” L

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VOL, III.; No. 3.<WHOLE NO. 11.

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Wuotr No. 11,

Use of Periodicals,

ALE. BROWS, DELTA ‘lAt DELTA,

“Americus are
people read more.” With these and like expres-
sions we are all familiar, And we find a sntisfae-
tion in being thus spoken of and so regarded by
the people of other nations. And why should we
not? Surely, who will question the educational
value of the printed leaf? We find in it all the
wisdom of the past; and the wise of the pres-
ent invariably make use of it fo perpetunte their
thought. bo we come to associate wisdom with
print, and to think that whatever is published must
be good. "Tis thus the most trifling things, when
printed, are read with eagerness,

Remembering, then, the respect whieh men enter-
tain for any printed matter, it is not strange that
many @& person who has “too gude a eoneeit o°
himself,” will make every effort to appear in print
as offen as he can, The publisher recoonizes this
Btate of things, and the journal is at once suggest-.
ed to him. He finds it an easy matter to secure
contributors to his magazine; anc lie also finds that it
commends itself to many persous beenuse of its fresh-
ness amd cheapness, [tf thus proves to be a great
success, and now forins the staple reading of most
of our people.

A few figures will best lelp us to judge of its
influence. In January, 1880, we find that there
were nearly {00 newspapers published in the
United States. Of these between 50 and 60 are
quarterlies, 17 are issued bi-monthly, 90 semi-an-
nually, 40 bi-weekly, 7,000 once a week, 120 twiee a
week, G0 three times «a week, and 800, daily.
Some of the dailies have a circulation of 120,000
copies, Some of the weeklies reach the enormous
edition of a quarter of a million, There is no class,
sect, or profession but lins its paper. And what
impresses a stranger is that their reading is so
universal. Lverybody reads, is almost literally true.

Tn the eluh-room, on the train, in the shop, and
wherever man can have a moment's time, there the
paper is found. And, what is equally noticeable,
the reading of not a few is wholly contined to the

aper.

Pe ‘or much of such reading, people offer no other
apology than that it is a source of amusement, or
helps to pass away the time. And only a few ex-
erelse any choice whatever in their magazine read-
ing, other than that dictated by their likes or
dislikes. As if all such reading were equally good,
or as af their taste would not improve by a selec-
tion of the best reading. Sueh purposeless and
desultory reading is anything but productive of

od, .
ars weakens the mind like smoking,” said Rob-
ertson of Brighton, “and is an excuse for its lying
dormant, I[t is the idlest of all idlenesses, and leaves
more of impotency than any other.”

great lovers of reading.” “No |

Even under the most favorable conditions, Tag
azine reading is attended with many evils. “ Peri-
odicala and novels,” said John Sterling, “are to all
in this generation, but more especially to those
whose minds are still unformed and in the process
of formation, a new and more effectual substitute
for the plagues of Egypt—vermin that eorrupt the
wholesome waters and infest our chambers.”

The articles which the periodical eontaing must

| be too short to be thorough in the treatment of

most subjects. They are often prepared very has-
tily, and with but very little thought, beeause they
are mtended for only a paper. Then, too, the pop-
ular nature of the magazine forbids that its essays
be too heavily freighted with thought. As a result
the reader is sure to be superficial in knowledge.

The conclusions whieh we reach through the
reading of periodicals are seldom trustworthy; for
the style of magazine writers is not often that of
an enquirer, They do not strive to lead us in a
seareh for truth, but instead are partisan and dog-—
matic.

Those who indulge in much periodical reading
are sure to beeome mentally dissipated. It weak-
ens the memory. We cannot but expeet a treach-
erous memory if we persist in reading to forget,
yet no one hopes to remember much of what he
reads in a journal.

It weakens our power of attention, inasmuch as
very little effort is needed to understand most peri-
odical literature, and “Attention is the stuff genius
is made of,”

The reading of more worthy and instructive mat-
ter becomes distasteful to us, because it requires
more exertion to be understood.

The journal, however, has many strong claims
upon us. Our government could hardly exist with-
out it, in its character of news-carrier. The people
must have some means of receiving quickly reli-
able information, from widely distant places, in
order to act intelligently in civil matters.

Moreover, it has done and is doing a great work
in diffusing a general intelligence among all classes.

In a eeneral way we may specify four cases, in
any one of which the reading of a periodical may
be profitable to us:. When it contains news of
general interest; when it contains important local
news; when it gives us the advanced thought in
our chosen field of work, that is the professional
paper; and when oeeasion offera to make use of it
as we would an eneyelopedia. This last use is of
most importance to the student and the writer.

No two readers will attach the same relative im-
portance to these uses, so the value of the period-
ical will be found to vary greatly among readers.
Some will make a wise and judicious use of it,
while many will ever continue to be its slave.

—

—

Tuts year’s subscription to the Srroutum is still
due jem many subscribers. Please make a note
of this.
LS

THE COLLEGE SPECULUM.

Advantages of Special Studies.

ih. J. CORYELL, EOQLECTIC so0creETyY.

The progress of eduention has already become
marvelously great. It is almost an_ impossibility
for one person to obtain a reasonable degree of
proficiency on all subjects of any department of
learning; but instead of relinquishing: a part of
the many branches and paying greater attention
to a few, the tendency of our system of education
is to pass over the same ground, the thoroughness
in each study decreasing as the number 1s extended.

The general principles of a science or language
are scarcely understood when the student is hurried
on to other studies, thus leaving the one with only
a few of its principal ideas retained for a little
while in the memory, but forgotten long before
they cam be of any use.

If his time were spent on a few branches, the
student would be led past the general principles to
the inner details of those studies. Hidden princi-
ples are discovered,—new theories elaborated. By
this process the student leaves the role of a fol-
lower and becomes a leader, He passes on to un-
trodden ground, but is guided in his course by
known facts and theories, from which he proves
other facts or deduces new theories. Precision is
acquired, reasoning faculties are quickened, and
self-confidence gained. The student,
cramming promiscuous definitions and facts in his
memory, systematizes and arranges them with a
throng of related ideas, that only awaits the reas-
oning power to call them to mind.

Tt is the mind of the student of special studies
that las so advanced seience, art, and literature.
An idea brought under the whole force of one mind,
that understands it in its full bearing, must yield
its mystery and expose ifs truth or its falsity to
him, while to others it would be as meaningless as
ever, hus, in the specialist the benefit of study is
seen in its greatest value, for the mind is not bur-
dened by its load, but is built up and strengthened
by judicious use. The person becomes a real ben-
efit to mankind. He extends the boundaries of
knowledge; he opens new channels of enterprise; he
contributes to the happiness of others, while for him-
self the training and self-reliance gained in deep
original study are the best qualifications to insure
suceess in life. From actual experience he learns
the benefit of a thorough knowledge over a super-
ficial view, and anything that is to affect his imter-
est will be subjected to that thorough study, In
the apecialist we see foree in hand with caution,
force to overcome difficulties, and caution in draw-
ing conclusions before the absolute truth is demon-
strated. He acquires discrimination and stability,
because in his study he has learned the danger of
judging from deceiving appearances; in fact, his
whole education is the developing, not burdening,
of his natural faculties.

The world is always ready to open the doors of
wealth to those who are perfect in their work,
while those who possess only a general education
are driven by their more proficient competitors
from a lower round of one ladder to the same posi-
tion on another.

We do not wish to speak against the benefits of
a general education, but many, fearful that they
will be termed narrow-minded, fall into the oppo-
site extreme. We can safely say that this is the
erowing tendency of the present time. The sciences

instead of |
on the first farm the vast majority of mankind

though under unfavorable circumstances.

and languages are taken up, dwelt on, and are
passed; the real benefits of study are lost sight of.
A student thus carried along has no reliance on
himself, and in the words of Huxley, “Seeks no
explanation by questioning his own reasoning pow-
ers, und prefers always to take another's opimions
rather than elaborate one of his own.”

Instead of spending part of their time in perfect-
ing themselves in some one thing, many employ
that time in broadening the foundation until the
whole energy is expended,—the work is too stu-
pendous for completion, and it remains the useless
fruit of an ill-directed labor, rapidly crumbling
under the leveling action of a busy life.

The same amount of energy applied in one direc-
tion would fit the person for one distinct position,
and would remain a source of comfort, happiness,
and wealth to the fortunate possessor.

ie

Farming as an Occupation.

Ww, oOo, STREYEER, FHI DELTA THETA.

|

This is a vocation of which everybody knows
something, for the work-shop in which it is carried
on is always open; and whoever desires to look
into the various operations, so far as man 18 con-
cerned in them, is at liberty to do so,

From the time when Adam and Kive were placed

have heen engaged in tilling the soil. It is said
that there exists inborn in the hearts of all men a
love for rural pursuits; yet notwithstanding this,
many who have wandered from the calling of their
first parents are disposed to criticise and express
unfavorable opinions of this occupation. If these
opinions are founded upon reason and given by
those whose minds are unbiased by other pursuits,
we must admit that farming is not a good oceupa-
tion; too often however such is not the case and
thus false ideas are set afloat. Some contend that
the farmer must necessarily lead a life of menial
labor which is unfavorable to the cultivation of the
nobler faculties. Others admit that the pureutt ia
possessed of some advantages, but that they are
far overbalanced by disadvantages. Still others
commend the calling to those who lack business
tact or hicher intellectual endowment. The trouble
is that many forget to take into account the stand-
point from which their observations are taken. A
cube is always the same from whatever position
you view it, but every move gives it a different ap-
pearance to the eye. Again the observations of
many are too superticial and henee inadequate to
the conclusions reached,

Every occupation has its disadvantages peculiar
to itself. Qne may require the exercise of some
faculty or power, to the exclusion and detriment of
of others. Another may compel the endangering of
the health; yet another may in a degree combine
the exercise of all the faculties of mind and body
And so
on throngh the whole line of occupations. Farm-
ing is in the list, There is hard work to be done.
There is lack of social advantages. That abary
competition, which exists in many pursuits an
spurs men on to greater endeavors, ia wanting
here. Other disadvantages might be enumerated,
but these are accounted the main obstacles.

As to the hard work of the farm, to one
sessed of health and strength, a love of sun

os-
ine
THE

ee

COLLEGE

SPECULUM. “3

and free wir, the manual labor is the least formid-
able of the things with whieh he has to contend.
The THOT who has spent his life in the mines,
complains of the dashing licht of the aun, and he
has no desire to work beneath its rays. On the
other hand, one accustomed to work out of doors
keenly feels the need of sunlight, Nature soon
adapts the body to the pliysienl conditions affeet-
ung ib, _Farining may be dull enough, 1b he whe
follows 1b can put no heart in his work, can see
none of the beanties which surround hit, mor ad-
mire amd appreemte the workings of the great
forces which ail lim. There are many mysteries
connected with farming far from being salved as
yet, problems not yet worked out which may well
employ the wisest. Education then is necessary to
the farmer. The modifying influence of conditions
and circumstances must be taken into aceount.
Knowledge of laws and relations is indispensable.
Nature makes no promise to sive a bountiful erop
this year beeause you exactly follow the routine
whieh gave you lke results a yeur ago,
atudy and investigation and careful judoment is as
essential to farming as to other pursuits. Colu-
mella, eighteen hundred years ago laid down the
maxim “Whoseever would devote himself to agri-
cultural pursuits, must summon to lis aid, pru-
denee in business, the fneulty of spending and a
determination to work,” We would add to the
maxim in these days, education, Who has a bet-
ter opportunity than the farmer to study nature in
all her varying forms, and to aceumulate knowl-
edge of many of the selenecs*

The lack of socinl advantages is made up im ye
by a more intimate acquaintance with surrounding
objects. ach tree and shrub las its history. The
birds that build their nests im the tree-tops year
after year, beeome familiar, and a friendship
springs up which is very proper, For do they not
Hutter belind your plow sand drag from the fresh
earth your insect enemies? And are not their
songs your morning greeting ?

