The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-13
SCIENTIFIC.

A decaying oak tree at Cowthorpe, near
Wetherby, England, is more than fifty feet
in circumference, and is believed to be the
largest in the world Two young oaks have
been planted to perpetuate its memory.
Experiments have shown that the ash
constituents of coal, which are not readily
permeable, may be roughly estimated by
means of Roentgen rays on comparison
with slabs having a known percentage of
ash.
Fruit trees along highways, and even
railroads, have become, aysource of revenue
to some German states, and in the grand
duchy of Luxembourg special classes are
held every year for instructng inspectors
and road hands in the planting and care OF
orchards
The fascinating idea that each disease
microbe has its own specific poisonous prin-
ciple, it's toxin, is attacked by M. A. Char
rim. a French biologist. He shows from
experiments that a single microbe species
may produce several pathogenic COM
pounds-the bacillus of pus, for, instance,
yielding several, which are easily distin-
guished by their pathological effects.
A remarkable collection Of dwarfs has
been discovered by Olifsen and Filipsen
Danish officers, in little known region of
the Pamirs. Not only are the men of the
savage tribe exceedingly small in stature
but their domestic animals are equally di-
minutive-the oxen being about the ordi-
nary size of donkeys, the donkeys no larger
than dogs, and the goats and sheep COM
parable to kittens The small size is at
tributed to the exceptional environment and
to the arrested development due to great
scarcity Of food,
An immense electrical influence machine
has been constructed by Mr.. James Wins
hurst, whose name is SO well known in con-
nection with apparatus of this kind. 1t is
duplex in form. shaft on each side car
rying twelve plates thirty-six inches in di-
ach yolgaf will i-tN -fyUn
The machine is certain TO excite itself be-
fore the hand crank has made complete
the length of the spark between the two
outer terminals being thirty-tWo inches.
The machine is nine feet long outside the
case by two feet nine inches in width.
A new element, bythium, is claimed by
Theodor Gross, a German chemist, to have
been obtained from sulphur. On electro
lying a fused mixture of silver sulphide
and silver chloride in a nitrogen atmos-
phere he obtained a dark gray powder,
insoluble in aqua regfa and In ammonia.
Fused with alkaline carbonate, this dis
solved in hydrochloric acid from which
hydrogen sulphide gave a brown precipi-
tate. The new substance equals per cent.
of the original sulphur used, and as there
is not only a corresponding loss of sulphur,
but smaller loss of chlorine, the POSSIBLE
ity is admitted that bythum may have
come from the decomposition OF chlorine
instead of sulphur.
Photographers are said to be able some
times to produce direct positives by ex-
treme overexposure or by special treat
ment Anthonys Bulletin calls attention
to the remarkable experience of a beginner,
who obtained three positives and one neg
alive from four exposures of the same sub
ject, the only difference in conditions being
the length of exposure. The one good,
clean-cut positive of the three was pro-
duced by an exposure of a minute and
quarter with fairly large stop, in full day.
1icbt IN mentioned
two exposures OF the same subject under
precisely the same conditions of lighting
and timing produced one positive and one
negative, although developed in the same
tray at the same time.
One of the most curious and interesting
of the electrical exhibits at the Royal So
ciety's last soiree was that of Mr.. ]. w.
Swan 1t consisted of dishes containing
resin covered with beautiful and complex
patterns that had been Produced by plac-
ing the resin between two poles Of an in
duction coil in action. The spark-which
was taken between an auxiliary pair of
terminals-did not pass to the resin, which
was merely subjected TO strain. No trace of
any effect appeared on the resin when re-
moved, but on being warmed through the
surface puckered up into patterns as the
mass softened the internal strains set up
by the electric stress seeming TO be unable
to find relief while the resin is hard The
patterns at the negative pole differ from
those at the positive pole. The strains per-
sist for a long time. some of the patterns
shown having been developed three months
after the resin was electrified.
Liquid air has been hitherto an expensive
product as ii has been obtained by the
successive refrigeration, compression and
expansion of several gases. such as car
bonic acid, ethylene and oxygen. BY the
recently perfected process of Prof. Linde.
of Munich, pump of FIVE horse power
condenses the air to a pressure of two hun
dred atinospheres. the air passing down 8
spiral tube and expanding with the produc'
tfon of great cold. on being admitted TO a
sfallment of air pumped in further cools
/ the spiral. until in a few minutes the air
escapes into the chamber in LIQUID drops,