Texas Mining and Trade Journal, Volume 4, Number 19, Saturday, November 25, 1899 Page: 5
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TEXAS MINING AND TRADE JOURNAL.
5
THE AGE OF THE EARTH.
SCIENTISTS are still disagreeing about the age of the
earth. They have been actively discussing the subject
for the past thirty years, and yet no general agreement
has been arrived at. The school of Hutton and Playfair had come
to believe that the whole of eternity was at the disposal of the
geologists, when Sir W. Thomson, now Lord Kelvin, astonished
the scientific world by declaring that the age of our planet must
be more than 20,000,000, but less than 400,000,000 years. This
larger estimate has no.w been restricted by him to not much more
than 20,000,000; while Professor Tait grudgingly allows some-
thing less than 10,000,000. Sir Archibald Geikie showed that even
the phenomena of denudation which had been adduced in sup-
port of the inconceivably vast antiquity of our globe, might be
accounted for at the present rate of action within such a period
as 100,000,000 years. Sir. Archibald, in an address before the
British Association, now concedes that it is just as well to leave
the dispute about the age of the earth to the decision of the fu -
ture. He still, however, adheres to the belief that 100,000,000
years would suffice for that portion of the history which is reg-
istered in the stratified rocks of the crust. At the same time he
' concedes that there is no reason on geological side why scien-
tists should not be at liberty to enlarge it as far as they might
find to be needful for the evolution of organized existence on
the glgbe. To .the end of following investigations which might
be turned to account in the solution of the vast problem, Sir
, Archibald advocated a study of atmospheric denudations on
, buildings, and he urged upon town geologists that they might do
good service by careful scrutiny of ancient buildings and monu-
ments, so as to obtain definite measures of the rate of their de-
cay. ' :' j. _i
GREAT WESTERN SUBTERRANEAN RIVERS.
THE great subterranean rivers of the West which slowly
wend their silent way, hundreds of feet beneath the
earth's surface, have their counterparts on the other
face of the globe. The Caspian sea is fed by many subterranean
- streams. These streams, like those of our own arid region, take
. their sources in the mountains which are covered with perpetual
. snow. The water from this melting snow percolates downward
to a deep-lying, impenetrable strata, where it begins its under-
ground passage to the sea. Nearly the whole of Persia is natu-
rally desert. There is scant rainfall, and the rivers are so few
that irrigation from this source is limited and serves only a
small portion of the country. Centuries ago the Persians stum-
bled upon the idea of tapping the underground streams or
springs at the bases of the mountains and the transition of the
Persian desert into land of great fertility is due to this constant
source of water supply.. But the water has been obtained only
through the most indefatigable labor.
A well is sunk in the foothills to a depth of anywhere from
100 to 300 feet. When this taps the vein of water, another shaft
is sunk a couple of hundred yards father down the slope, which
is in reality a gentle descent of the table land from the moun-
tains. A canal, or subterranean acqueduct is then excavated be-
tween the two shafts. At a similar distance farther down an-
other shaft is sunk, and likewise connected with the second; and
so the canal, or conneaugh, as it is called, is carried for miles.
As the conneaugh is given just fall enough to allow of a free
flow of water it gradually approaches the surface until, when it
draws near the land to be irrigated, the stream comes forth a
pearling, bubling brook, dancing in the brilliant sunshine as it
rushes on its mission to redeem the sterile waste places of na-
ture. For miles it goes through what was at one time a desert,
but which under the magic influence of this elixir of life, be-
comes a garden of the gods. It feeds fountains around which in
languorous indolence repose the dark-eyed beauties of the ha-
rem; it furnishes the baths, those luxuries of the Orient, it wa-
ters wonderful gardens, where in dazzling profusion bloom
throughout the year the rose, chrysanthemums, narcissus, tube-
rose, dahlia, white lily and aster, besides fantastic shrubs and
rare exotics, heavy with rich perfumes. Here grow to perfec-
tion the apple, peach, pear, nectarines, pomegranite, filbert,
melon and grape, and many unknown tropical fruits in such
abundance as to bewilder the traveler.
