February 14, 1890. J 



SCIENCE. 



109 



the numerous conclusions to be drawn from this research, the 

 most important one is that the mean temperature of the sun- 

 lit lunar soil is much lower than has been supposed, and is 

 probably not greatly above zero Centigrade. In a postscript 

 Professor Langley says, ' 'I would ask to be allowed here to state 

 that the very considerable expense for the special means and re- 

 duction of the preceding series of lunar researches was borne by 

 one of the most generous and disinterested friends that science 

 has had in this country, — the late William Thaw of Pittsburgh. 

 By his own wish, no mention of his name was made in previous 

 publications in connection with the results so greatly indebted 

 to his aid. His recent death seems to remove the restriction im- 

 posed by such a rare disinterestedness. 



— The proceedings of the International Marine Conference 

 came to an end Dec. 31, 1889, and a final act has been issued 

 showing for each division of the programme, and in the order of 

 the divisions, the resolutions adopted. The delegations of the 

 twenty-eight nations represented will nojv make their reports to 

 their home governments, but none of the rules adopted will go 

 into effect until approved and enforced by appropriate legislation. 

 Relative to the great question of course-indicating sound-signals 

 in foggy or thick weather, it was decided, after mature delibera- 

 tion, that it is inexpedient to adopt any one of the various sys- 

 tems proposed. The various other questions before the conference, 

 such as lights, sound-signals, distress-signals, regulations re- 

 garding the seaworthiness, draught, and designation of vessels, 

 the saving of life and property from shipwreck, qualifications for 

 officers and seamen, steamer- lanes, etc., were considered thor- 

 oughly, and the conclusions arrived at must command general 

 attention and respect. It is of interest to note here that the caiTy- 

 ing of wliite range-lights by steamers is favored, although not 

 made obligatoiy ; and steamer-lanes for transatlantic navigation 

 are not adopted, although the various companies are urged to 

 adopt regular routes for vessels of their own lines. The increased 

 attention given to such subjects as the removal of dangerous 

 derelicts and the use of oil to prevent heavy seas from breaking 

 on board is of especial interest to the United States Hydrogi-aphic 

 Office, in view of the efforts made to circulate information on 

 these subjects by the • 'Pilot Chart. ' ' 



— Tlie International Horticultural Exliibition to be held in 

 Berlin under roj^al and imperial auspices, from April 35 to May 

 5, will be chai-acterized by two special features, — an exhibition 

 of horticultural architecture, and one of horticultural models, 

 apparatus, etc. It is requested that all exhibits or announcements 

 of such should be promptly sent to the general secretary of the 

 Society for the Promotion of Horticulture, Professor Dr. L. Witt- 

 mack, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin N. , from whom all further in- 

 formation may be obtained. The exhibition will be held in the 

 Royal Agricultural Exhibition Building, on the Lelu't Railway. 

 The general organizer of the scientific department is Professor 

 Dr. Pringsheim, and the following gentlemen have undertaken 

 the management of special branches : for the geography of plants, 

 Professor Dr. Ascherson; for physiology, Professor Dr. Frank; 

 for seeds, Herr P. Hennings ; for morphology, anatomy, and the 

 history of development. Professor Dr. Kny: for fungi. Professor 

 Dr. Magnus; for soils. Professor Dr. Orth; for history, literature, 

 and miscellaneous. Dr. Schumann; for officinal and technical 

 objects, Dr. Tschirch. The minister for agi-iculture. Dr. Frei- 

 herr v. Lucius-Balhausen, will be the honorary president of the 

 exhibition. Tlie city of Berlin has granted the sum of 1.5,000 

 marks towards its expenses, and a guaranty fund of 80, 000 marks 

 has been raised. 



— The marine meteorological service in the Spanish West Indies 

 was organized about a year- ago, and was in active operation dur- 

 ing the last huiTicane season, as already stated on the • 'Pilot 

 Chai-t." Its importance to the West Indies, Mexico, and the 

 United States, as well as to the commerce of every nation navi- 

 gating the Bay of North America, is so gi-eat that it is gi-atifving 

 to learn that its establishiuent has been definitely approved by a 

 recent royal order issued through the minister of marine, Mach-id. 

