Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-08-21
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

cherry, peach, plum and others bearing
stone fruits-is due to a disease Of the
tree. The disease is produced by highly
organized fungus, whose action causes the
formation of the gum, and it Is quictl
reproduced in sound trees By inoceulatior
with pieces Of the gum containing any Of
the fungus. This knowledge Of tie na-
ture Of gum may enable fruit growers T.
protect their trees from a troublesome
contagious disease, while it also indicates
that the product Of valuable gums, ike
arAbic and tragacanth, which are produced
in the same manner, may be largely in
creased by "a simple system Of cultivation
b. incubation.
On walking upon or disturbing :the
sand Of certain beaches peculiar sound
is heard, which has been described as
somewhat resembling the bark Of dog
The sc und seems to arise from the fric-
ton Of particles Of dry sand. Tn
til recently these so-called singing beaches
have been known to exist at only two
places-one in Europe and one in this
country-but samples of the singing
sands have now been collected in no less
than twenty-six localities in the United
States.
After a careful and laborious investi-
CATION, DR.. Edgar Holden concludes that
death from consumption, instead Of being
as is almost universally supposed, most
prevalent in early adult life in this coun
try, is in reality not so, but grows rela-
lively more frequent as life advances.
Among some curious results of spec
troscopic study Of gases, the Astronomer
Royal for Scotland mentions the fact that
the spectrum Of nitrogen indicates it to
be compound, while oxygen and hydro
gen act like simple substances.
According to Mr.. Richard A. Proctor,
advantage must be taken Of motion
athwart the air, this motion being in the
first place communicated while the zero
naut or flying machine is on the ground.
given an adequate velocity, with sui.i-
Gent extent Of supporting surface, any
body, however heavy, may be made to
rise from the ground; and there can be
no question that mechanicians can pro.
ducc sufficient velocity to raise either .
man or flying machine, provided with
no greater supporting surface thar
would be manageable in either case. Tn,
real difficulties to overcome are to main
tain in the air the velocity Of motion at
tanned upon the ground, to increase tn,
elevation, to guide eronauts fight, and
to preserve the balance Of the mronau,
or flying machine. Mr.. Proctor believes
that these difficulties will be conqered
The mastery Of the problem of flight h,
regards asa solution Of the problem oil
travelling more swiftly than is now posi-
sible. Iron and steam have enabled man
to surpass the speed Of the swiftest four.
footed creatures, aud he has full conf
dence that the same useful servants place
it in mans power to outstrip in like man.
ner the swiftest Of winged creatures.
Samples Of green peas, from lot al
legged to have caused sickness and diar.
rhca, have been found by DR.. John
Mirter to be affected by fungoid growth
on the inner surface Of the outer coating
Of the seed. When boiled with water
the peas have sickly, green color, with
yellow spots; but when the water contains
little soda they show deep violet brown
markings, and emit a fragrant odor on
keeping.
A recent estimate made by means Of a
very intricate testing apparatus, places the
rate ut which electric dot travels over a
telegraph wire a. 10000 miles per
second.
Prof. A. II. Sayce has deciphcred an
Assyrian record Of transit of Venus
in the sixteenth century before the Chris
tian era.
Physicists agree in declaring that the
presence Of solid particles in the air facil
i.rsss condensation Of vapor, and an un-
usual quantity Of an extraordinary fall Of
rain. In paper read before the Paris
Academy of sciences, Mons. Gay stated
that the rainfall Of the early part of the
present year was very heavy, and lie was
inclined to attribute the Circumstance to
the same dust-evidently of volcanic
origin--which is believed to have given
rise to the brilliant sunrises and sunsets
OF last autumn and winter. 1t has been
shown that several other volcanic erup.