NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1901, 17 July 1890, Page 22

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Hybridism and Man.— Mr F. A. Joseph, Dunedin. { Iwritea :— " In your last Issue Mr Taylor Wliite 1 rpiaoei before the public In a very dear manner the ''teachings of science In relation to the origin of (Rman.and-touohei upon the vexed question of the Irorlrin of fcbe various race typei of mankind, j feef me that Darwin In his great work, • The Oriatfn of •Lfipeclee',' accounts forthe origin of the different -?types of related animal*, giving the only rational r and logical explanation that has as yet been promulgated, there should be do difficulty in deriving the race origin of the different typet of mankind from a common ancestral type. The genus porno, a« yet consists of one species only (homo sapiens) ; but the different races may be considered varieties of the species; and as varieties in most other instance ate perfectly fertile inter se, we find the varieties of the human species nho fertile. Varieties of a species often show, when crossed, some «pproaohto hybridism in a less fertile, or less hardy offspring, and there are similar evidences of an approach to hyhridtsm in the offspring of different raoee occasionally, although generally all the races of mankind are perfectly ferf-.i'e Met se. I can assure Mr White thnt all of th« i- stance* of Intermarriage between half-caste MaoHfS thatjhave come under mv notice have resulted in numerous offspring, so that no trace of hybridism is shown in that particular. However, speaking generally, I have noticed that half-caste childrpn (first cross) are more or less pre-disposed to nprvius disease?, and display gene rally a less haidy constitution than either pure parent race These remote traces of hybridism appear to be intensified In the children of halfca«.<«» parents. The position would appear tobs, thfcr -fore as far »s the origin of the races cf mankind are concerned, that the human animal, in common with animals generally. ha« descended from a common ancestral type. In strict accordance with the 'aws of variation, and or,the»urvival of the fittest, modification always advancing to higher types, has taken place, and as the result, we have the present races of mankind, all, probably enough, equnlly unlike the original ancestral type The human raoe Is one of tho most recent developments of the higher animal structures, and given sufficient time and isolation , separate species would In time undoubtedly be developed. Modern civiliaaMon, with its myriad channels of intercourse, however, steps In to cheat Dame Wai lire out of her vested rights, and instead of the varieties of manhood developiug into several distinct species, the interblending of races will in time establish oue universal type, containing within it, let v j hope, all tlvt is best In the dominant rar es. So far we may accept the animal origin of man ; his fliiirliual nature is a different matter, and evidently beyond t\w range of our investigation, howfar we may speculate. Bertik, Dunedin.— The Little Folk's column was printed when your letter arrived. It will appear next week. X.— See sporting. Felix.— (l) The word "gammon" is the modern form of the Anglo-Saxon gamen, eport. In Icelandic It is written gaman ; Danish, gamnan ; old Swedish, gamman; and old high German, gaman, signifying joy or mirth (2) See announce irient over farm pages. (3) The letter you mention appeared In a Canterbury paper. J. W. M— We have made inquiries a n^ learn tnat No. 23.948 was not n prize number In the NZ. find

S.S, Exhibition art union. FAVOUB.-Tbe manufacture of «»««' g ™ J^ l ",* rather difficult proceas.as *JJJ^MJ on the .übjeot will snowi-Wa it, «• J "gJ^J ™}

