man or the market-gardener. Foreign employers are more fully aware of the advantages of sending their gardeners to travel than we are; for, while we can point to Mr. Forbes alone, as the only English gardener of a private nobleman who has visited the Continent during 1836 and 1837, there are the gardeners of Prince Metternich and Baron Hügel of Austria, and of Baron Rothschild of Frankfort, who have visited this country within that period; independently of various curators of public botanic gardens, and of commercial gardeners.

Botanical and Horticultural Societies and Exhibitions still continue to multiply and prosper, of which ample proof will be found in our article in a subsequent page. We have already noticed the commencement of a new society for holding exhibitions and other purposes in the metropolis.

Public Gardens. Some improvements are going forward in most of these. A new architectural palm-house is nearly completed at Kew, as is the extensive range of hot-houses in the Manchester Botanic Garden. (See p. 376.) The Botanical and Zoological Garden at Cheltenham, one at Manchester, and another at Bath, all laid out by Mr. Forrest, are in progress. Ground for a garden of this kind has been obtained at Leeds, and endeavours are making to establish one in the prosperous town of Newcastle. We regret that we cannot notice anything of this kind as in contemplation for the metropolis; nevertheless, there is a proposal for establishing a botanic garden for the county of Kent, on the banks of the Thames, near Gravesend; which, if carried into execution, will be within a convenient distance of the botanists of the metropolis.

Private Gardens. We have little to add to the information given last year respecting the improvements going forward at Chatsworth, Woburn Abbey, and Trentham, except that they are all carried on with vigour. As we could only notice a few of the other private gardens which are undergoing improvement, we think it better to be silent, lest we should appear partial or unjust.

Commercial Gardening. - The number of foreign nurserymen who come to this country on business is on the increase, as is the commerce in Dutch bulbs, and in dahlia tubers, camellias, and pelargoniums.

Garden Literature. On turning to our article Reviews, the only work of importance to gardening generally, which has appeared in the course of the year, is Herbert's Amaryllidaceæ, extremely valuable for the experiments in cross-breeding which it details. Two of the most remarkable works, which belong to the division of systematic botany, that have been published in the course of the year, are, Hooker's Icones Plantarum, and Bateman's Orchidacea (see p. 507, 508.); but the most useful work is, unquestionably, vol. ii. of Ladies' Botany, by Dr. Lindley. The British botanist, or the tyro desirous of becom

ing acquainted with the plants of his native country, will be alike gratified and instructed by the second volume of Watson's Botanist's Guide,and Francis's British Ferns. The first volume of the Flora of Jamaica, by Dr. Macfadyen, supplies a botanical desideratum, and abounds in information both for the botanist and the gardener. (See p. 590.)

The most valuable foreign work for gardeners and farmers which has appeared in the course of the year is Köllar's History of Insects, which, as will be seen by our Literary Notices, will very shortly appear in an English dress. The First Part of the Transactions of the Hort. Soc. of Frankfort has been published in the course of the year; and the Annales de la Société d'Horticulture de Paris continues to be enriched with the very valuable papers of M. Poiteau, M. Loiseleur Deslongchamps, M. O. Le Clerc, and others. The Annales de Flore et de Pomone, now in its fifth year, continues to appear monthly, and to exhibit figures and descriptions of the plants considered the most rare or beautiful in the neighbourhood of Paris. The number for November contains a description of the double rhododendron, already referred to. The establishment of a gardening newspaper has been already noticed. The most valuable agricultural periodical in Britain is the Quart. Jour. of Agr., published along with the Prize Essays and Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. In the number of that work for March, 1837, there is an article, "Studies in the Science and Practice of Agriculture, as connected with Physics," of which we had intended to give some account in the present Volume; but want of room obliges us to defer it. In meantime, we strongly recommend this publication, which is now reduced from 6s. to 5s. a number, to all our agricultural readers.

RURAL AND DOMESTIC IMPROVEMENT GENERALLY.

In Agriculture, the principal circumstance suitable for being noticed in this work, is another trial of Heathcoat's steam plough, at the exhibition held by the Highland Society of Scotland at Dumfries. An account of a previous trial will be found in the Highl. Soc. Trans. vol. xii. p. 72.; and in our Vol. XII. From the newspaper reports, the general opinion does not seem to have been much in its favour; as there seems to be an immense waste of capital and of power attendant on the stationary engines. It has always appeared to us that it would have been much better to endeavour to invent a machine suitable for ploughing ordinary soil, than for turning over the surface of peat bogs. But the time does not seem to have arrived for estimating the value of an efficient substitute for the plough, to be impelled by steam; when it does, the offer of a reward of from 1000l. to 5000l. will soon call it forth. The number of new and improved varieties of grain, grasses, roots,

and plants, which were exhibited at the great agricultural meeting at Dumfries, was more numerous than that held at Perth last year; thus proving that there is an increased desire for the cultivation of new varieties on the part of the farmers of the northern counties. A great desire for the introduction of better varieties of wheat, we are informed, exists in East Lothian and Berwickshire; and the farmers there must have derived great satisfaction, and most valuable instruction, from the perusal of Col. Le Couteur's Treatise on Wheats, reviewed in a future page. Agricultural museums are now established at Edinburgh, Stirling, Perth, and Dundee; and all persons interested in agriculture and horticulture, whether in the vicinity of these museums or elsewhere, are invited to contribute to them specimens of vegetable productions of every kind, as well as of manufactured produce. The inspection of the different samples of grain in these museums by farmers is, without doubt, the principal cause of the eagerness for improved varieties of wheats, noticed above as a decided mark of progress. Twenty years ago, the farmers of East Lothian and Berwickshire, then, as now, the best cultivators in the world, regarded the improvement of their art, by attention to such minutiæ as the shades of difference between varieties of wheat, as beneath their notice; but they have now learned to calculate with Col. Le Couteur, the number of grains to an ounce in different varieties, and the consequent difference of produce of an acre or a field, according to the variety used.

