| 3.—1846.] p 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 
37. 
Jews reject all but that with regular triplets, and if this | 
cannot be obtained, they content themselves with the 
common sort with leaves in regular pairs. Generally, 
the irregular disposition occurs in the earlier growth of 
the shoot, which, as it extends itself, displays the regular 
triplets. I cannot say whether itis a distinet species, 
or only a variety; I am inclined to believe the latter, 
for the greater part of its shoots have the leaves in 
pairs, like the common Myrtle, from which it does not 
differ in the appearance of leaf or blossom. It appears 
to grow more compactly than the common sort, which 
is disposed to straggle when large. The peculiarity 
does not depend upon superior vigour of growth, for 
other Myrtles of the same age are considerably larger. 
t is by much the most ornamental of its tribe, from 
the compactness of its growth, and the fullness of its 
foliage. 
The use of the Aboth is thus described in the * Form 
of Prayers for the Feast of Tabernacles : "— 
“They also prepare the Palm, Citron, Myrtles, &e., 
used on this Festival, as mentioned Leviticus xxiii, ch., 
40 ver. : * And ye shall take unto you on the first day 
the fruit of goodly trees (this, by tradition, we know 
denotes the Citron), branches of Palm-trees (the 
branches of Date-trees), and the boughs of thick trees 
(this denotes a species of Myrtle whose leaves are 
treble, i. e., such as have three leaves round the wood 
of an equal height, with other leaves hetween the rows, 
50 that the branch appears as if wreathed with leaves), 
and Willows of the brook ; and ye shall rejoice before 
the Lord your God seven days.’” The explanations 
ineluded in parentheses are foot-notes in the volume. 
ur i have improperly rendered the word 
“í fruit,” in the first sentence, by “boughs,” stating, 
however, in the margin, that the Hebrew word signifies 
” 
os fruit 
The Jews express the union of the four plants by the 
term Arbang Minim, and the signification of each is 
thus explained by a writer of authority among them :— 
“These Arbang Minim are symbolic of the relation 
between the Deity and the Universe, composed of the 
spiritual, the astral, and the inferior world; each of 
which is figured by one of these Minim or species. 
The Esrog, or Citron, which is carefully selected, in 
order to have it perfect (free from any, the slightest, 
stain and biemish), indicates the Great First Cause, the 
Holy One, and blessed be He ! Therefore this fruit is not 
tied up with the other three species, to denote that His 
Berne is absolute, and abstract from all Creation 
The Looliff, or Palm-leaves, denote the spiritual 
beings who, although separate like these leaves, having 
individual existence and distinct intellect, are neverthe- 
less closely united to the stem ; and however different in 
egree, form but one whole. The Myrtle devotes the 
Astral world, which is material (denoted by the word 
aboth, thick, or substantial), and the weeds of the brook 
indicate this inferior world, which is subject to total dis- 
solution. These are tied together, to show that however 
graduated, Creation forms but one whole, subject alike 
to one will, regulated by one legislator, and created for 
one purpose—the happiness of the creature, each accord- 
ing to'its degree. When tied,'they‘are held together by 
the esrog to denote their perfect dependence on the 
one Great Cause, that gave them all their being, and 
with whom they must ever remain united.” 
Let me express surprise that the Myrtle, the most 
elegant of all shrubs, should still be so little cultivated, 
under the mistaken idea that it isa tender plant. It 
flourishes in Cornwall, without any protection or care, 
in the ‘worst soils,'and {the} most exposed situations, 
flowering the most freely where the aspect is the coldest. 
Of course our climate is milder than that of any other 
` part of England ; yet we have now and then a severe 
winter—the last for example; and the shrub which 
Stands our severest winters without care, might be pre- 
served elsewhere with moderate protection. Indeed, it 
flourishes at Swansea, where the winter is often intensely 
cold ; and even at the Mumbles, or Swansea Bay, where 
the aspect is north-east, and the sun never shines on 
them in the winter. About 12 years ago a Myrtle was 
vut down at Falmouth, which from its height, and the 
Size of its stem (trunk I should rather say), was at least. 
