Volume 24 (1872) (424 pages)

March 2, 1872.] SCIENTIFIC. PRESs. 185 Userue INpoRMATiON. Mechanical Applications of [ndiaRubber, Paro iadia-rubber is of a white color; its dark color,as generally used, being occasioned by smoke. It is composed of hydrogen and carbon, and is soluble in coal-tar oil. When pure india-rubber is combined with flour ef sulphur we havo tho commercial product called india-rubber, of grent valne, from tho mauy purposes to which it may bo applied. VTho proportion of sulphur to caoutehone is about 2-5 parts in 100, When tho proportions of sulphur are considerably inereased and greator heat applied, a product is formed callod yuleanite or eboaits, mnch nsed in ornament, and composed of 2 parts of caoutchoue or india-rnbber, and 1 of sulphur, heated at 300 F. Tbe wear of vuleanized iudia-rubber iu its application to steam engiue pumpvalves isa subject of great importanco to the marine cngincer. The india-rnbbor valye-covors are affected iu many waye, and tho duration and time of weuring present certain anomolies. They aro subject to various actions, some mechanical and chemical; the specific density of the material, and the formation of the guards of the valves, on the ovo hand, and tho action of tle oil in the Inbricants on the other. Pure rubber does not present the samo advantage for such applicatious as vnicanized rubber containing a metallic pigment, experiments sbowing that pure rubber is more readily acted on by oils and greaso than that of mixed quality. Pure rubber may bo used with advantage where the water is freo from grease or oil; bnt a wixed rubber of a specitio gravity of abont 1,202 is more gencrally useful.—£c. Artiriciuan Eyres— How Maver. — For many years eyes of glass for dolls, dummies, wax-work figures, stnffed birds and beasts, have been made in Birmingham; but only since the Exhibition of 1851 have artificial human eyes been produced there, cqual if not superior to tbose of French manufacture. The process of manufacture is simple enough, bnt it requires, nevertheless, a good deal of manipulative skill. The workman takes a number of glass rods of the requisite colors, and heats them in succession. The firet is generally white or colorless glass to form the white of the eye; the next forming the iris; and the third,.‘‘a little spot from a black rod,” forms the pupil; evenness of the ontline is the great object to attain, and this requires no small amount of skill. The demand is prodigioue, especially for dolls’ eyes, which are packed iu hogsbeads and sent to all parts of the world. Buackinc.—The lustrous qualities of blacking are frequently derived from ingredients which are most deleterious and destructive to leather. Herr Artus publishes 1 new formula, and claims several advantages for it, to which we may add its cheapness and acceesibility: Three or four pounds vegetable black, 144 ponnds ivory black, 5 pounds molasses, and 5 pounds glycerine, mixed thoroughly togetber. Six ounces gntta percha in emall pieces, are then melted and when fluid, 20 ounces olive oil are added, and subsequently, 2 ounces etearine. Tho second mixture, while qnite hot, is stirred into the first; and then a further addition of 10 ounces gum Senegal, dissolved in about 3 quarts water, is added. This compound is the stock; for nse, it should be diluted with about three times its quantity of warm water. Turpressions rrou Prints.—Take of oil of turpentine one drachm, liquid potash four dracbms, and mix together thoroughly by shaking in ao hottls; then saturate a piece of wool thoroughly with the solution and dah it gently on the print. Wheu you find thatthe print to be copied is nicely damped, place a cheet of white paper over it, then another paper on this, and rnb gently with your finger, Cuinrse Astronomy.—Prof. Jno, Williams of the Royal Astronomical Society of England, has lately published a book of Observatious on Comets, in which he makes a hrief allusion to the progress in this branch of science which has been made by the Chinese. Ho seems to recognize as authentic, ohservations recorded 2,300 years hefore the Christian era. Tux eleven Territories exceed by nearly 200,000 equare miles, the aggregate area of the at present admitted States of the Union. Dust Rings for Watches. This is a new dust cxelnder, to be applied to watehcs betwoon tho top and bottom plates of their works, for the purpose of prevoeuting impnrities from entering the works. The nnderside of the top plate of tho works of a watch is beveled at tho edge, the beveled portion oxtending to a shoulder. The dust excluder is mado ofa metallic spring band, which ie laid around the train so as to rost against the beveled portiou of tho top plate, or against a similar bovel of the bottom plate or both. Tho ends of the spring band aro either made to overlap, or fastoned to a cast arch, which is set between the top and bottom pletes, and bulged out to admit the protruding main wheel. This archod casting abnts with its rounded ends against the onds of ears formed on the top plate. Quo end of the hand is secured to tbe cast arch by a screw, and the other ond is slotted and titted over a screw projocting from tho arch, tho screw being tightened on the uarrow part of tho slot. Wheu tho band is used alouo, the screw or connecting pin projects from ouo end through a slot in the other. The spring power of the band crowds it egainst the bevel, and serves, therefore, to properly excludo the dust. Wasterun Use or Gas.