"In testimony of the approximation of the present age to a comparatively perfect system of cultivation, there is perhaps no instance of higher interest than the one which involves a mode of culture which has for its ultimate object a constitutional maturity of growth, by dispensing with the attendant risk and restrictive influence of intermediate shifts from smaller to larger pots.

"The principle upon which such a course of practice is founded is now being successfully applied by the most eminent cultivators, and the same principle, so easily adapted to the stronger or rooting division of ornamental plants, has also been rendered applicable to those the most difficult to rear.

"It is well known that growers of plants for public competition have often urged the difficulties and disadvantages attending the purchase of plants which may have received a treatment in some respects opposite to that which they are wishful to adopt; and in many instances they have considered it essential to the accomplishment of their object that the plants should have been subject to their system of management from the first, or initiatory, stage of growth. These disadvantages are, however, now being overcome by a mode of potting (subject to a corresponding treatment), which, not unexpectedly, has been a subject of surprise to some, and a stumbling-block to others, who, in asserting its impracticability, because contrary to the ordinary method, have failed to apprehend the principles upon which such a course of practice is founded.

"The rule which is implied in the principle now adverted to may be defined as follows:- that plants the most difficult to rear ought to be removed from their youngest stage of growth into the largest-sized pot in which they are to be exhibited as specimens.

"However opposite to prevalent opinion and practice such arule may appea to those who are unaccustomed to view facts in the light of comprehensive truths, it may nevertheless be proved consistent with the first principles of horticulture, and rendered conformable to general practice.

"Having stated the rule, the following directions are necessary in the mechanical process of potting: - Take a sixteen or twelve-sized pot, place 3 in. of bottom drainage, and fill up with pieces of peat from I in. to 4 in. square, filling the interstices with the fibrous siftings of peat and pieces of crocks till the pot is quite full; then plant a seedling or struck cutting of a heath plant of similar habit, give very little water till the plant shoots freely; and in this treatment is contained the only secret in growing fine specimens.

"Such is the most ingenious and easy mode of potting yet offered to the attention of the cultivator; and, though the plan of dispensing with intermediate shifts has been recognised nearly fourteen years ago, yet, for this most successful application of the system, the profession is indebted to Mr. D. Beaton, the gardener at Shrubland Park, near Ipswich, one of the most eminent horticulturists of the present day.

"This novel and original mode of attaining a mature growth in the cultivation of plants may not inappropriately be termed the accumulative system, and involves, by its unique mechanical application of soil, one of the most important and essential desiderata in all systems of cultivation, and without which all efforts to obtain a constitutional vigour and fertility must prove abortive, namely a uniform circulation of moisture." (William Wood, in Paxton's Magazine of Botany for May, 1843, p. 89.)

Since the above was written we have seen Mr. Alexander Couper, of the Paragon Nursery, Brixton Hill, known to be one of the best propagators in the neighbourhood of London. Observing that he grew his larger plants in rough turfy stuff, and asking how he came to adopt that mode, he informed us that he was taught it during his apprenticeship with Mr. Henderson, at Wood Hall, near Glasgow, nearly twenty years ago. Mr. Henderson, he says, did not practise the one-shift system; but he did not shift his large specimens of heaths, camellias, oranges, &c., oftener than once in three or four years. The meshes of his sieves were of the same width (above an inch)

as those recommended by Mr. M'Nab in his Treatise on Cape Heaths. Mr. Couper assures us that most, if not all, of the best modern practices in propagating and rearing plants were known and practised by Mr. Henderson before the commencement of the present century, and he refers for proofs to the Caledonian Horticultural Society's Memoirs. In Mr. Couper's nursery we observed a number of rare plants which he is propagating rapidly, more especially some of the new hybrid rhododendrons, which he increases by budding and by herbaceous grafting; placing the stocks, after they have received the bud or graft, on heat, and covering them with a hand-glass in the greffe étouffée manner. - Cond.

--

The most economical Mode of dividing a Square Plot of Ground. - I have this year two pieces of turnips, of ten acres each, nearly square, which I intend to divide by hurdles into eight divisions each, for eating on the ground by sheep and young cattle: now it is plain that if I divide them straight across the field, from hedge to hedge, I shall have seven settings of hurdles, of 220 yards in length in each field, making in the whole a length of 3080 yards for setting hurdles at different times.

