White Hills.—The White Hills in New Hampshire, are the highest in the United States, being between 7 and 8000 feet above the level of the ocean. The ascent is both difficult and dangerous, as the sides of the mountains consist of naked, rugged, and precipitous rocks over which the traveller is obliged to climb his slow and toilsome way. The last of July and the first of August is the only time at which they can be ascended at all, as they are the rest of the year covered with snow.
Sizing.—A French chemist has recently discovered, that from the starch of potatoes quite fresh, and washed but once, a fine size, by mixing with chalk, might be made. The stucco plasterers of this country have been benefited by the discovery, and they find that this kind of size is particularly useful for ceilings and for white-washing, being more durable in tenacity and whiteness, and not putrifying like animal size or exhaling any unwholesome odour.
Arabian Horses.—Three fine Arabian horses have arrived at Boston from Tripoli. They are owned by R. B. Jones, Esq. late American Consul at that place, and a Mr. Morgan.
Transplanting Wheat.—In the month of August, 1795, a gentleman of Herefordshire, in England, set a single grain of wheat. As soon as it had properly taken root, he dug it up, divided it into several parts, and transplanted them. In August 1796, it was reaped, when it produced 137 ears; the average of which was 80 grains in the ear; the total produce 10,960 grains of wheat, besides the straw, most of which was seven feet high.
Fall of a Glacier.—On the 27th of December, at six o'clock in the morning, an enormous portion of the glacier of Weisshorn, in the valley of St. Nicholas, or Vispach, fell from its exalted situation into the valley, causing dreadful devastation amongst the cultivated grounds and habitations. At the moment when the ice and snow struck the masses lying beneath, the minister of the place, and many other persons, observed a strong light, which immediately disappeared, and gave place to utter darkness. This phenomenon, from the brightness of the light, and the number of persons who saw it, can scarcely be considered as illusory. It was probably an electrical or phosphorescent effect. The mass of ice and snow covered a space of 2400 feet in length, 1000 feet wide, and at a mean 150 feet in height, and the displacement of the air by it was such as to cause a hurricane, which destroyed houses, mills, and buildings, even to the distance of a quarter of a league from the place of the fall. Extreme fears are entertained for the remains of the village of Ronds, which stands opposite the glacier, for the upper part of the glacier, left unsupported by the part which has given way, threatens to fall and complete the distress which has been brought upon the inhabitants of the valley.
Evolution of Heat by freezing.—M. de la Becha has devised an ingenious way of shewing the heat evolved by water during congelation. He places a glass vessel, containing in its lower part water, and upon that olive oil, in a temperature below the freezing point of water. In this temperature olive oil alone would freeze and thicken, but, being placed over water, it is retained in the fluid state, in consequence of the heat evolved by the water during its conversion into ice; and it is not until the whole of the water is perfectly frozen that the oil itself will freeze.—Bibliotheque Universelle, xiii. 76.
Printing in Otaheite.—M. Turgenieff, Counsellor of State, has made a report to the Bible Society of Petersburg, in which it is stated that the English missionaries, have established a press at Otaheite, at which 3000 bibles have been printed. They were all sold in the space of three days, for three gallons of cocoa-nut oil each. The books of Moses, translated into the Otaheitean language, have been printed at the same press; also a catechism for the use of the inhabitants. These have been distributed gratuitously.
Animal Magnetism.—The Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin have proposed animal magnetism as a prize subject, essays on which are to be rewarded in August 1820. It is desired that the phenomena, known by the name of animal magnetism, be described so as to admit of a positive judgment respecting their nature: and it is observed that, though there are many difficulties attached to the subject, still it appears that the number of facts ascertained is such as to admit the hope that, in the present state of the physical sciences, some light may be thrown on animal magnetism, when the probability of these facts has been estimated, and when their analogy with the better understood phenomena of natural sleep, dreams, somnambulism not magnetic, and many nervous affections, has been established.
Milk.—Professor Schubler has published in the Dictionary of Medical Sciences, a paper entitled, "Researches on Milk and its constituent Principles." The results of his analysis differ greatly from those lately published by Berzelius; and hence, in the author's opinion, prove the great influence of food and climate on the lacteal secretion. 1000 parts of new milk contain 110 of fresh cheese, 50 of fresh serai, 24 of butter, 77 of coarse sugar of milk, and 739 water; or, in a dry state, 42.6 cheese, 7.87 serai, 24.0 butter, 77.0 sugar of milk, and 848.53 water. 1000 parts of skimmed milk contain 43.64 dry cheese, 8.06 dry serai, 78.94 sugar of milk, and 869.34 water. 1000 parts of cream contain 240 butter, 33 cheese, 6 serai, and 721 whey. Lastly, 721 parts of whey contain 60 coarse sugar of milk.—These observations were made at Howfyl, which is some distance from the mountains, and where the cows are kept constantly in the stable, so that the milk must be nearly the same as in other flat countries.
Respiration and Circulation of the Blood.—Dr. Carson has lately made some important experiments on the elasticity of the lungs in different animals, and he has found by the application of a simple apparatus that in oxen, and animals of their size, it is more than equal in power to the weight of a column of water a foot and a half high. In calves, sheep, and large dogs, it is balanced by a column of water varying in height from one foot to a foot and a half; and in rabbits and cats by a column of water varying from six to ten inches. To this elasticity of the lungs alternating with the irritability of the diaphragm, Dr. C. ascribes respiration, or the faculty of breathing; the capacity of the chest being by their means successively enlarged and diminished, and thus air alternately expelled and inhaled. He thinks also with great probability that the movements of the heart and the circulation of the blood are powerfully influenced by the same resilisency.