82 



JOUKNAIi OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDEtfER. 



t February 4, 18t9. 



email buds a fair start is to stop the fresh terminal shoot when 

 it has made two or three joints, and as those near the base 

 grow, thin them out to one or two shoots. When standards 

 thns show almost budless shoots, as respects wood buds, the 

 latter are often encouraged to break near the bottom when the 

 thoot is bent a little. 



In the case of the Orange Nectarine that so resembles the 

 NoblessePeachin this particular, we would recommend the same 

 plan and richer feeding in summer, by manure water ; and as 

 the Nectarine flowers so freely, and the young fruit drop when 

 of the size of peas, we would advise you strongly to cut away 

 from one-half to two-thirds of the bloom buds as they open, 

 leaving those that are best placed.] 



NEW BOOK. 



Les Fruits a cultit-er: Leur descrqitlon, Leiir culture. Par 

 M. Ferdinand Jamin. Paris : Victor Masson et fils. 



This is a thoroughly practical book written by a thoroughly 

 practical man, and is, therefore, a safe guide to the culture of 

 fruit trees in gardens. M. F. Jamin, himself a very extensive 

 fruit-tree nurseryman near Paris, has, in addition to his own 

 experience, every opportunity of becoming acquainted with and 

 of studying the advantages and disadvantages of the various 

 modes of culture which from time to time arise in the neigh- 

 bourhood of that fruit-loving city. 



In the work before us M. Jamin treats of every operation con- 

 nected with the cultivation of all the kinds of hardy fruits, from 

 the preparation of the soil and planting, through all the pro- 

 cesses of pruning and training, to the stage when fruit is pro- 

 duced. We are then furnithed with descriptions and observa- 

 tions upon the best varieties of each kind of fruit. The subject 

 of dwarfing stocks for the Apple, which is at present creating a 

 little excitement among us, is thus spoken of by M. Jamin in 

 reference to the Doncin and the French Paradise (Pommier de 

 Paradis) : — 



" Their origin is nnknovm to ns, bnt we strongly snspect that they 

 came to bs from the north, for both appear constituted to live under 

 nnfavonrable climates ; never have wo seen their roots suffer in 

 contact with frost. Between these two varieties there exists a dif- 

 ference of vigour. The Doucin furnishes subjects of medium-sized 

 growth, and is emplojed in preference for the pyramid, espalier, and 

 ■waU-tree forms. It is also to this plant it is necessary to have re- 

 course, when the soil is dry and burning, for cordons and goblets. The 

 Paradise is less vigorous than the Doucin ; it is the smallest form of 

 Apple tree, and pives trees perfectly dwarf. We do not advise the 

 attempt to cultivate it if the soil is too sandy or caleareous and de- 

 stjtnte of freshness; notwithstanding all your good intentions your 

 tronble will be lost. In strouR soils, on the contrary, where clay 

 predominates it succeeds wonderfully." 



We commend this useful treatise to the attention of all fruit- 

 cultivators. 



THE LATE .TAMES BACKHOUSE. 



{From a CorreRpon^eni.) 



Last week in these pages was recorded the decease of James 

 Backhodse, of York, senior partner of the firm of James Back- 

 house & Son, nurserymen and seedsmen, at his residence, 

 Holgate House, near that city, on the 20th ult., in the 75th 

 year of his age. James Backhouse's name was well known 

 to a large circle, both in this and other lands, as a botanist and 

 horticulturist. He was from his youth an ardent lover of 

 nature, and a quick observer. As early as 1810 and 1811, when 

 only sixteen or seventeen years of age, his botanical tastes were 

 stimulated by the rich flora of Teesdale. a region then little 

 known, but now, largely owing to James Backhouse's persever- 

 ing researches, recognised as almost unequalled in this land in 

 the wealth and beauty of its floral treasures. Mainly, it is 

 believed, through the interesting discoveries made in that district, 

 James Backhouse became introduced to the leading botanists 

 of the day — the late Sir James Edward Smith, and Sir.W. J. 

 Hooker, and this acquaintance soon increased to a lifelong 

 personal friendship. 



