particularly the red-streak. This apple, he informs us, was raised from seed by lord Scudamore in the beginning of the last century. We have many trees of it, but they appear to have been in a state of decay during the last forty years. Some others mentioned by him are in a much better state of vegetation; but they have all ceased to deserve the attention of the planter. The durability of the pear is probably something more than double that of the apple. It has been remarked by Evelyn, and by almost every writer since, on the subject of planting, that the growth of plants raised from seeds was more rapid, and that they produced better trees than those obtain ed from layers or cuttings. This seems to point out some kind of decay attending the latter modes of propagation, though the custom in the public nurseries of taking layers from stools (trees cropped annually close to the ground) probably retards its effects, as each plant rises immediately from the root of the parent stock. Were a tree capable of affording an eternal succession of healthy plants from its roots, I think our woods must have been wholly overrun with those species of trees which propagate in this manner, as those scions from the roots always grow in the first three or four years with much greater rapidity than seedling plants. An aspin is seldom seen without a thousand suckers rising from its roots; yet this tree is thinly, though universally, scattered over the wood-lands of this country. I can speak from experience that the luxuriance and excessive disposi tion to extend itself in another plant which propagates itself from the root, (the raspberry), decline in twenty years from the seed. The common elm being always propagated from scions or layers, and growing with luxuriance, seems to form an exception; but as some varieties grow much better than others, it appears not improbable that the most healthy are those which have last been obtained from seed. The different degrees of health in our peach and nectarine trees may, I think, arise from the same source. The oak is much more long-lived in the north of Europe than here; though its timber is less durable, from the numerous pores attending its slow growth. The climate of this country being colder than its native, may, in the same way, add to the durability of the elm; which may possibly be farther increased by its not producing seeds in this climate, as the life of many annuals may be increased to twice its natu ral period, if not more, by preventing their seeding. I have been induced to say a great deal more on this subject than, I fear, you will think it deserves, from a conviction that immense advantages would arise from the cultivation of the pear and apple in other counties, and that the ill success which has attended any efforts to propagate them, has arisen from the use of worn out and diseased kinds. Their cultivation is ill understood in this country, and worse practised; yet an acre of ground, fully planted, frequently affords an average produce of more than five hundred gallons of liquor, with a tolerably good crop of grass; and I have not * Probably about the year 1684. the the least doubt but that there are large quantities of ground in almost every county in England capable of affording an equal produce. I have only to add an assurance, that the results of theforegoing experiments are correctly stated; and that I am, Sir, &c. Elton, Herefordshire, On the Dry-Rot in Timber; in a Letter from Robert Batson, Esq. of Lime-House, to the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Ma. nufactures and Commerce; from whose Transactions it is extracted. THE HE society for the encouragement of arts, manufactures, and commerce, continuing to offer a premium for discovering the cause of the dry-rot in timber, and disclosing a certain method of prevention, I beg leave to lay before them an account of a method I have put in practice, and which, at present, appears to me to have fully suc ceeded. The dry-rot having taken place in one of my parlours, in such a manner as to require the pulling down part of the wainscot every third year, and perceiving that it arose from a damp stagnated air, and from the moisture of the earth, I determined in the month of June, 1783, to build a narrow closet next the wall through which the damp came to the parlour, which had the desired effect; but, though it put a total stop to the rot in the parlour, the evil soon appeared in the closet; fungi of a yellow colour arose, to a great' degree, in various parts of it. In the autumn [of the year 1706, the closet was locked up about ten weeks; on opening it, numerous fungi were observed about the lower part of it, and a white mould was spread by a plant resembling a vine or sea-weed, and the whole of the inside, China, &c. was covered with a fine powder of the colour of brick-dust. It being then cleaned out, I soon perceived (what indeed I did not expect) that the evil had impregnated the wood so far as to run through every shelf therein, and the brackets that supported them; it had also seized upon, and destroyed, a moveable board