Short Communications. 



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132 



from the waste of tin-plate work- 

 ers ; so that the rate of expense 

 required for any number of 

 similar ones will be but little, 

 and they will answer well for 

 attaching to trees and plants 

 about to be sent abroad, as they 

 will not be liable to be defaced 

 by dampness on the voyage, as 

 labels made of parchment are : 

 occasionally to the total obliter- 

 ation of the name or number. 

 By having tin labels cut (as a), 

 or copper ones (as b), they may 

 easily be attached to the plant 

 by turning the nan-owed end 

 round the stem or branch. The 

 polish on the tin and copper may be readily taken off, either 

 by washing the tin or copper with a weak acid, cream of 

 tartar, or an apple. The ink of the inscription, applied with 

 a common pen, then sinks freely into the pores of the metal. 

 It is then run over with boiled linseed oil, to protect it from 

 being defaced. — M. Saul. Sulyard Street^ Lancaster^ Feb. 

 23. 1833. 



This paragraph, and that above on the possible fitness of 

 zinc for labels, have stood four months in type. Since they 

 were put in type, Mr. Saul has written (on June 17th) to 

 state that a correspondent of his (Mr. Thom) advises the 

 employment of zinc plate in preference to tin plate, in 

 making the labels recommended by Mr. Saul, who, however, 

 still thinks that tin plate vi^ill well answer the purpose. Mr. 

 Thom uses zinc labels for naming his growing fruit trees; 

 they are made 5 in. long and \\'vc\. broad, and have a hole 

 perforated near each end, through which is passed a small 

 cord by which they are attached to the tree. As cord is 

 liable to rot early, and wire, if overlooked, constrains the 

 growing branch, and becomes buried in the wood and bark 

 which forms over it, it is a question worth being asked, will 

 not some mode of attaching the labels like that figured in 

 Vol. III. p. 470. be worth adopting, as well in application to 

 trees to be packed for a voyage or long journey, as to trees 

 that are growing? — J. D. 



A Mouse Trap for Gardens or other Places. — I form my 

 traps of articles which are at hand in most gardens. I take 

 a large-sized garden pan, and place in it a small hand glass, 

 such as is used in striking pink pipings, through which I 



p p 2 



