The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-05-18
FoR THE HERALD.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


A careful examination has con
vinced q French chemist that
wheat normally contains copper
to the extent Of eight to ten parts
per million.
Colladon long ago noticed in
cidentally that obstructions in the
path Of a sound decidedly lessen
the intensity Of the vibrations.
These sound shadows are known
to be much more distinct 10 a
dense medium like water than in
air. Prof. John LeConte has re-
Gently given results of some fnr-
ther experiments on the subject,
in which be took advantage of
some dynamite blasts being made
under water. He immersed a
vertical pile, about foot in diam
eter, at a distance of about forty
feet from the explosive cartridge.
Bottles and glass tubes were
; shivered by the conclusion of the
explosions when placed outside
| the geometrical shadow of the
pile, but protected when within
it. The sharp definition OF these
sound shadows has led Prof.
LeConte into an exposition Of the
theory Of the effects. Like shad-
ows Of light, the distinctncss of
the sound shadow should depend
On shortness of wave-length, and
the sudden detonation Of dy-
namite must generate a very
short and intense wave, making
a very sharply. defined shadow
whenever an obstacle is met. 1t
follows that less sudden sounds,
like the explosion ofgun-powder,
must produce less definite shad-
oWs.
Prof. Fairchild thinks there are
reasons for believing that the
common house fy, with its num-
erous lenses, capable of change Of
focus like the human eye, can
avoid the dlfiulties we encounter
in microscopes, and may distinctly
recognize objects only a twenty
millionth Of an inch in diameter.
A peculiar and newly observed
property of tin is being investi-
gated by a Moscow Scientist.
Some tin cans kept in one Of the
Government buildings during the
cold weather showed blisters, then
holes, and finally fell to powder.
| Prof. Foote, of Philadelphia, has
a group of quartz crystals meas
uring about four feet by three in
superficial area. A group in the
University of Naples weighs near
ly half a ton. A crystal at Milan
is three and quarter feet long
and five and halt in circum.
ference, and weighs $40 pounds !;
and another crystal, at Paris, is
three feet in diameter and the
same in length, weighing 300
pounds. Fifty tons of crystals
were discovered in one cavity at
Zinken, more than q century ago,
and were sold for 100000.
DR.. Wollastons's observation
that certain sounds are inaudible
to many ears was recently illus
trated by Prof. Tyndall. During
a lecture he blew 3 small whistle,
the low, shrill note Of which in
stantly agitated the sensitive
fame, while full half of the au-
dsence failed to hear the sound.
Insects, caterpillars and larvae
are not destroyed-as is often be-
lieved-by intense cold or heavy
frosts. After an exposure to 8
temperature of eleven degrees
below zero the common cater
pillar has revived on the return of
sufficient warmth.
| The path OF destruction or
American tornadoes has averaged
1885 feet in width, according to
Sergeant Finley. The storm cloud
moves at the rate of twelve to
sixty miles an hour, while the
wind within the vortex sometimes
reaches the tremendous velocity
of 800 miles an hour-392 miles
being the average.
In concluding course of lec'
lures upon the Ancient World
and the Appearance of Man,
Prof. Boyd DawAins said that
study of the past had shown that
continued struggles with nature
had developed mans powers unit
, be had reached his present con