fure confirmed by Strahlenberg, who calls them Cuba and Cubatzin; and fays that they live near Derbend, and are a diftinct people, fuppofed to be Jews, and to fpeak ftill the Hebrew language.

"The Sanfcrit characters might eafily be mistaken for the black Hebrew letters by fuperficial obfervers, or perfons little converfant in fubjects of this nature.

"The Arani, figuratively called the daughter of the Sami tree, and the mother of fire, is a cubic piece of wood about five inches in diameter, with a finall hole in the upper part. A ftick of the fame fort of wood is placed in this cavity, and put in motion by a ftring held by two men, or fixed to a bow. The friction foon produces fire, which is used for all religious purposes, and alfo for dreling food. Every Brahmen ought to have an Arani; and when they cannot procure one from the Sami tree, which is rather scarce in this part of India, they make it with the wood of the Afvatt'ha, or Pippala tree. This is alfo a facred tree, and they diftinguish two fpecies of it; the Pippala, called

in the vulgar dialects Pipal, and the Chalat-palafha. The leaves of this laft are larger, but the fruit is fmaller, and not fo numerous as in the former fpecies. It is called Chalat-palafha, from the tremulous motion of its leaves. It is very common in the hills, and the vulgar name for it is Popala; from which I fuppofe is derived the Latin word populus; for it is certainly the trembling poplar or Afpen tree.

"The feftival of Semiramis falls always on the tenth day of the lunar month of Afwina, which this year coincided with the fourth of October. On this day lamps are lighted in the evening under the Sami tree; offerings are made of rice and flowers, and fometimes ftrong liquors; the votaries fing the praife of Sami-Rama-devi and the Sami tree; and having worfhipped them, carry away fome of the leaves of the tree, and earth from the roots, which they keep carefully in their houfes till the return of the feftival of Semiramis in the enfuing year."

MISCEL

2

"SIR,

Fever the cultivation of rhu

comes fo extenfive as to fuperfede the neceflity of its importation; to the Society for the Promotion of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, will the community be indebted for an advantage, the magnitude and importance of which cannot be too highly appreciated. From whatever caufe, which it is unneceffary here to investigate, certain it is, the confumption of this valuable drug is increased, and continues to do fo to a very great degree. All calculation, from a variety of circumstances, must be vague; but I do not think fir William Fordyce, in fpeaking of the value of the importation, is much mistaken, when he eftimates the annual amount at 200,000l. fterling. Whether this ftatement is true to the extent or not, how forcibly it muft ftrike to the conviction of every one, and how much to be lamented, that a country like England, whofe commercial confequence is folely dependent on the industry of its inhabitants, and the productions of

its foil, fhould be indebted to other climates, and other foils, for that

fuaded, is congenial to its own!

"The Society, feeling all the force of this obfervation, have ondeavoured, for a confiderable period, to promote a remedy; and every attentive obferver cannot fail being impreffed with the wifdom and pru dence that have governed their conduct.

66

Till the fact was rendered fo indifputable as to defy all controverfy, inftead of ftimulating the fpeculative to undertakings, moft certainly very expenfive, and after all of doubtful benefit, they firit confined themselves within such a limit, as that the requifition appeared more like an experiment than any thing elfe. In time, certain claimants, preferring their different pretenfions, eftablished by actual experiment the practicability of the meafure; and hence, with a perfeverance and liberality that will ever redound to their honour, they now ftipulate for more extentive performances, and, befides their honorary gold medal, offer this year a

hand

handfome pecuniary reward, at the option of the claimant.

"It would feem too much like affectation, were I, on the prefent occafion, to disclaim every idea of pride; I freely confefs the repeated favours of fuch an inftitution, and that perhaps I may have been, in fome measure, inftrumental in for warding its patriotic defigns, are confiderations calculated to influence a mind lefs fufceptible of vanity than I apprehend mine to be. Yes, Sir, in fending you the enclofed certificate I cannot restrain my feelings: I do experience a confiderable degree of pride as well as pleafure, being confcious of having fulfilled my pledge to the fociety, and entertaining the flattering hope of being again honoured with its approbation.