for breaking sugar on. I therefore, in the beginning of the year 1787, determined to strip the whole closet of lining and floor, and not leave a particle of the wood behind; and also to dig and take away about two feet of the earth in depth, and leave the walls to dry, so as to destroy the roots or seeds of the evil. by time, and the admission of air, and good brushing, it had become sufficiently dry and cleansed, I filled it, of sufficient height for my joists, with anchor-smith's ashes; knowing that no vegetable would grow in them. My joists being sawed off to their proper lengths, and fully prepared, they and their plates were well charred, and laid upon the ashes; particular directions being given that not any scantling or board might be cut or planed in the place, lest any dust or shavings might drop among the ashes- My flooringboards being very dry, I caused them to be laid close, to prevent the dirt getting down, which, I thought, in a course of time, might bring on vegetation. When, The framing for lining the closet was then fixed up, having all the 4 lower er pannels let in to be fastened a buttons only; that, in case any etation should arise, the pannels ht, with ease, be taken out to mine them. This having now been done uprds of six years, and no vegetaa or damp appearing, the whole the pannels and floor remaining the same state as when first put I shall have a satisfaction in taig part of the floor up, if the soty think proper to appoint a comttee to examine the place. If what I have produced meets e approbation of the society, I sh it made public, under their nction, that as full a trial as possie may be made of it; and if, at a oper distance of time, it proves general utility, any honorary ken of the society's approbation ill be received with much satisfacon by me. I think it may be highly necessary, some situations, to take out a reater depth of earth; and where shes can be had from a foundery, hey are fully equal to those from nchor-smiths, but by no means deend upon house-ashes. I am, &c. ROBERT BATSON. In consequence of the foregoing etter, a committee was appointed to examine and report the state of the closet, who met on the 15th of May, 1794; the wainscot being taken down, and the flooring-boards taken up, they were all found entirely free from any appearance of the rot; and from all the circumstances then observed, it was the opinion of the committee, that the method advised by Mr. Batson, when fully and completely put in execution, appeared to have answered every intention mentioned in his letter; and his opinion seemed the more justly founded, as two. pieces of wood (yellow fir) which had been driven into the wall as plugs, without being previously charred, were affected with the rot. Composition of a Water which has the Property of Destroying Caterpillars, Ants, and other Insects; invented by C. Tatin,* at Paris; from the Annals de Chimie. TAKE of black soap, of the best quality, 1lb. 1lb. -flowers of sulphur, -mushrooms,any kind, 2lb. -river or rain water, 15 gls. Divide the water into two equal parts; pour one part, that is to say, seven gallons and a half, into a barrel, of any convenient size, which should be used only for this purpose; let the black soap be stirred in it till it is dissolved, and then add to it the mushrooms, after they have been slightly bruised. Let the remaining half of the water be made to boil in a kettle ; put the whole quantity of sulphur into a coarse open cloth; tie it up with a pack thread in form of a parcel, and fasten to it a stone or other weight, of some pounds, in order to make it sink to the bottom. If the kettle is too small for the seven gallons and a half of water to be boiled in at once, the sulphur must also be divided. During twenty minutes (being the time the boiling should continue) stir it well with a *The Bureau de Consultation of Paris gave a reward to the author of this composition for his discovery, which they desired might be made as public as possible. stick, and let the packet of sulphur be squeezed, so as to make it yield to the water all its power and colour. The effect of the water is not rendered more powerful by increasing the quantity of ingredients. The water, when taken off the fire, is to be poured into the barrel, where it is to be stirred for a short time with a stick; this stirring must be repeated every day until the mixture becomes fetid, in the highest degree. Experience shews that the older, and the more fetid, the composition is, the more quick is its action. It is necessary to take care to stop the barrel well every time the mixture is stirred. When we wish to make use of this water, we need only sprinkle it, or pour it upon the plants, or plunge their branches into it; but the best manner of using it is to inject it upon them with a common syringe, to which is adapted a pipe of the usual construction, except that its extremity should terminate in a head of an inch and a half in diameter, pierced in the flat part with small holes, like pin-holes, for tender plants; but, for trees, a head pierced with larger holes may be made use