Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-11-13
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LIE cuCteSS Ol lu6
efforts recently made to obtain nitro
gen direct from the air for fertllizing
purposes, the discovery Of new nitrate
beds continues to be matter of the
greatest Importance to agriculture. The
Geological Survey is now investigating
nitrate deposits In San Bernardino
County, California, which are said to
resemble those of Chile. They cover
about $1,000 acres, and 1t Is estimated
that they contain as much as 22OOO,-
600 tons Of fertilizers.
An amusing instance of ignorance Of
the properties of carbid of calcium oc-
Cured recentlyTon quay at Alglers.
Five tons of carbid had been placed
near quantity of indammable ma
terial, which suddenly caught fire.
The frelnen, instead Of removing the
boxes of carbld with hooks, smashed
them, and then turned water upon the
contents. The result was a great de-
velopment of acetylene gas and a de-
structive fire which might have been
prevented by little practical knowl-
edge of chemistry.
A section of steel pavement has re-
Gently been laid in the Rue st. Martin.
Paris, to test Its usefulness. The steel
blocks are nearly seven inches long and
an inch and a third thick, and are
ridged on both sides. They are laid in
cement so that the tops of the ridges
just reach the surface The ridges are
so close together that a horses shoe
covers at least three ranges of them.
1t is believed that such pavement
Will prove superior to asphalt in being
less slippery, and more durable than
pavement Of wooden blocks.
An investigation of the maximum
glaciation of the Soerra Nevada Is be-
Ing made by Willard D. Johnson, geol-
ogist, Of the United States Geological
Survey, who will this year complete a
study along the full length Of the east
flank Of the range, including a border
Ing zone Of the Basin ranges, and will
also make reconnaissance In Carson
Valley at the extreme northern end of
the High Sierras. The problems in
volyed are Of great scientific interest,
and considerable field work in addition
to that of the present season will be
required for their complete solution.
OF the common European languages
English is the most widely spoken at
the present time, and seems to be In
creasing in popularity more rapidly
than any Of the others. In 1880 about
21,O00,0OO people spoke English, and in
1900 about 12O,OOO,OO0, says McCall's
Magazine. In the same interval of time
the number speaking Russian increased
from 100000 to SO,OOO,OOO, French
from 31,45O,0oO to 100000, German
from 3O,OO0OOO,OOO to 100000, Ital-
ian from 100000 to 33,ooO,O 900,
| Spanish from 26,OOOOOO to 45,OOO,OOO
and Portuguese from 7,4SO,OOO to 49,
100000.
The weight of the air has often been
tested by COMPRISING 1t in receptacles
by the air pumps, says Ideal Power.
That 1t really has weight when 80 COM
pressed Is shown by the fact that the
weight of the vessels is increased
slightly by filling them with compressed
air, and that such vessels become spe-
officially Fighter" as soon as the air
contained in them is exhausted. Many
elaborate experiments on the weight
of air have proved that the cubic foot
weighs 536 grains, or something less
than IL ounces. The above experi-
ment on the weight of air is supposed
to be made at the surface of the earth,
with the temperature at 80 degrees
Fahrenheit. Heated air or air at high
elevations Is much lighter,