* * * * *



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.

RUBBER trees are reported found growing in Manatee County, Fla.

JAPAN proposes to build up her commercial navy by giving subsidies to ship builders on every ton above 1,000, and to ship owners for ships of 1,000 tons that can make ten knots an hour, the subsidy being increased for every 500 tons additional burden or every knot additional speed.

ROSA BONHEUR began to work seriously at painting when she was about fifteen, and donned male attire so that she could go about without attracting attention. She wore it so naturally that no one ever suspected her of being a girl, and found it so comfortable that she has worn it ever since to work in. She and Mme. Dieulafoy, the wife of the explorer, are the only two women in France who are legally authorized to appear in public in men's clothes.

A DEVICE for permitting the unsophisticated guest to blow out the gas in his bedroom at the city hotel without inconvenience to himself or anybody else has been devised. The gas burner is made of a metal having great expansive and contractive properties. The gas is turned on in the regular way and a small screw is turned which admits a small flow of gas through the burner. The gas is lighted, and the heat expands the metal and automatically opens a valve permitting a full flow of gas. The gas can be turned off in the ordinary way, but if the gas is blown out the metal contracts, closing the valve, and all the gas that escapes is the very small quantity admitted by the screw valve.

A MOVEMENT is on foot in Europe having for its object the securing of a complete census of the inhabitants of all the civilized countries of the world. With this end in view the several governments are to be approached with the request that they will endeavor to decide upon a mutual date for counting the people under their various jurisdictions. Heretofore the different countries have taken their census on different dates, and it has been impossible to obtain accurate statistics in regard to the world's population at any one particular period. It is suggested that the last year of the present century or the first year of the coming century would be the most appropriate date for obtaining statistics.

OF THE 376 suicides who ended their lives in New York last year, by far the greater number were divorced people, says the Medical Review. From a table prepared for the year 1895, it is shown that there were in Germany during that year 2,834 suicides of men either divorced or separated from their wives and 948 suicides of widowers, as against only 286 suicides of married men. It is also shown that 343 women separated from their husbands and 124 widows died by their own hands, in contrast with 61 married women and 87 unmarried. In Wurtemburg, to every million inhabitants, there are 1,540 lunatics among divorcs or women separated from their husbands and 338 among the widows, while there are only 224 among unmarried women. There are 1,484 lunatics among the men who are divorced or separated from their wives, 338 among the widowers, and only 236 among the bachelors.

THE QUARTERLY list of American tin plate works, which was published in the Metal Worker a short time ago, shows that on July 1 there were thirty-six complete tin plate plants rolling their own black plates in actual operation in the United States and three in course of construction. The active plants possessed an aggregate of 179 tin mills, having an estimated yearly capacity of about 5,500,000 boxes of tin plates. In addition to these establishments there were thirty-one tin plate dipping works, without rolling mills, possessing an aggregate of 169 tinning sets. At the end of June the production of American tin plate is estimated to have been going on at the rate of over 4,000,000 boxes yearly. During the last quarter the New Castle Steel and Tin Plate Company, of New Castle, Pa., has completed large extensions to its works, making it an eighteen-mill plant. This gives the United States the largest and most complete tin plate works in the world. Its annual capacity is three-quarters of a million boxes.

THE MONITEUR VINICOLE has recently published a statement showing the wine production of the various countries of the world. From this statement it appears the yield in France amounted in the years 1895 and 1894 to 587,127,000 gallons and 859,162,000 gallons respectively; in Algeria to 83,549,000 and 80,124,000 gallons; Tunis, 3,956,000 and 3,936,000: Italy, 469,555,000 and 539,000,000; Spain 379,500,000 and 528,000,000; Portugal, 43,890,000 and 33,000,000; Azores, Canaries, and Madeira, 4,620,000 and 2,640,000; Austria, 66,000,000 and 88,000,000; Hungary, 63,030,000 and 46,103,000; and Germany, 80,190,000 and 110,000,000 gallons. In Turkey and Cyprus the production last year amounted to 52,800,000 gallons, and this compares with an average yield of 40,000,000 gallons. In Bulgaria the yield was 26,400,000 gallons; Servia, 17,600,000; Greece, 35,200,000; Roumania, 68,640,000; Switzerland, 27,500,000; the United States, 89,700,000; Mexico, 1,980,000; Argentine Republic, 29,700,000; Chile, 33,000,000, Brazil, 7,700,000; Cape of Good Hope, 2,420,000; Persia, 594,000; and Australia, 3,300,000 gallons.

