Retrospective Criticism. 477 



nature in this country, he too frequently does not find those qualities in his 

 wife and children, which would be likely to induce him to stay at home ; be- 

 cause a man who has been engaged all the week in active exertion does not 

 find all that he wants in mere cessation from labour, and in domestic din. Sci- 

 entific lectures will rouse his mind, and his wife will participate in the recre- 

 ation. The consequence, it may reasonably be expected, will be the neglect 

 of the public house for the lecture-room, in the winter season; and for public 

 walks and gardens during the summer months. The greatest praise is due to 

 the promoters of this philanthropic scheme, which we most sincerely hope 

 will answer the end proposed. The praise will be the greater, as the scheme 

 will doubtless meet with considerable opposition from prejudices generally, 

 and more especially from those persons whose interest it is to keep the work- 

 ing classes in their present state of ignorance, and, too often, sottishness. — ■ 

 Cond. 



Trees blown down at Knowsley Park. — The number blown down, or rooted 

 up, is 3287, of which about 3000 are fir poles, consisting of larch, spruce, and 

 Scotch pine, which have been chiefly sold for coal-pit props, railings, crate- 

 wood, &c. Aboutf 300 large trees were blown down. The coniferous species 

 blown down were growing on soft undrained land, and crowded together. 

 Trees will never root strongly, even on dry soil, when they are crowded together, 

 much less in a wet undrained situation. You will perceive, after all, that Lord 

 Derby's loss among his plantations is not so great as appears, when we look 

 only at the number of the trees. With the exception of a few old trees, and 

 forty old thorns in the park, and the limbs of some of the old trees in the park, 

 being so broken as to damage the trees both as to appearance and durability, 

 the plantations, on the whole, may be said to be improved by the thinning 

 given them by the storm. — William Somerville. Knoivsley Park, March 29. 

 1839. 



SCOTLAND. 



Avery's Rotatory Steam Engine adapted to a Threshing-Machine. — Mr. 

 Allan, one of the most extensive and talented farmers in the neighbourhood 

 of Edinburgh, has lately had one of Avery's engines, as improved by Ruthven, 

 applied as a substitute for horses to his threshing-machine. This remarkably 

 simple machine consists of nothing more than a circular box of cast iron, 5 ft. 

 in diameter, and 6 in. wide, in which are two revolving arms, from the extre- 

 mities of which the steam is emitted, and the motion is produced on the prin- 

 ciple of Barker's mill. The engine has neither beam, piston, parallel motion, 

 apparatus, crank, nor valve ; and it occupies so little space, that, exclusive of 

 the boiler, it could be put with ease into a common parlour book-case. The 

 price of an engine of this kind, of six-horse power, is about 120/., and it will 

 thresh from 4 to 5 quarters of grain per hour ; or thresh, winnow, clean, and 

 fit for being sent to market, 50 sacks of corn in six hours. The consumption 

 of coals is less than 1 cwt. per hour. This engine promises to effect a revo- 

 lution in the application of steam power to threshing-machines, in all coal 

 countries. Even if it had no other advantages over the ordinary steam- 

 engines, than that of not being liable to go out of order, this alone would 

 recommend it before all others to the farmer. For further details, see the 

 Scotsman of May 29. 1839. — Cond. 



Art. IV. Retrospective Criticism. 



In the Second Additional Supplement to the Hortus Britannicus the species 

 of the genera Viscaria and Fesicaria have been inadvertently placed together 

 under Viscaria; hence the species Viscaria gracilis and grandiflora should 

 be Fesicaria gracilis and grandiflora. 



