Apraxin, M., a Nobleman possessing one of the largest houses in Moscow: Zemliédièltchesky Journal, &c. General Report made to the Society of Agriculture and Rural Economy in Moscow. Moscow, 8v0.

From this pamphlet we learn that peasants are sent from the remotest parts of the empire, even from Kamtchatka, to the agricultural school at Moscow; and there they are said to make so much progress, that much national improvement is anticipated.

Anon. Avantages résultant de l'Introduction de la Culture variée des Terres. Warsaw, 8vo.

The author cultivates his own estate in the neighbourhood of Warsaw ; on which he informs us he has introduced an improved succession of crops in the British manner. He is the author of an Agricultural Catechism in the Polish language. (See Bibliotheka Polska, n. 4.)

AMERICA.

Memoirs of the Board of Agriculture of the State of New York. Published by authority. Albany, 3 vols. 8vo.

The New York Board of Agriculture was organised in 1820; the first volume of its transactions was published in 1821, and the third and last in the beginning of 1826, when the Society became extinct in consequence of the expiration of its charter. Besides a number of original papers written in America, these volumes contain extracts and abridgments from British works, in almost every department of agriculture and horticulture. The selection seems to have been made with great judgment, and the work cannot fail to be of much real use in the country where it was published. As soon as we can find room we shall extract several notices from it, especially on the subject of insects. The second and third volumes were edited by Jesse Buel, Esq. F. H. S., a distinguished cultivator, whom we hope to reckon among the number of our contributors.

ART. III. Books preparing for Publication, &c.

The Transplanter's Guide; or, a Practical Essay on the Removal of ForestTrees and Underwood in a Full-grown State; being an attempt to place the Art on fixed principles, and to apply it to general purposes, useful and ornamental. Interspersed with Observations on Picturesque and Park Scenery, and the Cultivation of Woods. To which is added, a Review of the principal ForestTrees cultivated in Britain, and some account of their uses, properties, and general character. By Sir HENRY STEWART, Bart., LL.D. F.R.S.E., &c. Edin. 8vo. In the press.

An Introduction to Botany for the Use of Gardeners and Farmers, in which both the Linnean and Jussieuean Classifications will be explained, and each Order of both Systems illustrated with an engraving of a dissected flower, &c.(See p. 434.)

A Drawing Book for young Gardeners and Farmers, calculated for Self-instruction in drawing Ground Plans and Maps, Architectural Elevations, Machinery, Landscapes, Figures, Flowers, and Insects, including preparatory Lessons in Perspective and Geometry.

These works will be sold at such prices as will bring them within the reach of every journeyman gardener.

Dr. Hooker's Exotic Flora, (Gard. Mag. 47 and 60), it is said will be discontinued, and the Botanical Magazine hitherto conducted by Dr. Sims, continued by Dr. Hooker.

Some account of Hortus Carlsruhanus, Hortus Croomensis, and other books sent us, will be given in next number.

VOL. I. No. 4.

H H

444

PART III.

MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

ART. I. Foreign Notices.

FRANCE.

PATENT Ice House at St. Ouen, near Paris. This immense repository is a hundred feet in diameter, and the interior is said to be contrived in a very superior manner to prevent the thawing of the ice, of which it will hold upwards of ten millions of pounds. It has hitherto been supplied from the Seine and the canal of St. Denis, but experiments have been made which prove, that even in the mildest winters the ice establishment of St. Ouen will collect enough from its own territory (probably by exposing a thin sheet of water in an isolated porous basin,) to supply a very great consumption. The directors of this establishment have also occupied themselves with plans for rendering the use of ice more commodious, and less expensive to the consumers. Instead of the latter having to send for the ice, it will be sent to them, in vessels calculated to prevent all loss by thawing. They offer to the public, 1. A fountain, which will preserve wine, water, or other liquids at the temperature of 32° Fahrenheit from morning till evening. 2. Portable ice-vessels, to contain from one hundred to five hundred pounds of ice, and which will preserve it from twelve to fifteen days. 3. Refrigerators, for cooling the chambers of sick persons, offices, and workshops. The glacières portatives, may be seen or purchased at Paris, rue Neuve-Saint-Augustin, No. 3. (Revue Encycl. Avril, 1826. p. 264.)

Paragrêles. A report on this invention has been made to the Academy of Sciences at Paris, which is favourable to their utility. A society of assurance against the effects of hail is already formed on the faith of the success of paragrêles. (Bull. des Sciences Agricoles. Juil. 1826, p. 61.)

Copperas. This metallic salt is known to be poisonous to plants; so much so that it is said the roots of weeds may be killed by mowing them with a scythe, the blade of which has been sharpened with a stone previously steeped in sulphate of iron. We notice this as a specimen of absurdity founded in fact. (See Bull. de la Soc. d'Agric. de l'Hérault. Mai, 1825, p. 163.) If weeds can be so killed, then ground may be manured by being dug with a spade stuck every now and then in a dunghill.

