autumn into the very bosom of winter, whose ice at length closes the temple of Flora for a time, until the herald flowers of spring appear amidst the melting snow, as if impatieut of delay. **** HALF-DOUBLE TASSEL-FLOWERED; with only half-double flowers, and narrow elongated quilled petals; often drooping, and somewhat resembling a tassel. 44. Half-double Quilled White; Semidouble Quilled White, Hort. Trans. v. 5. p. 158. A very tall robust variety. The flowers are among the latest varieties, and more inclining to be single than usual, yet of too late occurrence to ripen seeds with us. They are very large, and the narrow quilled petals are very singularly waved, and as if pursuing each other from right to left, making a pleasing and almost animated appearance. 45. Half-double Quilled Pink; Semidouble Quilled Pink, Hort. Trans. v. 5. tab. 17.* (inferior figure) p. 157. and v. 5. p. 422. and v. 6. p. 351. This variety grows rather tall, and flowers latish, but its flowers, although but half-double, and only of the middle size, possess a degree of graceful elegance and lovely hues peculiarly their own. present a rare variety. It is at Also and 46. Half-double Bronze Buff; Pale Buff, Hort. Trans. v. 6. p. 334. called the Semidouble Pale Buff, and Reeve's Pale Buff, Quilled Buff, and the Buff. It is a very tall and free-growing variety, and its half-double buff large flowers, which in their early stages are much bronzed, though of coarse hues, make a showy appearance, and stand the weather better than all others, opening rather early, and continuing late, until all the bronze is gone, having faded to a dull buff. 47. Half-double Quilled Orange; Semidouble Quilled Orange, Hort. Trans. v. 5. p. 412. and p. 422., and v. 5. tab. 17.** (left-hand figure), and v. 6. p. 352. A tallish plant, with but few large and almost single, and also some nearly half-double, flowers, of good size, but making a poor show. 48. Half-double Pale Quilled Orange; Semidouble Quilled Pale Orange, Hort. Trans. v. 6. p. 337. Also called Semidouble Deep Yellow. Of the middle stature, with few and late flowers, of good size, but comparatively poor appearance, on loosely drooping footstalks. Obs. The author has rejected the hybrid word semi-double throughout the paper. ART. XIV. On cultivating Cabbages by Slips or Cuttings. Sir, By PETER KENDALL, Esq. I OBSERVE you have noticed (Vol. VIII. p. 126.) a paper read by J. Lindley, Esq., at the Horticultural Society's Meeting, Dec. 6. 1831; upon the propagation of cabbages from slips. I am anxious to draw the attention of the public to this plan, which many years ago I saw practised in the Brazils, and which I adopted on my return to England, and have practised ever since. Early in the spring of 1831, I mentioned the subject to Mr. Lindley, who seemed much pleased with it, having never heard of it before, and promised to give the plan a trial in the Society's garden at Chiswick. The paper above alluded to reports the very satisfactory result of several trials made by his directions, and I had hoped some further notice would have been taken of it, as that gentleman assured me he thought it a useful plan, and well worth general adoption. The following extract from an old Morning Herald, of the 23d of October last, taken up by accident a few days ago, must be my apology for addressing you on the subject: "Extract of a Letter from the Swan River.-Cabbage seed is of great value, as none of ours have seeded this year, and the Cape gardeners send to England for it, as it degenerates very much in a warm climate." Had the writer of the above been aware that cabbages may readily be propagated from slips, he would most likely have availed himself of this simple method to replenish his garden, instead of waiting for a supply of seed either from the Cape of Good Hope or England. Having no copy of the paper read by Mr. Lindley, I will endeavour briefly to describe my method of propagating, which I have practised with perfect success. The slips, when taken from the cabbage stalk, are exposed a sufficient time to the sun and atmosphere to cauterise the wounded part in the summer 24 hours is sufficient, and two or three days in the winter; rubbing a little wood-ashes on the part, as recommended by Mr. Lindley, greatly assists in cauterising the wound, and prevents bleeding. Plant them, and they require no further trouble. After cutting the cabbages, the sprouts again afford a supply of slips for plants, and thus a regular succession of cabbages is secured throughout the whole year, with the certainty of preserving the quality of the parent stock unchanged, and of doing away with the necessity of raising plants from seed at all. It is well known how little reliance can be placed upon the plants raised from seed being equal to the parent stock in quality, and how many disappointments arise in consequence. All this may be avoided, and each variety of cabbage propagated, without the least change or deterioration in its quality; and I have every reason to believe an earlier supply may be brought to table by planting slips, than from seedling plants. I am, Sir, yours, &c. PETER KENDall. Higham Lodge, near Stratford St. Mary's, Suffolk, Feb. 4. 1833. 2 ART. XV. On producing Mushrooms in plenty in the open Air, from June to November. By Mr. J. ELLES. Sir, ABOUT a twelvemonth ago (Vol. VIII. p. 214.), I promised to give you some account of growing mushrooms in the open air, during part of the summer and autumnal months; unless some of my brother gardeners should step forward in the meantime, and give the required information. As the last number of Vol. VIII. of the Magazine has just come to hand, and I find that none of your correspondents have made the attempt; I, without further preface, will endeavour to fulfil my promise. The reason why mushrooms have not been more generally cultivated, or attempted to be cultivated, in the open air, from June to November, is, I presume, to be found in this simple fact, that they are generally to be obtained in sufficient quantity in pasture lands, immediately adjoining the residences of gentlemen. If, however, a method can be pointed out, and that method the most simple in the world, by which as many mushrooms may be gathered from a few square yards of cultivated land, as from as many acres of pasture land; surely the experiment deserves a fair trial, even if it were for nothing more than for the sake of saving shoeleather and wet feet; for, however poetical" brushing with hasty steps the dews away" may sound to ears polite, I do not know a more disagreeable job than gathering mushrooms in a wet morning; especially when a poor