214 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



variety with the lower bract longer than the spike 

 has been distinguished as var. bracteata, and is 

 recorded from " Castle Morton Common, Worces- 

 tershire." Besides the one tuft mentioned above, 

 none of the other tufts appeared to contain long 

 i)racted specimens, so that these observations would 

 tend to show that the long bracted form was a chance 

 variety and not a permanent one. — G. H. Bryan. 



Diseases of Fruit. — In the " Popular Science 

 Monthly," Mr. D. P, Penhallow remarks that, as 

 a result of the peculiar methods of cultivation 

 employed by fruit-growers, various diseases have 

 appeared from time to time in several important 

 fruits, and indeed such has been their extent within 

 the last ten or fifteen years, that in some places the 

 fruit industry has been completely destroyed. 

 " Blight " has been known in pear-trees for the last 

 hundred years, and the disease has undoubtedly 

 increased during that period. " Yellows " in peaches 

 again has been constantly developing since first heard 

 of eighty years ago. The disease is so thoroughly 

 established, and has become so much a matter of 

 inheritance, that the life of the tree is greatly 

 determined by it. The peach is naturally a long- 

 lived tree, and has in many cases survived for a 

 hundred or more years, and, with proper care, bears 

 fruit for a long period. Now, however, about Dela- 

 ware and New Jersey, owing to the certainty of 

 the disease appearing, or the inherently weak con- 

 stitution, the trees are rooted up as worthless at the 

 end of nine years. 



GEOLOGY, &c. 



SONGS FOR THE TIMES. 

 Which is the old Arch^an Land? 



[To be sung by the " Brotherhood" in Section C at the forth- 

 coming meeting of the British Association at Montreal.] 



Air. — Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland ? 



Which is the old Archsean rock? 

 Who can the mystery unlock ? 

 Is't found on bold St. David's Head, 

 Where Hicks has fought and ever led ? 



Oh, no ! Oh, no ! Oh, no ! 



Says Geikic, We must wider go. 



Which is the old Archccan rock, 

 That does the Survey's feelings shock ? 

 Does't cover much of Scotland's land, 

 Where works that single-minded band? 



Oh no ! Oh no ! Oh no ! 



As Murchison does plainly show. 



Which is the old Archaean rock, 

 'Gainst which our shins so often knock ? 



In Ireland is it to be seen, 

 Set like a gem in emerald green ? 

 Oh .no ! Oh no ! Oh no ! 

 The Kinahan does whisper low. 

 Which is this old confounded rock 

 That seems our intellects to mock ? 

 Is it within the English land ? 

 Or shows it on wild Cambria's strand ? 



Oh no ! Oh no ! Oh no ! 



Sir Andrew Ramsay well does know. 

 Which is this hard outrageous rock, 

 Our Wednesdays' meetings born to bloclc, 

 When oaths are sworn with grasped hand, 

 And few their feelings can command ? 



Oh no ! Oh no ! Oh no ! 



Our sentiments we plainly show. 

 Which is that old Azoic rock ? 

 Canst pick it out in crumpled block ? 

 'Tis where we find the gnarled schist, 

 And fossils do not now exist. 



That let it be ! That shall it be ! 



Archrean, it belongs to thee. 

 Whenever, on whatever strand, 

 We meet with schist and gneissic land, 

 That is Archosan land we see. 

 And that our fatherland shall be. 



On that we go. That shall be so. 



We'll claim it from whatever foe. 



Nor e'en except the lunar land. 

 That left those gashes broad and grand 

 To which the deeper waters drew. 

 As from the earth it skyward flew. 



Oh no ! Oh no ! Oh no ! 



For Fisher saw some left below. 

 So in a firm united band 

 At Montreal we take our stand ; 

 In Alpine schist our land we meet. 

 We claim the rocks beneath our feet 



Oh yes ! Olr yes ! Oh yes ! 



No claim so opportune as this. 

 That is the wild Archsean's land. 

 And he possession will demand ; 

 While in his eye clear truth does shine, 

 His native rocks he'll not resign. 



Gneiss let it be ; schist shall it be ; 



The whole of schistose land it be. 



A. Conifer. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



Curious Trap for a Bird. — Whilst waiting in 

 the train at Ashchurch station in Gloucestershire, on 

 the 30th June, my attention was attracted by a bird 

 fluttering in one of the lamps. A young fellow 

 presently passed by, and I asked him to let it out. 

 He put his hand into the lamp, caught it, and brought 

 it over to me, when I was much surprised to see it 



