Transactiojis of the London Horticultural Society. 429 



size. The surface of the soil was covered with moss, which was found to be 

 a great help in keeping the soil in a humid state, without the aid of much 

 water." 



47. On the Employment of Cats in the Preservation of Fruit from 

 Birds. By Peter Kendall, Esq., F.H.S. Read Nov. 6. 1832. 



" Robert Brook, Esq., of Melton Lodge, near Woodbridge, in Suffolk, has 

 four or five cats, each with a collar, and light chain and swivel, about a yard 

 long, with a large iron ring at the end. As soon as the gooseberries, currants, 

 and raspberries begin to ripen, a small stake is driven into the ground, or bed, 

 near the trees to be protected, leaving about a yard and a half of the stake 

 above ground ; the ring is slipped over the head of the stake, and the cat, thus 

 tethered in sight of the trees, no birds will approach them. Cherry trees and 

 wall-fruit trees are protected in the same manner as they successively ripen. 

 Each cat, by way of a shed, has one of the largest-sized flower-pots laid on its 

 side, within reach of its chain, with a little hay or straw in bad weather, and 

 her food and water placed near her. 



" In confirmation of Mr. Kendall's statement, it may be added, that a wall 

 of vines between 200 and 300 yards long, in the nursery of Mr. Kirke, at 

 Brompton, the fruit of which in all previous seasons had been very much in- 

 jured by birds, was last year completely protected in consequence of a cat 

 having voluntarily posted himself sentry upon it." 



48. Notes upon the Chinese Chrysanthemums. By Mr. Donald Munro, 



F.L.S., Gardener to the Society. Read' Dec. 4. 1832. 



" We now possess forty-nine distinct varieties of Chrysanthemum ; the merit 

 of which is well known to be extremely unequal. Some of them are scarcely 

 worth cultivation, on account of the insignificance of their blossoms ; others, 

 because of their flowering so late, that an English summer never lasts long 

 enough for them ; some are too tender to flower well out of doors ; while 

 many, on the other hand, are so hardy as to be well adapted to the rudest 

 treatment, and to an inclement situation. 



"With reference to their qualities, chrysanthemums maybe classed thus: — 



" 1. Flowers large or showy ; requiring Protection. — Superb white, paper 

 white, sulphur yellow, golden yellow, curled hlac, tasselled white, semidouble 

 quilled white, quilled flamed yellow, tasselled lilac, large lilac, curled blush, 

 semidouble quilled pink, starry purple, early crimson, pale-flamed yellow, blush 

 ranunculus-flowered, brown purple, two-coloured red, pale buff. 



" 2. Flowers large, or showy ; quite hardy. — Quilled white, superb clustered 

 yellow, golden lotus-flowered. Park's small yellow, rose or pink, purple, buflf 

 or orange, changeable white, tasselled yellow, small yellow, early blush, pale 

 pink, changeable pale buff, Spanish brown. 



" 3. Flowers large, or showy ; but produced sparingly. — Semidouble quilled 

 orange, expanded light purple, large quilled orange, quilled light purple, two- 

 eoloured incurved. 



" 4. Floivers small, or late ; not worth Cidtivation. — Double Indian white, 

 yellow Warratah, Windsor small yellow, quilled salmon-colour, semidouble 

 quilled pale orange, late pale purple, double Indian yellow, late quilled yellow, 

 quilled yellow, quilled pink. 



" Of those which thrive in the open air, a few may be cultivated in a very 

 pleasing manner, by being planted in the border, with their shoots laid down in 

 the ground, so that when the flowers appear the}' are not more than a few 

 inches above the surface of the soil. 



"For this purpose the plants must be planted out in the beginning of June, 

 and must not be more than 9 in. apart each way over the whole bed. The 

 shoots must be stopped in the usual way about the middle of June, and after- 

 wards layered about the beginning of August ; they should not then be more 