 It is in charge of a coramander in the navy, assisted by two lieu- 

 tenants, with headquarters in Havana, at the Comandancia Gen- 



ei-al del Apostadero, and a number of secondary reporting stations 

 at points along the coasts of Cuba and Porto Rico. Capt. Luis 

 Garcia y Carbonell, who has organized the service, has been des- 

 ignated as its director. The United States Hydrographic Office- 

 has already, upon several occasions, acknowledged valuable- 

 assistance from Capt. Carbonell, and it regards the establishment 

 of this weather service upon a permanent and effective basis as- 

 of the greatest importance to the interests of commerce. 



— The month of January was remarkable for the tempestuous- 

 weather that prevailed almost uninterruptedly over the trans- 

 atlantic steamship routes. Storms succeeded each other in rapid 

 succession, the majority of them having developed inland, and 

 moved east-north-east, on very similar paths, from Nova Scotia 

 and across southern Newfoundland. The most notable storm of 

 the month was probably the one that developed in the St. Law- 

 rence valley, and moved out to sea across the Straits of Belle 

 Isle early on the 3d, when it was central about latitude 52" 

 north, longitude 48" west. It then moved nearly due east, rap- 

 idly increasing in intensity, until reaching the 20tli meridian, 

 when it curved to the north-eastward, and was central on the 5th 

 about latitude 55" north, longitude 17" west, and disappeared 

 north of Scotland. The barometric pressure in this storm was 

 remarkably low, the lowest ccarected reading reported being 

 27.93, at 4 p.m., Jan. 4, about latitude 53° north, longitude 23° 

 west. This was repoi-ted to the United States Hydrographic 

 Office by Capt. Johnson, of the British steamship "Connemara," 

 who further states that the storm was accompanied by winds of 

 hurricane force, with terrific squalls, occasional hail, and moun- 

 tainous seas. 



— The January number of the Kew Bulletin contained an able 

 and most interesting report, by Dr. Francis Oliver, on the so- 

 called weather-plant. This plant is Abrus precatoriiis, Linn. , a 

 well-known tropical weed. Mr. Joseph F. Nowack claims to 

 have discovered that its leaves have ' 'the peculiar property of 

 indicating by their position various changes in nature about 

 foi-ty-eight hours before the said changes occur." Numerous 

 observations with hundreds of such plants have convinced him 

 that "any given position of the leaves coiTesponds always to a 

 certain condition of the weather forty-eight hours afterwards."' 

 Some time ago he devised an apparatus for the pui-pose of putting 

 his supposed discovery to practical use. It consists of a ' 'trans- 

 parent vessel containing the weather-plant, closed on all sides, 

 protected against injurious external influences, and adapted to 

 be internally ventilated and maintained at a temperature of at 

 least 18° Reaumur, these being the conditions under which, in 

 temperate climates, Nowack' s weather-plant answers the purpose 

 of a weather-indicator. ' ' Last year Mr. Nowack was anxious 

 that his apparatus should be scientifically tested at Kew, but it 

 would not have been easy for any member of the staff of the 

 Royal Gardens to find time for the necessary observations. The 

 task was undertaken by Dr. Francis Oliver, who now presents- 

 the results of his investigation. The following, as we learn from 

 Nature, is a summary of the conclusions at which he has an'ived : 

 "I contend that all the movements exhibited by the leaves of 

 Abrus precatorius depend on causes not so far to seek as those- 

 suggested by Mr. Nowack. The ordinary movements of the leaf- 

 lets, of rising and falling, are called forth in the main by 

 changes in the intensity of the light. In a humid atmosphere 

 they are more sluggish than in a relatively di-y one. In other 

 words, when the conditions are favorable for transpiration, the 

 movements are most active. The position for snow and hail is 

 connected intimately, in the cases that have come under my 

 observation, with a spotting or biting (by insects) of the leaflets, 

 and is not due to any other external factor. The position for fog 

 and mist, and for electricity in the air, is probably due to the 

 distui-bance caused by varying light, the rhythmical movements 

 of the leaflets being temporarily overthrown. The position indi- 

 cating thunder and lightning I take to be pathological from its 

 tendency to recur on the same leaves. Daily movements of the 

 rachis constitute a periodic function in tlus as in many other 

 plants with pinnate leaves. The regularity of these oscillations 

 is considerably influenced by both light and temperature. ' ' 



