New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-09
SCIENCE AND Art.
A american Institute Polytechnic Asso-
eiatiou,

American Institute Polytechnic Asso
| citation.
regular meeting was held at tho Coope
Union Buildng on Thursday evening. March 81. s.
TILIMAs. esq. presiding The following interesting
summary Of scientific intelligence presented by th
CHAIRMAN;
! INTENSITY OF SOLAR RADIATION.
| Father A. SEccuI has communicated to tho Corte
Rendu. bis observations tho intensity Of solar rada
ton at different Seasons. fom which he draws the fol
lowing two conclusions, /. That in the Summer tht
radiation in the meridian Is greatly enfebled by aquc
ous yapor so that without it should have double the
radiation. ct would be necessary 10 verify this toi
HIGH mountains which would be well worth the trouble
| q That tho absorbing force Of vapor is very great
for that quantity OF seven 10 eight mlimetcrs
in excess in the Sumner prodnccs an absorption equa
to that Of the entire atmosphere Of gas In tho inter-
which would give for the yDpor 95 times that OF the air
But If allowance is made for the greater elevation of the
vGporous layer In the Summer and for the phenomenon
Of thermOchose. which causes the first layer to absorb
moro than the following, It must be admitted tia, Prof
Ty ndsls result which makes IL 90 times much Us air,
| ID not for from the truth.
BLEACHING sPOEGEs.
The process II Mons. AItus il to first wash tie
sponges with warm and dilute solution ofcaustic soda
aterward with warm water They are then pangcd
into bath consisting of dilute solution OF hyIosuphite
cienty b!elcied they arc taken out well washel and
dried.
Tho CHARMAy remarked that sponge is tie skeleton
ola zoophite Its chemical constituents atom Of
iodine of sgphur FIVE Of phos phorns and 10 OF Gbgon
Tho latter substance found the secretOns Of the
silkv orn ald spider and consists OF ~ atoms OF car.
bon 81 Of hydrogen OF nitrogen, and IL VI oxygen
No substance resembling ibToin has been found in the
vegetable Kingdom and for this reason the sp0ng 3
generally classcd smoag annss by naturaists although
iow still regard il as plant.
PEAPL OYSTERS.
The ,hrec most important pearl fisheries are In the
Pcrsl1n Gulf In the channel between Ccyon and the
main land, and the Tenneyclly banks opposite tie Cuff
of Alanaar. The pearl fisheries have been known from
time mmcmoTial. The London iH,eilec'EaI OJserer in
an article the last.nnmed locality says The penr
oysicr is rot In reality, oyster ut all but Is moe
allied 10 russel having 6yssus or cable by which
it itself 10 the rocks. one Of the most important
points In It's organization. The animals foot is COM
plscd IL series Of muscular films. and IL two and
alt inches long when distcndcG On the lower size Is
an exact mold fJr tho form oi tho byssus. hen
the animal desires ~ attach Itself to rock Its foot is
protruded al after seeking suitnbo spot the tip Is
SIN for some minutes and then rotTactrd into tie sLe
strong hber in the form 81 The grOr' IS left attach
ed 20 tie base Of the foot at eGd to tho rock al
the other. This process is again Grd again repeated
until q strong cable Is formed Tic animal con cast
on this cable and reform one NJ pleasure, when Ia good
health It's food consists of ioraminilera minute Hgu
and dintoms Dr.. kelaart has suggested that the
reous internal skeletons of Lese microscopic diatoms
may possibly permcae the coats Of tie manie and be-
come ruco Of pearls; another suppciiion is that The
0vh escape frol oTergrOBn oYaiiun, and arc The
origin ol the gcm.
single oyster Of Gyc OF 81, years growth confirms
u OO 90 Of eggs. plan for cu.tygtiug tho pearl
oyster s being tried by transplanuAs then as We
DO the edible oyster
This troe. growing in Guiana yields juice which Il
used by .he natives Instead Of miE, in coffee M sEG
Rt states thet this juice is capable Of being worked
into pfodlct much moro foziDlo than gatia peTeAA
and in every way superior to II.
The reading ~ ths item brought 10 the floor Dr..
