1815,] Scientific Intelligence. °° 391 
are usually called weeds, are children of nature, wild plants whose 
territory is daily invaded by cultivated plants, *but which endeavour 
by all the means in their power to maintain their ground? ‘hey 
soon recover their soil if man neglect them. © The wind, water, and 
animals, transport their seeds ; the earth conceals them fora long 
time, and they vegetate when the favourable moment-comes.''-The 
imprudent farmer often sows them himself in the manure which he 
Jays on the fields. M.: Yvard, who mentions more than 300 species, 
describes all the care and all the stratagems which must be employed 
th the kind of war which the farmer must carry on against them, 
and be treats his subject from actual experience. i9 
‘This skilful farmer has done a still greater favour to agriculture by 
publishing last spring, through the medium of the journals, the 
methods which his experience has suggested as the most proper to 
repair the losses occasioned by the events of war among the corn and 
the grass. He has had the happiness to see his counsels fructify. 
It could not be perceived by the price of corn that our finest pro- 
vinees have been the fields of battle. It is by such applications of 
‘agriculture and art, perfected by the spirit of the sciences; that 
France has for twenty years contended with the disasters always 
renewed of acruel war, and that she has been able to bear without 
sinking the painful operation on which depended the’end of her ills. 
(Te be continued.) 
Articte XI, 
SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE; AND NOTICES OF SUBJECTS 
CONNECTED WITH SCIENCE. , 
» 
I. Lectures. 
A Course of Lectures on the Elements of Electrical Science, 
comprehenditg Galvanism and Electro-Chemistry, will be com- 
menced by Mr. Singer, on Monday, Nov. 6, at No. 3, Princes- 
street, Cavendish-square. es 
li, Largest Diamond. ; 
The largest diamond hitherto found is in the possession of the 
Rajah of Mattan, in the Island of Borneo, in which island it was 
found about 80 yearsago. It is shaped like an egg, with an in- 
dented hollow near 'the smaller end. It is said to be of the’ finest 
water. It weighs 867 carats. Now as 156 carats are equal to ¢ 0g, 
‘Troy, it is‘obvious that this diamond weighs 2 oz, 169°87 gr. = 
Many years ago the Governor of Batavia tried to purchase th 
diamond, He sent'a Mr. Stuvart to the Rajah; who offered 150,000 
dollars, two large war brigs with their guns and ammunition, toge- 
ther with a certain number of great guns, anda quantity of powder 