—The Board of Trade, of London, has recently submitted an exhaustive report, through a epecial commitee of experts, with referenco to the principles of gas illumination. The follow points with regard to the economical use of gas should attract tho attention of gas consumors generally: By using good burners instead of bad ones, consumers may obtain from 30 to 50 per cent. more light, while their gas bills remain tbe same. The improvement of burners is important as a sanitary reform, as in furnishing the same quantity of light the good burner will consume less gas and consequently less air and will produce a smaller quautity of the products of combustion, and less beat, then a poor hurner. Bnrnere from two newspaper offices gave only one-half the illuminating power of the gas, while several of the burners tested gave only one-quarter the proper light of the gas, These facts and many others which came to their knowledge proved to the referees that ‘‘an enormous waste of gas prevails, with a corresponding pecuniary loss to the publie.” London pays $10,000,000 per aunum for gas, and the referees believo that onefourth this sum may be saved by tho use of good burners. Cuntosrires oF Motion.—Is any change operated ou a man by a change in the velocity of his motion round the axis of the eartb? Suppose, for instance, a dweller in latitude 60 were to suddenly change his residence to the Equator, he would double his velocity. For while at latitude 60, ho travels round with the earth at the rate of 500 miles an hour, at the Equator he does 1,000 miles an hour. Again, at latitude 72 the Greenlander is lazily carried round a paltry 130 miles an hour—wbhile the man at the North Pole calmly revolves about once in 84 hours. Of course the motion is unfelt, because all things move togetber; but the change from the tropical to an artic climate is so great that it may possihly produce physical or mental effects of which we are as yet unconscious. Of course the steering of a ship from north to south must be sensibly effected hy the constant acceleration from west to east. On the long railways of Russia, too, I believe it ie found that the rails are uniformly more worn on one side than on the other, in consequence of this foree.—Gentlemen’s Magazine. Fintrrinc WATER on A Laror Scae.— All the water compauies of London are com pelled by law to filter the water which they supply tothe city, from the Thames and the sea. The only exemption from this rule is the Kirt Co., which obtains its supplies from deep wells, penetrating the chalk formation. The filtering layer through which all this water ruue is six feet thick, composed chiefly of sand. TuERE are three gatheringe of coffee in a year in Brazil. Nothing is more beautiful than a coffee plantatiou in fnll bloom. The snowy blossoms all huret forth simultaneously, and the fielde seem covered with adelicate mantle of white which exhales a fragrance not uaworthy of Eden. But the beauty is ephemeral, for the snow white flowers and the delightful odor passos away in twenty-fonr hours. Goon Hearth. A Simple Remedy for Dandruff. Thero are donbtless fow persons, ospecially among gentlemen, who do not suffer from tho inconveuienco of dandruff. Physicians seem to consider it not of sufficient importauco to cngago their atteution, aud the poor victims are left cither to practice their virtuo of endurance, or for a euro, to try some of the many nos trnms advertised in public prints. The intolerable itching which frequently accompanios the troublesome complaint, is not the ouly unpleasnt featuro, as to persous of any pretentione to nentness, the appearenco of the white scales on the cont collar aud shoulders is very objectionable. The writer, during a number of years, tried the differeut alcoholic solutions of castor oil and many othor preparations without permanent peneht, and as a last resort, was led to adopt the plan of cleansing the scalp with borax and carbonate of potassa. This proved cffuctual, but aftor a persistent treatment of some moaths the hair became sensibly thinner, and _perhaps would soon have disappeared altogether. The bolief that dandruff arises from a disease of the skin, although physicians do not seem to agree on this point, and the knowledge that the use of sulphur is frequently attended with very happy results in such diseases, induced me to try it in my own case. A preparation of one ounce flowers of sulphur and one quart of water was made. The clear liquid was poured off, after the mixture hed been repoetedly agitated duriug the intervale of a few hours, and the head eaturated with this every morning. In afew weeks every trace of dandruff hed disappeared, the hair became soft and glossy, and now, afler a discontinuance of tho treatment for eighteen months, there is no indication of the return of the disease. I do not pretend to explain the modus operandi of the treatment, for it is well known that sublimed eulphur is almost or wholly insoluble, and the liquid used was destitute of taste, color or smell. The effects speak for itself. Other persons to whom it has been recommended bave had the eame results, and J communicate the result of my experiments in the belief that it may he valuable and accentable to many who bave snffersd in the same manner as myself.