Scientific American Vol. XL. No. 13. March 29, 1879
Vol. XL. No. 13. March 29, 1879. A weekly journal of practical information, art, science, mechanics, chemistry, and manufactures.
Scientific American. A Weekly Journal Of Practical Information, Art, Science, Mechanics, Chemistry, And Manufactures. New York, March 29, 1879

Vol. XL., No. 13. [New Series.]
$3.20 per Annum. [Postage Prepaid.]
Scientific American
Established 1845.
Munn & Co., Editors and Proprietors.
Published Weekly At No. 37 Park Row, New York.
O. D. Munn. A. E. Beach.
The Scientific American Supplement- The Scientific American Supplement is a distinct paper from the Scientific American. THE SUPPLEMENT is issued weekly. Every number contains 16 octavo pages, with handsome cover, uniform in size with S...
Scientific American Export Edition- The Scientific American Export Edition is a large and splendid periodical, issued once a month. Each number contains about one hundred large quarto pages, profusely illustrated, embracing: (1.) Most o...
A New Steam Tiller- Steam is now made to perform almost everything in the way of heavy labor, to the saving of muscle and energy that may be more profitably employed; and since inventive genius has devised means of gover...
How Our Patent Laws Promote And Improve American Industries- On another page we print in full a most suggestive paper recently read before the Manchester (Eng.) Scientific and Mechanical Society, by Mr. Frederick Smith, a prominent builder of that city, contras...
Pleuro-Pneumonia- The cattle plague, which is creating so much anxiety throughout the Eastern States, is a contagious fever, affecting cows chiefly, characterized by extensive exudations into the respiratory organs, an...
Spain A Field For Machinery And Patents- From a too lengthy communication to admit in full to our columns, a resident of Madrid communicates to the Scientific American some facts relative to the fertility of the soil of Spain, her necessity ...
Peter Cooper As An Inventor- The successes of Peter Cooper's long and useful life are well known. Not so many are aware of his varied experience in the direction of failure, particularly in the field of invention. More than once ...
Africa Crossed Again- Information has been received by way of Lisbon, March 12, that the Portuguese explorer, Pinto, has succeeded in traversing Africa from west to east, and has reached Transvaal. The latitude of his ...
Curious Facts In Magnetism- At the meeting of the New York Academy of Sciences February 17th, the article in the March number ofHarper's Magazine, entitled Gary's Magnetic Motor, was incidentally alluded to, and Prof. C. A. Se...
A New Phenomenon In Statical Electricity- M. E. Duter, in a paper read before the French Academy in December, showed that when a Leyden jar is charged with either positive or negative electricity its internal volume increases, and that this e...
A New Ore Crusher- The accompanying engravings represent an improved ore crusher, which is said to be very effective and economical in the use of power. Fig. 1 - BROWN'S ORE CRUSHER. Fig. 2 - HORIZONTAL SE...
Recent American Patents- Enos Richmond, of Troy, N. Y., has invented a steak tenderer, having a plunger studded with chisel-pointed rods, and arranged in a case in connection with an elevating spring. A blow upon the knob at ...
A New Ironing Table- The accompanying engraving represents a convenient and inexpensive table recently patented by Mr. Albert H. Hogins, of Morrisania, N. Y. It is more especially designed for ironing, but it may be used ...
A Novel Engine Regulator- The accompanying engraving represents two different styles of regulator, invented by Mr. Stenberg, in which the effect of centrifugal force is utilized. In a vessel, A, of parabolic shape is placed a ...
A Strange People- Botel Tobago is an island in the South Seas which has lately been visited by a party of United States naval officers. They were surveying a rock east of the South Cape of Formosa, and called at this i...
Remedy For The New Carpet Beetle- Noticing a statement made by Mr. J. A. Lintner, to the effect that the Persian insect powder would probably prove unavailing as a remedy against the ravages of the new carpet beetle (Anthrenus), W. L....
Banana Flour- The banana has recently found a new use in Venezuela. It has the property of keeping the soil moist round it, in a country where sometimes no rain falls for months; so it has been employed to give fre...
New Stencil Pen- The accompanying engraving shows new form of stencil pen invented by Mr. J. W. Brickenridge, of La Fayette, Ind. In Fig. 1 the entire apparatus is shown in perspective; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectio...
Origin And Progress Of Ocean Telegraphy- At the celebration in this city of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the formation of the company for laying the first Atlantic cable, Monday, March 10, the projector of the enterprise, Mr. Cyrus W. Fie...
Correspondence. The Gary Motor- To the Editor of the Scientific American: In your article on the Gary Motor, issue of March 8, page 144, you say: There is no neutral line in the sense that polarity changes when Mr. Gary mo...
Gary's Neutral Line- To the Editor of the Scientific American: I have just read the article in the issue of March 8, on the Gary Motor, and cannot refrain from offering a suggestion on the subject. When I read the ...
Pneumatic Clocks- To the Editor of the Scientific American: In the description of the pneumatic clock, copied fromLa Nature, and published in your journal of date 1st of March, the invention is credited to me. Such ...
The Ice Cave Of Decorah, Iowa- To the Editor of the Scientific American: Some years ago I visited the Ice Cave of Decorah, Winneshiek county, Iowa, and having since been unable to receive any explanation of the wonderful pheno...
The Writing Telegraph- On the evening of February 26, 1879, the writing telegraph of Mr. E. A. Cowper, of London, was exhibited in operation before the Society of Telegraph Engineers, in that city. It is a curious and remar...
A Rare Geological Specimen- Rev. R. M. Luther, while absent in attendance upon the Missionary Convention, held in Addison, Vt., obtained through the kindness of the Rev. Mr. Nott a rare and curious geological specimen from the s...
