Decemier 11, 1871. 1 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



467 



(Mono Lake), are from four to sis times larger. This larger 

 size of the cone is perhaps dae to the intense reaction of the 

 atmosphere caused by bare rocks, wet meadows, and dry sand. 

 Considering the qaick radiation of heat in such localities 

 towards evening and shortly after sunset, which cools the air 

 and causes a heavy dewfall, we may be able to understand this 

 phenomenon. 



Ascending the highest points of the Coast Ranges, we meet 

 the well-known Sagar Pine, P. Lambertiana. But the Sugar 

 Fine of the coast ranges is not that colossal structure of the 

 higher or rather middle sierras. Its beauty, size, and length 

 ■of cones are inferior. This tree yields an excellent timber, 

 and attains a height of 150 to 200 feet. The outline is cylin- 

 drical, the branches are short, dense, and much divided into 

 spray. A characteristic exception, make the topmost branches, 

 which spread in a loose irregular manner, almost horizontally. 

 These are the cone-bearing branches, which attract the atten- 

 tion of everybody by their clusters of pendulous cones, 15 to 18 

 inches long. The cones open about September to emit their 

 seeds, and fall then themselves during winter to the ground. 

 This noble tree has its leaves in fires ; they are comparatively 

 short and of a glaucous green colour. It ranges throughout 

 the entire length of the sierras north to the Columbia river 

 between 4.000 to 10,000 feet. I have not yet observed it in any 

 at our gardens. The resinous matter exuding from burnt spots 

 of the trunk hardens into a whitish mass, sweet as sugar. 



Descending into the more easterly valleys of the coast ranges 

 we meet a very peculiar Pine, the Digger Pine (P. Sibiniana). 

 This species attains the height of 40 to 60 feet and a thick- 

 ness of 3 to 3 feet. Its outline is irregular ; the trunk is 

 generally low. Its branches are characterised by a few main 

 loaders and by the paucity of their spray. The foliage is light 

 and quite glaucous green. The leaves are in threes and the 

 cones persistent, although not to the extent of some other 

 species. The seed is the largest of all our Pines. The testa 

 ■of its seed is very hard and bony. This species occurs in the 

 ■diiest portions of valleys and hilleides, even up to 4,000 feet 

 ■of the sierras. It forms very seldom small groves. On account 

 of its irregular form it is not a desirable tree for gardens. Its 

 wood is useless except for fuel. 



In similar localities we find growing with the Digger Pine, 

 although less frequently, another Pine, P. Coulteri. This 

 species attains the height of 30 to 50 feet, and a thickness 

 of 2 to 3 feet. It has a broad oval outline. The branches 

 and branchlets are thick and clumsy and few in number. 

 The leaves are very long, bright green, and in threes. 

 The cone is the largest produced by our Pines. It occurs at 

 Pass Tejon, on the Smta Lucia mountains, and at Mount 

 Xiiablo. In our gardens it does well. — [Professor Bolancler in 

 California Horticulturist ) 



DRAUGHT OF FLUE TOO POWERFUL. 



If your correspondent " Vikidis " banks up his fire with a 

 mixture of sawdust and coal dust, using a larger proportion of 

 ■the former than of the latter, he will be able to maintain a 

 slow fire for a considerable time. The above fuel can be used 

 in quantity, and yields comparatively little heat, so that there 

 is no risk of scorching the plants with it. It will keep up a 

 smouldering fire for nine or ten hours, and is occasionally very 

 useful to deaden the fire. "Vieidis" had, however, better 

 take your advice and look to the draught from bis ashpit door. 

 It is surprising how little air a greenhouse fire often requires, 

 an opening the size of a fonrpenny-piece is frequently sufficient, 

 as in the improved Arnott stove. I am the fortunate possessor 

 of a flue with a tearing draught, but can always regulate it to 

 a nicety by means of the ventilator in the ashpit door. A 

 small pin is so fixed that the ventilator cannot be entirely 

 closed by one-eighth of an inch, and this small opening admits 

 air in sufficient quantity alter the fire has burned up well. A 

 few days ago, on looking at the fire for the last time at night, 

 I found it roaring furiously, the door, &c., red hot, and soon 

 discovered that the stopping round the door had fallen down 

 and that air was admitted freely. I had no sawdust handy, so 

 I smothered the fire with ashes. 



Many amateurs take much more trouble than is necessary 

 with their greenhouse fires. I cannot now help smiling at my 

 own care some years back. I used carefully to make up the 

 fire between 10 and 11 ph., visiting it again the next morning 

 at 6 o'clock. For some time past I have banked up at 8 30 p.ii. , 

 and not troubled myself about the greenhouse until a comfort- 

 able hour the next morning, feeling sure that though the fire 



might have burned out hours before daybreak there would be 

 heat enough in the flue to exclude the frost, however severe. 



In conclusion, I will just add that a continuous small fire 

 can be more easily kept up if the furnace be not too large, as 

 the fuel will lie in a compact mass. — John Marshall. 



[We are very much obliged by your note. It is a great 

 mistake to think that such " simple" information is not 

 valuable; all success is secured by a knowledge of small 

 facts. — Eds.] 



SELF-ACTING PORTABLE FOUNTAIN. 



My new portable table fountain will play from one to three 

 hours, according to size. The top part acts as a cistern, and 

 when the water has run out I unscrew the jet, screw it into 

 the cistern and reverse, both top and bottom being alike. The 



whole operation can be performed in half a minute without spill- 

 ing one drop. The flower-vases are moveable for reversing. 

 The idea is entirely original, as far as I know. I have never 

 sei-n anything of the kind before. I took my idea from an hour- 

 glass. — -T. Wood. — {English Mechanic and World of Science.) 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Eepokt to the Council ox the PERiIA^'E^^? Exhibitions, and 

 International Competition, 1871. 



As regards tte permanent exhibitions in tlie arcales of the Koyal 

 Horticultural Society, we have to report, that the display made by the 

 several exhibitors has been examined by us on the first meeting day 

 of each month, according to the conditions of the Society's Schedule, 

 and speaking in general terms we may state that the exhibitions have 

 been well kept up from the beginning to the end of the season. Mr. 

 "W. Paul, who has in our opinion earned the first place, had in the he- 

 ginning of May a magnificent display of pot Koses, such as were pro 

 bably never brought together before by one exhibitor, and we have pro 

 posed to mark their excellence by the special award of a gold medal 

 Mr. Paul also made an excellent display of cut Eoses in May, June, 

 July, August, and September, those in July being considered espe- 

 cially good ; and these were supplemented by ornamental evergreens, 

 and in their respective seasons by Lilies, Pelargoniums, Hollyhocks, 

 Asters, fee. ; while in September the collection contained some ex- 

 cellent pot Yihes. 



Messrs. Lane & Son occupy the next place, their exhibition being of 

 a more miscellaneous character, made up in the main of fine speci- 

 mens of hardy evergreens, enlivened in May and June by Rhododen- 

 drons and Azaleas, of which they had a good display. Later on we 

 found a good collection of Ivies, and in September several very inter- 

 eslicg Conifers bearing fructification. 



Almost on an equality with this was the display made by Messrs 

 Standish &, Co., in which a more decided attempt at effective arrange- 



