lately dotted over the open spaces are put in without the slightest regard to effect. To say that they are in bad taste, would be paying them a compliment-but they display no taste whatever; all that can be said is, that somebody has been ordered to plant a number of single trees, and that single trees have been planted accordingly.

Ten-week Stocks. A great many varieties have been lately raised in Saxony by the weavers, and other manufacturers and tradesmen there, who seem to have the same sort of taste for flowers as their brethren in Britain. Mr. Lee has just presented us with plants of sixty sorts, with names; he imports the seeds annually, and consequently these fine flowers will soon become general.

Dr. Von Martius, the celebrated traveller, is now in London. Though old in celebrity, he is quite a young man. He travelled upwards of three years in the Brazils with the late Dr. Spix, and has since published a learned and elaborate work, in two quarto volumes, describing a part of the new plants discovered, exceeding, in all, 2000 species. The present king of Bavaria having no taste for botany, has left Dr. Martius to continue the publication of this work at his own expence; and we are sure that every man who has a just notion of the value of science would wish to have such a work, from such an author, and produced under such circumstances, in his library. The plates are coloured, and consist not only of figures of plants, many of which are of great singularity, but of specimens of landscape, and general scenery, not less foreign to European ideas. Whoever has read the first volume of the personal narrative of Dr. Spix and Dr. Martius, translated and published two years ago, cannot but feel an interest in the man whose extraordinary thirst for information overcame his repugnance to that most horrid of Indian drinks, EIMER; great as was the enthusiasm of Dr. Spix, yet he could not conquer his aversion to the horrible potion. (See Spix's and Martius's Travels, vol. 1. London, 8vo.; and Nova Genera et Species Plantarum, &c. &c., collegit et descripsit Dr. C. F. P. de Martius, vols. 1. and 2. Munich, 4to. 1826.)

Caledonian Horticultural Society, April 14. The competition show of auriculas and polyanthuses, for prizes given by this Society, took place in the Physicians' Hall, and several premiums were awarded. The number of exhibitors, either of auriculas or polyanthuses, for the stage, was considerably smaller than in some former years. Polyanthuses, it is believed, have very generally suffered much during the past Winter. The seedling auriculas were rather numerous, and of high promise; some sent by Mr. Macdonald of Newington (and which were necessarily excluded from competition, on account of that gentleman having gained the medal for seedling auriculas in 1825), were regarded by the connoisseurs as fine flowers. The stage polyanthuses of Mr. Hately, and the seedling polyanthuses of Messrs. Dickson and Co., were also much admired. A collection of about twenty varieties of polyanthus narcissus, from the open border at Biel, formed one of the novelties of this exhibition.

At the meeting of this society, June the 1st, the best early melon produced in competition was a rock canteloupe, raised by Mr. John Macnaughton, gardener to Colonel Wauchope at Edmondstone (a meritorious encourager of horticulture and of gardeners, who paid ten guineas to make his gardener a free ordinary member of this Society): seed sown 1st March, in small pots; kept in the pine-pits for 15 days; transplanted 16th March into a two-light pit-frame (the Edmondstone frame); soil, two parts loam-turf mould,

ɔne part strong clay, one part rotten dung, one part pit-sand, all well mixed.

Two parcels of grapes were regarded as so nearly equal in merit that the committee felt it right to award two medals; one for black Hamburgh, raised by Mr. Thomas Inglis, gardener to the Hon. Mrs. Ramsay at Barnton; the other, for Frontignac grapes, to Mr. Robert Reid, gardener to Sir Alexander Keith, Baronet, of Ravelstone.

