264- General Notices. 



caused, no doubt, by the evaporation of the earth, and was again absorbed by 

 the plants. 



It is difficult to account for the perfect health of the plants, without the full 

 admission of the atmosphere ; but oxygen sufficient was probably admitted, 

 either through the pores of the wood, or otherwise. It is, however, a fact, 

 that no water was given to them during the voyage, and that they were landed 

 in excellent order. — Robert Gillies. Hibernia, Falmouth Harbour, October 2. 

 1835. (^Tke Third Annual Report of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society, 

 Falmouth, 1835. 8vo. 2s. 6d.) 



The House Fly. — At the Entomological Society, on Monday, a paper by 

 Lieut.-Col. Sykes was read, on excluding the house fly. The mode adopted was 

 a net made of different-coloured meshes, of about three quarters of an inch 

 square, and which, when placed against a window, was found quite effectual in 

 excluding the visits of these troublesome insects from the outside of the room. 

 The same experiment was tried with meshes made of the finest black thread, 

 liin. square, which proved to be equally effectual. The approach of wasps 

 was also prevented by the above mode, very few finding their way within the 

 boundary. This was accounted for by an optical illusion in the eyes of the in- 

 sect, of the highly magnifying power of vision, and the small focal length. 



Now that netting can be procured at the low price of 2/. Is. 3c?. for thirty- three 

 square yards, gardeners might try whether, by covering a hot-house with such 

 a net, they could not exclude both birds and wasps. They might also apply it 

 over standard cherry trees, and over various kinds of newly sown seeds ; and, 

 lastly, they might place it before the windows of their own cottages, to exclude 

 the common house fly. 



A cheap and durable Netting for Garden Purposes has lately been brought 

 into notice by Messrs. Howden, who manufacture the article on a new princi- 

 ple by steam. This principle consists in making the knot of the mesh move- 

 able, by which means it expands when the cord swells with wet. The expansive 

 power possessed by this netting renders it much stronger than any other, as it is 

 well known that all nets manufactured in the ordinar}' manner fail first at the 

 knots, from the wet swelling the cord immediately above and below them, and 

 thus tearing asunder at the point where the tightness of the knot prevents 

 the cord from expanding. Messrs. Howden's nets are manufactured in pieces 

 of thirty-three yards long by ten yards wide, when the meshes are not strained 

 tight ; but, when they are thus strained, the length and width of the piece are 

 considerably increased. A piece of this netting containing thirty-three square 

 yards, will cover a wall ninety-nine yards long and 12 ft. high ; and the cost of 

 such a piece is only 21. \s. 3d. Thus, if this netting were put three times 

 over the trees, it would not be so expensive as bunting (which, when new, is 

 8d. per 3'ard), or any other covering now in use for garden purposes. Pieces 

 of this netting may be manufactured of any size and shape. It would form 

 excellent netting for covering a cherry orchard, such as that described, and 

 accompanied by an engraving, in Vol. III. p. 396. 



Roivland^s Metallic Wire and Metallic Nails. — In order that these articles 

 may have a fair chance of extensive trial, we have figured specimens of seven 

 different sorts, which Mr. Rowland has sent us, viz. : Nos. 8. to 20. in fig. 27. ; 

 and also the two metallic nails, Nos. 21. and 22. in the figure. The utility of 

 the wire is thus described by Mr. Rowland : — 



" First, in securing wall trees : from its preventing any vermin or insects from 

 harbouring on them (as they do on list) ; and from its durability, which is far 

 superior to that of either listing or matting, while its softness and pliability far 

 surpass copper or brass wire, and it does not canker, cut, or verdigrise the 

 trees. 



" Secondly, in securing vines : it will not cut or injure the young branches, 

 as it is of a very elastic nature ; and, in point of cheapness, it is much less ex- 

 pensive than any other wire, listing, or even string ; it also occasions a saving 

 of time in securing or tying, as it is fastened by only one turn of the wire. 



" Thirdly, in flowers the same as vines, labeling trees, &c." 



