General Notices. 43 



the period when it should be gathered, and formed into cakes, which are 

 to be dried in the sun, or in a stove. On these cakes being boiled in water 

 the water assumes a strong blue colour, which will not change either in 

 vinegar or sulphuric acid. It may, however, be turned into red with 

 alkali, into a light black with bruised gall nuts, and into a beautiful oreen 

 by evaporation. Stuffs dyed blue with this solution, which is to be used 

 in the same way as vegetable matters of a similar species employed in 

 dyeing, become of a beautiful and durable colour. {Lit. Gaz., Oct. 9. 1830.) 



Temperance Societies are doing incalculable good here, as I can testify 

 from personal observation. In the Edinburgh Society we have already 

 above 2500 people ; some of whom told me, that even one glass of whisky 

 per day cost them 21. 10s. a year, confessing at the same time that they knew 

 it did them no good, but perhaps harm. The Society says nothing against 

 the proper use of malt liquor or pure wines. There is so much of a free- 

 masonry sort of feeling among gardeners, that I should think a Scottish 

 Gardeners' Temperance Society would produce a grand public and private 

 effect in England. — R. Edinburgh, Nov. 17. 1831. 



We insert the above because it is sent us by a much valued correspond- 

 ent ; but we have higher hopes of gardeners than to suppose that if any 

 of them were addicted to more drinking than they could afford, or than 

 was good for their health, they would find it necessary to get rid of the 

 practice by binding themselves by the rules of a Temperance Society. 

 Perhaps there may be some persons who require such a species of co- 

 ercion, and Temperance Societies may therefore act as a palliative of 

 the disease in this case ; but we have little confidence in them even for 

 this purpose, and we look upon them as not at all calculated for removing 

 the cause of the evil. The majority of persons who drink to excess, do 

 so, we apprehend, as a source of enjoyment, for want of something better. 

 Open up various resources to them, and you will at least divide their en- 

 joyments. This is gaining something. Misery of various kinds induces 

 many to resort to the momentary oblivion produced by alcohol ; incessant 

 toil requires occasional indulgence; and the practice of drinking, once 

 commenced, soon becomes a habit, and doubtless increases the misery it 

 was intended to relieve. If the object of Temperance Societies were to 

 enquire into the causes of this misery and its remedies, we should strongly 

 recommend them to gardeners. In some able articles on this subject in 

 the Mechanic's Magazine, the uselessness of the Temperance Societies, as 

 at present constituted, is forcibly pointed out, and the causes of drinking 

 traced to the bad laws and bad usages which have entirely cut off the bulk 

 of the people from a great many sources of innocent and healthful pleasure, 

 while they have restrained them in the enjoyment of others. Every thing 

 which could diminish the workman's hours of hard labour has been 

 carefully guarded against ; while nothing has been adopted to increase, to 

 purify, or to heighten his pleasures. Render men comfortable and happy 

 and there will be no occasion for Temperance Societies ; but it would 

 lead us too far to point out the evils which require to be remedied. We 

 refer to the various articles on the subject in the sixteenth volume of the 

 Mechanic's Magazine, and more especially to the articles in p. 109. and 202. 

 In the mean time, if any gardener is in the habit of taking a dram of 

 whisky every morning, and wishes to leave it off, let him begin with a large 

 bottle of the spirit, and every time he takes out a glass of whisky, let him put 

 in a glass of water. This is the way in which people cure themselves 

 of taking laudanum, to which, by the by, we understand the Temperance 

 Societies about Glasgow and Paisley have driven some of their mem- 

 bers. — Cond. 



Floriculture. 

 A Plan for removing choice Florists' Flowers from one Pot to another ivithont 

 Injury. — Sir, I herewith send you a plan of mine, for removing the more 



