New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-15
SCIENCE.

Gas FROM VOLCANO.-Mr. FOuque sue
ceeded after great trouble collecting some OF the gas
which arose from the sea during the volcanic Eruption OF
the Azores i'm June which he has found to be entirely
free from carbonic acid, and rich IN oxygen
FUNCTroNs or TIE Room. Corenvinder
read Inetor before the French Academy the func-
tio,s OF tire Of vegetables IN which, he cOheIuoes
from experiments made by lin, that the root does bot
obtain a the carooe acid found ia IT by absorption Vh
uniting the roots iu communication with certain pro
portion OF this acid, either ~ gaseous state or IN sOu0h
b water, he invariably found HE quantity pirseR. ~ do
roOts greater than that which had been snpped 70 mo
plant
EXTRACTION or Ous.-It is said large mum.
ber Of German houses extracting oils by mean, .!
Bsulphide OF carbon The quantity OF OIL obtained ~ ~
can be made by the hydraulic process; and - me leiu
contains more nitrogen than tie ordinary oncaAe' " "
more valuable as "a manure. :,
SINGULAR EFFECT OF LIGHTNING.-Slr DaVlu
Brewster has published description Of tne maui it
which stack Of hay was struck by HgntnnS ia hfe
shire The stack was on fire but was 10 stS
much OF II had been consumed on exanllg w s."I
circular passae was observed which extended to ne
bottom and terminated in hole ih ule grOund ~ ue
hole found foreign substance when protgu " NC
sllex obviously formed by the fusion of me siex con,
tanned the coating OF the hay II had gceehlSh
tuge and contained burnt portions Of nay
VENTILATIoN-The House of Commons re-
CURED during the last session 20l cubic feet of ar per
hour for its proper ventilation. Tie original plan OF
taking the supply Of air from great hight viz from the
london err of this altitude is not ms pure as that
IT, earth The suply is now drawn from Star Court
aud the Commons Court When DISCHARGED into me great
Hall IL has temperature ufC2o f.,
ho weather. Whom the velocity of the current sincreased
10 counteract part the elevation Of the temperature
SPURIOUS SopA.-The carbonate of soda sold
by druggists under the name Of washing soda Is IRE
uently Initiated ia England by means OF sulphate OF
soda. in the following manner. The ordinary san cah
made the Leblanc process which Is sulphate OF sCd'
g. dissolved, and II q shows acid Is neutTaHed by SOU
ton me soda ash, equal in weight TO II per cen OF
the salt cake Is then added to tie solution AMER me
ndd has settled il is drawn of and large, hard crystals
are formed which may be made still larger Ivy incit SS
the duantity soda ash One tun VI salt cake VIII make
nearly two tuns Of the adultcrated article
TIE FALL OF LEAvES.-M. Fr&cut, in paper
presented lately at the French Academy calls az
fenOn 10 the the phenomenon that occurs inst beioehe
fall Of the leaf aud which is not unlike the process Weh
accompanies the shedding of horns In animals III con
sss in the obstruction OF the vessels at the base OF Tue
petOle or fOotstalk, which Is elected by the mntpca
ton In the particles Of the vessels until they are compete
lyeh0ked up In the ncigborhOOd Of the insertion OF the
leaf although other portions the vessels retain ther
normal condition.
PEPPERS GHosT.-This spectral appearance
produced by transparent mirror IN sliding frame par
TALLY rejecting the rays Of strong Hare hght thio~h
on the person who beneath the stage ana out OF hgh
plays the part Of the ghost, and which for seNei
H. London and season IN Newl0rk attracted HIbo
houses Of late the subject Of an angry cohtro
versy in Tie London Mechanics Naga-ine From IL We
Learn DAT r Henry Dircks and not Mr. Pepper ls the
inventor Of the mechanical combination Tor producing AZ
optical Illusion the stage, like that when may DC seen
OF a large scale in the splendid window paDes Oh Broad
way, under midday sun.