47 
Commissioners of Weights and Measures. 
Jy visits both annoyed him and injured the field through which 
they travelled ; and as he could not get free of this servitude by 
compulsion, he had recourse to art. He made out a very good 
gravel walk, and frequented it daily for some time, as if it had 
been made for his private use and amusement. Winter came on, a 
good deal of rain fell, and the diagonal footpath became Very 
dirty and unpleasant to the people going to church, or returning 
home. A few of them ventured to try, whether the Minister 
would allow them the use of his fine gravel walk ; and when 
they were not interrupted, others soon followed their example. 
In a little time they all deserted the diagonal footpath, and 
went along the gravel walk, which, though a little longer, was 
a much better road, and by which they could walk nearly as 
soon, and with much more comfort. 
It is in this way, I apprehend, that the Legislators of this 
free and great commercial country should proceed, in equalizing 
our weights and measures. They should make new and cor- 
rect standards, decimally divided. They should send them to 
the market-towns, and put them under the protection of the Ma- 
gistrates, along with accurate tables shewing their relation to the 
other national and provincial weights and measures. They 
should use them themselves, and promote resolutions for that 
use, but employ no compulsion for their introduction ; while 
they punish severely all frauds in those who use the old or pro- 
vincial standards. If established on sound principles, the peo- 
ple will soon generally adopt them ; and at no distant period 
they will be introduced and established among all trading nations. 
I am, yours, &c. 
Geo. Skene Keith. 
Art. VIII.- — Remarks on Azalea^ Rhododendron, Ledum, and 
Leiophyllum ; with Characters these four Genera. By 
Mr David Don, Curator of the Lambertian Herbarium. 
The genus Azalea, as established by Linnmus, and adopted 
by Jussieu, Schreber, and in short by every botanical writer, 
includes many plants which are not to be distinguished from 
Rhododendron, unless by the number of stamens, which \i\ Azalea 
