Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-11-04
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
[Compiled for the SPEcTAToR.]

SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Compiled for the SPEcTAToR.1
A BOTANICAL ANoMALY.-So universal
is the cylindrical form ofthe stems of grass
ss that reports concerning square stem
ned bamboo of China and Japan have beer
generally discredited. Very recently, how
ever, such plant has been proven to exist,
aud specimens of the stems have been Sc
cured by a few English botanists, some of
hem being now in the Kew Museum. Un
ike other bamboos of it's locality, the square
bamboo, it appears sprouts iu the autumn
and attains its full height of ten to fourteen
eet the following spring. When youna
he stems are quite round, their most per-
fectly square shape beng attained at the
sge of several years. The Chinese taxi
great interest in the plant, and attribute
he form of its stem to upernatural powers
The species has been named by Fenzi Bdm
5usa quadrangularis.
ELECTRICITY DIRECT FROM HEAT.-By
means of a novel battery in which the well
known phenomenon of the passage of by
lrogen gas through heated platinum gen
crates powerful current of electricity, Mr..
sEeass hGuuhllg Vi INOItu OTmSUyg IOkiAuO.
seems to have taken step toward the pro-
duction of electric power from the combus-
ton of coal or other fuel without the ex-
steam engine The working of the new
= little water, ard the inventor estimates
that ton of coke used in heating the bat
terry, including the hydrogen producer, will
.,ivo of loo oct firnoc ho oil
ergy that would be yielded by the same
fuel in running steam engine and dynamo.
Helmholtz declared that should he receive
an optical instrument of man making with
so many defects as the eye, he would be
justified in returning IT to the manufactur
ers, and it may be further said that the arti
ic al eye of science-the Photographic cam.
era-is able to see farther, to see more, and
to see quicker, than the human organ of
vision.
ESSENTIAL FOOD OF PLANTs.-While it
is positively known that plants require car
bon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen as con-
stituents OF their food, there are several
other elements found in plants whose essen
tial character is not so certainly establish
ed. Some recent experiments, according
to Mr.. t. Jameson, an English chemist,
furnish proof that sulphur is not an essen
tial, that even lime and magnesia are of
doubtful necessity, but that phosphorus and
potassium are Indispensable. Iron and
chlorine occur in plants, but have little
claim to be regarded as essentials.
A NEW AFRICAN SEA PRoJEcT.-The
Lake Moeris of Herodotus, usually regard
ed as myth, was a wonderful artificial in
land sea about sixty mies south of the
pyramids of Gizeh. 1t was 450 miles in
circumference, and was created by leading
the waters of the Nile into a vast depres
sion. Believing the marvellous story of the
Greek chrouicler, an American explorer,
Mr.. Cope Viii ehouse, has sought the an
cient lake, and has discovered its supposed
site in an immense hollow in the desert
which descends more than 200 feet below
sea level. 1t is now proposed to flor re-
fll-this hollow by means of an easily made
passage from the river, and thus give fei till
ty to > large area and relieve the Lower Nile
country from its disastrous foundations.
From tests made by DIR. Fischer, the Ger
man chemist, it appears that in ordinary
domestic stoves not more than twenty per-
cent of the fuel consumed is utilized in
warming the rooms, whereas with gas
burning stoves eighty per oent or more of
the possible effect is obtained.
Since 1859 the number of lightning strokes
in Saxony has been found to increase regu-
larly, the annual number rising in 29 years
from 81 to 1S9. This alarming increa- 9 is
thought to be largely due to the destruction
of the foles
SPIDERS IN FORESTRY Spiders have
been found by DR.. C. Keller, of Zurich, to
be voracious destroyers of plant-preying in
sects and he contends that they play more
effective part in the preservation Of forests
than all the insect eating birds together.-
The value of the service rendered by spid-
ers has been shown by observations on conf
erous trees, few broad-leaved trees, and
apple trees.
AN IMPORTANT WORK--A new map of
the solar spectrum has been completed by
Thollon after four years of incessant labor
at the Observatory of Nice. The chart
comprises about one-third of the prismatic
spectrum is about forty feet long, and in
cludes 5000 lines, or double the number in
the best previous work. Changes in these
lines of the spectrum tell certainly of chang
es in the sun, and it has been the authors
aim to make future changes apparent by
providing an accurate record of the present
state of the solar spectrum.
An example of rapid stalactite formation
appears at Quebec. St. Johns Gale in the
city wall was rebuilt in 1857 of a greyish
limestone, and the constant dripping of
water from the crevces has already formed
regular stalactite deposits foot and a half
in length and three-fourths of an inch in
diameter.
From the Giffard bequest the French
Government realizes about 81, 900 600 to be
used for the good of science. 1t is probable
that the various projects suggested for ex-
pending the money will be submitted to the
Academy of Sciences before action is taken.
The change of dough to bread is declar-
ed by 1; French Investigator, Aime Girard,
to be transformation due to alcoholic fer
mentatiOn.
At an annual examination in botary the
London Society of Apothecaries gives regu-
larly a gold and silver medal to the young
women taking first and second rank.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR ANIMALs.-Live
ste ok are to be our especial watch and care
for the coming four months at least. We
need to winter them as economically as
possible. yet have them all the time gain
ing. No animal is profitable at stand
still Stock wintered on the warmest side
of corn stack, and coming out ''spring
poor,' are in no condition TO make good re-
turns during the summer. At this season,
look especially to the comfortableDess of
of their quarters, that they may be easily
cleaned, warm, and well-aired when need
ed Alterations that will facilitate fodder
ing, littering. and clearing out, should be
planned and carried out at once. Tight
board walls, OF any others, are much
cheaper source of warmth than much feed
ing, so far as neat cattle, horses in u g, pigs,
and poultry are concerned. Horses and
sheep with comfortable shelter, out of the
rain, and well rooted, will bear any degree
of cold they are likely to oe subject to, it
they have enough to eat, and the question
of economy depends on the price of hay and
corn, and of hemlock boards. Food consum-
ed merely to maintain animal eat, deduct
ing the value of the resulting manure, is a
dead loss. Beeves, sheep, and pigs gain very
rapidly if we'll fed this month. The brac-
ing air sharpens appetites, and the variety