The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-08-10
AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION.
The Great Bete0rs Of July and Augast-What
DO the Astronomers Anew AbSat The@,-
The Last Eclipse Of tie Sun-RepOrt
Of the Labrador Expedition,
kS., Sc, kss
FIFTH DAY.
NEwPORr, Aupust 8, 1850

NEwroRr Aupust 8, 1850.
Tue Scientific Association met, pursuant to adjourn
ment O'Clock this morning On Saturday last they
had but half days session and 10 day they did not SIT
very long, they had attend evening party given
"a their honor by Mrs DR.. Howe.
PROCEEDINGS or sECTIos A.
The first paper brought Up for the consideration OF
this section abstract Of the principal re-
suits o. the observations Of the tides at Van KenSse
iAer harbor made by the second Grinnen expedition
under command Of Dr. F. X Kane, United fates Navy,
during the years 1885, 1854 and 1885, from reduelsn
and discussion 10y Chs schot assistant coast survey
This paper was read by Professor BAc, who said that
although according 10 theory Of equilbuus there
should be no tide North Pole recent observations
had disclosed the fact that gentle tide does prevail there,
thus oycrthrowing theory which has long been sup
posed the only true the tide discovered
j not local. bat derived, and presents some remarkable
pheromeIa IN respect 10 its variation OF height the
afternoon AID morning. This inequality generally de
ponds the moons decnaon, and increases during the
lunar progress towards the north at the equator
ana cmiahes when the moon moves towards ,he soath,
The greatest height was ab ut two feet and half
b. Sl'-@nAN, Jr, read paper on Ca,achrOisn, new
optical property belonging 10 certain crystalline surfaces
win remarks polarization by reelection from
loved Surface The paper prepared by N. e. Lea,
but possessed no features oi popular lterest
Mir. o n RooD followed By paper on the proper IS
aud tranFmisson Of hghta theory proposed by j.
smith of Manchester, England.
Mr. JANIS HyATr, OF New York, made very sensi
OF the magnetic variatons. he exhibited much pron
cheney sci ntde mnn, and his arguments, though con
Cise, were PLAIN and iJrcioe.
the electric discharge in vacuum tubes was heard with
marked attention, but possesses no public interest
one Of She most GpeaHt papers read this session was
that n series vcstgGiious the assimilation OF
utsoeen ~ plants conducted during the years
ls5--53-5g az Rthan.sted England b. T. Pugh To tar
ers ae aErru,urisSs generally this paper Of particu
lar interest Il has not hitherto been well understood.
that although nitrogen necessary the life of plants
& M abs IN mn.
MIA triG aci ana nitric a1!d also supply tbs
ecuelt plants aud shrubs aud there some alhumi
compounds which produce tue 'ane eject The re
searches experiments Of Dr Draper have established
this fact and Droussngcaull during the long OF
twenty years had prosecuted similar Inquiries. The
suits the abors of the latter were not altogether salts
factory and consequently under the patronage OF Derno.
my, a. Viee resumed the Investigations few yeas
ago and srccet cto IN obtaining results 80 stugy die
rent from those Of Broussiugcau tina. serious doubts
entertained Of his scientific ability. Later still,
Sones Gilbert and PuRh went through OF expert
with plants selecting oats wheat barley beans,
peas hucswheat, clover and tobacco. The plants
n-nnipated from seed IN soil destitute OF combined nitro
Fen and connned in sir IN which there no nitro
geo. but supplied with carbonc acid The water used to
nrigatc the plants was carefully deprived OF every
uto q nitrogen and the exper ments varied by
adding a small portion VI suphate. This greatly
increased growth OF the plants and the total OF
nitrogen found in them I'D not exceed thai o. the surplus
that added In the sulplate nitrogen assmi-
lated and IL thoGght char nitrogen could not be as
simulated These experiments cous idered decisive,
IN regd several plants but, owing 10 the fact that
the eguninous plants did not gro we'll they not
SATISFIED regard TO these except IN SO far they did
ataAn results tend0g that there difference
betw cereal aud lgurnluous plants With this view
the experiments prosecuted, and tue dual resat
proved that nitrogr had beer assnlatcd beyond that
added by The anmGnia The facts claimed by Broussing
caui thus apparently established 10 regard 10 the
cereals and very nearly 50 with reference legumi
nous plants. THIS matter Of the most Important
before the scientific OF the country Millions Of dol
lars thrown away annually for the hack o information
this subject Manures are imported and rejected De
cause Is deemed that tee ammonia they coatatn are
useless II experiments can be relied upon, they wiu
save farmer great deaf Of money; but. a; the same
time IL farmers not willing to pay for scientific in
vestFnious they expect chemists IN devote their
lives Ia subject OFFS much Importance for notang t s
that Compress bus appropriated t6N 900 for
rcultur purposes but sis 900 OF that SUN nave been
eXp,nded IN the purchase Of seed, iof disIri.
button through the couutry, II is Claimed that
the money goes Toy seed, but il is principally
emp'o' 81 purchase oats Tor tue horses ot Con-
gresfnru aud an the money that has appropJ
by Congress Or years past IN aid % agricultural
progress hsd better have been csst into the sea
after the reaaing Of ihs paper the section adourned
PROCEEDINGS or SECTION D.
