182 
S“::r»-^-^"- 
nsnect, enlivened toy the p .^Mbits ve- 
taw 
HOETIOniltrEE IN BUSSIA. 
The International Exhitoition of the Im¬ 
perial Society of Horticultm-e, 
held in St. Peterstourg from May 1/th 
28th, shows what high degree of develop¬ 
ment horticulture has already attained m 
Russia. . , .. 
The interior of the touilding in which it 
was held, writes a special oon-espondent of 
the Gardener’s Chronicle, is otolong, atoout 
three hundred paces long, and atoout sixty- 
six paces iu toreadth, and upon this unprom¬ 
ising dead level and rigidly restricted space 
has toeen formed a scene which, for effective¬ 
ness and splendor, suipasses all expectation. 
Prom the Botanic Garden and from the Im¬ 
perial Gardens at Gatschiua have been 
brought a number of fine specimens, includ¬ 
ing many magnificent Palms and Cycads, 
which form iii themselves an exhibition. The 
touilding in proportion is not lofty, and toy 
skillful disposition of the plants a happy ap¬ 
pearance of toreadth has been secured, while 
it is at the same time completely furnished. 
The arrangement has been planned and 
carried out toy Dr. Begel, the general direc¬ 
tor, and he has succeeded well iu his evident 
aim to produce a natural effect, and to avoid 
all stageness. We can tout say that the result 
entii’ely repays the pains and trouble that 
have toeen taken. 
At the end of the touilding, the principal 
entrance opens upon an elevated platform, 
a kind of transverse promenade, prettily 
screened from the grand display toy an orna¬ 
mental colonnade, covered with Ivy, and 
from this position we get an idea of the 
general plan. The walls are entirely screened 
from view toy banks of fine-foliaged and 
flowering plants; betn-een the windows. 
Evergreens and other tall plants reach to the 
ceiling, and a walk gracefully curved in con¬ 
formity with the shape of the central groups 
gives free circulation around the touilding, 
while between the groups there is fr-ee com¬ 
munication from side to side. The fine speci¬ 
mens and principal groups are shown to good 
advantage toy undulations of the floor in imi¬ 
tation of a naturally favored garden. 
Descending from the entrance platform, 
we reach the first large group on the lowest 
level, the next is on higher ground and in¬ 
cludes a pond of irregular outline in rugged 
rock, with a fountain. Further on, the 
principal walk on the left is canned by a 
bridge over a rocky ravine which leads to 
the refreshment department. This bridge is 
formed of birch timber with its natural bark, 
and the effect is good. Bocks are cleverly 
imitated on a basis of wood by means of 
Russian mats; they are laid in tlie form 
desired, and then covered with plaster, wliich 
is colored in imitation of nature. 
Passing the bridge, we come into view of 
an English garden at the further end, whicli 
slopes to a rocky background at considerable 
elevation. Through the center of it, and 
under a bridge, wo pass to a department of 
implements, pottery, and artificial flowers 
with many other miscollanoous exhibits! 
The English garden is tastefully laid out 
though its usois purposely to too exhibited. A 
rivulet, bordered with Arums and crossed by 
abridge, is introduced with very good effect 
Prom the bridge which crosses the ravine 
aspect, enliveneu 
ing of gi'oups of g of fine Palms 
U Cycads,fonnedtoi then_^^P^^^ 
liberality of thegiea f,goeath the plants 
mentioned. Everywhei 
of the collections exhibited. 
Judging the exhibits practically occup 
the whole of the 16th. The memtoei^s of 
the jury, to the number of nearly two hiii - 
dred, assembled imdbr the 
General Greig, and the business ot the 
day was commenced toy a religious service, 
followed by a benediction on C'®. 
hibition. The jurymen were divided into 
sixteen sections, each of which electee a 
president and secretary. On Saturday, the 
17th, in the afternoon, the exhitoition was 
opened in full ceremonial toy the Emperor 
and Empress, who were attended toy a throng 
of ambassadors, ministers, generals, and 
oom’t dignitaries, all iu full uniform, and 
bearing their decorations. There were pres¬ 
ent the Grand Duke Vladimir, the Grand 
Duke Nicolas, a patron of the Society, and 
a number of distinguished ladies. 
OEAN&E GEOWING IN THE WEST INDIES. 
It is interesting and astonishing to me, 
writes “Olive,” in Green’s Fruit Grower, to 
read how jmu prepare and manure your land 
for planting — here in .Jamaica we do noth¬ 
ing of the kind. We simply clear away the 
grass and plants, and the earth quite under¬ 
stands that it is to bring forth abundantly. 
