ble bl Vo LUME X.—No. 3. AGRICULTURAL Corr EGE, » Macy ¢ Ocr. 1 10, cnet “Wao No. 49. * — r ral ah 1 ond oy The Aster. — . Along the quiet lanes that lead. To lonely fields afar, Thou strewest with a lavish hand The light of thy white star. Beside the fences’ mazy length, Amid the tangled grass, | ~ Thou spread’st thy wea'th of sky ey gems, To gladden all who pass. - Dy Along the marge of oozy swamps, Amid the shining show | _ Of sun-flowers and of golden rod, Thou throw’st thy purple glow. In snowy white, in skyey blue, In purple rich and rare, - _ More royal thou than any queen, - Than any bride more fair. Thy tints that pulse in purple tide, Or whiten like the snow, | Or bathe the fields in softest blue, oo An artist’s hand do show. An artist’s hand? The artist, then, Hath shaped thy queenly grace, That gladden i in thy face. ‘So, whether white j in winding lanes, — Or blue by broidered fields, | Or purple in the wild swamp’s marge, His praise thy beauty yields... Arial eee a _ [For THE SPECULUM.) | Autumn. A The e ji n git n g b ells S s i n g e v e r of j jo ye a Ori in the spring, when the green leave 5] o pee Pp © u t ‘fr ro m t he e 1 r w ar m h oods s to gr € e t . t he m ode € s t ‘Ss sprit n g ‘flor w er, Ww at en ‘the ec at tle A first fi fi nd ¢ a bit t of herl rbz a age e ‘to s a satis fy fy t he e m, a seems g good. we shelter” ep a ce buttons his coat about him as he rustles_ the — Hath laid, with touch divine, the stints ay ; dead leaves i in his path. | All tells: 6 f deat h, : : _ oe alli 1s. melancholy, yet. I like to sit by a warm - ; os “ 7 : hear th, eat of | ‘Hipene ed. f ruit, and let. ‘melan-— : - _ choly. rule m y spir it. ee Coding: not. hopelessness. _ ‘There i is death, but prom- o-cume S | ise of life. ae when too ripe to live. mour nful , yet there need be no despair. | : | wind wails. in autumn, beautiful. oe _ There is beauty and pleasure i in winter. . S 7 hen one awakes on a fr osty morning and with Nature and i is soothed to quiet by. the . a ; it t of her cano of Death. a fir nds the landsca pe Ww hiten ed, the tr ees bow: - | beauty ; PY © ing g u n di er t h eir bur den no f Ss n O w, h ec an not | oh 1elp Pp e x cl: ai m i n ig at. t he e Db ea u t ty oO f the e ‘Ss cene. | ‘sing gaily, i it | isa 1 joyous time. Or when the hot, lazy, § summer divs come, and. you sit. in the shade. of giant: trees. ‘and | overlook the boundless. sea, and. watch | the great ships’ silently. pursue. ‘their long jour-— oneys of trade and commerce, or see the quick — | yachts | that bend ‘to. a + favoring gale, life - ‘The © eel “time of t the + sere anil yellow 1 leaf” has “eat | ties that — : : cold wind blows from. the north. fhe yel- — | low of. the. white- -W. ood, the red. and eee | of the ma ple, the deep ‘p crimson of the oa kK | | deck — the. dying | forest. , | does Nature die! Toe ‘garment. | al the cellar, “pr omising many a later treat. The - ler ops are all gathered. The cattle keep the | n oO ot he er § ‘se ason | can. have. | The 7 How, gor ‘geousl y : Her shroud i is her richest — ‘Then the. juicy apples are allin — of the straw: stack, The traveller | -T her e is” s a d n es Sy but Nature dies as. man. should. die, © ‘Death is always The. : but the leaves. are- _T he day i is dreary, yet man talks | . Differences | in | Musical Taste. | UR. C. BRISTOL, PHL-DELTA THETA FRATERNITY, oe It does not. seem ‘strange that there is. al gr eat diversity of musical taste, when we consider the ‘great number that are affected — wham a 1 al . cr) pinay o = a and PT 7 es ‘i . “rn r ewan.” . . 34 THE SPECULUM. by music. It is unlike most other arts in that it is not confined to the enlightened world; but is found in some form everywhere in the universe. Not only is it known to all races of men but most of the higher animals are more or less affected by it. No one ever heard of cats and dogs painting pictures, or of horses that admired bouquets; but we hear many interesting things as to their appreci. ation of musical sounds, Savages in plun- dering a country or a city do not save the works of art, but most of them areas much affected by music as more civilized people. Travellers coming in contact with the savages of remote lands have from time to time made mention of the state of music among them and its effect upon the people visited.. Of course the quality of the music, if judged by our standard, would be very low, and the instruments used of the rudest kind; but comparing their intellect with ours, the effect produced on the mind and emotions was found to be of about equal force with that of our more fully developed -art. From this we may conclude that music is not dependent upon a high state of’ culti- vation for its power over the human mind. On the contrary, we may infer that music cultivated beyond the appreciation of its lis- teners loses power nearly in proportion to the degree of advancement that places it above their ability to understand. The sav- age derives more pleasure from the rude performance of native musicians than he could from more cultivated music. He enjoys the beating of tom-toms and the wailing of pipes because he understands the sound lan- guage in which they address themselves to his emotions. What sounds uncouth to us is a source of delight to him, because it is in unison with his feelings and within his power fo comprehend. [tis not much dif- ferent with us, for most of us enjoy music best that we can easily understand and grasp with little effort. Thus it comes that many sim- ple songs and tunes, that musicians discard as. trash, are better known and have had more effect upon the mass of people than most of the higher forms of composition. The old farmer that goes to hear a grand opera is usually disappointed and comes away wondering what there is that people think so charming in “this new fangled music.” The genuine lumberwoods song is set to a tune peculiar to itself. It is in a monoto- nous minor key that is very easy for an uncultivated male voice to sing in and is very characteristic of the society in which it is enjoyed. The drone of the bag-pipe does net charm a person that is accustomed to hearing good music, or good as we judge U3 but some Scotchmen think the bag-pipe the king of instruments. And so it is with the most of mankind; everyone has an idea of music as it pleases them individually and many seem to think that the taste of every- body else should be the same as their own, - There are a few people who do not natur-: ally care much for music and go to classical concerts because it is fashionable, and thus coming in contact with the best music soon learn to like it and then are quite ready to think that anyone who does not enjoy it 1s quite destitute of taste. Others with still less taste for music but with more honesty, who have heard plenty of good music and trusted to musicians’ judgment as to what they should listen, will still tell that Wagner's music must be better than it sounds. The only way for every one to enjoy classical music is to study itand so many are doing so now that the musical standard among the people in general is rapidly being faised. The perception that animals have for music is not so definitely known, but many of them are very ready to show their likes and dislikes-on the subject. Some are attracted by music and will listen to the sounds of instruments Education makes a great difference often- times. Some dogs, when brought up in a musical family, will listen to music with great delight, and have been known to go to church with the family every Sunday for quite attentively. THE SPECULUM. 