Fig. 79. Diagram showing the most economical Mode of hurdling off a Field of Turnips.

as the plots of ground are numbered.

Length of hurdling in former way

Length of ditto in latter way

Saving of labour

-(Young's Annals of Agriculture, vol. xiii. p. 346.)

Yards.

3080

1760

1320

This article may afford the gardener and planter some useful hints relative to the division of ground into beds, the sheltering it by hedges, or the distribution of surface or underground drains.- Cond.

Scott's Patent Improvements in Cast-Iron, Wrought-Iron, and Soft-Metal Pipes. Since the vastly extended use, in recent times, of pipes for gas-lighting, and heating by air, water, and steam, a ready mode of joining numerous lengths of pipes tightly together, and of disjoining them again at pleasure, has become every day more and more a desideratum. The old spigot and faucet joint, commonly used for cold-water pipes, was never, even with the aid of the best soldering, a very sound one; and, when applied to pipes constantly

subject to heat, or to the pressure of highly elastic fluids, proved utterly useless. The various sorts of flange and thimble joints were found but little better. The cement joints of the butt, mitre, and T forms, now so commonly used by gas-fitters, are, under ordinary pressures, sound joints, and soon made; but, like all joints depending for their tightness on cements, which must be applied in a hot state, they are unavoidably the cause of a good deal of trouble, and of some cost, when one pipe, or any number of pipes, of a series is required to be removed for repair or renewal, or for any purpose of temporary convenience. In the right and left hand screw joint, introduced by Mr. Perkins, mechanical pressure has been substituted with excellent effect for the ordinary cements; but this, too, is liable to the objection that any pipe of a series thus jointed together cannot be removed or replaced without great dfficulty. Mr. Perkins endeavoured to obviate this objection by an improvement which he patented a year or two ago, though with but indifferent success. What was still left wanting, by all who had applied their ingenuity to the subject, was, a mode of connexion at once perfectly tight and easily dissolvable; a sort of joint which could with equal readiness be made and unmade, and in the unmaking thereof be attended with little trouble and no expense.

The improvements we speak of are variously modified as they relate to cast-iron pipes, wrought-iron pipes, and soft-metal pipes; but they have this general and remarkable characteristic, that every pipe carries, as it were, its own key, by which it can be made fast and unfast at pleasure; the key, too, so inseparable from the pipe that it can never be mislaid, and a key so simple withal that it requires only to be turned round. (Mech. Mag., Feb. 11. 1843.)

ART. II. Foreign Notices.

FRANCE.

GRAFTING the Vine. It is now becoming general, in this part of France, to graft the vine in the vineyards. I employ a man for this purpose, who last year grafted 4000 stocks. We have the best of grapes here, which in the ripening season are eaten by every body in immense quantities. I have been in the habit of forwarding contributions to periodical publications during the last fifty years; and, so far back as the year 1790, was a constant writer in the Annals of Agriculture, and, even now that age has checked my activity, I employ some hours every day at my writing-table. I have a small but productive garden, in which I take my exercise and watch the cultivation of my vines and roses with great pleasure. Every returning spring seems to bring new plea sures, and I am especially delighted with the bulbous flowers, such as the scillas and the wild tulips, which, with many others cultivated in gardens in England, are indigenous in this neighbourhood.-E. W. Blois, March 12.

1843.

Camellias have been raised from seed in the open air in the Botanic Garden at Avranches by M. Bataille, the curator of that establishment. M. Bataille and his friends appear to think that, by being raised in the open air, and allowed to continue there without protection, the species will become acclimatised; but, though the individual plants will doubtless prove hardier than if they had been brought up in a greenhouse, we doubt the possibility of increasing the hardiness of the species. (See Journal d'Avranches, May 12. 1843.)

ITALY.