Many and varied were the excursions in which for more than 

 fifty years he was engau'ed in connection with his favourite 

 pursuit, and his name will be associated with the discovery of 

 not a few of the rarities of the British flora, the latest of these 

 being Viola arennria on the mountains of Teesdale, and the 

 Killarney Fern, Trichomanes radicans, in Wales, in 18C3. So 

 lately as 1865, when within a few weeks of his seventy-first 

 birthday, James Backhouse undertook a walk of eleven hours 



upon the Welsh mountains, involving nearly 5000 feet of climb - 

 ing; and though his steps were feeble, his energy and his 

 interest in the wild scenery and alpine vegetation were keen 

 as ever. In ISKi he commenced business in York, as a nursery- 

 man, in partnership with his elder brother, who died in 1846, 

 which occupation he followed, as far as health and other cir- 

 cumstances permitted, to the close of his life. 



From his birth James Backhouse was a member of the 

 Society of Friends, and as a minister of the Gospel in that 

 Society he set out in 1831 on a long missionary journey to the 

 Australian Colonies, the Mauritius, and Southern Africa. His 

 labours as a Christian missionary were not confined to sect or 

 station ; and from all classes of every denomination in those 

 regions he met with the greatest kindness and assistance in 

 the prosecution of his object. In the same capacity, with the 

 sanction and support of the Society to which he belonged, 

 James Backhouse subsequently made extended missionary 

 journeys in Norway, penetrating far within the Arctic Circle, 

 into Lapland and Finmark. 



His life was an eminently happy one. To help and benefit 

 those around him, and to turn their attention to their eternal 

 interests and the necessity of preparing for the life to come, as 

 inseparable from true happiness in this life, was his constant 

 aim and endeavour. His end was peaceful and truly " blessed." 



NOTES FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 



(Continued from page 45.) 

 A FTER travelling about five miles we entered a tract of country 

 presenting a singular appearance, every tree being dead, di- 

 vested cf its bark, and standing a whitened skeleton, without 

 any scrub or undergrowth beneath. After passing through 

 about five miles of this we came upon some beautiful undu- 

 lating country — the grass 3 feet high — here commenced Stringy 

 Bark, indicating the commencement of the rangy country. 

 Large flocks of kangaroos bounded away as we approached, and 

 as we entered the timber large flocks of pigeons moved off, to 

 settle only again on the next tree. Here, also, we saw quan- 

 tities of quail, and for the first time the lyre bird, or native 

 pheasant. About a mile of this country brought us to Eagle 

 Hawk Gully, a lovely spot, the scenery most charming. We 

 stopped at this place and cooked our food, resting two hours, 

 and rambling around the creek, whose sinuous banks presented 

 a different view from every point. Here were the first Fern 

 trees of any considerable size which we had seen since leaving 

 Baylis Creek : although they were farther apart, they lent such 

 a tropical appearance to the scene that we left the place with 

 reluctance. The Melaleucas were the principal vegetation on 

 the banks, although there are, doubtless, fine plants along this 

 creek in November (spring). On leaving this spot we travelled 

 four hours through a similar country, the timber increasing in 

 size and height as we progressed, and at six in the evening we 

 reached Gabie Town, or as it is termed Toon Gabble ; this we 

 were informed is destined to become an important place, as 

 the last township at which feed can be obtained for cattle. 

 From this point northwards for several hundred miles, there 

 are barren ranges inaccessible to wheeled vehicles, and all pro- 

 visions are taken on pack horses. This Government township 

 consisted of one iron store, one slab hut, and two bark huts. 

 This was the nucleus of the important town to be. Here the 

 timber is so thick that you cannot see for 30 yards in any di- 

 rection, the Stringy Bark being 100 feet high, and from 5 to 

 G feet in diameter at the base. 



On March 2nd we left Toon Gabble for Stringer's Creek, and 

 here we commenced to ascend without any other road than the 

 cattle track, with immense timber lying across it, now climb- 

 ing 5 or 6 feet on to the trunk of a fallen tree surrounded and 

 partially hidden by Pteris, till we entered on a track partly 

 cleared. This, we were told, is a newly- commenced Government 

 clearing, one chain wide, to Stringer's Creek. We followed 

 this track till we arrived at The Springs — why so called I cannot 

 tell, as there was no water except a little at the bottom of an 

 old hole, which was so thick with mosquitoes and animalcula 

 that we were compelled to take them and skim the water when 

 boiling. Usually when the water is deep enough, by a gentle 

 disturbance of the surface, the animalcula fall to the bottom, 

 and the water can be dipped out free from the larger creatures. 

 After dining we started, and at two miles made Flourbag Creek, 

 one of the most romantic gullies we had yet seen. The banks 

 are nearly perpendicular to a height of 300 feet, the bed of 

 the creek, now dry, filled with tree Ferns, some prostrate. 



