Science, Art, And The Drama.

Science , Art , and the Drama .

SISAL GRASS IN MEXICO .

( Continued ) . The exportation of sisal grass during the io years ended 31 st December , 18 9 8 , amounted to 583 , 000 , 000 tons . It has been said that the best fibre producing plant grows on the poorest and most rocky soil , but this does not accord with experiments recently made . One method of planting and cultivating it is as follows : The field is first carefully prepared and burnt .

The burning produces a certain amount of ashes , and many planters set out seed corn at the same time they plant the henequen . The one does not interfere with the other in the least , and the corn crop helps to pay the cost of the henequen . The henequen plant is propagated , not by seeds , but by scions , or suckers . The plant produces seeds , and in a natural state propagates itself by both seeds and scions , but the planter uses only

suckers from iS to 20 inches high . By this method he can produce a field of henequen ready to cut within five years , whereas by seed planting he would have to wait from eight to nine years . Once planted and properly tended—that is , cleared of weeds twice a year , and not under or over cuta field will last 20 years , and instances are not wanting of fields that have lasted longer . A leaf is ready to cut when it extends at right angles to the

trunk or the plant . A healthy vigorous plant in the maturity of its growth should yield from 18 to 24 leaves . One thousand leaves '' should produce from 50 to 60 lbs . of good clean fibre . This amount is a fair average . When the plants in an old field send up a flowerstalk it is Nature ' s signal that the crop is finished . The old plants must then be clipped of all useful leaves and cut down , to allow

the young scions ( which should have been already planted between the old plants ) ventilation for growth . Bad cleaning , allowing rot to be produced by the acids nascent in the plant pulp , and dampness , produce red and mould-stained fibre , of less than one half the value of the goad , clean , white fibre . This is rarely exported , but it is sold at home for domestic use .

There are in Yucatan nearly 1200 henequen producing plantations of various sizes . The largest plantation , or , rather , the plantation producing the largest output , is on the line of the broad guage railway between Merida and Progress . It is called Ticilchc , and produces about 1000 bales , or 375 , 000 lbs . of cleaned fibre per month .

ARTIFICIAL COAL IN GERMANY . The United States Vice-Consul at Mannheim , states that he has recently assisted at a trial to demonstrate the combustible properties of an artificial coal invented in Germany , and has observed its ready inflammability and its apparently considerable heating qualities . The inventor claims that all sorts of earth may be used for his substitute , with the exception of sand and gravel ; but it is thought

that only those whose component parts are vegetable or ligneous , as moor peats and turf lands , would be available . The inventor also enumerated , among suitable substances , various kinds of clay , but in the opinion of the Vice-Consul these would probably have to be used , as an admixture with the vegetable soil , for graduating the heating qualities of the coal . Certain ingredients are mixed with the earth and worked into a homogeneous mass

for the purpose of making it inflammable . These ingredients are the inventor's secret , but since his preparation is intended to have the properties of pit coal , their nature can be easily guessed . They are to take the place and produce the effect of the bitumen of thc mineral article , and must be substances of quick ignition and combustibility , such as pitch , resin , naptha , or similar products . One hundred kilogrammes ( 220 lbs . ) of

such articles may be bought at Mannheim for about 8 s . 4 d ., but only 6 to 8 per cent , arc required for 50 kilogrammes ( no lbs . ) of the artificial coal , Including labour and general expenses , the cost for the quantity would be , say , 3-Jd . A tract of land bought lately by the inventor furnishes 50 kilogrammes ( no lbs . ) of earth , especially suited for the purpose , for about one farthing ; so that 50 kilogrammes ( no lbs . ) of the artificial coal will cost

not more than 3 r | d . to produce . This calculation is taken from the notes of the inventor . The cheapness will be best illustrated by comparing the prices of the various grades of pit coal , which have run in the last year from SAd . to is . i-Jd . . per no lbs . at Mannheim . The artificial coal , of a greyish black , is pressed in blocks ( brunettes ) , of three sizes , viz .. * No . i , 7 ^ inches long , 2 J inches broad , 1 ' , inch thick ; No . 2 , 6 ! , inches long , 4 inches broad , iw inch thick ; No . 3 , scinches long , 3 inches broad , ij inch thick . The

blocks are hard and brittle , and when thrown into the turnace , whole or in pieces , they ignite readily and burn briskly . The suggestion that for technical establishments blocks of larger size would be desirable , was answered by the statement that forms for making 10 lbs . pieces we ; e already in preparation . The result of an examination of this coal by the technical assayers at Karlsruhe showed that it contained 67 . 4 S per cent , of combustible substance .

