in saloons at the ordinary temperature. They are not very sensitive to cold, but are difficult to keep clean.

Fulchironia senegalensis. An excellent plant, especially for large and tall or raised vases, by reason of its spreading leaves. This palm has also the bad quality of retaining the dust on its leaflets; but, on the other hand, it is very hardy, but little sensitive to cold, and does well if freely supplied with

water.

Areca sapida.

A fine plant, dear and scarce. It does not require much heat, but demands plenty of light.

Areca rubra requires a continuous high temperature, and is impatient of cold draughts and excess of moisture.

Areca lutescens requires the same temperature as the preceding, but is less tender. All the arecas require warm localities, free from draughts of cold air. They must not, therefore, be placed on balconies, with the view of exposing them to the fresh air, when the external temperature is not higher than 8-10° Cent.

Fubæa spectabilis. A very strong-growing (solide) palm, but scarce.
Chamadorea Ernesti-Augusti, elatior.·

These palms do well in a room with ordinary heat. They can, however, only be employed in the young state, as they soon lose their lower leaves.

Seaforthia elegans. Large and beautiful plant, which does well in welllighted rooms with sufficient heat. The same remarks apply to S. Dicksoni and S. robusta, which are rare in cultivation.

Cocos Australis, comosa, coronata, flexuosa, &c. — Large palms, with elegant and slender foliage; very useful for grouping in masses against walls or by the sides of mirrors. Ordinary temperature suffices for them.

Attalea spectabilis, speciosa. — Very handsome palms, but scarce. They require a high temperature.

Caryota urens, Cumingii, &c.—These palms are fit for the decoration of halls; but, to preserve them, a.continuous high temperature is required. They have not the majestic appearance of some other palms. Their leaves appear as if gnawn by insects. They would only be useful in decorations on a large scale, and by way of contrast.

Ceroxylon niveum, andicola. — Bold foliage, but not very elegant. Plants of moderate duration, requiring considerable heat. Rare and dear.

Geonoma magnifica, Verschaffeltii, Ghiesbreghtii, Porteana, &c. - The geonomas, though hardy enough in the ordinary temperature of saloons, are not in much request, by reason of their entire and not very elegant foliage.

Calamus. - Pretty palms, but rare and high-priced. They require a continuous high temperature.

Dæmonorops melanochetes. A charming little palm, requiring considerable heat; dear and scarce.

Elais guineensis.

This palm, very suitable for vases, requires a warm tem

perature, and exemption from cold draughts.

Trithrinax Mauritiœformis. — This little palm is suitable for vases in saloons. but requires a continuous heat. — English Journal of Horticulture.

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The RaspberRY IN QUEBEC. To the Editor of "THE CANADA FARMER." Sir, Several communications I have lately seen respecting the alleged want of hardiness in the raspberry, induce me, with your permission, to venture a few words of encouragement to any who may be hesitating as to the possibility of their cultivating in Canada the finer varieties of this delicious fruit. To such, then, I would say, It is not because you are located far to the north that you will not succeed: on the contrary, living near the city of Quebec, I never fail to have a most beautiful crop. Last winter was the most severe experienced here for many years; the thermometer sinking to 37° below zero, and remaining near about there for days together. It has been followed by a most scorchingly hot, dry summer; yet my bushes are fairly loaded down with large and delicious fruit, and not of the common kinds, but of the so-called tender Antwerps. From my experience with this berry, I have thought that it cannot be merely the cold which injures them, but, possibly, rather the alternate freezing and thawing which they are exposed to in milder countries. I have cultivated here Yellow Antwerps for the last fifteen years without experiencing any difficulty; and six years ago, wishing to try other varieties, I procured a few bushes of Red Antwerp, Franconia, Fastolff, and Victoria. They have all flourished; but the Red Antwerps produce so much the best and largest fruit, that to me the others are valueless.

