Catalogue of Works on Gardening, §-c. 283 



established facts, or, when doubtful theories are mentioned, to state distinctly 

 that they are more or less problematical." (Pref.) 



The great art of disseminating a knowledge of chemistry among practical 

 men is to produce specific applications of it like that now before us, which 

 unquestionably constitutes the best chemical book for gardeners, and which 

 every young gardener ought to possess. We have several books of chemistry 

 for i'armers, and we trust we shall soon see one for architects and engineers, 

 which, like agricultural chemistry, ought to combine geology. The only 

 change which we should wish to see in Mr. Solly's book would be to have 

 it entitled what it really is, ".Horticultural Chemistry; an Elementary In- 

 troduction to the Study of the Science in its Relation to Horticulture." 



'File Quarterly Journal of Meteorology and Physical Science, published under 

 the immediate Sanction and Direction of the Meteorological Society of Great 

 Britain. No. VI. Edited by J. W. G. Gutch, M-R.^CS. London, 1843. 



To those who take an interest in meteorological pursuits, this journal will 

 afford a rich treat ; containing as it does a great variety of communications, 

 extracts from different publications bearing on the subject, reviews, &c. 



Martin's Thames and Metropolis Improvement Plan : the Object being to supply 

 the Metropolis ivith pure Water ; to embank the River Thames and preserve the 

 Sewage ; to improve the Navigation below London Bridge ; and to conned the 

 Port of London with the Inland Railivays. Pamph. 8vo, pp. 52. London, 

 1842. 



There are a great many original and ingenious ideas in this work, and Mr. 

 Martin deserves great praise for his perseverance in keeping the subjects 

 treated of before the public. One of the objects is, " the improvement of 

 the drainage of the metropolis, and preservation of the sewage for agri- 

 cultural purposes." Tiie subject is one which we have been attending to 

 since 1829, as will appear by our Volume for that year, p. 690., and the Builder 

 for March 1843, p. 43., from which we extract the following paragraph : — 



" Might not the whole of the aqueous parts of the common sewers be re- 

 turned to the country as manure, in mains of pipes, in the same manner 

 as the water is brought in, and the solid part sent out in cakes like oil cake ? 

 This might be done by intercepting the matter contained in the sewers at dif- 

 ferent points, separating the solid from the fluid parts by filtration and com- 

 pression, and forcing off the latter along cast-iron main pipes, by steam, or 

 by previously forcing it to the summit of a tower. From the mains of liquid 

 manure, conducted along all the principal roads, farmers and market-garden- 

 ers might be supplied with the liquid, exactly as houses are at present with 

 pure water. Viewing this mode of getting rid of the water of the sewers as 

 the converse of the mode of introducing clear water, all the requisite details 

 for carrying it into execution will readily occur to any practical person. It 

 might be tried at first on a limited scale, say along the Hammersmith Road, 

 as far as Hounslow or Slough." 



Having mentioned tlie Builder, we take this opportunity of repeating (see 

 p. 81.) our strong recommendation of it to such of our readers as have re- 

 latives or friends connected with the building arts. It interferes with no other 

 publication, and it is calculated to have an excellent moral, as well as pro- 

 fessional, influence over a body of young men who probably amount, in En^f- 

 land alone, to fifty or sixty thousand. Young gardeners cannot do better than 

 associate with young carpenters, when these are like themselves of good moral 

 character, and readers of scientific and moral works like that just recom- 

 mended. The knowledge of geometry and architecture, which a carpenter 

 requires to enable him to rise in his profession, entitles him to the same rank in 

 an intellectual point of view with the gardener, though the science of ven-e- 

 table culture and carpentry are as different as mathematics and chemistry. 



