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only 64.7 per cent. were digested. Dr. Hofmeister, therefore, concludes 
that when small quantities of the phosphate of lime are added to hay and 
potatoes, about one-half of the phosphoric acid and about 42 per cent. of the 
lime is digested. But when a larger quantity is administered, the digesti- 
bility decreases about 20 per cent., only about 30 per cent. being then 
taken up; while the amount of lime which is digested is increaSed to _ 
65 per cent. against 23 percent. taken up in the previous case. What 
would be the influence of a continuation of this treatment upon the 
subsequent health of the animals has not- been determined. 
MANGANESE IN BEECH-LEAVES.—J. A. Wanklyn has observed in the 
course of some investigations upon the value of different leaves for use 
as tea, that beech-leaves yield 20.8 per cent. of extract, which, upon in- 
cineration, yields 2.44 parts of ash, the latter containing so much man- 
ganese as to cause it, in the dry state, to show a decided green color, 
and upon treatment with water to give the characteristic red solution 
of permanganate. Mr. Wanklyn suggests that on account of the great 
fragrance of the extract it might possibly be used as a beverage. 
EFFECT OF STREET-GAS UPON VEGETATION.—By a Series of experi- 
ments upon the effect of gas upon different species of trees by Messrs. 
Spiith and Meyer in the botanical gardens in Berlin, it has been found 
that when the gas is brought into contact with the roots of trees for 
considerable length of time, in quantities however. small, though some 
_trees are able to withstand this influence longer than others, yet all must 
finally succumb, and will at last sicken and die. The influence is much 
less active during the winter, when the rootlets have become woody, 
than during the period of growth in the summer, when they are young 
and tender, and are therefore in a better condition to absorb the gas, 
FREEZING WINES.—A very important industry bids fair to arise in 
the way of improving the quality and richness of wines and other al- 
coholic fluids by submitting them to very low temperature. It has been 
found that alcoholic Jiguids containing 50 per cent. of absolute alcohol 
become viscous at —30° C., (= —22° F.) When taken from a wooden 
vessel, (to avoid contact with cold metal or glass,) rum and cognac thus 
cooled to —40° to —50°C. (= —40° to —58° F.) have the curious property 
of producing butaslight sensation of cold upon differentorgans. If cooled 
to —71° C. (= —96° F.) they are said to produce an effect similar to soup 
which is alittle too hot, but when placed upon the skin they slowly 
cauterize without burning. Sparkling wines subjected to this treatment 
increase about 60 cc. per bottle, while non-sparkling wines increase 
only about 15 cc. One-half to two-thirds of ordinary wines may be 
removed by freezing, leaving a liquid which may be dirty at first, but 
becomes clear by standing. They become richer ip alcohol and extrae- 
tive matters; their aroma as well as their color is improved, and they 
lose by coagulation and precipitation all the albuminoids and salts, 
which form an abundant magma. M. Melsens, who has worked up the 
matter, states that the ice which separates, if submitted to centrifugal 
force or pressure, is entirely free from alcohol, and that 40 per cent. of 
ice may be removed from Bourgogne wines. 
With well-organized work and suitable apparatus this method may be 
successfully applied to the amelioration of wines, and may in some cases 
even take the place of distillation. Since freezing preserves and enriches 
the wines, and heating protects them from maladies, it is probable that 
a combination of these two methods of treatment will remove the diffi- 
culties of bad years. { 
NITRIFICATION OF SOILS.—M. Schloesing, who has devoted a great 
