Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-11-10
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

The scarcity ofsprings and running
streams in Canada Is ascribed by Mr..
Joseph Wilcox to the fact that the
ancient glaciers swept away from the
rocks of the country large part OF
the soil, leaving but little of the MA
terial which, in countries where
springs and streams abound, soaks UP
the rain and melting snow, and after
ward gradually gives out the water
thus stored.
In several places in India the sun
appeared to have distinctly green
color during period Of some days re-
Gently. This singular phenomenon,
which has caused much interest and
even alarm, has been attributed by
sage across Southern India of sulphur
Gus vapor from the Java volcanoes.
A committee of the British Associa-
ton has measured the height and
weight of So 900 persons from all parts
of the British Isles. The results
show that the Scotch are the heaviest,
the Welsh next in weight, the Eng
fish third, and the Irish are second in
stature, the English third, and the
Welsh are the shortest. For each
inch of stature Scotchman weighs
2.3O1, lbs, and an Irishman 2.570 lbs.
A Norwegian geologist has measured
the glaciers of Iceland, and has found
them to he the largest ice-rivers in
the world, those of Norway, the Alps
and the Pyrnees seeming quite small
by comparison. Liquid carbonic acid
is now manufactured in considerable
quantities at the great iron works of
Krupp, in Essen Prussia, and is used
for a variety of purposes. Among its
most curious applications is that of re-
moving bands from cannon. The
great guns made at this foundry are
| bound with iron hoops, which are
driven on while expanded by a high
heat and become very tight on cool
| ing. The removal of a ring is some
times necessary, and this is effected
by means of the evaporation OF liquid
carbonic acid in contact with the can
non, the temperature of the latter be-
ing thus reduced to many degrees be-
low zero, causing the cannon itself to
contract and loosen the ring, which
retains an ordinary temperature.
The use of food substances-such as
meats, leItils, peas, beans, etc.-in q
dried and finely powered form is said
| to be attracting very favorable atten-
/ ton, especially in France. In this
/ form the food is very NITROUS, and is
easily digested and assimilated. 1t is
stated to have been tried with re-
markable success by consumptives
and other persons having week diges-
ton, The powder, Of which few
spoonfuls are equal to the meal of a
person with a healthy appetite, may
| be kept in bottles for an indefinite
time, and may be taken with a little
milk, gravy, wine, water or other
liquid.
DR.. George Vasey, botanist of the de-
partment of Agriculture, has prepared
q catalogue of the North American
grasses. 1t enumerates ia genera,
embracing $50 species.
The first bread is supposed TO have
been made by the Swiss lake-dwellers
ut a period to Which no date can be
assigned, although it may have quite
closely approached historic times.
Specimens of the bread, which was
baked between two red-hot stones,
have been found In the form of little
cicular cakes, four or five inches in di-
ameter by an inch and o quarter
thick. Wheat cake made from poppy
seeds has been found among the ruins
of the lake dwellings. The grains
were imperfectly ground, or crushed
in stone mortars, and the bread was
unleavened,