This, which is still the most beautiful of all the California firs, has for many years past been much admired and sought after by lovers of Conifers. From the small number of seedlings raised when it was first introduced to this country by the lamented Douglas, good trees are scarce, and only in the hands of a few growers. Since its first introduction to Europe until very lately no good seeds have been imported, and notwithstanding the many plants which have been raised from cuttings or grafts, yet, from the barbarous custom of growing them in pots, good plants are still very expensive and difficult to be met with.

"The Bois de Boulogne and the Bois Catalan were never," says a Paris correspondent, " in such request. Every night, betwixt seven and eight o'clock, carriages by hundreds may be seen rolling down the avenue de l'lmperatrlce towards that fairy land, and there they remain till after midnight, recreating in the autumnal breeze as it sweeps pleasantly over the glassy surface of the broad lake. It is impossible to imagine a more perfect illustration of the "Happy Valley" of Rasselas than this exquisite combination of grassy lawn, of woodland, forest and magnificent sheets of water, with its rushing cascades, now presents. At night the boat-houses and the various gondolas are lit up with globe lamps of many colors, the reflection of which strikes into the depths of the lake and presents the aspect of ranges of fiery columns, as of a subaqueous palace, while the shadows of the tall trees interposing suggest the idea of a shrubbery and forest springing up from below. The lamps of the different vehicles as they flit by seem to dance backwards and forwards into the depths of the lake, till, following up the delusion, the visitor might portray to his mind's eye a temple of fire crowded with torch-bearing adorers, the vividness of whose flame bade defiance to the powers of water".

The evil of deep sowing is not confined to the open garden. One cause why seedsmen get such bad names, when seeds would not grow, is owing to too deep covering, or placing them in soil bo waterlogged, that, though they swell, the air cannot get at them, and decomposition is the result. Another cause why seeds saved by amateurs sometimes refuse to vegetate, is, that after cleaning they often are left in a place thinly spread out, and exposed to the full force of an autumn sun. The carbon, or starchy matter, becomes so fixed, or indurated, that it will not change into a sweet sugary substance for the nourishment of the embryo. Fine kinds of cucumber seeds are much injured by full exposure to sun for months, or weeks, on the open shelf of a hothouse. A few days would have done them no harm.