THE FLORIST. 
267 
three times its bulk of water, was sufficient for their destruction. 
Water, scarcely rendered alkaline by the addition of potash, killed 
themj still more quickly, causing a large quantity of slime to be 
thrown out. Solutions of the metallic salts, when added to this 
slimy matter, produce an abundant coagulated mass; that which is 
produced by the action of nitrate of copper dissolves in an excess of 
potash, and produces a violet-coloured liquor. 
Of all the poisons which I have tried on the snails, there is none 
which has appeared to exert so deleterious an influence as the alka¬ 
lies. If a drop of caustic ammonia, or of caustic potash, be added 
to a quart of rain-water, an alkaline solution will be formed of such 
little strength, that it scarcely affects delicate test-paper, and causes 
no impression on the organs of taste ; if, however, we place some 
snails in this solution, they soon die, whilst other snails placd in 
rain-water alone, escape out of the vessel in which they are placed. 
It would appear difficult to find more energetic poisons for snails 
than those I have indicated; I therefore think that a weak solution 
of caustic potash or soda, or, what would be still more economical, 
the refuse lyes which have served for the washing of linen, diluted 
with water to which a small quantity of quicklime has been added, 
will enable us to attain the object we have in view more readily and 
certainly than by the use of lime alone in the state of powder, as this 
is speedily converted into a carbonate of lime by the action of the 
air, and thus loses its poisonous influence on the snails. 
ORIGIN OF SACRED GARDENS. 
In the course of my Hebrew researches I have met with some pas¬ 
sages in Parkhurst’s Lexicon, which may be interesting to the readers 
of the Florist, and instructive to the lovers of gardens. 
This learned author supposes that the Garden of Eden was 
intended not only as a place of pleasure, but for the spiritual instruc¬ 
tion of our first parents; and quotes a celebrated rabbi, who says, 
“ that the things of the garden, like those of the tabernacle after¬ 
wards, were types of heavenly truths.” This is the more probable, 
as the Garden of Eden is alluded to by the Prophets as a place of 
spiritual knowledge, joy, and happiness (see Isa. li. 3; Ezek. xxviii. 13, 
xxxvi. 35). And, in the New Testament, the name Paradise is 
applied to the intermediate state of happy spirits between death and 
resurrection, and even to the eternal joys of heaven (see Luke xxiii. 43; 
2 Cor. xii. 4; Rev. ii. 7 ; comp. Rev. xxii. 1-3). 
It is to be observed, the Septuagint almost constantly use the 
Greek word Paradeisos for the Hebrew word Gan, when relating to 
the Garden of Eden. 
I hope I may be allowed to send you a series of short papers, 
which will shew that the garden, its flowers, &c. are indeed used in 
the Scriptures to teach spiritual and heavenly truths. 
