, 1880-05-29
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

II is said that tic soft blucstone rock which
underics wide part OF the prairie region of
Texas Is fully COO feet thick Mt Sherman.
The japanese Government arc about to es-
tabllsh Geological Staff. to whose care will
be committed geological survey nt the
whole OF Japan, founded upon the plnn of
the Geological Survey Of the United King
dom.
Five walled tombs, cacl, containing Il skcl-
cton. hare been discovered at CI,an6lnIldcs,
Canton Yaud. Fr0m the abseIlce Of metal
ornaments and other Indications, they ure
supposed to belong to MI age prior to TINT Of
bronze.
Dr.. James Gcikie, F. r. s., will shortly
send to press q work entitled "prehlstoric
Of the principal climatic, and geographical
changes Which have taken place in our
Continent since tho commencement Ut the
pIeistocene or quatcrnnry period.
a committee of shipbuilders and marine
engineers has been formed for the purpose OF
enRi1eerlnE models IN Glasgow. 1t Is pro-
posed TINT the exhibition sl,nll be opened in
tho corporation galleries in November, and
remain Ope1i f0r six months.
n. dc Lesseps delivered n lecture in Paris
last week upon the Panama Canal project
lie said TINT he met with the same prejudlces
against the sc!,eme on acconnt Of the diifer-
ellce between the Levels Of the two seas as lle
Ind to encounter In tho case Ut tho Sucz
Canal, but tle reports Of tho engineers
enabled him to forctcll the complete success
OF the enterprise.
ME: Galloway G. Morris has contributed TO
prepared In fornt suitable for paper pulp
They were prepared by boiling under pres-
sure 1T cnustic alkali III orttcr to destroy ev-
erythtn,g but the cellnlose, and the peculiar
nletely isolated and well shown. Not unIy
do tic preparations 6l,nw soft woods sl1ei, rs
poplar, pllle. md buckwheat, but also such
harder woods Us hickory, rosewood, and
ebony.
An italian Antarctic expedition is pro-
officers under Norlci,skjuld on tic Vega.
It Is to sa! in the spring. Of 1881, and touch
at Monte Vtaeo, Terra del Fuego, Falklnlld,
and South Shetland Islands. and. proceeding
In a. enthusiastically direction, commenced
two winters in tho Antarctic region, md re-
turn BY wny Of Hobart Town. Tho expenses
are estimated at G00, 900 lire.
Cabbage grew wild in Siberia; celery
originated III Germany; the Potato IS native
9f, Of Psrn; l.e onon originated H. Egypt; to.
was first discovered III India; the nettle Is n
native OF Europe; tiio citron Is Il nntive Of
ASH; onts originated ln North Africa; rye
san,c acirgInay f frem SiherI1; parsley as
natlve Of Arabia; the sunll0werwas brought
from PERU: splnacl! was first cultivated ln
Arabia; the ll1rse-clicstnut Is n native 0f
T1lbct; the Qulnce cnnlc from the island Of
Crete, tho pear y Suppressed t. bo Of
from the South OF Europe.
III the report published by the .:10Mranl Of
uc SocictU Of Xrts ot the Applied Sclclco
Exhibition. 1ArEs, nf Inst year mention was
nlatle of tho muslin curtains shown by Nj,
A. j. Martin, Taris, 70 Which Il flame wis
constantly applied without consuming them.
THO cotnl0sltlon llo employs for rendering
fabrlcs Is the followtg:
Paris;
Puro 6ulrhnte of mnon!n.........,......... 20
Carbonate nt aMHonia.. ia....................... -
liorAcib ncld... Observation-Disclosures ~
l'AFD -
Distilled or riiro wator ,oN
s,rllo materials aro dipped In tl,Is solution
while hot, SO as to be thoroughly impree.
!r9l,etl in tho sa,l,e way rs ordinary starched
fabrics,
A party Of United States engineers Inns
isiver 6elow with tiie f,ils. Il Was IL Il work Of
great difficulty to npproncll tho fAlls in n
snaail hoat- Great 1e;s Of water wero thrown
tic rnnr WIS 10 terrible that no other sound
cnuli ba heard, 'l'llo leatls1nau cast tho line,
which gAyB clglty-three feet. THIS was
nenr tho shore. Further dawn strrAlil sec-
ontl Gust of tho lend told !oir TOO feel. lecpen-
ayssage ~ ep Ell Of s e swt sl' bs %Sy wyre s
river suddenly btcnlncs narruw with q
velocity too great to hs measured, was 1h3
feet. Immediately under the lower brllgu
the whirlpoOl-rapds set III. Here tho doptA
Was computed to b0 1I0 foot.