35 er a on the obvious purpose (7?) of listening to the solemn tones of the organ. Other domestic animals are often appreciative of some kinds of music and it is thought to be beneficial to them. It has been said that the song of the shepherd had as much effect on the condition of the flocks as did the quality of the pasture. A former Duke of Portland, who kept a number of fine horses and was a_ firm believer in this principle had a music gallery in his stable and engaged musicians to give weekly concerts for the benefit and amusement of his horses. Birds, it is well known, are susceptible to music. Most of them are not only good lis- teners but are fair imitators. Owls are about the only exceptions. They are said to have an aversion to music of all kinds and to die in convulsions if compelled to listen long. All creatures that dislike music are unfor- tunate. A person who has a taste that is never satisfied, who has musical ideas so dif- ferent from other people’s, that most music distresses him, will be included in this class. Also the college student who is annoyed by the elementary efforts of his neighbor. The worst cases may be well described as Shakes- peare says: ‘The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils." constructed Physical Training. E. H. FOLHAMUS, ECLECTIC SOCIETY, “If any man defile the temple of God him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” «Holier than any temple of wood or stone, consecrated to divine right and divine pur- pose, is the human body.” Though all that is good has been said before,—though all that is noble has been thought before, can there be less need of re- saying the good, or re-thinking the noble?’ Though volume after volume has been writ- = ten,—though lecture after lecture has been delivered,—though life after life has been devoted—all on the subject of physical training, yet why is there not a proportionate amount of good resulting therefrom? Trusting that we seem not presumptious, we shall endeavor to solve the problem. Either the many modes of exercise placed before the public have failed to be pleasura- ble as well as practical, or such modes have been grossly abused by unwise use, until the majority of the people spurn them from their associations. Where is the art or the science extant that has not in the past, or may not in the future be abused? Even the Christian religion, the most sacred institution in the great W orld’s Commonwealth, has been greatly, and is now being shamefully abused. - Should we condemn the ait of Phidias, the science of Schiaparelli, the religion of Christ,—condemn them because they have been abused, or should we not rather as representatives of an unprejudiced mind, do all in our power to exalt the true ideal. And plant our forces with the highest and grandest and most ennobling things born of the human mind and genius? So let it be with physical culture. Let us define our position at the very out- set, by answering the question, “To what aim should physical culture be taught?” The first and foremost object should be health. «Why, I have that!” Then by all means exercise to keep it. The secondary object should be the sym- metrical development of the human body. Whosoever or whatsoever disregards this theory must of consequence ‘suffer at the hands of the general public. Muscular development can not, and by no means ought to, receive the encouragement of a right thinking people. However we’ find much abnormal development even among trained athletes. This should not be so. The expert rower should be an expert boxer and thus equalize the consequent 36 | THE SPECULUM. — 7 ee ce stiength of his arm. Mercy! Is boxing manly? Why not if a wan does it? Anything a man doves is manly,—any- thing a woman does is womanly, and next to God himself there is nothing in this broad universe grander than a manly man and a womanly woman. But see how boxing has been abused. So have rifle and sabre exercise. Being an expert with the gloves will no more occasion a desire to enter the prize- ring or to pommel everybody, than being an expert with the rifle or sabre would make you go around and shoot or slice wp your neighbor. Apropos to this,—“It is glorious to possess a giant's strength, but is cowardly to use it as a giant.” - Let us exclaim with Dr. Foss, “ Let these things be done with the distinct recognition that we have a higher nature and in such a manner and measure as to do no harm to what is best and noblest in this loftier realm. Then will we have what the old Latin poets prayed for, “Avens sana, corpore sano.” Stand before any institution of learning in our broad land and notice the students as they emerge from the hal's of their Alma Mater, and you will see those with whom the head seems running away with the body ; not that the head is too large, but that the body is too small. We would have a good example of them should we place a large round doughnut upon a hair-pin, - The lem, weak-chested, spindle-shanked individual, the demands of whose colossal ( ?) intellect tyrannize over his body,—the sacred temple for the indwelling of whose soul,— he, who quotes so freely, “ fa sine Zifferts mors est,” should unite with that, “ Pita sine mente sana, non vita, lamquam decensus Avernus, est.” What man would think of adorning a tumble down hovel with a mansard roof? And yet how many there are who equip a physical wreck with a splendid education, Was there ever such a paradoxical paradox? The limits of this paper will not permit of a discussion of the different modes of exer- cise best calculated to aid the health and symmetrically develop the human body. But we would see every school, college and seminary adopt some form of athletic exer- cise,—physical culture,—bodily traininy,— gymnastics,—call it anything you like,— adopt it as an obligatory part of