Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1894 — Firepro of Wood. [ARTICLE]

Firepro of Wood.

Almost contemporaneously with the invention of bullet-proof cloth comos a report of the discovery of fire-proof and steel-proof woi d. Several speolos of iron wood have been known for a long time and have been widely used, on account of their extraordinary weight and ha dness, in tine manufacture of such articles as axles and plows. . These, howovor, appear to be exoelled by a certain tree found in the Northern Transvaal, regarding which M. Basiaux, at present traveling in South Africa, liuh transmitted a note to the Geographical Society of France. The wood is a sort of ebouy, and is so exceedingly hard that it cannot be cut or worked In the ordinary manner, except when green. When maturo and dry, it resists every known tool, and either blunts or breaks the finest tempered steel. It ls, k apparently, almost impregnable against fire, as it required a burning to reduce the trunk-'?? one of these trees to ashes. The wbod, although heavy, is considerably lighter than iron or steel. If ‘it Should be found to exist in any quantity paid satisfactory moans of working it dan be discovered, it is thought that l*t may find an extensive application in the arts. Hs.nhv a! PAnzan, manager of tbs John A. bat/.er Seed Company, La Crosse, Wls., ta lu Europe looking up rare novelties In und new things In the farm send line, lie will vl.lt the. Celebrated farming districts of Krancs. Germany, England, Belgium. Russia and Bohemia, and the customers of this wide-awake Hrm oan congratulate thomsslves upas bis bringing along the cream of farm and vegetable seedvthnt those foreign countries offer. Germany and Austria have about 150 cooking schools. A four years’ course is nocessiry ere a diploma is granted. Most of the hotel ohefs have diplomas from these schools.