Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

THE SOUTHERN - WORLD, AUGUST 1, 1882. 7 Natural Curiosities of East Tennessee. A Knoxville correspondent of the Morris town Gazette of November 16th 1881, in al luding to the natural curiosities of East Tennessee says: The greatest natural curiosity in East Ten nessee is the greit Indian cave, about six miles north of New Market, on the Holston river, and only a short distance from Lea’s Springs. This cave has been explored a dis tance of five miles, and is filled with won derful formations of rock, Stalagmites rise from the floors, singly and in groups. In one room stands the frozen bridge, a stalag mite in the form of a lady, with white veil, seeming a statue of ice. In another room, called the concert room, stands the frozen organ, a group of stalagmites, joined to gether at the base, and the upper spears lost to view in outer darkness resembling the pipes of a great church organ, all coated with ice. The concert room is about eighty feet wide and two hundred feet long, ceiling fifty feet high, studded with innumerable stalactites, some of them reaching half way to the floor. Millions of diamonds flash in ceiling and wall, and the echo from a single musical instrument is multiplied a hundred times and becomes a continuous roll of music, as if from a score of hands. About a mile from the entrance is the rotunda, with curved ceiling reaching up more than a hundred feet. No amount of torches can flash the diamonds in that ceiling; the darkness cannot be pierced, and tens of mil lions of bats swing there in festoons undis turbed. After leaving the rotunda, crossing the creek several times and winding on through fields of stalagmites, we come to Devil’s Chimney; we enter the arch and above as far as torches can flash their light, stretches this smooth walled chimney hundreds of feet. The creek that winds through this cave is a stream the size of our first creek, of sufficient capacity to run a mill, and traveling a distance of three miles in the cave. We cross it several times. In some places It forms lakes—in other rapids and waterfalls, cascades and whirl pools. » East Tennessee abounds in beautiful rivers, beautiful mountains, beautiful scenery and natural wonders and curiosities. I am un worthy and unable to portray them as they deserve, but am anxious to try a description of the Natural Bridge and Great Park of the Cumberland mountains, situated forty miles north of this city; the group of “mineral waters’’ in Grainger county; the “ebbing and flowing’’ springs in Hawkins county; the “alum cave" in Sevier county; the “burning spring” in Anderson county; the great Craig-head cave in Loudon county, the great coal mountain in Campbell county, and at some future time I will ask for space in the Gazette for this purpose. Borax In California. Borax is now well known to occur in very many of the salt springs in the coast moun tains of California. But in only two places has it been found in large quantities—these are Borax Lake and Hacbinhama (pro nounced Hah’-chin-ha'-ma), both being in the immediate vicinity of Clear Lake, about eighty miles north of San Francisco. Borax Lake is a shallow pool intensely of alkaline water, without inlet or outlet, and of course its extent depends on its reception of rain water. After an exceptionally wet season, it has a length of perhaps a mile and a half, with a depth of eight to ten feet; after an exceptionally dry season, on the contrary, it shows sometimes no water, the muddy bot tom being covered with saline incrustations. When it has a length of three-fourths of a mile, with a depth of four feet, being per haps its average condition, the water holds in solution 18.75 grains of solid matter to the ounce—.039 of its own weight. This con sists of salts of soda in the following pro portions: Sodium carbonate, .618; sodium chloride, .204; sodium biborate, .178. But this alkaline water, exceedingly rich as it is in borax, constitutes only a trifling part of the commercial value of the lake. In fact it has never been turned to account at all in the manufacture of borax, though snch use of it is entirely practicable, as the statements tb be presently made in relation to Hachlnhama will show. The muddy bottom of the lake was found, immediately on its discovery in 1866, to contain borax in crys tals, in quantities most astonishing. These crystals being tested by various workers In iron and steel, were pronounced equal to the very best of refined borax. They ate, in fact, pure biborate of soda, with out any other impurities than the mud me chanically entangled with them in their process of crystalization. They correspond to the native borax of other localities desig nated as tincal, but yet are decidcly distinct from it. In fact no such crystals as those of Borax Lake, have ever been found in any other locality, and there are several points in connection with their mode of formation, and even their very existence, which are by no means easy of comprehension, as we shall see.