The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-06-28
Ce~fslsS fer Tzs 44ykEnsxr Trrrxse~.
 SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

ties of zinc may be dissolved by water
 kept long IF oontac, with it.
 A very violent poison has been isolated
 from decomposing animal flesh by Prof
 Briggs, of Berlin. Analysis has shown
 that ii IS hyGrocnloric saIt of a new base.
 and tha; il does no, resemble any other
 known combination.
 An English writer asserts tha: the opip-
 ion that the electric light may hasten the
 growth of plants and the ripening of fruit
 Is delusion. He bases this declaration
 on the results of experiments with pota-
 toes, los of which vege.aied in total
 darkness and another which was exposed
 to the glare of the electric are ,hroughou,
 each night having shown no difference h
 growth or general appearance
 A method of grosing house-plan,s
 wiiho1, soil is claimed by Captain Hal ford Thompson, similar plan having been previously suggested by French man named Dumesnii. The plants are reared n a prepared or fertilized moss. and are said to grow even more 4ax'ssiantiy than in soil. Specimen baskets of plants cultivated in this way haze been exhibited in London.
 Weather Lore--The United States sig mai ofiioe is preparing as complete cat alogue as possible of all works ever writ ten on meteorological subjects. Mr. C. ]. Symons. F. K. S, estimates tha; the catalogue will contain the ,itSs of more than 5000 books and papers upon me ieorology. and pr, Hellnann states that he number of such publications IT exist enee IS increasing at the rate Of Goo an- nua,ly.
 The island of Cos. in the Medi,erra- mean, contains gigantic plane tree, in whose shade Hippocra,es, the Father of Medicine, is said by tradition 10 have been consulted by his patients. The branches overspreal nearly the whole of ;he market-place of the town of Ccs, and are supported by marble pillars. Photo graphs of this aneien, tree were recently exhibited 70 the Berlin Medical society by Prof. tlrchow.
 According 10 Mir Leo G,indon. who recently referred to :he sublec. at Man chester. England, no, less than abou, loo 900 fiower-beaFing plants are known 10 6otanisis. and no, more than ro 900 Of iheu.-inciuding 800 kinds Of fruit trees, all sorts of vegetables, timber trees. plants yielding fibre for clothing, etc can De said to be of direc, service to man. He thinks there may be about !, 900 plants which are more or less poisonous and hurtful. and is surprising and im- porian' fact ,ha, many of ,he deadly plants are useful medicines in the hands of competent physicians.
 Purity of Sea Air-While the a,mos- ohere of populous cities Is crowded with organisms. it has been sup posed that .he air over the open sea is remarkably free from them, and two reneh investiga;ors-Messrs. Moreau md Piansymansion-have just proved by iireo. observation, while crossing the Atlantic, tha; such is really the case. Over the open sea at a distance from heir vessel the air was found to contain 'ery little solid matter of any kind, al- hough immediately about the ship the swarmed with microbes. The germ-des,roying influence which the ca appears to exert is regarded as re- assuring matter, as is probably prevents he conveying of epidemics by winds .cross the ocean to distan: countries.
 Lunar Eaee: on :he Wse,her-@s @s:nce,7 avs Prot. (. A. Young. thesuoers,i,ion $ 10 the moons influence upon the wind nd w:a,ner IS So wide spread and deep ea,ed, word on that sublec, may be in '.de-. h the frs: place, since the total lea, received from the moon. even &C., ord;ng to the highes, de,ermin ation that of Smyth), is not so much as one Iundred-thousand;h of ,ha; received from he sun, and since the only hold the moon las on the earth's weather is through he hea; she sends us q ignore here ,he t'erly insignificant atmospheric tide), follows necessarily that her influence aus; be very tri'ing. In the next place, II carefcliy collated observations show la: ii is so, and no; only .rising bu, gen. rally absolutely insensib.e,
 Mad Dogs Robbed of Their Terrors.- he latest announcement from Mons. asseur promises the human race perfect aiesy in future from hydrophobia. I, ppears that afier being bitten by mad og man, or any other animal, may be aved from an attack of hydrophobia by