Several baskets of early peas appeared, and all of them were of good quality. Those considered best were of the early frame kind, raised by Mr. James Arklie, gardener to William Grant, Esquire, of Congalton: sown 26th October, at the bottom of a south-aspected wall, with a little light vegetable mould over them in the drill, covered with a few spruce branches in time of hard frost, and kept close to the wall with straw ropes; two pecks were sent to the high commissioner's table on 18th May, the first produce. A basket of Nash's early frame were too ripe; they were from Mr. Alexander Bisset, gardener to Colonel Smyth of Methven; he had had dishes for near three weeks previous; his practice was considered so good as to deserve an extra medal. For some years past he has sown in January, on reversed sward turfs, laid on a slight hot-bed, the turfs being ten inches long by five broad; in March, he plants out the entire turfs, with the young peas growing on them, which thus escape any check from transplanting. (See Gard. Mag. 127.)

The early potatoes, without bottom heat, were very good. The largest, but evidently selected tubers from many plants, were raised by Mr. Inglis, at Barnton. Some raised at Dunrobin in Sutherland excited surprise.

The best double anemones were found to have been cultivated by Mr. William Milne, gardener to Gilbert Innes, Esq., of Drum.

Some very beautiful purple and red Brompton stocks, from the garden of John Leven, Esq., Burntisland (which slopes to the south, and is washed by the sea, while it is sheltered from the north), were much admired; and an uncommonly luxurious plant of ten-week stock, about six feet in circumference, from the garden at Barnton, excited general admiration. Several members were elected.

The Secretary read a letter from Mr. Bosc, the celebrated Director of the Jardin des Plantes, kindly engaging to fulfil the intentions of the late Professor Thouin, to send grafts, plants, &c. to the experimental garden at Edinburgh, and liberally offering to add such novelties as can be spared from the magnificent collection under his charge. (Com. by the Secretary.) Caledonian Society's Garden. The ground-work is nearly completed, and also the gardener's house; and preparations are making for erecting two hot-houses.

The Melon Strawberry. This is a seedling, raised at Aberdeen, and which has been declared by Dr. Dyce, of that city, to be the "finest variety in existence." "The size and shape of this fruit in a great measure resemble the roseberry, but rather larger; the colour is very dark, the flavour exquisite, and the plant is an abundant bearer and forces well." The above description, together with two or three plants, were sent to Messrs. Malcolm and Gray, of the Kensington Nursery, in the beginning of May last, by Mr. Alexander Diack, Secretary to the Aberdeen Horticultural Society. We have tasted in Mr. Groom's garden, Walworth (page 351.), what are there called Diack's No. 1. and No. 2., which are excellent strawberries, and great

bearers.

Dumfries Horticultural Society and Garden. Letter from the Secre tary, William Grierson, Esquire. "Dear Sir: In the last number of your Magazine, I observed your remarks on the Dumfries and Galloway Horticultural Society, which are so far very well, with the exception to your concluding opinion respecting the experimental garden; which, I fear, may damp the patronage to it, if not frustrate the object alto

gether. The project has met with the approbation of the London and Edinburgh Societies; and, from the local situation of Dumfries, it has been considered as a very proper place for the formation of such a garden. We never contemplated an establishment of an extent to be compared with those of London or Edinburgh; but one on a limited scale, rather as a branch of these parent institutions; and as a medium to disseminate improvements in our immediate district, and to induce a spirit of emulation amongst gentlemen and their gardeners all over the country. Such, I have little doubt, would be the result of an experimental garden; and it might also prove a school from which the gardeners in the district would derive much advantage. We are removed at a great distance from London, and 72 miles from Edinburgh; so that comparatively few of us know any thing of what is going on at these places; besides the probable utility, as a public ornament, and combining a rational gratification, it deserves encouragement. Among the inhabitants of a town of no inconsiderable population, such as Dumfries, there must be many who have a taste for the cultivation of plants, but possess not the advantage of a garden of their own; even in that view it might prove of importance; but as to proving the cause of the dissolution of the Society that set it agoing, with due deference to your opinion, I cannot see how that inference can be drawn ; since experience has not furnished any example, for it is unknown to me, that any provincial garden has ever yet been formed. I am, &c. Dumfries, April 7. "W. GRIERSON."