Monza, April 27. 1843.—I have delayed hitherto from sending you the remainder of my critiques on the different articles in your valuable periodical

from sheer want of time. His Imperial Highness, my master, seeing that the stoves of these royal gardens were not capable of containing the number of exotic plants which he possessed, and that he could not gratify his ardent desire of enriching his collection with new species, ordered two others to be constructed, each of the length of 18.10 metres, breadth, 6·10 metres, and of the height of 6-65 metres. They are to be heated by Perkins's method. But I have been more particularly occupied in laying out a new botanic garden for perennial exotics only. I have distributed them as you have suggested in your Hortus Britannicus, in the Introduction to the Natural System. I divided accordingly the whole area into six compartments, four of which I destined for Exogens, viz. three for the subdivision Dichlamýdeæ, which comprehends the Thalamiflòræ, Calyciflòræ, and Corolliffòræ; the fourth for the subdivision Monochlamydeæ ; the fifth was destined for the Endogens, and the last for the Acrogens. Then I subdivided these compartments into as many spots as there are orders or families which comprehend perennial exotic plants that live in the open air, so that the surface of this garden (unquestionably new for Italy, as all the botanic gardens which I have hitherto seen, and which I know, are geometrically laid out) has the appearance of a geographical map on which the empires, kingdoms, and principalities are laid down.

During the last year the collection of these royal gardens has been much enriched. I shall here transcribe, to avoid prolixity, only those trees and shrubs which stand the open air. Acer campestre lævigàtum A. Brit., A. c. heterocarpum Booth, A. c. taúricum Booth, A. lobàtum Bosc, A. cólchicum Hort., A. col. rùbrum Booth, A. taúricum Booth; Alnus autumnàlis Lodd., 4. denticulata C. A. Meyer, A. subcordata C. A. Meyer, A. barbàta C. A. Meyer, A. oblongata W.; Bérberis heterophylla Juss., B. sanguinolénta Schr., B. buxifolia Lam., B. hýbrida Booth, B. mitis Schr.; Bétula grándis Schr., B. álba póntica Hort., B. a. urticæfòlia Hort., B. glandulòsa Lodd., B. Thouíni Lodd.; Búxus sempervirens caucásica Booth; Calóphaca wolgàrica Fisch. ; Caprifolium prolíferum Booth; Carpinus Carpinizza Hort.; Castanea vésca asplenifolia Hort., C. v. downtoniàna Booth; Céltis occidentàlis scabriúscula W.; Cerasus Pseudo-Cérasus Lindl., C. hyemalis Ma.; Clématis nepalénsis Dec., C. sibírica Mill., C. smilacifolia Wall., C. sp. of North India; Cratæ`gus Oxyac. regina Hort., C. O. punícea A. Brit., C. apiifòlia mìnor A. Brit., C. Douglasü Lindl., C. macracántha Lodd., C. purpurea Bosc, C. altàica A. Brit. ; Cytisus triflorus Hort., C. purp. atropurpureus Hort., C. p. incarnatus major Hort., C. p. incarnatus minor Hort., C. p. ròseus Hort.; Deutzia canéscens Sieb., D. undulata Booth; Elæágnus hortensis eryvanénsis H. Vind., E. h. soongárica H. Vind., E. salicifolia Encyc. of Trees and Shrubs; Fráxinus oxyphýlla taúrica Booth; Genista thyrsiflòra Booth; Hédera Hèlix chrysocárpa A. Brit.; Hippóphaë salicifòlia Ď. Don; Juníperus fláccida Schlcht., J. nepalénsis Hort., J. communis oblonga A. Brit., J. c. Smíth❞ A. Brit., J. c. canadénsis Encyc. of Trees and Shrubs, J. c. nàna W., J. c. oblónga péndula E. of Tr. and Sh., J. lýcia L., J. recúrva Ham., J. Sabina variegata Hort., J. Sabina prostrata A. Brit., J. Bedfordiana Hort., J. squamàta Don, J. thurífera L.; Ligustrum vulg. angustifolium A. Brit., L. v. fl. (not fr.] lùteo Booth; Mahònia Roylei Booth, M. sp. of North India; Mertensia lævigàta H. B. & K.; Menispermum dahùricum Dec.; Philadelphus coronàrius fl. pl., P. mexicànus Schlcht., P. tomentosus Wall., P. Gordonianus Lindl.; Pópulus balsamífera macrophylla Booth, P. balsamífera suaveolens A. Brit., P. b. salicifòlia A. Brit., P. cándicans bélgica H. Vind., P. trémula péndula A. Brit., P. trépida W. ♂, P. trépida ? ; Pinus Coulteri Doug., P. Teocòte Schlcht., P. pátula Schicht., P. excélsa Wall., P. Pseudo-Stròbus Lindl., P. Hartwègü Lindl., P. oöcárpa Schiede, P. oöcarpoides Benth., P. Russelliana Lindl., P. apulcénsis Lindl., P. macrophylla Lindl., P. filifolia Lindl., P. californiana Lois., P. occidentalis Swz., P. Montezùme Lamb., P. leiophylla Chamisso, P. pérsica Hort.; A'bies Smithiana Lindl.; Picea religiosa A. Brit.; Araucària imbricata Pav., A. Cunninghàmia Ait.; Paulownia imperiàlis Sieb.; Prùnus spinòsa dúlcis Booth; Pyrus pubens Lindl.,

