Short Commutiicaiions. 591 



with a hoe, or draw a shallow drill with the plough, and draw 

 the earth in, covering with the hoe, so that a small ridge may 

 be formed over the seed, but do not beat it down. I am 

 speaking on the assumption that the whole of this work be 

 commenced in the beginning of March, as indicated in my 

 previous communication. If all this be observed, the early 

 potato will be plentiful enough about Dublin next summer. 

 They have this year (1833) failed not only in acres, but in 

 forces [ ? scores] of acres ; and persons here have, this season, 

 had to replant all the ground with some one or other of the 

 native kinds of potato : this is not the first year that they have 

 missed here, but it seems they never before missed so com- 

 pletely as in this year. — James Hart, Drwncofzdra, Dublin, 

 July 10. 1833. 



A Norfolk Tankard Turnip grotan in Ireland to the Weight 

 of Thirty-six Pounds Avoirdtcpois. — Sir, As a matter of 

 curiosity, and to show you that we have both a fine climate, 

 and a productive soil (indeed I do not remember ever seeing 

 an old abbey or cathedral situated otherwise), I may mention 

 that a turnip of the Norfolk tankard variety was pulled in 

 this demesne, which weighed no less than 36lbs. avoirdupois. 

 — J. Elles. Palace Gardens, Armagh, Dec. 4. 1832. 



The jJropagating of Cabbages by Slips and Cuttings (p. 226.). 

 — The first shoots only are applicable to such a purpose; the 

 second run to seed. {Maimd's BotaJiic Garden, June, 1833.) 

 This fact, one of some consequence, is stated by Mr. Maund, 

 on the cover of his number of the Botanic Garden for Sep- 

 tember, to be supplementary to the information on this subject 

 in p. 126, 127., and to have been communicated to him by 

 the author of that article, Peter Kendall, Esq. 



A Melon Plant grown by the Author of the " Domestic Gar- 

 dener's Ma7iual," in soil which did not suit it (a puny plant, 

 as we are infoi'med), sent its roots through the wall of the pit, 

 into a small cistern of water adjoining, and there produced 

 what Dr. Keith calls the " fox-tail root." This is nothing 

 more than what we should have expected with any other 

 dicotyledonous fibrous-rooted plant, tree, or shrub, similarly 

 circumstanced ; but our ingenious and philosophic corre- 

 spondent thinks it a proof that the melon is an aquatic or 

 amphibious plant. — Cond. 



'TageX.es lucida, a half-hardy annual, the herb of which 

 is delightfully fragrant when dried, is found to give vinegar 

 very nearly the same high flavour as tarragon. This fact, 

 which may be useful to those who, like ourselves, are fond 

 of tarragon vinegar, was stated to us by W. WelJs, Esq., of 

 Redleaf, and we have since proved it ourselves. — Cond. 



