we have to the whole is, a general meagreness of effect both in the number and forms of the beds, and in the disposition of the trees and plants. There is a slope of turf from the inner edge of the terrace (fig. 130. kk) to the level arena of the garden, which is without beds or plants, and without even an architectural margin at the upper angle. The beds in the arena are altogether too simple, or rather poor in their outlines for the architecture of the castle; some of them are raised panels in imitation of the raised beds at the Tuileries and the Luxembourg; but the effect of those at Windsor is insipid from their not being sufficiently raised and relieved from the general surface. The justice of this criticism may be deduced from the principle which ought to guide the architect or gardener in the choice of forms for a geometrical flower-garden near a house or other building. All writers, including Sir Uvedale Price, Mr. Hope (Essay on Gardens in the Artist), Mr. Meason, and our correspondent An Amateur (Vol. IV. p. 85.), agree that these forms ought to be taken from the building; and therefore it may be asked, whether any one looking at the east front of Windsor Castle, and especially at that part of it containing the 400 rooms used as the king's private apartments (these alone, as we were informed, being finished externally), and then, looking down to the flower-garden, could discover any connection of the latter with the former? The answer to this question will determine the beauty of the garden on this principle. But, perhaps, it will be said that the architectural principle was not adopted. In that case it is to be criticised by a comparison with other gardens in the geometrical style; and whoever has seen either the remains of parterres still existing in France, or the plans of them in Le Blond or Switzer, or the plan of Marshal Tollard's garden at Nottingham, which they will find in our succeeding Number, will allow that they are not less deficient when tried by this test. Whoever laid them out, and we could not learn whether it was Sir Jeffery Wyatville or Mr. Aiton, must furnish us with some other principle by which to try the work: we know of no other; and when the works of an artist have failed in carrying off our applause, it is but justice to him to enquire into his intentions, in order to discover whether the fault may not lie with ourselves.

The planting of the beds we pronounce with confidence to be as far behind the present state of science in this branch of gardening, as the plan is deficient in those of design and taste. The artist can take no shelter under historical associations, because he has introduced American shrubs, and Mexican and Peruvian flowers, and therefore it may fairly be presumed, that if he did not mean to give all the beauty he could in the forms of the beds, he intended to produce every practicable beauty in planting them. If he did so, his ignorance, or his indifference, is not a little remarkable. The beds are filled with an indiscriminate mixture of rhododendrons, azaleas, kalmias, and other evergreen American shrubs, with lilacs and some of the commoner deciduous sorts, but with some few beds planted with standard roses and flowers. With the exception of the distinct features of the standard roses and the flowers, there is not the slightest indication of design. Such a garden properly planted would have had a very different appearance, and so far from presenting a general aspect of mixture and confusion, every part of it, and all the kinds of trees and shrubs, would have appeared so exactly fitted to their place, that it could not be removed without presenting a deficiency, or occasioning a derangement. Considering the modern catalogue of choice shrubs, their disposition in this way is not to be undertaken without a good deal of previous care and labour in arranging the sorts on a plan; but the labour taken, and the plan executed, the effect will amply repay. But it is not in a royal garden, which is only one of half a dozen under the same gardener's direction, that this description of planting is to be expected. We could not observe a single shrub in flower, though a few days afterwards we saw at least a dozen

species in blossom in the London nurseries. A judicious planter of such a garden would have had shrubs in flower every month in the year. A mass of the hardy heaths alone would have produced this. What a fine effect a compartment of Althæ`a frùtex would have had at this moment! (Sep. 7. 1829.)

To the exterior of the architecture of the palace we cheerfully yield our unreserved admiration: on whatever side we view it, we feel it to be a whole; and that every part is of the same kind, and contributes to one kind of expression. This expression is every where sufficiently powerful to prevent its absence for a moment from the spectator's mind. This is what cannot be said of Buckingham palace, which, on the north side, might be mistaken for a part of a street, and after having passed the east side and imagined it to be the grand entrance, we come to the south side, and are puzzled by a semicircular colonnade, an evident afterthought, which seems to be another entrance; and yet, both in proportions and in style, the second entrance seems to have no connection or harmony with the front which it is placed against. However the architect of Windsor may have failed in the garden, no one will question his success with the exterior of the building. Every one must feel also the suitableness of the main entrance to such a castle directly at the grand avenue. — Cond.

ART. VI. Retrospective Criticism.

FOWLER's Thermosiphon.— Sir, In your Magazine for August (p. 453.), I have read the notice of Mr. Fowler's thermosiphon. In the year 1812, when in Philadelphia, I had the pleasure of being introduced to a gentleman, one of the Society of Friends, who showed me his plan for a warm bath, in a room situated over the kitchen; the water was conveyed to it from the kitchen fireplace, on a principle, as nearly as I can recollect, similar, if not the same, to that mentioned in Mr. Fowler's pamphlet. I have frequently mentioned this method of procuring warm baths in our dwelling-houses, as both easy and unexpensive, and as a thing much wanted, whether regarded in a medical point of view, or as adding to domestic comfort. I am glad it has been made public, having long contemplated giving it publicity.

