366 
COLLECTIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS. 
have similar appendages attached to the leaves, but are entirely des¬ 
titute of the lid. For instance, in the species of Dischridia, which 
are climbing plants, the pitchers are in the form of bags, and of a 
greenish colour ; they hang in bunches from the slender stems, and 
the use of them, as Dr. Wallick remarks, is “ to form reservoirs of 
nutriment, from which the roots emitted by the stem, and constantly 
found ramifying within them, absorb food for the general support of 
the individual. He says that in this case they are necessary, on ac¬ 
count of their long slender twining stem being too narrow a channel 
of supply from the subterranean roots to the leaves. The Macgraavia 
also have little pitchers occupying the place of bracteae, which either 
hang down or stand erect among the flowers; but these, as well as 
the last, although they contain considerable moisture, have no open¬ 
ings wherein insects might enter. We shall leave them as a subject 
for future observation. Amongst these hollow leaved plants may be 
placed the Dipsacus fullonum, which forms an axillae of the leaves, a 
kind of basin, usually containing a quantity of water, which becomes 
the grave of numerous insects particularly flies. This water had once 
the reputation of being a cosmetic, or a beautifier of the skin, but it 
is now little regarded. 
ARTICLE XII. 
COLLECTIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS. 
Reaping Unripe Wheat. —I beg to inform C.C.C.C. page 273, 
that cutting unripe wheat has been practised with success in our part 
of the country (North Wilts). Wheat cut about one week, or eight 
days before it is ripe, is a great deal better in quality than when it 
is allowed to be fully ripe. The method adopted is, to let the wheat 
lay in grit about one day after it is cut, and then to tie it up in very 
small sheaves ; or the wheat, not getting dry in the middle of the 
sheaves, will turn fusty. By adopting this plan the wheat will be 
found, at thrashing, to be a great deal plumper in the corn, of a bet¬ 
ter colour, and less subject to the attacks of the weevil. J. K. 
Planting and Pruning Forest Trees. —I am a very old plan¬ 
ter, one of the oldest, I believe, in Hampshire, and I challenge any 
of the King’s planters in the New Forest, for success and good man¬ 
agement. I never prune my trees at all, but leave them to nature. 
My plan is first, to trench and drain the ground, which is to be 
planted. I then plant the trees pretty close, after which nothing 
more is required than to attend carefully to thinning out the nurses, 
when they become too rank. An Old Planter. 
