New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-14
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.


some interesting experiments on sulphur His proceed
ure ia thus described: The purest commercial milk OF
sulphur mixed with nseed oil, so that for each
part OF the sulphur there not quite one part OF the
OIL and then gradually heated IN very wide dish. The
mixture swelled giving of strong, dsagreeable vapors
and there remained behind dark mass In large
pieces which, circumstances In which sulphur would
burn vigorously. could longer be ignited The black
mass then in finely pow dered state heated with
pure concentrated suphurc acid in a retor gradually
several hours TO boiling temperature. After vigorous
development OF sulphurous acid liquid was obtained
which, Its most concentrated state looked somewhat
like yiscous sulphur. When diluted 1t appeared clear
ana pure yeow-red when more diluted, brownsh-
yellow. Into this diluted acid liquid suphurettod by
drogen was conducted. and thereby at least partly.
brightbrown preciptate was thrown down. This was
soluble In sulpdc OF ammonium, and also in hot potash
solution. On the other hand. even hot mixture OF
muralc acid and chorate OF potash attacked 1t but IT.
tie II the precpitate he heated In air. the sulphur
burns and there remains dark substance also very
Indifferent 10 inorganic acid. When IL was heated In
small dish very usble glass tube, while oxygen was
passed through I'll the glass in glowing state II
proved refractory. Similarly heated In chlorine gas u
became first brown, and, after long action, white ana
deposited in part as submate Immediately behind
the hottest part OF the glass tube By heating In hydro
gen the original dark then recovered Mt
Gross then gives his for thinking that ths SUP
stance was entirely new, was not constituent OF the
linseed OIL but derived from the sulphur. being In
fact OF the substances OF which, on this theory SUI
p6uf Is coapoIhdea epr Cross states
that Phosphorus and other substances OF inc slne
class supposed 10 be elementary have given Indications
under similar treatment, OF IA compound nature
ARCTIC EXPLoRATIoN.-At the last meeting
of the London ROYAL Geographical Society," paper on
the Arctic campaign OF 1879 by Captain Markham, X
NJ attracted considerable attention. The present year.
the author said would always be regarded rs very re-
markabc In the annals of Arctic exploration for
during the last two months two important geographical
problems had been successfully solved the Swedish
ship Vega under the leadership OF that perseverng ana
energetic explorer. Nordenskj0d, had completed her
voyage from tho Atlantic TO the Pacific by rounding the
northern outskirts OF the Old word-a voyage which.
even If 1t should prove important In commercial
sense. would always rank OF the greatest geo.
graphical feats OF the present century-and small
sailing schooner had reached the hitherto inaccessible
shores OF FrauzJosef Land brief reference TO what
has already been accomplished In the Nova Zemba
waters proved that past summer during which tho
Wcm Barents made her memorable trip. was not an
exceptionally favorable one and that the only other
time when Franz,Iosef Land had been approached
namely. I'm 1S72'73. when the TcgethOn was drlttcd
thther. a remarkably unfavorable ice year. Early
In the present year the author accepted invitation
from Sir Henry Gore Booth to accompany him on a
sporting trip Nova Zcmbla with the understanding
that they should aferward examine the Ice In the Ba
and other localities, during what he c0nsid-
cred TO he the nayigable season-namely, during the
mouth OF September. For the cruise he had hired the
little Norwegian cutter Isbjorn already rendered his
toIical by her exploits under Payer aud Count Wczek
The I>born vessel OF AZ tons burden 90 IT, long,
with a beam of Il II. She built in 1870. and made
her first voyage in the following year with Weyprech
and Payer. The consisted OF skipper. mate. two
harpooners and five seamen As one result of their voy-
mites further north than that attained by the Dnch ex
pedtion last year. He trusted that vessel would be
IN tngnf l. VHn rcd
and from that slaring-pon In the following season TO
attack the work OF Arctic Exploration.
THE SEVERE WEATHER IN ENGLAND With
the exception of few days The earlier part Of Feb
ruary and of March, the whole OF the year 1872 in
England. has been characterized by temperature
almost Invariably below the mean accompanied with
much wet and little sun. The effect on vegetation
has been consequently very great Foliage has, as
rule been excessively luxurant and dark. forming the
most remarkable feature OF the year, but rarely has
fruit been able ripen. and the second shoots have
frequently been weak and unhealthy. Flowering has
invariably been very late much IA month In some
districts The hay harvest often not completed I'LL the
end OF August also very late and some was still IN
the "cock in the moorand district Of staIordshre
late the 3Oh Of september and the harvest not
only extremely late but the corn In very poor condition,
not properly ripcned. With regard to insects the two
notable occurrences OF this most dismal season
have been the swarms Tyramefs cGrdui and Piusia
numerous, especially the ast-named which absolutely
swarmcd The great severity OF the past Winter caused
an unprecedented mortality among BIRDS great
numbers of various species succumbIng to the cold.
This mortality was perhaps most apparent among the
turdedg and the starngs. Spring brought little or no
Improvement; birds nestcd much beyond their average
time; and In number OF in tances the first eggs
have been added and destroyed 10y cold rains and
abnornay low and continuous temperature. The scar
city of young patndges Il probably unprecedented;
manors not young bid Is 10 De found ana
will take several good nesting seasons to bring up the
stock To Its old numbers.
CoLoRING BRAss.-In coloring and lacquer
ing brass work. says The Engineer browns Of all shades
are obtained by immersion solution OF nitrate or
the perchlorde of rOn the strength Of the solution de-
teimnng the depth OF the color Vioets are produced
by dipping in a solution OF chloride OF autimOny. Chloe
oae obtained by burning the surface OF the brass
moist red oxide OF iron. and polished with very small
quantity OF blacklead Oive-green results from making
the surface black by means of solution OF iron and
arsenic murlatic acid polished with n backlead-
brush. aud coating u. when warm with LACQUER com,
posed OF part Of acvarnish, four OF tumeric, ana
one OF gamDOBe.
FISH CULTURE IN AUsTRALIA.-Th expert
ments in fish culture which been carried for the
last few years at Ercdounc. Victoria, the estate of
Sir Samuel Wilson, have this year, according to The Net
bourne Argus yielded remarkably successful results.
There are imported species OF the salmon family
now IN the ponds consisting OF fine specimens of Eng
Ish salmon reared from brought out from England
the fish being eighteen months old also OF salmon
trout brown trout and California salmon OF these four
varieties two only have been OF sufficient age produce
ovanamely the brown trout and the salmon trout. and
large number OF splendid have been obtained by
the process OF artificial impregnaton from hsh only
twenty-five months Old the eggs being hatched under
ri OF cool water Il ON spring Some Of the brown
trout are 1--WE or years Old and OF large SIZE and
these produced a correspondngy large number Of
eggs This Is the first time the artificial spawning ~
the salmonidc has been successful in Australia and II
Is noteworthy that the salmon front. which mgra