My mode of cultivation is simply this: About the middle of September, select a spot where a goodly supply of snow is sure to lodge early in the fall (no difficult matter here); manure the ground heavily by digging in decayed stable-manure ; plant in rows about three feet apart, plants about eighteen inches asunder in the row; and, shortly before the first fall of snow, throw over them any refuse straw or branches. We find potato-stalks and spruce-broughs excellent. These will gradually bend the plants towards the ground; the weight of the snow will assist ; and, in the spring, they will come out ready to send a leaf from every bud. I had omitted to say, that, after planting, I shorten the canes to within less than a foot of the ground. Succeeding springs, I merely take off a few inches from the tops. The Red Antwerps, with me, average from five to six feet high. We train them to horizontal strips of board, placed between each second row, on stakes about three feet high, bringing two rows to meet to one board, and leaving thus an alley between each second row. I find it essential to tie them up in this way, as, if not done, the weight of the fruit brings them flat to the earth, soiling and spoiling the berries. We top-dress well with decayed stable-manure and ashes every spring, and again as soon as the fruit is gathered. Treated this way, a very small patch will supply a very large family, and will last without replanting or changing the location for an indefinite number of years. Even without any covering except the snow, very good crops can generally be had; but a few branches or potatostalks cost very little trouble, and insure a large yield, and, by bringing the canes evenly and gradually to the ground, prevent their being broken.

As I said, I have yet found no variety to equal the Red Antwerp: but Mr. Beadle's letter, in your last number, has given me an inclination to try what could be done here with the Hornet; for, so far, I have had no necessity to look

for the hardiest, but simply for the best and largest raspberry. As to productiveness, they all produce about as many berries as you could by any possibility stick on the bushes.. F. W. A., in Canada Farmer.

QUEBEC, Aug. 6, 1868.

MATTHIOLA BICORNIS. - The history and origin of this plant are simple enough. It is a Greek plant, and was introduced from Athens some few years ago. As a fragrant vespertine plant, it is of some interest. I can hardly agree that "it is beyond the praise lavished on it," which we thought excessive. Seeds of this were received by us from Greece five or six years ago. After growing the plant, and proving its great worth, we distributed seeds in the usual way; and the very large demand for it, both at home and abroad, has proved how welcome a plant of such unusual sweetness has been. It may not be uninteresting to state that we have also grown for two or three years its congener, M. tricuspidata, of which we have this season a beautiful display. Although the fragrance of this is rather less powerful than that of M. bicornis, the plant is not less pleasing, and is more valuable on account of its not being simply a night-blooming stock, the sweetness remaining throughout the day. The cause of this may probably be owing to the stout, broad-petaled flowers remaining fully expanded. These are in themselves very beautiful, and make a fine display in a bed or border. The color is lilac, or lilac-purple, with a white eye or centre. The habit is free, but dense, with a vigorous growth. The plants flower abundantly, and remain in perfection far into autumn. Both it and M. bicornis are treated by us as hardy annuals. Gardener's Chronicle.

GOLDEN CHAMPION GRAPE. - This in all respects extraordinary grape was raised by Mr. Thomson, gardener to his Grace the Duke of Buccleuch, at Dal keith Palace. "It was," Mr. Thomson states, "raised about five years ago from a seed taken from a grape that was a cross between the Champion Hamburg and the Bowood Muscat." The bunches are large, of a slightly-tapering form, and heavily shouldered. The stalk of the bunch is stout and fleshy; that of the berry, stout and warted. The berries are extra large, obovate or ovate, slightly pointed, in some instances, almost round; the flesh is firm, yet remarkably juicy and tender; the flavor rich, somewhat of the character of the bestripened Black Hamburgs.

The plant is remarkably free and robust in growth, and very prolific; requiring exactly the same sort of treatment as the Black Hamburg. The leaves most nearly resemble those of the Muscat: they are slightly lobed, and very deeply and sharply serrated; and the leaf-stalks have a reddish tinge.

This is indeed a noble grape, and one which will take the highest rank among white varieties. It supplies a desideratum which has long been felt; viz., the possession of a white grape of easy culture like the Black Hamburg, which latter is, par excellence, the very best-constitutioned grape in cultivation, the gardener's sure and trusty friend. The berries of this new acquisition are of the very largest size, resembling in that respect huge Canon-hall Muscats; while the bunches are as large as those of the best variety of Hamburg, the Victoria, or Frankenthal. Gardener's Magazine.

that has often been raised, and doubtless as often settled, at least to the satisfaction of the questioner. Now, whether taken from the political, literary, social, or commercial point of view, there is, we apprehend, much in a name; and, if we descend from the general to the particular, we fancy, that, from a horticultural point of view, it is not a matter of indifference. True it is that our greatest poet has said,

but we take leave to doubt whether it would always seem as fair. We have observed that certain names at once take hold of the public, are in every one's mouth, and make the novelty popular from the beginning: whereas, in other instances, the reverse of this is the case; the high qualities of the novelty require knowing to make the name popular.

