sels are usually made. These, though lefs polished to appearance than hempen ropes, are found to last much longer, and, pofsefsing a certain degree of elasticity, vefsels are found to ride much easier by such cables in a hard gale than with hempen cables. If the experiment of Mr. Webb with the filaments of the great aloe shall succeed, as they expect, it must be a most valuable discovery.

Independant of the quality of the fibres of those plants that are enumerated, and others that may be employed for the same purposes, we may expect that many of them will become valuable merely on account of the economy that will result from the using of them. Some years ago a few seeds of a particular kind of hemp, which might be called cannabis gigantea, was brought into this country from China, which, being sowed here, grew to the height of twelve feet; but the seeds of it did not ripen in this climate; though it appears, by a letter from Dr. Lettsom (M. R. for April last) that the seeds have ripened, and the plant thrives in Virginia, and also that it has succeeded in France. There can be no doubt but it might be easily propagated in many of our settlements in India, and with much benefit to the natives who there so much abound.

I have just now in my possession a small quantity of the drest fibres of a kind of hemp, as it was called, which came from some part on the west coast of the continent of South America, which measures no lefs than thirteen feet in length; but I have got no account of the plant that yielded it. These filaments are strong, but seem to me to be more rigid and less

pliable than our common hemp. They are remarkably clean and clear, and whiter than unbleached hemp of this country. I have no doubt but they could be drefsed into as fine filaments as common hemp, were it judged necessary.

There is a kind of sea grafs comes from India not thicker than a hair, which is sold by those who deal in angling tackle under the name, I think, of Indian weed, which, if stretched round two rollers, will bear a greater weight without breaking than perhaps any other filament of the same size yet known, not excepting silk; but when doubled short down, as when tied into a knot, it snaps there very easily. This substance, if properly spun into ropes at its whole length, promises to be both a cheap and a valuable acquisition; but I do not find that my friend Dr. Anderson has as yet been successful in his researches after this plant.

The other plants enumerated by Dr. Anderson above have every appearance of making most valuable additions to our materia economica, to adopt a new phrase, should he live long enough to complete his experiments upon them.

But there is still one other object of research to which I wish to direct the attention of the investigators of nature; it is to the discovery of fuch plants as can afford materials directly for the manufacture of paper, without having been used in any other fabric. These substances may be looked for chiefly under three classes: viz. 1st. the wings or natural envelopes of seeds similar to those of the cotton plant, the asclepias, and many other plants; these, in general, have

answer in that fabrication by the processes hitherto adopted; probably improvements in that respect may be made. These substances pofsefs one excellence that is more rare in the others, viz. the purity of their native white. 2d. The fibres of plants or bark of trees. The number of plants that could afford fibres fit for this purpose is innumerable, but few of these could be used without bleaching, and many of them, without some preparation, become so brittle when dry as not to be altogether proper for the purpose. The bark of the common osier is of that number, though it has been found to make very good wrapping paper. The inner bark of the Scotch elm is very tough, and of colour white enough for many purposes, could it be separated from the outer rind. This ought, therefore, to be the subject of experimental operations. The bark of the paper mulberry needs very little preparation, as appears by the innumerable specimens of Otaheitean cloth. I have seen a paper, also, that was made of an aquatic weed that would answer well for fome purposes, though it had too little cohesiveness for common use. 3d. The fibres of the wood itself of certain trees. The number of trees of this description that may be found is much greater than is commonly suspected. In tropical climates the wood of most of the palm tribe consists of a congeries of tough fibres, inclosing loosely among them some parenchymetous parts, which probably might be separated by some eafy process were it adverted to: nor would the natural meshing of these fibres prove any objection for this purpose, however much it might render it unfit for cordage. Even in this country there are several kinds

of wood having tough fibres that might be easily reduced to a mash fit for paper, particularly that of the bay-leaved willow (Salix pentandria) which is naturally of so pure a white as to require no preparation for that purpose, and which may be split with ease by basket-makers, and others who work in chip, to the fineness almost of a hair. It is wonderful that a substance, which in the manufactures above-named is so often exhibited so nearly in the state of paper, should never have been thought capable of being applied to that purpose. Nor is there any wood that could be reared in this country at lefs expense, or in greater quantities.

The Quirinal Garden, from Gorani.

THIS garden is very agreeable, and pleasantly laid out. There are very pretty poultry yards, where are fattened poultry and other delicate birds, in order that they may be worthy to be digested in the very holy stomach of the Holy Father. It lies to the south, which is very favourable for the health of the Popes, who are commonly of an age in which their own natural warmth is much diminished. There is a coffeehouse there which Benedict the Fourteenth built for his interview with the king of Naples, who was afterwards king of Spain under the name of Charles the Third.

When this prince pafsed through Rome to take pofsefsion of the crown of the two Sicilies, Benedict the Fourteenth wished anxiously to have some con

that are customary when Catholic kings have an audience of the Pope might be displeasing to the Neapolitan monarch, he thought of a good expedient. By his order a coffee-house was erected, in which the two sovereigns should meet as if by accident, and embrace each other as friends without any formality. Charles entered this pretty coffee-house, where he should have waited until the Pope came in also; but the moment he saw the Pope at the end of the alley he rushed out, and flung himself on his knees, though he was still at a considerable distance. Lambertini, who was a humourist, could not prevent himself from exclaiming che cogliese! (what does he pick up!) then turning to the cardinals who were attending him, said, "Let us return our thanks to God, and beseech of him that he would have the goodness to form all Catholic princes of the same paste with which this is made."

Addendum to the Paper on Thermometers in this Number, page 289.

WHEN describing the air thermometer, page 282, I heedlessly forgot to advert that, as the bulb of an air thermometer of the simplest construction must be at the top of the tube, and the open end that is immersed in the bason, like that of a barometer, must be at the lower end, so that the liquor must rise in the tube with cold, and sink with heat, it would be impossible with a thermometer of this construction to indicate the heat below ground. To do this, all that is necessary is to bend the tube after it has risen to a proper height to admit of the necessary range, so as to make the bulb be lowest, taking care that