76 Domestic jyotices. — Retrospective Criticism. 



Art. III. Domestic Notices. 



O'xalis crendta. — You have no doubt heard much both for and against 

 the productiveness ol' this bulb. J'our years ago 1 grew it in a stjiall jjot, 

 and afterwards threw it out as useless, producing nothing but fleshy 

 fibres. I tried it again last spring, and planted a bulb in the ground and 

 earthed it up as we do the potatoes in Ireland: this fall 1 lifted two quarts 

 at one root. J, B. Smith, Esq., of this city, put a small box round the 

 bulb he had in the ground, and, as it grew, filled the box with earth ; 

 it produced half a peck of tubers of the size of small potatoes. Il" cook- 

 ed dry they are very pleasant to taste, but if cooked wet they are nau- 

 seous: the tops make an excellent salad, and it may be considered a very 

 useful vegetable, and will, no doubt, gain favor, — Yours, B. — Philadel- 

 phia, Dec. 1835. 



Passijlbra edulis. — When you visited this city, your limited time pre- 

 vented you from taking a glance at the lovely and handsomely arranged 

 garden of Mrs. Stott, late of Castle Dykes, Scotland. I saw a few days 

 ago at her country seat, a Passiflora edulis, growing on the back of a 

 new vinery, only planted from a cutting last spring, and now covers an 

 area of 320 feet, and loaded with hundreds of fine fruit. The gardener, 

 a very scientific man, (Mr. Wm. Chalmers) told me there had been a 

 great many pulled. The fruit is equally as rich in flavor as any of the 

 fine sorts of gooseberries. — lb. 



Pennsylvania Horl. Society. — The only articles of interest exhibited be- 

 fore this society, on the evening of the 21st iust. were cucumbers from 

 the garden of Mrs. Stott, presented by Mr. Chalmers, and a plant of 

 jEuphorbm Poinsettii, from the garden of H. Pratt, Esq., grown from a 

 cutting since June last — had two branches a foot high each, and crowned 

 with a bracteae sixteen inches in diameter. — Yours, A. B., Phila- 

 delphia, Dec. 1835. 



Clebme grandifibra. — We had but just finished writing the short no- 

 tice in our December number, respecting this fine plant, and sent it to 

 press, when we received a letter from Dr. Ward, in which, among many 

 other interesting notes, he makes the following observations in relation 

 to it : — 



" I shall be glad if you will let me know how you succeeded with the 

 seeds of the Cleome grandiflora, which I sent you. I was a lit- 

 tle disappointed in seeing no notice of it in the reports of your exhi- 

 bitions, though perhaps it were too early [Nov. 20]. My own plants are 

 later, and have not done quite so well this year as last; but there is no 

 mistake about it at all, that, if well grown, i^iw things can equal it in the 

 green-house, in December. I find it can be propagated by cuttings, 

 treated like balsamines, and other such succulent things, and hope you 

 will try a few, as I am now doing, to turn out in the border in spring." 



We hope it will be flowered to perfection the coming season, — Conds. 



Astrapod'a Wallich'n. — This magnificent plant mentioned in another 

 place as in bud at Belmont Place, is now in bloom at the nursery and ex- 

 otic garden of R. Buist, Philadelphia. We have been kindly promised 

 a description of it. — Conds. 



Art. IV. Retrospective Criticism. 



The To Kalon Grape. — In your Magazine for December, I perceive 

 some remarks on the To Kalon grape, and a doubt is expressed whether 

 it is synonymous with the Catawba. Permit me to place this question at 



