Foreign Notices. — Asia. 461 



Horticultural Society would be at least as well bestowed upon such a mar- 

 ket-gardener, as upon the Solicitor who prepared their charter, or the Earli 

 of Powis for ripening the Mango. (Cond.) 



Hop Shoots. — These are seen in spring throughout the month of April in 

 the Belgian markets in great abundance on every vegetable-stall, being cul- 

 tivated as a regular garden product. From their whiteness, without any 

 tinge of green, they would seem to be procured, as in the case of chiccory,. 

 by removing the earth into which they shoot, and breaking them off' before 

 they have appeared above ground ; and the same plan is probably adopted 

 with the asparagus, which is usually perfectly white. (Ibid.) 



Trees in Public Walks. — In planting public walks, the Belgians do not, as. 

 is but too often done in England, think it enough to squeeze the trees into 

 holes barely large enough to contain the roots, and cut out of hard and 

 sterile soil, and then leave them to their fate. During much of last winter 

 (1 826-7), many workmen were employed in digging out the sandy soil round. 

 scores of the trees on the Boulevards, Brussels, which, though fifteen or 

 twenty feet high, and three or four inches in diameter, were not quite so 

 luxuriant as the rest, and replacing it with rich black surface mould, of 

 which, as the holes were ten feet square and above two feet deep, each tree 

 had subsequently (allowing for the mass of earth left round the roots) at 

 least one hundred and fifty cubic feet to strike its roots into. Equal atten- 

 tion is paid in pruning these trees, the rows of which consist of a broad-leaved 

 elm and lime alternately. The limes are trained and clipped flat and fan-like, 

 and kept low so as to fill up the space between the elms, which are allowed 

 to assume their natural form, but also receive a careful annual pruning. All 

 the branches too crowded, or crossing each other, are cut off close to- the 

 stem, as well as several of the lateral twigs from each branch ; the whole 

 head of the tree, both branches and spray, being kept thin and well balanced „ 

 and particular attention being given to preserve one central leading shoot, 

 by cutting off* that one least upright when the tree has parted into two. 

 (Ibid.) 



Transplanted Peas and Beans. — A considerable proportion of the first 

 crops of peas and beans about Brussels is transplanted, after being raised on 

 slight hot-beds, or warm quarters sheltered by reed or straw fences. The 

 rows of beans are about thirty inches apart, and the beans (that is every 

 two beans, two being planted in each hole) about ten inches apart in the 

 rows. The peas (planted but one in each hole) are also about ten inches 

 distant from each other in the rows, but the rows are only ten inches apart, 

 a pathway being left between every five or six rows. Rods are not put to 

 each row, as with us, but a line of rods is stuck in obliquely on each side 

 of every bed of five or six rows, so as to meet archwise in the middle. 

 (Ibid.) 



ASIA. 



The Zunjeed, <Salix iEgyptiaca, is a species of willow. The leaves are of 

 a silvery hue, and the flowers, which are of a deep scarlet, send forth a most 

 delicious periume. When in blossom, the Zunjeed is viewed with a jealous 

 eye by the Persians, from the belief that it has a strong tendency to excite 

 the passions of the females. The Persian who was describing the curious 

 properties of this tree told me, that twelve fursungs north of Teheraun, the 

 men lock up their women while the flower is in blow. (Keppel's Journ. 

 from India.) 



The Culture of Coffee has been introduced, within these few years, to 

 several countries in the Peninsula of Malacca, and particularly at Tringae- 

 now. The country there is said to be very favourable to its culture, and 

 the produce is said to be superior to that of Java or Sumatra. Coffee is 



