England. 163 



which float in it ; which impurities, and not any thing in its chemical com- 

 position, are now generally understood to be the cause why the air of London 

 is less favourable for both animal and vegetable life, than the air of the 

 country. Mr. Ward has grown plants in boxes of this kind for three years 

 with the greatest degree of success ; and he is now getting a box prepared, 

 5 or 6 ft. square, and nearly 10 ft. high, in which he intends to have a rock- 

 work covered with vegetation. In our next Number will be found a paper on 

 this subject, by Mr. Ward : in the mean time, we have, at this late period, 

 only time to state, that the success attending Mr. Ward's experiments opens 

 up extensive views as to then- application in transporting plants from one 

 country to another ; in preserving plants in rooms, or in towns ; and in 

 forming miniature gardens or conservatories, either in rooms or on the inside 

 or outside of windows, as substitutes for bad views, or for no views at all. 

 Mr. Ward has no doubt, that by boxes of this kind, with requisite modifica- 

 tions, he could transport plants from any one country in the world to any 

 other country. In Mr. Ward's drawing-room, we found a magnificent spe- 

 cimen of Melianthus major coming into bloom ; and his herbarium contains 

 nearly 25,000 species, arranged according to the natural system, and placed in 

 boxes on a highly improved plan. — Cond. 



A Smoke-consuming Furnace, formed of bricks, has been invented by Mr. 

 Ambrose Winder of Dale End, Birmingham, which possesses all the good qua- 

 lities of Witty's patent gas furnaces; and, in addition to this, it costs little more 

 than a common furnace, in the erection and materials. Two of these furnaces 

 have been fitted up in this garden, for heating two narrow houses lately erected 

 for the Society by Mr. Thomas Clark, jun., Lionel Street, which answer well 

 the purpose for which they were intended. — David Cameron. Botanic Gar- 

 den, Birmingham, March 4. 1834. 



A great Improvement in the Garden Engine has recently been made by Mr. 

 Read (inventor of the improved syringe, Encyc. of Garcl., 2d edit. § 1419.). 

 In consequence of having a reserved power of condensed air, he can throw 

 the water in a fine shower to a much greater distance than can be done by the 

 common engine, and this with much less labour to the operator. — Cond. 



Catching Moles in the Neck of a broken Bottle. — Take two common beer 

 bottle necks, set them in the burrow with their wide ends outermost, facing the 

 hole both ways ; make them firm with a couple of sticks to each, crossing 

 each other over the bottle necks, close to their widest ends ; exclude light 

 and air by a piece of turf or the like, and the trap is set. The mole, coming 

 to the bottle-neck, finds the way plain, and squeezes herself in. She would 

 get through, were she able to hold her hind feet on the glass to push her head 

 and fore legs through ; but here she fails, and is generally found squeezed in 

 so hard that a stick is wanted to force her out. This mode of snaring was 

 practised, if not invented, by a farmer in Banffshire in the early part of the 

 seventeenth century; and it is likely that, though it might then have been 

 generally known there, it has since been lost sight of in the adoption of 

 less simple though more portable snares. By this means the poorest cottager 

 might ensnare this unwelcome guest in his garden, whilst he might not be able 

 to spare either his pence to buy, or his time to make, any other trap. — 

 Adolescentulus. 



A new Description of Earthenware Tally {fig. 13.) made by Messrs. 

 Doulton and Watts, High Street, Lambeth, promises to be both durable and 

 economical, especially for herbaceous plants, and also for plants in pots. 

 We have given figures of five sorts, each of the full size, except Nos. 1. and 2., 

 which have a portion of their lower ends broken off. No. 1. is 9|in. long; 

 No. 2. is 8| in.; No. 3. is 6 in.; No. 4. is 4 in.; and No. 5., for pots, is 2 J in. 

 The cost of the largest size is, we believe, about 16,?. per gross; that of No. 2. 

 125. ; of No. 3. 85. ; and of No. 5. 45. It will be observed from the engraving, 

 that the numbers are impressed on the beveled surface of the top ; and that, 

 over the number, there is a letter in Nos. 1, 2. and 4. The intention of 

 the letters is to enable the enumeration to be carried to an indefinite extent, 



m 2 



