Domestic Notices : — Engla?id. 331 



the winter, it is only 2 ft. high, but with a stalk 1 in, in diameter. One 

 reared by Mr. Page is the same height, and both are now in flower. Time 

 only can show what they will come to. — J. M. Philadelphia, March 29. 1841. 

 Sourmillier Potato. — Some potatoes of a monstrous size, under this name, 

 were sent from France last April as a new sort. I was presented with half 

 a one, which P. M. M'Kenzie planted. The produce was much smaller than 

 the parent tubers, and, when taken to the Horticultural Society, were pro- 

 nounced to be Rohans. I had one boiled which was raised by a friend, 

 and found it much inferior, as an esculent, to the common stock of the coun- 

 try. — Idem. 



Art. III. Domestic Notices. 

 ENGLAND. 



The Exhibition at the Horticultural Society's Gardens, held on May 15., was 

 one of the best May exhibitions that have ever been witnessed. Five gold 

 Knightian medals were given for plants, and one for fruits ; eight gold 

 Banksian medals for plants, and one for fruits ; twenty-six large silver medals 

 for plants, and two for fruits ; sixteen silver Knightian medals for plants, and 

 six for fruits ; and eight silver Banksian medals for plants, and six for fruits. 

 Among the plants were Cytisus Welden?' and 7^1ex speciosa: the first a 

 beautiful hardy shrub, which may now be seen in flower at Mr. Groom's at 

 Walworth ; and the second an evergreen shrub, in the collection of Mr. Leaf 

 of Streatham, and likely to prove hardy. — Cond. 



Kensington Gardens. — Arrangements are in progress for supplying the grand 

 basin in the centre of the gardens, and in the highest ground which they con- 

 tain, with water from one of the water companies, and for measuring the quan- 

 tity delivered with a meter ; the most economical and fair mode for the public 

 and the company. This basin is 20 or 30 feet above the level of the Serpen- 

 tine River, into which the waste of the basin is to be delivered ; and this river 

 is a great many feet above the level of the canal in St. James's Park. Hence 

 there might be a fountain formed at the upper, or north, end of the river, and 

 one or more in the canal. As the river is in the natural style, the fountain in 

 it might be in the form of a source, composed of huge masses of rock, from 

 which the water might trickle down in streamlets, while in St. James's Park it 

 might rise in a formal jet or jets. This is a mere rude outline of what might 

 be done, at comparatively little expense ; but were a greater expense to be in- 

 dulged in, then, by having a steam-engine concealed among the trees in Ken- 

 sington Gardens, a jet might be formed in the centre of the basin, of upwards 

 of 100 ft. in height. Such a jet once existed in the pond in the Park of Bar- 

 rackpoor, Calcutta, of 120 ft. in height, forced up by an engine of 18-horse 

 power. It was destroyed by Lord William Bentinck. We have more than 

 once, in this Magazine, suggested the idea of having jets in the centre of some 

 of the public squares ; the engine being placed in some back street or mews. 

 The first cost for one in Grosvenor Square, we are informed by an engineer, 

 would be under 500/., all expenses included ; and the expense of coal and at- 

 tendance, supposing the fountain to play six hours daily, would not exceed 3/. 

 or 4/. a week ; which, surely, might be raised by subscription among the 

 occupants of the surrounding houses. We are informed also, by the same 

 engineer, that the high service of some of the water companies would supply 

 fountains in the form of jets as high as the houses, in several parts of London ; 

 but that the waste of water would render such fountains more expensive than 

 those forced by steam-engines, in which the same water is used perpetually. 

 — Cond. 



A public Park in the East of London has been talked of for some time, and is 

 at last likely to be carried into execution. We hope it will be of sufficient 

 extent to be of real use to the surrounding population, and that it will be laid 



