March 1, 1865.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 379 



ries; and 32 of these each use above 140,000 cwts. of roots annually, one 

 using as much ^as 408,000 cwts.' ' 



The Nephrite op New Zealand. — This mineral, which is held 

 in high esteem among the natives as a material for weapons, tools, and 

 various ornamental objects, occurs exclusively on the west coast of the 

 south island which is called "Te Wari Pooramoo," which means the Place 

 of the Green Stone. It appears generally in the form of pebbles in 

 river-beds and on the sea-shore ; it is, however, said to occur also in 

 masses in the vicinity of considerable veins of serpentine. The'natives 

 distinguish by name a great number of varieties, differing in hardness, 

 colour, and translucence. These varieties may be/livided between the 

 two following groups : — 1. Those of an intense green (generally' leek- 

 green) more or less translucent, with a hardness between that of felspar 

 and quartz, compact, not schistose. 2. This group is of less value than 

 the first, and its members are analogous in physical^properties and 

 chemical constitution to M. Damour's "jade blanc," and ^probably 

 belong to the family Amphiboles. 



Asiatic Manna. — A letter from Mr. Hardinge, to Sir Roderick 

 Murchison, describing the appearance of a large quantity of manna in 

 July, 1864, observed near Diarberker, Asia Minor, was published some 

 time since, and created a good deal of controversy regarding the nature 

 of manna. We believe, however, that there can be very little doubt 

 that it is a species of lichen, which, like a fungus, springs up in the 

 course of a single night, and thus gives rise to the notion that it has 

 fallen from the skies. This manna is ground into flour and baked into 

 bread, the Turkish name of it being " Kudert-bogh-dasi," which means 

 wonder-corn, or grain. Though used as bread, its composition is ' 

 remarkable ; for it contains more than 65 per cent, of oxalate of lime, 

 and has about 25 per cent, of amylaceous matter. This substance is 

 evidently the manna of the Hebrews, who gave it the name of " Man-hu," 

 which signifies "What is it?" from the circumstance of its sudden 

 appearance and their^previous^unfamiliarity with it. 



Bunslochur. — This is a silicious concretion, or crystallization, formed 

 in the hollow bamboo, which is said to be found in old wood only, and 

 about one bamboo in threeproducing it. It is used by the natives of 

 India as a stimulant, tonic, and astringent, in doses of about five grains. 

 The native practitioners have great faith in it as a medicine, and use it 

 largely ; its properties are said by them to be of a very heating nature. 

 The substance, however, in a medicinal point of view, must be quite 

 useless, as it seems to be merely impure silicate of potash. There are 

 three varieties — pink, white, and blue. It is a very common article in 

 the Bengal market, and comes from Sylhet, as also from other parts of 

 India. 



Paper for Pattern Cards. — Many attempts have been made to 

 substitute punched paper, in the form of a web, for the heavy, cum- 

 brous, and costly cardsem ployed in Jacquard looms, but without prac- 



