The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-05-12

which have an area of scarcely more
than $500 miles and have been under
scientific observation since 1858. has
been studied by DR.. Prain, Of Sibpur.
He finds that $50 indigenous species of
plants were known in 1866, and that
persistent search has since raised the
number to 600. In 1866 there were Is
Intentionally introduced plants and 81
foreign weeds that had become estab-
lished as a part Of the ALBANIAN flora,
and % more of the first and IS more
of the second had been added by 1890.
Since 1866 four of the n~aturaIized
plants have disappeared. The weeds
are mostly those common to India,
and an Indian butterfly has followed
the plant on which its Iarva feeds.
ONE OF IRELAND'S WeEs.-Ether
drinking in Ireland, according to DIR.
Ernest Hart, seems to date from 1912.
The greatest consumption of ether was
in 1876, after which there wasa diminu-
ton, recently followed by an increase
until at the present time the amount
used nearly equals that Of 1876. The
supply comes mostly from large Eng
fish establishments. From two drains
to half an ounce is the quantity usually
taken, and this is repeated from two
to six times a day. Intoxication is
quickly produced, and quickly passes
away. Somewhat less bodily derange-
ment seems to result from ether than
from alcohol, the effects of an extended
use of the former being usually a train
of and circulatory disturb
ances, while moderate drinkers suffer
from stomach troubles. Moral de,
~terioration is a marked effect of ether
drinking.
FORCE OF ELECTRICITY.-In a recent
lecture, DR.. G. F. Chandler corrected
a common misrepresentation of the
danger that turks in, say, 1000 volts
of electrical pressure, which is often
reported as having killed a man,
whereas, in fact, such a pressure alone
could not kill a humming-bird. He
had frequently caught in his hand
sparks possessing an eleCtrO-mOtive
force of 100, 900 volts without feeling
more than a slight burn. The danger
arises only when the volts are re-en-
forced by many amperes or currents,
as when one takes hold of a charged
wire. Then one feels q shock that is
unmistakable, because the force Of a
| great many currents in the wire sud
Edenly decomposes all the fluids in his
body. The salt in his blood at once
turns to. chlorine gas, and the man
whose veins are charged with this
deadly poison cannot in reason be
expected to live long.
PToLEMAIC AFRICA.-If PtOlemy's
map of Northeastern Africa is to be re-
lied upon-which has been doubted
modern travellers in the eastern equa-
torial regions have merely rediscovered
what was in some way made known to
the Alexandrian geOgrapher 2,00o
years ago. To test the accuracy of
Ptolemy, DR.. H. Schlichter has con-
structed two maps-onef from PtOlemaic
data only, and the other showing the
latest knowledge. A careful COMPARE
son, with allowances for early defects,
shows many striking condolences.
Most of the places on the east coast
marked by Ptolemy are readily iden-
titled with places well known to day;
while in the interior, Ptolemy's east
ern nile lake proves to be the Victoria
Nyanza, the western nile lake to be
Lake Albert or Lake Albert Edward,
the eastern end of the mountains of
the comedies with a point a little
south of Mount Kenia and the western
end with Ruwenzori, and the confu-
ence of the two rivers forming the Nile
agrees with the place where the Somer-
set Nile flows into Lake Albert.
OXIDIZED WATER.-PerOxide of
hydrogen, or oxidized water, is rapidly
taking an important place in medicine,
and is already declared to be necessary,
and not merely good or useful. AS
ordinarily sold, the peroxide of hydro
gen is a 3.2 per cent. solution, yielding
Is times it's volume of oxygen. In it's
applications, this solution is said to be
nearly as bland as water, causing
smarting only on such surfaces as the
interior of the eye or the nose, yet it
acts so powerfully as a germicide asto
kill anthrax spores in a few minutes.
The chief value of the peroxide is in
stopping suppuration and sterilizing
wounds, which it does more e~ffectualIy