New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-09-04
SCIENCE.
THE AMERICAN AssoCIA,' ION.

TIE LAST DAYS OF TIE LATE oEoSfOA'
READ WHILE MOST or THE AHhbbS
WERE ABsENT-PICTURR ROCKS AND GEO.
LOGICAL DIsPUTES-THE Swans n
LILY sWAMP-HOSPIrALITY OF THE IOWA Ns.
lPRoh rHE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIyUsA
DUBUQUE, Aug. 28.-Mindful of the cxpcri-.
enee OF previous years. the American Associates
Tor tho Advancement Of Science kept up 10 the
last minute tho effort 10 get through the most work In
the least time. In pursuance this intent
sections continued tho reading OF papers while the bulk
OF the Association was visiting tho lead Mines thus
losing entirely that part OF the proceedings 1t Is at
least open question whether anything IA gained by
this business Of sections working separately and smu
taneOusiy. 1t may DO 6aid the one hand that by
1t. more papers DO read and the auditors who find
section embarrassing try another. But on tho
other hand there not the chance to many
papers, those that read would be carefully
scrutnized; there would be for the painful ex
hbitions Of ucompctency OF which this has had
than the annual share and the public would not
lack appreciation for the pure grain whom so much aes
chat had been sifted away Eut the steps toward APP
pointment OF Subsection OF Entomology at tho
present meeting do not indicate that the members pres
ent consider the multiplication Of sectional objes-
tionable.
RECEPTIONS EXCURSIONS.
In whatever respects this session OF the Association
may have been inferior 10 previous meetings there Is At
at least feature in which has not boon surpased
it has never met anywhere with a graceful, hearty
buque. Their houses thrown open with lavish
hospitality excursions provided at their
expense and the ladies Of Dubuque gave evening
ceptlon to the Association at the LOrimer House tho
way in which, with music and lighted hail. ladies' only
can make the heavy weights Of science bestr themselves
with yivacity The anxiety OF the inhabitants 10 do all
they could for the visitors not only spared
neither ago nor sex, but extended itself
even TO the hotel-keepers, who were person.
ally solictous for tho welfare OF their guests In
way that might be initiated in other towns and on gen.
era principles toward the travelling to the aters
unusual delectaton. Ono OF these excursions was UP
the Mississippi to the town OF NcGregor aud not only all
the Association but pretty nearly all the respectabiyo
Dubuque, male and female participated Exactly how
much OF the entertainment due TO Mr.. j. X Graves
President OF the Chicago, Dubuque and Minnesota Rail
road to Gen. Lawler prominent citizen OF Prairie du
Chen and how much to other citizens OF Dubuque OF
McGregor, 1t seemed to your correspondent indicate 10
inquire. railway train conveyed the party to Picture
RocBs-a locality which suspect proved quite unlike
what most of the members anticipated from its name In
some other districts where similar appearances are
exhibited they called Calico Rocks which, though
perhaps less euphon0us, Is much more descriptive Far
up in a glen, outcroppins sandstone rocks par
TALLY denuded exhibit in narrow stripes and patches
but principally in linear horizontal directions, the great
est variety OF colors. Red is predominant but back
blue yellow and intermediate shades are not wanting
each being distinct and not unfrequenty contrasting
sharply with the adjoining stripe, or with gray Inat
almost white. Probably tue original sand was white;
the colors indicate varying admxtures OF iron oxides
and oarDonates
The zeal OF the biologists on this occasion was somp
thing marvellous They attacked the rocks IN all Kinds
OF ways and with all sorts of weapons One old gentle
man got down his back in sort OF cave below one OIL
the rocks, and abbcd with ackknfe &C tho surface
above him. il 1t his mortal enemy and he had the
boId fhprs hunter
tho rock with ady bairpn borrowed for the OCCASION
A crowd collected around the fortunate possessor OF
malet and ehisel and picked up the yaregaied moreu
that were clipped off with his blows Win rs much eager
ness as II they Arizona diamonds The most
hopeful undertaking that OF the correspondent
Western paper who was hard at work with
4 hand saw such as butchers use. But none OF tn
operators seemed 10 succeed in getting out large pieces
at the last moment the specimen always broke Inc
best that taken out crumbled shortly afterwards az
touch the sandstone being chiefly held together by
IT'S moisture like the gems that Cinderella wore over
night they were sand and pebbles In the morning
But very good initiative specimens made and sold IN
the neighbornood consisting Of bottles Tiled with layers
of this sand in its different colors, which give very
good notion OF the appearance OF the rocks themselves
one Of the professors delivered an open-air lecture
while the hammering was going on. assurln5 the crown
that the stone before them was the POtsdam
Sandstone. and giving at great leuSth rvs is
views TO its geological origin anu !"
occurrence elSeWhefe
THE LOTUS OF THE MISSISSIPPI
The scenery on this part Of the upper Mississippi s
NOT unke that on the Hudson River, except that ons
feels somehow turned round and the railroad Is on ths
wrong side Of the water. But any such Illusion quickly
vanished when leaving Picture Rocks the party was
Ia ken on board OF two regular Mississippi steamboats,
l,shed side by side each with lower deck rescmblngs
machine shop more than an engine-r0Om, auu luI-
Pledged darkey Pong logs INTO NE u F.erncT whS
did nj sllder passed the furnace doors ana won
dered whether there was another dark,y sdua' oa
the safety valve" We had scarcely gone on
hoard before the rain which has followed ue
Association around Dubuque and IN THIS case e thas
city dry and pursued us 40 the river down in tor
rents made close erowding under cover neces sly aug
tor ma "a we passed different landings An orator on
board pointed objects Of interest along shore among
others tine house whence Jefferson DaVs 10 ea,y =,
married at Cialena. During brief abatement Of tue
storm boats landed on the western shore OF Tue %
near where some waterlilies were grOwlng. i. LEU
was seen an extraordinary scampeTing on shore Oh tDs
botanists Some rain was still falling ana 10 ss.
water-lles, as everybody knows, ono ,hese
wade in But nothing daunted tness
explorers, and among the foremost III scit
and enterprise L noticed the veteran FIes sianS
of the Institute Of Salem, Mass Prof. a
who has long outiyed the years at heh mo,s oSt Of
begin be careful OF their bones Tue lIes s,ns
flower aud the trophies OF the adyenurers serc TSs
extraordinary leaves and prrcarPs OF soly allied 10
plant Il the NeluEDium LutSum u u .'G 49, near iho
the Egyptian lotus like IL also growing pes tb tSs
great ryr. The leaves are ne,Ey IN liam.
eter looking like green parasols Dlt VIII M.
side out. drop Of water falling mo tno iln Trr.
ABOUT In 1t round, SllStenns gooSuii'' water
poured into the leaf does not spread out en'ev a
wet il ~ all, but seems TO be repeneu ~ r"nndei
.n9 % nercarSs are exactly OF the shape and SO
OF the rose" OF wateringpot ana III piaoc " et
for water 10 out there are similarly az al
af holes ned by the seeds or fruit OF this hya oS.
nut which Indians are SAID 10 use az i9ou sr 70
ripen they fall back into the percarp being M r,t
fafI out OF the holes The percarp thus becomes
e-b0x, though its apparent W their eB