NAUTICAL hi-rORi, Efc.
on the opening OF the proceedings Of this section.
Professor wn-NA stated that specimens OF iiguaseo q
formations from Gcrmauy had bcca received by tbs
Assoc stou and reerrca g the standing cann ttee o
section He moved that ;hcy be Submitted 10 Profs
sor New bcfy h. De cS'iLe. aaf rexrted al the
aunual session Of tie Association These speci,acns u
the rccu'ias brown coal O. Germany we're collected by
exG,t,rllr fsha .! or, q THIS state, while tour
through sr-upe Thsy WY beautifully exhibit the coal
formation rom ths .af aud wood e. tie perfect coat II
~ thu prreUt aut Interesting collections
that by r1ist aat pTc~essed :" thv ASSIMILATION
tholru toe sg,uc! ot Sc W Shore, y; the New York
Fsof NiurNxY then read rarer on investigations OF
The problem ryT.faug the eNst'noe Of lunar ndd way'
90 81 gftat IT, n water lax ~ No'l America sui
dry o'-ei vuions baf be" aaI, ~ w. . Gre
iAsr. 'h~ auihur e., tn FsPer, "a the year lssi
Ss,' ysss = ,ee- ''.e'I ,,es s SS.s a. T M,
head q pier vhi'h rrri~ctei far pto ths
t asa beyond the d nul G. . toe Cacago river Th
gusgy Ltenrc1 ~ ascertain inc vsraiiprs in tn'
tuna- tor. u any existed Thc nststratrf- nerr cs--
fully prosecuted t'r about i've years, cut 600 ob
servSiOrs were taken Coo F-saitrsar.y .erriaed pa.
200 part cf an irrt- the gh rssafy ncrnrrus
abo, 81 -,v-g.e RI m e. i the tuc,,ol,u m tae isr.l
trsuitf These obs.rv8ttF. y Ftile IN PrDb'gu
ss &. ilc cSistctce Of a isse 10 w've.
NJ fuInu read pager 90 the vit-i Statistics a
the bind. The fap-f was prBc ay stAt sfct and ~
tict, oolcot'o iruu rrwHris ~ srvrn institutions
showing falling 81 in the irl4t1 ~ es-'~hc" % To-
orcyhy # ie-utst. innrr'ci drAcvtcy Of What iuwc
segVnc The uai'ed vi tf ucruat1us, auI tniCd
'he io. u an iuuau@t sepse, exposing them TO aosi
dfbis suf clrtniug their zoe ~ se's protection =
Geo uar. 81 Tupstut tirie would BE- i1rni generally
about fauF or esc thoesul piod rac aler w. cLt-c
ly speculative.
Prot ..r SrwErEsY rsaS roper on the later extinct
fous - North Ar'erict le esi ia. F".sntoa od IN.
suuiiari, ~as WY siffrrt r.u chat Il o. ~ tho ua
would The extnci hora 81 flr0pe Gslt ,.hs- here
he czhibiird hr.gt.fd go. ni plants ilius
trston, analogous % ths .ort n De prs--nt un~ vi
lo-a e. tto1git tr nifciuce3 tlrn iepitrs
with uVus 81 slssalrH- lurg-r IA rstrare Ir
sycamore existed. VIII az a. fhe~". a. Pr bs,k - Ia
orgs1ceous period Ire tor RI aaf The tp ther
rourishot and Ecro sUpSu 900 aucluHts ald All
~ thrm stepping Stones Ga utf lr,seut Ora
A paper followed. ., ~ 3 Hrsfi-t Gcogrt
phica f0rutttlns, Ate which tnr 81 ttur sfff4frtd
rlr mcflb,r- 81 thr As-'uatilu Thea ittlrs1 pr
pare Tor the festive ra'hefies 20 ih~ ho-s' ~ Nrs 81
Howe Il Is expected ttat co., THURSDAY u-N th.v AL
attend eard eanbAsc e. D. sos ~ by tle IA! 20 al
city sriuUriiios
SIXTH DAY.
INrEVt TING CONCLt uING EgEnCfsss 80 INV &C. ~
TfFfc GEN 90 ANEaCA.
Nrvrosr. A,z..f s. 1880
Toe usub,rs q the Asocutog ant their faa,pes and
freues Avaiea tn scves 81 te nvits.ioa % Hrs nr