64 



Che OlarJtraer's Ponthlg. 



and after this, and place the pots, in double lines, on 

 boards 1 foot from a south wall. These are for the 

 early forcing to give fruit in March. Our second lot 

 is prepared in the same manner, only we use six- 

 inch pots because we employ larger kinds of straw- 

 berries. All after the first and second lots are fruit- 

 ed in six and seven-inch pots. We never pot or 

 plant after September, and place them first in small 

 pots for the successional crops, thence transferring 

 them into fruiting pots as soon as the small pots are 

 filled with roots. We presume your plants are as 

 yet unpotted. The pots we should use would be 6 

 inches in diameter, and we take up with balls, and 

 pot firmly. A bed of leaves about 18 inches high 

 being made, a gentle heat would rise ; in this bed 

 we would plunge the pots about half their depth 

 which would excite a speedy root iaction, and the 

 materials becoming cold in ten days or a fortnight, 

 a frame and lights might be placed over the plants 

 to protect them from wet and severe weather. — 

 They will require to be started in January to fruit 

 by the first of April. — Cottage Gardener. 



Effect of Locality on Form of Plants.— Dr. 

 J. E. Gray mentions, in the Journal of Botany ^ that 

 in Pembrokeshire, especially near Broadhaven, the 

 prevailing color of the Primrose is pale lilac, and 

 specimens of this and of the " Primrose " colored 

 varieties may be found growing on the same stone 

 wall (stone walls in this district taking the place of 

 hedges), sometimes so close together that they ap- 

 pear to grow from the same root. As other exam- 

 ples of two forms of one plant growing under the 

 same conditions, he further mentions a purple 

 Anemone, which he has found intermingled with 

 the white one in the same tuft ; a beautiful pink va- 

 riety of Wood Sorrel growing amidst the usual 

 white form ; and a rose^-colored form of Lamium al- 

 bum, in the midst of beds of the usual color. 



, The GtRASS-tree. — Few who have traveled any 

 in Victoria but have met with the grass- tree (Xan- 

 thanorea, ) which is to be found in nearly all parts 

 of Australia. Up to a few months ago it was sup- 

 posed only to be a useless growth, encumbering the 

 land. A few knew from the blacks that it contain- 

 ed a very tenacious gum — the blacks used it as a 

 glue for joining parts of their weapons ; but it is 

 only within the last few months that the following 

 valuable articles have been obtained, after great 

 labor and expense, by a Mr. Dodd. St. Ronan's, 

 the place where Mr. Dodd has erected his works to 

 carry on the experiments, is situated about 18 miles 

 in a southerly direction from Colac, and here for 



some months past experiments have been carried 

 on in connection with the grass-tree. The root is 

 the portion used in the experiments, and usually 

 weighs from 10 lbs. to 50 lbs. The root is com- 

 posed of the stems growing in a close mass around 

 the inner portion of the kernel. From the outer 

 portion of the root gum-shellac in large quanities is 

 obtainable-; the refuse contains a large quantity of 

 gas, and can be made available for lighting the works. 

 From the inner portion is extracted, by pressing or 

 distilling, a spirit equal to the best brandy, also 

 alcohol; after distilling, a quantity of saccharine mat- 

 ter remains, from which sugar can be extracted. 

 The present supply of grass tree in the neighbor- 

 hood of St. Ronan's is computed to be equal to a 

 supply of 600 tons per week for the next ten years. 

 Great quantities of young grass- tree abound. 



PENNSYLVANIA HORT. SOCIETY. 



The regular meeting Jof this society was held on 

 Tuesday evening the 15 inst., at their rooms in 

 Walnut street, President D, Rodney King in the 

 Chair. 



Committee on Flowers and Plants awarded pre- 

 miums to Charles Fox, gardr. to J. V. Merrick, for 

 Basket cut Flowers. John Dick, tor pair Hand 

 Bouquet. John Whelan, gardr. to W. Adarason, 

 for 6 primroses. D. McQueen, for Parlor Fern 

 ease, Hanging Basket, Table Design, Basket of Cut 

 Flowers, pair Hand Bouquets. Geo. Huster, gardr. 

 to A. Cummings, for Basket of Cut Flowers. 



Mr. King, at the opening of the business meeting, 

 made the annual addrees, reviewing the course and 

 progress of the Society during the past two years in 

 which he has acted as President. The prominent 

 point of interest was the subject of the new hall^ of 

 which the Directors are Charles P. Hayes, Henry 

 A. Dreer, Benj. Bullock, Chas. Harmer, Thomas 

 P. James, James Ritchie, Peter Mackenzie, Wm. 

 L. Schaffer, D. R. King, and J. Eastburn Mitchell. 



The Board is organized thus : W. L. Schaffer, 

 President ; H. A. Dreer, Treasurer, and. A. W. 

 Harrison, Secretary. 



The Hall will be completed next May, and will be 

 opened for the annual exhibition of the society. 



Mr. Lorin Blodgst, United States General Ap- 

 praiser, made an interesting address upon the sub- 

 ject of California wines, their value, and the decep- 

 tion practiced concerning them. 



