THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— May 20, 1850. 
107 
! 
view which he was probably letl to take by the 
condition of the ovule, and which may be 
regarded as the most philosophical mode of 
understanding the nature of this singular 
genus; to which Nageia may be said to be a 
slight approach, and which is not distinguish¬ 
able by habit from a Podocarp. 
In its systematic relations Saxe-Gotha?a 
possesses great interest, forming as it does a 
direct transition from the one-flowered Tnxads 
to the true imbricated Conifers, without, how¬ 
ever, breaking down the boundary between 
those orders, as I understand them, but rather 
confirming the propriety of limiting the Coni¬ 
ferous order to those genera which really bear 
cones instead of single naked seeds. In the 
language of some naturalists, Saxe-Gothiea 
would be called an osculant genus between 
Taxads and Conifers. 
The leaves of this plant have altogether 
the size and general appearance of the Eng¬ 
lish Yew, Taxus baccata; but they are glaucous 
underneath, except upon the midrib and two 
narrow stripes within the edges, which are 
pale green. The male flowers consist of 
spikes appearing at the ends of the branches, 
in a raceme more or less elongated. These 
spikes (Fig. B. 1) grow from within a few 
concave acute scales, which form a kind of 
involucre at the base. Each male is a solitary 
membranous anther, with a lanceolate, acumi¬ 
nate, reflexed appendage, and a pair of parallel 
cells opening longitudinally. The female 
Flo's vers form a small roundish, pedunculated, 
terminal, scaly imbricated cone (Fig. B. 3). 
The scales are fleshy, firm, lanceolate, and 
contracted at their base, where they unite in a 
solid centre. All appear to be fertile, and to 
bear in a niche in the middle, where the con¬ 
traction is, a single inverted ovule (Fig. B. 4). 
The ovule is globular, with two integuments 
beyond the nucleus; the outer integument is 
loose and thin, and wraps round the ovule in 
such a way that its two edges cannot meet on 
the under-side of the ovule ;* the second in¬ 
tegument is firm and fleshy; the nucleus is 
flask-shaped, and protrudes a fungous circular 
expansion through the foramen. The fruit 
(Fig. B. 5) is formed, by the consolidation of 
the free scales of the cone, into a solid fleshy 
mass of a depressed form and very irregular 
surface,owing to many of the scales being abor¬ 
tive, and crushed by those whose seeds are able 
to swell; while the ends of the whole retain their original 
form somewhat, are free, rather spiny, and constitute so 
many tough, sharp tubercles. The Seed (Fig. B. 0) is a 
pale brown, shining, ovate, brittle nut, with two very slight 
elevated lines, and a large irregular hilum ; at the base it is 
invested with a short, thin, ragged membrane, which is the 
outer integument in its final condition. The nucleus lies 
half free in the interior, the fungous apex having shrivelled 
up and disappeared. 
Explanation of the Cuts. —A, a branch with male and female 
flowers, natural size ; n, various details of the fructification, 
more or less magnified; 1, a spike of male flowers; 2, a 
male or anther apart; 3, a twig and young cone ; 4, a scale 
seen from the inside with the inverted ovule, showing the 
fungous foramen protruding beyond the primine (outer in¬ 
tegument) ; 5, a ripe fruit; 0, a seed showing the two slight 
elevations upon the surface, and the remains of the ragged 
primine at the base.— Dr. Dindley in Hart. Sac. Journal. 
* Since this was written Sir W. Hooker lins placed in my hands a 
sketch of the anatomy of the female flowers of Saxc-Gothrea, by Mr. 11. 
Clarke, who describes the ovule thus : — “ Its ovule has the same structure 
as that of Gnetum, as described by Mr. Griffith, viz.: it has three 
integuments ; the internal protrudes, and forms a sort of stigma, not so i 
obvious as in Gnetum ; the external has constantly a fissure on its 
posterior, or rather inferior surface, which however tloes not close as in 
Gnetum when the ovule advances in growth, nor yet become succulent. 
Mr. Griffith describes the fissure in the external integument of Gnetum 
as constantly posterior; and if the ovules of the strobilus were erect, 
they would agree w ith Gnetum in this particular.” 
15.—Fructification of Saxe-Gothsea. 
CHILDREN’S GARDENS. 
NO. IV. 
Very likely, some reader of my past rotes lias contemptu¬ 
ously cried, “ Pshaw ! Look at my son’s garden;—be lias had 
it two years. I supplied him with good tools, plants and 
seeds, and, so far from interfering with the liberty of action, 
‘ E.’ makes such a fuss about, I have not said a word to liim 
about bis garden ; yet it is full of weeds. I should just like 
1 E.’ to account for this ?” 
Very easily accounted for, indignant reader, in your own 
words. “You never said a word to him about bis garden.” 
That is the reason of your, son’s indifference. Try what a 
little kindly encouragement will do. Jf children find that no 
one notices their labours, all delight in them passes away as 
soon as the novelty wears off; but if they see that their pa¬ 
rents take an interest in their success, an enduring motive 
for exertion is supplied, and the bond of filial love is 
strengthened by a fresh tie. AVe are ourselves by no means 
free from a similar feeling. Mature of age, as many of us 
may be, I suspect that there are but few who do not find an 
incentive in the encomiums of a wife, a sister, or a friend. 
How many of us, again, pride ourselves in being successful 
exhibitors ! 
I presume that no one will impute blame to us for being 
actuated by such motives; I only plead for their extension to 
