DEATH OF MR. DOUGLAS. 
189 
This coat of bark defends the roots from being hurt by the sun’s heat, 
and prevents the runners striking into the soil; the bark also reflects the 
heat of the sun very powerfully upon the ripening fruit, and thereby 
expedites their swelling off. The bark should not be used for this pur¬ 
pose until it has been at least one winter out of the tan-pit, as recent 
bark contains too much astringency to be suitable. 
In sending strawberry plants from this country to America, or any 
other similarly distant place, the best way is found to be—clear the 
roots from every particle of soil, cut off the leaves, and stow them in 
layers among moss almost dry, in a mat, or box, placed between decks 
on board ship. M. Saul. 
Mr. King, the botanical auctioneer, announces for sale (at the 
Mart) a fine collection of standard roses, lately brought from France; 
among which there are a number of red flowering Laburnums,” 
The pale purple has been in the possession of Mr. Loudon for several 
years, but whether these advertised plants be the same does not appear. 
Mr. King adds, that they are the first which have been offered for sale 
in this country. 
Death of Mr. Douglas, one of the Botanical Collectors 
for the Horticultural Society of London. —A report of this 
sad event was circulated in London about the 1st of March, and was 
soon afterwards confirmed by Captain M c Konnochie, who stated that 
poor Douglas met his death accidentally in one of the Sandwich 
Islands, where he was without a guide, in search of new plants. 
It appears that these islanders dig deep pits and cover them with 
brush wood, for the purpose of entrapping wild bulls. Into one of 
these Mr. Douglas inadvertently fell, and where there had been one of 
these ferocious animals already caught. The consequence may be 
easily conceived; Mr. D., in this dreadful prison, and without either 
time or possibility of escape, was gored and trampled to death ! Never 
since the fate of the elder Pliny has there been such a victim to the 
pursuit of natural history. 
This was the second excursion Mr. I), was engaged in for the 
IT. S., traversing the wild and inhospitable tracks of California, 
the rocky mountains and other countries but little known along the 
western shores of central America. The results of his first visit to 
those countries was a pretty numerous collection of herbs, shrubs, and 
trees now naturalised in Britain; and since his last departure from 
England a good many seeds, the first fruits of his second excursion, 
have been received by the society. But it is supposed that his acqui- 
