depicted in the paintings of Claude, &c.; the Pinus Cembra assumes a conical shape (fig. 48.) its boughs feathering towards the ground. Your informant

minàtis; the other, Pinus Cembra, under that of Pinus foliis quinis. Yours, &c.- An Amateur. Woodstock, October 10. 1828.

We are exceedingly obliged to An Amateur and Causidicus for the above correction and information. The truth is, we gave directions for copying these and other extracts from the Foreign Quarterly Review without observing the error, and being in France when No. XVI. was published, we only saw proofs of the first two sheets, and did not see a complete copy of the Number till our return to Paris in December last. No two pines are more easily distinguished than the Pínea and Cémbra; and while there are abundance of large trees of the former in this country, those of the latter are for the most part young. The Cembra is figured in Harte's Essays under the name of Asphernousli.- Cond.

The Anson, or Otaheite, Pine.-Sir, C. F. W., in the last Number of your Magazine, page 103., asserts that the Anson, or Otaheite, Pine was introduced into this country by the late Birt, Esq., of Colton Hall, and that some of the plants soon found their way from that to Shugborough, &c. This is not correct; on the contrary, the more probable circumstance is, that they found their way to Colton Hall from Shugborough, as there exists proof that the gardener I succeeded here sent a quantity of pine plants to Mr. Birt's, but none of having received any from his place. Mr. Nicol (who was gardener here from 1800 to 1810) likewise informed me, that the sort was in the stock when he came, under the name of the Anson Pine, but he could give no further information respecting it. Mr. Hodson (who was the gardener to Mr. Birt, now to the Marquess of Anglesey, Beaudesert) informed me how it came to be named the Otaheite Pine. He said, Mr. Birt was one day walking through the pine stoves, and observing one of the plants, asked him the name of it: Mr. Hodson said he did not know it, that there were not above two or three of the sort in the stock. Mr. Birt observed that it very much resembled a pine they had in the West Indies, under the name of the Otaheite. From that time he named it the Otaheite: I had, at the same time, a large stock of them, and not knowing the proper name, I adopted the one given it at Colton Hall, until Mr. Nicol called upon me two or three years after, and corrected me

by giving me the above information. The circumstance of having a large stock of the sort at Shugborough, whereas there were not more than two or three plants (as Mr. Hodson informed me) at Colton Hall, sufficiently proves that it was first cultivated at this place. I have traced it back as far as 30 years at Shugborough, and if C. F. W. or any other, has any thing to offer more convincing than his bare assertion in support of what he has advanced, all I can say is, that I shall be glad to see it; but I must observe, that, unless he puts his real signature to the communication, it will be unnoticed by me, as it ought to be by the public. I remain, dear Sir, &c.W. M'Murtrie. Shugborough, Feb. 7. 1829.

Woodwardia radicans should be substituted for Adiántum pedàtum, in p. 52.-James Housman. Toft, Cheshire, March, 1829.

Fences in the Southern States of N. America. - You will oblige me by correcting an error in the abstract you made from my communication on the United States. (Vol. IV. p. 463.) In your version you make me to say, that the live fence I saw of the Ròsa multiflòra, in the State of Georgia, was the first live fence I had seen in America; whereas the sentence in the original MS. (now before me) runs thus: “The only live fence I saw in the Southern States." As several of my acquaintances in the north are aware I could have no grounds for such an assertion, I beg you will, if possible, correct it in next Gordon. Appley Castle, Wellington, Salop. Erratum.- Vol. IV. p. 486. line 11. from bottom, for Seed read Sex.

ART. XI. Queries and Answers to Queries.

RULES for pronouncing Botanic Names (in answer to X. Z.).-The true pronunciation of Greek and Latin words being lost, the natives of different countries treat them according to the rules of their respective languages; and however discordant those rules may be, still oral intercourse in that tongue is so unfrequent, that even were the learned disposed to reduce its sounds to a conventional standard, it would scarcely be worth the trouble. We mention this, in order that should any of our readers meet with a brother-gardener of another country, he may not consider his pronunciation of systematic names incorrect, nor be unable to assign a reason for the discrepancy. Thus, then, in England, we subject the vowels to the rules of our own tongue, without any attention to the Latin quantity, often producing results absurd enough in all conscience; but it is an absurdity shared in common with other nations, and, as we have said, not worth the trouble of altering. It might, perhaps, be sufficient to direct X. Z. to pronounce Latin vowels as he would English, placing the accent as he may find it marked, and to treat the consonants, with the exception of ch, in the same manner; but as many gardeners may not be masters of the correct pronunciation of their mother tongue, for their information, we shall go more into detail.

