If we resort to facts to observe how far they correspond with the hypothesis respecting evergreen plants above thrown out, if I understand it rightly, it would seem to be a natural inference that evergreen plants are more capable of resisting cold than others; if so, they ought in the first place to be more appropriated to polar than tropical regions; and secondly, evergreens ought to be found in more rigorous climates than any deciduous vegetables. How do facts stand? Our greenhouses we find filled with a vast variety of evergreen plants, so that it appears to me pretty evident that a greater proportion of the plants which are natives of tropical regions are evergreens than those of polar regions. Some of these are so impatient of cold as scarcely to be kept alive but in the heat of a stove. Even the pine-apple itself is an ever-green. Indeed I know few evergreens, unless it be some of those of the pine tribe, the Junipers and Rhododendrons, that can resist the cold of polar regions, The myrtle cannot resist the winter cold of Britain. The sweet-bay but barely bears it. The Portugal laurel resists our greatest cold, but cannot bear the rigours of a Siberian winter, where the Rhododendron prospers. The common furze (Ulex Europæus) though so common with us, is not known about St. Petersburgh. In short, the hardy pine itself disappears in those regions where he dwarf birch (Betula nana) a deciduous tree, is ound to prosper.

There seems to be no general rule then respecting he hardiness of evergreens; nor any particular that we can fix upon, a priori, which should indicate that

specting deciduous trees. The gooseberry is infallibly killed in Russia, as well as the apple, and our other common fruit trees, unless they be carefully covered over with straw ropes, and buried deep among the snow; while the currant, so nearly allied to the gooseberry in its botanical characters, resists their most rigorous winters without ever losing a twig. I fear we shall long search in vain for the physical causes of these striking peculiarities. It is a lefs difficult research, and at the same time more useful, to make ourselves fully acquainted with the facts, and the practical uses that may be derived from them.

To the Editor of Recreations in Agriculture, &c.

FIRST REPORT OF THE SOCIETY FOR BETTERING THE CONDITION, AND INCREASING THE COMFORTS OF THE RICH.

SIR,

AT the close of the eighteenth century, at such a brilliant period of philanthropy (blazing throughout Europe) I am very much surprised that one clafs of unhappy sufferers have escaped the notice of the children of humanity. There are many charitable institutions for the relief of the poor; but it is astonishing that there are none for the relief of the rich. Considering, therefore, the deplorable condition of many of this class, and their total want of afsistance, some charitably disposed persons, among whom I am proud to rank myself, have entered into an association to be called "The Society for Bettering the Condition, and Increasing the Comforts of the Rich." They have

done me the honour to appoint me their secretary, and in discharge of this important trust, I think it my duty to submit their laudable plan to the public, that, by the afsistance of the humane, we may be enabled to extend our relief to all the pitiable objects of our charity. This, I think, is most effectually to be done through the respectable and popular medium of your publication, which, by reflecting its own character on our institution, will give it consequence, and procure it encouragement.

I am afraid the world in general, sir, are not aware of the sufferings of the rich,-that they think their situation more to be envied than pitied; it will therefore be proper in the first place to give an account of their calamitous situation; an account which I am sure will excite the compafsion of my readers. But lest my ardent humanity should be mistaken for hypocrisy, and I should be supposed to be soliciting in my own cause, I take this opportunity of declaring upon my honour, that I cannot urge the smallest claim upon the beneficence of this society; I am a poor man, and by that circumstance alone am freed from those numerous distresses under which the objects for whose relief this society was instituted so heavily labour; and I hope, sir, that you and the world will believe me when I say, that I have not a single foot of land on the face of the earth, nor ten pounds of stock, nor a share in any trade, nor any pofsefsion, nor any other lefs ostensible source of riches, such as a handsome wife, or good luck at hazard,—a wealthy chere-amie, or a bad conscience,-horses at Newmarket, or informations in the King's Bench; a seat in parliament,

specting deciduous trees. The gooseberry is infallibly killed in Russia, as well as the apple, and our other common fruit trees, unless they be carefully covered over with straw ropes, and buried deep among the snow; while the currant, so nearly allied to the gooseberry in its botanical characters, resists their most rigorous winters without ever losing a twig. I fear we shall long search in vain for the physical causes of these striking peculiarities. It is a lefs difficult research, and at the same time more useful, to make ourselves fully acquainted with the facts, and the practical uses that may be derived from them.

To the Editor of Recreations in Agriculture, &c.

FIRST REPORT OF THE SOCIETY FOR BETTERING THE CONDITION, AND INCREASING THE COMFORTS OF THE RICH.

SIR,

AT the close of the eighteenth century, at such a brilliant period of philanthropy (blazing throughout Europe) I am very much surprised that one clafs of unhappy sufferers have escaped the notice of the children of humanity. There are many charitable institutions for the relief of the poor; but it is astonishing that there are none for the relief of the rich. Considering, therefore, the deplorable condition of many of this clafs, and their total want of afsistance, some charitably disposed persons, among whom I am proud to rank myself, have entered into an association to be called "The Society for Bettering the Condition, and Increasing the Comforts of the Rich." They have

done me the honour to appoint me their secretary, and in discharge of this important trust, I think it my duty to submit their laudable plan to the public, that, by the afsistance of the humane, we may be enabled to extend our relief to all the pitiable objects of our charity. This, I think, is most effectually to be done through the respectable and popular medium of your publication, which, by reflecting its own character on our institution, will give it consequence, and procure it encouragement.

I am afraid the world in general, sir, are not aware of the sufferings of the rich,—that they think their situation more to be envied than pitied; it will therefore be proper in the first place to give an account of their calamitous situation; an account which I am sure will excite the compafsion of my readers. But lest my ardent humanity should be mistaken for hypocrisy, and I should be supposed to be soliciting in my own cause, I take this opportunity of declaring upon my honour, that I cannot urge the smallest claim upon the beneficence of this society; I am a poor man, and by that circumstance alone am freed from those numerous distresses under which the objects for whose relief this society was instituted so heavily labour; and I hope, sir, that you and the world will believe me when I say, that I have not a single foot of land on the face of the earth, nor ten pounds of stock, nor a share in any trade, nor any pofsefsion, nor any other lefs ostensible source of riches, such as a handsome wife, or good luck at hazard,-a wealthy chere-amie, or a bad conscience, horses at Newmarket, or informations in the King's Bench; a seat in parliament,