Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-06-25
The Great Southern Comet.

The comet mentioned in our last sum
mary us having been seen first on Febru
AIRY ~ has passed cut of view to the
naked eye. During the time the tai!
was at lis brightest stage, the evening
sky was usually hazy owing to the prev
alence of SOUTHEAST winds, which, in
the latitude Of Melbourne, are acco NJ
panied by haze at this time of tie year.
While, therefore, the tail of the comet,
which formed an angle OF 80 deg. with the
HORIZON, could be distinctly seen, the
nucleus was always hidden behind II
low clond-bank. Dr.. Bone, an amateur
obse rver at G .stlemaine. where the mir
was clearer, WAS sble to fig the place OF
the nucleus some days before any data
could be obtained at the Melbourne o J.
servatory. When first seen the tail of the
comet appeared as bright streak,
twenty-five degrees in length. Each
succeeding night the tail grew longer.
but ut the same tune fainter, until, in
about ten days, it faded out OF sight.
the 9th, 10th, and 14th, at the observ-
atory, from which the following notes
have been received: "TheapproXimste
positions we're: February oh. 8 p. NJ:
Right ascension, 23n Ain. II 5s. !;
decliuation, 33h. 43m. 52s. south. Feb.
ruary 10 or. NJ: Right ascension, 23h.
58n 3D.; declination, $50. 44n. 58..
south. February IA. 9p.M: Right
ascension, III. On. Is 6s.; decliuation.
33h 2lm. Is. south. These observations,
combined with those secured the week
before, afforded the means of ueducing
a rough approximation of its apparent
motion. and there is no doubt now that
it has passed its perihelion aud is rapid
ly recediug from us. Tue nucleus on
the 10Th was exceedingly faint; still,
with good telescope, the tail could be
traced for some distance from it. Ga
the 14lh it was still fainter, and even
with the great telescope the tail could
only be seen as thin wisp extending
eastward from the head for couple
of degrees. The head itself appeared
simply as faint EebulOus mass, with u
slight central condensation. It is i'm
possible to say whether this comet is q
new one, or one which has been seen
ut former perihelion passage, until the
elements OF its orbit have been com
puted, and for that purpose further
measures of its position are necessary. :"
A STRANGE PLANT.-A curious plant
has been discovered ia Wisconsin which
produces kind of cotton and fax from
the same stalk. 1t has already been
woven into fabrics, and as any article
that will make as good cloth as can be-
made from this plant will make good
paper, it has been called the paper
plant. It can be planted in the spring,
and cut in the fall and winter. 1t
bleaches itself white as it stands, and it
will yield three or four tons to- the acre.
From single root that was trapsplantsd
asst spring grew twenty large stalks,
with three hundred and sixty five pods
containing the cotton, at least sixty
seeds in each. From this root were OBJ
tanned seven ounces of pure cotton and
over pound OF fax. It is a very heavy
plant, and grows from six to seven feet
high.
NEVER IRRITATED.-The reason that
Japanese children scarcely ever cry, is
because great care is taken to keep out
OF their way every possible cause Of
irritation. 1t is probably in oonse-
qusnce of this that the Japs are, as q
race, almost exaspsratingly good.
humored, 80 that Q servant severely
scOlded will often merely reply by a