454 
TRANSMISSION OF CONIFER.E. 
each end would do ; the one goes over the peg, 
the other we put the marking iron in, so that 
by walking round and marking as we go, we 
form a complete circle; by carefully moving 
the peg to any part of the edge of the circle, 
we can draw another circle, and again remove 
the peg to where the lines cross, and draw 
another, and so on the same as you would on 
paper. If this has to be done on a lawn, the 
circular marks can be best made with white 
pegs, unless a cutting instrument is used that 
will mark clearly without damaging the grass 
too much, because the lines will go over parts 
that are to be left as lawn, and consequently 
if damaged much could not be set to rights 
without relaying the turf. Pegs therefore, are 
mostly used and placed pretty close together, 
and as soon as the necessary circles are all 
drawn, the portions to be cut out have the turf 
pared off exactly to the size and shape. These 
general rules will be found to comprise nearly 
all the art of laying out such gardens. Those 
with gravel walks and box edgings are more 
troublesome, because when marked out the 
paths have to be dug, and the stuff thrown on 
to the clumps, the edges neatly pared up like 
a sloping bank, the box laid along very 
even, and banked up from the path side. The 
paths are then filled with gravel and neatly 
levelled and rolled; but work of this kind 
once done is done for always, and as it is 
showy and will repay the labour, a little 
trouble should not be thought of. These little 
flower gardens are greatly ornamental in all 
establishments, if planted and kept well 
replenished. 
TRANSMISSION OF CONIFERiE FROM THE 
HIMALAYAS. 
BY JAMES GRIGOR, NORWICH. 
One of the great features of Arboriculture in 
the present day consists in the introduction of 
many species of trees belonging to foreign 
countries. Of these the chief are comprised 
in the various kinds of Conifera? from the 
Himalayas. Having now a resident collector 
there, I am enabled to communicate some 
further particulars relative to the transmission 
of seeds, which cannot fail to interest all those 
who have waste lands to plant, or who may 
have friends or relations in India, through 
whom a supply may be procured. "With many, 
the policy is to keep such information to them- 
selves ; but as I am anxious to see the waste 
parts of England full of those splendid trees 
which adorn the mountains of India, no matter 
by whom such trees are supplied, I am in- 
duced to lay before the public all the particu- 
lars, so far as my short experience goes. My 
collector is at present stationed at Doyrah 
Dhoan, bounded on the east bv the Ganges, 
and on the west by its mighty tributary, the 
Jumna. This place is in the principality of 
Serinagur, North Hindostan. The Deodar 
forests appear on all the surrounding moun- 
tains, skirted, and in some instances the trees 
are intermingled, with those of the Kyle, 
which, from the seedlings in my nursery, I 
find to be the Pinus excelsa of botanists. The 
rainy season peculiar to that country generally 
commences in July, and ends about the 20th 
of September, and the best time to gather the 
cones, when they are intended to be sent home, 
is during the earlier part of October. In 1844, 
when the rainy season was over ten days 
sooner than it was ever known to stop before, 
and when the intensity of the sun was unex- 
ampled, it was necessary to gather the cones 
(which were rather prematurely ripened in that 
instance) three weeks sooner than usual ; but 
as a general rule the first three weeks in Oc- 
tober may be considered the best time to col- 
lect them. 
Great diversity of opinion exists as to the 
best mode of transmitting the seeds. When 
very large quantities are to be sent, I should 
recommend the packages to be forwarded by a 
sailing vessel. The seeds should come in the 
cones, packed in boxes amongst any dry chaffy 
substance. Every cone should be coated over 
with resin, or any other similar substance, to 
fill up the insterstices between the scales, and 
carefully and tightly tied, so as to prevent the 
possibility of their expanding during the 
voyage. They should then be wrapped sepa- 
rately in brown paper and tied again. When 
thus treated, the air is excluded from the seeds; 
but if this precaution should be omitted, the 
cones will be in pieces when they reach this 
country, and not one in a hundred of the seeds 
mill vegetate. Calcutta is the sea-port for the 
Himalayan district, and my last consignment of 
cones which came by a merchantman from that 
port, was about five months on the way. 
When the packages are small, the overland 
route, via Egypt, should be adopted ; for by 
this mode seeds may be received in the course 
of two months from the time of their being 
gathered. The average length of passage 
from Calcutta to England, by the Oriental and 
Peninsula Steam Company's vessels, which 
carry Her Majesty's mails, is forty-eight days. 
To Calcutta, packets should be sent by 
Banghy ; those not exceeding twelve inches 
by twelve inches, or such as do not exceed 
fifteen pounds w eight, are received at the post 
office, and forwarded at the convenience of the 
authorities there, that is, when they have a 
sufficient quantity for a despatch. Some idea 
of the expense will be inferred, when I state 
that the last parcel I had, which weighed 1\ 
pounds, cost £1 15s. 6f/. ; but as it was paid 
to Calcutta, fifteen shillings more should be 