the curricu- lum, and teach it so as to unite profit with pleasure. The teacher should so enthuse his pupils with the work, that it will no longer be reckoned a compulsory exercise, and hated as such, but rather a pleasurable pastime, and loved for the vigor and new life it infuses. No extensive apparatus is needed, no great amount of time. For the former a pair of one pound dumb-bells for each pupil and a good stretch of country are sufficient, while, as for time, one hour per day of reg- ular, systematic exercise will make you feel like a Hercules. Now one word in regard to health. There are three flagrant evils preying upon the health of the man of to diwy,—Sensualism, whisky, and tobacco,—and ‘to some one of these three as an origin, may be traced nearly every disease now running rampant ‘in the human body. Each of these is a subject upon which volumes have been written. Of the three however, tobacco is the worst. for whereas, it took nearly two thousand years for sensua- lism and intemperance to imprint their cloven hoofs upon the human race, less than four hundred have sufficed to plant a smoker's heart in the breast of nearly every human being. Therefore we would say a word which we hope “will plead tongued, against the deep damnation of” using tobacco. It should be reason enough for quitting the vile stuff, that it breeds such loathsome diseases, causes such a vile breath and Can we find nothing in Holy Writ concerning it? Yes, and he who uses the weed, espec- like angels, trumpet- impresses such contemptible habits. THE SPECULUM. 37 =—— —a— ially to excess may take consolation there- from. “Let him that is filthy be filthy still.” If you are an expert yeu can tell by the breath the character of the materials passing down the throat of a person, There isa wine breath—a beer breath—an onion breath —a garlic breath—to say nothing of limbur- ger cheese and rum. But the breath of onions and garlic, with limburger cheese and beer “is the the night blooming cereus, or the balm of a thousand flowers, or the spicy odors of Ceylon’s isle, when compared with the tobacco user's breath.” Charles Lamb, in his Tobacco” gives us the following :— Stinking'st of the stinking kind Filth of th’ mouth and fog of th’ mind; Africa that boasts her foyson, Breeds no such prodigious poison, ambrosia of «Farewell to American Aborigines. W. G. MERRITT, DELTA TAU DELTA FRATERNITY, Scattered over the country are heaps of earth of greater or less size which it is com- monly consented, were not formed by any natural process. They are called Indian mounds, being the graves or dwelling places of the Indians or of people who lived before ‘them. They are practically the only source of information of the American aborigines until the time of Columbus. Hence they have been examined and studied closely with a result quite profitable. These earth-works are unevenly distrib- uted, Some localities abound in mounds and inclosures of various shapes, while in other parts they are a rarity, indicating that the builders found some localities as unfavor- orable to them as others were favorable. The valley of the Ohio river is particularly rich in these remains; also the Mississippi valley, and the fertile river bottoms of Ten- nessee. All of these remains may be classified in one of two classes: (1), mounds, and (2) inclosures. Of these the mounds are the ay i more numerous. Most of them seem to have been erected as places of burial; but others indicate a place of worship, of habitation, of defense; and still others the use of which no one understands, as the animal mounds of Wisconsin. The inclosures, although less common, are no less interesting. They usually seem to have been built for defense, But had the object been a purely defensive one, it would be supposed that the builders would find one large inclosure easier held and more convenient than several small ones, such as are generally found. That they built these earth-works not in one large inclosure, but in small separated ones, indi- cates that in so building them they complied with some custom, possibly religious. The Ohio valley is famous for its works of this nature, Then it is very common to find one or more circular inclosures built in connection with a square or octagonal form, with entrances, and roads protected by simi- lar embankments leading from them. At one time these earth-works were claimed to have been surveyed and almost invariably their dimensions were found to be round numbers of feet, as 230, 340, 620; and the areas inclosed were calculated to be such round figures as 15, 30 and 50. Also that the squares were true squares, the circles true circles, and octagons, true octagons. But they have since been re-surveyed, and these apparent phenomena exploded, In Tennessee the city of Nashville covers by its site the greater part of an ancient burial ground. Scattered along the Cum- berland and other principal river valleys are ancient remains, all more or le-s remarkable. In general character they are ubout the same as those of the Ohio and it is probable that that the same people built them. Some of the mounds of Tennessee are remarkable for their size: Several are over one hundred feet high; others broad and having a flat area at the top of one-fourth | an acre. Those of less height are the burial mounds, and when explored reveal in con- 38 THE SPECULUM. oe eee eee nection with human remains copper and stone implements, copper knives and spears, and stone axes, pipes, and other domestic tools, It is difficult for those who are acquainted with these works and also with the Ameri- can Indians, to believe that the Indians ever possessed the civilization indicated by these remains, by those who assign their origin to a race of Mound Builders. It is well known that the character of the American Indian has changed during the historic period of the country as much as the country itself. The coming of white men was not the only cause for this. The early settlers in New England in writing about them said that their most powerful days had passed, for their numbers had been greatly dimin- ished by warring with each other, and the ravages of disease, The Spaniards who visited the region which‘now forms the southeastern portion of our country were more fortunate. They found Indian villages surrounded with embankments and stockades, and whose inhabitants possessed comfortable dwellings, woven garments, garlands of feathers, val- uable ornaments and skins. De Soto dis- cribes these villages as being built around the chieftain’s dwelling, which was erected upon a mound twenty to fifty feet in height and flat on top. The whole was surrounded by a square or circular stockade and by a