—Da. W. O. Ayres, in Popular Science Monthly. Written specially for the Southern World. MOURNING. BY ATHALIA JAIQH. The custom of outward mourning—means intended to expresss the feelings of sorrow ing friends for their lost relatives—extends, we believe, almost as far back as history reaches. The custom of the Jews in ancient times, was to adorn themselves in sackcloth and ashes, and during the period of mourn ing, which was generally seven, but some times protracted to thirty days, they would tear their clothes, lie on the ground or walk barefoot, cut off the hair and beard, and ab stain from washing and anointing them selves, weeping all the while. Black is "the color used for mournlug in Europe and Rome, and was also used in an cient Greece. It is expressive of the deepest, inconsolable grief, and pining for the lost friend. Black and white striped is expressive of sonow and hope combined, and is worn for mourning by the South-sea Islanders. Gray ish brown is the color of the earth, and is used by Ethiopians. Pale brown, the color of withered leaves, is worn in Persia. Sky- blue is expressive of hope for the deceased, and is worn in Syria, Cappadocia and Arme nia. Deep blue is the mourning of Bokhara, in Central Asia, and is used also by the Ro mans under the republic. Purple and vio let, denotes royalty, and is worn for cardi nals, and the kings of France. Violet is the mourning of Turkey, and white of China, and until 1498, the latter was also worn in Spain. Henry the VIII wore white for Anne Boleyn, who once wore yellow for Catherine of Arragon. Yellow may be regarded as a token of exaltation, and is worn as mourn ing in Egypt and Burmah. The usages regarding mourning have va ried much at different times and in differ ent countries; but in America, the custom of wearing black for the dead, is now becom ing more extensively practiced by a general class of people than ever before; and at the same time, the ladies of our country, are becoming feebler and more unhealthy every year. If they could be made to feel and be lieve the vanity and foolishness of such cus toms, the country—yea, world, would be largely benefitted by it. Why drape yourself for so long a time in such gloomy attire 7 Do you not feel enough of sorrow, and experience sufficient suffer ing because of your loss, without a constant reminder always before you? Why not weep quietly when you so desire, and laugh when you feel disposed? It appears like mockery to sec a lady heavily draped in mourning, laughing gaily, or taking part in any lively affair, and especially dancing; but still it is not well to assume a grave and sanctified expression, as is frequently done by persons in crape, for months after the loss of a friend; and as nothing else is becoming to suck grave costumes, it is far the wisest plan to put aside the vain custom altogether, and conduct yourself at all times according to your feelings. Of course you feel sad and melancholy more frequently than otherwise, but if some kind friend should cheer you, giving you consolation for the time being, or causing you to forget your sorrow, do not attempt to drive away the gay feelings “for the sake of the dead,” and assume a grave air, but forget your sorrow as much as pos sible, for the sake of the living ones around you, as well as for your own good. It is strange indeed, that so many will persist in continuing such injurious habits, in spite of the repeated entreaties in their behalf. The custom of gentlemen to wear only a small band of crape around the hat, is, of course, no harm to health, but it is quite as foolish and vain, as that of the ladies. May the day yet come when the people will abandon all such idle practices. Why are not Educated Women More Healthy, The Association of Collegiate Alumna: have issued a circular, in which they say that the physical status of American women of the educated class is painfully low. They call the attention of parents, Institutions and students to certain evils which help to make sickly women. 1. Social dissipation, and excitement which is neither amusement nor recreation. Girls are too often stimulated to shine so cially and intellectually at the same time. A mother proves her daughter’s perfect health by saying: “She has been able to go to parties or entertainments four or five evenings a week, all winter, and she stands at the head of her class.” 2. Habitual loss of sufficient and healthy sleep. In a New York academy, a class of sixty girls, between the ages of twelve' and eighteen, chanced to be asked by a recent visitor the time they retired the night before. The average was found to be twenty minutes before midnight; but no surprise was man ifested by the teachers nor regret by the pupils. 3. Irregularity and haste in taking food, the use of confectionary in the evening and the omission of breakfast. The principal of a large girl's school, in Philadelphia lately said, that so many habitually came to school without having taken sufficient breakfast, and taking tittle or no lunch, that he had been compelled, in order to obtain good mental work, to have a warm lunch furnished, and to insist upon the scholars taking it in the middle of the morning. 4. Tight, heavy and insufficient clothing, which frightfully increases tho tendencies to consumptive and spinal diseases. A phy sician of wide experience confidentially states that this cause alone lias incapacitated more womon than over-study and over-work of all kinds. 5. The lack of sufficient out-door exercise. When a proper amount of time is devoted to such exercise, no time will be left for over study. 6. Tlie ambition of parents and daughters to accomplish much in little time, which sends students to college either hurriedly and imperfectly prepared, or with a thor ough preparation gained at the expense of health. 