S^ THE BEE, OR Dec. 22, 



feveral Otters ; owe their origin to tliefe enquiries : but as 

 thefe difcoveries are already known to our philoiophical 

 readers, they need not here be particularly defcribed 5 and 

 though to explain them to others in a more detailed way 

 than could be done in this article, will form the fubjett of 

 detached articles in this mifcellany, as occafion fliall ferve, < 

 yet it would be improper to enlarge upon them at this 

 time. 



It is to be regretted, however, that while the philofo- 

 phers of Britain keep pace with others in their phyfical re- 

 fearches, and in the ingenious fpeculations of the philofo- 

 phy of chemiftry, they fhould continue to be fo backward 

 in their praiiical operations and experimental elucidations in 

 cherailtry : When the time ihall arrive, that in Britain 

 fraiVice fhall be as generally united with fpeculation, as it 

 is upon the continent, it is to be hoped that fhe will no 

 longer hold the fecond place among nations in this very im- 

 portant branch of fcience. 



T^he Root of Scarcity. 

 But if Britain be in forae relpe£ts inferior to other nations, 

 file undoubtedly holds the jirj} rank with regard to agricul- 

 ture, and mechanical improvements, as applied to ufeful 

 arts. In agriculture, every year adds to the lift of her ufe- 

 ful difcoveries : but in thelc her numerous attempts, fome 

 of them muft prove abortive. The root of fcarcily, a fpe- 

 cies of Beet, which was much vaunted at firft, has, upon 

 trial, been found not to anfwer the e.xpeftations that were 

 formed of it j and the culture of it is now in general aban- 

 doned. 



American Grafs. 

 The new American grafs, which was laft year pralfed as 

 poflefllng the moft wonderful qualities, the feeds of which 

 were fold at the enormous rate of 68 1. Sterling the bufliel, 

 has upon trial been found to be good for nothing. Of the 

 feeds fown, few of them ever germinated j but enow of 

 plants made their appearance, to afcertain, that the grafs, in 

 refpe^l of quality, is among the pooreft of the tribe, and 

 that it is an annual plant, and altogether unprofitable to the 

 farmei. 



