Domestic Notices : — England. 189 



Herald says it can be seen on the plantation of Wm. Smith, Esq., eighteen 

 miles from Natchitoches, on the road leading to Opelousas. This majestic oak 

 stands in the midst of a rich and heavy bottom, on the Bayou St. Barb. At 2 ft. 

 from the ground, it measures 44 ft. in circumference ; and at 6 ft., 32 ft. The 

 trunk appears sound and healthy, and its height to the branches is from 50 ft. 

 to 60 ft.— J". M. Philadelphia, Oct. 15. 1841. 



Madura, aurantiaca Apple, — In my notice of this production (Gard. Mag., 

 vol. vii. p. 508.), 1 stated, on good authority, that of the representative in con- 

 gress from Arkansaw, that it was not eaten there, but I have since been told that 

 in Texas it is eaten, at least by the Indians ; their taste, however, is not very 

 refined. I will enquire further on this point. In the page quoted above the 

 beauty of the wood is mentioned, and this I can testify to from what I have 

 lately seen in Philadelphia. The original trees brought by Lewis and Clarke 

 were planted in the garden of the late Mr. M'Mahon, near Philadelphia; and 

 either from one of them, or one of their successors, a limb was cut off and 

 sawed into veneers by the present occupant, from which a small table was 

 made. The wood is of a bright lemon colour, and has a fine grain. I can send 

 you a specimen to Liverpool, in the form of a tea-caddy, if you will point 

 out the person to whom I can consign it. A vessel direct to London is a 

 rare occurrence in this city. To this day, the navigation has not been ob- 

 structed by ice. I send this letter by Liverpool, because I learn that the 

 postage is reduced to a mere trifle in England. — Idem. 



Art. III. Domestic Notices. 

 ENGLAND. 



Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. — We are happy to learn that our friend Mi - . 

 Smith, for many years foreman of the Kew Botanic Garden, in consequence 

 of a memorial submitted by him in October last to the Commissioners of 

 Woods and Forests, praying to be allowed to assume the title of Curator, 

 has been authorised to do so. His salary is 130/. a year, with house, coal, 

 &c, commencing from the 31st of December last. — Cond. 



A Botanic Garden in the Isle of Wight has been projected for several years, 

 and ample plans and prospectuses are now in circulation, and may be had of 

 Mr. Brooks, Old Bond Street, London. — Cond. 



Singular Instance of Vegetation. — On the 20th of September, 1813, a grave 

 was opened in Tockholes churchyard, from which a coffin was taken up which 

 had been buried twenty-two years. The coffin was opened, and in it were dis- 

 covered some sprigs of box, which appeared quite fresh. One of these was 

 planted in a garden belonging to Peter Catteral, Tockholes, and it now forms 

 a tree about 3 yards in circumference, after yielding successive supplies of sprigs 

 for the decoration of other corpses. (Newsp.) 



IRELAND. 



Designs for Cottages and Suburban Villas. — I can send you a complete set 

 of the plans, sections, &c, of Ballyfin House, the seat of Sir Charles Coote, 

 Bart., designed by Sir Richard Morrison, who, in point of taste, has been 

 accounted the first architect in this country. There is a very beautiful villa 

 near this, some time since erected, viz. Clontarf Castle, the seat of Mr. Vernon, 

 with a very good gateway, in the same style as that of the Norman baron's 

 castle. I am not sure who was the architect, but I think Morrison's son since 

 dead was. The builders, however, were Gilbert Cockburn and Sons, 165. 

 Great Brunswick Street, Dublin. There is also a very odd, but a very costly 

 and rather imposing, villa further towards Howth, St. Ann's, the seat of Ben- 

 jamin Lee Guinness, Esq., who is very fond of architecture, &c, and would, 

 I think, readily accede to an application for plans on your part. There are 

 some good new things at the south side of Dublin, on Lords Longford and 

 De Vesci's estates, designed by a young man just getting into practice as an 

 architect, G. Mulvany, Esq., jun. — N. Near Dublin, Feb. 17. 1842. 



