572 Domestic Notices : — England. 



as in every respect admirably suited to the purpose. Through his exertions, 

 and those of Mr. Henchman (who penetrated the interior of Guiana, beyond 

 the rapids of the Essequibo), little, probably, remains to be obtained from 

 that quarter of the world ; but there are many other countries, at once rich, 

 and as yet unwrought, respecting which, and the comparative advantages they 

 offer to" collectors, I am now preparing a paper ; which, should you deem the 

 subject not unworthy of the pages of the Magazine, I shall have great plea- 

 sure in sending you for insertion in it. — James Bateman. Knypersley Hall, 

 near Congleton, Sept. 11. 1834. 



Highclere. — We are much pleased, in this part of the country, by your 

 description of Highclere (p. 245.). You have only done the place justice. — 

 Selim. July 25. 1834. 



High Keeping. — You have convinced me that high-keeping is the chief 

 beauty of small gardens ; and, as it requires constant attention to keep up an 

 appearance of neatness, I have this summer spent all my leisure hours in the 

 garden, and have little or no leisure time for writing or drawing. When gar- 

 dening ceases to be a pleasure, and the evenings lengthen, I hope to send you 

 something for both the Gardener's and Architectural Magazines. — Idem. 



Growing Plants in Moss. — Your correspondent Mr. Thomas Parkins 

 (p. 369.) informs us that he uses moss as a draining for plants in pots, and 

 appears to think the practice new. I beg leave to say that I used the same 

 thing, for the same purpose, as long ago as the spring of 1824 ; and found it 

 to answer, in every respect, better than the common way of draining pots. 

 Since that time, I haye struck pelargoniums in moss ; and have grown them 

 in it without any mould at all, and found the plants stronger and better than 

 such as were grown in the regular compost for pelargoniums. As the moss 

 decays at the bottoms of the pots, I press it down, and fill up the pots with 

 fresh moss. It does not signify whether the moss be live or dry, as both will 

 answer equally well. — John Stewart, Gardener to Alexander Baring, Esq, 

 Addiscombe Place, Croydon, Surrey, Aug. 20. 1834. 



Planting without Nurses. — I am much pleased with Mr. Munro's interest- 

 ing remarks on the subject of planting (p. 405.). Pray let us have, without 

 delay, his farther hints on the treatment of plants intended to be put out 

 without nurses, &c. — W. T. Bree. Allesley Rectory, Aug. 7. 1834. 



Some remarkable Specimens of Oak-branches, covered with Acorns, have been 

 sent us by Mr. Bree; who says: — The specimens now sent are not merely 

 accidental ones : on the contrary, the whole tree is loaded, on every branch, 

 in the same manner; and I have one specimen of a cluster (or, rather, a 

 cluster of clusters) comprising thirteen acorns. This is the more remarkable, 

 because the oak is not (as you will perceive) the common species (Quercus 

 i26bur), but Q. sessiliflora ; which last is, generally speaking, a much shyer 

 bearer than the Q. .Rdbur, The present is certainly a very great acorn 

 year; but whether the tree usually bears fruit in more than common abun- 

 dance, I have not observed. The tree is now really an extraordinary sight : 

 the acorns look like inverted bunches of grapes. — Idem. Sej>t. 4. 1834. 



A Specimen of an extraordinarily large Melon, grown in the open air, in the 

 garden of Wm. Hobson, Esq., Markfield, Stamford Hill, has been sent us by 

 his gardener, Mr. Strachan. It measured 2 ft. 2 in. in circumference; and the 

 flavour was excellent, the flesh thick, and the rind very thin. Mr. Strachan 

 says: — " In the year 1831, I received the seeds of the above melon from 

 Mr. Hobson ; who, at the same time, read the account of it to me from the 

 letter he had received with the seeds, from a gentleman who had been at the 

 horticultural meeting at Manchester, in 1819. From this gentleman's descrip- 

 tion of the melon (which, he said, took the prize), it was of good flavour, and 

 weighed 15^ lbs. I sowed the seeds in 1831, and treated the young plants 

 the same as my other melons ; with this exception, that, instead of putting 

 two plants under one light, I put one only. I planted them in good fresh stiff 

 loam. I cut three melons from one plant; one of which weighed 14J lbs, and 

 the other two from 8 lbs. to 12 lbs. each : all were of good flavour. This year, 