To destroy the weevil among corn. Lay fleeces of wool, which have not been scoured, on the grain; the oily matter attracts the insects among the wool where they soon die, from what cause is not exactly known. M. B.C. Payrandeau related to the Philomathic Society of Paris, that his father had made the discovery in 1811, and had practised it on a large scale since. (Bull. des Sciences Agricoles, Juill. 1826, p. 24.)

A Society for the Amelioration of Domestic Animals has been proposed by M. Sénac, Editor of the Bulletin des Sciences Agricoles. (See that Work for May, 1826, p. 303.)

An Agricultural Establishment under the patronage of the king, and the administration of a council of ten persons, has been formed for the

purpose of improving a portion of government territory, valued at a million of louis. (Constitutionnel, Avril 28. 1826.) Another company is proposed to be formed for embanking certain lands in the province of Britany. There are to be a great number of shares, and great profits are of course promised. (Bull. des Sciences Agricoles, Mai, 1826.)

Trianon Nursery, near Rouen. (Encycl. of Gard.) A correspondent has sent us the following information respecting this establishment: "Messrs. Calvert and Co., Englishmen, who have undertaken it, profess to show the foreign cultivators that, with care and attention, plants may be as easily cultivated in France as in England, which the French gardeners are said to deny, on account of the difference of climate. In order to effect this purpose, they began with French gardeners, but were soon obliged to have recourse to Britons. With these they propagated different species of heaths, and various Cape, Botany Bay, and Chinese plants, with perfect The French gardeners were surprised to see white sand used for this purpose, thinking that the whole of the pot was filled with that material.

success.

"The chief object in establishing this nursery was to cultivate plants there which succeed better in France than in England, such as roses, oranges, &c., and then bring them over to this country for sale. A cargo of roses is in consequence sent over every year from Rouen, and partly sold wholesale to the nurserymen and partly by retail. The list is said to contain some hundreds of names, and next year we are promised about one hundred and twenty varieties of China roses; between seventy and eighty varieties of Noisettes, and seven or eight varieties of Rosa odorata." (C. June 26.)

HOLLAND.

Hay and Pasture Grasses. The Agricultural Society of Amsterdam have offered their first medal, and a sum in ducats, for the best essay on the grasses of Holland, to be given in by December, 1826. (Bul. Univ.)

Enrichment of Down Lands. In 1805 a French camp was established near Ostend, on the downs bordering the sea. Its surface for a foot and a half deep was composed of shifting sand, which rendered the situation scarcely habitable. In a short time this camp was surrounded by fortifications of turf; the barracks were built of turf, and covered with thatch, and each house had a seat before it, and a garden behind containing excellent kitchen crops, and ornamented with pots of flowers and shell-work. The soil was rendered fertile by the soldiers bringing sacks of earth on their backs, from half a league to a league distance. Wells were dug in various places, and the improvement was completed by continual watering. (Rev. Encycl. Decem. 1825.)

GERMANY.

Bavaria. The King has recently founded and endowed an Institute for extending a theoretical and practical knowledge of agriculture. The Institute is divided into three classes, in each of which the number of pupils is fixed, and the instruction public and gratuitous. In the first class, a knowledge of agricultural labour, of the most approved methods in use, and of the management of the different agricultural implements, &c. is inculcated. In order to be admitted into this class, the pupils must have a healthy constitution, adapted to agricultural labour, such elementary knowledge as is usually acquired at country schools, and be at least sixteen years of age. In the second class, theory and practice are united; the Labours of the pupils are directed by experienced professors, and a

knowledge of botany, zoology, and natural philosophy, in as far as these sciences are connected with agriculture, inculcated. The third class is intended to form agriculturists, who may eventually aid in extending the boundaries of the science, and is limited to those who have previously attended the second class.

Charring Wood. M. de la Chabeaussière chars wood in fixed kilns made of turf much in the same way that lime is burnt in this country. The advantages, he says, are saving of time and labour, and less loss of material. (Schles. Gesellschaft, &c. 1824.)

Preservation of Grain. Mr. Gall proposes to place large barrels endwise on one another, and connecting their bottoms and tops by tubes, which have sliding stoppers. All the barrels being filled but the under one, when it is wished to air the grain, the sliders are drawn, and the grain drops from one into the other, &c. (Allg. Handl. Zeitung, 1825. Nov.)

Erysimum, or Wild Mustard. In Franconia this plant is extremely troublesome in the fields of barley, in which it rises so high as to be cut along with the crop, and consequently infest the sample of grain. The way the farmers take to lessen the evil, is to steep the barley, before sowing it, in the drainings of a dunghill till the seeds of the mustard germinate. The barley is then taken out and sown along with the sprouted mustard; the latter of course does not grow. (Bul. Univ.)

