360 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY 



ly been known. The tambayous are considered in various 

 parts of India as very efficacious in intestinal affections, espe- 

 cially in cases of diarrhoea resulting from sudden changes in 

 the temperature of the atmosphere. 3 7?, April 2, 1874, 616. 



EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE UPON THE GERMINATING POWER 



OF WHEAT. 



Very careful and numerous experiments establish the fact 

 that wheat can endure a much higher temperature than has 

 been generally supposed without losing the power of germi- 

 nation, 149 having been considered the limit. It may indeed 

 be exposed to the boiling temperature, if the drying of the 

 seed is effected by very gradual elevation of the temperature, 

 and with the aid of chloride of calcium. 8 C, April 30, 1874, 

 157. 



THE SNOW-FLOWER. 



A very remarkable account is admitted into Les Mondes 

 of a so-called snow-floice?\ said to have been discovered by 

 Count Anthoskoffin 1863 in the northernmost portion of Si- 

 beria, where the earth is continually covered with a coating 

 of frost. This wonderful object shoots forth from the frozen 

 soil the first day of the year, and reaches a height of over 

 three feet, blooms on the third day, remains open twenty-four 

 hours, and then returns to its original elements. It shines for 

 a single day, then the stem, leaves, and flower are converted 

 into snow. The leaves are three in number, and about three 

 inches in diameter, covered with a kind of microscopic ice, 

 developed only on that side of the stem which is turned to 

 the north. The flower, when open, is star-shaped, its petals 

 of the same length with the leaves, and about half an inch 

 wide. On the third day the extremities of the anthers, which 

 are five in number, show minute glistening specks, like dia- 

 monds, about the size of a pin's head, which are the seeds of 

 this astonishing: flower. 



Count AnthoskofT collected some of these seeds, and has- 

 tened with them to St. Petersburg. They were there placed 

 in a pot of snow, where they remained for an entire year, but 

 on the 1st of January, 1864, the snow-flower burst through 

 its icy envelope, and displayed its beauties before the eyes 

 of the imperial court ! 3 B, October 16, 1873, 262. 



