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in many parts totally destroyed; fattening of sheep have lost, instead of acquiring, flesh, and good mutton will be scarce for some time to come. Many sheep were lost from the mere effects of cold; some, with their lambs, deprived of sight. The Swedish turnips, although they resisted the weather better than the common kind. were much injured by the thaw and subsequent frost. Potatoes, insufficiently secured in store, were hurt, but the crops, both potatoes and turnips, were so large, that no want of either has been experienced. The abundance of hay and straw has been an inva Inable resource.

Wheats and other crops have a promising appearance upon the whole, and are thickly planted, although alarming reports have been made in some northern districts of the wheats having been so withered by the frost that not a blade was to be seen. The clovers are backward, but healthy. All country labour, by consequence, in ar rear, and much of the spring seeds, oats particularly, will be scuffled in, according to Mr. Greg's plan, in order to save time. The lands work beautifully, where they are not too wet, but dry weather is wanted. Wool a rising market. Corn rather on the decline again.

Smithfield: Beef 6s. to 7s.-Mutton 7s. to 8s. 6d.---Veal 6s. to 8s.-Lamb 20s, te 258. per quarter.-Pork 7s. to 10s..-Bacon 8s. 8d. to 9s.-Irish ditto 8s. to 8s. 6d.Fat 6s. 8d.-Skins 20s. to 60s.-Oil cake 18l. 18s.-Potatoes 31. to 51.-Chat ditto 11. 10s. to 21.

Corn Exchange: Wheat 658. to 885.-Barley 38s. to 45s-Oats 20s. to 38s. The quartern loaf 13d.-Hay 31. to 5l. 10s.-Clover ditto 61. to 71. 75.-Straw 11. 13s. to 21. 5s.

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The quantity of rain fallen during the three months of this year is but equal to about an inch in depth, but what has been wanting in rain has been abundantly made up in snow. During the present month there have been considerable falls of snow in this neighbour hood, and in various other parts of the island.

The average height of the thermometer is but little above the freezing point, viz. 32°.41; that of the barometer 29.41. So long and severe a winter has never been known by the present race of inhabitants of this island: at the moment of writing this (March 24,) there is scarcely an opening bud of any kind to be seen in the gardens or hedges, but this may not be unfavourable to the produce of the country. The wind has chiefly been from the east; the number of brilliant days only 5 out of 28, On eight days there has been snow, and on about three others rain, but in small quantities.

TO CORRESPONDENTS, &c.

As an accommodation to Booksellers who have duplicate Numbers of this Magazine, and to enable them to complete their sets, or parts of sets, we will cheerfully exchange back Numbers for other back Numbers, previous to the current year, provided they are not torn or spoiled, and are sent free of carriage.

We earnestly crave the patience of many valuable Correspondents. The following Papers shall have place in our next: W. S.; T. L. Cursham; R. H.; Delta; Mr. Hornslower; T. D. F.; Mr. Lofft on Vaccination, &c; D. Copsey; W. How; C. Hall; Candidus; J. Ross; J. N.; Varro; Inquisitor; N. W. &c.

S. F. is informed that we always court and respect communications of Biographical Memoirs of eminent Persons recently deceased, and local facts of every kind.

Articles for the Varieties, titles of New Books, &e. should always come to hand be fore the 20th.

ERRATA.-In our last Number, p. 107, col. 2, l. 47, for 750 read 75,000.-And at p. 108, col. 1, l. 1, tor telescope read telescopic.

THE

MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

No. 254.]

MAY 1, 1814.

[4 of Vol. 37.

As long as those who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving their Opinions a Maximum of Influence and Celebrity, the most extensively circulated Miscellany will repay with the greatest Effect the Curiosity of those who read, whether it be for Amusement or for Instruction.-JOHNSON.

Sir Joshua Reynolds, on being questioned in regard to the cause of the inferiority of counterfeits and imitaters. answered, that their being copyists was of itself a proof of the inferiority of their power, and that while they continued to be so, it was impossible for them to attain superioilty. It was like a man's resolving to go behind another, aud. whilst that resolution lasted, it would be impossible he should ever be on a par with him."NORTHCOTE.

CONTINUATION of the ACCOUNT of the recent ERECTION of PUBLIC BUILDINGS in various PARTS of the BRITISH EMPIRE.

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TH

IIIS magnificent structure, which for its purposes is unequalled in size and splendour, has recently been erected by Mr. FOULSTON, of St. Alban's-street, London, and deserves to be considered as a model, and as an example worthy of being imitated in all other towns in the empire.

About three years since a subscription for the purposes of this building, was entered into by the corporation and inhabi tants, on the principle of a TONTINE, devolving ultimately on the corporation. The shares were 1001. each, in three classes, and 300 in number; but it has since heen found necessary to add another 100 shares, making a total capital of 40,000l. which sum has been expended.

