Notes and Glcanmgs. 1/3 



The once-famous Botanic Gardens of Calcutta must . ^w be numbered 

 amongst the things of the past ; for what of their contents resisted the force of 

 the cyclone of 1864 have been swept away by that of the 2d of November last, 

 together with the rich and varied collections procured in the interval by Dr. 

 Anderson, the talented superintendent. 



Ag.\panthus umdellatus. — This fine old plant is very useful for decora- 

 tive purposes during the latter part of the summer and early in the autumn. A 

 well-grown specimen with ten or twelve large umbels of its bright blue flowers 

 is a fine object ; and when we consider that the plant is nearly hardy, and of the 

 easiest culture, the wonder is that it should be so much neglected. It is readily 

 increased by offsets. These, when potted in any rich earth, soon make good 

 plants : they have strong, fleshy, fibrous roots ; and, when these fill the pots, the 

 plants should be shifted into larger ones. By giving them plenty of pot-room, 

 they soon make fine large specimens. They do best out of doors in summer, 

 and in winter they merely require protection from frost and moisture. It is a 

 plant that most people could grow, and winter with very little trouble. 



Those who know the plant, and who may possess good specimens of it, 

 would not, I feel sure, like to remove it from their collections to make room for 

 any mere novelty. — Florist. 



Notes on Strawberries. — Each year brings its quota of new seedlings, 

 and the present one is no exception. In the eyes of the originators of some of 

 these new plants, — many of them hardly merit the name of new var-eties, — 

 their productions have a greater merit than any heretofore known ; and they 

 expect others to see the fruit in the same light. Other patient experimenters 

 are willing to wait for results, and try again and again, until they feel that they 

 have something worthy the attention of pomologists. The ease with which 

 strawberries are raised from seed, and the short time required to obtain results, 

 have increased the number of seedlings within a few years at a fearful rate. 

 Many so-called new berries are so much like older ones, that it is impossible to 

 remember any distinguishing characters about them. Our catalogues become 

 filled with names, without any really distinct fruits belonging to them. No one 

 should exhibit, much less offer for sale, a strawberry, unless he can show, that, 

 in some respects, it is superior to the varieties already in cultivation. Some 

 growers of seedlings have strange notions of the possibilities in fertilizing ; and 

 we are often told that such a berry is from the Wilson, for instance, crossed by 

 two or three others. Now, one seed of the many which a strawberry contains 

 can only be fertilized by the pollen of one other berry. If the pollen of two or 

 more other varieties be applied, that of one only will be effective. We give 

 notes of some of the newer sorts that have come under our notice during the 

 season just past: — 



Boydcn''s A'o. 30. — This variety is a seedling by Seth Boyden, (he originator 

 of the Agriculturist Strawberry. It was exhibited last year by Mr. Boyden ; 

 and, this year, has been tested by several others. The vine is of remarkable 

 size, and vigor of foliage ; and the fruit is probably larger than that of any other 



