404 



KNOWLEDGE. 



OCTOUER, 1911 



lake type of vegetation from the reed-swamp through the 

 marsh type to the peat-moor type, noting how one plant 

 association makes place in its turn for another. Possibly the 

 mixture of various types of vegetation found in coal-seams 

 represents the transition from the open Calamitean or 

 Lepidodendroid swamp to a fen or marsh with plentiful 

 peat-formation, due to the gradual filling up of the stagnant 

 water with plant-remains. In this transition from acjuatic to 

 more terrestrial types of vegetation, the tree-like forms rooted 

 in the deeper water would continue to flourish, while there 

 would be a luxuriant undergrowth of Ferns and Pteridosperms 

 — this undergrowth being placed in excellent conditions owing 

 to the narrow-leaved nature of the canopy of trees under 

 which it grew, apart from the provision of a suitable sub- 

 stratum for its roots. This would explain the striking 

 difference between the narrow-leaved tall Calamites and 

 Lepidodendraceae, and the large-leaved Ferns and Pterido- 

 sperms. which spread out their foliage from short stems 

 under the shade of the former. 



CHEMLSTRV. 



By C. AixswoKTH MrrcHKi.r,. H..\. KJxox.l. F.l.C. 



DISTRIBUTION OF SLciAK IN THE BEFT KOOT. 

 — The distribution of sugar and non-sugar substances in the 

 beet root has considerable importance, both from the point of 

 view of vegetable physiology and of sampling for connnercial 

 purposes. Some work has ah'eady been done in this direction, 

 but in the opinion of Messrs. Floderer and Herke {Zcit. 

 Ziickcrind. u. Laiulw., 1911. XL. J85) its accuracy is open 

 to question, owing to the defectise methods of dividing the 

 roots for the analysis. .Accordingly, they have made a fresh 

 investigation, using for the purpose fifty roots of uniform size, 

 which they divided into ten transverse sections and sub-divided 

 into concentric rings in the manner shown in the diagram. 

 The respective corresponding pieces from each of the roots 

 were mixed together so that in all nineteen separate lots were 

 obtained for the analysis. 



The results showed that the sugar (sucrose) was present in 

 the greatest proportion in the innermost portion of the root, 

 those sections between the middle axis and 

 the part where the root began to taper 

 being the richest. Thus the most sugar 

 was found in the following sections, 14, 15, 

 19, 13, 12, IS. 17 and 16; and then in 

 decreasing quantities in 11, 6, 8, 5, 4, 3, 

 7. 9, 2, 10 and 1. Whence it appears that 

 the body of the root is richest in sugar 

 and the crown the poorest. 



With regard to the other constituents it 

 was found that the total solid substances 

 varied but little in any part of the root, 

 with the result that a rise in the proportion 

 of sugar was accompanied by a decrease 

 in the amount of non-sugar substances. 

 In fresh beet roots the proportion of soluble 

 nitrogenous bodies was lower in the interior 

 parts, while the mineral constituents (ash) 

 varied inversely with the amount of sugar. 

 A decrease in the amounts of potash and 

 magnesia was observed on proceeding from 

 1 down to 15. where the sugar was present 

 in greatest proportion, after which both 

 substances increased with the fall in tlie 

 sugar. It was not possible, however, to establish any re- 

 lationship between the amounts of sugar and phosphoric acid. 



"NON-INFLAMMABLE" 1 LANNELETTE. — Tin- 

 Power Laundry, of August. 1911, publishes the results of 

 an investigation of the alleged non-inflannnability of various 

 kinds of flannelette on the market, which has recently been 

 made in The Lancet laboratory. 



In the case of some of the samples of material examined, 

 the claim of non-inflammability was an obvious fraud, but in 



FlGLKK 1. 



A diagram illus- 

 trating the distri- 

 bution of Sugar 

 in the Beet-root. 



others the problem had been solved by loading the fabric 

 with mineral salts. One of the principal dangers of 

 flannelette is the tendenc\- of the fine loose fluff, which becomes 

 detached from the fibres, to flare up on contact with a flame. 

 This tendency has been greatly reduced in certain products 

 by weaving the fabrics with a much finer mesh, but it would 

 seem that this only affords partial protection, and the risk of 

 their catching fire increases after every washing. 



Even in the case of materials rendered fireproof with 

 mineral salts, a large proportion of the ash is washed out, and 

 this may be sufficient to render the washed fabric unsafe. 

 It is interesting to note, however, that in the opinion of The 

 I^aiicet chemist, a definite compound appears to be formed 

 between the cellulose and the mineral compound — apparently 

 a salt of tin. This would explain the retention of a high pro- 

 portion of the mineral constitutents even after repeated 

 washings with soap and water. 



The results obtained with twelve specimens of typical com- 

 mercial flannelette and the conclusions drawn from them, are 

 summarised in the following table . — 



The reduction in inflannnability corresponded with the 

 increase of mineral matter, the samples " D6 " and "1)7," 

 for instance, being the most resistant of all. .Although fabrics 

 treated with a sufficient proportion of suitable salts may thus 

 be rendered fireproof, yet the (juestion arises whether the 

 natural properties of the cotton fibre may not be impaired by 

 the presence of as much as a fifth part of mineral matter in the 

 fabric, e\en though it is in combination with the cellulose. 

 One point that is brought into prominence by this insestiga- 

 tion is the imsatisfactory state of the law. which permits 

 highly imflammable material to be sold at a higher price under 

 the description " non-inflammable," and thus lulls the pur- 

 chaser into a ccjndition of false security. So far from 

 reducing the death rate from this cause the sale of much of 

 the " non-inflammable " flannelette on the market appears to 

 ha\'e led to an increase nf fatalities. 



("xEOLOGY. 



By (i. W. TVRKKI.I,, A.R.C.Sc, F.G.S. 



THE FLOWING WELLS OF CENTRAL 

 AUSTRALIA.— A paper by Professor J. W. (jregory, F.K.S.. 

 in the July and August numbers of The Geographical Journal. 

 renews interest in these remarkable wells. This paper is by 

 way of answer to the strictures of Mr. E. Pittnian and others 

 on Professor Gregory's views on the subject, as expressed in 

 his book "The Dead Heart of Australia." In the latter he 

 criticised the wasteful methods of utilizing the water from 

 the wells, and combated the current view as to the origin of 

 the supply, by w-hich this wastefulness was excused. The 

 water ranges through an area of some five hundred and eighty 

 thousand square miles in Central Australia. The general 

 view is that it is derived from the Eastern Highlands of 

 Australia, and is continually replenished by percolation 

 into water-bearing beds, from rainfall and rivers in fb;it 