—American Journal of Pharmacy. FaInvre oF CunpuraNnoo mn Exeuanp.— All that we hear of the results of the triels given to the cundurango bark furnished by our Government to the Middlesex and St. Bartholomew’s Hospitale, through the College of Physicians, confirms the fear tbat any hope which might have been entertained, of a confirmation of the statement of its utility asa remedy in cancer, must be entirely dismissed. Physiologically, it appears to be practically inert, and its therapeutic effects in the treatment of the cancer tobe nil. It furnishes a elightly bitter extract of feeble charaeter. A detailed therapeutical report will be made by Mr. Hulke, and a careful examination of its physiological action by Dr. Brunton, but this mainly in deference rather to the official sourcee from whicb this small supply has been furnished, and to set at rest the excitement caused by the somewhat scandalous claims which have been set up in its favor.— British Journal. Tae New Srimozant.—Chloral drinking, according to the physicians, is superseding absinthe, opium and alcoholic etimulants among the hetter classes. An insiduous sedative, its use grows more dangerously on the tippler, than more actively intoxicating drinks. The manufacture of this drug is the best evidence of the extent of iteuse. In Europe, its production has become one of the loading chemical industries, and it is sold by theton. Baron Liebig affirms that one German chemist manufactures end sells half ao ton a week. The London Spectator says: “Taking chloral is the new and popular vice particularly among women, and ie doiug at leastas much harm as alcohol. The drug is kept in thousands of dressing cases, and those who begin its use often grow so addicted to it that they pass their livee in a eort of contented etupefaction. Chloral drunkards will soon be an admitted variety of the species.” Tu Lunes.—If every cell in the lungs were cut open and spread out ona wall, they would cover a space of twelve yards each way; that is, at every full breath, the air drawn in is spread over a surface of one hundred and fifty yards. Forests and Rain. Does the Destruction of Trecs Diminish the Rain-Fall? Boussingault, in his ‘‘ Rural Economy,” gives as his opiniou “‘ that the felling of forests over a large extent of country hae alwaye the effect of lessening the mean annnal rain: fall.” Baron Humboldt stetes in his Asiatic travels, that ‘‘in crossing the steppe of” Barnba, on hie way from Tobolsk to Baroul, he perecived everywhere that tho drying up of wators increesos rapidly under the influence of tho cultivation of the soil.” The same exporieuced traveller in his description of Lako Valentia, in tho Valley D'Aragua, ia Veneznela, a sheet of water on the high table lauds, aud without any outlet, ascribed the diminution of tho wetors to ‘‘the extensive clearinge which had been effected in the course of half a century intho Arragna Valley,” and concludes by stating ‘that men in all climates seem to be bringing npon fnture genorations two calamities at onco—a want of fuel and a scarcity of water.” Early travellers on the Colorado Desert, in this Stete, will remember tho clustor of about thirty palm trees at the so-callod Palm Springs, on the west eide of the cahou, between the Vallecitos Springs and Carrisa Creek, and about twelvo miles south of the former. These palms were planted by the padres of the old San Diego Mission. From the traditions of the old Mission wo learn that the padree found a emall flow of water at irregular iutervale at this perticular place in tho desert. They planted palms there forthe same reason which induced the Arabe to plant date palms at tbe springs in their deserte, viz: shade and water. From the circumstances of the case, the conclusion iea fair one thet these Vallecitos Caton pelms were propagated from the dried dates of the Mediterranean, shipped among the supplies to the Mission. These palms iucreased the eupply of water from the springs, and made it perpetual. The same vandal gold-hunting element that used the well buckets and curbs on the Colorado Deserte for fuel, cut down these few palm trees, and the spring shortly after disappeared. What renders this vandalism witbout excuse is the fact that the palm trees were unfit for fuel. A similar phenomenon is recorded by M. Desbassyns do Richmond as having occured in the island of Ascencion. Upon planting the trees anew, however, the spring in a few years reappeared. No doubt our palm eprings would reappear if wo replanted the palms; and we respectfully submit these facts to tbe attention of the proper Legislative Committee, snggesting that afew bundred dollare be appropriated for this purpose. Forests retard evaporation; agriculture increasos it. Forests hold back tbe water that has fullen, and thereby diminish the chancee of floode. Every leaf, every stick, and the heds of moss and mould are miniature reservoire.