St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-09-10
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


:. tcroppings of Nova Scotia Goa
district at remote time. From th
number of annual rings borne by tree
growing over the spot, it is estimated
that not less than three hundred year.
have elapsed since the fire was extin
guished. But three centuries have no
cooled the ashes, and an area Of some
two acres is known to be now abnor
maly heated to such degree thai
frosts never penetrate far in the sever
est cold and snow soon 'melts.
The present will be a memorable
year in astronomical history-a year OF
rare planetary conjunctions, Of great
solar commissions, and year distin-
guished by the near approach OF two
great comets. Two other events re-
main to be observed. The first is a
transit of the planet Vulcan. 1t is pre-
dicted that this planet, whose existence
is still a matter of doubt, will cross the
Suns disc on the 10Th or 18th Of Octo-
Der. The other event is transit of
Mercury over the Sun, which will occur
November 9TH.
A naturalist asserts that cranes carry
small migratory birds-unable to per-
form the flight of three hundred and fif-
ty miles-across the Mediterranean Sea
on their backs. In focks of cranes
travelling southwark across this sea,
little birds Of many species are OBJ
served, frequently flying from their
perchcs only to return moment after.
The rapidity of the circulation is such
that, if it flowed in straight line at the
same rate, it would run one hundred
and fifty feet per minute.
The average descent Of large rivers,
exclusive of cascade regions, is sell
dom more than twelve inches to the
mile, and occasionally does not exceed
a third of this amount. From Men,
phis down distance Of eight hundred
and fifty miles, the Mississippi has
pitch of less than five inches at low
water, and above the Missouri, from its
source, of only eleven and three-fourths
inches. The Missouri in its greatest
length Of nearly three thousand miles,
descends twenty EIGHT inches to the
mile; but from Fort Benton to St. Jo-
seph, over two thousand miles, only
eleven and one-half inches; and only
nine and one-fourth inches below St.
Joseph to the mouth, length of nearly
five hundred miles. The average pitch
Of the Amazon is little more than six
inches to the mile; of the lower Nile
less than seven; of the lower Ganges,
about four. The Rhone is notable for
a great pitch Of eighty inches per mile
from Geneva to Lyons, and thirty-two
inches below Lyons to the mouth.
Prof. j. L. Budd attributes actual an
tiseptic properties to the Eucalyptus
Globulus, which has accomplished SO
much in arresting malarial disease on
the fatal Roman Campagna and in
other places. By an application of the
leaves wounds are healed and foul sores
purified. He recommends the cultiva-
ton OF the tree as house plant. He !
has three-years-old plant in an eight |
inch pot, which remains at height Of I
about five feet, without losing the fine, {
large leaves Of the tree.
A piece Of pine has been lately shown :
by Gopport which has been converted e
to half-carbonized state and reduced l
to one-fourth its original bulk by the ,
simple action Of pressure, exerted du-
ring period Of two years.
A remarkable natural phenomenon
occurred in Hungary on the 9th Of 8
June. The Buznau Mountain, near the $
village Of Paptelke, suddenly broke in !
two; a great assure 100 to 1875 feet
wide, 80 to 100 feet deep and 1900 to '
1900 feet in length, being formed by 8
The rupture. A landslip took place at !,
The same time, and a field was moved .
bodily some thirty feet nearer to the f
7illage. p
1t is we'll known that the very fee d
,lest electric currents produce audible
sounds in the telephone, which is more h
sensitive to weak currents than the h
most delicate galvanometer. NJ. Pellat I
ately declared that the heat necessary !,
o warm kilogramme 1.-TWO and v
Iuarter pounds) of water one degree, if o
inverted properly into the energy of =
lectric currents, would suffice to pro- Il
uce in telephone an audible sound |,
or ten tlnHSand Years cnntinnnnslu d