282 General Notices. 



without shrinking or twisting in the slightest degree. He recommends all 

 boards intended for hot-bed frames, plant-boxes, and all similar purposes, to be 

 Kyanised : and we would farther suggest, that the process should be ex- 

 tended to all kinds of rods and stakes used for tying up plants, or for protecting 

 single trees (such as those recommended by Mr. Lawrence, p. 166.) ; to all 

 rods, twigs, and boards used in summer-houses, rustic vases, ornamental fences, 

 and espalier rails ; and to all basket-work, hampers, wicker protectors for 

 plants, &c. We would recommend all bast mats to be immersed in Kyan's 

 composition ; all netting and canvass made of hemp or flax ; and all garden 

 lines, sash-lines, packthread for tying plants, lists for nailing wall-trees, &c. 

 It is only necessary to send the articles which are to be Kyanised to the 

 nearest Kyan's tank, where the process will be effected in forty or fifty hours, 

 at a mere trifle of expense. These tanks are now established in various towns ; 

 and several gentlemen have private tanks for their own use. If the benefits 

 to be derived from this composition come at all near to what is held out by 

 the patentee, by Dr. Birkbeck, and by Dr. Dickson, in his late lectures on the 

 Botany of Architecture before the Institute of British Architects, wood 

 tanneries will soon be as common as tanneries for leather. There is a tank 

 at Blackwall, where any gardener, within ten miles of London may (with his 

 master's permission) try some wood, cut into the form of tallies for pots, and 

 also for plants in the open air, and other specimens of the articles mentioned 

 above ; and we should like much if they would do so, and, in a year or two, 

 let us know the result. We intend ourselves to have some experiments tried; 

 an account of all of which, with a particular account of the process, we shall 

 give in the Arboretum Britannicimi. In the mean time, we should be glad to 

 hear the experience of different persons on the subject, from different parts of 

 the country, — Co7id. 



Anticorrosive Paint. — Some years ago, we strongly recommended this paint, 

 from our own experience, more especially for protecting iron fences ; but we 

 have always found painters set their faces against it, on account of its only 

 requiring one coat, or at most two, being very cheap to purchase, and ruinous 

 to the brushes for laying it on. We have therefore said little about it for the 

 last two or three years : but Mr. Beaton has revived the subject in our minds, 

 by stating to us that he had tried it on an old rusty iron fence, after having 

 had the rust scraped off, and one coat of the " anticorrosion," as the venders 

 call it, laid on by a common labourer. A single coat he found effectually to 

 prevent the rust from coming through. We ought to mention that this paint 

 forms such a hard, rough, stone-like casing on the surface of woodwork, that, 

 if it should require to be cut up by saws or hatchets, it takes off their edge 

 almost immediately ; and, consequently, all carpenters and joiners are against 

 it, as well as the painters. The basis of the " anticorrosion" is, or ought to 

 be, composed of the powdered scorise from lead-works ; but it is often adul- 

 terated with powdered stone-bottles, powdered stones, and even roadstuff. 

 — Cond. 



An improved Mode of Land-Surveying, by Mr. John Sang, land-surveyor, of 

 Kirkaldy, is described in the number oi Jameson'' s Journal for April last. By 

 it, the contents of any piece of ground, whether of an even or of an irregular 

 surface, is obtained with much greater accuracy than by the common modes. 

 It would occupy too much space to describe Mr. Sang's method here; but 

 those who are interested in the subject will do well to consult the publication 

 alluded to, or to apply to Mr. Sang himself, who is well known to be one of 

 the most elegant and accurate surveyors and mappers of estates in Britain. — 

 Cond. 



Voa nemordlis var, nervosa, the Hudson's Bay meadow-grass, appears to be 

 one of the greatest acquisitions to the agriculturists that has been made since 

 the introduction of the Italian rye-grass. This grass has been brought into 

 notice by Mr. Bishop, at Methven Castle, and will be found mentioned in the 

 Report of Messrs. Dickson and Tunibidr s Agricidtural AIuseiim,z^t Verth, (See 

 Vol. X. p. 307.) Much of the value of the Hudson's Bay meadow-grass, Mr. 



