Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1883-05-31
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

through a plank two inches thick at y
distance of ffy PAGES.
Mons. Macsgno, to test the influence
Of atmospheric electricity upon grapevines
has caused an electric current to pass
through sixteen feet of vine from April
70 September. The wood of the branches
thus experimented upon was found to
soatain less potash and other mineral mat
VEN than the rest of the vine, but the
leaves had an excess of potash in the
form Of bitartrate; the grapes from the
slec&sized branches furnished more NUT,
contained greater proportion Of glucose,
and were less acid than other grapes
A Swan electric lamp "not larger than
. bean" is employed by Mr.. j. b. Payne
in several forms Of apparatus for illumin-
ating the interior Of the body. An ex-
hibition of the instruments was made at
. late meeting of the Northumberland
and Durham Medical Society, Of Eng
land.
In ancient Egypt the tax-collector's
receipts were inscribed on fragments of
broken crockery. From the British Mu-
ssum collection Of these queer documents
(which have been found in large num-
befs--a series of TRANSACTIONS has been
made BY DR.. Birch, showing the tax in
Egypt under the early Caesars.
Prof. W. A. Rogers has recorded the
curious discovery that the microscope
may fail to show lines or errors in ruled
lines which may be detected with the un-
aided eye.
Japan contains, according to Prof
Jules Marcou, l3l volcanoes, of which
% are active The active volcanoes are
most numerous between the l3Sth and
the l40th degree of east longitude and
the sd and the 3Sth parallel of latitude.
It is therefore considered by no means
strange that Toxic, located within these
limits, should have experienced 377 earth
quake shocks in the five years from 1876
to 1881.
Telcgraphic communication being now
established between all the Australian
colonies, it is proposed to issue at Mel
borne daily weather chart, showing at
mospheric conditions at nine a. m, and
venturiag predictions for the following
day, especially when cyclone disturbances
appear near the coast These storms us,l-
ally come from the southern Indian ocean
and travel east or northeast, sometimes
running ashore and sometimes passing
south Of Tasmania. Warnings of the
approach Of the storms are sent by cable
to New Zealand, they seldom fail to reach
that region, taking from two to three
days for the passage from Australia.
Dr.. w. Soper has recommended a mix
ture Of equal parts Of elyecrine and cas-
Tor oil, slightly favored with oil Of al
monds or lemon, ~ an agreeable substi-
tute for castor oil. To ensure the ready
mixing Of the two liquids the castor oil
should be very gradually poured into the
glycerine while the latter is being well
stirred. DR.. Soper pronounces teaspoon
full Of this mixture an effective dose.
"The tide Of intellectual effort" says
the London Times, 'sets strongly in the
direction Of science, just as at an earlier
period it set in the direction of letters. /"
A record Of American earthquakes in
1882, prepared by Prof. G. G. lockwood,
Jr., includes 72 items, Of which - are
given Is doubtful. The ~ earthquakes
are classified geographically as follows
Canada, six; New England, Eve, three
being doubtful; Atlantic States, six, four
being doubtful; Mississippi Valley, eleven,
two being doubtful; Pacific Coast, nine
teen, three being doubtful; Mexico and
Central America, eighteen; Venezuela,
enc; West Indies, five, one being doubt
full; Peru, one.
The discovery is reported of large and
very rich deposits of petroleum in the
upper provinces Of the Argentine Repub-
lie. One Of the deposits, in the province
Of Jujury, consists of lake of about So
acres in area, and Of unknown depth,
which is covered with asphalte. The
liquid itself is rather thick, of black
color, and is said to be free from Disagree
able odor-
The exploring expedition soou to start
for Greenland under the command of
Baron Nordenskjold i to have in its out |
Il flying Or air-sailing machine, which |
y now being constructed in Sweden at
The expense Of DIR. Oscar Dickson. 1t is
n Ia nrxss,lmed that the idea of carrying,