Scientific.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2122, 13 February 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

Scientific.

—Spontaneous Combustion from Coal-dust. —M. Fayal concludes that tbe absorption of atmospherio oxygen by coal-duit usually produces tbe rise in temperature to which spontaneous combustion is due. He finds that lignite it ignited at the low temperature of 300 degrees, anthracite at 575 degree*, and other varieties of coal, in powdered form, at intermediate temperatures. |

—Electricity ban been brought to the aid of the sportsman by the use of a •mall lamp for the front of a rifle, to render it visible in the dusk, or when from any cause whatever there is insufficient light. The minute electrio light is fixed near the muzzle of the gun and shielded by a metallic screen. The current is supplied by a small .battery in the stock.

—The Photographic Art. — The Philadelphia Photographer says : Thors, the progressive Sin Francisco photographer, causea us a pleasant surprise two or three times a year by a batch of his work. He is an artist who truly impresses his individuality upon his work. Original treatment of the subject and varied style are his forte, and hia pictures always cause one to look them over again and again with interest.

—Transporting Natural Gas.— Some one is proposing to liquefy natural gas and transport it as a liquid or solid. As natural gas is composed chiefly (95 per cent), of marsh gas, which can be liquefied onlr at a very heavy pressure, the probability of explosions would make ita carriage and storage in tbis form rather undesirable. The transportation of natural gas, or of water gas, through large mains, can be economically effected for any desirable distance without having recourse to so expensive and dangerous a plan as that referred to.

—Refined Sfgarby Electricity.— A number of St. Petersburg capitalists have combined for the formation of a joint stock company for refining sugar by the American EViend Electrical process. It is said to be beyond doubt that the process will considerably reduce the cost of Russian refined susyar. It is proposed to erect mills for the purpose in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Odessa and Kieff. —The Magnesium Light. — Magnesium, which has more than once been abandoned as a source of light, appears ab^ut to be employed again. A Mr Graetzel has succeeded in producing pure magnesium by electolysis, at a price much less than that at which it has hitherto been sold. So there are serious thoughts of using it for lighting purpose". The Bremen aluminum and magnesium manufactory that is working the Grnetzel process, has jusf offered two prizes for magnesium lamps with clock-work movement. Five hundred and two hundred marks ($125 and $50) will be awarded to the constructor whose lamps shall be adjudged tbe best and mot practical. The Bremen manufactory reserves to itself the right of working the two systems that are rewarded.—La Nature.

—A Tennessee man finds there aro 300,000 worthless dogs in that State, which consume food enough, if fed to hogs, to make 30,000,000 pound* of bacon, which would be equal to feeding meat to 100,000 able-bodied men a whole year. At ten cents per pound the bacon would be worth $3,000,000, and if in silver would load down ninety-four two horse waggons, and make a waggon train more than half -a-mile long. Again, the worthless curs prevent farmers from keeping 2,000,000 sheep, the mutton and wool from which would be worth $5,000,000. Including the sheep annually killed, the whole expense of keeping the dogs of the State amounts to the pretty sum of $9,000.000. _____