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Speculative Moohology. MESSRS. EDITORS :—The idea that. thl) full moon is hot seems to me so unscientific, that, tlj,0v.gh advanced or advocated by all the Herschels and backed by the Rosse reflector to boot, I take the liberty of offering a reason or two which may go to prove it untenable. The convexity of the moon's surface is so much greater than that of the earth, that the moon must be effected bv the sun's heat less than the earth is by a proportion considerably less than the ratio of size or diameter between the earth and moon would seem to indicate—nearly all the heat being deflected or reflected into space and dissipated. (And this convexity is possibly the cause of so little heat being reflected directly earthward.) The sun's rays can have but a small spot—small, as compared with the earth in this respect—on which they can at any time be said to fall vertically; a much less distance being required there than on the earth to reduce them to rays falling through all degrees of obliquity down to horizontal. So the vertical and nearly vertical rays may move around the moon quite - slowly, and yet heat but at most a tropical belt, while there would be temperate and frigid zones as on the earth. But it would be doubtful whether that belt could by any possibility reach a temperature of 492° as claimed by modern astronomers, All this, supposing the moon has all the conditions and' requirements which the earth possesses for rendering sensible the solar heat; but the first and principal one of these is an atmosphere and astronomers tell us the moon has none at all; and without the atmospheric lens to contract the sun's rays together and squeeze out the heat; how, and from whence is free caloric to be obtained ? On the earth it is known that at a certain hight, where (and because) the air has but little density, snow never melts, even under the tropics ; whence we may infer that at greater elevations and with l)jr still more rarefied, ice and snow would remain unmeltt;d even if exposed to the rays of an equatorial sup for a century_and with no at, mosphere at all it would be fitill colder than with a little. It i!l stated that the additi far as I am informed, or have had the means of knowing, not a single individual has ever examined it who was not impressed with the feeling and belief that it is the most extraordinary and gigantic wonder ever presented to the eye of man. Be it what it may, it presents a most perfect human form, of colossal size, defying the present state of science, whether geology or archreology. Its origin, we have to confess, is as deep a mystery as' when first brought to light. Any theory,traced but a Jew steps, involves a belief in hitherto unproven facts or assumptions having, mainly imaginary foundations. Had it ever been well established that the human body was capable of becoming petrified so as to preserve the entirety of every part, it would be far easier to suppose this a veritable petrifaction of one of the Giants that lived “ in those days,” than to suppose it a statue. But the negative of this having been assumed, and all subsequent reasoning and facts, made to square to the assumption, that the petrification of the human body was impossible, the statue theory is, of course, the only thing left, and the conclusion is, that it is a statue, because it cannot be a petrifaction. Whether this is, or is not, good logic, in the present state of knowledge upon this subject, I am not now disposed to offer an opinion, but will merely add, in this connection, that we have, really, no fewer obstacles to overcome, in concluding it a statue. There is not a chisel mark upon the entire image, nor of any other implement employed by human hand. The style of model, its perfection, its peculiarly smooth surface, all defy the artist. Be it statue or petrifaction, it has every indication of having occupied its late bed for a great number of ages, and was not, as your correspondent asserts, gotten up to impose upon “a gullible public.” It is now “ lying in state “ in this city, where, for some time, all who are disposed to examine its form will have ample opportunity to do so ; ;and I would add, in all due deference to your all-wise correspondent, that men of sense and wealth have thought it a reality of sufficient magnitude to make it an objest to pay a large sum of money to possess it. A. WESTCOTT, A.M., M.D. Syracuse, N. Y. The Stone Giant. , MESSRS. EDITORS :—Upon reading the several communications in your paper, I judge there are two disputed questions in relation to the stone giant, recently exhumed at Cardiff. 1st. As to its being a fossil. 2d. As to its antiquity . • On page 43, vol. I., of Clark's “History of Onondaga,” published 1849, is recorded the fact that there existed among the Onondaga Indians a tradition that among the things that heretofore had been- troublesome to their nation were the “ Quis Quis, or big hog, the big bear, the homed water serpent, and the stone giant.” The author seems to have thought the tradition not well founded, as can be seen by reading the work (which I have not at hand or I would quote further). They have found the stone giant, and no doubt the hog, bear, and serpent are there. Perhaps if' the Onondagians could read their own history there would be less of a pow wow over their recent discovery. C. ALVORD. Washington, D. C. Cultivation of the Poppy in Texas. MESSRS. EDITORS :—In a former number of your paper, I noticed an article on the culture (i)f the poppy, written by my brother, James Byars. He mentions seeing the white poppy growing wild and in great abundance about West Liberty. This is the Argemone Mexicana, or prickly poppy. The whole plant abounds in a milky, viscid juice, which becomes yellow on exposure to the air. This juice, which is acrid, has been used internally in obstinate cutaneous eruptions, and as a local application to warts, etc. The flowers are said by De Can- dolle to have been employed as a soporific. The seeds, which are small, round, black, and rough, m doses of two drachms to a pint of watery infusion, act as an emetic. In smaller doses they are purgative. An oil may be obtained from them by expression, wbich is equal, if not superior to castor oil in mildness and certainty of action. The oil might be m^de here in any quantity from the abundant wild growth of the plant. There is no doubt, I think, of the adaptability of the soil and climate here for the culture of the white poppy (Papaver somniferum), and if you can send the seed or inform me where to procure it, I will give it a trial. WM. M. BYARS, M. D. Columbus, Texas. Supply of Water in Large Cities. MESSRS. EDITORS :—1 would like, through the medium of your very able and valuable journal, to make some suggestions relative to the supply of water in large cities in cases of fire, and others of importance to those using steam boilei's, etc. It is well known that immense amounts of money are 1of:jt annually by fire which might be saved provided there was some means by which water could be obtained at a few minutes' notice instead: of being compelled (as is the case in many instances) to await the arrival of fire apparatus. The latter alternative has to my certain knowledge resulted several times in severe losses, which, had the case befiln otherwise, would have only been a trifling loss. I would suggest placing at the supplying reservoir large pumping engines, supplied with safety-pressure valves, and © 1869 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC NOVEMBER 27, 1869.] instead of allowing the water to flo” by its own gravitation, to force it through the pipes under pressure, of sufficient stength to throw water at any desired hight or distance, and by placing hydrants at various points throughout the city (the more the better), with 4, 6, or 8 discharge openings, and establishing hose houses near by, an immediate and abundant supply of water could be obtained at any time, thus making a saving of millions of dollars worth of property annually. It would furthermore be a means of feeding steam boilers without the necessity of using steam pumps. I should think that a large portion of the water now wasted might be saved, as the above arrangement would necessarily involve the passage of laws, levying a heavy fine upon any one allowing the water to run when not in actual use, and would also compel the abandonment of lead pipes, which could not stand the pressure, and which are the sole cause of much sickness in large cities on account of their poisonous action on water. It would compel the use of pipes of different metal, and thus be the means of saving many valuable lives. I should think that this arrangement could be carried out without much. expense, compared with the expense of the present fire department, and in the end allay all fears of a scarcity of water, which is now caused by the immense waste through carelessness and otherwise. Mobile, Ala. C^^ES S. BAILEY. [Some of our practical correspondents will be able to point out grave impracticabilities in this scheme.—EDS.
