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Nerine crispa (as it is here called, although it is probably N. humilis of Curtis's Bot. Mag.) and N. undulata live and flower at the foot of an old wall here, with no protection but the wall: both are very elegant. - Henry Turner. Botanic Garden, Bury St. Edmunds, October 11. 1831. Produce of a Cucumber Plant near Rochdale. Sir, The seed of Bloor's white spine, of last year's growth, was sown on the 30th of May, in a frame already at work, heated by steam passing through stones; and the young plant growing very strong, those cucumber plants already in the frame were cut out, as it required room; the old mould unavoidably remaining unchanged. Not being an experienced grower, I think some of them are large, considering this disadvantage. No. 9., in particular, was superior to any thing known to be grown in this neighbourhood.

This plant was under the care of Mr. James Lee, at Harehill Mill, near Rochdale, who is no gardener; and this is his first attempt. The girth is the average taken at about 24 in. from each end, and the middle. No. 9. varied less than half an inch at any intermediate place, and several of the others are equally well proportioned. I remain, yours, &c. -J. S. Near Rochdale, November 14. 1831.

IRELAND.

Armagh Palace Gardens. — The chrysanthemums have been finer this season than I ever remember; some flowers measured 5 in. in diameter in the green-house; and even now, though so near Christmas, they are beautifully in flower in the open borders. Carnations and picotees are at this moment also in flower; not a straggling plant here and there, but by hundreds. Indeed, such has been the mildness of the season, that queen stocks, Gilia capitàta, Anagállis grandiflora, and Medicago arbòrea, are likewise finely in flower; the last in perfect beauty. I am, Sir, yours, &c. —

J. Elles. December 23. 1831.

The hanging Gardens of Limerick are a great curiosity. An acre of ground is covered with arches of various heights; the highest 40 and the lowest 25 ft. Over these arches is placed a layer of earth, of 5 ft. thick, and planted with choice fruit trees and flowers. The arches are employed as cellars for spirituous liquors, and will hold nearly 2000 hogsheads. The work was commenced in 1808, and was completed in about five or six years. The expense of the whole undertaking was nearly 15,000l. — John Ryan. Newry, September, 1830.

ART. V. Hints for Improvements.

PRIZES to young Gardeners by Horticultural Societies. Sir, In your Volume V. p. 713., you have given some hints to Provincial HorticulVOL. VIII.-No. 36.

G

tural Societies, on the subject of offering prizes. Allow me to add_to these hints, the idea of stimulating young men to self-improvement. For instance, there are, in the neighbourhood of Liverpool, six public nurseries, several market-gardens, and a great number of private gentlemen's gardens, in which are a number of young men or boys, from the age of 14 to 20 and upwards, who are placed there for improvement. A number of these, I am led to think, require some stimulus to induce them to study diligently, and acquire the practice of their profession in a superior manner. Perhaps some prizes of the following description might be offered. At the beginning of the season for botanical excursions; say, for the first hundred dried specimens of British plants, named and arranged according to the Natural System, so much, or such an article. At the end of the botanising season, or in November; for the greatest number of specimens of British plants, dried, named, and arranged in the course of the year. To the best namer of plants, as they stand in the Horticultural Society's showroom for inspection, either at one meeting or several meetings. For the most rare British plant discovered during the season, with its name, description, &c. For the best self-educated individual in writing, arithmetic, drawing, measuring, &c., specimens to be signed by his master, or some other respectable person. For the best design for laying out a garden or pleasure-ground; the competitors to be furnished with a ground plan, exhibiting the outline and the variations of the surface, or to have a piece of ground pointed out to them, or described. The prizes might be catalogues of plants, or other books, cases of instruments, boxes of colours, measuring lines, &c. I shall be happy if these hints lead some more competent person to take the subject into consideration and improve on it; and, I remain, Sir, &c.— James Rollings. Liverpool, Jan. 7. 1830. Horticultural Societies in the Suburbs of London. Sir, Horticulture is perhaps one of the most interesting and innocent sources of amusement that can be fixed upon, to fill up those hours which most people feel it necessary to devote to recreation, with a view of diverting the mind from too intense application, either to business or study. From local circumstances, very many are precluded from the pleasure of a garden; but, where even a small one is attached to a house, if the air is tolerably pure, any one, with a little taste, may find ample amusement in the cultivation of it.

