and of Rural Improvement generallT/, during 1837. 533 



bility to espaliers for fruit trees ; to hot-bed frames and sashes of 

 every description ; to all kinds of trellis-work; to rods and stakes 

 of every kind for tying up plants ; to tallies, large and small, for 

 naming plants ; to mats and canvass for covering them ; to pack- 

 thread and strands of bast mat for tying them j to baskets for 

 carrying them ; and to hurdles of reeds or straw for protection ; 

 and, in short, to every thing made of wood, or vegetable fibre, 

 used in the formation or culture of a garden. It would thus be 

 a great benefit to the proprietors of gardens and pleasure-grounds, 

 if they could overcome their prejudices so far as to give it a trial. 

 As objects deserving of i^ecommendation, we may mention zinc 

 labels and prepared ink, as the very cheapest and easiest method 

 of naming plants, and as one that will last from seven to ten years, 

 which is more than double the duration of wooden labels, that 

 are not Kyanised. An improved method of painting, lettering, 

 and varnishing wooden tallies (p. 58.) deserves the attention of 

 those who have not faith in the Kyanising process. Green's 

 chests of tools for amateur gardeners, and especially for ladies, 

 may be safely recommended to amateurs. 



Garden Operations. — Several modes of grafting the vine have 

 been suggested at different times in this Magazine, and one of the 

 most successful is described at p. 11 7. The subject of herba- 

 ceous grafting has never been taken up as it ought to be by British 

 gardeners, though it might be employed as one of the most 

 expeditious and successful methods of multiplying the more rare 

 species of the pine and fir tribe. Almost the only gardener in 

 this country who has adopted it successfully is Mr. Smith of 

 Hopetoun House. The mistletoe has been, for some years past, 

 sucessfully budded and grafted on different kinds of trees by a 

 nurseryman at Malvern (see p. 206.) ; so that the curious, in every 

 part of the country, may now possess plants bearing this inter- 

 esting parasite. 



Insects, Diseases, Sfc. — The injuries caused by insects in 

 former times, were considered by cultivators as blights sent by 

 Providence, which could not be prevented, and must, therefore, 

 be submitted to ; but modern science, by tracing these evils, in 

 common with others, to their origin, has given us, to a certain 

 extent, the control of what was once considered as fate. Garden- 

 ers are now beginning to discover insects where they never before 

 thought of looking for them ; and hence we have considered it 

 for their advantage to devote more attention and space to entomo- 

 logy in this Magazine than we have hitherto done. The articles 

 in the present volume by Mr. Westwood, are not only calculated 

 to instruct the gardener as to how he may prevent or destroy in- 

 sects, but to sharpen his habits of observation generally, and to 

 render the study of insects not only a beneficial, but a pleasure- 

 able, pursuit. Other articles respecting msects, contributed by 



n M 3 



