and through the same channel the annual returns can be received. It is to be hoped that this appeal to the friends of botanical science in this country will not be neglected; and for their encouragement we may add, that Dr. Hooker of Edinburgh, a subscriber to the institution, being entitled to two shares in the produce of the first excursion, is in possession of a collection which, for the number, variety, and beauty of the specimens, has much exceeded his most sanguine expectations; being such as, but for this valuable institution, no money could have purchased: all are correctly named, with printed labels. To judge from the first collection, each member will receive about 200 species for a single annual subscription. Professor Schilling, of Breslau, has invented an instrument, by the aid of which plants can be copied most correctly from nature, even those which are so small as to be examined by naturalists through the microscope. This instrument is similar in its construction to a magic lantern; and, by the means of an attached mirror, the image of the magnified object is thrown upon a horizontal paper surface, where it admits of being copied easily and accurately. ་ METHOD OF REVIVING PLANTS.-This is called, A proved method of reviving plants, &c. when their leaves and buds are faded, and their bark and roots hard and nearly dry, by M. de Droste, of Hulshof. The directions are, to dissolve camphor to saturation in alcohol, adding the former until it remains solid at the bottom; a sufficient quantity of rain or river water is then to have the alcoholic solution added to it, in the proportion of four drops to one ounce of water. As the camphor comes in contact with the water, it will form a thin solid film, which is to be well beaten up with the water; for a short time the camphor will float in the water in small flocculi, but will ultimately combine with the fluid, and disappear. Plants which have been removed from the earth, and have suffered by a journey or otherwise, should be plunged into this camphorated water, so that they may be entirely covered; in about two, or at most three hours, the contracted leaves will expand again, the young faded and dependent shoots will erect themselves, and the dried bark will become smooth and full. That being effected, the plant is to be placed in good earth, copiously watered with rain or river water, and protected from the too powerful action of the sun, until the roots have taken good hold of the ground. When large plants, as trees, are to be revived, their roots are to be plunged into the camphorated water for three hours; the trunk, and even the head of the tree, being frequently wetted with the same water, so as to retain them in a properly moistened state. But it is always best, if possible, to immerse the whole of the plant. Shoots, sprigs, slips, and roots, are to be treated in a similar manner. If plants thus treated be not restored in four hours, their death may be considered as certain, for they cannot be recalled to life by any artificial means. They should, consequently, never be left more than four hours in the camphorated bath; because the exciting action of the camphor, when it is continued for a longer period, may injure the plants instead of doing good to them. It is not necessary to say, that the final prosperity of the plants, thus reanimated by the camphor water, must depend upon the particular properties of the former, the state of their roots, and the pains that are taken with them. The camphor produces no other effect than to restore life to plants nearly dead; after that, all proceeds according to the ordinary laws, and their ultimate state must be left to art and nature. Journal of Science. SELF-IMPELLING CARRIAGE-A new species of self-impelling carriage has been invented by a M. Barret of Lyons, which is capable of performing a distance of 120 leagues in fifteen hours. M. Barret went in it from his own house, in the Place des Celestins, to the Porte St. Clair. The carriage rests upon three wheels; one of these is placed in front, and acts as a sort of rudder, to regulate the motions of the vehicle. A person sitting in the body of the carriage sets the two greater wheels in motion by means of his feet, which he strikes alternately against a piece of mechanism formed in the interior. The carriage by each stroke is made to perform a distance of sixteen feet, from which the whole distance can be easily calculated. The most remarkable part of this invention is, that the person who regulates the movement of the directing wheel, or rudder, has it in his power to turn the carriage round, and give it a contrary direction. STEAM.