ART. IV. Ireland.

Horticultural Society of Ireland, April 17th. At the annual spring show of flowers 3 prizes were given for green-edged auriculas, 3 for grey edged, 3 for white-edged, 2 for self-coloured or non-variegated sorts, and 2 for seedlings. For polyanthuses 3 prizes were given; for red hyacinths 2, for blue 2, for white 4, and 3 for yellow. A first, second, and third prize were given for 6 pots of exotics; 4 prizes were given for broccoli, 2 for apples, 2 for pears, and 2 for cucumbers. The judges were, the Marquis Wellesley, and fifteen other noblemen and gentlemen, with four nurserymen, and Mr. Mackay, the curator of the Trinity garden. We regret that the names of the particular varieties of flowers, fruits, &c. are not given in the advertisement, as it prevents great part of the benefit which would result to practical men. For instance, it would have been of some use to many in Ireland to know what sorts of pears and apples will keep to the middle of April.

May 1. The committee met, and awarded various premiums for peaches, grapes, melons, peas, turnips, and cauliflowers.

Farming Society of Ireland, April, 8th.-His excellency the Lord Lieutenant, patron of the Society, was good enough to send to the Directors some specimens of Indian agricultural seeds, for the purpose of experiment as to their cultivation in this climate. Mr. Synge sent in an improved model of his furze-bruiser, worked off his threshing-mill, and with the labour of two men, supplying 17 horses and 14 cows with wholesome food, at 1d. per bushel, or about 4d. per day for each animal. (Irish Farmers' Journal.)

Mulberry Trees. The company for the promotion of silk in Ireland have given instructions to their agent, Mr. George Wade Foott, to accommodate any gentleman of landed property with such a number of the trees as he may have occasion for, charging them only the first cost, which, we understand, is but 4d. each. An opportunity will, therefore, be afforded to gentlemen for supplying themselves by the cargo of the Esther with

200,000 trees, which are daily expected. A parcel of mulberry-seed is also expected on board the Esther, and Mr. Foott has directions to give such gentlemen as may wish for it a sufficient quantity for sowing; the company liberally intending to benefit the country at large, by the general introduction of the silk manufacture.- (Cork Constitution of April 1st.)

Cultivation of the Grape. Towards the close of last year all the Irish newspapers noticed the singular success which for five years has rewarded the exertions of Mr. John Pendergast, in cultivating large crops of well ripened grapes in the open air, without any artificial heat whatever, at Innistionge. Mr. Pendergast is now so fully persuaded of the practicability of producing abundant crops of this much esteemed fruit in warm situations in the county of Kilkenny, trained over the surface of the ground, by an improved system of culture, and the natural influence of the sun alone, that he is propagating plants from these very prolific vines, to stock a piece of ground containing about a quarter of an acre, which he means to train in the continental style. Judging from what he has already experienced, of these vines being capable of doing in the open air, he calculates that this quarter of an acre, so planted, will leave him a very considerable sum in three years, besides paying ground rent, and every other expence. (Dublin Evening Post.)

Lectures on Botany at Belfast. Doctor Drummond is now delivering, at the Belfast Academical Institution a course of lectures on such wild garden plants as may be found in flower, in the neighbourhood of Belfast; in which he explains their botanical characters, their history and uses, and the general principles of Linnæan botany. The above-mentioned course is attended principally by ladies, of whom between forty and fifty attend regularly and zealously. At the solicitation of a number of young men whose avocations in business prevent their attendance on a mid-day class, Dr. Drummond has a morning class on the same days at eight o'clock, which is attended by twenty members, a number perhaps as great as could reasonably be expected, considering that this is the second course of botany ever given in Belfast; that there is no botanic garden; and that a taste for the science has been little cultivated or encouraged.

ART. V. Horticultural Society and Garden.

