Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-11-09
EOLEYSHOll EYz6rAR

Science Notes.


In 1892, Frank Mira, of Jacksonville,
Fla. discovered a twig which seemed
to him of some use to the perfumer.
He submitted it to Mr.. f. Moulie of
that city. who was engaged in the
business of extracting essences. The
plant Immediately interested Mr.. Mou.
lie, who succeeded In producing from
it an essential oil. Many attempts on
the part of Mr.. Moulie and the Unit.
ed States Department of Agriculture
to ascertain the scientific name of the
plant finally resulted in its identified
ton as Mentha citrata. very rare
plant which is popularity called ber-
gamot mint. From year to year Mr..
Moulie has increased and developed
the few plants which he has been able
to obtain and is now engaged in graf
uitously distributing the plant for gen.
eral propagation. We believe that in
this manner a very valuable perfume
industry may some day be built up on
the cultivation of this rare plant.
Prof. Omori the eminent Japanese
seismologist who has been studying
the effects of the Californian earth
quake for the past three or four
months. has come tOtheconclusion thar
Will Uc lICc 1lOIl StlSIulC
disturbances for half century. and
probably for much longer time. He
says that in all probability there will
never again be so severe an earthquake
in California as the one on April 1S.
The slipping of the crust of the earth
was caused by the fact that at the
point Of weakness it was in unstable
equilibrium, resulting from the redis-
tvNShp <NT toll.
bring this about, and the crust has
probably settled to a position in which
it will remain for centuries without
any slipping. The position of countless
tons of matter will have to be chang
ed. and vast quantities of earth to be
carried by the rivers into the sea, be-
fore there will be so great redistribu-
ton of matter as to cause an earth
quake. Prof Omori says that he Is
confirmed in this opinion by the &C.
currence of many minor shocks since
the great one, and by the manner Of
their occurrence. These shocks have
been coming at regular intervals and
diminishing in force, showing that the
crust of the earth is slowly settling to
rest in it's new position. The minor
shaOcks occur most strongly when the
! UdIOulSllC pressure VI JIle atmosphere
is greatest. Most of the shocks are
SO slight that they can be discovered
only by the aid of seismograph, and
are of no importance except as helps
to an understanding of earthquakes.
The professor says that an earthquake
of any magnitude is preceded by a
series of minor shocks, especially if
the observation is made at location
distant from the center of the dis
turbance. Tremers precede the great
shocks. frequently by several days. II,
therefore, careful observations of these
tremors could be made, it might be
possible to predict an earthquake.
Prof Omori recommends that bureaus
equipped with seismographs. be es.
tablished all over the state of Calfor.
mia. so that slight tremors may be OBJ
served and their efforts carefully stud
led. When a shock occurs, reports
would come in from many quarters tc
the chief observatory, and the center
Of the disturbance could be located
quickly. The Japanese professor viii
publish full report of his observa
tons during his visit to California
Scientific American.