The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 6, 1904, Page 5

THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL o ,V/,Zf,zé P Handy Japanese Glossary 3 ot HE following key to sh-e-kah-rey (a bay). pronunciation ah-kah of Japanese,Chinese -‘}“k“kuf'h ko-koo. and Korean geo- ‘lf’ufif'!_x—’lxlg'u~.=hm-, the first “u graphical names z]\vn ts full sound. - was prepared by 1P many respects Korean and Chi- Hasime. Ota. tne Dese mames are pronounced after the J World e Sime rules as Japanese, although Japanese orld’s many have a declded accent on the Pair Commissioner. Japamese geo- final syllable. Among them are: fcal names are pronounced by nese with little accent, as a rule. vowels are spoken broadly—"a” as “e” as long “e,” “i” as short “e,” ” but sometimes as Here are some of the Japanese names most frequently met with in the war news: Tokyo—Toa-kyoh. Nagasaki—Nah-gah-sah-kee. F odate—Hah-ko-dah-teh. Kagoshima — Kah - go - she - mah, a slight accent on last syllable. Ehimonoseki—She-mon-o-say-kee. 1kuoko—Kwoo-o-kah. o—Sat-say-bo. Hiroshima—He - 10 - she - mah. (The sffix, “shima,” frequently found in Jap- anese names, signifies “island.” Thus, na—To-koo-she-mah, “to” as “tow towboat.” Takaoka—Tah-kah-oh-ka. v Nah-nah-oh. a—Tsoo-roo-gah. Niigata — Nzhe - zhe - gah - tah, the double “{” taking the sound of “zhe- rhe.” The vl has a slight accent on the third syl ide. Fukuyama — Fkyah-mah; slight ac- cent on the first syliable. Sah-kah-tah, R, Wa Made Words | & Yalu—Yah-loo, river dividing Korea and Manchuria. Chemulpo—Chee-mweel-po, on the second syllable. Masampo—Mah-sahm-po, second syllable. Mokpo—Mek-po, accent on first syl- lable, the “k” being sounded much like the “ch” in the German “ach.” Chetu—Chee-foo, accent on last syl- lable, as in the following instances: Wiju—Wee-zhoo. accented accent on Yongampo—Yong-ahm-po, the “ng” being sounded as it Is in French. Haiji—Whah-eh-zhee, the first two syllables being practically only one. Seoul—Sool. Fusan—Foo-sahn. Wonson—Wohn-sohn. Sonchin—Sohn-cheen. Chinnampo—Cheen-nahm-po. Yang-Yang—Yahng-yahng. Koseing—Ko-seng. Samchok—Sahm-chalk. Chungju—Chwang-zhu, “ju” signify- ing “ville,” as “‘Chung-ville.” Tientsin—Tain-shen. Talienwan—Tah-leen-wahn. Chinwangtao—Sheen-wahn-tau. Weihaiwei—Wee-high-way. Kiaochau—Kwaw-chaw. Pechili—Pee-chee-lee. P, 8 R i R R Plants With- out Soil ar come verbal riches, » loss of property or life. ks zen value in increasing rency of words outside of their setting. aud if we can acquire a f the &r Mongolic expressions, rwi seen worth its cost— n words, #e could not spare “ma- quired from the Spanish- conflict, or “reconcentrados.” e have no word of Saxon de- t h quite expresses these s. And certainly the currency t hik was worth all we have Tt A TN And from the Boer War surely “kopje” was, to us an Americanism, worth the ir next acquisitions. Probably ! soon be making all our Eastern nents in “versts,” and if it be ce ¥ to overlay Eastern diplo- acy with a veneerg of silence we “lacquer” ¢, any event our | horizon is n to be pushed we will have new portman- rds in which to carry about ew wisdom. 4 * The greatest of all Professor Nobbe's work is his remarkable dis- covery of a method for inoculating the soil with bacteria to make It yield richly “Jhere it lay barren before. In times past investigators of soil culture devoted most of their time and atten- tion to studying the composition of various kinds of soil, to the improve- ment of fertilizers and in suggesting new systems of drainage and water supply. Professor Nobbe has gone a step further in advance, declaring that plants will grow, under certain con- ditions, just as well without soil as with soil. At first glance this may seem strange enough, yet there are trees from eight to ten inches in cir- cumference at the base of the trunk growing in clean water, without a sign of soil of any description. They stand in rowsg just back of the Forest Academy and just back ef Professor Nobbe's greenhouse. Each tree is sus- pended in a large glass jar surrounded by a gréen painted case. When this case is opened one may look through the glass and see the roots of the tree hanging there in clean water. The oldest of the trees was planted, or rather the seed of the tree was plant- ed, in 1878, and it has grown to full size without ever touching soil. Leaves and blossoms have come in the spring and in the winter the water and the roots have frozen solid all these years, and the tree still thrives. Indeed, some of its seeds were immersed in water and trees 8f the second generg- tion have been grown to considerable size. Then