92 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[March, 



and whose abihties and superior character for prob- equal value everywhere, and hence, there has been 

 ity and honor fit them for positions of great respon- a universal demand for it. It has been reprinted 

 sibility and trust. It is one of the misfortunes of in India, and translated into German for use in 

 our country that when this class of talent is open i the Old World. In no country perhaps is there 

 for engagements there are no first-class situations so much inquiry for economic plants as in the 



open to receive them, and when they are it is not 

 always easy to find the man. Mr. R. is now dis- 

 engaged. His address is Jenkintown, Montgom- 

 ery Co., Pa. 



Dr. Asa Gray. — Florida has charmed Dr. Gray 

 from Cambridge, and after touching at New Or- 

 leans, he will visit California, before returning to 

 his home. 



Mr. Sereno Watson. — This diligent student 

 has well earned a short vacation from his steady 

 work at Cambridge. He was to leave on the 12th 

 of the month for Guatemala. 



Lithography in the Nursery Business. — Of 

 late years lithography has been brought into use 

 as a very useful agent in advertising. Some of 

 our nurserymen seem particularly to appreciate its 

 advantages, as we judge from a large number of 

 beautiful pictures on our table from Mr. J. T. 

 Lovett, of Little Silver, N. J. Such enterprise de- 

 serves success. 



George C. Briggs. — George C. Briggs was one 

 of the famous firm of Briggs Brothers, who were 

 the pioneers of fruit culture in California. Every 

 one has heard of the wonderful^wonderful for 



United States ; and the enterprising Detroit pub- 

 lisher, who has now given it to our country, de- 

 serves national thanks. 



The plants of this continent come into the list 

 in a work like this, as well as those of other por- 

 tions of the earth. As an illustration we take at 

 random the following : " Chlorogalum pomeri- 

 dianum (Kunth) California, frequent in the moun- 

 tains. This lily-like plant attains a height of 8 

 feet. The heavy bulb is covered with many coat- 

 ings, consisting of fibres, which are used for cush- 

 ions, mattresses, etc.; contracts are entered into 

 for the supply of this material on a very extensive 

 scale (Prof. Bolander). The inner part of the 

 bulb serves as a substitute for soap, and the possi- 

 bility of utilizing it for technological purposes like 

 the root of Saponaria might be tested, as it con- 

 tains saponin." "Fraxinussambucifolia (Lamarck), 

 Black or Water ash of North America. Attains a 

 height of 80 feet. Wood still more tough and 

 elastic than that of F. .A-mericana, the white ash, 

 but less durable when exposed ; easily split into 

 thin layers for basket work. Its wood is compara- 

 tively rich in potash, like most of its congeners ; 

 for oars and implements it is inferior to that of 



that time— peach orchard near Marysville, and ofjtjig white ash (Simmonds)." Among Australian 

 the varieties of California peaches which bear his plants a number of the most useful Eucalypts are 

 name. Of late years he gave his chief atten- described, as for instance, " Eucalyptus punctata. 



tion to the growing of grapes for raisins, and had 

 at the time of his death no less than 1,200 acres in 

 grapes, and was preparing to plant 6,000 more. 

 His death occurred the last week in January, in 

 the 6ist year of his age. Those who know how 

 much fruit culture in all new countries depends on 

 the results of early experiments ; how much has to be 

 lost in early trials, and the planter to suffer by 

 heart-burning disappointments before success is 

 assured, will have cause to feel deep regret for the 

 loss of such a man as this. Monuments have 

 been erected to commemorate the services of men 

 who have deserved far less of their country than 

 Mr. Briggs. 



Select Extra-tropical Plants. — Readily 

 eligible for Industrial culture or Naturalization. 

 By Baron I'erd Von Mueller. Detroit; published 

 by Geo. S. Davis, 1884. 



This was originally prepared for Australian 

 use, but the succinct information given of indus- 

 trial plants adapted to temperate climates, is of 



The Leather-jacket, or Hickory Eucalypt of New 

 South Wales. A beautiful tree with a smooth 

 bark, attaining 100 feet or more, of rather quick 

 growth. The wood is of a light brown color, hard, 

 tough and very durable ; used for fence posts, 

 railway sleepers, wheelwright's work, also for ship 

 building (Woolls)." Then, again, among Euro- 

 peans such notes as these ; "Acer platanoides, the 

 Norway maple (Wild); south to Switzerland ; up 

 to 80 feet high. Found hardy in Norway up to 

 67O, 56' N. Attained in lat. 59O 46' a diameter of 

 2'/i feet (Schrebder). The pole wood much used 

 by cabinet makers. Tint of the autumn foliage 

 golden yellow. A tree of imposing appearance, 

 much recom^nended for ornamental gardening ; 

 it gires a denser shade than most of the other 

 maples." 



In this concise manner almost all that is known 

 of the economic character of all plants in use is 

 given in a closely printed volume of 449 pages. 



One of the most useful features of the work con- 



