The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-25

Scientific latsiiigsncs.

THE SMOKE OF COPPER.
The utilization OF copper smoke has attracted great
attention OF late years. and particulars were recently
gwen or German invention for accomplishing this re-
suit in course Of adoption in England NJ H. ii vivian
M p, announced al public meeting since held that he
had every confidence in the success or the invention and
that In short time the copper smoke from the works
would not only be rendered innoxious but OF great
merca value by condensng through various processes
70 sulphuric acid
HARDENING" NEW BUILDINGS.
The newly finished wing OF the palace Of the Tulleres
Paris situated on the water SIDE is undergoing the
cess OF washing with diluted sicate Of alumna or com
denng the soft stone used In the building This operation
was successfully performed the buildings Of the new
Lopv'e . few years ago.
co~tfAR AND Picnic ACID IN AGRICULTURE AND
Pef GARDENING.
Al late sitting Of the SocieH Impsridle q Cextrdie
dADriculsre OF France NJ. Chevreul communicated an
and picnic acid (aso called phenol and carboc ac in
destroying parasites and Kidding both plants and animals
OF them. very small quantity OF picnic acid, benzne
OF anline VIII destroy mcrophytes mould microscopic
mushrooms, &c) and great many radiata molusca in
secs vertebrate All the inferior creation avoid the
emanations Of those substances. Lemaire commends
in the OF the oidum for instance that three per
cent OF coal tar be intimately mixed up with earth
sand and laid about an inch thick all round the root OF
the vine. Some twenty vines treated in this way
yielded an excellent crop, while equal number al
joining the former, and left TO themselves, had all
70 be kept away from plants two different cases
may present themselves either the plant is vet free
from them, or II has already been attacked. In both
the above coal sand will perform it's
ofnce it s said, with infalbe efficacy. snails, slugs
arv@ or perfect insects will avoid all plants thus pro-
teced so long as there s volatile principle left in the
coal tar which, when exhausted should be renewed
This sort OF coal tar powder has another remarkable
effect when introduced into the soil in proper proper
lions il win not only cause ali insects to disappear but
also increase the vgor of the plants themselves II
nare be watered before being dug into the EARTH with
water containing one-th0usandth part of picnic acid
similar but less durable effect will be obtained NJ
Lemare also says that corn and all dry agricultural
produce In gamers or barns may be saved from tho
avages OF mouldness noxious insects by merely i'm
pregnang the air With the emanations ofphenic acid
THE MARCH OF THE ROMANS IN THE DOBRoUTsHA.
NJ Charles Morel Of Paris reports the discovery or
considerable number OF Latin Inscriptions found IN the
Dobroutsha, the Danuban district which, during the
Crrnean war, obtained a melancholy celebrity Under
the Roman empire the provinces OF Upper and Lower
M9sa, now the United Danubian Prncpalitics were
organized on military footing, being the outposs
destined to protect the empire from the inroads Of the
barbarans. Each province defended by two cgons
The camps OF these forces which often engaged
the more peaceful pursuits of making roads and building
bridges generally became the point Of attraction towards
which the inhabitants gravtated, owing 10 the great
security afforded them by the presence OF the army II
thus and villages sprang up, and the Latin
element firmly implanted there that 10 this day
the country retains the of ROumania and dialect
which is distinct orshoo of the tongue OF Horace and
Virgil NJ. Engehardt the French Commissioner for the
navigation Of the Danube, residing at Gaatz has sent
the inscriptions above alluded to 10 the Minister OF
Foreign Affairs. They discovered the site OF
the ancient city OF Tresms the ruins OF which still
exist at the northern extremity OF the Dobrontsha
This town had Senate of dccurioncs from which the
decemvrs ntrused with the local administration
chosen Most Of the inscriptions OF the regns or
the Antonines another belongs TO that OF Philip, and
posteror TO Constantine They cast considerable
light the Of several Of the most distinguished
generals Of the Romans, such Avidus Cassius, for
IAN who 81 @ usurped the purple Nearly
Macedonia Legion LEG. MAC. This legion fol-
lowed by the first lalic under Marcus Aurelins,
and is also mentioned in several OF the inscriptions
alluded 10.
STATUE OF poTIpHAn's WIFE.
