in Prince Town, Dartmoor. To the depth of 50 or 60 feet the granite is more or less decomposed, and it is surface granite which has been employed in almost all cases, because it was obtained cheapest; and the result has been, that in all buildings which have stood for any number of years, such as Dartmoor Prison, each block of granite has become a spongy mass, absorbing moisture continually, rusting the iron bars employed in combination with it, and rendering the cells so damp that they can only be used by covering the walls within and without with Roman cement or tiles. This defect is inseparable from all the granite which is not quarried from a depth beyond the influence of decomposition. At the bottom of the Morley works, a mass of granite is exposed to a great extent, which is entirely free from this influence : it is from this the granite is obtained now being used for Lord Nelson's monument in Trafalgar Square. (Edin. Phil. Journ, vol. xxxi., Oct. 1841, p. 429.) Clay Floors. With respect to the clay floors in the neighbourhood of Houghton, I do not know precisely their composition; but we have, near Norwich, many clay floors in barns, malt-houses, hay-lofts, &c.; they are merely a mixture of clay and marl (in what proportion, I know not), well compounded, and trodden by horses, and sometimes mixed with chopped straw; and, for malt-house floors, bullock's blood is added. There are certain men here who do these works well, and keep the proportions a secret; and I apprehend a deal depends on the quality of the clay and marl, so that directions would not apply to every locality. I built some time ago a workhouse for 300 paupers entirely of clay walls, and it is now as good as any building needs to be. W. T. Norwich, Dec. 22. 1841. The Wire-Worm. The ravages of this worm, one of the greatest enemies of agriculture, have, during the present season, been so great, that we avail ourselves with avidity of the result of any practical experiments which may have been made for the extirpation of the insect. The subjoined is extracted from the Report of the South Wilts and Warminster Farmers' Club, recently published: : "In October, 1836, finding that the wire-worm was fast destroying the wheat plant, and, it being drilled, I had it trodden by men, one man treading two ranks at a time firmly into the ground; the expense was 2s. 4d. per acre, and it was quite effectual in stopping the ravages of the wire-worm. A week or two after, the wheat in an adjoining field began to show the ravages of the wire-worm, and I pursued the same plan with similar success. In February, 1839, the wheat in a piece of down land, which had been sown late in October, was becoming thinner very fast; the ground being in a hollow state after the frost, the young backward plant appeared to be losing its hold and dying away. I then sent a number of women to tread it, and I never saw a piece of wheat improve faster than it did after the treading; I had not only a good crop of corn, but also more straw, than from any other piece of land in my occupation. In the spring of 1840, finding the wheat in the down land losing plant again, in consequence of the cold weather, I tried the same plan, and there was a speedy change for the better in the appearance of the wheat afterwards. The plant continued to flourish; and, at present, I have a good crop of wheat on land on which I never saw a good crop before. The remarks I have made apply to hill land, although I have no doubt that the spring treading would be found highly beneficial on all soils, when, in consequence of frost or long-continued dry weather, the land is in a light pulverised state." (From the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, Dec. 4. 1841.) SCOTLAND. Caledonian Horticultural Society.-We are happy to learn that this Society is about to erect an exhibition hall in its gardens at Inverleith. The following are extracts from the proposals put in circulation: "The erection of a building for the exhibition of plants sent for competition has been long a desideratum. Plants so sent have hitherto been placed in the shed at the back of the hothouses, to be inspected and judged by the Committee of Prizes; and they have, from the exposed situation of the place, not unfrequently sustained considerable injury; while, from the want of a sufficiency of light, their qualities cannot be properly ascertained. "A hall or large room would be extremely useful during 'the quarterly meetings of March and December, when no regular exhibition can take place out of doors. At these meetings, the judges are unavoidably confined in small apartments while considering the merits of the competition articles; and it has been found utterly impossible to point out to the members assembled in the Council Room, as should be done, the prize articles, while the report of the Prize Committee is submitted. "It