ditch. Later Spanish explorers found that the power of these tribes had decreased, by reason of the European diseases which the Spaniards introduced, and the constant wars in which they engaged among themselves and which toa great extent grew out of the invasions, still further reduced their num- bers. This evidence tends to the conclusion that the race which erected the mounds and earth-works of Tennessee were Indians, and on account of their resemblance to the remains of the Ohio valley, it is thought that This is the chief argument used: the works there are by the same people. This is not the only evidence. Some of the other indications are seemingly slender, and unimportant, but in connection with other facts, are confirmatory. The pipes found in ~ the mounds of Tennessee are of the same pattern as those used by the Indians known to De Soto. The pattern of pipes prevailing in the better class of mounds of the Ohio region are different from the ‘Tennessee pipes. Yet they are enough alike so that those of Tennessee are recognized as an improvement on those of Ohio, This is true of the Ohio pipes as compared with those found a few hundred miles northwest,—in Illinois and Iowa. The same is true of the ornamention of pottery, This is confirmed by a few Indian legends. But on the contrarv there are many which disprove it. There are a number of things which are not satisfactorily explained by this theory: Their knowledge and use of copper; the use of stone boxes for burial, being sucn a good imitation of the Christian method; and the famous elephant mound of Wis- consin. SCIENTIFIC. Natural History Society. Mr. Chas. Cook, at the meeting of the Natural History Society, September 12, gave a talk on “The Moa and the Roc.” He said: These gigantic birds belong to the order Struthionese, or ostrich type of birds. Formerly this family was very numerous, spreading over a large part of the world, while to-day there are but a few scattering species, found only in the Southern Hemis- phere, in barren tracts apart from most other forms of life. The following are Dr. Wal- lace’s views concerning the origin and peculiar distribution of this family: “During the early period, when the great southern continents were equally free from the incur- THE SPECULUM. 39 sions of the destructive felines of the north, the Struthionese were probably developed into their existing forms. It is not at all necessary to suppose that the three southern continents were at any time united in order to account for the distribution of these great terrestial birds. The ancestral Struthtonese type may, like the A/arsupia/s, have once spread over a large portion of the globe. As the higher forms, especially carwivora, be- came developed, it would be exterminated everywhere but in those regions where it was free from their attack. In each of these cases it would be developed into special forms adapted to the surrounding conditions, and the large size, great s'rength and exces- sive speed of these birds may have been a comparatively late development, caused by its exposure to attacks which rendered such modifications necessary.” The moa and roc were first introduced to the scientific world about fifty years ago. The roc was an inhabitant of Madagascar, where its existence was first made known when the natives of Madagascar brought two large eggs—which were used as jugs— toa French vessel, off their coast, for the purpose of securing rum. The eggs were at once purchased and sent to Paris. This led to an investigation, and since many bones and fragments of eggs have been found. The first bone discovered was a leg-bone which measured twenty-five inches in length, six inches in circumference at its most restricted portion, while the upper extremity measured eighteen inches in circumference. The two eggs mentioned measured thirty- four inches in circumference and have a capacity of two gallons. Not many years ago the moa was an inhabitant of the remote hilly regions of New Zealand. Bones of the Species have been met with in New Zealand in a great variety of places. From one lagoon about five hundred different individuals were removed. From the remains found it ts evident that these birds frequently reached | the crowd of dusky forms ee the height of sixteen feet—much taller but not so thick-set as were the rocs of Mada- gascar. Up to the present time there have not been less than fifty species of moas unearthed, which vary in height from six to sixteen feet. From acareful study of their remains, the anatomy and an imperfect his- tory has been derived. The natives have a number of proverbs which tend to bring out the character and habits of these birds; thus they have the saying, “As inert as a moa,” which indicates that they were stupid, inac- tive animals. These birds were largely sedentary, and probably went about im pairs as is indicated by the proverb, “ Two against two, like the moas.” As the moa was the only large warm- blooded animal found in New Zealand, it was much hunted by the natives for food. The moa was a formidable animal, and very dangerous to approach; accordingly, before setting out on a moa hunt, the natives would invoke the assistance of the Great Spirit, to whom they attributed the power of sending good or evil in the chase. After their devo- tional exercises were completed, if all was favorable, the hunt was started; but should a cricket chirp in the grass on the left side of the assembly, or any other evil omen make itself manifest, the hunt was immedi- ately postponed. In hunting the moa the natives took advantage of the bird’s custom of running in certain paths. A large part of the hunting force would secrete them- selves in the bushes along one of these run- ways, while the remainder of the party were to drive the birds from their hiding places. If a moa chanced to come along one of the guarded paths, the men hidden would thrust spears into the bird’s sides as it passed. By the time it had reached the end of the line of warriors it would have become so weak that it could be faced by the bravest men and dispatched, What an interesting sight it must have been on the eve of a successful hunt to see gathered around 4o THE SPECULUM, their camp-fire, their faces fairly glowing over the thought of a bountiful repast in the form of huge eggs now roasting in great stone ovens, and large masses of meat kept simmering by means of heated stones placed in their immediate vicinity. From what has been observed it is evi- dent that the extermination of the giant bird of New Zealand could not have taken place ata very remote period, It is said on good authority that an old Maori, in 1844, stated that while a boy he had seen living moas, which statement, if