Where the soil admits of percolation, the land is flooded in
small squares from lateral ditches. On such land barlej , wheat
and other cereals are grown to great perfection. Again, irriga-
tion is accomplished by a network of ditches. The capital, Te-
heran, has no less than twenty large artificial streams flowing
through it, constituted in the manner described from the under-
ground currents.
The land lying adjacent to these canals is entitled to the use
of the water, the amount being regulated by law. Each district
is under an overseer, whose duty it is to see to the proper appli-
cation of the wat'ér and that there is no waste.
Wealthy private individuals have also constructed ditches for
their own use, furnishing the water to their tenants, but land
contiguous to their canals is entitled to certain water rights even
if not belonging to the owners of the ditches. Title to the use
of water is inherent in the land, and each section of the land is
certain of its water supply. ~ v
When the immense amount of labor involved in sinking shafts
and connecting them, by underground tunnels is considered, to-
gether with the lact that only the most, primitive methods are
yet in vogue, th| Anglo-saxon can but marvel at the patience
and industry displayed in the accomplishment of such gigantic
but necessary tasks. Some sections of Persia, especially those
along the natural rivers, could add to their irrigated area by the
use of storage reservoirs; but the greater part of the country
has no flood waters to store, the melting shows but serving to
keep alive the underground streamsEven in this despotic,
tyrant-ridden country, it has been found best, nay, necessary,
to maintain Government supervision of irrigated waters, which
is the life-blood of the Nation. With a lóose system of water
control, the land would again be desert. ' \
WAY TO TREAT BLACK-LEG IS TO PREVENT IT.
[Communicated.]
D'L ACK:LEG, known by the various names of Symptom-
Hv atic Anthrax, Quarter Evil, Black Quarter, etc., is one
of the most prevalent and fatal diseases among cattle.
Owing to the concentration of the cattle industry, large numbers
being herded together, the occurrence of the disease becomes a
serious mattar, calling for prompt measures.
- . Blackleg is a disease caused by germs which multiply rapid-
ly and are infectious. These germs get into the animal through
scratches or wounds in the skin, or through its food or drink.
The spores (or seed) of these germs are very hardy. They will
live in the dry state'for months and possibly years, and can easi-
ly be carried, from one farm or ranch to another, clinging to the
skin or feet of the animals, and * so scatter the infection. It is
quite possible that the germs are also carried by water, and so
distributed from one ranch or farm to others. They also exist
in the soil where an animal that has died of Black leg has been
buried.* " ■< ' * ■ -/'
The symptoms of Black-leg are well known to most cattle
raisers. As a rule there is a tumor or swelling pf the tissues be-
neath the skin, usually on the thighs, neck or shoulders. If this
tumor be rubbed with the hand, a peculiar cracking sound is
heard. This is due to the gas contained in the tumor. Animals
dead from Black-leg bloat very rapidly, the skin being stretched
until one thinks it must burst. This production of gas is charac-
teristic of Black-leg.
Some fifteen years ago "Arloing," a scientist, discovered a
method of vaccinating against Black-leg. This method has been
extensively used in many countries, and is much the same as
vaccination in human beings against smallpox.
Experiments are constantly being made in the extensive bio-
logical laboratories of Parke, Davis & Co., Detroit, Michigan.
This house, in addition to being the largest manufacturing phar-
macists in the world, has also the most extensive biological
laboratory in this or any other country. As it is quite necessa-
ry, in order to insure good results, in vaccinating your cattle
with Black-leg vaccine to employ the fresh product, it would
be a safe-guard to specify the make of this well-known Ameri-
can house. They also test every lot on cattle, and find it relia-
ble before a single dose is put on the market.
Parke, Davis & Co., for the convenience of the cattle-raising
communities, have placed their Black-leg vaccine on sale at all
leading drug stores, and they will supply you with descriptive
literature with full directions how to perform the simple opera-
tion, etc., free of charge on application.
Now is the time to vaccinate your cattle. Best results are al-
ways obtained in the Fall and Spring of the year.
Jarrott & Allard, Stephenville, will save you monev on any-
thing you buy. Their prices are always the lowest.
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McAdams, Walter B. Texas Mining and Trade Journal, Volume 4, Number 19, Saturday, November 25, 1899, newspaper, November 25, 1899; Thurber, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth200533/m1/5/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Tarleton State University.