Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1859 — CAPILARY ATTRACTION. [ARTICLE]

CAPILARY ATTRACTION.

[For the Rensselaer Gazette.

Mr. Davins: I like to come across a newspaper article that not only interests me, but also sets me to thinking—such an one is the article in your last issue over the signature of“P.” There were several things in it, that caused me to make enquiry and I soon found out ike meaning of “tripod” and “capilary attraction,” though I can’t say I fully I understand the last erm. I have heard the | thing talked about some, bitt have not paid such attention as I ought to have dme, and I therelore Write this little note with the request that friend-P’will enlighten me thereon. 1 have never before understood that the surtace-of the earth was filled with capilary lubes, or that water rose to or towards the surface by capilary attraction. Now if this be true, we have discovered a new principle in hydrodynamics, that maybe turned to good account. Excuse this big word, I can’t say whether it is right or not, but a man standing at my elbow says it [is, so I put it in—Mr. P. will no doubt explain it. I have not set my “tripod, at that ripple," and I certainly wont du it until warmer weather. Nor have I carefully “run a water

level for many miles in every direction," neither do I intend doing that unless Mr. P, will agree to ferry me over the many sloughs in this area, that is about as large as the millpond itself. But I will ask him if he thinks these sloughs, are made by the water being backed up from the dam on each side of this “ripple" for many miles, or ate they caused by “capilary attraction,” or by both these causes combined, or by either, and if by one, which! I believe a “ripple” in a stream is generally caused by a declination in the surface of the earth at that point; consequently beloW the ripple the surface is lower than it is above. Now what I want to know is,-Ante in accordance with your statement, and on 7 what principle can this water of the stream enter the earth, take a retrograde motion, run up stream, and not only attain the level of the water the ripple, but keep on i s travels many miles above and all this by the power of a dam, the top of which must be ' belXv the. level of the ripple itself’. While my horses were feeding, I penned this article. Although lam a farmer, I feel an interest in all stub questions mooted by friend P, and 1 hope he will not think me impertinent in callingon him for more light.

MOSES.