péndula from his nurseryman, what would he get ? Certainly not any kind of Robínia, but probably the Acàcia péndula of our Hortus Britannicus, an Australian shrub, which, so far from requiring the culture recommended by Mr. Rivers for his genus Acàcia, would, if planted out without protection, be probably killed by the first frost. If this be a means of lessening confusion, it is certainly rather difficult to discover in what manner it acts. It now only remains for us to notice Mr. Rivers's intended attack on botanists for their "incessant changes," which he very inappropriately illustrates by Spach's division of the genus Ribes. Had Mr. Rivers been as thoroughly acquainted with the subject as he apparently wishes his readers to suppose him, he would have known that Spach's divisions have not been adopted even by "Continental botanists." We might say much more on this subject, but we think we have proved that Mr. Rivers's catalogue, so far from lessening, is likely to increase the confusion that at present prevails respecting the names of trees and shrubs. The evil, however, great as it is, cannot be of long duration; for, from the rapidly increasing desire for the study of botany, and the equally rapidly increasing taste for arboriculture, the purchasers of trees and shrubs will soon know too much to be misled, in spite of all the efforts which those of the stationary school are making to retain them in ignorance. We have not yet said anything respecting Mr. Rivers's "Directions for Culture," and we shall only notice the note to his genus Acàcia. He says the "trees are adapted to the background of shrub borders." Now this is a point which we dispute, both with reference to taste and to culture. A background to shrubs ought to be composed of trees with dense opaque foliage, such as the oak and the beech, or of evergreens, such as the Lucombe oak, &c.; and not of trees with open light foliage that may be seen through, like that of the robinia. With respect to culture, the roots of trees suitable for the background of a shrubbery ought to be such as descend, like those of the oak or the chestnut, and not such as spread immediately under the surface of the ground, like those of the robinia or the elm; which would soon ruin any border of shrubs, by depriving their roots of the greater portion of their nourishment. The errors in Mr. Rivers's notes are, however, scarcely worth noticing, when compared with those in his list of names. But what we most deplore about Mr. Rivers's catalogue is, the baneful effect it must have on the minds of young gardeners wherever plants have been named according to it. The mere circumstance of a young man just beginning to acquire a knowledge of plants, being left to infer that it is of equal importance to distinguish between fourteen varieties of Robínia PseùdAcàcia, as it is between all the species of the genus, is enough to fill the mind with despair, and either deter a young man from further pursuit, or leave him to conclude that it is in vain for him to acquire anything like botanical accuracy. The Babel-like confusion, however, which prevails in Mr. Rivers's catalogue, being now pointed out, both in this Magazine and in the Gardeners' Gazette, it will be the fault of young gardeners themselves if they are misled by it. Such an attempt as that of Mr. Rivers tends to show the great advantages that will result to gardeners and nurserymen from the establishment of public arboretums, with the plants correctly named, in different parts of the country; and it is a great satisfaction to us to know that the Derby Arboretum is in a central situation, and on what will shortly be the main road from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow, and from London to Liverpool and Dublin; and hence, that it will probably be visited by gardeners and nurserymen from all parts of the island. It may be useful to those purchasers of trees and shrubs who wish to have correct names with them, to be informed that the whole of the collection in the Derby Arboretum, amounting to about a thousand species and varieties, was furnished, with very few exceptions, by Messrs. Whitley and Osborn of the Fulham Nursery. Bayswater, Nov. 27. 1839. ART. III. On the Conduct of the Horticultural Society towards George Glenny, Esq., F.H.S. Communicated by Mr. GLENNY. I LAST year put up with many slights from the Horticultural Society, and among them that of exclusion from prizes, on the ground that I had refused one of their medals; nevertheless, I continued to send through the season some of the most important plants for exhibition. On Tuesday last I sent four plants not very common, and on the contrary three of them were rather remarkable; but, notwithstanding everything else in the room was noticed by Dr. Lindley, my plants were not mentioned. Now, I ask your readers whether such conduct is justifiable towards a Fellow of the Society, who has a right, as a partner, to his equal share of any profits and privilege the Society can boast? It is true, I have condemned many acts of the Council and the servants, but though you may do these things more gently than I have done, you have, as a public journalist, exercised the privilege of condemnation and approval as every other independent writer would; and it should be remembered that I never advanced a fact that I was not at the time ready to prove. Worton, Dec. 6. 