The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-14
THE DAILY STAR
sClNTILLATl0NS OF sCEENOL.

De Cyen recommends the use of borax
for the preservation of meat, but lie Bon
proneunces any such use iniurious
Staasfurt salts, uight-soil and all man
ures rich in chlorine, when applied to
land on which tobacco is raised injure
the combustibihty Of the leaf.
The propagation of the vine from seed
Is recommended to European growers by
DR.. Blankenhorn as protection against
phylloxera. He finds that the contin-
ued propagation of the vine in Europe by
cuttings has undermined its constitution.
Drs. Erlenmeyer and Planta: Reiche-
Aau believe that the wax of the honey
comb is Chiefly formed by the bees from
sugar. Though eane-sagar is present in
honey, the saceharihe matter occurs
chiefly in the form of glucose. The in
verting agents are the saliva Of the bee
and the pollen Of flowers
It may interest those who are discuss
ing the distance from an electric gener-
stor at which light can be maintained
that circuit nearly 3.3 miles is in sue
cessful operation in London. Recently,
M. Betty, the Engineer of the Societe
Generate dElectricite that has instituted
the Thames Embankment system of il
Elimination. lighted the Victoria Station
of the Metropolitan District Railway
from the Charing Gross Station. The
path taken by the wires is 1.65 mile,
making, Of course, the whole circuit 3.3
miles.
There is very little more in the foreign
scientific journals regarding Mr.. James
Mactear's crystalization of carbon than
what has already been submitted in the
telegraphic columns. Strange to say, no
mention is made regarding the testing of
the alleged diamonds in stream of oxy-
gen. Mr.. Crooks, the editor Of the chem
ical News, after giving brief account of
the discovery, states: Gust as we were
going to press we received a telegram
from Mr.. Mactear, in which he says that
he had been working on the subject about
three years with varying success. He
did not announce the discovery, however,
until absolutely certain, and he reserves
details of the process for the present.
There is no difficulty in producing crys-
tails, apparently diamonds, from any car
bon compound whatever, and by varie-
ty of processes based on a great physical
fact Even combustion products are
quite suitable. Mr.. Mactear has prom
ised us specimens for physical and chemi-
cal examination"
At meeting of the Manchester Philo-
1ophical Society, on December I'd, Cap
tain Abney exhibited his photographs of
the ultra-red portions of the solar spec
trum. He drew attention to the fact
that the light transmitted by ordinary
bromide of silver was of an orange tint,
showing absorption in the lowest end of
the spectrum. He had tried to load the
molecules of this bromide Of silver with
gum resins, and was thus enabled to
photograph slightly beyond the lowest
limit of the visible spectrum. His re-
searches proved to him that bromide of
silver could be prepared not only as al
ready shown, but 50 that absorption will
take place in the red as well
as in the blue. The blue form
Of the bromide Of silver could be
converted into the red form by simple
friction, and then it was insensitive to
ultra-red radiation. To confirm Captain
Abney's conclusion by analogy, Prof
Roscoe exhibited some preparations Of
gold in minute division made by Fara
day himself, some of which transmitted
blue light and others red, thus proving
that Iii she case 81 81 lie gold there arr
differences of molecular condition.
At late meeting Of the Manchestel
Philosophical Society Prot. David Win
stanley described an apparatus construct
ed by.himself for recording automatical
,ly the duration and times of sunshine
He said: '1t is an arrangement which
places lead pencils on sheet of pape
and writes down Herewith when and TO
how long the sunshine lasts. lt-consist
d Of a diferential thermometer, with lon!
stem, II which latter is containe(
throughout the greater part of its lengtl
some fluid intended to operate by it
weight. This thermometer is attaches
10 scale beam or some equivalent de
vice, which also carries the pencil b.
means of which the record shall be made
The whole is so arranged that il
its normal state it rests gentl
upon that side to which the pen
ch is not attached, on an embankmen
provided for that end. Close beneat
the pencil point a disk Of metal, rotate
81 the proper speed, carries paper dia
whereon marks and figures are engrave
corresponding with the hours at whic
the sun may shine. When using thi
instrument, T have inclosed it within
box which permits one bulb only of tn
thermometer-that most distant froI
the clock-to be affected by the radiane
Of the sun, which, when it shines, e,
pands the air. contained therein, forct
The fluid along the tube, and by alterin
the equilibrium Of the beam brings son
portion of its weight to bear upon tt
pencil point, and so. the record is con
menced. When the sun becomes O
scured, the air expanded by his rays col
tracts, the fluid in the tube returns, tt
normal equilibrium is restored, and Il