of. Caterpillars, beetles, bed-bugs, aphides, and many other insects are killed by a single injection of this water. Insects which live under ground, those which have a hard shell, hornets, wasps, ants, &c. require to be gently and continually injected, till the water has penetrated, to the bottom of their abode. Ant-hills, particularly, require two, four, six, or eight quarts of water, according to the size and extent of the ant-hill, which should not be disturbed till twenty-four hours after the operation. If the ants which happen to be absent should assem ble, and form another hill, it must be treated in the way before men tioned. In this manner we shall at last destroy them, but they must not be too much disturbed with a stick; on the contrary, the injection should be continued till, by their not appearing upon the surface of the earth, they are supposed to be all destroyed. We may advantageously add to the mixture two ounces of nur vomica, which should be boiled with the sulphur; the water, by this means, will acquire more power, particularly if used for destroying ants. When all the water has been made use of, the sediment should be thrown into a hole dug in the ground, lest the poultry, or other domestic animals, should eat it. Specification of the Patent granted to Mr. John Tucker, of Wickham, in the County of Southampton, Tanner; for his Method of Tanning, and making Leather of a superior Quality, and in a much shorter Period of Time, than hath hitherto been done. Dated May 12, 1795. O all to whom these presents To shall come, &c. Now know ye, that I, the said John Tucker, in compliance with the said proviso, do hereby declare, that the nature of my said invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and ascertained as follows, that is to say, the vat or pit may be made or composed either of wooden, earthen, metallic, or other substance fit for the purpose, and constructed in any form, or size, that may be necessary The fect leather. But, if this process of tanning be strictly attended to, it will produce leather, not only in a much shorter period of time than has hitherto been done, but of very superior quality, and durability. In witness whereof, &c. #necessary convenient. or toozes should be kept in a regular kind degree of heat, by means of a Fue, connected with them by an inclosure of brick, wood, stone, or any kind of metal, or other substance fit for the purpose; but the best method is to make the vats of beech, (with the top-plank of oak, about two inches thick,) four feet and a half deep, six feet long, and four feet wide; the sides to be perforated with holes, about one inch and a half in diameter, and two inches in distance from each other. The vat or pit should be enclosed in a metallic coating, and so completely soldered as to prevent the escape of any of the fluid. There must be an eye made in the vat, with a hole in it, for the ooze to discharge itself through when exhausted. The vat should be placed on bricks, and enclosed with a case of brick-work, leaving an interstice of a few inches for the heat to circulatein; which heat should be kind and gentle, and received from a fire placed near the bottom of the vat, so as to be either increased or extinguished at pleasure as necessity or convenience may require. small hole, or holes, must be left in the upper part of the brick-work, which is necessary for the warm air to ascend through. The old way of cold infusion for the extracts, as to the taps and spenders, will not be affected by this process, and the hides may be brought into the yard as usual; but it will be proper to handle them very frequently for some time, otherwise, as the action of the bark in very considerably inCreased by the warmth it has received, it will, if the hides be not often moved, operate partially, so as to defeat the production of per A Rice Bread.-by Arthur Young, Esq. from Annals of Agriculture. AMONGST the many trials made on different mixtures by the Board of Agriculture, I was rather surprised to find that rice ground to flour did not make any figure equal to my expectations. This led me to try it boiled, instead of ground, and the result was so favourable, that it deserves being communicated to the public. I tried it in various proportions, but the most successful was, threefourths wheaten flour, and onefourth rice, weighed before boiling. It should be very well boiled, and the water squeezed out (which water may be used as starch for linen, and there is no better) and then mixed with the flour: it is made as common bread; none equals it, being more pleasant to the palate than any baker's bread. That it is highly nourishing, there can be no doubt, as rice is admitted to be of all grain the most so. It is likewise a great advantage, that it has a restringent quality, all breads that induce laxity being pernicious to hard labouring people. Tho' rice by the pound is dearer than wheaten flour, it is not so in bread; I tried ten repeated experiments, on mixing one pound and a half of flour with half a pound of rice, and the loaves weighed cold, gave from three pounds to three |