Odds and Ends.

Otago Witness, Issue 1555, 27 August 1881, Page 28

Odds and Ends.

Another soheme for crossing the Bnglisn Channel by railway has been brought forward by Mr Bradford Leslie, the engineer of the East India Railway Company. He pro- ' poses that a cylindrical steel tube shonld be submerged 40 feet below the surfaoe of the water. The tube wonld be so ballasted as to make it weigh \\ tons to the foot, its buoyanoy beiDg counterbalanced by moorlngß at every 250 feet.' At the shore ends it would be laid in dredged or excavated channels, and would be made to rise r from the mid-channel depths by easy gradients. The cost of carrying out the Bcheme is estimated to be L 8.000.000. Alcohol in Nature.— A paper on the presence of alcohol in the earth, in water, and in the air, was recently read before the French Academy of Soienoes. The author, M. Mtmtz, has developed the method depending as the change of alcohol into iodoform, so that one-milHonth of aloohol in water can be detected. Alcohol is found in all natural waters except very pure spring water, and in greater quantity in snow. Rain water and the water of the Seine oon- ' tain about oue gramme per cubic metre. Aloohol, no doubt, also exists as vapour in the atmosphere. In soils, especially those whioh are very rich in organic matter, there is a considerable quantity. The wide diffusion of alcohol in nature is due to the destruction of organic matter by various agents of fermentation. Professor Oaoar Schmidt, of the University of Gis,tis, has been so successful in his preliminary efforts to artificially propagate the sponge of commerce, that the Austrian Governmont have authorised him to attempt, the development of the industry on the. coast of Dilmatia. The prooesß to very simple, consisting in selecting the proper' season in the spring, dividing a living marketable sponge into numerous small pieoes, and' then fastening them to stakes driven into .the sea bottom. These fragments at once begin to grow out, and at the end of a given time eaoh one becomes an entire sponge. According to Dr Schmidt, three, years is a sufficient length of time to obtain; from very small pieces fair-sized sponges. In one experiment the cost of raising 4000 sponges amdnnted only to L 9, and this included the interest for three years on the capital employed. Woolaorter's Disease. — For some time past considerable discussion nas arisen in the manufacturing districts of England over a malady called woolaorter's disease. Mr Roberts, the medioal officer of health for the district of the Keighley Land Board, treats at considerable length in hia annual report for 1880 of the nature and preventives of this disease. In summing up from the report it: ia recommended that the following precau-; tions be taken without fail by woolsorter's : —"(1) Woolsor tiers not to sort" dangerous' woola when they have any sore plaoes or oraoks on their hands or fingers ; (2) to be careful not to wipe or rub their faces with their hands while sorting, especially if they have any cracks or pimples on tbe face or lips ; (3) to wash their hands before eatirjg, and to take neither food nor drink into the room where the wool is being sorted." The sorting room, he adds, ought to be well ventilated, to be swept regularly, and to have the walls and ceilings whitewashed twice a year. Cost of Electrio Light. — A reoent scientific paper, read at a meeting of the New York Electrio Light Association, gives some important information on the one great question regarding the electrio light - tbat is, its cost as compared with gas. Thia electrician leaves out the cost of the plant, but with that omitted he demonstrates that to ran the engine which produoes 992 candles of electric light requires coal enough to produce 1500 candles of gas light. In each case the ' oandle ' is, of course, the same amount of light. For the same money, therefore, you can get a third more of gas light than of electrio light, or, in other words, the electrio light oasts 50 per cent, more than the gas. All this is assuming electricity to be generated by a Bteam engine. The day may oome when our wasted water powers will ba kept grinding out electricity whioh will be bottled up and shipped around for uae. It could turn out electricity enough to light us all up, and the French have discovered how to carry it any distance and keep it for any length of time. — Hartford Courant.

A Hist to Agriculturists — S c BAILEY jind KKRR'.H Safety Lump <lverti«oment, pa«o 29 Tut ut Ciuf/on and send tor one or moro Lamps at reduced Coupon Price, Last 14 days. Amo/ican Novelty Company, PrinCea street, Dunedin.-IADVT.]