"I have heard it asked, that as the advantages have been reprefented as fo apparent, whence is it that the cultivators of rhubarb are not more numerous, and how it happens that an object of fuch obvious benefit fhould ftand in need of any farther encouragement?

"Thefe questions will require no anfwer, when it is recollected that, however inviting the advantages may be, their distance alone is enough to operate as an almost infurmountable obftacle to a general cultivation; but the more fo, when it is further confidered, that after all they are not quite fo' certain as the projector may flatter himself.

"To influence therefore the generality, and particularly thofe claffes (who must be engaged in this undertaking to produce all the effect we defire, more especially as in the prefent cafe, where the return cannot be either prompt or speedy) to deviate from their ordinary habits and purfuits, fuch a fyftem of re1798.

wards must be adopted as to fuit the general difpofition. It was, I dare fay, this confideration that induced the varied measure of the fociety already alluded to. They seem to have taken up the matter with the earnestnefs it deferves and under their countenance I will venture to predict the best confequences. As the fubject continues to be inveftigated, the difficulties will neceffarily fubfide; and the profits being rendered more fecure, the undertaking will become fufficiently lucrative not to require any additional incite

ment.

"The prevailing prejudice for foreign commodities feems to me to be of infinitely more confequence than any obftacle that can impede its general cultivation; but even this, ftrong and powerful as it is, felf-intereft will overcome; and if the cultivator is circumfpect, and as much as poffible endeavours to give British rhubarb the appear. ance of the foreign, and at the fame time moderates his pecuniary expectations, there can be little danger of its rifing in the public eftimation. I purposely omit noticing here its medicinal qualities, as, from the general teftimony, they are not likely to be queftioned; all accounts agreeing that rhubarb, fo cultivated as to arrive at fix or feven years' growth, and properly cured, will poffefs all the virtues the most fanguine can defire.

"In this place it will be proper to notice what I cannot help confidering as very material: it is, that, without a perfevering attention throughout, the fkill of the curer will be exerted to very little purpofe; as I conceive all the difficul ties to arife principally, if not entirely, from want of care and cir cumfpection in the cultivator. In L

other

other words, at a proper age it will have acquired a certain degree of woodinefs and folidity, that will be found greatly to facilitate this last operation indeed, I begin to fufpect this to be the whole of the fecret. Unfortunately, fuch is the natural fucculency of this plant, and its liableness to decay, as to require an unremitting affiduity to prevent the one, in its progrefs towards the other. But as, in my former letters, I laid peculiar trefs upon this point whenever it came under confideration, and having noticed it hereafter, it becomes unneceffary here to fay more, than that perfons will find themfelves miferably deceived, if, when the plantation is completed, they imagine nothing more to be done than to wait the harveft. In the fame letters, my method of culture being fo minutely defcribed (a method that poffetles no other recommendation than fimplicity), I fhall pass it over for the fame reafon; and, in the further profecution of this fubject, avoiding repetition as much as is confident with plainnefs, fhall content myself with laying before the fociety a few general hints, which, being the refult of actual obfervation, may perhaps prove ufeful to future cultivators.

"First. In the choice of a fituation, I do not think the aspect very material, provided it is not fhaded too much on the fouth or weft; but it must be obvious, the fmaller number of furrounding trees the better, as the roots of the one may naturally be expected to interfere with thofe of the other. The indifpenfable points, are the. depth and good quality of the fail; and if, with thefe advantages, the plantation can be placed in a gentle declivity, fuch a fi

tuation may be faid to be very eligible.

