February 0.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
2S7 
Not only is the building designed by a gardener, but 
it will have assembled within it much that is of high 
interest to gardeners. Wo know of implements and 
other structures that are to be exhibited not only de¬ 
monstrative of the skill of the artizan, but offering great 
aids to the cultivators of tlio soil. 
Above all, we hope we see in it a permanent structure, 
and after serving the purposes of the exhibition that it 
may remain as a winter garden where it now stands. 
Such an opportunity for so desirable an establishment can 
never recur; for it has elevation sufficient for the tallest 
Palms, and it would not be cither difficult or expensive 
to have it divided by glass partitions, so as to have within 
the temperatures and vegetation of every clime. Nor 
need the vegetation here be . stuck in formal rows of 
glaring pots, for there is space enough, not only on the 
ground floor but in the galleries, for the display of artistic 
arrangement. 
When first wo hoard of the proposed building our 
memory at once carried us back to a day about twenty- 
four years ago, when wo stood amid the ruins of the 
Athenamm at Brighton. That building was entirely of 
iron and glass, enclosed within its circle about an acre, 
and the prospectus stated that “ while it possesses the 
requisite strength for covering so vast a space, it is delicate 
enough to admit the light with perfect freedom.” This 
assurance proved fallacious, for the building fell, and 
involved in its ruin that of its projector, Mr. Phillips. 
Wo do not fear that Mr. Paxton’s pavilion will fall from 
a similar cause; but the trial to it will be if a gale of 
wind occurs when its floors are loaded. Upon this 
point, however, -we do not hazard an opinion; though we 
do venture to express a fear that the ridge and furrow 
roofs will very soon cease to be rain proof. 
We will conclude by giving an extract from Mr. Pax¬ 
ton’s own account of the origin of the design. 
When the six eminent architects and engineers were selec¬ 
ted as a committee to choose a design, Mr. Paxton says that 
he had no intention of offering one, for he took for granted 
that something wortliyof the occasion andof the nation would 
he selected by them. When the time approached for the pro¬ 
duction of plans there was a discussion in the newspapers 
as to the design best adapted, and he must say that the first 
sketch lie saw in a number of the “Builder” did not inspire 
him with any exalted notions, or raise any very splendid 
expectations of the result. It was not until one morning 
when he was present with his friend Mr. Ellis, at an 
early sitting of the House of Commons, that the idea of 
sending in a design occurred to him. A conversation took 
place between them with reference to the construction of the 
new House of Commons, in the course of which he (Mr. 
! Paxton) observed that he was afraid they would also commit 
a great blunder in the building for the Industrial Exhibition; 
adding, that he had a notion in his head, and that if he (Mr. 
Ellis) would accompany him to the Board of Trade he would 
ascertain whether it was too late to send in a design. He 
asked the executive committee whether they were so far 
committed to the plans as to be precluded from receiving 
another. The reply was, “ Certainly not; the specifications 
will be out in a fortnight, but there is no reason why a clause 
should not be introduced allowing of the reception of 
another design.” He said, “Well, if you will introduce 
such a clause I will go home, and in nine days hence I will 
bring you my plans all complete.” No doubt the executive 
thought him a very conceited fellow, and that what he said 
was nearer akin to romance than to common sense. Well, 
this was on Friday, the 11th of June. From London he 
went to the Menai Straits, to sec tlio third tube of the 
Britannia-bridge placed, and on his return to Derby lie had 
to attend to some business at the board-room, during which, 
however, his whole mind was devoted to his project; and 
whilst the business proceeded be sketched his design on a 
large piece of blotting paper. He was sorry ho had not the 
original with him, but the fact was, Mrs. Paxton had taken 
possession of it, and if they were at all anxious to see it, the 
only possible way of gratifying their desire was by sending 
for her to the meeting. Having sketched his design on 
blotting paper, he sat up all night until he had worked it out 
to his own satisfaction; and by the aid of his friend Mr. 
Barlow, on the 15th he was enabled to complete the wholo 
of the plans by the Saturday following, on which day lie loft 
Eowsley for London. On arriving at the Derby station he 
met Mr. B. Stephenson, a member of the building committee, 
who was also on his way to the metropolis. Mr. Stephenson 
minutely examined the plans, and became thoroughly en¬ 
grossed with them, until at length he exclaimed that the 
design was just the thing, and he only wished it had been 
submitted to the committee in time. Mr. Stephenson, how¬ 
ever, laid the plans before the committee, and at first the 
idea was rather pooh-poohed; but his plans gradually grew 
in favour, and by publishing the design in the “ Illustrated 
News,” and showing the advantage of such an erection over 
one composed of fifteen millions of bricks and other ma¬ 
terials, which would have to be removed at a great loss, the 
committee did in the end reject the abortion of a child of 
their own, and unanimously recommended his bantling. 
NEW PLANTS. 
THEIR PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES. 
Spear-pointed-leaved Polygonum (Polygonum cits' 
pidatum). — raxton's Flower Garden, i. 137. Annales 
de Gaud., v. 461.—The name of this genus, Polygonum, 
originated with Linnaeus; and the meaning of tlio word 
is many-joiuted, in allusion to the stems; from polys, 
many; and gome, a joint or knee. Cuspidatum is a term 
applied to loaves which terminate suddenly in a point 
a cuspidate or spear-pointed loaf. If the number of 
species in the genus Polygonum had been fixed on for 
giving it a generic title, the name would he Protea, or 
I Legvona —for they are vast in number, if not Protean in 
aspect. In the cool and temperate parts of both hemi¬ 
spheres, Polygonums inhabit waste places, as heaths, 
mountains, and way-sides, either trailing on the ground 
or twining among neighbouring plants. Their uses are 
as various as their aspects, and their celebrity lias to be 
recounted in various ways. The Fagopyrum csculentum, 
Buckwheat, or Brank, was once a Polygonum, and now 
the whole of the genera or families partaking of the 
same botanical construction, are named in their Natural 
Order, Buclcwheats (Polygonaceic). Properly speaking 
they are llowerless, or devoid of petals; but the calyx is 
