The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-06-22
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Written expressly for the GAZETTE by celebrated
Eastern Scientist.
Records OF 9he New York Meteorological
Observatory for the last six years show that
New York has enjoyed an average OF 2,9i7
hours of sunshine per annum out OF posi-
BILE 4,45O. The record at Greenwich In 1878
was 977 hours of sunshine out of a possible
4,447, while at New York in the same year
there were 5, l0l out of possible 4, ,449.
Messrs. Wroblewski and Olszewski, two
Polish experimenters, have succeeded In OBJ
tanning both oxygen and nitrogen in a per-
fectly liquid form. The liquids are color
less and transparent, resembling carbonIc
acid. The liquefaction was produced under
the combined action OF intense cold and
great pressure. At temperature CT 2l2.S
degrees below zero Fahrenheit, pressure OF
about 25 atlnospheres-or 375 pounds to
the square inch-readila Gquefed oxygen in
glass tubes. At the same temperature
nitrogen still retained its gaseous form whom
pressure of $50 atnospheres had been
reached; but gradual diminution of the
pressure to about so atmospheres yielded
the liquid which quickly evaporated.
Even the feeble rays of the moon have an
influence upon plants In paper read to
the Paris Academy Of Sciences Mons. Musset
states that plants very sensitive to light
and heat were grown from seeds in pots oc-
cupying very dark place. They were
then on three nights exposed to direct
moonlight, when the stems bent over to-
ward the moon and followed it in it's course.
Solar eruptions or prominenees, hitherto
seen only at the suns edge. have been OBJ
served by Mons. Tacchini on its very disk.
Mons. G.. Fousserean has proven that the
tempering OF glass dimnishes the resistance
OF that substance to electricity, and conse-
quently lessons its efficiency for insulating
purposes. On the ether hand. annealing
tempered glass restores its higher resistance.
Tho Importance to tree growth of an
abundance of water is we'll illustrated by
an observation of Mons. Capus. In the
botanic garden at Samarcande, 'Turkestau,
an Aiianthus glandulosus grew about eight
inches during the first year; thirteen inches
in the second, and thirty-fse inches in the
third. Tho soil was not irrigated during
these three years, but in the fourth year,
when irrigation-water was supplied, the
growth of the tree was over thirty feet.
Drs. Sitherwood and Hanlan have ex-
pressed the belief that excessive mental
work produces rapid decay of the teeth.
As an explanation of the alleged fact, anoth-
er writer suggests that the overworfzed brain
steals all the phosphates and leaves none
for the teeth, or else that too much study
causes the general health to deteriorate.
The Lancet doubts if excessive mental work
can of itself induce serious disease but
thinks it more probable that i'll effects result
from the worry--which wears upon the sys-
tenn like friction upon. the engine-attending
such work.
Mons. Argot has been investigating the
influence of altitude upon vegetation. He
finds that the harvest time for winter wheat
is retarded IN France four days, on an aver
age, for every increase of about $50 feet in
the height of the land above the level of
the sea.
"Can pigs swim?" is question which GER
tain European savants have been discussing.
1t is established by several observations re-
ported that these animals sometimes make
very successful swimmers.
In an exhaustive work upon the fishes of
Cuban waters, Senior Felps Poey has de-
scribed 1872 distinct varieties. OF these,
however, los are somewhat doubtful.
An interesting mountain exploration is
being attempted in India. Two mountain.
eers, one an experienced Swiss guide, have
left Darjeehng with the purpose of reaching
the highest possible point OH the great
Kinchinjinga, one of the very loftiest peak
oi the globe.
Two successful aerial trips have been
made by Mons. Pompcieu with an elongated
balloon, and on the second ascent change
in the course of the air-ship was obtained
by simply moving rudder with which
had been provided.
Some experiments noticed by Dr. A J.
Wall indicate that the bite of the American
rattlesnake is far less deadly than that of
certain snakes found in ot!er parts of the
world. In four fatal cases of rattlesnake
poisoning in dogs, the animals survived for
an average period of about two hours and
half after being bitten; and at least five dogs
experimental upon recovered coaplesefy.
The dogs bitten by the Indian Cobra all
died wit hin IN DarinI of loco
thirty-fve minutes; and those poisoned by
the Australian hoplocephalus lived only
one hour and twenty-four minutes"
In Finland, where such phenomena are
very rare a, severe earthquake shock was
felt in April.
When yon come TO town to do. business,
never patronize a person who does not ad-
yertise in your county paper; because the