has tried it in England, with great fuccefs. From that public fpirited cultivator I had fome of its feeds, which were fown in June laft. They came up very well, and yielded one tolera. bly abundant crop this autumn, at one cutting. It promifes to make an useful addition to the farmers catalogue of cultivable plants; and, although, probably fome abatements must be made from the fanguine accounts of its first cultivator, it is highly probable, that when its qualities fhall be afcertained, and the ufes to which it can be best applied are fully understood, it will prove a valuable acquifition to agriculture.

SIBERIAN MELILOT.

THIS is another plant that has been recommended to the notice of farmers, by the French oeconomists. Some feeds of it were fent by M. Thonin, gardener to the King of France, in the botanical garden at Paris, to Mr Arthur Young, which was fown by him in the Spring 1790. The appearance of it was fo inviting, that he obtained more feeds of it. April 17. 1791, he fowed a piece of it partly in drills, at two feet fix inches, and one fquare perch, broad caft; the latter with one and a half ounce of feed, or 15 lib. an acre. The foil is a moift loam, on a cold marly bottom. The preparation of the piece of ground was cabbages running. to feed, and in full bloffom, pulled up, and dug into the ground, by being laid in the trench while digging. Both pièces were kept clear of weeds during the Summer.

April 22. they were both mowed, being a full and beautiful crop; one fquare perch of the drilled weighed 105 lb. which is equal to 72 tons per acre. The perch, broad caft, weighed 84 lib. which is equal to fix tons per acre. The one is equal probably to about two tons of hay per acre (English), and the other more than one and a half.

1

Cows, work-oxen, calves, and horfes, all eat it readily. Now that it is found that broad clover cannot be made to thrive on a great many foils, any plant that can be employed as a fubftitute to it, for making into hay, deferves to be particularly attended to.

Mr Young promifes to continue his experiments on this plant, and to communicate the refult of them to the public.

Specimen of the Manner of Writing in the 16th

SIR,

Century

To the Editor of the Bee.

The following Picture of the Kingdom of Scotland is drawn up in the feventh year of the age and reign of Queen Mary, in the Complaint of Scotland by Wedderburn, printed 1549, from which it is copied literatim by your humble fervant,

PHILALBAN.

"In my dullit dreyme ande fopit vifione, I thocht that ther aperit to me ane lady of excellent extractione, ande of anciant genolygie, makkand ane melancholius choir for the grite violens that he had fuftenit ande indurit. It aperit be hyr woful contenens that sche was in grite dout and dredour for ane mair dolorus future ruyne that was aperand to fuccumb hyr haistylye, in the maift extreme exterminatione.-Hyr hayr of the cullour of fyne gold, was feltrit and trachlit out of ordour, hingand over her fchulders.-Sche hed ane crown of gold, hingand ande brangland, that it was lyik to fal doune fra hyr hede to the cald eird.-Sche bure an fcheild, in the quhilk was gravit ane rede rampand lyone, in ane field of gold, bordoryt about witht doubil flouredelicis. This rede lyone was hurt in mony placis of his body.

The accutrementis ande clothyng of this dolorus lady was ane fyde mantil, that couvrit al her body, of an mervelouse ingenius faffone, the quhilk had bene tiffue, ande wrocht be thre fyndrye faffones of werkmenfchips.

The fyrst part, quhilk was the hie bordour of hyr mantil, ther was mony precius ftanis, quharin ther was gravit fcheildis, fpeyris, fourdis, bayrdit horse, harness, ande al uthir fortis of waupynis and munitions of weyr.

In the middis of that mantil ther was gravit in carrecters, beukis and figuris, diverse scienfis, divyne ande humain, witht mony cheretabil actis, ande supernatural miraclis.

On the third part of that mantil, I beheld brodrut about al hyr tail, al fortis of cattel and profitabil bayftis, al fortis of cornis, eyrbis, plantis, grene treis, fchips, marchantdreis, ande Vol. VI.