true, would bring the extermination of the. moa within a hundred years of the present time. Prof. Owen, in 1882, stated that a still existing specimen in South New Zealand is not altogether im- probable. The natives maintain that the giant birds of New Zealand are still to be met with in some of the most remote and obscure sections of the south island, and from time to time exciting accounts of some traveler’s encounter with one of these birds reaches us through the press. While these reports are doubtless false, yet the fact that these giant birds of Madagascar and New Zealand were probably living a hundred years ago, and that they were closely related and exterminated by man at about the same time, 1s a point of great interest to the student of natural history, Mr. Wheeler gave an interesting account of visitiag, on his recent trip to the northern part of the State, a botanical camp situated on Black Lake. Here were camped two young men from Ohio who were making botanical collections, also collections of birds and fossils. He spoke in regard to the pleasant and profitable work they were doing, and suggested that such a camp might be a profitable way for some of our young scieutists to spend their short vacations. QURSERVATIONS. Mr, Toumey called attention to the larv» that were working on the wild rice growing in the ponds in the botanical garden. In color and size they resemble very much the grain which they feed upon, apparently a case of mimicry. Mr. Wheeler: While at Park Lake a short time since, Dr. Beal and myself found seven species of Howering plants not previ- ously known in this vicinity. Mr. Wheeler also called attention to an artesian well, located at Hubbardston, Mich- igan. This well was open in August, ISgo. The first fifteen feet were ordinary gravel, then forty-one feet of heavy blue clay, fol- lowing this forty-five feet of layers of clay and sand intermixed, then follow twenty- five feet of very sharp, clear sand, one hun- dred and fifteen feet of blue or fire clay, and then thirteen feet of gravel. The water rose thirteen feet above surface of ground. Ata depth of eighty feet the drill passed through a mass of spruce wood, fragments of this being brought to the surface and examined. Dr. Beal spoke of the manner in which the farm department made their exhibit of corn at the State Fair, showing the superi- ority of exhibiting entire plants set in trenches so that the observer might see the stalks as well as all other parts of the plants. The Doctor also said: During the past week I have been assisting in the judging of grains at the State Fair. The wheats were examined by reaching well down into the sack to get a fair sample, and putting it upon white paper; by preparing a sample from another sack in a similar manner, the two can be compared, the best retained to com- pare with the next sack, and so on. The clover seed was examined in asimilar manner. It was easily seen whether clear from chaff and dirt, but from each sack a fair specimen was examined under the microscope. The last two on the paper I was unable to determine which was the best, I afterwards learned that the two specimens were exhibited by the same man, and proba- bly from the same lot of seed. In examining the grass seed, which is generally exhibited in the chaff, I came THE SPECULUM. 41 oo Lo across a sack of fine seed, perfectly free from chaff. Reaching well down into the sack I found the premium card of a year ago. The exhibitor had purchased the seed and was keep- ing it for an annual exhibit at the various fairs. Mechanical Club. At the regular meeting of the Mechanical Club, September 5th, Mr. W. P. Hawley gave an interesting paper on Aérial Navi- gration. He sail: The first attempt at aérial navigation was made in a hot air balloon, in 1743, by the Montgolfier brothers at Annonay. The balloon rose to a height of 2,200 yards, and descended without accident. In 1804 Gay-Lussac attained the height of 2,300 feet in a balloon inflated with gas; at this height the barometer stood at 12% inches, and the thermometer which was +31 degrees C. on the ground stood at —g degrees. The most remarkable balloon ascension was that made by Glaisher and Coxwell. The balloon which they used was inflated with g,o00 cu. ft, of coal gas and carried a load of 600 lbs. The ascent took place at one P. M. and in 52 minutes they had attained the height of 29,000 ft. with the thermome- ter at —16 degrees C. At this point Glaisher fainted. It is estimated that they reached the altitude of 37,000 ft. with the barometer at 7in. These ascensions are remarkable but of little practical value. In order to make balloon ascensions entirely successful we must have balloons that can be steered, raised and lowered at will. Such a balloon was built by a Mr, Campbell at a cost of $3,000, and worked quite well on trial, but afterwards would not stand the test and finally drifted off with its occupant and. was never heard of again. There is another branch of erial naviga- tion, that is, by means of flying machines. This branch is, however, in a very imperfect state of development. It is thought by some that flying, in time, may become a success by the aid of the light metal, allu- mimum. Mr. Waldron read the following paper on “The Fuel of the Future.” Ea It has long been said that after the supply of coal and wood is exhausted, perhaps man can be warmed by some application of elec- tricity, but as the production of electricity requires power, and power requires fuel something must be found to take the place of coal and wood. You may say that this is to be found in natural gas, but this too may be exhausted in time, . It has been said that the supply of coal is unlimited, but scientists affirm that this is not so. They say that the supply of anthra- cite may last a few decades, and the bitumi- nous only a few hundred years more. Many theories are formed as to the source of natu- ral gas. It is so closely related to petroleum that it is difficult to say which comes from the other. We may, however, safely say that they both come from the same mineral. Many think this mineral to be coal. If so when the coal is exhausted the gas will go with it. In Europe, a3 in America, the gas regions are in the neighborhood of oil areas. This would seem to indicate that the gas is a pro- duction from the oil. It seems to me that after coal and wood are no longer available for fuel we must look to some form of elec- tricity. | . W. A. Ingalls, A. M., has lately been elected presi- dent of Baker University, located at Baldwin, Kansas. He is not thirty years of age, and has been a college graduate only five years. Heis doubiless the youngest college president in the United States. The press speaks very highly of his merits. The youngest college professor in the country, invested with a full professorship, is Arthur F. Abernathy, professor of modern languages and adjunct professor of ancient languages in Rutherford College, N.C. Heis not yet eighteen years of age.