The dwellers of the city annually expend large
sums to maintain parks where they endeavor to
escape the noise and bustle of the eity and to
breath air unmixed with noxious gasses. But the
farmer need not employ artificial means to secure
these blessings. Furthermore the surrounding in-
fluences in many instances shape the course of lite.
In the pursuit of riches aud distinction the short-
est possible route will be taken and the geal for
wealth exhibits itself in a passion that swallows up
the man.

‘he furmer has at his disposal a goodly share of
the pleasures of life, Wf possessed af health he may
reasonably expect to retain it, He may employ all
the ingenuity of his mind. He may account bmn-
self free from the influence for evil of the eity, and
he may be the possessor of all the nobler qualities
of mind and heart.

a +

Protective Tariff ys. Free Trade.

KE. M. DATES, UNION LITERARY SsocimTY.

One of the politieal questions on which the stu-
dent who is m voter is éenlled to pass an opin-
ion is that of the tariff. It does not matter whether
he has yet had political economy or not, he must
have an opinion, and should have reasons for that
opinion,

On considering the

question he is met with an

Then |

array of facts and arguments on either side that

) SOG CONVINCE.

(mn the side of protection is the fact that the
United States has prospered under protection.

(mn the side of free trade is the equally signifi-
eant faet that England has immense industries with
free trade.

Protectionists claim that England has only selfish
ends in view in urging us to adopt free trade.

While, on the other hand, free traders claim that
our unparalleled snecess is entirely due to natural
advantages instead of protection. ;

By one party it is elaimed there is a reaction
against free trade in England, while the others

| claim there 1s a similar reaction against protection

in America.

Tariff, as defined by Mr. Stebbins, is » means of
asking the foreigner to pay reasonably for the priv-
ilege of bringing their products, and at the same
time building up home industries and giving em-
ployment and independence ta the people, claiming
that it employs labor at higher rates than elsewhere
and at the same time cheapens products,

This may be true, but it 1s diffienlt to understand
how an industry can be guarded from competition
and at the same time make that article which is
produced cheaper, or how the wages of the work-
men can be raised and at the same time cheapen the
price of the thing manufactured.

We know that in any market where there is no
competition, prices are entirely in the hands of the
monopolist, prices are raised, and the consumer
has to pay the additional price. Now, it seems
that between nations the prices would follow the
same law. If America manufactures an article
with which foreieners are not allowed to eompete
or were obliged to compete at a disadvantage, there
would be the same rise in prices.

Vhe claim made by protectionists that protection
cives a Solid base for a foreign commerce, may be
well founded, but liow it is possible is ditienlt to
understand, If England ean manufacture and ship
to this country cheaper than America can manu-
facture alone, how is any system of protection in
this country to help Americans to successfully com-
pete with the English in a market foreign to both
countries? Ur how is a protective tariff in America
to affect the price of the article when it is to be
sold outside of that country?

If an article can not be produced in this country
as cheaply as in England, there will be a loss of
labor corresponding to the differenee im the price
of that article if manufactured in America.

For example: We can make a roll of cloth for $50
and buy the same in England for $45. Now, if we
make the cloth, which we can buy for $45, at an ex-
pense of $50, there will be an actual loss of 55, owing
to the disadvantages under which we labored; but
this same example is given as one showing a loss of
S50 to the country in case we buy instead of man-
ufacturing, ignoring the fact that this labor could
have been turned into other channels of business
in which there was an actual profit. Now, how we
are to lay the foundation for a healthy foreign
commerce, by making up this 35 loss to the manu-
faciurer, 18 not easy to understand; or how this
protection is to affect the price when the goods are
sold in a market foreign to both countries.

America, it is said, has the greatest natural ad-
yantages of any country on the globe, and therefore
needs her industries protected. We are told that
England would flood this country with goods at
ruinous prices, and drive Americans from the mar-
4

THE COLLEGE SPECULUM.

ae

ket, but for protection; yet the same author,
Stebbins, says, afterward, that England did make
such reduction in prices at one time, and that
America reaped the reward. If America has such
superior advantages, why can she not compete in
an open market? Or if high prices are an advan-
tage, how did America reap a reward when Eng-
land reduced prices?

“Our cotton England is obliged to have. We are
not obliged to sell, but do send far the largest
share to England as a matter of choice and profit.”
Can England monopolize the cotton market or drive
Americans from the market, when she must first
get the cotton from America, or how is it for the
Interest of America to manufacture this cotton at
_ home, and at the same time a profit to send the
raw material to England ?

The advantages of keeping up the price of labor
and at the same time of encouraging immigration,
do not seem to be consistent, for the reason that
every foreigner as soon as he arrives enters into
competition with the American, the very thing pro-
tectionists try to hinder. The fact that farm labor
is higher in America than in England is attributed
to protection, rather than to its true cause, a lack
of competition, which is owing to a rapid emigra-
tion to the west. In our own State, the rise in
farm wages of the last few years can be directly
traced to a sudden emigration to Dakota, and not
to any system of protection.

Although it is expected the foreigner will pay the
duties, yet the authority before quoted admits that
sometimes the foreigner pays the duty and that
sometimes we pay a part. Now, if the advocates
of protection admit that the eitects are so uncer-
tain, may not we reasonably doubt the wisdom of
such measures ?

These are some of the reasons given in favor of
protection, which, although they may be true, are
still diffeult to understand,

a

: —————
i ———

SCN TIFIC,

Digestion of the Albuminoids,

Sila ilin alin alin ae ae ti at i ai

Fiver since the fortunate accident by which Alex.
ot. Martin's stomach was opened to examination,
there has been no question as to the power of the
gastric juice to digest or liquify the albuminous
elements of the food. Sinee then hundreds of dogs,
in as many physiological laboratories, have added
to our knowledge of stomach digestion, The animal
is etherized, and while yet insensible to pain, a
silver tube is permanently inserted into the stomach.
The animal seems little to feel the injury, and
soon the wound heals, and by unecorking’ the tube
which projects below the animal, the stomach or
gastric juice may be secured at any time when di-
gestion is going on. This gastric juice even in a
test tube, at the proper temperature, will liquify
all finely divided albuminoids, such as muscle,
cheese, gluten, ete.

Direct experiment, then,
gastric juice can and does digest the albuminoids,

Much, however of the albuminous food leaves the
stomach, and passing through the pylorus into the
duodenum before its digestion is completed, It is
interesting and important to know whether the di-
gestion is completed by the gastric juice which ac-
companies if into the intestme or by some other
digestive ferment.

‘hat wonderful physiologist, Claude Bernard, was

ositively proves that

—

/at least.

the first to prove that the pancreatic juice, which
is similarly procured by inserting a silver tube into
the pancreatic duct would also liquify the al.
buminoids. Kihne in subsequent experiments found
that in from half an hour to three hours, the
ferment trypsine of the pancreatic juice would
liquify the albuminous elements of the food. Kihne
showed that this was actively performed if the
pancreatic jnice was alkaline, much more slowly if
neutral, and almost if not wholly suspended if ‘the
liquid were made acid. Bernard, Kiihne, and Dalton
have all shown that the aeid gastric juice coming
from the stomach renders all the ingesta of the in.
testines acid. Quite recently Schmidt Mulheim of
Germany has not only shown that the contents of
the small intestine in digestion are not only wholl

acid, even to its farthest limit, but that the kin

of digestion is such as is wrought by pepsine and
not by trypsine. In other words; contrary to what
is taught in most of our physiologies, the gastrie
juice liquifies the albuminoids, unaided by the pan-
ereatic Juice, which latter only digests the stareh
and fats.

The conclusion is then that the usual—perhaps
we may say the normal digestion—of the nitra-
genous food elements, is performed by the gastric
juice, but in case that juice is wanting, or for lack
of acidity is impotent, then the trypsine of the
pancreatic juice would step forward and perform
this most important part of digestion. In so im-
portant a physiologieal funetion, nature scemea not
to be content with a single spoke to her wheel,
She must have two.

One or two remarkable surgical operations within
a recent period give support to this view.

One of these was a case of cancerous affection of
the lower end of the stomach. The patient was a
German and was operated upon by one of the first
surgeons of that country, The diseased portion of
the stomach was cut ont, and the divided ends
united. The operation was reported as successful;
the union of the parts was complete, and the per-
son seemed to get on without a part of the stomach
We can hardly believe that the remain-
der of the organ did much service, while the seat
of such a capital operation. Later the diseage re-
appeared, and the person died.

A more conclusive experiment is that recently
performed by M, Ogata of France, his scientist
removed the stomach of a dog entire, uniting the
intestine to the cardiac orifice, The animal en-
tirely recovered, and not only digested the albu-
minoids very thoroughly, but seemed in perfect
health, and actually gained in weight. The fmeces
seemed entirely normal. Ogata went even further,
he injected food through a gastric fistula, by means
of a tube, directly into the intestine, and then
Plugged up the pylorus. The albuminoids were
even more thoroughly and more quickly digested in
the intestine alone than in the stomach alone, and
as quickly digested as though acted upon by both
the gastric and the pancreatic juices,

The above conclusion then seems to be sustained.
The gastric juice can and usually does digest
the proteids. In case, however, that it tires out or
strikes beeause of over work, then the pancreatic
juice will come to the front and do the work. I¢
would seem then, that too much has been elaimed
for the stomach; that while we might tolerate an
inactive stomach without loss of temper, a diseased
or disordered pancreas would be serious, as with

its failure to act, the very fountains of all nourish-
ment would be dried up.
THE COLLEGE SPECULUM.

D

Evolution of Man.

A very interesting and slisvestive artiele
in the current volume
page Ist.

It is shown that the erratic distribution of the
valves of the veins in man is easily explained, if

. appears
of the American Naturalist,

man was evolved from the lower animals. ‘This’
arrangement is very nearly the same as seen
in the inferior matinals, Where the animal
walks on all four members the arrangement is

excellent, and such as will conserve its well being.
In man, the highest result of evolution, the ar-
rangement is not well adapted te the individual.
Thus hemorrhoids, aud other diseases of the reetum,
Which are so common in luman experience are
very rare indeed in the lower ereation. Im man

the ereet position makes valves in the hemorrhoidal |

veins very necessary, while in the lower animals,
gravity relieves the pressure in the capillaries of
the reetum, and se even with no valves the ten-
deney to congestion and inflim«ation is slight. In
the sume way it is easy to necount for the fre-
quency of hernia, displacement of the uterus and
the difttenlty attending human yuarturition, The
erect position, which on the whole is an immense
advantage, is attended with faulty structural pecu-
linrities, which while they served admirably in the
pristine posture, are illy adapted to the changed
attitude,

Under the old theory of special creation, we could
look upon these imperfeet structures as showing a
lack of wisdom in the Crentor, From an evolution
standpoint, we only see that evolution as yet has
not perfected the structure, but cam surely hope
that progressive development will add valves, or
strengthening ligaments and so remove the imper-
fections.

The Creator's laws work slow, but they ever
work, and the goal will be perfection.

+e

Darwin's Theory of Coral Reefs.

A few scientific theories, like Agassiaz’s glacier
theory of the formation of drift, and Darwin’s
theory of the origin of species lave been so In
accord with known facts and laws, and have so fully
explained natural phenomena, that, though fairly
revolutionary in their influence, they have game
quick and general acceptance. .

