162 Domestic Notices : — 



once, or very soon, establish yourselves and your children in independence 

 and comfort? 



" In writing this letter, I am actuated solely by a sincere wish to benefit 

 my brother gardeners. Should you, Sir, think it worth a place in your work, 

 I shall afterwards submit to you a few details, with which it may be advisable 

 that the emigrant should be acquainted. — Gracchus Colonus. London, Jaw. 16. 

 1834." 



A British Gardener has just returned from the south of Russia, where he 

 has been for two years in the service of a wealthy nobleman. His treatment 

 by this individual was as good as the circumstances of the country permitted ; 

 but these circumstances were such as to render it next to impossible for any 

 person, in the capacity of a servant, to enjoy even a tithe of the comforts which 

 he does in every other part of Europe. If this gardener were to publish his 

 journal, or even as much of it as he told us, it would be highly instructive; 

 but we know, from personal experience, that such is the tyranny of the Rus- 

 sian government, and the want of principle among all ranks in that country, 

 that the mere publication of such a journal might injure British gardeners 

 already settled in the neighbourhood of Moscow and Petersburgh. This 

 notice is intended to put gardeners on their guard, and to remind them of what 

 we have stated in the Encyc. of Gard. } § 7784. 2d edit., and Encyc. of Agr., 

 § 661. 2d edit. 



Mr. Brackenridge, late gardener to P. Neil], Esq., an excellent botanist and 

 cultivator, is engaged as gardener to an eminent banker in Berlin ; for which 

 city he left London on March 7. We hope to hear from him frequently. — Cond. 



Growing Ferns and other Plants in Glass Cases. — We lately (March 6.) 

 had the pleasure of seeing the most extraordinary city garden we have ever 

 beheld, viz., that of Mr. Ward of Wellclose Square, a gentleman enthusiastically 

 devoted to botany. Along the tops of all the walls of his dwelling-house, of 

 the offices behind, and of the wall round the yard, even up the gable ends and 

 slopes of lean-tos, is a continuation of boxes or troughs, about 14 in. wide, 

 filled with soil and divided crosswise by tiles, so as to form distinct compart- 

 ments about 1 ft. by 6 in., in each of which one species of plant is grown. We 

 should suppose there must be at least room found in this way for 1500 

 species. The sloping roof of a shed is wholly covered with soil, and divided 

 into compartments by slips of wood; in these compartments sedums, saxi- 

 frages, and other succulents are grown. In the open yard there are two or 

 three trees ; the best of which, for a London garden, Mr. Ward considers to 

 be the fig. It thrives amongst smoke and dirt, and shows a broader leaf, and of 

 a more intense green, than any other tree ; and this either as a standard or 

 against a wall. Next to the fig, the J v cer Pseudo-Platanus is found to be 

 the most prosperous. In the interior of Mr. Ward's house, there are boxes 

 in every window, some on the outside, and others on the inside, containing 

 plants. These boxes are from 8 in. to 1 ft. in width, in length equal to the 

 breadth of the window or its sill, or window seat ; and the sides are from 

 18 in. to 2 ft, in height. About 6 in. of the lower part of the sides, and the 

 bottom, are of wood, put together so as to be watertight ; and the upper part 

 of the sides, and the top, are wholly of glass. In the bottom, soil, stones, 

 moss, &c, are placed ; and ferns and other plants are planted, and duly 

 watered. This being done, and the superfluous water drained off through a 

 plug-hole in the bottom, which is afterwards closely stopped, the close lid is 

 put on the box, and seldom, or never, afterwards taken off. The plants are 

 found to require no fresh supply of water for months, and some plants 

 will live for years without any; and, as the lid is never taken off, they can 

 have no fresh supply of air, otherwise than by the expansion produced by 

 increased temperature forcing out a portion of air through the impercep- 

 tible interstices of the lid; and, when the temperature is reduced, draw- 

 ing air in, through the same interstices, by its contraction. This, no doubt, 

 will take place more or less every day. The great advantage of admitting air 

 only in this way is, that it is, as it were, sifted, or filtered, from the impurities 



