238 Asiatic Societal/. — Steam Navigation. — Fruit Trees. 



to be seen, had been split at the top by the violent concussion 

 of the eai'th. — Commercial Advertiser. 



Two shocks of an earthquake were felt at Norrkelji, in Swe- 

 den, on the 30th of January. 



ASIATIC SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



Considerable progress has been made in the institution of 

 a Society for the Encouragement of Literature, Science, and 

 the Arts in connexion with India and other countries east- 

 ward of the Cape of Good Hope, to be denominated The 

 Asiatic Society of London. A number of gentlemen have 

 been already enrolled as members. Among the objects of the 

 Society will be the promotion of researches into the arts, litera- 

 ture and histoiy of Asia; as well as the diffusion of various 

 branches of European knowledge and art among the inhabit- 

 ants of that continent. These labours, there is good ground 

 to hope, may at no distant period be shared by intelligent 

 natives of the East incited to follow up researches into their 

 own history, literature, and antiquities, and animated by the 

 spirit of improvement which has already begun to manifest 

 itself among them, 



STEAM NAVIGATION TO INDIA. 



Extensive arrangements have been formed, with the concur- 

 rence of Government, for the establishment of steam vessels 

 to convey passengers and light goods from this country to 

 Grand Cairo. The Pashaw of Egypt has engaged to have 

 from two to three hundred camels always in readiness to fa- 

 cilitate the communication from Cairo to Suez, and from 

 Suez to Cairo, and that the expense shall not exceed five shil- 

 Ungs per hundred weight. Similar arrangements have been 

 made for the passage from Suez to Surat, and other places. 



FRUIT TREES. 



The growth of weeds round fruit trees recently transplanted, 

 does them much injury, and diminishes their fruit in size and 

 quality. Sonnini, in his Biblioth. Physico-econom., states that, 

 to prevent this, the Germans spread on the ground round the 

 fresh transplanted trees, as far as their roots extend, the refuse 

 stalks of flax, after the fibrous part has been separated. This 

 gives them surprising vigour. No weeds will grow under flax 

 refuse, and the earth remains fresh and loose. 



Old trees treated in the same manner, when languishing in 

 an orchard, will recover, and push out vigorous shoots. 



In place of the flax stalks, the leaves which fall from trees 

 in autumn may be substituted ; but they must be covered with 

 waste twigs, or any thing else that can prevent the wind from 

 blowing them away. 