PAwELEE, Who stated he bad eight samples Of VaatI
p-oit but as set lad oly examined its ply seal pro
crtie7 It l. not go.ucl b. immersion In hot water
IL oan De- yu.canizci GL seems intermediate between
alilrubbos aud ggtapere.a. There Is 10 GilcuiIy IN
Ola. ming 40 in large Quantities
some gentlemen present having expressed doubt
aou. it, being used IN coffee The CHAiEMAN remare ID
that ylllta juice wls evidently hycro-carbon. and
nigh b. dCcsied In IS norina s.aie Gum starch and
eelulose ethc substance VI the vegetable cell, are
.soHcric compounds, Conta.ainc an equl number o'
i.1yFen and bjdrOgca atoms and arc foine'E.s uls-
tugul,l carlo.hy ydratsi these three subataoes
dfcr Wiley nom each otitr. Gum aud starch con ~
digcsicd bat not GER ia that any animal except
tie bearer can digest woody fhor.
rREsERyATIoS or AriiiAL NATTEg.
4 method vas G.scIib te!, re the French Academy
bv Mous. Paci!ari Tie substance TO be preserved Is
covered with mixture ot alum and gun become. WIN
water which forms layer Of varnis over the suriaeo
u tho substance. thus ezcudlng the air. and compete!
p.ereaiin. rs decomposition.
A SEw LANTERN POLhRrsCOPE
Mr. SAMUEL HIonLrT Of London he's Invented IN In
stPuInent be used in connection with the magic Ian
torn mach cheaper than the gas poGIiscopes To use
% a. Instrument the front lenses oi che magic lantern ere
removed. tic cOndsnaors only being employed ana the
source # light removed until beam Of parallel ray s
produced. The lantern nozzle Is then pointed at ne
"Iundl8"-eonssting ot q number of THU glass pateS
till Tie Toys a.c incidcu. q. the polar Inns angie of
flas. tie proper adjustment o. paris belus llI!elea y!
The appearance Of IA even dsc ol gLt upon the SCI cen
desgl b then inserted H. 'ho large sage nnd S ItAea
u construction focused Tie annlyHng PRISM is tLth
placed In 'front.' sustained by an adjustable ROD ana te
ogOfea effect produced aud varied ether by tAe rut
Of The psn lie rotation Of tic design or crystal
The absolute Led o color -ttans1o b. the lfisn Is de-
pendcn, upon the iptensi.y u the light.
1fsTISG O!s By THEIR COHESIVE FIGURiS.
Chemistry haIng failed 10 detect soue Gdmixures OF
oils Mr. G. ToMlNs0S has had recourse 10 physicnI
..st doubtless suggested b! tic IcseaTct % SANAi
which Dc described Lc!ore the London flMmGetGIcol
meeting of last uOIih The tcst depended upon ne
trces "a coLesion adhesioR arI diffusion drop OF
he quid tO be tested carefully dropped upon chcii
really pure water IN chemically ciran vessel the
force of adhesion endoAyorci 10 spread the on ~ 'nn
ln over e surface Of tho water the force of cohesion
endearored to prcvo0t this aud from tie contest oI
lcse two forces there resate figures when tAc nutoI
believed 10 dier in lie ease Ot every lnCePeluenl
1uil There might be instances Of ftwoor NOR, qGGs
differing 10 chemical composition, but having the same
physlcgl properties where the figures would ho ldch
cal Such eases however, must be rare. lht oil asl
be dropped fgomn rod that las been made peHec.y
clean Iy bDipg washed with strong suphuTic ac.d,
Y.nsed In water thea washed with caustc potash and
again ruscd with water. The rcd should De heiu Only
about one.tn nth II inch ifom tho water wien TIE Oh
dropped.
ne heure prodgced by castor oil Ia 81 great beauty
soon ~ ths oil Is cropped % spreads out IN series
oi rings Inaguhccnily idescenL Outside there ~ =
silver corona which breaks up % d,cdte lace Lac
ratteru. this appe1ranco Iais for some seconds. 1ao
icuros Of tho fied oils are moro durable. Mixtures
could he easily detected the Eures produced parto0k
Of ths characters OF both the cOnfttucu oils JET rescM
bling the proper figure Of the oil which Is IN excess
mixture u lard oil with oil best shown in what
NAV e called the residual phcLomcaa the Acelsc pat