The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-08-01
Scientific Miscellany.

iouiiu Lyula as happy as O princess.
Scientific Miscellany.
According to the Bund, of Berne
one of the first results of Bismarck
economical policy will be new rail.
way through the Alps. AT present all
Austrian products can only reach France
and Switzerland by passing over Ger.
man territory, and the project of put
ting imposts on all merchandise cross
ing the German frontier has revived the
Old idea of penetrating the Arlberg, so
as TO connect the Swiss railroads with
those of the Austria Hungarian empire.
The tunnel would be q little shorter
than that through the Gothard, but the
approaches are more difficult. The es-
timated cost of the line is 100, 900 900
frances, of which 80,000,O00 would be
expended on the tunnels and approach
es.
A useful addition TO cobalt and nickel
has been discovered. 1t is magnesium,
which is added to the fused metals In
the proportion of one-eighth per cent.
Nickel with this small proportion of
magnesium is SAID to become ductile
and maleable, while cobalt loses its col
OF and becomes whittier than nickel it.
self. Both alloys while at white heat
can be made to adhre firmly to iron or
steel.
Mr.. Edison's new electric burner is
made of platinum, platinum-iridium al
10y, or other metal which fuses at a
high temperature. This wire or strip
is coated with an oxide of metal, such
as cerium, Zirconium, calcium or mag
nesium, which will not be affected by
intense heat. The effect of this coating
is called Experimentation" Ifthe bur-
ner is made of wire il is weund upon a
cylinder of lime, or like infusible mate
rial. The metallic oxide, while render
ing the wire more difficult to fuse, pre-
vents the electric current from passing
from one coil to the next. The cleo
ricity thus passes through the entire
length of the wire, heating it to intense
incandescence. Another of Mr.. Edi-
sons inventions provides a means of
storing the electric current, by the use
of secondary batteries, so that the same
may be used as required.
From correspondent of nature:
"Some years ago brought three glow
worms from Wales to London, and at
night put them OH the grass, when all
showed their lights; but on looking for
them short time after, one had nearly
disappeared. On searching for it my
hand came against something cold, and
on taking it to the light found it to be
q snail, about an inch and half long
by one-fourth inch in diameter. The
brute had swallowed the glow worm,
and | could see the light shining in
side %
Nj. Marcel Deprez has invented new
electromagnetic engine of cxtraordi-
nary power, from which much is ex-
pected. A me del is being used in bal
loon experiments, and it is hoped that
II will give sufficient power to work an
aerial helix for ascending and descend
ing without any sacrifice of ballast or
escape ofgas.
The Prussian village of Mariaweilcr
Is found to be a great field of debris of
Roman colony. A Roman villa has
]ust been excavated there. Bn inscrip-
ton in one of the rooms has not been
deciphered as yet.
Professor Galloway suggests the use
OF phosphate of potash as a condiment,
especially in cases where much salt
meat is eaten, phosphate of potash
being the chief material extracted from
meat in The process of sailing, and
being necessary In his opinion TO give
the salted meat its original nuturitive
nature. lie further suggests that phos-
phate of potash will be more useful than
hme-luice in preventing scurvy.
1t is said that the employment of
road locomotives is becoming general
in France, and they may be often seen
drawing eight or ten gun-carriages on
the broad avenues about Paris, and
even on certain boulevards, without
causing Inconvenience.
Capt. Eads and his Mississippi ietties
have at last triumphed, and now nav
igable channel of thirty feet depth ex-
lists where four years ago but eight feet
depth could be obtained.
1t is said that canal by the way O,
Nicaragua, built with American capital
and under American protection, has
been seriously canvassed in New York
since the decision of the Paris congress
The underground forms of tuberous
stems are too common to excite our in.
terest or surprise. This, however, il
not the case with the overground tn.
bers formed by beautiful vine Vifi.
gongylodeS) now in the Victoria House
at Kew Gardens, London. These aeri.
al tubers are produced in the air and al
considerable height, and when the
| branches become weak and decay they
fall 70 the ground and germinatc. An
interesting account of these tubers wa.
recently given by Mr.. Lynch, of Kew
Gardens. He describes the tubers as us.
usually obong, consisting of one or two
internodal regions. After a twelve
months keeping in dry place the,
were found plump and ready to grow
The .tuberous formation never occur
quite up to the growing points of tn,
stems which originate them, so tha
with each tuber there is also short por
tion of the unaltered stem. The vine il
a native Of Brazil and from region
abounding in moisture. 1t has climb
ing, square stem, with wings. The leave
aud tendrils are large and striking, an,
the plant is further remarkable for TIL,
large number of stout roots which
springing from each node, grow dow
into the water-tank in the Victori
House, and form, as II were, a firing
along the course of the stems above
When growing these roots are Of a beau
tiful and attractive crimson color.
Russian engineers have been sent I
Kazala TO examine the sea of Aral witt
, view to the discovery of now char
nel-or the deepening of the old one
, connecting the Sir Darya with III
Oxus. Hitherto steamers have exper