Domestic Notices : — England. 79 



tains the young branch. He says that the great enemies to the culture of 

 the vine in Australia are, " the rime, or white frost, which settles on the 

 young shoots in the first stage of their vegetation, and the light mists which 

 shroud the valleys and the sides of the hills before sunrise. When the 

 solar rays reach either of these phenomena, it becomes suddenly dissipated ; 

 and the young shoots of the vine and their incipient blossoms are exposed 

 to an instantaneous transition from extreme cold to extreme heat." 



Frost he does not consider so great an enemy to the grape in Australia 

 as the mists, which, during the spring months, hang like a fleecy mantle 

 over the forests, and trail along the vales. He recommends selecting the 

 steep sides of declivities for the sites of vineyards, and, at the same time, 

 burning the forest for a considerable distance on each side of the space 

 intended to be planted with vines. The advice, as far as it regards situation 

 and free exposure, will apply to the planting of orchards in Britain. 



The New Zealand flax, which forms an important article of commerce 

 between Sydney and New Zealand, is recommended as a very suitable 

 plant for the moist lands of New Holland. More tobacco, it is stated, will 

 soon be grown than is required for the consumption of the colony. 



We observe (Syd. Gaz., June 16.) an advertisement for a gardener, "an 

 experienced person, qualified to take charge of a small garden." This is a 

 gratifying mark of prosperity. 



Art. IV. Domestic Notices. 

 ENGLAND. 



The Gardens of the Birmingham Workmen, which you noticed Vol. VII. 

 p. 409., were so numerous twenty years ago, that the late rector, Mr. Cur- 

 tis, complained to me that they covered 300 acres, and not one of them 

 paid any tithes. He wished me, as the bailiff of the free school, to pay 

 that part of the tithe which belonged to the school, but this I declined. — 

 W. W. C. Clevedon, near Bristol, November 18. 1831. 



Neiv Botanic Garden at Bury St. Edmunds. — On passing through Bury 

 I called to see the botanic garden, the new one I mean. It is certainly a 

 most eligible spot for the purpose. The architectural remains, in connec- 

 tion with their history and the uses which the buildings originally 

 served, and the great variety of plants with which the garden will shortly 

 be stored, cannot fail to make it very interesting. Mr. Hodson's new 

 house is in the garden, in a forward state, and is in very good keeping 

 with the remains of the old buildings. Considerable progress has been 

 made in removing the plants from the old garden ; much, notwithstanding, 

 remains to be done. Tradesfolk were busy in preparing to put up a cast- 

 iron fence on each side of the magnificent abbey gate, which is to form the 

 main entrance to the garden, and which so highly adorns that fine open area 

 called the Angel Hill. When all is completed I have no doubt the garden 

 will be an ornament to the town, and a credit to Mr. Hodson and the sub- 

 scribers. — J. D., senior. 



The Choco Palms. — I hope soon to obtain plants of the famous Chon- 

 taduro palm of the Choco, which has never yet been examined by bota- 

 nists. Humboldt speaks thus of it in his enumeration of palms which he 

 recommends to the attention of future travellers : — "3 Chocoenses, nem- 

 pe, Chontaduro trunco aculeis horrido, ex fructibus succulentis escam omni- 

 bus (praeter unam Musam paradisiacam) praestantem largiens." * Mr. 



* '5 Trunk spinose ; fruit succulent, and preferable to all succulent fruits, 

 except that of the Musa paradisiaca." 



