370 ANNUAL RECOED OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



twenty-fonr hours, during which time evaporation continues 

 very rapid. 4. A similar covering of dried cells forms in the 

 case of unpared apples only after the exterior layer of cells 

 has dried up very much. The application of these results 

 to preparing dried apples shows that for their rapid produc- 

 tion in the best condition they must be dried at as low a tem- 

 perature as possible after having been pared. 19 (7, VIIL, 

 15. 



INFLUENCE OF THE SUN-SPOT PEEIOD OX THE PRICE OF GPvAIN. 



Professor Jevons recently read an interesting paper on the 

 influence of the sun-spot period upon the price of grain. In 

 making a comparison between two phenomena apparently so 

 distinct from each other Professor Jevons has made use of 

 the collection of prices of commodities in England between 

 the years 1259 and 1400, as published in Professor Rodgers' 

 "History of Agriculture and Prices in England." lie finds 

 that the prices of each kind of produce rise during the first 

 four of the eleven-year sun-spot period, and then fall. The 

 maximum prices occur in the tenth, eleventh, first, second, 

 and third years. 



CULTURE OF CERTAIN PLANTS AMONG THE ABORIGINES. 



The Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club contains a 

 communication from Dr. J. H. Trumbull in reference to the 

 evidence of the existence of certain vegetables in America at 

 the time of the first visit of the whites. He quotes from 

 Cabeca de Vaca, who found in 1528, near Tampa Bay, maize, 

 beans, and pumpkins. Cartier, in his first visit to Canada in 

 1534, found beans and melons. Hudson, in 1609, when on the 

 Catskills, was supplied Avith Indian corn, pumpkins, and to- 

 bacco. Champlain, on his voyage in 1604, found beans, mel- 

 ons, and tobacco on the Connecticut River. Purslane is also 

 given as a substance known to the Indians in the earliest 

 days. 



THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



A bill was not long since introduced into the Connecticut 

 Legislature providing for the establishment of an agricultural 

 experiment station on the plan of those which have proved 

 so serviceable in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, and pro- 



