The Florida agriculturist., 1885-01-14
For the FLonIpA As.nIcuLruRIsr.
Scientific Miscellany.

MERCfFUL HSCIANC CE.-lJr. Is. w. Rich
ardson's process bf painless killing of the
lower animals las been pronounced a
magnificent SUCCESS, and science has now
bestowed upon The inferior creation a
blessing which sne dare not give to man
himself-painless death. The apparat-
us used is simplga chamber into which
is forced a soothing but deadly atmos-
phere of carbonip oxide which has been
passed at summer heat over mixture of
chloroform and bisulphide of carbon.
Such lethal hamber-capable of con-
tanning one-hundred victims at time
has been fitted lip at the home for Lost
Dogs in London and in it, during pc
riod of seven months, more than 5000
dogs have gently sunk into their eternal
sleep. The process is not expensive,
and DIR. Richardson intends to apply it to
the killing of sheep and other animals
that are used for food.
"A new. ceramic product, according to
Mons. Hignette, Is now made from the
abundant wuS Il 1vts..of sreneh glass
factories. The sand is moulded into
blocks by immense hydraulic pressure,
and is then baked in furnaces at a high
temperature. The product has remark
able solidity and tenacity; it is not af
fected by frost, rain or sun; it resists
very high temperatures it is very light
and has fine white color 1t is pre-
/ dicted that the material will be used for
many architectural effects in combina
ton with brick or stones of other colors,
A French investigator has found THAI
chloroform is decomposed IN from two to
five days by the combined action of sun
light and the air. In the dark the air
does not affect it, and light produces no
alteration when all oxygen is excluded.
The operation of removing tumor
from the brain which was few days
ago performed at London hospital for
the first time in the history of medicine,
has been followed by the patients con
valescence.
AN ATMOSPHERIC BATTERY.-One of
the recent electric batteries acts only
when exposed to light The latest form
of battery-devised by Mons. Jabloch
koff, the eminent French electrician-is
perhaps quite as novel and ingenious, it
being kept in constant operation by the
effect of the atmospheric moisture upon
the metal sodium. Each element COM
prises small plate of sodium separated
by wooden pegs from plate of carbon
OF somewhat lighter texture than that
and small copper wire attached to the
sodium plate form the electrodes. Ex-
posure OF the sodium to the air causes it
to oxidize and form caustic soda, which
is dissolved by the moisture of the air
and gradually drains away as concen-
trated solution, thus constantly leaving
fresh surface of metal to be acted upon.
The elements are grouped in sets of ten.
The battery's action continues so long as
the sodium lasts and the air contains
moisture, and the only means of stopping
it is to shut it in an air-tight case. The
degree of the airs humidity and, the tenn
peratue determine the electro-motive
force. a
While our country is supposed to be
nearly free from earthquakes, no less
than 364 shocks were recorded i'll the
United States and Canada-not includ-
ing Alaska-during the twelve years end
ing with 1883. This is an average of
one in every twelve days for some part
of the territory. Many small tremors
must have escaped notice, and it is prob
able that if observations had been made
in various localities with suitable instru-
ments the reported shocks would have
been several times as great in number.
Before the Linnean Society, of London,
DIr. A. Taylor has sought to prove that
plants have a dim sort of intelligence,
and are able, at least, to exert as much
voluntary power as certain lowly-organ-
lied animals. One proof of this is the
plants avoidance OF bstacles-placed