Darwin's beautiful liypothesis to explain atolls
and other coral formations is another example of
the same kind. .

For years the explanation of the rings of eoral,
known as atolls was that their foundations were
eraters of extinet voleances, and as these eraters
were more or less cireular the atolls must be so.
Even Sir Charles Lyell gave this explanation in
the early editions of his Principles of Geology.
When we consider that sueli craters would have
had to be scores of miles in diameter, we do not
wonder that people were ready for a more plausi-
ble theory, ;

Darwin in his voyage around the world, studied
these atolls, and in 1887 explained their formation,
on the ground of a general subsidence of the ocean
bottom im all regions of lagoon islands. He showed
what is certainly true, that coral ammals will not
thrive in deep water. They can only fasten their
rock formations a few fathome-—less than 100 feet—
below the surface, The puzzle then to be solved,
was, how can there be a uniform sea bottom with-

in 100 feet of the surface, as the myriad atolls de-
mand, and what should give the circular outline,
Darwin's explanation was very simple. Each atoll
had been eommenced about an island, which may
have heen above the water or submerged a few
feet. his reef once commenced, would continue to
rise as the coral secretion advanced. As the coral
animals on the outer border of the reef would be
constantly bathed with the fresher, more open cur-
rents, they would flourish, while the inner ones
would languish and die. Now if the ocean bottom
should sink—earrying of course the island with it
as fast as the eoral should rise, soon the island
would be buried and the ring of coral come to
the surface, when the wind and the waves would
build it up and prepare a soil for vegetation. Ags
Darwin beautifully expressed it, the numerous
utolls mark a cemetery of buried islands, This
explanation seemed so simple and reasonable, that
Dana and all other students of coral formations at
once adopted it. ,

dust lately this theory has been called in ques-
tion by several very able investigators, Dr, Semper,
Mr. Murray of the Challenger expedition, Prof.
Alexander Agassiz, one of the greatest students in
the world of this subjeet, and Areh. Geikie, the
great Seotch geologist, all maintain as the result
of direct investigation, that in many cases at least,
there has been no sinking of the ocean bottom.
They maintain that by the erosion of submarine
mountains or by the building up of the ocean
bottom by the host of simplest animal organisms,
many of which are found by deep sea dredging to
exist and secrete lime even to a depth of 1000
fathoms, a platform has been erected for the coral
animals to build upon. Thus the foundation is not
necessarily the submerged border of an island but
the raised sea bottom elevated through the agency
of wave action and lime secreting life,

Onee started, the colony of coral architects will
only thrive on the outer border of the reef, as only
free ocean currents will bring sufficient food to
sustain the animals in a thriving condition, As
the inner border of the reef whether an atoll, or a
barrier reef, as just suggested would not inerease,
it would be dissolved or worn away, and so the
onter ocean border, or the outer rim of the pros-
pective atoll would constantly and rapidly inerease
while the inner would decrease.

Here then we have a new theory supported by
able authority, which in part at least, promises to
replace the beautiful hypothesis of Darwin.

Arch, Geikie says: “Many have long been ae-
enstomed to regard Darwin's theory of coral form-
ation as & masterpiece of exhaustive observation
and briliant generalization, Some, indeed, may
he inelined to resent, almost with the warmth in-
inspired by a personal injury, any attempt to show
that it ean no longer elaim general applicability,
But the example of Darwin’s own ¢andor, and over-
mastering love of truth, remains to assure us that
no one would have welcomed fresh discoveries more
heartily than he, even should they lead to the set-
ting aside of some of his own work.”

all

The Red Sunsets,

The colored skies of the past winter at sunset
and sunrise have excited popular attention and
caused general inquiry as to their origin and cause,

They were first seen Aug. 27, in the region of
the ltast Indies. From hero the appearances
6

THE COLLEGE &8PECTULTUM.

seemed to spread in all directions, Thus at Sey-
chelles to the west, Mauritius to the southwest
they were seen Aug. 28; at New Ireland to the
east Sept. 1: Sandwich Islands Sept. 5; Japan
Aug, 80; India Sept. 8. The appearances traveled
very rapidly westward, but slowly north and south,
for while they were seen at Gold Coast, Africa,
Sept. 1, in the West Indies Sept. 2, they did not
reach Florida until Oct. 8, and the United States
as a whole, Nov. 27.

Accompanying the brilliant sunsets, and due to
the same cause, were novel a pearances of the sun;
“as, blood red at Yokohama, blue and bluish-green
at yarious places; green in Ceylon, India, Panama,
England. ; ; .

The manner of its progression seems to point to
the Enst Indies for its canse, and the last of
August for the time. In that region, from May 20
to Aug. 26, Krakatoe was in eruption, throwing
out great quantities of ashes. The last convulsion
was on Aug. 26, when the neighboring coasts were
altered and thousands of lives destroyed. The fine
ashes thrown up to a high level, supported by theit
own fineness and possibly electrical influences, as
sugeested by Mr. Preece, have been carried in all
directions by the unknown currents of these higher
levels, and with great rapidity.

The presence of such fine dust would be able to
give such appearances both to sunset and to the
sun. In China, dust storms are followed by glowing
sunsets.

In Detroit, 1762, the sun was blood red, through
a yellowish-green atmosphere; the sun has appear-
ed blue through the fine dust of a Sahara wind:
green through steam and mist; and green (1880)
and purple (1856) through cloud of dust from vol-
eano of Cotapaxi.

The agricultural station at Wageningen, Holland,
-found in the sediment brought down by rain, the
same materials that were contained in the ash
brought direct from the voleano, Like results were
obtained at Madrid and Paris.

During July and August, 1831, Graham's Island
arose in the Mediterranean sea. Its volcano was
most active Aug. 7. The writer finds that at Malta
colored skies similar to ours lasted for some time:
that on Aug. 11th a blue sun was seen at the Ber-
mudas, and Aug. 13 at Mobile; that extraordinary
sunsets were seen in Alexandria, Va., as late as Oct.
12. Also after the eruption of Mt. Heela, in Ice-
land, in 1783, similar appearances were seen in all
Europe.

The vapor of water and meteoric dust have been
advocated as causes, but if eo, such sunsets should
be common. The facts that the dust emitted was
sufficient to cause such appearances, that the phe-
nomena appeared immediately after the eruption
and spread from this center, together with the evi-
dence of ash found in Holland, and of previous
eruptions being followed by similar appearances,
give much probability to the supposition that the
voleani¢c eruption was the cause of our clowing sun-

gets,

i

Silos and Ensilage,

There are few topics connected with agriéulture
which are receiving more discussion at farmer's
elubs or im the agricultural press than this one of
ensilage. .

If green food,—usually corn or grass,—is cut up,
sometimes it is put into’ the silo without cutting,

=

put into an air-tight box and subjected to heavy
pressure, it will become compact, and will be pre-
served with little change, except that slight fermen-
tation May ensue.

The silo is a strong, air-tight box, made either of
masonry or plank. In filling, the material is wel
packed down, and when the silo is full the whol
is closely covered with boards and heavily weighted
with stones or some other heavy material.

There are varions opimions as to the value of
ensilage. ‘The Agriculture Chemist says that ensi-
lage contains only such elements as are found in
dried fodder, exeept that the water has not been
driven off, and as water is without value, aa it is
cheaply secured in separate form, therefore engilag
is no whit better than dried corn stalks, hay, ete. ;
except, then, that ensilage can be seeured in any
weather, however wet; it has no superiority to hay,
and is secured with more labor and expense.

The practical man, on the other hand, says: I
know better than that. I have tried both, and find
that ensilage is greatly superior, and far more than
pays the extra cost of handling before evaporation
ia8 been completed.

The Animal Physiologist suggests that ensilage,
though no more nutritious, so far as the chemist
enn determine, may be more easily digested and
readily assimilated, and may be so acceptable to
the organs and tissues that by ifs use a greater
thrift is secured. Uncooked potatoes contain just
as much starch as eooked ones, but no one would
areué that they are as digestible.

ven our College Professors seem widely at vari-
ance on this subject, Prof, F. A. Gulley, of Mis-
sissippl, says: “There is no evidence as yet to
show that a crop ensilaged is worth any more for
feeding than the same crop would be if perfectly
eured dry without loss of leaves, ete, he green-
eured fool may be more appetizing, but careful
investigation docs not show any greater nutritive
value when fed to the eud-chewing animal.”

Prof. Phares, of the same College, holds that it
will largely prevent sickness, and claims that it is
far more wholesome and healthy than dried food.
After aasereing .thAE it is more available, as it is
more readily digested and assimilated than dried
fodder, he adds: ‘Their health is greatly pro-
moted, consequently, by its use; all their organs
act more vigorously, their spirit, elasticity, and actiy-
ity are greater.”

Prof, Johnson, of our own College, takes the mid-
dle and a doubtless more correct ground, He
thinks that ensilage is very desirable to combine
with dried food, and for this use is far preferable
to turnips or ruta bagas, He further believes that
if 18 no more expensive than the same material
would be preserved in a dried form, and that it costa
no more to preserve ensilage than the same amount
of dried fodder.

Among the adverse criticisms on ensilage is that
it sometimes taints the milk of cows to which it
has been fed. Dr. M. Miles, in his experiments at
the Massachusetts Agricultural College finds, as
others have found before, that in some cases the
injurious fermentation does not take place, and
suggests that the fungoid germs that cause this
fermentation may be killed by delaying the cover-
ing of the silo till heating has commenced. Just
the amount of heat necessary to destroy the bac-
teria and time to secure it, must be determined by
experiment, Dr, Miles gave some experiments that
seemed to sustain his position. He thinks that a
temperature of 113° to 120° for two hours is sufi-
THE COLLEGE SPECULUM. T

cient to destroy the kind of fermentation that
duces injury to the ensilage,
2 ae

Reform in Nomenclature.

Attention has recently been called by a number
of prominent horticulturists to the eumbersome and
inappropriate names of many of our fruits and fow-
ers. Some of these names have become identified
with prominent varieties and will probably eling to
them as long as they are eultivated. The majority
of them, however, may be easily modified and made
more simple anil appropriate, to the great advan-
tage of every lover of brevity who has anything to
do with catalogues of fruits and towers, or anv-
thing to do with their description in any way. —

The American Pomologienl Society at its last
meeting inaugurated a reform in the naming of
fruits, which 1s certainly a step in the right diree-
tion, ‘This reform has been seconded by our own
State Horticultural Society, and by others of a
similar nature. ‘The plan is to drop all superfluous
and awkward parts of names that have no special
meaning when applied to the particular variety,
like “beurre,” pretixed to many pears, and ‘geed-
ling” as attached to many varieties of all classes
of fruits. To drop long and superiluous parts of
names, as in Beurre Gris, b’Hiver Nouveau, all of
which is supertluous for any practical purpose of
identification in this country, except the Hiver.

In the naming of new fruits, let each name be
simple, short, appropriate. Let it not suggest any
vulgarism or monstrosity like “Big Bob’ or “Jum-
bo.” Let it not suggest any incomparable excel-
lence. We have in our trial grounds a strawberry
named by its originator ‘Mammoth Excelsior,” a
name sufficient to condemn a much better berry.
Other originators of new fruits have a desire to
name their faverites Pride of the World and other
similar names, until all adjectives applicable to
earthly things are exhausted and they will be obliged,
asd. J. Thomas says, to seek among the heavenly
bodies for names to express all the wonderful im-
aginary qualities of their favorites. :

Although these reforms are not strictly in a sei-
entific direction, they are in the interests of sim-
plicity and conciseness, and are worthy the careful
consideration of every practical horticulturist. The
application of names that are simple, brief, and ap-
propriate, should be sought by every person making
a recommendation, and by every society that takes
it upon itself to give a mame to any new fruit or
flower.

oe

Report of Prof. J. A. Lintner.

