pacta) are observed. The ptinus pectinicornis also makes its appearance in this month. The larvæ of this insect are very destructive to wooden furniture, boring holes in tables, chairs, bed-posts, &c. ;-they are much inclined to deposit their eggs in beech, hence this wood is less fit for the manufacture of domestic utensils.

The southern counties of England, particularly Surrey and Kent, now yield their valuable produce of hops in this month. The common hop (humulus lupulus) is propagated either by nursery plants, or by cuttings. These are set in hills, formed by digging holes in the spring, which are filled with fine mould, and the number of which varies from 800 to 1000, or 1200 per acre. One, two, or three plants are put in each hill; but, if hops are designed to be raised from cuttings, four or five of these, from three to four inches in length, are planted and covered one inch deep with fine mould.

At the end of the first year, it becomes necessary to put poles into the hills, round which the bines reared from plants are wound: at the expiration of the second year, full-sized poles from 15 to 20 feet are set (though the hop-bines will run to the height of 50 feet), in the proportion of two poles to each hill, and a similar number of hop plants are fastened loosely round each pole, by means of withered rushes. Hops begin to flower about the latter end of June or the beginning of July. The poles are now entirely covered with verdure, and the pendent flowers appear in clusters and light festoons. The hops, which are the scaly seed-vessels of the female plants, are, when the seed is formed (generally about the end of August), picked off by women and children: for this purpose, the poles are taken up with the plants clinging to them. The seeds are then dried over a charcoal fire, exposed to the air for a few days, and packed in sacks and sent to market.

The culture of hops, though profitable when it succeeds, is very precarious: as soon as the plant appears above ground, it is attacked by an insect somewhat similar to the turnip-fly, which devours the young heads. Hop-gardens, situated on chalky soils, are peculiarly subject to its depredations. In the months of June and July, the hops are liable to be blown by a species of aphis, or fly. This insect, however, does not endanger the growth of the plant, unless it be in a weak state, in consequence of the depredations committed on its root by the larvæ of the ottermoth (phalæna humuli).

The hop is a most valuable plant: in its wild state it is relished by cows, horses, goats, sheep, and swine. When cultivated, its young tops are eaten, early in the spring, as substitutes for asparagus, being wholesome and aperient. Its principal use, however, is in brewing malt liquors, communicating that fine bitter flavour to our beer, and making it keep for a longer time than it otherwise would do. Hops also serve some important purposes in medicine.

Towards the end of the month, the wild orach (chenopodium album), the wild clary (salvia verbenaca), the sweet gale (myrica gale), the golden rod (senecio paludosus), the milk-thistle (carduus marianus), and ladies-traces (ophrys spiralis), have their flowers in full bloom.

Several maritime plants flower this month ;-glasswort (salicornia herbacea), and grass-wrack (zostera marina), on sea coasts, the samphire (crithmum maritimum), and the asparagus officinalis, among rocks. On sandy shores may be seen the sea campion or catchfly (silene maritima), sea spurge (euphorbia paralia), and lavender cotton (santolina maritima). On sea shores are found the sea-stock (cheiranthus sinuatus), and sea wormwood (artemisia maritima.)

THIS word is composed of septem seven, and the termination ber, like lis in Aprilis, Quintilis, Sextilis. This rule will also apply to the three following months, Octo-ber, Novem-ber, Decem-ber. Such is the opinion of an acute modern critic, Gerard John Vossius; and we prefer it to the derivation of Priscian and Isidorus, who consider September to be composed of septem, and imber, a shower of rain; this month being the commencement of the rainy season. PEACHAM (p. 420) describes September, with a merry and cheerful countenance, in a purple robe; upon his head a wreath of white and purple grapes: in his left hand a handful of millet oates, and panicle, withal carrying a cornucopia of ripe peaches, peares, pomgranates, and other fruits of his season; in his right hand, the sign Libra. His purple robe sheweth how he raigneth like a king above other moneths, abounding with plenty of things necessary for man's life. The sign Libra is

6

now (as Sir Peter Sidney saith) an indifferent arbiter between the day and night, poizing to each his equal hours, according to Virgil:

'Libra dies, somnique pares ubi fecerit horas.'

6 September they called Gerst-monat, for that barley which that moneth commonly yeelded was antiently called gerst, the name of barley being given unto it by reason of the drinke therewith made, called beere, and from beerlegh it come to be berlegh, and from berlegh to barley. So in like manner beereheym, to wit, the overdecking or covering of beere, came to be called berham, and afterwards barme, having since gotten I wot not how many names besides.

This excellent and healthsome liquor, beere, antiently also called ael, as of the Danes it yet is (beere and ale being in effect all one), was first of the Germans invented, and brought in use.'(Verstegan, p. 61.)

Remarkable Days.

1.-SAINT GILES.

GILES, or Ægidius, was born at Athens; but, after he had disposed of his patrimony in charitable uses, came to France in the year 715. He lived two years with Cæsarius, Bishop of Arles, and afterwards retired into solitude. Charles Martel, when hunting, found him in his hermit's cell, and, pleased with his unaffected piety and sanctity of manners, erected an abbey for him at Nismes, of which he was constituted abbot. He died in the year 795.

2.-LONDON BURNT.

The fire of London broke out on Sunday morning, September 2, 1666, O. S.; and, being impelled by strong winds, raged with irresistible fury nearly four days and nights; nor was it entirely mastered till the fifth morning after it began. This most

destructive conflagration commenced at the house of one Farryner, a baker, in Pudding-lane, near [New] Fish-street Hill, and within ten houses of Thamesstreet, into which it spread within a few hours; nearly the whole of the contiguous buildings being of timber, lath, and plaster, and the whole neighbourhood presenting little else than closely confined passages and narrow alleys. The fire quickly spread, and was not to be conquered by any human means. Then, (says a contemporary writer) then the city did shake indeed; and the inhabitants did tremble, and flew away in great amazement from their houses, lest the flames should devour them: rattle, rattle, rattle, was the noise which the fire struck upon the ear round about, as if there had been a thousand iron chariots beating upon the stones:-you might see the houses tumble, tumble, tumble, from one end of the street to the other, with a great crash, leaving the foundations open to the view of the heavens'.

The destructive fury of this conflagration was never, perhaps, exceeded in any part of the world, by any fire originating in accident. Within the walls, it consumed almost five-sixths of the whole city; and without the walls it cleared a space nearly as extensive as the one-sixth part left unburnt within. Scarcely a single building that came within the range of the flames was left standing. Public buildings, churches, and dwelling-houses, were alike involved in one common fate.

In the summary account of this vast devastation, given in one of the inscriptions on the Monument, and which was drawn up from the reports of the

1 The progress of the fire might have been stopped, but for the foolish conduct of the LORD MAYOR, who refused to give orders for pulling down some houses, without the consent of the owners. Buckets and engines were of no use, from the confined state of the streets.