237 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 12, 1858. 
tations of both plants and seeds, is an entire failure. I have 
not one left. The American Linden, or Basswood, does 
slightly better, though it bears no comparison with its home 
growth. The Abies Canadensis (Hemlock), thus far, is an 
entire failure ; Cedrus alba (White Cedar), ditto ; while the 
Pinus Alepica (Swiss Pine), and several other varieties of the 
Pinus family, and also of the Cupressus and Abies families, of 
which I have imported and planted the seed, flourish finely. 
The Ailanthus, Catalpa, Gymnocladus Canadensis , China 
Tree, Tamarix Gallica, and several of the members of the 
Acacia family (both American and Australian), do well in our 
soil and climate. The Almond, the several varieties of Walnut 
(excepting the shag-bark), and the Butternut, all grow rapidly 
from seed. My oldest are two years old, and are ten to 
twelve feet high. The Tamarind, with the simple protection 
of one thickness of common sheeting during the winter 
months, comes into bearing the second year from seed. Our 
Apples and Pears, especially those of large size, when entirely 
exposed to the sun, are apt to sunburn on one side, while the 
stone fruits are entirely free from the evil. 
The above facts pertain to the Sacramento Valley, in the 
latitude of St. Louis. In the coast valleys, under the in¬ 
fluence of sea fogs and sea breezes, and also in the more 
elevated portions of the country, and in the mountain valleys, 
they might not fully apply. 
In the winter of 1855, I imported, for my ornamental 
ground, some fine, healthy plants of Norway Spruce, of 
White and Purple Lilac, Deutzia scabra, and Weigela rosea, 
which I continually nurtured with the utmost care; but they 
have nearly all perished, and the remainder barely live. They 
do not grow. Our sun is evidently too hot, without the in¬ 
fluence of frequent showers. The Rose, the Pink, Flowering 
Almond, Corchorus, Pomegranate, Rose Acacia, Honeysuckle, 
Passiflora, and Chrysanthemums, seem entirely at home; 
while the Verbena, the Geranium, and the whole family of 
Tulips, Hyacinths, Lilies, &c., do well with abundant watering. 
This is a bare outline of what families, immigrating to 
California, may expect to be able to cultivate with success. 
I may add more when I have more room.—W., Sacramento , 
August 4, 1857. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Orchard Unfruitful (S. J. L.). —Cut away the tap roots which 
have pierced down into the sandy subsoil. Cover the surface roots 
with a mixture of loam and rotted manure. Manure the surface every 
spring. Do not move the trees : you can get at the tap roots by 
digging a trench on one side of each unfruitful tree, and picking away 
the soil until you come to the tap root; cut through this with a sharp 
chisel. Do not disturb the fruitful trees. 
Fluke Potato (Solatium). —We believe it was raised at Middleton, 
near Manchester, but should like to know its history for certain. We 
think the “ Improved Lemon Kidney ” is only the Cornish name for 
the “ Ash-leaved Kidney.” 
Platform Bee Hive. —A correspondent wishes for some information 
relative to this hive, exhibited at the Royal Agricultural Society’s 
Show, at Salisbury. It was made by a Mr. Davis, we think; and we 
have some recollection of seeing it at the Chiswick Show, last year. 
We shall be obliged by information about it. 
Chevreul’s Harmony of Colours (A Constant Reader). —M. 
Chevreul has published a work upon colours ; and we believe that an 
English translation, also, has been published. Your bookseller can 
ascertain. 
Ice Stacks — Fig Training (A Subscriber). —Sulphur is the only 
known application for curing the mildew on Vines. What our own 
staff state, we recommend; but wc arc not responsible for what our 
correspondents state. All that is known about ice, to the making of 
ice plates for the butter in July, will be found in our former volumes, 
if you consult the indices. A “ diagram ” of any of our fruit trees 
will give the portrait of a trained Fig tree : the main shoots are the 
long ones ; and to them are tied small, short, side-shoots, to give more 
room between the main shoots, for the leaves to occupy. Peach trees 
are often so trained, so are Morello Cherries, and Grape Vines; indeed, 
any naked part of a main shoot on a trained tree should be clothed by 
tying to it side-shoots, on purpose to keep the sun from scorching the 
bark. 
Various (A Young Gardener) .-—The best thing you can do with your 
caterpillars, is to shake the plants, and look them over, and pick off 
the vermin. Very likely syringing them well with clear lime water, 
would also dislodge every one the water touched. The water is made 
by placing a spadeful of quick lime into a barrel, or thirty-six gallons 
of water, stirring it well, allowing it to stand until clear, taking off 
the surface film of chalk, and using the rest; making sure it is quite 
clear. You may put the Strawberries in when you think proper, but 
they would not be advanced much until the sun gained power—about 
March: and with greenhouse treatment, such as you speak of, you 
could not expect to forward the fruit above a fortnight or three weeks. 
