the Pseony — an admirable idea if it can be ac- 

 complished. A correspondent writes — " I must 

 mention an attempt made by me to obtain a large 

 double crimson garden Pseony shrubby, instead 

 of herbaceous. The common garden Pseony has 

 its fine duplication made for it out of anthers. 

 Its female part is undisturbed. I touched this 

 with dust of the Moutan papaveracea; plenty of 

 seeds formed, and when sown in a pot came up 

 plentifully. When of right age, I sowed them 

 out in a border. Their foliage was very various 

 — none like garden Pseonies. So I had great 

 expectations. At three years old they flowered — 

 all dull red, small, single, wild-looking flowers. 

 In disappointment I took them up all but two, 

 which showed a little like inclination to shrub- 

 biness. The roots were as various as the foliage, 

 some only long fangs like Moutan, some tubers 

 like garden Paeonies, and others, the greatest 

 number, something between fangs and tubers. 

 From the v ariations in foliage and roots of the seed- 

 lings, and from the particular fact that the garden 

 (old crimson double) Pseony has no anthers, I 

 believe the hybridisation took place ; but no 

 shrubbiness resulted. Can it be that the male 

 being the shrub, and the female herbaceous, the 

 mules must be the latter? Jt may throw some 

 light on the philosophy of these things, in raising 

 the suspicion that in mules between an herba- 

 ceous and a frutescent plant of relation near 

 enough to be hybridised together, the mule will 

 be herbaceous or fruticose, according as its female 

 parent is the one or the other."— On this, the Editor 

 remarks, " That this was a failure is true ; but in 

 one respect it was a success, for it proved that 

 shrubby and herbaceous Paeonies will breed toge- 

 ther, which is all of which we wanted proof; and 

 it certainly ought to lead the way to further 

 attempts, in a somewhat different direction." — 

 I append also the Editor's remarks on the sub- 

 ject generally — " How is it," he says, " that 

 Pseonies have never had the benefit of the hybri- 

 diser's care ? It is difficult to understand why 

 one of the hardiest, handsomest, and most cul- 

 tivable of all spring flowers, comprehending 

 several distinct races, which would certainly mix 

 freely, should hitherto have engaged no one's at- 

 tention. We have whites, purples, and yellows, 

 shrubby and herbaceous Pseonies, early and late, 

 tall and dwarf; yet they have been as much 

 neglected as if they were no better than butter- 

 cups. Why should not the sweet Chinese late 

 sorts be crossed with the scentless European 

 early sorts? Why not the Wittmann Paeony be 

 bred on till its pale yellow gains the brilliancy of 

 Escholtzia? Why cannot our cottage garden 

 herbs be converted into shrubs?" — I say so too; 

 and I sincerely hope, now the subject is started, 

 that some practical experiments will be tried. 

 The Pseony is a noble flower, and a great orna- 

 ment to our gardens. — An Amateur Gar- 

 dener. 



Carbonic Acid. — I forward you, Mr. Editor, 

 some particulars relating to carbonic acid. In a 

 paper like ours, they will be read with interest. 

 — Though grateful and beneficial to the sto- 

 mach, though constituting one of the principles 

 of spirit, wine, and every vinous beverage, 

 though existing as a most wholesome ingredient 



in the water we drink, carbonic acid is a most 

 deadly poison to the lungs, and, unless largely 

 diluted with atmospheric air, causes instant 

 death to him who breathes it. One adult human 

 being emits through the lungs and pores of the 

 body about 40,000 cubic inches of carbonic acid 

 every day, an amount, the carbon of which would 

 be equal to nearly three- quarters of a pound of 

 pure charcoal. Thus four individuals, living and 

 breathing in a room eight feet by twelve, and 

 eight in height, would, in the twenty-fours, 

 evolve in its space 160,000 cubic feet of carbonic 

 acid, or three pounds of solid charcoal — a quan- 

 tity that would deprive the whole of them of life, 

 if all ingress of atmospheric air were prevented. 

 — If these " facts" be duly reflected on, Mr. 

 Editor, they can hardly fail to operate bene- 

 ficially. — Senex. 



The Frog, a Weather Glass. — It is a remark- 

 able fact, Mr. Editor, that previous to, or during 

 wet weather, the back of the common frog will 

 be invariably found of a dirty brown or black 

 color. Preceding or during fine weather, its 

 back will as constantly be seen of a pretty bright 

 gamboge yellow color. Intermediate states of 

 the weather will be indicated by intermediate 

 colors on the frog's back. In variable weather, 

 this adjunct to observations made with the baro- 

 meter and the dew-point will oftentimes be found 

 very valuable — such as during a critical hay- 

 season; for when the frog's back, barometer, 

 dew-point, &c. simultaneously indicate fair 

 weather, their combination may be relied on as 

 the certain forerunner of clear weather. — E. L. 



Window Plants, — Instructions for Watering. — 

 Few persons, Mr. Editor, comparatively speak- 

 ing, understand the proper management of plants, 

 more particularly as regards the watering of 

 them. Now, the watering of plants is one of the 

 first lessons in horticulture — a lesson, in fact, 

 which, if properly learned, is worth all the others, 

 — so far, at least, as relates to growing plants in 

 pots. Most persons in towns are fond of growing 

 a few pretty flowers at their windows; but almost 

 every one is puzzled as to the number of times 

 their pets should be watered in a day. To speak 

 of theory or principles, only confuses the minds 

 of those who have no conception whatever of 

 antecedents ; and yet I have never heard, in the 

 multitude of quotations on the subject from gar- 

 dening papers, anything like rational and clear 

 directions for the guidance of domestic amateur 

 florists. Suppose a lady purchases a few flowers 

 — say scarlet Tom Thumb Geraniums, Petunias, 

 Heliotropes, Fuchsias, and similar sorts, she very* 

 naturally inquires how often they should be 

 watered. The most sensible answer given to this 

 question will likely be " not to water them till 

 they are dry," or " till they require it," and so 

 on. The plants are sent home, placed in the 

 window, or wherever they are intended to stand; 

 and, notwithstanding the drooping points of their 

 branches very soon indicate aridity at the roots, 

 the balls of earth are not considered quite dry • 

 and therefore, amidst considerable alarm, there 

 is some hope entertained that the safety of the 

 plants will be best insured by a scrupulous ad- 

 herence to the directions of the nurseryman, who 



