230 General Notices. 



not aware, until I had this view, that the practice of forcing flowers was 

 common in Cliina. Many plants of Magnolia purpurea were in full flower, 

 so were many kinds of double-blossomed peaches, the pretty little Prunus 

 sinensis alba, and a variety of camellias. But that which struck me as 

 most remarkable was the facility wilh which the Pasony Moutan had been 

 brought into full bloom. Several varieties of this plant were in full flower ; 

 and, at this season of the year, when all out of doors was cold and dreary, 

 they had a most lively effect. Their blooms were tied up, to keep them 

 from expanding too rapidly. All these things had been brought from the 

 celebrated city of Soo-chow-foo, the great emporium of Chinese fashion 

 and luxury. 



You will perhaps think that the Chinese have glass houses, hot water 

 pipes, Polmaise stoves, and all those fine things which assist gardeners 

 and amateurs in Europe. Nothing of the kind ; they do all these things 

 in their houses and sheds, with common charcoal fires, and any quantity of 

 straw to stop up the crevices in the doors and windows. 



At this season of the year, the " Kum-quat" (Citrus japonica,) which 

 is extensively grown in pots, is literally covered with its small, oval, orange- 

 colored fruit. This, with various other species of the orange, are mixed 

 with the forced flowers, and together produce an excellent effect. I think 

 if the " Kum-quat" was better known at home, it would be highly prized 

 for decorative purposes during the winter months. It is much more hardy 

 than any of its tribe ; it produces its flowers and fruit in great abundance, 

 and it would doubtless prove a plant of easy cultivation. To succeed with 

 it, as well as the Chinese, however, one little fact should be kept in view, 

 namely, that all the plants of the orange tribe which fruit in a small state 

 are grafted.— (Gart/. Chron., 1849, p. 214.) 



Pomological Archccology. — As it is the duty of every one possessing in- 

 formation, however limited its extent may be, to communicate it for the 

 benefit of his fellows, I take advantage of the opportunity afforded in your 

 Journal, of making the following remarks. I have headed this article 

 " Pomological Archasology," because it treats of the pomology of an age 

 long prior to our own, and of which but little is now known. 



" It is much to be regretted that Mayster Groshede, somtyme Bysshop 

 of Lyncoln," " Barnaby Googe, Esquire," " Leonardo Mascal," and those 

 of our ancestors who had the ability and the opportunity of writing on rural 

 affairs, did not devote their attention to what was immediately passing 

 around them, instead of occupying their minds with translations from Cato, 

 Columella, and Varro, and promoting the absurdities contained in these 

 authors ; the consequence of which is, that we are left in comparative igno- 

 rance of this part of our social history. 



It has been said that the apple was introduced to this country by the 

 Normans at the time of the conquest. But it is just as likely, if it did 

 not exist before, that it was introduced by the Romans. We know that 

 the cherry was, although Mr, Loudon states differently ; for Pliny, in lib. 

 XV., cap. 25, says, " Cerasi ante victoriam Milhradaticam L. Luculli non 

 fuere in Italia. Ad urbis annum DCLXXX. is primum viiit e Ponto : 