their seeds were immersed and there are now growing small trees three generations™ removed from the soil—certainly a clear proof of Pro- fessor Nobbe’s assertion that actual contact with soil is not essential for plant growth. In order to produce such resuilts, however, it was neces- sary to keep the trees supplied with artificial food. This Professor Nobbe prepared in his laboratory—a certain definite amount of chlorate of potash, sulphate of magnesium, phosphate of iron, phosphate of potassium and a nitrate. A small quantity of this mix- ture was dissolved in the water of the jars every few weeks, and thus the trees have been kept flourishing all these years, showing that there was no element in the soil necessary to plant growth that man could not manufacture at wil.—R. S. Baker in Harper’s Magazine. * - & Use Per- | fumed Rings i B B The use of perfume as a disinfectant is well known, and the “scented dandy"” has perhaps more hygienic wisdom than his detractors give him credit for. It is he who is trying to revive the use of the perfumed fountain ring, an article de luxe which mayv either be used as an ornament or as a means of a pleasant disinfectant in stuffy un- derground trains or in insalubrious dis- tricts. > The ring is an ordinary gold one fitted with a ball at the back. It is filled by pressing the ball nearly flat and dipping the ring into a cup of scent, when the elasticity of the ball draws the perfume into the interjor till quite full. By the least pressure the wearer of the ring can cause a jet of scent to shed its refreshing aroma any moment he pleases, and he may thus act as a benefactor or a nuisance to those in his vicinity. The perfume lamp may also be used as another pleasant method of disin- fecting a room. A ball of spongy platinum is placed over the center of the wick, afld is fixed in its position by a thin glass rod, which is inserted into the wick. The lamp is then filled with any scented spirit, and when lighted is allowed to burn until the platinum gets red hot. The flame is then blown out, and a pleasant odor fills the atmosphere. Little Willie—Say, pa, what does this paper mean by saying the patient is convalescing? Pa—Oh, it means that he has man- aged to outwit the doctor, my son, e HE first and one of the most important things a person should consider in selecting -an apart- ment for himself and family, or in renting a business establishment, in entering a theater or any other place of amusement where fire might start and a possible panic follow, is the means of escape. The spiral firé escape is one of the most useful and possibly the best of modern life-saving devices. Had it not been that the management of the West Baden Springs Hotel provided this means of escapé many lives would have been sacrificed in a recent fire which started at 1 o'clock in the morning, when at least one hundred persons were saved by means of the spiral. The entire hotel was destroyed; only the chimneys and the spiral fire escape- were left standing. The spiral is especially suitable for hospitals,, where the unfortunate in- mates are helpless to assist themselves and when in any emergency they are entirely dependent upon the nurses. By using this modern escape they can throw themselves into the spiral slide, which is inclosed in a sheet steel cylin- der six feet in diameter, with a heavy angle iron ring at the bottom, which rests on a brick foundation six feet eight inches in diameter and two feet deep. The slide is made of soft box annealed steel, securely and smoothly riveted to the cylinders, and supported in the center by an iron standpipe three inches inside diameter. This New Fire-Escape Chutes -3 % oz -~ standpipe extends the entire length of the escape and has brass hose connec- tions at the bottom and top. The escape is connected with the building by iron runways, which are protected with heavy iron railings. All doors are made in pairs of sheet steel, well braced, with half oval iron. The entrance doors have projecting frames, so that they can open inward and not interfere with the slide. These doors close automatically, to prevent the en- trance of smcke and heat. The exits open outw A very slight pressure of. any object sliding against it opens an automatic latch on these doors. The slide comes within eighteen inches of the ground. Escaping persons get up as if rising from a chair reaching the exit. One was recently erected at the City on Hospital, Blackwells Island. Fully 500,000 trips have been made through it, and no one has been in the least in- jured. On entering the doorway of the escape the person sits down, folds his