668 
COLLECTIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS. 
Preservatiok of Dahlia Roots. — Having known several methods which 
were adopted for the preservation of the roots of Dahlia, during the winter fail, 
it would, I am sure, be acceptable to some of your readers, to be informed of the 
very best method for preserving the same, during the severity of winter. 
Alfa. 
A Method of Preserving Seeds. — A friend of mine, a few years ago, 
received a considerable number of Seeds from the East Indies, which were mixed 
with charcoal. dust in the papers in which they were folded up; they proved to 
have kept particularly well, as he was very successful in raising them. I am not 
aware, whether this method is much practised, but from the success in this in- 
stance, it seems deserving to be generally known. I. T. 
Characteristics of Fruits. — From reading the notice in your work, of 
iVIr. Lindley's New Book on Gardening. I was induced to purchase it, and from 
the nature of its contents, expected to find something satisfactory on the distinc- 
tive characters of different kinds of fruits, I admit, the work contains much that 
is valuable on this point, yet something is still evidently wanting to evince a 
philosophical accuracy. The distinctive marks of figs are, I think, very defec- 
tive, which Mr. Lindley himself seems to be aware of, as he apologizes, that he 
had nothing better to offer. My motive is to enquire, if you, or any of your 
correspondents can point out any characters closely, to discriminate the follow- 
ing sorts of grapes, I take them from Loudon's Catalogue (given in page 751, 
Encyclop. Gardening.) I have referred in vain to published books for satisfac- 
tory information. — Perhaps my meaning will be more clear, if I state it in the 
form of questions thus : How are we to distinguish from each other, the small 
black cluster ; the miller's burgundy ; the large black cluster ; the Pitmaston 
black cluster ; the black sweet water ; and the clarette I Of these, the miller's 
burgundy, is perhaps sufficiently distinguished by its hoary leaves, yet this is of- 
ten confounded with the Claret a Rosa. Again, the diagnostics of the large 
black cluster is thought to be easily ascertained by the statement, that its leaves 
are scarlet in the autumn ; but this also, it appears, is a characteristic of the 
Pitmaston scarlet. — Perhaps, you or your friends, will have the goodness to take 
the matter into consideration. It is one of great importance to the interests 
of gardening, and will, if not removed, render it impossible for the student to 
attain that accuracy, which is desirable in every scientific pursuit, and without 
which, indeed, no pursuit can be deemed a science. 
P. 
II.— COLLECTIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS. 
Buds Destroyed by Birds. — I observe in your Naturalist's Calendar, for 
January, under Zoology, you say, Birds at this Season are not in search of the 
Buds upon Trees, but the insects infecting them, — this I know is a generally 
received opinion, but I must say, I have great doubt of its correctness. I have 
numbers of the Tom-Tit constantly about my garden, and they uniformly take 
off all my plum crop, as well as the gooseberries, currants, and frequently cher- 
ries : I remarked, for several years I scarcely got a green gage from two trees at 
the lower part of my garden, but I usually had some in a favourable season on 
