4H 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



and Switzerland has 397. Allowing for in- 

 complete returns, Mr. Tratman estimates 

 that (exclusive of the United States and 

 Canada) nearly sixteen per cent of the mile- 

 age of the world is laid with metal ties, and 

 the use of metal is being extended. Hence, 

 abroad the subject has long ago passed the 

 experimental stage in which it rests in this 

 country. The report contains descriptions 

 of all the most practicable forms of metal 

 ties that have been invented, and a list of 

 all the United States patents relating to 

 metal railway track, numbering 491. The 

 first of these dates from 1839, and the sec- 

 ond from 1850. Patents have also been 

 granted for cross-ties or track of clay, con- 

 crete, etc., and one for glass ties. 



The Tin Soldiers of Nuremberg. The 



artists of Nuremberg and Fiirth have long 

 been famous for their manufactures of toy- 

 soldiers of lead. The art dates from the 

 Seven Years' War, and was developed under 

 the influence of the enthusiasm aroused by 

 the career of Frederick the Great. Much 

 pains are taken with the sketches of the 

 intended figures, and eminent artists are 

 willing to supply the models. Certain fixed 

 rules have to be adhered to in designing the 

 figures. In colors, deep tints must be avoid- 

 ed, and gaudy hues preferred. The artists 

 must be acquainted with the military cos- 

 tumes of the period to which the soldier 

 they represent belonged. Anachronisms in 

 this matter are fatal. Molds of slate are 

 used for the plain figures, and of brass for 

 those in relief. The figures, having been 

 cast, are taken out and trimmed ; then 

 handed over to the women, to be painted ; 

 and then to other women, to be packed in 

 wooden boxes. 



Rotten Logs as Breeders of Borers. A 



newly noticed evil resulting from misman- 

 agement in forest affairs has been pointed 

 out in Garden and Forest by Prof. Fernow. 

 It comes from leaving large parts of felled 

 trees on the ground and allowing fires to 

 run through the woods, by which the multi- 

 plication of borers and other mischievous 

 insects is promoted. A large proportion of 

 the beetle larvae which infest living trees 

 can not exist in a thoroughly healthy and 

 vigorously growing tree; those larvae in 



particular which are found in the cambium 

 layer between the wood and the bark would 

 be drowned in the sap of healthy trees. 

 They are, therefore, mostly found in those 

 trees which, for some reason or other, are 

 less vigorous or on the road to decay. 

 When a fire has run through the pine for- 

 est, or when the leaf-destroying caterpillar 

 has ravaged the foliage and thus reduced 

 the vigor of the trees, these beetles find a 

 most favorable breeding-place in the weak- 

 ened trees, and their larvae multiply rapidly 

 and finish the work of destruction in a 

 short time. For this reason it is often 

 necessary to cut millions of feet of timber 

 or cord-wood at once, or it will be entirely 

 ruined. The frequent forest fires and the 

 failure of the farmer and lumberman in dis- 

 posing of large parts of the felled trees 

 must be considered as among the principal 

 causes of the prevalence in North America 

 of these insect borers. The flat-head borer 

 of the orchards, the oak primer, grape 

 borers, a blackberry borer, the apple-twig 

 borer, and several bark borers are men- 

 tioned as among the insects the growth of 

 which is encouraged by the prevalence of 

 dead timber. 



A Torres Strait Deealogne. Among the 

 western islanders of Torres Straite, boys, 

 as soon as the approach of maturity is indi- 

 cated by the appearance of hair on their 

 faces, are taken by their fathers to a sacred 

 spot and there instructed in the duties and 

 dignity of manhood. A number of precepts 

 which are taught during this probation have 

 been collected and are published by Prof. 

 Alfred C. Haddon. Among them are these : 



" You no steal." 



" If you see food belong another man, 

 you no take it, or you dead." 



" You no take thing belong another man 

 without leave ; if you see a fish-spear and 

 take it, s'pose you break it and you no got 

 spear, how you pay man ? " 



" S'pose you see a dugong-harpoon in a 

 canoe and take it, he no savvy, then you 

 lose it or break it, how you pay him? You 

 no got dugong-harpoon." 



" You no play with boy and girl now ; 

 you a man now, and no boy." 



"You no play with small play-canoe, or 

 with toy-spear ; that all finish now." 