50, perhaps 100 years old. It was in autumn, and I 
took a number of slips, and stuck them in a Grape-jar 
with a broken.bottom, half filled with common earth 
and left them out of doors all the winter to take their 
chance. Most of them grew, a callus having gradually 
formed'through the winter fat the edge of the bark, 
which shot out roots in the spring. Plants from these 
cuttings are now above 7 feet high, and had they been 
‘trained with a view to size, they might have been twice 
that „height. Myrtles trained against the wall grow 
readily to the eaves of a two-story house. 
The freedom with which the Myrtle blossoms, and the 
length of time it continues in bloom, greatly increase its 
value. It may he said to be in flower for six months of 
the year, producing its flowers in profuse succession 
from the beginning of July till the storms and frosts of 
Christmas. Its autumn blossoms are also the most 
elegant ; for, during the heat of summer they expand 
and go off quickly, littering by the fall of their petals 
and stamens; but as the season becomes cooler, they 
‘only swell to full-sized blossom-buds, and so remain with- 
‘out expanding, like round pearls shaded with a lovely 
brownish crimson. Thus, they continue in perfect fresh- 
ness till actual winter, when they wither and drop. Till 
this change occurs, no flower is so elegant, whether for 
the bouquet or the bosom. This winter it remained in 
full beauty up to a fortnight since, when the heavy gales 
came on, which have destroyed it. The blossoms 
on a little sprig which I have taken from the wreck will 
probably all be detached before they reach you; and faded 
as they are, they convey a very imperfect idea of what 
they were a few days ago. I delayed this communica- 
tion that I might send with it a bouquet of blossomed 
Myrtles from.the open air, gathered after Christmas, 
which I could generally furnish. This year, unfortu- 
nately, I waited too long. The shrub from which this 
sprig was gathered grows in a cold wet clay, in a court 
on the side of a steep’ hill with a north-west aspect, and 
where every ray of the sun is intercepted from it by 
buildings for four or five months. 1t blossoms most 
abundantly every year, and in a hot. summer ripens its 
berries. It is fully 8 feet high, having been planted out 
about 12 years. Indeed, I am inclined to believe that 
a sunny situation in winter is not favourable either to 
the vigour or the blossoming of the Myrtle. * 
It is not to be expected that slips from the conserva- 
tory will produce hardy plants ; but I have no doubt 
that Myrtles struck from those which, with their parent 
stocks in succession, have stood the winters of Cornwall 
or Devon for 100 years, will, with moderate care, live 
and flourish as out-door plants in all but the coldest 
parts of England.— Edward Osler, Truro. 
[This variety is the Italian Myrtle of Miller. The 
original species being a native of Persia, it would be 
known to the Jews from a very early date, and would 
naturally forms one of their religious symbols. ] 
Home Correspondence. 
Polmaise Heating.— am glad to perceive that you 
have taken up the subject of heating, as it has long 
been my opinion that we have much to learn, or, 
rather unlearn, on that very important subject. I 
much fear, however, if the Polmaise plan is a step quite 
in the right direction, as it appears to me next to an 
impossibility to keep up a proper degree of atmospheric 
humidity with the apparatus you deseribe. With Vines 
in a young, and, quently, in a p ively 
succulent state, I grant you may, to a certain extent, 
succeed, but as the plants get older and harder in their 
tissues, &c., depend upon it the demand upon the “ wet 
blanket? will be more than it ean supply. It is but 
right, however, that the plan should be fairly tested by 
a “fair trial.” As Iam plating some import: 
alterations here, by, way of improvement on the present 
hot water system, I should be glad if any of your 
correspondents would favour me with the results of the 
several systems under their respective charges. I 
do not mean to ask them to take up the dry subject of 
the old smoke flue, but to state the results of the 
different modifications of hot water now in use. At 
present my predelictions are in favour of the tank 
system, but with me the whole thing is still an “open 
question."—J. Walker, Vice-regal Gardens, Dublin. 
