1 34 General Notices. 



water, the largest of them being 16 in. in diameter; and on the return of fine 

 clear weather in August the first flower-bud appeared. The plant proved to 

 be the red variety; its flowers, when fully expanded, increased 104. in. in dia- 

 meter, and remained several days in perfection. It is much larger and more 

 beautiful than the flower of Nelumbiwni luteum, the only other variety I have 

 seen in flower. Another season I intend trying the effects of a higher tem- 

 perature at the roots. The plant which flowered now occupies a space of 

 more than 12 ft. in circumference. (</. Scott, in Proceedings of Hort. Soc. for 

 1840, p. 192.) 



Effect of Age in Trees on the Quality of the Fruit. — The following extract 

 from Dr. Bullar's account of the Azores relates to an interesting subject, 

 which has not, I believe, hitherto received much consideration. Dr. Bullar 

 does not state whether grafts from the old trees continue to produce the 

 same fruit as the parent, or whether the produce is the same as that from 

 young trees. I think Sir W. Temple has some observations on this point. — K. 



"Accompanied Senhor B to several of his orange-gardens in the town. 



Many of the trees in one garden were a hundred years old, still bearing plen- 

 tifully a highly-prized thin-skinned orange, full of juice, and free from pips. 

 The thinness of the rind of a St. Michael's orange, and its freedom from 

 pips, depend on the age of the tree. The young trees, when in full vigour, 

 bear fruit with a thick pulpy rind, and abundance of seeds ; but as the vigour 

 of the plant declines, the peel becomes thinner, and the seeds gradually dimi- 

 nish in number, till they disappear altogether. Thus, the oranges that we 

 esteem the most are the produce of barren trees, and those which we consider 

 the least palatable come from plants in full vigour." (Gard. Chron. for 1841, 

 p. 381.) 



Neiu Watering-pot. — In one of the early numbers of the Gardener's 

 Chronicle there is an article by Mr. Paxton, in which he gives directions for 

 watering plants, and points out the necessity of watering according to the pe- 

 culiar habits of each. I had a watering-can made twelve months ago, which 

 enables me to do this very effectually, and, at the same time, prevents a great 

 waste of water, as no part of it is distributed except upon the soil in the pot. 

 My watering-can is made of copper, 7 in. diameter by 7 in. high (holding 

 seven imperial pints) ; in the side, and close to the bottom inside, there is a 

 conical brass valve seating (the opening of the valve is £ in. in diameter), 

 brazed to the side of the can. A small copper pipe, § in. bore, is secured to 

 this by a nut ; at the end of the pipe there is a small rose, fin. in diameter, 

 perforated with holes very similar to a gas-burner. If nicely perforated, the 

 water will spread without uniting in a stream. The valve is opened and 

 shut by means of a rod, -^ n in. thick, passing across the can diagonally, and 

 through a collar brazed into the side just above the handle. The rod is 

 lifted by a trigger fixed upon the handle, through which there is a slit groove 

 to receive a steel spring, one end of which is fixed to the side of the can, the 

 other end, pressing upon the under side of the trigger, keeps the valve shut. 

 In using the watering-can, place the left hand under the bottom of it, close to 

 the pipe, the right hand, of course, upon the handle ; press down the trigger 

 with the fore-finger, which will open the valve, and when the finger is removed 

 the spring will shut it. The length of the pipe and rose in my can is 14 in., 

 but it may be made any length ; and, as the rose is small, it may be intro- 

 duced amongst all pots of cuttings with great facility. I find the can very 

 handy in watering plants in pots, as any particular plant may be watered, and 

 just in that proportion best suited to its habits. The can is filled through a 

 hole in the top. If any person in this neighbourhood should desire to have 

 a watering-can of this description, they may procure it of Messrs. Shipham 

 and Co., brass-founders, Trinity Lane, Hull, who have the drawings by which 

 it was made. (H. L., Hull, in Gard. Chron. for 1841, p. 398.) 



Rooting of Leaves. — I have never found this circumstance more remark- 

 ably displayed than in the case of the Echeverk racemosa (I believe, the true 

 Mexican " Forget me not "). The very flower-stalks, when laid past for 



