Scotland^ Ireland. 153 



lowing appear to me particularly deserving of notice. The first is a fine tree 

 of the 6'eltis occidentalis, or American nettle tree. It has a clean stem of 

 21 ft. from the ground ; the circumference of the stem, 10 ft. from the ground, 

 is 5 ft. 6 in. ; and, at 5 ft. from the ground, is 5 ft. 8 in. I believe it is not a 

 common tree; although it is of long standing in the country, as the appearance 

 of this tree fully testifies. There is also a fine old tree of Ailantus glandu- 

 losa: the circumference of the stem, 6ft. from the ground, is 6ft. Sin. ; and, 

 at 2 ft. from the ground, 8 ft. 6 in. I mention these trees, as, I believe, they 

 do not generally attain so large a size. — Wm. Gathell. Fulham Nursery, 

 Jan. 9. 1835. 



Ivy planted at the Base of a Wall, on one Side, led through that Wall towards 

 its Base, and trained over the Face of the opposite Side of the Wall. — This is 

 done in the following case, in the parish of Kensington, Middlesex : — A wall 

 is placed as a boundary to a garden ; at the foot of this wall, outside the gar- 

 den, is a ditch ; and, in this ditch, water runs. The quantity of soil left 

 between the ditch and the foot of the wall is but small; and it is kept too 

 moist for plants of ivy to flourish in it. The proprietors of the wall and gar- 

 den have, however, wished that the face of the wall outside of the garden 

 should be clothed with ivy ; and, in accomplishment of this object, have 

 planted and treated plants of ivy in the manner stated above. The result will 

 probably be, in the end, fully satisfactory. The plantation has not been made 

 long; and, already, some of the plants have extended, although all have not 

 thriven alike. — J. D. 



A Nosegay of Fruits. — At the late grand fete at Wentworth House, there 

 was placed, in the refreshment-room, a bouquet de fruit ; composed of every 

 variety of grapes, pines, peaches, nectarines, &c., 3 yards in circumference, 

 and valued at 600/. — B. G. Sheffield, Nov. 1. 1834. 



SCOTLAND. 



An Arboretum has been begun here, but we have great difficulty in getting 

 any but common trees nearer than Edinburgh or London; which shows that 

 there is little demand for the finer sorts, or they would be to be had at Aber- 

 deen. This is a great drawback to us, and I wish you could only persuade 

 the Aberdeen nurserymen to imitate their southern brethren. — W. T. Thain- 

 ston, Jan. 16. 1835. 



By the Return Papers which we have had from Dunrobin, we find that no 

 inconsiderable number of foreign trees and shrubs endure the open air in that 

 northern extremity of the island; and we conclude that a still greater number 

 would thrive at Thainston, which is not more than fifteen or twelve miles 

 north of Aberdeen : we wish some correspondent (Mr. Dymock, for example) 

 would send us a list of the ages and sizes of the largest of all the foreign trees 

 and shrubs within five miles of Aberdeen. — Cond. 



IRELAND. 



Belfast Hortictdtural Society. — About five years ago a Horticultural Society 

 was formed in this town, by the noblemen and gentlemen, aided by the nur- 

 serymen and gardeners of the neighbourhood. Lately some tradesmen who 

 possess small gardens have become members, and it seems that these trades- 

 men felt degraded, and their dignity at stake, by being obliged occasionally to 

 mix with the humble operatives or working gardeners of the neighbourhood. 

 At a late meeting of the Society, these tradesmen proposed and carried a 

 resolution, that operatives should be excluded from holding any office what- 

 ever in the Society. They also proposed, but it did not pass, that gardeners 

 should not be allowed to enter the show-room until the ladies and gentlemen 

 had left it (meaning only themselves and their wives, for persons of high rank 

 did not object to mix with us). 1 admit that we are poor, and ignorant of 

 high life and manners; but would it not be a duty in those would-be gen- 

 tlemen to lay aside their self-importance for a few hours, two or three times 

 in the year; and try to instruct humble, but, I hope, useful, members of 



