:X8c> Phllomatic Society of Paris, 



kind are tbofe of fulphuric ether, of camphor, of oil of tur- 

 pentine, of vinegar, of ammonia, Sec. 



This neccility^of oxvgen in nature is liable, however, to 

 fome exceptions. Some feeds have fuch force, that they 

 decompofe the water to fcparate from it oxygen, if they can- 

 jiot difpenfe with it entirely : of this kind are peas, which 

 germinate in water deprived of air, in every fort of gas, and 

 even in oil, provided they have been before Ikeped in water. 



AGRICULTURE. 



Progrffs of the Amelioration of IVool. 



Tefficr and Hazard gave an account to the clafs of the 

 fale of the wool and flic-ep of the flock of Rambouillet in the. 

 vear 9, as well as of the progrefs of the nmclioraiion of wool 

 in France during that period. 'J'he moft iittcreHing experi- 

 ment mentioned by them was, that of leaving the wool on 

 fome fliecp for two years : bv thefe means it acquired double 

 lentTth, <i-ave a double weight, without any inconvenience to 

 the anini^als, and was rendered exceedingly proper f(^r the 

 manufafture of woollen llul?"s, fo that it was employed in 

 makmg kerfeynieers, which were prefented to the clafs, and 

 which are equal to the bed ICnglifli Ilufis of that kind. 



PHILOMATTC SOCIETY OF PAKIS. 



C. Svlveftre read a note on the long wool of the flieep of 

 Kambouillet. It was long believed thai flieep lofe their wool 

 every year; and this atiertion, void of foundation, has been 

 advanced in works of great refpcdlability. The members of 

 the Council of Agriculture, charged with the infpeAion of 

 the national fheep ellablifhmcnt at Rambouillet, were de- 

 firous of verifjnng this fad ; and for that purpofe fuffered the 

 fheep to remain Uvo or three years without being fhorn. By 

 thefe means they obtained very long wool of uniform fine- 

 nefs, and which was equal in weight to what would have 

 been produced by two or three (hearmgs. 



C. Vauquelin communicated a note on the nature of the 

 earth eaten by the inhabilanls of New Caledonia. Humboldt, 

 in one of his letters to C. Fourcroy, fpeaks of an earth eaten 

 by the Otomaquas when they experience a fcarcity of pro- 

 vifions*. C. Labillardiere has confirmed, by an obfervaiion 

 made in a part of the world very diftant from that inhabited 

 by the Otomaquas, a faft equally fingular — where the inha- 

 bitants of New Caledonia, v/hen urged by hunger, ate large 

 quantities of a greenifh fteatiles, tender and friable. It may 

 now be readily conceived how the horrid cuftom of eating 



* For this letter lee Philofophical Magjzinc, vo!. X. 



prifoners 



