F.XTRACTS—NATURAL HISTORY. 
800 
ARBORICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE. 
Horse Chesnut. —The wood of the horse chesnut (^E'sculus Hippo-casta- 
num) .makes very durable stakes for vines. A'lnus glutinosa appears to grow 
more rapidly in light sandy soil, than the birch (Betula alba) when placed in si¬ 
milar situations. 
Que'rcus coccinea and Q. r'ubra —The first of these trees has been known 
for upwards of fifty years in the park at Worlitz ;„ and specimens are there to 
be found one hundred feet in height. There are four distinct varieties of the 
species coccinea, differing in the colour of their leaves, and in their greater or 
less productiveness of acorns. All of them are remarkably ornamental, from 
the deep red of their very late falling leaves, especially in autumn, and when 
the trees appear among the dark foliage of the pines. The timber is extremely 
firm and tough; and so suitable for furniture, that, when varnished, it becomes 
as dark as mahogany. Q. rubra does not form so large or so handsome a tree 
as the scarlet Oak; but it is still very beautiful, and deserves a place in every 
plantation. It requires rather a moist soil.—M. Schoch, Worlitz Gardens. 
— Pruss. Gard. Soc. . ...... 
Tamarisk planted by cuttings in the spring, in driving sands on the sea shore, 
will immediately take root; and the falling leaves in a few years will fix the 
sands. Sea weed may also be collected and spread over the sand, which the 
stems of the tamarisk would hold in their place. Tamarisk may be cut every 
spring, and thus yield an annual profit. The wood is heavy and good to burn. 
— Gard. Mag. 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
Food of Bees in North America. —The American black willow and the 
red maple are the first trees that are visited by bees. They are fond of the cro¬ 
cus, which is the earliest of our bulbous roots. The stercory, and piggery are 
next resorted to, and the extract absorbed from them, must be used a tonic. Blos¬ 
soms of all kinds, except those of the red clover and honey-suckle, are excellent 
food; and the bees especially profit by the increased attention bestowed at pre¬ 
sent on the culture of the peach tree in some parts of America. They not only 
drink the nectar, and collect the pollen of the flower, but they appropriate the 
peach itself. The scent of bees is so acute, that every flower which has a pow¬ 
erful odour can be discovered by them at a great distance. Strawberry blossoms, 
mignonette, wild and garden thyme, herbs of all kinds, apple, plum, cherry; 
and above all, raspberry blossoms, and white clover, are delicious food for them; 
and a thriving orchard and apiary fitly go together.— Mag. Nat. Hist. 
Mode of Decoying Wild Pigeons in New England, North America. 
The flight and stool pigeons as they are called, arc prepared by passing a thread 
through the edges of both their eye lids, which are thus closed; their legs are 
booted, and the flights being fastened to long strings, are thrown into the air, 
