SOUTH AMERICA.

National Botanic Garden, Buenos Ayres, 10th August, 1826. This establishment was determined on in August, 1823, and in 1825, Mr. Alexander Paul Sack, a gardener of superior education, various talents, and very great experience, was appointed Curator, chiefly through the recommendation of the Consul General, John Hullet, Esq. We consider ourselves fortunate in being able to reckon Mr. Sack among the number of our correspondents, and have already received a long letter from him on the subject of this new, arduous, and important undertaking. Soon after Mr. Sack's arrival last summer with a great number of plants, an amended decree of Congress of the 6th of June last was issued, containing fifteen articles relative to this garden. Art. 3. states the duty of Mr. Sack to be "to direct the administration of the garden for acclimating plants (aclimaticion); to plant and cultivate every tree of utility for shading walks or roads, fuel, and for every description of construction; every kind of flowers, ornamental trees, fruits, medicinal plants, seeds, grasses, and potherbs; and to superintend a school of practical agriculture for the youth of the different provinces." Mr. Samuel Attwell is named as Mr. Šack's assistant; a gardener is to be kept travelling in the provinces of the Republic, where correspondents and subsidiary establishments are to be appointed or formed as circumstances may require, &c. &c. The unsettled state of Buenos Ayres has hitherto prevented Mr. Sack from being able to do much; but whatever progress he makes, he has promised us an account of it, sending in the mean time an interesting communication respecting the potato, which we shall lay before our readers at an early opportunity. Till when, we leave Mr. Sack, in the words of his letter, " employing men, cleaning his Excellency the President's garden, where acres of potatoes are hoed up, with other weeds common to Europe."

ART. II. Domestic Notices.

ENGLAND.

Botanical and Horticultural Society of Durham, Northumberland, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The report of the Committee of this Society has been sent us by one of its members, Mr. Thomas Smith, from which it appears to be a well-ordered and prosperous society. In this tract of twelve pages is given a list of sixty-nine prizes awarded from August, 1825, to August, 1826. We should be happy to receive some account of the origin and laws and regulations of this Society, as well as of all other local societies. Ross Horticultural Society. On October 4th was held the last meeting for the present year. The number of plates of fruit amounted to 186, most tastefully displayed on two large tables. The Ross florists most splendidly redeemed their pledge in furnishing a stage of double Dahlias, which reached quite across the top of the room, and contained 250 named flowers. On the table were some extraordinary specimens of out-door grapes, and it is intended next year to award prizes to this class of fruits. A monstrous gourd was exhibited by the gardener of the Rev. Robert Strong, which measured seven feet in circumference, and weighed 139 lbs. Mr. Hooper, of Putson, exhibited a branch of a tree which appeared to be one of the Hornbeams, out of which sprang oak and hawthorn leaves in great profusion. The exhibitor, in a letter to the Secretary, declared it to be a natural production. The sale of fruits, &c. not removed by the exhibitors,

took place at 7 o'clock, and produced 51. 6s. 8d.; this amount in a fruit neighbourhood warrants all that has been said of the fruit specimens. The number of specimens ticketed and entered into the Society's book amounted to 456. A number of prizes were awarded. (Gloucester Journ. Oct. 7th & 14th.) The late extraordinary dry and warm summer has brought different fruits and plants to a degree of ripeness and perfection rarely witnessed in this country. The autumnal rains, on the other hand, have, as we have before observed, (p. 41.) injured the keeping qualities of pears and apples, and in some places of early crops of turnips and potatoes; they have also occasioned a second growth of herbaceous flowers, and in some cases two crops of annuals have been obtained, both of the culinary and ornamental kinds. Grapes ripened in the Open Air.-Sawbridgeworth, Herts, Nov. 17th, 1826. Sir, "You will perhaps allow me to record in your pages the remarkable fact, that the Black Hambro', Black Muscadine, Sir Abraham Pitches' fine Black,' and the Esperione, all ripened their fruit in the, open quarters in our nursery, upon young plants plunged in pots, as well as upon the old stools. The white Frontignac and Spence's seedling, a variety of the Syrian, the latter bearing bunches weighing two pounds, though both generally requiring glass and fire heat almost brought their produce to perfection under the same circumstances. As this may appear to some of your numerous readers to savour of the marvellous, let me add that the soil and situation are peculiarly favourable, the former a deep sand, the latter a south-eastern slope. I need scarcely add that the more common grapes, as the Muscadines, Sweet Waters, and Clusters, hardly ever fail to ripen their fruit under the T. RIVERS, jun."

same treatment.

