242 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, July 20, 1858. 
reasons. Game will rear themselves, and preserve them¬ 
selves, better than gamekeepers can do, if they are furnished 
with such food and lodgings as I have proposed; and I look 
forward to a time when wine and game will be a part of the 
produce of an English farm, since it is quite as easy to rear 
partridges and pheasants as it is to rear geese and turkeys.— 
{Horticultural Society's Journal .) 
HAIR-PINS FOR PEGGING DOWN. 
In speaking of pegs for bedding plants, in several numbers 
of The Cottage Gardener, you state, that hair-pins 
would be certainly the best pegs, but are too expensive. It 
may be useful to let you know, that I get hair pins in Bir¬ 
mingham by the pound,—at sixpence a pound,—which con¬ 
tains about thirty dozen good, strong pins. A little care, when 
the plants are taken up, will save many of these pins for a 
second year. No wooden peg will ever do again.— Hanley. 
[We have another communication, from S. Tattersall, on the 
same subject, and showing how to cast them with lead; but 
neither plans are so cheap as the hooks of galvanised wire, 
described at page 224. The song was received and much 
admired.— Ed.] 
NOTES ON NEW OR RARE PLANTS. 
Stylieium Aemeeia. Labill, Nat. ord., Stylidiacece. 
Native of New Holland. Plant herbaceous. Leaves linear, 
straight, acute, smooth; margin entire, slightly incurved. 
Scape smooth at the base ; becoming at the apex pilose with 
glandular hairs. Racemes somewhat spiked, simple, brac- 
teated. Calyx tubular, oblong, round, with the limb divided 
into two dentate lips. Corolla monopetalous, Tube longei- 
than the calyx. Limb divided into five irregular segments; 
four large, equal, spreading - the fifth small, deflexed, thickened, 
bearing two erect, dark-coloured appendages at the base. 
Anthers and stigma supported on the apex of a single column, 
the latter lying in a cavity between the former. 
This plant presents a singular anomaly, to almost every 
thing else in the vegetable kingdom, in the structure of its 
flowers. It is in the column supporting the anthers and 
stigma, and these latter organs, that the singularity exists. 
The column, which is highly irritable, hangs down on one side, 
over the small division of the limb of the corolla, until 
touched, when it instantly springs up and falls to the opposite 
side. And there is such a union of the anthers and stigma, 
as is only to be found in the family of Orchids. In addition 
to its structural interest, it has no small claim on the score of 
beauty, and is, therefore, highly worthy of cultivation in 
private collections. Its blooming period is June ; the flowers 
are beautiful purplish rose, and a lasting succession is kept 
up. Turfy loam and peat, with a little sand, seem to suit it 
very well. The protection of a cool frame is all it requires 
for the winter ; in summer it may be cultivated in a shady 
place out of doors, or in an airy greenhouse. Propagated by 
division, in autumn or early spring. 
Acacia dentieera. JBenth. Nat. ord., Leguminosce. 
Native of the Swan River, and introduced into this country 
by Drummond. Habit moderately tall, loose, drooping. 
Branches slender, angled, smooth. Phyllodia long, linear, 
lanceolate, acutely mucronate, attenuated at the base, falcate, 
thin, dark green. Inflorescence in very long, loose racemes. 
Heads of flower large, numerous, globose; bright yellow. 
A flue and distinct species of Acacia. Handsome speci¬ 
mens are rare ; yet the plant seems capable, with proper care 
•a hen young, ot being all that can be desired in a specimen 
plant. It produces seeds very sparingly ; but good plants 
may be procured from cuttings of the stronger roots, put in 
bottom heat in spring; they should not be kept too close 
or too hot. 
Marianthus cceruleo-punctatus. Link. Nat. ord. 
-PitiosporacecE. Native of the Swan River. Introduced by 
Mr. Morison. Branches slender, twining, pubescent. Leaves 
alternate, on very short petioles, acutely lanceolate ; margin 
acutely serrate; clothed with silvery partially deciduous 
hairs. Inflorescence corymbose. Calyx divided into five 
subulate segments; pilose. Corolla of five oblong, acute ; 
petals ; irregular; the two upper the smallest, gradually 
gliding into long claws; beautiful azure blue, spotted with 
white. 
