Transactions of the Horticultural Society. 47 



about Tours, where it is used in soups and stews, and some- 

 times in salads. The sorts' described are the common, Spanish, 

 Cardoon of Tours, and Red Cardoon. The Spanish Mr. Ma- 

 thews considers the best, and the culture of any of the sorts 

 he states to be particularly easy. Sow about the middle of 

 April, in deep, light, not over rich soil, in trenches about six 

 inches deep by twelve inches wide, and four feet distant 

 centre from centre. Drop three orfour seeds together at inter- 

 vals of eighteen inches, and, when they come up, thin them out 

 to single plants. Water frequently during summer ; and, in a 

 dry day about the end of October, commence the operation of 

 blanching, by tying up the leaves with twisted hay bands, after 

 which earth may or may not be heaped round them in the 

 manner of landing celery, according as they are to be used 

 early or during winter. The common practice is to tie 

 slightly with matting in the beginning of October, and earth 

 up once a fortnight, till the plants are sufficiently covered, in 

 the manner of celery. The French mould up the bottom of 

 the plant a little, then tie up the leaves with packthread, and 

 thatch them with long clean straw, made fast with strong mat- 

 ting, or small ropes. The hay band method is the best. 



Cardoons may be transplanted in the manner of celery, but 

 they are found to do much better when sown where they are 

 to remain. In France the flowers are gathered and dried in 

 the shade, and used instead of rennet to coagulate milk. 



3. Account and Description of the several Plants belonging to the 

 Genus Hoya, which are cultivated in the Garden of the Horticul- 

 tural Society at Chiswick. By Mr. James Traill, Under-Gar- 

 dener in the Ornamental Experimental Department. 



Hoya carnosa, crassifolia, pallida, PottszY, and trinervis 

 are described ; and the fact noticed that the flowers of the first 

 species form no particular attraction for wasps, or any other 

 insects which find their Way into hot-houses, as Mr. Maher 

 (Hort. Trans, vol. i.) thought he had observed in 1815. 

 Mr. Knight, the president, has, we believe, made a similar 

 mistake as to the berries of the yew tree attracting wasps. 

 Nothing can be easier than the culture of Hbyas in vegetable 

 mould and lime rubbish, with little water, and the heat of a 

 stove. As they make few roots, they seldom require shifting. 

 They may be propagated by cuttings, or the leaves immersed 

 in silver sand nearly half their length will produce roots from 

 the base of the foot-stalk, and after some time a shoot from the 

 same point. 