It is, no doubt, a great misfortune, that builders are not more alive to the advantages, or, perhaps I should say, that persons are not more sensible of the pleasure, of a garden; we should then have, instead of filthy streets, cottages detached, with a garden to each, sufficient to employ and give interest to the tenants. Could, therefore, means be devised to introduce a more general taste for gardening, particularly in the vicinity of the metropolis, it would, no doubt, contribute greatly to the health and happiness of many individuals. To forward this taste, and to render the pursuit more interesting, nothing, I conceive, has so great a tendency as the formation of local horticultural societies. In the neighbourhood of the capital, the Horticultural Society unfortunately acts as a bar to the establishment of local ones. Most of the principal residents having a taste for plants, &c., are members, and therefore do not consider it necessary to patronise the formation of societies in their immediate parishes. I am not acquainted with the regulations of the London Society, and therefore am not aware how far it is open for the reception of plants, fruits, &c., for exhibition, from persons not being members: but however liberal the rules may be, in allowing the public to forward their finer specimens for view, and bestowing rewards where any great merit is displayed; yet it must be obvious, how very few, from distance and the inconvenience of sending, could avail themselves of the privilege. May I, therefore, solicit your indulgence for a page in your Magazine, to suggest to those gentlemen who

have influence, and who live in the vicinity of the metropolis, the propriety of endeavouring to form horticultural societies, on a plan similar to those in the country; principally with a view of having a certain number of exhibitions during the year; to distribute rewards; and, above all, where the funds will admit, to establish garden libraries. I reside in the neighbourhood of Clapham; in this and the adjoining parishes there are numbers of wealthy and estimable characters, always ready to contribute liberally to relieve the wants of their less fortunate neighbours, and to forward any object likely to be productive of good to them; now, I take the liberty of calling upon them, to endeavour to found a society of the above description; as I feel satisfied it will be attended with very beneficial effects. At present, I am afraid, there is not much taste in Clapham or the adjoining parishes for horticulture; and I believe there are very few, even of the higher or wealthier inhabitants, that have any fondness for plants; amongst the middling classes, it is limited to a few horticulturists. Now, I do not hesitate to predict, that, should a society be formed in Clapham, Stockwell, &c., we should soon have a great accession to the number, anxious to promote this delightful art; and I should expect to find, in a very short time, that the accounts of the meetings would form a very prominent part of your Gardener's Magazine. Fully relying, therefore, that some spirited individuals will take up this matter, I have only to assure you that I am, with great truth, yours, very respectfully,- E. London, July 22. 1831.

We have seen a proposal for a Gardeners' Joint Stock Annuity Fund, and also for a Metropolitan Garden Society and Benevolent Fund, the profits of which are proposed to go in aid of the Annuity Fund. We understand these proposals will soon be submitted to the profession in and about London. They appear to us well calculated to benefit gardeners, by teaching them how to take care of themselves, and enabling them to do so at the same time. We have no faith in charitable institutions, but a great deal in labour. "God helps them that help themselves.” — Cond.

ART. VI. Retrospective Criticism.

CORRECTIONS for the Encyclopædia of Gardening.—Sir, As you have expressed yourself anxious to receive hints for the improvement of your Encyclopædia of Gardening, I beg to submit to your discretion two or three, which have occurred to me, as I looked over the book in question passim, without, however, searching for any thing of the kind.

First, in your statistic tables of the counties, you entirely omit, in this County (Dublin), any mention of Counsellor West's magnificent gardens and well laid out grounds on Mount Anvil Hill, within about 44 miles of this city; whereas, you blazon forth Mr. Bourne's, of Terenure, which are in every respect inferior to the former.

The fact is, Mr. Bourne's grounds are ill arranged ab origine, and worse kept, although much money is spent on them; but Counsellor West's place is maintained at an expense and with a care wholly unequalled in this country. Lest you should not have any description of this place, I shall give you an outline. The garden consists of about 4 acres, divided into three portions by walls running east and west. It is on a gentle slope to the south. The upper quarter, for the choicer fruits, contains a magnificent range of stoves, metallic curvilinear-roofed, and 120 ft. by 20 and 14 high, containing a splendid collection of vines in a front border 40 ft. wide; pines; and a large collection of tropical fruits, all fine specimens: the whole finished in the most exquisite style; walls painted in oils inside;

hot-water pipes to all. Next division, the finer sorts of vegetables, and fruits. Third division, pine pits on Weston's plan; melon and cucumber yard, vegetables, &c.; asparagus is in great perfection, on a bed drained 5 ft. deep, with granite boulder stones. Below this last division is an extensive and well kept nursery for trees and shrubs. The garden is entered from the house side, first through a fine shrubbery walk of great length and beauty, and then through a large piece of ground intended solely for flower ground, commanding one of the finest views of the Wicklow Mountains conceivable. This piece of ground is intended to contain a large and splendid conservatory and orangery. Its western boundary is formed by the east wall of the garden, which is about 200 yds. long, and through its whole length covered with a rare and thriving collection of climbing and creeping plants, and all the most valuable tender shrubs. The present mansion, already condemned, is not handsome, but commands a view of Dublin Bay of the most magnificent description; more like an Italian than an Irish scene. Mount Anvil Hill is the name of the place. If you wish for more information about it, send me word and you shall have it.

