grows much taller in the flowerstem than the Pseud-A'corus: it has a pleasant smell fœtidíssima foliis variegàtis Juncus squarròsus fl. pleno Láthyrus praténsis v. latifolia, pubes cent Lolium perénne fl. plèno Lotus corniculatus, variegated v. angustifolius or sp. major tomentosus Linària vulgàris v. álbo v. orange Cymbalària fòliis variegàtis v. rèpens cærulea or sp. Linum usitatíssimum fl. álbo Lùzula sylvática, variegated Lychnis Flos-cùculi v. fl. álbo v. fl. cárneo v. fl. plèno Viscària v. álbo v. cárneo v. fl. plèno dioíca v. fl. álbo v. plèno, redflowered *v. or sp. of do. fl. plèno. Elegant v. of do. fl. álbo, and of both red, white, and great-flowered are mas. and fem. v. álbo plèno *Lysimachia némorum, variegated Matricària Chamomilla fl. plèno v. fl. quilled, *v. quilled plèno v. fòliis variegàtis v. plumòsa or sp. v. plumòsa pleno v. quilled pleno marítima v. variegated v. nàna Málva moschata álbo Méntha sylvestris, variegated *Myosotis v. or sp. fl. álbo Mercurialis perénnis, mas. and fem. Narcissus minor v. plènus nòvus *galanthifolius, and 27 other varieties from seeds, which form a beautiful collection poéticus v. plènus Enanthera biennis pállida Ononis spinosa fl. álbo #spinosíssima nova sp. Scotch arvénsis v. fl. álbo v. rùbro v. spinosa v. spinosa álba v. pállida v. fòliis variegàtis O'rchis latifolia álba maculàta álba O'robus sylvaticus v. rùber *Pæònia officinalis v. fl. versícolor nova. Singular *v. plèna nova v. ròsea v. foliis variegàtis Prímula scótica farinosa álba *vèris, 20 varieties, singular and beautiful vulgàris *v. calycina v. calycìna álba Prunélla vulgàris v. álbo v. rùbro v. punctata v. pállida v. plèno v. fl. variegato v. pùmila or sp. Pulmonaria officinalis cándida v. foliis candidíssimis v. fl. àtro cæruleo v. fl. álbo Pyrethrum Parthenium plènum *Pòa triviális, variegated alpina v. variegated v. vivípara Polemonium cæruleum fòliis variegàtis v. álbo Polypodium vulgàre latifòlium v. monstrosum novum Dactylis glomerata, variegated Festuca argentea variegata *v. aúrea variegata Ranúnculus bulbòsus plèno àcris plèno, v. straw-coloured v. major plèno Ficaria v. pleno v. major *v. màjor plèno v. álbo **v. fl. pállido v. ramòsus bulbíferus *v. or sp. calthæfòlius rèpens fl. plèno v. angustipétalus *aurícomus v. major Rhodiola ròsea, mas. and fem. *v. altíssima angustifolia Saponaria officinalis v. plèno v. hýbrida Saxifraga umbròsa, variegated Scabiosa succìsa v. álbo v. rùbro arvénsis v. álbo Scrophulària aquática, variegated v. nodòsa fl. álbo v. foliis variegàtis v. pállida nutans álba v. rùbro Scolopendrium fòl. ramòsis multifidis v. angustifolium v. latifòlium and Sedum Telephium v. màjus latifò- v. fl. álbo v. verticillatum *v. foliis viridis v. fl. coccíneo Serrátula tinctòria álba v. angustifolia acaúlis v. álbo Scutellària galericulàta fòl. pubesc. Sedum àcre ápice aúreo refléxum monstròsum majus víride monstròsum Soldanélla alpina. Wales Sónchus marítimus *v. fl. álbo A native of montànus sp. or v.? v. lácerus mìnor. Singular *Státice reticulata v. or sp.? Symphytum officinàle v. álbum atropurpureum v. coccineum *Spergula saginöìdes plèno ART. II. Arborétum Británnicum. WE have already announced this work (p. 582.), and in our advertising sheet some other particulars respecting it will be found, in connection with our announcement of Illustrations of Landscape-Gardening, an Encyclopaedia of Cottage Architecture, an Encyclopædia of Cottage Husbandry, Korán Minor, Agricola Minor, and an Encyclopedia of Landscape-Gardening. We invite particular attention to our notices respecting these works, chiefly with the view of procuring all the assistance we possibly can from our readers and correspondents. We consider that the Arboretum Britannicum, if executed in the manner in which we expect to accomplish it, will be of very great use to gardeners and to their employers; and will contribute more than any work that could be published towards the introduction into our plantations and pleasure-grounds of new, valuable, and ornamental species and varieties of timber and ornamental trees and shrubs. Before trees can be introduced, it is necessary that they should be known, their uses, appearance, culture, propagation, &c.; and this it is the object of the Arboretum Britannicum to effect. When once known, they will be in demand by planters; and this demand will create the requisite supply by nurserymen. This supply, to a certain extent, exists; but, for want of an adequate demand, the price of the trees is much greater than it otherwise would be, and the demand of course comparatively limited. The arrangement of the work will be according to the natural system, and, as stated in the notice referred to, not only botanical figures of every species will be given, but figures of the entire tree or shrub; all those in the volume, of the same age, being figured to the same scale, in a certain stage of their growth. The drawings for these figures have been making for some time past in the arboretum of Messrs. Loddiges. Drawings of fullgrown specimens are also in preparation from specimens at different places within twenty miles of London, and all of