The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-07-20
NOTES OF THE CURIOUS.

There Is relation between the color OF
flame and the energy of the combustion
causing It. says writer In The st. Louis
republic. The more vigorous and complete
the combustion the higher the refrangibility
OF the light. A flame burning i'm a tardy
and restricted way emits rays that are
red. When burning in more complete
and effective manner the emitted rays
change to violet
The flame of a candle or a lamp con-
sists of n series OF eccentric. luminous
shells. surrounding a central dark core.
These shells of flame emit light of different
coIors, the innermost one chat In dlrect
contact with the dark core) being red anu
having temperature of exactly SH de-
grees Fahrenheit. Upon this, and in their
proper order of refrangibility. are shells
of light which are orange. yellow, green,
blue, indigo and violet. The reason that
such flame does not appear to us as a
nest of cones of different colored light Is
this: When we look upon such flame, all
the rays Issuing from the different layers or
strata OF concentric luminous sheels are re-
ceived by the retina of the eye at one and
the same time This can only impress with
the sensation of neutral or white light.
Male and Female Oaks.
Mr.. Knight. the eminent English botan-
list. has made some curious and interest
ing Investigations on the production of
of the oak tree. He shows that rule
that species of tree bears the male and the
female flowers on separate individuals. but
that these different individuals may be
made to produce flowers of either sex at
will. In forcing the female oak to produce
male flowers. and vice versa Mr.. Knight
employed light heat. regulating the supply
of both to suit himself and according to
the end in view. This remarkable series of
experiments proved that if the heat was
excessive as compared with the light. male
flowers only appeared. On the other hand,
if the light was excessive and the temper
ature comparatively low, nothing but fe-
male flowers were produced.
In other species of trees which bear the
male and the female flowers on separate
individuals. the experiments of the botan-
list were not SO conclusive as in the case Of
the oaks. However. it is believed that
these Investigations will finally lead to the
conclusion that In the majority of trees
and plants the cultivator will be able to
vestgations are now being made along
these lines and we may expect surprising
sssults.
Air in the Bones of Birds.
1t is often said by persons who are not
yell enough acquainted with the science of
ORTHODOXY to know whether they speak
the truth or not. that the bones Of the
turkey vultIre are hollow air chambers. SO
constructed as to admit of continuous
flight with but little effort on the part of
the bird. OF late years it has become the
general beliefethat the bones of almost all
Varieties of birds are simply air cylinders.
and that the lordly turkey vulture and the
condor are not better provided for in that
particular than a host of smaller birds. In
order to get some scientific light on the sub
ject. Or. Crisp dissected ffty-two species
of birds, great and small, but only found
thirteen in which the wing bones were hol-
low and only one, the sparrow hawk. APP
peared to have the bony air chambers per-
forated. In thrty-eight others examined
by the doctor there were no signs of air in
the bones although I'm this list there Were