Tephrosia virginica, in dry sandy fields and woods, Pennsylvania and

Indiana.

Prenanthes alba,

racemosa,

in rich sandy loam, Montreal. The roots die after flowering, but produce offsets, which is their mode of propagation.

Liatris macrostachya, in rich dry sandy fields, Ohio and Indiana. All the graminifolia, species of this genus are handsome. Eupatorium cœlestinum, in rich alluvial soil, at Hindostan, Indiana. A fine

species.

Aster concolor, in dry sandy pine woods, New Jersey. The finest of the genus that I have seen.

Habenaria ciliaris, in dry sandy loam, Montreal and Pennsylvania. (Fig. 34. b.)

blephariglottis, in a sphagnous swamp, Quebec. I grow it in sphagnum and bog earth.

tridentata, in a sphagnous swamp, L. Simcoe.

bracteata, in rich shady woods, Montreal.

orbicularis, in dry sandy loam, Montreal.

macrophylla, in rich moist soil, shady woods, Montreal. Rare.

fimbriata, in moist meadows and woods, Montreal. Grows well in bog earth and sand kept moist.

Orchis spectabilis, in rich shady woods, Montreal.

Goodyera pubescens, in dry shady woods, among half-rotten leaves,

Montreal.

Arethusa bulbosa, in dry woods, Montreal. In sphagnous swamps, Lake Simcoe.

ophioglossoides, in similar soils with the preceding.

Malaxis ophioglossoides, in moist soils, Halifax.

unifolia,

Correana, in similar soils, Montreal.

Calopogon pulchellum, generally in sphagnous swamps, Montreal and Lake Simcoe, where some acres are covered with it, and a number of rare orchideæ. I once found this plant and Cypripedium spectabile growing in a dry sandy wood near York, North Carolina, and both flowering equally as well as when grown in a swamp, which seems to be their natural habitation. I believe that many plants will grow in very different kinds of soil. Calypso borealis, amongst the half-rotten leaves of hemlock, spruce, larch, arborvitæ, &c. and always in dry situations. This beautiful little plant I have only found in the Island of Montreal; a place rich in plants, particularly orchidea.

Cypripedium pubescens, (fig. 34. c.) in swampy situations, Montreal. spectabile,

arietinum, in a swamp, Montreal; which, I believe, is the only place where it has ever been found. It was discovered about 1808, by Mr. Robert Cleghorn, Montreal, and by him sent to London. These three species will grow well in vegetable mould and sand, and should be kept moist and shady. (Fig. 34. d.)

humile, Quebec and Montreal. This species I have never observed growing in the same soil as the others, being always to be found in very dry situations, and frequently in company with Trillium pictum, in rich vegetable soil, with a sandy subsoil. It does not require so much water as the others, and seems more difficult to cultivate.

The finest show of the American orchidea that I have seen in this country was in the Botanic Garden, Glasgow; where Mr. Murray had last season a collection of them, along with many of the rarer British ones, planted in a bed prepared with proper soil, and covered with a large frame. By this means they were protected from the severity and the sudden changes of the winter; and during summer they enjoyed as high a temperature as if they had been flourishing in their native forests in America.

Along with the greater part of the plants mentioned in this list, I cultivate the following American Ferns, which are particular favourites of mine. I need not particularise the soil to each, as they all do exceedingly well in vegetable mould, kept moist and shady.

Our correspondent, Mr. Bowie, having greatly simplified the culture of heaths (Vol. I. p. 363.), Mr. Goldie's communication may be considered as having the same object in view with respect to American plants. Their peculiar character, and the interest they excite in Europe, from their novelty as well as beauty, render them most desirable objects of culture; and as they are all hardy, they are within the reach of every one. Where no other vegetable matter can be got to mix with earth, rotten dung or rotten tan will do very well, if accompanied with plenty of sand, and the situation admit of the requisite shade and moisture. We shall be happy to hear that Mr. Bowie and Mr. Goldie have been the means of extending the culture of heaths and American plants. We have figured

a few of the most popular or curious sorts of both; but the best way for a beginner to get a collection is to send 5l., 10., or 15., &c. to Mr. Goldie, or whoever may be his nurseryman, and ask him to lay it out as far as it will go on the kind of plants wanted. In our next Number will be found an article by A. X. on orchideous plants, which, with preceding papers on the same subject by Mr. Penny, Mr. Thompson, and others, will have simplified the culture of another beautiful family. Whoever can spare room for a group of hardy heaths may plant among them the bog orchidea; the chalk ones are better by themselves. Hardy heaths, orchideæ, ferns, and bog American plants, may be considered as the gems of the Botanical Flower Garden. - Cond.

