288 



Gossip about Fertilizers. 



trition, is not very obvious. But Professor Norton, and other 

 chemists, have demonstrated that its presence is indispensable. 

 The decaying bones also furnish the phosphate of lime, which is 

 largely an essential clement of the grape vine, which has been 

 shown repeatedly by analysis. Should any one wish to investigate 

 the subject, I would recommend that he peruse Professor Norton's 

 " Prize Essay," which may be found in the " Transactions" of the 

 N. Y. State Ag. Soc. for (I think) 1850. And with respect to a 

 judicious treatment of plants and vines under glass, the second 

 part of Lindley's Theory of Horticulture, is equal, or superior to 

 anything in the English language. A. MESSER. 



THE LOMBARDY POPLAR. 



BY AX OLD DIGGER. 



AN tlie mania for Lombardy Poplar be revived ? 

 Mr. Lewis F. Allen has in a recent number of 

 the Horticulturist, taken it upon himself to be- 

 come the exponent of that lackadaisical tree, the 

 Lombard}' Poplar. Li the commencement of 

 his article, he remarks, " Man is a capricious 

 animal." To verify this erudite apothegm he 

 proceeds to state, his (man) having abandoned 

 the Lombardy Poplar, as evidence to the con- 

 viction, he calls the introduction of new species 

 of trees "fashion." Mr. Allen is either the victim of an unfortu- 

 nate prejudice, or he is ignorant of the natm'c of the Lombardy Pop- 

 lar, and the advancing strides the science of arboriculture is 

 making in America. 1 should not have taken notice of the article 

 in question, were it penned bj' a man of lesser notoriety in the 

 horticultural community than friend Allen. 



In the first place, he endeavours by dulcet persuasion and graphic 

 description, to prove that the poplar is an elegant and pictur- 

 esque tree. This, at once, says tlie gentleman is no artist ; true 

 art does not recognize aught in nature as tributary to beauty or 



