42 
THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE. 
A free-flowering progeny from a shy-flowering parent, securing at the same time its superior form, for 
they are entirely free from that peculiar ringent appearance which is characteristic of the flowers of 
truncation ; and a distinct period of flowering, for they are fully two months later than truncatum in 
opening, and at that time—January—flowers are very scarce ; in this respect, namely, their time of 
flowering, they are intermediate between their parents. 
“ I need scarcely add that their culture is as easy as that of E. truncatum . I find they do well in a 
mixture of peat, loam, and brick-rubbish, in equal parts, with good drainage, and using rather small 
pots.” — W. Buckley, Tooting. 
THE BEAUTIES OE MATURE * 
f HE beauties of Nature ! What a theme for poetry ! One might almost expect to see the paper 
kindle beneath the poetic fire inspired by such a subject! But alas ! in the “ poem” before us, 
we cannot promise our readers that they will find any such like result, and we regard the adoption of 
the poetic form as particularly unfortunate on the part of the author, because he has scattered through 
his pages many good hints and suggestions of the plain common-sense complexion, such as might 
really benefit those persons who, as is quaintly observed, having “ got rich in a hurry,” and desiring to 
create for themselves some enjoyable' rural retreat, oftentimes, in carrying out that desire, exhibit 
“ curious fancies.” We are afraid, however, that the unlucky attempt at poetry will inspire but little 
confidence in the writer’s ideas, on the part of those w 7 ho would be most likely to derive benefit from 
advice of the kind he has offered. Neither does the appearance of the book convey a very favourable 
impression, for the proper names both of places and plants, of which latter, especially, a good many 
occur, are sadly disfigured by incorrect orthography. Perhaps one of the best passages is the following 
episodal sonnet on the daisy:— 
“ There is a little simple flower 
That cheers the wanderer aye ; 
On hill and dale and lonely bower, 
In many a distant sky. 
It seeks the towering mountain's brow, 
Where does the tempest reign, 
And, too, the valley deep below, 
And, too, the spreading plain. 
* * * * 
It does delight the eye of youth, 
And, too, the day of age ; 
In east and west, in north and south, 
It gilds fair Nature’s page. 
No velvet mantle it adorns, 
Yet lovely is its glow ; 
It smiles wherever mankind turns,— 
The mountain daisy low.” 
The object of the poem is stated to be no less than “ to introduce a new era in the art of landscape 
gardening, and to lay down fixed principles for the production of real beauty in that art.” For the 
purpose of gaining this object, “ parallel lines,” either in the shape of roads, flower borders, grass or 
gravel walks, or in any other way, are totally disused;” and this being so, we are told that “ hereby 
this method of laying out ground is strictly original, and totally different from anv other ever used in 
this or any other country.” Beyond this, which the author says for himself, we can only add, we 
much fear that his efforts—well meant, no doubt—will fail to accomplish the revolution in taste to 
which he appears to look forward.—M. 
SCIENTIFIC GLEANINGS. 
1/JlHE Hieraceum plumbeum of Fries has been ascertained to be a native of Britain, by Mr. J. 
^ Backhouse, junr., of York. It grows on Falcon Clints, in Teesdale. Mr. Backhouse, who has 
had an opportunity, during the past summer, of examining specimens of the Norwegian Hieracia, 
describes it as nearly allied to H. ccesium, but differing strongly in having more truncate involucres, 
with broad based acuminate apiculate scales, of a dark colour, margined with green ; also, in the 
* “ The Beauties of Nature, and how far they transcend those of Art in Landscape Gardening.” By James Sinclair. London : 
Houlston and Stoneman. 
