The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-05-21

with an iron stove kept at a dull red
heat, the presence Of 0.Ol5 per cent. Of
carbonic oxide in the air being demon
strated.
The increased cost Of deep mining,
according to Mr.. B. y. Brough, is not
serious where the output is consider
able. Only two mines-shafts in the
Lake Superior districts reaching 1900
and 5.4jO feet resT ectively-have yet
been sunk below 1000 feet; but four
mines in Germany, two in Belgium
and one in Austria-Hungary range
between $500 and 1900 feet in depth.
The deepest British miue-the Pendle-
ton, near Mauchester-is 3,474 feet
deep; the deepest in SCoilaud-the
Niddrie. al Porto Bello-is lilo. Steel
cables hoist loads Of six tons at the
rate of a mile IN minute and half at
the deep mines OF Calumet, and in
England the speed has reached 81
miles an hour.
A late mysterious explosion in a col
liery in South Wales appears quite cer-
tainly to have resulted from a spark
caused 10y heavy fall Of the gritty
sandstone loof.
Aluminium, in plates quarter of an
inch thick, has proven very durable
roofing material III Berlin.
As mystifying as life itself Is the la
tent vitality of seeds. VI. c. de Cam
dole describes experiments tending TO
show that the seeds lead a retarded
life for brief peril d, after which their
protOplasm becomes wholly iuert,
though unchanged 10 composition aud
internal chemical structure, aud thus
remains for years-pOssibly for cen
tuTies-ready to spring into activity
under suitable moisture, temperature
and aeratio4. The terminating power
of peas and beans was retarded even
after exposure for four days to a cold
of 32S degrees below zero Fahrenheit,
temperature at which ordinary
chemical reactions no longer take
place. This power is destroyed by
cafbonic acid, although il is not lost
ia vacuum, protOplasm in latent life
seeming 10 resemble certain mixtures
such as explosive miXtures-in which
certain substances, if unchanged by
surrounding substances, may rest in
contact until the conditions favor their
combination. This state of chemical
and vital inertia may continue for a
very long time, as while the growth
of mummy wheat is undoubtedly de-
ceptiOn, seeds known to have been $50
years old have terminated. Various
observations seem to prove that seeds
may lie dormant in the ground for
great periods, one notable instance be-
ing that of an unknown plant discOv-
cred at Laurium in 1875 IN a position
indicating that its seed was buried un-
der scoria by ancient miners at least
1900 years ago, while Prof. Peters, of
Gottingen, has recently produced nu-
merous plants from earth removed at
different depths in plantless forest soil.
Such facts caused Alphouse de Can.
dole to suggest soundings beneath the
SHOWS of the Alps, his idea being that
we might recover from the buried soil
surviving germs of the vegetation that
existed before the glacial period.
The geological fault of the Jordan.
Arabah Valley has a length of 27O
miles or more from the Gulf of Akabah
to the base Of Hermon, and is undoubt-
eddy much longer Another great line
Of fracture is now reported from south
ern Afghanistan, where Capt. A. H.
Mcmahon has traced a remarkable
trench for 40 miles in DorIh-north-
east aud soulh-south-west direction,
finding it TO be clearly a fault-line.
A case Of periodical hlccough lasting
several months in man of AZ years of
age has teen traced by Norwegian
physician 10 tuuOr at the base of the
tongue.
The oft-repeated suggestion that mu-
sic be employed as a curative agent in
hospitals gives interest TO recent in
vestigation by A. Binet aud j. Cour-
tier, who have studied the effects of
musical sounds upon the respiration,
heart and capillary circulation of
well-knOwn composer. Major cords and
especially discords quickened respira.
ton, while minor chords tended to re-
Iard il. All melodies-grave or gay
qnickened the respiration and increas-
ed the action of the heart, lively tunes
having most effect Single notes or
chords. entirely unassociated with emo
tional ideas, quickened the hearts ac-
ton in a less degree than melodies, the
greatest acceleIation being produced by
operate or familiar pieces. The capil-
larry circulation was usually slightly
diminished 10y musical sounds. lively
airs having greater influei ce than sad
melodies.
The common belief that high barom-
eter or aBti-cyclonic conditions in win
ter are likely to be accompanied by I'M
usual cold is refuted 10y Mr.. w. H.
Dimes, who always expects a frost in
England TO break up when the barom-
eter gets much above 5000 inches. He
has tested this theory 10y tabulating
the height Of the barometer for the
cold periods OF 1871 to 1890. Out Of "a
frosts in these so years, he found that
is only had a pressure exceeding 30. 20
inches, aud these were cold waves Of
short duration. In 33. or less than half,
the pressure exceeded 5000 inches. In