THE Historical Museum of Hesse Cassel, in Germany, says the Carpenter and Builder, contains a most remarkable collection of curiosities. It is in the form of a wooden library, composed of five hundred and forty volumes of folio and quarto sizes. The books are made of the different specimens of trees found in the famous park of Wilhelmshoehe. On the back of each of these singular books is pasted a large shield of red morocco, which bears the popular and scientific names of the tree and the family to which it belongs. Each label is inlaid with some of the bark of the tree, the moss and lichen, and a drop or two of the resin, if the tree produces it. The upper edge of the book shows the tree in its youth, cut from a horizontal section, with the sap in the center and the eccentric circles. The same method prevails with the lower edge, showing the changes that have taken place. The interior of the book, in the shape of a box, contains in manuscript the history of the tree, with numerous hints as to its treatment, capsules filled with seeds, buds, roots, leaves, and so on. The inner sides show the diverse transformations which take place from bloom to fruit.

* * * * *



SELECTED FORMUL.

AMBROSIA SIRUP.—

Raspberry sirup..................... 8 vol. Vanilla sirup....................... 8 " Hock wine........................... 1 "

AMYCOSE.—

Shaved ice.......................... tumblerful. Raspberry juice..................... 1 fl. oz. Orange sirup........................ 2 " Juice of half an orange.

Shake well, add soda water, and before serving add a small, thin slice of orange or pineapple. Serve with two straws in a 14 oz. tumbler.

BANANA SIRUP.—

Cut the fruit in slices and place them in a jar; sprinkle with sugar and cover the jar, which is then enveloped in straw and placed in cold water, and the latter is heated to the boiling point. The jar is then removed, allowed to cool, and the juice is poured into bottles.

BANANA CREAM.—

Shaved ice.......................... tumblerful. Banana sirup........................ 2 fl. oz. Cream of milk....................... 8 "

Shake well, add a few pieces of banana, and fill with soda water, using the fine stream, and serve in a 12 oz. tumbler with a spoon and straws.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE.—

Shaved ice.......................... tumblerful. Vanilla sirup....................... 1 fl. oz. Cream............................... 6 " One egg.

Shake and fill with soda water, using the fine stream. Serve in a 14 oz. tumbler with a spoon; it will have a head like a charlotte russe.

CHOCOLATE SIRUP.—

Best chocolate...................... lb. Gelatin............................. 3 oz. Water............................... 4 pts. Sugar............................... 7 lb.

The chocolate and gelatin are dissolved in the water by boiling, and then the sugar is added and stirred until dissolved; or,

Chocolate........................... lb. Glycerin............................ 12 fl. oz.

Heat together on hot water bath until the chocolate is melted, constantly stirring, and then add enough sirup to make 1 gallon. The sirup must be added in small portions at first, under constant stirring, and the result will be a superior sirup. Extract of vanilla may be added if it is desired to further improve the taste.

CLAM JUICE SHAKE.—

Clam juice.......................... 1 fl. oz. Milk................................ 2 " Soda water.......................... 5 "

Add a pinch of salt and a little white pepper to each glass; shake well.

COFFEE SIRUP.—

Mocha coffee........................ lb. Java coffee......................... " Boiling water....................... 1 gal. Granulated sugar.................... 10 lb.

Boil together, or pass through a suitable filter coffee pot, until one gallon of infusion is obtained; let it settle and add the sugar.

EGG LEMONADE.—

Shaved ice.......................... tumblerful. One egg. Juice of one large lemon. Powdered sugar...................... 3 teaspoonfuls. Water............................... 6 fl. oz.

Shake thoroughly. Draw a small quantity of soda water, fine stream only, and grate a little nutmeg on top.

EGG PHOSPHATE.—

Draw into a thin 9 oz. tumbler, 2 oz. of Maltese (red) orange sirup, and add an egg, a few squirts of acid phosphate, and a small piece of ice; shake well, fill shaker with soda water—using the large stream only—and strain.