Secondly.-If the ground to be converted to this purpose is a greenfward, no time will be really loft by a little delay. Suffer a feafon or two to elapfe before the plantation is attempted, that the turf may be entirely decayed, the foil in general more ameliorated, and, what is of more confequence than thefe, the wire-worms, which always infeft old grafs land, more completely deftroyed. Many thou-, fand plants I had the misfortune to lofe from the depredations of this infect only; and it will be found, that even rats, mice, and moles, are not fo much to be dreaded as thefe pernicious creatures.

"Thirdly. I would recommend every one, if they can, to fow liberally (I do not mean a large quantity of feed upon a fmall piece of ground, but the contrary); and as it is impoffible to foretell what devaftation may happen, from an unufually wet or fevere winter, or any other caufe, never let a season be omitted, left a fupply fhould fail, and a fucceffion be loft.

"Provided the weather is open, the best period is the latter end of February, or the beginning of March, for this purpofe; and if the feed thould not vegetate in three weeks, let the fowings be repeated till they do. In cold foils a moderate hot-bed will be sometimes required, but very feldom, and ought never to be used but when abfolutely neceflary; for those plants will be found the ftrongeft that are raifed in the open ground. I prefer fowing in the broad-caft method, rather than in drills.

"Fourthly. The nursery-bed to which the plants are to be transferred when at their proper fize,

and

and which comes next to be mentioned, must be diligently attended to. If any one fhould ever confult this paper with the hope of information, let me affure the inquirer that more depends upon this circumftance than at firft may be imagined; for, ftrange as it may feem, it is no lefs fo than true, the future fuccefs of a plant may be dated from its improvement in the nurfery-bed: hence the pains we bestow upon them by conftant waterings (for now they can fcarcely have too much, if the weather is warm), and protecting them from the ravages of flugs and other infects, in their prefent ftage, will be amply repaid us. I have known roots that have thriven well now, arrive in three years to an equal fize with others that have not fucceeded fo well at the end of five. On this account, taking it for granted that the preceding hint refpecting the dimenfions of the feed-bed will be attended to, and as a great many will occupy but a small space, being no more than fix or eight inches apart, I recommend every one likewife to plant as freely as they can; and, whenever a planta. tion is to be formed, or a vacancy filled up, to be fure that the finest and most thrifty plants are selected. I never recollect a fingle inftance of a plant fucceeding when it had loft its principal bud.

Fifthly. Where a plantation does not poffefs the natural advantage of being on a declivity, narrower beds, and deepened trenches, are among the artificial means that fhould be adopted; but all fituations will require a greater or lefs proportion of care, to prevent the ill effects of water remaining on the crowns of the plants; therefore, when the feed-ftalks are cut off,

which ought always to be done immediately upon the withering of the radical leaves, they fhould be covered with mould, in the form of an hillock. This procefs will anfwer two good purposes, that of throwing off the rains, and the trenches, by fupplying the material, will always be kept well open.

"Sixthly. To obtain good merchantable rhubarb, at every opportunity I have fpared no pains to enforce the abfolute neceffity of age, to difcover the cause of its fo frequent failure in its progrefs to wards it, and to point out the means of prevention. That the former is an effential will appear the more clearly, when I add, that till the plants have blown, their medical virtues fcarcely come into existe ence; and the latter will appear e. qually effential, when I further add, that at the fame period the dan ger of decay commences like wife. Whoever attentively examines the growth of thefe roots, will perceive that their buds poffefs the double capacity, of ferving firft as their natural defence, and afterwards even affifting in their deftruction. When one or more of these buds have bloomed, a cavity is formed in the centre of the plant, furround ed by the reft, into which the rain, if permitted, will make a lodgement, to the inevitable deftruction of thofe parts that, on this account, year after year, become unprotected.

"Those portions of the crown whence the feed-ftalks arife, prove ever the most valuable; and every fucceeding year producing other feed-ftalks, would add to the stock of ufeful root, if experience did not tell us, that hitherto the latter have increafed no fafter than the former have been diminished. Thus I L 2

have