may also be stated, that very great anxiety prevails amongst the assembled practical gardeners forthwith to learn who are the successful competitors: and it not unfrequently happens that erroneous impressions arise from mistakes regarding the awards of the judges; and these are never properly cleared up, until the official notice from the secretary is received, or the report be published in the newspapers. This would be avoided, if a hall could be erected where gardeners and others interested would be present while the report of the Committee of Prizes is read to the Society. All would thus obtain accurate information as to the competition and as to the successful candidates, to be communicated among themselves, and to their employers. In consequence of the present want of means of obtaining satisfactory information, much of that interest which such competition meetings are calculated to produce in stimulating gardeners to renewed exertions is lost. "The probability of the Society being enabled hereafter to offer increased prizes makes the proposition for a hall still more urgent. The enlarged prizes to be offered by the Society for the ensuing year will undoubtedly create greater anxiety amongst competitors to know the result of the Prize Committee's deliberations before they leave the garden; a result which certainly ought to be promulgated as speedily as practicable. "At present the largest public apartment in the garden is the Council-Room, which is only 14 ft. by 16 ft. Although well adapted for council and committee meetings, it is much too confined for general meetings. Indeed, it is well known that many members absent themselves, in consequence of the limited accommodation; and practical gardeners are wholly excluded. "Now that horticulture in all its branches is making such rapid strides all over the country, it would certainly be desirable that this, the leading horticultural society in Scotland, should extend its usefulness, and keep pace with the demands of the times. "The Highland and Agricultural Society has commenced a new era, by holding monthly meetings for the reading of papers, and discussing points connected with agriculture; why should not this Society follow the example, when there is a mass of useful materials easily attainable? For some time past, it has been strongly urged by many members of the Society, that a horticultural periodical should be set on foot. Such a publication would certainly be desirable; but unless some method were adopted for having it supplied with useful matter, it would be almost useless to commence it. One of the chief sources for such a supply would be afforded by monthly meetings, at which papers could be read, new plants, fruits, and vegetables exhibited, and notices regarding their method of culture brought before the members; easy admission being afforded to all practical gardeners by means of visiters' tickets. Horticultural implements and designs of various descriptions might also be brought forward. At such meetings, members (ladies and gentlemen) should have free admission for themselves and for one friend. This would be one of the greatest advantages held out by the Society, and would be the means of inducing many to become members. If such an object were accom plished, the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society would unquestionably attain a status superior to what it now holds, and be the means of conferring inestimable benefit on the country. At such meetings, useful and instructive lessons might occasionally be given to members; for instance, the various methods of grafting, inarching, budding, &c., might be explained and illus trated by practical operations, Besides, gardeners and amateurs could there meet familiarly together, and discuss different matters of interest, which might afterwards be committed to writing, and read to the Society; and thus a friendly intercourse between the members and practical gardeners would be promoted, a measure which Dr. Duncan, the father and founder of the Society, had in view at its commencement. "The proposed building could also be advantageously used as an exhibition room for select plants in flower from the hothouses in the garden, and for others sent by gardeners and amateurs from the neighbourhood, at various seasons of the year; for a museum for plants, model-tools, &c., connected with horticulture; for exhibiting in glass cases, collections of named fruits, preservations of tropical fruits, casts of fruits, &c.; and also for a botanical and horticultural library, where the periodical and other works belonging to the Society might be arranged for the use of the members and others. "It is scarcely necessary to add, that such a hall would be of great general advantage as a place of resort for members and their friends at all times, and would afford convenient shelter on promenade days, in case of bad weather coming on."