The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-03-07
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


all Departments of Science.
The photograph of tailed boy from Sal
gon was lately shown to the London Anthro
biological Society. His age is about eigh
years, and the appendage or inches long
Under the influence of galvanic actor
milk has been kept sweet three weeks in sum
Iner, and it is suggested that beer and Other
liquids may be preserved in similar man.
ner.
To assist in determining whether any
slow changes in terrestrial ATTITUDES are
taklng place, series of observations Gov
ering period of several years is to be
made at Washington and elsewhere.
the attention of the Russian Government
has just been drawn to the existence of extern.
sive deposits Of sulphur in western Siberia,
and an expedition is to be sent to examine
them. Europe's supply of sulphur is now
chiefly obtained from Sicily
Earthquake observations are to be in
stituted on the summit of the Ben Nevis.
where is located the highest meteorological
observatory i'll the British Isles. The iso-
lated position of this station renders it
particularly suited to observations of slight
fremors.
Several agricultural chemists of Ger
many have been studying to improve heavy
soils, and now recommend lime as a dress
ing. The crop for the first season should
be potatoes; for the second, oats; for the
third, tares or peas; and for the fourth, DO
tatoes again.
A disease called the potato-scab has been
described by Prof. +. Heiden, who finds it
fp &c occasioned by = parasite fungus,
i'h1sohtonid sola1ai, and not due, as is com
monty supposed, to the action of caustic
lime upon the surface of the tubers. The
1isease is severest in fields dressed wit.si
farm-yard manure.
The treeless condition of parts of the
South American Pampas-of the La Plata
region, at least-is attributed by Mr.. Ar
thur Nicols to the work of an omnipreseut
ant, which feeds upon leaves and quickly
destroys tree seedlings and other tender
plants as soon as the leaves appear above
ground. Indian corn grows freely on these
plains, its growth being 80 rapid that the
insects do not succeed in completely de-
vouring the young plants.
Microscopic 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 experiments which tend to
prove that plants will not terminate unless
microbes exist in the soil; and Pasteur had
already been led to the conclusion that mi
-crobes are essential to animal life, as diges-
lion con not be performed unless they are
present.
In recent oftictai publication, the Chief
Signal Officer has given summarized ac-
count of 273O of the storms which occurred
from January, 1876, to August, 1881, in
region embracing large part of North
America, the Atlantic and Europe. Of
these AS began and ended in America; $50
began in America and ended in the Atlantic:
100 began in America and crossed the
Atlantic; 3325 Esgan and ended in the Allan
ito; 655 began IL the Atlantic and ended in
Europe; 49, began and ended in Europe;
and 6 began in America and crossed the
Atlantic and Europe.
DR.. J: NJ. Anders has reached the conc]a-
sions tina. only tho Towering plants, grown
in well-hghted places, generate ozone: and
that tho most odorous flowers produce the
greatest quantity The ozone attacks the or
ganic matter of the air and by oxidation rem
doris it inert; and DR.. Anders does not doubt
that Towering plants in clear weather give !
Of enough Of this natural purifying agent
to be of hygienic value indoors. Foliage
plants, although yielding no ozone, may
DO of advantage in contributing to tho |
of heathful degree of hu-
'nt s1y in tAs"at mSsRis sre Of rooms.
-Ste(lsistics collected by Ne American Or
Union show thae>sseas nun
bers of birds are destroyed by Rng5 I
against the light houses of CuSa. At Par
edon GraEde, more than 100 birds were |
found one morning.; i'll one night last DC |
Eober e7S were killed by flying against the |
light house at Cardenas; and at the San
Antonio lighthouse more than 800 are
sometimes picked Up after single nights |
Thus is confirmed the view
expressed by Prof. Spencer F. Baird, twen-
~ years ago, that every autumn q great |
bird-wave sweeps over from Florida to |
Cuba.
By Il long series Of experiments, Rus
sians physician, DR.. Zulinski, has proven !
that tobacco smoke is distinct poison. al |
though its action upon men is very slight
unless inhaled in considerable quantities.
He has found that the poisonous property |
Ia not exclusively due to the nicotine, for
tobacco smoke contains a second toxicp,
principle called colidine, as well as car
49,