477 



gramineas, can be planted deeper than those of a lighter character. It 

 has been given as a general rule that all seeds germinate most speedily 

 when covered with a depth of soil equal to their own thickness, and 

 where the constant presence of sufficient moisture for germination can 

 be maintained ; this rule is, perhaps, as nearly correct as any that can 

 be given. 



A BERLIN PROJECT. 



A " dendro-pomological garden " is about to be established at Berlin^ 

 This garden is to be i)lanted with a collection of fruit-trees, and to com- 

 l)rise an arboretnm where all hardy ligneous plants will he systemati- 

 cally arranged. Hedges of various i)lants, capable of being used for the 

 purpose of live fences, will also be iutrodnced. The idea and the botani- 

 cal arrangement emanates from Professor Karl Koch, the i^lans for laying 

 out the garden being i:)erfected by Mr. Meyer, landscape gardener of Sans 

 Souci. 



Several years ago, a similar project was proposed by Mr. William 

 Saunders, of this Department, who prepared plans for the botanical 

 arrangement, and for the laying out of the grounds. The work was not 

 commenced until the spring of 18G8 ; since that time operations have 

 been gradually progressing, the ground-plans are nearly completed, and 

 the collections yearly increasing in value and interest. The plan of 

 the Dej^artment embraces various important details not included in the 

 published i)lan of the Berlin project. 



AUSTRALIAN SEEDS AND PLANTS. 



Inquiries are frequently made of this Department for seeds of Aus- 

 tralian trees, especially for the rapid-growing species oi Eucalyptus and 

 Acacia. The native habitats of these plants being characterized by 

 seasons of extreme dryness, has led to the belief that they would be par- 

 ticularly adai)ted to the dry atmosphere of the western j^lains. This is 

 a mistake, so iar as regards the gro\yth of these plants in dry soils and 

 climates, inasmuch as the season of growth in Australia is very wet; 

 dry weather succeeds this growing period, corresponding to our winters, 

 which is the period of rest. The sei)lants are unable to resist even 10° 

 of frost, consequently they are not adajited to climates where this degree 

 of frost prevails. No instance is known where they have flourished in 

 the open air east of the Pacific coast. Our native trees furnish species 

 of as rapid growth as any of these Australian plants, so that there seems 

 no necessity for anxiety in this matter. There are a sufficiency of hardj^ 

 trees known to be well adapted to meet all reasonable necessities. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL RECORD. 



[By TowNEND Glover, Entomologist.'] 



Beetles destroying twigs. — Many small branches or twigs of pear, 

 persimmon, and various other trees, deeply cut into and girdled by some 

 insect, have been received by the Department this autumn, with letters 

 making inquiry as to the insect causing the injury, and the best mode of 

 preventing its ravages. It ai)pears, from the correspondence, that the 

 trees are much more injured this autumn by it than they were a few 

 years ago, thus proving that the insect is increasing in numbers, and, if 