E

mony politic werkmanlumis for mecanyc craftis. This mantil, quhilk had been made ande wrocht in ald tymys be the prudent predeceffours of this foyrfaid lady, was revyn and raggit in mony placis, that mycht not I perfave the ftoreis ande figuris that hed bene gravit, wrocht, and brodrut in ald týmys, in the thre partis of it; for the fyrst part of it wantyt mony of the scheildis ande harnes that was fyrst wrocht in it, ande an uther part of the scheildis and harnes war brokyn ande rouftit, ande reddye to fal ande tyne furtht of the bordour of that mantil. Siklyik the pleifand werkmenfchips that was in the middis of hyr mantil was feperat fra uthers, and altrit fra the fyrst faffone that na man culd extract ony profitabil fentens, nor gude exempil fartht of ony part of it. Now to fpeik of the third part of hyr mantil, it was werft grathit ande spylt be ane grit differens, nor was the tother tua partis of that mantil, for it aperit that al the grene treis, cornis, beftialite, mecanyc craftis, ande fchips, ande marchandriefe, that hed bene curiouslye wrocht in ald tymys in the bordour of the tail of that mantil, was spilt and distroyit, and the eird was becum barran ande ftirril, ande that na ordinance of policye culd be perfavit in it, nor esperance of relief. Now to conclude of the faffone of this ladeis mantil, it was baytht altrit in cullour ande in beulk, ande revyn in mony placis, hingand doune raggit in piecis, in fic ane fort, that gyf thay hed bene present that wrocht ande made it in the begynnyng, thay wald have clair myskend it, be rafone that it was fa mekil altrit fra the fyrst faffone."

SIR,

For the Bee.

I AM very happy to find, that though you are so well employed in collecting materials for public information, from more dignified fubjects; yet that you have not thought it unworthy of your notice to look down upon the humble earthworm, prefented to your view by the young obferver.

The conjecture which he has fo modeftly fuggested, with regard to worms ufing the leaf and the grafs when in a putrified state for food, is perfectly just; and had he followed his

worm through the windings of its paffage till it arrived at its dark cell, he would have obferved an immenfe quantity of the same matter piled up with the utmost regularity to support it when the froft renders the earth impenetrable. I hope this new correfpondent will favour the public from time to time with the fuccefs of his refearches into this ufeful and hitherto unexplored recefs of nature's works.

He will find that there are many other infects, and many other fpecies of animals, which, like the worm, prefer putrified to freth food; and thus, while this obferver may add fo materially to the stock of human knowledge, he will encrease our admiration alfo of the astonishing diversity in the structure of animals fo well adapted to their. food, and of the endless variety of fubjects for our investigation, which the works of nature so copiously afford.

SIR,

Ancient Indictment.

AN OLD OBSERVER.

I FOUND the following memorandum of a remarkable indictment in an old MS. that fell accidentally into my hands the other day. If you think it worthy of a place in your Mifcellany, it is at your fervice. The writer begins his minutes thus:-"Memorandum, That one the 19 daye of February 1661, was the firfte tyme that I was uppone the Jury for life and death at the Old Bayley, and then there were these perfones followinge tryde, and for what crime."

After making minutes of nine perfons who were tried that day, and of feventeen the next day, being the 20th of February 1661 is the following:

Katherine Roberts is endited for felleing of a child to the fpirrits, for 28s. 6d. but after much heareinge of the witneffes, it could not bee clearely proved, and fo fhe was found not guilty."

I must confefs I cannot conceive what felling to the fpirits can mean, but hope to fee the opinion of fome of your curious readers on it.

The next minute is: Mary Grante is endited for beating of her husband, but nothinge is made of this. The law fays, that the husband cannot endite the wife for a battery."

&c.

I hope it will not be dangerous to print the latter. Your's,

CURIOSUS.

mony politic werkmanlumis for mecanyc cra quhilk had been made ande wrocht in ald t dent predeceffours of this foyrfaid lady, was re mony placis, that mycht not I perfave the 1 that hed bene gravit, wrocht, and brodrut the thre partis of it; for the fyrst part of it the scheildis ande harnes that was fyrst wroc uther part of the fcheildis and harnes war br ande reddye to fal ande tyne furtht of the bo til. Siklyik the pleifand werkmenschips that of hyr mantil was feperat fra uthers, and faffone that na man culd extract ony prof gude exempil fartht of ony part of it. Nov third part of hyr mantil, it was werst grathit grit differens, nor was the tother tua partis it aperit that al the grene treis, cornis, b craftis, ande fchips, ande marchandriese, that Jye wrocht in ald tymys in the bordour of mantil, was spilt and distroyit, and the eird ande stirril, ande that na ordinance of pol vit in it, nor efperance of relief. Now to c fone of this ladeis mantil, it was baytht altri in beulk, ande revyn in mony placis, hinga in piecis, in fic ane fort, that gyf thay hed wrocht ande made it in the begynnyng, tha myfkend it, be rafone that it was fa mekil faffone."

(

SIR,

For the Bee.

I AM very happy to find, that though you ployed in collecting materials for public in more dignified fubjects; yet that you have n worthy of your notice to look down upon th worm, presented to your view by the young ol

The conjecture which he has fo modeftly regard to worms ufing the leaf and the grafs fied ftate for food, is perfectly just; and had