New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-07
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.
1sI A LIGNlFIED sNAKEY

"A
Last April La Nature published description
of a remarkable phenomena Ia small Brazil
ian snake app rently turned into wood and
Embedded within the trunk OF a tree Accord.
ing to NJ. Louis Olivier, OF Paris, who examined
the piece si wood containing this curiosity the
snake while pursuing some insect into assure
of the tree, had insinuated itself between the
wood and the bark into the camban layer,
where it was hid fast and was finally turned
into wood. Bat Professor Asa Gray has APP
parently sharper eyes than the French expert
and in the current number or Ihe American
Journal of Science" very effectively explodes
the snake story, IL. Ma.
Through the kindness of the Brazilian Mn
lister he saws. We have seen and examined the
original specimen, and have been presented
with an electrotype of IL. 1t is a great curl
ositv. The resemblance 20 a snake is wonder
fuliv close although the scales and cephalc
plafes,n which NJ. Olivier identities with those
OF particular Brazilian snake, exist , only IN a
covered by delicate meshes of woody Ebres
md here and there particular fbres OF woody
threads can be traced from the body to the
woody surface. The adopted explanation re-
Cuires us TO suppose that snake had forced his
NAY between the bark and the wood of a living
tree in a position exactly under a grub or a
Iarva had persisted there when within half an
inch of its Trey was somehow preserved from
decay, even to the eye-sockets ana tne msrklngs
of the skin, until woody growth had formed,
the elements of which replaced the whole super,
fetal structure OF the animal,-uDtn the animal
was lignifed
Two other and more probable explanations
have suggested themselves. One Is that the
snake-like body IL of the nature of root, an
aerial root like those of clusia or fcus,
which was making Its way between bark and
wood /; and that the supposed larya is an lnclp-
tent root of the same KIND. The other supp0Ses
that the sinuOus course is the track OF wood
Eating larva OF some kind of insect, the burrOw-
ing of which had not destroyed the everything
liler; consequently the new growth filling
the space except at certain points, mas natnr-
phantom was suggested by Professor Wads-
worth, of Cambridge, examining the specimen
along with the writer; and 1t is 10 DE pre-
ferred. Still, that head and neck should be so
well outlined and che former so well representa-
pair of orbits were surely most wonderful. but
q close inspection of the eectrOtype showed that
there had been some cutting away at the right
side of the neck, and that the narrowing there
was in part Fictitious and less decisive lndlca-
tons suggested that other outlines mad been
touched up. The subsequent inspection of the
original confirmed this and likewise enllght-
ened us about the eyes, For the left orbit was
found to occur, not in woody structure, ike
that of the right side, but in dark material
having the appearance of pitch or cement OF
some sort.
REFLECTING TELESCOPES.
FReNecting telescopes have not made much
progress in this country although some admir-
able specimens have been manufactured 10y the
late DR.. Draper and Others. In England Sill,
vered glass retlectors have, however, attained
considerable popularity, and Messrs. W lth ana
Calver are widely known as makers OF excel
lent instruments. What these makers have
done for England MIR. John A. Biashear, OF
Pittsburg, Penn, has begun to do Tor tins
country. He has Just finished large telescope
for the Rev. John Pedte of Greenvlle, Penn
According to The PittSbag Commercial Gazette
Mr.. Brasllear started out III the manufacture 81
telescopes q few years ago when ne was mill
Wright at lug & Co.'s iron works. The work
grew upon his hands so fast that he found 1t
necessary to give up one or the other, ana Tor
the past two years he has confined himself
wholly to his new business and has beer en-
larging and increasing the capacity of his shop
as occasion demanded. The telescope which
has just been finished is seven feet SIX inches
long; the reflector is twelve and one-fourth
inches in diameter, and will bear magnlfylng
power in the eye piece OF from fifty up TO l,OOO.
The silvered glass telescope, says Mr.. Bra
shear, was FIRST made by DR.. Henry Draper at
Hastings-on-the- Hudson. Dr. Draper assisted him
I'm his earliest work, and il it had not been tor his
help he never would have succeeded DR.. Draper
owned the two largest rejecting telescopes IN
the country-the one twenty EIGHT inches IN
diameter the other fifteen and 0ne-balf inches.
He made them both himself. The next III size
ia owned by Frank BOOkwalter, of Springfield,
Ohio. 1t was built 10y Calver, OF London. Two
which Mr. Brashear has built come next in size.
One of these is the instrument just finished.
THE RED OR SWEET GUM TREE.
1t has been universally conceded, says The
Soutbey, LnmbernGR, that the red gum of the
Southern States LiQuidamber Styrdcifaa),
would supersede the high priced and now
scarce walnut for furniture and finishing pur-
poses could any way be discovered to overcome
Its warpng prOpensities. Extensive expert
ments have been going on for some time past
having this object in view, but so far no an
nouLcement has been made of success, except
in the case of Mr.. Van Etten, an Arkansas lum-
herman. His process is thus described AS
soou az the lumber comes from the saw 1T is
run into kiln, where it is deluged with steam
for twenty four hours. At the end of that time
Il is claimed that the life of the wood is de-
stroyed and it is ready to be- piled, just as
though il had nev or had taste OF purgatory.
As much attention should he paid 10 drying as
If nothing had happened. IL should be placed
carefully on sticks, well covered and allowed
to remain for at least year. =,
If the above process proves success, ADDS
The LnDsber1nan, one of the most beautiful
woods in the world will be utilized in the man
ufacture of a thousand useful and ornamental
covered with red or sweet gum OF the finest
quality. from the mouth of the Ohio River to
the Gulf of Mexico, will come into market,
bringing wealth to States and individuals.
Whether Mr.. Van Etten's discovery proves sue
cessful or not, a way will be found, sooner or
later, to bring this fine wood under the control
of the workman's tools. Writers on the sub
jeet of red gum frequently assert that II can he
stained to resemble walnut. This is no object,
for the natural color of the wood Is quite as
beautiful as walnut We have seen specimens