Archaeological discoveries are very numerous In the
Old World at present An Italian collector, returning
from Egypt has brought back the stane Of less
sonage than Potiphars wife, An inscription the base
leaves doubt as 10 authenticity. The features
said TO be exceedingly ugly or plain whichever term
may wish 10 when speaking Of the deceased lady
EcLIpsEs IN 1865.
Five eclipses will take place In 1866 three Of the
and two Of the moon Two Of them will DO partly visi
bic In Parsone or the moon March 90 and another OF
the Sun, October 8. a4,Ii-e,
BOAT EXPLORATION IN AUSTRALIA.
England paper by Mr. J, r. Stone was read, giving
description Of the Australian exploring voyage OF the For
orn Hope, vessel twenty three and half feetlone, SIX
feet across the beam and two feet deep. This little
sci made voyage Of sixteen hundred miles The
bers OF the expedition first went from South Australia all
round East Australia and settled at Port Adam Some
OF the gentlemen not agreeing with tho residents
there and the expedition not thriving much, they
he xhc Sev msSs their VOYAGE
ship called the Bengal which touched at Port Adam.
and resolved the remarkable step OF completing the
coasts This bad only been the first boat voyage
but the rst examination that had been made OF Of
that the coast throughout WAS rule, unnhabited,
dcsoate and savage. the little vessel being frequently in
great danger on Cape Bonqueyle they passed at least
FIVE hundred little islands of every szc shape and ap-
pcarance Some are several miles in extent others are
mere detached rocks have stunted vegetation,
others look quito bare look like detached portions
OF hiy ranges some con cal Infinitely varied Is these
islands are, grand almost In submity, there IL about
them all air OF dreariness and gloom sign OF life
fhAar akAvo1 ID hnua
there They seem abandoned by God TO complete and
everlasting dssolaon They bad thought to find shelter
rose and the sea- rassd but the islands were more ubos
pitable than the " dc ocean.
HAIL sroRhs-rHElR COURSE AND USES.
n. Becqnerc has furnished paper W the Academy Of
showing the hail in the departments Of the Lorei
and IoiretCher Judging from tho map and essay ths
storms are either regular or irregular The former 70
turn periodically the Others the most DISASTROUS make
their appearance 81 long intervals and visit ndiscrlm
naiey the places most a. well rs least subject 70 bail
and that hail storms follow valleys and intercourse
while they avoid foresss Tho influence OF forests may
sn Of the %sssss Of air Which carry nu' heavy
cove hsnoe the borders Of forests eddes formed
In the atmosphere, and both ths air and clouds ind
easy issue along those borden The consequence,
that the velocity Of the aerial and clouds with
which they are charged Is checked and shey therefore
tho forest 2 Admitting, with Volta that electricity
ercises some action in the formation OF hail. the trces
may % considered a. conductors deprving the cloud
Of their electricity. They would thus cease 10 b
'storm clouds and hail scould be formed in them
After passing tho forest the cloud might renew II,
charge Of electricity by rapid evaporation Of Aims Of
water He also quotes another instance IN the utility Of
forests II has been remarked that tho damp air which
conveys the masms, TO which intermittent fevers or.
attributed, becomes purified in passing through forest
| CANCELLATION AND MULTIPLICATION or ANIMALS
n Pouchet, the French Psychologist and champion o
the doctrine Of Spontaneous Generation has written
| paper 10 the Paris Academy In which he examines
whether, NJ many learned men have asserted snma'
may DO revived from state OF complete congelatoD
lsidorc Gcofroy 81 Haire and Gaymard maintained tina
this the with frogs toads and several other rep
tiles; Gavaet Host and vrey the with rcgart
TO nsh and Reaumur Bonnet, siTaus Ross, Boudn, Sh
| II Davy and NJ hoqun Tandon extend the same pro
perry 70 Insects, mollusks and worms " P6uchet is OF
directly contrary opinion and far TO provo by
merous experiments that animal whatever IT. nature
" thoroughly CONCEALED absolutely aud irevocably
dead. Nay If only one half Of tho living BODY be
geaed the creature whether mammiferous or sh rep
tile or insect, Is sure 10 die In very short time
aud frequently In few hours only. III the con