The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-28
BITS OF SCIENCE.

The cultivation of the vine in Madeira is
steadily increasing, plantations being con-
tinually renewed and extended The raw
ages of Phylloxera in many districts do not
discourage the industry. The annual pro-
duction of wine is also increasing in Ten
eriffe- The 0idium is here gradually dying
out, and the PhyIloxera has not yet nl....,
its appearance.
At late meeting of the Belgian academy,
the discovery of Is burial caverns in the
neighborhood of Hastiere-sur- Mouse was an
nounced Fifty-ive human skeletons and
80 skulls have been disinterred Explora-
tons in 10 dwelling places of the people who
dwelt at this period on the plateaux have
produced numerous flint weapons, and other
vestiges of the age of polished stone.
Won Belle gives the following method for
preparing an ink for marking linen and cot
tom NeutraIize 75 grains of carbonate Of
ammonia with pure nitric acid, and triturate
- to 60 grains of carmine with the solution.
Mordant the fabric with a mixed solution of
acetate of alumina and tin salt, and write
upon il, when 1t is perfectly dry, with the
ink '--- ..-
Russia is engaged in the construction of
Q military and caravan road from Krasnov-
odsk on the Caspian sea, to the city of
Khiva. A series OF wells win be provided
and new ones being excavated Some of
the latter, between Uzun Rui and Dehche,
will have depth of from 120 to $50 feet.
Entertainments are to be built on the UsbOi,
the old bed OF the Oxus, and near the Sary-
kamish lake, after which the Anu will be
diverted into its ancient bed. The annex
alton of Khiva by Russia seems inevitable,
as the Khan is unable to protect his domains
from the Turkomans, and many of his sub
N no hQi
only defenders.
Thousands of people suffer from wakeful-
ness who in other respects enjoy good health.
DIR. Cooke lays down the theory that in nu-
merous cases of sleeplessness il is only neces-
sary 10 breathe very slowly and quietly for a
few minutes to secure refreshing sleep. TAX
ing note of DR.. Cookies idea, the Medical Ex-
aminer remarks: Certainly when the
mind is uncontrollably active, and so pre-
venting sleep, we have ascertained from pa
tients whose observation was worth trusting
that the breathing was quick and short, and
they have found they became more disposed
to sleep by breathing slowly. This supports
DR.. Cookies practice, but at other times his
plan quite failed. 1t is certsinly worth any
ones while who is occasionally sleepless, to
give it trial. In doing so they should
breathe very quietly, but not long enough TO
cause the least feeling of,uneasiness. 'l.at3
Some experiments recently made With a
view to ascertaining the quantity OF water
IN different Goals, show that water exists in
several classes Of coal in two conditions-tha
is, combined and uncombined, but in these
conditions onot constant M relative
proportion. 1t also appears some
Goals. will and some will d'not-irre-
spective of the class to which they be-
long-when finely pulverized and left open
to the air, gain in weight by taking oxygen,
while at the same time they lose in weight
by losing water and hydrocarbons, at tenn
peratures varying in amount or degree be-
tween that of boiling water and one that is
sufficient for destructive distillation. Again,
these experiments prove that all Goals when
deprived by heat of any portion of their nor
NAL water, will, upon exposure to the open
air at common temperature, Immediately
begin TO regain their loss, and it therefore
follows that correct weighing can not be
done with the material uninclosed.