THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 10, 1850. 
79 
more, additional petals produced upon that which was the filament 
of the stamen. In fact, the stamens have been developed into 
petals. 
If the anatomy be further pursued, each whorl, although not 
connected as in the outer corolla, will show the same plan; but 
it is not so clear whether the many extra petals which form about 
the centre of tho flower as they emanate from the ovary are not 
an effort to produce petals with stamens, which are also converted 
into petiolots, and finally, tho pistil is developed into smaller 
petiolets. From all considerations, I value most a flower, from 
which to raise seed, that lias oncf or more of its stamens developed 
into petals. It will be found sometimes that one side of a plant 
will produce those first steps to doubling, which I attribute to an 
extra supply of suitable food, and probably, some extra shade. 
The cultural part of the question is, What are the requisites to 
induce the production of multiplicity of corolla in the Polyanthus 
to the sacrifice of other natural organs ? Coarseness of leaf, I am 
inclined to think, is opposed to the end in view ; and if so, might 
not culture, which would check the luxuriance of foliage, be ad¬ 
visable to try—such as repeated transplanting and division of the 
plant, and at some period of its growth a check, by withholding 
the supply of moisture to the roots ? 
We have no analysis of the petals of the Polyanthus to enable 
us to judge what manure would induce a plethoric state of tho 
needed elements. This end might, in a degree, be attained by 
collecting the corollas, and decaying them ; but I am inclined 
to conclude that cultural effects have great influences. It is rare, 
indeed, to find double flowers in the wild state; but last summer 
I discovered a double one of the annual wild Gentian (I believe 
the G. amarella ), and it was growing upon a very sandy, dry, 
miserably poor soil, and was not above two inches and a half 
high ; and showed a growth of starvation. But as the Poly¬ 
anthus seems to produce enlarged corollas under circumstances 
of abundant supply of food, shade and moisture, it is likely 
that that which might effect the Gentian would have a counter 
effect upon it.— W. Woolek. 
THE DRAG HOE. 
Like many men who start into the world of business with 
large aims and a small capital, we have had our share of checks 
and discouragements. Many a time when we have been nearly 
overwhelmed by expenses, and the last dime of our earnings, as a 
professional gardener, has been plainly visible in the toe of the 
stocking-bag, we have had to trust to our ingenuity to invent 
some labour-saving process that would keep that little bit of 
silver of, to us, “ curious workmanship,” a little while longer in 
its woollen retreat. One of these “ notions ” we now present 
to our friends in the shape of the Drag lloe. This little tool 
saved us many a hundred dollars, and has enabled us to dispense 
almost entirely with horse-labour in the cleaning of nursery rows 
of trees. Instead of now having our rows three or four feet 
apart for the use of the Horse Cultivator, we plant them now but 
two, taking out and transplanting each alternate row every 
second year. Where land is valued at its “ thousands ” per 
acre, this is an important item. 
With this fork a man or boy can do in one day wliat it would 
take him seven to do with a common hoe, and much more advan¬ 
tageously for the crops. It has to be used, however, before the 
roots of the weeds penetrate more than half an inch deep in the 
soil. “ A stitch in time saves nine,” is a necessary maxim in its 
application. Hoeing in very weedy ground will probably have to 
be done onco or twice oftener in the season than would be re¬ 
quired with the common hoe : but then this surface-loosening is 
a great help to the plant in dry weather. No mulching will ever 
be required where tho soil is often stirred. No better non¬ 
conductor exists than the atmosphere,—and by admitting air 
freely to the surface soil, we prevent much of the evaporation 
that'would otherwise ensue. Any village blacksmith can make 
one of these hoes. 
There is an article very similar to this sold in the implement 
stores, under the name of “ Potato Drag,” but the tines are 
rather too broad to pass freely through the soil. The tines 
should be round, except at the point, which is slightly flattened. 
If you commence using this hoe soon after the ground is dug in 
the spring, and repeat it every week or ten days, a man can draw 
it almost as rapidly as he can walk. 
The tines should be at right angles with the handle, so that 
when it is used it will be at an angle of about 45° with the earth. 
The engraver, in the cut annexed, has represented the tines as 
being too much bent.— American Gardener’s Monthly. 
FRUITS ADAPTED TO THE VARIOUS 
LOCALITIES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
(Continued from page 66.) 
GRAPES. 
Negropont Chasselas ( CZiasselas de Negrepo nt). — 
This is a variety which, in the bunches and foliage, re¬ 
sembles the Royal Muscadine. The berries are at first 
of a pale green colour, and gradually become of a fine 
clear red as they attain maturity. In this respect they 
differ from those of the Red Chasselas, which, from their 
setting, are of a bright red colour. Like the Royal Mus¬ 
cadine, it is of excellent flavour, and early. 
Nepean’s Constautia. See White Frontignan. 
Noir Precoce de Genes. See Ischia. 
(Killade (Ulliade ; Baud ales; Cinq Saous ; Prunelas). 
—Bunches medium sized, and with loDg stalks. Berries 
large, oval, uniform in size, and dangling from long stalks. 
Skin thin, of a dark purplish-black colour, and covered 
with bloom. Flesh rather firm, and breaking, juicy, 
sweet, and of good flavour. 
The vine is a very abundant bearer, and ripens its fruit 
in a cool vinery. 
Oldaker’s St. Peter’s. See Black St. Peter’s. 
Palestine. See Syrian. 
Pause Musque. See Muscat of Alexandria. 
Parsley-leaved. See Ciotat. 
Passe Musque. See Muscat of Alexandria. 
Passolina Nera. See Black Corinth. 
Perle Blanche. See White Sweetwater. 
Petersilien Gutedel. See Ciotat. 
Pineau. See. Black Cluster. 
Pitmaston White Cluster. —Bunches medium sized, 
compact, and shouldered. Berries medium sized, round, 
inclining to oblate. Skin thin, amber coloured, and fre¬ 
quently russety. Flesh tender and juicy, sweet and w ell 
flavoured. An excellent early grape ; succeeds well in a 
cool vinery, and ripens against a wall in the open air. 
Pocock’s Damascus. Bee Black Prince. 
Poonah. See West’s St. Peter’s. 
Pope Hamburgh. See Black Tripoli. 
Precoce Blanc. See Parly Mating re. 
Precoce de Iiienzheim. See Early White Malvasia. 
Precoce de Malingre. See Parly Malingre. 
Pr ecoce Musque. See Early Saumur Muscat. 
Prince Albert. See Barharossa. 
Peolific Sweetwater ( Froc de la Buulaye; Gros 
Coulard). —Bunches medium sized, cylindrical, loose, and 
not shouldered. Berries large and round, uniform in 
size. Skin thin, greenish-yellow, but pale amber when 
fully ripe. Flesh tender, juicy, and sweet, with an ex¬ 
cellent flavour. 
This is an excellent early white grape, and sets its fruit 
much better than the old Sweetwater. It ripens well in 
a cool vinery, and is well adapted for pot culture. 
Prunelas. See (Eillade. 
Purple Constantia (Black Const anti a; Purple Fron¬ 
tig nan; Blue Frontignan; Violet Frontignan; Muscat 
de Naples; Violette Muskateller). — Bunches long and 
tapering, very much more so than those of Black Fron- 
