forcibly. The rose grower. Mr. W. Paul, takes up the topic, and, in the course of liis remarks, 

 sajs : "Although, in the Florist of October, 1855, Mr. Rivers writes, 'one almost fears the 

 point of jierfoction has been attained, and that no better roses than those wo now possess 

 can or will bo originated,' it would perhaps bo hardly fair to infer that Mr. R. doubts the 

 progression of races. This indeed cannot bo, for, while depreciating new roses, ho recom- 

 mends a list of no less than twenty-eight new varieties of peafs. It seems, rather, that he has 

 forgotten the old proverb, ' Nature does not advance by leaps,' and expects too mudi from 

 liis ' old friend of thirty years' standing, the rose.' Tliis proverb applies with peculiar force 

 to the various families of flowers. Every raiser of seedlings knows that nature does not 

 advance by leaps. To look on new roses as they appear from year to year, improvement is 

 perhaps not great. If we are seeking for striking results, we must look backward into the 

 .storehouse of time. I remember, many years ago, the late Sir Abraham Hume, who was a 

 great patron of gardening, presenting my father with half a dozen roots of single dahlias. 

 How were they prized I Every seed was saved and sown, and, when the single row of flat 

 })etals surrounding a yellow disk was converted into a double flower, how great was the 

 acquisition considered!" Turpentine is recommended for the cure of scale; some experi- 

 ments arc detailed, and we copy the following : " To get rid of scale on orange-trees, I took 

 a small quantity of turpentine in an earthen pan, and, as I did not use it at once, it was 

 absorbed by the pan. I then added about three times the quantity of warm water, which 

 was strongly impregnated with turps. To this I added a small piece of soda, and the same of 

 soap. This was applied by the hand in the manner of washing, and it answered, as I have 



stated, satisfactorily." A branching pine-apple is exciting much interest abroad. Among 



the curious plants sold to the Crystal Palace Company by Mr. Loddiges, was an unfruited 

 specimen. Under the skilful management of Mr. Eyles it soon produced three young ones, 

 and these, having now arrived at maturity, are found to possess the branching habit much 

 as it is described by Rumpliius. The specimen before us is ten inches long, twelve and 

 one-half inches round in the widest part, and has a weak, cockscomb crown. At its base 

 sprout out thirteen small pine-apples, each from two and one-half to four inches long, and 

 terminating in a slender, imbricated crown. What gives this production peculiar interest, 

 is the proof which it offers of all the "pips" or flowers of the pine-apple being leaf-buds in 

 a state of abortion. While in that condition the parts all swell, the centre is fixed, and a 

 " pip" is the result. But if, owing to high temperature, excessive moisture, unusual stimu- 

 lants, or any other disturbing cause, the customary abortion is removed, then each pip 

 sprouts into a branch, assuming the pine-apple conformation, and a brood of little fruits is 



the result. "We have sometimes (says the Rural Intelligencer) sprinkled a favorite 



cherry-tree with ashes or quicklime, in order to save the fniit from the ravenous worms ; 

 when this has succeeded, and we have feared the robins and comb-birds, we have spread 

 a net over the tree; but the meshes, though small, were not small enough, and we have 

 found the birds under it taking their dinners. But the best protection against worms and 

 cherry birds that we have yet found, is a boy in the neighborhood, who, after the fruit has 

 been preserved until fully ripe, is sure to enter the garden and rob all that would other- 

 wise remain as the reward of our toll and care. Ilis parents think he is a remarkable 

 child ; and, if he continues in his thievish habits, we presume they will find that he will 

 yet come to a remarkable end." 



878 Bboadwat, New York, March 13, 1857. 

 J. J. Smith, Esq. — Dear Sir : The great interest you take in all things relating to horti- 

 culture and the universal popularity of your journal, induces me to send you a plan of 

 ventilation for permanent roofed greenhouses, which I think is superior, in many respects 

 to any I have yet seen. The construction is simple, not likely to get out of order, is 