this should be observed, to prevent the coagulation of albumenoids, thereby rendering them insoluble. It is, however, almost impossible to evaporate at so low a temperature without the vie of costly vacuum apparatus, and hence it might be expected that malt extract made by pharmacists without such apparatus would contain, little, if any, disease. The method of the German pharmacopoeia, which is largely followed, directs digestion of the malt with water— first, in the cold, then at 150' eg F. (65Jdeg O.), and the solution thus obtained filtered and evaporated at 212deg F. (lOOdeg C). Of course no diastase survives thft evaporation. Another method is to heat the maid with water at 150deg (65jdeg C), until no starch remains, filter and evaporate at 212deg F. (lOOdeg C). This method differs from that of the' German pharmacopoeia, Inasmuch as part of the diastase Is used up in converting the starch of the malt, and the remainder only is destroyed by the evaporation. From malt extract made by both thete methods no diastase resulted in either case. Extract made by macerating the malt in cold water, straining, and evaporating under a lew atmospheric pressure at a temperature not exceeding 155 dee F. (HBdeg 0.), was found to be riuh in diastase Suoh a process as this is recommended by the Fbarmiceutioal Society of Paris. Inquirrb —(1) Tho best standard works on agrloul« ture are " Low's Elements of Practical Agriculture " (revised edition), " Stephen's Book of Tho Furm " " The Complete Grazier," and " Rbam'g Dictionary of the Farm," Nearly all have been In, circulation for many years, and although the Illustrations In the volumes are now certainly antiquated, and many of the theories propounded scarcely tenable at the present time, each of the works named deserves a place in a farmer's and stockbreeder's library. " The Dictionary of the F.irm," published so long ago as 1858, will be found a most instructive little volume, inasmuch as a great diversity of subjects are arranged alphabetically, nnd reference is thereby made easy. (2) and (3) " Llebig's Natural Laws or Husbandry " <edited by Blyth) and " Johnson's Elements of Agricultural Chemistry "j the former for choice. It must be remarked that in consequence of aotive scientific research now in progress, theories whioh find acceptance to-day may be upset on the morrow; nevertheless, Liebtg a work embodies a mass of information needed by farmers of the present day. W S. D. T.— Mr Beverly replies-. At the present time Sirlus sets W.S.W. between 6 and 6 o'clock, and rises B.S.E. about 3 in the morning. It; the beginning of September Slrius rises at midnight, and at the end of the year it is on the meridian at midnight, 29deg north of the zenith, and 20deg from the constellation Orion. The star seen in the south near the horizon about 10 o'clook is Cbnopus, the next to Sirius in brightness, Achornar being S,B. and 35deg altitude at that hour. The best way to get a knowledge of the stars Is to get Proctor's maps and study them. Tho reason why so few know anything of the oonstellalions is that so few take an intorcst in

astronomy. ___________ Olotha.— (1) Hemove all Ihe dirt from the pores oi the leather by thoroughly washing the saddle with a weak solution of sotc soap, then dry perfectly by rubbing. When the leather has been perfeotly dried Bpply evenly with a soft oloth the faintest possible smearing of soft soap, which must be well rubbed in, for if too inuoh of the soap Is applied, and if the rubbing 1b insufficient, the saddle, with change* of weather, will become clammy and will coon again be charged with dirt and dust. A. chamois leather to finish the rubbing with and for frequent use afterwardß greatly improves the appearance of a saddle, (a) Presumably the kind of boots you refer to Is one adopted by a local manuf-oturer. The " upper! " uisd are mostly English, sometimes Continental, and occasionally colonial leather ; while for the soles the last-named material is almost Invariably worked up. X.—" The Coal Mines Act 1886," section 57, provides tbat every owner of a mine, when there I* an accumulation of water, who negligently or wilfully permits water to overflow or percolate Into an adjoining mine shall be liable to pay a contribution to the cost of 5 draining in proportion to the amount of water allowed to overflow or percolate. Mn.L.— We do not think you can recover damages. 5 Codwtbt Subsobibbb.— (l) The reduotion dates back to the commencement of the lease. (2) In cases of forfeited perpetual leases the late lessee gets full valuation for hia improvements, less only the cost of recovering possession and making the valuation— usually about £5- and arrears of rent (if any) ; but his better course is to surrender, In which case no deduction is made. (3) Once a lessee surrenders, or allows his lease to become forfeited, he has no further claim on the laud, which reverts to its original status as Crown land, and may be dealt with by the Land Board as It sees fit j save that it is burdened with the valuation for the Improvements. (4) Is a question tbat can only be answered by th* Land Board itself. (5) One-third of the purchase money and rent respectively. The rest of your question raises a difficult point, but we are inclined to think that a selector In a block has a right to be informed whether the money received for that blook has been properly

applied. Inthrbsted.— The resolution as to Improvers at the meeting of the Painters' Union is only capable of one meaning— viz., that Improvers are to be done away with entirely. It reads :— " That improvers be Mt out of the painteri' trade altogether," and was carried unanimously. (2) In Sporting next week. Inquibkb.- It all depends upon arrangement. Write to the agents of both lines, and ask their

quotations. S. F.— Bore an augur hole in the stump and fill it with saltpetre, and you will have no 'further, trouble.