Cowper's Writing Telegraph- The most recent of the brilliant series of telegraphic marvels which has from time to time, and especially of late, engaged the attention of the world, is the telegraphic pen of Mr. E. A. Cowper, th...
Aluminum- The splendid exhibit of the French aluminum manufacturers at the late Exhibition has again called attention to that metal, which is so admirably adapted to many purposes on account of its great lightn...
An Improved Door Bolt- The accompanying engraving represents, in perspective and in section, an improved door bolt, recently patented by Mr. Thomas Hoesly, of New Glaras, Wis. HOESLY'S DOOR BOLT. The principal fea...
Chimney Flues- Messrs. W. H. Jackson & Co., of this city, whose long experience in treating refractory flues gives weight to their opinion, communicate to theAmerican Architectthe following useful information: To...
Improved Furnace For Burning Garbage- The refuse matter and garbage of large cities is in the main composed of animal and vegetable offal of the kitchens; of the sweepings of warehouses, manufactories, saloons, groceries, public and priva...
An Ancient Greek Vase- The vase shown in the accompanying engravings must not be classed with ordinary ceramic ware, as it is a veritable work of art. It is the celebrated cup of Arcesilaus, which is preserved in the collec...
Snow-Raised Bread- Somebody thinks he has discovered that snow, when incorporated with dough, performs the same office as baking powder or yeast. I have this morning for breakfast, says a writer in theEnglish Mechanic...
New Agricultural Inventions- An improved gate, invented by Messrs. P. W. McKinley and George L. Ellis, of Ripley, O., is designed for general use. It is operated by cords and pulleys, and can be opened without dismounting from th...
Reading And Eyesight- M. Javel, in a recent lecture, tries to answer the question, Why is reading a specially fatiguing exercise? and also suggests some remedies for this fatigue. First, M. Javel says reading requires an...
Phosphorescence- M. Nuesch records, in a recent number of theJournal de Pharmacie, some curious observations regarding luminous bacteria in fresh meat. Some pork cutlets, he found, illuminated his kitchen so that he c...
The Charms Of Natural Science- The Earl of Derby, in an address at the Edinburgh University, said: Of the gains derivable from natural science I do not trust myself to speak; my personal knowledge is too limited, and the subject i...
The Pottery Tree- Among the various economic products of the vegetable kingdom, scarcely any hold a more important place than barks, whether for medicinal, manufacturing, or other purposes. The structure and formation ...
Glass Sponges- The natural history of sponges had, up to the middle of this century, been comparatively neglected. Until 1856, when Lieberkuhn published his treatise on sponges, very little or nothing had been writt...
Plants Protected By Insects- Mr. Francis Darwin, in a lecture on Means of Self-Defense among Plants, delivered lately at the London Institution, said that one of the most curious forms of defense known is afforded by a recently...
The Aneroid Barometer- The aneroid barometer was invented by M. Vidi, of Paris. It consists essentially of a circular box, the face of which is made of thin elastic metal, rendered more elastic by being stamped and pressed ...
The Albo-Carbon Light- We need hardly remind our readers that numerous unsuccessful attempts have been made at various times to enrich ordinary coal gas by the aid of volatile oils. Upon the present occasion we have to plac...
English And American Hardware- Mr. Frederick Smith, Manager of the Union Land and Building Company (limited), recently read a paper on the above subject before the Manchester Scientific and Mechanical Society. Mr. H. Whiley, Superi...
English And American Hardware. Part 2- But there is another point, and, to my mind, the most important one. Whatever opinions may be held as to the relative quality of this lock, whether it is better or worse than an English one, it is at ...
English And American Hardware. Part 3- I now show you two thumb latches, one of American and one of English make. Notice the general finish of the American latch; the shape, the mode of construction, and everything about it proves that bra...
To Inventors- An experience of more than thirty years, and the preparation of not less than one hundred thousand applications for patents at home and abroad, enable us to understand the laws and practice on both co...
Business And Personal- The Charge for Insertion under this head is One Dollar a line for each insertion; about eight words to a line. Advertisements must be received at publication office as early as Thursday morning to app...
Notes & Queries. Hints To Correspondents- No attention will be paid to communications unless accompanied with the full name and address of the writer. Names and addresses of correspondents will not be given to inquirers. We renew our re...
Index Of Inventions- FOR WHICHLetters Patent of the United States were Granted in the Week EndingFebruary 18, 1879,AND EACH BEARING THAT DATE. [Those marked (r) are reissued patents.] A complete copy of any patent i...
Index Of Inventions. Continued- TRADE MARKS. Boots, shoes, and brogans, W. F. Thorne & Co.7,037Cigars, Sullivan & Burk7,035Cigars, cigarettes, and smoking and chewing tobacco, B. Hilson7,038Cotton gins, Printup, Brother & Pollard...
Advertisements- Inside Page, each insertion75 cents a line.Back Page, each insertion$1.00 a line. (About eight words to a line.) Engravings may head advertisements at the same rate per line, by measurement, as ...
Advertisements. Continued- ADJUSTABLE INCLINE PRESSES. STILES & PARKER PRESS CO., Middletown, Conn. 136 pages beautifully illustrated, mailed to all applicants inclosing 10 cents. Regular customers free. Bliss' Ill...
Type-Metal Relief Plates. A Superior Substitute For Wood-Cuts- L. SMITH HOBART, President. JOHN C. MOSS, Superintendent.TYPE-METAL RELIEF PLATES.A SUPERIOR SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOD-CUTSAT MUCH LOWER PRICES. Persons desiring illustrations for Books, Newspapers, ...