670 Foreign Notices : — North America. 



attack them, they can defend themselves to advantage, for they stand on 

 higher ground than the assailants. The bottom, being an inchned plane, 

 facilitates the removal of every kind of excrementitious matter, such as 

 dead nymphs and bees, and all the little particles that are usually found in 

 a hive. Noxious vapours are carried off by means of the lower and upper 

 ventilators, and the bees never suffer from rain, the slope carrying it off. 

 The rays of the sun, too, from the receding shape of the hive, have not as 

 much power as if the hive were straight ; and lastly, as the entrance (rf) 

 can be closed at pleasure, the hive can be carried to a good pasture, and 

 set in form without my fearing a sting. There are many other advantages 

 attending this hive, which the apiarian will soon discover." — T, Sept. 1830. 



Origin of Prairies. — The origin of prairies has occasioned much theory : 

 it is to our mind very simple : they are caused by the Indian custom of 

 annually burning the leaves and grass in autumn, which prevents the growth 

 of any young trees. Time thus will form prairies; for, some of the old 

 trees annually perishing, and there being no undergrowth to supply their 

 place, they become thinner every year ; and, as they diminish, they shade 

 the grass less, which therefore grows more luxuriantly ; and, where a strong 

 wind carries a fire through dried grass and leaves, which cover the earth 

 with combustible matter several feet deep, the volume of flame destroys all 

 before it ; the very animals cannot escape. We have seen it enwrap the 

 forest upon which it was precipitated, and destroy whole acres of trees. 

 After beginning, the circle widens every year, until the prairies expand, 

 boundless as the ocean. Young growth follows the American settlement, 

 since the settler keeps off those annual burnings. {American Q,uarterly 

 Review, March, 1829.) 



Dates in South Carolina. — The Beaufort Sonth Carolina Gazette mewtions 

 that a date tree is in full bearing at Mrs. Elliott's, on Hilton Head Island. 

 It is 8 or 10 ft. high, resembling the palmetto, and springing up from the 

 stone of an imported date. (Newspaj^er.) — J. M, Se2)t, 21. 1829. 



/w the Gardens of Chaptcltepec, near Mexico, the first object that 

 strikes the eye is the magnificent cypress, called the cypress of Montezuma. 

 It had attained its full growth when that monarch was on the throne ( 1 520), 

 so that it must now be at least 400 years old ; yet it still retains all the 

 vigour of youthful vegetation. The trunk is 41 ft. in circumference, yet 

 the height is so majestic as to make even this enormous mass appear 

 slender. At Santa Maria de Tula, in Oaxaca, is a cypress 93J English ft. 

 in circumference, which }et does not show the slightest symptom of de- 

 cay. (Ward's Mexico.) 



The Banana (Musa sapientum) forms the principal vegetable food 

 of the Mexicans ; yet it has been asserted that the plant is not indi- 

 genous. The reasons detailed by Humboldt render the truth of this 

 opinion ver^' doubtful. The amount and rapidity of produce of this plant 

 probably exceed that of any other in the known world. In eigiit or ten 

 months after the sucker has been planted clusters of fruit are formed, and 

 in about two months more they may be gathered. The stem is then cut 

 down, and a fresh plant, about two thirds of the height of the parent stem, 

 succeeds, and bears fruit in about three months more. The only care 

 necessary is to dig once or twice a year round the roots. According to 

 our author, on 1076 square feet from 30 to 40 banana trees may be planted 

 in Mexico, which will yield in the space of the year 4414 lbs. avoirdupois 

 of fruit, while the same space would yield only 33 lbs. avoirdupois of 

 wheat, and 99 lbs. of potatoes. {For. Qitar. Rev. April, 1829, p. 179.) 



It may be gratifying to contrast this rapid rate of growth in Mexico, with 

 that of its sister species the plantain tree (Mus« paradisiaca) in a British 

 stove, as described, p. 676. — J. D. 



The Sunflower as an Oil Plant. — Will you believe it. Sir, that in tlie 

 county of York, in Pennsylvania, there will this year be 200 acres of lanil 