The plan was to unite a spacious Theatre, with a splendid public Hotel, Assembly Rooms, and public Stabling, on a scale worthy of the improving state and increased wealth of Plymouth.

commodious, adapted to every class of travellers, and equal to the accommodation of 20 or 30 families. It is provided with a Coffee and News Room, with a Sale Room for shipping and prize goods, and contains, as part of its establishment, a beautiful ASSEMBLY ROOM, about 80 feet by 45, a corresponding Tea Room, several Card and anti-rooms, a Billiard Room, &c. &c..

The entire building is of Devonshire marble, covered with Parker's cement, and presents a fine coup d'œil. The grand colonnade or portico consists of eight Io-. nic columns, 40 feet high, little inferior -in size to those at the west front of St. Paul's cathedral. The other porticoes Consist of four columns of the same height.

This noble erection is situated at the

west end of George's-street, towards the town of Stonehouse, within half a mile of the Guildhall, or centre of Plymouth.

and splendidly fitted up by Mr. WINDSOR, late of the King's Arms.

The THEATRE, which unites all the The Theatre has been engaged on a usual points of elegance, possesses the lease by Mr. HUGHES, of the Weymouth peculiar features of having the whole of company; and the Hotel has been taken its interior made of cast iron, cased with split deal, a wrought iron roof of 64 feet span, and a separate stair-case and access to the upper boxes. It will hold from 150 to 1801., and occupies in the building the right wing, as viewed in the print.

The HOTEL is at once magnificent and MONTHLY MAG, No. 254.

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It is just to add that the design of this fine establishment originated with Mr. EDMUND LOCKYER, an eminent prizeagent; and that its execution by Mr. FOULSTON, has afforded the highest satis faction to the subscribers, while it can. 3Q

not

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not fail to exalt his character as an architect in the opinion of the public.

Plymouth, as a naval port and arsenal, and as a depot for the sale of prizes, having profited greatly by the length of the war, local improvements and public buildings are a consequence which may be expected to arise from superfluous wealth. The town has there fore been enlarged by several new streets,

and at least 500 additional houses; and by erections of a public nature, among which are a new Market Place on a very. extensive scale, presenting however no object for picturesque effect, and the two buildings here represented, the one combining under its roof a THEATRE and HoTEL, with ASSEMBLY and CARD ROOMS, and the other a NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY,,

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, PLYMOUTH.

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AIFIA

A SUBSCRIPTION library, on the plan of others, which now exist in all the large towns of the kingdom, was several years since established at Plymouth. The books were deposited in the Guildhall of the corporation; but Mr. Foulston the architect, having been called to Ply anouth to erect the theatre and hotel, he, was employed to design a public library; and the above print represents its principal front, built after an Athenian tem

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ple to be found in Stuart. It is situated in Cornwall-street, at a short distance. from the theatre. The proprietary is di vided into shares of 301. each, of which there are about 170; and of that capital, nearly 40001, was expended on this elegant building, and the remainder in books. The institution also embraces a supply of newspapers and current perio-. dical publications.

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1814.7

Commercial Rooms, Bristol.

at the London Tavern, whose object it is to erect a building on a large scale near London; in which a similar treatment should be adopted. In that paragraph we specified the advantageous results of the practice in this establishment, com

by means of loans made among the Society; and is supported by their donations, legacies, and annual subscriptions, aided by small payments of the patients, proportioned to their means. It was de signed to accommodate 30 patients, but has since been enlarged, and now accompared with those in other receptacles for modates between 60 and 70.

lunatics, as an incontrovertible arithmetical proof of the benefits which may be expected from an extension of the system. We need not repeat what we there stated; but for the further gratification of our readers, we refer them to a judicious account of the establishment lately published by Mr. Samuel Tuke, remark

The establishment merits notice from its successful treatment of the most deplorable of human maladies, by means more consonant to the feelings of moral and rational beings, than had heretofore been practised in receptacles for the same purpose. It was justly conceived, that a soothing, kind, and benevolent sysing, that we ardently wish success to the tem was the true medicine for diseases of the mind; the experiment has been fairly tried in admirable establish

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Znent; and its has afforded an ex

ample to all establishments for similar purposes, and has developed principles at once useful and gratifying.

In our last Magazine, we took notice of a meeting of some benevolent persons

plan of building an extensive receptacle in which the same system of treatment is to be adopted; and that we consider the Society of Friends as having established new claims, if any were wanted, to the respect and gratitude of mankind for the excellent spirit which originated; fostered and matured these important improvements.

THE COMMERCIAL ROOMS, BRISTOL.

