The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-10-09
Compiled for TINS CAHBOS ADVOCATE.
POPOLA1 SCIENCE NOTES.

Compiled for TBR CARBOs ADVOCATE.
POPOLAR SCIENCE NOTES.
A Geneva correspondent states that an in .
teresting Geological discovery has been made
in the ncighborhood Of Solothun. On re- !
moving mass fsuperincuinbenb sand and /
gravel TO prepare for some quarryiug opera
tons, the rock beneath was found TO be
quite smooth and intersected with old water |
channels The excavation being continued,
a number OF enormous holes filled the great
stones and were laid barc TO the view. These |
holes, like those in tho famous Glechler
Garten Mt Lucerne, are due 10 the action OF
water, which, flowing through riffs in the
glacier that ages past covered the rock, set
In movement tho stones beDeuth, whereby
tho Giants Rattles," as they are called,
were followed out bat while tho rock at
Lucerne is sandstone, the formation at So
lothurn is hard limestone and quartz.
The scheme Of Captain Roudhre for let
ting the water Of the Mediterranean into
the great low-lying basin of the schotts,and
turning the great North African desert into
an inland sea, is thought 10 be inexpedient
and impraclicable by many scientists and
engineers who have been eanvassing the
matter and surveying the territory. 1t
would take canal rivaling that Of the Suez
TO attain the end in view, while Tosser,
Neptha and other of the most hourshing
81 ..ft L.. ha
merged by the deluge,. and as a result il is
feared, the large date forests of the Djerid
would be destroyed by the production Of a
change Of climate which would naturally
follow.
! A Scotch chemist Of considerable note, Sir
Robert Christison, has been experimenting
for several years upon tho effect of cold wet
seasons upon the growth Of various kinds Of
trees, and finds that during such seasons
that the normal growth is diminished from
ten to fifty per cent. from that of dry and
warm years. The deficiency in growth
seemed much greater in the pine than in
the oak, notwithstanding that we usually
associate the former with very cold regions
He has at least demonstrated by his obser
vations that heat has more to do with the
making of wood than moisture has.
A new and novel modo for producing
electric, or what is more properly called
phosphorescent light is as iollcws take oi
! Barium or some other substance which is
rendered phosphorescent by the solar rays,
and inclose it in Geissler tube, through
which passes a constant electric current of
a feeble but regular intensity. Light thus
produced is said to be uniform and agree
able and much cheaper than gas.
The director Of the Central Meteorologi-
cal Observatory of Mexico,in recent report
states that a number of stations will soon be
permanently established throughout Mexl-
co for the uniform record Of observations on
the temperature, rain fall, pressure, vegeta-
tiou, etc, and to determine the effect of vari-
Gus changes upon tho growth of all kinds Of
grain. The example is certainly one worthy
to be followed in this country and one that
would result certainly in great value to our
people il adopted.
A balloon socicty has been organized in
| London, another in France, and Il is pro
posed that others be formed in America aud
at various other points on the globe. whose
object will be to aid science in taking obser-
vations of various kinds, and to bring to.
gether members of the learned professions
that they lvay better cooperate in the fur
therance of experiments IN Science.
While being entertained al dinner recent
ly by members of the Paris Press, the noted
African Explorer, M. Paul Solellet, stated
r in reply to the toast Of his health, that he
hoped in ten years to be able to return the
hospitality shown TO him by the press, and
to invite his journalistic friends to repair in
sleeping cars, to the buffet at the TimbuctoC
Station.
One hundred and 6fty cases Of valuabl,
goods Tor the American exhibit at the Mel
bourne Worlds Fair, were recently lost by
' the wrecking of the ship Erie the Red, OF
the southwest coast of Australia.
Workmen have fshed up the locomotiv,
that went down with the i'll fated train anC
Tay bridge, have thoroughly repaired it,an,
have it on duty drawing trains between Ed
inburgh and Glasgow.
A tunnel through Mont Blanc is bein
c talked Of in France, which will be eigh
: miles in length aud will cost $3.50, 900 900.
s. The only civilized nation on the cart
y who haye done nothing beyond their ow
e territory for geographical exploration, is tn
RI Swiss.
:, The grants for Scientific experiment /
Europe have been increased from s., 900
$4,000, by the English Parliament.
-, The sixth annual conference of the Cruz
:, togaInc Society Of Scotland, was held ,
Glasgow, Oct. LIST, and I'd.