fellow's only consolation is to know that he must work out the remaining part. of the day in the same wet plight. But to return: I not only propose to produce a crop of mushrooms, but likewise a good crop of carrots, radishes, &c.; so that, even should the mushrooms fail, the gardener will be compensated for any little extra-trouble he may have been put to. I may observe that. I have tried several modes to grow mushrooms; and one season succeeded in producing a few among some late potatoes; but, generally speaking, all my schemes failed, until, at last, in April, 1831, I made a bed upon a pavement 7 ft. wide and 40 ft. long, and 2 ft. high; the bottom part (say upwards of 18 in.) with fresh litter, and the top entirely with an old mushroom bed, from which the best of the spawn was picked, to be afterwards distributed regularly over the surface. Upon this about 4 in. thick of pasture loam was spread, and a thick straw rope pegged down round the edges, to keep the loam or mould from falling, and to give it a finished appearance. I now sowed some seeds of short-horn carrots, radishes, cauliflowers, and tender annuals, &c.; in short, any thing that required a little heat; for, in fact, it was for these things I made the bed: the mushrooms were a secondary consideration. The bed, thus finished, came into bearing about the middle of June, and continued till November. It was in July and August I saw the value of the carrots; for the tops completely shaded the mushrooms from the scorching heat of the sun, and as effectually sheltered them from the chilling frosts in October. The crop surpassed any thing either my neighbours or myself had ever seen before; but we must not forget that the season of 1831 was remarkably fine for mushrooms. In the spring of this year, 1832, taking the advantage of a dry fit of weather, I made a bed as similar to the above as I possibly could; and, although the produce was sufficient for a large family, yet I consider the crop scanty when compared with the preceding one. The mushrooms appeared later, and left off bearing sooner; they likewise came inconveniently large, some weighing half a pound before the veil was broken. I have thus stated facts, without entering into any speculative arguments concerning the mysterious growth of this useful and delicious vegetable, and have given you the results of two experiments, in two consecutive years, conducted with as much accuracy as the nature of the materials and the changeableness of the seasons would permit; and, if like causes produce similar effects, would it be logical to say that these results were fortuitous? Should you think the above worth printing, you will allow me to call on my fellow-labourers to bestow their best attention upon this subject; for if it succeed, and succeed it must (at least, I think so), why then every farmer in the empire may be taught to produce this vegetable in abundance; for certainly nothing can be more simple than making a bed on the surface of the ground, in any dry airy situation, 2 ft. high, with fresh horse-litter, and 5 ft. or 6 ft. wide; the length, of course, a matter of choice or convenience, and covering this with the cleanings from the horse track of a threshing-machine, or from a colt-house. Over all spread a few inches of mould, sow the carrot seed, and the work is done. Palace Gardens, Armagh, Dec. 9. 1832. I remain, Sir, yours, &c. 230 MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. ART. I. Domestic Notices. ENGLAND. I am A FEW cautionary Hints to Florists, Nurserymen, and Innkeepers. a well-wisher to all florists, nurserymen, and innkeepers, in general, and, I trust, to every one else. I cannot, perhaps, better show it than by giving them a strict caution not to deal or give the least attention to a fellow calling himself Gern, of the firm of Gern and Co., Nurserymen, Aberdeen; pretending to carry about with him the Scottish seedling ranunculuses for sale, raised by the far-famed Mr. Waterstone of Paisley, and a Mr. Thompson, and also showing a general nursery catalogue. Now, there is positive proof that this fellow is a thorough impostor both in word and deed; and report goes so far as to say that he is not ignorant of seven years' transportation, which I conscientiously believe to be true, from the quarter from which I received my information. At whatever inn or public house this Judas may think proper to take up his abode, he regularly leaves without paying the landlord. In this manner he has acted to three respectable houses in Cambridge; and at Huntingdon also he has left them sufficient cause not to forget one Gern, the Scotch laddie from Aberdeen, who kindly honoured them with a visit. His appearance is by no means respectable; but I will give him credit for the possession of abilities far beyond what we meet with every day. In his conversation he is pleasing, and it is mixed up with anecdotes captivating to that class of men he most usually calls upon. He has on a shabby green great-coat, carries a purple bag similar to those used by travellers, and, whilst addressing, you frequently takes snuff. He stands about five feet four inches in height. This is as near as I can describe his appearance. I do most earnestly entreat, for the good of the public at large, that those gentlemen who may be honoured by a call from this vile impostor will do all in their power to entrap him, and inflict upon him such punishment as his conduct so justly merits at the hands of every honest and fair-dealing man. I write this not because I have myself been imposed upon, but from the strong disgust that I feel that so infamous a fellow should have cheated friends of mine. Should this reptile who is crawling about this earth of ours in human shape be taken, I shall esteem the publication of the fact in this Magazine a favour, for the satisfaction of those who have unfortunately been deceived and imposed upon by him.-F. F. Cambridge, March 6. 1833. News of this living libel on our calling has reached us from Oldham, Lancashire. We quote as follows: "A friend saw him at Stamford. He had travelled all night from Cambridge, and when he had got to Stamford, he ran away without paying his fare. Gern's proper name is Green, and he has lived in Manchester..... He came to Oldham and.... he called himself a traveller from a Mr. Pope of Birmingham, and had been into Scotland and all the north of England. In short, he has not left a town where he has been in Lancashire, and few in Yorkshire, but he has cheated all he could out of their money. It would take many sheets of paper to hold a relation of the tricks I have heard of his practising..... At Burnley, |