St. Landry democrat., 1883-02-24

have DclI6Seu tO Uo uGCtSodlJs ~ AS.oo
an approach to such conversion mas
been discovered in the mines OF the up
per Hartz, in Germany, where some OF
the timbers originally used in timberlng
have been transformed into what ap-
pears to be a genuine lignate, or brown
coal. The time occupied by the e'process
cannot, it is believed, have extended
beyond four centuries-a very brief Pc
riod compared with that usually as
signed to coal formations.
The delicacy Of the spectroscope IN q
chemical analysis is remarkable. Swan
found that the sodium lines are
visible when solution is employed
containing less than tWo-milllonth
part of grain of sodium.
A new method of utilizing certain
marine plants has been devised in
France, gum being extracted from
them which is found to be valuable ln
the. arts in various ways, particularly
in the manufacture of a substitute
for leather.
A London architectural authority at
tributes the great durability OF mortar
in Italy to the fact that the lime re-
mains covered with water in q pit Tor
two years, whereas in England 1t is ap-
piled at once after slaking.
DR.. George johnson has given an in
teresting list of articles of food and
drink which should be used and avoided
by those who do not wish to grow fat.
Such persons may eat lean mutton and
beef, veal and lamb, thin soups, beef
tea, poultry, game, fish and eggs, bread
in moderation, green's, crosses, lettuce,
green peas, cabbage, caulifiower, onions,
and fresh fruit without sugar
but should abstain from fat meat, bacon,
ham, butter, cream, sugar, potatoes, car
rots, parsnips, rice, sago, tapioca, maca-
roni, custards, pastry, puddings and
sweet cakes.
It has been estimated that the North
American continent is being reduced in
height at the rate of foot in every
| $500 years by the erosive action of wa
| ter.
Many singular creatures are known to
science, but probably none Of the lower
animals have a more remarkable meth
| cd of securing prey than the chaetodon,
a beautiful Japanese fish. Seeing fly
lighted near the surface of the water,
this fish gently approaches and with
unerring aim projects a drop of water
at the unsuspecting insect, knocking it
from it's perch, when it is easily secured.
Mr.. Robert E. G. Stearns has suggest
ed the possibility Of making valuable
investigations into the periodicity of
! climates and the direction and effects of
winds by the systematic study Of the
annual signs of trees. 1t may be found
for example, that thick and thin rings
record wet and dry years, and that a
greater growth on one side OF layer
than on the other may be traced to a
difference in the amount of heat strik-
ing the two sides. The record of some
trees covers long period.
Of the Royal Society of London Prof.
Draper says: We have only to turn
over the pages of its transactions to dis
cern how much this society has done for
/ the progress of humanity. 1t was in
corporated in 1869, and has interested
| itselfin all the great scientific move
ments and discoveries that have since
been made. 1t published Newton s
/ Principal it promoted Halley's voyage
/ the first scientific expedition undertak-
en- by any government; it made ex.
periments on the TRANSMISSION Of blood
and accepted Harvey's discovery of The
circulation. The encouragement il
gave to inoculation led Queen Caroline
to beg six criminals for rexperiment, and
then to submit her own children to tha,
operation. Through its encouragement
Bradley accomplished his great discov.
ery, the alteration of the fixed stars
and that Of the mutation Of the earth's
i axis to these two discoveries, Delam.
bre says, we owe the exactness Of mod
ern astronomy. 1t promoted the i'm.
proyement Of the thermometer, the
measure of temperature, and in Harri-
sons watch the chronometer, the meas
! ure Of time. Through it the Gregorian
I calendar was introduced into England
in 1859, against a violent religious op-
position. Some of its members were
pursued through the streets by an igno-
rant and infuriated mob, who believed
it had robbed them of eleven days o.
their livasi ** JIG 7 were to at