1839. ART. IV. Notice of an Improvement made in the Mode of fixing Mr. Booth's Wire Trellis for Espaliers. Communicated by W. B. BOOTH, F.H.S. SINCE I forwarded the account you have published in Vol. XV. p. 630. of a wire trellis for espaliers, and the mode of erecting it, I have adopted another contrivance (fig. 1.) for fixing on the ends of the wires to draw them up, instead of the twisted 1 rope yarn formerly mentioned as having been used for that purpose. Perhaps it has little of novelty to recommend it to your notice; but any merit which it may possess belongs to Peter Copland, the blacksmith here, by whom it was constructed. As it answers its purpose extremely well, and may probably be useful to others, I have great pleasure in supplying you with the accompanying sketch (figs. 1. and 3.) and description of it. It consists of two flat pieces of iron (fig. 3. a a), 2 in. long, 1 in. wide, and half an inch thick, having a couple of holes for the screws (cc), and a groove (bb) across the middle of each, nearly deep enough to receive the thickness of the wire. Two round claws (dd), 4 in. long, with a joint at (f) and a hole (c c) at the extremity of each, which is flattened for the purpose, are curved in such a manner that one of the ends may be screwed on the upper side, and the other on the lower side, of the two flat pieces, and by means of an eye and swivel, it can then be attached to the hook (h) of the instrument shown in fig. 151. in Vol. XV. p. 632. The annexed sketch (fig. 1.), representing the whole when screwed on the wire, will, however, convey a much better idea of the thing than any description. Carclew, Dec. 4. 1839. ALLOW me to point out a mistake of your engraver in the sketch of the wire trellis in Vol. XV. p. 632. By fig. 153. it would appear as if the blocks of stone, into which the uprights and stays are fixed, rested on a foundation of masonwork but this is not the case; the stones being so large and heavy, as to require nothing more than to be bedded in the places where they are intended to remain. To any practical person, such a foundation as is represented will appear quite unnecessary, but the fear of its misleading others has induced me to trouble you with this explanation. Fig. 2. is the figure to which Mr. Booth refers, corrected agreeably to his directions. It may be useful to some of our readers to be informed that Mr. Booth's espalier trellis can be put up in any part of the kingdom by workmen sent from the VOL. XVI.- No. 118. C manufactory of Mr. Porter, No. 81. Upper Thames Street. When once properly known, we think those trellises will be preferred to all others.- Cond. ART. V. Botanical, Floricultural, and Arboricultural Notices of the Kinds of Plants newly introduced into British Gardens and Plantations, or which have been originated in them; together with additional Information respecting Plants (whether old or new) already in Cultivation: the whole intended to serve as a perpetual Supplement to the "Encyclopædia of Plants," the "Hortus Britannicus," the "Hortus Lignosus," and the " Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum." Curtis's Botanical Magazine; in monthly numbers, each containing seven plates; 3s. 6d. coloured, 3s. plain. Edited by Sir William Jackson Hooker, LL.D., &c. Edwards's Botanical Register; in monthly numbers, new series, each containing six plates; 3s. 6d. coloured, 3s. plain. Edited by Dr. Lindley, Professor of Botany in the London University. Paxton's Magazine of Botany, and Register of Flowering Plants; in monthly numbers; large 8vo; 2s. 6d. each. The Floral Cabinet; in monthly numbers, 4to; 2s. 6d. each. Conducted by G. B. Knowles, Esq., M.R.C.S., F.L.S., &c., and Frederick Westcott, Esq., Honorary Secretaries of the Birmingham Botanical and Horticultural Society. The Botanist; in monthly numbers, each containing four plates, with two pages of letterpress; 8vo; large paper, 2s. 6d.; small paper, 1s. 6d. Conducted by B. Maund, Esq., F.L.S., assisted by the Rev. J. S. Henslow, M.A., F.L.S., &c., Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge. Maund's Botanic Garden, or Magazine of Hardy Flower Plants cul tivated in Great Britain; in monthly numbers, each containing four coloured figures in one page; large paper, 1s. 6d.; small, ls. Edited by B. Maund, Esq., F.L.S. The Ladies' Flower Garden of Ornamental Annuals; in 4to numbers, monthly; 2s. 6d. each. By Mrs. Loudon. RANUNCULA CEE. 1631. CLEMATIS +lathyrifolia Bess. Lathyrus-leaved▲ or 4 jn.au W 1836. D.S. co Bot. reg. 1839, 61. A hardy herbaceous species of Clématis, with the leaves and fruit of C. angustifolia, but with much larger flowers, which are white, and arranged in a loose corymbose panicle. (Bot. Reg., Nov.) Fumariaceæ. 2047. CORYDALIS 31573 flávula Bot. Gard. no. 718. Pittosporacea. Sóllya linearis Lindl. The flowers of this species are of the deepest and richest blue; the leaves are linear, or linear-lanceolate; and the fruit "much shorter and thicker." (B. M. R., No. 132., Nov.) Malvacea. 3489. ABU TILON striatum Dicks. striated or 4 mr R.Y Brazil 1837. C co Botanist, no. 144. The stem of this very elegant plant is scarcely shrubby, and the branches are very slender. It grows freely, and produces a great abundance of flowers. It is a native of Brazil, where it has a very extensive range; having been found on the Organ Mountains by Mr. Gardiner, and on the banks of the Rio Negro by Mr. Tweedie. (Bot., Nov.) Sapindacea. 3548. DIPLOPEʼLTIS 29841 Hugèlii Bot. Reg., 1839, t. 69. This very curious Swan River plant proves to be a hardy green-house shrub," with pink flowers, "growing about 3 ft. high, and flowering in April and May. It requires the same treatment as such Cape plants as the hebenstreitias, striking freely from cuttings of the young wood; and it will bear to be planted out in the open border in summer. (Bot. Reg., Dec.) Balsaminacea. 698. IMPATIENS picta Know. & West. pointed ?? 2 jn Pk E. Indies 1837. S p Fl. cab. no. 128. One of the East Indian species of Impatiens, raised from seeds presented to the Birmingham Botanic Garden by Dr. Royle. By some odd mistake, the natural order of this plant is marked in the Floral Cabinet as Leguminòsæ Lòteæ. (Flor. Cab., Dec.) Leguminosa. 1985. LUPINUS [cab. no. 122. Barkèria Know, & West. Mrs. Barker's or 4 my.jn P.pk Mexico 1837. D co Flor. A handsome suffrutescent species of Lupinus, a native of Mexico. It grows freely, and the stem is much branched. (Fl. Cab., Nov.) Rosacea. 1515. SPIRE'A 30755 barbata Synonyme: Hoteía japónica Mor. & Decaisne. Dr. Lindley, having received some ripe seeds of this plant from India, states that they "have an abundance of fleshy albumen, surrounding a straight cylindrical embryo, rather more than half their length." They are smooth and scobiform, with a lax testa, "prolonged at each end into a tapering withered sac.” (B. M. R., No. 133., Nov.) Melastomacea. +LASIA'NDRA Dec. (From lasios, hairy, and aner, andros, applied to the stamens]; there being a |