196 Foreign JN'otices — Domestic J^otices. 



Art. II, Foreign Notices. 

 ENGLAND. 



Double Chinese Primrose. — A double variety of this beautiful plant 

 has lately been exhibited before the London Horticultural Society. The 

 flower is finely fringed, and is stated to have been obtained by strongly 

 fertilizing a plant which, before, was never known to have any tenden- 

 cy of approaching to doubleiiess. A silver Knightian medal was award- 

 ed to Mr. J. Henderson, the grower of this desirable plant. — Cond. 



WesPs St. Peter^s Grape. — Fine specimens of this grape were lately 

 exhibited at one of the ordinary meetings of the London Horticultural 

 Society. They were sent by Mr. Paxton from the gardens of the Duke 

 of Devonshire. Mr. Paxton, in an accompanying letter, states, that 

 "it was never known to fail under any management, however bad, and 

 never to shrink at the shoulder of the bunch, a very common defect in 

 other varieties." We know not that this variety (the true,) is m our 

 gardens; it should, however, be introduced. — Id. 



Drrj rot in Dahlias. — There appears to be, according to an account 

 in the Horticultural Journal for January, a general complaint among 

 dahlia growers of a sort of rot, which has attacked the roots, from the 

 stalks downwards, and, in many cases, the tubers have fallen away. 

 Among others which have suffered are the Countess of Sheffield and 

 Sir H. Fletcher, both fine kinds. No cause is assigned, but it appears 

 to be the same disease which is frequent among the collections of our 

 amateurs. In our late visit to New York and Philadelphia we did not 

 see a root which had suffered in this manner; and we can only attribute 

 it, in the vicinity of Boston, to the sudden cutting off of the plants by 

 early frosts, when they were in full vigor; thus, not allowing the tubers 

 to arrive at a mature state. Were the season longer, so as to allow 

 the plants to exhaust their strength in flowering, their roots would, 

 probably, attain a greater firmness. Plants grown in pots, and shelter- 

 ed in the fall so as to prevent the tops from being destroyed, always 

 have fine roots. It is well known that all tuberous roots, the potato for 

 instance, when dug before they are fully grown, will shrivel and decay- 

 long previous to those which perfect their growth. We are not aware 

 of the character of the season in England last fall, but we believe the 

 plants were destroyed by earlier frosts than is usual; if so, we shall be 

 more confirmed in our opinion of the cause of this kind of rot. — id. 



Art. III. Domestic Notices. 



Early Grapes. — Mr. Cowan, gardener to Col. Perkins, at Brookline, 

 informs us that he cut several bunches of finely ripened grapes on the 

 12th of April. The pit was put into operation early in December, (as 

 noticed by us at p. 28,) and the vines were in bloom in January. Last 

 year grapes were cut from the same vines, but not until the 30th of 

 April, making a difference of eighteen days. Next season, by forcing 

 a fortnight earlier, grapes will be obtained in March; and if the same 

 system is pursued by Mr. Cowan the next year after, the season of their 

 bearing will be exactly reversed. Under Mr. Cowan's excellent manage- 

 ment, the vines have produced a great crop. — Cond. 