The Wleather.—1 observed your remarks in the 
Chronicle of Saturday last, upon the € Ombrologieal 
Almanack,” The attention you invited to that author's 
prediction of the weather on the 12th inst. turned out 
very unfortunate for his veracity ; as instead of its 
being “ clear all day,” the air was remarkably thick and 
heavy. I have not much faith in the safety of these 
weather guides, having tried several of them, though I 
confess I never heard of this singular titled book before. 
Pray what has ‘“ombrology” to do with atmospheric 
variations? Is the word derived from the Greek 
opBpos, signifying rain or wet? The wet almanack is, 
however, a peculiar designation. The most exact pre- 
dictions I have invariably found in “Zadkiel’s Alma- 
nack,” and T here give youan extract, that your readers 
may notice the result :—“January 20th, stormy and 
cold ; 21st and 22d, high winds, fair, yet frosty nights ; 
23d, cloudy and showery ; 24th, milder; 25th, fair ; 
26th, snow showers—the new moon brings cold but 
clear air—frost ; 28th, snow; 29th, fair; the 30th, 
a change—rain and snow or sleet, the last day cloudy 
and cold, stormy air.” ‘The 27th is especially likely 
to bring a brilliant aurora borealis, which meteor is 
generally observed during the sun’s aspects with 
Herschel, being merely a magnetic discharge from the 
Polar regions” "The prediction on the 11th and 12th 
was “ rain and fog prevail,” which proved more in ac- 
cordance with reality thah that of the author of the 
* Ombrological.” —Subseriber, East Ham. 
Effects of the present Mild Weather.—I would re- 
commend suburban gardeners to look after their Cur- 
rant bushes, whose buds the present mild weather has 
caused to swell, and if a few days’ frost should come, 
not a bud will be left by the birds. I found they had 
attacked mine after a night's frost, nearly a fortnight 
ago, and I immediately adopted a plan which last year I 
found effectual asa protection. I stretched across each 
plant, and in various directions from branch to branch, 
pieces of coloured worsted.. If the plants are nume- 
rous, and in rows, I doubt not the object may be at- 
tained by stretching the worsted from end to end of the 
The sparrows 
seem to be particularly fond of the swelling buds of the 
Currant, especially in frosty weather ; and in my garden, 
a fortnight ago, they had mearly stripped one bush, 
which appeared to be more forward than the others, 
before I had suspected them to have commenced their 
predati Have? diately adopted the precau- 
tion above suggested, I have not since found that the 
plants: have sustained any further injury.—J. N. 
Broccoli.—Vhis being the time when gardeners pro- 
| 
en 
that generally cultivated sort, Grange’s White. With 
me it succeeded the.Cauliflowers in October, and has 
afforded a regular supply of excellent heads up to the 
present time—a most desirable thing where a large 
family is to be supplied with vegetables at that season 
of the year.—J. B. Whiting. 
Sulphur v. Rabbits.—I stated last spring the effect of 
my flags of sulphur in keeping the above vermin from 
my Apple trees; everything I said was strietly 
correct. In the commencement of last month I found 
them as usual commencing to gnaw and nip off the 
shoots of my young Apples ; I immediately ordered the 
flags of sulphur, the same that were used last season, 
to be placed round the quarters, and not having enough, 
20 Ibs. of sulphur were melted and an additional number 
made; sinee they were placed not a twig has been 
touched. “Now, look on this picture ;" from my com- 
plete suecess during the whole of the last severe winter, 
I felt the pleasing anticipation of seeing a good show of 
my favourite spring flowers, the Crocus, which had 
hitherto every spring been devoured by the hares, even 
in bud, unless well covered with the trimmings of my 
Rose stocks or other bushes: accordingly, my flags, 
fresh dipped, were placed in thick array around every 
bed; alas! my hopes, like my flowers, were all nipped, 
although they must, in many instances, have brushed 
their furry coats against my yellow flags. What shall 
we say to this? I suppose, simply, that hares love 
Apple trees passingly well, but their dislike to the sul- 
phur preponderates, therefore they will not pass the 
flags to have a bite; but with Crocuses it is quite 
another affair—they love them so dearly that even close 
contact with vulgar brimstone will not prevent their en- 
joyment of a bouquet of flowers. Still, I must think 
that my hares and rabbits are of a more gentlemanly 
race than those mentioned by your correspondents, for 
unless tempted beyond “ hareish” endurance, they pay 
every respect to my flag.— T. Rivers, Sawbridgeworth. 