arms, and before he is hardly aware of it slides down to the ground. It is im- possible to block or stampede this es- cape. The descent is so uniform that hundreds of school boys in other parts of the country have glided down head foremost without the slightest scratch. A certaln principal in one of the pub- lic schools where it has been erected, in order to secure regular and prompt attendance of her pupi permitted all those who put in their appearance in good time each. day to slide down the fire escape as a reward. Never be- fore hHad there been such activity among the scholars, and it proved to be a simple but effectual remedy for tardiness. How the Water Freezes Even While the Building Burns. EX RanKkin’s Wonderful Farm & + HE State of Migsouri has the distinction of having within her borders as a citizen the most extensive individual farmer in the' world. He s David Rankin of the owner of fourteen than 22,000 Tarkio, ranches, Mo., including more acres of as fine black soil as the sun ever shone on. Mr. Rankin is the largest stock feed- er in the world. He buys more corn than any other farmer in the United States, and most of it is fed to stock on his farms. Besides the extensive farming operations, Mr. Rankin is in- terested in many other enterprises. In appearance he is a typical farmer. He is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds. Each day he rides over his farms and gives orders to his fore- men. He frequently stops on the way to assist in pulling a steer out of a mud hole or to build a shed to protect a fat porker from the rays of the hot sun. He is as familiar with the men employed on his farms as a housewife is with her domestic duties. To the person who has never visited the Rankin farms the problem of car- rying on the work seems to be a great task, but the system is so thorough and complete that the management is easy. ‘ Mr. Rankin owns about 22,000 acres of land; besides this he leases consid- erable land adjoining him. It takes about 700 teams and 220 men to do his work during the busy months of sum- mer while the crops are being put in, cultivated and harvested. Each ranch has a fo n who has full charge of the work on the one ranch under his supervision; he is required to make out a mouthly report, filling out a printed blank, giving in detail the amount expended and taken in during the month. This report is submitted to Mr. Rankin on the 5th of each month. The examination of the final state- ments of the year 1902 showed that a total of 7539 head-of eattle had been sold. They brought the Sum of $172,520. The number of hogs sold was 8249, for which the sum of $111,846 14 was re- ceived. The total clearance of his operations during 1900 was more than $100,000. This was his most prosperous year. During the month of July the teams and men cultivate an average of a thousand acres of corn a day. They use the double row riding cultivator. This plow is a disk concern, so arranged as to plow the ground on both sides of a row of corn. One man can plow from twenty to twenty-five acres a day with one of them. They are easy on both man and beast. Mr. Rankin gave as a donation $50,000 to the United Presbyterian Céllege at Tarklo. This is one of the leading col- leges of the State. He is a bellever in higher education of the masses and that churches and schools are the two potent factors which have brought the American people up to the high stand- ard which they have attained. The following tabulated statement of his operations during the last year shows some astonishing figures: Num- ber of acres farmed, 22,190; expense per acre, $4 77; amount corn bought in bushels, 388,749; amount paid for corn, $105,546 09. It costs $3000 a year to keep the ranches in chain harness. The hoi barn of Mr. Rankin is four stories hi, and of octagonal shape. The Rankin home is an attractive place and is handsomely furnished throughout. To a question of how he made his start he said: “When I was married I was 8o poor my wife and I could not even buy a bread board - 8 Living Barometers 8 _ NY one who has been brought much into contact with ani- mals knows how sensitive they are to approaching changes in the weather. Na- ture seems to have provided them with a prophetic instinct in this respect, partly, no doubt, be- cause to so many of them the weather is of such great importance The nests of many birds would be utterly ruined if its tenants were away during a storm, and so, warned by in- stinet, t never fail to return heme in time. When a storm is approaching the robins will sit whistling on the top branches of trees; if swallows touch the water