1809.] 
arrangement, would soon raise the nation 
fiom the depth of distress to honor and 
prusperity. 
Sa 
Lo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
“Tntroduction to Bo- 
STR, 
7 Dr. Smith’s 
tany,”* mention is made of ayremark- 
able property ef the cemmon Annual 
Sun-flower (Helianthus annuus) which 
as, that the fluwer follows the course 
of the sun during the day, and in 
the night-time (the stalk untwisting) re- 
turus to the east, to face the sun the 
bext morning, 
botanical readers would take the pains 
to ascertain this.circumstance by sowing, 
in different situations, the seeds of this 
plant, particularly in exposed situations, 
not near walls, or other buildings, and 
communicate the results to your. Mis- 
cellany. Your’s, &c. . 
A constant READER. 
20 the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
MONG the number of curiosities 
A preserved by Mr. Donovan, in his 
late Museum, was a large piece of sheet- 
lead, which was taken from the roof of 
an alg house, pulled down upwards of 
fifty years since, and which is perforated 
with worm-holes ia every direction, just - 
as we see a piece of wood aiyen the 
worm has preyed on it; the surface is also 
fretted by the worm insome places as deep 
as its body, and in others only shghtly 
touched. Annexed to itis acertificate, in 
the hand-writing of the celebrated Judge 
Blackstone, describing the exact situa- 
tion where this curiosity was found, and 
which of course removes every doubt of 
its being an Imposition. 
Tt has been a question among natu- 
ralists, whether certain imsects did prey 
on metals or not; and some have even 
gone so far as to assert, thatthey not only 
eat iron, but also sand, gravel, &c. &é. 
Small partipns of the Tatler we know 
birds will make choice of, which is for 
the purpose of assisting digestion; but 
what nourishment a worm could produce 
from lead would puzzle a chemist to de- 
termine, amid all his accuracies of its 
component parts. 
The fact is incontrovertible, however, 
and may serve at least to decide a point, 
that all metals are not, impervious to 
insects. 
While lam addressing you, give me 
Jeave to mentivn, that a frieud of mine 
\ 
Filtration of Water on a large Seale. 
"I wish some of your 
159 
lately told me of his intention to sheath 
a vessel with zine instead of cOpEED 
which is now used to protect the hull 
from the worms. He calculated on a 
considerable saving in the ‘cost; and of 
the effect in preserving of ships, as well — 
by this metal as by copper, there was ne 
difference. Nails made of zine he had 
often used, and he found them on the 
ships to be as perfect after two or three 
voyages as when they were first driven, 
this metal not being liable to corrosion in 
salt water; and he had several proofs of 
it on ee that belonged to the West 
Tidia trade. Your's, &c. M.B. 
London, July, 1809. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
N abundant supply of water has 
A justly been considered a very great 
advantage to a city; but when it is con- 
fined ie that obtained from pit- weils, 
great inconvenience arises to the inha- 
bitants from carrying it to their eee 
while in the cases of acciicntal fire, th 
carriage of the water is a great Ries 
ance ta the exertions of the fire- men, and 
thereby much increases the danger of 
conflagration. 
But while a town is supplied by means 
of pipes, the ease of obtaining water, by 
promoting cleanliness, must ‘be of great 
advantage to the health and comfort of 
the inhabitants; while the fire-plugs, and 
other contrivances, greatly facilitate the 
means of extinguishing, fire. It is there- 
fore almost incredible to think, that the 
citizens of any large town should feel 
satished, without so essential a means of 
health and safety, and which generally 
lies so easily within their reach. 
Spring-water has been ve ety often used 
in preference to river-water, for supply- 
ing towns, by means of pipes ; ; but this pre- 
ference was given merely, because of its 
apparently greater purity. For spring- 
water, however pure to the eye, often 
contains foreign ingredients, hurtful to 
the human constitution, These gre= 
dients, modern chemistry has enabled us 
to detect. Gn this subject, [ beg leave 
to refer to “ An aN ps of the pit-wells, 
and mineral waters of Glasgow; with ob- 
servations medical, and “economical,” 
speedily to be published by Dr, Ure, 
of the Andersonian Institution, Glasgow. 
But whether the foreign siered@iit in 
spring-water, happen to be hurtful or not 
to the human constitution, yet river 
“water, from its softness, 1s the fittest for 
is Q oe 7 
Washlig, 
