This section is from the book "The Gardener's Monthly And Horticulturist V18", by Thomas Meehan. See also: Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long.
Mr. Downing's name is so closely identified with the history of the Hor-ticulturist, that the public are apt to forget it was to the enterprise of the late Luther Tucker, of Albany, that the magazine originated, and that it was financially sustained and published by him till Mr. Downing's death.
He {imaginative): I always think it a pity to be in London when the country and gardens are so lovely. Your flowers must be splendid just now? - She (practical-taking tea): Yes, mamma says some of us ought to go down for a day or two, just to please the gardeners.- Punch.
In Dr. Coulter's interesting little Botanical Bulletin for March, there is an account of the native grasses of Jefferson Co., Ind., by Mr. A. H. Young. The Red Top {Agrostis vulgaris) seems to be remarkably well suited to that part of the country. There are many suggestive observations on other grasses.
This is the correct name of the white sweet-scented Eupatorium now becoming so popular for winter cut flowers. It has eight or more names given to it erroneously.
The Richardia (Calla) aEthiopica, which our people have learned to call " Calla Lily " and " Easter Lily," goes by the name of "Trumpet Lily" in England.
If we fill a tumbler with water, and invert it, the water remains therein. A correspondent of the Florist or Pom-ologist has taken advantage of this fact to get bouquets of flowers under water in bell glasses, and he says if exposed to light in this condition the flowers keep perfect a wonderfully long time.
Mrs. E. J. B., St. Louis, Mo.- Bryophyllum calycinum.
Mr.Worthington Smith figures a twin mushroom in a recent Gardener's Chronicle. One with two stems and a single head was exhibited some years ago at a meeting of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences.
In the Isle of Borbon, they have found a grass - Reana luxurious - of which wonderful things are told. Our Southern friends who are just now watching for some good grasses suited to their soil and climate should look after it.
This is the name of the fern sent.by R. P., Indianapolis. "Will Mr. Meehan be kind enough to give the name of the enclosed Fern in the next number of Monthly. It grows in this State. Fronds near 2 feet. I send part of barren and fertile fronds.
Letter from the late Hon. J. C. Calhoun of South Carolina. - We present to our readers a letter, never before published, from John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina, to Col. George Gibbs, of New York, an enthusiastic horticulturist and disseminator of the grape, fifty years ago.
Washington, March 29th, 1824.
Dear Sir: - I received your box of cuttings in excellent order, and will give the several varieties a fair trial of our soil and climate.
I am delighted with the growing attention to the vine, and look forward with confidence to the period when we shall add wine to our staple commodities, to the great improvement of our health and morals. Is the vine cultivated in China? No two countries occupy positions on the globe so nearly the same as ours and China; and the climate of the two accordingly is almost in every respect the same. I feel confident that all of the fruits and productions of China would flourish in corresponding latitudes of our country, and that without going through the process of being acclimated. Our climate and that of Europe, on the contrary, is in every respect the opposite as the positions which we occupy on the globe. There are certain powerful causes, rising out of the relation which a country has to the ocean that greatly affect its climate. All over the globe countries lying on the eastern and western shores of the ocean, or even of deep and extensive lakes, will be found to have very different climates in the same latitude.
The western coast of our continent is as warm as Europe, and as moist too, in the same latitude.
With great regard, I am, etc,
J. C. Calhoun. Col. George Gibbs.
The Great Centennial - Our papers are full of what is to be at the great Centennial, which is to open on the middle of the present month, and continue all summer. We wait till we see what comes, before saying anything, except that the promise of a great exhibition is very good indeed. At the time of our writing, a shipment of Rhododendrons from Waterer, of England, had arrived, but much too soon for our climate, and so are temporarily under a wooden shed. Mr. Buist has a few evergreens deposited, but the season is hardly safe. We expect to have our note-book busy for our next number.
 
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