ORANGE PHOSPHATE.—

RED ORANGE PHOSPHATE.

Red orange sirup.................... 6 pints. Orange wine......................... 1 " Pineapple sirup..................... 1 " Acid solution phosphates............ 8 fl. oz.

TANGERINE PHOSPHATE.

Tangerine sirup..................... 7 pints. Pineapple sirup..................... " Muscatel............................ " Acid solution of phosphates......... 8 fl. oz.

—Montreal Pharmaceutical Journal.

AMERICAN METAL POLISHING PASTE.—

Bohemian Tripoli powder............. 1 pound. Spanish whiting..................... 1 " Commercial red oxide of iron........ " Common petrolin-burning oil......... 1 ounce. Glycerine........................... q. s. Water............................... q. s. Oil of citronella................... ounce.

Thoroughly mix the powders, then add the petrolin, etc.—Mag. Pharmacy.

CEMENT FOR PORCELAIN LETTERS.—

Solution sodium silicate............ 30 parts. Slaked lime......................... 45 "

Mix, and add:

Litharge............................ 30 parts. Glycerine.............. quantities sufficient.

Make a paste, and use immediately.

* * * * *



THE GREAT KRUPP WORKS.

More than 1,250,000 tons of coal are consumed yearly by the famous Krupp works at Essen, Westphalia, commenced in 1810 by Peter Friedrich Krupp, and now in the possession of Herr Friedrich Krupp, member of the Reichstag. The establishment consists, according to the Eisen Zeitung, of two steel works, with 15 Bessemer converters; four steelworks, with Siemens-Martin open hearth furnaces; iron, steel and brass foundries; puddling, melting, reheating and annealing furnaces; draw benches; a hardening and tempering department; file manufactory; rolling mills for plates, rails and tires; railway spring and wheel manufactory; steam hammers, forges, axle turning shop, boiler shop, engineering and repair shop. Besides the above and many other departments, at Essen, connected with the making of cannons, there are steel works at Annen, in Westphalia, three collieries in Westphalia, besides participation in several others; 547 iron mines in Germany; various iron mines at Bilboa, in Spain; four iron works, including one at Duisburg, one at Engers, one at Neuwid, and one at Sahn; various quarries of clay, sandstone, etc.; four steamers, and artillery ground at Meppen, Hanover. The property owned extends over 974 hectares, and the number of hands employed in the mines and steelworks is 25,301. There are altogether 1,500 furnaces of various kinds, 3,000 engines and machine tools, 22 roll trains, 111 steam hammers, 2 hydraulic presses, 263 stationary boilers, 421 steam engines, representing together a force of 33,139 horse power, and 430 cranes, including travelers, having a collective lifting power of 4,662 tons. The total length of the shafting is 8.8 kiloms. (5 miles), and that of railways, standard and small gage, 85 kiloms. (53 miles), worked by 32 regular trains, with 33 locomotives. The annual consumption of coal amounts to 1,253,161 tons, and that of lighting gas to 12,000,000 cubic meters, while there are 573 arc and 1,804 incandescent electric lamps.

* * * * *



PHYSICS WITHOUT APPARATUS.

The Chain and the String.—To the extremity of a string about 18 in. in length attach a chain about 15 in. in length, the extremities of which are united. Holding the string vertically between the fingers, give it a rapid rotary motion. The chain will first open out as seen at A of the figure. Upon increasing the velocity of rotation, it will be thrown out farther and farther until it finally forms a circle in a horizontal plane. In this motion, the string forms a sort of conoidal surface, distended by centrifugal force.



B of the figure gives the exact aspect that the arrangement offers to the eye during the revolution. In the same way, a penholder attached by one of its extremities to a string assumes an almost horizontal position.

This experiment illustrates the principle of centrifugal force.

A Coin Rolling Upon a Parasol.—In treatises upon physics and mechanics inertia is defined as follows: No particle of matter in a state of rest possesses within itself the power of putting itself in motion; or, if it be moving, of bringing itself to a state of rest.

As an example of this principle, we may recall here the trick performed by certain jugglers, and that consists in making a coin roll over the top of a Japanese paper parasol. The parasol is revolved very rapidly, and, to the eyes of the spectator, the coin seems to remain immovable. It is, in reality, the parasol that revolves under the coin.

