The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-06-05
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.


nave the materials for settling some
vexed questions regarding the subdivi
slons of the brain, the nature of the
upper lip" or labrum, and the number
OF segments in the head of insects which
appears to be six, two in front of the
mouth and four behind.
According to the Boston Transcript
the production of paper in the entire
world is estimated to be 5000, 600, 00O
pounds per year. There are SS4 paper
mills and LOG paper machines in this
country. Germany has 800 mills and s91
machines, France 400 mills and 525 ma
chimes, England 361 mills and BAL ma
chimes, Scotland SO mills and 9S ma
chimes, ireland Is mills and IL machines,
Russia 1913 mills and 1877 machines and
Austria 220 mills and 27O machines.
What is termed the infinite variety
IN the world of organic beings that we
can see, bears no comparison to the
immense variety in the invisible world,
which only the microscope can show us.
The scientific serials and publications
devoted to classification are full to over
flowing of new species continually being
discovered and described. In the last
issue of the Proceedings of the Phila-
delphia Academy, Messrs. Ellis and
Everhardt describe ninety-nine new
species of microscopic plants.
PROF. Joseph Leidy, of Philadelphia,
and his brother, Dr. Philip Leidy, be-
Nsleathed their brains to the Anthropo-
metric society, of which the professor
was founder "The brains of the two
brothers." a Philadelphia newspaper
tells us, ''were of the same weight to a
fraction of a grain. Both were notice
ably below the normal size, confirming
the deduction of anatomists that quality
of tissue rather than quantity distin-
cuisines the valuable brain from the ig-
norant."
"A means of taking a panoramic
photograph of a long stretch of country
in fact all around the horizon - has
been devised by NJ Damoiseau, a French
inventor. 1t consists of Il camera,
which is pivoted on horizontal plate
supported on three legs after the man
ner of Il theodolite. The camera slowly
moves round on its pivot, while at the
same time the sensitised paper moves SO
as to present fresh surface to the
image, and the adjustment is so perfect
that the photograph is quite distinct in
every part.
The boring of artesian wells along
the coast of New Jersey has afforded "a
new field to the archaeological geolo
gist. The result of an examination of
numerous wells in the southeastern
portion of the state leads Mr.. Woolman
of the Philadelphia academy, to the
conclusion that there is greater thick
ness of the Miocene deposits in the
southern parts of the state than has
been generally held by biologists, and
as consequence, increases the hereto
fore estimated dip of the underlying
Cretaceous and Eocene beds in that sec
ton of the state of New Jersey.-N. Y.
Independent.
The deepest hole in the world is at
Wheeling, w. Va, where an eight-inch
well has been sunk nearly a mile. When
it has reached that depth the govern
ment will take up the work under the
direction of two expert officers of the
geological survey and drill into the
earth as far as human skill can pene-
trate. The idea is to take the tempera-
ture and magnetic conditions as far as
possible and by means of an instrument
constructed for the purpose, complete
record of the progress and all discov-
cries made will be kept and placed in
the Geological Survey exhibit at the
worlds fair.
Most people are probably not aware
that there is one at least of the we'll
known stars compared to which the sun
Is mere pygmy. Sirius, the dogstar,
which is also sun, is believed to have
nearly five thousand times the volume.
of our sun. Its immense distance, prob
ably hundred million millions of miles,
makes such measurement as is applied
to the planets impossible. Hence the
above estimate is based on COMPARE
son of the light of Sirius with that re-
ceived from the sun. 1t is the most
brilliant star in the heavens, being far
brighter than the first magnitude, and
its light has greenish tinge. During
the winter months the place to look for
Sirius is in the southern heavens. Pop
ular Science Monthly.
Years ago it was supposed that
Sirius was nearer the earth than any
other star, and its light requires over
three years to reach us. Now, how
ever, Alpha Centauri, comparatively
star of the southern heav-
ems is known to be our nearest neigh
Dor, and Sirius is so far removed that
the human mind fails to grasp the dis
lance when expressed in miles. The
fact that light requires from seventeen
to twenty years to cross the space be-
tween our little earth and this giant orb
is scarcely more easy to comprehend
If one would appreciate the magnif-
cence of this most brilliant OF suns, he
should not think of it as near, but
rather let his mind make the vain at
tempt to follow ray of light thither
as it travels on, unwearied, day and
night, at the rate of 1SG, 900 miles Sec
ond for twenty years. -A. Il. o., in
Christian at Work.
White Has Gone Out.
1t is being limited that white furni-
ture has quite had its day--a long one
it has been, too-and the coming tint
for screens, tables, cabinets, and even
will be, is indeed, green.