—Morning Call. Exper Joun Srrono.—Probably the largest family in the country, of one original lineage, is {tbe Strong Family. Its founder, Elder John Strong, Ruling Eldor of the First Congregational Church of thie town, who died April 14, 1699, aged 94 years, had 18 children, of whom 15 had families, most of them large, and come of them nearly as large as their father’e. What mammoth minoe pies our grandmothere must hayomade! Their descendants, each and all, have been traced down carefully to the present time, to the number of over 22,000. Their genealogy, costing four years of solid toil, (from 10 to 12 hours daily) involving the expenditure of several thousands of dollars, has been traced by Benj. Woodbridge Dwight, and now issued in two large volumes, Among the representative family likenesses in these books, may be found those of Gov. Caleh Strong, Prof. Theo. Strong, of Rntger’s College, N.J., Hon. Edw. Southworth, Prof. James D. Dana, and Rev. Dr. Dorue Clark.—Northampton ( Mass.) Gazette & Courier. Tue doctrine that guano isthe deposit or excretia of birdsis put eadly at fault by the discovery of large deposits at the bottom of the ocean, ehowing that it isa stratified deposit of plants and animals of marine origin. Dynamite is employed with good effect in France for the hreaking up of ice in the rivers where channele are required, or where a gorge has taken place.

March 2, 1872.] SCIENTIFIC. PRESs. 185 Userue INpoRMATiON. Mechanical Applications of [ndiaRubber, Paro iadia-rubber is of a white color; its dark color,as generally used, being occasioned by smoke. It is composed of hydrogen and carbon, and is soluble in coal-tar oil. When pure india-rubber is combined with flour ef sulphur we havo tho commercial product called india-rubber, of grent valne, from tho mauy purposes to which it may bo applied. VTho proportion of sulphur to caoutehone is about 2-5 parts in 100, When tho proportions of sulphur are considerably inereased and greator heat applied, a product is formed callod yuleanite or eboaits, mnch nsed in ornament, and composed of 2 parts of caoutchoue or india-rnbber, and 1 of sulphur, heated at 300 F. Tbe wear of vuleanized iudia-rubber iu its application to steam engiue pumpvalves isa subject of great importanco to the marine cngincer. The india-rnbbor valye-covors are affected iu many waye, and tho duration and time of weuring present certain anomolies. They aro subject to various actions, some mechanical and chemical; the specific density of the material, and the formation of the guards of the valves, on the ovo hand, and tho action of tle oil in the Inbricants on the other. Pure rubber does not present the samo advantage for such applicatious as vnicanized rubber containing a metallic pigment, experiments sbowing that pure rubber is more readily acted on by oils and greaso than that of mixed quality. Pure rubber may bo used with advantage where the water is freo from grease or oil; bnt a wixed rubber of a specitio gravity of abont 1,202 is more gencrally useful.—£c. Artiriciuan Eyres— How Maver. — For many years eyes of glass for dolls, dummies, wax-work figures, stnffed birds and beasts, have been made in Birmingham; but only since the Exhibition of 1851 have artificial human eyes been produced there, cqual if not superior to tbose of French manufacture. The process of manufacture is simple enough, bnt it requires, nevertheless, a good deal of manipulative skill. The workman takes a number of glass rods of the requisite colors, and heats them in succession. The firet is generally white or colorless glass to form the white of the eye; the next forming the iris; and the third,.‘‘a little spot from a black rod,” forms the pupil; evenness of the ontline is the great object to attain, and this requires no small amount of skill. The demand is prodigioue, especially for dolls’ eyes, which are packed iu hogsbeads and sent to all parts of the world. Buackinc.—The lustrous qualities of blacking are frequently derived from ingredients which are most deleterious and destructive to leather. Herr Artus publishes 1 new formula, and claims several advantages for it, to which we may add its cheapness and acceesibility: Three or four pounds vegetable black, 144 ponnds ivory black, 5 pounds molasses, and 5 pounds glycerine, mixed thoroughly togetber. Six ounces gntta percha in emall pieces, are then melted and when fluid, 20 ounces olive oil are added, and subsequently, 2 ounces etearine. Tho second mixture, while qnite hot, is stirred into the first; and then a further addition of 10 ounces gum Senegal, dissolved in about 3 quarts water, is added. This compound is the stock; for nse, it should be diluted with about three times its quantity of warm water. Turpressions rrou Prints.