Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-03-04
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
[Compiled for the spEorArop !

AIR AND SEA AS EARTH-SHAKERs,-
The simultaneous occurrence of earth
quakes and hurricanes in Spain and its
neighborhood has led Mr.. R. A. Proctor to
make some interesting calculations. A
change of half an inch in the barometer
over an area of 100, 900 square miles-about
equal to that of the British Isles with the
contained seas-would mean variation of
some AZ, 600 million tons in the weight of
the air resting on that surface; one foot Of
extra tide extending outward ten miles
would give an extra weight of 750 million
tons on coast 100 miles long. Greater
variations of barometric pressure occur,
over much larger areas; and tides some-
times reach several feet beyond their usual
limits, on much greater lengths of coast.
'I take it, then, Mr.. Proctor concludes,
s'that we may fairly consider that the ex-
ternal action exerted on the elearth's crust.
as the tidal wave sweeps upon shore
line, as winds heap up the seas there, and
as atmospheric pressure increases and di-
minishes-especislly during the progress Of
great storms-muss play most important
part in producing subterranean disturban-
ces. At every moment of time millions Of
millions of tons of matter, in the form of
water and air, are being flung hither and
thither over the surface of the earth. Can
we wonder if, apart from interior causes of
disturbance, the crust shows signs of occa-
sional fluctuation?'
Measurements of the red corpuscles of
the blood in fourteen different races of men,
have shown the average diameter to be
1924 of an inch, the maximum diameter
being 1-2777, and the minimum 1-4OOO
Short-sightedness, according to recent
paper by Mr.. R. B. Carter, F. r. G. s.,
has come into existence within historic
time, and into prevalence almost within
living memory, while it now affects at least
ten per cent. of England's population. 1t
is essentially defect-bordering on dis
ease-of civilization.
SCIENCE BIRTHs.-Astronomy, the oldest
of the sciences, is said to have originated
at Babylon in observations made about
1884 B. c.; it was much advanced in Chal-
d@a under Nabonassar; and it was known
to the Chinese about HOO B. c., if not
many centuries before. Geology, the science
Of the earth, is claimed to have been culti-
vated in China long before the Christian
era, and it occupied the attention of Aris-
totle, Theophrastus, Pliny, Avicenna, and
| fba A ha ond
Chinese claim an early acquaintance with
chemistry, whose first facts were revealed
by the experiments of the alchemists, but it
did not become science until the seven
teenth century. Botany and Zoology were
founded by Aristotle, about $50 B. C.
NORTHERN LIMIT OF Corn GROWTH
On the northeast shores of Asia corn can
not be cultivated at 500 north latitude, al
though in the interior it natures as far
north as 62o. On the eastern shores of
America the northern limit of its growth
is $500, and on the western shores it
reaches about $40. while in the intermediate
The fact that it thrives farther north in
the interior of continents than the shores
is thought by M. Buysman to be due not
alone to the cooling influence of ice-accu-
mutations on the coasts. but to depend
largely on the greater amount of sunlight
received in the dry regions far from the
oceans. In Norway corn grows in latitude
800, the climate being not only warmed by
proximity to the Gulf Stream, but the
skies being very clear as well. Even in the
most northern regions, where the shade
temperature is very low, vegetation may
grow in sheltered spots exposed to the sun,
and luxuriant scurvy grass has been found
on Walden Island beyond 700 north lati-
tude.
According to Sir James Tenant, leop-
ards have, in Ceylon at least, strange fam
cy for the flesh of smallpox victims, the
specific odor of the disease seeming to
strongly attract them.
EARTHQUAKES AT DIFFERENT SEASONS.
The current notion that more earth
quakes occur in winter than in summer
receives some support from the following ia
BILE, which shows the total number of shocks
recorded at the meteorological observa-
tory of Toxic, Japan, for the respective
months of the ten years, ending December
10, 1884: January SO; February, so; March,
70; April, 43; May, 81; June, 40; July, SO;
August, 81; September, IS; October, AZ;
November, 81; December, 60. The aver
age per month for the ten years is 45; that
for the six winter months, October to
March, is Sc; and for the six summer
months, 35.
From the records of observations made
at thirteen Prussian stations since 1878,
Prof. Muttrich has determined that forests
exercise positive influence on the temper
ature of the air; that they lessen the daily
variations of temperature, and more in sum-
effect of the leafy forest is in summer greater
than that of the pine forest, while in
winter the pine forest has more influence
than the disfoliaged forest.
A crocus &c. Speciosus) of remarkable
rapidity of growth has been described to
the botanists of the Royal horticultural
Society of London. When carefully
watched, its fower-stalks can almost be
seen to grow, as they have been known to
increase in length from four to six inches
in a single night.
A bronze axe with the handle attached
probably the first specimen known to have
been discovered-has just been found in
Brittany by French antiquary. The tools
has cutting edge on one end and kind
of hammer-cap on the other.
1t is estimated that Great Britain's coal
supply will be exhausted in about 105
years if the present increase in the rate Of
consumption continues.
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