—Ex. A partial list of colleges in the United States which opened in 1857 are as follows: Michigan Agricultural College, Lansing, Mich.; Bowdon College, Bowdon, Ga.; Alford University, Alford Center, N. ¥.; Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, lowa; Upper Iowa University, Fayette, lowa; Monmouth College, Monmouth, IIL; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn,.; Oska- loosa College, Oskaloosa, Iowa. 42 THE SPECULUM. THE SPECULUM. PUBLISHED MONTHLY DURING THE OOLLEGE YEAR, BY THE STUDENTS aw Or THE MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. — = Teems, 75 CENTS A Year: Sincre NuMuBeErs, 10 CENTS, ADVERTISING RATES MADE KNOWN ON APPLICATION. PS All subscriptions will be regarded as continued, unless we are notified to the coutrary. _ lf this item is omuarked, your subscription is in arrears, cree BOARD OF DIRECTORS. — ECLECTIC S0CIETY. Editor-in-Chief K.. L. BuTTex FieELD, - . 7 itor-in-Chicf, Literary Articles and Editorials. NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. . j. W. Toumex, - . = * Science, PHI DELTA THETA FRATERNITY. V.H. Lowe, - - : - College News. DELTA TAU DELTA FRATERNITY. J. L. Potter, - - - . ; OLYMPIC 50CIETY, H, W. MumMrorn, . : Colleges and Exchanges, UNION LITERARY SOCIETY. A. it. Locnwe, - . - . Athletica, Personals, . Business Manager. Asst. Business Manager. Treasurer. W. A, Fox, = . j. E. Hinkson, : - Sec. H. G- REvNoLps, = - - —a— AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, OcT. 10, 1890. We were much surprised to find that the new class*had entered about two-thirds of its members in the Mechanical course, which was reversing the usual proportion. Time enough has elapsed to partly allow the causes of this fact to become manifest. And we think we see one reason for it is, though from what source it sprang is doubtful, that some made a mistake in choos- ing. Already a number have expressed their intention of changing to the Agricul- tural course. Now it ought to be well understood by all who may advise would-be students that no one can very profitably take the Mechanical course for what is termed a general education, nor unless he wishes to make a life work of mechanical, mathemati- eal or engineeriag lines. Such information may be of benefit to many who do not thor- oughly understand the methods and aims of the two courses. ee le THE recent calls for some of our alumni to take important positions in other colleges and experiment stations are most gratifying, It proves that our college is still in the van of its class of institutions; that our methods of instruction and our instructors accomplish what it is intended they should. The farmers of the country are rousing and in the coming years are destined to prove an element of greater power than ever before. The two factors dominant in bring- ing this about will be political influence and The farmers’ colleges are not only sending out good men onto farms, but they are teaching thousands of farmers the advantages of brain work, For the ben- efit to be derived from colleges of this kind is not alone in making good farmers of a few men, but in making better men of all farmers. We are proud that our college is sending forth men who are to help in the progress of the agricultural classes, better education. Wuat element is it in human nature that often impels a person to shirk those very duties, the performance of which would be of acknowledged benefit? How often do we hear a college student rejoicing because he got a good mark for a recitation, when the point he recited was the only one in the les- son he knew! How many men make up studies just to get through the course, when their true judgment must be that not the studies passed but rather the discipline of study is the measure of benefit a student receives. There are those who seem to think it smacks somewhat of heroism to go to aclass unprepared. More seem to pre- pare their lessons as a duty instead of being desirous of learning. The fact is quite uni- versal. Where is the defect? Is it any fault in our present system of early educa- tion, that it may drive more than it leads? Is it heredity, which brings with it the faults of a former system? Or is it indolence -natural to the genus /fome? THE SPECULUM. 43 ne No doubt manhood is getting the better of boyishness in our educational institutions, and we hear less and less of rough conduct. There is a certain abandon, at times, about college life and constant association with genial fellows that tempts men who have the average amount of animal spirits; hence, “scraps,” “rushes,” and so on. If one enjoys it, there is no more harm to manhood in a “scrap” than in a game of foot-ball, and usually much less danger of injury. And in spite of the frowns of a critical world, some college men will persist in such things. The difficulty is that a few fellows go too far, and so cast reflections upon all concerned. If one class think they can take another class from a space of three dimensions to one of “four dimensions,” let them try it. But this incessant “ducking” and “stacking” and pestering that a few unfortunate freshmen have to endure is unmanly and disgusting, Ir is quite evident that the Student’s Organization, as a governing body in the college, is of but little efficiency. While the order of the halls has in no wise improved the work done by ward officers has fallen well nigh to zero, pline have been dealt with by the Faculty alone, who have good reason for their prompt action in the neglect of the students to try cases. The sentiment that apparently prevades the laws of the Students’ Govern- ment is not present in the college to-day, or perhaps rather is not a power. The students must govern themselves or be governed. If the latter, there is no doubt but that military discipline will be extended to the govern- ment of the institution. It has been hinted at for a number of years and there are those in authority who favor its adoption now. If no other means are at hand, if the Faculty feel that the college needs more rigorous discipline, it may be best to introduce it, But we think it unfortunate that necessity can require it. For it will show that our present system of self-government is a fail- ure, All recent cases of disci- Then the idea of military discipline we think antagonist.c to the spirit of instruction at the college and of manhood in the students. To be of service the discipline