—Take of oil of turpentine one drachm, liquid potash four dracbms, and mix together thoroughly by shaking in ao hottls; then saturate a piece of wool thoroughly with the solution and dah it gently on the print. Wheu you find thatthe print to be copied is nicely damped, place a cheet of white paper over it, then another paper on this, and rnb gently with your finger, Cuinrse Astronomy.—Prof. Jno, Williams of the Royal Astronomical Society of England, has lately published a book of Observatious on Comets, in which he makes a hrief allusion to the progress in this branch of science which has been made by the Chinese. Ho seems to recognize as authentic, ohservations recorded 2,300 years hefore the Christian era. Tux eleven Territories exceed by nearly 200,000 equare miles, the aggregate area of the at present admitted States of the Union. Dust Rings for Watches. This is a new dust cxelnder, to be applied to watehcs betwoon tho top and bottom plates of their works, for the purpose of prevoeuting impnrities from entering the works. The nnderside of the top plate of tho works of a watch is beveled at tho edge, the beveled portion oxtending to a shoulder. The dust excluder is mado ofa metallic spring band, which ie laid around the train so as to rost against the beveled portiou of tho top plate, or against a similar bovel of the bottom plate or both. Tho ends of the spring band aro either made to overlap, or fastoned to a cast arch, which is set between the top and bottom pletes, and bulged out to admit the protruding main wheel. This archod casting abnts with its rounded ends against the onds of ears formed on the top plate. Quo end of the hand is secured to tbe cast arch by a screw, and the other ond is slotted and titted over a screw projocting from tho arch, tho screw being tightened on the uarrow part of tho slot. Wheu tho band is used alouo, the screw or connecting pin projects from ouo end through a slot in the other. The spring power of the band crowds it egainst the bevel, and serves, therefore, to properly excludo the dust. Wasterun Use or Gas.—The Board of Trade, of London, has recently submitted an exhaustive report, through a epecial commitee of experts, with referenco to the principles of gas illumination. The follow points with regard to the economical use of gas should attract tho attention of gas consumors generally: By using good burners instead of bad ones, consumers may obtain from 30 to 50 per cent. more light, while their gas bills remain tbe same. The improvement of burners is important as a sanitary reform, as in furnishing the same quantity of light the good burner will consume less gas and consequently less air and will produce a smaller quautity of the products of combustion, and less beat, then a poor hurner. Bnrnere from two newspaper offices gave only one-half the illuminating power of the gas, while several of the burners tested gave only one-quarter the proper light of the gas, These facts and many others which came to their knowledge proved to the referees that ‘‘an enormous waste of gas prevails, with a corresponding pecuniary loss to the publie.” London pays $10,000,000 per aunum for gas, and the referees believo that onefourth this sum may be saved by tho use of good burners. Cuntosrires oF Motion.—Is any change operated ou a man by a change in the velocity of his motion round the axis of the eartb? Suppose, for instance, a dweller in latitude 60 were to suddenly change his residence to the Equator, he would double his velocity. For while at latitude 60, ho travels round with the earth at the rate of 500 miles an hour, at the Equator he does 1,000 miles an hour. Again, at latitude 72 the Greenlander is lazily carried round a paltry 130 miles an hour—wbhile the man at the North Pole calmly revolves about once in 84 hours. Of course the motion is unfelt, because all things move togetber; but the change from the tropical to an artic climate is so great that it may possihly produce physical or mental effects of which we are as yet unconscious. Of course the steering of a ship from north to south must be sensibly effected hy the constant acceleration from west to east. On the long railways of Russia, too, I believe it ie found that the rails are uniformly more worn on one side than on the other, in consequence of this foree.—Gentlemen’s Magazine. Fintrrinc WATER on A Laror Scae.— All the water compauies of London are com pelled by law to filter the water which they supply tothe city, from the Thames and the sea. The only exemption from this rule is the Kirt Co., which obtains its supplies from deep wells, penetrating the chalk formation. The filtering layer through which all this water ruue is six feet thick, composed chiefly of sand. TuERE are three gatheringe of coffee in a year in Brazil. Nothing is more beautiful than a coffee plantatiou in fnll bloom.

