hoe; a Flemish spade (fig. 22.), used for throwing earth, and paring hard paths and alleys, and the transplanter already mentioned and figured, vol. i. p. 268.

22

23

Of instruments we may notice a wheel vergecutter (coupegazon) (fig. 23.), different descriptions of pincers, and secateurs, more adapted for the amateur than the practical gardener. There is a portable ladder (fig. 24.) which serves also as a wheelbarrow: half the ladder (a) may either remain on the barrow frame (b), where it will serve, by its pressure, to retain any rough bulky material; or it may be removed by withdrawing a bolt (cc). When used as a common ladder, it is eight feet long; when used as a step-ladder, the fourth step is three feet from the ground. A man standing on the third step, and holding with one hand by what forms the tram of the barrow (bc), may easily gather fruit with the other

a

24

с

hand from a branch

ten feet from the

ground's surface.

Among the utensils is a training basket (panier à palisser) (fig. 25.) made of willow, for hold

27

25

ing nails, lists, hammer, &c.; it is placed before the operator, and tied or buckled behind. A flower-pot (fig. 26.) is formed with a curved bottom, so as not to retain water. A naming-ticket (fig. 27.) is described as to be suspended to a branch by means of a brass wire, on which is a running knot, to prevent its compressing the bark.

Every thing new and excellent in the way of French instruments and implements of gardening may be seen or purchased chez MM. Arnheiter & Petit, rue Childebret, No. 13. Abbaye St. Germain, and chez M. Delarue, rue de Monceau-St.-Gervais. Amateurs may write to their friends in Paris to procure from these establishments a rose-gatherer, ringing scissors, or any other fanciful article.

Eggers' plan for cultivating the Truffle is noticed; we have before (vol. i. p. 320.) reviewed the pamphlet, and shall revert to it in giving some "hints for experiments."

Having now gone through M. Poiteau's introductory review, we shall pause till some future number, when we shall look over the body of the work, and extract whatever we consider will be interesting to our readers; and more especially any information not to be found in our Encyclopædias of Gardening and Agriculture; or in the preceding numbers of this Magazine.

(To be continued.)

ART. III. 1. Hortus Gramineus Woburnensis, or an Account of the Results of Experiments on the Produce and Nutritive Qualities of different Grasses and other Plants, used as the Food of the more valuable Domestic Animals, &c. &c. By George Sinclair, F.L.S. F.H.S. &c.

2. An Essay on the Weeds of Agriculture: with their common and Botanical Names, &c. &c. Also Practical Remarks on their Destruction, &c. The Posthumous Work of B. Holdich, Esq. late Editor of the Farmer's Journal. Edited by George Sinclair, F.L.S. F.H.S., &c. Nurseryman.

WE are desirous of introducing the first of these works to our agricultural readers, as containing a vast quantity of original and important matter on a branch of agriculture very imperfectly understood by practical men. The high value which we set on the Hortus Gramineus is evinced by the copious extracts and frequent abridgments which we have made from it in our Encyclopædia of Agriculture.

Pasture grasses, like woods, cover naturally so large a portion of the earth's surface, and, when they are destroyed, so freely re-produce themselves, that their artificial propagation and culture was not had recourse to till a late period in the progress of agriculture. Grasses are the most universal of plants; they exist in greater numbers than any other tribes, both in the coldest and in the hottest climates. In the two extremes of temperature the annual species are prevalent; and in the milder regions, where the winters are short and the heat of summer not so great as to burn up all surface vegetation, the perennial species are most numerous. The pastures of the greater part of America and Russia, as well as of Egypt and Persia, are composed of the first; and those of

Britain, and most of the small islands and sea-coasts of the temperate parts of both hemispheres, of the latter description. The prevailing grasses in Italy are perennials; but though the Romans improved their meadows and pastures by draining and manuring, it does not appear that they were in the practice of sowing any of the pasture grasses, though they were assiduous in their cultivation of lucern, clover, and other leguminous herbage plants.

It was not till about the middle of the 17th century, as we have elsewhere stated (Encyc. of Agr. § 5087.), that the culture of grasses for pasture and hay took place in England, and it is remarkable that the species first fixed upon is still considered the best for the purpose to which it was applied. We allude to the rye-grass, as a hay-grass for one crop.

The names of Eustace, Rocque, Stillingfleet, Anderson, Swayne, and Curtis bring down the history of grasses to the time of John, Duke of Bedford, and Mr. Sinclair. Of the unwearied labours of the latter for the greater part of the seventeen years he resided at Woburn, this very interesting volume is the result; and there can be no doubt it will serve to spread and perpetuate the improved mode of sowing lands for permanent pasture suggested, and to a certain extent commenced, by Stillingfleet, and which has since been gradually gaining ground among scientific agriculturists.

It is hardly possible to do justice to the author of a work of so much scientific research and careful experiment as the Hortus Gramineus. The labour of preparing it for the press, considerable as it must have been, is nothing when compared with the nice manipulation, the care and pains, and long continued application, that must have been necessary to conduct such an immense number of experiments, and to conduct them in such a manner as to obtain the approbation of Sir H. Davy. Sanctioned by this chemist, they may be considered as decisive; and, therefore, as far as the science of grasses can be advanced, and their culture improved from such experiments, those of Mr. Sinclair may be referred to with confidence, and need never be repeated.

