656 



Foreign Notices': — Switzerland. 



what I learned, when at Perth, has given very great satisfaction. Steam 

 could certainly be employed to great advantage in impelling this machine, 

 as horse power is awkwardly applied when required to push instead of to 

 pull forward. I am, &c. — James Wilkie. Udd'mgston, Oct. 17. 1829. 



The Sonde {fig. 142.) is a watering-machine, said to be used in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Avranches; and 

 where much watering in the 

 open air is requisite, as in the 

 market-gardens of France and 

 Italy, it must produce a con- 

 siderable saving in labour. It 

 is simply a cylinder of copper, 

 brass, or tin, (wood might do) 

 with the bottom fixed an inch 

 or two above the lower 



and pierced with holes like the tf_^^ 

 rose of a common waterina:- ~- 



pot, to let the water enter and 

 escape ; and there is a hole in the handle of the upper part of the utensil (a) 

 to let the air escape when it is filling with water. To fill it, plunge it into a 

 well or cistern, and, when full, let the person who carries it place his thumb 

 on the hole (a), or turn the cock {b). To let the water escape in a fine 

 shower, remove the thumb or return the cock. The operator should have 

 a utensil in each hand, and the sizes may be those of common watering- 

 pots. The sonde is not likely to be of much use in English gardens ; but 

 one of the simplest, cheapest, and best shower baths hitherto in use may 

 be formed from it. We shall have one constructed, and send it and the 

 sonde to Weir's manufactory, Oxford Street. The sonde was brought 

 to us from Paris by the Baron Baude, at the suggestion of M. Souligne, late 

 editor of the Journal Hebdomadaire. — Cond. 



Art. II. Foreign Notices. 



SWITZERLAND. 



Education in the Canton of Geneva. — It is interesting to~compare the 

 state of education in our little canton with that of the neighbouring 

 countries, France and Sardinia. In 1827, in the department of the Seine 

 and Loire, there were 4535 young men found liable to the conscription ; of 

 these, 2925 could neither read nor write, 15U could both read and write, 

 233 could only read, and 6B uncertain. In the department of the Ain 

 there were 3093; of whom 227 could read onl}, 1079 who could read and 

 write, 1718 who could neither read nor write, and 79 uncertain. In this 

 department is the little town of Gez, on the southern declivity of Mount 

 Jura, in which there were 198 liable to the conscription; of these 122 

 could read and write, 3 covild read only ; so that there were but 56 in 100 

 who could neither read nor write. In this place, therefore, which is on the 

 frontiers of Geneva, and the Canton de Vaud, five eighths have been at 

 school, and acquired, at least, some knowledge. In Gez also, among all 

 the towns in the department, agriculture, breeding of cattle, and manufac- 

 tures are the most flourishing. This is, however, entirely owing to its 

 proximity to Geneva. According to the above computation, nearly two 

 thirds of the French youths were wholly uneducated. Of the females, 

 six eighths may be reckoned as in the same predicament, {For. Qiia?-t. 

 Rev., Jan.) 



Education in Savot/. — In Savoy, out of ten young people of both sexes, 

 we may reckon that eight are without education, and, in the interior of the 