The snowy blossoms all huret forth simultaneously, and the fielde seem covered with adelicate mantle of white which exhales a fragrance not uaworthy of Eden. But the beauty is ephemeral, for the snow white flowers and the delightful odor passos away in twenty-fonr hours. Goon Hearth. A Simple Remedy for Dandruff. Thero are donbtless fow persons, ospecially among gentlemen, who do not suffer from tho inconveuienco of dandruff. Physicians seem to consider it not of sufficient importauco to cngago their atteution, aud the poor victims are left cither to practice their virtuo of endurance, or for a euro, to try some of the many nos trnms advertised in public prints. The intolerable itching which frequently accompanios the troublesome complaint, is not the ouly unpleasnt featuro, as to persous of any pretentione to nentness, the appearenco of the white scales on the cont collar aud shoulders is very objectionable. The writer, during a number of years, tried the differeut alcoholic solutions of castor oil and many othor preparations without permanent peneht, and as a last resort, was led to adopt the plan of cleansing the scalp with borax and carbonate of potassa. This proved cffuctual, but aftor a persistent treatment of some moaths the hair became sensibly thinner, and _perhaps would soon have disappeared altogether. The bolief that dandruff arises from a disease of the skin, although physicians do not seem to agree on this point, and the knowledge that the use of sulphur is frequently attended with very happy results in such diseases, induced me to try it in my own case. A preparation of one ounce flowers of sulphur and one quart of water was made. The clear liquid was poured off, after the mixture hed been repoetedly agitated duriug the intervale of a few hours, and the head eaturated with this every morning. In afew weeks every trace of dandruff hed disappeared, the hair became soft and glossy, and now, afler a discontinuance of tho treatment for eighteen months, there is no indication of the return of the disease. I do not pretend to explain the modus operandi of the treatment, for it is well known that sublimed eulphur is almost or wholly insoluble, and the liquid used was destitute of taste, color or smell. The effects speak for itself. Other persons to whom it has been recommended bave had the eame results, and J communicate the result of my experiments in the belief that it may he valuable and accentable to many who bave snffersd in the same manner as myself.—American Journal of Pharmacy. FaInvre oF CunpuraNnoo mn Exeuanp.— All that we hear of the results of the triels given to the cundurango bark furnished by our Government to the Middlesex and St. Bartholomew’s Hospitale, through the College of Physicians, confirms the fear tbat any hope which might have been entertained, of a confirmation of the statement of its utility asa remedy in cancer, must be entirely dismissed. Physiologically, it appears to be practically inert, and its therapeutic effects in the treatment of the cancer tobe nil. It furnishes a elightly bitter extract of feeble charaeter. A detailed therapeutical report will be made by Mr. Hulke, and a careful examination of its physiological action by Dr. Brunton, but this mainly in deference rather to the official sourcee from whicb this small supply has been furnished, and to set at rest the excitement caused by the somewhat scandalous claims which have been set up in its favor.— British Journal. Tae New Srimozant.—Chloral drinking, according to the physicians, is superseding absinthe, opium and alcoholic etimulants among the hetter classes. An insiduous sedative, its use grows more dangerously on the tippler, than more actively intoxicating drinks. The manufacture of this drug is the best evidence of the extent of iteuse. In Europe, its production has become one of the loading chemical industries, and it is sold by theton. Baron Liebig affirms that one German chemist manufactures end sells half ao ton a week. The London Spectator says: “Taking chloral is the new and popular vice particularly among women, and ie doiug at leastas much harm as alcohol. The drug is kept in thousands of dressing cases, and those who begin its use often grow so addicted to it that they pass their livee in a eort of contented etupefaction. Chloral drunkards will soon be an admitted variety of the species.” Tu Lunes.