172 BRIEF REMARKS. 



of C. dependent, and up to the day of their commencing disposing of it 

 they had the sole possession of the stock. The same plant, however, has 

 been called in our own country, by some persons, C. buxifulia. For some 

 time tliere has been a Cantua buxifolia existing in the continental nurse- 

 ries, and hence the conclusion by many was that they were one and the 

 same species. It, however, now turns out that the species on the Conti- 

 nent werefer to is the Cantua bicolor of our British nurseries, and is a 

 very different plant from Messrs. Veiteh's very splendid species. {Editor.) 



Ten thousand French Tulips. — It was advertised that this 

 number of superb Tulips were to be seen in bloom in the nursery of 

 Mr. Adams at Kensington. We saw the display, but did not observe 

 a single flower worth a place in an English floiist's Tulip-bed. There 

 were only Roses and Byblomens, no Bizarres. All the flowers we ex- 

 amined had bad, dirty bottoms. We went to the exhibition of them, 

 with high expectations, but got sadly disappointed. We are astonished 

 that our brother florists of France should grow such indifferent flowers, 

 whilst they nrght have gems of the highest ciiaracter. 



The Glycine sinensis, and where it is found wild. — In the 

 end of May, when the Overland Mail puts these notes into your hands, 

 the noble Glycine, or "Wistaria chinensis, will be in full bloom at Cliis- 

 wick, and in many other Engli-h gardens. It was introduced, as your 

 readers know, from a garden near Canton — that of a Chinese merchant, 

 named Consequa ; but it is not indigenous to the south of China, and is 

 rarely seen in perfection there. Indeed, the simple fact of its being 

 perfectly hardy in England shows at once that it has a more northern 

 origin. 



Before the last war with China, foreigners were confined to narrow 

 limits about Canton and Macao, where they had no means of knowing 

 anything of the more hardy plants of the north, which they sometimes 

 met with in gardens, and introduced to Europe. Now, however, we 

 can prosecute our botanical researches in a country which is nearly a 

 thousand miles further to the north-east, and at many other places which 

 lie along that line of coast. The island of Koo-lung-su, for example, 

 near Amoy, was taken by our troops during the war, and occupied by 

 them for some years, according to treaty, until a portion of the ransom 

 money was paid. It seemed to have been a place of residence to many 

 of the mandarins and principal merchants in peaceful times, and boasted 

 of its gardens and pretty fish ponds. When I first saw these gardens 

 they were mostly in a ruinous condition, and everywhere exhibited the 

 fatal effects of war. Many beautiful plants, however, still continued 

 to grow and scramble about over the ruined walls. Captain Hall, of 

 the Madras army, who was stationed there for some time, was very fond 

 of botany, and took great pleasure in pointing out to me all the plants 

 which he met with in his rambles. " I have good news for you," said 

 he one morning, when I met him; " come with me and I shall show 

 you the most beautiful plant on the island, which I have just discovered. 

 It is a creeper, it produces fine long racemes of lilac flowers before it 

 puts fortli its leaves, and it is deliciously fragrant." What could it be ? 

 was it new? would it produce perfect seeds? or could young plants be 

 orocured to send home? were questions which rapidly suggested them- 



