Preservation of Garden Ranunculus Seed. 481 



put to many good uses, where there are collections of valuable 

 fruit and flowering trees. 



I very much approve of your plan for forming garden libra- 

 ries ; it would very much benefit and amuse our young hands, 

 who too often lose much precious time from want of ability 

 to purchase, or opportunity to read, books which treat of sub- 

 jects connected with their business. 



I have several other new ideas to send you, when I have 

 leisure to take my pen ; meanwhile I remain, Sir, yours, &c. 



J. Haythorn. 



Art. XI. On preserving the Seeds of the Garden JRanunculus 

 till the Season of Gromng. By Mr. F. Smith. 



Sir, 



In Mr. Hogg's Treatise on the Auricula, he recommends 

 persons who raise seedlings to keep the seed perfectly dry; 

 but, on trying his plan, I was somewhat disappointed, and 

 therefore resolved on making an experiment. 



I kept my seed in a damp room from the time of gathering 

 it to the time of sowing, and, to my astonishment, it made its 

 appearance exactly a month after sowing, and is now growing 

 vigorously. Mr. Hogg, again, says, " sow it, if possible, in 

 the front of a green-house, and you may expect it to make its 

 appearance in about six weeks." Mine was sown in a com- 

 mon garden frame, without any more protection than is neces- 

 sarily required for the auricula. 



I think it may be safely said that my plan has the advan- 

 tage of any other, considering the difficulty generally attendant 

 on raising seedling auriculas. Yours, &c. 



Kennington Common. F. Smith. 



Art. XII. On the great Height to which the Cidture of the 

 Gooseberry has arrived, xmth some Remarks on their different 

 Peculiarities. By Mr. Joseph Clarkson. 



Sir, 



One of the most surprising subjects in modern gardening 

 is the improvement which has taken place in fruit during the 

 last fifty years, especially in that of the gooseberry. By con- 

 sulting the gooseberry-growers and their records, I find that 

 the heaviest berries at the commencement of the above period 

 seldom exceeded 10 dwts. It was about that time that people 



Vol. XV. — No. 17. n 



