THE GARDENEES' AND NATURALISTS' CALENDAR FOE FEBRUARY. 
3^1iHrrilnnMiiB JSntiris. 
Samphire, or Sampire — (A corruption of Saint Pierre, 
to whom this phant was dedicated, perhaps from its 
grcwing so much upon rocks) — forms a yearly article of 
esijortation from this island, (Isle of Wight), for pick- 
ling. The plant is collected at great personal risk, by 
people called cliffsmen, who used to pay an annual 
tribute (now remitted) to the lord of the manor of Fresh- 
water, for the pri-\Tlege of taking both this and the eggs 
of sea-fowl, that breed in vast numbers in the stupendous 
challc cliffs, which rise, like impreg-nahle ramparts, to 600 
feet, at the extreme south-west corner of the Isle of Wight. 
The eggs (of various species of gull) find a ready mar- 
ket in the metropolis, at 2s. 6d. a dozen, and are 
considered a delicacy, though I am unable to ascertain 
to what class of persons the consumers belong. The 
samphire is consigned by the cliffsmen, packed in casks, 
with salt water, to certain wholesale houses in London, by 
whom they are paid 4s. per bushel, cleaned and sorted. 
For smaller quantities, as when required for private con- 
sumption, the charge for collecting is one shilling a 
gallon. The samphii'e is considered in perfection when 
just about to flower, or towards the end of May, and 
the gathering lasts for several weeks, as the plants come 
successively into blossom. The herb minced is served up 
with melted butter, instead of caper sauce, in this is- 
land. — Dr. Bromeficld, in Phytohgist. 
Cltinese Rice-paper, or Bok-shimg. — The substance 
commonly called Eice-paper by the Chinese, is made 
from the pith of a plant or tree, which grows piinci- 
pally in the swampy grounds in the province of Sam- 
swi, in the northern part of the island of Formosa, 
where it is said to form large forests. The bark and 
rind are, previous to exportation, stripped from the 
pith, which is then called Bolc-slmng. The iron knife 
used for cutting this pith weighs about two and a-half 
pormds, and is of the roughest and coarsest workman- 
ship. In cutting, the knife is kept quite steady, the 
cyUndiical pith being moved round and round against 
the edge of the knife, which is just inserted into the 
substance, and thus a leaf or sheet is formed resembling 
the most delicate paper, but rather thick in substance. 
When brought quickly from the workman's hands, the 
paper is in a damp state. It may have been rendered 
so in order to facilitate the smoothing and pressing. It 
is said that there is a neat method of joining this paper 
when broken, and that it is chiefly made from the 
smaller pieces of the BoJc-shung, and that the larger 
pieces are used in medicine ia the same way as Epsom 
salts. It is vain to conjecture, from the pith alone, to 
what plant or tree this exquisitely beautiful substance 
belongs. The vidgar opinion stiU generally prevails, 
that because it bears the name of rice-paper, it is ma- 
nufactured from rice ; but the slightest inspection with 
a microscope exhibits the exquisitely delicate medullary 
portion of a dicotyledonous stem. Again, from an afS- 
nity with the well-known Shola of the East Indies, (of 
which floats and buoys for fishermen, and the veiy light 
hats of Sincapore are made,) many have supposed, and 
even Chinese fsraveUers have declared, that Rice-paper 
is made from this, the iEschynomene paludosa ; but a 
comparison of the two will clearly show the difference. 
Both are light and spongy, but the Shola is far less deli- 
cate than the Boh-shwng. A Chinese drawing of what 
is said to be the Rice-paper plant is in possession of Dr. 
Lindley, but neither flower nor fruit is represented. 
Some have conjectured this t be a malvaceous plant, 
others araliaceous. We have seen in the branches of 
the common fig (Ficus carica) a copious medulla, very 
much resembling, in its textiu'e and pure whiteness, that 
of the Bolc-shiing. — Hooker's Journal of Botany, ii., 27. 
WA 
lii 
III mmm 
FLOWER GARDEN.— IN-DOOR DEPART- 
MENT. 
Covservatory. — Aided by such cultivators as those who 
have undertaken the Plant department of this Calendar, 
the decoration of the Conservatory will become an easy 
matter. At the present time it should be gay with Camel- 
lias, Heaths, Epacriscs, Indian Azaleas, Primulas, Scarlet 
Geraniums, Euphorbias, Poinsettias, Justicias, Aphe- 
landras, Epiphyllum trimcatum, violaceum and Ruckerii, 
Amaryllis; Bletias, Dendrobiums, &c., from the Orchid- 
house ; and Hyacinths, Narcissus, Tulips, Rhododen- 
drons, Azaleas, and other American plants, and some 
few fairy Roses from the forcing-house ; and, though 
last, not least, Mig-nonette, Neapolitan and tree Violets 
fi'om the fi-ames. These, intermixed with the regular 
occupants of the house, will give it a gay and interest- 
ing appearance, even dming a protracted reign of the 
Ice King, who appears loath to relinquish the fiiin hold 
he has taken of us. The temperatm-e of this house, for 
the sake of comfort, as well as for the preservation of 
the tender flowers, must range from 45 to 55 degrees, 
rising a few degrees by sun-heat ; but on very cold 
nights it is better that it should fall below 40 deg., than 
that a higher temperature should be maintained by fii'e- 
heat only. Sprinlde all vacant parts of the house daily, 
to generate a moist, healthy atmosphere ; and Camel- 
lias, the buds of which are swelling, will be benefited 
by a light syringing twice or thrice a week with tepid 
water. Keep a shaip eye upon insects ; clean plants. 
