The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-02-05 00:00:00

CHARLES HEATH

FIG. N C'E.

[From " The New Monthly llagu:ine"l

At a late Meeting of the Roca l Academy of
Sciences, M. Moreau de ironies communicated some
particulars respecting the great viper of Martinique..
It is a fact that this serpent grows to the length of
seven or eight feet, and to a diameter of limr or live
inches. M. Deshoirtiraux, a planter of Martinique,
some months since killed one of these reptiles which
had attained these dimensions, and which. when erect
ou its tail, would have considerably exceeded the
height of a Mall. Upon an exatitimitiou of the mem-
branous sheath with which the month is laterally for-
nished, there were found on both sides 16 channelled
teeth of different sizes, but only two of these listing
reached their full growth, served us formidable wea-
pour to this enormous reptile. By a singularity
worthy of remark, the trigonoceplialus possesses the
faculty of living alike in the marshes on the sante
level with the sea, and on the tops of mountains among
the cloulds,notwitlistandin4 the difference of tempe-
rature, which is equal to twelve degrees of the centi-
grade thenuometer, mid which in the Torrid Zone
produces a very powerful impression on organised
bodies. M. DI esfourneaux has recently found on
ascending the volcanic peaks of Curbed, four of
these vipers inhabiting the lofty forests of those
mountains 1,600 yards above the Atlantic.
Au apothecary of Aieiens has just obtained a
new and very lucrative product f • potatoes, by
burning the stalks and leaves of the plant, and
extracting Ilse potash which they contain in alum-
dance. Just when the flower begins to go off, at
which time the stalk is in full vigour, the plants
sire cut with a sharp instrument about live inches
from the ground. The stumps soon throw out
fresh shouts which suffice to bring the roots to ma-
turity. The plants after bring cut, air left eight
days in the held to dry. They are then burned in
the tonne manner its soda monufactiirers burn kali,
in a hole her fret in diameter and two fret deep.—
The ashes are washed, itiol the ley evaporated.—
By this process 5t,500 !moulds weight of the salt is
obtained per acre ; the author of it calculates that
the potatoes grown upon an acre will produce 225
franca over and above the expense of cultivation ;
and that the salt from the same urea, deducting the
cost of making, will be worth 816 francs, making
total of 1,041 francs, upwards of 43!. sterling.
The totel produce of the sale of the Mac Carthy
Library at Paris, was 404,000 francs (16,0001. ster-
ling), a much less sum than had been offered for
it three years since by an English Nobleman. The
Rosati Library at Paris will have 300 volumes
printed on vellum from this collection, about half
of which is destined for this country, most of
our biblionitittims having added
treasures to their former stores. Among others,
the article of the highest price and greatest intrinsic
value, the Complutensian Polyglot!, 'winked rq
vellum. was purchased fur 16,100 frames, fur Mr
I libbert, whose collection previously rooked as one
of the lust private libraries in Europe.

The Itnosian Kinadrott having been detained No
long by contrary wind.. are renewing thrii stuck of
provision, tecourt time. • .