Foreign Notices. ' — DenmaiJcj Hussia. 393 



from seeds which have sprung up accidentally ; but it was only in Belgium, 

 towards the latter end of the 18th century, that seedlings were raised in 

 large quantities with reference to this object. The city of Mons made the 

 first attempt, and obtained four exquisite new pears, viz. the Passe Colmar, 

 the Beurr^e Ranee, the Beurree Spence (in honour of the celebrated ento- 

 mologist), the Beurree d'Hiver, and Les D^lices d'Hardenpont. These 

 were raised in the garden of Counsellor Hardenpont. Other amateurs have 

 devoted themselves to the same subject, and obtained several pears of ex- 

 cellent quality; the Bonne de Mons, the Doyenn^ de Mons, and many 

 more. M. Siart procured La Napoleon ; and that learned pomologist, the Abbe 

 Duquesne, raised, among others, the excellent Marie Louise. M. Petit 

 pursued those i-esearches which M. Duquesne was obliged to abandon from 

 ill health and other causes. In Flanders they discovered the incomparable 

 Fondante des Bois (Boscheir) ; the Capuchins of Louvaine obtained their 

 Pastorale ; and the Comte de Colona of Malines, L'Urbaniste. During 

 these times thousands of plants were originated annually at Brussels, with 

 a view of stud3nng the quality of their fruits. The result of the whole has 

 been published by Professor van Mons, in a catalogue dated Louvaine, 

 1825. {Messager des Sciences et des Arts, livres 1 et 2. 1826, p. 77.) 



DENMARK. 



Pine-apples grown in Dung Heat. — Last autumn M. Lindegaard tried 

 the experiment of growing some pine plants in dung heat, in a pit made of 

 boards, and surrounded by linings, such as I have seen in Jenkins's nursery 

 in the New Road. The plants have stood our very unfavourable autumn 

 and severe winter remarkably well, and are now, without exception, the 

 finest in Denmark. M. Lindegaard, I believe, had no idea they would have 

 succeeded so well, and I am now convinced we may grow as fine pine- 

 apples here as you do in England. As soon as I get a good situation I hope 

 to prove this. — J. P. Petersen, Copenhagen, March 28. 1828. 



RUSSIA. 



A Scientific Excursion among the Kirghises, .and to the Altaic Mountains, 

 by Dr. Ladeburn, professor of botany at Dorpt, is expected to have im- 

 portant results for the study of natural history, and in particular with re- 

 gard to botany. The professor has collected nearly 500 new plants, of 

 which he has made very accurate drawings. It would be highly desirable to 

 see them published, and that the Russian government, which has already 

 done so much for science, should encourage the publication by a liberal 

 grant, like that afforded by the French government to the splendid works 

 on zoology and botany, forming part of the voyage of Captain Freycinet. 

 Without some such aid, it is to be feared that many enterprises like the 

 present may be lost to science and to the public. {For. Quar. Rev., Nov. 

 1827, p. 658.) 



A very delicate Oil, much used in Russian cookery, is expressed from the 

 seeds of the sunflower, and is prepared by enclosing them in bags, and 

 steeping them in warm water, after which the oil is expressed ; this is actu- 

 ally as sweet as butter. {Scotsman, Aug 11.) 



Culture of the Vine in the Crimea. — The valley of Soudaksk, especially 

 towards the east, is said to be one of the most enchanting scenes in the 

 world, and America, Siberia, Italy, and Caucasus are said to offer nothing 

 more delightful. What adds to its charms and its celebrity, is the success 

 which has there attended the culture of the vine ; it is even thought that 

 Russia may, at no distant period, produce wine enough in the Crimea for 

 her own consumption. The first vineyards were planted there in the year 

 1 804, at the suggestion of the celebrated naturalist, Pallas ; the situation 

 is named Gadjakol, in the territory of Kosi. Cuttings of vines were 



