236 
EGG-HATCHING MACHINE.-THE DOMESTIC FLORA OF CHINA.—NO. 2. 
THE AMERICAN EGG-HATCHING MA¬ 
CHINE. 
The principles of incubation, or bringing forth 
chickens from the egg, by artificial heat, have long 
been understood by the Egyptians, and is practised 
by them to a great extent, at the present day, in 
large ovens, the temperature of which is raised to 
the requisite heat-, and in France, Italy, and else¬ 
where, the same principles have been carried out 
with more or less success. But in no instance has 
the art been brought to so perfect a state, particu¬ 
larly on the score of economy or simplicity, as by 
the apparatus recently patented in the United States, 
by Mr. L. G. Hoffman, the internal arrangement 
of which is denoted in Fig. 55. 
During the past season, this machine has been 
constantly kept in operation, in this city, and ex¬ 
amined by a large number of practical and scien- 
Fig. 55. 
tific men, who have strongly attested to its useful¬ 
ness and general adoption. It is constructed of tin 
or other materials, with the brooding-chamber sur¬ 
rounded by water, warmed to a suitable degree of 
temperature, by a spirit-lamp, which may constantly 
be kept burning for less than 10 cents a day. The 
apparatus is so simple in its construction and man¬ 
agement that a child can superintend its operation, 
without losing more than two hours time in a day, 
and requires no attention during the night, after 10 
o’clock. 
The machine does not exceed two and a half feet 
square, and is capable of hatching from 200 to 600 
chickens at a time, with a loss of not more than 
two per cent., if the eggs are perfect. Price from 
$20 to $40. 
THE DOMESTIC FLORA OF CHINA.—NO. 2. 
The botany of Hong-kong, or the “ Island of 
Fragrant Streams,” possesses a considerable degree 
of interest, at least would have done so some years 
ago, when the plants indigenous to it were less 
known than they now are. By far the most beauti¬ 
ful plants met with on the low ground, are the dif¬ 
ferent species of Lagerstrcemia. There are two or 
three varieties, having red, white, and purple flow¬ 
ers, and in the summer months, when they are in 
bloom, they are quite the hawthorns of China; sur¬ 
passing, in their gorgeous flowers, even that beauti¬ 
ful family. 
It is a curious fact connected with the vegetation 
of Hong-kong, that all the most ornamental flower¬ 
ing plants are found high up on the mountains, from 
a thousand to two thousand feet above the level 
of the sea. In the northern parts of China, such 
as Chusan and the mountainous country near 
Ning-po, the same description of plants are indi¬ 
genous to less elevated situations, and there, on the 
tops of the hills, we find little else than species of 
grass, wild roses, and violets, thus showing how 
plants accommodate themselves to the climate, by 
choosing a higher or lower altitude as the climate 
in which they are placed may be hot or cold. All 
the beautiful plants indigenous to Hong-kong, with 
the exceptions already pointed out, grow and 
flourish high up amongst the hills. Several species 
of Azalea , a plant now so well known in England, 
are found covering the sides of the hills at least 
fifteen hundred feet above the level of the 
sea,..and they are not met with at all at a low 
elevation on the same hills. The Polyspora 
axillaris grows in the same situations, and 
another plant, perhaps the most beautiful of 
all; I mean the Enkianthus reticulatus. This 
plant is very highly prized by the Chinese. 
It flowers in February and March, about the 
time of their new year, and they then bring 
the branches down from the hills in great quan¬ 
tities for the decoration of their houses. The 
flowers are unexpanded when they are ga¬ 
thered, but by being placed in water, they 
very soon bloom in the houses, and remain for 
more than a fortnight as fresh and beautiful 
as if they had been taken up with their roots 
in the most careful manner. Even the more 
beautiful amongst the native orchids are only 
found at a considerable elevation. The tops 
of the highest hills are covered, in the sum¬ 
mer and autumn months, with the purple Arundina 
sinensis , and the yellow Spathoglottis fort uni. 
The gardens of the Mandarins in the city of 
Ning-po are very pretty and unique ; they contain a 
choice selection of the ornamental trees and shrubs 
of China, and generally a considerable number of 
dwarf trees. Many of the latter are really curious, 
and afford another example of the patience and 
ingenuity of this people. Some of the specimens 
are only a few inches high, and yet seem hoary 
wflth age. Not only are they trained to represent 
old trees in miniature, but some are made to resem¬ 
ble the fashionable pagodas of the country, and 
others different kinds of animals, amongst whicli 
the deer seems to be the favorite. Junipers are 
generally chosen for the latter purpose, as they can 
be more readily bent into the desired form; the 
eyes and tongue are added afterwards, and the repre¬ 
sentation altogether is really good. One of the 
Mandarins of Ning-po, anxious, I suppose, to con¬ 
fer some mark of especial favor upon me, presented 
me with one of these animals—plants, I should say; 
but as it was of no real use to me, and as my col¬ 
lections of other things were large, I was obliged to 
decline his present, which he evidently considered 
of great value, and no doubt wondered at my want 
of taste. 
Another example will show the passion which 
exists amongst the Chinese for things of this kind. 
When I was travelling on the hills of Hong-kong, a 