In classical words there are as many syllables as there are vowels; except when u with any other vowel follows g, q, or s, and when two vowels unite to form a diphthong. The diphthongs are a, a, ai, ei, oi, ui, au, eu, and ou. These seldom coalesce in final syllables, and when separated in initial or medial syllables, it will be indicated by a diæresis, as öu, except when the accent falls on the first vowel, as òu, in which case the accentual mark is sufficient. oo, ee, ea, and other combinations which never occur as diphthongs in classical words, follow, in commemorative names, the pronunciation of their primitives, as Teédia, Woódsia.

In this work the sounds of the accented vowels are sufficiently indicated by the mark placed over each, and therefore it may seem unnecessary to

give any directions regarding them: but, in addition to this primary accent, every word of more than three syllables contains a secondary accent, which is regulated by the same rules; and with reference to it, and also to prevent our readers being misled by casual typographical errors, we shall notice those vowels in which mistakes might occur. The secondary accent must always be at least two syllables before the primary accent, as in C'hélidònium; for its place the ear is a sufficient guide, and even were it entirely omitted, still, however inharmonious, it would not be incorrect.

Every accented penultimate vowel is pronounced long, when followed by a vowel or a single consonant, as Achillea tomentòsa; but it is shortened when followed by two consonants or a double one, as Sórbus, Táxus; except when the first consonant is a mute and the second a liquid, as A'brus.

Every accented antepenultimate vowel, except u, is pronounced short, as Helleborus, Humulus: but when succeeded by a single consonant, followed by e ori and another vowel, they are lengthened, as Stellària; except i, which is short, as Tília.

A unaccented, ending a word, is pronounced like the interjection ah, as Sticta (ah).

E final, with or without a consonant preceding, always forms a distinct syllable, as Silènë, Aloë; also when the vowel is followed by a final consonant as Tri-chó-ma-nes, not Tri-cho-manes.

I unaccented, if final, sounds as if written eye, as Spìca vénti (eye); but when it ends a syllable, not final, it has the sound of e, as Méspilus (Mespelus), Smith (Smithë-eye).

Y is subject to the same rules as i.

The diphthongs & and a conform to the rules for e; ei is generally pronounced like eye; the other diphthongs have the common English sounds.

The following directions regarding consonants and their combinations, though unnecessary to those skilled in our own tongue, may not be without their use to some of our readers:

C and g are hard before a, o, u, as Córnus, Gàlium; short before e, i, and y, as Cetrària, Citrus.

T, s, and c, before ia, ie, ii, io, iu, and eu, preceded by the accent, change their sounds, t and c, into sh, as Blètia, Vícia; and s into zh, as Blàsia: but, when the accent is on the first diphthongal vowel, the preceding consonant preserves its sound, as aurantiacum.

Ch, before a vowel, are pronounced like k, as Chelidonium (kel), Cólchicum. (kolkekum); but, in commemorative names, they follow their primitives, as Richardsònia, in which the ch is soft.

Cm, cn, ct, gn, mn, tm, ps, pt, and other uncombinable consonants, are pronounced with the first syllable mute, as Ptèris (teris), Cnìcus (nikus), Gmelina (melina), Gnídia (nidia), &c.

Ph, followed by a mute, are not sounded; but, followed by a vowel or a liquid, sound like f, as Phleum (fleum).

Sch sounds like sk, as Schoenus (skenus); in tm and zm both letters are heard.

S, at the end of a word, has its pure hissing sound, as Dactylis; except when preceded by e, r, or n, when it sounds like %, as Ribes (ez).

X, at the beginning of a word, sounds like 2, as Xanthium; in any other situation it retains its own sound, as Táxus, Támarix.

We have now given sufficient directions to enable any intelligent gardener to pronounce systematic names with correctness. To know where to place the accent would require a knowledge of Greek and Latin prosody, which we cannot expect every man to attain; this, however, we shall continue to indicate by the use of accents. But while we do this for the advantage of the unlearned, we hope no gardener, who values his

future station in life, will neglect to acquire a competent knowledge of languages which are the keys to so many modern ones, and which will render terms of science vehicles of information instead of empty sounds.

Plan for laying out Grounds.

Sir, you would much oblige a constant reader of your useful Gardener's Magazine, if, through its medium, you

References to the Plan (figs. 49, 50.) and the Profile (figs. 51, 52.).

would submit to the consideration of landscape-gardeners a problem in their art, for the most approved demonstration of which I offer a premium of five sovereigns.

The plan enclosed (figs. 49, 50.), drawn by an unpractised hand, will give an idea of the extent of the property intended to be improved. As you, probably, cannot spare me much room in your Magazine, I will