Brown's Gas Engine. I beg to add, that, in the same year, 1812, the Rev. Dr. Allison, a resident in Philadelphia, suggested to me the practicability of using gas instead of steam for engines. You will, I doubt not, allow this communication a place in your useful publication, of which I have the happiness to be a constant reader, and remain, yours, &c. William Johns, M.D. F.L.S. Aug. 1829.

The Anson or Otaheite Pine. — Sir, I beg leave to trouble you once again respecting the Anson or Otaheite Pine, as I observe a Mr. C. F. Webster has written a very ingenious letter respecting that pine in the last Number of your Magazine (p. 466.), and which is only calculated to mislead the public; but it is to be hoped that truth and justice will always overcome caprice and falsehood. Since my last letter respecting that pine appeared, in No. XIX. of the Gardener's Magazine, in pages 231. and 232., I have found such evidence, that there cannot be the least doubt but that that pine was first cultivated at Shugborough. I am now authorised to state from Mr. Dermott, who is at present living as gardener at Tixall Hall, that he very well remembers the pine in question growing and fruiting in the most luxuriant state at Shugborough in the year 1793. At the first sight it struck Mr. Dermott very forcibly that it was a distinct variety; and, on enquiring of Mr. Tyley (who was then gardener to Thomas Anson, Esq., of

Shugborough) what pine it was, he was informed that it was a seedling pine raised by Mr. Allen, a former gardener there, and who received from his employer the seed, which had been imported from the West Indies. Now, to convince Mr. C. F. Webster, who seems so very sanguine about the origin of this pine, as Fazeley is but a very few miles from hence, and as several coaches run through that place daily, and pass within a quarter of a mile of Shugborough, I shall be most happy to see Mr. C. F. Webster, and to introduce him to Mr. Dermott, who lives only two short miles from this place, whom he will find as respectable and intelligent a man as any in the profession, and who grows the Anson or Otaheite pine in abundance. Mr. Dermott will be happy to give him some other particulars respecting this pine, which I have not here mentioned. I also beg to state, that I saw Mr. Hodson a few days ago, who expressed himself much surprised and indignant at the manner in which Mr. C. F. Webster had written concerning that pine. Mr. Hodson assured me that those imported pine plants (which Mr. C. F. Webster chooses to write about) did not fruit while they were under his care at Colton, viz. from 1797 to 1810: he therefore positively denies ever saying that the pine in question was produced from those imported plants. Now, from what has been said before upon this subject, it is very apparent that this pine has lost the original name (the Anson pine) since 1810, which was the year that Mr. Nicol (then gardener at Shugborough) left his situation. Ever since Mr. Nicol gave me the information relating to it (as I stated in my last letter), I have considered the Otaheite an erroneous name given to that pine, but could not prove that it was so until within these few weeks, when Mr. Dermott gave me so correct a statement, and produced such facts respecting that pine, that there cannotbe now a doubt remaining but that it is the Anson pine, and I shall adopt that name in future. I am very sorry to trespass on your time with the present article, but as it may be satisfactory to some of your correspondents, I hope you will give it insertion, and I promise not to trouble you any more upon this subject. I remain, Sir, &c. - W. McMurtrie. Shugborough, August 15. 1829.

Mr. Knight's Experiments on the Potato. With reference to Mr. Knight's experiments on the culture of the potato, there is not well-authenticated accounts of more than 400 bushels of potatos having been produced per acre, in the ordinary course of farm management in East Lothian. The value of an experiment depends upon the process by which the result has been obtained, and the worth of Mr. Knight's is rendered doubtful, not merely by the want of particulars relating to the extent of surface from which the result was attained, but by circumstances which he has mentioned connected with the experiment. Could not a spot have been found un-' damaged by " rabbits" and "pheasants," and how was the allowance of 2 lb. of earth in every bushel ascertained? Mr. Knight's personal character may probably stamp a value on the experiment, but if he did not superintend every operation connected with it, the character of others must be taken' into account, and the assumption of 2 lb. as the weight of earth adhering to each bushel of potatoes is so unphilosophical a step, as to throw discredit, on the whole experiment. Mr. Knight's mode of culture scarcely dif fers from that adopted by the late Mr. Curwen of Workington, in 1816, whose produce in that year, over an extent of 41 acres, was stated in the Farmers' Journal, by Mr. Sibson, to average 498 bushels; but Mr. Curwen's, like that which is the subject of remark, does not seem to have been accurately ascertained. Viewing such crops as partaking of the marvellous, yet, in this respect, they yield to one obtained by Mr. Prentice, Covington Mains, Lanarkshire, from newly reclaimed moss, which amounted to 591 bushels. An East Lothian Correspondent. Aug. 1829.

