their progress All this viii be
done. but the to bring it to pass has yet to be
invented
This further brings up the question Of the sup
ply Of nitrogen. that infinitely abundant elementary
gas which agriculture is absolutely dependent E
Some way must be devised OF restoring their
old fertility the vast out fields OF the world
The agricultural chemist declares that hxed nitro
gen is indispensable for this vital redemption. Now
nitrogen. though everywhere plentfuIly dieused.
IS exceedingly difficult to fix. II forms IN bulk and
weight three-1OurthS OF the atmosphere. yet 70 f
challenges man to bring It into subsection To
catch the elusive and firtatiOus floating nitrogen
Is OF the most cherished objects OF present day
explorers among natures secrets. Experiments
conducted under the direction OF william II.
BauIdin. jr-. formerly of Baltimore. seemed to
promise a solution Of this problem. when a dfs-
astrous explosion ended the life OF the chief en-
gineer of the works. Thus the question is stiu
allegiance. but undoubtedly, before the great nitrs
beds OF Chill and Peru are exhausted. some means
will have been devised Of making nitric acid cheap
~ from the air.
zone OF the dreams OF medical men Is likely to
be realized in the near future. Few drugs VIII be
swallowed taken into the stomach unless needed 4
for the direct treatment Of that organ itself The
methods OF administration OF healing medicaments
will be revolutonized in the DAYS OF our great
grandchildren With the aid OF diagnosis by x
rays and by the medium OF electric currents drugs
skin and flesh. and the treatment viii be painless
II Will be easy with the instruments that are GER
Photographic camera and the x-ray apparatus are
but the piOneers-for the pathoo@ist physician and
surgeon 10 see the interior or the body and 70
plOre its recesses as 10 IS 70 survey the e,c-
terror Furthermore. food will be made for travel
American Indians All kinds OF nutriment viii be
condensed INTO tablQlds containing. IN very tiny
compass the essentials TO sustain life IN fun rgor
for long periods. 49,, 60 IN, -.
the culinary deparUniett Inc kiLcnen and sculery
will no longer be Tepeant suggestive OF domestic
the cook F,Iectrcitv will be the cheaT sandrra95
OF the dining room, FOR the electric current VIII De
ana miracle WORKING metal Salied radlun Is better
known and possessed in sufficient quantities.
able which yet unthOught OF.
Though the means are as yet undevised. there
body and hear everybody without tha
slightest regard TO intervals OF space. matter
telephone and telegraph circuits which viii isna-
the circuit Of the globe 50 that IL VIII be easy