New-York tribune., 1873-03-15


trate, with and without carbonio acid; gypsum
with or without carbonic acid potassium carbon
ate and bicarbonate and ferrous hydrate bad little
more action than water alone. Carbonic acid and
calcium carbonate, with carbonc acid, showed an
increased notion on the axalis and silica. In the
experiments with lime much larger quantity OF
alkals was dissolved, the lime at the same time en-
tering into combination with the silica. Sulphate
of ammonia had an energetic action, more especially
ON the potash; only in the experiments with TINS salt
and in that with lime was potash dissolved IN
larger quantity than soda.
Tn the case of the ammonia sulphate the base had
entered into some combination with tho HlIca,
which was not decomposed either by washing untll
all suphuric acid was removed. or by heating 10
2i2o f. Eichorn (Jdkresb !. 4grtcuitnr Ca"H'
1Sj9-GO 1G has already shown that slicates, when
are decomposed by hydrochloric. acid as chabazt
absorb ammonia from its salts. Magnesia acted
more theoretically than any other agent seven
times more alkali and three times moro silica being
dissolved than with water alone Its somewhat
less action in combination with carbonic acid was
probably due to the crystallizng Of bicarbonate on
the sides of the vessel.
Sodium nitrate dissolved about double the guam
ty of potash that water did but its action was less
than that of sodium chloride. These comparative
results are in unison with those of Dietrich Oh
basalt.
THE VERAnN AsPuYxAToR.-Those who have
suffered from the ravages of the ground squirrels
and gophers in California, and OF equally annoying
animals elsewhere, will welcome satisfactory
method of extermnating these depredators, devised
by Mr.. Bateson the inventor of what he calls the
"Patent Vermin AsphyxiatOr,p for destroying AMI
mails in burrows. and for other purposes. The APP
paratus consists of vessel capable Of beng per-
fectly closed in which sheets OF paper saturated
with sulphur or other substances may be burned,
and the fumes forced out through flexible tube Dy
means of a fan, which delivers the noxious gases,
with pressure sufficient to drive them into the
minutest creyices.
I'm the course of public exhibition of the appara-
tus, recently given in London, numerous expert
ments were tried among them the destruction OF
aphdes on plants of weevils in grain, OF snakes IN
hole of rats in a drain-pipe, etc. For destroying
rabbits squirrels, or other animals in burrows, IL Is
only necessary to introduce the flexible tube or nose
into one of the apertures, close up the rest, II this
can be done conveniently, and then force contlnu-
GUS stream of the gas through the burrows. A few
minutes application is sufficient to destroy every y-
ing thing within the influence of the apparatus.
One advantage of this method is in its perfect
safety sulphurous acid being one Of the best pre-
venters of combustion known, and capable, there
FORE of being used for extinguishing fames IN case
of need. Other incidental applications of the
AsphyxiatOr a disinfectant and deodorHer. III
is well known that suphurous acid is used very ex-
tensiyely for destroying the germs Of smallpox, scar
let fever yellow fever, cholera, etc. although there
are sometimes difficulties in its application which
the present arrangement seems to obviate. Inc IN
ventor claims that one or two OF the machines can
easily dislnfect vessel, on battening down the
hatches and working the apparatus from the deck.
For cases wherelhe dislodgment of an ANIMAL as OF
a rabbit etc. is desired, rather than its Destruction
what is called a smoke paper is used, which, when
burned in the machines, produces unbearable fumes
that soon accomplish the desired effect
Distribution OF SEEDS BY WINDs.-Mr. AlfredW W.
Bennett has called attention to the comparatively
little known article, by Kerner upon the influence
of the wind on the distribution of seeds in the noun
tain regions; and referring TO the popular impress
sion that the winds perform very important part
in the distribution Of plants, quotes from Kerner
and from Mr. Bentham, TO show that the assumption
rests upon insufficient data. If that portion OF this
tle-down which which has been carried to cOnsid-
cradle distance by high wind be examined, it will
generally be found to have left its seed behind it,
And it frequently happens that seeds well winged,
or provided with light pappus, less widely dis
such pappus.
The rapid spread Of the common thistle in any
new country is referred to the persistent vitality of
the roots quite as much as to the dispersion of the
seeds; and if the individuals are examined, they
will generally be found to be all of one SEX showing
that they must have been propagated by the diyi-
sion of the same individual Reference is also made
TO the Canadian water-weed, ElOdeG cdnddeHsts,
which filed up the water-courses and canals of En-
gland within few years of its first appearance;
and il is stated that to this day, the male plant Is
entirely unknown in that country, and that all may
have sprung by subdivision from the first imported
specimen.
The memoir of Mr. Kerner is based upon careful
examination of plants growing on moraines, and of
the seeds found on the surface of glaciers and he
finds that large number of these constituting the
moraine fora are species widely distributed over the
high mountains in immediate proximity to the
glacier Again. in regard to the seeds the glaciers,
he finds not single one which does not belong to a
speces lnhabiting the adjacent mountain slopes or
valleys and he is therefore, of the impression that
the conveyance Of Seeds even when provided with
apparatus calculated for being tlOated in the air by
horizontal currents, takes place only within
very circumscribed limits and that the prevalent
opinion that they may thus be carried for very great
distances is not supported by facts.
IMPORTANCE OF SILK IN THE SOH.-Silica gives
hardness and stiffness to the straw and leaves OF
cereal grain. When wheat or rye is sown where a
brush-heap or pile of logs has been burned TO ashes
the straw will be unusually stiff and the leaves
much harsher than other straw growing IN the
vicinity. but away from the area of the burning
The potash of the ashes and the silica found in the
soil are taken up by the growing plants, and form
o,t;,o of liouid GLASS which ia spreal evenly over