We don’t cultivate our finiits; they grow 
wild. By gi’owing wild I mean they grow of 
themselves, anywhere — in grass pieces, it 
ruminates in old thro\ni-up negro settle¬ 
ments, on the hills, in savanas, by river sides, 
and all about. 
Our Orange-trees are especially hardy and 
I long-lived; their motto is, “ Never say die.” 
; All we can do is to keep our pet trees free 
: from wild Pine, Mistletoe, and other para- 
I sites, and Nature’s beneficent h.and docs the 
rest. We don’t graft as yo\i do either, which 
seems a pity, as it would certainly improve 
our fruit and make it more valuable, partic¬ 
ularly as wo have so many different kinds of 
each especially of the Orange tribe, many 
of which you liavo never seen, as they wont 
boar shipment. 
In picking, each Orange is cut from the 
tree with a small bit of stem adhering To 
wrench H-® fruit from the stem is bad policy 
as the air ponotrating tho unprotected pa -t 
entails speedy rot to tho individual fruit and 
consequently damage to the whole Ini’i.r;!! 
work ,H I’ufroumed entirely by woinei'i 
Orange in tho 
of nanor. and win, uheot 
loft hand, the wrapper envelopes it h, a 
paper, and with deft twists of the 
business is coinploto 
I'iglit 
fingers tho 
fruit is handed up to the nmT"™,'"''’ ^’'® 
I like to road about vn,.,. 
with all the land under your own sup 
Life out here is not cozy at all. 
or lease great big properties of S 
thousands of acres, which require th 
vision of the master, the Busha, 
ous headmen and penners. Of 'couro^*^' 
raise a good many cattle and horses"^*’ 
requii-e plenty of grazing room; but 
same, tropical life is not so cozy as North 
It is a lazy life too; you lime, we veget^.^’ 
rush, while we crawl. As I sit writing 
is not a sound to be heard hut the ’nighp"* 
gale singing outside and the rustle of th' 
breeze among the canes. Nothin 
g 18 to ■ 
seen but green woods and blue hills- v * 
pretty tout monotonous to a native. Ja^ ^ 
is certainly a splendid place for rest, but*^^ 
ah well, I mustn’t grumble. " 
JAPANESE FEUITS. 
According to J)r. Vidal, in the Bulletin ie 
la Societd d’Acclimatation de Paris, our fruits 
are represented in Japan toy nearly all the 
species commonly cultivated in Europe ex- 
cept tho Almond. 
The Peach-tree is commonly grown, pro- 
ducing handsome fruit, which is often seea 
in the markets. Judging from their appear- 
ance, the Japanese Peaches should be very 
good, though perhaps not equal to the 
Chinese. Unfortunately, however, the Jap¬ 
anese are in the habit of eating their Peaches 
quite green, and as one cannot procure ripe 
ones, it is impossible to judge of their qual¬ 
ity. It is the same with the Nectarine, the 
fruit of which is handsome, tout gathered 
much too green. 
Tho Plum is scarcely so common.as the 
preceding; at least as a fruit-tree, toeing also 
planted for oraament. 
The Cherry is widely diffused, though it 
produces only very small, inferiorfniit, which 
is eaten neither toy the natives nor foreigners. 
It is generall.y gi’own as an ornamental tree, 
and it also occurs wild. 
Tlio Pear is an object of careful culture, 
after a method peculiarly Japanese. The 
trees are planted in rows in quincunx order, 
forming avenues about three yards broad. 
They are grafted and pnined with great 
core. Only atoout four or five principal 
branches are left, and these are soon stopped, 
in order to eucouroge the early growth of 
tho secondary ones, which are trained out 
horizontally on Bamboos an’anged for th® 
purpose, atoout five feet from the ground. 
Tho variety is a winter fruit of considerable 
size, somotimos very largo. It rarely at" 
tains perfect ripeness, is rather dry a"® 
slightly acid, though occasionally one fln^® 
a very good fruit. 
The Ajiplo is far from toeing so oonnnon ns 
tlio Pear, nor is it so carofull.v cultivate ■ 
The sort coinnionl.v soon has a small jc 
lowish fruit ot agroontolo flavor. No I’Ogul®’ 
Apple orchards •wore otosorvod. 
Tho (Juinco is very common, ospoeiallj >" 
tho North, and tho fruit, which is very Ihifr 
is oaten to,y tho natives as wo eat Appl®*'^'' 
Pears, 
'I’ho Strawtoeriy and tho .Raspberry 
only soon in tho wild state. There are 1''’^ 
sorts of Raspberry, one with yellow and ' 
othorwith rod fruit. As for tho StrawbeiW'’ 
they are ent.irol.y devoid of flavor, and w®'" 
loss for tho table. For some .years Europe® 
variotioH have boon grown in quantity at 
ports froquontod toy Europeans. 