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for the proposed building. Ten plans were accordingly subinitted to their judgment, and after the gentlemen of

THE merchants of Bristol having experienced much inconvenience from the want of a public institution, affording ac commodations on a plan somewhat si- the committee had duly considered, and milar to the establishment of Lloyd's in London, and the public rooms at Liverpool; a subscription of 17,000l. was filled by the mercantile interest of that city, and in the year 1809 a piece of ground was purchased by the committee of the subscribers, in Corn-street, nearly opposite the Exchange, for the purpose of erecting a building suitable to the objects in view.

Shortly after, the committee made a public application to architects, offering premiums of 50, 30, and 20 guineas, for the first, second, and third-best designs

1

publicly exhibited all the plans, they, awarded the first premium to Mr. C. A. Busby, of London, and under whose superintendance, as architect to the committee, this building has been subsequently erected,

The entrance from Corn-street is under an Ionic portico of four columns, communicating immediately with the grand room, which is 60 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 25 in height. In the. centre of the ceiling is a circular lantern, light, 21 feet in diameter, covered with a dome borne by 12 caryatides; or sup 2Q 2

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porting figures, between which the light is admitted into the room, through reticulated iron sashes, and the whole has an effect altogether pleasing and elegant. The height from the floor to the dome is 45 feet, and from the centre is suspended a beautiful Grecian lamp, besides four others of smaller dimensions in the angles of the room. The reading room is 30 feet by 20, and 17 high. There are also a committee room and offices, and two rooms over the reading and cominittee rooms, of dimensions corresponding with those below. The whole site of the building is vaulted, and the liberality of the committee has spared no expence in the solidity of its construction, or in the embellishments which render it an honourable proof of their public spirit.

The rooms are furnished with handsome mahogany tables and chairs. All the London news and commercial papers, as well as those printed in the principal cities and towns of the United Kingdoms, are taken in, and also the best periodical publications. Correct authentic lists are kept, of all vessels coming in and clear ing out from the principal ports, and every possible information is afforded to facilitate the extensive commercial arrangements of the citizens of Bristol.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine,

SIR,

H

AVING noticed in your Magazine for July 1813, an account of a gentieman's expectations from his apple trees having been repeatedly disappointed by insects, which breed on the leaves of his trees, and which leaves are almost universally covered with a glutinous adhesive liquor; and his attempts to destroy these insects, by a mixture of soap suds and spirits of turpentine, destroy both leaves and buds. In the first place it would be necessary to enquire how this glutinous and adhesive liquor was formed on the leaves. Is it not likely that the parents of these insects perforated the fine vessels of the leaves, from which exuded a liquor, which by the wind and sun evaporating the watery parts, the other became glutinous and adhesive, which by instinct, or rather foreknow ledge, the parent insect knew would be a proper nidus to support its young? An easy means, in my humble opinion, of destroying these insects shall be mention. ed in this letter, after having noticed the complaints of two other gentlemen respecting the blight in their apple-trees. The first is in your Magazine for August, where the writer says in his letter, that the most popular opinion of the cause of

blights is a brownish blue mist, that fre, quently accompanies an east wind. Is not this mist caused by an infinite multitude of small insects, which are scarce perceptible to the naked eye, which lay their eggs beneath the blossom, and are the real cause of the blight? for this gen tleman has found by exploring the blighted blossom, that a maggot or caterpillar is making his depredations beneath the blossom, and in the end renders the flower abortive. The third gentleman, in your October Magazine, says that the eggs of the insect may be detected between the scales, of the fruit-bud, with the assistance of the microscope,in the end of autumn. He also describes another species of insect, whose ravages are chiefly confined to the leaves. I am not sufficiently skilled in entomology to give a perfect description of these insects. If they are of the order Lepidoptera, they are divided into eight families by naturalists, in which are no less than 460 species, one of which are particularly fond of hops. The mode of destroying these insects by soap, sulphur, and tobacco, or by lime water, is a tedious process. I think it is possible to destroy all the insects on one tree in an instant, or even in a whole orchard at once, (and before they have made their depredations on the blossoms or leaves) at a very small expence. I have not yet made the experiment myself for want of the necessary apparatus, but earnestly recommend it to those curious gentlemen that are in possession of a good electrical apparatus. Observe the time when the insect is just hatched from its egg, which may be done by the help of a good pocket megalascope, and then electrify the tree by giving it a moderate shock; examine the buds and blossoms after the shock, to see if the maggot or caterpillar is deprived of life; and by a few experiments on different trees, the power of the electrical stroke may be ascertained; and then by means of a sufficient number of wires, so as to form an electrical chain with the conductor of the electrical machine,' a whole orchard may be electrified at once. I much wish au experiment of this kind was made by some gentleman well skilled in electricity. If successful it would be of great public utility, especially to the apple counties,

I saw an account some years ago of great ravages heing done to the wheat in America, by a fly called the Hessian fly, from an opinion that they were first imported from Hesse. They first appeared in Long Island during the American war, and advanced inlaud about fifteen or

twenty

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