is like that of all the-botanical publications of the indefatigable author, excellent; and its high price enables it to assume an appearance of finish and perfection, to which neither the Botanical Magazine nor Register can externally lay claim.

The Geraniaceae, the Cistineæ and the British Flower Garden, are all three works carried on simultaneously by Mr. Robert Sweet, a well known excellent cultivator and good practical botanist. The Geraniaceae will comprize all the species or varieties of that extensive and fashionable order which from time to time may make their appearance in the gardens. As hybrid varieties of all descriptions are included, the author's labour is not likely soon to terminate. We observe that Decandolle takes this work as the text-book of his species of Geraniacea. The Cistineæ, or history of the pretty tribe of plants called rock roses, is just commenced, and from what has yet appeared, seems likely to be a useful repository of figures, which we think are, upon the whole, both better drawn, and more carefully coloured than in the Geraniaceæ. The British Flower Garden is intended to represent such hardy plants as may appear deserving of notice. The execution of the letterpress is equal to that of the author's other works, but that of the plates bears no sort of comparison with the neatness and accuracy we are accustomed to expect in works of this nature. We hope this hint will not be thrown away upon the publishers.

The Flora Conspicua is a work lately brought forward by Mr. Richard Morris, and seems intended to include figures of all such plants as are handsome subjects for a fine plate, without regard to their novelty or importance otherwise. We confess we do not perceive the utility of this work as a botanical publication, but we must, nevertheless, do justice to the execution of the plates by Mr. Clark, which are really beautiful specimens of art. Such talents deserve to be better employed than in drawing and engraving subjects like Azalea Pontica, and other well known things.

The Botanic Garden is a little work published by Mr. B. Maund in monthly numbers, each containing one plate, representing figures of four plants neatly coloured, and four leaves of letter press. Like the Flora Conspicua it is destined to receive only hardy plants. The plates are very well executed, and do credit to the artists employed; but each subject being confined to a very small size, the largest and the smallest plants appear by the side of each other of the same dimensions; this inconvenience is however diminished by the degree in which the figure of a given plant is reduced below its natural size, being explained upon the plates. The letter press is respectably written; and is of much the same character as that of the Flora Conspicua.

62

ART. II. Transactions of the Horticultural Society of London. Vol. V. Bulmer & Co. 1824. Price £7.

THE essence of all that is in the first four volumes of these Transactions, will be found in the second edition of the Encyclopædia of Gardening, including also a part of this fifth volume. We shall, therefore, begin at where we have left off, so that those who are in possession of the Encyclopædia, and who read this Magazine, will be made acquainted with every improvement published by the Horticultural Society.

In the Preface, which is dated December 1824, it is stated, that in this volume will be found "a greater variety of matter, interesting to the horticulturist, than is to be found in any of the preceding volumes." At the date of the Preface to Volume IV., "The total number of Fellows of the Society was 1520; it has since been augmented to 1915, making an absolute accession of near 400 in about two years and a half. The list of the Society contains altogether the names of 2197 persons connected with it, either as Fellows, Honorary Members, Foreign Members, or Corresponding Members; an extension which, in the infancy of its establishment, was never contemplated, and which certainly cannot be considered as having arrived at its maximum, since fresh additions are made at each succeeding meeting of the Society.

"The increase in the list of the Members has not arisen solely from British subjects: the knowledge of the operations and objects of the Society has so extended to foreign countries, as to induce the Sovereigns of several of the European states to honour it, by enrolling their names among its fellows; a circumstance which must prove highly beneficial, since it insures a ready protection and countenance to its communications with foreigners." Pref. p. 2.

The beneficial influence of the Society is noticed, "as inspiring a general taste for gardening; adding to our stock of fruits and vegetables, and encreasing the number of ornamental plants. For these purposes three collectors had been sent to different parts of the world, of whom it is melancholy to add, that only one, Mr. George Don, survives."

Mr. John Potts was sent to Bengal and China, and introduced a large stock of Chinese and Indian plants. He outlived his return but a few weeks, and died in October 1822.

Mr. John Forbes was sent to the east coast of Africa; he died at Senna, while making his way up the Zambezi river, in August 1823, having, during the interval between his depar

ture from England, and the time of his death, enriched our collections with an unusual number of entirely new plants.

In the spring of 1823, Mr. John Damper Parks was sent to China, and obtained a great many plants of novelty and interest. In June 1823, Mr. David Douglas was sent to the United States, where he obtained many plants which were much wanted, and greatly increased our collection of fruit trees, by the acquisition of several sorts, only known to us by name. In July 1824, Mr. Douglas sailed for Colombia, on the north-west coast of America; a country rich in plants which will endure the open air in our gardens. His return is expected in 1826. In September 1824, Mr. James M'Rae was sent to the Sandwich Islands. The Society "has always evinced a becoming liberality in transmitting to various places abroad, such seeds and plants as were known to be wanting to the comfort of their inhabitants; and it has had the gratification to find, that in every quarter of the globe to which its influence has reached, these efforts have been duly appreciated, and met by a corresponding feeling. Indeed, there is scarcely any portion of the civilized world, in which there is not some one labouring with good will, to promote the interests of the Society." Pref. p. vii.

The library of the Society is increasing by gifts and purchases, the collection of drawings and of models in wax have become of considerable magnitude.

