Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/287

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HEN dissecting small objects under a magnifying glass, and in many similar operations, inconvenience is caused by the object's continually getting out of focus as the work progresses. An English inventor has hit upon an ingenious method of overcoming this difficulty by fixing the lens to the tool so that when once focused it will always follow the point of the instrument. The illustration shows a lens fitted to a teazing needle in a wooden holder for dissecting purposes. The arrangement consists of a sliding sheath, A, capable of being slid to-and-fro along the holder, but gripping with sufficient force to maintain its position after adjustment. To this is pivoted an arm, B, to the other end of which a shorter arm, C, is similarly attached. The latter carries the lens, which may be anything from two inches to three inches focal length, and from one inch to one and a quarter inch in diameter.

A lens mounted in the manner described above, will be found a great convience for the purposes of microscopical and botanical dissection, fine engraving on metals and the more delicate photographic retouching. Provided the holders are round and of a size suited to the sliding sleeve the attachment may be fitted equally well to a dissecting knife, scalpel, teazing needle, steel scriber. or a photographic retouching pencil.

LONG-FELT want of the American home has been a doughnut drainer, a device that would save the housewife from getting her fingers burned with spatterings of hot lard. Mrs. Lyda M. Schultz, of Dorchester, Wis., has devised one of wire that clasps over the edge of the doughnut kettle and holds a row of doughnuts suspended over the kettle where they drain off on being taken from the kettle.

The doughnuts cook in less than half the time it requires without the drainer, according to Mrs. Schultz, thus saving fuel, time, energy and lard, and the doughnuts are better. The drainer is easily cleaned. A shake in hot water and it is ready to hang up to dry. The drainer can be used with equally good results in making shoe string potatoes, potato chips, fried oysters, dumplings, greens, vegetables, and even fried bacon.

WITZERLAND is best supplied with postoffices. There is one for every nine hundred and sixteen inhabitants.