FOREIGN NOTICES. 



235 



continues to grow late in autumn, and has hitherto 

 retained its leaves throughout the winter. I have 

 no doubt, however, that when worked upon Apri- 

 cot, Plum, or Almond stocks, it will prove quite 

 hardy, and bear well, even in the north of Eng- 

 land. I may mention that the Nectarine is 14 days 

 later than the Peach ujion which it was worked." 

 — Journal of the London Horticultural Society. 



Battle of the Bees. — On Thursday afternoon, 

 the ISth, a farmer in the neighborhood of Twyn 

 Barlwm mountain, watching his flocks, when sud- 

 denly his attention was attracted by a buzzing 

 noise, and a cloud of insects, almost to darken the 

 air. Upon closer examination he found the mul- 

 titude engaged in serious warfare, which lasted 

 a considerable time, until heaps of the vanquished 

 covered the ground, some without heads, others 

 minus their wings, and others completely separa- 

 ted into two parts. They proved to be different 

 sorts of the humble bee and honey bee. A friend 

 assured me that he scraped together three or four 

 bushels with his foot, and many persons carried 

 away the slain in basketsful to show to their 

 friends the result of this very unaccountable war- 

 fare. — Monmouth Merlin Paper, Sept. 19. 



Foreign Strawberries. — A vessel named the 

 Hannah, which has arrived at the port of Hull 

 from Memel, had, with other productions, 15 cases 

 of Strawberries on board. This is a novel article 

 of importation from the place named, tlie produce 

 of Prussia; and whether, with reference to the 

 place of growth, or the late period of the season 

 for the supply of the article, is as singular and re- 

 markable an importation as we have of late had 

 occasion so frequently to record. — Gardener's 

 Chronicle. 



Protecting Tender Roses. — For protecting 

 Bourbon, Chinese, Tea-scented, and other Roses, 

 on their own roots, notliing can be better than 

 moss procured from shady banks or woods. It 

 should be placed round each plant, one or two 

 inciies from the stem and branches, not closer, and 

 about nine inches or a foot thick. This pre- 

 vents the ground from being frozen; and although 

 the tops of the shoots may be killed, they grow 

 vigorously from the root on the return of mild wea- 

 ther. This covering may be applied early in De- 

 cember, [or as soon as the ground commences to 

 freeze slightly. — Ed.,] and may remain around the 

 plants till the end of March, or even later, if a cold 

 backward spring. — Rivers' Catalogue of Selected 

 Roses. 1846. 



Love of Flowers, and the Floating Gar- 

 dens IN Mexico. — We have been making excur- 

 sions all round the country, especially early in the 

 morning, before the sun is high, when the air is 

 delightfully cool and refreshing. Sometimes we 

 go to the Viga at six in the morning, to see the 

 Indians bringing in their flowers and vegelables, 

 by the canal. The profusion of sweet peas, double 

 poppies, blue bottles, stock gillitlowers, and roses, 

 I never saw equalled. Each Indian woman, in her 

 canoe, looks as if seateil in a floating llower gar- 

 den. Tlie same love of flowers distiniruishcs them 



now, as in the time of Cortes; the same which 

 Humboldt remarkeil centuries afterwards. In the 

 evening, these Indian women, in their canoes, 

 are constatly crowned with garlands of roses or 

 poppies. Those who sit in the market, selling 

 their fruit or their vegetables, appear as if they 

 sat in bowers formed of fresh green branches and 

 colored flowers. In the poorest village church 

 the floor is strewed with flowers, and before the 

 service begins, fresh nosegays are brought in and 

 arranged upon the altar. The baby at its christen- 

 ening, the bride at the altar, the dead body in its 

 bier, are all adorned with flowers. We are told 

 that in the days of Cortes, a bouquet of rare flowers 

 was the most valuable gift presented to the ambas- 

 sadors who visited the court of Montezuma, and it 

 presents a strange anonial)', this love of flowers 

 having existed along with their sanguinary wor- 

 ship and barbarous sacrifices. 



We went the other evening on the canal, in a 

 large canoe, with an awning, as far as the little 

 village of Santa Anita, and saw, for the first time, 

 the far famed Chinampas, or floating gardens, which 

 have now become fixtures, and are covered with 

 vegetables, intermingled with flowers, with a few 

 poor huts beside them, occupied by the Indians, 

 who bring these to the city for sale. There were 

 cauliflowers, chile, tomatoes, cabbages, and other 

 vegetables, but I was certainly disappointed in their 

 beauty. They are, however, curious, on account 

 of their origin. So far back as 1245, it is said, 

 the wandering Aztec or Mexicans arrived first at 

 Chapultepec, when, being persecuted by the princes 

 of Taltocan, they took refuge in a group of islands 

 to the south of the lake of Tezcuco. Falling uniler 

 the yoke of the Tezcucan kings, they abandoned 

 their island home, and fled to Tezapan, where as 

 a reward for assisting the chiefs of that country 

 in a war against otlier petty princes, they received 

 their freedom, and established themselves in a city, 

 to which they gave the name of Mexicalsingo, from 

 Mejitli, their god of war, — now a collection of 

 strong barns, and poor huts. But they did not 

 settle there, for, to obey an oracle, they transport- 

 ed themselves from this city to the islands east of 

 Chapultepec, to the western side of lake Tezcuco. 

 An ancient tradition had long been current amongst 

 them, that wherever they should behold an eagle 

 seateil upon a noi)al (prickly pear,) whose roots 

 pierced a rock, there they should found a great city. 



In 1325 they beheld this sign, and on the spot, 

 in an island in the lake, founiled the first house of 

 God — the Teocali, or Great Temple of Mexico. 

 During all their wanderings, wherever they stoi>ped, 

 the Aztecs cultivated the earth, and lived upon 

 what nature gave them. Surrounded by enemies, 

 and in the midst of a lake where there are few fish, 

 necessity and industry compelled them to form 

 floating fields and gardens on the bosom of the 

 waters. 



They weaveil together the roots of aquatic plants, 

 intertwined with twigs and light branches, until 

 they had formed a foundation sutiiciently strong to 

 support a soil formeil of tlie earth which they drew 

 from the bottom of the lake; anil on it they sowed 

 their maize, thtir chili, and all other |)lants neces- 

 sary for their support. These floating gardeni 