-Dec. 9. 1841. The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, as noticed in the preceding article, have lately begun to hold monthly meetings for reading papers and for verbal discussion, a practice which cannot fail to be attended with the best results. The first paper read, and which was by Mr. Oliver, Lochend, was on the importance to agriculture of discovering new fertilising substances. He commenced by stating his conviction that, by the discovery of new fertilising substances, in connexion with thorough draining, a great and fresh impulse might be given to agriculture; and, after adverting to the importance of providing an increase of food for the rapidly increasing population of this country, he stated that the great desideratum for effecting this object was the means of keeping up and increasing the fertility of the soil under a continued system of culture, by restoring to it more food for plants than had been carried off by their production; and by a reference to the past history and progress of the art, showed that the latter had been nearly in proportion to our means of supplying the food of plants. In illustration of this view, he contrasted the weight of materials afforded for manure, under the old system of successive white crops, with those obtained after the introduction of turnips and other green crops, which he distinguished by the name of manuremaking crops; showing, on the authority of writers on rural affairs of the period, that a farm of 100 acres, under the former, yielded only about 45 tons of straw, while under the system which followed the introduction of green crops, it yields upwards of 600 tons of straw, hay, and turnip, to be applied to that purpose: thus demonstrating, that to this circumstance, more than all others, the progress made in agriculture, which enables us to supply food for our present population of nearly 20,000,000, with little more reliance on foreign countries than at the former period, when it was under 9,000,000, is mainly to be ascribed to the increased means of furnishing the food of plants to the soil. He next pointed out the system of management which followed the introduction of manure-making crops on lands of the first, second, and third degrees of fertility, and explained by what changes on these systems, with the aid of new and additional fertilising substances, the quantity of grain produced might be greatly increased, as well as a large addition made to the means of fattening live stock. It appeared, for instance, that farms situated near large towns, from which an abundance of manure could be procured, should adopt the fourcourse shift, which allows one half of the land to be under grain crops; whereas those at greater distances, and especially of inferior soil, must follow a five, a six, or a seven course, which only allows two fifths, two sixths, and two sevenths, respectively, to be under corn crops, thereby limiting the amount of food derived from farinaceous substances, while it does not increase but diminish the means of fattening live stock, as compared with what would be afforded under the change contemplated by Mr. Oliver. This was explained and illustrated by details which we cannot enter into. Mr. Oliver next adverted to the probability of succeeding in the discovery of fertilising substances, by referring to the recent progress made in chemistry and vegetable physiology since the publication of Sir Humphry Davy's Lectures; to the interest taken in the subject recently by such distinguished scientific individuals as De Candolle, Macaire, Liebig, Professor Johnston, and others; to the interest also beginning to be felt by practical agriculturists in the subject; and, above all, to the successful results obtained by those who had instituted and conducted experiments with new specific substances adapted to specific crops. The results of several were stated; but our limits prevent us entering into it further than to give the import of one or two very shortly. In adverting to the experiments on ammoniacal water and other substances by Mr. Bishop, overseer at Methven Castle, and read at the last meeting, it appeared that an application of ammoniacal water, which cost about 17. 