Editorial Miscdlatiy. 183 



sort of square, where the arrival and unloading of camels, the 

 tasting of buyers and the bargaining with sellers are perpetual. 

 When a purchase has been made, the bags are conveyed to the 

 packers, and after being sorted into baskets, are squeezed into 

 shape by dirty women and children, and then packed into drums 

 or boxes by men. This process is a very disgusting one to look 

 at, and it is said that no one, who has seen it, ever eats a fig again. 

 The residents buy a yearly stock, and have them packed at home 

 by their servants. 



Mr. Gilbert's method of growing that unique bedding plant, the 

 Ciifhea platycentra, is worthy of emulation, by gardeners on this 

 side of the Atlantic ; we annex his practice : — 



My employer has succeeded in raising standards of this beauti- 

 ful plant, 4 feet high, with large heads, which are at this time 

 loaded with fine foliage and flowers. This has been efiected by 

 beginning with them when they are cuttings, keeping all lateral 

 shoots stopped, and the leader of each, tied to a neat stake, shift- 

 ing the plants into larger pots, as soon as they require it, and 

 using a rich compost. Treated as standards they show to better 

 advantage their small but beautiful flowers, and afford a pleasing 

 variety during the summer months, in shrubberies and flower 

 borders, where they should be plunged in their pots for conveni- 

 ence in lifting and housing them at the approach of frost. They 

 should be liberallj'- watered in dry weather, using for them, occa-. 

 sionally, a little liquid manure. — R. Gilbert, Abbey Wood, Bexley 

 Heath. 



Two ripe apples, of the early June variety, of the second 

 crop for this year, have been exhibited to the editor of the Fru- 

 man^s Journal, published in Grant Co., Indiana. These apples 

 grew in the orchard of Elijah Lucas, near Jonesborough, in that 

 county. 



The correspondent of the Newark Advertiser, wi-iting from Rome, 

 October 26th, says : — 



" The vintage and harvest have failed again this year, and the 

 government has therefore interdicted the exportation of oil, wine, 

 and grain. It has also established public bake houses in the chief 

 cities, to supply the poor at cost prices, and thus prevent extor- 

 tion by the bakers. Public depots of oil, have been established 

 for the same purpose. As to wine, there is next to none in the 

 country, the old stock having been nearly or quite consumed dur- 

 ing the three years failure of the vine. The grape has been cut 

 off again all over the peninsula, and the people are drinking vile 

 decoctions and compositions, for they will not take water with 



