Western appeal., 1888-02-04
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

4 4
Few people carry the head erect
that is to say, perfectly balanced or
the end of the spine, Like the end Of q
walkingg-stick It is always leaned te
one side or the other.
Missouri copper mines that have
been lille for two or three years are be-
ing operated, and valuable bodies Of
ore are being opened up. Foreign
capital has recently taken hold OF
several neglected mines.
The higher of tbe two peaks OF
| Kilimanjaro. the loftiest mountain in
Africa, has just been assembled by DR..
a. Meyer, of Leipsic, who places its
height at nearly 1000 feet.
The hypothesis has lately been adj
vanced thati if sounds do not actually
possess colors, that sounds at least in
timately connected with color; and this
idea is supported by the fact that
there are persons who are endowed
with such sensibil;ty that they can not
hear a sound without at the same time
perceiving colors.''
"A noted arch@ologist who has been
exploring the ruins of Uxmal, Yucatan,
claims to have discovered the remains
of three dead cities, the vestige of the
first being many feet down, ea tbs
same site. The relics indicate civiliza-
ton much superior to that of the pres
ent day, and that the city must have
flourished twenty thousand years ago
Prof. Sachs, the great German bot.
anist, has discovered that the ultra VIC
let and invisible rays of the solar spec.
trum especially promote the develop
ment of flowers, the growth of which
is exceedingly feeble when the rays ART
suppressed, although that OF the othel
parts of the plant is very luxuriant.- =
Public Opinion.
Are shooting-stars ever the cause
of mysterious fires? This question il
suggested by Mons. Charles v Zenger
Of the Paris Academy of Sciences, who
thinks that forests, and even buildings
may have been set on fire by burning
meteors. Investigation shows tina
many fires, the origin of which coult
not be explained, have occurred at th'
seasons of periodical showers of shoot
ing-stars.
--Starish have done great damage
this year to the oyster-beds of Fair Ha
ven, Conn. Some entire beds. valued
at $4,000 each, have been destroyed
and it is estimated that 100000 wortl
of damage has been done. To meet tn
undoubted demand for something t.
] destroy the starIish, a Yankee has in
vented a dredge which takes the star
fish and leaves the oysters, and severa
owners of beds are using it.
| Magnesium, the metal which pro
duces such an intensely bright ligh
while burning, and which has beer
most generally used in riobon-shapet
strips, is now being made use of for tn
purposes ofinstantaneous photography
For this a magnesium powder is nov
manufactured, which, when ignited b
the electric spark, makes a brillian
and instantaneous flash. The subjec
having been posed and the camera ar
ranged, the powder is ignited, and a
instantaneous photograph is the result
5. The scant crop of potatoes this las
year suggests the inquiry whether w
/ do not depend more upon this articl
of diet than it's nutrtive value warrants
We are apt to think it Indispensable i
some form, at least at breakfast an
dinner, and yet the ratio of cal bonace
Gus or heat-producing matter it cor
tains is nearly twice as greatin proper
ton to the nitrogenous matter as
should be to constitute a perfectl
| healthful food.