142 



KNOWLEDGE. 



[June 1, 1895. 



grains, which may fall on neighbouring flowers or be 

 carried off by insects. In this way their self-pollination is 

 prevented ; but afterwards the lobes of the style turn 

 backwards, bringing part of the stigmas into contact with 

 some of the lower hairs on which pollen grains are still 

 adherent. Thus self-pollination may take place if cross- 

 pollination has not been efl'ected. 



V. — Hairs are of great use in aiding the dissemination 

 of fruits and seeds. Everyone knows the fruit of the 

 dandelion, ^^•ith its long stalk, bearing a crown of long 

 delicate hairs, that enable it to be wafted considerable 

 distances by the wind. Then, again, the seeds of the 

 WiUow herb (Epilobium) are furnished with beautiful white 

 hairs, which act in the same manner as those of the 

 dandelion. 



Instead of losing their cell contents like those we have 

 cited, the hairs may remain succulent, and thus help to 

 produce a pulpy fruit, which, attracting birds and other 

 animals, acts indirectly in the dissemination of the seed. 

 The orange is a good example of such a case. The pulpy 

 portion is wholly composed of enormously long unicellular 

 hairs. 



Some 3Jltctnt patents. 



Carl Haraann, Rheinbeck, Germany. ImproTements in gear for 

 transmitting rotary motion. This gearirg is adapted for the trai's- 

 mission of great power, and comprises a rotating disc a, having on 

 each side, near its periphery, rollers r and »•', turning on gudgeons 

 i i'. Also a double tappet turning on a shaft m, the two tappets 

 being spirally shaped and situated one on each side of the disc. The 



tappets are so constructed that as soon as one of them, I, leaves the 

 roller r, which it has driven forward, the other, b\ on the otlier side 

 of the wheel, comes into contact with the roller »•', and drives the 

 latter forward. The tappets are formed to impart uniform movement 

 to the wheel a. 



No. 24,53-1. Bafed 20th December, 1893. Accepted 21th Jammni. 

 1894. Thi-ee fif/iires. 



Washington 



Hudson, Chai'lton, Kent. An improvement in clocks 

 and watches adapted to determine the 

 meridian. This invention consists in the 

 addition of a third hand C, revolving once 

 in twentv-four hours, as shown in the 

 llgure. The hour hand A is lengtlu'ncd 

 in the direction of D. B is the minute 

 hand. At noon, when the hour hand A 

 is at XII., the third hand C is at YI. 

 Then, if the hour hand A is directed 

 to the sun, the meridian hand C will 

 point to the north, and will continue to 

 do so at any time, whenever the hour 

 hand A is pointed to the sun. 



JVo. 23,219. Dated 2nd December. 1893. Accepted 20th Jaimnri/. 

 1894. Tiro fffvres. 



John James Eojle, Great 

 Bridgewater Street, Manchester. 

 Improvements in stoves. This 

 invention refers to that class of 

 stoves in which a prepared car- 

 bonaceous fuel composed of 

 charccal or other carbonaceous 

 matter is burnt, the fuel being 

 highly compressed, and burning 

 without emitting smoke and ob- 

 jectionable fumes. The figure 

 is partly in section. A is a fire 

 box or inner casing, closed with 

 a tightly fitting lid B. C is the 

 gi-ate, sujiplied with air throiigh 

 a pipe D. E is a bell to keep 

 the ashes away from the pi))e 

 D. L is an opening fitted with 

 a regulating shutter M to regu- 

 late the rate of combustion. 

 K is a vaporizing dish. I is 

 the outer casing, and I' is a per- 

 forated cover. This stove may 

 be used in ventilated rooms 

 without any flue. The inventor 

 has described another arrange- 

 ment of stove for bed rooms, 

 fitted with a small flue. 



Ifo. 11,207. 

 Xine fgvres. 



Dated 9th June, 1894. Accepted ISth April, 1895. 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR JUNE. 



By Herbert Sadler, F.E.A.S. 



THE Sun's disc continues to be diversified by spots 

 and faculiB, though they are decreasing. 

 Mercury is well situated for observation during 

 the first half of the month. On the 1st he sets at 

 lOh. 9m. P.M., or 2h. 5m. after the Sun, with a 

 northern declination of 25- 18', and an apparent diameter 

 of 7'0", yo'V*'^^ of ^^^ ^^^^ being illuminated. On the 6th 

 he sets at lOh. 6m. p.m., or Ih. 57m. after the Sun, with a 

 northern declination of 21° 23', and an apparent diameter 

 of 8-4", -ry\,ths of the disc being illuminated. On the 11th 

 he sets at 9h. 51m. p.m., or Ih. 38m. after the Sun, with 

 a northern declination of 23° 9', and an apparent diameter 

 of 9-4'', about one quarter of the disc being illuminated. 

 On the 16th he sets at 9h. 29m. p.m., or lb. 13m. after the 

 Sun, with a northern declination of 21° 46', and an 

 apparent diameter of 10-4", yV''ot'^s of the disc being 

 illuminated. He is at his greatest eastern elongation 

 (23f°) on the 5th, and in conjunction with Jupiter on the 

 afternoon of the 8th, Mercury being |° to the north. 

 While visible he describes a direct path in Gemini, 

 without, however, approaching any conspicuous star very 

 closely. 



Venus is an evening star, and is now a resplendent 

 object in the western sky. On the Ist she sets at llh. 

 18m. P.M., or 3h. 14m. after the Sun, with a northern 

 declination of '/3° 53', and an apparent diameter of 16^", 

 y^'oths of the disc being illuminated. On the 10th she 

 sets at llh. 11m. p.m., or 3h. after the Sun, with a 

 northern declination of 21° 49', and an apparent diameter 

 of 17-V', tVo'^^s of ^^^ "^^^^ being illuminated. On the 

 20th she sets at lOh. 55m. p.m., or 2h. 37m. after the Sun, 

 with a northern declination of 18° 44', and an apparent 

 diameter of 19j", jo^hs of the disc being illuminated. 

 On the 30th she sets at lOh. 35m. p.m., or 2h. 17m. after 

 the Sun, with a northern declination of 15° 1', and an 

 apparent diameter, of 21^", tcs'^s of the disc being 

 illuminated. During the month, Venus describes a direct 



