The Florida agriculturist., 1885-02-25


ment has just been drawn to the exist
ence of extensive deposits of sulphur in
Western Siberia. Europe's supply of sui
pher is now chiefly obtained from Sicily.
To assist in determining whether any
slow changes in terrestrial ATTITUDES are
taking place, series of observations
covering period Of several years, is to
be made at Washington and elsewhere.
Under the influences of galvanic action
milk has been kept sweet three weeks
in summer, and it is suggested that beer
and other liquids may be preserved in a
similar manner:
SMOKING AGAIN INyEsTIGATED.-By
long series of experiments, Russian
physician, Dr. Zulinski, has proven that
tobacco smoke is a distinct poison, al
though its action upon mems very slight
unless inhaled in considerable quantities.
He has found that the poisonous proper
ty is not exclusively due to the nicotine,
for tobacco smoke contains second tOx-
ical principle called colidine, as well as
carbonic oxide and hydrocyanic acid.
The effects depend largely upon the ma
ture of the tobacco and the manner of
smoking it. The most poison is derived
from the smoking of cigars, less from
cigarettes, still less from pipes and least
of all from the use of nargiles or any
other apparatus in which the smoke is
passed through water Tobacco which
has been artifcially lightened in color is,
in DIR. Zulinski's opinion, more danger
GUS than the. darker kinds.
STORM STATIsTICs.-In recent official
publication, the Chief Signal Officer has
given summarized account of 2,730 of
the storms which occurred from January
! 1876, to August, 1881, in region embra-
cling large part OF North America, the
| Atlantic and Europe. OF these, 4l3 be-
! gan and ended in America $50 began in
America and ended in the Atlantic; 100
/ began in America and crossed the Allan
/ tic; 326 began and ended in the Atlantic
! 655 began in the Atlantic and ended in
Europe (; 491 began and ended in Europe
and 66 began in America and crossed the
Atlantic and Europe.
Il Earthquake observations are to be in.
i stituted on the summit of the Ben Nevis,
where is located the highest meteorolo-
gical observatory in the British Isles.
The isolated position of the station rem
ders it particularly suited to observations
of slight tremors.
The photograph of a tailed boy from
Saigon was lately shown to the London
Anthropological Society. His age is
about eight years, and the appendage 6
or inches long.
NATURES INVISIBLE worcestershire
croscopic organisms not only destroy the
plant and animal forms familiar to us,
but they appear also to build up such
forms, and to be necessary to their very
existence. A French biologist, Mons.
DuclauX, has just made some expert
ments which tend to prove that plants
will not germinate unless microbes exist
in the soil and Pasteur had already been
led to the conclusion that microbes are
essential to animal life, as digestion can
not be performed unless they are pres
ent.
BIRD MIGRATION TO CUBA.-Statistics
collected by the American Ornithologists'
Union show that great numbers of birds
are destroyed by flying against the light
houses of Cuba. At Paredon Grande,
more than 100 birds were found one
morning; in one night last October 27S
were killed by flying against the light
house at Cardenas; and at the San An
tonic lighthouse more than 500 are some
times picked up after single nights de-
struction. Thus is confirmed the view
expressed by Prof. Spencer F. Baird,
twenty years ago, that every autumn
great bird-wave sweeps from Florida to
| Cuba.
A disease called potato-scab has been
described by Prof. f Heiden, who finds
it to be occasioned by parasite fungus,
Rhizoktonia solani, and not due, as it is
commonly supposed, to the action OF
caustic lime upon the surface of the tu-
bers. The disease is severest in fields
dressed with farm-yard manure.
Several agricultural chemists of Ger
many have been studying to improve
heavy soils, and now recommend lime as
dressing. The crop for the first season
should be potatoes for the second, oats
for the third, tare or peas; and for the
fourth, potatoes again.