276 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XIV. No. 351 



miles distant in the opposite direction from Ottawa. The capacity 

 of the original apparatus is now almost fully taken up, and enlarge- 

 ments are necessary. 



From the accompanying engravings an excellent idea may be 

 secured of the peculiar features of the plant mentioned. The out- 

 line map of La Salle County (Fig. 3) shows the relative location of 

 the cities of Ottawa, Marseilles, and Seneca, also the Illinois River, 

 and the Illinois and Michigan Canal. It will be seen that the 

 lighting done by this plant extends for a distance of thirteen miles 

 along the Illinois River, from the centre to the border of La Salle 

 County. Fig. 2 is an outline map of the city of Ottawa. The in- 

 candescent circuits are indicated by dotted lines, and can be seen 

 entering the city from the east, on the right of the engraving. 

 This circuit is constructed throughout of No. 8 wire, hard drawn 

 and weather-proof. Fig. 4 is a view of the company's buildings. 



that are imported from Singapore. Many persons who have an 

 objection to tinned foods generally, have pronounced these to be 

 of excellent quality and flavor, and though they are to be obtained 

 almost at any grocer's, and at a very cheap rate, they are not in 

 such great demand as might be expected. The prejudice against 

 new products or preparations is difficult to overcome, and this 

 prejudice is more general even among the poorer and working 

 classes than among those better informed. There is a general be- 

 lief among them, says the Journal of the Society of Arts, London, 

 that only the commoner qualities of food-products are put up into 

 tins, and consequently they reject them. The success of the pine- 

 apple, however, treated thus, ought to dispel that notion, and to 

 lead to other fruits, especially those of tropical countries, to be 

 similarly treated for export purposes. There seems to be no reason 

 why mangoes, guavas, rose-apples, and a host of others, should 



LA ^ALLL L«LJ. 



FIGS. 2 AND 3.— MAPS OF OTTAWA, ILL., AND OF LA SALLE COUNTY, ILL 



The large building with the cupola, in the foreground, contains the 

 water-wheels, and the small building to the left is the dynamo- 

 room. This engraving also shows the flume as it enters the build- 

 ing, and the circuits leaving the station. Fig. i is an inside view 

 of the dynamo- room, showing the machines in position, together 

 with the shafting, pulleys, and belting by which the dynamos are 

 driven. The engraving also shows the method of connection be- 

 tween the dynamo and automatic regulator. On the whole, this 

 station may be ranked as being highly typical of modern progress 

 in incandescent electric-lighting. 



CONDENSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 



The introduction of preserved or condensed foods, both of 

 animal and vegetable origin, in hermetically sealed tins, has de- 

 veloped to an enormous extent of late years. One of the most suc- 

 cessful of the recent introductions is undoubtedly the pine-apples 



not become regular articles of import and consumption, and even 

 perhaps some of the other vegetable productions of distant lands. 

 That the ordinary English vegetables and fruits can be preserved 

 for winter use when the fresh ones are not obtainable has been 

 proved over and over again. 



The preservation of vegetables and herbs by desiccation by the 

 natural action of the sun has been known to and practised by 

 agriculturists from time immemorial. Within historical times it 

 has been supplemented and improved upon by the introduction of 

 drying in kilns. Both the ancient Chinese and Egyptians used 

 this method in remote ages. The vegetable substances offered 

 great difficulty for stowage and transport in consequence of their 

 bulk, and the imperfect nature of their preservation. This diffi- 

 culty was very successfully overcome in 1846 by a Mr. Masson, 

 who was head gardener to Louis Philippe, King of the French, 

 and who invented a process by which kiln- dried vegetables, herbs, 

 and fruits can be compressed by powerful hydraulic pressure, re- 