ART. VII. Queries and Answers.

POSSIBILITY of enlarging the size, and hastening the maturity of Fruit. — Sir, As a proof of the possibility of materially enlarging the size and hastening the maturity of fruit, I send you two peaches (figs. 131, 132.), just

131

The

132

plucked from separate branches of the same tree, each the largest, but not materially so, on its respective branch; the smallest peach being the usual state of the fruit at this season. tree is a Royal George, received from Messrs. Ronalds, and has always been one of the latest to ripen its fruit; but this year the fruit on one branch is ripening the earliest in my garden, whilst that on the other, I have no doubt, will be the latest. The early fruit is also nearly double the size of that hitherto produced on the same tree. The cause of this great change is accidental, but arises, I suppose, from the loss of the bark on the lower part of the branch: of this, however, you will be the best judge, when I relate the circumstances attending it. In consequence of an injury in the stock, received, I believe, in the carriage

from the nursery, one of its three main branches, an outer one, died last summer from canker. In the spring I therefore pulled down the middle branch from its upright position, and nailed it nearly horizontally (which, perhaps, might also produce some effect on the fruit), elevating, at the same time, the remaining branch, so that the tree might again assume a shape adapted to fill its allotted space on the wall. The canker having also afVOL. V. No. 22.

R R

fected the middle branch, I cut out the diseased part, and in doing so, separated the bark all round the branch, applying the usual composition.

These are, I believe, the only circumstances which could have caused any change in the fruit, respecting which, however, I shall be glad to know your opinion. I am, Sir, &c. - William Halcomb. Poulton House, Marlborough. Sept. 2. 1829.

The accident of losing the bark seems to have produced the same effect as ringing, and to have given the large proper-sized early fruit; the want of nourishment in the depressed branch the small ill-shaped late one. - Cond. Wilmot's Superb Strawberry. Sir. I have had several strawberries from two or three plants of Wilmot's Superb, of great size and weight; I, at least, have never met with any to equal them. The smallest of those which I have particularly noticed, measured 44 in. in circumference, and weighed upwards of oz. troy weight; another measured 6 in. round and 4 in. across, and weighed 5 dr. 1 sc. 6 gr.; and the one which I have gathered today weighs 7 dr. 15 gr. It is, indeed, a beautiful specimen, and I only wish I could preserve it to look as it does now. Pray are these beautiful, though almost monstrous, productions common? or are they the result of something favourable in the season, which, though not dry, has certainly not been inimical either to flowers or fruit here? and I must mention in particular, that I have had several perfectly beautiful and well opening yellow roses, an indulgence I never had until this year; for though former seasons have held out abundant promises, they have never until now been fulfilled. - J. M. White Leaf, near Risborough, July 6. 1829.

Wilmot's Superb, in common with most other strawberries, has attained a larger size this season than usual, for the reasons assigned by our correspondent. We have heard of none larger than his largest, unless it be that alluded to in the following extract from the Coventry Mercury (July 5.) :— "Amongst the strawberries exhibited at Hereford Horticultural Show, on Friday, was a plate of Wilmot's Superb, one of which measured 7 in. in circumference, and weighed 14 oz. avoirdupois.".

Cond.

We have seen an outline of a Wilmot's Superb, exhibited at the Bristol Horticultural Society (p. 622.), which measured 2 in. across, and in looking over the article Provincial Societies, some other large ones will be found noticed. Cond.

The Wire Worm in Gardens.- Sir, Will you, or any of your correspondents, have the kindness to inform me if there is any effectual remedy for the wire worm? as our garden is so much infested with it, that it is with the greatest difficulty we can bring any of the Brássica tribe to perfection. If you will insert this query, or give me an answer through the medium of your valuable Magazine, you will greatly oblige - A Subscriber and Wellwisher. Wiltshire, July 10. 1829.

Our correspondent may refer to Vol. IV. p. 191. and p. 317., where the experience of four persons, and their success in the destruction of this pest, are given. Cond.

Insects on an Oak Coppice. — On a tour into Wales in the last month, I observed, in the mountains beyond Machynlleth, an immense number of flying insects, about the size of the moth which so frequently destroys clothes by eating small holes in them; but this insect had pale-green wings. These insects had laid complete siege to a fine coppice of natural oak, and had almost stripped the whole of the leaves off. They did not appear to have eaten any other than the oak leaves. Perhaps some of your numerous correspondents would favour the public with the cause of the insects attacking the oak, and state some method to get rid of them, or a method to prevent their multiplying. I never saw the like before, and was very much astonished at the sight of the coppice, as it appeared to be all alive, and would, I feel persuaded, suffer very considerably from the depredations