Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-08-16
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

A hortlculturist mentions plant Of
the primrose family, Primula obconica,
as the only one that can be had In
flower all the year round. A large pot
of this plant has Powered continuous
ly for five years. The flowers are
abundant, and were originally OF a pale
lilac but have been recently improved
not only in size but In variety Of col
or white ana many shades OF lilac and
pink 10 deep rose being now obtainable.
The cut flowers are pleasing for house
decoration, while keeping fresh a long
time in water The plant thrives out
~ doors IN summer. but requires hot
house protection in winter. The one OBJ
Fashionable quality is that both now-
ers and leaves poison the skin Of some
individuals.
The conviction is deepening that sea-
side and other water resorts should
have better means for resusctating
droWned persons In the experiments
OF Or. I.abordc, OF Paris. a vigorous
dog was chloroforined until respiration
ceased. when traction OF the tongue for
10 minutes revived the animal but Oh
another trial until complete asphyxia-
ton occurred, the tongue traction, pur-
p0sely delayed five minutes, had no
perceptible effect at the end Of two
hours Yet another half-hour brought
signs Of life, complete recovery follow
ing. To ensure persistence In lIfe-
saving efforts, DR.. Laborde has Inn
proved his automatic apparatus. ah
electric motor serving TO give contlnu-
GUS traction OF the tongue for three
hours.
A trouble OF the artists Is the ten
dency OF paints to mix or run together.
This Is especially annoying In portrait
painting on account Of the delay for
cleaning oil from palette and brushes.
and has led TO the limited use OF the
rastel. Work with the latter, how
ever, lacks durability BY his plan
Of forming oil colors into crayon.like
sticks VI. J. j. Raffaelll. the French
genre painter, claims 10 have secured
both durability and freedom from in
convenience, and 10 have effected
genuine revolution.
Colors are an interesting feature Of
bacteria to which NJ. Henri CoupIn has
been giving special attention. Many NJ
the bacteria produce coloring mattef
and most OF these are themselves coll
ored. the pigment being within the or
ganlsm, but there are colorless microbes
like the green-staining Bacillus fluor-
escens-that spread color into the sur
rounding medium. The colors are pro-
dured In light or darkness oxygen b.
ing necessary and heat unfavorable
The best known OF the reforming
bacllll is Bacillus prodigiosus, whose
beautiful red colonies often appear on
food-stuffs, like breah and form the
spots Of blood" once supposed 60 be Of
miraculous origin. Also familiar Is the
Bacillus syncyanus, giving the peculiar
appearance to blue milk" The Bacil-
'u b ychromogenes Of wells and con-
duits is noteworthy for Its production
under usual conditions OF blue. violet
red green, yellow and various spectral
shades. and. on solid media. Of beau
tlful indigo blue, The purple bacteria
differ from Others IN causing the pho
nomena Of assimilation. and thsy are
an sensitive to light
The fact that certain substances ad-
here so tenacinus.y IN glass that on be-
ing detached they tear away scales was
observed long ago by Prof. Caillelei
For etching the glass he applies two
coats OF thin glue, and after q hours
places the articles on a kitchen range
for a few hours az n temperature not
greater than l05 degrees II, The glue
VIII detach Itself with numerous flakes
OF glass. The designs may be varied by
adding various salts 20 the glue, and he
gets HIS best results From glue with a
little alum.
A nickel steel that Is rustess and
practically without expansion on heat.
Ing IL claimed by Dr. Gl1lnume. OF Sew
res. as result Of five years Of expert.
ment
The color OF the clothing taken for
the summer vacation Il likely 10 be.
come OF importance IN securing pro.
lection against insects. Colors prove 10
have decided influence on mosquitoes,
al any rate. and In the experiments
made a person dressed In white flannel
was unmolested while another in dark
gray was quickly attacked. Dark blue
vas most attractive The number OF
mosquitoes entering boxes lined with
other colors diminished in this order,
dark red. brown, scarlet. black. slate.
gray, olive green. violet. leaf green.
blue. pearl gray. pale green. light blue,
ochre, white and orange. None enter.
ed yellow lined boxes II Is probable
that other winged insects are simil-
arly affected, and II is suggested that i
an attractive color may be made 10
lure flies. etc. TO destruction, and that