The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1910-03-24
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

IL,
another ton is palced under a shed,
the latter loses about 25 per cent of
its heating power, the former about
AZ per cent.
The Sahara is not like smooth
sea beach of sand. 1t consists of
boundless leagues of sand and stones
rocks of all sizes and shapes, with
here and there some higher rock,
which throws shadow from the
heat
From coal is obtained the means
of producing over four hundred shad-
es of color, a great variety of per-
fumes, explosive agents, various acids
and medicines, insecticides, salts. sac.
charine, fruit flavors, asphaltum, lub-
ricating oils, and varnish.
Whereas in 1850 there was only
one convict to every 34OO of popula-
tion in the United States, in 1890
there was actually one prisoner to
every $50 inhabitants. During the
last thirty years we are told that our
criminal population has increased, rel
atively to population, by one-third.
The dodo was bird bigger than
turkey and too heavy to fly, as
its wings were only rudimentary It
was very common in Mauritius when
that island was discovered in 1864,
but it's flesh was so good to eat, and
the bird was so incapable of self-pro-
lection that within forty years it be-
came absolutely extinct
Paper. 1t appears, is a rare and
precious thing in the Shah's domin-
ions. Coarse paper for wrapping COM
modities Is scarce. The paper in
which sugar is wrapped is carefully
collected and preserved, being fire.
quently used several times over. If
it is too far gone to be available fur
Their the fragments are sent to ma
tive mill to be used in the manufac-
lture of fresh lot.
A traveller who has completed a
journey from the Uganda railway to
Lake Magadi gives an account of
wonderful soda lake, ten miles long
by two or three miles in breadth. 1t
looks from the surrounding noun
tains like an ordinary sheet of wa
ter, of somewhat reddish hue. The
water, however, Is only a few inch
es deep, and covers a hard surface
looking exactly like pink marble. This
Is an immense deposit of soda, which
was bored and found to extend to
considerable depth, thus indicating
an area of at least twenty square
miles of solid soda.
The latest enterprise of a depart
ment store in London Is to provide
bridesmaids. They are not kept as
special department. Said the man.
ager: 1--WE are only asked for them
two or three times a year. When
an order comes we send one of our
young women clerks or some other
feminine employee. We charge 1925
a bridesmaid If the parents of the
bride provide outfit and carriage. If,
as generally happens. 1t is run
away marriage and the bride has felt
the need of some woman to stand by
her at the last moment we charge
for all expenses, such as carriage
and any additions to costume that
are necessary"
In California the woodpecker stores
acorns away, although he never eats
them. He bores several holes, differ
ing slightly In size, at the fall of the
year, invariably in pine tree. Then
he finds en- acorn which he adjusts
to one OF the holes prepared for its
reception. But he does not eat the
acorn for as rule he Is not veg
etarian. His object In storing away
the acorns exhibits foresight and
knowledge Of results more akin to
reason than to Instinct. The succeed
ing winter the acorns remain intact,
but becoming saturated are predis-
posed to decay when they are attack
ed by maggots, which seem to de-
light in this, special food. 1t is then
that the woodpecker reaps the har-
vest his wisdom has provided. at a
time when the ground. being covered
with snow. he would experience diff
ficulty otherwise in obtaining suitable
or palatahle food.
Centuries ago there lived farrier
Walter EeBran by name, whose dex-
terity at the anvil on the occasion Of
great fitting meeting on the banks