naturalist’s calendar. 
427 
have tried all the means 1 know to destroy them, but cannot. Four men, three 
boys, and myself went out for several nights and destroyed thousands, yet they 
still appear as numerous as ever, W. G. 
How shall I get rid or Woodlice ?—I have been trying to grow cucum¬ 
bers and melons the whole of this season, but to no purpose. As soon as the 
plants come into blow, the flowers are immediately devoured. I have tried every 
thing 1 can think of, but they still increase. I have killed hundreds. W. G. 
What is the Culture of the Musa ?—Pray will some one of your corres¬ 
pondents furnish me, through the medium of the Register, with a description ol 
the Culture of Musa sapientum and paradiscaca ? T. K. S. 
How are Hollies cultivated from Seeds? —Will you at your leisure 
treat on the subject of cultivating hollies from seed, in the formation of common 
hedges, and the best method of growing a fence upon gravelly soils, or partially 
so, the best time of planting, how long it is necessary for the seed to be buried, 
&c. &c. ? A Constant Reader . 
Where can l purchase Knight’s Sweet Red Currant? —In Vol. 1, p. 
824, mention is made of a Sweet Red Currant introduced by Mr. Knight. I 
have sought for it, but can find no nurseryman who has ever heard of it. Will 
you be kind enough to state where it can be procured ? I have experienced the 
like inconvenience in finding some of the apples mentioned in your list, and as 
to the pears, I am involved in the greatest confusion, many of them passing by 
half a dozen names. Could not some arrangement be made by gardeners on 
Ibis head, so that purchasers might not be so inconvenienced ? 
A Constant Reader. 
II. NATURALIST’S CALENDAR, 
OR OBSERVATIONS ON NATURE, FOR SEPTEMBER. 
Among other interesting plants, corn-fields and gardens afford abundance of the 
Scarlet Pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis, (fig. 54, 1.) The name of this plant is 
derived from anagclao, to laugh, on account of its supposed medical properties, 
for which it was formerly much celebrated. It is called the Poor Man’s Weather 
Glass, because, every morning, if the weather be fair and warm, the blossoms 
generally expand about seven o’clock, seldom much before, except in peculiar 
situations, and close again soon after two in the afternoon. If the atmosphere 
contains much moisture, or there is a probability of rain, the flowers seldom fully 
expand, sometimes not at all, and when they do open they soon close again, to 
preserve the delicate parts of fructification from the injury of the weather. In 
ditches, and marshy ground, the Water Pimpernel, or Brook Weed, Samolus 
valevandi, (fig. 3) is found growing; its flowers are white and insignificant, and 
the whole plant, when in flower, stands about nine inches. In the same situa¬ 
tions, but more commonly than the last, may be found the Water Purslane, 
Peplis portula (fig. 4); it grows but about three inches high, and bears purple 
flowers. In most bogs, the Bristle-like Club-rush, Isolepis setacea, (fig. 5) grows 
plentifully ; it usually attains the height of about three inches, intermixed with 