The first report of Prof. Lintner, as State Ento-
mologist of New York, gives added proof of the value
of such an officer, ‘The report is replete with val-
uable and interesting facts and suggestions. After
showing graphically the need of more attention
to economie entomology, Prof, L. gives a very full
and able diseussion of insecticides, Hach article
is deseribed, the mode of application given, and
those insects named which may be destroyed by its
use.

Full descriptions, with admirable illustrations,
are given of such insects as have lately invuded or
become serious pests in the State. The great num-
ber of these and the extent of the damage done
are suggestive facts. When we see 80 important a
field crop as red clover threatened with destruction

{
pro-

by minute insects, all of which are new comers
we see the necessity of more attention to practical
entomology,

A unique feature in this report is the complete
bibliographical references in the consideration of
each insect, Prof. Lintner is also very careful to
give all due credit to other entomologists.

ae

SOME WORK FOR AN EXPERIMENT sTaTion. — Why
are not the grasses better known? Farmers have
tenaciously held to old practices in regard to the
trasses used and their treatment. New ones have
often been recommended, perhaps by selfish men.
Seed has been ordered, but whether it was true to
name, or whether it ever grew or not, the farmer
never knew. He returned to the varieties which |
he did know. The grasses are very difficult to
recognize in their various stages of growth and in
various soils and climates, especially by a novice.
They look much alike and differences are not recog-
nized until carefully compared. How can the farm-
ers procure good seed true to name? The diffi-
culties have been pointed out, and many now begin
to think that there are other grasses worth trying,
that there may be something better for certain
purposes than any now in common use. The lead-
ing seedsmen keep giving advice, but they are
interested in making sales. The Royal Agricultural
Society employs a consulting botanist to examine
samples of seeda offered in market. He has small
fees for the work. Beedsmen of England are now
advertising to guarantee seeds in accordance with
the standard fixed by the consulting botanist. This
has given the farmers confidence and has nearly or
quite put a stop to “doectoring” seeds. If railroads
find it necessary to employ engineers, if trustees
think it best to employ a landscape gardener to lay
out a park or cemetery, if builders employ arehi-
tects, why should not the farmers employ a con-
sulting botanist, which can be done at a trifling
expense to each. Farmers think nothing of em-
ploying a surveyor to lay out their farms, grade a
road or stick the stakes for a ditch or a tile drain.
There is a botanist attached to the boards of agri-
culture in several of the States. In no way could
such an officer make himself more useful than by
testing the seed sold to farmers, Some States already
have experiment stations, and this is an example of
the work they ean do for the farmers. A similar
work is already done in the ease of commercial fertil-
izers in Connecticut, New Jersey, North Carolina,
and Ohio. Other States are following. This is bene-
ficial to both the seller and the buyer.: More fer-
tilizers are sold because the standard is guaran-
teed. The same rule would hold good in cage of
orass seeds.

ee

Recentiy Pror, Fornes, State Entomologist of
Illinois, diseovered that great numbers of the larve
of the cabbage buttertly (Pieris rape) were dying.
In a letter to Prof. Cook he states that “The ecat-
erpillars affected first become pale, finally before
death an ashen green, and in the later stages of
fhe disease are somewhat torpid. They die upon
the leaves and deeay with astonishing rapidity,
soon being reduced to a blackish semi-tluid mass,
which dissolves at a touch. The softened worms
may be found upon the leaves in every cabbage
field in this vicinity.” An examination of the Col-
lege cabbage fields shows that to a certain extent
at least the same disease is prevalent in this local-
ity. Four of the dead worms were found present-
4 THE

COLLEGE BRPECULU MM,

ing the same appearance as those described by
Prof, Forbes. The disease is probably eaused by
germs similar to those causing the fatal Pebrine
which at one time threatened the silk industry of
France with destruction, It promises to become a
reat help in fighting that deadly foe of the cab-
vage-erowers, Pieris rape,—Clarence M. Weed.

THE COLLEGE SPECULUM.

Published Quarterly, on the Ist of August, October, April, and June,
BY THE STUDENTS

=_ OF

STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

———

THE MICHIGAN

a — = “

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(SP All subeeriptions will be regarded as continued unless
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=a

LANSING, MICH., APRIL 1, 1884,

WITH THIS NUMBER we present the first issue of
1884,

For the past years our readers have probably
observed how very chary we have been in making
promises of what, in the future, we lad in store
for our patrons.

Therefore it seems more satisfactory, at least to
us, that the future should be judged by the past.
But, in so judging, the examination should go back
to the early issues of the Specvunea, and then eom-
pare them with what we present to day.

We do not say this with « feeling that the pres-
ent management or corps of editors is in any man-
ner superior or better adapted to this work than
our predecessors; but formerly the paper was con-
ducted rather as an experiment, while now if is an
established and successful enterprise.

To those who have more recently become sub-
seribers, and who are therefore not familiar with
the various stages of advancement through which
we have passed, we need only say that we shall
ever strive to merit their good wishes, and by our
efforts to please secure their kind recommendation
of our paper and a continuation of their patronage,

Could we call around our editorial table the sev-
eral hundred readers of the Srrevium, we would
gladly clasp their hands and hold friendly converse
with them about many things which in our hearts
it would give us great pleasure to sav, the chief of

which would be to express our hope that in. the
future we should be daily reminded of their friend-

ship and fraternal good-will by receiving, directly ov
indirectly, through their influence, a goodly naumber
of new subseribers.

By a judicious ecodperation and combination of
our literary societies, a lecture association has beep
formed at the College. The exeentive committee
consists of four members, one elected from each
society. It will be their aim to secure a number
of prominent and able speakers, each term, who
will lecture upon subjeets of science, literature, his.
tory, and other topies of interest to the student,
The net proceeds, if any, are to be divided equally
among the societies; while each has pledged itself
to stand one-fourth of any losses imeurred,

This enterprise is a noble one, and one which wea
have long felt the need of, and should receive the
hearty support of every student, that its suecess
may be insured and its permanency established,

ANOTHER new organization which we hail with
delight 1s the Chemical Club. This is composed of
members from the Senior and Junior Classes, who
have organized for the higher study of chemistry and
aud physics, under the efficient management of the
Professor and Assistant Professor of Chemistry.
The Club meets—in sections—two afternoons of each
week, fromfour to six, and is engaged at present in
making philosophical instruments, as barometers,
thermometers, micrometers, telephones, ete., and
in the liquefuetion of gasses, and analyzing of
substances. In addition to these, the mem-
bers are taught skillful manipulations with glass,
in the preparing of flasks, test tubes, and other
apparatus used in the laboratory, Our new labor-
atory 1s thoroughly eomplete in every department,
having no equal in Michigan and but few superiors
in the Union, And we students cannot over-esti-

mate the value to be derived from this Chemical
Club.

A COLLEGE EDUCATION is not complete without the
discipline and culture of a well-organized, active
literary society.

Huch a society affords training which cannot be
given by any professor, and knowledge whieh ean-
not be gleaned from any books.

No department of the college ia of as much im-
portance and real value to the student as the soei-
ety. The value of the rhetorical work of the col-
lege course is hardly superior to the rhetorical and
literary benetits to be derived from an active mem-
bership of a society.

Text-books, class-work, and lectures furnish the
necessary food for the mind, while the literary
work of the society develops and expands the
intellectual and reasoning powers. More than this,
it is in the society that the young man becomes
acquainted with human nature and with his fellow

student, lasting friendships, attachments, and rela-
THE COLLEGE sPECcULUM.

9

tionships are there established, which could not
possibly be formed in the college as a whole, or
even in the class.

moclety meetings afford recreation from study,
and at the same time are productive of the very
best mental improvement, by bringing the mem-
bers into social contact for the diseussion of topics
of general interest,

lo make life a success it is necessary to possess
more than simply a knowledge of science, litera-
ture and the classics,
is obtained from ligh intellectual and social asso-
eintions, sufficiont self-confidence and an acquaint
anee with human nature.

All of these are obtained in the well-ordered lit-
erary society to a much larger extent than else.
where during a colleze course,

There can be little doubt that in the death of
Wendell Phillips our country has lost the most
perfect orator that has ever graced her platforms.

In one way or another he may have had many
superiors, but all in all, as showing the fullest

and rarest combination of gifts that eo to make |

up oratory, it is doubtful if he has liad his peer
among us. If Patrick Henry had more fire he had
less culture, lesa wit, less tact, less grace, and less
charm of person; and moech the same contrast is
to be made between the Boston orator and Ken-
tucky’s favorite, Henry Clay, On rare oceasions,
these older orators may have surpassed him; but
for every occasion where other attributes of elo-
quence than enthusiasm are in large demand,
his triumph would be much more signal than
theirs.

Wr, THE editors of the Speculum, feel the need
of a room set apart for the general transaction of
our business, and for the office of the editor-in-
cluef and business manager.

than helding them, as we now do, wherever an
opportunity presents itself,

[f such a room could be approprinted by the
College the business manager coull there keep lis
books, and appoint a certain time each day to be
there to receive business calls. Moreover, the back
mnnibers and accumulated exchanges could then be
systematically filed in enses rather than be stored
away in the closets of the business manager and
exchange editor as is at present the case. We sin-
cerely hope that the College authorities will act
upon this suggestion, and before the next issue set
apart a good light room, either in Wells or Wil-
liams Hall, for our use.

We aut have reason to congratulate ourselves,
and each other, upon the entire absence of hazing
this term.

We have not heard of a single instance in which
a freshman has suffered the slightest imdignity

Woe then might have |

a fixed place for holding our board meetings, rnther | from the careless neglect of a few.

ce

from the hands of an upper clasaman, or of a case
in which any student has received treatment, either
in action or word, other than that which one
gentleman might expect to receive from another,

Surely all of us are more highly pleased and
have more self respect-and real enjoyment under
the present condition, than when there is an exist-
ing ill-feeling and strife among the elasses,

We are here associated together for the best four

years of our life, and it is much more manly and

One must have that which | pleasant to live in perfect harmony, than to be con-

stantly studying up some childish scheme to per-
petrate upon the naturally confiding and unsus-
pecting freshman,

THAT WHICH is most especially noticed by per-
sons in visiting a place is-the appearance of the
neighboring surroundings. It is a fact whieh ean-
not be denied that the grounds in the immediate
vicinity of our boarding halls present, at times,
anything but a neat and tidy appearance.

This condition is principally the fault of the stu-
dents themselves, who, many of them, have fallen
into the halit of precipitating from their windows
any article not required by the inmate of the room,
whether it be in the form of demolished furniture,
east off clothing, newspapers, or any other super-
iiuous matter.

In looking over the volume of rules several may
be found which bear upon this subject, but as they
are not enforced by the proper officers they lose
their effect as rules, and the evil continues.

lt is not only a useless but it is a disagreenbla
habit, and is probably an outgrowth of the lazy
proclivity of some of our students. But itis hardly
just or nght, and not in aceordance with the utili-
tarian principles upon which ideal societies are
founded, that the mass of students and, we may
aay, the reputation of the College should suffer

Let each one of us from henceforth use our per-
sonal example and influence in suppressing this
noxious habit, and by. so deing both improve and
beautify our grounds, and increase our self-respect
and respect for each other.

