Amador ledger., 1909-06-18

ed by Maguetsm-N Natures Plant
ing - Coast Surveys Still Incomplete
A Pedestrian Motor-Po oslty of
Solids-Sounds Heard by Touch
In the novel barometer of Z. b.
Goldschmidt, as described to the
Royal Medical Society of Brussels,
the readings are taken from gal
vanometer, giving much greater san
sitiveness and accuracy than the or
binary instrument. A minute v
the vacuum at the top of the or
binary barometer, and by platinum
wires is connected in circuit with
sensitive galvanometer and a few
battery cells giving constant
current. The rise of the mercury in
the tube submerges the filament to a
degree that is promptly indicated by
the galvanometer. The apparatus
records changes of less than .004 of
an inch, and the galvan ometer scale
is so graduated as to give the baro-
metric pressures without calculation.
The sensltiveness has led to the
discovery that the atmospheric pres
sure is changing from second to
second, indicating that great air
pillows are constantly passing over
us.
Napbthalene as autom obile fuel
has given very satisfactory results in
the tests of Chardon and Lion with a
40 horse power motor truck hauling
tons of useful load. Gasoline was
used for the trts IL minutes. when
the -crystallized, in
pieces the size of a chestnut, became
melted. and was then introduced into
176 deg. F., together with air heated
by the escaping gases. About 20
pounds of naphathalene were used
per horu, later experiments showing
the running cost to be one-third to
two-thIrds cent per ton mile.
That magnetism affects the strength
of iron and steel seems to have been
proven ny W. j. Crawford at the
Technical Institute of Belfast,
ireland. he used bars of mild steel
and wrought iron 8 inches long by
3-5 to l inch in diameter, part of
them being kept at magnetic satura-
tion in solenoid, and in the testing
machine the elongation of the mag
netized pieces was decreased 3 to l6
per cent while the average breaking
load seemed to be increased.
On April 26, 1883, the island of
Kratakatoa, in the Strait of Sundra
between Java and Sumatra, was the
scene of a volcanic eruption, and half
Of the island was blown away in the
greatest explosion known to man.
The surface was changed from a
beautiful tropical forest to waste of
volcanic ash and pumice, destitute of
all life. The island is II miles from
the nearest land and ~ from the
nearest point of Sumgtla, the most
probable source of seeds, but in the
quarter of century that has elapsed
Nature has restored IuXuriant
vegetation, including trees 81 feet
tall. The return uf the plants has
been a matter of such importance
and interest to botanists that its
story is given in new book by Prof.
A. Ernst. Windblown spores seem
to have begun the work, and in 1856
the surface had become largely cover
ed with blue-green aIgae, (which were
preparing a soil ia which few ferns
and grasses had already taken root,
while Towering plants fIom sea- borne
seeds had begun to appear on the
shore. In 1857 the species had in
creased TO SO seed plants and II
higher cryptogams, portions of the
ground being covered with green.
Since then the progress has been
marvellous, and the south side of the
island is mostly mass OF green, with
fruit and seeds OF and-plants on the
beach. forest of cocoanut palms,
screw-pines and figs farther inland
and jungle of grasses, reeds and
vines beyond the forest. 1t is es-
timated that 30 to y per cent Or the
seed plants have been brought by sea-
currents, 10 to 10 by birds, and IL to
3 by winds.
Even now the chores of the ocean
are imperfecly known, aud as many
as 6S rocks and shoals dangerous to
navigation we're discovered in 1908
charting of seas and coasts of the