The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-04-01
Correspondence baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

correspondence bQfttDsors county Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Melting by Coid-The Uruguay Potato
The Latest Alloy--Chemical Coal
Phosphorescent Compounds-Not Dead
Xet-A Light Controlled Clock-Capil-
larry Attraction as Motive Power-N-
Rays Measured.
On account Of its property Of being solidifed
by heat and lIquefled by cold, the new substance
knownas "cryostase'' has been regarded as quite
unique. but N. Charles Tauret French chem
list, has now discovered other substances behav-
ing in the same way. One of these is glucoside
that he has named 'svincetoxin.'' This exists in
asolubIe and an insoluble variety, and mixture
Of the two is also soluble, the solution coagulat
ing at lower temperature than the other. A
drop of mixture coagulating at about $50 G.
becomes a gelatinous bead in the hand and
liquefes on touching anything cold. The basic
terebinthate of zinc has the same property. as
do also the sscondurangins," which Vulpino has
found in condurango, and which are analogous
to the vincetoxins if not practically identical
with them.
The problem Of obtaining healthy potato
seems to have been solved in France by the new
species that has been under test This was
lost its bitter taste after several years of Guilt
walton. and is reported to have an enormous
yield. The blossoms supply jasmine-like per-
fume. One planting Of field is sufficient for
any number Of years, as broken roots left In the
soil spring up each season after the first
-
The new Tuscan alloy. "radium argentiferum,"
contains copper. iron, and minute portions of
silver. radium and phosphorus. 1t is about as
heavy as copper. has fine gold color that does
not tarnish is claimed to be stronger than steel
and better conductor than copper, and it is
much cheaper than bronze.
"a
Water now supplies 100000 horsepower for
electrical work. about one-third of it in the
United States.
new kind of peat brfquettes is produced by
chemical treatment. Lime, nitrate of potash,
SCOT and saccharine matter are mixed with the
raw peat, the effect being to absorb the water
and oil, and to dry and harden the mass through
out. Only slight mechanical pressure is re-
quired by the process. Tho product is a fuel
claimed TO equal the best coal in density and
heating value, to be free from sulphur, and to
be suitable for domestic use, gas-making, steam
raising, or conversion into coke for iron smell
tiers. By taking the machinery which is simple
and automatic-to the bog, it is estimated that
the cost of production can be reduced to $l.25
per ton, the expense for chemicals being Is cents
or less.
brilliantly phosphorescing zinc blende has
been Supposed to require the use of chemically
pure zinc, but two German chemists have lately
shown Independently that traces ofimpurity are
necessasy for the best results. A bende con-
tanning one ten-thousandth of copper gives a
beautiful green phosphorescence, while silver,
4 lead, bismuth. tin, uranium or cadmium may be
substituted for the copper with good effect. By
adding common salt and magnesium chloride to
solution Of pure ammonium zinc sulphate,
preclpitating with hydrogen sulphide. and heat
. ing the unwashed precipitate to wilderness for
half an hour, blende is produced that phospho-
d resces more brilliantly than the best luminous
paint"
The American bison appears to be gaining
. ground, and the extinction of this noble beast
may still be far away. The latest census esti-
mates the number in existence to be at least
. 1915. These are largely scattered in geological
. gardens and restricted parks in Europe and the
. United States, but rapidly increasing herd,
now thought to contain 600 individuals, is known
10 roam wild in the almost inaccessible region
about inc treat slave Lake In canada.
-
"A sarnlsn OF meiteo sugar applied with SOFT
Drusn' Is tne mover protective coatng Tor butter
'nas Is nnains favor Id germany ana England g
80
The novel electric clock OF Kari Sieel. OF
innsDruK' = user driven ana gives impulses TO
otner CLOCKS WITHOUT moving contacts or me-
cnanlcal connections OF any sort. siot IN
olsc on an eiectro-magneUc pendulum ana one
~ q n1eo screen are SO arranged tnat Wnen tney
pass ~ eacn peat OF tne pendulum tne iignt from
an lncanoescent lamp some YARDS passes through
ana 1ails upon a cylindrical mirror. Tne rays
are focused by this mirror upon two sellenium
cells-one in the circuit OF the pendulum and
the other IN circuit with the clocks to De con-
troileo' hacn lsnting ana oarkening causes