St. Landry democrat., 1881-02-19
sr1ENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

ConcernIn. applleo 'oioh0'
un1lev recently remarked: ~ often
n,i.h that this phrase had never been
;nyspted, for it suggests that there is a
.ort of scientific knowledge of direct
nractical use which can be studied apart
from another sort Of scientific knowl-
adee which is of no practical utility
md which is termed pure science But
.hsr. il no more complete fallacy than
thi. What people call applied science
!. nothing but the application of pure
science to particular classes OF prob
lens"
1obn Duncan, poor Scotch weaver,
hs, nresented the University of Aber
d.en with his herbarium of nearly 1900
Rritish plants, collected by him while
moving about as harvest laborer over
the southern district of Scotland and
the north of England. In his extreme
old age, this self-educated devotce of
science is dependent on parish relief.
Two African missionaries, Griffith
and Hutley,-who, at Mtowa, near the
mouth of the Lukuga Creek, have es-
tablished the first nilsson station on
the west side of Lake Tanganyika,-
lately gave the London Missionary So
ciety some information concerning the
religious notions of the Waguha. On
this point marked difference is appa-
rent between the tribes on the opposite
.hores Of the lake. Those on the east
aldo have no images or idols, but on the
west shore they have them in great
numbers, and connect certain beliefs
with them. Mr.. Griffith observes that
the first thing which strikes the African
Traveller on entering the western half of
the continent is an image at the en-
trance Of every village, besides many
others inside it. The image is i'll imita-
ton OF the human figure, and is called
Mkissi, meaning spirit.
A tea plantation was established last
year by Count d'Amigo upon his estates
near Messina, Italy. The tea plant is
said to thrive finoly there, and its
leaves are in no wise inferior to those of
the Chinese plant.
s A few months since quite sensation
was produced in the medical world by
the announcement of remarkable cures
of cancer by the use of Chan turpen-
tine, very rare and expensive drug.
1t appears, now, however, that the
value Of this article has been greatly
exaggerated, and at recent meeting
of the Medical Committee of the Mid
dlesex Hospital, London, it was re-
solved that no more Chan turpentine
should be orderded for the treatment Of
cancer, az a prolonged and careful trial
had shown that its results were perfect
ly negative.
With the single exception of Saturn,
nothing in the heavens presents a greater
attraction as an object Of study than Ju-
piter and its moons. There is d pecu-
liar fascination in watching the four
little points moving in rapid succession
around the parent body, passing now as
dark spots across its disk, then behind
and eclipsed by it. A glimpse OF the
moons may be had even through a good
opera-glass, and in all exceptionally
clear atmosphere, at considerable ele-
walton above the sea, they have been
seen by the unaided eye. The large red
spot may be seen with a ive-inch tele-
scope. The size Of this spot varies
somewhat III length, but is quite con-
slant in breadth. It's average length is
about $4,000 miles, by breadth, in the
widest portion, of $500 miles~equal in
area to about three-quarters of the eu-
tire surface of the earth.
In al essay upon the nutritive value
OF fish. Prof. Atwater gives this table
Taking medium beef at 100, we have az
the food value of like weights of fish
free from bone; medium beef, 100;
fresh milk, 1858; skinned milk, 1875
butter, 1874; cheese, 155; hens eggs, u ;
Goldfish, fresh, 6s; founders, s.; hall
but, S.; striped bass, 70; mackerel, Sc
lake trout, Oh; cells, 95; shad, 80;
salmon, 104; salt mackerel, iii dried
Goldfish, 34.6.
NJ. Dohrn is stated to have introduced
the use of the telephone in connection
with his scientific explorations of the
Bay Of Naples. By this means the d.
yer and boatmen overhead are able
to communicate with each other as
quickly and intelligently as can be
wished.
Perfumers are aware of the curious
fact that some Of our sweetest and
most delicately scented flowers are OF
no value for perfumery. For example.
no process has yet been discovered by
which the fragrance Of sweet-briar and
eglantine can be extracted and pre-
served, but a good imitation is produced
by compound Of neroli oil with alco-
holic extracts of rose pomade and of
orange flowers. Lily Of the valley,
which is likewise unavailable to the
pcrfnmer, IL well initiated by a comb
nation of vanilla, extract Of tuberose,
jasmine, and otto of almonds. Lilies
are little used in perfumery, their odors
being too powerful.
\ NJ Bouchut has found that the juice
OF the fig tree contains q nowerful fer