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POPULAR SCIENCE<br />
.inn<br />
STANDARD OF WEIGHT<br />
'T'HIS is the standard kilogram. It is<br />
*"<br />
the only scientifically recognized<br />
standard of weight, and is kept at the<br />
Bureau of Standards, in Washington.<br />
Exact copies of this kilogram are in<br />
the possession of most of the civilized<br />
nations. It will be noticed that<br />
this one is kept under two glass bells,<br />
in order that neither<br />
moisture nor dust shall<br />
get at it.<br />
How exact such matters<br />
are may be judged from<br />
the fact that, at the Bureau<br />
of Standards, when<br />
objects are weighed on<br />
the more delicate scales,<br />
the latter are operated<br />
from a considerable distance,<br />
in order that<br />
the heat of the<br />
body of the operator<br />
may not aflfect<br />
them. The standard<br />
kilogram<br />
weighs 2.2046 lbs.<br />
QUEER HOME OF A RANCHER<br />
HTHE home of one Arizona rancher is<br />
situated in a part of the country that<br />
is visited by fierce wind storms, and to<br />
prevent the roof of the house from blowing<br />
away the owner adopted the novel<br />
plan of suspending large stones from the<br />
corners. It will be observed that one of<br />
these weights was bored, with infinite<br />
patience, so as to take a few strands of<br />
bailing wire. It was found necessary to<br />
pile stones on the roof of the lean-to<br />
after the fashion of the Swiss chalet.<br />
The ornament over the door which<br />
resembles a horse shoe is in reality a<br />
pair of horns, while the stuffed animal<br />
is a "bob-cat," shot while making a raid<br />
on the rancher's sheep.<br />
The house itself, is of adobe, the accepted<br />
building material of the Territory,<br />
and the round ornaments along the<br />
roof are covers of lard buckets nailed<br />
on to give it a fanciful touch. The<br />
gate is a pretty good example of<br />
y*^,<br />
what can be done in a<br />
country where lumber is<br />
scarce. It will be seen<br />
that the gate proper consists<br />
of only four pieces<br />
of wood, rough branches<br />
lopped from a sycamore<br />
and helped out. by a net<br />
work of barb-wire. Such<br />
homes are fast disappearing<br />
as the settlers prosper.<br />
The Standard Kilogram at the Bureau of Standards.<br />
V\ ASHINGTON.<br />
J*<br />
FLOUR FROM<br />
SUGAR BEETS<br />
A NEW and im-<br />
^"^ portant use for<br />
the<br />
sugar beet<br />
seems likely to be<br />
found in the manufacture<br />
of flour from it. In fact,<br />
this kind of flour is already being<br />
turned out in considerable quantities at<br />
Suresnes, in France, where an enterprising<br />
person named Alphonse Huillard.<br />
has built a huge "dryer" for the purpose.<br />
The first part of the process consists<br />
in chopping up the beets and drying the<br />
water out of them. They contain, to<br />
start with, about 72 per cent of water,<br />
nearly all of which is removed by<br />
evaporation. By this means 100 pounds<br />
of dry material are obtained from 3^7<br />
pounds of beets.<br />
A Ranchkr's Home .at Coppkr Creek .Ariz. .-•UGAK ISIFTS IN AHL'NPANCK.
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