Notices. — Switzerland^ Italy, Holland and Netherlands. 325 



flower-stems, which were three or four feet long; and long-woolled sheep 

 got fat on it in moist lands, where they would otherwise have taken the 

 rot. — (Agr. Journ. of Bavaria ; 15th year.) 



Tatarian Buck-Wheat. This species, Polygonum Tataricum, is said 

 to be of much more luxuriant growth than the common sort, fagopyrum ; 

 it is, therefore, strongly recommended as preferable to it, especially where 

 the plant is grown to be ploughed in as manure. 



Advantages of pruning Fruit-trees in Summer. The removal of shoots 

 and leaves at this season, according to M. Hempel, removes also a number 

 of caterpillars and eggs of insects, consequently the birds devour a greater 

 portion of what remains. — {Ann. Pomolog. a" Altenb. 1824.) We may 

 add, that wounds heal more quickly in the summer season, and that the 

 cherry is apt to exude gum when pruned at any other period of the 

 year. Summer pruning, however, in many cases, is attended with incon- 

 venience. 



SWITZERLAND. 



Paragreles ; Thunder and Hail Protectors in Savoy. By order of the Sar- 

 dinian government, the Royal Society of Agriculture of Turin appointed 

 a commission to enquire into every thing which had been written or 

 done on the subject of these machines. The following is the result of 

 some trials in Savoy. 1467 paragreles were placed in the neighbourhood 

 of Chambery, on a chain of mountains, from their base to their summits. 

 On the 5th of August 1825, a violent storm took place, which extended 

 beyond the district planted with paragreles, but which was unattended by 

 hail within that district ; but without it, both hail and thunder were 

 abundant. On the 11th of November following, in which hail fell both 

 within and without the district protected, a proprietor who had only 

 four paragreles, each twenty-two feet high, saved his lands from a violent 

 storm, which fell on those of his neighbours. 



ITALY. 



Power of Vegetable Life. A branch of the Cotyledon coccinea was pre- 

 sented by Professor Gazzari to the Accademi di Geofiles, in Jan. 1824. 

 Although it had been separated from the mother branch more than sixteen 

 months, during which time it had been wrapped up in paper, and set aside 

 by accident in a dark dry place, yet it was in full vegetation, affording a 

 strong illustration of the vital power of some plants. — {Revue Encyclop. 

 25. p. 75.) 



HOLLAND AND THE NETHERLANDS. 



Caterpillars. The injury done by these insects on the continent is 

 much greater than we have any idea of in Britain; probably from their 

 rapid increase during dry weather, the periods of which are of longer 

 continuance than in this country. In the agricultural journal of the 

 Netherlands, accounts are given of their denuding whole forests, and of 

 the poplar tree, as being peculiarly liable to their attacks. They have 

 scarcely any remedy, excepting in encouraging the production of small 

 birds ; in gardens, the spray and leaves are frequently cut off, for which 

 purpose, in the case of high trees, they employ the averruncator, — 

 (Encyc. of Gard.fig. 12i.), under the name of the echenillier. 



Single-flowered White Camellia. At the meeting on the 19th of Feb- 

 ruary 1825, of the Society of Flora, at Brussels, the medal of honour was 

 given to M. Vandermaelin, for presenting this plant, which was considered 

 remarkable for its rarity, vigour, brilliancy, and beauty. 



Accelerating Culinary Vegetables. The inhabitants in the neighbourhood 



