Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-02-19
FACTS IN FEW LINES
The clarinet was invented In 1000,
This country has 900 trade Journals

Sewing ON buttons is not a wifely
duty In Japan. There are no buttons.
Electric engines will haul the ships
through the Panama canal when the
big ditch is completed.
The hull of cotton Is used In China
for fertiizing purposes, farmers pay
ing about So n ton for II.
There is n revival In Cuba OF the ef-
fort to encourage by government sub
sidy the immigration of farmers.
There are three times as many Bud
dhists, Braiimans, Mohammedaus and
pagans in the world as there are Chris
tians.
Italy levies a graduated income tax
as well as direct tax on land and
houses. Smaller incomes are exempt
from taxation.
: The lighthouse OF Helgoland has
light of 30.O00OO0 candlepower. AZ
Nuremberg lamp ten times as power
full has been made.
or the SS,000,00o population Of the
United States, one-third, speaking In
round numbers, are found In the thir-
teen original states.
Cutting of the pigtail and radical
change in costumes are strongly urged
to the present Chinese regent by his
brother. Prince Tsai Tao.
The permanent international peace
bureau at a recent session in Brussels
took action In favor Of the establish
ment of an international relief fund.
A Hungarian bookbinder named
Hirsch recently hanged himself at
Budapest because, as he explained In
letter. he could not remember his
favorite tune.
Santo Domingo, according to an Eng.
fish mineralogist who explored II, is a
geological curiosity shop, containing
scattered samples of nearly every
well known mineral.
The Institute of Marine Engineers in
London recently discussed the subject,
and II. A. Mayor of Glasgow said that
the prospect for electric propulsion for
ships is very hopeful.
, China buys in San Francisco $780,
600 of seaweed a year. The claim for
seaweed is that when 1t is used in up
holstering furniture 1t is kept free of
moths and other insects.
AS rival of the United States in
supplying the world with grain Argen-
tina has to overcome several Impress
i've obstacles. Among them are drought.
locusts. revolutions, labor troubles, ex-
cessive rains and frosts.
A famous wistaria in Japan is that
to be found at Kashukabe. northeast
of Tokyo. The vine is 500 years old
and grows over trellises covering a
space of 1000 feet. Its pendent clus-
tiers are more than fifty inches long.
The study Of foreign languages is
making rapid progress in German
schools. Most of the teachers are ma
tive born French and English. This
work is u powerful factor in Germa-
ny's progress as power in interna-
tional commerce.
TO allow moving pictures to be seen
without darkening the room in which
they are shown a French inventor
frames the screen with dark curtains.
hung a short distance in front of it, to
cut Off all light except that from the
projecting machine.
The beggars and street singers OF |
Marseilles. France, met and formed an
organization for the protection of their |
interests and to resist the encroach-
ment Of pretenders. A constitution |
was drawn up, bylaws made and linn. /,
itation set upon membership.
The Brazilian curers of meat claim |
that Spanish salt is best for making |
jerked beef. and they complain of the |
high import duty on salt. The native |
salt producers assert that Brazilian |
salt is quite as good as the imported. !
H. -
nearly 100000 a year.
The Paris Eclair announces that an
absolutely stable smokeless powder |
has been discovered and is now at the |
service of the French army and navy.
Chemical agents. heat. excessive cold. |
humidity, light and Herzian waves
have no effect upon this powder, which |
can only be fred by a special detona-
tor.
It is unlawful in Canada for
salesman or agent to allow secret COM
missions, rebates or considerations of
any kind for the purpose of influencing
or effecting sales Of merchandise I'M
der a penalty. upon conviction. Of two
years Imprisonment or the imposi-
ton Of a fine not to exceed $4,000 or
both.
Old tin cans which find their way to
the domestic rubbish heap have been
turned to good account by the Liver
pool corporation. Last year from this
source the health committee realized
$500. In future the revenue il likely
to be increased, because the authori-
ties are engaged in putting down a
new plant
About seventy years ago Benjamin
Atherton of Houlton. Me-, received an
English willow walking stick from
friend who had walked from Wood
stock, N. B.. carrying the stick with
him. Mr.. Atherton planted the stick
in his yard. and 1t Is now a great tree
with girth of eighteen feet three
inches at the base.
Germany's minister Of the interior
has addressed to the heads Of the va
rious governments within the empire
circular recalling the information
that the kaiser from his private purse
makes grant amounting to about S15
on the birth Of an eighth son in any.
a.