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Arcana of Science.
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_Smoke of Lamps._
A recent number of Gill's "Technical Repository," contains a simple mode
of consuming the smoke that ascends from the turner of an argand lamp. It
consists of a thin concave of copper, fixed by three wires, at about an
inch above the chimney-glass of the lamp, yet capable of being taken off
at pleasure. The gaseous carbonaceous matter which occasionally escapes
from the top of lamps, is thus arrested beneath the concave cap, and
subsequently consumed by the heat of the flame, instead of passing off
into the room, in the form of smoke or smut on the ceiling and walls.
[The "Technical Repository," may have the credit of introducing this
contrivance to the British public; but it is somewhat curious that it had
not been previously adopted, since scores of lamps thus provided, are to
be seen in the cafés and restaurateurs of Paris. _Apropos_, the French oil
burns equal in brightness to our best gas, and as we are informed, this
purity is obtained by filtration through charcoal.--ED.]
_Caddis Worms._
The transformation of the deserted cases of numberless minute insects into
a constituent part of a solid rock, first formed at the bottom of a lake,
then constituting the sides of deep valleys, and the tabular summits of
lofty hills, is a phenomenon as striking as the vast reefs of coral
constructed by the labours of minute polyps. We remember to have seen such
_caddis-worms_, as they are called by fishermen, very abundant in the
wooden troughs constructed by the late Dr. Sibthorp, for aquatic plants,
in the botanic garden at Oxford, to the cases of which many small shells
of the G. Planorbis Limnea and Cyclas were affixed, precisely in the same
manner as in the fossil tubes of Auvergne; an incrusting spring,
therefore, may, perhaps, be all that is wanting to reproduce, on the banks
of the Isis or the Charwell, a rock similar in structure to that of the
Limagne. Mr. Kirby, in his "Entomology," informs us, that these larvae
ultimately change into a four-winged insect. If you are desirous to examine
them in their aquatic state, "you have only, (he says) to place yourself by
the side of a clear and shallow pool of water, and you cannot fail to
observe at the bottom little oblong moving masses, resembling pieces of
straw, wood, or even stone--of the larvae itself, nothing is to be seen
but the head and six legs, by means of which it moves itself in the water,
and drags after it the case in which the rest of the body is enclosed, and
into which, on any alarm, it instantly retires. The construction of these
habitations is very various. Some select four or five pieces of the leaves
of grass, which they glue together into a shapely polygonal case; others
employ portions of the stems of rushes, placed side by side, so as to form
an elegant fluted cylinder; some arrange round them pieces of leaves like
a spirally-rolled riband; other species construct houses which may be
called alive, forming them of the shells of various aquatic snails of
different kinds and sizes, even while inhabited, all of which are
immovably fixed to them, and dragged about at pleasure. However various
may be the form of the case externally, within it is usually cylindrical
and lined with silk."--_Introduction to Entomology, by Kirby and Spence._
_Engraving on Glass._
Cover one side of a flat piece of glass, after having made it perfectly
clean, with bees' wax, and trace figures upon it with a needle, taking
care that every stroke cuts completely through the wax. Next, make a
border of wax all round the glass, to prevent any liquor, when poured on,
from running off. Then take some finely powdered fluate of lime (fluor
spar,) strew it even over the glass plate upon the waxed side, and then
gently pour upon it, so as not to displace the powder, as much concentrated
sulphuric acid diluted with thrice its weight of water, as is sufficient
to cover the powdered fluor spar. Let every thing remain in this state for
three hours; then remove the mixture, and clean the glass, by washing it
with oil of turpentine; the figures which were traced through the wax will
be found engraven on the glass, while the parts which the wax covered will
be uncorroded. The fluate of lime is decomposed by the sulphuric acid, and
sulphate of lime is formed. The fluoric acid, disengaged in the gaseous
state, combines with the water that diluted the sulphuric acid, and forms
liquid fluoric acid, by which the glass is corroded.
_Habits of Seals._
The brain of this animal, observes Dr. Harwood, is I think, doubtless, of
greater proportionate magnitude than in any other quadruped, and not only
does it exhibit in its countenance, the appearance of sagacity, but its
intelligence is in reality far greater than in most land quadrupeds: hence
its domestication is rendered much easier than that of other animals, and
it is susceptible of more powerful attachment. The large seal, which was
exhibited some time ago at Exeter 'Change, appeared to me to understand
the language of its keeper as perfectly as the most faithful dog. When he
entered at one end of its long apartment, it raised its body from the
water, in which it was injudiciously too constantly kept, supporting itself
erect against the bar of its enclosure, and wherever he moved, keeping its
large, dark eyes steadfastly fixed upon him. When desired to make obeisance
to visitors, it quickly threw itself on one side, and struck the opposite
one several times in quick succession with its fore-foot, producing a loud
noise. The young seal, again, which was kept on board the Alexander, in one
of the northern expeditions, became so much attached to its new mode of
life, that after being thrown into the sea, and it had become tired of
swimming at liberty, it regularly returned to the side of the beat, to be
retaken on board. Such examples might be greatly multiplied; and I cannot
help stating, that aware of this disposition to become familiar, and this
participation in the good qualities of the dog, it is astonishing that
mankind have not chosen this intellectual and finely organized quadruped,
for aquatic services scarcely less important than some of those in which
the dog is employed on the surface of the land.--_Quarterly Journal._
_Gas from Resin._
Mr. Daniel, the meteorologist, has contrived a process for generating gas
from resin; which he effects by dissolving the resin in turpentine, or
any other essential oil, and then allowing the fluid to drop gradually in
a heated cylinder of iron.