Second crops of Apples. There are now three apple-trees in the garden of Captain Portbury, Stafford Terrace, Heavitree, near Exeter, which are showing a most curious proof of the extraordinary summer we have just experienced. One of the trees, a Red Quarantine, produced some fruit at the usual season; but it has since thrown out a profusion of blossom, and has now, in a healthy growing state, a complete crop, of the size of walnuts. In the orchard of J. Grose Esq. Penpont, St. Kew, there are now five apple-trees bearing a second crop of fruit this season; one of the trees has more than a thousand apples on it, and some of these, that have been pulled this week, measure above an inch in diameter. (Newsp. Oct.)

Large Apples. Four fine specimens of the Greenup Pippin were_last week gathered from a tree in the garden of Mr. William Heywood, of Leyland. They measured 51 inches in circumference, and weighed 48 ounces. The tree from which these four apples were plucked bore a large quantity of fruit nearly equal in size to the above. - (Newsp.)

Reinette de Canada. On the 16th of October last, we saw in the garden of Lord Middleton, at Wollaton Hall, near Nottingham, an apple of this variety, measured by the gardener, Mr. Haythorn; it was 14 inches round, and weighed 19 ounces. (Cond.)

Large Gourds. In the garden of T. A. Beck, Esq. of Grove, near Hawkshead, two yellow gourds were cut on the 27th of September, one of which weighed 71 lbs. 4 ounces, and measured nearly 5 feet in circumference; and the other 40 lbs. The former is the largest we ever remember to have heard of in the north. (Lanc. Gaz.)

A large pumpkin was grown in the garden of Captain Portbury, Stafford Terrace, Heavitree, near Exeter, measuring 5 feet 2 inches in circumference, and weighing 80 lbs. (Brit. Farm. Chron.) One was grown by Mr. French, gardener to the Rev. T. Oldham, Vicar of Dovedale, and exhibited in Mr. Bigg's seed-shop in Worcester, measuring 8 feet 6 inches round, and weighing 124 lbs. (C. F. W.)

Cucurbita claviformis, or Club-shaped Gourd. Large fruits of this kind are noticed in the newspapers as cucumbers, probably from their long

shape. A very fine one was sent us by our correspondent, Mr. R. Saunders, gardener to C. Hoare, Esq. at Luscombe, Devonshire. It was raised by him from seeds, received from Constantinople. (See Gard. Mag. vol. i. p. 300.) The specimen sent (fig. 29.) measured nearly four feet six inches

long, two feet round at the extreme end, and nine inches round at the stalk end; it weighed twenty-one pounds, and was of a greenish yellow colour. Mr. S. observes, that, gathered young, it is a delicate vegetable, and is valuable in dry summers in connection with the vegetable marrow and other gourds as a substitute for common vegetables. One grown in the neighbourhood of Taunton is thus described:

Prodigious Cucumber. Mr. Winter, of Shurford, near this town, has a cucumber growing in his garden, which measures 4 feet 8 inches long; it has grown 4 inches in length since Sunday evening last, and from its appearance is likely to grow to the uncommon length of 6 feet. (Taunton Courier.) Carrots. In the garden of John Marsden, Esq. at Hornby Castle, near Lancaster, were taken up, last week, several extraordinary carrots: one of them, which was 17 inches long, and 12 inches in circumference, at the thickest part, weighed 4lb. 7 oz. Three others were 20 inches long each, and weighed respectively 4 lb. 1 oz., 3lb. 13oz. and 3 lb. 8 oz. The roots were fine, firm, and in every respect eligible for the table. (Lanc. Gaz. Oct. 14.)

A head of Celery, weighing six pounds, was exhibited in the New Market, in Liverpool, on Oct. 7. It was grown by Mr. Gibson, a market gardener at Bootle. (Lanc. Gaz.)

