THE   MOST   LOWDOWN   NEWSPAPER   ON   EARTH.
THE  SUBMARINE
PUBLISHED   T6   FEET   BELOW   SEA-LEVEL—WEEKLY
VOL 2 NO. 42
COACNEUA, RIVERSIDE COUNTY  CAUEORNIA. SEPTEMBER 19. 1903.
$1.50 A YEAR
i I
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One of the scientists of the Department of Agriculture, Prof.
Milieu Whitney of the Bureau
of Soils, has made a discovery
which Secretary Wilson regards
as of the utmost scientific and
practical importance. Prof. W.
has found that the amount of
plant food found in all kinds of
soils is about the same, thus exploding the popular theory that
one soil is richer than another,
so far as the quantity of food it
contains is adapted to the growing of crops. The reason one
piece of ground will yield better
crops than another plot adjoining
is yet to be found, in the view of
Prof. Whitney. He believes the
difference in yield is dependent
upon the Condi lion and kind of
cultivation and rotation of crops,
maintaining certain necessary
physical conditions in the soil
under which thisjplant food can
be used.
This discovery will have the
effect of raising doubt, i f on I y i n
the minds of Prof. Whitney and
his associates, as to the value of
the fertilizing materials in increasing the crop. Having determined that there is as much
plant food in one piece of ground
^l^Utanother, the scientist will
now have ^determine what element^ there ar^tliat produce a
good or a bad yield.
Prof. Whitney's conctusioiiSMM^
based upon an analysis by new
and exceedingly sensitive methods, by which the amount of plant
food in the soil moisture itself,
which jam great nutritive solution for the support of crops, has
been determined, and not by digesting the soils in acids,   which
attack the inert mineral matter of
the soils. While the conclusions
appear to be in conflict with the
conclusions held for so many
years by the agricultural chemists, they are in strict conformity
with the experience of godd farmers in all countries.
The fertility of so I is shown
to be due to physical causes which
control the supply of water and
plant food which it contains, as
the soil moisture in all cases appears to be about the same in
composition and concentration.
The fertility is, therefore, controlled by physical cause and the
chemical examination of a soil
cannot be expected to indicate the
yield of a crop.
O
Louis  Gathmann,   inventor   of
tIty Gathmann shell, has invented
a mechanical automobile   airship
which he believes  will   solve   the
problem   of    aerial     navigation,
He has worked out   the  machine
with huge fans measuring 36 feet
from tip to tip, which  revolve   at
a speed of 260 revolutions a   minute, and push gig the air from underneath cause    the   car    to rise
f.om earth   into   air.    The   fans
are on huge spindles operated by
a double gasoline engine.    Gathmann has already   constructed  a
model which he Says clearly  demonstrates that   the   airship of
the future must be a purely   mechanical contrivance based on scientific principles, and  not   constructed on   the   idea   of   flying
birds any more than steam en-
mes or automobiles should have
beell\j>atterhed   after    running
horses./^^e inventor   has pro*,
vtded that eacfKhorse-power shall
have a lifting powt^of 33 pounds.
Thus two engines can>xarry   together 33,000   pounds,   ot^&OOO
pounds    more    than    the   acta
weight of the ship. Gathmann
will probably bring his invention
to the attention of the B :ard of
Ordnance and Fortifications for
the purpose of securing a l allot-*
ine#t for ihe^dflsB^tion of a
large model.
#
The Agricultural   Department
is inquiring into the statement ef
Consul-Gederal Richard  Guenth-
ner that  a%new  plant has  been
discovered in South America that
promises to supplant  the sugar
cane and the sugar beet.    Scientifically the plant is known as
Eupatorium   rebandium,   and  it
contains a large amount of saccharine matter and  a  high  per
centage of natural sugar properties which  are easy  to   extract.
According   to  Mr. Guenthner,   a
lump the size of a liver pill  will
do the business in a cup o-coffee,
as  the   product  made from  the
plant is from   twenty   to   thirty
times sweeter than  cane or  beet
sugar.    It is said to be easily cultivated in  countries having climatic conditions similar to  those
of the southern part of the  United States.
Commissioner Richards of the
General Land Office has issued a
statement showing that approximately $8,461,494 was placed in
theU. S. Treasury to the credit
of the^eclamation fund from the
sales of public lands and fees in
the various irrigation states in
1S03. The irrigation projects of
the government will be carried
on by means of this fund. The
statement shows that an aggregate of $16,197,836 has been received from sales of lands in the
variubs States during 1901, 1902
and 1903, for use in furthering
irrigation plans. The total received   in   190l    was   $3,144,822,