MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 69 



REMARKS. 



On Plants affected with Mildf.w. — In a former number of the Cabinet I 

 obseiveda correspondent stated that during several previous months a quantity i>f 

 his Pelargoniums and other plants had suffered from mildew, although the 

 house was nut a cold or damp one. I was similarly circumstanced, and being 

 advised to water them at the roots once a week with nitre dissolved in water, in 

 the proportion of a quarter of an ounce to a quart of water, I did so through the 

 remainder of last autumn, and now have not a vestige of the mildew. 



Sidmouth. Lucy. 



Winter blooming of Carnations. — I had a quantity of the old Clove Car- 

 nation, French Piccottee. &c, grown in pots last year. Early in October I re- 

 moved them into a greenhouse, giving them proper attention as to watering, 

 tying up, &c, and bv the end of December 1 had a splendid bloom of these fra- 

 grant beauties, and which are still in fine condition. 



Near Bath, February 8, 1844. Mary Hamilton. 



China. — Advices have been received from Mr. Fortune, engaged in collecting 

 seeds for the Horticultural Society in China, dated Chusan, November 12. He 

 describes the whole coast of China to the northward as consisting of bare rugged 

 rock, barren sand, and burnt gravelly clay, but with beautiful plants here and 

 there. He had met with very bad weather in his passage to Amoy, but had had 

 an opportunity of exploring the islands of Koo-long-soo and Amoy. On the 

 voyage thence to Chusan. the vessel encountered heavy gales in the Formosan 

 Channel, and was twice driven back, once to Chinchen, and once to Chamoo; 

 this, however, gave him the opportunity of landing at those places, and exploring 

 the country for several miles inland. On no occasion had he met with serious 

 obstacles to penetrating the country, but, on the contrary, found the natives par- 

 ticularly civil, much more so than on the coast further south and at Canton. 

 Mr. Fortune had fallen in with hills covered with Azaleas, and with several other 

 good things, seeds of which, in very small quantities, were enclosed in bis letters. 

 In particular, he had met with a very beautiful Buddlea, with rich purple 

 flowers, arranged in clusters like a Lilac ; and a very fine Campanulaceous plant, 

 with flowers as large as thos^ of Lisianthus Russellianus. What he had seen 

 of China gave him great hopes of fully real zing the anticipations of the Society. 

 He was about to proceed to Shang-Hai and Nmg-po. 



On Sai.tpetjir as a Manure. — I have applied Saltpetre, Guano, and Ni- 

 trate of Soda during the last season on three equal portions of my land, viz., a 

 quarter of an acre, and sowed with wheat. The portion on which Saltpetre was 

 applied produced one quarter of corn more than either of the other. Guano 

 being the least. Of Guano I applied six stones; of Saltpetre and Nitrate of 

 Soda three stones each. Aqricola. 



On the application of Charcoal in the Soil in which Pelargoniums are 

 guowing. — In the early part of last spring I saw an article in the Cabinlt re- 

 Ciiinmending bits of Charcoal to he unxe>t in compost used in pot culture of 

 plants. Having a quantity of young Pelargoniums to pot I adopted the plan by 

 ■prinkling about one-eighth with the rich turfy loam and vegetable soil, and, 

 having a free drainage, nothing can exceed the deep green beauty and vigour of 

 the plants at this time. An Amateur. 



Mile-End. 



On preserving the Vitality of Seeds. — The Editor of the Gardener's Chro- 

 nical, in the leading article, observes, that the gardener of Colonel Reid, Go- 

 vernor of Bermuda, had adopted the following most successful method of pie- 

 nerving the vitality of Seeds at that place, where, in consequence of the sudden 

 and violent changes, there exists the greatest difficulty in retaining their ger- 

 minating power. Karly in May last the gardener, recollecting the evenness of 



