New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-07-02
SCIENCE,
Interesting Scientific Intelligence.
Cleaned for The Tribune from the Lste., Source.


been recf nty placed In his hands specimens Of 6sby
matter ned with finely broken fragments Of branches
OF trees which were sad to have been found occupying
the place OF the stosch In the skeleton Of the Nasodon
exhumed on SchoOleys Mountain n. }. and lately
hibitcd In Boston. As similar observations said 10
have been made Ia several instances Prof Gray IN
dueed 10 examine the substance brought to him. The
wood evidently consisted OF brsnch-s of two and
three years old broken quite uniformly into bits OF
halt an Inch or ia length, with only how and then
traces OF the bark remaining on the wood The wood
was not at All fosszed. and was but slightly decsyed-
From the appearance OF tbs branchets examined Prof
Gray Inferred that they belonged 10 some cOnefOus
tree shrub. and probably 10 kind OF spruce or mr.
rather than 10 true pine This inference was borne
by the examination Of thin slices OF the wood by the
microscope The woody fibre very beautifully and
distinctly marked with the circular disks that are char
sciersuc Of al coniferous wood The structure agreed
quite perfectly with that 10 similar brsnchlets Of the
common hemlock spruce.
Fusion Of Phosphorus The melting point Of
phosphorus, determined very carefully BY NJ. DEsAINs
Of France found to be mo. The phosphorus
should be- covered with and constantly agtsted
while cooling; without this precaution, it may remain
liquid 81 72o sodifying its temperature rises
70 about 1912. The rste OF cooling of the solid aud
liquid phosphorus between these two points would in
dictate the specific heat for the different states
OF the substance
Ne,c Mnerals.-M DELBssE, of France, has dis
covered and reported mineral B,1atie-found
in toe cOppermnes of Loteskoi in the Alta Mountains
Chessy near Lyons IemperinO in Tuscany. and at
several other European localities. This mineral is
bydrOus carbonate of zinc copper and lime, In definite
proportions II crystslizes In blush Tadating needles
and has the specific gravity 20. According 10 the
analysis OF Deesse II consists of csrbOnc acid q 80
oxide of zinc 80 OF. lime s62 oxide of copper - 49,
water Z AspdsiOlue has been discovered at
krsger0 in Norway occurring with ioite quartz, field
spar and mica IL resembles iote 10 crystalline form
has greensh color the hardness Of Gale spar and the
specific gravity 2764 Ia composition 1t differs little
from iolite stording silica. alumns msgnesia trace
of lime protoxde OF iron, water and trace Ut manga
There have been discovered on the Island OF
Elba two new minerals named Castor and PolaI occur
ring in granite Castor has a vitreous uster and rough
surface aud 10 transparent and cOOress with two axes
OF double reirscon and two ceaysges inclined at an
angle OF 1881 29 degrees. II fuses with difficulty be-
fore the bOwppe q impid, cOOrless glass, col0ring
the exterior fame red Composition according 10 Prof
PLATTNEE silica aumina, peroxide OF iron, with traces
OF manganese, lhia with traces Of potash and soda
POuI resembles castor in crystaOgraphic and physical
characters except that there only traces OF cleavage
and the specific gravity somewhat less Heated In tube,
water is disengaged Before the bowppe its edges
rounded to oebby enamel and IL coors the exterior
flame reddshyellow. Ii contains silica potash soda,
and water.
Meteorological Societies IN Finland and Dem
nark-A meteorological Association has been lately
formed at Helsngiors NJ Kupfer writes, the prin.
