EDITOR'S TABLE. 



Dks Noxnes — not Des Noxes. — la noticing a new Pear, in the Horticulturist, for November, 

 1852, which had then recently fruited in the Syracuse Nurseries, I gave the name as I found it 

 in an inroice of fruit trees received from M. Leuoy, of Angers, namely, " Des Nones." The 

 French Dictionary gives no satisfactory solution to the inquiry as to the fitness of this name 

 applied to a fruit. I was gratified, therefore, to find in M. Leroy's last catalogue, under the 

 head of " New Pears," the name Des Nonnes. This term has a signification, is quite satisfactory, 

 and very French; so that now we have these plurals — each indicating a fruit — Des Jardins, 

 Des Chasseurs, Des Tcmpliers, Des deux Scsurs, Des Ifoines, and last, though not least, Des Xonnes; 

 and a very dainty pomological cannibal can devour a chapter of Knight Templars, a brace ot 

 sisters, a monastery of monks, a convent of nuns, or even several gardens, (the number being 

 left indefinite,) almost literally at a morsel. As some confusion of names in our line is already 

 extant, I deemed it well enough to call attention to this instance, and, as the Pear is one which 

 is likely to become better known, to give it a chance to start right. Hence these lines. J. C. 

 Haxchett. — Syracuse Nurseries. 



Rhus cotinoides (Nutt.) — In the January number of the Horticulturist the culture of the 

 "Sweet Gum tree" [Liguidambar styracifua) is recommended. This is well, and we hope it will 

 be commonly cultivated ; because it is indeed a hardy, beautiful tree, quite common in the Mid- 

 dle and Southern States from Pennsylvania to Florida. There are many other American trees 

 and shrubs highly ornamental, which we would be glad to see in general cultivation, among 

 which is the Rhus cotinoides of Nuttall, resembling, as its name indicates, the Rhus cotinus, or 

 " Purple Fringe tree," a native of the south of Europe and Middle Asia, which is quite common in 

 pleasure-grounds in this country. Nuttall discovered the Rhus cotinoides on the high rocky 

 banks of Grand river, Arkansas, where he obtained specimens of it in fruit only, which he de- 

 pasited in the herbarium of the Amei-ican Academy of Science at Philadelphia. 



On the 6th of April, 1842, we found it both in flower and fruit, in descending the mountain on 

 the road from Blountsville to Huntsville, in North Alabama. It was from two and a half to 

 three miles south of the feriy on the Tennessee river, fi'om which the Madison turnpike leads to 

 Huntsville. There was an open space on the rocky side of the mountain, on which were many 

 lilac-like shrubs of this beautiful Rhus, mostly in fruit, nearly all of which was abortive and 

 covered with numerous hairy, shaggy-like pedicels, which render this Rhus so very ornamental. 

 Next day we met it again in the woods, near the residence of a Mr. Bahus, twelve miles from 

 Huntsville, on the road to Salem and Winchester, in Tennessee. Here it attained the size of a 

 tree at least a foot in diameter, and from thirty to forty feet in height. 



I have been thus particular in describing these localties, in hope that some one will introduce 

 it into cultivation. It certainly is equal in beauty to the Rhus cotinus. It is larger, and its 

 leaves are larger and more oblong. It flowers at least six weeks earlier, allowing for the differ- 

 ence in climate. We saw the common Locust, ( Robinia pseudo-acacia,) which is indigenous in 

 the mountains of Alabama and Tennessee, in flower at the same time. S. B. Buckley. — West 

 Dresden, N. Y. 



4 



Pampas, Dekalb Co., III. — Soir, CustAXK, Productions, Ac, Ac. — ^Tliis town is situated a little 

 €ast of the center of the county, and the county is about the center of the State east and west 

 and in the second tier from Wiseonsia line. The soil is a black muck, in the low grounds, from 

 one to two feet deep ; aud as the ground ascends, the soil grows less black and of less depth, so 

 that on the ridges it is not generally more than about six inches. The subsoil is of a clayey nature, 

 sometimes mixed with gravel, and grows more dense and impervious to water as we descend into 

 it. At the depth of 12 to 16 feet we find blue clay or graveL The water is what is commonly 

 called hard, or brackish, but cool and clear. There are no swift running streams. Slou 

 hca, are common, which usually produce an abundance of grass for hay. Water is fou 