Turns is a growing feeling of dissatisfaction among
the farmers and supporters of the Agricultural Col-
leaves of several States at present, and especially in
Wisconsin, Obio, New York, Nebraska, and Minnesota,
becanse of the close alliance of the State Univer-
sities and State Agricultural Colleges.

There may or there may not be cause for sucha
feeling, but assuredly the mere existence of such
antagonistic elements evinces the fact that the prin-
ciple is to some extent and in some departments
faulty.

With regard to the present system in the States
above named, it must be remembered that the best
system will not be free from evil. Even the Divine
THE. COLLEGE SPECULUM.

e has grown os ‘anion’ the ;

“outs

fe the: above named re who |
ee College loses “its: “individa:,
ee ‘Jess absorbed into“the Uni-
Saud thst tlie obiects for whith the fortner..
ane Ebr ee Are; to a erest extent, lost sight of |
: branch of the ees

t Habiied by the citizens of Madison (ins
ma os refunded, the endowment fund
oyithdrawn- irom the University, and another -insti-
; “fabon Separate: in all particulars, be established in
“another! spare of the State, whieh shall be ‘purely an
“ Agnouliiral Cahlage. |
age ee ‘peainple of what can be acéoinplished: by
gi Agriculitital College separate and independent
oo Seen the: ‘Dhiavérsity; ; we port with pride fo our own
: Sw Eb “Sidndy. “prééminently at the head—and to’
ab ape lor SBeid sag, Colorado, Towa, and several: other

. # Apenotes the action of the State Board in refus-
7 rg ¢he petition of the senior clags, _réquesting the
“aebéhbshing of the present system of - eondudcting |
oe ‘eommencement exercises, may be unsatiaiactory £0
ee entire class, yet we cannot but sea ‘upon. CAre-
fully Weighing the matter that they were “right, and
their aétion was taken with a view: to: the: a
interests of the College. Ge,
“fhe | ‘ petition requested that, a3 a. “Pabstitute
- for: the present plan of student orations, some
prominent’ ‘speaker or orator be‘ sectited -to deliver |
EE oration or ‘address before. ‘the: graduating class
gd: <obhiers: “assembled. “fhe reagons for ‘asking this:
“ phinge! ayere ’ “peveral; That the experiment had’
beet” siceesstirlly” tried arid adopted by some of Our |
“principal: colleges” and universities; that many of |
ihe: selabs ponsidered that, by the present mode of

=

si comineiicement orstors, some of their best
sagoul epeComitted ; and also that the extra
a ‘preparing’ ‘a commencement oration was,
naib tteit:-muliitudinous regular college duties,
“ywioike. “than: they" desired to underiake. There may
BE: @ood: eason and logic in all of this, but on the
tier “hand there would be much dissatisfaction
@mcng'thepairons of the. Coliege and others, as
‘eonlingntéinent is fhe only time when others than
{hose* connected with the College have an oppor-
ttnty “Of switnessing the practical results oS the
Hees

Nae people: possess the idea—it may ‘be errorie-

4raihing afforded by the college course, |

the graduating oration.

sour. commencements avould be: “Shaterially’ ditiin
ished if the proposed: a¥stem® were adopted,

tions.
our laat eommencement:

‘tious from the members of the class.

| the justice of the refusal sf. this” ‘petition, # ate “probe

: The boek will treat of all the

ously—that the ‘criterion ‘of a College education 3 ig
‘As this is the opinion. ‘of:
many it would be difficult to dispel it, and. the. .
ubstitution of any other form” ‘Of sormerncement.
axercises would be looked upon. with disanoral «
and thsapprobation. \ :

‘Unquestionably the attendance anil popularity of: =

wate

“Bole:
addresses may be ‘heard “at almost “any “tinié “bys
every one; Bob 80 with. ‘ecilege eomulencement. ore
To ex emaphiy, we would ‘ene the’ jnstance: oe
. dhirme © the” otationy ” ie
the forenoon the chapel was crowded to” overs.

ing, many betng unable to obtam admiittanses .
| whereas the address before the literary societies: -”

in the afternoon, although in ‘itself a model’ of.
ayeallence, and delivered by one of Michigan's a
ablest and most popular men, Was comparatively oe
thinly aitended. 7

‘fhe parents and friends of many of the students na
would: not take the time and trouble to attend gem”:
mencement but for the expectation of hearing ‘otis
Very few, ih:
fazt, from a distance would: care to come neta.
simply to hsten to the adétress ‘of a stranger upoh..<:
a subject, tb may be, devoid’ of ' ‘all Interest to thei

‘Although we may nof, at pregent,. be lable to Be

able that ’ere we graduate we will. feél grateful'to.<.
the State Board for doing as they aid, for“in “ahee
superior judgment and experience they probably’ :,

| knew better than we what would be for our inter 7 :

est and that of our College. |

ain

The College Shapel | ia to have a new organ,
‘The Chemical Club has eighteen active members.
Give Mrs, Merrill aradit for the interesting Library Notes.
The Freshman class has received sixteen new members this
term
The Glass of “S¢ has not jost a Iban since ene vear Ago this
teri, ,
‘The class of ‘84 expects.fo bear away twenky-nine diple-
maz on August-next.

Prot, Cook spent mozt of his time daring the winter pre-
[ paring & work on Heonemic -Bintomoiogy.

A new Bailey's Astral Lantern has been added.to the appa
ratus belonging to the mathematical department.

The gages in the new Moseum are not suffisient ta, held
the epecimens, and two new ones are to be added soon.’ a

A fine dynamo-elestric machine, manufactured in Patis, his.
heen added to the apparatus in the Chemical Laboratory.

The Collece hag been promised a signal service station,
provided the bill before Congress for appropriations is granted
a6 sealed.

Prof. Johanson is very hopetul ina the College wil] soot
have & building erected in which to carry on experiinental
stock feeding.

The State Board bas asked for a post office to he estab.
Hsned on tee Gollege grounds. Jt certalaly is bret: Tight. that
their petition bé granted.

Dr. Beal spent most of thé winter on bie Pook on Grasses.
grasses’ growing in North-

i

i America.north of Mexico, with. ilygtrations of: ab. least, One.
‘species. of each senUs.
THE COLLEGE SPECULUM

— es

11

The skeleton of the mastodon dug up near Corunna, Shia-
wasaee county, last fall, has boon purchased by the College
and will soon be on exhibition in ihe Museum. :

Dr. Manat, Chancellor of the Nebroska University, amd
for yedra Professor af Grock at Marietta, Ohio, ayant a few
dave at the College this term as a coest of Pres, Abbot,

Th an analysis of akum taken from the well water at Grand
Haven Dr, Kedzie found ib io contaln oo lime sonp with rosin,
The rosin is probably due to the aetlon of the hard water on
sawdiist,

Prof. Cook was called to Owosso the fore part of this term
to attend the funeral of his father. Mr. Cook was in hia 86th

year, and up te within a short time preceding bis death
enjoyed excellent health.

The Juniors are congratuluting themaclves on being the
onky lass in College thot heat aanonr its members nm ror bel
man. Another slronge argument in faver af teaching winter
schools where tha bie girla atbenil. 7

Messra. F. J. Hides andl HW. D. Luce of the Releetie Soe.
ety have been appointed delegates to the Inter-State Colle.
glaie Suciely Assuciation, which merts at Ann Arovor in May
next. Mr. Hodgea is chairman of the literary committee,

Dr. Kedsie and Prof, Carpenter aitemdod a meeting of the
Blute Brick and ‘Tilo Makers' Assoclition, which met in
Adrian the secon week in Mareh, Prof. Carpenter delivered
no leetora before the Aseecintion om Drainage, and Dy. Kedzie
on Sanitary Deraliage.

That species of mammal, known os felie domeatiea, is
becoming remarkably scares dn the Collere aeichborhood, In
other words the dimers are publing in thele best work ary.
ing cats, for which we uimderstamd Prof, (heck will poy the
highest market pried im cush.

Dr. Kedzie anused himscl? last winter in the lalvoratory
liquifving a number of cifferent oases. While preparing some
Ving twiel carbonic dieoxidle a fow cls LF the tule: Toiest with
Violent explosion, amd the fragments of phisa inflicted several
slight outs on his luatils sul fee,

The Collego VY. MI, C0, A. liad four representatives at the
Slate convention hell at Alfion List Foebroary. A] very inber-

esling andl profitable meeting i reported, ‘The names of
thoae who attended are th. 0 DLawrenes, W. DD. Watkins,

W, Al, Badeock, mil ©. PL Gillett.

The College herd of over AQ hew] have come through the
winter in good condition, There is a good demand for the
College stock, three Shorthorn lil tuo lately leon sold, ome to
the Iowa Agel College, one tea graduate, Prank Mincenbuch,
and one to EB. Ballenting of Toner,

The bees at the Collage Apiary have come through the
winter #o for in flne condition. Sixteen colonics were put up
in the cellar, all of which ave doing weil. Four strong eolo-
nies Were put Wy aubsidie, eer Por ed Leising tuken to live
them sceurely packed, one of whieh porished. This exyreri-
ment seems to point decklediy in favor of cellar wintering.

Moet of the atudents were Ciigaereel in tevme binge last
winter, In consequence of which many are late in getting

hack this term. Judging from the many letters some of them |
are led to |

are receelving aml onsworimg ooich week, we

infer that it is still custamury for liz girls to attend district |

achools in the winter time.

Sines the issue of the last Sencubum the Rev. L. Ta Tang
atroth of Olio has visived the Cullege and oeeupled the pul-
it; W. DD, Wishwed, International Secretary of the College
ranch of the ¥. M. GC. A., ins aildresser the students in the
College Chapels and Prof, Winehell of Ann Arbor has lectured
to the students on bia favorite topic, “The Deeay of Worlds.

The students and faculty of the College listened to A very |

interesting and pointed lecture in the Chapel Wednesday
afternoon, Mar. 13, by Mr. Giles B. Stebbins on ‘Free Trade
and Protection.” Mr, Stebbins is decidedly in favor of pro-
tection, and his talk of less than an hour in length was full
of arguments ond suggestions, founded on historical facts,
Tather than theary.

The loyal, patriotic spirit, so dominant among the boys of
"AL, finds an outward manifestation in the way of black silk
tiles on the heads of several members of the class. It is
astonishing what an air of dianity a silk tile will give a Seti-
for, althouzh he may wear a sheep's gray coat and evwhide

boots below, OF course such an accompaniment could not be |

found among the boys of "bd.

to be known as the Literary Socieliea’ Lecture Assoclution.
A leeture commiltes was appointed, comsiating of one nem
ber from each society. ‘The societies are responsible for the
expenses of the aszociation, and in case of profits will share

will be held in Michigan.

a

the spoils. In a similar manner the SPecunumM waa started
and has been successfully malotained. <All we hope for is
that the Leotura Association shall prové equally successful.

To our forist, Mr. Koapper, is dua mach commendation for
the present excellent condition of things In the green-house.
The plants came through the long severe weonter in aplendid
eondition, The great amount of cloudy weather has retarded
flowering somewhat, but the follagea looks fresh and vigorous
and many plants are in bloom. Every room fa filled to over-
flowlng with plants, among which are over 1,00) roses which
Air. Enapper has propagated from stock imported from Ger-
many,

The steam whistlea attached to the onzina in the boiler-
hose are & sources of much annoyance to the atudents It
the whistles could be blown at about five minutes before
breakfast, instead of an hour before, it would have a ten-
dency to make the boys more regular in their hablts, Under
the existloge eonditions the atudents are wakened at half pash
five, and what is usually the sweetest hour's sleep is an hour
Spent in napping and drowslly listening for the ringing of the
breakfast bell.

