60 



• KNOAVLEDGE ♦ 



[July 18, 1884. 



persona can see further down the red end of the spectrum than 

 is usual. Perh.apR the modification of Lord Eayleij^^h's apparatus, 

 by Mr. Glazebrook, for measuring the distance on the spectrum, 

 which any one can see, will answer this part of the inquiiy. — 

 Encjineering. 



Fireplaces. — Now is the time to embellish the fireplaces. But 

 what are we going to choose, floral decorations or paper ? Let us 

 hope not the latter, for nothing shows the want of good taste so 

 much as when one enters a room, and is immediately faced by an 

 array of rod tinsel, or some such fiery stuff, to hide the empty 

 grate. Therefore we will put paper out of our thoughts, and seek 

 some other more suitable subject. Plants are exceedingly orna- 

 namental, that is, when nicely arranged. But then the question 

 arises, What have we got suitable ? Palms, grasses, dracsonas, 

 ferns, are excellent, the point being to secure plants with neat 

 and graceful foliage. Then we shall want a fair proportion of 

 colour to light up the group. For this purpose the flowers 

 should be choice as well as showy. A huge geranium or 

 pelargonium placed in the centre of the grate is decidedly unsuit- 

 able, because it betrays bad taste. A neat tuft of white Mar- 

 guerites peeping out from amongst grassy leafage will be decidedly 

 preferable to a large lumpy calceolaria or geranium. The plants 

 will want renewing constantly, because it docs not look well to 

 have sickly plants in such a prominent position. It is customary 

 with many to fit a mirror to the entire opening of the fireplace, and 

 then group the plants in front ; this produces a line effect when 

 the plants are nicely arranged. It is necessary that the plants are 

 cle.an and dry when placed in position, but the soil in the pots 

 should be moist enough to last a few days. If the plants are not 

 kept too long in the parlour, they will be none the worse for the 

 change. — Amateur Gardening. 



Inteoduction of the Electric Light at Mk. J. F. Milnee's 

 Flour Mill. — A short time ago, a description was given in the 

 Guardian of the new system of grinding coni by the roller process 

 introduced by Mr. J. F. Milner at his Woodsidc mill. Mr. Milncr 

 has now introduced the method of electric lighting at his premises, 

 so that the Woodside mill is now one of the most complete premises 

 for corn grinding to be met with in the north of England. As the 

 mill is run day and night, the introduction of electric lighting will, 

 it is believed, prove to be an immense advantage in many ways. 

 The experiment was tried for the first time on Thursday night, 

 and was found to work admirably, the lamps giving out a clear, 

 steady, and brilliant light. A brief description of the working 

 will be of interest to many readers. The installation consists of 

 one Crompton Burgin compound self-regulating dynamo-machine, 

 and some seventy-six 20-candle power Swan incandescent lamps. 

 The machine, however, is capable of supplying some ninety such 

 lamps, and it is intended to add to the number on the completion of 

 Mr. Miluer's new ofBceg. It is also intended that there shall be 

 an arc lamp on each side of the mill, for loading purposes ; these 

 will bo of the well-known Crompton Crabbe double differential 

 type, of 2,000 actual candle-power. The Crompton Burgin machine 

 is now so well-known that we need not again go into its details ; 

 snflice it to say that any number of lamps can be turned out without 

 affecting the remainder, and that the power absorbed is diminished 

 iu proportion thereto. The Swan lamp, too, is noted for its durability 

 and economy, and has long been recognised as one of the best in the 

 market. The machine is placed on the top floor, where it is driven 

 by a small separate engine, which, although intended to drive the 

 hoist, answers admirably for driving the lights, as it can always 

 be kept running if desired. It is driven by a countershaft, at 

 a speed of 1,400 revolutions per minute. Xear the dynamo is 

 a neatly - polished pitch pine switch - board, containing three 

 main switches, which convey the current to the mill, warehouse, 

 screens, &c., respectively. We may here remark that a very in- 

 genious arrangement has been tried in regard to the staircase, 

 whereby all the lights on the landings can be left burning when 

 the others are turned out, thus enabling any one to see hjs way 

 down the steps after turning out the lights in his own room. On 

 the svritch-board are also a pair of fusible cut-outs (Hedge's patent) , 

 which serve the same purpose as a fusible plug in a steam-boiler. 

