240 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ October, 
Gloire de Dijon and Climbing Devonionsis are not less vigorous and beautiful. These Roses 
scarcely know the pruning-knife. The most they get of it is to cut away rude growth in the 
summer, and to remove the immatm*e points of the shoots at the winter pruning. 
- 3tN regard to Vine-Pruning, Mr. D. Thomson remarks that, according 
to his experience, tested over and over again, the spur yields a larger but less 
compact bunch, more likely to shank than the hard produce of the wood closer home, 
which yields a more compact, neat, and serviceable bunch, and generally with larger berries 
and stiffer foot-stalks than the larger buds farther up the shoot. I hold it to be wrong, he 
says, to judge of the produce of a Vine by the size of bunch. The aim of the family grape- 
grower is fine berries, and compact, moderate-sized bunches in great numbers. Tested by 
family usefulness, and commercially, by the demand of the market, the smaller and compact 
bunch takes precedence of the big bunch. If serviceable bunches ai’e wanted, he advises to 
prune back to one bud; but if larger, looser, and less serviceable bunches, then to cut to 
the fourth or fifth bud. 
- ^ DWARF, compact-growing White Virginian Stoclc, received from Messrs. 
Carter and Co., seems to be an acquisition for general decorative purposes. A 
single tuft of it forms a close, erect mass (much like Lobelia Erinus in babit), of 
some Gin. high and 9in. broad, and is clothed Avith a profusion of pm’e white flowers. It Avill 
form a capital white edging plant. 
- ISouBTS have sometimes been expressed as to wlietlier seedlings of tbe 
Purple Beech will come coloured purple. Mr. Mills, of Enys, notes that some 
six or seven years ago lie found several seedlings under a Purple Beech, and that 
these are still equal in colour to the grafted trees from Avhich they Avere raised. The size to 
Avhich they have groAvn—about 8 ft. high, AAuth branches from 4 ft. to G ft. long—sufficiently 
proves their permanence. 
- ^ MATERIAL, Under the name of Antijlamine^ has recently been intro¬ 
duced at Paris for the purpose of extinguishing fire. It consists of 700 parts by 
Aveight of aluminous and magnesia silicates reduced to fine powder and dried at 
212° Fahr.; 200 parts chloride of magnesium in crystals ; 50 parts sulphate of soda ; 50 parts 
chloride of lime ; and 1 part tartaric acid=1001. The Antiflamine is in the form of a poAA^der, 
perfectly soluble in AA^ater, and it is used by mixing it AA’ith the Avater in the fire-engines. The 
effect of its application, it is said, is to loAver the temperature, and to surround the burning 
material Avith gases which Avill not support combustion. 
- ^ SOLUTION for Destroying Insects, such as plant-lice and others, has 
been recommended as efficacious by M. Cloez, of the Jardin du Museum, Paris. 
It is made of the following ingredients :—34 oz. quassia chips and 5 dr. stavesacre 
seeds, in poAvder, are placed in seven pints of Avater and boiled down to five pints. When 
cooled, the strained liquid is ready for use, and may be applied either by a Avatering-pot or 
syringe. 
-®HE rapid oxidation of Zinc Roofing may, it is said, be obviated by coat¬ 
ing it with a liquid prepared as follows ;—One part, by weight, of copper scales, with 
one part of sulphuric acid and three parts of hydrochloric acid, are heated in a 
porcelain vessel until red fumes cease to be evolved and the copper is entirely dissolved ; to- 
this G4 parts of water are added, and the Avhole is then filtered. 
- ®HE mortality Avhich occurs amongst Carp in fish ponds in the spring 
season has often been noted. M. Duchemin has laid before the French 
Academy some observations thereupon, from which it appears that the toad is the 
offender. The toad is found squatting on the head of the fish, AA’hich it blinds by putting its 
forepaws over the fish’s eyes. The fact had been previously obscr\'ed, and it is said that the 
toads which thus attack the fish are invai'iably males. 
