Amador ledger., 1907-06-14

The making of phosphorus is an
industry likely to be revolutionized
by the electric furnace. This sub
stance has been obtained from bones,
but it is now possible to extract it
from natural phosphates, and some
experiments have been made with
phosphorite and apatite. Quite re-
Gently sufficient waveIIite-a rather
rare aluminium phosphate has been
discovered near Holly Springs, Pa,
to justify mining for phosphorus ore.
The work was begun several years
ago, and in 1905 the mine produced
400 tons of ore, which was reduced in
the operating company's own furnaces.
The annual production of phosphorus
has been variously estimated at 1000
to 300O tons for the world. The chief
factory is at Oldbury, England, but
there are large ones at Lyons, France,
and at Grieshe1m and Frankfort,
Germany, with one small one in
Sweden and others in Russia.
The "male'' and ''femaIe" salt
that are mixed for use by natives near
the Atbara River, in the Sudan, have
been given scientific explanation by
a chemist of Khartum. The "maIe"
salt is made unit for table use by
large proportion of sodium suIphate
(Glauber' salt), and the female"
salt has much calcium chloride, but
when the two are mixed the two
impurities form calcium sulphate and
increase the sodium chloride. The
calcium sulphate can be separated
out by boiling.
Evidence of a mind in all animals,
even the lowest, is found by +. w.
Headley. The amoeba exercises the
power of choice when 1t eats, and the
tree-like colony of one-ceIIed in
fusorians called zoothamnium after a
time ceases to be agitated by jars
repeated at intervals, showing that it
must remember that a jar is harmless.
A variety OF wax from the Rapbia
Rutfia, Madagascar plant, has been
recommended as cheap substitute
for beeswax, as it can be obtained in
considerable quantities, the plant
yielding about ten per cent of it as a
secondary product in the manufacture
of Raphia fibers. The new wax has
been examined by NJ. A. HalIer of
Paris. He reports it to be light
brown in color, becoming piukish
when distilled, and to be almost in
soluble in cold alcohol, benzine,
chloroform and other organic solvents,
but most easily dissolved in hot
benzine. 1t seems to have the CON-
position of IuzernoI, wax found by
M. Etard in the leaves of wheat and
other grains. though it differs in
having a melting point of l76 degrees
f. instead of 169 degrees.
Before the recent Scotia Expedition,
nine species of birds had been found
within the Antarctic Circle. The
new collection has been Investigated,
and Mr. Eagle Clarke reports that it
adds to the list four species-the
Arctic tern, the blue petrol the short
winged petrol, and Hutton's sooty
aIbatross. While the petrels and
their relatives are doubtless drawn
co fo h1 hn frn ri irNa
abundance of the food near the ice
barrier, it Is thought to be most re-
markable that the Arctic tern, after
breeding in the north, should make
the long journey to the opposite pole.
In the new disease known as "tennis
elbow" there is usually local tender
ness on pressure, with acute pain on
extending the arm. There IS seldom
any swelling. The trouble is thought
to be due to tearing of the muscular
fiber, and 1t is very persistent, often
recurring even after long rest.
The pInhoIe as substitute for a
lens IN photography is we'll known,
| duu AOW IL udS OSSA QlSCONSIOQ Iudt
a card pricked with an ordinary toilet
pin may enable one to read when the
glasses have been misIaid. The best
effect is lost if there are two or more
holes or if the one hole is too large.
Perhaps the most remarkable known
demonstration of mimicry-the slngu-
lar alteration of certain animals to
the appearance of other animals
objects, usually assumed to be
Natures means of protection, has
been brought sto the notice of the
London Royal Society by Prot.
PouIton. The specimens we're from
Durham naturalist, who in s190f
succeeded in breeding from a single
butterfly fourteen male and fourteen
female butterflies. The latter were
differentiated into three distinct
types, which mimicked the external
form of totally different poisonous