If we look back on the past, or take the existing nomenclature of plants, we find much that is incongruous and in bad taste. Botanists and horticulturists have alike erred here. The former have transgressed by adopting a frightful terminology, by compounding words of different languages, and by applying words which do not correctly interpret facts. As an instance of the latter, the word "coccinea" (scarlet) is often applied to things crimson; "cœrulea " (blue),

to purple; and "alba" (white), to things which would hardly pass as such in the murky atmosphere of the sootiest towns. The horticulturist, even of our own time, too often gives the reins to fancy; and, after reading some of our plantcatalogues, one would almost think that the days of bright blue roses and luscious out-of-door grapes had at length arrived. It may be pleasant enough, and sometimes temporarily profitable, to give the reins to fancy, when the practice not only amuses the mind, but at the same time fills the pockets of the performer. But there is a large and increasing class of amateur-gardeners in the community, matter-of-fact people, to whom this method of proceeding is obnoxious. There is delusion in it. The purchaser acts, hopes, realizes, and is disappointed. The object has not fairly answered to the character given of it. We do not accuse the giver of these highly-colored names of wilful exaggeration. The culture of flowers is not exactly that matter-of-fact occupation which some would represent it to be. There is poetry in it, and the ruddy glow of imagination will often unconsciously tinge the objects over which it delights to hover; but, if the names are applied with a poet's license, the descriptions should at least be precise, definite, and truthful. If horticulture is to become a science to the few, and remain a source of recreation to the many, its votaries must remember, that even in poetry, and certainly in actual life, the imagination must be restrained within due bounds, or the result will be neither intelligible nor satisfactory.

But these are not the only points on which reform is needed in the nomenclature of plants and flowers. Where is the cultivator who would not rejoice to see the long French names of roses and other plants reduced to a state in which they might be spelt, pronounced, and understood by all? Could not the nursery-man into whose hands these novelties first pass translate such names as are trans

latable, and re-christen others? for many of such names are at present a mere jumble of unintelligible sounds to those who are the oftenest called on to repeat them. To prevent confusion, this work might be delegated to some tribunal whose authority would by common consent be acknowledged and followed. We once knew an ingenious laborer who remembered the name of the rose "Je me maintiendrai " by assimilating it with the words "Jemmy maintain me;" and we have heard more than one philosophic nursery-man mourn over the loss of time incurred in writing "Souvenir de la Reine d'Angleterre," five hundred times repeated, when "Ajax" or "Ino" would have answered every purpose.

Further: something may be said on the fitness of names. A flower that would well become the name of "Blushing Bride" would make a very indifferent "Alderman; nor should we expect to see exactly the same complexion in a "Vulcan " as in a "Venus." A large gooseberry might appropriately bear the name of "Achilles," which would be far more euphonious and agreeable to ears polite than such names as "Bang-up" and "Thumper," whith exist plentifully among this class of fruit. In this, however, as in other instances, we would not advocate a change of names already established, — they are short and easy enough, if homely or provincial, — but that future names be chosen from a more refined vocabulary.

Finally we have seen it somewhere suggested, and think the suggestion a good one, that newly-introduced species, the botanist's plants, should bear names coined from the Latin or Greek languages, expressive of some prominent feature ; and the horticulturist's plants, what we are used to regard as mere variations of species, should have applied to them popular names in our own language. The names of the good and great ones of our own time, and of all time, offer for this purpose a rich repertory, from which we might freely draw.

These suggestive remarks are thrown out with all good humor for the consideration of those into whose hands the naming of our plants and flowers usually falls. There are many cries for reform just now; and, among small things, it is nowhere more needed than in our horticultural nomenclature. — Florist and Pomologist.

DIGGING UP HORSERADISH. - Few operations in the kitchen-garden are more slovenly performed than the above. As a rule, search is made for the best stick; then up it comes, no matter whether it be in the middle of the plot or not. It follows that a portion of the stick is left in the ground: this, instead of pushing forth one good stick, will send forth a branch of three or four spindly sticks. All this can be avoided by a little extra trouble. Commence at once at the beginning of the bed, and dig out a trench; and store away all the sticks you dig up, to be used during severe weather. Let there be a blank space remaining between the bed and newly-dug ground, so that, when a further supply is required, the operations of trenching can be repeated. Now, if the crowns of those sticks which are dug up are cut off about an inch in length, and dropped in holes about fifteen inches in depth, and at equal distances, you may hope to have good horseradish.