7. The usual postponement of instruction in the laws of physiology and hygiene to a college course. The Association recom mends the introduction of a thorough course of physical training, with special Instructors anil lectures on the subject. A Typical Plant-Cell. A child’s toy-balloon may afford us an illustration of what a naturalist might call a typical cell. We have in the toy simply a closed sac thoroughly distended by its con tents, more or less perfectly spherical in shape, and affording in outline or cross-sec tion an almost perfect circle. In the organic cell the sac is known as the cell-wall, and whatever may be inclosed by the cell-wall is called the cell-contents. A typical cell would be round, spherical, but very few cells, os they occur in nature, are perfect spheres. A cell whicii may be spherical nt the outset may change its shape in accor dance with changing circumstances, so that we may say that the form of all cells which we find united to form tissue varies with the situation which we shall see more clearly as we go on. That vegetable tissues, as they occur in wood, pith, leaves, flowers, and fruit, are entirely composed of cells, may be easily demonstrated. All that is needed is to take a very thin slice of any of these substances and Examine with a microscope of moderate power, when the cellular struc ture becomes immediately apparent. So, then, all the great variety of form and color, and all the resulting beauty, which the vege table kingdom affords, and all the varied economic value of plants, depends upon the form and contents of these little orgauic. units—of cells. More than this: these cells are of the highest scientific interest. All the discussion of the past few years in re gard to spontaneous generation and the origin of life has been a discussion of vege- 'table cells; and very much of all that we know about life, its activity and its mystery, has been derived from the study of tho cells of growing plants. It becomes, then, a mat ter of some interest to know something abdut these cells; and, if the reader can imagine himself for a little while looking through the lenses of our microscope, it will be the purpose of this article to tell him some little of what he may see while he studies the cells of plants.—Profettor T. H. McBride, in the Popular Science Monthly. We are ignorant in youth, from idleness, and we continue so in manhood from pride; for pride is less ashamed of being ignorant than of being instructed, and she looks too high to find that which very often lies be neath her. Therefore condescend to men of low estate and be for wisdom that which Al- cibiades was for power. He who rings only one bell, will hear only one sound; and he who lives only with one class, will see but one scene of the great drama of life. Mr. Lock was asked how he had contrived to accumulate a mine of knowledge so rich, yet so extensive and so deep. He replied that he attributed what little he knew to not having been ashamed to ask for Information and to the rule he had laid down, of con versing with all descriptions of men, on those topics chiefly that formed their own peculiar professions or pursuits. I myself have heard a common blacksmith eloquent when welding of iron was the theme; what we know thoroughly, we can usually express clearly; since ideas will supply words, but words will not always supply ideas. Therefore, when I meet with any that write obscurely or converse con fusedly, I am apt to suspect two things: first, that such persons do not understand themselves, and, secondly, that they are not worthy of being understood by others. TO FLORIDA FRUIT-GROWERS. ~ ~~ * * Florida Fruit-Growers’ Association, Jacksonville, Fla. It is the special object and desire of the “Florida Fruit-Growers' Association" to en courage and promote the successful and profitable culture of all the best varieties of Fruits suitable to the soils and cliniuteof our State. Each individual member of tho associa tion, and every one within the borders of Florida who is in sympothy with the objects of the Association, can greatly aid in collect ing knowledge on tho general and special subject of Fruit culture, in all its branches, as now practiced in this State; and this knowledge widely disseminated by the press, must prove of incalculable value and im portance to thousands of actual and pros, pective settlers, and to the great public who enjoy and appreciate fine fruit, everywhere throughout the country. With a view of eliciting practical infor mation—facts and deductions drawn from experience and close observation—the Asso ciation respectfully solicits immediate re plies to the following queries: 1. What varieties of Fruit are most suc cessfully and extensively grown in your neighborhood, in addition to the Orange, Lemon, etc. ? 2. What are your prospects, now, for a large, medium or small crop of Oranges ? 3. What diseases, insects, etc., have thus far, proved most destructive and trouble some? And what remedies have been tested —with results of tests? 4. What is the natural character or quality of your soil, and what fertilizers—domestic and commercial—havo proved most efficient and economical ? 5. What is your stylo of pruning? Do you “trim up" or “trim down," and why? 6. Do you favor mulching and infrequent stirring of the surface, or constant cultiva tion and no mulching 1 7. How do you apply fertilizers? 8. Are your trees budded, or seedlings? And which do you prefer? 9. Has the LeConte Pear borne fruit with you, or in your immediate neighborhood? 10. Do you cultivate tho Japan Persim mon, (Diospyrot Iraki,) or the Chinese Quince (Cyndonia Sinentie)f 11. State your experience with tho Fig, the Banana, the Guava, tho Pine-apple and the Cocoanut. Do you raise any of these fruits for market? 12. Is tho Strawberry n success with you ? What sorts do you cultivate, and what is your system? 13. Can you raise any other varieties of the Peach, (budded,) except the “Peen-To” and "Honey”? 24. Are you cultivating the Grape ? What varieties? Do you make wine for home use, or market ? Every Florida reader of the foregoing queries, whether a member of the Associa tion or not, may consider himself directly and individually addressed. Wo earnestly solicit concise and explicit replies, at the earliest possible day, for publication; and we respectfully ask leading papers to give this circular and any replies which it may call forth, the widest publicity. D. H. Elliott, D. Redmond, Secretary. Preiident. Mummied infants os a rule, were sepa rately coffined, and instances to tho contrary are rare. Paul de Saint-Victor tells of a touching group, found at Thebes—the mother with her babe clasped In her arms, pressed to her lifeless bosom.