■ Burnett's Aqua ds Florhibl, as its name implies, is the honey of flowers, highly concentrated, and Amparts a peculiar and most agreeable fragrance. It combines the virtues of cologne, the pungency of * handkerchief perfume, with an adaption to daily use in the bath which commends it to general use. In the sick room this delightful perfume will prove invaluable Its Invigorating qualities will disinfect the atmosphere, relieve the tired brain, soothe and refresh the restless patien% and rovive hia drooping energies. —Bates, Sise & Co , Agents.— [ ' dvt ],' .„..:

Bubnett's Coooainb cures dandrnff, allays irrl tation.— [ADVr.]

Bristol's SarsapariUiA.— This pure vegetable disinfectant contains no element that is not restorative, cleaning, and antiseptic. It does not expel poison by poison. Its opel-ation is kindly, gentle, and m harmoDy with the efiorts made by nature to rid heraelf ol the virus of disease.— [Advt.]

Othkr odorous waters undergd many varitfionß of aroma as they fade into insipidity, but MttttßAY AND Lanman'b Florida Water passei through no such gradations. As it is when sprinkled upon the handkerchief or the garment, so it remaini— delicate, refreshing, and delightful to the last.— [Advt.] '

Enjoy Lifb.— What a truly beautiful world we live in ! Nature gives us grandeur of mountains,' glens, and oceans, and thousands of meann for enjoyment. We can desire no better when in perfect health ; but how often do the majority of people feel like giving it up disheartened, discouraged, and worried out with disease when there is no occasion for,thl4 feeling, as every sufferer can easily obtain satisfactory proof that Grbb&'S' AVGUBT Flower wUI make them as 1 free from disease as when born. Dyspepsia and Liver complaint is the direct cause of 75 per cent of such maladies as Biliousness, Indigestion, Sick Headache, Oostlveness, Nervous Prostration, Dizziness of the Head, Palpitation of the Heart, and other distressing symptoms. Three doses of August Flower will prove its wonderful effect. Sample bottle, 9d. Try it.— Sole wholesale agents : Kbmpihorioi, Prossbr, and Co.— -[Adyt.] "• FLORttiNa I— Fob thb Truth and Brhath.— A few drops of the liquid " Florillne" sprinkled on a wet tootb-brusb produces at pleasant lather, which thoroughly cleanses the teeth' from all paraslteaor impurities, hardens the gums, prevents tartar, stops decay, gives to the teeth a peculiar pearly-whiteness, and a delightful fragrance to the breath. It removes all unpleasant odour arUlng from decayed teeth or tobacco smoke. "The Fragrant Floriline," being composed in part of honey and, sweet herbs, ii deli cious to the taste, and the greatest toilet discovery of the age. Price 2s 6d, of all Chemists and Perfumers. Wholesale depot removed to 83 Farringdon, road. London.— fADVT.]

Adviob to Mothhrs !— Are you broken in your rest by a sick child suffering with the pain of cutting teeth? Go at once to a chemist and get a bottle of Mrs WinsliOW's Soothing Syrup It will relieve the poor Buflerer immediately. It is perfectly harmless , and pleasant to taste, It produces natural, quiet sleep, by relieving the child from pain, and the little cherub •wakes "as bright as a button." It soothes the child, , It softens the gums, allays all pains, relieves wind, regulates the bowels, and is the best known remedy , for dysentery and diarrhcaa, whether* arising from' teething or other causes. Mrs Winslow's Soothing' Syrup is sold by medicine dealen everywhere at 1b yd per bottle.-HA.DVT.I-, y -

VaiiUAbiiß Disoovbry foe thb Hair.— H your hair . is turning grey or white, or falling off, use " The . Mexican flair Renewer. ' for 'it will positively restore <n every case Orey or ft ,t*<e Hair to its original colour, , without leaving the disagreeable smell of most " Re- 1 storera." It makes the hair charmingly beautilul, as well as promoting the growth of the hair on bald ; •pots, where the glands are not decayed. Ask your ' Chemiste for ",Thb Mexican Hair Khnkwbr." Sold ! by Chemists and Perfumers everywhere at" 3s 6d per ; bottle. Wholesale depot removed to 83 Farringdon road, London. — [Advt.|

Mb T. Keating.

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