these will be engraved to the same scale. No drawings of trees remarkable for their age or peculiarity of growth will be given, as this would introduce ornament as a leading feature in the work, and thus render it too dear for effecting the end in view. Besides, it would interfere with Mr. Strutt's Sylva Británnica; or Portraits of Forest Trees distinguished for their Antiquity, Magnitude, or Beauty; an admirable work, and one that we should feel it dishonourable to interfere with in the slightest degree. (See Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. iii. p. 546.) In describing each species and variety, 1st. The specific character will be given from Decandolle, Lindley, Don, or other authors, and a figure by Sowerby; all those species and varieties belonging to the same genus being drawn to one and the same scale. 2d. The general character and description; including form and height in youth, say at the age of ten years from the nursery (about the average of the trees in Loddiges' arboretum), and at maturity, or say at the age of 30 years or upwards to 50 years, as far as can be obtained by our own draughtsmen within 20 miles of London, or from the exertions of correspondents in every part of Britain and Ireland. The periods of foliation, and the colour of the buds and opening leaves in spring, that is, the dates, from January to June; the shades of green during summer, that is, from June to August; and the periods of defoliation, and the autumnal hues of the foliage, that is, the dates of the change, from Sept. to Jan. ; with the character of the ramifications and spray in winter, will be included under this head. The information on these points has been, and is now, collecting for by us proper persons in Messrs. Loddiges' arboretum, in the arboretum of the Horticultural Society, and in the arboretum at Kew. The time of flowering, colour and duration of the flower, its general or popular character, and the size, colour, time of ripening, and duration of the fruit or seeds, will also be given under the same head. 3d. The geographical, physical, and animal relations of each species; including distribution in different countries; native habitation as to soil, subsoil, and rocks; elevation, sea, air, water, shade, &c.; and birds, insects, or other animals to which it gives support, or by which it is injured, &c., will be given from the original Floras of the different countries of which the trees and shrubs are natives, and from the writings of botanical travellers and topographers. Excellent resources for such writings are, the library of the Linnean Society; that of the Horticultural Society; the Banksian Library, now in the British Museum; and the library of W. Forsyth, Esq.; 4th. Economical relations; including the application of the timber or other parts of the tree in the arts, useful or ornamental; in medicine, and in domestic economy; territorial improvements in profitable planting, and in landscape-gardening, &c. 5th. Propagation and culture; the latter from infancy to maturity. For all the information that can be procured within twenty miles of London we have provided ourselves; and therefore what we particularly wish from our correspondents, is chiefly as follows: — 1. The names, accompanied by dried specimens, no matter if the flower is wanting, of such trees and shrubs as are in the country, though not included in our Hórtus Británnicus. There may be a few of these in the hands of country nurserymen and amateurs; and if such will not take the trouble to send us specimens, we request them to send us plants, which we shall hand over to Messrs. Loddiges, on condition of getting a specimen for the use of Mr. Sowerby next summer. of 2. We should be glad to receive portraits of all trees whatever, not natives of Britain, but above thirty and under fifty years of age; also of all trees and shrubs, not natives of Britain, from ten to fifteen years age, in their winter state and in their summer state. Even if we receive a dozen portraits of one species, the circumstance will only enable us, by comparison, to determine more accurately the true character of the tree. With every drawing, the name, age, soil, subsoil, situation, whether open or surrounded by other trees, length of young shoot made in a season, elevation, and other relative circumstances, must be given. 3. We shall be glad of miscellaneous hints of any description. 4. Communications that shall have been made use of, either in part or wholly, will be acknowledged in the preface, and by a copy of the work from 30 to 40 per cent under the selling price; or where much information is given and made use of, a copy of the work at half price, a fourth of the price, or gratis. All suggestions for the improvement of the plan, as above developed, will be particularly acceptable, and ought to be sent immediately; all other information will be in time if received by midsummer-day next, as the work will to a certainty be put to press in August 1831. In the mean time, the botanical drawings are in preparation by Mr. Sowerby, and the engravings by Messrs. Branston.-J.C.L. Nov. 4. ART. III. Retrospective Criticism. PRINCIPLES and Conduct of the Conductor.