184 JVotcs and Gleanings. 



the air, instead of downwards on the ground, nothing in the way of sediment in 

 the water tends to settle in the holes and stop them up. I recommend, then, my 

 brother home gardeners to try this simple experiment, and see if they will care 

 to use any other form of rose afterwards. Ulysses, in Gardener'' s Magazine. 



Oldcotes, Notts. 



Depth of Roots. — An illustration of the depth to which the roots of plants 

 penetrate was furnished at the show of the Highland Agricultural Society, 

 at Edinburgh, in July last. The Marquis of Tweeddale exhibited a sample of 

 oats, growing in earth, contained in a glazed case, six feet in depth, the upper 

 three feet consisting of ordinary surface soil, and the lower three feet of subsoil. 

 The top and root progress of these oats was as follows : April 20, the points 

 of leaves just appeared above the surface of soil ; roots one inch down. April 

 22, leaves one inch high ; roots five inches down. May 12, leaves three 

 inches long ; roots twelve inches down. May 24, scarcely any increase in the 

 length of the leaves ; roots two feet nine inches long. On the 7th of June, the 

 portion of the box containing the subsoil was added. June 16, roots four feet 

 deep, and extending at the rate of one inch in twenty-four hours. June 20, 

 roots four feet six inches deep ; plants fifteen and one half inches high. July 

 7, roots entering the ground on which the case stood, therefore six feet long. 



Florist and Pomologist. 



Late Bearing. — We have never known a pear tree so long coming into 

 bearing as that mentioned in an extract from the Gardener's Magazine. We hope 

 none of our readers will be discouraged by it from planting pear trees, for we 

 assure them it is an exceptional instance. 



'■'■A Pear Tree bearing once in Thirty-seven Years. — We have a pear tree 

 here that was planted when the garden was first made, thirty-seven years ago ; 

 and until this year it was never known to produce a fruit. Strange to say, this 

 year there is a very nice crop of pears upon it. I had heard so bad a character 

 of this tree that I had in my own mind condemned it to make a gate-post, and 

 so much firewood ; but a press of other work prevented me from removing it last 

 winter ; so it stood over for a more convenient season. The result is as just 

 stated. There is, for the first time in the memory of a man who helped to plant 

 the tree, some fruit, and in sufficient numbers to induce me to spare its life for 

 another year. This is an illustration of the adage, — 



' He who plants pears 

 Plants for his heirs.' " 



Muscat Hamburg Grape. — We have received from Mr. Wray, of Rams- 

 gate, a bunch of Muscat Hamburg grape, from a vine grafted on tlie Syrian. 

 The berries are the largest we have ever seen of that variety, and this increase 

 in size is evidently due to the stock. The bunch is well set and krge. The 

 Muscat flavor is not well marked, though traceable, indicating that the stock 

 also influences the flavor ; but as the berries were not quite ripe, it is probable 

 that this may yet be developed. English Journal of Hortictilture. 



