Oetohor 25, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



325 



his garden, one can only expect young plants from the leaves 

 of those trees which do not bring forth bnds ; that experiments 

 made with the leaves of the Lemon tree had alone succeeded, 

 fcnt never those made with the leaves of the Orange or Lime 

 tree; and that Agricola and Thunning had erroneously im- 

 agined that the leaves themselves Bhot up into trees, their 

 midrib becoming the stem, and the collateral ribs or veins the 

 branches. It is probable that the well-known multiplication 

 of the Indian Fig gave the first idea of this experiment ; for 

 every joint of that plant stuck into the earth, and properly 

 nurtured, throws out roots and grows. As these joints were 

 commonly considered to be leaves, people tried whether other 

 leaves would not grow in the same manner. Lnckily those of 

 the Lemon tree were chosen for this purpose, and what was 

 expected took place. Thus from a false hypothesis have new 

 truths been often derived ; and thus was Kepler, by a false and 

 even improbable opinion, led to. an assertion, afterwards con- 

 firmed, that the periodical revolutions of the planets were in 

 proportion to their distance from the sun. But the raising of 

 trees from leaves was too rashly declared to be a method that 

 might be generally employed, for it is certain that it now seldom 

 succeeds.— W. R.— {Journal of Forestry.) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 The importation of Potatoes this year is much larger 

 than in 1876. In September of this year 1S4.459 cwt. were 

 imported ; and in the same month of last year, 176,348 cwt. 



Amongst the many fine examples of Palms and Tree 



Ferns in the conservatory of Mr. B. S. Williams of Holloway 

 is a noteworthy example of Todea africana. The specimen 

 has been recently imported. Its stem or trunk is about 5 feet 

 high, is roughly triangular in form, and measures nearly 9 feet 

 in circumference. It has seventeen crowns from whence healthy 

 ■fronds issue, these measuring from 3 to 5 feet in length. The 

 plant is a very striking feature in the conservatory, and is 

 much admired by visitors on account of its singular form and 

 venerable appearance. 



We have reoeived the Report on the Brisbane Bo- 

 tanic Garden, and are pleased to see that it testifies to the 

 successful management of its Curator, Mr. Walter Hill. The 

 glass structures, the drainage, and other details have been 

 improved; 104,000 cuttings, 22,000 roots and bulbs, 21,326 

 plants, and of seeds 1046 packets and &6 lbs. have been distri- 

 buted among public and private establishments. 



An American bouquetist observes that a very pretty 



and taBty bouquet for summer time may be made of scarlet 

 Geranium, Begonia Weltoniensis, or some other pink flower, 

 Catalonian Jasmine, Browallia elata (blue), and a few Fern 

 leaves. The first two varieties should be used for base flowers, 

 the next two for projecting, and the Ferns for edging. In 

 making the bouquet alternate the scarlet Geranium and Be- 

 gonia. It is immaterial that these flowers be packed together, 

 as the Browallia and Catalonian Jasmine will make the bouquet 

 light and graceful. These two should be cut from the plants 

 with long stems, as the buds are almost as pretty as the 

 flowers. They should be projeoted about 3 inches above the 

 other blossoms. There should be about twice as much Jasmine 

 as Browallia, as a very little blue will make a muoh greater 

 effect than the same quantity of white. Edge the bouquet 

 with some light and graceful Fern leaves, and a gratifying 

 result will follow. A round-top nosegay is preferable to any 

 other style when made as above described, because the pro- 

 jecting flowers show with greater effect. 



In reply to " F.," who has sent us a M.S. on plants 



written by Sir John Hill, it is sufficient to state that he was 

 a physician, but wrote upon any subject the booksellers paid 

 him for. Amongst his publications were poems which oc- 

 casioned many satires, among the most clever of which were 

 these : — 



" The worst that we wish thee 

 For all thy vile crimes 

 Is to take thy own physic 

 And read thy own rhymes." 

 The rejoinder to which was — 



"No 1 Let the order be reversed, 

 Or he'll not rue his crimes ; 

 For if he takes his phytic first 

 He'll never read his rhymes." 

 Sir John Hill died in 1775. 



