257 



TO COEEESPONDENTS. 



Catalogues Received. — " George Walker 

 Dixou, 48a, Moorgate Street, London, 

 E.G. Catalogue of Flower Roots." A 

 neat list of useful bulbs. — " William 

 Paul, Nurseries and Seed Warehouse, 

 Waltham Cross, N. Descriptive list of 

 Strawberries and Grape Vines." A very- 

 useful catalogue, containing all the best 

 varieties known. — " A. Godwin and Son, 

 Rosarium, Railway Station, Aslibourne, 

 and at Collyoroft. Descriptive Cata- 

 logue of Roses." A carefully-prepared 

 list, with accurate descriptions. — " Paul 

 and Sons, Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, 

 Herts. Descriptive Catalogue of Evei-- 

 greens, Deciduous Trees, Conifers, Ameri- 

 can Climbing and Herbaceous Plants." 

 A first-rate and very useful list, as it 

 contains both the botanical and English 

 names, together with some practical re- 

 marks, pointing out the best positions 

 for placing them, according to tlieir 

 capabilities for standing severe weather, 

 their habit, etc. — " John Cranston, 

 King's Acre Nurseries, near Hereford. 

 Descriptive Catalogue of Selected Roses." 

 A fine list of roses, intelligibly arranged 

 and faithfully described. — " Sutton and 

 Sons, Royal Berks Seed Establishment, 

 Reading. Autumn Catalogue of Bul- 

 bous Flower Roots." This catalogue 

 not only contains a good list of bulbs, 

 but an excellent assoi'tment of miscel- 

 laneous plants. — "Ambrose Verschaffelt, 

 Rue du Chaume, 50 a Gand (Belgique). 

 Catalogue of New Plants for the Autumn 

 of 1863 and Spring of 1864." The nume- 

 rous and interesting novelties issued by 

 this enterprising and successful horti- 

 culturist are in this catalogue divided 

 into three sections ; First, plants suitable 

 for cultivation in the stove ; second, 

 plants for greenhouse culture ; and third, 

 plants which may be cultivated in the 

 open air. 

 Fekn Collecting. — I am making a col- 

 lection of British and foreign ferns, both 

 in the ferneries and preserved specimens. 

 Please inform me the best books of refer- 

 ence to procure to assist me in naming 

 them, and the varieties of each kind, 

 together with the price and publishers. — 

 A. B. S., Torquay. [For your purpose 

 small hand-books, with one exception, 

 will be of no use at all ; that exception 

 ■we make in favour of " Moore's Hand- 

 book of British Ferns," third edition, 

 published by Groombridge,at Ss. Among 

 hundreds of manuals of British ferns, 

 that is the only one worth serious at- 

 tention, and it is remarkably complete 



and accurate. We should recommend 

 next Lowe's " British and Exotic Ferns," 

 8 vols., £6 6s. ; Lowe's " New and Rare 

 Ferns," £1 ; and Lowe's "Native Ferns 

 and their Varieties," now publishing in 

 .sl)illing parts by Messrs. Groombridge. 

 We have Mr. Lowe's work in constant 

 use, and have compared the figures and 

 the ferns together hundreds of times, 

 and have but rarely had to question the 

 fidelity and beauty of Mr. Lowe's plates. 

 We regret that the text is meagre, 

 but that happens to be the fault of most 

 good picture books. Sir W. J. Hooker's 

 "Century of Exotic Fern.s," published 

 by Reeve, at £5 5s., may be added as a 

 luxury; its scope is too restricted for 

 general usefulness. Lastly, obtain from 

 Mr. Pamplin Smith's catalogue of ferns, 

 and Moore's Index Filicum ; these will 

 cost only a few shillings each.] 

 Avenue in Suburban Garden.— G^. S. — 

 The miserable lime trees you contem- 

 plate removing were probably planted 

 too deep, and inundrained soil ; perhaps 

 merely planted in holes, which we do not 

 consider as planting at all. From your 

 description we suppose the meadow in 

 which the avenue is to be planted is at 

 a lower level than the banks of the river 

 close by ; if so, the infiltration of water 

 will keep the ground always wet, and 

 the only really safe way of forming an 

 avenue would be to form a drain of two- 

 inch pipes, and then raise the soil in 

 the form of a terrace or continuous plat- 

 form above the general level, thus — 



^ >.^^ and plant on 



^ this, making 

 the walk along tie centre. Perhaps 

 the gi'andest tree known for an ave- 

 nue is the Deodara cedar, but you 

 would have to wait years for effect. 

 Wellingtonia is well adapted also, but 

 slow in growth. The trees you think 

 of, such as poplar, beech, etc., we could 

 not recommend, but if expense is an 

 object, and you want to realize the effect 

 speedily, use Ailanthus glandulosus, or, 

 to bo very grand, and make a dashing 

 affair of it at a small cost, copper-leaved 

 beech. Pardon us again saying that the 

 trees imist be planted, not merely stuck 

 in holes. To give interest to this 

 walk, the inclosed meadow ought to be 

 liberally planted as an arboretum. 

 Fruit Trees foe Garden at Exmouth. 

 — Polly. — It is almost a pity to use up 

 the clay in making foundations for 

 walks, for it will make very bad foun- 

 dations unless burnt ; and if you want 



