364 Calls at Suburban Gardens. 



Catalpa syringifolia, grows to the height of 40 feet in America ; but 

 not above seven or eight in England, because they are " raised from layers 

 and not from seed." Next to the Magnolia grandiflora, it is " unquestion- 

 ably the finest and most magnificent flowering tree that we know any 

 thing about." It will grow almost in any soil, and " produce you a gate- 

 post to last two or three lifetimes." The wood is of a deep yellow, and, 

 " probably, as durable as that of the locust." 



Hibiscus Klthda-frutex grows 20 feet high in America, " where such a 

 thing as a layer was never heard of;" here it " makes no figure," and 

 " seldom blows." (!) "A hedge of these althaeas is one of the most beautiful 

 things I ever saw in my life." They grow fast, and will make a hedge in 

 a short time. 



Besides the above forest trees and shrubs, Mr. Cobbett propagates 38 

 sorts of American apples, which he severally describes and recommends. 

 The Newtown Pippin, Rhode Island Greening, and Fall Pippin, he says, 

 are decidedly the best in point of flavour and keeping ; while the Mam- 

 moth is the largest of all the apples in America, weighs from one to two 

 pounds, and is chiefly used for pies and sauce. There are three sizes of these 

 trees, which are sold at Is. 3d., 2s., and 5s. a tree ; those only one year 

 grafted are 9c?. each. Keens' Seedling Strawberry is the only remaining 

 article sold by Mr. Cobbett, for which he charges 2s. 6d. per hundred. 



The prices of these trees are considerably higher than those of the nur- 

 serymen. The insinuation that althaeas, catalpas, and tulip trees are 

 generally raised by layers, &c, is incorrect. 



The Platanus is generally raised by layers, but not always ; there are 

 trees in England from sixty to eighty feet high ; for instance, at Syon 

 House, and in Chelsea garden. Mr. Cobbett has adopted an opinion, which 

 Mr. Knight has been principally instrumental in propagating ; viz. that, in 

 general, layers and cuttings will not produce plants equally strong with 

 those raised from seeds. With every respect for the opinion of so eminent 

 a physiologist as Mr. Knight, we feel obliged to differ from him on this sub- 

 ject. We cannot here go into details, but we may shortly state that we 

 believe as perfect and durable a plant may be obtained from a bud as from a 

 seed. That plants equal to seedlings are not always so obtained is owing to 

 the want of proper treatment. Strike a cutting of an oak, another of a 

 larch, and raise an oak and a larch from seed, under the same circumstances 

 of soil and situation ; after seven years the seedlings will be handsome young 

 trees, and the cuttings, perhaps, dwarf stunted bushes ; but cut the oak over 

 by the surface, and bend down to the ground all the branches of the larch, 

 and you will find strong shoots proceed from the root of both ; leave only 

 one shoot to each stool or root, and you will soon have as handsome, vigor- 

 ous, and durable trees, as if they had been raised from seed. We do not 

 deny, however, that the same object is attained sooner by raising from seed. 

 Such is our opinion, founded on observation and analogy ; but we should 

 like to know the ideas of others of more experience than ourselves on the 

 subject ; for example, of Mr. Gorrie, of Messrs. Bishop, Beattie, and Mit- 

 chell (p. 506), Mr. Sinclair, " A Denbighshire Gardener," and especially 

 Mr. R. of A., (p. 551.) whom we suspect to be of Mr. Cobbett' s opinion. 



Tree Seeds mid Grafts. Mr. Cobbett imports these from America in 

 casks, packed with sand ; the locust and catalpa seeds in their pods. We 

 measured a pod of the latter near 18 inches long, containing perfectly 

 fresh seeds. 



Such is the nursery of Mr. Cobbett, and the articles grown in it ; and 

 while all the same sorts of trees, with the exception of a few varieties of 

 the apples, are growing old in the nurseries, from being but little asked for, 

 Mr. Cobbett cannot raise a sufficiency of seedlings to supply the demand. 



