The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-08-26

Smoke Annihilated-Peanut Plague
Colors from Molasses--A Electric Lamp
Tor Vehicles-The Poison OF Tarts-The
Hottest Heat.
TO the statement that absolutely nothing IL
known Of the glow-worm DR.. T. L. Phipson
takes exceptions, showing that the phosphores-
cent organs Of the glow-worm and the FREELY
have been the subject Of numerous inquiries.
The source Of the light proves to be not the
organs themselves but white unctuous sub
stance known as "noctilucine,' and. as DIR. Phip-
son himself showed thirty years ago that this
substance Is q special product Of decaying fish,
IL Is regarded az the probable light giving mate
rial in all animal and vegetable phosphorescence.
Luminous bacteria, the tiny organisms that give
light TO large areas Of the seas surface, certain
fungi and other living forms seem to produce
noctilucine. The material has complex COM
position. CLOVIS in the dark like phosphorus. and
Is made luminous by slow oxidation. Artificial
organic substances of similar nature are now
known.
The novel and highly sensitive galvanometer
Of u. Einthoven consists of q silver quartz fiber
stretched like violin string between the poles
Of powerful electromagnetic The passage
through it of q small current causes the wire to
be detected perpendicular to the field, and the
detection can be measured directly by micro
scope carrying micrometer or 1t can be photo
graphed with suitable scale to show the curve.
The sensitiveness can be regulated by adjusting
the length Of the wires.
4fs
The mathematical aptitude of boys and girls Of
8 to Is has been compared by Prof. v. Mercante.
Of Buenos Ayres. by tests Of quickness in read
ing numbers and In arithmetical operations. A
curious discovery Is that an abnormal activity
Of memory exists at about 10. followed by
period Of intellectual depression, and at Il by a
sudden leap in creative imagination and reason
ina power.
The smoke consuming device lately tested in
q factory at Westminster. England, consists Of
q screen of tubular fire bricks so placed in the
furnace that all products of combustion must
pass through the screen. The bricks, which are of
special material, quickly become incandescent
and the great heat ensures the thorough burn
ing of all gases and combustible material. pre-
venting the discharge into the air of solid carbon
particles. The exhaustive trials made proved
that the worst quality of coal could be used
under thei factory boilers with practically no
smoke. When damp coal dust, costing &2.75 per
ton delivered. was shoveled into the FIRE in guam
tity, light gray cloud appeared at the top Of
the chimney stack, but even this disappeared in
a few seconds. It is believed that the same So
luton Of the smoke problem can be successfully
applied to household fires.
-
The peanut Is one of the chief cultivated plants
Of German East Africa, where it has been priced
for It's relative freedom from disease. A mys-
FERROUS malady, characterized by reddish-brown
spots, has now appeared, and is rapidly killing
Of the peanut plants Of the region. A.similar
disease affects plants Of other localities without
proving fatal. The cause is believed to be some
unknown parasitic organism. but the sought for
fungus has not yet been found on roots, leaves
or flowers.
Coloring substances from moiasses in solution
are obtained in Germany by precipitation with
metallic salts in the presence of acids. When,
for example, molybdenum salts and sulphuric
acid are used. coloring matter resembling
indigo IL obtained, but with a shade varying
from clear green to greenish blue and deep blue
according to the proportions of the mixture.
The coloring matters are mostly difficult to dis
solve and partly insoluble in water.
4$s
Though the efficacy of cannon-firing for break
ing up hail-clouds has been questioned, statis-
tics are claimed to show marked reduction in
damage to the vineyards of Southern Europe
since 1900. Even lightning and thunder have
been suppressed in the protected area.
~
OIL and acetylene lamps have been depended
on chiefly for motor vehicles, on account of the
great weight Of the accumulators hitherto
necessary for feeding electric lamps DR.. Auer,
the inventor of the incandescent gas mantle,
seems to have overcome the difficulty in new
electric lamp. which has been brought to
commercial stage through a long process of
evolution. Tests are claimed to show marvel
GUS power as compared with other lamps. Two
pocket accumulators, the smallest made, serve
to feed an s-volt Auer lamp, and this is said to
give magnificent light for a motor-car. The
weight Of the small cells is triiing. The new
lamp is much like the ordinary incandescent
lamp in appearance, its superior qualities being
attributed to the use of certain materials-such
as the rare oxides, ceria and thoria-employed
in the incandescent gas mantle.
AZ
Poisoning by cream tarts has been reported in
many countries and in numerous cases. A
French chemist has been led to investigate,
taking up especially the poisoning of five per-
sons near Lyons by cream cakes from certain
bakery. Infection with same germ-and not the
materials OF the tarts-proved to be the cause of
the poisoning. The exact nature of the germ
was not determined. but it seemed to be associ-
ated with fermentation and peculiar taste and
odor.
The intense heat of the electric arc is not the
highest produced in the workshop. Probably
the highest temperature yet attained is that of
a. G. Himalaya, Portuguese. whose method
consists in concentrating sunlight and who by
this means readily volatilizes every known sub
stance. In his st. Louis experiments 5000 sill
vered-glass mirrors were used to throw the rays
on single point.
Both Rontgen and radium rays have given DIR.
N. Koernicke marked action on plants. Seed
lings were retarded and eventually ceased grow
ing, but in some cases revived after an interval.
termination Of bean and turnip seeds was ac-
CELEBRATED at first beans ceasing to develop after
q time.
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