The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-02-10

CoMsrs.-Comets, though rarely visible, are very
numerous. Arago believes that there cannot be less
than seven millions Of them passing within the indutnce
of our planetary system, aud kepIcr used to say that
they were as numerous as the fishes in the sea. They
shine By the light IF the sun move in all directi"ns
constantly change their appearance; are of such thin,
transparent substance, that stars may be seen through
them. are sometimes Of enormous dimensions, aud
move with incouceivable rapidity; and have, in some
instances, been known t. separate into two distinct
bodies. Some of the most remarkable comets ever
known are those of 1850, 1871, 1913, aud those known
as Halley's and Biela's conets That of 1911 Is sup
pusedto require more than three thousand years for It's
revolution AROUND the sun; It's %perheion dis ance was
computed to be about 50 millions, aud its apheli"n dis
lance about forty thousand millions OF miles; its envelope
was blush green, while the nucleus itself was pale red
That Of 1913 was remarkable for the length Of its tail
which ut one time was two hundred million miles long.
:lie sssIess VAS snail, and its motion vt the rate Of over
= mitlUs miles an hosss .HbG
A1nasas~eHlaxSHijrnrine ua i lsxeelx sapleysd
t9ee C6lssse IL [ae szssF y psPsr.
' 'snrie'ss =; !. . Of its $ ~..., j 1ss hi { de ..ts'
nc life it is used fur precipisa,ing vegetable substance
suspended in potable water. 1t is used ais" hy The
Chinese in a msnner peculiar to thens' Ives. Fisher
men are usually provided with it, an when they take
ne Of those huge Rhizo>toma which abound IN the
coast, they rub the animal with the pulverized ST.. ic.
t" give Il degree Of veht renee to the eela'i"us mass.
Architects employ It as a cement 10 those airy bridge
which span the water courses. 1t is poured il a molten
state iuto the iuterstices Of the stones ; and in structures.
not exposed to constant moisture, the cohesion is cool;
but in damp situations it becomes a hydrat,, am
crumLles. Alum was first introduced into China, fron'
he west aud until u comparatively recent period I'll"
best kind, called sometimes Persian, was brought trom
We.t.rn Asia.
PHo>PHoRENcE OF INcEcrs.--An English chemis'
has been taking advantage Of a rect mt trip t" South
America t. collect and examine fire flies, in order to get
At the secret of their lum Mostly. The commonly re
.eived opinion in regard to the sources ut light emitted
by insects, il, that it ia due to the slow combustI n OF
phosphorous, resembling that pr"duced by gently rub
bling a match with the fingers Hc denies thus. b ,wever.
AZ be was unable. on the application OF the most delica:e
tests, to detect the smallest traces of phosphorous i" the
bodies of these curious little creatures. His opinion Is
that the light is caused by the burning Of u peculiar
compound OF carbon and hydrogen, formed in special
glands
RUSSIA AND PERSIA These countries present US
with a geographical phenomen' N truly extraordinary
There is in these countries u vast region, covered with
populous towns. great commercial establishments and
fertile lands, which is nevertheless much below the level
If the ocean. The extent of this low region Is said to
be some 100, 900 square miles. An illustration Of this
depression is the fact that the level Of the Caspian Sea,
and that of the city If Astrschan is m"re than 100 feet
below the level Of the Black Sea or Of the ocean. This
enormous einking of y whole country-a phenomenon
which is believed to be unexa'npled being very dIH'-
cult to explain by the operation Of known causes, has
led some persons to attribute it to the action Ut a comet
r. ricochet firing it is evident that the spot struck by
rhe ball is somewhat depressed. Thus according t." some,
the Caspian Sea and the surrounding country bas been
indented BY the stroke Of an immense ball-that is a
comet. But, in the present state "f geological science,
such an idea canuot be favorably received. y" on
doubts n W that isolated peaks, as we'll as the Longest
aud hig! est ranges If mountains, have been gradually
hexved up from the bosom If the earth.
The Committee IN investigating the disease known as
the hog cholera, reported through its Charm IN, DIR
Higgins, Of Maryland. The report states that the dis
ease il evidently a species Of pneumonia. and the cure,
az discovered. by DR. Higgins, after experimenting o"
hundreds If cases, is to take equal portions Of carb"n' te
of soda and carbonate Of b,rill', mix together, rub them
in a mortar, and give a d"sc Of ten grains, about "a table
spoonful, three times q day. Ibis Is sa'd 10 nave oec"
entirely successful.
English Parliament clock are twenty-five feet in dame
ter, and are the largest in the world. =,
Every half minute the point Of the minute hand
moves nearly seven inches. The clock will 60 eight
and a half days and strike only for seven and a halt 20
as to indicate by its silence any neglect IN winding up.
The mere winding Of each Of the striking parts Will take
two hours. The pendulum is IL feet long the wheels
are Of cast iron the hour-bell is eight feet high and
nine feet in diameter, weighing from fourteen to fifteen
tons.
The causes Of changes in weather are un %louhtedly
traceable to chemical changes in the air and cartf-
Q electrical changes being the immediate canse There il.
therefore. n" possibility for any man to fin a sy*''a to
these changes, and hence No one can foretell the " Gather
n " the effects of such changes
People generally suppose it is twelve o'clock VIXEN
the .un is due south, "r at Il properly made n"" m"k
But this is a mistake. The sun is seldom o." the m'r-
liam at twelve o'clovk inleed this is the Gaze on y IN
four days of the year namely, April Is, June TO-
Sept. !, and Dec. %.
T, ascertain the length Of the day and night. at any