‘ 
Astronomy. 265 
This fecula has been many times commended to attention since 
Bachelier in 1615 brought the tree from Constantinople, (it coming orig- 
inally from Southern Asia). Parmentier, Baumé and others sought suc- 
eessively to bring it into general use. But 
s 
stance which was separated with difficult , and partly on account of the 
dark shell of the nut, which it was thought necessary to remove before 
extracting the fecula. E : 
In the new process, the nuts are grated with the bark on, and treated 
like the potato with its skin; the material is then washed in water as 
easily and as economically as the potato, so that the price is not above 
20 centimes per kilogram, the cost of cultivation and manufacture being 
included. 20,000 kilograms of the fecula manufactured this year with the 
apparatus that is used for the potato have settled the question of its im- 
portance. 
Astronom 
tablishment of the “ Annals of the Observatory” is worthy of mention. 
The object of this periodical is to publish the results of ee of 
e i . é 
towing this, a statement of the system of organization now established, 
are next, astronomical researches of various kinds, with the prin- 
ions. 
This work whose numerous mathematical formulas render it of diffi- 
cult execution, goes out almost without a fault from the ably conducted 
Press of Mallet-Bachelier. 
View of a part of the surface of the Moon.—M. Secchi, Astronomer at 
Rome, has sent to the Academy a photographie view of the part o 
oo" surface in which stands the crater at ee ro did 
*out sestogq- The photograph was not taken di , 
but frome ten ‘asian with erst care on a somewhat larger scale, 
and having for its base a micrometric triangulation of the principal points 
of the area. The details were brought out with a lens magnifying 760 to 
sketch 
marking out the crater, such as is ordinarily had when the moon is ten 
days old. After this, the details were separately made out, and then all 
libration and change of distance. To avoid all these difficulties a general 
was fi th 
ee during seven consecutive lunations, without counting the time em- 
Ployed Previously in practicing preparatory to the work 
“Ss the drawing was intended to represent the gr Srcanend 
area around is not yet filled with all the details that may be introdneed. 
SECOND SERIES, VOL, XXII, NO. 65,—SEPT., 1856, 
34 
