Oct. 13, 1881] 



NA TURE 



567 



Deer (between Cervus mcsopotamictis i , and drviis ilaiiia 9 ), a 

 Hybrid Muntjac (between Cervulus lacrymnns i , and Ccrvuhis 

 muntjac 9 ), born in the Gardens. 



GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES 



The U.S. steamer Corivin, which has been searching for the 

 missing, and we fear lost, Jcannette, has succeeded in reaching 

 Wrangel Land, which has been annexed to the United States. 

 We learn that it is probable that an international effort will be 

 made next year to find traces of the Jeannelte ; our own Govern- 

 ment has been moved in the matter, and may very possibly fit 

 out a vessel for the purpose. 



The French Geographical Society has received intelligence of 

 the assassination of a young explorer, M. Henri Dufour, by a 

 tribeof the Ovambos, now at war with the Portuguese. M. Dufour 

 left Omiruru in company with some merchants in December 

 last for the purpose of exploring the basin of the River Cumene, 

 in Eastern Africa. On arriving at this river his companions 

 deemed it expedient to abandon the enterprise, on which M. 

 Dufour courageously resolved to continue his course alone. No 

 tidings of hmi hiving reached Omoruru, an inquiry was insti- 

 tuted, which led to the discovery of his untimely end. M. 

 Dufour's papers and effects have been found, but his body has 

 not yet been recovered. 



The current number of the Geographical Society's Procetd- 

 ings is chiefly remarkable for a very long instalment of the 

 report of papers read at the Geographical Section of the British 

 Association, including Sir J. Hoolier's addre>s. Sir K. Temple's 

 paper on Asia, and Sir F. J. Evans' on maritime discovery. 

 The paper of this month's number is one by Dr. Bell, of the 

 Geological Survey of Canada, on the commercial importance 

 of Hudson's Bay, with remarks on recent surveys and explora- 

 tions, \\ hich is accompanied by a large and carefully drawn map 

 of the region. The most important of the geographical notes 

 are thote respecting Mr. J. M. Schuver's journey in Africa and 

 the proposition of the British Association that the Geographical 

 Society should undertake a scientific expedition to Kilinna- 

 ndjaro and Mount Keuia, with a subsidy of one hundred pounds. 

 Another note records the presence of the first British traveller 

 at Ilami, but seenun;ily his name and plans are alike a mystery. 



With reference to the recent census of India the Pioneer 

 learns that the census returns shiw a grand total of population 

 for all India of 252,000,000. Figures amounting to 218,000,000 

 can be compared with previous censuses, and show an increase 

 of 6 '2 per cent. But in some provinces apparent large increases 

 may be due to the inaccuracy of previous enumerations. Pro- 

 vincial totals are — Bengal, 6S,8oo,ooo ; Assam, 4,800,000; 

 Madras, 30,800,000 ; Bombay, 13,900,000 ; ditto Native 

 States, 6,900,000 ; Sind, 2,400,000 ; North-West Provinces, 

 32,600,000; ditto Native States, 700,000; Oudh, 11,400,000; 

 British Punjab, i8,7cxj,ooo; Native ditto, 3,800,000; Central 

 Provinces, 11,500,000; Berar, 2,600,000; British Burmah, 

 3,7cx),oco; Mysore, 4,100,000 ; Rajpootana, 11,000,000; Cen- 

 tral India, 9,200,000 ; Hyderabad, 9,100,000. The total makes 

 males 123,000,000, females ii8,ooo,coo. The provincial in- 

 creases per cent, as compared with previous censuses, are as fol- 

 lows ; — Bengal, lo ; Assam, 19 ; Sind, to ; North- West, 6 ; 

 Oudh, I ; Punjab, 7 ; Central Provinces, 25 ; Berar, 20 ; Bur- 

 mah, 35. The decreases are — Madras, 2'4 per cent. ; Bombay, 

 ■3 ; Mysore, 17. 



A SOMEWHAT curious boat has been built and launched at 

 Granton, N.B., for use by the Rev. T. J. Comber, of the Baptist 

 expedition on the Congo. With a view to its being at once 

 portable and durable, this boat has been made of canvas, cuated 

 with a mixture of lampblack and tar, and is stretched into shape 

 by malacca canes, while the interior consists of three movable 

 umbrella-shaped structures, which can be tightened ai will ; it has 

 a partly-covered deck, and weighs only 60 lbs. ; further, it can 

 be easily taken to pieces, so as to be carried by two persons, 

 and by a little arrangement will form a tent. 



