1870. ] 
THE FRUIT CROPS OF 1870 . 
153 
■peculiarities of foliage, wliether of shape, size, or colour, to the season of blooming, 
or the showy or fragrant character or the colour of their flowers, the edible-fruit 
"bearers, the ornamental fruit-bearers, timber-producers, species of peculiar habit 
of growth, species adapted for particular uses, and so on. As an illustration of 
'the utilitarian part of the book, we quote the following brief section on “ Species 
thriving in the Smoke of Cities ” (p. 306). 
“ Of course the expression ^ thriving ’ is to be understood as merely com¬ 
parative. No plant can either grow or flower so well in the impure atmosphere 
of large towns as in the open country. But whereas most trees and shrubs 
dwindle away and die under the mephitic influence of air surcharged with 
carbon, etc., there are a few that will withstand it tolerably well. The list is not 
ti long one, but it may be hoped that further experiments will be made with a 
■view to extend it:— 
^sculus Hippocastanum. 
Ailantus glandulosa, a large tree, with beautiful 
leaves, much used for shade in Continental 
towns, and amongst other places on the 
boulevards in Paris. 
Ampelopsis hederacea, the Virginian creeper. 
Amygdalus communis. 
Artemisia Ahrotanum. 
Aucuba japonica. 
Catalpa springcefolia. 
Cgdonia japonica. 
Cytisus Laburnum. 
I'icus Carica, the Fig tree, occasionally found 
in out-of-the-way nooks, courtyards, and 
close areas, not fruiting, but freely produc¬ 
ing its beautiful large leaves. 
Hedera Helix. 
Jasminum officinale, the Jasmine, whose intro¬ 
duction dates earlier than our earliest gar¬ 
dening records. 
Ligustrum vulgare, and probably lucidum. 
Paulownia imperialis. 
Phillyrea media. 
Platanus occidentalis, the Plane, which of all 
large trees is probably the one which answers 
best for city cultivation, owing to its smooth 
leaves and ever-peeling bark [though the 
tree Mr. Mongredien evidently I'ofers to is 
the P. acerifolia]. 
Quercus Ilex. 
Rhamnus Alaternus. 
Rhus typhina. 
Ribes sanguineum. 
Robinia Pseud-Acacia. 
Viburnum Opulus.” 
—to which might have been added Rhododendrons, especially in situations where 
they can be well washed and sufficiently watered ; Wistaria sinensis ; and the 
Yuccas, a family which, by the way, is very inadequately treated of. The book 
13 well printed, and contains some excellent illustrations, one of which we here 
introduce through the courtesy of the publisher. It would be more useful if 
rendered more complete, as we trust to see it in another edition.—M. 
THE FRUIT CROPS OF 1870. 
URGING from the reports, it may be concluded that good crops of fruit are 
pretty general throughout the country. The crops of all kinds of fruit, in 
this part, are in general very good; there is not a failing crop of any 
kind of fruit, so far as I can ascertain: all are abundant. This is a very 
pleasing state of things,—the result of the general failure of the crops last season, 
and of the hot dry summer, which thoroughly ripened the wood. Had our fruit 
crops been a failure this year, we, no doubt, should have heard that it was caused 
by the frosts at the beginning of May, which, we learn, did some damage to the 
Flossoms in the neighbourhood of London ; the crops, however, being good in 
