Sfiort Communications. 569 



exceed in the quantity of their grumbling, and in the habit 

 of looking on the wrong side of things, and in a proclivity 

 [propensity] to hypochondriacal imaginations, the old pen- 

 sioners of the army and the navy at Chelsea and Green- 

 wich. Placed above the fear of want, but deprived of all 

 motive to exertion ; neither moved by hope nor by fear, for 

 they have neither promotion to look to, nor disgrace to appre- 

 hend ; they are miserable, precisely because they have nothing 

 to do. We have often thought that some gentle duties, ana- 

 logous to the former habits of the lives of these deserving 

 old men, would be a great blessing to them." 



Now, we would suggest that to every hospital there should 

 be attached a garden, sufficiently extensive to occupy in its 

 culture all the inmates. Though this sort of occupation 

 might not be " analogous to the former habits " of these 

 inmates, yet we are persuaded that it is so natural, that they 

 would soon not only become accustomed to it, but fond of it. 

 Why should not the whole of the vacant ground at Chelsea 

 Hospital be turned into a garden ; and put under the care of 

 a good gardener, who would direct the labours of such of the 

 pensioners as were able to work in it? Much might be said 

 on this subject, if we had not expatiated so largely on it in 

 former volumes. We trust, however, we shall be excused 

 for keeping it continually before our readers. — Cond. 



A Mode of preventing the Ravages of' Birds on newly sown 

 Corn, — The mode adopted in some parts of Fife, for pro- 

 tecting new-sown fields from rooks, wood-pigeons, and other 

 destructive vermin, is the following. In a large field which 

 has been newly sown, place a certain number of stamps 

 (traps), say a dozen, used for killing rats, &c. ; cover them 

 slightly with earth, and avoid, by all means, any thing like a 

 methodical arrangement of the stamps. A few rooks taken 

 by such means serve as so many beacons, and effectually 

 protect the field, for the croaking noise they make is almost 

 incredible. By this simple operation, many pounds sterling 

 will, in the long run be saved to the farmer. (See the Edin- 

 hurgh Advertiser of the 3rd May last.) The writer can state 

 the success of the above process from actual observation, 

 and he is convinced that, were the method suggested gene- 

 rally known and followed throughout the country, the rooks 

 and other vermin would, in a short time, dread the ap- 

 pearance of a new-sown field as much as they now do the 

 sight of a gun. The proper use of the rook * is to destroy 



* " Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain ? 

 The bii'ds of heaven shall vindicate their grain." 



Pope's Essay on Man, ep. iii. — /. D. 