Peicrmann's Miltheilungen for October is filled up with two 

 articles — one by Mr. W. H. Dall, on the hydrology of Behring 

 Sea and neighbouring waters, and Hofrath A. Regel's account 

 of his expedition to Turfan in 1879. 



Messrs. Blackwood have issued a tenth edition of Page's 

 "Introductory Text- Book of Physical Geography," revised 



and enlarged by Prof. Lapworth, of the Mason College, 

 Birmingham. 



Capt. Popelin, of the Belgian station at Karema, Lake 

 Tanganyika, whose death was la'ely announced, appears to have 

 died when on his way from Ujiji to the Mampara district, in 

 Southern Uguha. 



ON SOME APPLICATIONS OF ELECTRIC 

 ENERGY TO HORTICULTURE AND AGRI- 

 CULTURE^ 



(~\^ the 1st of March, 1880, I communicated to the Royal 

 ^^ Society a paper " On the Influencj of Electric Light upon 

 Vegetation, &c.," in which I arrived at the conclusion that 

 electric light was capable of producinij upon plants effects com- 

 parable to those of solar radiation ; that chl'jrophyll was pro- 

 duced by it, and that bloom and fruit, rich in aroma and colour, 

 could be developed by its aid. My experiments also went to 

 prove that plants do not as a rule require a period of rest during 

 the twenty-four hours of the day, but make increased and vigorous 

 progress if subjected (in winter time) to solar light during the 

 day and to electric light during the night. 



Duriiij; the whole of last winter I continued my experiments 

 on an enlarged scale, and it is my present purpose to give a short 

 account of these ex;)eriments, and of some further applications 

 of electric energy to farming operations (including the pumping 

 of water, the sawing of timber, and chaff and root-cutting) at 

 various distances, not exceeding half a mile from the source of 

 power, giving useful employment during the daytime to the 

 power-producing machinery, and thus reducing indirectly the 

 cost of the light during the night-time. 



The arrangement consists of a high -pressure steam-engine of 

 6 horse-power nominal, supplied by Messrs. Tangye Brothers, 

 which gives motion to two dynamo-machines (Siemens D), con- 

 nected sepirately to two electric lamps, each capable of emitting 

 a light of about 5000 candle-power. One of these lamps was 

 placed inside a glass house of 2318 cubic feet capacity, and the 

 other uas suspended at a height of 12 to 14 feet over some sunk 

 greenhouses. The waste steam of the engine was condensed in 

 a heater, whence the greenhouses take their circul.ating supply of 

 hot water, thus saving the fuel that would otherwise be required 

 to heat the stoves. 



The experiments were commenced on October 23, 18S0, and 

 were continued till May 7, 1S81. The general pl;;n of opera- 

 tion consisted in lighting the electric lights, at fir-t at 6 o'clock, 

 and during the short days at 5 o'clock every evening except Sun- 

 day, continuing their action until dawn. 



The outside light was protected by a clear glass lantern, whilst 

 the light inside the hou-e was left naked in the earlier experi- 

 ments, one of my objects being to ascertain the relative effect of 

 the light under these two conditions. The inside light was placed 

 at one side over the entrance into the house, in front of a metallic 

 reflector, to save the rays that would otherwise be lost to the 

 plants within the house. 



The house was planted in the first place with peas, French 

 beans, wheat, barley, and oats, as well as with cauliflowers, 

 strawberries, raspberries, peaches, tomatoes, vines, and a variety 

 of flowering plants, including roses, rhododendrons, and azaleas. 

 All these plants being of a comparatively hardy character, the 

 temperature in this house w'as maintained as nearly as possible a 

 60" Fahr. 



The early effects observed were anything but satisfactory 

 While under the influence of the light suspended in the open ai 

 over the sunk houses the beneficial effects due to the electric 

 light, observed during the previous winter, repeated themselves, 

 the plants in the house with the naked electric light soon mani- 

 fested a withered appearance. Was this result the effect of the 

 naked light, or was it the effect of the chemical products — nitro- 

 genous compounds and carbonic acid — which are produced in the 

 electric arc ? 



Proceeding on the first named assumption, and with a view of 

 softening th': ray of the electric arc, small jets of steam were 

 introduced into the house through tubes, drawing in atmospheric 

 air with the steam, and producing the effect of clouds interposing 

 themselves in an irregular fashion between the light and the plants. 

 This treatment was decidedly beneficial to the plants, although care 

 had to be taken not to increase the amount of moisture thus intro- 



* Paper read at the British Association by C. Willie 

 LL.D , F.R.S, M. Inst. C.E. 



D.C.L. 



