MISCELLANEA 
SCIENCE ON THE CONTINENT. 
Cultivation of Cotton in France. — The Societe d' Acclimatation of 
Paris has for some time been engaged in encouraging the experiment of 
growing cotton in France, and the results now reported are certainly 
deserving of great attention. The Marquis de Tournes writes to the 
society that he is convinced that the cotton-plant may easily be accli- 
matized on the alluvial plains of Provence. “ In spite of detestable 
weather,” he says, “ our crop surpasses that of last year ; samples have 
been submitted to Messrs. Schlumberger, of Gnebwiller, who report that, 
allowance being made for ginning, our long staple cotton may be set down 
as worth ten francs per kilogramme [about 3s. 8d. per lb.], and our short 
staple at six francs and a half [2s. 4d. per lb.] !” 
The Sericiculture Practiquc, published in the Vaucluse, says: “The 
150 kilogrammes of seed received by the Society of Agriculture has not 
been sufficient to supply the demands of cultivators, and a further supply 
has been sent from Algeria, with valuable hints as to the modes of 
cultivation.” 
In the neighbourhood of Avignon the experiment is being carried out 
with energy by the Agricultural Society and many private individuals. 
The results above given certainly surpass all expectation, and it will be 
an equally curious and important result if the difficulties in America 
should give rise to the practical cultivation of cotton in the south of France. 
There remains, however, the grand question of the cost of production ; and 
it will be strange indeed should it turn out that France can compete 
successfully with India, Egypt, and her own settlements in Algeria. 
It is well to mention, in connection with this subject, that M. Louis 
Reybaud, who was commissioned by the Academy of Moral and Political 
Science to report on the condition of the textile manufactures, arrives at 
the conclusion that it will not be safe to depend on cotton in future, and 
that the only safe course will be to use all possible efforts to replace it, 
to a large extent, by flax and wool ! 
The Manufacture of Steel. — M. Caron has communicated to the 
Academy of Sciences of Paris the result of a series of important experiments 
made with the view to ascertain the part actually played by manganese in 
the fabrication of steel, and the results are given in a few words : — First, that 
the phosphorus of the iron is not carried off by the manganese ; second, that 
sulphur, even without refining, will disappear in presence of manganese ; 
and, third, that silica is in a great part removed by the manganese. These 
