minario eximuntur, rubrica notetur una pars, quæ nos admoneat, ne aliter arbores conftituamus, quam quemadmodum in feminario fteterint. Plurimum enim refert, ut eam partem cœli Spectent, cui ab tenero confueverunt. We meet with the fame precept alfo in Virgil, who, in directing the removal of vines from the nursery into the vineyard, obferves, with his usual accuracy and precifion, that the curious in this branch of agriculture not only attend to fimilarity of foil, Quin etiam cœli regionem in cortice fignant: Ut quo quæque modo fteterit, qua parte calores. Reftituant: adeo in teneris confuefcere multum eft. Fanciful as this notion has, in general, been deemed by thofe who fuperficially examined it, Mr. Speechly, we apprehend, is convinced, from actual experiment, that it is founded in truth. In our account of Memoires concernant l'Hiftoire, &c. des Chinois, vol. lix. p. 523, we took notice of a method in ufe among that ingenious people, of raifing an artificial dew in their hothouses, by means of boiling water. Mr. Speechley's method we fhould apprehend to be fuperior, both in fimplicity and effect. Befides the watering of the pine plants in the manner re commended, it will be of great ufe to them during the fummer, if the walks and flues of the hot-house are frequently wa tered this fhould conftantly be done in warm weather, and always late in the evening; the glaffes fhould be immediately clofed. The great heat of the hot-houfe will exhale the moifture, and raise a kind of artificial dew, which will foon ftand in drops on the glaffes; the leaves of the pine being fucculent, they will imbibe the watery particles, to the great benefit of the plants. It will also be of great use to give the top of the tanbed frequent waterings during the fummer, in order to keep it in a moist state; for when the tan becomes dry and husky, the pine plants never make any great progrefs. The water may, with great ease, be put upon the tan between the pine pots, by the help of the watering pipe. When the tan is in a moist ftate, it not only affords a more generous warmth to the plants, but (the pots being porous) their roots alfo imbibe a conftant moisture, which is far preferable to any waterings that can be given them. Though it might injure Mr. Speechley in the emoluments of his publication even to hint at the nature of his fecret for deftroying the infects which infest pine-apple plants, yet we think neither he nor our readers will be offended at our inferting the following note, which, befides the useful information it contains, will ferve also as a fpecimen of the skill and abilities of this ingenious and philofophical artist: Soap • Soap-fuds effectually deftroy the different fpecies of infects that infeft fruit-trees growing againft walls; of these infects the aphis is the most common as well as the most destructive, It generally attacks, with great violence, the peach, cherry, and plum: the aphides are univerfally known by the appellation of lice. The acarus, though not fo fatal to plants growing in the open air as when under glafs, is alfo very prejudicial to the above trees when planted against walls. • The thrips are fometimes very numerous on peach and nectarine trees, but they are lefs hurtful than either of the former fpecies befides the above, there are two or three forts of Cocci that are very common upon fruit-trees; but as they adhere very close to the branches, they are not fo confpicuous, and confequently lefs known. However, trees that are much infefted with Cocci are, in the fummer, very diftinguishable, as wafps conftantly attend thefe infects to feed on the sweet matter that iffues from them. When the mufcle-fhaped Coccus has been very numerous, I have known hive-bees frequent the trees in great abundance. In the fpring, the Aphis, the Acarus, and Thrips are few in number, in comparison to what they are in the fummer: however, I have constantly obferved the two former fpecies on the buds of the trees, before they break into leaf, especially on fuch trees as have been much infefted with them the preceding fummer. It is most probable that the infects that furvive the winter, in whatever ftate, are concealed during that period either under the branches of the trees, or in the fhreds that faften them to the wall; elfe in the nail-holes or crevices of the wall; in all these fituations the foap-fuds have fully answered my most fanguine expectations. The operation is far from being either troublesome or expenfive; and the method is practicable at any season, but more efpecially between the fall of the leaf and the time the bloffom-buds are near ready to open. Proceed thus: Take any quantity of foap-fuds after a common washing; but when they are thick and ftrong, they fhould be lowered with water. A perfon on a ladder thould pour them from a watering-pot over both trees and walls, beginning at the top of the wall, and bringing it on in courfes from top to bottom; the fuds when used fhould be many degrees warmer than new milk, especially in the winter; and when plentifully and properly ap plied, every part of the wall will appear of a pale red colour, not in the leaft difagreeable. Moft large families, in the courfe of a few months, make a quantity of the above liquid fufficient to wash a great extent of wall. Befide the advantage of deftroying infects, the fuds appear to be productive of other good effects. When applied juft after the fall of the leaf, they contribute much to preferve the wood of the delicate and tender kinds of peaches. I account for it thus: It is allowed that our fummers are, in general, too short to perfect the wood of the tender kinds of peach and nectarine trees without artificial means, and when the wood of these trees is imperfectly ripened, it is very fubject to the canker, especially if, in the fucceeding winter, there happens a fucceffion of rain and froft. This the nurferyman, as well as the gardener, often woefully experiences. I conftantly have obferved that the canker originates at, or clofe adjoining to, the buds of the last year's wood. The caufe feems to be this. Wood imperfectly ripened is always foft and spongy, and therefore admits of imbibing a large portion of moisture in rainy weather. The bud and the fine capillary veffels adjoining it being furcharged with moisture in a wet evening, when the froft comes at night, it freezes the moifture in the veffels, and caufes it to expand; which, by tearing the veffels afunder, brings on a decay of the parts. Now the foap-fuds feem to leave a gloffy kind of coat or covering on the branches, and the oily particles contained in the fuds, by penetrating them, prevent their being