St. Landry democrat., 1881-12-24
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

known as OdcterM-whlchm multiply yer
rapidly and in so doing produce blu
matter resembling aniline. These OF
sanisms render the milk unfit for foof
especially for persons of weak diges
tive power.
The Russian Government has mad
grant Of $4,000 roubles for locatip.
TWO Polar observing stations next year
one at the mouth of the Lena and th,
other on one Of the islands of New
Siberia.
Mr.. H. F. Blanford reports that he
has observed white ants in the act Of
emitting rythmical sounds. Anothe,
observer, Mr.. F. P. Pascoe, has heard a
peculir sound, in fields of Southern
Europe, which was found to be the
song of a small lizard 1t is generally
believed that these creatures have no
power OF producing vocal sounds.
The general experience of observers
has been that the removal of forests re-
suits in diminishing the size of rivers
and smaller streams traversing the
territory. This effect is often very
rnarked-small streams disappearing
entirely and large rivers dwindling to
mere brooks. Quite a different expe-
renee is reported from New South
Wales. A tract of land embracing the
watershed of three creeks was par
TALLY cleared in 1870. Soon after, these
creeks-which had been dry water
courses for twenty years-became per-
nanent streams, and have so continued
to the present time. The explanation
offered to account for this phenomenon
is, that large proportion of the rain
fall formerly taken up by the gum
trees and evaporated now finds its way
TO the streams.
In 1879, two or three eminent British
expressed belief in a
'tcycle OF seasons" of about eleven
years in length. During these eleven
years period of heat and droutl oc-
ours, usually of three years duration
that is to say, the drouth recurring in
three successive summers. According
to this theory, the last three summers
should have been very hot and dry:
out 6. I. Ryves calls attention to the
fact they have been cold and wet, and
from this concludes that such predic-
Tons are at best mere scientific guesses,
and when put forth as prophecies often ,
llsappoint those who rely upon them,
While they create false impression in (
he public mind as to what is attainable
the present state of meteorological t
clence. This conclusion, deduced in {
England, is equally applicable to this
ountry. Valuable as is the service t
ow rendered by meteorology, it pos /
esses as yet no reliable data from L
Inch to forecast the weather of years, +
seasons, or of months. 2
Prof. Meehan has advanced the theo- q
that the absence of trees upon the o
merlcan prairies is due to annual
res, it being known that such fires
ere caused by the Indians during a
ng period. Herbaceous plants and
lnuals may increase their area yearly,
bile trees were never able to get be-
md the line to which the annual fires
tended.
In France alone the money value of T,
e animals which have died from
lenic fever has been $4,OOOOOO a
ar. Prof. Pasteur's system of vacci- oa
ton has been proven a perfect safe ne ne
ard against loss from this disease, re-
this great discovery Prof. Huxley 10
VS.: cit fully balances the ransom ~ ~
S9,Ooo,0OO,000 paid by France to Ger wi
my after the war Of 1901" La
The materials used by the ancients Re
producing artificial light were wax ~
d tallow, oil Of various kinds being lat
Q used at later day. Their candles Lo
] lamps were exceedingly rough and scr
south, and the light yielded was of oh,
feeblest description, and gave out tor
most disgusting odors. Even up to
commencement of the present CEN per
little or no progress had been Ieg
lie, gas being unknown, and the per- h ba,
burning oil lamps with which we bro
SO familiar having no existence un- use
many years later. Gas was first in III, ,eil
uced in 1902, but as late as 1S4s the rev
market Theatre, in London, CONT r
! to be lighted by candles. Mark insc
contrast. Less than forty vo.,, that
London witnessed the drama by t ti,n
lin, Pickering light of foul-smell- ton
candles, while within the past few coul
Paris has had the privilege of
ming to the opera beneath tlIb
ant, MONDAY glare of the electric