_Liquorice Paper._
A mode has been discovered in France of fabricating paper solely from the
Glycyrrhiza Germanica, or liquorice plant. It is said that this paper is
cheap, that it is of a whiteness superior to that generally made, and that
size is not requisite in its manufacture.
_Tachygraphy._
A mathematical instrument maker at Paris, of the name of Conti, has
conceived the notion of a portable instrument which he calls a tachygraph,
by means of which any person may write, or rather print, as fast as any
other person can speak. M. Conti, however, like many other ingenious men,
is not rich; and he has applied to the Académiè des Sciences, for pecuniary
assistance, and a very favourable report has been made upon his request.
_Valuable Discovery in Agriculture._
One of the most recent of useful discoveries in agriculture is to mix
layers of green or new cut clover with layers of straw in ricks or stacks;
thus the strength of the clover is absorbed by the straw, which, thus
impregnated, both horses and cattle eat greedily, and the clover is dried
and prevented from heating. This practice is particularly calculated for
second crops of clover and rye-grass.
_Pine Apples._
The largest pine ever grown in this kingdom was cut lately from the
hothouse of John Edwards, Esq. of Rheola, Glamorganshire, and was presented
to his Majesty at Windsor. It weighed 14 lbs. 12 oz. avoirdupois, was
12-1/2 inches high, exclusive of the crown, and 26 inches in circumference.
_Sea Couch for preventing Sickness._
An elastic or swinging seat, couch, or bed, for preventing the uneasy
motions of a ship or a carriage, has recently been invented. To effect
this, the frame of the seat or couch is suspended on juribals or joints,
turning at right angles to each other, and an elasticity is produced both
in the seat or cushion, and in the swinging frames, by the use of spiral
metal springs. These springs are made by twisting steel or iron wire into
the form of an hour glass, that is, like two cones united at their apices.
The lower points of their springs are to be sown to the canvass or webbing,
and their upper parts secured in their proper situations and erect
positions by pack-thread or small cords, tied or braced from one to the
other, crossing like a net. On the tops of these springs the usual covering
of canvass is laid, and then a thin layer of horsehair or wool, upon which
the outer covering is bitted. Sir Richard Phillips, in the _Monthly
Magazine_, describes the following successful experiment for preventing
sea-sickness, made on his crossing from Dover to Calais, a few years
since. He caused an armed chair to be placed on the deck of the vessel,
and being seated in it, he began to raise himself up and down, as on
horseback. The passengers laughed at his eccentricity, but before they
reached Calais, many of them were sea-sick, whilst Sir Richard continued
to enjoy his usual health and vigour.
_Bites of Venomous Reptiles._
M. le D'Record, sen. discovered, during a long residence in America, what
he considers a sure mode of preventing mischief from such bites. "It is
sufficient," he says, "to pour a few drops of tincture of cantharides on
the wound, to cause a redness and vesiccation; not only is the poison
rendered harmless, but the stings of the reptiles are removed with the
epidermis that the bladder raises."--_Med. Journal._
_Naval Schools of France._
In France, the system of mutual instruction among the working classes
prospers in the bosoms of the ports, and schools are founded for the
particular instruction of the sons of the inferior officers of the
arsenals, in the elements of calculation, of geometry, and of design, as
far as necessary for the plans of ships; also the principles of statics,
so as to enable them to judge of the action and effect of machinery. Prizes
of gold medals and special promotions are the rewards of the most deserving
students. Brest was formerly the only port furnished with these schools;
since the peace, however, libraries are forming in each of the others; and
in almost all, cabinets of natural history and botanical gardens are
enriched at every voyage undertaken by French ships, either to foreign
coasts, or to those of the French colonies. An observatory has been given
to Toulon and Rochefort. In both these ports naval museums are formed, in
order to preserve types of the most eminent vessels, whose originals either
have been, or soon will be, destroyed by time. Models of ingenious
machines, representations of interesting manoeuvres, a methodical
collection of raw materials, of tools, and of the product of all the arts
exercised in a dock-yard--Such are the rich materials collected in these
interesting repositories.--_From the French of M. Dupin._
_Antiquity of Locks._
Locks were known in Egypt above four thousand years since, as was inferred
by M. Denon, from some sculptures of the great temple of Karnac,
representing locks similar to those now used in that country. A lock
resembling the Egyptian is used in Cornwall, and the same has been seen in
the Faro Islands; to both which places it was probably taken by the
Phoenicians.--_Quarterly Journal._
_To increase the odour of Roses._
Plant a large onion by the side of the rose-tree in such a manner that it
shall touch the root of the latter. The rose which will be produced will
have an odour much stronger and more agreeable than such as have not been
thus treated; and the water distilled from these roses is equally superior
to that prepared by means of ordinary rose leaves.--_From the French._
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The Selector;