The device thus arranged, and placed on the windowsill of the car, will indicate the acceleration and retardation as follows:  Every 1/2 in. traveled by the thread, over the bent portion of the rule, indicates an increase of or decrease of velocity to the extent of 1 ft. per second for each second.  Thus, it the thread moved 2-1/4 in. in a direction opposite to the movement of the train, then the train would be increasing its speed at the rate of 4-1/2 ft. per second.

If the thread is tied at the 17-in. mark, then each half inch will represent the mile per hour increase for each second.  Thus if the thread moves 1 in., it shows that the train is gaining 2 miles an hour each second.

** An Egg-Shell Funnel [93]

Bottles having small necks are hard to fill without spilling the liquid.  A funnel cannot be used in a small opening, and pouring with a graduate glass requires a steady hand.  When you do not have a graduate at hand, a half egg-shell with a small hole pricked in the end will serve better than a funnel.  Place the shell in an oven to brown the surface slightly and it will be less brittle and last much longer.  —­Contributed by Maurice Baudier, New Orleans, La.

** Handy Electric Alarm [94]

An electric alarm which one may turn off from the bed without arising combined with a light which may be turned on and off from a lying position, so one can see the time, is the device of H. E. Redmond, of Burlington, Wis.  The alarm clock rests on a shelf, A,

[Illustration:  Handy Electric Alarm]

which has a piece of metal, B, fastened in such a position that the metal rod C, soldered to the alarm winder, will complete the circuit and ring the bell.  The two-point switch D is closed normally at E, but may be closed at F any time desired, thus turning on the small incandescent light G, which illuminates the face of the clock.  When the alarm goes off, the bell will continue to ring until the switch is opened.

** To Keep Dogs and Cats Away from the Garbage-Can [94]

Last summer I was annoyed a great deal by dogs upsetting our garbage can on the lawn, but finally executed a plan that rid the yard of them in one afternoon.

I first secured a magneto out of an old telephone, then drove a spike in a damp place under the porch, attached a wire to the spike and ran the wire to one of the poles of the magneto.  Then I set the garbage-can on some blocks of wood, being careful not to have it touch the ground at any point.  I next ran a wire from the other pole of the

[Illustration:  Wiring]

magneto to the can, wrapping the wire around the can several times.  Then I sat down on the porch to wait.

It was not long before a big greyhound came along, putting his forepaws on the top of the can to upset it.  At the same instant I gave the magneto a quick turn, which sent the dog away a very surprised animal.  This was repeated several times during the afternoon with other dogs, and with the same result. —­Contributed by Gordon T. Lane, Crafton, Pa.