must be both strict and absolute, It is a trait of young human nature to devise methods for breaking commands. We fear asystem of espionage would be developed that would tend to form an aristocracy of upper class men, and that would do much to mar the good fellowship now existing among our students. Undoubtedly many restraints would be effectual and a machine-like order would probably prevail. But we feel con- fident that the independence of thought and manliness of action so characteristic of our alumni would in time give way to this machine-like character in the graduates. The sentiment of order and gentlemanly conduct is strong enough to restrain any who are careless or foolish. It must be exerted from now on if we wish to maintain the democratic features of our government at the college. Let each student use his own common sense and let each have a decent regard for others. Then all will go well. COLLEGHA NEWS. 0. L. Hershiser visited the college recently. The State Board met at the College Tuesday, Octo- ber 9. An unusually large number visited the Library dur- ing the past month, Steam pipes have recently been placed in the physi- cal class-room, Mrs. Clute, accompanied by her brother and nephew, attended the Chicago exposition. The Y. M. C. A. send ten delegates to the State con- vention held at Flint, October g-12. Quite extensive repairs have recently been made on the heating apparatus in the greenhouse. Mr, Van Buren, U. 8. marshal for the eastern district of Michigan, visited the College recently, It is rumored that some more of our sub-faculty will be picked up by other colleges befure long. Secretary and Mrs. Reynolds gave a reception to the Delts Saturday evening, September 20. Mr. Chas. Merrylees of Aberdeen, Scotland, a brother of Mrs. Clute, is visiting the College. President and Mrs Clute entertained Mr. Sander- son, the artist, and others, at a tea-party Friday eve- ning, October 3. 44 THE SPECULUM. ae Ata recent meeting of the State Board of Agricul- ture it was decided to hold twenty institutes the com- ing winter, . Lieut. Simpson is out again, and, although not fully recovered from his recent sickness, is able to attend to college duties, A new Slate sensitive drill press and an automatic tool-grinding machine are recent additions to the iron shop equipment. Dr. Beal will spend the winter at Harvard, where he expects to complete the second volume of his valuable work on grasses, Mrs. Wood, Mrs. Simpson's mother, visited the college recently. She was accompanied by her daughter, Miss Wood, The ¥. M. C. A. held a reception in their rooms Friday evening, October 3. After the program a social hour was enjoyed. J. D. Tower, '85, is taking a post-graduate course in agriculture, entomology, botany and German. He will remain here this winter. -The heads of the various departments are busy writing their reporis to appear in the Secretary's report for the past year. President Clute has received the detail of Lieut. John J. Crittenden, 22d Infantry, U. 3S. Army, which takes effect December 15, 1590. Mr, G. H. Hicks of Owosso, formerly a student of Albion College, is taking a special course in botany, under the direction of Dr, Beal. Rey. C. H. Beale of Lansing will delivet his interest- ing lecture on “A Trip Through Europe,"’ in the chapel, Friday evening, October 17. Thirty-one thousand dollars of the money appro- priated through the passage of the Morrill bill, is now due the College, and willbe paid soon. President Stockbridge of the North Dakota Agricul- tural College, addressed the students in chapel recently. He was a guest of Prof, Taft while here. During the past few weeks President Clute has ad- dressed the farmers at the following places: Lake Odessa, Grand Ledge, Eaton Rapids and Corunna. Among the other attractions at the greenhouse is a large bed of carnation pinks, containing about two hundred and fifteen plants, also a lemon tree bearing two ripe lemons and six or seven green ones. L. H. Dewey, B.5., assistant in botany, was recent- ly appointed to a responsible post under Dr. Vassy, botanist of the department of agriculture at Washing- ton. Mr. Dewey is an enthusiast in his work, and his loss is felt by the department. Recent additions to the museum area fine moccasin from Florida and a copperhead from Ohio. Prof. Cook says that even the snakes in the south seem to dislike color, for the southern copperhead is of a lighter shade than the same species from Ohio. About twenty students have recently organized a botanical club, with Mr. Hicks as president and R. 5. Campbell secretary. They propose to do some good work in botany, and meet every Friday evening, the second meeting of the month being with the Natural History Society. The annual oratorical contest will be held in the chapel Friday evening, October 31. The following are the names of the orators: Union Literary Society, A. R. Locke; Eclectic, K. L. Butterfield; Olympic, W. A. Fox; Hesperian, S.C. Dundore. The percentage system will be used to obtain the results, The program for Sunday afternoon services for the remainder of the term is as follows: October 12, Rev.. MeGrath ; subject, ‘‘ The spirit of unity."” October rg, Rev. C. H. Beale; “The inner life.’ October- 26, Rev. Mr. Sly; “ The sword of the spirit." November 2, Rev. H. 5. Jordan: “ Paul's last words to Timothy.’' November g, Rev. Mr. Temple ; subject, ‘‘Christianity applied to the sturdy qualities of character.” | The experiment steers of the Short Horn, Hereford, Galloway, Holstein and Devon breeds, which have been fed at the College for the past twenty months, were recently slaughtered at Detroit by the Michigan Beef and Provision Company. They were pronounced by Detroit breeders as excellent beef, and dresséd from 63 per cent. to 67% per cent. of live weight, the two Herefords making the two extremes in the dress- ing, with an average about 66 per cent of live weight. The college battalion has been reorganized into three companies, with material enough to form two more. The followingis the roster of cadet officers: V. 5S. Hillyer, adjutant; C. A. Udell, quartermaster ; L. W. Watkins, sergeant-major. Company A, H. B, Fuller, captain; G. C. Munroe, first lieutenant; M. E: Greeson, second lieutenant; R. C. Hardy, first ser- geant; A. R. Locke, C. P, Locke, Wm Enders and C. A. Hathaway, sergeants. Company B, K, L, But- terfield, captain; V. H. Lowe, first lieutenant; A. F. Gordon, second lieutenant; B. W. Peet, first sergeant; Cc. H. Weideman, W. 5. Howland, E. M. Devendorf and R. D, Gardner, sergeants. Company C, F, W. Ashton, captain; J. L. Potter, first lieutenant; A. C. Sly, second lieutenant; L. C. Gibbs, first sergeant ; — Grossbeck, J. A. Shotwell, F. Bauerle