Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-03-25
probably Of stone or bronze must have
been used in cutting the horn -

if cast into the sea than if applied to the
land, for the reason that sewage will sup
ply the enormous quantities of phosphate
Of lime, potash, and nitrogen which fishes
require, but which exist in the sea only IN
small quantities. As much, at least, OF
these substances should be returned to the
sea as our fisheries take from it, .ss<oTe q.
A specimen Of ancient dentistry, in the
form of dental bridge-work made by the
Etruscans in the fifth century before Christ,
has been discovered in an old. burial place
near Civita Vecchia by DR.. J. g. Van Mar
ter, of Rome slsds-.d aus .7-.4l '--. 2.
Z Experiments recently made with wet aud
dry coal in the evaporation Of water have
shown that a loss of from fifteen to twenty
five per cent. results when coal is used
while wet-that is, the heating value OF
coal is that much less when water is added.
The Emperor of Germany has conferred
an order of knighthood upon Sir Joseph
Lister, the eminent British surgeon, whose
antisceptic method of surgery has done so
much for suffering humanity IN 5t.5r -
CoroRs OF. THE SEA The theory Of
Prof, iTyndall recognizes three principal
hues III seaswaves blue. green. and yellow.
Solid particles held lin the water. act as
minute mirrors rejecting the light which
penetrates the liquid. The rays which are
sent out after having trayersed only a thin
stratum Of water preserve their yellow
parts; but if the reflections are attenuated,
the water appears green; and if they do not
exist at all the sea being clear and free
from the muddy matters, the color is deep
blue ~ In an indigo sea tie crests of wav- 8
will appear green on account of their lack
of thickness. Sea-weed, animalcules and
other local or accidental causes may have
| much influence on the color of the water.
A MONUMENT OF THE PLANT w oRLD.--
| Adanson found trees Of the boabab species
in Africa, which he computed to be $3.50
years old; and De Candolle has reported
the deciduo US cypress Of Mexico to reach q
greater age. The, oldest individual speci.
men OF any species--in fact, the oldest liv.
ing thing upon the globe-is probably the
tcypressl Of Santa Maria del Tule, in the
Mexican State of Oaxaca. If estimates Of
| tree ages arctic be relied upon, the life Of
this venerable forest monarch may have
SPANIEL the whole period of written histo
=
and in 1851, when Humboldt saw it, il
measured AZ feet in diameter, 146 in cir.
conference, and 2S2 feet between the ex.
tremities of two opposite branches.
The temperature of British waters is to
be studied with reference to its Influence on
the fisheries. The Duke of Edinburgh is
interested in the investigation, which be
considers most important one.
Lady amateurs appear to be taking an
activs part in astronomical and MICROSCOPE
cal work in Great Britain.
WHY ARE WE RIGHT-HANDED The
absence in infants Of any marked prefer
ence for either hand has led to the suppose
ton that right-handedness is merely fash
ion, in which all are trained; but if so it is
a very ancient and very nearly universal
fashion. The evidence of all ages points
to it as general among all races. From the
time of Aristotle philosophical attempts
none entirely tisictory-have been made
to account for this popularity of mankind
Prof. Buchanan, of Glasgow, has thought
it, as well as the equally old and prevalent
custom of carrying burdens on the left
shoulder, to be due to lack of symmetry OF
the body, larger lung and the liver causing
the right side to be heavier than the left,
and inducing greater muscular development
of the right limbs. Another theory is
| founded On the fact that the brain is CON-
posed of two hemispheres, which work the
muscles cross-wise, so that disease or weak
ness Of hemisphere affect the whole op-
poaite side of the body. Gratiolet and
Broca have found that the lobes of the left
side of the brain are larger than those of
the right, Indicating that more nervous en-
ergy is directed to the right side Of the
body than to the left. This may be the
cause of right handedness- or it may be
an effect of it.
SOAP SUBsTITUTFs.-Spec of pods
which take the place of soap in China
were exhibited by Mr.. F. B. Forbes at
recent meeting of the Linnean Society of
London. He stated that for ordinary
cleansing purposes an impure earthly soda
and a lye made from wood ashes are en-
ployed while the leaves of two plants (bo-
tinically known as Hibiscus sy,iacus and
Gingk0 biloba are occasionally USED on the
head. The favorite substance, however.
seems to be the s'feitsao-ton'' or "fat black
beans" (Gymnocladus chinensis). The
roasted pods are used for washing clothes
as well as for bathing, and women cleanse
their heads with the seeds. Pods of Gle
ditschid sinensis (known to the Chinese as
''tsao-chio") are boiled to prepare wash
ing infusion also much employed.
PANoRAMIC PHOTOGRAPHS new
French apparatus, called the cylindro-
graph. is designed to photograph at single
operation "A wide sweep IF the adjacent
country. The instrument consists of a
camera of semi circular form, with small
lens in the centre, which moves on an axis.
The dark slide is of some material which
will bend, and when a view is to be taken
the lens is turned upon the centre from one
side of the landscape to the other. The
panoramic pictures thus secured are sufi-
GENTLY good to serve surveying, military,
and other purposes.
EARTHQUAKE SIGNALrNe.-The Seismo-
logical Society of Japan has suggested the
use of the surrounding Geographic tations
as means of warning the Inhabitants OF
Toxic or Yokohama of the approach of an
earthquake. A shock at one of these sta
tions could be made 10 complete an cleo.
trio circuit and fire gun in either of the
two cities, thus giving notice to the citi-