British Wines. This society has always paid particular attention to the subject of home-made wines. Thirty-seven varieties were now presented to them for examination. The qualities of the wines seem to have improved materially from year to year, not only in the Champagne, both still and mousseux, from the unripe gooseberry becoming more and more palatable; but various attempts at imitating the drier continental wines have succeeded beyond expectation. The committee recommend competitors to follow, as nearly as possible, the mode practised by Mrs. Roberts, and described at length in the Memoirs of the Society, vol. iii. p. 460. The following receipt is from this family :— I have but one general rule for making every kind of garden wine. I put one-half pound of water to every pound of fruit; bruise them well together, and continue to mix them twice or thrice a day. I use the Saccharometer, and weigh a small quantity of the liquid after every operation. The increase of gravity is regularly noted down; for as long as saccharine matter is contained in the husks, the gravity will increase. When this is exhausted, a decrease of saccharine matter will be observed by a decreased specific gravity at the next trial, shewing that such matter begins to be decomposed. It is then strained from the husks into a cask without a head, for fermentation; which cask is sufficiently large to contain double the quantity required. The average quantity of sugar I use, is two pounds loaf, powdered fine, to every gallon of impressed juice, put in with the juice in the cask. This fermentation is allowed to continue till it has attenuated 30 or 40 per cent., helping the operation by adding a very small quantity of yeast at the first, and afterwards skimming and stirring it at the least once a-day. It is then transferred into the barrel for final fermentation, (filling it up twice a-day with its own liquor, kept for this purpose), and allowed to remain unbunged till all visible fermentation has ceased. I again weigh a sample, and find a further attenuation of 10 or 15 per cent. It is then racked from its lees into another cask, and the lees run through a filtering bag. The proportion of spirits used is one-twelfth; put in at three rackings, one-third at each. With regard to the saccharometer I am of opinion, that if it were in general use, the character of home-made wines would be greatly improved: and that it is impossible, without its aid, to make, from year to year, a regular and well manufactured wine. The seasons in this climate are so precarious, that the fruit in some years will yield, at the least, one quarter more saccharine matter than in others; and by following the generality of receipts, in favourable seasons, we shall have a rich, well tasted, excellent wine; in others, (although adhering strictly to the same methods), a thin and greatly inferior wine. By using this intrument, we find in bad seasons the deficiency of gravity; in good seasons, the increase. The known evil can be easily remedied by an extra quantity of unadulterated juice, sufficient to bring up the gravity as high as we find by experience is requisite. We, all of us, I am convinced, greatly err in using too much sugar; and were we to bring up our gravities by an extra quantity of fruit, sugar might, perhaps, be com pletely dispensed with. Home-made wines would then in every respect resemble foreign, and be far superior to what they now cre. With regard to the fermentation, I find the greatest advantage from the frequent racking off our wine from the lees, as well to give it an opportunity of fining more effectually, as to restrain in some degree the fermentation, which might otherwise proceed from the vinous to the acetous, and thus produce vinegar instead of wine, which is sometimes the case. Yet the moderate check it receives from the frequent racking, is not sufficient to obtain the desirable attenuation. So long as any portion of the sweet continues to exist, the fermentation will go on; and this I have often experienced after wine has been bottled for many months. The frequent rackings will contribute to the soundness and preservation of the wine, no less than to its clearness and spirituosity. I have found the average specific gravity of home made wines, when a twelvemonth old, to be from 30 to 50. Whereas a well manufactured wine will never exceed the weight of water; as is the case with all good foreign wines. The last specific gravity before fermentation I adopt, averages 120 Allan's instrument. The instrument is expensive certainly when purchased merely for this use; but, if the method appears to you desirable, I have no doubt Mr. ALLAN could make an instrument of glass for ten or twelve shillings, which would answer the purpose very well, if the use of it were fully explained to him. The Caledonian Society's quarterly Meeting for the election of officebearers for the ensuing year, was held in November, when a number of prizes were awarded; among others, a medal for long service to Mr. Thomas Pattison, gardener to Walter Campbell, Esq. of Shawfield. Catalogue of the Glasgow Botanic Garden, dated July 1st, 1825. Dr. Hooker has published a catalogue of the plants in this garden, which at a rough estimate appears to contain about seven or eight thousand species, besides "many others, which are either entirely new and undescribed, or which, from the circumstance of their not having yet blossomed, cannot be accurately determined." The object of the catalogue is " to increase still further the collection;" the arrangement is alphabetical, as the most convenient for reference. To avoid the necessity of giving synonymes, the generic and specific names are the same as those employed in the nomenclator botanicus of Dr. Steudel, with the exceptions of the orchidiæ, in which the nomenclature of Brown has been preferred. The ferns are not included in the alphabet, but are arranged systema tically at the end of the work; they amount to a hundred and twenty-five species, of twenty-nine genera. There are in the catalogue, 69 species of Campamula, 218 of Erica, 46 of Iris, 139 of Mesembryanthemum, 107 of Salix, 