The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-06-10
THE DAILY BULLETIN.
SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL.

It is considered by M. Perisse that 1t
is almost certain that tho ancient Egyp-
tians and Phmnicians used steel, II, in
decd, they did not make 1t.
The Belgium Telephone Company
have made arrangements 80 that any OF
the subscribers leaving word any even
ing, may DO awakened at any hour the
next morning by means OF powerful
alarm.
DIR. W. Reigler says that the quantity
of rain water which finds its way to
the ground along the trunks of trees is
very considerable, but that some kinds
of trees discharge this function better
than others.
1t is maintained by Prof. Z. Wool
ney than soil heaped up around plants
has, during the day, higher tempera-
ture than earth not 90 treated. During
the night the killed earth becomes
colder. The explanation advanced is
that earth which Is heaped up around
plants dries much more rapidly than
level soil.
From the success which has already
attended the introduction Of electric
clocks, and their evident utility for
railroad, postofhoo. and telegraphic
offices, DR.. M. Hipp predicts that in q
few years every town Of any Importance
will have its time regulated by cleo
tricity, Just as il has its light by night
supplied now by means of illuminating
gas.
Writing about some phenomena Of
optics, M. Treve mentions the fact that
the flame Of a lamp appears brighter,
and that an upright post, shaft, or mast
is seen more distinctly through verti-
cal than a horizontal slit, but that a
house, landscape, or the disk Of the
sun or moon is better observed when
the slit is horizontal. Photographs pre-
sent more or less clear definition accord
ing as the light passes from the kind of
object exposed to the sensitive plate
through an opening or slit Of horizon
tai or vertical nature. The results are
ascribed TO the action of difused light.
A calculation has been made by some
arithmeticians of the extents to which
steampower has been developed. En-
gland derives from her wealth of coal
5000, 000-horse power; the United
States, $500, 900; Germany, 100000
France, 100000; Austria, 1900, 900.
These figures do not include the loco
motive force which, taking the num-
Der Of locomotives in both hemispheres
to be more than 105, 900. and the mile
age 222, 900 miles-must have 30,000,-
O00-horse power. All the machines
and engines worked by steam in the
world is estimated at $4,000, 0OO-horse
power. Each horsepower is equal at
least to the strength Of 10 men, and the
steam power Of the globe represents a
daily working power Of S00,000,000
men.
DR.. LEM has found that Timbuctoo
has now only 10000 inhabitants, and
that many Of its brick-built houses
have fallen in decay. But the town
yet contains many schools and rich
libraries, besides not few learned men
capable Of holding extremely interest.
ing dialectic discussions, especially on
doctrines Of the Koran. The old canals
which formerly connected the place
with the Niger, distant only about six
miles, are now merely series of lakes.
His notes regarding the Sahara arc of
Importance. The ''Great DESERT is in
no part below sea-level, and is plateau
more than 900 feet above tide-water.
Here and there are hills of granite,
plains of sand, very shallow lakes,
and patches of great fertility, and there
are very few beasts OF prey. The Sahara
OF the boyhood of still young men is
rapidly losing its romance Of terror
under the influence of the more recent
accounts of actual exploration.