so contrived, that by an apparatus hereinafter described, it can with the earth or mould on its bottom and the plants growing thereon, be raised or drawn up altoge→ ther within the external frame nearer to the glass-lights, and by that means the plants or fruits may be made to receive a greater and more beneficial influence from the rays of the sun, which is of material benefit and advantage to the growth and sustenance of the plants and to the ripening of the fruits. The internal frame with the earth and plants thereon may also be lowered at pleasure after being so drawn up, and be suspended between the glass and hot-beds, by which more or less heat may be admitted to the plants or fruits. The admission of the heat from the hot-bed through the cavities or spaces between the frames to the plants or fruits, is also a great advantage over the old mode, as it prevents the roots of the plants from being burnt or damaged by the superabundant heat arising from the hot-bed through the earth or mould; and the heat is by the new method admitted to the plants in a more natural way, which much facilitates their growth and the ripening of the fruits

thereon.

Fig. 1, (Plate V.) A plan of the two frames. A A A A sides and ends of the external frame; B gutter in front of said frame for carrying off rain-water from the glasslights, to prevent the same from injuring the lining of dung placed in front of the bed; C, iron spindles placed across the external frame at the junction of each pair of lights under the grooves in which the said lights slide; these spindles turn in iron staples or boxes let into the sides of the external frame, and to one end of each spindle within the said frame is fixed a rack wheel or wheels D, with dogs or stops to each wheel; from each end of

the

the said spindles are suspended chains, which chains being fastened to the sides or bottom of the internal frame, the said frame may be raised or lowered at plea-. sure, by turning round the said spindles with a common winch similar to that used for raising and lowering of a bucket in a well. The internal frame may be also raised and lowered by any other mechanism applicable to the purpose, and the said internal frame may be made in one or more compartments or divisions as occasion may require. E E E E, the ends and sides of the internal frame; F the bottom of the internal frame, with small holes bored therein to drain off the superfluous moisture; G, part of the said spindle, staple or box, rack wheel, dog or stop, and winch, drawn on a larger scale.

Fig. 2, A profile or section of the said frames, shewing the internal frame drawn up within the external one close to the underside of the glass-lights, with the winch, spindle, wheel, and chains.

Fig. 3, Another profile or section of the said frames, describing the internal within the external one resting upon the hot-bed, with the apparatus before-mentioned for raising or lowering the same.

In witness whereof, &c.

Specification of the Patent granted to CHARLES DIBDIN, of Cranford, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman; for a Method of facilitating the Learning of Music.

Dated April 9, 1808,

With an Engraving.

To all to whoni these presents shall come, &c. NOW KNOW YE, that my method of facilitating the learn ing of music consists principally in substituting the

letters of the alphabet for the characters hitherto used for designating the notes named by certain letters of the alphabet, or perhaps it would be better to say in restoring the writing or expressing of music by characters to its original simplicity.

The notes at present used in music are the semi-breve, which is equal to two minims, the minim, which is equal to two crotchets, the crotchet, which is equal to two quavers, the quaver, which is equal to two semi-quavers, and the semi-quaver, which is equal to two demi-semiquavers.

The substitutes intended for these, are the period, the colon, the semi-colon, the comma, the semi-comma, and the demi-semi-comma.

In the present notation, the notes are placed on lines and spaces, and by that means describe the scale, which consists of the first seven letters of the alphabet five times repeated; so that a character must be resorted to to explain a letter.

The substitutes are intended to be the letters themselves, they will completely do away the cliffs, and the following arrangement is what I prefer. The first seven letters are to be large Roman capitals, the second seven large Italic capitals, the third seven small Roman capi tals, the fourth seven small, or lower case, Roman, and the fifth seven small Italic.

For the sharp and the flat will be used the acute and the grave accents, and there is no necessity at all for the natural; for, unless a letter be accented, it will be played natural of course.

What are called the bars in music are intended to be called divisions; and, instead of the single and the double bar, it is intended to use an m dash and a section §;

for