Union gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1899-1900, 1899-12-01
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The Department of Agriculture re-
ports the discovery that a dangerous
European scale insect, net hitherto re-
ported on this side of the Atlantic. has
recently esta blished itself among fruit
trees in New York and Ohio. and per-
haps in other parts of the country. Its
chronological name is Aspidiotus os-
treoeformis, and 1t is well known IN
Europe. 1t attacks apples. pears, cner-
ries and other fruits. How 1t got across
the ocean is not yet known.
DR.. Moreno, the director Of the La
Plata Museum, during recent visit &c
London gave lecture on Patagonia, ID
which he declared that that country
does not deserve its bad reputation
Although its present population Is small
and scattered, it has, he AYERS, q
healthy soil capable Of supporting
large population, and it presents vast
field for human industry. In DR.. More
nos opinion, Patagonia is remnant OF
an ancient Antarctic continent.
Trees, and, indeed, all terrestrial veg
citation, will live for months In winter
when their roots and stems are wholly
under water, but are killed In a rev
days IL a sudden overflow keeps the
roots under water in the growing sea.
son, The roots, needing air at that sea-
son. are suffocated. The practical cul
tiyator, of an observant turn OF mind
makes admirable use Of this knowledge
in many gardening operations. Plants
desired in low situations, where they
would not under usual conditions sur
vive, should not be set deeply.
T. S. c. Lowe, Of Pasadena, CAL, the
founder Of the Lowe Observatory, sug-
gests that some storms in which elec
tricity plays leading part. like lorna
does, might be dissipated on the light
ming rod principle by bonding the rails
of railroads with copper, as In electric
railroads for return currents, and at
intervals sinking large conductors Into
the ground until they reach the water.
Railroads running north and south. he
suggests, would be especially available
because the tracks of tornadoes are
almost invariably from west to south
west toward east or northeast.
The marvellous effects that are some
times produced by music may eventual
ly receive scientific explanation. IL
a recent lecture at Oxford University
Prof. McKendrick said that, while the
intricate connections Of the auditory
nerves are only just being unraveled
it Is probable that the roots Of those
nerves are more widely distributed and
have more extensive connections thar
those of any other nerves In the human
body. Researches on the auditory
nerves indicate that there Is scarcely o
function Of the body which may not be
affected by the pulsations and harmonic
combinations of musical tones.
If the sponge as brought up fresh
from the a-botiom were a familiar
object, says DR.. Lydekker, few would
be in doubt as to its being an animal
When fresh, it is fleshy-looking sub.
stance covered with a firm skin, and
If cut 1t presents somewhat the appear
ance Of raw meat. Its cavities are filed
with a gelatinous substance called
milk" American sponges, and those
of all other parts Of the world, are In
ferior to the sponges of the eastern
shores of the Mediterranean. The finest
Of all sponges is the Turkey toilet
sponge, which Is cup-shaped. The
American sponge most nearly approach
ing it in quality is the West Indian
glove sponge.