—If every cell in the lungs were cut open and spread out ona wall, they would cover a space of twelve yards each way; that is, at every full breath, the air drawn in is spread over a surface of one hundred and fifty yards. Forests and Rain. Does the Destruction of Trecs Diminish the Rain-Fall? Boussingault, in his ‘‘ Rural Economy,” gives as his opiniou “‘ that the felling of forests over a large extent of country hae alwaye the effect of lessening the mean annnal rain: fall.” Baron Humboldt stetes in his Asiatic travels, that ‘‘in crossing the steppe of” Barnba, on hie way from Tobolsk to Baroul, he perecived everywhere that tho drying up of wators increesos rapidly under the influence of tho cultivation of the soil.” The same exporieuced traveller in his description of Lako Valentia, in tho Valley D'Aragua, ia Veneznela, a sheet of water on the high table lauds, aud without any outlet, ascribed the diminution of tho wetors to ‘‘the extensive clearinge which had been effected in the course of half a century intho Arragna Valley,” and concludes by stating ‘that men in all climates seem to be bringing npon fnture genorations two calamities at onco—a want of fuel and a scarcity of water.” Early travellers on the Colorado Desert, in this Stete, will remember tho clustor of about thirty palm trees at the so-callod Palm Springs, on the west eide of the cahou, between the Vallecitos Springs and Carrisa Creek, and about twelvo miles south of the former. These palms were planted by the padres of the old San Diego Mission. From the traditions of the old Mission wo learn that the padree found a emall flow of water at irregular iutervale at this perticular place in tho desert. They planted palms there forthe same reason which induced the Arabe to plant date palms at tbe springs in their deserte, viz: shade and water. From the circumstances of the case, the conclusion iea fair one thet these Vallecitos Caton pelms were propagated from the dried dates of the Mediterranean, shipped among the supplies to the Mission. These palms iucreased the eupply of water from the springs, and made it perpetual. The same vandal gold-hunting element that used the well buckets and curbs on the Colorado Deserte for fuel, cut down these few palm trees, and the spring shortly after disappeared. What renders this vandalism witbout excuse is the fact that the palm trees were unfit for fuel. A similar phenomenon is recorded by M. Desbassyns do Richmond as having occured in the island of Ascencion. Upon planting the trees anew, however, the spring in a few years reappeared. No doubt our palm eprings would reappear if wo replanted the palms; and we respectfully submit these facts to tbe attention of the proper Legislative Committee, snggesting that afew bundred dollare be appropriated for this purpose. Forests retard evaporation; agriculture increasos it. Forests hold back tbe water that has fullen, and thereby diminish the chancee of floode. Every leaf, every stick, and the heds of moss and mould are miniature reservoire.—Morning Call. Exper Joun Srrono.—Probably the largest family in the country, of one original lineage, is {tbe Strong Family. Its founder, Elder John Strong, Ruling Eldor of the First Congregational Church of thie town, who died April 14, 1699, aged 94 years, had 18 children, of whom 15 had families, most of them large, and come of them nearly as large as their father’e. What mammoth minoe pies our grandmothere must hayomade! Their descendants, each and all, have been traced down carefully to the present time, to the number of over 22,000. Their genealogy, costing four years of solid toil, (from 10 to 12 hours daily) involving the expenditure of several thousands of dollars, has been traced by Benj. Woodbridge Dwight, and now issued in two large volumes, Among the representative family likenesses in these books, may be found those of Gov. Caleh Strong, Prof. Theo. Strong, of Rntger’s College, N.J., Hon. Edw. Southworth, Prof. James D. Dana, and Rev. Dr. Dorue Clark.—Northampton ( Mass.) Gazette & Courier. Tue doctrine that guano isthe deposit or excretia of birdsis put eadly at fault by the discovery of large deposits at the bottom of the ocean, ehowing that it isa stratified deposit of plants and animals of marine origin. Dynamite is employed with good effect in France for the hreaking up of ice in the rivers where channele are required, or where a gorge has taken place.