Second Crops of Peas. On Nov. 2. a quantity of green peas was gathered from a field at Petham, self-sown from the spring crop. Our informant says, that by going over the field carefully, there might be collected several gallons. There are also to be seen self-sown beans, in full bloom, and from twelve to eighteen inches high, in many fields in the vicinity of Canterbury. (Kentish Chronicle.)

Golden Hotspur Pea. In a garden at Turley, Wiltshire, a fine second crop of this variety, raised from seed of those grown in the present summer, was matured for the table as early as the 26th of September. (Salisb. Jour.)

Early Spanish Dwarf Pea. In the garden of J. Wilkinson, of Carlington New Hall, near Batley, two crops of the Spanish dwarf pea have been produced this year from the same seed. The first sowing took place in the latter end of February, and the crop was reaped the first week in July.

After some of the seed had stood till it was sufficiently ripe, it was again committed to the ground on the same bed, and a second crop was reaped on the 27th of September last. (Fleming's Brit. Farm. Mag. Nov. 1826.) A second crop of Peas, from the seed of the first, has also been gathered in the garden of Mr. Pitchal, at Gleaston, in Lower Furness. (Lanc. Gaz.) Second Crop of Potatoes. The fly having destroyed the turnips sown on 2 A. 2 R. 24 P. of land, on the estate of Sir Robert Williames Vaughan, Bart. M. P. at Nannau, in the county of Merioneth, potatoes were planted on the rows, 18 inches apart, on the 28th of June last, from which eight hundred and fifty-eight bushels of fine potatoes were taken up in the last week. (Sir R. W. V., Dec. 5th.) See also p. 68.

Pinching off Potatoe Blossoms. We are sorry to observe that this practice is not generally adopted, as the produce would thereby be materially increased. (Salis. Jour. Sept. 2.) A correspondent has found from experience, that the crop is not only increased, but much better in quality, and wishes us to direct the attention of our readers to the practice, which we hereby do, fully convinced of its importance. (See Encycs. of A. & G. in loco.) Cond.

Large Crops of Mushrooms. So great has been the quantity of this "voluptuous poison" brought for sale to Preston, for the last three or four weeks, that immense quantities have been disposed of at threepence or fourpence a peck, and the smallest kind for pickling at twopence per quart. Cart loads have been purchased for the Manchester market, and, we dare say, have proved a source of much profit to the speculators. (Preston Pilot.) Force of Vegetation in Mushrooms. Some men employed in Mr. Haskoll's brewery, in the Isle of Wight, lately observed a large stone to rise considerably at the interstices; and upon removing the pavement to discover the cause, found it to be occasioned by a large mushroom, the vegetative powers of which had forced the stone from its proper station. (Salis. Jour. Sept. 2.) Mushrooms in Arable Land. Two men having potatoes in a field near Belper, in Derbyshire, on proceeding to the field to get some, to their great surprise found that a large number of fine mushrooms had sprung up in the potatoe rows, and in a small space of ground they gathered at least five pecks. The potatoes were planted in a little moss that came off a building, with an addition of some dung gathered off the roads. (Fleming's Brit. Farm. Mag. Nov. 1826. p. 121.

A large Mushroom was gathered near Calverley; it measured twentyseven inches in circumference, upon a stalk of two inches and a half in diameter, and which together weighed twenty ounces. (Newsp.)

Duchesse d'Angoulême Pear. Some very fine specimens of this exquisite fruit have been exhibited at the London Horticultural Society, and a very fine one was sent us by Mr. Rogers, from his nursery at Southampton. It measured eleven inches round, and weighed nearly 14oz.; the flavour most superior. The singularity of this pear is, that while it is one of the highest-flavoured sorts, it is also one of the largest. (See Part IV.)

