Page:Popular Mechanics 1928 01.pdf/27

 

Although Mt. Lassen, California's active volcano, is more than 10,000 feet high, it was graphically portrayed to visitors at an exhibition in San Francisco in a model, fifty-four feet high and with a base 300 feet long. The contours of the peak were faithfully reproduced and trees were placed about the model in such a way that, from a distance, it could hardly be distinguished from the real mountain.

 

Ramie plants, the fibrous stalks of which were used to clothe the Egyptian kings and to weave fabric coverings for their mummies, are being cultivated in California today. In the opinion of one grower, the crop holds great promise for the future as a source of textile material that can be used instead of cotton. An apparatus has been devised for cleaning it in large quantities and at little cost.



 



One of the most popular units on an outdoor playground is an old fire-escape chute that has been converted into a slide for the children. It is securely attached to a substantial scaffold, and a flight of stairs leads to the entrance. Being higher than the average slide, it affords more thrill.

 

The United States imports 40,000 glass eyes annually, according to official reports. Many of them are works of art and so closely resemble the natural organs that they can hardly be distinguished from them. Safety experts are recommending the universal wearing of goggles by industrial workers, pointing out that hardly any occupation can be considered entirely non-hazardous with respect to the eyes.