58 of Saxifraga, 50 of Silene, 49 of Trifolium, and 72 of Veronica. "The Glasgow Botanic Garden, since elevated to a Royal Institution, was only founded in the year 1817; and it must be a source of high gratification to those individuals who have been instrumental in the formation and support of the establishment, to see in how short a time it has been made to contain a collection of plants, which is surpassed by few in the kingdom." Pomme de deux Ans. At a meeting of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, held on the 31st of August last, Dr. Duncan presented two apples of this variety, which had been pulled by him in his garden that morning from the same tree. They grew within six inches of each other; the one was the produce of blossom in spring 1824, and was the fruit of last year; the other was from the blossom of spring 1825, and the fruit of the present year. IRELAND. Country Seats in Ireland, omitted in the Encyclopedia of Gardening, communicated by Mr. Forbes, gardener to the Duke of Bedford, Woburn Abbey. Rockingham, near Boyle, Lord Lorton's, co. Roscommon. A magnificient mansion, from the designs of Nash of London, and executed by Lynn. It is situated on an eminence commanding some fine picturesque views, and a lake of several miles extent, that washes the verge of the lawn, and surrounds an ancient castle, still inhabited by a part of the establishment. There is also a hardy heath garden, adjoining a handsome bridge lately erected across a narrow part of the lake to an island of considerable The kitchen garden, one of the best in the kingdom, with a very extensive range of hot-houses. The pleasure grounds and flower garden tastefully laid out, and the whole kept in the neatest order. extent. Strokestown House, Strokestown, Lord Hartland's, co. Roscommon. An ancient residence, greatly improved by Lynn in 1819. The demesne contains above a thousand acres, beautifully varied with wood and water, and a good kitchen garden. Castlerea House, Castlerea, Lord Mountsandford, co. Roscommon. An ancient house and extensive gardens, abounding with many rare plants. Moat Park, near Roscommon, Lord Crofton. An excellent house and extensive demesne remarkable for its fine old oak timber. Courtown House, near Gorey, co. Wexford, Earl of Courtown. An ancient residence with extensive grounds, beautifully varied, and an excellent kitchen garden, with a very handsome flower garden, on different levels, and also a choice collection of American plants in several parts of the demesne. Shelton Abbey, near Arklow, Earl Wicklow, co. Wicklow. A magnificent building, situated in a valley, surrounded by extensive oak plantations. The river Arklow passes within a few yards of the abbey. Lyons, Lord Cloncurry, co. Kildare. A noble house, greatly im proved by the present proprietor. There is a fine sheet of water in front. On the opposite side, there is a hill beautifully planted, commanding some fine views. New Zealand Hemp (Phormium tenax). This plant has grown in the open air in the counties of Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Louth, Wicklow, and Dublin, for the last thirty years, as an ornamental plant. During that time it has only suffered once or twice in the extremities of the leaves from the most severe frosts. Six leaves give an ounce of dried fibres, which it is calculated will exceed per acre the produce of either flax or hemp. It may be observed, however, that the separation of these fibres from the matter of the leaf is not at present understood. Whether the cultivation of this plant is ever likely to become an object of importance to Ireland may, we are sorry to say, be almost doubted. At least the experience upon the subject in New South Wales is against it. A company was some years since established in that colony for collecting the plant in New Zealand, and for rearing it at Port Jackson. Both schemes proved unsuccessful; the former from the plant being by no means common enough in New Zealand to pay for the trouble of collecting it: the latter from the long space of time which was required to bring the plants to perfection. Both plans were also impeded by the great difficulty which was experienced in reducing the fibres of the leaves to a marketable state as flax. Rearing of Silk Worms. Much interest has been excited by the operations of a joint stock company formed for the truly patriotic purpose of providing employment for the poor of the south of Ireland by the rearing of the silk worm. This interest has been increased by the knowledge that the assistance of his majesty's ministers has been liberally accorded in every way which has appeared likely to prove advantageous to the scheme, and by the strenuous exertions made in its support by the Earl of Kingston and other powerful Irish noblemen. In the spring of 1825 a nursery was established near Cork, upon the estate of the Earl of Kingston, as a central depôt whence mulberry plants might be distributed to all parts of the country, and another for similar purposes in Devonshire; and we believe, that during the summer which has just passed, all proper means have been taken by Lord Auckland, the most active director of the company, for forwarding its ends. We sincerely hope that this plan will proceed, notwithstanding the difficulties which may be expected to impede it from the unfavourable nature of our climate. Perhaps we may pursue this matter further in a future number. ART. III. Biography. Under this head we should be happy to collect some notices respecting the lives of eminent gardeners, or promoters of gardening, long since deceased; and where we can, we should also be glad to, engrave their portraits. The following are a few names, respecting which the smallest degree of information would be interesting: Tradescant, Rea, Rose, Cooke, Meager, Read, London, Wise, Lucre, Field, Switzer, Langley, Furber, Gray of Fulham, Rocque, Justice, Hitt, Powell, Weston, and especially Wheatley; all authors of whom very little is known. Any inform ation would also be very acceptable respecting the following garden artists, or any others whose names do not occur to us: