144 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[June, 
this Marattia is very large, and an experiment ay as tried to propagate some of them by 
cutting up. On each portion one of the deep sinuses was loft, as the first fronds are usually 
produced in or near one of them. The experiment Avas perfectly successful, nearly all tho 
pieces producing fronds in a much shorter time than those imported. EA’ery attempt to raise 
any of the Hymenopliyllaccas from spores proved fruitless, evon although tho spores Avero 
soavu directly. The first stage of germination or vegetation of the spores of this group of 
Ferns takes place in the spore-cases beforo they are detached from the plant, and the shortest 
interruption in the vegetative process seems to be fatal to tho vitality of the spore. 
- ®here seems to be some uncertainty as to whether the Spircea palmata, 
of Tliunberg, was known in this country as a garden plant previous to its intro¬ 
duction, a few years since, by Mr. Fortune. It is quoted in Loudon’s Encyclo- 
pcedia and Ilorlus Britannicus as introduced from China in 1823, consequently, something 
under the name of palmata Avas then groAvn. Was it the true S. palmata or not? Probably 
not. Three plants have borne this name of Spiraea palmata:—(1), The Japanese plant, to 
Avhicli alone it belongs ; (2), a North-American plant, Avith rose-coloxu’ed floAvers, the Spiraea 
palmata of Linnaeus, and which is properly the S. lobata of Murray ; (3), the plant figured 
by Pallas in his Flora Rossica, Avlxich is properly the S. digitata of Willdenow, a plant of 
Eastern Siberia, probably extending to China also. The true plant, then, being Japaneso and 
not Chinese, it seems most probable that the species formerly grown in this country was the 
latter, S. digitata. 
-— Some beautiful Double-flowerecl Cherries, &rc., are mentioned by Mr. Gum- 
bleton as growing in his garden at Queenstown ; amongst them Cerasus caproniana 
ranunculi flora, a tolerably free-flowering shrub, which produces large double pure 
Avhite floAvers, and is perhaps the finest double Cherry known; Cerasus Watererii, Avhicli is Avhite, 
edged with pale rose-colour ; and Cerasus Siebolclii roseogjleno, which produces large blush- 
coloured semi-double flowers in abundance. An interesting Japanese shrub is that described 
and figured in Siebold and Zuccarini’s Flora Japonica, under the name of Prunus tomentosa ; 
it is valuable, not so much for the beauty of its blossoms, which, though profusely produced, 
are of a dull blush-colour and insignificant in size, as for its beautifully bright scarlet fruit, 
which resemble a large shining haAV, but have a white spot on the side. 
- J£t appears that a new Cooling Apparatus for Liquids , such as water, 
wine, milk, &c., and which is claimed to be most efficient and convenient, and at 
the same time among the cheapest, has been recently patented at Vienna. It is 
described as consisting simply of a tube, most conA r eniently made of tin, with a tight-fitting 
cover. This tube is rapidly packed, by aid of a wooden stamper, Avith pounded ice and salt, 
either mixed or in alternate layers, and when thus charged is plunged into the liquid that is 
to be kept cool. 
- Fn the Country Gentlemen's Reference Catalogue to the Best Modern 
Works, issued by Horne and Co., of the Edgware Road, we have a very useful 
guide to the selection of books likely to interest country residents. It is, in fact, 
a classified list of standard and current publications, arranged under such headings as Agri¬ 
culture, Aquarium, Birds, Bees, Botany, Browing, Cookery, Dogs, Ferns, Game, Gardening. 
Fishing, Horses, Natural History, Poultry, Ac., the title and price being given, and in many 
cases a short description or critique being added. 
- Amongst ornamental hardy plants suitable for gentle forcing, the 
Polygonatwn multiflorum, or Solomon’s Seal, is very striking. The best mode of 
treating it for this purpose is to plant out the clumps for two years in a good, 
rich, light soil, forcing them the third year. The clumps then throw up 
splendid spikes of flowers. 
- Ln the remarks on Double or Fasciated Hyacinth-spikes, at p. 118, the 
word printed effects should read offsets, —“ the first stage towards a natural 
division into offsets.” 
