214 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[Juhj, 



ing all over it, ami its little flower-ganlcn was 

 arranged to be easily watered. Geraniums and 

 roses bloomed in profusion on the wide cool 

 porch. Afterwards we climbed the little ridge 

 that shieUled the house on the northeast, and 

 saw the long range of the Nevadiis — "whiter 

 than snow." I saw that day Vick's "Climbing 

 Hyacinth," and two small species, blue and 

 white; his " Ithuriel's Spear," in the shades of 

 blue he describes, and also white and straw 

 color. Lilies in abundance, not yet in bloom ; 

 the white and yellow tulips; Crassula.-^, with 

 orange and scarlet flowers, and some beautiful 

 bhie and purple of the Labiata? and Boragin- 

 aoffi. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Magnificent Collection of Fungi and the 

 Lower Cryptogams. — Mr. H. W. Rjivenel, of 

 Aiken, South Carolina, who ranks among the 

 first cryptogamic botanists of the world, is natu- 

 rally anxious th.at the labors of a long life should 

 be placed where they will do good long after he 

 passes away. The collection could not be made 

 for some thousands of dollar.s, but we learn that 

 if they could be purchased and placed in some 

 public institution, where the world may get the 

 worth of them, Mr. R. would let them go on very 

 liberal terms. It is because of this public spir- 

 ited offer that we refer to the matter hero. The 

 following abstract shows how rich the collection 

 is: — 



Fhingi. — In Herbarium proper, about 3,000 

 species. Of these, upwards of 700 new American 

 species of Berkley and Curti.s, and Berkley and 

 Ravenel. The balance made up of American 

 species, collected by myself and furnished by 

 correspondents, and of European species sent by 

 Berkley, Broome, Desmaziers and others. All in 

 43 vols., 6.\9_inchcs; also in separate volumes: 

 " Fendler's Venezuelan Fungi," 2 vols., 120 spe- 

 cies; " Frogg's Swiss Fungi," 2 vols., 137 species. 

 In addition to above, a large box, 9 duplicates, 

 useful for exchanges. 



Hepaticx.— One vol., 12x9, containing 80 spe- 

 cies, consisting of American and European spe- 

 cies. 



Musci. — Three vols., 12.\9 ; containing, of 

 American and European, about 500 species; 

 California Mosses, G4 species; Hampe's Grenada 

 Mo.tse.-^, 78 species. Among these are many new 

 America)! species of Sullivant, Lesqucroaux, Aus- 

 tin, ».tc. 



Lichrnti. — Seven vols., 12x9; ci)iitaining. of 

 American and European species, about GOO. All 

 the new Southern species of Tachenen are here 

 represented. 



Alg.r. — Two vols., 12x9; containing, of Ameri- 

 can and foreign, about 3C() species. The new 

 Southern species of Wood and of Wolle arc here 

 represented. 



Blue Glass. — A wealthy gentlemen, Mr. 

 Spencc, of Dundee, was a " disbeliever in blue 

 glass," but noticing that it seemed to have the 

 sanction of Mr. Buist, of Philadelphia, ho de- 

 cided to try it. He happened to have two houses 

 just alike in every respect, and in one he took 

 out the alternate strips, putting blue glass in the 

 place. His gardener, Mr. Lawrie, thus writes 

 about the results, on ap]ilication of the Editor of 

 the Gardtn: — " It is as yet premature to speak 

 definitely as to the results likely to be arrived at 

 as regards this experiment, for these reasons: 

 Ih'st, because the Vines were only struck from 

 eyes about a year ago; and secondly, out of the 

 eight weeks since I commenced to force, we have 

 only had a fortnight of sunshine, and from ob- 

 servations made, it is evident that the whole of 

 the success lies in having an abundant supply of 

 the blue sunray. In the first place, I shall say a 

 word or two about the Vines. We took two 

 Vineries of equal size in every respect, filled 

 them with the proper soil for vine-growing, got 

 good, healthy plants from Mr. Thomson, of Clo- 

 venfords, planted both houses the same day 

 (January 13), pruned them and allowed them to 

 settle in the soil till February 8, on which data 

 they Avere watered and a gentle heat of 45^ ap- 

 plied. As I have just stated, the two houses are 

 of equal size, and both have the same advan- 

 tage as regards sunlight, and the temperature 

 of both strictly the same, the only ditrercncc be- 

 tween the two being that the one is furnished 

 Avilh strips of blue glass and the other is glazed 

 with ordinary white gla.ss,only. Now for the re- 

 sults, so far as the experiment has gone. At the 

 end of the first four weeks, that is on March 8, 

 the Vines had made 16 in. of growth under the 

 blue, and only 4 in. under the white glass. On 



