North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-09-06
LITERARY. NOTICE.

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The ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DiscovRRY A ueur 6ool
9f facts IN Science and arf. For Sale by Pon.eroy
Although works of This nature have been publish
ed annually for some years in Europe, this is, we
believe, the first attempt which has been made in
this country 10 condense the annual discoveries and
improvements in the Arts and Sciences into a suita-
BILE form for the general reader. Many who desire
keep pace with their advancement have neither the
time nor the patience regularly peruse our Scien-
! ti6c Journals, which must necessarily contain MANY
technicalities and minute investigations in the why
and wherefore, only interesting the OF Science
But here we have well digested abstract of the
progress of the world in useful knowledge, Invested
of all that would not interest the Intelligent reader
TO which is added an index to articles in Scientific
Journals and Reports, for the benefit of those who
wish to examine any particular subject closely.
The recommendation of such men as Agassz, Hors-
| ford, and Wyman, who have themselves contributed
the present volume. is sufficient guarantee of the
ability of the Editors carry out the plan of the
work. They design giving in each volume portrait
and sketch of some scientific man. The present con-
tans engraving and the life of Louis Agassiz,
the greatest naturalist of the day, one whom CuVlsr
pronounced worthy TO be his successor.
May we not hope that the Professors Of our own
U University, of whom, body, we have reason to
be proud will turn their attention to the second vol
of the Scientific Annual, now in preparations and
give the reading public the benefit of their researches
We extract only article under the head of
Geology, as sample of the interesting matter con-
tanned in this work
s'IcE CAVE IN RUSSIA. In the recent work of Sir
R. ]. Murchison, on the Geology of Russia, he men,
tons remarkable Ice Cave situated not far from
Orenburgh. 1t is at the base of hilock of GYPSUM
at the eastern end of a village connected with the
imperial establishment and is of a series of ap
parently natural hollo@s used by the peasants for
cellars stores 1t possesses the remarkable prop
erty of being partly filled with Ice in summer and
totally destitute thereof in tOinter. Standing, says
the author, on the heated ground and under bro-
ing sun, shall never forget my asonIshment when
the woman. to whom the cavern belonged, opened
ail door and volume of air percingy keen struck
the legs and feet that were glad to rash into
cold bath in front of in order equalize the eff
feet! We afterwards subjected the whole body to
the cooling process by entering the cave, which is on
level with the street. AT three four PAGES from
the door, which shone the glaring sun, we were
surrounded by half-froZen quass and The provisions
of the natives. The roof OF the cavern hung with
solid undrippng cicles, and the floor might be call
ed s.aagmite of Ice and frozen earth. We were
glad to escape in few minutes from this lce-bound
prison, so long had frames been accustomed to
powerful heat
The cold in this cavern is invariably the greatest
inside, when the air is hottest outside. AS soon as
winter sets in the Ice disappears, and In md-Wlnter
the peasants assured the travellers that the
of genial temperature, that they could sleep In
it without their sheepskns. AT the very period when
Sir R. J.. Murchison visited it, the Thermometer was
80 in the shade; yet sing lie plank was the division
between a burning and freezing vault!
The cave is about 10 PAGES long and 10 feet high.
II has vaulted roof in which great assures open,
which appear to communicate with the body of the
hiIlock Sawsure long ago gave the clue to the real
exposition of This paradoXical phenomenon; and Pro-
lessor PIctet, following II out, mas satisfactorily ue
monstrated that is beautiful example of practical
illustration in nature of that first principle in ches-
try-eUapordtion produces cold. 1t it well known to
the Geological student, that in certain mines which
have horizontal gallery terminating in vertical
air in summer descends the vertical shaft and emefges
from the horizontal; while in winter the current
of shaft communicating with the atmosphere, current
SETS the horizontal, and issues from the vertical
shaft. The arrangement of this cave is very similar.
Thus the cave is the horizontal and The vertical shaft
lies in the Of the hill. Suppose then, the mean
temperature of the hill to be about 4S SO degrees
The descending summer current passing through the
channels of the hill evaporates tire water it meets
with in its progress rapidly as to become colder
in the descent until reaching the it is even be-
low 80 degrees and there freezes the water collected
in it. The hotter the air outside, the greater the de-
struction Of equilibrium between the inteo and
terror columns, which communicate at their base in
the caves consequent the more rapid AMI intense the
evaporation the the measure Of cold pro-
duced. This view,' says Sir X. ]. Murchison, is
supported by reference to the climate of the plains OF
Orenburgh, in which there is great wetness of the
spring, caused by the melting of the snow, succeed
ed by an intense and dry Asiatic heat"