Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-05-27
Bethel Natural History Society.
The Society met on Saturday evening,

DctNeC NtttWFUt AeSsVsD p"S'S'V'
The Society met on Saturday evening.
May 9Th, at Miss P. NJ. Buxton's.
The first paper was read by Z. Foster,
Esq, which was description of Howcs
Cataract Cave, situated in Scoharic Co.,
n. Y. and is reckoncd about twenty-five
miles southwest of Albany. tho second in
extent in The world. it being about seven
miles in extent. Mr.. F. visited this cave
several years since. and preserved an in
teresting account Gift.
The President exhibited some curious
s,alaciitics from cave in Dubuque, Iowa.
Beautiful alabaster stalactites havo been
collected from one or more caves in that
vicinity ever since Il was made military
post, but Mr.. |. Il. Choatc. now Librarian
of tho City Library in Portland, found a
new opening year On two since, and,by
crawling through 1t, he entered another
cave that had never been visited. An in
tercs,ing scene presented itself. limit
merablc stalactiles, no larger than pipe
stem, hung from the roof of the cave
These were several feet in length ofuni-
form size throughout, and many of them
hollow. These on exhibition have walls
no more than the sixteenth Of an inch in
diameter. He stated BY simply waving
his hand, The motion OF the air would
bring them down in showers, SO delicate
ly were they hung, and 80 completely
undistubcd had they been for number.
less ages.
Mr.. Choate contends from the spcci-
mems collected, that they were formed by
water containing the lime, running down
on the inside of the tube and dcposiiing
the lime around the lower rim of the stat
laclitc instead OF The outside, and that
after the tube Is closed, the accreiionS are
formed on the outside. The only obiec-
ton to this theory would be how the wa
ter could continue 10 enter the sialacti,c,
where it was suspended from the roof. 1t
is al interesting question for solution
The new cave WAS closed soon after dis
covcry by the proprietor and we are not
aware of any subsequent exploration.
Miss Buxton exhibited collection Of
botanical specimens from Colorado,
brought from that Territory by j. Alden
Smith. Esq. formerly Of Bethel. Mr..
Smith iSnow resident Of Central City,
G. r., and many of the plants illustrate
the alpine botany Of the neighboring re.
gion. Though, for the most part, be-
longing to genera found in New England
few species are identical with ours, and il
was noticeable that they were often dis
,nguished 10y larger and more snowy
flowers than their kindred here. There
a large proportion Of Lcguminous plants
and the Ranunculus and Rose families
wero well represented. Among the few
that were familiar, we noticed finely
developed specimen OF the hop ilnmu-
lus Supulus } which grows wild there in
great luxurance. The collection is very
neatly prepared and mounted, cvincing
much skilland pains.taking.
The contributor Of the paper on Weeds
read nj the last meeting. wished TO cor
rect some errors in the report OF the
same. II was moi stated that "only three
OF the composite find Il place in our gar
dcns." as this family furnishes many OF
our ornamental plants. while those Of the
edible kind arc not limited 10 three. Mint
thyme were not namcdin this connection
belonging Us they do to another family,
the LaGiatU.
The society adjourned, after voting TO
make field excursion at their next meet
ing Lewiston Journal.