Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-07-22
kMN$CienCe
ssz1In1ivesSf'tion

An acre of Pinch ice usually will
provide a harvest of 1000 tons.
During 1909 the patent office issued
33,514 patents, while 22,32S expired.
Each of Germany's four new Dread
noughts will require a crew of 1000
men.
Not many years ago only natural
indigo was known, but already the
manufacture of artificial indigo has
reached a point where it has threat
ened ruin to many of the c%ultivators
of the indigo plant in India. Never
theless, the superiority of the natural
product in some respects has induced
continued investigation of improved
methods of cultivation and preparation.
1t is now predicted that a new era Of
prosperity for the natural indigo in
dustry it at hand. The introduction Of
Java-Natal indigo is said to have re-
duced the expenses of cultivation, and
to have increased the production ne
half. 1t is predicted that in the future
1T will cost less to produce natural in
digo than the synthetic dye. Science
has played a part on both sides in this
competition.
Comparative immunity for a hun
dred years seems to have made the
French forgetful of the danger.to their
great capital from sudden floods in the
River Seine. But the lesson taught
this year will evidently have import
ant consequences. 1t is suggested,
among other things, that a large chan
mel be constructed to lead off the flood
waters from a point above the city to
a junction with the regular channel
below the city limits. The cost of this
is reckoned at. at least, $4,000, 900.
But Paris lies in a great basin, and the
proposed cutoff would not save some
of the suburbs from inundation. An
other suggested solution is to construct
in the higher valleys, through which
the Seine and its two principal tribu-
taries, the Yonne and the Marine, flow,
great reservoirs. to be filled in times
of flood. This water, it is argued,
would be useful for irrigation purposes.
~ 1t could be distributed at will any
time after the inundation had ceased.
It is probable. also that local protection
will be secured by means Of higher
entertainments within the city.
During 1910 it is expected that siren
uous efforts will be made to improve
the already great efficiency of the gas
engine. Although this form Of engine
enjoyed a triumph in 1909 through the
achievements of the aeroplanes. yet it
d pointed out that its old rival, the
steam engine, at the same time greatly
advanced in fuel economy, achieving
q thermal efficiency Of 10 per cent. a
figure hitherto associated with gas
rather than with steam engine tests.
1t has recently been discovered that.
owing to assumptions. the
gas engine has not been credited with
having approached as close to the the
cresic limit of thermal effeiency at
tainable by the prevailing four-stroke
cycle as 1t really has approached. Thus
It has been shown that a gas engine
which by the old standard of efficiency
was supposed to have attained 80
points out of q possible SO. has really
attained 80 out OF ! possible So. This
leaves 30 little room for improvement
that experimenters are turning their
attention to radical changes In the
method Of operation which will AFFORD
: larger margin for advance.
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