The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-12-20
Written for the CITIzEN.l

,hs stings of the ants may give protec-
son against enemies, but later investi-
,stions have led Mr.. ]. II. Hart, of
trinidad, to conclude that the chief
beueit conferred by the ants is that of
0rOviding the mycelium of fungus to
sover the roots Of the plant, which is
inns enabled to take up food otherwise
nnattainable. The ants may act as
ntotectors AS well, but it appears al
most certain that the fungus growing
in the material accumulated around
tho roots serves the much more impor-
rant purpose of feeding the plant.
fve-horse-powor Laval turbine in
,be works of Paris gas company is
kent at work throughout the "a hours,
and was recently found to have run
sSOO hours, and $500 without stop.
4 The velocity of the circumference be-
ing 100 meters per second, the total
distance travelled 10y it had been about
Fl 100000 miles, or IS times the dis
,aDee around the earth. This is made
the more remarkable by the fact that
the only attention given to the motor
was the filling of an automatic oiler
once in every twelve hours.
Fl
Fl The solar eclipse of August 6, 1896,
will be best observed from elevated
points near Vadso, Norway. The GEN.
trail line of totality passes over the
southern part of this town, aud here
the duration of totality will reach the
maximum-somewha over l minute
Al seconds. The SUMS attitude will be
about l44 degrees. A steamship of
1000 tons will leave London July 2lst,
touch at intermediate points usually
/ visited, remain at VaGso from August
4 8 to 10, and reach London August II
on its return.
A prize $4,000 marks has been of
8 fered by the German Hygienic Associ-
alton for paper on the efficiency of
electric heaters.
Instances in which copper workers
have had their hair tinged with green
have been long known. In recent
case brought to the notice of the physi-
claus Of Johns Hopkins Hospital by
DR.. Oppenheimer, a man of So. who
had worked four years exposed to very
fine copper oxide dust, not only had
the hair of his head aud his mOustache
eOored pale but distinct green, but
the coloration had extended to the hair
all over his body. Under the micro
scope the hair was found to be uni
fOrmly colored, the presence of copper
being demonstrated chemically. AT
I've time the man was seen he was suf.
hing with vague gastric symptoms,
Eithout any signs of pulmonary dis
Tease, but two years later he died with
asevere cough. 1t has been the usual
experience that the moustache is the
first to be colOred by copper dust, then
The head, but that the latter remains
Unaffected when protected by thick
zap. The underwear of copper work.
es, however, is sometimes given a
greenish tinge by persperation.
1t has been mentioned that the great
avalanche of Gemmi Pass, which few
weeks ago, buried square mile OF
Swiss valley beneath three
bet of rock and ice brought down
ply about half as much debris as
,e rock fall of Elm in 1891. But
Helm has traced a much greater
Swiss landslide, which probably dates
az lar back as the glacial period. The
loose material now obstructs the valley
d the Lynth, four miles south of the
village OF Glarus, and the scar left by
ne TALL is traceable on the lofty slope
fOout two miles to the west The
Ieatest thickness of the deposit is
AOout 200 yards, the original volume
Eslhg estimated at 81 times that of the
lim landslide. About fourth of the
material has now been washed away
the Lynth in cutting through the
Wstructlon-a work that the river
n agd have accomplished In 1000 OF
1000 years.
Inc Importance of angle-worms in
agriculture has been demonstrated by
rol. Wollny, of Munich. Peas, beans,
O'aloes and other vegetables were
,owh III wooden boxes, with and
,aut worms, and in every case the
esence OF the worms gave an in-
,eased crop, varying from 25 per cent.
Tue peas to "a per cent. in the rye.
vi oS1 trees struck by lightning in
us1Orest near Moscow, 302 were white
plars' The planting of these trees
pfolec ors against lightning is there
recommended to farmers.
ae truth of the old adage that an
W ~ OF sleep before midnight is worth
TnSo1rs after midnight, is questioned
.d a. IL. Z. Colby, who states that he
nl "s some study of the subject while
naval service during the Rebellion.
n 'uips company on shipboard-offi-
stot ano men alike-stand four-hour
D aVies day and night, with the inter-
cha ou OF a dog-watch of two hours
'aauge the time of each set of men
Is,s successive days. These men are
pen One obliged to get their required
ap AN very irregularly, but in more
cow v"o years of observation DIR. Col
co oulu never discover that the watch
s Ieas aud men We're not as fully re-
amy ny Their sleep as were the med
|atcb bnu pay officers, who stand no
ose of ana ana have hours as regular as
81 Nj IN any householder. In the va
q apy " ",us,trles of our cities, where
ID mN workers are employed at night
eace " c@',, sleep by day. further evil
s. tm Uouln doubtless be found that
ID pt tba wnen sleep is obtained has
b Dgevit, ihnuence upon health and
ivy formerly attributed to it.
Il