overcharged with moisture. But here it may feem ftrange that oil fhould act this friendly part, when it is well known to be fo highly pernicious to plants in general. That it is fo, in its genuine ftate, is proved by daily experience. The general and received opinion of wool being poisonous to plants, is from no other caufe than from the oil contained in it. But notwithstanding that oil has this pernicious effect on plants, when in its original and genuine ftate, ftill, when made mifcible, perhaps nothing is more nourishing and friendly to them. This brings me to confider foap-fuds as a manure to the borders, for it is evident that by the rains and dews, the principal of it does terminate there at laft; and this important confideration alone is fufficient to recommend the practice. It may seem unneceffary to obferve, that foap-fuds contain a larger portion of oily particles after a common washing, than in the original state. I fhall conclude this digreffional note with obferving, that foзp-fuds keep trees clear of mofs, and render the bark clear and healthy.' The branch of gardening which has of late received the greatest improvements, is that which relates to the management of hot-houfes, hot-walls, and hot-beds. A general treatife' on thefe fubjects, explaining the particular modes of cultivating the various plants that are raised or brought to perfection by thefe thefe artificial methods, would be a valuable acquifition to the ART. VI. Obfervations on the Doctrine laid down by Sir William WE E have fuffered this pamphlet to flumber peaceably on our fhelf beyond the time in which we generally announce political publications, because we apprehended that it turned lefs on political than on legal topics, and because we confider that law will, in general, keep longer than politics, which are of a more fleeting and tranfitory nature. On a more attentive perufal, however, of the arguments it contains, we are rather inclined to clafs it under the latter defcription. Though we entertain no doubt that this publication comes from a lawyer's pen, it will be found that the pofitions which Sir William Blackftone has advanced, and which this Writer has chofen to difcufs, are independent of legal inferences, and admit of little legal controverfy. Our laws certainly acknowledge no higher authority than that of parliament. Here refides the abfolute power of "making, confirming, enlarging, reftraining, abrogating, repealing, reviving, and expounding laws concerning matters of all poffible denominations, ecclefiaftical or temporal, civil or military, maritime or criminal." What-, ever epithet be thought defcriptive of this high power, it cannot alter its effential properties; much lefs can its existence be difproved by afferting a poffibility of its being abufed. If Sir William Blackftone, in difplaying its nature and extent with a laboured pomp of words, has unfortunately provoked this Writer's fpleen, we must obferve that the learned Commentator is fafely entrenched behind the authority of the most refpectable Whigs, and warmeft admirers of the conftitution. It is an inftance of the caprice of all fublunary things, that the fame language which was popular in one age becomes in another fulpected and obnoxious. In the laft century, the power of parliaments was the palladium of English liberty, and the favourite theme of Englishmen. It was not imagined that a parliament could ever be faithlefs to the interefts of the people, and therefore the conftitution has not provided any check in fuch a cafe, leyond the ordinary remedy placed in the hands of the elective body, on every new election of reprefentatives. A change of fituation may, no doubt, induce a change of language, along Black. Comm. Book I. C. 2. A a 4 with with a change of doctrine; but they who adhere to the old ought not to incur the cenfure of those who adopt new systems or opinions. There is fo much wisdom displayed in the frame of our government, and the different parts of legiflation are adjufted to each other with fuch a happy nicety, that the highest encomiums will not feem hyperbolical. They who wish to fee it perpetuated, can hardly be blackened by all the eloquence, and more than all the argument which this Gentleman has employed against Sir William Blackftone. We trust the people of this country will always have fenfe to feel, and fpirit to defend their rights, under whatever forms the attack may be mafqued. But if ever they should be fo far exasperated at the conduct of their parliaments, as to ftrike them out of the book of political life; what they would gain by fuch a revolution is rather matter of experiment than of theory. Whether the conftitution would be reformed, or whether it would be fubverted, is an arduous point, at which the wifeft men may well paufe, and about which the most patriotic may be divided. The Commentator on the Laws of England has a right to pronounce his opi nion, and may furely be pardoned for venturing to affirm, that as long as the English conftitution lafts, the power of parliament is abfolute, and without controul." The motives, however, on which he is fuppofed to have efpoufed this doctrine, are discovered by our Letter-writer with a great deal of goodnatured penetration. "You and I, Sir William, know, that the doctrine of the omnipotence of parliament is a very favourite one in the quarter of promotion and it was very natural you fhoul prefer a feat on the woolfack to one in the Houfe of Commons." This is one of the triteft artifices of controverfy. Sir William Blackstone is here accused of a bafe and infamous defign to mislead the understandings of his countrymen, on the moft important of all fubjects, merely because it gives fpirit and poignancy to the ftyle of a difputant to fuppofe it as if to confute a man's arguments it was neceffary to wound his character, We are more furprised to find occafion for this remark given by a writer of learning and genius (for fuch the Author of this letter difcovers himself to be), as he appears to us to have gone out of his way to make the attack. His favourite object, which is to prove the independency of the Irifh parliament, ftands clear of this part of the learned Commentator's pofitions. He might have admitted, confiftently with the tenor of his arguments, that the power of the English parliament is fupreme and unbounded within this kingdom (as invefted with all the powers which the community it reprefents can bestow), and at the fame time have denied, as he afterwards does, its legislative power over a different community which has a parliament of its own. This latter pofition he endeavours to establish by a long and elaborate |