To pursue the improvement of grasses farther, the next thing would be to try a field of each of the best sorts on different soils and in different climates, carefully comparing the results on a large, as Mr. Sinclair has done on a small scale. Another road to improvement, which might be tried, is the effects of cross fecundation on particular species and varieties, in Mr. Knight's manner. We should like to hear of some spirited individuals in different parts of the country, — say in

Devonshire, Norfolk, and East Lothian, - pursuing the firstmentioned improvement; the latter, we believe, is already taken in hand, to a certain extent, by a gentleman in Lincolnshire. (E. of Ag. § 5096.) In the meantime, the cultivator, in sowing lands to grass, which are to remain in that state for several years, will find his advantage in using a mixture of a greater number of sorts than has hitherto been done. Among the best species for this purpose are the Festuca loliacea (spiked fescue grass), Poa fertilis (fertile meadow grass), Poa trivialis (roughish meadow grass), Alopecurus pratensis (meadow fox-tail grass), Lolium perenne (perennial rye-grass), Cynosurus cristatus (crested dog's-tail grass), and Anthoxanthum vernum (sweet-scented vernal grass).

For a single crop of hay, with or without red clover, he will find nothing better than rye-grass, of which there are several varieties in cultivation; but the better of the perennial sorts are Pacey's, Russel's, and Whitworth's; of the annual, or rather biennial variety, there are no sub-varieties of any note. For two or three years' pasture, as part of a succession of crops on arable lands, rye-grass, cock's-foot grass, and common meadow grass, with white clover, will be found a good mixture. For lawns in pleasure-grounds, nothing can surpass the Festuca ovina, where it will grow and form a close carpet; but as it is a solitary grass, that is, without creeping roots, it is very apt to become thin on the surface, unless mixed with dog's-tail grass, sweet-scented vernal grass, and some others. In some situations, common rye-grass and common meadow grass will succeed better than more dwarf and finer-leaved species; and in close confined situations in towns, no grass will live any length of time excepting Poa annua.

Since this work was published, Mr. Sinclair has engaged in the nursery business, and, as our readers will recollect (see Gard. Mag. vol. i. p. 115.), has formed a grass garden in his nursery at New Cross. It is no small advantage for the public that they may examine all the principal grasses in this garden, consult the author as to the sorts best adapted for different soils and situations, and, by procuring them from the highly respectable firm with which he is connected, render him responsible for the result.

The work is divided into five sections, treating, 1. of the mode in which the experiments were conducted; 2. of the grasses and other plants which constitute the produce of the richest natural pastures; 3. of the grasses and other plants which are natural to dry, sandy, and elevated soils; 4. of the grasses which naturally grow in moist soils, or in bogs, lands

that are periodically overflown, and irrigated meadows; and, 5. of the different grasses and other plants adapted for the alternate husbandry. There are two appendixes: the first treating of the general impoverishing effects of plants to soils, of the mode of converting tillage land to permanent pasture by the process called transplanting turf, and a summary of the grasses adapted for the alternate husbandry: the second,of the grasses which afford the best culms for the manufacture of straw bonnets, in imitation of the celebrated Leghorn manufacture.

The plates are numerous, and exceedingly well executed by the lithographic process; the size of the page admits their delineation of such a magnitude as must render it easy for the commonest shepherd or ploughman to recognise them.

The Essay on Weeds is deserving the attention of the young farmer, to whom it is inscribed by the editor. The first chapter of this essay was perfected by Mr. Holdich, the rest was supplied by Mr. Sinclair.

The preface contains a short biography of Mr. Holdich, highly interesting, as displaying the progress of his mind, and the vicissitudes of his fortunes. He was the son of a farmer near Ely, moderately educated, but much attached to reading; spent seven years in America; wrote two comedies there; came to England, and farmed in his native parish until 1813; became editor of the Farmer's Journal, till the spring of 1824, when he died at the age of fifty-four, leaving various unfinished literary works, and a widow and family.

The term weed, as every gardener knows, is either absolute or relative: there is no plant that may not become a weed in the latter sense, by occupying a place not intended for it. The wheat is a weed among oats. Absolute weeds are such as docks and thistles, which are injurious in every cultivated field. By the weeds of agriculture we are here to understand the more common and injurious plants which infest arable and grass lands. The former are arranged as

1. Those which infest samples of corn; 2. root or fallow weeds, and such others as are hard to destroy; 3. those which are principally objectionable as they encumber the soil; 4. underling weeds, such as never rise with the crop, nor come into the sickle. Under these heads, each weed in its respective division is treated of as to its deteriorating qualities and mode of destruction.

The weeds which infest the sample are,

1. Darnel (Bromus secalinus); 2. Cockle (Agrostemma githago); 3. Tares (Ervum tetraspermum); 4. Melilot (Trifolium melilotus officinale); 5. Wild oats (Avena fatua); 6. Hariff (Galium aparine); 7. Crow needles (Scandix pecten veneris); 8. Black bindweed (Polygonum convolvulus); 9. Snakę