Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-01-21

No LESS than 269 little planets ara
now known in the asteroid zone, sixty
OF them having been discovered by Dr..
J. Palisa, the well-known astronomer
of Vienna
Mr.. w. MArrIEU WILLIAMS thinks
that the instinct which guides the swal-
low southwark in autumn is probably OF
very practical and unpoetic kind. Its
food lsschiefy flying insects, whose devel-
opment ceases with the advance of cold
from the North, and in migrating the
bird is merely following its retreatiIS
food supply.
ALFALFA, according to Prof. Morrow,
endured the drought better than any
other forage plant on the farms of the
University of Illinois, and red clover
came next Of the true grasses orchard
grass was best for quickness of starting
after cutting or after rain, and for the
amount of food furnished while the
drought was at its worst. Timothy
was slow to start after cutting and did
not respond readily to the rains. Blue
grass stopped growing first of all the
pasture grasses, but quickly revived
after moderate rains.
The plan for signaling accurate time
from seacoasts was first adopted by
Great Britain about thirty years ago.
That country now has on its coasts
fourteen time-balls and five other time
signals, and its colonies and depend
encies have twenty-six time-balls; Ger
many has seven time-balls; France
four time-balls and two other time sig
mails; Sweden and Norway, Austria
Hungary, Holland with Belgium, and
the United States, have five time-balls
each; Denmark has two; Spain and
Portugal, one each; Italy, none.
AT a recent meeting of the Academy
of Natural Sciences, the President, DR..
Leidy, stated that he had recently re-
ceived for examination from the Geolog-
ical Survey in Washington collection
of fossil bones from ten miles east of
Archer, Levy Co., Fla The specimens
are generally much broken, although
the original texture is mostly preserved
and they show no trace of being rolled
or water worn. They consist chiefly of
the remains of rhinoceros, mastodon,
and llama. A new species of horse was
also indicated by teeth and ankle bones,
for which the name Hippotherium Pile
atile was proposed.
The use of oil by vessels at sea, for
soothing the waves in time of storm, ap-
pears to be on the point of very e1-
tended and practical application. tits
stated that "sea breakers" appliances
for the distribution of oil, have been
patented both at bone and abroad, and
are used by all collaborating steam
ers and some other vessels, while
special oil is now manufactured for the
purpose. The photographer of the
United States has published within the
last two years, in pamphlet form, di-
gested from the Monthly Pilot Chart,
) list of 100 authenticated cases in which
furious seas we're allayed by the use of
oil
"ON some parts of the coast of Sum-
stra and the neighboring islands, writes
MIR. Mattieu Williams, "the fishermen
lest the depth of the sea, and also the
nature of the sea bottom, by the noises
they hear on applying the ear to one
snd of an oar of which the other end is
plugged in the water. At depth of
twenty feet and less, the sound is re-
,apitation, similar to that produced
when salt is thrown on burning char
coal; at fifty feet it is like the ticking
Of watch, the tick.tack being more or
less rapid according to whether the bot
;om is entirely of coral or alternately of
coral or mud, or of sand. If the bot
;om is entirely of sand, the sound is
clear, if of mud, it resembles the hum
ming of swarm of bees. On dark
nights the fishermen select their fishery
grounds according to these indications.