TIIE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, April 3, 1860. 
13 
assume when grown more in the shade; yet, in an artificial state, 
it is almost impossible to attain the necessary conditions without 
it. When growing in its native habitat, these conditions are all 
provided naturally, and were they not peculiar and somewhat 
unusual in combination, we may fairly infer that the various 
species of Trichomanes would be more generally distributed. The 
abundance of water generally existing in its immediate neigh¬ 
bourhood, serves to maintain the air of the whole district at all 
times in a ^hfiiciently humid state, and this, too, with a moderate 
temperature; while the circulation of the air being attained by 
its contraction and expansion through the successive cold and 
warmth of alternating night and day, the deepest crevice or most 
sheltered nook receives its due amount of ventilation. Were the 
balance to bo destroyed either by drainage, cutting away the 
shelter, or any other interference, we should find the Trichomanes 
disappearing and giving place to some other plant better suited 
to the altered condition of the locality. Or were it to be so 
covered in as to prevent the due circulation of the air, we should 
have stagnation of the atmosphere and cryptogamic vegetation 
of a still lower order in the scale of nature. It is these conditions 
we have to imitate, and it has been only since the introduction of 
the Wardian Case, that it has been successfully cultivated. In 
procuring the plant from its native habitat, it is best to select 
short, stubby pieces, or a few inches of the growing ends, and as 
much of thefibrg root by which it is attached to the stone or soil 
as can be got out. In packing it for the post or portmanteau, 
most of the fronds may be cut off, as they are generally so much 
injured as to die away. An inch or so of one or two is quite 
sufficient to leave. It should be well shaken in water, and the 
wet thrown out of it, and then laid flat upon a thin layer of damp 
moss or blotting paper, and covered thinly with a little more 
moss for protection. It may now be folded up closely in a piece 
of thin gutta percha, or imitation silk, so that the moisture 
cannot escape, and in tills way may be kept for a month or two 
without injury. All small Eerns are best packed thus, as they 
take up but little room, and seldom take hurt if left for some 
time unopened.—W. K. Bridgman, Nortvich. 
NEW BOOKS. 
Supplement to the Gardening Book oe Annuals. By 
William Thompson. London: Simpkin & Co.—A very trust¬ 
worthy and accurate description of more than one hundred 
annuals introduced since Mr. Thompson published his “ Gar¬ 
dening Book of Annuals,” a most useful book for all who cul¬ 
tivate them. 
Culture of Elowers and Plants. By G. Glenny. London : 
Houlston & Wright.—The preface describes the nature of this 
work in one sentence—“ The present volume is one of a series 
which will contam matter that has appeared in the Horticultural 
Journal and Magazine, the Gardeners' Gazette , and other works.” 
NOTES ON SOUTH CALIFORNIA. 
What the Spaniards thought of the situation and climate of 
one of their settlements here, is told by the name they attached 
to it—Pueblo de los Angeles—(“The abode of the Angels.”) 
In general the environs of Los Angeles are without trees ; but 
these gardens are veritable groves of Fig, Orange and other fruit 
trees, among which even the Date is found, although not abun¬ 
dantly : Almonds and Olives flourish in the greatest perfection. 
W e can thus form a distinct idea of the character of this climate 
which, besides its mildness, is remarkable by its pure and in¬ 
vigorating air. Those who imagine that slavery is necessary in 
southern California from climatic reasons, meet with a complete 
refutation of their theory; for hero we have a climate warm 
enough for the growth of sugar and cotton, in which the whites 
not only can work, but really do work with pleasure. The 
gardens of Los Angeles must be seen in autumn: then the 
golden Lemons and Oranges hang heavy amidst the dark foliage, 
the Vines are laden with juicy Grapes, industrious and well- 
dressed people sit in the shade, filling carefully thousands of tidy 
chests with the delicious fruit, spreading a sheet of fine blotting- 
paper between every two layers. This elegant carefulness is so 
thoroughly North American, and yet the whole scene is so 
foreign to the United States, that I hardly knew whether I had 
been transplanted. The few Date trees and the Levantine fruit 
remind us of the East, and yet the manner in which they arc 
prepared for tho trade belongs so much to the farthest West, 
that in this scene the extreme contrasts of the history of civili¬ 
sation meet in a manner only possible in California, At the time 
of my presence, Los Angeles had, close to the town and in its en¬ 
virons, 125 vineyards, yielding an average yearly produce of 
9,000,000 lbs. of Grapes. One half of this quantity was made 
into wine and brandy : about 100,000 gallons of wine were pro¬ 
duced, of which the gailon was worth on the average two dollars. 