as they fly of rain, and so it is chirp a t deal When ul fiy out to sea early in the m¢ g the day will be fine d the wind moderate, but whe hang o the land and fi shore the fisher folk »w that must expect severe winds and probably y weather Fish, too, are verv weatherwise. Cod will actually take in ballast before a Some while ago a number of > caught off the shores of New- storm, 1land twelve hours before a severe gale, and it was found that all of them had swallowed a number of s‘ones, some of which weighed three or four cunce Sea urchins always try to wriggle under the mud, or at least to cover themselves with sand, before storm while dolvhins r sport or toss about in a rough sea until a change for the better is at hand. All sailors know that a tempest is impending when the numbers of the stormy petrel flock In the wake of the vessel. In Scotland the country people be- lieve that it will be a fine day if the raven cries before the rook in the morning, but cuite the reverse if the rook makes himself first heard. If a cab horselis lively without ap- . parent cause, it is a sure sign of cold weather in the near future; but if it stretches out its neck and sniffs the air, the observer should turn back and fetch his umbrella, for he will certain- ly need it before the evening. If a cat sneezes it will rain—unless, of course, your youngest olive branch has emptied the contents of the pepper pot beneath her If she sits with her back to the fire it will snow; if she washes her face during a frost it will soon thaw, and if she scratches the wall or the legs of the table vigor- ously, the wind will be very high. When a cat washes her jaws with feet, especially if she put her paws )y over her eafs, it will rain: and when the rain is over, the cardinal point to which she while washing her face shows direction from which the wind be expedted; while if pu coat looks particularly bright and glossy, the following day, at any rate, will be fine. Dogs always know when it is going to #ain; and, as to be forewarned is o.be armed—with an umbrella—it 1l to remember that rain will in all probability ensue when you see your dog making holes in the ground, eat- ing gras fusing meat howling when anybody goes out, and also if he seems wery stupid and drowsy. Hark! I hear the asses bray. We shall have some rain to-day. s wel § * Submarine Cycling | 1 * ing will never, it is become a popular form of but the wheel has neverthe- water with suc- An experiment of this kind was made off the coast of England, near Plymouth. The cyclist was a diver ful equipped, while he employed a tricycle, with heavy flat tired wheels. On a smooth surface it was found that the wheel could be propelled easily, it somewhat slowly, and with much less effort than is required to carry a heavy suit of armor the same distance. fon, used below ¥ Icebound Holocaust ® + §—g AVE you any idea, you of the great Golden West, what fire-fighting in the dead of winter means in the East? Imagine thatyou are out on an errand coldest of winter the of mercy on nights—for it is then the Fire Flend — the third, fourth and fifth alarms. There are engines in front of the factory, engines behind it to pro- tect the tenement houses, engines on either side of it. There are filremen, engineers, chiefs, dignitaries of all de- grees. By actual count you find there are twenty-five engine companies, one water tower, six trucks, five battallon chiefs, one deputy chief, one acting chief of department and fire patrol second, . ESCAPE LEFT STAND NG ::‘v'fin. WULOING wvaAS INTERIOR ©OF SPIRAL.F loves to revel in his murderous mirth! The bright face of the clock 'way up in yon tall tower tells you that it is ten minutes after 4 a. m. Your ears and fingers fairly tingle with the cold. ‘With its warning clang and its toot of whistle a fire engine passes you. You turn vour head to watch it as it clat- ters along. Out of every window of a great factory, far down town, burst bright flames.. All thought of fatigue and your warm bed leaves you. You will go to the fire. In rapid succession follow B Escase Hour after hour the tall tower and the engines throw water Into the flames. The water leaves the fire sizzling hot; but before it reaches the ground it freezes into great sparkling pillars of ice. The firemen are literally incrusted with the glittering sheets. If it were not for the danger of it, If it were not for the many human lives in peril, it would impress you as the most awe-inspiring sceme of Dbeauty your eyes had ever beheld. The gloves of the firemen freeze fast to the water pipes they are holding; but hour after hour they work on.