Breaking Stones with the Fist.—It is through the live force acquired, or inertia at rest, that stones are broken by a blow of the fist. This experiment is performed as follow: The right hand being properly bandaged with a handkerchief, the stone to be broken is taken with the left and allowed to rest upon a larger stone or upon an anvil. Then the stone to be broken is struck with the right fist, while care is taken to raise it a slight distance above the anvil just before the fist touches it. The stone then takes on the velocity of the fist that strikes it, and coming into violent contact with its support, is very promptly broken.

As simple as this experiment is, it always surprises the spectators.

Experiment on Inertia.—It is not impossible to remove from a table set for a guest a large napkin employed in lieu of a table cloth, without disarranging the objects placed upon it. To this effect, it suffices to give the napkin a quick horizontal jerk in stiffening the edges held by the hands.

We recommend our readers to try this experiment only with table ware of slight value, for one cannot always be sure of succeeding immediately. Tinware may be employed very advantageously.

The Dice and the Dice Box.—A dice box and two dice are held in the hand, and the question is to throw one die into the air and catch it in the box. This is not difficult, but the difficulty is to cause the second to enter, for if this be thrown into the air, the first, which is already in the box, will fly into the air likewise and fall outside. In order to make the second enter while the first is already in the box, it must not be thrown into the air, but the hand and the box must be quickly lowered in freeing it, so that the first die, which is in the box, shall be at a less height than the second, which is in the fingers. The dice fall less quickly than the hand and the box.

* * * * *



THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT.

PUBLISHED WEEKLY.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION, $5 A YEAR.

Sent by mail, postage prepaid, to subscribers in any part of the United States or Canada. Six dollars a year, sent, prepaid, to any foreign country.

All the back numbers of THE SUPPLEMENT, from the commencement, January 1, 1876, can be had. Price, 10 cents each.

All the back volumes of THE SUPPLEMENT can likewise be supplied. Two volumes are issued yearly. Price of each volume, $2.50 stitched in paper, or $3.50 bound in stiff covers.

COMBINED RATES.—One copy of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN and one copy of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT, one year, postpaid, $7.00.

A liberal discount to booksellers, news agents, and canvassers.

MUNN & CO., PUBLISHERS, 361 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, N.Y..

* * * * *

BUILDING EDITION OF THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN.

Those who contemplate building should not fail to subscribe.

ONLY $2.50 A YEAR.

Each number contains elevations and plans of a variety of country houses; also a handsome

COLORED PLATE.

MUNN & CO., 361 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.

* * * * *

CATALOGUES

A Catalogue of Valuable Papers contained in SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT during the past ten years, sent free of charge to any address; also, a comprehensive catalogue of useful books by different authors, on more than fifty different subjects, has recently been published for free circulation, at the office of this paper. Subjects classified with names of authors. Persons desiring a copy have only to ask for it, and it will be mailed to them. Address

MUNN & CO., 301 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.

* * * * *

PATENTS!

MESSRS. MUNN & CO., in connection with the publication of the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, continue to examine improvements, and to act as Solicitors of Patents for Inventors.

In this line of business they haw had nearly fifty years' experience, and now have unequalled facilities for the preparation of Patent Drawings, Specifications, and the prosecution of Applications for Patents in the United States, Canada, and Foreign Countries. Messrs. Munn & Co. also attend to the preparation of Caveats, Copyrights for Books, Labels, Reissues, Assignments, and Reports on Infringements of Patents. All business intrusted to them is done with special care and promptness, on very reasonable terms.

A pamphlet sent free of charge, on application, containing full information about Patents and how to procure them: directions concerning Labels, Copyrights, Designs, Patents, Appeals, Reissues, Infringements, Assignments, Rejected Cases, Hints on the Sale of Patents, etc.

We also send, free of charge, a Synopsis of Foreign Patent Laws, showing the cost and method of securing patents in all the principal countries of the world.

MUNN & CO., SOLICITORS OF PATENTS, 361 Broadway, New York.

BRANCH OFFICES.—No. 622 and 624 F Street, Pacific Building near 7th Street, Washington, D.C.

THE END