The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08


to Paris from Central Africa, brought
with him number of phonograph
records of the native language as spok-
ell by the natives themselves.
1t Is not generally known that. Tize
for size, thread Of spider silk Is de-
cidedly tougher than bar 4 steel. An
ordinary thread will bear weight of
three grains. This Is Just about fifty
per cent. stronger than steel thread
Of the same t1ickress.
A manufacturer of pyrotechnics In
Nagasaki. Japan, makes a rocket from
which, when 1t explodcs in the air,
there flies away a large bird which re-
sembles homing bird in its move
ments. 1t Is said that the secret Of
this wonderful production has been In
the possession of the eldest child of
the family for more than 400 years.
Recent experiments in France show
that white blood corpuscles. or ''leuco-
cytes," besides absorbing foreign bod
les destroying WORKOUT cells. and car
rying food substances TO the tissues,
also fulfill very important function
In distributing medicinal drugs to all
parts of .he body and carrying them
in particular TO the location in which
they will do the most good.
The nitrate deposits OF Chile are the
largest known TO exist. and are one of
the greatest sources of that country's
prosperity. Their exhaustion would
mean disaster TO Chile and great loss TO
the world. But 1t has lately been sug-
gested that Africa might o.lpetc with
Chile. IL lot take the place of that
country, In this industry. Experts
are said TO be convinced tha. nitrate
deposits even more extensive than
those of South America exist all over
The western part of the Sahara.
An apparatus which makes T. possi-
bic TO draw In perspective mcclanl-
caliy, without previous training, Is tie
invention of n Swiss, who names II the
perspectartigraph \ telescope with
hairlines to show its centre and cray.
on pencil are hung with q universal
joint so that they move together. The
draugh.sran holds the pencil in his
hand and moves It over the paper in
such way as TO make the intersection
of the fairlines In the telescope fol-
low the outline of the object to be cop
led.
A vessel using crude petroleum for
fuel has made successful voyage
from California TO New York. This
craft has steamed nearly 1900 miles
smoothly and well in fifty-one days,
keeping up fair average speed The
oil took up one-quarter less room than
an equivalent quantity Of coal would
have taken, thus saving cargo space,
and 1t was not necessary to stop at any
point in order TO renew the supply. In
fact, upon her arrival at Brooklyn
pier this steamship, the Nebraskan,
had sufficient fuel in reserve for pas
sage across the Atlantic.
The great demand for rubber. and
the high rrlce which it commands
combine to make the discovery of rub
ber in new plant matter of CON-
merclal interest. In bulletin from
the Colorado College Museum the an
nouncement is made of the occurrence
of rubber in native plant, Picradenla
fiorlbunda utilis, DWARF, seml-herba-
ceous plant Of the same .amily as the
sunfiower and aster. IN the other rub
her-ylelding plants the gum is obtained
from the woody stems; here it is found
in the roots. Whether or not the cul-
tivatlon of this plant can be made
commercially profitable is as yet un-
known.