Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1899-12-16

The Department Of Agriculture re-
ports the discovery that a dangereuI
European scale insect not hitherto re-
ported on this side of the Atlantic, han
recently established itself among fruit
trees in New York and Ohio, and per
haps In other parts of the country. Its
chronological name is Aspldiotus o.
treoeformis, and it Is we'll known ia
Europe. 1t attacks apples, pears, cher
res and other fruits. How 1t got across
the ocean Is not yet known.
DR.. Moreno, the director OF the La
Plata Museum, during a recent visit ID
London gave lecture on Patagonia, in
which he declared that that country
does not deserve its bad reputation
Although its present population is small
and scattered, it has, he AYERS,
healthy soil capable of supporting
large popula ton. 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 few
days II 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.
tlvator, of an obserYant 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.
viye, 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 cleo
tricity plays a 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, hd
suggests, would be especially available
because the tracks of tornadoes ara
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 a scientific explanation. In
a recent lecture at Oxford University,
Prof McKendrick said that, while the
intricate connections Of the auditory
nerves are only just being unrayeled.
1t is probable that the roots of those
nerves are more widely distributed and
have more extensive connections than
those Of any other nerves La the human
body. Researches on the auditory
nerves indicate that there Is scarcely a
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 sea-botiom were a familiar
object, says DR.. Lydekker, few would
be in doubt as to its being an animal.
When fresh, 1t is a fieshy-lookng sub.
stance covered with a firm skin, and
If cut 1t presents somewhat the appear.
ance of raw meat. It's 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 tolle,
sponge, which Is cup-shaped. Tha
American sponge most nearly approach,
ing 1t in quality Is the West Indian
glove sponge.