All who are interested in the advancement of agricullure
must be interested in the bill before Congress, which pro-
Villes for the establisiment of experimental stationg at the
Agticultural Colleges throughout the United States. Col. W.
B. MeOreery of our own State Board of Agriculture is at
Washington toe urge the passage of the bill. The object of
the bill is to get Congress to appropriate $15,000 a year, to
be expended In the Colleges where the experlmental stations
are to be established to carry on such experlments and inves-
tigations o6 shell further the interests of arrigulture.

Ata meeting of the Students’ Organization, held Feb. 23,
soveral important motions were passed regulatirg the man-
gycmient of the ¢lubs. The object the studenta had in view
was to lessen the cost of board without .deteriorating its
quality. It was decided to curtail the expensos next term by
running four clubs instead of five, by allowing the cooks free
hoard for two instead of three, aod by giving the cooks 20
per cent of the money paid for extra meals instead of 40 per
cent, aud that only on oceasions when «a considerable number
are belong fed extra. It was thought this would not lessen
thie resl wages of the cooks, as they have forty cents a week
fer ench boarder, On the other hand it will lessen the cost .
of borrdl by cutting of eleout free boanlers, fire dollars range
rent per term, expenses of beating, lighting, ete.

Dr. Beal, Beeretary of the American Pomological Society,
has just edited the proceedings of tha 19h biennial session
held at Philadelphia last September. Colonel Marshall P.
Wilder of Boston, Mass., Preaident of the Association, is
over 85 years of age and still an active warker in the inter-
ests of improved pomology. He lays greab streas on planting .
the most mature and perfect seeds of the most hardy, vigor-
ons, and valuable varieties, and also on erossing and hybrid-
izing cliolee varieties to secure greater excellence. The vol-
ume couteins a letter from Prof. Budd of Towa Agricultural
College, in which he gives a very interesting account of his
trip in Russia in search of fruits aulted to the Northwest.
He believes there are many good varielics of pears, apples,
cherries, apricots, and plums which will endure the extremes
of Minnesota and Dakow. The next meeing of the Society
Hon, (. W. Garfleld, class of “70,
is one of the four metibera constituting the executive come -
mitten.

a ++ - -——-————

Natural History.

At ihe meeting held Nov, 9, 1683, Mr. L. G. Carpenter
spoke of Shoollag Stars and Star Showers, with especial
reference to the November shower, which the class in astron-
omy were soon Lo observe, Meteoroids, whose entrance in
our atmosphere cause shooting stars, are goattered irregularly
through space. ‘They vary in size from a grain of sand to o
weight of many tonsa, and are separated from each other by
an average distance of about 250 miles. These bodies travel
about the sun, and the earth encounters twenty millions
daily, moat of which are burned and completely dissipated
tv the resistance of the atmosphere. They sumotimes appear
in great showers, as Nov, 15-14, 1883, and Navy. 27, 1872,
which is due io the earth's passing through a ring of them,
Smaller showers appear annually, as Apr. 20-31 from Lyra,
Aug, 10-11 from Perseus, and Nov. 15-14 from Leo. The

The literary societies last term inalituted a lecture bureau, | collections of meteoroids which form star showers are travel

ing in the same orbita as comels, and seam to be portions
of the comets that have lagged behind,

Mr. Park read an articla on the Organle Structure of a
lade of Grass. The structure waa wonderfully compa. A
12

THE COLLEGE SPECULUM.

thin tenaceous membrane, called the opldermia, covers the
whole leaf, and like our own ekin is divided into two layers,
the derma and ‘the cuticle. The derma, lying under the eutlcle,
is composed of rows of transparent gaseous cells of nearly unl-
form sige in the aime leaf, except on the mid-rlb, where they
are much smallier, The stoma, appearing on the epidermis of
both upper andl lower sides of the leaf, ate little holes which
probably act ag organs of respiration. ‘The position of the
hygroeeoplo cells on the upper aide of the leaves determine
whether the leaves will fold up like the covers of a book or
roll when cut. The harshness of o grass depends on the
number of hard woody celle it contains, Mr. Park deserves
commendation for the admirable drawings with which he
Ulostrated his jpaper.

Mr. Mathews gave the results of his experimenta In the
Chemical Laboratory to determine the amount of water soils
of different texture will take up and hold, The samples to
experiment with were obtained by toking eravelly soil and
sifting it through a sieve having twelve meshes to the square
inch, ‘This was then taken and sifted on a slove with 131
meshes to the square Inch, and what could not pass through
was called No. 1; what passed through was put on a aleve
with 256 mesives to the equare inch, and the residue called
Ho. 2. What passed through was agalo gifted on asieva with
1584 meshes ts the equare inch and the residue called No. %,
and what passed through No. 4. Then 100 grains of ench
was carefully ‘weighed out, put in funnela, and water alowed
to drop on them until they were saturated. On weighing ib
was found No. 4 had taken up 30 per cent; No. 4, 20 per cent;
No. 3, 18.8 per cent, and No. 1, 8.95 per cent of their own
weights. It was also found that the soll which takes most
water give it up most slowly, hence the importance of a
soll of fige tea:tura is evident,

Mr. IL FE. ‘Thomas gave his experiments to determine the
vertical heights through which svils of different dewrees of
fineness would raise water by ¢capillery attraction. The soils
used were prepared in a similar manner to those used by Mr
Mathews In the previous experiment with fully as marked
difference in fiasyor of the finely divided solls.

The following is an extract from Mr. Hershiser’s paper on
Plant Lice and Honey Dew, During the autumn months, after
the early frosts have killed the fall bloom, it often becomes
a question of no mean importance to the bees where the
needed supply of honey isto come from. Man ¢an do much
to overcome ‘this difficulty by planting herbs and shruba at
euch geasons inf the year, that they will bloom during this
genson of searcity. During this honey dearth the bees endeavor
to supply themselves with honey from plant lice, These line
eecrete & sweet substance, which exudes elther through the
akin or little tubes or nectaries on the upper posterior prartion
of the abdomen. The plant lice the past autumn were most
numerous on the Tulip and Larch trees, The leaves of the
Tulip trees wore sticky with the sweet substance, Tt ape
pears on the Larch trees in little trans
pended from the leaves. This appearance has often been mils-
taken for hemey-dew, Though plant lice afford a small
amount of honey of doubtful quality in seasons of scarcity,
they should, if possible, be exterminated, ‘They are very
detrimental to- the apiarist. They destroy muth of the visor
of horbs and ‘trees and consequently detract much froma the
otherwise abundant bloom the following season, besides almoat
ruining ome of our most beautiful ornamental trees. Wera
it not that thiey rarely appear in large numbers two years In
succession, thay would become a very serious enemy, and many

of our best honey-producing trees would be killed or rendered |

worthless to the aplarist.

At the meetting held March 14, Mr. 0, Baker gave an address
on the Comparison of the Cellular structures of Hard and
Soft Woods. Specimens of basswood and ironwood were
taken as types, and thelr cross-section studied under the
mleroscopre.

Easewood paakes about twice as much growth in a yoar as
ironwood. The medullary rays are straight in basswood, in
fronweml way y and more numerous. The duecta of basswood
are ¥ery numerous and are irregulariy arranged, in iromwool
fower and terid to arrangement in groups.

The differenes in the size of the cella at the beginning and
end of the year ia well marked in basswood and hardly notice-
able in ironwood, The cells of ironwood differ from those of
basswood in being regular in outline, regularly arranged) in
rows, and having thick walla, Different specimens of the

same kind of wood, one brash, the other tough, will show |

the same differences to o less degree,

President Abbot gave a short but very interesting address
on the Ascendency of Aristotle, He aaid that ascendeney
of military ‘or religious leaders was not uncommon, but
Aristotle was the only great philosophic writer he knew who
ever gained iogecendency over the whole world. He spoke of
Aristolla being for twenty years a student of Plato; of how

arent drope suse |

his works appeared in Spain after the dark ages, and how
from the twelfth io the fourteenth centuries he reached his
greatest ascondency in Europe. At this time the Professors
in the universities of France and Italy had to take oath to
teach according te Aristotle. He seemed to have a notion of
the difference between induction and deduction, and deductive
logic remained almost as he left tt until the beginning of this
eentury, A reaction took place when physical aclenee began
to be studied. Lord Bacon in his loductive methods chal-
lenged comparison with Aristotle, And to-day, althouch
Aristotle is no longer authority, he is still well worth study.

Mr. CG. M. Weed deseribed the methods of microscopic sec-
tion cutting with reference to animal tissue. As an example the
epinal cord of a cat was taken and the prowess described to
prepare permanent sections. He apoke of a new methedl of
action cutting practiced by Prof. Gague of Comell Univer-
sity.

For Mr, L. G. Carpenter's address on Red Sunsets eee the
scientific department of this issue.

——

Library Notes.

What book is out most? Columella on Husbandry.

The Chemical Club, note book io hand, consults case three
morning, noon, and night.

What shall we do with the cats and dogs ? Me-ouw! me-
ouw! bow-wow-Wwow,

eme of us want books that are not here,

Tf our floors were covered our rooms would be among the
pleasantest ones in the State.

Our English filend keeps us posted in affairs in Soudan.
gee the Iliustrated London News for war in Africa.

A considerable sum of money will be expended for bouks
during the month of April.

The Freehmen class ate among our
renders. ;

The library is to have vases for flowers. Our friend, the
florist, kindly remembers ua with the rarest white pansies,
and lies, and reses, He shall have all our old papers In
return for his kindness.

A fire in the grate and an easy chair ought to induce a

reading habit.
Young lady from town: “ Where is the carloslty?" (Mean-
Adel!) Ob! Jusk

ing the muoscom.) Convulsed librarian:
at the head of the stairs; you will find it a great curlosity.”

The State Board thoucht we must have serubbed the floor.
They never had seon Mr, Goodwin sweep and dust.

H. W. Collingwood sends us the Southern Live-Btock
Journal with many articles over the Initlala H. W. 0. We
all read them, and go we do those that come wp from the
orange groves of Soathe:n California. Mr. Voigt will please
robbie,

Visitora often mention the “room at the top” in our
library but the books are creeping upward.

Any alumnus who wishes to do hie alma mater a favor
may go in search of certaln reports from the Bureau of Edu-
cation, The librarian will furnish a list; also lacking repors
from other States.

Only one magazine lost from tie reading room since July

1, 1883, — =
PERSONALS.

Tuk Editor of thia Department desires the earnest ¢o-operntion of
thontumatin aiding bim to fll theae columns with interesting items.
Give occupation ance graduation, what offices held, whether married
or not, ete, Let this receive prompt attention from every alumnud

most discriminating

a
——

ad Sa a a iia

H. F. Buskirk, "78, bas a little girl four monthe old.

J. A. Porter, ‘77, is a teacher at Ogden Station, Mich.

G. W. Thompson, ‘8%, ls studying law at Minneapolis, Minn.

Vietor E. Bailey, here in 'T7 and '78, is farming at Preseott,
Wis.

Qeear Clute has lately had added to his family a fine 11 Ib.
uuby girl.

Glon Smith, ones with class of '84, has gone west to spend
the summer,

John T. Brown, here in '72 and ‘73, is an attorney at law,
Detroit, Dal.

F. P. Arthur, hore in "77 and "78, is a minister al Bethany,
Woeet Virginia, :

Clarence Weed, "83, has been spending the winter at Cornell
University studying entomology, but has returned and will
continue his studies here.

aia = =,
THE COLLEGE SPECULUM.

