Scientific.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2283, 26 February 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

Scientific.

Electricity on Russian Farms.—Electricity has been brought into play in Russia in a peculiar manner, according to a writer in the Journal d' Agriculture Pratique. 0 wing to the severe competition of America and India in respect, to wheat, Russian fanners and proprietors have lately sustained very heavy losses, which threaten to increase to an extent which will mean ruin to them. Realising this grave and very real danger, the editor of the Russian Selsky Khosiane has been making experiments with the electric light. One great, if not the greatest, disnxlvantngo the Russian farmers oxpcricnco is the shortness of the daylight, in oouscquonoe of which they cannot got sufficient wheat thrashed. To remedy this, the gentleman named has recently introduced on:his farm the electric light, by which the worlt has been carried 011 later than was previously possible, and very satisfactory results have ensued.—Electrical Review.

Anotiikb Boon* to tiih Blind.—lt was a Frenchman who first invented that boon to the blind a system by means of which these unfortunate persons might communicate in writing with their friends. But the Braille system, invaluable thousrh it is. has tbe great disadvantage of consisting in a serioi of hieroglyphics to learn which takes considerable time and trouble. At present, however, a new improved Braille syßtom is announced from France, which, if it proves successful, as the inventor confidently hopes, will make all deciphering on the part of the seeing unnecessary. The apparatus is like the American double type-writer, which on one of the buttons 1 representing' the . twenty-five :lett,er<i of the --alphabet being pressed down produces two : impressions of a letter. In the present ease the one impression- for the .use of the blind is in Braille's relief type, the other in that commonlv'. used.

Lightning Flashes. — Lightning flashes have sometimes been observed which, starting from one point, have ended in several. Some remarkable forms of flash have been lately described by Herr Leyst, of Pawlowsk Observatory. In one case a flash went a certain distance in a north-easterly direction, then divided, ,the two branches forming an angle of about 7odeg. When these had reached about 35deg. from each other, they turned and united again to one line. The path of the lightning thus formed a quadrilateral figure. It was further observed that the lightning flashed back in the same path, as if there were, an oscillating discharge. In another interesting flash, the path was not a crooked line but a wavy band, which was lit up four times in succession'with equal brilliancy. The time between the second and third and the third and fourth flashes seemed longer than that between the first and second. The thunder which followed lasted about eighty seconds.—Nature.

Electric Light and Vegetation.— In the neighborhood of the tower lights, with which so many of the American cities are now illuminated, the influence of the arc light upon vegetation is becoming very noticeable. A gentleman in Davenport, lowa, whose garden is within 100 feet of an electric light tower, says that his lilies, which ordinarily close their petals long before sunset, now again unfold a few minutes after the lamps commence to burn. It i's also observed that the foliage of the trees in Detroit was more luxuriant this summer where the light has fallen on them.,—Electrician.

The Growth of Codfish. —The codfish continues to grow indefinitely, without regard to age, so lorijj as it has a plentiful supply of food. The oldest codfish qxe the largest, and they sometimes grow to be as long as a man is high. They swim about near the bottom of the *ea, not often ascending to the surface, feeding on all sorts of animal life, such ns crab,shellfish and other small fish, but not on vegetables.

Liniment for Earache.—According to the Canada Medical Rccord, Pavesi recommends a liniment composed of camphorated choral 2A parts, pure glycerine 1 (i.V parts and oil of sweet almonds 10 parts. This is to be well mixed, and preserved in a hermetically clos l . d bottle. A pledget of very soft cotton is to be soaked in the liniment, and thou introduced as far as possible into the effected ear, two applications being made daily. Frictions may also be made each day with the preparation behind the ear.