The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-01-08
1unalosonbille Gbitf.
I've Dollars Year.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

SCIENTIFIC MlSCELLAN1 4.
"A great telescope lens, nearly ~
inches in diameter, is being finished for
the Paris Observatory.
DIR. Muller, Of Geneva, has made
calculation in which he estimates the
number Of plant species existing on the
globe to reach minimum total Of $50,
900.
Herr BergeD, Of Berlin has brought
out curious device by means OF which
pictures of various kinds are burnt out
on . piece Of ordinary-looking rose
colored paper. A glowing match is ap-
piled 1T two finely perforated points, and
the sparks communicated then begin
gradually to move over the paper, tracing
ont the picture. Neither leaves its prop
or path or Injuries the paper beyond, and
when the end Of the path is reached, tie
spark COOS out.
Not the least promising application
Oh lilo now lutnIHouS p"ih1 40 A"uhA "a
the production Of safety lamp for coal
miners. It is said to give light enough
for practical use, and, as it contains no
fro or heat, it is evident that its use j.
absolutely free from risk. BY means OF
this form of lamp, in connection with
blasting by compressed air, fire and the
attendant danger Of exploding gar mlgh
DO ruled out, and the most dangerous
mines DO made quite safe.
DIR. Cutter states that the increase OF
nervous diseases, decayiny teeth, prema-
ture badness and general lack of muscu
lar and bone strength are greatly due to
the impoverished quality Of -four now in
use, the gluten being thrown away i'll
order to make the -four white. He urges
the use Of unbolted flour and Of eggs, milk
and butter. He denies that fish is brai,
food, or that Agassiz ever said it was, and
claims that butter, being nearly all fat, l.,
q better kind of brain food than an,
other.
At tho Greenwich Observatory a
very ingenious instrument is in use to
record automatically the duration of sun
shine through the day. 1t consists Of a
glass globe hung within the hemisphere
cal cup Of slightly gre;:trr diameter, the
emp being lined with y strip Of paper
covered with stencil! ink. The globe is
entirely exposed upon the roof, and,
while the sun is shining acts as = burn
ing glass, and causes a continuous line to
bo made upon the paper. This line will
be broken, however, as often as the sun )
light is .obscured by clouds, and thus I.
record OF the amount of sunshine for the
day will be obtained.
The sources Of petroleum are found
in almost every part Of the globe, and
the use Of the article would seem we'll
mig h c0eval with civilization. There is
= spring in one of the Ionian islands
which has yielded petroleum more than
o"O tAouoouu JCAiS. no City VI ucHud
was formerly lighted by oil from the
wells of Armenia, on the banks Of the
FARO. In Persia, also, near tie Caspia,
Sea at Bakn, numerous springs of petro
leum have been known from the earliest
time and those from the Rangoon, OF
the Irawaddy, are said to have yielded
before the general introduction of petro
leum, some 100000 hogsheads Of oil
year.
Some of the German and Russia,
rail mills employ, it il stated, an inge
nious method of overcoming the tlifficnl
ty Of cutting hot rails, so that they ma.
be all Of the same length when cold
According to this plan, the rails ar
looked at through II dark glass; whel
they have cooled to a certain tempera
turc, they cannot he perceived; and il
therefore, dark-blue or an orange sci
low glass ia used, the rails may still b
At a red glow but the light radiated fron
them does not reacl, the eye. 1t may b
considered that the light from two rail.
observed through the same dark glass
disappears ut the same Temperature, m
;thns a rule is obtained for cutting Ill
rails 70 the same perfect and isl-n:ca
guage. This plan has been in use fl
considerable time with excellent i.
snlts.