In your information about making artificial ponds or aquariums, I think you are a little deficient. In gardens where worms are plentiful, an aquarium cannot be formed merely of clay; as the worms all collect to the water, and pierce holes in the clay, and thus let the water off. This I found by sad experience, only last summer; and in a loamy, sandy, porous garden soil, abounding in worms, I made an aquarium, which has ever since remained perfectly staunch, and in which I have got all the Irish aquatics thriving. The aquarium (fig. 30.) is an ellipse of 30 ft. by 15. a a are

the sections of a 9-inch brick wall, surrounding the whole; between which and the outside 4-inch walls (6 b) is a space (cc) of 4 in. for holding puddle and salt to keep the worms off. The bottom is composed of flags jointed with Parker's cement, and laid on a bed of well beaten mud or puddle, so dense and dry as not to yield readily to the foot: it is continuous with the puddle of the walls, and under it the ground is well salted. The pond is divided by an arched wall (the convex curve of the arch against the shallower side) into two parts of greater and less depth. My pond is in my rockworks, where I have a large circular one also, and is edged with a border of rockwork, growing such plants as like much moisture. It is supplied by a source which bursts up through the rocks at one end, and trickles into the pond. It looks remarkably pretty, and answers well. I think this plan admirably adapted for making small ponds in all dressed grounds, pastures, &c.

Amongst the exotic fruits, you do not mention the winter cherry (Physalis peruviana), which I think is worth a place; the flavour of the fruit is pleasant, and I believe it is wholesome, although it belongs to a suspicious family.

In your chapters about gates, fences, &c., you might take notice of Mr. Telford's gates of iron (fig. 31.) on the Holyhead road, made of flat bar

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iron; a rivet at every intersection. You will see that a better mechanical arrangement of forces could not be made.

I think your observations on anomalies of horticulture, and keeping accounts without writing, are very trivial, and ought to be omitted. I am, Sir, yours, &c.- Robert Mallet. Ryder Row, Dublin, Feb. 9. 1831. Corrections for the Encyclopedia of Plants.-Sir, In the New York Farmer, vol. iii. p. 149., and in vol. iv. p. 59., are a number of corrections. The writer dwells, and justly, upon the apparently sneering notice taken of "a Mr. James Logan, said to have been the author of some experiments upon the generation of plants." As I do not suppose you were the author of that remark, I cannot help saying that it is either a mark of the ignorance or the superciliousness of whoever made it, for either of which he deserves censure. The work of Logan was written while the author was on his travels in Europe, in Latin, and translated by the celebrated Dr. John Fothergill, and it does honour to Logan, who was chief justice of Pennsylvania, and one of the most learned men of the day.-J. Mease. Philadelphia, May 16. 1831.

Gymnocladus canadensis, the Kentucky coffee-tree, which in your Encyclopedia of Plants, p. 842., you denominate a "tree or shrub," and describe as "twining about the neighbouring trees and shrubs;" is no shrub; neither does it twine at all. It is a perfectly straight tree, 80 ft. high, and abounds in the Western States. As Michaux has described it fully, it is singular that any mistake was made about it. Its seeds are used for coffee.-J. M. Philadelphia, March 6. 1831

Irish Cottages, &c. - Sir, Mr. Howden, in the article on the mud cabins in Ireland (Vol. VI. p. 657.), has very unjustly indulged his wit at the expense of my country and countrymen. I believe I am correct when I state that his services at Lord Doneraile's "did but render very indifferent satisfaction." If he had not such a good cottage to live in, therefore, as the one he now occupies, it is probable his employer did not think him entitled to any thing better.- Thos. Small. Near the Church, Bexley, Kent, Nov. 29. 1831.

Giving the Credit to Gardeners which is due to their Employers. — In several of your Numbers, in alluding to horticultural improvements that have been effected or were in contemplation, the gardener has had the merit of design and execution, and the owner is confined to the mere duty of paying for them. Throughout your pages I could quote a thousand instances where the master and the servant are so confounded (except possibly, to local knowledge), that something like Lear's enquiry as to "which is the justice, and which the thief," is necessary to determine the distinction. I will, however, content myself, for the present, in referring to your last Number (Vol. VII. p. 540.):-"We have strongly recommended Mr. Dodd, gardener to Sir James Graham at Netherby, to adopt metallic curvilinear houses and hot water in the erections which are about to be made in the kitchen-garden there, and we trust that he will not forget our recommendation." In thus inviting the servant to adopt a particular and extensive arrangement, without the slightest even complimentary reference to his master, are you not injuring him, by embodying against him that natural offence which wounded pride must ever feel at unauthorised assumption? If Sir James Graham could for an instant consider that his gardener encouraged or participated in your attempt to raise him above his station, I think the baronet would be deserving the condition to which you (perhaps inadvertently) have sought to lower him, if he did not allow Mr. Dodd to seek for another site than Netherby for the adoption of