 There are also small cut-outs to each lamp, so as to prevent the 

 possibility of fire from any cause whatever. The question of 

 reducing fire-risk in corn-mills is especiallv interesting. The loss 

 by fire in corn-mills has increased from £42"000 in 1877 to £154,000 

 iu 1883, and this has resulted in the insurance companies raising 

 their rates of premium. The adoption of the electric-light, how- 

 ever, will, it is believed, be a great step towards reducing this risk 

 to a minimum, and it is hoped that ere many months have passed, 

 the insurance companies will recognise its advantages, and reduce 

 their present high rates. The work has been carried out under the 

 superintendence of Mr. J. T. Baron, on behalf of Mr. Wilson 

 Hartuell, electric-light contractor, of Leeds, who recently lighted 

 up the new mill of Messrs. James Clay & Sons, Luddenden Foot. 



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 and dieected envelope be enclosed. 



" THE PEOPHET OF SAN PKANCISCO." 



[1339] — I fear I am asking more than I oaght to ask of your kind 

 indulgence by begging you to insert such a letter as this, referring, 

 as it doe.?, to a review you were so good as to give in your last 

 number of my pamphlet — " The Unlimited Debt ; " but I cannot 

 help feeling that some injustice has been done me by your calling 

 me " a disciple of Mr. George's," without stating that 1 differ from 

 him in a very important particular, by disapproving of confiscation. 



Secondly, you say that if rent took the place of taxes, " God help 

 the cultivator of the soil ; " but the whole point of the question is 

 this : — If private property in land is unjust, then that largest of all 

 classes, the poor — including the poor of the towns and the labourers 

 of the counti-y — are those whose case calls most for pity. If the 

 land belonged to the State, they, as part of the State, would benefit 

 by rent ; now they have none of it. 



As for the tenant, the object of your pity, it must not be for- 

 gotten that he also has now no share of rent, and that he would 

 under the State system have, in addition to his share of rent, the 

 protection of a court of law corresponding exactly to the Irish 

 Land Commission, which has, in fact, been called into existence 

 owing to the necessity' of protecting him from the exactions of 

 private otcners. It was obviously impossible for me to provide 

 against all possible objections within the short compass of a tliree- 

 penny pamphlet, I am therefore the more emboldened to beg the 

 insertion of this letter. — I am, sir, your faithful servant, 



F. W. D. MncHELL. 



[I have yet to learn that the Irish Laud Commission has proved 

 such a success as to invite its reproduction in any other country iu 

 the civilised world. — Ed.] 



MEALWORMS. 



[1340] — In consequence of absence of home, I missed seeing 

 the number of Knowledge containing F. M. Dnplock's inquiry as 

 to mealworms, and only came across it for the first time a few 

 hours ago, when looking through some back numbers. 1 trust Mr. 

 Duplock will accept this explanation as my apology for the delay 

 in replying to his courteous letter. 



I fear an article on mealworms is impracticable at present, but 

 perhaps the following notes may be useful. Mealworms are the 

 larva> of two kinds of elongate blackish beetles, Tenebrio molitor 

 and T. ohsrurus, which are the only British representatives of the 

 genus. They closely resemble one another in general appearance, 

 but the latter, which is usually a little the larger of the two, may 

 be at once distinguished by its duller appearance. It is said that 

 the mealworms from the East-end of London are generally those of 

 T. olscunis, and those from the West, T. molitor. The beetles may 

 be found iu bakeries, flour-mills, granaries, &c., where they devour 

 anything farinaceous they can get hold of. 



They are noted also for the depredations they commit on ship- 

 biscuits. They occasionally fly to gas-lamps like moths. The 

 larva; of the two species are also much alike, that of T. ohscurus 

 being somewhat darker in colotir, and having the terminal seg- 

 ment rather longer. They are said to live two years in the 

 larval state, and then, without forming a cocoon, change to a pupa 

 which displays the form of the future beetle, and is probably the 



