where it is now depositing the eggs, generally in the most fheltered parts of the bush (for that reason thick bushes are most infested,) the eggs may now be found on the back or under side of the leaf, in small white dots, in rows on the veins of the leaves only, and it may be observed that the leaf never curls, nor is any way disfigured, till eaten through in small holes by the vermin, which generally come to life in good weather in a day or two from the egg.

The best method of destroying them, I have ever found, is to pick off all such leaves with either eggs or young vermin on them ; but this is very tedious in large plantations, and therefore some other mode of destroying them is wifhed for, and would be a public good. I mean to try this season anointing some of the bushes with afsafetida, and other offensive smelling things, to see if it will prevent the fly from haunting the bushes.

The branches of elder have been said to be of service this way; but I never could see much benefit from some trials made of it. In the chrysalis state they certainly lie in the ground all winter, but from their colour and other modes of concealment, I never could discover one of them. Any thing that might destroy them in this state, would be most efficacious. If you think this remark worthy of a place in your Bee, it may produce some useful discoveries, mean time I remain your most obedient servant,

C.

P. S. The male fly, for you'll see they are not of the butterfly or moth kind, is much like to the one sent, but blacker, and much smaller in the body, the one sent being full of eggs *.

*This is very like the common house fly, only not quite so large, and the body not so black. The wings are transparent, and have a glofsy purplish lustre. A more particular description, from the im. perfect state of the specimen, fhall not now attempted.

Edit.

IMPROVEMENT IN MANUFACTURES.

Wool spun by machinery.

SEVERAL hints have been given from time to time in the Bee, that the woollen manufacture might be carried on by machinery with equal advantage as the cotton branch. For several years past this has been attempted in different parts of the country with some degree of success. But in general the work was not so performed as to afford full satisfaction to the undertakers, and the practice has not been, universally adopted.

Some months ago, Mefsrs Jackson and Co. in this place, spirited manufacturers of fhawls and other woollen goods of the finest fabric, finding the inequality of yarn spun by hand to be one of the greatest obstructions they met with in the improvement of their manufacture, resolved to try if this inconvenience could be remedied by the use of machinery; accordingly, after making all the inquiries in their power on this subject, they ordered Mr Henderson at Glasgow to make a machine for them, on the most improved mode of construction, to make trial of it in the spinning of Spanish wool, and other wools of the finest pile, At first, several parts of the apparatus were found not to be altogether suitable to the purpose intended; but after some trials and necefsary alterations, they have now brought the machinery to such a state of perfection as to afford the most entire satisfaction; so that they not only obtain yarn of a much more equal grist and twist than ever could be obtained by hand, but at a price greatly below what it ever could have been afforded for without the machines.

In the course of these experiments it was also discovered, that however advantageous it may be to adopt machinery for the preparing and spinning of fine woollen yarn, it is a still more easy operation to spin coarse yarn, by machinery; and the saving by that means will be proportionally greater. It now also appears evident, that even wool of a very long staple may be thus manufactured with ease, and be made to answer the same purposes as short wool itself, in fabrics that have been hitherto made of fbort wool exclusively, such as broad cloth, &c. Hence, therefore, the clothier needs not in future be reduced to the necefsity of paying an extravagant price for short wool, when long wool of an equally fine pile is selling at a lower price; nor need the farmer allow his long wools to be wasting at home for want of markets while the short wools are in great request.

The advantages of machinery for spinning yarn for carpets, Kendal coatings, and other coarser and heavier fabrics of woollen goods, are now made very obvious. This will give to those places which have the command of a sufficient power of water, especially where coal can easily be had, a vast advantage for carrying on these branches of manufacture above others. A gentleman who is no lefs remarkable for his judicious caution in engaging in new undertakings, than for the spirit with which he carries them forward when he has once engaged in them, after seeing the operations carried on by these machines, and observing the great benefits that would result to the country by employing machinery for coarse fabrics, has resolved to convert the water that turns a grist mill upon his estate that can be spared, into a power for turning a machine for spinning wool, of the coarsest sort, into yarn ; which we doubt not will afford an example that will soon induce manufacturers universally to adopt that method of spinning all kinds of woolien yarn,

273 It still, however, remains a desideratum to get worsteds spun by machinery; but it cannot be doubted that the ingenuity of men, now whetted by the prospect of the gain that will result from the discovery, will soon fall upon some device for effecting that also.

SUCCESSION OF CRIMES Among MOST EUROPEAN NATIONS.

[From Historical Law Tracts, publifbed at Edinburgh.] FOR Some time after the great revolution was completed, by which criminal jurisdiction, or the right of punishment was transferred from private hands to the magistrate, we find, among most European nations, certain crimes, one after another, in a regular succefsion. Two centuries ago, afsassination was the crime in fafhion. It wore out by degrees, and made way for a more covered, but more detestable, method of destruction, and that is poison. This horrid crime was extremely common in France and Italy, chiefly, almost within a century. It vanished impercep tibly, and was succeeded by a less dishonourable method of revenge, duelling. This curious succefsion is too regular to have been the child of accident. It must have had a regular cause; and this cause, I imagine, may be gathered from the history of the criminal law. We may readily believe, that the right of punishment, wrested from individuals, and transferred to the magistrate, was at first submitted to with the utmost reluctance. Resentment is a passion too fierce to be subdued, till a man be first humanized and softened by a long course of discipline, under the awe and dread of a government firmly established. For many centuries after the power of the sword was assumed by the magistrate, individuals, prone to avenge their own wrongs, were incefsantly breaking out into open violence, murder not excepted. But the authority of law, gathering strength daily, became too mighty for revenge execu

June x 2 ted in this bold manner: and open violence, through the terror of punishment, being reprefsed, confined men to more cautious methods, and introduced assassination in place of murder committed openly. But as assassination is seldom practicable without accomplices or emifsaries, of abandoned morals, experience fhowed that this crime is never long concealed: and the fear of detection prevailed at last over the spirit of revenge gratified in this hazardous manner. More secret methods of gratification were now studied. Afsafsination repressed, made way for poisoning, the most dangerous pest that ever invaded society, if, as believed, poison can be conveyed in a letter, or by other latent means that cannot be traced. Here legal authority was at a stand; for how can a criminal be reached who is unknown? But nature happily interposed, and afforded a remedy when law could not. Repeated experience fhowed the emptinefs of this method of avenging injuries; a method which plunges a man in guilt, without procuring him any gratification. This horrid practice, accordingly, had not a long course. Conscience and humanity exerted their lawful authority, and put an end to it. Such, in many instances, is the course of providence; it exerts benevolent wisdom in such a manner as to bring good out of evil. The crime of poisoning is scarce within the reach of the magistrate: but a remedy is provided in the very nature of its cause: for, as observed, revenge is never gratified, unless it be made known to the offender, that he is punished by the person injured. To finish my reflections upon this subject: duelling, which came in the last place, was supported by a notion of honour, and the still subsisting propensity to revenge, blinded men so much, as to make them see but obscurely, that the practice is inconsistent with conscience and humanity..

The Editor regrets he was not in the way when C-s 7-r sent. The performance be enquires for, will appear in an early Number.