European Salvias.—The only species worth culti- 
vating, and those only for the shrubbery, are, Pratensis, 
blue; Glutinósa, yellow ; Hablitziana, lilac; Bicolor, 
blue and white ; Scabioseefolia, lilac ; Sclarea, lilac and 
white ; Patula, white ; Canariensis, lilac.—Anon. 
Packing for Hot-water Pipes.—As l have not seen 
any notice in the Gardeners’ Chronicle of Macintosh’s 
Patent Washer for iron-pipes, I now send you a speci- 
men of them, They appear to me to be well adapted 
to the fitting of heating apparatus for plant-houses, &c., 
as they are much cleaner than the ordinary plugging, 
and form a much more certain and durable joint. 
Though their first cost is somewhat greater than that 
of tow and paint, yet they are so easily fitted, and 
require so few repairs that they will probably prove in 
the end to be cheaper.—G. Thisilethwaite. [These 
seem to be a capital material for the purpose, -a full 
4 inch thick, and quite elastic.] 
Disease in Vegetables.—Have’ you heard any com- 
plaints about Parsnips? My gardener says about one- 
sixth of my roots in the garden for family use is diseased 
similar to those now left—R. [Yes; we find Pars- 
nips, Carrots, Turnips, and Onions, more or less affected 
by adecay similar to that of the Potato: but without 
any fungus.] 
Bouvardia flava.—Herewith I send you a specimen 
of the above plant, and I believe the first blooms that 
have been produced in England. When we take into 
consideration that the plant from whieh these flowers 
were gathered has been grown in heat, and the almost 
certain improvement it will undergo when subjeeted to 
more congenial treatment, I think it may safely be 
stamped as a decided acquisition to this class of plants. 
—W. W. Webber. [We are obliged to our corres- 
pondent;for his specimen. The plant had not before 
come under our observation. “It is a true Bouvardia, 
and a pretty species.] 
Green Frogs.—1l had sent to me, from Germany, 
some of those beautiful little green frogs that one sees 
in glass bottles half filled with water. I meant to turn 
them out in my conservatory, but as yet bave had diffi- 
eulty in feeding them; from Germany I was told. to 
feed them only on flies, snd 1 have the greatest diffi- 
culty at this season of the year in finding any. Bya 
great naturalist I was cautioned against allowing them 
to hybernate, as, perchance, they would not wake. 
Have any of your readers any knowledge of what they 
will eat except flies ? or have they any general experi- 
ence in the frog management 2—Dodman. [If they 
could be managed easily. the importation of these little 
creatures for sale might be profitable. 
Gooseberry Caterpillar.—I destroy these by shaking 
them from the trees, then by tying a piece of Cabbage- 
leaf around the stem of the tree with a circle of gas tar ` 
upon it. This prevents the caterpillars from again 
ascending, and when without food they soon perish.— 
V. Buck. 
Parrots.—I have a friend who has got a fine grey 
bird about four years old, whieh has lost the use of one 
of its legs and one wing for tbe last four months ; it 
resembles the rheumatism in the human frame, for it 
cannot bear to be touched without sereaming out in the 
greatest anguish. Could any of your correspondents 
give me any adviee in giving poor Poll. relief, that she 
may be restored to the use of her limbs ?—J. W., 
H: 
3 
arwich. 
Protecting Half-hardy Plants on Walls.—The con- 
servative wall now forms an important feature in every 
garden of any extent; but it is not carried out with that 
degree of spirit which it deserves ; for there are many - 
plants choked up in greenhouses which would flourish 
on the conservative wall if they were properly protected, 
