348 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[November, 



must imagine the central stem in the picture to 

 be about ten feet high. 



The Early History of the Vine and Pome- 

 granate. — The Independent of Oct. 5th, notices 

 the researches of Dr. Birch on " Monumental 

 Egypt," and that there is in the work an account 

 of a Botanical collection made by Thotmes III., 

 on the pylons of Karnak. The sunflower, vine, 

 pomegranate, and a kind of Arum, are recog- 

 nized, which we are told were found '" on the 

 upper Rutennvi or Northern Syria, and from 

 there brovight to Egypt." This brings the au- 

 thentic history of these fruits back to a much 

 more remote period than we have reached be- 

 fore, and towards the spot where Noah had "that 

 high old time," after his miraculous escape from 

 drowning. It is more than likely that when the 

 countries east of the Caspian and across the 

 Himalayas shall have been explored, both in 

 their botany and ancient records, as Egypt is 

 now being done, much that is obscure in the 

 early history of our fruits and vegetables will be 

 cleared up. 



W. Forsyth.— This old writer on Gardening, 

 The Journal of HorticuUure telh us, was born in 

 1737, at Old Meldrum, in Scotland. He succeeded 

 in wheedling the Government of England into 

 giving him $9,000, for mixing cow dung, lime, 

 wood ashes and sand together, in order to make 

 hollow trees fill up with sound living wood. A 

 " commission " was appointed to report. A Dr. 

 Lettsom and a Dr. Anderson composed it, and 

 they testified that is was "nothing more than the 

 truth." History says Mr. Forsyth was "mis- 

 taken." A modern writer would say he was a 

 " dead beat," and consider even such slang more 

 than politeness required. 



I. E. Ilgenfritz.— Among the many personal 

 features that give interest to the Centennial, 

 Michigan receives credit for the above gentle- 

 man, whom she placed in charge of her exhibits. 

 Always courteous and energetic, with an excel- 

 lent knowledge of pomology, he is one of the 

 most promising of the younger "race of Horticul- 

 turists, and we made his acquaintance with 

 pleasure. 



Col. Wilder.— As most of our readers know 

 the good President of the Am. Pomological So- 

 ciety, was unable to be present with the body at 

 thegreat Centennial reunion. But, he was re- 

 presented by Marchant's celebrated portrait of 

 him, and by 100 varieties of pears in Horticul- 



tural, and 300 in the Centennial Exhibition. 

 They will be gratified to learn that he is regain- 

 ing his health, and will heartily wish that he may 

 long enjoy it. 



American Tuberoses. — We were astonished to 

 read in a Boston paper recently an article on the 

 tuberose from the pen of one of Boston's leading 

 horticulturists, that " the bulbs are imported from 

 Italy and France, as our seasons are not long 

 enough to ripen them." Perhaps the season of 

 Boston is the " our season " referred to, but Bos- 

 ton is not the United States by any means, and 

 because they do not ripen there, is no reason for 

 sending to Italy or France for them. If not 

 known to this gentleman it is pretty well known 

 to others that American tuberoses are preferred 

 in England to the best Italian, We hope Mr. 

 Rand and his " two distinguished members of 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society " will 

 not think Ave are "as bitter as gall on everything 

 in Boston," because we endeavor to correct a se- 

 rious error on the part of one of its good citizens. 



Sir Joseph Banks. — The London Journal of 

 Horticulture has a portrait and history of this dis- 

 tinguished Botanist and Horticulturist of the 

 last age. He was born in Lincolnshire, in 1743. 

 He was on the voyage of Captain Cook, and ia 

 well-known to gardeners by name tlirough the 

 gi'and new Holland genus, Banksia. 



Worcester Co., (Mass.,) Horticultural So- 

 ciety FOR 1875.— In the annual report by E. W. 

 Lincoln, Secretary, the society mentions some 

 diflEiculties to be overcome, but on the whole we 

 understand that this very useful local society ia 

 prosperous. 



The New South.— By Col. M. B. Hillyard, 

 McComb City, Miss. This is a compilation of 

 what has been written by Northern men who 

 have visited Mississippi and other parts of the 

 South, and gives a great amount of information 

 as to the astonishing natural resources and in- 

 dustrial prospects of this beautiful part of the 

 country. 



Ohio State Hort. Society. — Ninth annual re- 

 port from M. B. Bateham, Secretary, Painesville, 

 Ohio. There are some admirable essays in this 

 volume, especially " pictures on grass," by Frank 

 J. Scott. On the whole an improvement every 

 way on former volumes. 



Twelfth Annual Catalogue, Michigan Statu 

 Agricultural College. — This is one of the few 