The American Cultivator truly observes that Potato 



tops are valuable either as a green manure for ploughing under 



or as an addition to the compost heap. The stem and leaves 

 of the Potato contain a good per-centage of the most valuable 

 organic and inorganic elements of plants. According to From- 

 berg 100 lbs. of the leaves in their natural state contain from 

 0.82 to 0.92 lbs. of nitrogen, or 100 lbs. of dry leaves contain 

 5.12 to 5.76 lbs. of nitrogen. By every ton of Potato tops 

 ploughed under we add to the land about 50 lbs. of inorganic 

 salts, and a quantity of organic matter containing 20 lbs. of 

 nitrogen, or about 23 lbs. of ammonia. The best Ichaboe or 

 inferior African guano yielded but 9 to 10 per cent, of ammonia, 

 hence one ton of Potato tops may in this respect be compared 

 to 250 lbs. of cheap guano. 



■ Glue for Damp Atmospheres. — A glue, fast in damp 



atmosphere, for fastening labels on preserve bottles may be 

 made by macerating five parts of good glue in from eighteen 

 to twenty parts of water for a day, and then adding to the 

 liquid nine parts of sugar candy and three parts of gum arabic. 

 The mixture can be brushed upon paper while lukewarm ; it 

 keeps well, does not stick together, and when moistened ad- 

 heres firmly to bottles. For labels to be used in places subject 

 to damp it is well to prepare a paste of good flour and glue, to 

 which linseed oil, varnish, and turpentine have been added, in 

 the proportion of half an ounce to the pound. Labels pre- 

 pared in the latter way do not fall off in damp places. 



Writing to the "Journal of Forestry" on the im- 

 portance of trenching the ground for trees, " The Squire's 

 Old Gardener" narrates the following experience: — About 

 twelve years ago a gentleman having determined to make a 

 considerable number of clumps or plantations on various parts 

 of the estate, it fell to my lot to see to the work being done in 

 a proper manner. I advised my employer to have the whole 

 of the ground trenched 2 feet deep, which he at once agreed 

 to have done. The soil varied from good loam to stiff clay, 

 and in some parts a shallow sandy soil resting on rock, the 

 stone cropping up in plaoes at less than a foot deep. Before 

 the work of trenching was completed my employer was advised 

 by a person in whom he had great confidence that I was put- 

 ting him to a great deal of unnecessary expense, and that if 

 holes were dug 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep it would answer the 

 purpose, and act as well as the trenching I waB giving it, and 

 so the trenohing was stopped, and .boles were dug in the re- 

 mainder of the ground, and the young trees were planted. 

 They consisted of Spruce and Scotch Fir, Birch, Elm, and 

 Poplar, as well as various kinds of dwarf shrubs, all being alike 

 strong and healthy plants. The planting was done in Novem- 

 ber, and every tree lived for the first two years, all appearing 

 to flourish alike ; but then we had a very dry hot summer, 

 when a change came quickly over the scene. Where the soil 

 was trenched the trees seemed to revel in the heat, and sent 

 their roots deep down into the good soil prepared for them, 

 while the plantations on the ground not trenched appeared 

 scorched and stunted and all growth stopped, many of the 

 trees dying, and those that remained alive never recovered 

 their former vigour. 



IN THE NORTH.— No. 3. 



NEWTON STEWART. 

 In my report of the Galloway Rose Show I have alluded to 

 the zeal for horticulture which is manifested in this far south- 

 west corner of Scotland, and have spoken of one of the places 

 in the neighbourhood where a good example of gardening is 

 set, but I think a somewhat more detailed account of it and 

 another of the country houses in the neighbourhood may not 

 be uninteresting to the readers of the Journal. They do not 

 pretend to be show places nor even to be great gardens, but 

 they are none the Iobb a proof of how widely extended is the 

 love of gardening amongst us. 



PENNIKGHAME CASTLE. 



This beautiful spot, the seat of Stopford Blair, Esq., is 

 situated about four miles from the town of Newton Stewart 

 amidst the most lovely wild scenery. Seeing it as we did on 

 a brilliant day in July when it was looking at its best, we can 

 well understand how much its owner must rejoice in it when 

 escaping from the bustle of a London season. Doubtless it 

 tells (like most country places, and especially those in moun- 

 tainous districts) a very different tale when wintry weather 

 prevails. The Castle stands on an elevated plateau overlook- 

 ing the river Cree, and the view from the flower garden in front 

 of the house commanding that of the windings of the river is 

 very beautiful. The beds in the garden were well fiDed with 