and W. E. Palmer, sergeants, We are indebted to Mr. E. A. Burnett, of the farm department, for the following remarks: “The question is raised as to what position the college farm should hold as a breeding establishment in competition with the breeders of the State. For notwithstanding the fact that breeders are always anxious to sell stock to THE SPECULUM, 45 come tothe college, they are less willing that stock should be sold from here in competition with private capital. To some extent there is reason for the criti- cism. The necessities of the college require that it shall keep specimens of many breeds for illustration and often these may be most valuable ifkept in breed- ing condition and producing pure bred stock, We hold that no breeder, however successful, can afford to sell indiscriminately everything that he breeds and it is the duty of institutions like this to set the example among breeders of weeding out all poor stock whether purely bred or otherwise. If a good pure bred ani- mal is better than a native through hereditary tenden- cies, then a bad, pure bred animal is worse for the samereason. It is the idea of the college that in the future none but animals of high merit shall be sold for breeding purposes; and when the breeders of pure bred stock generally begin to follow this example we shall see brighter faces among the breeders, and brighter faces and broader backs among beef cattle.” Dr. Beal’s annual report of the experiment stations in the northern part of the State, and of the one situ- ated at the college, will appear soon. Of the plants tested on the old, often-cropped and much worn land, the following produced the best results: Agropprum fenerum, a wild grass having tops much like that of quack grass; Aguostis alfa, red-top; Andropogon provincalis, turkey-foot fingergrass, a tall grass flower- ing late; Andropogon scoparius, a smaller wild grass than the former; rooms cthatns, a kind of wild chess; Mactylus giomerafa, orchard grass; F/ymrws cfnadensis, a wild rye grass of coarse texture, anda native of our dry lands; Aivmus Firginicus, another wild grass, somewhat like the preceding, but found on low land. Fanicum sanguinata, finger or orb grass, acommon weed found in gardens and fields, though making very good feed; Poa compressa, flat stemmed poa or blue grass. Dr. Beal thinks it almost useless to look to forage plants alone to accomplish this task, and has decided to fertilize the soil next year and sow a mixture of the most promising clovers and grasses, allowing them to seed, thus filling up the vacant spaces between the plants and enriching the soil by the fertilizing substances from the dead leaves and stems. Of the other northern stations, Baldwin, Walton, Harrison and Oscoda, the land at Oscoda is the poorest, while that at Harrison is the best. The experiments with grasses at the College have been conducted on the delt |, a plot of five and a half acres just north of the College grounds, in which were left four plots of old sod which had been pas- tured for twenty years, and which was found to be well seeded to June grass, timothy and red top in nearly equal proportions, Around these plots were sown sixteen prominent grasses and c'overs, and one or two mixtures of these. Each year these plots are mowed with a view to testing the relative merits of newly seeded land and that which has been seeded long enough to be called permanent pasture. This last experiment will not be completed before next year, PERSONALS. We desire the earnest co-operation of every person who has ever been connected with the college in try- ing to make this department an interesting one. Let every alumnus and every person who has been with classes here send in news to the editor of this depart- ment, often, thus making his work much easier and the department more interesting to all. With "hk. F, R. Chase of Smyrna, Michigan, is one of Ionia county’s most successful farmers. He not only is an enthusiastic farmer, stock raiser, and wool grower, but he is interested in various other industries, bank- ing, manufacturing and lumbering. Whitt "65, Watts 5. Humphrey is a republican nominee for con- gress from the ninth district. "70. Hon. C. W. Garfield is the secretary and most active member in the company that is constructing the new railroad from Grand Rapids to South Haven, . "TB. . In the September Forve: we find an interesting article on “Protection Against Tornadoes," written by John P. Finley, “T4. H.-A. Haigh, lawyer, of Detroit, has been seriously Ul with typhoid fever, "Th. A. A. Crane runs the only bank in Gaylord, Mich , but that is not all. He has a real estate office, is recorder of deeds and mortgages, has an interest in the Michigan Central railroad, and, in fact, is inter- ested in all the energetic movements of the day, ‘as R. A. Clark, recently of Lansing, has removed to Saginaw, where he will engage in business. Not long ago we made note of the possibility that John E. Taylor would be a candidate for the State Senate. Ata recent republican convention, held at Big Rapids, Mr. Taylor secured the nomination, and now, ifthere are any merits in theg. o p., he will be the next Senator from the twenty-third district. == dis A personal! Well, yes! . It's a girl, you know, and A. B. Peebles of the Chemical department is the man who wears the fatherly smile. 73. Yes, it was E. O. Ladd of Old Mission who sent those pears, and if *‘ ye board of editors’ are compe- tent judges of fruit, they were of excellent quality. Mr. Ladd informs us that he harvested thirty-five bar- rels of Bartletts from twenty-four trees. But exalta- tion over the success of his pear orchard does not lessen his interest in politics. He was another one of the “old boys" who served as delegates to the State republican convention at Detroit. 46 a SS F, E. Robson has located in Detroit, and associated himself, for the practice of law, with Judge Van Zile. The firm will be known as that of Robson & Van Zile. Geo. E. Breck, who with his wife left for Europe last summer, is now returned. He brings with him a fine lot of Cleveland Bays, and some valuable Shropshire sheep. "Tt, The wife of C. W. Gammon of Courtland, California, is visiting friends in Michigan. Chas. E. Sumner isa successful lawyer at Toledo, ©. He has two little girls, aged twenty-three and eight months respectively. B1, : Chas. McKenny, instructor in English Literature at Olivet College, will recreate this winter by preaching Sundays at Dimondale. W. 5S. Delano, F. E. Delano of "82, and Milton Delano of 'S4, known in Lee Park as the Delano brothers, are dealers in garden and field seeds. They have a tract of land of 480 acres. They are energetic, live men, and are