M. Bo.vrLAxn, the celebrated fellow-traveller of Hnrnl)ol<U, is still living in Paraguay, 

 rearing the tea of that country, in the oighty-thinl year of his age, only a little youiiyer (/) 

 than his quondam friend. 



The Dioscorea Batatas, &o. — From several quarters wo have favorable accounts of tliis 

 new yam, but sufficient time has not yet elapsed to pronounce authoritatively on its merits 

 for this country. At a late meeting of the London Horticultural Society, roots were exhibited, 

 and it was stated that small tubers answered better for increasing it than the little pea-like 

 buds formed every^vhere in the axils of the leaves. It was also mentioned that, as the thick 

 end of the root is that which penetrates the soil, and as it goes nearly straight down into the 

 earth, deep land is indispensable to its successful cultivation. We are ready to hear and 

 promulgate any experience that may have been had respecting this yam from our correspond- 

 ents. The following, from the Gardcner^s Chronicle^ contains allusion to this and other 

 interesting matters : — 



"We have occasionally called attention to the introduction of the Chinese potato (Dios- 

 corea batatas) into this country and France ; the subject is now discussed at length in a book 

 published by Mr. Henderson, the well-known agriculturist. The plant, he says, is not liable 

 to disease, and yields twenty-four tons to the acre. It appears, too, that a highly nutritious 

 pea from China has been recently tried in France, and with marked success ; and the Chinese 

 sugar-cane is found to grow well in Belgium, and produce, as is estimated, 100 gallons of 

 cider to the acre, and a large amount of fibre fit for the manufacture of paper. The Geo- 

 graphical Society of Paris has given one of its medals to Monsieur Montigny, Consul at 

 Shanghae, as a reward for his having sent over the potato above mentioned, Tind some other 

 useful plants, and the oak silk-woi-m. Dr. Beauvoys informs the Societe d^ Acclimation at 

 Paris, that the vapor of tow, which has been soaked in a solution of nitre, is an excellent 

 means of stupefying bees, without injury, at the time of taking the honey. At a late meet- 

 ing of our Horticultural Society, stalks of Holcus saecharatus were exhibited which had been 

 grown in the royal gardens at Froganore ; a plant said ' to be grown in India for its grain, 

 and supposed by some likely to prove ultimately a substitute for the sugar-cane.' A bunch 

 of grapes was also exhibited from Earl de Grey's gardens in Bedfordshire — a kind known as 

 Black Barbarossa. It weighed four pounds, measured eighteen inches in length, and a foot 

 across the shoulder." 



Botanical. — "Tlie tree is known by its fruits." An exception to tliis is the dog-wood, 

 wliich is known by its bark. — Punch. 



Nebraska. — We are glad to welcome to our audience the names of several subscribers 

 from the new territory of Nebraska. Even amid the din of noisy men, the peaceful art of 

 horticulture finds its followers ; an evidence that everything is not swallowed up in political 

 discord. 



Kew Gardens. — Tlie account of a visit to Kew Garden is continued in this number, and 

 will be concluded in the next ; its object will have been attained if it interests the reader to 

 reflect on the immense variety of products which the vegetable kingdom supplies, varying 

 no less in properties than appearance. We are lost in wonder at the marvellous nature ot 

 those processes, in which a difference, nndiscoverable by all our most refined means of 

 research, are productive of such a number of widely different results. And at the same 

 time, the reflecting mind cannot forget that these results are all of a kind most valuable to 

 man, furnishing him with the necessaries, the comforts, and the luxuries of life ; support in 

 health, medicine in disease, and the materials of great part of his clothing, his books, and 