- When first you commenced your publication, a few gentlemen in this district agreed to promote it for the use of their gardeners; and although they perceived the political bias it was to have from the letters of (nominal [real]) discontented gardeners, yet they sought to rebut their tendency through the old axiom," Necessitati, qui se accommodat sapit *;" for every man knows that labour is a marketable commodity, just worth, as Butler writes, what it will bring. Since then we have had constant tirades against gentlemen for not yielding more and better accommodation to their gardeners; but, as not one in a hundred ever reaches the situation of overseer, the very men themselves see the childishness of the complaint. Care and assiduity scarcely secure permanent situations: where a vacancy occurs, the numerous applications permit the master to pick and choose at his own price. Is this the employer's fault, or is the craft of horticulture, like other produce, subject to the customary depression of an overstocked market? In some late numbers, mas *"A wise man accommodates himself to necessity." ters, not gardens, are reviewed: but our business is with horticulture; with the gardens of White Knights, not with the owner; with the employed, not with the employer. What have we to do with terro-metallic teeth, with ovens, or with ladies' earrings, unless fabricated from the Cannácorus, &c.? No doubt these subjects are good political pegs to hang a hat upon, or to form squibs against the pauper aristocracy; but in no way will they add subscribers to your Magazine, or employment to gardeners. Rather the reverse. If you make my servant a politician, you render him restless and discontented; he communicates the infection and is uneasy. If contented, I have my comfort, and he exchanges his labour for money and for money's worth. If otherwise, I can buy my luxuries cheaper by 50 per cent than I can grow them; nor would my servant, an excellent fellow, and industrious, take any large garden this year rent free. We own ourselves sorry to see a publication which might have been made highly useful, and have materially conduced to the good understanding between master and man, turned (in our estimation) into a political engine for disuniting them; a manual, to instruct young gardeners that they do not reap emolument according to their deserts: when, in point of fact, right or wrong, the payer constitutes himself sole judge. Nor can he or you alter the tribunal. We are, perhaps, as little inclined to wear a modern Wig, or to support a Tory, as the Editor of the Gardener's Magazine; but we think that in taking hints from the Continent, in more matters than "abattoirs," sound judgment and discretion are required. Abuses must be worked off, not in anarchy and confusion, but by sound reasoning upon virtuous principles. We therefore decline receiving into our houses your Magazine until the modus in rebus [middle course] is better digested than at present; for we have not forgotten the adage, "Summum jus summa injuria."* We, however, shall watch the politics of the publication, and add our mite, if some sanative drug has its due effect. "Omnes errorem bibunt +:" we all have need of physic. - Your Friend and a Well-wisher to Horticulture. This excellent friend, and much esteemed contributor, for whose early communications we have not forgotten our obligation, will find that we are always happy to hear honest opinions, to receive good advice, and not too old to learn. - Cond. The Botanical Register and the Botanical Magazine. Sir, I observe with pleasure in your last Number (p. 449.), a letter signed K. in which the writer speaks of the comparative merits of the Botanical Register and Botanical Magazine, and suggests certain alterations necessary to be made in the former of the two works " before it will obtain the unqualified approbation of its subscribers." Your correspondent complains particularly of "the frequency of publishing the same plants which have before appeared in other works," and, which is the most serious charge against the Register, "the imposition of an additional shilling, for a single leaf of index, at the end of every twelve numbers." He might have added, too, that this extra-shilling is extorted from the pockets of the purchasers, under the false pretence of furnishing them with an appendix. Being, like your correspondent, a constant subscriber to the Register, and possessing a complete copy of the work from the commencement, I feel that I have an equal right with him to enter my protest against so shameful a practice, and I beg to thank him for his letter, and most cordially to join in every sentiment it contains. I rejoice to see the subject taken up in the Gardener's Magazine; as it has been also, unless I greatly mistake, in the Magazine of Natural History, by another writer, who signs himself " A Purchaser of Periodicals." I allude to what is said (Vol. III. p. 305.) of the latter work, where the Botanical Register plainly appears to be referred to Who the proprietor of the *"Extreme right is extreme wrong." + "All drink error." |