Aogost 5, 1869. ] 



JOUBNIL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDEHEB. 



107 



August 3rd.— Hollyhocks— Early Peaches, Plums, and Goose- 

 berries. 



August 17tb.— Gladiolus— Peaches and Nectarines. 



September 7th.— Dahlias— Plums and Figs. 



September 21st.— China Asters— Early Apples and Pears. 



October 5th. — Fuchsias — Grapes. 



November 2nd. — Chrysanthemums — Pears. 



Peoember 7th. — Late Chrysanthemums — Dessert Apples and 

 Pears. 



POTATOES SUPERTUBERATING. 

 Mavt sorts of my round Potatoes, which are yet green in 

 their foliage, are beginning to supertuberate. Kidneys, with 

 their foliage green, do not show the unfortunate symptom so 

 badly. I am taking up both sorts that give signs of it. I 

 advise my readers to follow my example at once ; if not, to 

 allow their Potatoes to remain in the soil till the latest period 

 possible, in order that the tubers may throw out as many 

 young ones as possible ; then, at taking-up, to sort away the 

 older run-out tubers, and boil them down at once for the 

 pigs with a little salt, and to keep the supertubers only for 

 eating and for seed. I follow the plan of taking up those sorts 

 which run-out the moment they show signs of doing so, if they 

 have attained a fair size, and X crop the ground at once with 

 Turnips or with winter and spring Cabbages. If the Potatoes 

 are kept spread out in a dry dark place, they will considerably 

 increase in the ripening process. — Upwards and Onwards. 



THE SCOTCH LABURNUM. 



" A Wanderer" sends the Editors a photograph of a grand 

 old Scotch Laburnum, and would like to know why this valuable 

 tree is so seldom to be met with about gentlemen's seats ? If 

 strength, symmetry, and grace, combined with beauty of foliage 

 and gorgeonsness of Sowers is a recommendation, this tree is 

 possessed of all ; while in a commercial point of view the 

 value of its timber is second to none. Amid the "rage" for 

 new and rare plants, might you not have a word to say in be- 

 half of this and other good old native plants ? 



[The photograph sent by our correspondent is conclusive 

 evidence that the tree, which is growing in a garden at Cold- 

 stream, N.B., is all that he tells of it. The height of the tree 

 is 36 feet ; the extreme breadth of the top, 44 feet ; the girth 

 of trunk, 10 feet ; and of the three primary limbs, 6 feet each. 



The Scotch Laburnum is usually considered a variety of the 

 Cytisus Laburnum, but we rather agree with those botanists 

 who consider it a species, and have named it Cytisus alpinus. 

 Dr. Hogg, in his " Vegetable Kingdom," says, " It is by far the 

 finer one of the two ; its leaves are large and glossy, and its 

 flowers are of a darker yellow colour, and are produced in con- 

 siderably longer racemes than the English variety — it also 

 blooms later. Like much that is beautiful in this world, the 

 Laburnum, too, conceals dangerous and deadly properties. The 

 seeds are violently purgative, emetic, and decidedly poisonous, 

 and should never be allowed within the reach of children or 

 cattle. To prevent accidents, we would recommend that, when- 

 ever the tree has done blooming, and the pods formed, they 

 should be immediately removed. The wood is much valued 

 for cabinet-work, inlaying, and turnery-ware. It is hard, and 

 80 heavy that it will sink in water ; of a fine colour, and re- 

 ceives an excellent polish. In France it is called ebony of the 

 Alps. It is used for making handles to knives and surgeons' 

 instruments ; and in Scotland the bickers, luggies, or noggins, 

 are made with alternate staves of Laburnum, Holly, or Spindle- 

 tree, the dark-coloured being the Laburnum. It is also used 

 for musical instruments, flutes, punch-bowl ladles, and several 

 other fancy articles. Hares and rabbits are extremely fond of 

 this tree, which they frequently injure very seriously by eating 

 the bark, and the seeds are frequently sown in plantations, 

 because they will touch no other tree so long as they can get a 

 supply of Laburnum ; and though the plants may be eaten to 

 the ground every winter, they will spring again next season, 

 and yield a regular supply of winter food for these animals." 



Philip Miller is loud in its praise, and remarks — " In Eng- 

 land there are few of these trees which have been suffered to 

 stand long enaugh to arrive to any considerable size, for as 

 they have been only considered as ornamental, the frequent al- 

 terations which most of the gardens in England have under- 

 gone, have occasioned their being rooted-out wherever they 

 were growing ; but in some of the old gardens in Scotland, 

 where they have been permitted to stand, there are large trees 



of this kind, which are fit to cut down for the use of the timber. 