Hort. Soc. April 4. Communications were read on propagating roses; on growing the pine-apple without the aid of bottom-heat; and one by Mr. A. Stewart, gardener at Valleyfield, accompanied with a drawing, (fig. 61.) on a neat method of training espalier trees. The articles exhibited were

some varieties of the Camellia japonica, and the double yellow rosa Banksiæ, with small bright yellow flowers, from the garden of the Society; eighty-four sorts of apples, in good preservation, from Mr. Ronalds, of Brentford; some Colmar and Bonchretien pears; tart rhubarb; a double

flowering plum from the Isle of Wight; and some fruit of the Glycosmis citrifolia from the garden of the Society. This fruit has a sweetish taste, and resembles that of the white or amber currant in appearance. There were likewise exhibited a map of the island of St. Michael's, and a drawing of a proliferous-headed Chinese pine-apple.

April 18. A paper by the president was read on pears. Mr. Knight had begun so early as 1810 to impregnate the blossoms of the swan's egg with different varieties of the finer French pears, with a view of producing some new and improved sorts, which might be grown as standards and espaliers. A number of the seedlings having now fruited, a few were selected which appeared to have all the hardiness of the swan's egg, with some of the high flavour of the French sorts. Mr. Knight thinks these may be advantageously introduced into general cultivation; but as the first year's fruits of a seedling are not always a fair sample of what the tree will ultimately produce, he is unwilling to recommend them till they have been farther tried; and in order that they may be compared with other sorts in the garden of the. Society he has sent grafts, &c. The articles exhibited were, a fine specimen of what is called Rhododendron fragraus, from the nursery of Messrs. Chandler and Buckingham, elsewhere noticed by us, as a hybrid, between Azalea pontica and Rhododendron ponticum, in which the habit and general appearance of the latter are united with the fragrance of the former. Two other seedling Rhododendrons, with the prevailing character of R. Catawbiense, were exhibited by the same cultivators; a fine specimen of Oncidium altissimum, an epiphyte, with a raceme of brownish flowers above a yard long, from the garden of the Society; some sea-cale, and tart rhubarb (R. hybridum) very strong; some asparagus; three sorts of forced strawberries, also from the Society's garden; flowers of Thunbergia alata, yellow and very fragrant, also from the garden of Robert Barclay, Esq. It was observed by the secretary, respecting the asparagus, that seeds from different parts of Britain and the Continent were in cultivation in the garden, for the purpose of ascertaining if there really were different varieties of that vegetable, and that as far as the experiment had gone the conclusion seemed to be in the negative. The asparagus is less liable to sport than most plants which have been in high cultivation, and nearly the same thing may be said of the sea-cale.

A blossom was exhibited of a new species of Camellia, named C. Japonica Rawesiana, recently imported from China by Capt. Rawes, and presented to Thos. Carey Palmer, Esq. of Bromley. A specimen of woollen netting, for protecting wall-trees, was exhibited by Sir Robt. Vaughan; it can be produced in North Wales for five-pence a square yard. Some early Chasselas and black Hamburgh grapes, orange and stone-pippin, and Beachamwell apples and Bonchretien pears were exhibited and tasted. The seeds distributed at this and the former meeting were, mountain pink, Enothera tetraptera, red-fleshed Malta melon, celeriac, white solid cellery, vestia lycioides, snake melon, and wheat of the kind from the straw of which Leghorn hats are made.

Among the books presented was one by George Bangley, Esq. containing representations of plants worked in silk. But what attracted more attention than any thing else exhibited, were three imitations of plants, in wax, by a French artist, M. Montaban, artificial flower-maker, 225. Piccadilly; two of the plants were Camellias in pots, with double flowers, and the third was a small orange-tree, with fruit and flowers. The imitation of the leaves and flowers was so perfect, that they would have been taken for realities, had it not been for the stems and the imitation of mould in the pots, neither of which was at all equal to the other parts.

May 2. Among the books presented were the Bon Jardinier for 1826, which we shall review in a future Number, and a Number of a work on the rare