THE COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 
185 
June 27.] 
the infirmity attendant on advancing years had been for 
some time creeping gradually upon him, he had con¬ 
tinued to maintain his usual health, and on Sunday 
night went to bed apparently not the least indisposed. 
He\t morning, when called by his ser\ant, it was found 
that during the night, his sudden and unexpected 
decease had taken place. At first it was ascribed to 
apoplexy, but as there were none of the usual evidences 
to confirm the supposition, it is presumed that the 
proximate cause of death was over-exhaustion, the 
result, perhaps, of a long journey of some thirty or forty 
miles, which Mr. Smith had undertaken on the previous 
Saturday. Mr. Smith has been most generally known 
for his improvements in agriculture, and his experiments 
in subsoil ploughing, thorough draining, the application 
of sewage manure, the manufacture ot tile-drains, &c. 
But, as a civil engineer, his name in scientific circles is 
also most favourably known. Of the originality of 
design, and the powers of mind, which he so displayed 
in the prosecution of this favourite pursuit, sufficient 
evidence is afforded in the construction of the celebrated 
water-wheel of such large dimensions at the Shaws 
Water cotton-mill, Greenock, and of a floating-bridge at 
Gargunnock, on the Carse ot Stirling, that he wal also 
possessed in a marked degree of that pevfeividum in- 
genium which by some is placed among the national 
characteristics, has been exemplified by the invention ot 
various agricultural implements, and other mechanical 
contrivances in connection with cotton-spinning, &c., 
exhibiting a singular amount of ingenuity. As further- 
illustrative of this, and also as proof of the fact that 
up to the last his vigorous intellect continued unimpared, 
it may be mentioned that at the time of his death he 
was taking out a patent for a “ sheep dip,” of a new 
composition, and intended to supersede the system of 
“tarring” at present in use. This is a subject to 
which Mr. Smith had lately devoted much attention ; 
and it was no doubt the cause of much satisfaction to 
him to find, from experiments made a short time ago on 
the estates of his Grace the Duke of Montrose, that his 
invention even more than surpassed the anticipations 
that had been formed of it, in accomplishing the end in 
view; and we have no doubt that this discovery, when 
introduced, will be duly appreciated by that portion of 
the community for whose benefit it was contrived. Mr. 
Smith was a member of the Glasgow Philosophical 
Society, to whoso Transactions he contributed several 
important scientific papers. He had been latterly en¬ 
gaged in reporting to the Board of Health on the sanitaiy 
condition of different districts in England.” 
THE ERUIT-GARDEN. 
Strawberries. —These are now ripening, and where 
colouring has not already commenced free appli¬ 
cations of water will be of immense benefit, unless 
the weather prove rainy. Indeed, if colouring has 
already commenced, and the crops appear somewhat 
scanty, and many are wanted for preserving purposes, 
it is better to sacrifice a little in point of flavour than to 
run short in quantity. Of course, a portion may be re¬ 
served for the purposes of the dessert. 
As connected with this matter, the superiority of soils 
of some depth over those which are shallow, becomes 
manifest. Every inch extra in depth may be considered 
as enabling the plant to endure several days more of 
drought; and this applies not only to the strawberry, 
but to almost every crop both in the garden and the 
farm. 
It is hoped that the readers of The Cottage Gar¬ 
dener have taken the precaution of putting some straw 
or other material beneath their plants, to preserve them 
clean. We generally use clean new wheat straw; 
some persons use the short grass from the lawn, but 
this is not to be recommended, as in the event of 
a rainy July—which in the average of seasons perhaps 
is to be expected—-the grass harbours myriads of slugs, 
as also wire-worms, which in some districts are ex¬ 
ceedingly prejudicial to the crop. We do not see why 
ordinary slates, such as those rejected irom old roofs, 
should not be procured and laid by for the very purpose. 
Those would be of an imperishable nature, and it the 
operator in placing them carried a basket of stones, or 
broken brick, and placed one beneath each corner ol 
the slate next the plant, the surface of the slate would 
present an incline, from which moisture would at all 
times readily escape.* Mr. Koberts’s tiles, which we 
see advertised, are no doubt good things, but too ex¬ 
pensive to be within reach of the million. We would 
rather direct attention to ordinary materials within reach 
of everybody. 
Much attention should be paid to protect the ripening 
fruit from birds and mice. In this part of the country 
(Oulton Park), so numerous are the blackbirds and 
thrushes, that we are obliged to gather every one we 
can lay hands on each afternoon, especially when they 
first begin to ripen, for the birds will be at them soon 
after three o’clock every morning, and take all that 
are about half ripe. This is sad work, but where a 
considerable extent is grown (and we have a quarter of 
an acre) it is impossible to cover with nets. Such, how¬ 
ever, are used-up for preserving purposes; and those for 
the table are planted near to the houses, or other situa¬ 
tions where there is a continual movement going on, and 
whither the birds seldom resort. 
The Elton and Alpine strawberries, for late purposes, 
should at this period receive liberal waterings; and all 
runners should be trimmed clean away from the Alpines 
after this period. Indeed, all runners not required for 
planting should bo kept trimmed away from all the 
kinds, at all times, for they doubtless rob both the 
plant and the soil, and* tend to produce confusion as 
well as intercept the light from the mother plants; the 
latter is the most injurious robbery of all; for if the 
runners are cleared away, the exterior leaves of the 
parent plants drop, and the whole of the foliage slightly 
descends in succession; and by this means the crown 
of the plant is exposed equally to the light with the 
rest. When, however, the plant is liedged-in with 
coarse runners, the interior leaves are huddled together, 
and abortive or weak blossoms are the sure result. 
We do hope that none of our readers will resort to the 
barbarous practice of cutting off the leaves of their 
strawberries in the end of summer; a more absurd 
practice does not exist, condemned at once by every 
principle of physiological science, and by long practice. 
Because, forsooth, crops have been produced in spite of 
this practice, persons of hasty conclusions have taken 
a fancy that the practice is good. In doing so, not only 
is one portion of those valuable secretions which give 
plumpness to the bud and complete the organization of 
the future blossom cut away, but the protection ot the 
half decayed foliage, which nature has wisely ordained 
* Weuse slates ourselves, but put them flat upon the surface. Ed. C. G. 