 I have seen two old trees of it in gardens, which were more 

 than 1 yard in girth at 6 feet from the ground, and these had 

 been broken and abused, otherwise might have been much 

 larger: they grow very fast and are extremely hardy, and, 

 therefore, may be well' worth propagating upon poor shallow 

 soils, and in exposed situations. His Grace the Duke of 

 Queensberry sowed a great quantity of the seeds of this tree 

 upon the sides of the downs, at his seat near Amesbury, in 

 Wiltshire, where the situation was very much exposed, and the 

 soil so shallow that few trees would grow there ; yet in tMs 

 place the young trees were 12 feet high in four years' growth, 

 and became a shelter to the other plantations, for which pur- 

 pose they were designed ; but the hares and rabbits being great 

 enemies to these trees, by barking them in winter, they should 

 be fenced from these animals. The wood is of great strength, 

 and is much used for pegs, wedges, musical instruments, 

 handles of knives, and a variety of furniture. Mr. Bouteher 

 mentions that he had seen a large table and a dozen chairs 

 made of it, which judges of elegant furniture thought the finest 

 they had ever seen. Pliny says its wood is the hardest of any, 

 next to ebony. Matthiolus speaks of its being used for making 

 the best bows. It chars remarkably well ; and if planted thick 

 to run up tall, it would make durable hop-poles. For this 

 purpose it might be planted in large clumps in parks, where it 

 would be also very ornamental ; the branches being generally 

 loaded with long strings of flowers, hanging down from every 

 part of them, in the month of May. Haller observes that the 

 Latin name Laburnum was evidently formed from the alpine 

 name L'Aubours. Formerly it was called in EngUsh Bean- 

 Trefoil and Peascod tree, but the Latin name has prevailed 

 over these. In German it is B ohnenbaum, and in French Cytise 

 des Alpes, Aubours, and Faux Ebenier. It is a native of Swit- 

 zerland, Austria, Provence, &o., and was cultivated here by 

 Gerarde in 1596. Tradescant had both varieties in his garden."] 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 Her Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 18a 

 have announced that the first of a series of Annual Intee- 

 NATioNAL Exhibitions of selected works of fine and industrial 

 art will be opened in London at South Kensington, on Monday 

 the Ist of May, 1871, and be closed on Saturday the 30th ol 

 September, 1871. The Exhibitions will take place in perma- 

 nent buildings, about to be erected, adjoining the arcades of the 

 Boyal Horticultural Gardens. The productions of all nations 

 will be admitted, subject to obtaining the certificate of compe- 

 tent judges that they are of sufficient excellence to be worthy 

 of exhibition. They will include objects of the Fine Arts- 

 paintings, sculpture, engravings, &c ; scientific inventions and 

 new discoveries of all kinds, manufactures ; and m Horticul- 

 ture, international exhibitions of new and rare plants, and of 

 fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plants showing speciaUties of 

 cultivation, will be held by the Eoyal Horticultural Society m 

 conjunction with the above Exhibitions. Special rules for the 

 horticultural exhibitions wiU be issued by the Royal HorticiJ- 

 tural Society. The arrangement of the objects wiU be accord- 

 in" to classes, and not nationalities as in former international 

 exhibitions. One-third portion of the whole available space 

 wiU be assigned absolutely to foreign exhibitors, who must ob- 

 tain certificates for the admission of their objects from their 

 respective Governments. Foreign countries wiU appoint their 

 own judges. The remaining two-thirds of the space wiU be 

 filled by objects produced either in the United Kingdom, or, if 

 produced abroad, sent direct to the building for inspection and 

 approval of judges selected for the British exhibitors. Objects 

 not accepted for exhibition must be removea according to the 

 notices given, but no objects exhibited can be removed nntil 

 the close of the Exhibition. AU exhibitors or their agents 

 must deliver at the building, into the charge of the proper 

 officers, the objects unpacked and ready for immediate exhi- 

 bition, and free of all charges for carriage, &c. Her Majesty s 

 Commissioners will find large glass oases, stands, and fittings, 

 free of cost to the exhibitors, and, except in the case of ma- 

 chinery, carry out the arrangement of the objects by their owa 

 officers. Her Majesty's Commissioners wiU take the greatest 

 possible care of all objects, but they wiU not hold themselves 

 responsible for loss or damage of any kind. Prices may be 

 attached to the objects, and exhibitors wiU be encouraged to 

 state their prices. Agents will be appointed to attend to the 

 interests of exhibitors. Every object must be accompanied 



