SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 18, 30 April 1892, Page 450

SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL.

NEW BREED OF CHICKENS. One would think there is enough breeds of chickens in the world, but a New England man has a brand new strain as a result of a blend of Indian games, Plymouth Rocks and Shanghais. The originator says he has caught and combined the merits of these three in his new breed, which he calls • The Argonauts.' FOR SMOKERS. A gentleman whose lungs are not strong enough for him to enjoy the fumes of tobacco after a dinner party, took with him to a friend’s house a little lamp which he sat on a table when the cigars were lighted. The American Machinist says that over the flames of this little lamp was a ring of platinum which became red hot in a very few seconds, and which consumed the smoke of a dozen cigars as fast as it was made, so that the atmosphere of the room was as clear as it would have been had there been no smoking going on at all. A SIMPLE BAROMETER. A simple barometer that can be made for one’s self, and which, though old, may be new to some, is made as follows : —‘ Two drachms of camphor, half drachm of pure saltpetre, half drachm of muriate of ammonia, and two ounces of proof spirits, in a glass tube or narrow phial, will make a very good weather guide. In dry weather the solution will remain clear. On the approach of change, minute stars will rise up in the liquid, whilst stormy weather will be indicated by the very disturbed condition of the chemical combination. AN ELEPHANT RANCH. Another novel enterprise in stock raising is to be added to the ostrich farm, the black cat ranch and the chicken ranches of the Pacific coast. AMr Newbury of California is enthusiastic over a project he is about to carry out of starting an elephant ranch in that State. He proposes to cultivate the elephant for its meat and its capacity for hard and diversified work. He says that ‘as an article of food the elephant is superior to the horse,’ and most people will be willing to accept his statement, though not fully appreciating its force. He says that behind a tough exterior it hides a tender steak, and that African explorers are profuse in their praise of elephant cutlets. A full grown elephant weighs about 7000 pounds, and Mr Newbury counts 6000 of this as good meat. He is going to train the elephants to pick oranges and hire them out to orange-growers. THE DEADLY COLD BED. If trustworthy statistics could be had of the number of persons who die every year or become permanently diseased from sleeping in damp or cold beds, they would probably be astonishing and appalling. It is a peril that constantly besets travelling men, and if they are wise they will invariably insist on having their beds aired and dried, even at the risk of causing much trouble to their landlords. But, according to Good Housekeeping, it is a peril that resides also in the home, and the cold ‘ spare room ’ has slain its thousands of hapless guests, and will go on with its slaughter till people learn wisdom. Not only the guest, but the family, often suffer the penalty of sleeping in cold rooms and chilling their bodies, at a time when they need all their bodily heat, by getting between cold sheets. Even in warm summer weather a cold, damp bed will get in its deadly work. It is a needless peril, and the neglect to provide diy rooms and beds has in it the elements of murder and suicide. SMELL AND MEMORY. Dr. Richardson says that the central seat of the olfactory sense must be very near to the central seat of memory, for it is noticeable that nothing recalls a past event like an odour. A little child was thrown out of a pony carriage in a country lane. Near the spot where the fall took place there was a manure heap, which gave forth the peculiar dry ammoniacal odour so often recognisable from such heaps—an odour distinctive, yet not altogether unpleasant. The child was stunned by the fall, and on recovering and returning to consciousness smelt this odour powerfully. Over fifty years have elapsed since that little mishap, and yet whenever the person referred to passes, in country lanes, a heap giving oqt the same odour, the whole scene of the accident occurs with every detail perfect, and sometimes with a recurrence of the giddiness and nausea which were experienced at the moment. ANIMALS LIKE PERFUMES. Wishing to test for himself the reputed fondness of many animals for perfumes a well-known writer paid a series of visits to a menagerie provided with bottles of scent and a packet of cotton wool, and there tried some harmless experiments, which apparently gave great satisfaction to the inhabitants of various cages. Lavender water was received with particular favour, and most of the lions and leopards show unqualified pleasure when the scent was poured on the wool and put through the bars. The first leopard to which it was offered stood over the ball of cotton, shut its eyes, opened its mouth and screwed up its nose. It then lay down and held it between its paws, rubbed its face over it, and finished by lying upon it. Another leopard smelled it and sneezed, then caught the wool in its claws, played with it and lay back and rubbed its head and neck over the scent. It then fetched another leopard which was asleep in the cage and the two sniffed it for some time together, and the last comer ended by taking the ball in its teeth, curling its lips well back and inhaling the delightful perfume with half shut eyes. The lion and lioness, when their turn came, tried to roll upon it at the same time. The lion then gave the lioness a cuff with his paw which sent her off to the back of the cage, and having secured it for himself, laid his broad back on the morsel of cotton and purred with satisfaction.