cpa object of which Is to make observations upon the
time of Towering and qualification In that high Northern
lattudc-M Quetelet writing from Brussels on this sub
ect adds that NJ Grsted recently at that place proposed
establish similar Association or the observation Of
periodical phenomena, but especially times OF inores
cence in Denmark)
Water raiSed on the Principle of the Blood, by
Wares through YaIoed TuJes-A feasible and obvious
application of Harveys grand discovery OF the use OF
valves in raising the blood through the veins has been
suggested by cOrrespon dent of the (LOndon) MecGR
les Magazine namely, the raising Of water from the
by the lash of the through waived tubes into
reservoirs high evel-for the acquisition OF course
OF unlimited supply Of water power, to be turned to
any requisite purpose The inventor proposes TO test
the practicabiy of this kind OF WaterRam on South
Beach England
OIL Of Sf0acs.-Under this title, a recent Paris
journal contains account of singular substance
manufactured in France, OF peculiar properties The
Boston atlas among its foreign items translates the de-
scrpton of this interesting curiosity as follows II was
discovered several since and an interesting paper
upon read before the Institute Since then its
manufacture far from being abandoned, as many sup
posed has been silently undergoing improvements, and
recently Company has been formed for lite manuac
turs. IL 10 now termed mineral OIL by means OF new
and very ingenious instruments and machinery, they
obtain an oil transparent the purest water This
remarkable liquid 10 said to have this great advantage
of not staining by contact and of giving admirable
light by the xedness and clearness of the flame The
Company possesses In Autunnos (France) nexhaustbe
beds of the mineral from which this oil 10 extracted,
well ss several other productions ss parane, mineral
tar a new kind of manure, invaluable for exhausted
land, and many others. However much may be
surprised adds the journal from which derive this
information, at seeing vile and despsed rock thus
yielding a variety of precious matters there is
for doubt the fact 1t only proves that the science
of Chemistry is In Its infancy and that assign
any limits to it's progress When the first attempts
made 10 burn bitumnous coal who then would have be-
eved in such results gas light its application 10 the
generation of steam the bright future in for
so humble minersli And yet are not the mines OF
Amin valuable to their propetors than the Silver
Mines OF both the lndiesi
Mr. SmeeS DiScOrerv--Mr. Alfred Since, who
has all along attributed the potato disease to the Gphis
rdstGor lately placed some of those insect healthy
plant which they destroyed with symptoms precisely
iUar IN Viii The last nj
Europe.
EplbaltQing stM teasible-A human body, em-
balmed by Genal, in Paris, In 1874 recently
humed at Psre la Chsse. in the presence Of several
eminent physicians and found to be in state of perfect
preservation thus establishing the reputation Of this
covery Of lost art.
The Mrage-The following extraordinary op.
tcal Illusion is described by a correspondent Of the
Paris Journal des Debafs -" On Friday last between
and O'Clock in the morning, the weather being
cold and clear and while the rising bril.
liantly beheld mirage. From the point of the
steeple OF the Cathedral Of Ulm narrow ray
of dark color, almost vertical with slight inclna'
ton the West Here this ray the image OF the upper
half Of the steepe of the Cathedral designed with
It's towers and all the numerous and delicate Gothic or
naments which decorate II all sides This image was
that il might have been mistaken for repre-
sentsion made by the Daguereotype. Eight times this
phenomenon was repeated Such optical effect is
uneXamped 10 this country
A Netc Discovery bg Sch0RbeiR-Prof SCHGS-
making = great sensation in Germany. This dstin
guished Professor who invented GunCotton has just
discovered a method for Immediately csuterzing
wounds This invention in connection with that OF in
sensibility produced by Ether, will effect complete
change in Surgery.
Heat scitkOW Fuel A Hungarian Chemist has
discovered a method Of producing hes, without iue.
He places In contact two iron plates and copper cylinder
highly polished turning in axis at the end OF lever
with baanceweg at the other end u keep the plates
ia contact when, by Of very simple apparatus
aud tfihDg exertOn, a glowing red heat may be pro
duced in five minutes, and maintained with ease.
The Acids Of T0baoc0.-Prof GoUPIL OF France
has reported 70 the ssUaRs series OF experiments on
Tobacco The chief organic acid 10 the msic BimslSe
OF ammonia may be readily obtained from the plant
" which in its dry affords TO per cent NJ. Goupi
has discovered that the conversion of the precpitated
mslate OF lead into crystalline does not take place
unless there is free sod present THIS ali important
fact as tho conversion into crystals is commonly as
signed as distinguishing chsrsc,er-Ciuic acid Is
found In the tobacco plant but in very small quantity
No other organic acids could be found.
Formation Of CaoNtckoue from Drying Oas.-
10 the forty sixth volume of the ArcAices de PhaTmaee
Paris NJ JONAS has Essay this subject Linseed-
,u boiled for long time, yields brownish vsrnish
his be boiled for long time in wafer containing
nitric acid the loss by evaporation must be supplied and
he acid not allowed e Get too violently Al last sub