234 A Caution. — Botany. -—'Edinhurgk Rain Gauges. 



A CAUTION. 



The following accident happened at Munich on the 12th of 

 February : — An apothecary's bhopman being engaged in beating 

 iip, in a mortar of serpentine stone, a mixture of oxymuriate of 

 potash, sulphur, sugar, and cinnabar, for the purpose of making 

 chemical matches, a terrible explosion took place, which killed the 

 person who was making the mixture, wounded the apothecary, 

 who at that instant entered, blew the mortar to pieces, and da- 

 maged the stove and furniture of the room. 



BOTANY. 



^\\e Agave Americana miiricata, or great American Aloe, is now 

 in bloom at Lockinge Park, near Wantage, Berks. It is thought 

 to be one of the finest plants of that description that has ever 

 blown in this country. The height of the flow'er-stem is 21 feet. 

 It w-as placed in the green-house by Charles Wymondesole, escj:. 

 about a hundred years ago. 



EBINBURGH RAIK-GAUGES. 



1816. 



Nelson's 

 Moiiu- 

 luent. 



.lanuary , 

 February , . 

 March . . 

 April .... 

 May 



.Tune 



.Tuly 



August . . . 

 September 

 October . . 

 November . 

 December . 



Total . . . 



0-982 

 0-617 

 0-556 

 0-949 

 1-749 

 1-54S 

 4-081 

 1-946 

 2-371 

 1-560 

 0-613 

 1-185 



: 8-157 



Observa- 

 tory. 



0-931 

 0-529 

 0-381 

 0-752 

 1-488 

 1-395 

 3-270 

 1-738 

 2-159 

 1-448 

 0-449 

 0-S72 



Observa- 

 tory 

 Garden. 



NTursery, 

 Leitli 

 Walk. 



2-129 

 1-OlS 

 0-975 

 1-329 

 232 1 

 1-909 

 5-225 

 2-256 

 2-963 

 1-944 

 0-951 

 2-432 



15-412 25-452 



2-036 

 1-010 

 1-073 

 1-266 

 2-185 

 1-713 

 4-485 

 2-289 

 2-735 

 1-873 

 918 

 2-215 



23 -828 



20-617 



1815.... 15-412 13-115 21-830 

 1814....15-176|l2-598 21-610 

 The rain-gauge on the top of the flag-staff of Nelson's Monu- 

 ment is 484 feet above the medium level of the sea, and 130 

 feet above the base of the monument. The rain-gauge on the 

 tower of the Observatory is h{ feet above the highest part of 

 the building, and 377 feet above the level of the sea. Mr. Adie, 

 optician in Edinburgh, made these two gauges as nearly alike as 



possible. 