ART. II. Observations on Chinese Scenery, Plants, and Gardening, made on a Visit to the City of Canton and its Environs, in the Years 1793 and 1794; being an Extract from the Journal of Mr. James Main, sent thither by the late Gilbert Slater, Esq. of Layton, Essex, to collect the Double Camellias, &c. Communicated by Mr. MAIN.

On the first view of the coast of China the stranger concludes that the inhabitants are a nation of gardeners. Even the fields, in the southern provinces, are almost all cultivated by manual labour; and every thing shows the indefatigable industry of the cultivators.

On entering the mouth of Canton river, and having ascended to the Bocca Tigris, (an old Portuguese name for a fortified part of the river,) the banks begin to collapse, and present to the exploring eye of the botanist their vegetable productions. He sees the general surface of the country, a level, widely-extended, and well-cultivated plain, intersected in all directions by navigable canals; diversified by abrupt and craggy hills, scattered here and there over the face of the country. Beneath the brow of one stands a grove of laurus sasafras; under the cultivated slope of another is seen the citron tribes, mixed with other fruits, and overhung by the majestic and splendid Bombax ceiba. Within and around the grotesque yet airy habitations which hang suspended, as it were, over the sedgy margin of the river, is seen magnolias, ixoras, chrysanthemums, &c. in great profusion. After an interesting passage up the river, the stranger enters the suburbs of the city. Here he is surprised to see the number of flowers and flowering

plants which every where meet his eye: every house, window, and court-yard are filled with them!

Stepping on shore, he is conducted to the Hong, (domicile,) of his nation. Thence he visits every place to which he can have access, in search of plants. By special favour he is allowed to visit the gardens of Monqua, an opulent security merchant, in the southern suburb, or, which is more gratifying, the more extensive garden and palace of Shykinqua, on the opposite side of the river. He enters a vast assemblage of buildings for every purpose of life, of various size and character. Among these the seraglios for the old as well as for the young wives of the proprietor; and the chapel, where are deposited the ashes of his ancestors, are the most conspicuous and splendid. Proceeding onwards, he is conducted to the garden. Here no coup-d'oeil calls for admiration, no extent of undulating lawn, no lengthened vista, no depth of shadowy grove, no sky-reflecting expanse of water, -nothing presents itself but a little world of insignificant intricacy. The ground appropriated as a flower and pleasure garden is a space of two or three acres, laid out in numberless little square plots, surrounded, parted, and re-parted by low walls of brick-work, surmounted by broad copings, on which are set in order porcelain pots of all shapes and sizes, containing flowers and flowering shrubs. The exterior, as well as the interior walls of the garden, are covered with most ridiculously fantastic trellis work (fig. 36.), on which are trained various climbing

36

and creeping plants. The walks, or rather paths, are neither wide nor level enough for comfortable or even safe walking,intentionally uneven and broken into holes and foot-traps!

The pieces, or ponds of water, an indispensable feature in a Chinese garden, are thickly covered with "the green mantle of the standing pool," to obtain which they bestow no small pains! One of their favourite walks deserves particular description, because they consider it a chef-d'œuvre of the gardener's art: a wall, eight or nine feet high, is built along one side of a pond, betwixt which and the wall a narrow irregular path is made, but so narrow, that it is with much difficulty a person can edge himself along it; and, as the water is permitted to reach the wall in different places by breaks made in the walk, there is even danger of slipping into the water almost at every step; and this difficulty is called "pleasure" to the walker himself, or at least to the beholders of his embarrassment! Another peculiarity in their garden walks is, when leading through a group of trees and shrubs it must pass between the thickest of the stems, for no other purpose than to produce annoyance to the pedestrian.

In short, except the beauty and rarity of the plants, the visitor finds nothing interesting in their style of gardening: no scope of ornamental disposition; no rational design; the whole being an incongruous combination of unnatural association. (fig. 37.) In one place a piece of craggy rock (real

or artificial) is seen jutting out from among a tuft of the most delicate garden flowers; fantastic bridges without water,unsightly excavations without character or beauty, the whole