Extraordinary Pear Tree. "Old Baseford, Nov. 25th, 1826. Sir, Permit me to lay before you an account of an extraordinary pear tree, the name of which, in Gloucestershire, is the Brown Dominion. It is upwards of a hundred years old, and stands on the premises of Mr. Richard Charlton, of Old Baseford, in the county of Nottingham. The height of the tree is thirteen yards, and from extremity to extremity of the branches, is eighteen yards, making a circumference of fifty-four yards. The trunk measures six feet seven inches round. This tree for these last twenty years has not produced less than from twenty to eighty pecks per year. In the year 1823 it bore 107 pecks of pears, each peck containing 420 pears; and this present year, 1826, it has produced 100 pecks, each peck containing 270 pears, and each peck, when gathered, weighed 20lb., making a total of a ton weight

of pears in one year. What is most singular is, that as the tree grows older, the fruit grows finer, to the decreasing of above a hundred in the pears peck. I suppose this is owing to the laying of manure and soil around the roots. The fruit keeps till May I send you four of them.

I remain, Sir, &c.

E. M. MATHER. Dec. 8. We tasted the pears, and found them of the breaking class, and of a middling good flavour, rather under the middle size, regular in form, with a rough russet-coloured skin. (Cond.)

American Aloe. The fine specimen of this plant in the greenhouse of the Hon. Newton Fellowes, at Eggesford, has now attained the height of 30 feet, being a growth of 26 feet since the first week in June; the stem is 17 inches in circumference at the base, and its appearance is that of a chandelier, 38 branches springing from the main stem, on which have been counted 5000 flowers and flower buds; one branch alone has 261 buds. The plant is healthy and vigorous, and is expected to continue in flower till October. (Plymouth Herald, Sept. 9. 1826.)

Meloncito de olor. Among a variety of seeds received by Dr. Hamilton, of Fareham, near Plymouth, from his correspondent, Edward Watts, Esq., British Consul at Carthagena (Colombia), last winter, were some of those of the Meloncito de olor, or small sweet-scented melon, so universally cultivated in the gardens of the inhabitants for the fragrance of its fruit. This plant, cultivated under the auspices of Mr. Pontey (whose taste and skill need no eulogium from us), has flowered and perfected its fruit, which we have seen, and can bear testimony to the truth of the statements respecting its exquisite fragrance, which, when heightened, as we presume is the case, by the genial temperature of its native climate, must be perceptible to a great distance around. This fruit, which appears capable of being cultivated with ease in a common hot-bed, or melon-frame, is of an oval or egg shape, equal in size to a moderate-sized lime or large-sized hen's egg; when ripe, it is of a golden yellow, with a perfectly smooth rind, exhaling an odour of an almost overpowering sweetness, peculiar to itself. The use to which we believe it is put by the inhabitants of Colombia is, like the perfumed fruit of the Rose Apple (Eugenia Jambos), to place in drawers with clothes, to which it communicates a considerable portion of its delicious odour. We cannot too strongly recommend the culture of this fragrant and curious plant, to such of our friends as are admirers of the rare and exquisite productions of nature; nor can we give too much praise to Mr. Pontey, for the zeal and liberality with which, at his own private expense, he encourages the introduction of rare and valuable plants into this neighbourhood. At the same time we sincerely congratulate Dr. Hamilton, in possessing in Mr. Pontey so valuable a coadjutor in his patriotic labours. Besides the sweet-scented melon, Mr. Pontey possesses several thriving plants of the Albacca del Monte, another rare and aromatic plant, raised from ed received from Colombia last winter; together with a number of thriving specimens of that elegant West Indian shrub, the Camel Bush (Cerbera Thevetia), so remarkable for the elegance of its foliage, and the fragrance of its fine golden blossoms. The camel bush is, we understand, known in the vicinity of Carthagena by the name of Cavallonga Oriolla, and an oil of much celebrity in those parts, called Cavallonga, is obtained from its seeds. (Plymouth Herald, Sept. 9. 1826.)

The Tallipot Tree (Corypha umbraculifera). A leaf of this extraordinary palm has lately been brought over from the island of Ceylon, of which place it is a native, and is now in the possession of the Rev. Richard Fletcher, of Hampstead. The leaf is in a good state of preservation; it measures fully 11 feet in height, 16 feet across its widest spread, and from 38 to 40 feet in circumference. If expanded as a canopy, it is sufficient to defend a dinner party of six from the rays of the sun, and in Cevlon is carried about by the natives for that purpose. (Newsp.)