18

H. K. Lum, a special here last year, is studying
at Ann Arbor. y 5 studying medicine

E. J. MeAlpin, onee with olasa of ‘77, is principal of

at Piereeton, Ind. + 18 principal of schools
R. M. Young, once with clasa of T4, is a poultr

Battle Creek, Mich, Poultry man near

H. A. Danville, of '83, has folned our former steward
Mallory, in Dakota. ad, Con,

George G. Torrey, here from "57 till ‘09, is new living at 214
Fark strect, Debtrolt.

Amos Troop, of "Al, gradunted last February at the Rush
Medical College, Chicago, il.

A. G. Gulloy, ‘68, is with C. 'T. Monroe, here in ‘57, raising
seod for D. ML. Forry of Dotroit.

Joa, B. Ware, for two yours with class of ‘82, ia at Grand
Rapids in the firm of Ware & Hecox, luinber and shingle
dealers, operating at Pineonning, Mich.

N. P. Graham over three yours with elass of "Ti, is now at
Flandreau, Moody county, DT. T.

Geo. OC. Nevins, ‘74, is employed in a mill company, and ia
also teaching at Cheboygan, Mich.

Cyroa T. Crandall, "80, is practicing and studying law at
Adrian, Mich, He has a fine baby boy,

Chas, W. Ball, for threa years with class of ‘74, is book-
keeping and studying law at Evart, Mich.

Bart Nevine has a fanning mill and woodwork factory at
Kalamazoo, His business is quite extensive.

Jay D. Stannard, “76, has a farm of 80 acres at White Water,
Wisconsin. He is married and has one child.

Byron DD, Halsted, ‘71, is atill editor of the American Agri-
eulturist. Ho is married uid las a little girl,

Frank Robeson, of "78, la now in tho Jow firm of Olds &
Robson; office im postomice block, Lansing, Mich.

CT, Dewey, once with ‘$5, is a stadent in the Department
of Medicing and Surgery at the University of Michigan.

Albert Bahlke, onee with "4, has been looking around in the
weet: when last heard of his address was Denver, Colo.

&. KE. Griffin, hore in ‘73 and ‘Td, is farming two miles west
of Caro; he says it is a beautiful farming country up there.

M. A. Porter, here in ‘60 and ‘il, is at Northville, Mich. He
is of the firm of Sands & Porter, furniture dealers and wphel-
alering,

Chas. 8. Armstrong, three years with elas of ‘70, died Oct,
@, 1883, at Lyndon, Kansas, where he hod recently purchased
a farm,

Fred Storrs, onee with ‘4&3, is engaged by C. WN. Storrs’
Lumber Co. to sell out a stock of gouds for them at North
Muskegon,

Frank Prodden, once with class of ‘81, has for the last fow
months been in Lansing helping Lis brother Will in his real
estate office,

0. E. Augstman, ‘75, has removed lls law office to 49 Cam-
pau building, Detroit, He sys business is good and pros.
pects bright.

Charles Gammon, ‘82, made the College a short visit this
winter. He is very busy speculating in wheat and oranges
in California.

Boyd Skelton, here in ‘69, made his friends at the College
a visit this winter. He thinks Colorado is the State for young
men to go ta,

Carl English, onea with "4, waa married Dee. 4, 1583, to
Miss Rodgers of Lowell. He owns and is working a farm cf
70 acres at Lowell, Mich.

John J. Kerr, ‘71, was married In May, "dt, to Miss Zoe
Emuell, He is now living at Hanis, Montana, where he is
teaching ond practicing law. _

I. H. Brown, here in ‘73 and "Td, is al present examining
lands for the Detroit, Mackinac, and Marquette R. WH. His
fididress is St. Ignace, Mich. ;

Asa Ttowe, ‘73 has at last found a partner; he waa married
Nov. 26, 1885, to Miss Anna Burges of Losco, Mich. Only twe
bachelors now in clase of 73, tall of

0. B. Collingwood, once with '83, and who left in the fall a
"BL to go on a railroad survey in Utah, has returned to Col-
lege and will graduate with ‘85.

Ralph D. Sessions, of "78, Deputy County Clerk at Tonia,
married Miss Kenyon of Ionia. December, 1882, and now has
a benutiful baby girl at his home.

Dr. Carl ¥. Hinman, of '78, was married Jan. 33 to Miss
Mary Corey, eldest daughter of D. Tk. Corey of Lansing. ie.
Hinman is a druggist at Portland.

C. H. Flynn, once with "$4, and who left to atudy veterinary
at Iowa Agricultural College, has graduated, snd is now a vet-
erinary surgeon and physician at Decorah, Iowa.

A. L. Kerr, once with 'T78, recently purchased a valuable
farm of 180 acres in Monroe county, N.Y. where he will more
about the lst of April, He has a son ten months old,

John Ti. Shelbon, "82, was united in marriazxe Dee, 20 to
Miss Hattie Handy of Lansing. Several of hia old classmates
and College friends were here to wiiness the happy event,

Prat, Goorgeson, “78, having resigned his professorship of
Agriculture in the Texas Agvicultural College to take charge
of his farm, is now intending to enter into partnership. with
his wife's brother, Mr. Lovett of Little Silver (near Long
Branch, N. J.), in the nursery and greenhouse business.

Cass. E. Herrington, threa years with class of "78, was
moirried last fall to Miss Belle Manning, She is the daugh-

ter of Judge Manning, one of Pontiac's most esteemed and
wealthy men,

PF. MM. Woodmansee, of ‘85, being weary of traveling life's
path alone took oceasion this winter to get himself a wife. The

young lady's nime was Julia Birch, from Middleville, Barry
county, Mich,

E. D. Parshall, here in "76, ia opening up a stock farm of
320 acres, called the Spring Brook Farm, aituated at Gros,

Clark county, TD. T. also owns 160 acres near Columbia,
Brown county, D. T.

E. H. Bradner, "69, ia at present at Sacramento, California,
but expecta soon to go on toa fruit farm at Oleta, a place about

50 miles from Sacramento. His health is etill poor, but he
expects to galn strength on the farm.

Orlando Markham, here in "68, is living at Clarksville, Tonia.
county. He and his brother Mortlmer, also here in "65, entered
the army in “62, Orlando rema‘ned in the army till "65, but
Mortimer was killed at the battle of Fair Oaks,

Chas. MeCurdy,'S1, has been spending the winter teach.
ing at Oll Mission. Hea managed to keep from belng
lonesome by taking active interest in a teachers’ association,
in temperance mectings, and farmers’ institutes. He will

return to Collewe this spring and continue his studies under
Dr. Beal.

Howaerd Holmes, "81, hes left the Lansing Republican office
and bas entered the office of the State Board of Health to fill
the vacancy caused by the leaving of Mr. Raachfuss, ‘79. Mr.
Nauchfuza ia now traveling for Bement Broa, manufacturers
of farm implements at Lansing.

Wo recently received o ecard which read: §. OC. Hedger,
notary public and dealer in real estate, final proof papora care-
fully written, U. 8. land office business a specialty, insurance

| in firsi-clasa companies, money loaned. Detrolt, Brown county,

Db. T. Mer. Hedger was a student here in ‘73.

The “ Mississippi Live Stock Journal," which a short time
ago did not pay expenses, has become, under the management
of some of our graduates, one of the leading agricultural

apers of Mississippi. Herbert Collingwood of "83 Ia editor,
Reichard Gulley of ‘78 business manager, ond Prof. Frank Gul-
ley is a stockholder and correspondent, The SPECULUM con-
gratulates the managers on thelr success.

We have received the following card:

STANTON, MICH,, FEB. 4, "Bi.
-
LOUISE ANDREWS.

dW pounds on the hay scales.
DAN W. ARDRE WS. AXNA ANGEL ANDREWS.

The readera of the Srrounwm will be pained to learn of
the sorrow which has befallen their fiend Chas. Parker, "74..
November & he lost by death his only son, a bright and beau-
tiful boy of 6 years, and the next evening his wife died aleo
of eonesumption, :

The Slurgis Jouraal of November 15 says: ‘' Seldom has
so heavy a stroke of affliction fallen upon a young husband
and father. Only eight months has passed sloce the losa of a
rarely beautiful boy, Milled hia heart with anguish, and now .
another has been taken upon whom bright hopes wera cen-
tered, and for whose future prosperity and happiness ft was
his pleasure to plan and anticipate. Only twenty-six hours
later the strong ties were severed which bound him to his
chosen eempanion for the journey of life, the one chosen and
upon whom his affections were fixed in his boyhood days.”

We are pained to learn, just as we go to press, of the
deanth of F. S. Sleeper, who graduated in ‘G8, on the morning
of Mareh 25. It ia sap . bot not known, that he com-
mitted suicide by firing a straw stack and then burying him-
14

THE COLLEGE SPECULUM.

eelf in it, during an attack of temporary insanity. Binee
graduating Mr. Sleeper has been a most attentive farmer,
and has often written for the entomelogical papers. He was a
close and accurate student of entomology, making a special
study of the coleoplera, on which science he was excellent
authority.

Joseph A. Briggs, "79, was univereally beloved for his quiet,
honorable, self-directed conduct in College. He was from first
to last room-mate of Mr. Summer of ihe same class, They
were two of the founders of the Eclectic soclety and helped
sustain it in courses of historical readings and discuselons,
whieh were very valuable. Mr, Briggs studied law at Ann
Arbor, and was admitted to the bar in April, “83, Il health
drove him west; aoon after we find him a resident graduate of
Colorado Agr'l College, and afterward at the great resort for
health seckers, Los Angeles, Cal. He returned to die at his
home, White Center, Monroe county, Jan. 21, “4. News was
net received here in time for any of his college friends to
attend the funeral, but his memory will long be cherished In
many hearts at the College, and among his classmates.

ae.
——

COLLEGES, |

i a a ot a A a a a a

The Class of "86 at Columbia are $635.15 In debt.

Three hundred and fifty colleges in the United States have
no publications of any Kind.

A new chapel is expocted to be built at Coluinbla,
the samo be dome for the M. A. OG.)

Princeton has the honor of possessing the identleal electri-
cal machine which was used by Dr. Franklin.

Stevens Institute will herenfter admit ta the Freshman
class only the fifty passing the best entrance oxaminatlons.

At Amherst a student's excellence in the aymoasium counts
just as much for him in hls record as excellence in any etudy.

The University. of St. Andrews, the oldest university in
Scotland, has conferred the degree of LL. D. on Jamea Rus-
eell Lowell.

In sceordance with the will of the late Lewis Morgan $160,-
OW) will go to the Rochester University, to be used for the
education of women,

The first tragedy ever written in America was from the
pen of a Harvard student, and was first played by the stu-
dents of that university.

A petition has been going around at Harvard asklog that tt
be left to tha option of the students to chouse between Groek
and the modern languages.

The American eolleges derive two-fifths of thelr Income
from tuition fees, which ts four times the proportion which
the English universities get.

The oldest university student In Berlin, and probably in
the world, is alxty-nine years of age. The oldest student at
Notre Dame University is fifty-five,

John Guy Vassar has presented $10,000 for the benefit of
the cabinets of physical and chemical apparatus in the Vassar
Brothers’ laboratory at Vasear Colleze,

Wendell Phillips was a graduate of Harvard, elass "31, and

of the law school, clasa of "34. He is said to have been the
first scholar and general athiete in college.

The Sophomores of Cornell recently achieved the commend.
able feat of disposing of a class supper ordered aad paid for
by the Freshman class of the same inatitution,

The whele number of students in the collegiate departments
of the United States is more than 30,000, while there are
more than 7,000 American students in German univeraities.

