The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-06-30
SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL.

A curious fact has been noted b,
Professor Won Tieghem. The, cells ii
the roots of an apple tree underwent al
coholic fermentation when the soil wa.
very damp. The tree then presented {
very sickly appearance.
Mr.. G. Phillips Bevan estimates the
grand total Of gold produced during
the historic ages to be f3,517. .O93, 500
and that Of silver, f2, 1926, 25O, 900, max
ing the produce of both the precious
metals to be worth f6. 343, 343, 500.
According to Mr. A. Renvuard, the
water in which hemp has been stepped
pro duces no evil effects on tho health OF
district when such water is allowed to
flow into running water, but always de-
stroys the fish and some varieties OF
vegetable growth. .--...,
Some far-reaching data are looked
for regarding deep-sea fisheries when
the steamship for which $103. 900 had
lately been appropriated by Congress
be specially constructed under the su-
pervision of Prof. Baird.
There is in Edinburgh, Scotland, a
Sunday Science School, attended, from
November to July of last year, by an
average of sixty pupils out of an en-
rolled number of ninety-two artisan
and other youths who could not, owing
to prolonged business hours, attend
evening classes on week days.
A young German who was witness
ing the shOeing of horse was struck
by small particle of iron, which PEN
etrated the pupil of his eye and buried
itself deep in the body of the organ.
In an eye hospital at Weisbaden the
extraordinary operation Of withdraw
ing the iron by means of magnet was
recently performed with entire success.
In . recent letter on Goal Gas'' Pro- !
fessor Renzen cited q curious instance
of the deodorizing of Illuminating gas.
In Dresden q quantity of gas escaped
from q pipe outside Of dwelling and
passed through the earth into the house
with its odor entirely gone. It was
breathed unconsciously, and several
deaths occurred in consequence.
As the result of his personal observa-
tions, NJ. Carlet states that the walking
Of insects may he represented by that
of three men in Indian file, the fore
most and hindmost of whom keep step
with each other, while the middle ono
walks in the alternate step. The walk
ing of arachnids can be represented by
four men in file, the even numbered
ones walking in one step, while the odd
numbered ones walk in the alternate
steps. sa ts#
A writer in the JeUiM World points
put that, contrary to the received idea, |
the elder rabbins of the Talmud taught |
hat the world was round. This is /
shown by a passage in which, in dis
,ussing idolatry. the figures holding in
,he hand baton, bird, or q globe
we're prohibited, because the baton
'ymbOlizes the dominion of the world,
he bird that the world lies beneath
t, and the globe is forbidden because
t resembles the form of the world itself.
Mr.. Plimsoll suggests that fire-damp
should be withdrawn from mines by
,ipes, just as the water is pumped up
rom the sump. He would make
'sump" for gas in the highest part of
he root, and then allow the gas to es-
ape from the workings up vertical
ube to the stump, whence it would be
pumped to the surface, and employed
or lighting the village. Mr.. Plimsoll
kinks that such plan would give abb
olute and immediate control to tho
managers of u pit over any gases which
night be lurking in the recesses of the
nine; and he suggests that if his REM
dy is found useless some scientific or
body should offer pre-
nium of EGO, 900 for the discovery of q
means OF entirely preventing coal-mine
EXPLOSIONS. ''........ ..,