-Some alleged improvements having been introduced by two engineers, Messrs. Vernet and Gauwin, into an invention for producing steam without boiling the water, by means of tubes called generators; the French Institute appointed a committee to investigate the subject, by which committee a very satisfactory report has just been made. Among the advantages which are said to result from this new invention, are a complete absence of the danger of explo- ' sion without the use of safety-valves, a simplification of the machine; a reduction of its weight, a facility of repair, a power of suddenly increasing force, &c. SUBTERRANEOUS FIRE.-A subterraneous fire was lately discovered in St. Peter's Square, Leeds; the smoke issued from the earth in such quantities as to alarm the neighbourhood; and an excavation being made, to discover the course of this extraordinary phenomenon, a large body of fire was seen, which, on the accession of air, burst into a vivid flame. Engines were procured; and it was supposed the fire was extinguished. The next day, however, the smoke was seen to arise again, and excavators were set to work to discover the source: it was found to have originated in a vein of coals, over which a pipeburner's furnace had been erected; and was supposed to have been burning for six months. THE SABBATH AT BRIGHTON,One of our public journals, after stating, that the races at Brighton were this year to be " on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, instead of Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday," which was the ancient arrangement, adds, that "the magistrates, in their solicitude for morality, interfered and put an end to the old arrangement, and have even interdicted the use of the Monday or Saturday, that the Sabbath may not be violated by the putting up or taking down of booths on the race-hill." . DEGREES. CONFERRED, OXFORD. Ingham, Joshua, Grand Compounder, Carey, Henry, scholar of Worcester Boucher, Rev. Barton, Balliol coll. Tunnard, Thomas, St. Mary hall Pye, William, student of Christ-church Dudley, Thomas, Trinity coll. Hawkins, Robert, scholar of Pembroke June 28. M. A. Knapp, Samuel Hartopp, Merton coll. Boraston, Rev. Gregory Birch, Michel fellow of Queen's Ludlow, Rev. Edw., St. Edmund hall Vogan, Rev. T. S. Lyte, ditto Morpeth, Lord Viscount, Christ-church Wingfield, Rev. Edward John, ditto Phillott, Rev. James Russell, ditto Alderson, Rev. R. J. C., Exeter coll. Wroughton, Philip, Oriel coll. July 7. M. A. Willis, Rev. Edward, Brasennose Harding, Rev. W., fellow of Wadham Robertson, Geo. Thomas, Lincoln coll. Priestman, John Smith, probationary scholar of Queen's. Welsby, W. N., St. John's Arnold, C., Caius coll. Ford, W., Magdalen Peckett, H., Trinity coll. Ruddock, R. H., St. John's coll. Smith, C. A. J., ditto Gibson, N. W., Trinity Lloyd, M., Emanuel coll. Bell, J. H., St. John's Sealy, W. Guidot, St. John's Rising, R., Pembroke coll. Francis, E., ditto Sumner, J., Trinity Barham, W. F., ditto Bagshaw, E B., Magdalen Latten, W., St. John's Waters, R. J., Christ's Luturdge, R. W. S., St. John's Whiter, C. W., Clare hall Wade, G., Jesus Lawton, E. C., Clare hall Beauclerk, C. R., Caius coll July the 10th, being commencement day, the following degrees were conferred: Doctors of Law.-Hon. and Rev. Geo. Bourke, Rev. John Greham, Rev. John Pennefather, Sergeant Lefroy, John Colhoun, Joseph Rolleston. Doctors of Medicine.-D. M'Creight, George Hamilton Roe. Bachelors of Law.-Hon. and Rev. George Bourke, Rev. John Greham, Rev. John Pennefather, Sergeant Lefroy, John Colhoun, Joseph Rolleston, Rev. John Burnet, John Burton. Bachelors of Medicine.-Henry Hickes, John M'Dowall, Charles E. Ross, Maurice Corr, Robert Peebles, Benjamin Alcock, Thomas E. Byrne. Masters of Arts.-Rev. E. J. Evans, Rev. W. Smyth, Rev. Robert Trail, Rev. William Higgin, Rev. Richard Ol VOL. I.-NO. IV. pherts, John Stevelly, John M'Dowall, George Hamilton Roe, Edward Eyre Maunsell, Henry Hicks, Charles E. Ross, Maxwell Fleming, Edward R. Creed, Robert Lyster, Thomas Henry, William Vandeleur. At the same time seventy-nine Students were admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts. 3 Q The Gold Medal for distinguished answering in Science at the last examination of the commencing class was presented to Thomas Jones, and that for a like distinction in Classics to John Graves. At the Hebrew Examinations held at the end of the last Term, the following graduates obtained premiums from the fund granted for that purpose by his Grace the Lord Primate: In the Middle Bachelor Class-M'Cay, M'Master. |