Scientific American Supplement, No. 443, June 28, 1884

Scientific American Supplement, No. 443, June 28, 1884

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June 28, 1884, by Various This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Scientific American Supplement, No. 443, June 28, 1884
Author: Various
Release Date: September 29, 2005 [EBook #16773]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration]

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT NO. 443.

NEW YORK, JUNE 28, 1884.
Scientific American Supplement. Vol. XVII., No. 443.
Scientific American established 1845
Scientific American Supplement, $5 a year.
Scientific American and Supplement, $7 a year.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS.
I. CHEMISTRY AND METALLURGY.--Beeswax and its Adulterations. --Chemical ingredients.--Detection of adulterations. 7064
Phenol in the Stem, Leaves, and Cones of Pinus Sylvestris. --A discovery bearing on the flora of the Carboniferous epoch and the formation of petroleum. 7065
The School of Physics and Chemistry of Paris.--With engraving of laboratory. 7065
Some Relations of Heat to Voltaic and Thermo Electric Action of Metals in Electrolysis.--By G. GORE. 7070
II. ENGINEERING, MECHANICS, ETC.--Air Refrigerating Machine.--5 figures. 7071
A Gas Radiator and Heater. 7071
Concrete Water Pipes. 7071
The Sellers Standard System of Screw Threads. Nuts, and Bolt Heads.--A table. 7072
An English Railway Ferry Boat.--3 figures. 7072
The Problem of Flight and the Flying Machine. 7072
III. TECHNICAL.--Concrete Buildings for Farms.--How to construct them. 7063
What Causes Paint to Blister and Peel?--How to prevent it. 7063
Olive Oil.--Difficulties encountered in raising an olive crop.--Process of making Oil. 7064
IV. ELECTRICITY. ETC.--Telephony and Telegraphy on the Same Wires Simultaneously.--4 figures. 7067
The Electric Marigraph.--An apparatus for measuring the height of the tide.--With engravings and diagrams showing the Siemens and Halske marigraph and the operation of the same. 7068
Delune & Co.'s System of Laying Underground Cables.--2 figures. 7069
Electricity Applied to Horseshoeing.--Quieting an unruly animal.--3 engravings. 7069
Esteve's Automatic Pile.--1 figure. 7070
Woodward's Diffusion Motor. 7070
V. ASTRONOMY.--Lunar Heat.--Its reflected and obscure heat.--Trifling influence of the moon upon wind and weather.--By Prof. C.A. YOUNG. 7073
VI. NATURAL HISTORY.--The Long-haired Pointer "Mylord." --With engraving. 7073
VII. HORTICULTURE, ETC.--Apple Tree Borers.--Protection against the same. 7074
Keffel's Germinating Apparatus.--With engraving. 7074
Millet.--Its Cultivation. 7074
VIII. MISCELLANEOUS.--Puerta del Sol, Madrid, Spain.--With engraving. 7063
Dust-free Spaces.--A lecture delivered by Dr. OLIVER J. LODGE before the Royal Dublin Society. 7067
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PUERTA DEL SOL, MADRID.
Puerta del Sol, or Gate of the Sun, Madrid, is the most famous and favorite public square in the Spanish city of Madrid. It was the eastern portal of the old city. From this square radiate several of the finest streets, such as Alcala, one of the handsomest thoroughfares in the world, Mayor, Martera, Carretas, Geronimo. In our engraving the post office is seen on the right. Large and splendid buildings adorn the other sides, which embrace hotels, cafes, reading rooms, elegant stores, etc. From this square the street railway lines traverse the city in all directions. The population of the city is about 400,000. It contains many magnificent buildings. Our engraving is from Illustrirte Zeitung.
[Illustration: THE PUERTA DEL SOL, MADRID, SPAIN (From a Photograph.)]
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CONCRETE BUILDINGS FOR FARMS.
Buildings made of concrete have never received the attention in this country that they deserve. They have the merit of being durable and fire-proof, and of not being liable to be blown down by violent winds. It is very easy to erect them in places where sand and gravel are near at hand and lime is comparatively cheap. Experiments made in England show that coal screenings may be employed to good advantage in the place of sand and gravel. Mr. Samuel Preston, of Mount Carroll, Ill., has a dwelling and several other buildings made of concrete and erected by himself. They were put up in 1851, and are in excellent condition. In _The Farmers' Review_ he gives the following directions for building concrete walls:
First, secure a good stone foundation, the bottom below frost, the top about one foot above ground. Near the top of the foundation bed in 2��4 scantling edgewise transversely with the walls, at such distances apart as the length of the planks that form the boxes to hold the concrete may require, the ends of the scantling to run six inches beyond the outside and inside of the wall. Now take 2��6 studding, one foot longer than the height of the concrete walls are to be, bolt in an upright position in pairs to each end of the 2��4 scantling, and, if a foot wall is to be built, sixteen inches apart, as the box plank will take up four inches. To hold the studding together at the top, take pieces of 2��6 lumber, make two mortises in each piece large enough to slip easily