General Notices. 485 



lying on the floor, into which I had struck two cuttings of apple tree in- 

 tended for grafts ; I took the cuttings out of the potato, and forced the 

 bleeding end of a vine branch into one of the holes, and, to my great sur- 

 prise, I soon saw a drop appear at the other hole. I then removed this 

 potato, and got a perfectly sound potato, and forced the end of the vine 

 branch into it; this I found to stop the bleeding. I then cut a luxuriant 

 vine, to try it fairly, and found it again quite effectual. I then cut the skin 

 of the potato in five different places, and found that the sap of the vine 

 made its way out at tiiose five places. I am, Sir, &c. — M. Saul. Fomo- 

 logical Garden, Lancaster, April 11. 1831. 



Exjieriment with the Mulberry. — Sir, I beg to forward to you the fol- 

 lowing experiment which I have made this year on the mulberry tree. 

 Being a few months ago in Paris and the neighbourhood, I was much 

 pleased with the fruit of the mulberry, as well as the appearance of the 

 tree ,■ and, being informed that it was easily propagated by cuttings, I was 

 induced, in March last, to obtain from a gentleman here a few cuttings, 

 about 18 in. long, of last year's wood, which I plunged in good soil, half 

 the length of the cuttings. I have kept them damp and shaded; and 

 I have the pleasure of informing you that some of them are now nearly 

 out in leaf, and most of the remainder coming out. I hope to find them 

 useful, not only on account of the leaf (as I keep and propagate the silk- 

 worm), but also for fruit, as I am informed they will fruit next season. 

 I trust this circumstance will induce many of your intelligent and scientific 

 correspondents to try the same experiments ; for I can with confidence 

 assure them that they will find but little difficulty in succeeding, if they 

 plunge the cuttings sufficiently deep, and keep them damp. I have often 

 regretted that the mulberry tree is not more cultivated in this country than 

 it is, feeling convinced that the crude notion of our sires " that the climate 

 will not suit it," will evaporate and vanish before the hand of the cul- 

 tivator. — G. G. Birmingham, June 23. 1830. 



The Scarlet Runner (^Phascolus inidtijldrus^, a Perennial Plant. — Sir, 

 Plants of this esculent, in the second year of their growth, were exhibited. 

 May 25., at the Show of the Norwich Horticultural Society, when a bronze 

 medal was awarded to the exhibiter, Mr. Lindley. In the Norfolk Chronicle 

 of May 28. the above Show, which was very splendid, is most ably 

 reported, and the following information supplied on the scarlet runner : — 

 " Its roots are tuberous, like those of the Dahlia (Georgi««), and may be 

 preserved through the winter in the same manner. The method of cul- 

 tivating this vegetable as a perennial is first brought into notice in a work 

 which Mr. Lindley has now in the press, and which in a few weeks will 

 make its appearance under the title of A Gidde to the Fruit and Kitchen 

 Garden." The Bury and Norwich Post of June 15. supplies still farther 

 information, as follows : — " The plants exhibited were raised from seeds 

 sown in April, 1830. They were taken up in November, and preserved in 

 some dry mould in the cellar through the winter, and planted out again the 

 7th of April last. The roots were then perfectly sound, as well as the 

 stems; from both of which, at the time of their exhibition, they had 

 pushed vigorous young shoots, of from G to 9 in. in length. They are now 

 growing luxuriantly roimd their stakes, and will soon produce a second 

 year's crop. It is not a little remarkable, that this useful and valuable 

 inhabitant of our gardens for at least two centuries, should not have been 

 discovered to be perennial by any of our English writers on horticulture. 

 The first crop of scarlet runners, from year-old roots, of which we have 

 any knowledge, was grown under the suj)erintendence of the exhibitor in 

 1827." 



All this is interesting; but, although " English writers on horticulture" 

 may not have previously discovered the perennial duration of this plant, 

 English gardeners have. I have known the fact a dozen vears ; Mr. Dennis, 



I I 3 