P. latifòlia glabràta Booth; P. heterophylla Steud.; Potentilla glabra Booth; Rhamnus Pallàsä f. et m. Hort. Brit., R. spatulæfòlia f. et m., R. dahùrica Pall.; Quércus castaneifòlia C. A. Meyer, Q. castaneifòlia caucásica Booth, Q. mongólica Fisch., Q. pannónica Booth, Q. rùbra taraxacifòlia Booth, Q. rùbra undulata Booth, Q. xalapénsis H. B., Q. sp. cochleàta Booth; Ribes resinòsum Ph., R. Menzièsë Ph., R. nìgrum fruct. máximo, R. rìgens Mx.; Rùbus nutkànus Mocin., R. hírtus W. K.; Rhús copállina leucántha Jacq.; Spártium scopàrium fl. plèno; Spiræ`a alpina Pall., S. lanceolàta Poir.; Táxus Harringtònia Knight, T. baccata fastigiàta A. Brit.; Thùja nepalénsis Lodd., T. orientalis stricta Hort.; Tetranthèra geniculata Nees, Tília europæ'a Hort. (not L.), T. e. grandifòlia corylifòlia H. Vind., T. e. begoniæfòlia Booth, T. e. dasýstyla Booth, T. americàna heterophylla A. Brit., T. a. macrophylla H. Vind.; Vaccinium salícinum Chamisso, V. sibíricum Hort., V. uliginòsum L., V. elevátum Banks, V. corymbòsum L., V. halleriæfòlium Lodd., V. cólchicum Booth; Ulmus montàna Heyneàna H. Vind.; Vibúrnum daùricum Pall.

By this you will see the love our excellent viceroy has for plants, and for the advancement of his favourite science in the kingdom committed to his care. The catalogue of the plants in these royal gardens is now being printed; as soon as it is finished I will send you a copy that you may have some idea of what we possess.

The Bokhara clover has germinated; when it is tolerably grown, it will be transplanted as your correspondent Taylor did, who was very successful with it. We shall see if it succeeds equally well here, and what comparison it bears with the common clover and with the lucern, with respect to the quantity and quality of the forage.

The cultivation of heart's eases, called Pensées Anglaises, because the finest came from your happy country, where horticulture is carried to the highest pitch, is all the fashion here. Although I am not a fashionable man, yet even I am enchanted with so lovely a flower, of which there are some very fine ones. Giuseppe Manetti.

NORTH AMERICA.

Indigenous Trees of North America not yet introduced. It is very true, as you observe, that in Torrey and Gray's Flora a great many trees and shrubs, as well as herbaceous plants, are described, which are not yet introduced into England; and I have sometimes thought of collecting them, and cultivating them for sale. To do this profitably, however, I would require to give it personal attention, which at present I cannot do, having a very extensive business already on hand; and good practical labour cannot be permanently secured here unless at a very extravagant rate. As soon as young men are two or three years in my employ, and save a few hundred dollars, they at once begin in some part of the States on their own account. If they have proved faithful to me, I give them a quantity of stuff, at little or no charge, to begin upon. My nursery foreman and house propagator have each forty dollars a month.-U. Philadelphia, Feb. 14. 1843.

State of the Country. This country is at present under a cloud of disgraceful distress. Bankruptcy, a few years ago, was considered a branded shame upon the individual or corporation; but now honour has gone to the winds, and its place is occupied with roguery and breaches of trust. There have been 1500 failures in this city and county during the past fifteen months; and hundreds of individuals who lived in comparative wealth, whose all was invested in stocks, are now in actual want of food and raiment. The widow and daughters who lived in style are now in a room or garret, sewing for their daily bread. Men who had retired from business with honour, and whose heads were silvered with age, have again begun the world of trade without a penny. Consequently, in all this wreck our business has suffered severely; our losses have been great indeed. In this city there were, in 1842, seven stores, or shops, the occupiers of which lived by selling seeds and