FOREIGN NOTICES. 



91 



the excessive cases of bleeding now adverted to 

 have assumed so serious an appearance, because, 

 in addition to the natural contraction of the tubes, 

 the mechanical contraction produced by unusual 

 cold has to be taken into account. 



As to stopping the bleeding, it will probably 

 be found that Mr. Knight's cement will answer 

 that purpose. The composition of this substance 

 is as follows: To four parts by measure of scraped 

 cheese add one part of calcined oj'ster shells, or 

 any other pure calcareous earth. Blend them 

 thoroughly, and press them with force into all the 

 lubes and cells that are visible on the wound. 

 The best way is to smear a layer over the sur- 

 face, and to press it down gradually but forcibly 

 with a flat board. Prof. Lindley. 



Destruction of Slugs, Snails, and Wire- 

 worms. — Having suffered very much in my gar- 

 den from the depredations of these vermin, I have 

 been induced to try the effect of Swede turnips as 

 a decoy for them. I had a large basketful cut up 

 into slices rather more than half an inch in thick- 

 ness, and placed about my garden (about a quar- 

 ter of an acre,) and the result of 10 consecutive 

 days' operations, is the securing of the enormous 

 quantity of 9096, besides a great quantity of wire- 

 worms and milipedes. The second morning's col- 

 lection was 2056 slugs and snails; 510 is the 

 smallest collection I have made. The turnip sli- 

 ces I have been using are now put into the ground 

 edgeways, the better to trap the wireworms, and 

 I am employing fresh slices for a further destruc- 

 tion of slugs and snails. Thomas Colley, in Gard. 

 Chron. •••• 



Ink for Zinc Labels. — Take 1 drachm of ver- 

 digris, 1 drachm of sal ammoniac powder, and 

 half a drachm of lamp-black, and mix them with 

 10 drachms of water; and this will form an indeli- 

 ble ink for writing on zinc. — Gardener''s Receipt 

 Book. .... 



The Salad Ground near Erfurt, alluded to 

 at p. 245, as yielding a profit of £12.000 per an- 

 num, was, when I made a lour through Germanv, 

 in 1846. wholly devoted to the culture of the com- 

 mon Watercress (Nasturtium officinale.) We are 

 informed by " Rhind's Vegetable Kingdom," page 

 300, that Watercresses were first cultivated in 

 Europe at Erfurt; and that its cultivation is still 

 conducted extensively there, will be readily infer- 

 red. when I mention that the markets of the 

 greater portion of Germany derive their supply of 

 it from this source. I visited Erfurt in February, 

 and even at this (for central Germany,) very 

 early season, I observed that the Watercress, in 

 consequence of the natural warmth of the spring 

 from whence the " Sala<l-grounil" was irrigated, 

 was already being collected for the markets. 

 From the great extent of ground under Water- 

 cress cultivation at Erfurt, and from information 

 obtained on the spot, respectintr 'he profits de- 

 rived therefrom by the proprietors, I unhesitatingly 



assert that the amount of revenue alluded to by 

 Professor Ansted, though great, is far from being 

 exaggerated, as " A. C," seems inclined to sup- 

 pose. Theodore Baubin. Chataworth. Gard. 

 Chronicle. .... 



Seeds of Dahlias and other double synge- 

 NECious FLOWERS. — In Saving seeds for sowing, 

 never take them in the centre; take none but pe- 

 tal seeds, for they will give the largest proportion 

 of double flowers. China Asters and Dahlias have 

 generally some disc seeds, if they are even very 

 double ; therefore on taking the pod to get out the 

 grains, begin from the outside, and when you have 

 got a few of the rows of seed from them, throw 

 the rest into a common sort, which you may give 

 away or sell; but building upon the changes of 

 good flowers, you will be much better paid for 

 vour labor by the few outside seeds, than you can 

 by sowing the whole. This is worth attention. 



Raising Seedling Flowers. — Few pursuits 

 connected with gardening possess more real inter- 

 est than the raisins of seedling flowers. It is an 

 interest which never flags, for no sooner has one 

 " batch" done flowering than preparation is made 

 for sowing the seed of another. Notwithstanding 

 the improvement which art and ingenuity have ef- 

 fected with respect to the Calceolaria, there is 

 still an ample field left for the employment of the 

 amateur's leisure hours, and for the exercise of 

 his skill. I would recommend those who intend to 

 pursue this subject to avail themselves of the im- 

 provements already effected by hybridising, more 

 especially as regards form and distinct colouring, 

 and, above all, select those which are of robust 

 habit. Cross-breeding frequently induces consti- 

 tutional debility, and to save seed from weakly 

 plants would only be perpetuating one of the great- 

 est evils attending the raising of new Calceola- 

 rias. 



When the flowers begin to expand, take two 

 plants, for example, of distinct colours; and in or- 

 der that the cross may be as perfect as possible, 

 place them under a hand-glass, so as to prevent 

 them from being fertilised by bees or other insects, 

 or place them in a frame or pit by themselves, 

 where air can be given, and with a small hair pen- 

 cil distribute the pollen of the one variety care- 

 fully over the stigma of the other, and vice fersa. 

 In order to obtain as perfect a breed as circum- 

 stances will admit, it will be much better to breed 

 from a few pairs in this way than to raise a mis- 

 cellaneous chance mixture, because it will be a 

 source of more interest to the amateur, and be- 

 cause a very small portion of seed will prove ample 

 for his purpose. 



When the seed is ripe, which will be readily 

 known by the cracking of the capsules, let it be 

 carefully looked after, and as soon as the whole 

 is collected, the plants may be kept in a growing 

 state, in order that the young shoots may lengthen 

 2 or 3 inches, when they may be layered precisely 



