THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 3 



sertion of the stalk, and five inches through at the largest diameter. 

 This firm exhibited a basketful of that fine and somewhat new pear, 

 Matthews' s Eliza — for figure and description of which see Flobal World, 

 vol. i., p. 209. The B-ev. Mr. Huyshe sent another of his seedling 

 pears, called Prince Consort. This is large, pyriforui, uneven ; colour 

 dull green and russet ; not a handsome pear, but superb in its buttery 

 flesh and rich flavour. "Mr. Shortt, of Clewer Park, Windsor, sent a 

 new melon, called Duke of Cornwall. It is a large, barrel-shaped melon, 

 with smooth gold-coloured skin and green flesh ; the flavour all that can 

 be desired. This is said to be one of the best for winter use. Red 

 and white currants and Black Prince strawberries, Coe's Late Red 

 and Blue Imperatrice plums, were in good condition for the 

 middle of December. Among new varieties of apples, Eivers's New 

 Hawthornden was proved to be well worthy of general cultivation. In 

 the general collections the good old kinds took the lead ; there were 

 few novelties amongst them, so that a full report would give nearly the 

 same names as a similar report five or ten years ago. Apples were 

 generally remarkable for richness of colour, the result of the very 

 bright season of 1864. Only one seedling apple of any particular merit 

 was brought forward, namely, Alexis, from Mr. Shrimpton, a medium- 

 sized, handsome fruit, useful for either kitchen or dessert, and in 

 season from Christmas to March. The " Garden Oracle," being pub- 

 lished later than usual this year, contains notes on all the interesting 

 novelties that were brought into public notice at the late exhibitions 

 of the present season, and figures of several of the new fruits. The 

 subjects that have been named here have been selected as likely to be 

 of importance to the majority of our readers who are growers of chry- 

 santhemums and fruits. 



THE PLUNGING SYSTEM— No. 4. 



If I put my jardinet before you fre- 

 quently, it is not through any poverty 

 of subjects for illustration ; for the 

 truth is, I could keep an artist always 

 at work in sketching new subjects, but 

 for the simple reason that it is the 

 principal receptacle here for groups 

 illustrative of the plunging system. 

 It is here shown as an example of 

 the manner in which I make up win- 

 ter beds, and the drawing is so ad- 

 mirably executed, that those who are 

 at all familiar with the forms of trees 

 and shrubs will be able to determine 

 the kinds that are used in the compo- 

 position. I have, perhaps, said enough 

 about the advantages of the plung- 

 ing system for a rich style of decora- 

 tion, allowing of endless and almost 

 instantaneous changes ; but I must 



add on this subject another word, to 

 this effect — that all sorts of ever- 

 greens, shrubs, and trees in pots can 

 be used with effect in groups of this 

 kind ; for if the grouping is cleverly 

 managed, so as to bring out all their 

 distinctive colours, the commonest 

 have a fresh and quite new appear- 

 ance which must be seen to be under- 

 stood. Such common things as Lau- 

 ristinus, Portugal Laurel, Aucubas, 

 and the berry-bearing shrubs, such as 

 Skimmia Japonica, Cotoneaster mi- 

 crophylla, Hookeri, and Siminondsi, 

 give lively colours for outside rows, 

 and contrast finely with the rich deep 

 green of handsome conifers. But in 

 this way nothing can surpass Gris- 

 linia littoralis, which has glossy light 

 green leaves and yellowish stems, 



