Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-01-11
LIGHT AND THE EYES.

LIGHT AND THE EYES.
Professor Pickering, of Harvard observato-
ry, points out in Nature that the color OF
gaslight has nothing to do with it's painful
effect upon the eyes OF students and others.
To test this question he had tin lamp-shade
constructed consisting of a tube six inches IN
length. One end was closed by a reflector,
and the other by piece Of light blue glass.
Two holes were made in the side, through
which passed the glass chimney of an Argand
gas-burner. BY experimenting with pho
tometer, position was found where the light
received on book was Of the same intensity
and very similar color to that from window
in day time at distance of about six feet.
A few minutes reading, however, was sutfi-
cient to convice him that the new light was
far more trying to the eyes than an ordinary
gas flame would be, the ill-effects being due
to the intense heat thrown down by the re-
fector. And this he thinks, is the source of
the whole trouble in the ordinary gas burner.
The heat radiated by the flame, the heated
chimney and shade, reflected from the printed
page and all other white paper lying on the
table dries the eyes, the lids, the forehead and
temples. Temporary relief may be found by
bathing the face and eyes in water, but 1T is
only temporary. The hot, dry air from the
lamp is also harmful, and no doubt contrib
utes it's share Of its injury to the vision.
These evils may both in part be remedied By
placing pane Of glass so as to intercept the
rays about the lamp before they strike on the
book or the face But it must be placed at
such distance from the lamp as not itself to
become heated.
The hotter the fame the whittier it is, and
the more light is thrown off in proportion to
the heat Hence occulists are recommending
such lights as the students and moderator
lamps, which burn with small, hot and very
brilliant flame, as compared with that fur
nished by the argand and tish-tall burners.
Statistics, said Professor Pickering, show
how alarmngly prevalent near-sightedness has
become of late among students. Hence, any
thing which will tend in the future to pre-
vent this widespread defect will be boon to
mankind. He has great hopes OF the electric
light in this respect. In it there was maxi
mum of light with minimum of heat. The
ever-varying intensity was an objection, but
he thought we might look forward to the sue
cess of the light from the incandescent carbon
strip, in the near future, as remedy for "the
most widespread evil that affiicts the human
vision"
THIS YEARS COTTON CROP.-The cotton
returns mailed to the Department of Agrlcul-
ture at Washington, December 1st, relate to
the product in comparison with the produc-
ton of last year. There will be one more at
the close of the season estimating the actual
number of bales and acres Of the present crop.
Last months return of the yield per acre lndl-
Gated 6. .636, 800 bales of 460 net pounds of lint
EACH The December report makes an aggre-
gate approximating 6, 700, 600 bales. 1t is not
presented as statstician' s estimate OF the crop,
but as the result of careful revision of con-
solidation of county estimates. The influence
of December on the views OF the correspon-
dents may somewhat increase or may decrease
these figures. The estimated increase in Flor
ida is per cent, or in round numbers %, ,OO0
bales, Mississippi per cent. or $751; 600 bales,
North Carolina 10 per cent. or 421, ,OOO bales,
Alabama 10 per cent. or 76S, 900 bales, Geor-
cia II per cent. or SS5, 900 bales, Louisiana 20
per cent. or 81 900 bales, Tennessee % per
cent. or $4,000 bales, South Carolina 26 per
cent or 1000 bales, Texas 81 per cent or
], 1922, 600 bales, Arkansas 60 per cent. or $780,
600 bales. In South Carolina, Texas and Ar
kansas last years product was greatly re-
duced, which accounts for the large percent
age of increase. Virginia, Missouri, Indian
Territory and other districts may make $4,000
bales Serious injury is justly apprehended
from the lateness of the crop, and vigor of
growth did not occur. Killing frosts were
everywhere later than usual, yet the loss OF
immature bolls in some districts estimated at
10 per cent, resulted in parts OF North Caro-
lima, Tennessee, Arkansas and n orthern Texas,
and in less degree in other States of the
cotton belt. In Northern Mississippi frost
was reported twenty to thirty days later than
in average years. The weather has been gen.
orally favorable for picking and at many points
exceptionally good. The reverse has been
true in portions of Louisiana and Northern
Texas, in some counties of Arkansas and
other parts of the Southwest from continued
wet weather. Losses from the boil worm con-
tinue to be reported, mainly west of the Mis-
sippi. This insect has probably caused as
much damage as the caterpillar this season.
DANGEROUS CoMPANIoNs.- Ns.-When young
man has made ND his mind to walk on the