Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-01-02


.re intolerably hot in the Desert OF Sahara,
the nights are excessively cold. In fact, the
DIR of these countries being entirely destitute OF
;uueous vapor, the heat collected during the
iay on the surface Of the deserts is owing to
the nocturnal radiation, again lost in space
The sensation of cold produced by this waste of
heat is most acute, and especially 50 to the
chilly Arab. Not year passes without ice
:ormiug on the ground, and white trosts are
frequent. The temperature according to accu-
rate observation, ranges from 133 degrees at
midday to "a degrees at midnight These var
riations in temperature are fortunately fatal TO
all varieties of the fly tribe. The heat kills
them by day, and the cold kills them by night;
20 that, after few days journey into the de-
sert men and beasts alike rejoice in the relief
from their intolerable prosecutions
The popular notion of an oases Is, that 1t
is little garden patch in a desert, Of few
acres in extent with spring in the mid.
die surrounded by meagre sprlnkIng OF
trees But according to modern authorl-
ties, an oases is often so extensive that 1t takes
three DAYS to traverse it, and nearly always
comprises an area of several square miles at
the very least The oases are par excellence
the country ofdate tress. Of which there are
no less than thirty-seven varieties In the neigh
Iorhood of Mourzouk. These trees form the
riches OF the tribe for their fruit supplies food
TO man as we'll as to beasts-to dromedaries
horses, and dogs. Unfortunately these Won
lerful gardens which the traveller, just emerg-
ed from the ocean Of sands, looks as a place
full OF enjoyment. are for the most part un-
healthy, on account of the tepld and bad water
which the irrigation drains bring to the foot OF
the trees For this reason the Caesars OF the
Lower Empire used to send convlcts to the
oases, in order that they might get rid OF them
the sooner But it seems that even the de-
Serts must Weld to science. which has attacked
them with artesian wells, and is developing ar
tifcial oases that promise to surpass IN every
desirable feature, those which nature has hlth-
crto provided.
FISH MANURE the agricultural
items Of the State journal we find 1t stated
that fish manures are available near the sea
coast only, where they furnish an important
source Of fertility, which should not be neglect
cd. The flesh of fish acts with great energy
in fastening the growth of plants. 1t decom.
poses RAPIDLY, and should be at once plowed
under. or made into well-covered compost
heap" There is an error here, which refer
cnce to Morton's Agricultural Chemistry cor
reefs. The mistake is in the statement that
iish are available only in the crude aud i'm
perfect manner of use suggested 10 fheipa,G-
graph we have quoted, whiein polnt-ot fact,
by simple method they Sbe transformed
into guano. which is full Of the most stlmulat-
ing properties. There is no reason why fish
manure, thus concentrated. should be confined
to the sea coast. 1t is only a question of cost
and transportation, just as 1t Is with the natural
product found in the Chincha Islands, and we
IRE glad to say for the information of the pub
lie that we have works near this city, which.
in the spring are prepared TO extend the ad-
yantages of this powerful fertilizer from the
sea coast to the mountains -NoJoh virginia."
Az EFFECTIVE FlREARM - That 5 a pretty
sod piece of oak" said General Leggett, the
Commissioner Of Pensions. to-day, picking up
Il stick sixteen inches thick, through which
there was small and remarkably clean-cut
hole That hole was made by rifle bali,
and, after making the hole as you see it here,
the same ball went through eight pine planks,
in all nine inches thick. The oak, you see, has
:. knot; when the ball came to that it was turn.
I'd about ten degrees from strait line: and
thence went strait on and through the pine.
This illustrates one of the most recent, and, at
he same time, most wonderful improvements
in firearms The rife from which the bali hav
ing such wonderful force was fired Is supplied
with extra chambers ranged along the barrel,
which are loaded and explode one after aDoth-
cr as the ball, having received its first impulse,
passes them 1t is estimated that ball shot
from one of these rifles would go at least two
and a-half miles if it met with no obstacle. Tx
periments with heavy artillery operating upon
his principle have been made in England, and
the results indicate probability OF extensive
changes iu the construction of large guns. =
Wash. Cor. y. T. Tribune
''PRED1cArE. In the good old time
when there was something of reverence felt for
great men, aud even for what were considered
great words, there was annually sent to the
Legislature of Virginia highly respectable
but most unsophsticated, backwoodsman who
soon developed, and never relinquished, an a!
most awful reverence for this word predicate
aud knowledge of this fact enabled broth
cr member to save very important bill
This bill was in the very crisis of lts fate
our old friend had manifested great repug-
nance to it. and without his vote there was
every reason to fear it would be lost. Just at
the supreme moment las the Frenchman
would say Gov. B., who was we'll aware of our
old friends weakness for predicate, came IN,
and being informed of the situation, de-
.c!ared confidently that he could soon ''change
all that Presently the bill came up. and our
old friend had risen to denounce it, when, skill
fully and promptly, Gov. B. interposcd: IT
the member from - will allow me, he said,
Il would suggest to him that this bill is pred
icated" s'Stop = said the old man, IF it's
.predicated' | give it up ?"-and the bill was
quickly passed.
IIoRsEs AND MULEs.-Two farmers living
near Gaesburg, ILL.,, got to bauterng whether
i span of horses belonging to one could pull
more than span of mules belonging to iI the
other. It was decided. to try it in the middle
Of the main street of the village The mule:
were hitched to the end of long, stout chaip
and the horses at the other end, At the word:
get up quick spraug each span, both sha1rr
shod, gaining and losing by fits and starts, tht
horses finally pulling the mules after them, \
auother trial the mules went of with then
load. This was followed by long cheering
shout from the crowd. But after various trials
it was decided that the horses were the strong