April 17. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
cabbage; but, perhaps, ninety-nine out of every hundred 
have never heard of a “ drum-head” or a “ sugar-loaf.” 
Surely, it is as fitting that we should have an opportunity of 
learning something about what we all see so often on the 
dinner-table, as of what can only bo interesting or intelli¬ 
gible to a limited number of persons. 
It will be recollected, that at the Exhibition in Hyde 
Park, Messrs. Lawson deviated considerably from the beaten 
track, and gave something like an example of what a col¬ 
lection such as theirs ought to be; for among its principal 
features were the wax models and coloured drawings of the 
vegetables commonly grown in the garden and field. To 
the lasting honour of these gentlemen, their whole collec¬ 
tion may now be seen in the museum at Kew. 
I have been led to ofi'er these remarks on this subject 
from having very lately visited the fancy pottery works of 
M. Barbizet, of the Faubourg St. Antoine, whose models of 
fruit surpass anything of the kind I have ever seen else 
where. Models of fruit are commonly made of wax; but 
those of M. Barbizet are made of a composition which he 
calls “ Argile et carton pierre,” and which is not in any 
way affected by ordinary heat or cold. It is hard, durable, 
and not easily broken. To those acquainted with the pro¬ 
cess, it may not be difficult to imitate tbe external appear 
ance of fruit, so far as relates to bloom or colours; but the 
great merit of these models, besides the amazing fidelity of 
the imitation, is the fact that the colours are in no way 
affected by the ordinary process of cleaning, such as washing 
and drying. Where transparency is required, as in goose¬ 
berries and currants, this composition is equally suitable. 
These models are all solid, but not heavier than they would 
be if made with common plaster ; and as for the imitation, 
nature has been so exactly copied, that even the most 
practised eye would be unable to distinguish between the 
real objects and the representations. No person would 
suppose that the dish of beautiful fruit which he fancied he 
saw before him was only a dish of models. M. Barbizet, as I 
learn, is the inventor and patentee of this particular compo¬ 
sition, which is beyond all question the best material for 
models of fruit and similar objects which has been yet 
introduced. 
JARDIN DES PLANTS. 
The Garden of Plants has been gradually undergoing 
several important and desirable alterations or improvements, 
in addition to the construction of the aquarium and stoves, 
which I have noticed in a former communication. One of 
the cross avenues has been cleared of its old trees, which 
were rather in the way than ornamental or useful. Many of 
the decayed shrubs in tbe grounds have been taken up, and 
old dilapidated houses, now superseded, have been pulled 
down. The result of these aud similar operations has been 
to give an air of smartness to tbe whole place beyond what 
it has assumed for some time. The houses at present are 
enlivened by many early flowering plants, such as Camellias, 
Azaleas, Acacias, Heaths, and Epacrises. In the spacious 
Orchid houses there are several esteemed kinds in fiower. 
Among these may be noticed a superb Ansellia Africana, 
having eight large spikes. Also, good examples of Dendro- 
bium Perardii, Cymbidium sinense, Epidendrum odoratissi- 
minn, and a neat plant of the pretty Sobralia sessilis. Of 
other kinds in the same house, one or two deserve mention, 
as Begonia Diricksii (Lemoire), a remarkably vigorous 
species, having a strong stem, and leaves fully eighteen 
inches in length, with breadth in proportion; the fiowers are 
whitish. With this were flowering plants of Begonia, 
Jatrophcefolia and insignis, Pandanus Bromeliatfolia , and 
Bilbergia Skinneri. In the same house there is a fine col¬ 
lection of the singular and beautiful Aneclochili, Lycopods, 
and similar kinds. All the plants, particularly the Orchidete, 
are remarkably healthy and well grown. 
The Aquarium has now an aspect of healthy luxuriance 
such as is rarely seen. There is a good assortment of 
water plants in the tank, besides the Victoria Regia and the 
Euryale ferox, Nympluea Orlgiesiana rubra, stellata, and 
ccerulea, are at present in flower. Besides aquatics, there 
are many fine plants on the side shelves, which extend all 
round the house. At the time of our visit, those in flower 
noticeable for their healthy vigour, were Pitcairnia ringens. 