The new building of the medical department of the Univer-
aity of Vermont, erected by John FP, Howard at a eost of
$30,000, was dedicated recently. The medical class numbers
two hundred students,

The New Hampshire legislature has passed a bill granting
Dartmouth College $5,000 per vear, to be applied in aid of
indigent students. This is the first money granted by the
State to the institution in one hundred years.

The students of Lafayette College enjoy the privilege and
reputation of using more “ponies” than do the students of
any other collage in the land. (If they ¢an lay over the
average Sophomore in Mechanics they ean indeed do well.)

A Republican Central Committee from the college classes
has been appolnted to make arrangements for holding a mock
convention sometime in the spring, to nominate a President

and Vice President of the United States, So th .
lin Review. nays fhe Ober

ee ee

(May

ee

HACHANGES.

7 ? =
et ee

eee

li ali a tiene!

There seems to be a growing tendency among the various
college papers to fill their literary department with Ilght lit.
erature, even bordering on romances, Whether this la to be
encourmeed or not, is a question, The Collega Rambler
makes the suggestion that every department of knowledge
pursued in college should be represented In the columns of
the college paper, Tt is the College thought rather than
the local matter that interesis the alumni. While wa
area with the Rambler in the first statement, we differ
somewhat with regard to the last, There is no doubt
that the alumni read the local matter with as much or greater
interest than they do the laborious thought of the student,
exemplified in the literary department. hat the eollegn
paper shoul] represent avery department of knowledge pur
sued in the college, stands above criticiam. What department
of knowledge is represented by the short aboties, and even
aorlals, with which many of our exchanges fill their literary
department? As novels they rank not the highest. Ir we
Taust take them as outgrowths of the line of thought purened
in an imatitution, it rather reflects upon the inatitution, Per-
haps the latter is the true explanation, as we notiee that
most of the papers that support this kind of Iiterature are
published in ‘‘co-ed.” imetitutions, The Coup d'Etat says that
the occasional amd discriminating use of representative eSay Ss
and orations as literary matter is to be encouraged, Is the
collage paper published for the purpose of encouraging a
novel-writing class of students? We think not, The student
is generally supposed to pursoe a different line of thought
than that exempliled in the romance or serlal story. Perhaps
a person nemls a little intellectual recreation after reading
the Hesperlan Student, Careon Index, and others of that
ilk, but even then he should seek to obtain it from o more
profitable source than the average college journal,

We quote the followlnig from the Oborlin Review, as it applies
forcibly to a number of our atudents. Speaking of learning
& leseom ib euve: “A book is opened, Perehance the eve is
directed toward ft (if not out of the window), but the thoughts,
where are they? In the realms of apace, mayhap, but not
upon the lesson, In other words we do not aequire the habit
of concentrating, but fritter away tine on what is virtuously
called studying, How much time is lost in pursuing fleeting
Hothings, when the thoughts should be directed to the lesson!
How much time might be given to reading or to other profit-
able pursulte if it were reseued from the grasp of dreamy
nonentities!" As a romedy the Review says that “when wa
aludy we shoulkl carnestly apply the mind, and forbid all
airy flights. It is an excellent plan to allow one's self a cer.
tain length of time for learning a lesson, and then make a
great elfort ta accomplish the work in the time specified."
Which advice is very good and might be profitably appropri.
ated by many.

The Student, from Cumberland University, is one of the
fow College papers that are published in the regular news-
paper form, but nevertheless the Student fills its pages fall
of as attractive and interesting articles as do many of the
papers that support a more attractive form, ‘The editors eyl-
dently do not belleve in putting the best on the out-
slides.

To those readers of the Srrcunum who crave knowledge
on the subject of the study of Latin and Greek in our col-
leges and universities we recommend them to peruse care.
fully the stock of winter's exchanges, One of the best arti-
clas upon this subjectis to be found in the February number
of the Alabama University Monthly.

Just as we go to press we are in receipt of the College

Times, a monthly, published by the young ladies of Milwaukee

College, ‘This is one of the few papers published exclusively
by lady students, and is indeed a very spirited little sheet,
and we hope to hear from them again,

The Acta Vietoriane advocates the holding of commence-
ment exercises at the beginning as well as at the ending of
the college year, The January number contains a very well
written article on the value of college soeleties to the stu-

ents,

The College Mereury contains a very extended account of

/ college journalism in the College of the City of New York.

We should say that there had been no dearth of ‘a in
that institution, “ me
The Ariel has given up the plan of an item box as inéx-
pedilent, the number of items put into it being exceedingly
small.
The February number of the Normal News started off with
a Very neat little poem,

A late number of Student Life contained personals to the
humber of three.
STUDENTS WILL WIND AT

G. W. FRARY’S STORE
4. Large and Pine Stock rr i
GENTS’ HATS AND Caps

iit TEI LATEST sryerrios.

LATITT TELOLMPSory,

JOB PRIN TIN G,

LOS OW aieh imeem AVeOrue,

—

Over Ekstein's Grocery, LANSING, MICH,

—— LE =

WE cage taal of the Apinry.

100 soll in six yorrs, GI sold in the last ten weeks.
tirely revises, Vilty jeigers ed fifty eceehly
Ulwstrutions vache,
Peieo by Mail $1.25, Libural Discount to Dealers and for Clubs,

En-

Ad, COOK, Author aod Publisher, Lansing, Mypcur,

1 t 1 © |
Mo FrFrEHTT,
tO] WES ee:
Nifrota OGacide Gas or Vitalized lir given for the
puintess extraction of Teeth.

Southeast corner of Washington and Mich. Aves, Lansing.

| M. HUDSON, Proprietor. -

‘J iY

WW. RAPLEH,

WHOLESALE ASD RETAIL DEALER IN

Jewelry, Watches, Clocks, Diamonds,
: Silver and Plated-Ware,

119 WASHINGTON AVENUE, - LANSING, MICH.

REPAIRING NEATLY DONE.

HUDSON HOUSE,
LANSING, MICH,
RATES, @2.00 PER DAY.

—

JT. FRAZEHL,

WORTH LANSING,

BAKER AND CONFECTIONER

i A Fury Lixg or Canpres, Cakes, Ovstrers, rc.

br PINE: CAKES A SPECIALTY.

Srastemers welll fa4 it ts their ad=an-
| tage to call and see me.

IONIA CITY LAUNDRY.

Collars and Cujfs a Specialty.

GOOD WORK GUARANTEED,

COREY & OLMSTEAD,

IOILa, LICE.

SHEARER’S LAUNDRY

tilecs the lead on

COLLARS AND CUFFS.

We use no hardening in our starch, therefore we break
ho collars,

Tres OUR Woh Zz
AND SATISFY YOURSELF.
TWO LOOKS FROM POSTOFFICE, EAST, LANSING, MICH.

STUDENTS:—It will Pay You to Call on W. G, PATTERSON fur Boots, Shoes,

and Rubbers.

REPAIRING NEATLY DONE,

Washington Avenue, Lansing.

TA Y HO.

R & CO.’S
ONE-PRICE BOOT 4xp SHOE HOUS:

Ad

125 Washingten Avenue, LANSING, Mich.
PECK, ESSELSTYN & CoO,,

MANUFACTURERS OF AND WHOLESALE DEALERS IN

CRACKERS, CAKES, SWEET Goons,

AND CANDIES OF ALL KINDS.

LANSING, - - - MICHIGAN.

JOHN HERRMANN, HEADQUARTERS FOR COLLEGE BOYS!

Opposite Opera Bleck, TO

een avsccevo Bakery, Confectionery, aud Restaura

Mee cloak G@ailor’s Goats IGE CREAM AND OYSTERS IN SEASON.
IN MICHIGAN. lunches at all Ficours.

| CIGARS AND TOBACCO.
THE LEAST MONEY. -
BEST FIT FOR THE | BANQUET ORDERS PROMPTLY ATTENDED 70.

108 Washington Avenue, Lansing.

Takes no Backward Steps, but is

ALWAYS AT THD FRONT

BOOTSs SHOES!

Excellent in Quality. Moderate in Price,

Students, Come and =ee Me.

-

Students’ Interests have the Preference. “saa oe Repairing Promptly Done.
A. ABER. —_ A. ABER.

==B. F. SIMONS,

127 Washington Avenue,

Dispnavs tue FINEST axp LARGEST STOCK or

DRY GOODS AND CARPETS

THAT IT HAS EVER BEEN OUR PLEASURE TO OPEN IN THE CITY.

YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND GOODS JUST AS REPRESENTED, AND OUR PRICES AT THE BOTTOM.
HH. W. DART

J
DALE iW

HEAVY AND SHELE HARDWARE, GLASS, ETC,
CHLEBRAT ED GASOLINE STOVE,
GOLDEN STAR AND GARLAND STOVES AND RANGES.

ALSO AGENT Fon

Fuller & Warren's and Richardson, Boynton & Co.’s Furnaces.

B. P. RICHMOND, TONSORIAL PARLORS,

ifs. 1926 Ldfichigan A-+7we.,

STUDENTS SURE OF EXCELLENT WORK IN ALL ITS
BRANCHES, BY FIRST-CLASS ARTISTS.

a

Mon CURRER,
; — SRE BAD Eataat, | Asttate.
‘ EBLiG RA WrLETe. F lini

ELI BIDELMAN, Froprietor.

FINE CIGARS AND TOBACCO

IN &TOCK AT ALL TIMES.

DAW SIING, MICHIGAL.

H. H. LARNED, FIRST CLASS LIVERY.

URUCKERY, CHINA, LAMPS. a
STUDENTS PATRONAGE SOLICITED,

124 Wasuixaron AVENUE,

LANSING, - . MERC. JIMMY MARKEY.

Dp. W. & M. J. BUCK,

THE LARGEST AND MOST EXTENSIVE FUENITURE DEALERS IN CENTRAL MICHIGAN,

Keep an Immense Stock and Sell the Cheapest,

And Wou will Always Find What You Want

AT PRICHS TO SUIT YOU.

UNDERTABING A SPECIALTY.
STUDENTS AND OTHERS

WILL REMEMEER THAT

LEDERER & SONS

ant HEADQUARTERS ror

[Ee CLOTHING,

AND ALL THE LATEST NOVELTIES IN

FIN

Hats, Caps, and Gents’ Furnishing Goods.

LARGEST STOCK,
MOST FASHIONABLE GOODS, a
LOWEST PRICES,

This is our reputation, and we have maintained it for twenty years.

H. LEDERER & SONS, The Clothiers,

WASHINGTON AVENUE.
Lansing, March 29, 1884.

HULL BROTHERS,

DEALERS IN

Fancy and Staple Groceries,

Fresh and Smoked Meats, Canned and Farinaceous Goods,
Colgate’s Toilet Soaps and Waters, Lubin’s Perfumes,
Toilet Powders, Champagnes, Imported Cigars;

MANUPACTORERS OF

FINEST CONFECTIONS IN THE WEST

ELECT BAKING POWDER, PELECT PLAVORING F-XTRACTS,

KRETVLE RENDERED LARD:

Jioasters ana Grinders of the

Na ne a a ee

e FINEST COFFEES AND SPICES! | ¢

ee ar i ag Rac a

ee Pg agg ag ea

And Curers of Sugar-Cured Ham, Bacon, Dried Beef, Smoked Tongues, etc.
None but Finest Goods kept, and all goods sold to the Consumer at less than Wholesale Prices.

HULL BROTHERS, - = Opera House Block, Detroit, Mich.