General Notices. 505 



" A.t this lime the dryness must also be excessive, as will have been seen 

 by Sir Thomas Mitchell's observations.* Even such heats as these do 

 not, however, destroy the power of vegetation, for we find, in the midst of 

 them, all sorts of trees in blossom ; a few bulbs, and even here and there 

 (in damp places, no doubt,) such soft herds as Goodenias, Trichiniums, 

 Helichrysum, Didiscus, Teucrium, Justicia, herbaceous Jasmines, To- 

 bacco, and Amarantlis. During these heats, the night temperature seldom 

 remains high. Sometimes, indeed, the thermometer was observed as much 

 as 88°, and once even 97°, at sunrise, the average noon-heat of the month 

 being 97^°, but generally the temperature is lower. Thus : — 



Temperature 

 Occasionally at Sunrise. 

 Nov. and Dec, averaging 102° at noon, 62°, 58°, 61°. 



61 60 59 47°, &P. 

 61 59 54 48 &c. 

 63 55 51 47 «fcc." 



Now that winter is approaching, these facts have no small significance. 

 They may console those who fancy that their heating apparatus is defective, 

 because they cannot /orce up the night temperature to 80° ; they may teach 

 some clever persons how it happens that the best gardening is often to be 

 found in the worst houses ; and they may reconcile the possessor of a glass 

 shed or two, to his not having the command of Lord Birmingham's iron 

 conservatories, glazed with patent glass, heated with patent pipes and fur- 

 naces, and ventilated by patent self-acting calorific anemodoreans. 



Another week will give us the opportunity of explaining why, and under 

 what circumstances, a low night temperature is needed by plants ; for to- 

 day our limited space is exhausted. — {Gard. Chron., 1848, p. 683.) 



Pyramidal Pear Trees on Quince Stocks. — Having many months ago read 

 in the Chronicle some remarks in disapprobation of Mr. Rivers's pyramidal 

 pear trees on quince stocks, stating, among other objections, that they 

 were stunted unhealthy trees, and that neither good nor handsome fruit 

 could be expected from them, I beg to forward you the size of a few 1 have 

 just gathered from trees received from the Sawbridgeworth nursery, only 

 10 months ago ; and I can also affirm that the fruit is remarkably handsome,, 

 and appears to be beautifully ripened. My belief is that the wood and 

 leaves of several of these trees would not weigh so much as the fruit they 

 have produced. I must also add, that they are highly ornamental, and, be- 

 ing perfectly upright, are capable of supporting a very heavy crop,, in pro- 

 portion to their size ; the leaves are large, and of a fine dark green, show- 

 ing perfect health ; nevertheless, the growth has been moderate, and they 

 are now full of blossom-buds ; in a few years, I am confident, they will yield 

 a very considerable supply of fine fruit, and, from their pyramidal form, will 

 cause scarcely any injury to the garden. 



* " The humidity of the atmosphere, as indicated by a wet bulb thermometer, does not, 

 however, give such a degree of dryness as might have been anticipated; but it is to be 

 suspected iliat some errors may have crept into this part of the ' Journal.' " 

 VOL. XIV. — NO. XI. 43 



