224 



SCIENCE. 



of the wood has long been known, its liability to "winter-kill' 

 and its irregular, crooked growth has prevented its being 

 planted for timber." 



Much space is also given in this report to the subject 

 of Fungi on living plants, which are more disastrous 

 to crops than the ravages of insects. These forms include 

 rusts, smuts, mildews, rots, blights, etc., the rust alone 

 on wheat taking from the former more than all the tax 

 collectors, and creating such losses as to frighten cul 

 tivators from their business. Professor Burrill regrets that 

 the study of Fungi receives so little attention in this country, 

 and says the number of American botanists who have pub- 

 lished original accounts of the development of any fungous 

 species maj' be counted on the fingers of one hand. As 

 much practical importance and scientific interest is attached 

 to such a stud)', we trust many botanists may in the future 

 give more of their time to original investigations in this 

 direction. 



MICROSCOPY. 



The American Monthly Microscopical Journal 

 for October, describes a warm stage for the Micros- 

 cope, by Professor E. H. Bartley. It has the advan- 

 tage of being so simple that it can be constructed at 

 home with a tew inexpensive materials. We once saw 

 this apparatus shown by the inventor at the New York 

 Microscopical Society, and considered it a success. 



Simple forms of mechanical figures are described by 

 Mr. J. Sullivant. 



Professor C. C. Merriman's interesting paper on the 

 microscopical collections made by him in Florida, occu- 

 pies nine pages of this number. 



We regret that Mr. Frederick Habirshaw's " Catalogue 

 of the Diatomacea'" will be delayed in the publication 

 for the want of sufficient promise of patronage. This 

 may arise from many not understanding the nature of 

 the work or its construction. If the editor of the Amer- 

 ican Monthly Microscopical Journal, who has the 

 matter in hand, would print a sample page in his journal, 

 it might remove such a difficulty. We believe we have 

 heard the author himself state that the book in question 

 would be useless to those not having a full library of 

 works on the subject, so as to avail themselves of the 

 ample references he makes to the published literature of 

 the subject. 



The demand for such a work must be very limited ; on 

 the other hand a condensation of all this literature would 

 be very welcome. A comprehensive work on the diato- 

 maceae, well illustrated, is much wanted and if issued in 

 monthly parts, at a moderate price, would command a 

 fair sale both at home and abroad. 



Mr. Habirshaw appears to have the material for such 

 a work in his possession, and he has given ample proof 

 of his literary ability to undertake the task. 



We think ten dollars would be better invested in a 

 work such as we suggest, than five dollars in an index to 

 a scattered literature, which the purchaser can never 

 hope to possess. 



PHYSICAL NOTES. 



Observation Made on ^ Group of Rays in the Solar 

 Spectrum. — L. Thollon figures and describes a group of 

 four rays, situate in the Orange. Two of these rays be- 

 long to Iron, their wave-lengths being respectively 5976"] 

 and 5974*6. The other two are Telluric, and then wave 

 lengths arc 5<)7 r, '35 and 5974'36. 



Cause of the Variations of mm- Fixed Points of 

 Thermometers. -J. M. Crafts cites some experiments 

 which reduce to nothing, oi almost so, the pari play- 

 ed by pressure in the permanent elevation of the zero 

 point. The glass blown al the lamp and exposed for a long 

 time to the action of heat diminishes in volume l>\ means of 



some internal change, and it is not demonstrated that pres- 

 sure plays any part whatever in the phenomenon. The par- 

 ticles of glass which have been removed asunder whilst it 

 was being blown do not return immediately to their normal 

 position at a lower temperature ; we observe disturbances 

 for some time, and finally the glass may remain for a long 

 time in a state of tension at the ordinary temperature. The 

 action of heat at a given temperature (e.g., 355 ), giving a 

 greater mobility to the particles, favors their return to the 

 normal position, and gives scope to a contraction. But 

 the glass, when cooling from this latter temperature retains 

 a part of the displacement peculiar to 355 . On heating 

 again to a lower temperature {e.g., 300°) a new decrease of 

 volume is produced, so that a very slow cooling, which pro- 

 duces successively all these effects upon the particles of 

 glass, must ensure the greatest stability. 



Rapid Alcoholic Fermentation. — In order to effect 

 rapid fermentation for the destruction of the sugar contain- 

 ed in wines, J. Bouissngault suggests that the sample be 

 mixed with water and yeast, and placed in connection with 

 an exhausting syringe, reduces the pressure, and thus which 

 eliminates the alcohol as fast as formed. The fermentation, 

 not being checked by its presence, goes on till all the sugar 

 is decomposed. 



Inconveniences, from a Physiological Point of View, 

 of the Substitution of Amylic Alcohol for Ether in 

 Stas's Process for the Detection of Morphine. — As 

 amylic alcohol, even in very small doses, produces in ani- 

 mals systoms closely resembling narcotism, and as it is not 

 readily removed from the cadaveric extract, physiological 

 experimentation in confirmation of the chemical reactions of 

 morphine is rendered untrustworthy. — Compcs Rcndus. 



Influence of the Galvanic Current on Bacteria F. 

 Cohn and B. Mendelsohn carried out their experiments 

 to verify the assertion of Schiel, that the galvanic current 

 prevented the development of Bacteria. The results were 

 that a feeble current from one pair of elements had 

 no perceptible effect ; a current from two elements ren- 

 dered the solution inactive at the positive pole ; a current 

 from five, continued for twenty-four hours, completely ster- 

 ilized the whole solution, and deprived it of its power to 

 infect another solution. The solution at the positive pole 

 was first affected ; with the stronger current the liquid be- 

 came acid at the positive and alkaline at the negative pole. 

 The induction current had no perceptible effect on the Bac- 

 teria. — Jour. Chem. Soc. 



Effect of Age on the Quality of Iron. — Previous 

 tests have shown that iron, subject to even fifty years of use 

 and exposure, is not perceptibly changed in quality, either in 

 strength or elasticity. Professor Thurston recently tested 

 the remains of the Fairmount Suspension Bridge, which 

 had been in use forty 3 r ears, and found the iron in no man 

 ner deteriorated. 



Phosphorescent Lighting. — Dr. Phipson takes Sul- 

 phide of Barium, or some other substance which is rendered 

 phosphorescent by the solar rays, and encloses it in a 

 Geissler tube, through which he passes a constant electric 

 current of a feeble but regular intensity. He claims to ob- 

 tain in this manner a uniform and agreeable light, at a 

 lower cost than that of gas. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Sugar Analysis — A Description of the Methods 

 used in Estimating the Constituents. By 

 M. Benjamin, Ph. B. New York. 1880. 



To those who desire a concise and practical guide to 

 this subject, Dr. Benjamin's essay, published in pamphlet 

 form with twenty illustrations, will perhaps be more ser- 

 viic.iblc than a more elaborate work, The essential facts 

 for a genera] comprehension of the subject have been 

 judii lonsly arranged. 