In the garden of the Society "the collections of fruit trees, and of hardy trees or shrubs, which it contains, may be pronounced the most complete that have ever been made in this or any other country; and although much remains to be done, the value of that which has been accomplished, in a period of little more than two years, must be evident to every one who visits the garden. As far as the general arrangement and formation are concerned, the works may be said to be nearly finished. Additional walls, however, lodges of entrance, and ranges of houses for the reception of plants, yet remain to be built. For these further expenses, it is hoped that sufficient funds may be provided." Pref. p. viii.

The number of papers in this volume is eighty-two, and two Appendices, by forty-four authors. The first, and one of the most valuable is,

On the different Species and Varieties of the Genus Brassica, and of the Genera allied to it, which are cultivated in Europe, &c. By Professor Deeandolle.

We have noticed M. Decandolle's arrangement of the cultivated species, in the Encyclopædias of Gardening and Agricul

ture, and adopted it with some variation in the Encyclopædia of Plants. The most original part of his communication is what respects those varieties which are cultivated for their seeds, to be crushed for oil, from which it appears that, in Britain, we are not possessed of the most valuable variety for this purpose. This variety is the colsat or colsa, of the Flemish, and the brassica campestris oleifera, of Decandolle. "It would be desirable for agriculture," Mr. Decandolle observes, "that in all countries cultivators would examine whether the plant they rear is the brassica campestris oleifera, or the brassica napus oleifera, which can easily be ascertained by observing whether the young plant is rough or smooth; if hispid, it is the brassica campestris; if glabrous, the brassica napus. Experiments made by M. Gaujac, show the produce of the first compared to that of the second, to be as 955 to 700." The true colza or B. c. oleifera, is in Belgium generally sown about the middle of June in a piece of well manured garden ground, from whence it is transplanted after harvest into fields in good heart, which have been once ploughed after the corn has been removed. It is kept clean and topdressed, or watered with liquid manure in November, after which it stands the winter, blossoms in the spring, and soon after runs to seed." Decandolle. Radcliff's Flanders.

We hope soon to hear of the seed of the Colsa being on sale at the shops of our agricultural seedsmen, and of trials being made with it against the common rape, which is the brassica napus oleifera of Decandolle; the B. napus of Linnæus, and of Eng. Bot. 2146.

In comparing the oil-bearing cruciferous plants together, Mr. Decandolle has the following observations:

"Most of them, and perhaps the whole number, are susceptible of two different variations, the one having a thin, slender, slightly fleshy root, the other a thick and fleshy root: in general, those of the first kind bear a considerable quantity of seeds, and are cultivated throughout Europe as oleiferous vegetables; the others, on the contrary, bring few seeds to perfection, and are cultivated in general for their roots, as excellent for field or garden vegetables. So in the brassica oleracea, the varieties that have a thin stalk are cultivated for their seeds; and those that have swelled radicles are reserved for food. Among the varieties of the brassica campestris, which, by reason of its large seeds, appear to be eminently oleiferous, the colsa is the most productive, and has the thinnest root; for the produce of the oil, the ruta-baga and common napa brassica are much less useful. In the brassica rapa, the navette with a thin root is cultivated for its oily seeds, whilst the turnip, or brassica rapa depressa is used for food. In the brassica napus, the navette with a thin root is cultivated for its oil, and the

navet for the sake of its root. Lastly, in the raphanus sativus, the same circumstance again appears; the thin roots constantly belong to the many seeded varieties, whilst the thick fleshy roots are employed for culinary purposes only. A similar law may be observed in other cruciferous plants. The cochlearia armoracia (horseradish,) which has a very large thick root, rarely brings any seeds to perfection, whilst every other species of cochlearia produces them freely; this observation may be useful to guide cultivators in the choice of the varieties proper to try as oleiferous plants. If taken in a more extensive sense, it may serve to throw some light on the laws of vegetation in general, for we know it is not confined to cruciferous plants alone." Hort. Trans. vol. v. part 1. page 42.

The cultivated cabbage, brassica oleracea, according to M. Sageret, a correspondent of Mr. Decandolle, a zealous cultivator, presents a singular phenomenon; that of being incapable of receiving fecundation from any but its own species. M. Sageret tried in vain the pollen of the brassica campestris oleifera, or colsa, as well as that of every other species of brassica; he then found out that it had a natural tendency to fecundate several other species of cabbages, and even the cultivated black radish, but it could not be impregnated by any except its own varieties. The colsa, the chou-navet, or white ruta-baga (Brassica campestris napo-brassica), and the navetjaune, or common yellow ruta-baga (Brassica campestris napobrassica, var. ruta-baga), appear to be hybrid products of the cabbage and turnip (Brassica rapa), taken in different degrees of culture and domestication; they are none of them capable of crossing the true cabbage, but may all become fruitful by its means; they can produce amongst themselves other cross races, which bring their own seeds to perfection. This manner of mixing in artificial breeds, shews that it forms a type sui generis.

The allied genera which are cultivated for oil plants, are sinapis, camelina, and raphanus. Sinapis alba is cultivated in the Vosges as an oleiferous plant, under the name of navet d'été, and sometimes it is called grain-de-beurre. The camelina sativa (Eng. Bot. 1767.) is cultivated in some provinces under the same name, and next to the true colsa, is the most productive among the oleiferous cruciferous plants. The radishes M. Decandolle divides into three races; the round, the long, and the oil-bearing. (See Encyc. of Plants, gen. Raphanus.) The Raphanus sativus oleifera, is a native of China, and is cultivated in Italy for its seeds. Instructions on the manner of cultivating it, have been published by M. Grandi, in his Istoria Cultura, 1807.