Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-06-10

kIg.z zzasG-N
Cockroaches in South Africa, where
they exist In such numbers as to be
serious public Inconvenience, have been
held in check by the inroads of para
sitic fungus. Captive reaches are in
oculated with the fungus and then lib
Grated. The spread of the disease
among their colonies in this manner
has been found to be the most effective
way of controlling their spread and
multiplication. The same fungus also
served similar purpose with the Afri-
can locust.
The common earthworm has held the
attention Of scientists ever since Dar-
win pointed out the wonderful part 1t
plays in the formation of soil. The
chemical role of the earthworm has
been the subject of the latest investi-
CATION. In some wonderful manner the
soil In passing through the short length
of the worm becomes totally changed
in character, and much better fitted
soil undergoes nitri6cation more rap
idly than soil ordinarily does, and the
solublity of the phosphorlc acid is in
creased. while the percentage Of car
Donate Of limo becomes larger.
The skeletons of sixty mastodons
have been found in the State Of New
orlr TOD, fa1 nln to
marked belts. as follows: Thirty-four
IN Eastern New York from Albany
south through Newburg; thirteen from
Rochester south through Livingston
County; two near Chautauqua Lake
and two near Ithaca. Outside of these
belts the State is barren. 1t would ap-
pear, therefore, that the mastodons
had distinct feeding grounds, and the
remains indicate that the beasts were
living in time not very remote. Their
skeletons are now usually found rest
ing on the boulders of old streams in
comparatively thin layer Of peat No
specimen Of the mammoth has yet been
found in the State.
A French investigator has been ex-
popimenting with the electric current
to produce ansssshesia. After duly
certifying himself with number of
experiments upon animals he extended
his researches TO the human body, eX-
perlmsnting st tirst upon himself. He
fiAds by applying current, the exact
character Of which is not stated, to the
body, through mOistened electrodes.
placed enc on the forehead and the
other over the small of the back. that
with voltage of fifty complete inhibi-
t!op takes place. The faculty of speech
Ia first lost, followed finally by the in
hibition of the functions of the other
motor senses. 1t Is asserted that its
only disagreeable feature Is that which
accompanies the gradual loss of the
faculties, resulting In, sensation of a
nightmare. The heart is said to be I'M
affected. but the breathing Is some
what obstructed. The current strength
Is gradually applied, about five minutes
being occupied In reaching the maxi
num- When the current is switched
off the subject awakens at once, and
with a "feeling of invigoration."
Plants may be poisoned just as well
as animal organisms. A lack Of oxy-
gen will result in asphyxiation just as
surely as 1t does in man. The effect
may not be so quickly attained but it
Is none the less sure. An experimenter
ut the Imperial Agricultural University
of Tokyo has recently been studying
the poisonous effects of caffein and an.
tipyrin in high dilutions on plants.
Onion and celery plants were the sub
jects of the investigation. 1t was
found that the former plants remained
alive for "nearly four weeks in solu.
tion containing one part Of caffein in
1000 of the nutrient solution" In other
experiments on celery plants these
same alllaloids proved fatal in about
two weeks, the death of the plant being
heralded by the whiting of the leaves.
1t is quite remarkable that the tea
plant, which contains a comparatively
large amount of caffein in the leaves,
should also be susceptible to poisoning
from caffein when fed to the plant
along with nutrients. 1t is surmised
that the caffein found in the tea leaves
Is so surrounded as to protect the cells
from injury.