ART IN THE REIGN OF HENRY VIII . ( Continued ) . Holbein gratified his Royal patron by furnishing designs to be embossed or chased in gold or silver to the goldsmiths , particularly to Moret , whose portrait was one of the most admired . These were principally applied to

standing cups , daggers , and flasks for gunpowder . About this time Benvenuto Cellini was retained by Francis L , and Benedetto da Rovezzano was resident in England and associated with Holbein , who had . opportunities of seeing their exquisite works and of acquiring their art , with the usual happiness of his genius . Respecting the cartoons , or as these designs were

Science, Art, And The Drama.

then called " vidimus , " prepared by painters in water colours , to be transferred or copied upon glass , there is an exact adaptation of one of Raphael ' s in the windows of King ' s College Chapel , Cambridge . Designs of able masters , originally intended for tapestry , were easily applied to stained glass , more particularly when the windows were made to represent Scripture histories . The celebrated cartoons designed by Raphael were executed in

1515-16 . and the tapestries from them , for the Sistine Chapel , were completed three years afterwards . These designs were originally ten . Besides the seven in England , there were—the conversion of St . Paul , Paul in prison at Philippi , and the stoning of St . Stephen , which are lost . Passavant mentions an eleventh , of the Coronation of the Virgin—the tapestry of which was placed above the altar of the chapel , the others were arranged

on each side of the altar , the series from the life of St . Paul being placed opposite the papal chair , and all within that portion of the chapel called the Presbyterium . The building of King ' s College Chapel is said to have been completed in 1515 , and as the agreement bears date in 1527 , the cartoons had been long enough in Flanders to admit of copies have been obtained . We had at this time artists resident in England who had employment from

glaziers with whom they made contracts , and who were in constant intercourse with France , Holland , and the Netherlands , where the art of staining glass had nearly reached the zenith of its perfection . In this era of art in England , it is obvious to contemplate the perfection to which it had already attained in Italy . Leonardo da Vinci , Michel Angelo , Raphael , and Titian were in their full glory , and when compared with other countries , painting in our own was little more than genius struggling with barbarism .

DALY'S THEATRE . Under the liberal management of Mr . Geo . Edwardes , there has been submitted to the notice of theatre-goers an original musical play , entitled , " San Toy , " or the Emperor ' s Own . The book is by Edward Morton , and and Mr . Sidney Jones has supplied some very pleasing and telling music . The scene is laid in China , and relates the troubles and difficulties which Yen How , a Mandarin , admirably enacted by Mr . Rutland Barrington

experiences in endeavouring to pass off his daughter , San Toy , as a boy , and thereby save her from the notice of the Emperor , who has an awkward customofappropriatingtheprettydaughtersof his subjects , andadding them to his large number of wives . We will not enter into the details of the clever and amusing story , it would detract from the pleasure which all must receive who visit the theatre . Miss Florence Collingbourn

takes the character of San Toy , and with great vivacity brings out the salient points of the title role . She has an English lover , a certain Capt . Bobby Preston , represented by Mr . Hayden Coffin . He is too well known as a talented vocalist and exponent of lovers' parts to need praise from us . Li , Mr . Huntley Wright , and Dudley , the Lady's Maid , Miss Grace Leigh , are well sustained and materially aid in the action of the piece . As the Mandarin , Mr . Rutland Barrington has a part particularly suited to his

style . Mr . Fredk . Kaye , Mr . Scott Russell , and Mr . Donald Hall , render very useful service , as also do Misses Hilda Moody , Blanche Massey , and Alice Davis . In the second act , Miss Topsey Sinden gives a graceful dance . The music is melodious and well suited to the lyrics . The costumes are appropriate and handsome , the dances and the evolutions of the Emperor ' s guard of Amazons are most effectively carried out . Should any of our readers desire to spend a pleasant evening , we would commend a visit to Daly ' s Theatre .

GENERAL NOTES . A gentleman lately sent to the Zoological Gardens a locust , which had arrived at his house in a basket of cauliflowers , which had been despatched to him from Italy . The importation of animals in cargoes of fruit and vegetables is apparently on the increase , for already several locusts have been seen alive in London . It will be remembered that last year these insects and mosquitoes were very common , and the latter left so bad an

impression that none of us look forward to seeing them again . Lizards , too , were found in considerable numbers , and also , it is said , several snakes In the case of locusts and mosquitoes , and , indeed , any other pest which is likely to be imported in package of goods , great care should bs taken by the consignees to thoroughly overhaul the contents , and exterminate , as far

as possible , these unwelcome arrivals . Most of them are fast breeders , and increase and multiply in a very short period to an alarming extent ; and if those imported were allowed to roam at their own free will there can be no doubt that they would soon find congenial and suitable spots to indulge in their works of destruction and annoyance .

British musicians generally receive consideration from the Westminster Orchestral Society , and at a concert lately a place was found in the programme for a new suite by Mr . Henry Farjeon . It proved decidedly pleasing , and admirably illustrative of the stories from " Hans Andersen s

I * airy tales selected . Ihe young composer was last year awarded the medal of the Musicians' Company for being the most distinguished student at the Royal Academy of Music , where his studies have been carried on . He is a son of the well-known novelist , Mr . H . B . Farjeon . and grandson of Joseph Jefferson , the famous impersonator of Rip Van Winkle .

A new work on organ construction has been recently completed by Bro . J . W . Hinton , Mus . Doc , and will appear early in May . It should prove of great value to organists , organ builders , and amateurs , for it is full of practical thought and suggestions , and contains a large quantity of information not generally known to many experts , and Dr . Hinton ' s large experience both in England and on the Continent has been of great value to him in writing the book , and he speaks as a man who can do the things he writes about .

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