482 



ancy in percentage of soluble matters. It is, liovrever, certain that 

 tuckahoe possesses a very small nutritive value. 



PouDRETTES. — A Sample of poudrette analyzed recently will serve to 

 introduce the subject of fertilizers. It contained in 100 parts: 



Moibtnre 11.23 



Organic matter 6. 96 



Phosphates 1. 72 



Ammonia none. 



Mineral matter 80.09 



100. 00 



Mineral matter insoluble, (sand) 67. 93 



Soluble in acids 12. 16 



80.09 



This poudrette has lost all its ammonia in the process of manufacture, 

 and the original manure has apparently been mixed with about twice 

 its weight of worthless material, probably with the view of absorbing 

 and retaining the liquid portion. One hundred tons would be worth, 

 (approximately :) 



6. 96 tons organic matter, at $2 50 $17 40 



1. 72 tons phosphates, at |1 50 258 00 



12,16 tons soluble salts, at $5 60 81 



335 21 



Or about $3 35 per ton. 



Name, " Dogan's Poudrette ;" sample left by John J. Shipman, Lew- 

 isville, Fairfax County, Virginia. Price stated to be $20 per ton. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 



EEFRiaERATiON OP WAHM-BLOODED ANEMALS. — lu a scries of experi- 

 ments upon the refrigeration of warm-blooded animals, by Dr. Horvath, 

 a young dog was cooled to such a degree that the temperature in the 

 rectum descended to 40° Fahrenheit; yet the animal on the application 

 of heat revived, perfectly uninjured. 



In another experiment, where the same region in a rabbit indicated 

 45°, and in a cat 49°, neither the action of the heat nor of the respir- 

 atory movement could be perceived. On the restoration of Avarmth by 

 j50uring warm water over these animals, (which had remained for an 

 hour in a state of apparent death,) spontaneous contractions of the 

 heart, which had ceased for an hour, were observed. The electrical cur- 

 rent applied directly to the muscles induced energetic contractions in 

 the same muscles which, before the warmth was applied, were insensi- 

 ble to the strongest electrical action. Another interesting and import- 

 ant fact was, that in an animal which was first refrigerated and then 

 warmed, it was not possible to excite the action of tlie muscles of the 

 skeleton by even the strongest electrical stimulus Avhen applied to its 

 nerves, while the same muscles, on the direct application of the current, 

 contracted energetically. The fact that we can separate nervous and 

 muscular energy from each other by this agency, which hitherto it has 

 only been possible to do by the employment of curare, promises to be 



