160 Miscellanies. 



8. The chemical changes in the fluid, depend on the neutraliza- 

 tion of the two electricities, produced, by the solid elements of the 

 circuit, but these changes have not the mutual relation of cause and 

 eflect. 



9. In the system of circuits composing the voltaic pile, the oppo- 

 site electricities are completely neutralized by the solid elements of 

 each circuit, that is, by the pairs of plates, and there is no electric 

 current from one pair to the other. — Ulnsiitut, No. 150. 



2. Effects of 'Electricity on Vegetation.— M. Baric states, that 

 " last year, in the month of July, the lightning struck one of the pop- 

 lars in my avenue — the fluid breaking off at the time a few branch- 

 es at the summit of the tree, followed down the tree without break- 

 ing the bark, and at last passed into the earth, throwing up two cu- 

 bic feet of earth. The poplar at the time was about a foot in cir- 

 cumference : at the present time it is double that size, whilst those 

 near by have made no perceptible increase in size. -^L'lnstitut, 

 No. 155. 



3. Chemical Action of the Solar Spectrum, by M. Hessler. — 

 Professor Hessler, of Gratz, has found that the action of the solar 

 spectrum on paper which has been moistened with a solution of 

 gum, and sprinkled with chloride of silver, varied with the nature of 

 the prism. The action differed both in the extent and rapidity of 

 its effect, and also in the point of the spectrum w^here it attained its 

 maximum. It was nearly instantaneous with a prism of water or 

 spirits of wine ; occurred in the course of 12 or 13 minutes with oil 

 of terebenthine and cassia ; in 2 minutes and 3 seconds with flint 

 glass, and 1 minute 5 seconds with crown glass. The maximum 

 chemical effect with spirits of wine, was obtained in the violet near 

 the blue ; with water, in the violet ; with oil of cassia, 23 lines out- 

 side of the violet. — Annalen der Phys, und Chem. 1835, No. 8. — 

 VInstitut, No. 152. 



4. Theory of the Universe, by P. E. Morin. (Introduction a 

 une Theorie Generale de L'Univers. Par P. E. Morin. 44 pp. 

 8vo. Paris.) — This author has generalized his singular views, the 

 result of from 15 to 20 years' deliberation, as follows: "That the 

 universe is composed of centres of action, which attract or repel in a 

 ratio inversely as the square of the distance ; that the contact of any 