A pretty little greenhouse plant, meriting a place in a choice 
collection. As it is very impatient of wet at the roots, it 
should have every care bestowed on the drainage and watering, 
at all times. Light loam, fibry peat, and sand in plenty, and 
as gritty as possible, form the most suitable compost. Pro¬ 
pagated by cuttings in spring, in slight bottom heat, and in 
the usual method employed for greenhouse plants. 
Solanum jasminoides. Paxt. Nat. ord., Solanacece. 
Native of Rio Grande. Probably introduced by Tweedie, who 
collected extensively in that country. Stem branching copiously. 
Branches slender, climbing, glabrous, obscurely angular. 
Leaves alternate, petiolate, smooth, cordate, entire, or with 
two small auricles at the base, acute. Inflorescence cymose. 
Peduncle about an inch in length, produced opposite a leaf, 
smooth, wiry. Pedicels half the length of the peduncles, 
also smooth but flexuose. Calyx divided into five smooth, 
acute, ovate teeth. Corolla campanulate, with a short tube, 
contracted at the base. Limb divided into five ovate seg¬ 
ments ; each lobe with a central rib; pure white; wrinkled. 
A beautiful, climbing, wall shrub. Perfectly hardy in the 
neighbourhood of London; but not likely to stand the winters 
of the north with impunity, when unprotected. It flowers pro¬ 
fusely yn June. A sunny situation, with a moderately light, 
but rich soil, are necessary to develop its beauty to satis¬ 
faction. It is easily propagated by cuttings, and, as it also 
ripens seeds in the open air, there is no difficulty in procuring 
plants. It ought to be more generally cultivated than it is, 
for we do not possess a more handsome wall shrub.—S. G. W. 
PROGRESS OF THE PITCAIRN ISLANDERS. 
Few among our readers but have either heard, or read, of 
the mutiny ol the crew of the Pounty, during her voyage for 
plants of the Bread Fruit tree; and of the discovery, after 
many years, of John Adams, the last of the mutineers and his 
descendants, on Pitcairn’s Island. That mutiny occurred in 
1787, and this discovery of the remnant of the mutineers, was 
in 1814. Gladdening was it to find that Adams had 
implanted in the island colony a life-influencing knowledge of 
Christianity, as well as of the European arts of civilised life. 
Time wore away, and many years had elapsed, when, in 
1825, another ship-of-war again approached Pitcairn. Her 
officers found the good work still prospering, and love and 
harmony pervading the little community. Upon landing and 
retiring to rest, the evening hymn, chanted by the islanders, 
soothed tlieir slumbers ; and at dawn of day they were awoke 
by the strains of the morning hymn. On the Lord’s day, 
again, equally pleasing signs presented themselves. The little 
community crowded their humble sanctuary, no work of any 
kind being permitted to take place. Great devotion was ap¬ 
parent in every individual; and even among the children 
there was a seriousness unknown in the younger part of our 
communities at homo. A sermon was delivered ; but here, 
we fear, the inhabitants of Pitcairn will find few European 
admirers or imitators. It was read over three times , lest any 
part of it should be forgotten. “ The service,” observes a 
spectator, “was very long ; but the neat and cleanly appear¬ 
ance of the congregation, the devotion that animated every 
countenance, and the innocence and simplicity of the little 
children, prevented the attendance from becoming wearisome.” 
With respect to Adams himself, the same narrator states that, 
from close observation, he had no doubt of the sincerity of 
liis piety. Adams was on board the vessel that had arrived 
from England, for two or three days, and slept in the captain’s 
cabin : but he would never get into bed till the captain had 
got into liis and was supposed to be asleep, when, in a retired 
corner of the cabin, he fell on his knees and performed his 
devotions ; and he was always up first in the morning for the 
same purpose. 
“ All that remains to bo said,” concludes this writer, “ of 
these excellent people, is, that they appear to live together in 
perfect harmony and contentment; to be virtuous, religious, 
cheerful, and hospitable beyond the limits of prudence ; to bo 
patterns of conjugal and parental affection, and to have no 
