Obituary. 381 



the process is, that so large'a bulb should be formed annually on so small a 

 root ; and if any method could be devised by which the tulip could be 

 flowered in water in the same manner as the hyacinth, so that the various 

 changes it undergoes might be observed as they take place, it certainly would 

 be most interesting." — (Harlow, Jan. 29.) 



The Bread Fruit Tree. — (E. of G. § 6014, and fig. 534.), being nearly 

 allied to the fig, may it not prove as hardy as the fig ? Has it ever been 

 tried against a wall in the open air in a dry soil ? Plants are now to be 

 had in abundance at seven guineas and a half ; ten years ago, there was 

 scarcely any plants to be found, and one I know of, was sold at twenty 

 guineas. It is since dead, but I have heard of a plant somewhere in the 

 county of Durham which has ripened fruit. — (R. S. April 2.) 



We recommend this subject to whoever is disposed to risk seven guineas 

 and a-half for the gratification of horticulturists, and for the chance of the 

 honour of being the first to add the bread fruit to the list of our half hardy 

 fruits. We should not be at all surprised at our correspondent's conjec- 

 ture proving true ; there are many stove and green-house plants, that gar- 

 deners never think of exposing to the open air ; judging from the coun- 

 try they come from, their unfitness for our climate is taken for granted, 

 and the idea of giving them a trial is out of the question. Those plants 

 of tropical climates which are hardy, or half hardy, have been discovered 

 to be so more by accident than design. We would recommend trying every 

 house plant in the open air, and repeating the trials, even in the event of 

 want of success in the first and second s instances. Even an indigenous plant, 

 kept in a hot-house during summer, would be very likely to die if exposed 

 to the open air in a pot during the succeeding winter. The plants to be 

 tried should be put out in the beginning of summer, turned out of the 

 pots into poor and very dry soil, and sheltered from the east and north. 

 We do not place much confidence in what is called acclimating, by gradu- 

 ally inuring and by raising successive generations from seed. Starving in 

 poor dry soil, for one year, beforefputting out, is perhaps as good as SO years' 

 acclimating. Any plant from a hot climate, which will not endure the cli- 

 mate of Britain, in the first or second year of its introduction, will not either 

 itself, or in any future generation of its offspring from seed, become hardier, 

 or at least nothing like sufficiently hardy for this purpose. Indian cress, kid- 

 ney beans, dahlias, and potatoes have been raised in this country from seeds 

 saved here for many years, but it cannot be proved that they are in the 

 slightest degree hardier than when they were first imported. — Cond. 



Art. VII. Obituary. 



Died in March last, Mr. John Harding, Agricultural Bookseller, . St. 

 James's Street, an amiable man, and the first London bookseller who made 

 a separate department of works on gardening, agriculture, field sports, and 

 rural affairs in general. His extensive and valuable stock, it appears, (Part 

 IV.), are to be sold by auction. 



On Monday, April 2., Mr. Shepherd, of Sunbury, and on the same day, 

 about the same hour, Mr. Andrews, of Vauxhall, both market gardeners, who 

 have been for many years noted for bringing the earliest grapes to Covent 

 Garden Market, and both eminent and extensive cultivators of grapes and 

 pine apples. Both raised themselves from the condition of serving gar- 

 deners, to that of tradesmen of considerable property, and both are suc- 

 ceeded by healthy and vigorous widows and sons. 



