RevieiD of Loudon''s Gardener''s JVIagazine. 70 



culated to afford much gratification to the scientific mind. 

 The following we extract, as it may be useful to nursery- 

 men : 



" Among the nursery practices which were new to us here, is that of 

 buying in seedling birch trees which have been pulled up out of the 

 copses. These are found to root much better than seedlings of the same 

 age and size taken out of a regular seed-bt^d ; doubtless because, in the 

 latter case, a greater proportion of the taproot requires to be cut off. In 

 the case of the young birches pulled out of the copses, the taproot, which 

 could not get far down into the hard soil, has its substance in a more con- 

 centrated form, and is more branchy ; hence little requires to be cut off, 

 except the ragged fibres ; and it may be considered as acting as a bulb to 

 the upper part of the jjlant. The tops of the seedling birches are shortened 

 before planting ; and the plants, Mr, Young informs us, make as much 

 wood in one year, as regular nursery-reared birch seeelings will in two. 

 It is found, in this part of the country, that the downy-leaved black- 

 barked seedling bii'ches stole much freer when cut down as coppice 

 wood, than the smooth-leaved white-barked weeping variety. The ])lum- 

 leaved willow is here grown to a great extent for planting in copses, 

 as also are the common ash and the sweet chestimt." 



In the Epsom JWrsery^ Clianthus puniceus, Deutzta scabra, 

 Benthamia fragifera, JBerberis ^quifulium, and various other 

 rare shrubs, are for sale by the hundred. The collection of 

 climbing roses is stated to be beyond all praise. 



Article II, is the first of " a series of designs for laying 

 out suburban gardens and grounds from one perch to sever- 

 al acres in extent." Designs 1 and 2 are for frontages of 

 houses, containing one and a half perch each. The au- 

 thor remarks : — 



" The series of designs which I propose for your acceptance will con- 

 sist of what may be termed "designs for suburban gardens," and such 

 as, perhaps, may be useful to some who may be about to commence the 

 laying out of gardens to the extent of any of the designs that this series 

 will embrace. I have begun at a low scale, namely, that of mere fron- 

 tages to houses that are attached or joined togejher ; the first of which 

 consists of four frontages, of one perch of ground to each ; and the se- 

 cond also of four frontages, consisting of about one perch and a half to 

 each. The ground to these being of small dimensions there is not room 

 for much display of taste and variety ; but it may not be amiss to offer a 

 few hints upon them ; and first, with regard to the walks : — these I 

 should prefer being laid down with stone, w ith neat kerbs, aboiit 2 in. 

 high at the sides ; and, where there are clumps that do not join the 

 walks, I should prefer them to be surrounded with grass rather than 

 gravel, as I consider the latter to be in bad taste, though it is frequently 

 employed in the vicinity of the metropolis. 



" With regard to the plants and shrubs proper for gardens of this de- 

 scription, I should recommend their maximum of growth to be in pro- 

 portion to their situation, as by this means a greater variety may be in- 

 troduced. I have seen instances where a single tree has overshadowed 

 nearly a whole garden of this description, and thus rendered void the 

 possibility of anything else growing therein. I would recommend, also, 

 that the partition fences of the frontages, of whatever material they may 

 be constructed, should not exceed the height of 6 feet, in order that as 

 free a circulation of air as possible may take place, as this is highly ne- 



