Abstract: A heater for melting glass includes: a heating member containing carbon (C) configured to emit heat rays upon power feeding; and a tubular member made of metal configured to have one end closed, and to house the heating member. The heating member includes a first heat generating part and a second heat generating part along an extending axis direction of the heater, and the first heat generating part is arranged at a position closer to the one end of the tubular member than is the second heat generating part. Denoting a unit-length resistance of the first heat generating part along the extending axis direction by X (?/m), and denoting a unit-length resistance of the second heat generating part by Y (?/m), ( 1/30)X<Y<(½)X??Formula (1) is satisfied.

Abstract: A heater includes a heat generating member being conductive and configured to radiate heat rays by being fed with electric power, and a tubular member constituting of a metal and accommodating the heat generating member, wherein the heat generating member is composed of a material containing carbon at 80% or more by mass, the tubular member is composed of a material including one or more selected from platinum, rhodium, tungsten, iridium, and molybdenum, and an insulating material is not provided between the heat generating member and the tubular member.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring molten glass includes a wall including a refractory material and a metal layer provided on an inside of the refractory material, the metal layer coming into contact with the molten glass, and the metal layer being configured to guide the molten glass, the apparatus including a heater including a metal cover protruding to an inside of the wall, the metal cover coming into contact with the molten glass, the heater including a heat generating element electrically insulated from the metal cover, and the heat generating element receiving electric power to radiate heat rays to heat the metal cover from an inside.

Abstract: A method of producing a melt includes contacting a first heating element directly with an inside of a solid-liquid mixture layer including a batch raw material of glass and a mixture of solid and liquid phases denatured from the batch raw material to apply thermal energy to the solid-liquid mixture layer by heat transfer from the first heating element, supplying the batch raw material from the above of the solid-liquid mixture layer, and continuously producing a liquid phase melt with a bulk density greater than that of the solid-liquid mixture layer in a lower layer in contact with the solid-liquid mixture layer.

Abstract: According to the present invention, provided is a heater including a heat generating member being conductive and configured to radiate heat rays by being fed with electric power, a tubular member constituted by a metal and accommodating the heat generating member, and an intermediate member arranged between the heat generating member and the tubular member and constituted by an electrically insulating material, wherein the intermediate member is arranged and/or configured to allow, among the heat rays radiated from the heat generating member, at least light having a wavelength of from 1 ?m to 2 ?m to pass through the intermediate member to reach the tubular member.

Abstract: A new Pseudomonas gladioli having the identifying characteristics of Bikohken-kin No. 8805 has been discovered. The microorganism is a new bacteria separated from a bulb and roots of Miltonia. For separation, the bulb and roots of Miltonia are ground in a 1% solution of peptone followed by a streak culture on a bouillon agar at 25.degree. C. for 48-96 hours, and the colonies thus grown are isolated. This microorganism is inoculated into a bulb and roots of a plant selected from the group consisting of Welsh onion, sorgo, oats and maize. The plants inoculated with the grown microorganisms are grown together within the radius of rhizosphere of a plant to be protected (or companion or mixed crop) for further multiplication of Pseudomonas gladioli M-2196 in order to control soil borne plant diseases caused by Fusarium oxysporum. Very strong antibacterial activity on Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, Verticillum dahliae, Corynebacterium michiganese pv. michiganese, Sclerotium cepivorum etc. is observed.