MONTHLY SUMMARY, 697 



and Danish collections were particularly instructive. Whilst many 

 of our fruits appeared to have dwarfed into nearly half their 

 natural size, or at least half their size in this country, in 

 some instances they seemed to have made up for their 

 diminished size hy greater prohficness. Some of them, moreover, 

 were unknown here, and appear worthy of heing introduced into 

 this country. The small potatoes, black turnips, and club-rooted 

 celery seem more doubtful as acquisitions. Tastes proverbially 

 differ, and we are told that the natives of these countries prefer, 

 small waxy potatoes to large mealy ones. The Belgians have 

 what we consider a better taste, and many of the potatoes sent by 

 the Societe Agricole et Forestiere de Namur were very fine, and 

 one or two more especially noted for freedom from disease, A 

 couple of tubers of one kind, of very fine quality, newly raised by 

 seed from the Coquette potatoe, which has never been attacked by 

 the disease, were sent from Namur by the gentleman who raised 

 them. These, as well as the best of the other kinds, will be 

 tried at Chiswick. 



The fruit from Belgium attracted much attention, more espe- 

 cially the new kinds of pears raised by M. Gregoire-Nelis, of 

 Jodoigne. An account of the system followed by him in raising 

 these will be found at p. 709. Some of the finest of the Bel-, 

 gian fruit was from the . garden of M. Monchoeur, of Nameche. 

 A beautiful collection, more especially of apples, was shown by 

 M. Borcher, from the Royal Gai'dens at Hanover, M- Jahn of 

 Meiningen, and M. MuUer of Strasburg, also sent fruit, through 

 the Belgian Society. M. Van der Putte of Middleburg, exhibited 

 a fine collection, consisting of specimens of all the kinds of 

 apples and pears grown in the Island of Walcheren. The Society 

 will be enabled from these considerably to increase their collection 

 of Wax Models of Fruit, both the Belgian Exhibitors and M. Van 

 der Putte having handsomely placed whatever they required at 

 their disposition. 



A most attractive collection of fruit from Turin, showed that 

 " fruitful Lombardy " is still " the pleasant garden of Great 

 Italy." A greater evidence of fruitfulness could scarcely be given 

 than the display made by Messrs, Burdin & Co., of 322 different 

 kinds of grapes grown in the open air, in the neighbourhood of 

 Turin. The only other country which exhibited grapes grown in 

 the open air, was Nova Scotia; and several of these were of the 

 same kinds as those from Lombardy, but they seemed to have 

 agreed better with their new habitat on the other side the 



