ressmaker Worth adopted them,
and the linen trade already has them in stock. We recently saw at
Suzange's some linen aprons and collars ornamented with small groups of
fruits and seeds prepared by the Collin process, and which produced a
most pleasing effect. The idea has even occurred to apply these trimmings
to furniture and upholstery.

In the manufacture of these articles the cones of several species of
_Casuarina_, the tags of alder, as well as the naturally carved fruits of
certain _Eloeocarpi_ of India and Australia, were first used; then came
the fruits of the umbelliferous plant, _Oenanthe_, the spiral pods of
_Medicago_, the fruit of the water-caltrops, _Melia_ and _Zizyphus_, the
cups of the acorn, the involucres of the beech, the seeds of _Coix
lacryma_, etc.

The naturalist ought to be glad to see objects that form the base of his
studies taking a direction favorable to the industry of his country.

On another hand, these products themselves cannot fail to arouse the
curiosity of ladies who have the instinct of observation. And, who knows?
Perhaps a frock or mantle trimmed with these vegetable ornaments may
prove a more certain propaganda in favor of botany than the most classic
lessons on this gentle, science!--_La Nature_.

* * * * *

DEW.

[Footnote: Abstract of paper read before the Royal Society of
Edinburgh on Dec. 21, 1885, by Mr. Aitken, communicated by permission of
the Council of the Society.--_Nature_.]

The first point referred to in this paper is the source of the vapor that
condenses to form dew. A short historical sketch is given of the
successive theories from time to time advanced on this point, showing
how in early times dew was supposed to descend from the heavens, and then
afterward it was suggested that it rose from the earth, while Dr. Wells,
who has justly been considered the great master of this subject, thought
it came neither from above nor from below, but was condensed out of the
air near the surface of the earth. He combated Gersten's idea that it
rose from the earth, and showed that all the phenomena observed by
Gersten and others which were advanced to support this theory could be
equally well explained according to the theory that it was simply formed
from the vapor present at the time in the air, and which had risen from
the ground during the day, and concluded that if any did rise from the
ground during night, the quantity must