June, 1880.
THE WEST SHORE.
169
THE HAMPSHIRE DOWNS.
We give on this page a portrait of a handsome
ram of the Hampshire family of Downs. The
Hampshire sheep are excellent illustrations of
what oan be aooomplished by skillful brooding
for a certain style of animal. The HampsMrei
were brought out upon the idea of more meat
in a shorter period of time the same which
originated the Leicester by admirers of the
Southdown style, who saw in the size and the
early maturity of the Wiltshire horned sheep
and the Berkshire Nott, qualities forming an
admirable foundation for a breed upon which
the fine form and superior quality of flesh of tho
Down could be ingrafted. It is worthy of no
tice that a breed which has long displaced the
original Sussex Down and other breeds in Berk
shire, Hants, Wilts and Dorset, lias boon made
WHERE DOES COAL OIL COME FROM !
This is oue of tho questious that has long
agitated the scientific world, and upon the
answer to it more depends than soems to at
first sight. If we know its source we can fairly
determine as to the nature and extent of the
supplies, and as to where to look for them. The
Sttmftfc Amrrieita says: Some have thought
that the oils have been produced by a slow dis
tillation during tho process of coal formation.
A fatal objection, however, to this theory is
found in the fact that (Ireat Britain, which has
immense coal beds, contains nothing of the
kind, though supposed traces have boon fouud
here and there.
The silurian ami devuniau rocks, which con
tain the souroes of most of thu oil wolls now in
existence, have groat quantities of fossil remains,
and this has suggested tho theory that the oils
have resulted from their decomposition.
The subjoot is one wall worthy the attention of
all interested in oil wells.
Nkw Mrruou or Conhiminu Smoke. It la
well known that the eauae of sinoke ia that the
fresh air, eutering the incandescent coal from
below through the grate, has often all lta oxy
gon COUSUIIIVU IMOulu ll It pMOU UhU WAj
through the layer of coal, so that the upper part
of the layer cauuot burn, but ia simply heated
by the underlying incandescent coal, while the
products of the combustion of the lower layer
of burning ooal pass through tho upper heated
but not burning layer, andcarry with them the
combuatihlo gases evolved by the heat, but
which cannot take lire from tho want of free
oxygon. In order to furnish these oombuetibla
gases ascending through the upper layer of ooal
with thu necessary oxygen to burn, Mr. Itenja
inin F. Sherman, of Ballaton, Spa., N. V., has
devised a means of introducing iir in the furnace
with a downward injection upon the lire by a
KAM OF TIIK II AM I'SIM IE I' FAMILY OF DOWNS HIIKKI.
what it ia, in the hands of skillful breeders, by
the blood of the linest specimens of the race
which they now dominate in all that section.
. . . - 1 1. r 4k.. ;..!. .uri
This change is a naiurai lews
of the commons, the introduction of artihcial
manures, and the production of such crops as
turnips, rape, vetches, tnfolium, rye and Italian
rye-grass. Thu is one of the fact with which
the history of British sheep-husbandry teems,
illustrating the necessity of change in breeds,
with changed conditions of production or con
sumption. It is estimated that tho weight,
both of mutton and wool, has boon iMMMdUj
that region SOI The statistics of lii.WiO
Ham natures for three successive yesrs showed
the average yield of lambs to be VI, the mor
tality of ewes 5j;, and of tags 3 per annum.
The wool is of line quality, but abort staple,
averaging 4J pounds per fleooe.
Erricr or Wateh Prbwubi The pressure
of water on the main reservoir pipe in Lsnsing
burg, N. Y., was recently ao great that it forced
off the main valrs, which wsighsd s ton. snd
threw it 80 ft The wstsr that followed rose
150 ft, strtck the embankment of the Troy A
Boston railroad, and washed away 25 ft
I'rof. Mondeljelf thinks that 011 tho llrst
formation of tho earth vast reservoirs of in
organic iron and carbon existed 111 the interior
of tho gloln). These wore reached by the water
,.n,l, miim ,,n the newlv formed Isml ami iwr
dilating beneath its surfsce. The boat doooin-
Ksed the water into lta component ru, oxy
gon and hydrogen, the llrst funning with the
iron oxide of iron, tho latter with the oarlxm
petroleum and other hydro-carbons. If this
theory lie the correct one, more sun ns
the center of the earth reservoirs of petroleum
,1. .t am tn th OflUrOOS OS Vet kllOWII SS tllO
ocean is to tho spring, whoee waters dually find
a resting place 111 lis bosom.
Dr. T. Starry Hunt, of Massachusetts, pro
iMmnded in I Hill s theory to which he still
adheres, lis thinks that many of the animated
beings of ssrly sges were hslf vegetable, half
animal, and that the decomposition of their
1. ...... nrn.liira.1 whit im known as mineral oil.
( 'crtain magnetio oliferous limrstones bavs bssa
found to coutain ot Uieirbuu 01 powoioum.
A equare mils of these .15 ft. thick wouhl yield
nearly N.UOO.OUU barrels, and as tho area of these
rooks is very great, thsy may oootain supplies
oalculatsd to last an lndsllnits psnod of time.
vertically sdjustehlo ai rangsmsut uf pipes,
which may lie placed close to ths coals or fur
ther from them, according to ths requirement
of ths pass.
Laihuiiinu A BsUDM In ooostniating a
railroad bridge over the river Han so, st Diuard,
In franco, the enginssr decided to build the
bridge on the shore slid launch II ovsr the
river. Tho bridge woighnd, whsn II wss coni
,,, t, n IKSI.IUKI Kiunds, IU hlghl abovs Iks
river wss 100 ft., and tho span .111 ft Twslvs
windlssses were usel to drsw ths bridgs Into
its place. It was supposed that four or Hvs
days would ba sufficient for the work, but, in
consrquonos of ths breaking of a chain, Iwo
weeks wars rsqsirsd.
"llossii.ATM,"-A new industry Is rspnrted
to bs gruwing up in Newark, N. J., which
which yislds s product sella bis for groat
many purposes. "HonallaU" is ths name glvsn
to this substance, which II is olaimod, will take
tho pleco ol iv.ry, rutihor, " dlulonl end similar
matoriala. It is said to bs eompossd ehistly of
llnsly ground Imne, agglutinated by some os
menting oompouiul, whieb, whsa m its plastic
stats, can bs molded into shsps.