The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-08-20

lbI Soi'i ~ liz SoaS' -
which has been 50 long visible upon
Jupiter's surface has enabled u Brazilian
astronomer, Mr.. Grail. to deduce from
nearly 100 rotations a period OF . II.
SO ~. 81 q. as the length Of day of the
huge planet.
A French ELECTRICIAN, NJ. Gaiffe, has
investigated the peculiar sounds which
interfere with messages sent on tele-
phone lines. He finds that the sounds
arc largely duo to the vibration Of the
telephone wires by the wind The
sounds are doubtless often produced by
the in,luctive action of electric currents
passing over neighboring telegraph
wires; but this is far from being the
only cause, as have been generally be-
| licved.
"A discovery of more than usual in
tcrest in connection with the history Of
ancient man, has bcon made in Spain.
Some lead miners i'll tho province Of Sc
goyia, about seventy miles northwest Of
Madrid, recently broke into an immense
cavern, in the interior of which they
found, upon an argllaceous deposit aud
in the midst of stalaglnites, the remains
Of about five hundred human skeletons
of both sexes. Clipped stone and quartz
implements, aud fragments Of rude pot
terry, were also obtained. Ten well
shaped and perfect skulls Of prehistoric
type were recovered.
Careful observations have shown
the following to be about the average
growth in twelve years Of several varie-
ties of hard wood when planted in groves
and cultivated: White maple becomes l
foot in diameter and 30 feet high; ash,
leaf maple or box elder, l foot in diam
cter and 20 feet high; white willow, 18
iuclles in diameter and 40 feet high;
yellow willow, 10 inches il diameter and
IS feet high; Lombardy popular, 10
inches III diameter and 40 feet high
blue and white ash, 10 inches in diam
ctcr and IS feet high; black walnut and
butternut, 10 inches in diameter and 20
feet high.
"A German naturalist has contrasted
the behavior Of different animals towards
steam machinery. That proverbially
stupid animal, the OK, stands composclly
on the rails in front Of i locomotive with
out having any idea Of the danger which
threatens him; dogs run among the
wheels of Il departing railway train with
out suffering any injury; and birds seem
to have Il peculiar delight in the steam
engine. Larks often build their nests
and rear their young under the switches
of Il railway over " hich heavy trains arc
constantly rolling, and swallows make
their homes in engine houses. pair Of
swallows have reared their young for
years in u mill where Il noisy three hun
.lrcd horse power engine is working
night and day, and another pair have
built their nests in the paddlc-box of Il
steamer.
1t is asserted that the common black
ant is largely cultivated by the leading
orchardists of northern Italy and south
crn Germany. They believe the insect
to 10 tho fruit-grower's best friend
They establish ant hills i'll their orchards,
and leave the trees in the exclusive care
of the tiny colonists, whose time is de-
voted to climbing the stems of the fruit
trees and cleansing their bark and leaves
of all malefactors, mature us we'll us en-
bryotic. The spoils thus secured are
brought to tho ground, and consumed or
safely stored away They never mc,ldle
with sound fruit, but invade only such
apples, pears and plums as have already
been penetrated by tho cankor, which
they remorsclessly pursue to its fastness-
IS within the very heart of the fruit.
Nowhere are apple and pear trees SO free
from blight and destructive insects us in
the immediate neighborhoo.. of Il large
ant hill five or six years old. Tho favor
ito food OF the ants appears to be the
larvae and pupal Of those insects most
destructive to tho tender shoots and
Young leaves Of fruit trees.
The tracing Of tho evolution Of the
tides" is u work in which Mr. G.. II. OAR
win, son Of the great naturalist, has Ion.
been engaged. The result of his labors
formed tho subject of /. recent lccturc by
DR.. Ball, the Astronomer Royal for Ire
land. The effect of the tides on the
earth is to reduce its rate Of rotation and
lcnytlcn its day As the earth from this
cause turns slower and slower the moon
must be gradually rccc,lny from it.
This has been going on for ages, and
millions OF years aSo--how many millions
cannot be told-ttc earth must have re
rolvcd on its axis i'll two OF three hours,
while the moon, then very near to the
earth must have wllirlcl around the
larger globe IN period equal to the
eartIl's day. Mr.. Darwin traces the tidal
evolution to this printval conditi Of
things. Farther back is uncertainty,
hut he conjccturcs that in !. very remote
period u mass of matter must have been
violently thrown off from the earth,
forming the moon. lii the early days of
the latter, its effect on the cartl,'s sur
face must have been tremendous, pro-
'lucin. tides u thousand or two thousand
feet high.
a fight occurred on the Elton planta-