The Press., 1885-08-13

from long before those days it has been a matter of mystery and speculation where the swallows go ill winter. There have been many advocates of the theory of hi bernation, and, following the birds trick of skimming along the surface of ponds, some people have declared that the swallows dive into the mud at the time of their dis appearance and lie dormant there until spring. This absurd notion has had very strong believers. There have been people who have known people who have heard people say that they have dragged out swallows and mud in drawing fsh-nets. There is just enough in literature and tra- dition to sustain the idea to make it inter- esting to study, and a recent valuable con- tribution to knowledge upon the subject has been furnished in Germany. At Ron neburg resident tied water proof label under the wing of swallow that had nest ed at his house. On this label he asked, in German, for information as to where the bird might spend the winter. Eventually the bird returned to it's nest, and it brought back the answer: ''In Florence, at Gas tellari's house, and I bear many saluta- tions." If all this is genuine it is exceed ingly important. The objection is that it presupposes an extremely obliging swallow. The bird that will come in and tip up and be labeled, and then go out to service as an international valentine, is showing de- votion to the cause of natural science which invests the science itself with greater mys- tery than ever. As for the two citizens of Ronneburg and Florence, should they ever meet, they will surely have to go out and take swallow together. .-Hurfford C0ur- zaat.
 The report of the Agricultural Bureau for August gives the country reason to re- joice in the prospect of splendid crops. The crop of cotton promises to be the largest ever grown. Its condition is not better than that of August, 1880, but the acreage IS better. Corn promises the largest crop ever raised. Oats promise to exceed the yield of last year, when the crop was the largest ever grown. Of po- tatoes and tobacco, full crops are foreshad- owed. There is the greatest interest in the wheat report. The bureau reports that the yield is likely to be only 6,OOO, ,OOO bushels lower than was expected July l, when the report indicated an aggregate yield of 363, ,OOO, ,OOO bushels. If so. the yield this year will be about 357, ,OOO. .OOO. which with the supply remaining from last year. will considerably exceed the probable demand.
 Advices from Tonquin say that the bish- op Of Quinhon reports that over 10000 Christians have been massacred in the province of Bien Dinh and Phy Yen. Mur- ders and incendiary fires are of daily oc- currence. The vicariate has been annihi- lated.
 James W. Marshall, the discoverer of gold Tn California, died Monday at his home in Kasey, Gal. He was "A years old. and died poverty stricken, disappointed man. COCAINE IN HAY FEvER.-Almost daily we hear of some disease or combination of symp- | toms ln which Cocaine has been tried for the hrst tune, and has answered beyond expecta- ton. It appears strange that so intractable a complaint as hay fever should be amenable to its influence, and yet such is the case. The account given by MT. Watson, of the West minister Hospital, of his sufferings and subse. queut cure by tabloids of cocaine is too cir. cumstantial to admit of doubt, even had we not received confrmatory evidences from many sources. It has been objected on the. oretical grounds that cocaine must of neoessi ty be imperative, or at all events of compara, lively little use, in those cases in which symp toms of an asthmatic type prevail Curious ly enough, however, it has been shown that cocaine, when applied to the mucous mem orane, has the power of allaying even thi spasm. The observation, too, is not new for many months ago Dr. Bosworth, professor of Laryngology at Bellevue Hospital Medica College, published 8 detailed account of case of spasmodic asthma completely curet
 by cocaine. He pointed out at the time tha many inveterate cases of asthma are depend ent on, or at all events associated with, nasa
 disorders, the relief of which is promptly fol
 lowed by an abatement of all the distressin
 symptoms this principle of associate
 treatment should be carried on in it's integrit
 1t will be difficult to assign the limits of it
 sphere of action.-Lo,don Lancet.