General Notices. 573 



second spit from the bed/ is laid on h. So that the top-soil and sub-soil are 

 kept on separate and alternate beds, and may be mixed, reversed, or returned 

 as taken out, at the will of the operator. By this method, the advantages are, 

 a much greater exposure of surface to the action of the weather ; the oppor- 

 tunity of incorporating with the soil any desirable or obtainable manures, and 

 at any desired depth ; a thorough blending of the soil to the depth of two or 

 three feet ; and it also facilitates the operation of draining where necessary. 

 It is needless to add, that, when the first thrown-out beds are sufficiently pul- 

 verised, they are levelled down, and the others thrown out in the same manner. 

 (T. Parkins in Gard. Chron. for 1842, p. 6.) 



Utility of the Rook. — Although, at certain periods of the year, rooks do con- 

 siderable mischief, yet they make ample compensation in the end by destroying 

 the grubs of the cockchafer, and other under-ground feeding insects, which, 

 if left to themselves, would utterly destroy the crops which the rooks only 

 partially injure. Mr. Yarrell, in his History of British Birds, says : — " On 

 some very large farms in Devonshire, the proprietors determined, a few 

 summers ago, to try the result of offering a great reward for the heads of 

 rooks : but the issue proved destructive to the farmers, for nearly the whole 

 of the crops failed for three successive years ; and they have since been forced 

 to import rooks and other birds to re-stock their farms with. A similar ex- 

 periment was made a few years ago in a northern county, particularly in 

 reference to rooks, but with no better success : the farmers were obliged to 

 reinstate the rooks to save their crops." (Camb. Chron. and Journ., June 

 11. 1842.) 



Plums on calcareous Soil. — Have you ever heard that plum trees thrive best 

 in the limestone districts ? In confirmation of this, my garden never fails of 

 an abundant crop of apricots, which, you know, are grafted on plum stocks. 

 From seven trees I shall pick this year from 150 to 200 dozen. — P. F. M. 

 July 22. 1842. 



Grape-growing. — I have tried with great success the filthy feeding system 

 for grapes ; dead dogs, rats, calves, and horses have been buried about 10 or 

 12 feet from seven vines, which now, the third year, are going to give me an 

 abundant crop of grapes ; not less than 250 fine bunches. — Idem. 



Orange Syrup. — This syrup is so easily made, and can be used so con- 

 stantly to advantage, that no housekeeper should be without it. Select ripe 

 and thin-skinned fruit; squeeze the juice through a sieve ; to every pint add a 

 pound and a half of powdered sugar ; boil it slowly, and skim as long as any 

 scum rises ; you may then take it off, let it grow cold, and bottle it off. Be 

 sure to secure the corks well. Two table-spoonfuls of this syrup, mixed in 

 melted butter, make an admirable sauce for plum or batter pudding ; it im- 

 parts a fine flavour to custards ; and a tea-spoonful introduced into a glass of 

 punch adds much to its deliciousness. {Camb. Chron. and Journ., April 2. 

 1842.) 



Potato Salad. — In your cottage gardening, when you are giving directions 

 for the cooking and use of sundry vegetables, perhaps you might add a mode 

 of making a potato salad much used in some parts of the Continent, and which 

 would not only be useful to the cottager, but is thought by many to be de- 

 licious eating, particularly with salmon, or fish in general, or indeed any thing 

 else. The mixture of vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, and hard egg is the same as 

 for common salad, and according to taste ; the potatoes are sliced when cold, 

 with beet-root also sliced. The cottager may merely use the vinegar, salt, 

 and mustard, and add sliced onions. (Camb. Chron. and Journ. , April 2. 

 1842.) 



Taming and training Horses. — In confirmation of a paragraph on this sub- 

 ject, inserted in p. 328., we quote the following: — " The taming of horses," 

 says the Newbourn Advocate (a North Carolina newspaper), " by breathing in 

 their nostrils, seems to be gaining friends. Mr. David Clayton, of Tyrrel 

 county, having seen an article in our paper stating that horses had been 

 rendered gentle by breathing into their nostrils, determined to try it on a 