Bridgeman, Robinson, Brown, Havorfield, Eames, White, Ramsey, Meickle, &c. We have to record the death of Mr. William Ross, F. L. S. H. S., a respectable nurseryman at Stoke Newington. Mr. Ross's father came to England from the south of Scotland early in the last century; and after being some years in service as a gentleman's gardener, he commenced cultivating vegetables for sale at Stoke Newington, and passed the remainder of his life there. His son, the subject of this memoir, was born and edu cated at Newington, where he carried on the same business as his father for some years; but having acquired a taste for botany and drawing, he gradually turned his market garden into a nursery for trees. This piece of ground was at first of three or four acres of extent, but he gave up, for brick making and building, one part of it after another, till at last he reduced it to little more than half an acre. In this small space he cultivated an extensive collection of curious plants, particularly Alpines and Succulents. He raised one or two new species of Mesembryanthemum from Cape seeds, and several Camellias, some of which have not flowered; and for one, known as Ross's Seedling, he received a medal from the Horticultural Society. He was one of the few cultivators who succeeded in ripening seeds, and raising seedling plants from the Strelitzia Reginæ, which he did to a considerable extent. The taste of Mr. Ross for small ponds and artificial rock-work was at one time such, that he got apparatus for boring for water, and intended to turn his skill in this way to account, by finding a supply for any one who might employ him. He was frequently applied to to fit up little jets-d'eau, and ornament them with shells, flints, and rock-work, and various specimens of his skill in this way may be seen in the flower-gardens about StokeNewington. A sudden illness, however, put a stop to his progress as a well-sinker; but he lived several years afterwards to enjoy his garden, and the comfort and solace of two well-educated daughters, fond of the same pursuits as himself. He had lost his wife several years before, and night fell upon himself in his 62d year, on the 14th day of November last. He was buried in the church yard of the parish, where a stone is erected to his memory. ART. V. Queries. A correspondent wishes to know the best mode of bagging grapes; and one who styles himself a "Constant Reader," (inadvertently we presume,) asks how he may best grow and bloom the yellow rose. We may observe here, that it is not our intention, as guardians of the six printed sheets which we mean quarterly to issue to the public, to insert letters of queries at length, but only to give their substance, and also the substance of their answers. NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. The account of the conservatory at the Grange is necessarily postponed till next number, owing to Mr. Sylvester's dilatoriness in sending us the description of his mode of heating that conservatory, which, though promised by the 1st of December, is not yet (26th) received. Professor La Gasca's paper on the Gardening of Spain, that of Mr. Mack-. intosh on a New Verge Cutter, and of Mr. Duff on the Cranberry, shall appear in our next. Communications to be addressed to the Conductor, Bayswater, London; Advertisements for Part IV. may either be sent there or to the Publishers. PART IV. ADVERTISEMENTS CONNECTED WITH GARDENING AND On the First Day of January 1826, will be pub- "The most painter-like effects may be pro- No. 13. of the BOTANIC GARDEN, or Ma- disguise, are introduced among buildings of no mean character." Price on the Picturesque, Vol. 2. p. 218. Preparing for Publication, gazine of Hardy Flower Plants, cultivated in Great Britain; and a succeeding Number will be published on the first day of every month, containing Four Coloured Figures, with their scientific and English names; the Linnæan A SERIES OF DESIGNS for class and order, and Jussieuean natural order FARM BUILDINGS, with a view to prove to which they belong; their native country; that the simplest forms may be rendered pleasdate of introduction, or known cultivation; height; time of flowering, and duration-whe-ing and ornamental, by a proper disposition of ther annual, biennial, or perennial; the medical or other qualities of such as are used in phar. macy, domestic practice, or the arts; the most approved mode of propagation and culture; and reference to a botanical description of each plant; together with notices of many physiological phe. nomena observed in this beautiful part of the creation. By B. MAUND. The following commendations of this work are extracted from the Critical Gazette and Literary Chronicle. We introduce this publication to the notice the rudest materials. In the course of the work the Village Church and Parsonage will be introduced, together with the School-House. Occasional ideas will be added for ornamental roothouses, and seats to decorate the pleasure ground. By P. F. ROBINSON, Architect, author of the Rural Architecture, Designs for Villas, an essay on Mickleham Church in Surrey, &c. London: Published by JAMES CARPENTER and Son, Old Bond Street. 21s. India proofs. bds. HALF a DOZEN HINTS on PICTURESQUE DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE, in a Series of Designs; for Gate Lodges, Game keepers' Cottages, and other Rural Residences. By T. F. HUNT. of such of our readers as are hitherto unac- This day is published, in 4to. price 15s. bds. or Printed for Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green. This day is published, in one volume, 8vo. price 68. bds. TESTIMONIES IN FAVOUR OF SALT Lit. Chron. May 1825. as manure, and a condiment for Horse, Cow, The first twelve numbers, with title and index, and Sheep. With testimonials of its vast imneatly boarded, will be ready on the first of Jan-portance in the arts in manufoctures, and the uary, and may be had of all Booksellers; large fisheries; accompanied by testimonies in fa. vour of agriculture, by the Rev. B. Dacre, paper 18s. small 12s. A. L. S. London: Published by Baldwin, Cradock, and VOL. I. No. 1. Printed for Longman, Rees, Orme, |