50 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



ital, as retaining both heat and moisture for a 

 long period. Where it cannot be obtained, the in- 

 verted grass sod stands I think next best. 



For mulching vine-borders. I have used it many 

 years, and endorse fully Mr. Cleveland's trial 

 with it. ' But there are other virtues possessed by 

 it, which I think are as yet but little known, — 

 among which the power it possesses of drawing 

 new roots, and giving new vitality to dried and 

 apparently dead trees, such, for instance, as have 

 been recently imported, or otherwise long out of 

 the soil. The roots and tops being properly prun- 

 ed, bury them nearly in a horizontal position in a 

 bed of fresh tan, [fresh? does not our correspond- 

 ent mean spent tan? Ed.] having a small admix- 

 ture of clean sand, a portion of the tops only be- 

 ing left out. Should the tan be rather dry, wet it 

 once well with rather hot water, and in ten to 

 twenty days, I have found pear trees, roses, ca- 

 melias, rhododendrons, and other shrubs, not only 

 to have made beautiful roots, but the latent and 

 apparently dead buds bursting and completely re- 

 juvenated. The careful cultivator, however, will 

 not fail at that point to watch them, that they 

 may be suitably planted and shaded, &c., &c.; 

 otherwise exhaustion and depletion must necessa- 

 rily follow. 



In my green-house I have a table of tan six in- 

 ches deep, for placing pots on, it being sweeter 

 and free from mouldiness, and is withal vastly 

 neater and better than any other material for such 

 purpose. In this bed I have been astonished to 

 see how rapidly roots will pass the bottom of 

 the pots, and wander among the tan. A Passiflo- 

 ra in a season rambled ten feet, throwing up fine 

 shoots, ready for potting. A Chasselas Fontain- 

 bleau grape in front of the house, with rods touch- 

 ing the damp table, sent roots into the tan, which 

 were potted off and bore the following season. 

 Indeed, either tender or hardy plants seem to de- 

 light and readily take root in it. And as a mate- 

 rial for sticking cuttings, when slightly mixed 

 with sand, or as a drainage for pot culture, I know 

 nothing better. W. R. Coppock, Long Sight 

 fjlace, Buffalo, N. i. 



Remarks. — Tan bark is likely to become popu- 

 lar in gardening, judging from the advocates it 

 finds. We know little of its direct value, but 

 we believe it will be found excellent for mulching 

 — one of the greatest means of good cultivation 

 in this climate. Tan, fresh from the pits, we 

 know will injure some plants. 



Professor Mapes, in his excellent Working 

 Farmer, has the following note to the point — 

 which explains why tan-bark is so well adapted 

 to grape-vines and strawberries: — 



"We observe that Mr. Cleveland has made a 

 single experiment in the application of spent tan 

 bark about the roots of an Isabella grape, and 

 cautiously recommends it. We know the caution 

 of Mr.C. renders his recommendations always de- 

 fendable, but he need not fear recommending the 



use of tan bark for grape-vines, or for any thing 

 else that requires tannic acid. Both grapes and 

 strawberries contain a trace of tannic acid, and 

 we last year applied a solution of bark liquor to 

 our strawberry beds with marked advantage." 



Hardiness of Plants in New Jersey. — 

 Agreeably to the wish you expressed in the May 

 number of the Horticulturist, for information as 

 to the hardiness of newly introduced trees and 

 shrubs, I send you a list of a few things — prin- 

 cipally pines — which have proved perfectly hardy 

 the past winter: 



Abies kutrow, 



douglasii, 



Picea pindrow, 



welbiana, 



altissima, 



acutissima, 



cembra, 



geraudiana, 



pinaster, 



pinea, 



pyrenaica, 



taurica, 



morinda, 



I could send a larger list of pines, but thougnt 



it unnecessary to send any but the more recent- 

 ly introduced ones. Plumbago larpenta has 

 stood out with a slight protection. The flower 

 buds of the Paulownia imperialis have been 

 completely killed with us, although the winter 

 was more mild than usual. Respectfully yours, 

 Jas. Goldie, Gardener to R. L. Colt, Esq., 

 Paterson, N. J., May, 1850. 



Cedrus africanus, 



deodara, 



Juniperus excelsa. 



hiberniese. 



sueciaea, 



Cupressus elegans, 



torulosa, 



Araucaria imbricala, 

 Mahonia acquifolium, 

 Euoiiymusjapoiiica, 

 Spirea prunifolia, pi., 

 Forsylhia viridissiraa. 



Vineries. — I wish to solicit the attention 

 of those of your readers who contemplate erect- 

 ing vineries, or who feel interested in the culti- 

 vation of house grapes, to a few descriptive re- 

 marks on the Vineries of Wm. Niblo, Esq., 

 situated at Yorkville, (on 84th St., New-York,) 

 near the East river. 



I visited these houses a few days ago, and I 

 certainly did not regret having paid this visit, 

 for I never saw vines in a more healthy, vigor- 

 ous condition than these are in at the present 

 time. 



Mr. NiBLO erected these houses some six 

 years agoj there are four of them, besides a 

 handsome conservatory which adjoins the man- 

 sion. The latter is well stocked with fine large 

 Rhododendrons, Camellias, Acacias, &c. There 

 are about 2,000 feet of glass in these houses; 

 they are built in a very neat and substantial 

 manner, well supplied with water, &c., &c. 

 Three of the vineries range parallel with each 

 other, and are each sixty feet in length, with 

 span roofs ; and the fourth is a " lean-to," with 

 an excellent propagating house at the back, 

 and is 50 feet long. 



Rather more than two years ago Mr. N. en- 

 gaged the services of Mr. Galbraith, (his 

 present gardener,) who is well known as one of 

 our most successful cultivators of this delicious 

 fruit, to take charge of his houses. When Mr. 



