The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-12-01
COTTesp0ndencs Baltimore County linton.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


Cause Of Phosphorescence-Travel Of
Seeds-The Bundle Bee State--Fish
Migration-Wealth Cast Upon Waters
Deafness in Engineers Water ene-
trated Glaes-Pulverized Milk-Body
Education-An Artificial Voice.
In the new theory of A. Debierne. French
physicist, phoephorescence is due to the forma-
ton Of a new substance. which makes up
small proportion of the whole mass. This new
substance may persist after phosphorescence
has ceased, but when the temperature is raised
to q certain point it is decomposed, giving up in
thermo-luminescence the energy stored up in
It's formation. This heat glow is usually colored
when it is not the new substance is assumed to
be either colorless or of the same color as the
original mass. When there is no thermo-lumi-
nescence. the new substance, which may vary
with the exciting radiation, is probably decom-
posed as fast as formed.
ss$
Investigating the dispersal of seeds by the
winds, DR.. Ridley, of the Singapore Botanic
Gardens forms three groups-D winged fruits
and seeds, which are dispersed most slowly and
cannot cross a wide sea; (2) plumed fruit and
seeds, which may travel rapidly over open
country but are checked by forest; and 60
powder or dust seeds-such as orchid seed, fern
spores, etc..-which are dispersed readily and
to great distance. It was calculated that
certain forest tree, with winged fruit, would
travel 300 yards in century, and would take
one and half million years to spread from the
Malay Peninsula to the Philippines If there
were land connection.
~
The humble bees of Nebraska have been found
by M. H. Swenk to include not less than eighteen
species, belonging to three genra. This is q
greater variety than has been recorded for the
entire United Statesl east of the Mississippi
River
An effort to follow the wanderings of fishes,
about which we know so little, is being made by
the British Marina Biological Association. A
numbered tag has been fastened to many plaice.
which have been returned to the water, and
about twenty per cent. of these marked fishes
seem to have been caught again and returned to
the Association. AS a rule, only the larger
fishes migrate to any considerable distance, the
smaller ones remaining at home. The migrants
go south in winter and return northward in
summer, and one plaice was found to have
travelled LIS miles in six weeks. while another
was caught 2l2 miles from the spot where it was
placed In the water eight months before.
s*s
The saving of the vast amount of plantfood
now carried away by the rivers is great prob
lem for the future agricultural chemist. In one
estimate the silt borne of by the Mississippi in
one year is placed at 443 600 tons. and analysis
has shown Mr.. @. Fl. Stone that in this quantity
there must be 8.120 625 tons of ime 5591 250 tons
Of potash, l,109,375 tons of phosphoric acid, and
605,625 tons Of nitrogen, besides soda and other
materials of uncertain usefulness. The value
of the fertilizing material removed in one year
by this one river alone is estimated at about
1000 million dollars.
Deficient hearing is regarded by DIR. Lichtem-
berg, Of Budapest, as greater danger in rail-
road engineers than color blindness. In o. out
of $50 railroad employees he has found the hear
ing affected, and. as the ear troubles are liable
TO come on at any time, be urges that all persons
in railroad employ should be examined every
two years.
The collections of the steamer Albatross, of
the United States Fish Commission, include
strong glass spheres that have been sealed and
sunk 1900 feet or more into the sea. Some are
now filed with sea water forced through the
pores Of the glass. some are partially filled, and
some were broken by the tremendous pressure
VI OsUOV pOuuub per square IOObs
81
Many have wondered how milk can be reduced
to powder without changing its properties. In
the process patented in Germany, the milk is
evaporated In a vacuum, with continual agita-
ton. until it contains from % to 80 per cent of
water, and then, with access of air, at temper
AZURE below the melting point of the milk-fat'
until the water is reduced to IS to 20 per cent
The product is then powdered, further drying
at the temperature stated leaving not more than
IA per cent. of water. This method, it is ex-
planned, yields a milk powder in which the fat
is presentas small globules, surrounded by dried
blue milk which prevents the fat from de-
composing.
The need of physical training in schools is
emphasized by the results of recent medical ex-
aminations in Scotland, only little more than
half of 600 children of Aberdeen proving to be
sound in health and only III in 6O0in Edinburgh.
The Swedish system of Ling is approved. In
this. gymnastics are classified and arranged to
suit the varied Individual needs, and in addition
to giving bodily development, the exercise is
expected to teach courage, obedience, alertness,
decision, selfconfdence, and presence of mind.
s"s
Made voiceless by the cutting out of his
larynx in an operation for cancer, an ingenious
Viennese has fitted rubber tube with vocal
chords, and by means of this novel speaking ap
paratus, inserted in his throat, he is said to be
able to produce high falsetto voice.
~
The use of yellow glasses for weak eyes is re-
commended by DIR. Motais. of Anglers. The yell
low tint is very restful and has calming in
fuence on the most sensitive eyes. Such glasses
have been prescribed during fifteen years in
this oculist own practice yielding excellent
resulta