May 4, 191 1] 



NATURE 



0^0 



niK TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, APRIL 28, 1911. 



"VI EWS of the results of this eclipse arrived in 

 •^^ England from Vavau on Saturday afternoon, 

 April 29, in the form of a cable through Reuter's 

 Agency from Mr. P. Baracchi, Government astronomer 

 at Melbourne, Australia. He reported that the 

 observations of the eclipse were considerabh' inter- 

 fered with by passing- clouds, and that the results 

 were only partially successful. 



No news regarding the experience of the English 

 parties observing at Vavau was available until Sunday 

 morning, April 30, when Sir Norman Lockyer received 

 a cable from Dr. Lockver, sent by wireless from 

 H.M.S. Encounter, at \'avau, to H.M.S. Pegasus, at 

 Auckland, thence by cable, stating- that the expedi- 

 tion from the Solar P+iysics Observatory had not been 

 successful, in consequence of bad weather. With re- 

 gard to the two most important spectroscopic instru- 

 ments — a 6-inch prismatic camera with four large 

 objective prisms of 45° angle, and a concave grating 

 spectrograph of 10 feet radius of curvature — poor 

 results have been secured by the first ; photographs 

 of the corona, with the two large coronagraphs of 

 16 feet and 8 feet focal length, were obtained, but of 

 inferior quality. 



A general description is given of the visual observa- 

 tions made of the form of the corona, from which 

 we learn that it was of the typical minimum type, 

 with long equatorial extensions. The general descrip- 

 tion of the eclipse is that it was not a dark one, and 

 in consequence comparatively few stars were observed 

 during totality. 



The second English party under Father Cortie 

 has been also unfortunate, but as yet no news 

 is to hand regarding the experience of the German 

 and .\merican astronomers who proposed to occupy 

 one or more of the islands to the north-east of Vavau. 



In an interesting letter received from Dr. Lockyer 

 he emphasises the generous and enthusiastic help 

 afforded to the expedition by the Australian authori- 

 ties. Mr. H. A. Hunt, the Commonwealth Meteor- 

 ologist, at the request of the Government, invited Dr. 

 Ivockyer to inspect the site of the new Solar Physics 

 Observatory, which is to be established near the new 

 capital; this is a little more than twelve hours' rail- 

 way journe\ from Sydney. It will be the onlv 

 southern observatory having solar observations as its 

 prime duty, and it fills a longitude gap between India 

 and the L'nited .States. It is therefore anticipated 

 that the results from such a Itxrality will be of the 

 greatest importance. 



Towards the end of March the heavy equipment 

 taken out from England was safely stored on board 

 H.M.S. Encounter, of the .Australian squadron, and 

 the official party, in company with that of Father 

 Cortie and Mr. Baracchi, sailed from .Svdnev on March 

 25, reaching' Vavau on .\pril 2. On the way arrange- 

 ments would have been made for the organisation of 

 the various parties, taking charge of each section of 

 observation. Captain Colomb, R.N., assisted the 

 expedition in every way, and from a telegram 

 received last week we learned that on the call 

 for volunteers more than too of the ship's com- 

 pany signified their willingneRs to take part in 

 the observations. Parties would be formed for sketch- 

 ing the corona, observations of shadow bands, land- 

 scape colours, aids for the working of each of th<' 

 large instruments, timekeeners, &.c. Bv means of pic- 

 tures of rmer eclipses which have been successfullv 

 observed and j^^eneral descriptions bv the astronomers 

 in charge, all the members of these different sections 

 would soon be rendered conversant with their indi- 

 vidual duties. On landing steps would first he taken 

 to select the most suitable sitr : then the ground would 

 NO. 2166, VOL. 86] 



be roughly surveyed, and the positions selected for the 

 pillars of the large instruments. This done, more 

 accurate observations of the meridian line would be 

 made, so that each instrument could be adjusted 

 exactlv in the proper orientation. When the instru- 

 ments were satisfactorily installed and protected, 

 periodical drills would be instituted, when all the 

 operations, down to the smallest detail, would be 

 practised, exactly as if the eclipse were really taking 

 place. After two or three of these drills everyone 

 becomes verv proficient in their duty, and it is only 

 such unavoidable misfortune as has attended the pre- 

 sent occasion which can prevent good observations 

 from being secured. 



The latest information is that a second message 

 has been received from Mr. Baracchi stating that some 

 of the results of the Australian party are better than 

 was at first anticipated. Thirty pictures of the corona 

 have been obtained. Charles P. Butler. 



STANDARD BREAD. 



ALMOST every people boasting the rudiments of 

 agriculture makes use of cereals as part of its 

 food. The cereals comprise all g-rains or corn-bearing 

 plants, and are grasses which by long cultivation and 

 selection have developed a maximum of food material 

 with a minimum of husk. Wheat, barley, oats, rye, 

 maize, nijjlet, and rice are the principal cereals, and 

 the first four have an extraordinarily wide geograph- 

 ical distribution. The following is the average com- 

 position of cereals : — 



Per 



cent. 

 10-12 



65 75 



0-58 



2 



1012 



Proteins 



Carbohydrates... 



Fat 



Mineral salts ... 



Water 



Maize and oats are the richest in fat, wheat and 

 rve contain respectively 17 and 2*3 per cent, of fat, 

 while rice contains the maximum of carbohydrate 

 and the minimum of protein and fat. Regarded as 

 a diet the cereals contain a large excess of carbo- 

 hvdrate and a deficiency of protein and fat. Wheat 

 and rye are alone suitable for bread-making; this is 

 due to the fact that they contain a peculiar protein 

 "glutin," which becomes viscid when mixed with 

 water, and determines the binding properties of the 

 dough. Glutin does not exist as such in the grain or 

 flour, but is developed by the interaction in the pre- 

 sence of water of two proteins, gliadin and glutinin. 



For the preparation of flour the grain is ground 

 br milled, and in the process, which by means of 



9^^S£&)' 



'OOOO 



■ Germ 



Kio. I. — Diagram of structure Fio. 2. — DiaKram of layers of wheat 

 of wheat grain. grain. 



modern machinery in the iron roller mills has 

 been brought to an extraordinary degree of per- 

 fection, various ':onstituents of tiic grain are 



