Popular Science Monthly 



259 



A Lens That Remains in Focus 



WHEN dissecting small objects 

 under a magnifying glass, and 

 in many similar operations, inconven- 

 ience is caused by the object's continu- 

 ally getting out of focus as the work 

 progresses. An F2nglish inventor has 

 hit upon an ingenious method of over- 

 coming this difficulty by fixing the lens 

 to the tool so that when once focused 

 it will always follow the point of the 

 instrument. The illustration shows a 

 lens fitted to a teazing needle in a 

 wooden holder for dissecting purposes. 

 The arrangement consists of a sliding 

 sheath, A, capable of being slid to-and- 

 fro along the holder, but gripping with 

 sufficient force to maintain its position 

 after adjustment. To this is pivoted 

 an arm, B, to the other end of which 

 a shorter arm, C, is similarly attached. 

 The latter carries the lens, which may 

 be anything from two inches to three 

 inches focal length, and from one inch 

 to one and a quarter inch in diameter. 

 A lens mounted in the manner des- 

 cribed above, will be found a great con- 

 vience for the purposes of microscop- 

 ical and botanical dissection, fine en- 

 graving on metals and the more delicate 

 photographic retouching. Provided the 

 holders are round and of a size suited 

 to the sliding sleeve the attachment may 

 be fitted equally well to a dissecting 

 knife, scalpel, teazing needle, steel scrib- 

 er. or a photographic retouching ])encil. 



When the microscope is properly adjusted, it 

 remains in focus without further attention 



The wire-drainer clasps over the edge of the 



kettle and holds a row of doughnuts suspended 



so that they may drain 



Wisconsin Cook's Doughnut-Drainer 



ALONG-FELT want of the Ameri- 

 can home has been a doughnut 

 drainer, a device that would save the 

 housewife from getting her fingers 

 burned with spatterings of hot lard. Mrs. 

 Lyda M. Schultz, of Dorchester, Wis., 

 has devised one of wire that clasps over 

 the edge of the doughnut kettle and 

 holds a row of doughnuts suspended 

 over the kettle where they drain off on 

 being taken from the kettle. 



The doughnuts cook in less than half 

 the time it requires without the drainer, 

 according to ^Irs. Schultz, thus saving 

 fuel, time, energy and lard, and the 

 doughnuts are better. The drainer is 

 easily cleaned. A shake in hot water and 

 it is ready to hang up to dry. The drain- 

 er can be used with equally good results 

 in making shoe string potatoes, potato 

 chips, fried oysters, dumplings, greens, 

 vegetables, and even fried bacon. 



SWITZERLAND is best supplied 



with postoffices. There is one for 



cxcry nine hundred and sixteen in- 

 habitants. 



