The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-01-11
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
The Flash in Perseus-New Alloys-Hid-
den Lands for Explorers Insect Eating
Plants--Plague Among Palms--Ele-
plant Origin--An Unused Material
New Light on Drowning--A T i'm
Flashlight-A Lightweight Boiler.
The nebula that seems to be spreading out
from the new star in Perseus not only changes
at perceptible rate but has fright spots on its
outer edge that appear to have passed over
minute of arc in six weeks implying the tremen-
dous velocity of 1000 miles per second if the
nebula is assumed to be at the distance of the
nearest known star. 1t is suggested as more
probable that the new star and its nebula are
nearer, or that a flash of light may have been
sent through the comparatively dark gas with
out actual motion of the gas itself. The great
est apparent motion of star in space is 8] sec
onds of arc in year, which is that of a small
star in the southern hemisphere. The famous
Groombridge $780, with proper motion of
seconds year, taking it across a space equal to
the diameter of the moon in $50 years, has a
parallax of about H-100 of second, and is cal
culated to travel at speed of 200milesa second.
The projectile of a modern cannon has a maxi
mum velocity of little more than Il mile per
second.
~
Nickel and aluminium have been difficult to
alloy on account of the difference between their
melting points. which are 1.45O0 and 6OOo respec-
lively A Berlin manufacturer has overcome
the difficulty by special furnace. and in one
case by adding copper, with an intermediate
Isl.
nickel and copper, with aluminium in greatest
proportion, the specific gravity being 2.S6. 1t
can be rolled into sheets, and has tensile
strength of 16k tons per square inch. "Minckin'
seems to contain more nickel than the 20 per
cent. of NEW silver,' and is gaining favor for
its resistance to corrosion by weak acids, etc.
~
About one-fifth of the earths land surface
was known in 1900, states G.. H. Grosvenor, and
in 1900 only one eleventh was unexplored. The
Ozark Continent of the twentieth century is
the land buried under the oceans an area thrice
as great as the exposed land surface.
~
The species of carnivorous plants now known,
meaning those that entrap and absorb small an
imal forms, reach the surprising total of about
400, belonging to l6 or IS genera. These make
up the natural orders SGrracenGceGe. Nepenth-
acede, DroSerGceGe, Cephal0taceae and Lenti5uldri
dcede, and there are two species in other orders
that are suspected of being insectivorous. Mr..
A. H. Ware, an English biologist, divides these
plants into three groups. Plants OF the first
group have neither motile or digestive organs,
but have traps, with open orifices for the en-
trance of small animals, that close on any at
tempt at exit, and there are some pitcher plants
with bright colors or honey to attract insects.
The second group has digestive organs but no
motile entrapping apparatus. 1t includes the
true pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes, and
what are sometimes called the ''lime-twig''
plants, which have sticky tentacles to which the
insects adhere. The third group has both motile
and digestive organs. The motile organ has
Slsh+ ability in some species, but in others
it close on the prey like spring trap, forming
a chamber in which digestion is carried on.
Venus fiy-trap (Dionder nsuScipuld) is an example
of the highest development. When its trigger
hairs'' are touched the two halves of the leaf
close almost instantly, aud it is a curious fact
that the single touch of passing insect has no
effect, a repeated touch or momentary contact
acting quickly.
The areca-nut, or betel-nut, is the fruit of an
East Indian PALM 1t is chewed in great guam
titles by the Asiatcs, who regard it as an aid to
digestion, and in pharmacy it is used as YER
mcide. The present scarcity of the nuts seems
to be due to mysterious plague that has swept
the plantations of Lower Bengal. Dense groves
of thousands of trees have become vegetable
cemeteries in a few months, and no parasites
or other adequate cause can be discovered.
The only explanation offered by DIR. George
Watt, after investigation, is degeneration of
tissue" to be remedied by care in cultivation.
~
A mastadon-like animal from the Eocene of
the Libyan Desert is regarded by DR.. Andrews
as the probable ancestor of tho mammoth and
elephant.
Tea-seed, by-product of an important in
dustry, is awaiting profitable use. 1t was placed
upon the market in London in 1886, under the
name of ''tanne," but nobody knew what to do
with it, and there was sale. An agent of the
Indian Tea Association has now made report
upon the oil and cake. Tea-seed oil is clear,
light yellow, with more or less acrid taste, and
is unsafe as an edible oil on account of its sa-
ponin. Tea-seed oil-cake is by the same con-
stituent made dangerous food for cattle, while
as a manure it is much inferior to other oil-seed
cakes. 1t is suggested that the oil might prove
useful as lamp-oiI, and that the cake mfghtserve
as an insecticide
-
The idea that drowning persons take much
water into the lungs has seemed to be unQues-
toned. But it has been long opposed by Prof.
w. K. Whitford who in forty years has sue
cessfully treated many patients apparently
dead from drowning, and who now asserts as the
result of many examinations, that practically
no water enters the lungs. The mistaken view
has caused the waste of much valuable time.
He has found heat-energetcally and persist
emily applied-to be the most important agent
in resuscitation, and with this, aided by artif-
cial respiration and stimulation, he has restored
patients that have been submerged an hour.
-
The advantage of a Photographic fashlight
that can be timed is claimed for new cartridge
made at Ohenbach. Germany, and consisting of
celluloid capsule filled with combustible pow
der and provided with a fuse. The flash varies
with the size of the cartridge. Analysis shows
that the powder, which burns quietly and with
little smoke. contains IL per cent. of aluminium,
1876 of magnesium, X of red phosphorus and 70
of strontium nitrate.
~
Ether, converted into vapor much more read
lily than water, is stated to have failed in engines
from the lack of a suitable generator NJ. Mala-
pert claims a successful generator, and that one
weighing 265 pounds can supply 100 horse
power engine.
Pennsylvania Railroads Winter Excur-
sion Route Book.
In pursuance of its annual custom, the Pas
senger Department of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company has just issued an attractive and
comprehensive book descriptive of the leading