Any paint will do. We use white lead and oil. And any blacklead- 
pencil will do. We prefer a good-sized one, such as is used by car¬ 
penters. The cheapest fumigator is a garden-pot, set on two other 
pots, or two bricks, to allow a small draught of air at the bottom. 
Any old saucepan, with a handle, with several holes in the bottom, and 
one or two in the side, makes a first-rate fumigator, if you can stick on 
three iron feet. The great thing, when properly lighted, is to cover 
sufficiently with damp moss, &c., to keep the smoke cool. This is the 
great advantage of the patent fumigators, the cheapest of which are 
about 10s. The smoke is always presented cool. Great danger is in¬ 
volved, if the smoke is presented hot to the plants. 
Myrtle Berries (E. E. Llewellyn, Glamorganshire). —The fruit is 
quite wholesome, and is pleasantly flavoured ; little inferior to the 
much-vaunted Eugenia Ugni, which is, itself, a Myrtle. We are in¬ 
formed, in Mr. Hogg’s “Vegetable Kingdom,” that in Tuscany a 
Myrtle wine is made of the berries. Why not try a preserve of them ? 
Names of Plants (Teignmouth). —We received your plant, and 
will shortly attend to the request, as to the name of your specimen. 
Your Fig tree, we should say, is growing too luxuriantly to be fruitful. 
We would take it up and replant it, even if we were obliged to place 
it back in the same spot, cutting away, at the same time, any long or 
over-gross roots. This we would do about the middle of next March. 
The Fig tree is always found to be the most productive, when its roots 
rest upon a dry bottom, rather confined, than otherwise. (A. 31 .).— 
Your Fern is Cassebeera hastata, a native of the Cape of Good Hope. 
It requires a greenhouse. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
January 13th and 14th, 1858. Dublin. Secs., T. M. Hutton and R. P. 
Williams, Esqrs., Council Rooms, 212, Great Brunswick Street. 
Entries close November 21st. 
January 20th, 21st and 22nd, 1858. Nottingham Central. Sec., Mr. 
Etherington, jun., Notintone Place, Sneinton, near Nottingham. 
January 20th, 21st, and 22nd. Liverpool. Secs., G. W. Moss and 
W. C. Worrall, Esqrs. 
February 3rd and 4th, 1858. Preston and North Lancashire. 
Secs., Mr. R. Teebay and Mr. H. Oakey, 25, Fishergate, Preston. 
Entries close January 10th. 
February 10th and 11th. Ulverstone. Secs., T. Robinson, and'J. 
Kitchin, Esqrs. Entries close January 25th. 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
CEYSTAL PALACE POULTEY SHOW. 
[Our own Eeporter’s parcel not having arrived, we are 
indebted to a contemporary for the following. We shall give 
fuller particulars next week.] 
On Saturday, the Christmas revel was brought to a close, and 
the last gratuitous distribution of twelfth-cake took place, so 
that the Palace will have once more to rely for patronage upon 
its more legithnate attractions. But Saturday did not rely upon 
the revel to secure visitors to the Palace—-it being the first 
day of the whiter Poultry Exhibition—certainly the best that 
has ever been held, both for the quantity and the quality of 
the birds. The Show was held in the hall of the south wing, 
leading from the railway to the Palace, in which the carriages 
are usually displayed; and we know of no place, either for its 
space or the excellence of the light, better adapted for such an 
object. The total number of pens was 1466; and among 
the exhibitors, were nearly all the most eminent breeders and 
fanciers of poultry and Pigeons in the country. Many sent 
to the present Show for the first time; and, notwithstanding 
the increase in the charge for entries from four ta six shil¬ 
lings, the number of exhibitors was much larger than on 
any previous occasion. 
The number of pens of Spanish fowls, was 143 ; of Dork¬ 
ings, coloured and white, 150 ; Cochin-China, brown, white, 
and partridge-feathered, 109 ; Brahma Pootra, 46 ; Game 
fowl of all kinds, 102 ; Hamburgh, gold, silver, and spangled, 
136; Polish fowl, 58 ; Malays, 25 ; miscellaneous, including 
Creve Cceur, Sultans, Andalusian, black Hamburgh, and white 
and buff Polish, cuckoos, “ rumpless, ” Polish, white Spanish, 
Calcutta jungle fowl, Indian and Shanghai game, 30. There 
were also 87 pens of Bantams, 9 of Geese, 66 of Ducks, 16 ol 
Turkeys, 3 of Guinea fowl, and 384 of Pigeons. 
The Spanish were more numerous this year than last; the 
quality of the birds exhibited having also greatly improved. 
A cock and two hens, shown by Mr. Botham, of Slough, for j 
which the first prize was awarded, were remarkably fine; as 
were also some birds of the same class shown by Mr. Busst, 
jun., of Walsall. There was a cock showing by Mr. Rodbard, | 
