Notes and Gleaimigs. 355 



our soil and climate, are not opinions formed from the experience of a single 

 season liable to prove erroneous ? Of their general inferiority, there can be no 

 question ; still I think it must be admitted, that, in many instances, we have ren- 

 dered a verdict which a more extended trial might have reversed. 



Violets. — Appropriate, seasonable, truly what more charming spring flower is 

 there than the violet ? We are glad to see that Mr. Rand, while duly praising 

 the fine Czar and Giant Violets, devotes much of his article to our native species. 

 That figured {V. pcdata) is one of the most charming of the family, and, in many 

 localities, covers the fields with sheets of bloom. The illustration, however, is 

 too crowded, and does not do justice to the beauty of the flower. We echo the 

 advice, Grow violets, and, by following the directions in this article, one may 

 gather violets every day in the year. 



Propagating Verbenas and Scarlet Geraniums (pp. 302, 303). — Such articles 

 are much needed. The text for every article should be. State what is to be done, 

 and tell just how to do it, and that, too, in the simplest way ; and tell it in the 

 fewest words. 



Decorative Palms (p. 305). — The use of fine palms for in-door and garden 

 decoration is yet in its infancy. The plants are scarce, and of high cost ; but 

 every year will make them more attainable. For parlor-culture in winter they 

 are very fine, and need very little care. Much attention is now given to them 

 in Europe, and foreign catalogues have long lists of species and varieties. 



Bismarck. 



Use of Toads. — The "Journal des Connaissances Medicales " states, that, 

 of late years, French horticulturists have followed the example of the English 

 ones, and peopled their gardens \yith toads. These reptiles are determined ene- 

 mies of all kinds of snails and slugs, which, it is well known, can, in a single 

 night, destroy a vast quantity of lettuce, carrots, asparagus, &c. In Paris, toads 

 are sold at the rate of two francs fifty centimes a dozen. The dealers in this un- 

 inviting article keep it in large tubs, into which they plunge their bare hands and 

 arms, without any fear of the poisonous bite to which they are supposed to ex- 

 pose themselves. Toads are also kept in vineyards, where they devour during 

 the night millions of insects that escape the pursuit of nocturnal birds, and 

 might commit incalculable havoc on the buds and young shoots of the vine. 



Tillage. — " The three great objects of tillage are, first, to enable the roots 

 of plants to force their way through the soil as freely as possible in search of 

 food ; secondly, to produce this food in the soil ; and, third, to kept down weeds. 



" It is found that of every one hundred parts of a soil of average fertility, 

 not more than one part is in a fit state to nourish plants. This explains why a 

 manure containing, in an available state for plants, only a small quantity of the 

 constituents of the soil, produces a great effect : it also shows the importance 

 of deep, early, and good tillage." 



A Horticultural Congress is to be held at .Manchester (Eng.), July 21 

 and 22, in connection with the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society. 