Rural Architecture, we have the evidence of an eminent architect for stating, is undergoing rapid improvement in many parts of England; and it is very gratifying to us to learn, on the same authority (see George Godwin, Esq., jun., in Arch. Mag., vol. iv. p. 484.), that much of this improvement may be traced to the extensive circulation of our Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture among country gentlemen and provincial builders.

In Domestic Economy, we may notice the mode of burning the steam produced by the boilers, and by the operation of washing, in wash-houses, and which is found greatly to increase the effect of the fuel. (See p. 370.) In the proper place, we have directed attention to the Magazine of Domestic Economy, as a periodical calculated to do much good.

Railroads. That between Birmingham and Liverpool is now completed, and the line between Birmingham and London is far advanced. When the whole is complete, gardeners will have an easy opportunity of visiting the four best provincial botanical and horticultural gardens in England, at a moderate cost, and in a very short time; viz., those of Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, and Liverpool. The Bristol railroad will be completed in a year, on the line of which are: Drop

more, with its pinetum and flower-garden, both unrivalled in England; White Knights, long celebrated for its trees and shrubs; High Clere, for its splendid scenery, its general collection, and especially its hybrid rhododendrons and azaleas; the public gardens commenced at Bath and Bristol; and the Bristol Nursery. The Southampton railway, which it is said will be finished in two years, will enable the London gardener to visit the Goldworth Arboretum, and the splendid collection of American plants in the Knaphill Nursery, and return in the same day. When the railroad is extended from Liverpool to Glasgow and Edinburgh, the principal public gardens of Britain may be visited in as many days as it now requires weeks.

GARDENING

AND RURAL IMPROVEMENT IN FOREIGN

COUNTRIES.

All accounts agree, that gardening is at present in a very low state in France. (See p. 461.) In Belgium, the cultivation of plants to be exhibited for prizes continues to be pursued with vigour (see p. 82.); but Frankfort, Berlin, Munich, and Vienna are now, as they have been for several years past, the places where the enjoyments to be derived from gardening are most highly valued. The prizes offered, both in France and in Holland, for the improvement of the science of gardening and of agriculture, are well deserving notice (see p. 462--465.); and also the comparative view of the past and present state of horticulture in Denmark (see p. 466.). In the United States, gardening has received a temporary check from the general commercial difficulties of the country, which, however, a year or two will be sufficient to overcome. In British America, we have noticed (p. 467.) a splendid example in the neighbourhood of Quebec. In Australia, at Sydney, lectures have been delivered, and a book published on landscape-gardening, by the late Mr. Shepherd; and the most beautiful residence in the colony is, as it ought to be, that of the late Secretary to the Linnæan Society, our early and much esteemed friend, Alexander M'Leay. (See p. 587.)

OBITUARY.

Joseph Sabine, Esq., F.R.S., &c. (who, though not the originator of the Horticultural Society, was undoubtedly the founder of its celebrity and usefulness), died in the course of the year; and we have done justice to his memory in the proper place; as we have to that of the eminent botanist Persoon; of our friend M. Fischer, the director of the Botanic Garden at Göttingen, generally esteemed both as a gardener and a man; and Mr. Hay, an eminent garden architect, who has contributed much to the improvement of walled gardens and hot-houses in Scotland.

ART. II. Report on the hardy Fruits for the Year 1837; with some preliminary Observations on Climate. By ROBERT THOMPSON, Fruit-Gardener to the Horticultural Society in their Garden at Chiswick.

A VERY remarkable season has been experienced since I formerly communicated some notices respecting fruits, published in your Magazine for December, 1836; and a few remarks on the same, and on resulting consequences as regards fruits, may not be inappropriately adduced in now attempting a similar account of such kinds as have come under my farther observation, as deserving of particular attention: such being made agreeably to the permission previously granted by a council of the Horticultural Society for furnishing those accounts.

The spring of 1836 was late; but it was succeeded by three fine months up to September, when weather more like that of the end than the beginning of autumn set in: cold, cloudy, frequently boisterous, and very wet. Nor were the hopes realised that bad weather coming on thus early would soon clear up, and be followed by a good autumn; for October was most remarkably cold, with much rain, and even frost and snow. The flowers of the dahlias were cut off by about 4° Fahr. of frost, as early as the 4th of October; and, on the morning of the 29th, the ground was covered with snow to the depth of 3 in. This arrested vegetation as far as regarded deciduous trees and shrubs; and, to many species, such as the vine and fig, the action was more especially premature: the former, where growing in the open ground, had its leaves green; and, at the same time, its shoots were so immature, owing to the previously moist and clouded state of the atmosphere, that the pith, in the course of the winter, became more or less blackened down to the old wood; and nurserymen found a difficulty in obtaining sufficiently sound eyes for the purposes of propagation.

January and February last were not unusually severe. March forwarded vegetation but little: it was even 4° colder than February; and, with the month last mentioned, April, notwithstanding the great difference in the length of the days, was only of equal temperature; the mean of the external air being as low as 41° Fahr.; consequently, the sap of plants, water being in it the principal constituent, could not have much elasticity. The sun was almost constantly obscured, and the foliage of many exotics acquired a yellow tinge; for, although plants under glass could be protected from the cold, yet the want of solar light was not to be supplied, or artificially substituted; this being one of the desiderata in the science of horticulture, which most probably, will ever remain so. Owing to the want of solar heat, the range of temperature had not its usual extent; nor were its oscillations