DENMARK.

Salt as Manure. In the Nye Landækonomischer Tidender (New Agricultural Journal), published in Copenhagen, an account is given of an experiment to try the effect of salt in the culture of potatoes and cabbage, but the produce in cabbage was not so good as usual, and no difference was produced on the crop of potatoes. (ii. Band. 1 St.)

Royal Farm. Near the palace of Frederiksborg the king has a farm, called Faurholm, which has been laid out on a most extensive scale by Mr. Nielson. "I saw thirty-two pair of horses here, harrowing at one time. The land is cultivated in the English manner, and Eilkington's system of draining had produced wonderful effects. All implements of husbandry used, were made under Mr. Nielson's directions, on English principles. Hedging was likewise carried on to some extent. Mr. Nielson has, however, reasons of a local nature for not extending fencing generally. Hence the king's farm, in many places, resembles a tract of land in Cambridgeshire, which, from its bleak and bald appearance, made me think I was not in England. On this farm Mr. Nielson has reared a most beautiful breed of cattle, from a Zealand bull and a Jutland cow. When I first saw them, they gave me as much pleasure as a remarkable breed of cattle gave Mr. Gilpin. His description may answer to both, being elegantly and neatly formed, rather small, and generally red. Their horns are short, their coats fine, and their heads small. The Danish breed are excellent milkers, and yield fine beef. I was particularly pleased to see some fine ploughs, constructed on English models, which were to be used at a ploughing match on the king's farm, the first, I believe, that had yet taken place in Zealand." (Feldborg's Denmark.)

SWEDEN.

Professor Agardh, who has kindly undertaken to send us the horticultural news of his country, informs us that the greatest improvements at present making in Sweden are by the Count Bonde, on his estate of Safstalistow, near Stockholm, some particulars respecting which he promises us in a month or two. (August 22.)

RUSSIA AND POLAND.

Potash of Russia. This alkali is obtained from every species of wood indiscriminately, but chiefly from the roots of the Scotch fir, when the trunk has been cut down for timber. The ashes, when lixiviated, are collected and packed in casks, which before they are exported undergo an examination in presence of the foreign merchant who purchases them. (Edin. Philos. Journ. No. 23.)

Horticulture at St. Petersburgh. The following memoranda have been sent us by an eminent English gardener there :

Peaches grown to ripen in August and September, are not so good flavoured as those ripened in May, June, and July; as frequently in August and September we have cold nights; and it is observed, that if the thermometer remains below 6° of heat (say 45° Fah.) for any time, the peaches and apricots become insipid, and without flavour. Apple trees about St. Petersburgh generally remain unprotected in the open air, but sometimes in very severe winters they are injured by extreme frosts. Plums rarely ripen unassisted with glass, the season being too short. Cherries of the best sorts are all protected by being planted in large sheds, and covered with shutters during the winter. Early in the spring these are removed, and entirely exposed to the open air, in which manner they ripen to perfection. Apricots force equally well as peaches: there is a house in the Taurida garden containing nine trees planted in the ground, which frequently produce 5000 fruits. (T. A.)

Burning Steppes in Siberia. After the thawing of the snow, the dried herbage on the surface is set fire to, in order that it may not injure the growth of the new vegetation, which springs up from self-sown seeds; for there are few perennial plants in that country. The flames extend in all directions, and travel over extensive tracts of country, and the appearance at a distance is like an immense ocean of flame. (Annali Universali, &c. August, 1825.)

Sandomir Wheat, commonly called Polish Wheat. This variety is cultivated in Moravia, by M. de Harkenfeld, administrator of the domains of that state, who describes it as growing upon an inferior soil, requiring less seed per acre, admitting of being later sown, more productive, and bearing a higher price than the common wheat. Sandomir is the name of a Polish province. (Bul. Univ.)

NORTH AMERICA.

The Timber of the Scotch Pine is said to be much improved in quality by being cut down in May when it has begun to grow, and then immersed in water. This is the practice in Virginia, and other parts of America, with all the pine tribe, and it is said by the inhabitants to retain the turpentine and resin more effectually than by cutting in winter, or cutting at any season without steeping in water. Of course the durability of the timber will materially depend on the quantity of these principles which are fixed in it. Deciduous trees the Americans always cut down in mid-winter. (J. B.)

The tender Tops and Leaves of the Potato, boiled and dressed as spinage, or boiled with salt meat, are very palatable, while the plants are not much injured by being deprived of them. (Canadian Paper.)

Feeding Swine in Mexico. Fine breeds of pigs are kept for their fat, which is used as a substitute for butter in Spanish cookery: the offal fat is manufactured into soap, and the blood into a kind of black pudding, and sold to the poor. The swine are fed with maize, " slightly moistened and scattered at stated hours on the ground, which, in the yard as well as the