the Arhoretum et Fruticetum Britannicum. 121 



shall have a fine selection ; but we plant them with a view to their growth 



only for twelve years (as Mr. expects he will have to move them 



about that time), with the exception of the genus Crataegus, which we began to 

 plant last spring. No arrangement is followed, but the best situation is fixed 

 on for the more favourite sorts to display themselves. I am obliged to plant 

 almost on the surface of the ground. Every plant is to be grown into a 

 specimen, and I only make the pits large enough to supply nourishment and 

 space for the roots for three years ; by that time a zone of one foot or more 

 will be opened round the outside of the roots, and filled in with rich com- 

 post ; and this will be repeated every third year, and each time our exca- 

 vation will be shallower, in order to entice the roots to the surface. This 

 I think a preferable mode to making the pits large enough for twelve years' 

 growth at first ; besides, in our case, where the trees are expected to be 

 removed, we can prepare their roots every third year, by cutting them in a 

 little. — D. B. K. Nov. 23. 1838. 



WlNTER^OE^. 



Illicium floridanum, Arb. Brit. p. 256. fig. 32., and Hort. Lig. p. 2., is 

 said to be so hardy as to have stood out unprotected during the winter of 

 1837-8, at Hylands, near Chelmsford, where, on January 21st, the thermome- 

 ter fell to 3° Fahr. There are several plants, one of which is 5 ft. in height, 

 with the branches covering a space nearly 9 ft. in diameter. They have been 

 planted upwards of twelve years, and flower profusely every year, (Mar- 

 nock's Flor. Mag., vol. iii. p. 124.) 



Magnolz^Yzwe. 



Magnolia, macrophylla, in Godefroy's Nursery, Ville d'Avray, was between 

 26 ft. and 27 ft. high in June, 1837, with a head 16 ft. in diameter, and covered 

 with between 150 and 200 flowers. It has ripened seeds, from which numerous 

 young plants have been raised. (Annates d'Hort. de Paris, torn. xxi. p. 7.) 



Magnolia, auriculdta is from 15 ft. to 18 ft. high, in the same nursery, and 

 showing from 250 to 300 flower buds. (Ibid.) 



Magnolia pyramiduta is there from 12 ft. to 15 ft. high, producing abun- 

 dance of flowers every year. (Ibid.) 



Liriodendron Tulipifera is 35 ft. high, is covered with flowers every season, 

 and, in 1835, ripened four bushels of cones. (Ibid.) 



Berbera^cem. 



A paper was read at the Asiatic Society, " On the Yellow Colour of the 

 Berberry," by Mr. E. Solly. — Mr. Solly stated that the root of the common 

 berberry, or Berberis vulgaris, was used for dyeing leather yellow ; and that 

 a cheap and abundant supply of this article was desirable. He, therefore, 

 suggested the possibility of obtaining it with advantage from India. After 

 describing the various species of Berberis which grew in India, and men- 

 tioning many of their localities, he stated that, from some experiments made 

 by him on specimens of berberry root from Ceylon, in the Society's museum, 

 he was convinced that the Asiatic root would prove an article of consider- 

 able value to dyers. He described the colour as being disseminated through- 

 out the whole of the wood, bark, and roots ; and suggested that experiments 

 should be made on the relative quantity of colour in each of these parts re- 

 spectively. Mr. Solly then mentioned that, as the root contains not more than 

 seventeen per cent of useful colour, it might prove more convenient to import 

 the watery extract instead of the whole root or stem, which plan would 

 diminish the cost of the dye. The extract is well known to the natives of 

 India, being the horzis or rusot of their medical writers ; and might, no doubt, 

 be easily prepared in large quantities. (Athenaeum, Dec. 1. 1838, p. 859.) 



