The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-04-04
CUREOSITIEs OF SCIENCE.
POMPEY'S s PILLAR

This remarkable shaft is situated
about two miles from the southern
! gate of Alexandria, the famous city of
Lower Egypt, and once its capitol 1t
Is composed Of red granite: the capi-
tai, which is nine feet high, is Corin-
! THAN, with palm leaves and not indcnt-
/ ed. The base, which is one solid block
/ of marble, fifteen feet square, rests on
| two layers of stone bound together
with lead. The shaft and the upper
member of the base are of one piece
! Of granite ninety feet long and nine
! feet in diameter. The whole column
is one hundred and fourteen feet high
1t is perfectly well polished, and only
n little shivcred on the eastern side.
Nothing can equal the majesty Of tins
monument, which, seen from a dis
! tance, overtops the town, and seems
to be a signal for vessels. Approach
/ ing it nearer, Pompey's Pillar produces
| astonishment mixed with awe; and
the beauty of the capital, the length
! of the shaft, and the extraordinary
simplicity Of the pedestal, excite the
admiration of all travellers.
THE NEPENTHES.
| One of the most singular prOduc-
| tions of the vegetable world is found
in the Monkey Cup, Il tropical plant of
the genus Nepcnthes. This plant has
always excited the admiration of those
who have examined its structurs with
view to the cOntri vance which it so strt-
kingly exhibited i'll the formation of its
leaves. 1t is a native of India
herbaceous plant, with thick roots, and
| CiY,,t,ln ,.rnyr-1,nI with flowers
disposed in branches. The leaves are
alternate, partly embracing the stem
at their base, and terminated by ten
drills, each of which Supports a deep
membranOus urn of an Oblong shape,
| closed by little valve like the lid of
a box. This appcndage to the leaf
! appears to be as designed and studied
a piece of mechanism as anything we
can meet within Natures more com
| plicated productions The leaf as we
have already said, is terminated by
deep, OhEong urn; this in general is
filed with a sweet, impid water. In
the morning the lid is closed, but it
opens during the heat of the day, and
a portion Of the water eYapOrateS; this
is repEenishcd in the night, and each
morning the vessel is full and the lid
shut The plant grows i'll a climate
where the parched traveller is frequent
ly in want of refreshment, and gladly
avails himself of the water which this
vegetable affords, each urn containing
the measure of about half wine glass.
The use of this plant is too evident to
need anv comment. 1t is one of the
many instances in nature of the bounty
of Providence, who has filled the Urns
of the Nepenthes with treasure, OF
all others the most refreshing to the
inhabitants of hot climates.
Whatever is sufficiently singular to
raise eur admiration, frequently be
comes the object Of superstition this
is the case with the Nepenthes among
the Inhabitants of Madagascar, who
=, believe that if they overtum one %
these vessels Of water, no rain will t;lL
on that day.
MELON WINE.
How true it is that it takes every
!, body to know everything. Pumpkin:
! and variety Of delicious Waterlhci
ons grow spontaneously in Arabia
Perhaps they develop more. richly
, there than in Persia, where they are
extremely good.
;, They abound in great plenty, i'm
mensely beyond the demands OF con
sumers and the prudent lockers ahead
cut a hole through the rind, while on
the vine, down into the pulp. 1t is
then closed with wax. Under genial
sun the core soon begins to melt away
till it disappears, leaving the shell
nearly full of delicious fluid which Is
called mellon wine Like the drink oi
: the gods, it is not to be compared with
anv other beverage on earth, say the
, consumers 4 hint here for an CN
pertinent the coming season.
MONSTER GRAPEVINE.
4 little way from Windsor Castle
: the out-Of-tOwn residence Of the Queen
I of England, and belonging to the royal
: domain, there is probably, if not the
: largest. the most prolific grapevine Oh
E the globe. In the first place it Is
eightv-three years old-yet vigorous
!, and thrifty as in youth. The trunk
large and rank, divides into two
branches a few feet from the ground
which are trailed in different direc
tions for rods One entire glass house
is given up to the protection of the
: veteran, which was reputed to have
had fifteen thousand punches, plump
full and inviting, when we saw it il
August In green house chronicle:
that vine is without a parallel The
annual yield is equal to a phalanx o
ordinary vines in their best condition
srAGNANT WATER.
: The impression that still water
in pools and canals where there IS
scarcely a movement, is extremely
dangerous, and especially when cover
ed with confervae, admits OF ques-
ton. At the Hague, the capital OF
r Holland, threaded with canals, III