15s., gave an increase of 274 stones of hay per Scotch acre, leaving a profit (if taken at 6d. per stone) of upwards of 51. In consequence of suggestions circulated last spring by Professor Johnston of Durham, to whose intelligence and zeal Mr. Oliver adverted in strong terms, experiments were instituted partly in England and partly in Scotland. Near Aske Hall, in Yorkshire, on the property of the Earl of Zetland, six bushels of common salt, which cost 13s., gave 1 ton of additional hay per imperial acre; 20 bushels of soot, which also cost 13s., gave 18 cwt., or 90 stones; 112 lb. nitrate of soda, which cost 22s., gave 12 cwt., or 60 stones. At Erskine, the property of Lord Blantyre, near Glasgow, 120 lb. of nitrate of soda gave one ton of additional hay per imperial acre; and the same weight of saltpetre gave 163 cwt.; but on heavy soils the effect was about one half only Results equally favourable were obtained by Mr. Fleming of Barrochan, on grass and almost every other description of farm produce; but we have not space to follow Mr. Oliver in all the details which he gave of these experiments, which is the less necessary as the directors were recommended, on the motion of Mr. Finnie, Swanston, to publish the paper in their Transactions. We shall, therefore, only, in taking leave of this highly interesting paper, give the result of a single experiment with a mixture of the sulphate and nitrate of soda, on potatoes: S. d. Sulphate of soda, 75lb., dry, at 10s. per cwt., 6 9 Nitrate of soda, 75lb. at 22s. 14 9 21 6 The return for this 21s. 6d. was upwards of eight tons of potatoes. The results of these experiments are, no doubt, too limited for the introduction of general principles; but we agree with Mr. Oliver, that they hold out sufficient encouragement for further enquiry on the subject of specific manures. Sir John Robison described a new form of roofing-tile, of French invention, which appears to combine several advantages over those used in this country ; being lighter than Scotch tiles, in the proportion of 68 lb. per square yard to 110lb. per yard, which is the usual weight. The joints of the French tiles fit into one another in such a way as to render them easily made absolutely weather-tight, and so as to afford no lodgement for water to be blown inwards by the wind, or to be affected by frost. The general aspect of roofs formed of them was described as being agreeable. Specimens of the tiles and the model of a cottage roofed with them were exhibited, and have been lodged in the museum. As in some parts of the country the appearance and cost of tiles affect both the economy and beauty of our cottages, this new contrivance appears to be deserving of attention both by tile-makers and builders. [Of these tiles which are as beautiful as they are economical, engravings will be found in the Supplement to our Encyclopædia of Cottage Architecture, and we hope soon to be able to name some places in England where they are manufactured.] Sir John Robison described a box-bedstead suited to cottages, proposed by Dr. Charles Wilson, Kelso; the peculiarities of which consist in having openings which can be made at pleasure in the top, back, and one end, whereby not only a perfect ventilation can be effected through it in case of sickness, but easy access afforded for the medical man to his patient. By a contrivance for advancing the rod from the front of the bed, a screened space is obtained, which answers the purpose of a dressing-room. If the box form of bed is to be retained in cottages at all, the arrangement of the curtain is worthy of general adoption. (Scotsman, Jan. 12. 1842.) [This, also, will be figured in the Supplement referred to.] ART. IV. Retrospective Criticism. ERRATUM. In the Vol. for 1841, p. 603., line 14. from the top, for "Blue Clay from a tilled field," read "Blue clay from a tile-field." Mode of preserving Seeds for a Number of Years. (p. 47.)-Since I sent the paragraph (p. 47.), respecting the preservation of seeds for experiments on their vitality, there has been a meeting of the Committee in London to consider the same (on Friday last, Dec. 10th), when it was resolved that the seeds should be kept in jars made of coarse pottery, and with one aperture; not in a mass, as indicated in that paragraph, but in papers, each paper to contain only a sufficient quantity of seed, mixed with a proportion of dried sand, for one experiment: they are then to be placed one species in a jar, and covered to the depth of 1 in. with dried sand; the mouths of the jars being covered with strong paper dipped in corrosive sublimate. Other modes are to be tried, but this is to be the most general one. W. H. Baxter. Botanic Gardens, Oxford, Dec. 6. 1841. ART. V. Queries and Answers. THE Weather of 1841. Now that we have left 1841 behind us, will your correspondent N. condescend to inform me, from his own observation, what has been the average temperature of every day during the past year? N. M. T. Folkstone, Jan. 1842. ART. VI. Obituary. DIED, Jan. 10., Aylmer Bourke Lambert, Esq., F.R.S., G.S., &c., for many years Vice-President of the Linnean Society; and universally respected by botanists, for the kindness and liberality with which he allowed the use of his valuable library and extensive herbarium. Mr. Lambert is also advantageously known to the botanical world by his splendid work on the Genus Pinus, which doubtless laid the foundation of the present very general taste for planting pinetums. |