43 i 
I 
Strelitzia regimen, Puya Altenstani, Sinningea punctata, 
several species of Begonias and Tillandsias. 
In another house, or division of the same range, is a rich 
collection of miscellaneous stove-plants, including several 
new species of Euphorbia and Zamias, received from the 
Isle of Bourbon last year. But these and some others 
demand a distinct notice, which must be postponed till 
another occasion.— P. F. Iveir. 
“ DON’T KNOW HOW TO SHANK.” 
I have only just obtained your No. for January, at page 
263 of which I find a communication headed as above. 
There is in that article something so offensive, so swag¬ 
gering, and overbearing, that I trust you will allow me to 
make a few remarks upon it. 
The writer subscribes himself “ C. B. S., Jersey." I have 
alway found The Cottage Gardener characterised by a | 
kindly tone, calculated to promote harmony and good will 
amongst professional and amateur gardeners. The person 
who advertised his Vine with tbe qualification—“ Don’t 
know how to shank,” is, of course, a practical, professed 1 
gardener, and not an author, whose precise mode of ex¬ 
pression is to be criticised with severity ; though if it were, 
I think, I can show that it can stand the criticism of 
“ C. B. S.” 
If we write or advertise in The Cottage Gardener, it 
is with a view to tbe interests of our favourite pursuit. But 
“ C. B. S.” tells us we had better mind what we are about, or 
we shall have him setting upon us with his club. He says, t 
—“ Man being tbe possessor of so bounteous a gift as that 
supremacy (over the rest of creation) should use it with 
reason, and not abuse it, or woe betide him if I come across j 
his path." 
At first I laughed heartily at such a vapouring; I won¬ 
dered who this mighty “ I ” could be. At all events, I 
fancied he would give us his mighty name, that we poor 
scribblers might keep out of the way of such a terrible 
Aristarchus, who, for a mere blunder in our writing, would 
split our head. But, no; only “ C. B. S., Jersey." Then, 
after a flourish of trumpets about his own high mightiness, 
he says—“ I am prepared to subjugate prejudice, to over¬ 
turn error, and to capsize all the frivolous humbugs, Ac.” 
Pray, Mr. Editor, give us timely notice before this Don 
Quixote crosses the channel, and takes the road to charge 
windmills, and throw the whole horticultural world into 
confusion; “ capsizing,” nobody knows how many of our 
little greenhouses, to say nothing of Cucumber - frames, 
hand-lights, Ac. “ Playing Meg’s diversions,” as my old | 
gardener once said of a cow, which one night pranced all 
over my borders, and “ capsizing ” a good many “frivolous 
humbugs," in the shape of bee-boxes, bird-traps, Dahlia 
hoods, Ac. But to come to the point—the offensive ex¬ 
pression “ Don’t know how to shank.” Surely here is much 
ado about nothing; surely there was little more need for 
such a solemn truism as “ Plants do not possess any know¬ 
ledge or power of discrimination,” than to tell us, in the 
words of tbe old song,— 
‘‘ Boots an’t made of buttered toast.” 
After an immensity of writing to prove a self-evident 
thing, he tells us, that to assert that “ a Vine does not 
know how to shank,” is an absurdityand “ a Vine knows 
nothing more than any other inanimate object.” Was there 
ever such paltry criticism? Apply the same to Homer, 
Hesiod, Horace, Milton, and Holy Writ itself, and the same 
might be predicted of all these writings. . 
“ A Vine don’t know how to shank,” may be rattier au ad¬ 
vertising phrase; it may not be in very good taste, nor a very 
choice expression, but to meet it as “ C. B. S.,” does, is to 
break a fly upon the wheel, or to crush a worm with tbe 
fullest power of a Nasmith’s hammer. Besides which, the 
criticism of “ C. B. S. ” will not bear examination. 
Our own Milton represents the inanimate ocean as swell 
ing with pleasure, and cheered at the delightful odours 
wafted over it from “ Araby the blest.” 
“ Cheered with the grateful smell old Ocean smiles,” 
Milton, P. L. Book 4. 