50,000 dollars were paid that autumn to the proprietors for 
Grapes shipped to San Francisco. The Grape grown at Los 
Angeles is the Malaga Grape, of which either white or red wine 
is made; but experience has shown that the climate of this 
region, as that of the State of California in general, is favourable 
to the growth of all the superior sorts of Grape. There is a 
choice of situations answering every possible demand, from its 
northern to its southern frontier, as from the foot of the Sierra 
Nevada to the sea-coast. The unsuccessful attempts which have 
been made in the Atlantic States of the Union to cultivate the 
Grape do not apply to California, since the climatic conditions 
on the coast of the Pacific are more analogous to those on 
the western side of the Old World. At all events the sudden 
and extreme changes of the temperature, which render the 
climate of the Atlantic States so disagreeable and unfavourable 
for many branches‘of cultivation, are unknown in California. 
The country about Los Angeles will doubtless remain the chief 
place for the production of wine and fruit on the American coast 
of the Pacific. Tho manner in which the old Mexican inhabitants 
have carried on the culture and preparation of the wine is so im¬ 
perfect, that a really good produce could not be obtained; but 
connoisseurs agree that a proper treatment would produce a very 
superior article, which would be of repute in trade. Some Ger¬ 
mans settled at Los Angeles seem desirous of giving their special 
attention to this subject. In the old Mission-gardens in the 
vicinity arc still seen plantations of Almond, Olivo, and Date trees, 
and new orohards of this kind have been planted lately. Of the 
fruits of these trees Olives and Almonds are seen on all Californian 
dinner-tables—the former pickled, the latter as dessert; but I have 
not seen Dates grown in California, although the tree exhibits a 
vigorous growth in these southern parts of the country. Probably 
only the planting of both sexes of the tree sufficiently near to one 
another is required for the production of Dates, as the climate is 
favourable to the culture of all other Levantine fruits. The 
ornamental trees and shrubs of Italy and the Levant would also 
do well here. Laurels, with trunks of an extraordinary thick¬ 
ness, are found among the evergreen trees growing in the defiles 
of the mountains on the Californian coast. This species is 
poisonous, and its exhalations are dangerous; but the classical 
Laurel of the Old World might undoubtedly be planted in its 
stead, and tho hedges round the gardens of Los Angeles, which 
now chiefly consist of Willows, might quite as well be formed of 
Myrtles, Oleander, or Pomegranate bushes, whilst the Italian 
Pine and Cypress would greatly increase the beauty of the land¬ 
scape.— (Froebel’s Central America .) 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
The Shooting Bush (Bessie).— It is Pilea allitrichoidcs, a native of the 
West Indies, and is also popularly known as the “ Artillery Flant,” and 
“ Pistol plant.” 
Taekagon Seed (A Subscriber). —There is such a thing as Tarragon 
seed, hut we question whether any seedsman keeps it, so generally is the 
plant propagated by parting the roots. It may be so propagated now. 
Guano and Salt ( A Constant Header, N. B.). —Mixing these together 
will not injure the guano ; but the circumstances must be peculiar to lead 
to the conclusion that the mixture would improve its effects as a manure. 
Whether the lime and clay rubbish of the old buildings pulled down would 
be beneficial to your grass depends upon the soil on which the grass is 
growing. Such rubbish would benefit the staple of a light siliceous soil 
into which it was dug. 
Gkass Seed (/. S. L ).—You neither state the nature of the soil, nor 
whether it is for a lawn or pasture! Like many other correspondents 
you write as if editors were clairvoyants. For a plot 40 yards long and 
25 yards broad, intended for a lawn, soil light, 7 lbs. of Grass seeds would 
be required of the proper species; if a medium stapled soil, 8 lbs.; if a 
heavy soil, 9 lbs. 
Teitoma RorEEii Culture ( Baronnc Prcvost). —Not having cultivated 
this plant ourselves, we applied for information to Messrs. E. G. Hen¬ 
derson & Son, of the Wellington Road Nursery, and they reply— 
“ Tritoma Roperii is considered the most tender of the species known to 
us, and generally blooms in pots within a cool conservatory or cold pit, in 
the spring or early summer months. Keep it in a cool pit or conservatory, 
with plenty of light, and if the plant he well rooted, it will, with occasional 
free waterings, soon gain vigour; hut as soon as settled fine weather 
comes in May, plant it out in rich soil. If its appearance indicates weak 
root action, do not water it over the heart or centre of the leaves, hut 
freely around on the surface soil; and until the growth makes a vigorous 
start, keep it awhile in a genial temperature by closing up early in tho 
afternoon with sun heat. In October again repot it for cool pit or frame 
protection through winter.” 
