jVA ture 



LX^ 



)VE.\ii;ek 14, 1901 



and last section, in which are brought together the results of 

 the meteorological observations since they were commenced. 

 Thus we find that the series for temperature commenced in the 

 year 1803, that for rainfall in 1830, and pressure and humidity 

 in 1S76. The mean values are given in a very convenient form, 

 being arranged according to intervals of a month, year, five 

 years and ten years. There are also numerous other tables in 

 which maxima values, minima values, temperature for each 

 season of the year, number of frost days, &c., are separately 

 dealt with. The volume closes with a table showing the mean 

 values for the whole period of observation of all the meteoro- 

 logical elements for each month of the year, the mean tempera- 

 ture for every day of the year, and a set of curves illustrating 

 many of the variations mentioned above and showing many of 

 the mean daily variations. 



The International Aeronautical Committee have published 

 their complete account of the results of the manned and un- 

 manned balloon ascents which took place on November 8, 1900. 

 The work contains the original observations, together with 

 those taken at mountain stations, and special cloud observations 

 on the day of the ascents. Dr. Hergesell has discussed the 

 observations of each ascent with reference to barometric pressure, 

 temperature and wind, and has shown on two charts the dis- 

 tribution of pressure and temperature at the sea level and surface 

 of the earth respectively and at a height of 5000 metres. Great 

 variations of temperature were exhibited in diflerent localities, 

 even up to the highest strata of air ; the coldest districts lay in 

 the north-west and the warmest in the south-east of the con- 

 tinent. At an altitude of 5000 metres, the temperature over 

 Paris was about - 20 C. and over Vienna, - 1 1°. The isotherms 

 at 5000 metres run from S.W. to N.E. ; that of - 10° extends 

 from the north of the Adriatic to Moscow ; that of - 15°, from 

 the south-west of France, across Germany and the Baltic to St. 

 Pelerslnirg, and those of - 20° and - 25° take a more northerly 

 course, while over Ireland the air is cooled to - 30°. The 

 isobars at the above-mentioned altitude, like the isotherms, 

 run generally from S.W. to N.E. ; the pressure is lowest over 

 the British Islands and highest over the S.E. of Europe. The 

 wind velocity is best shown by the manned ascents ; from the 

 observations taken by Dr. Berson, the velocity rose from 8"3 

 metres per second at 1600 metres to 11 2 metres per second at 

 2300 metres, and he estimates that at altitudes above 6000 

 metres the velocity would be about 16 metres per second. The 

 ascents were mostly made during anti-cyclonic conditions, and 

 an inversion of temperature was generally observed, especially 

 after reaching the limits to which the ground fog extended. 



We have received from Messrs. Isenthal and Co. a well- 

 illustrated catalogue of electric heating and cooking appliances, 

 which shows that this branch of electrical industry has been very 

 fully worked out. It cannot be claimed for electrical healing 

 that it is very economical, but its superior cleanliness and con- 

 venience are recommendations that are sure to lead in the 

 course of time to its widespread use. A point strongly in its 

 favour is that heat need only be generated at the time and the 

 exact place at which it is required ; an electrical cooking range 

 can be shut down when not needed much more easily and com- 

 pletely than a coal fire. It is impossible to estimate the gain in 

 cleanliness and healthiness which would result from a general 

 adoption of electrical in place of coal or gas heating for 

 domestic purposes, but the advantage is sure to be realised 

 sooner or later, just as it is being realised in electric lighting, 

 and we may hope in time to have a fogless London as a result. 

 At present electric lighting companies have a business which is 

 so rapidly expanding that it is, perhaps, not worth their while 

 to take special pains to induce consumers to adopt electrical 

 heating. The gain would all the same be very great to the 

 NO. 1672, VOL. 65] 



supply companies, as it would give ihem a heavy d.ty load. 

 That there is already a considerable demand for electric 

 heating apparatus is evidenced by the catalogue before us, which 

 describes appliances for meeting almost every conceivable want, 

 both for domestic and scientific or laboratory purposes. Some 

 of the latter apparatus would be very convenient in laboratories 

 where electric current is available, as it affords easier means of 

 regulation and is safer than gas, and also allows any desired 

 temperature to be obtained a second time with much less 

 trouble. 



We have received from the publishers, Messrs. Iliffe and Sons, 

 Ltd., the Christmas number of Photography., a number which 

 will be welcomed by all interested in the art of picture making. 

 No pains seem to have been spared to make the magazine all 

 that could be desired in the way of quality of paper and printing, 

 while the text is of very general interest and the reproductions 

 of numerous well-known photographs excellent. In the opening 

 article a brief account is given, with illustrations, of Ihree of the 

 foremost photographic artists in France, and we may suggest to 

 those who are not familiar with their style of work that much may 

 be learnt from the article. The second contribution is on a 

 subject which interests every photographer, but the importance 

 of which is not often thought of until too late. One recollects 

 with regret how many good negatives would have been greatly 

 improved if only a figure had been inserted or placed in another 

 position or even omitted altogether. Valuable hints on this 

 score will be found in the chapter entitled "the introduction 

 of figures into landscape pictures," and much can be gathered 

 from the excellent and appropriate illustrations. The main part of 

 this publication is devoted to criticisms and reproductions of many 

 pictures by well-known photographers, which, as is stated, is a 

 reprint in a revised form from Photography. The number con- 

 cludes with a set of sixteen borders with different designs for 

 Christmas cards, all of which are copyrighted, but are placed at 

 the disposal of amateurs and professionals desiring to use them 

 for their own cards. 



The Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West 

 Indies has issued a full report on sugar-cane experiinents con- 

 ducted at Antigua and St. Kitt's in the season 1900-1901. The 

 report is in two parts, the first, of 32 foolscap pages, dealing 

 with experiments with varieties of sugar cane, with an appendix 

 on the chemical selection of sugar cane ; and the second, of 

 78 pages, with manurial experiments. Mr. Francis Watts, 

 chemist-in-charge, states that the variety and manurial experi- 

 ments involved the analysis of the juice from upwards of 900 

 plots, while those on chemical selection necessitated the deter- 

 mination of the sucrose in 600 canes. Taking the mean results 

 of the experiments in Antigua, cane D 95 occupies the best 

 place with 8158 lb. of sucrose per acre in juice, Mont Blanc 

 variety following with 7256 lb., while B 147, the best Birb.uios 

 seedling, stands twelfth on the list with 6050 lb. The means 

 for ratoon canes, however, place B 147 first with 7164 lb. In 

 St. Kitt's, one of the most promising of the Birludos canes, 

 B 20S, stands first with 98 17 lb., Naga B second with 8956 lb. 

 and B 147 third with 8874, Mont Blanc and D 95 beinj; re- 

 spectively eleventh and twelfth on the list. On the question of 

 chemical selection the results obtained were not conclusive. 

 Polarising the juice of 200 " high " canes and 20Q " low " canes, 

 the difference proved so small that it may lie entirely within the 

 limits of experimental error. The manurial experiments are 

 (ully described, with forty-three tables of particulars. They 

 indicate the possibility of growing good crops of plant canes 

 with the use of pen manure only (including such organic 

 manures as green dressing), and when it is obtainable in suf- 

 ficient quantity artificial manure is unnecessary. If there is no 

 pen manure, fields in good condition will produce good crops 



