summers of Darjeeling and London differ but 3 or 4 deg., the springs and autumns show a difference of 10 and 12 deg. This accounts for the excitable nature and early growth of many of our half-hardy Indian plants, as well as the tendency of many such to grow to a late period in the autumn. It is true that plants originally tender will always remain tender, and while there is but small hope that we can ever accustom these glorious tree Rhododendrons to forget the earlier and warmer springs and autumns of the Sikkimhimalaya, and so perform all the necessary functions of growth within our four or five summer months, instead of extending it, as in India, over eight or nine, still there are many and good grounds for hope. The skill of the cultivator has already subordined to his use the valuable properties of color of the tree Rhododendron of Nepal, and he will assuredly try, nor is he very likely to fail, to extract, from the tender kinds in question, a still richer product. The Rhododendron hybridest has already introduced into the common hardy Rhododendrons the brilliant scarlet of the R. arboreum of Nepal, and by the aid of this one species there is now an entirely new race of hardy Rhododendrons springing up, which, in a very few years more, will have done for Rhododendrons what the Garths, the Forsters, the Catleughs, the Becks, the Gaineses, &c., have done for the Pelargonium. And all this will be greatly accelerated by the discovery of these new forms of the genus, some, if not all, of which will soon appear among the living plants in the collections of this country. "It does not appear on record by whom the tree Rhododendron was first introduced into Europe; probably by Dr. Wallich, about the year 1827." The editor has here fallen into a slight error; we have reason to know that the late Mrs. Beaumont, of Bretton Hall, received from Dr. Wallich, or at least from Calcutta, seeds of the tree Rhododendron as early as 1815 or 1818, and from which several hundred plants were raised, and in 1824 there were at least forty or fifty plants, forming several beds or plantations upon the open lawn at that place, protected during winter. In 1824, many of these plants were from four to five feet in height, and bushy in propor tion. Among these seedling plants, some had leaves fifteen inches in length, and others indicated great variety in the foliage. In reference to this species, it is remarked that, on the authority of Major Madden, Sir James Edward Smith gives the height of the tree at twenty feet, and it is added, "he might safely have doubled that measurement." Trunks of the tree Rhododendron have been found to girth fourteen feet, at five feet from the ground. "The Rhododendron ponticum, which inhabits the mountains of Asia Minor, and extends as far west as Spain and Portugal, together with R. ferrugineum, and R. hirsutum, of the European Alps, R. Dahuricum, of Silesia, R. chamacistus, of the Austrian and Piedmontese mountains, R. maximum, of the United States of America, and the Arctic, R. Lapponicum, were all kinds known to Linnæus, and to the botanical world, so recently as 1764. The beautiful R. Chrysanthum, of Northern Siberia, appeared in Linnæus' Supplement. Gemelin added the R. Kamtschaticum, from Okotsh, and Behring's Straits, and Pallas the charming R. Caucasicum, from the Caucasian Alps." We also quote the following graphic sketch of Himalayan scenery:— "The mountain Sinchul, upon a space of which, looking north, Darjeeling stands, attains an elevation of 9,000 feet, and to the west of it, next Nepal, rises another conspicuous mountain, Zonglo, reaching a height of 10,000 feet. Due north of Darjeeling, at a distance of only 60 miles, the horizon is bounded by the great snowy range, having for its principal feature the peak of Kinchin junga, which has lately been ascertained to be 28,172 feet in elevation, the loftiest mountain yet known in the world." Dr. Hooker thus describes his first impressions of this scene:"Much as I had heard and read of the magnificence and beauty of Himalayan scenery, my highest expectations have been surpassed. I arrived at Darjeeling on a rainy, misty day, which did not allow me to see ten yards in any direction, much less to descry the snowy range, distant sixty miles, in a straight line. Early next morning, I caught my first view, and I literally held my breath in awe and admiration. Six or seven successive ranges of forest clad mountains, among which the giant peak of Kinchinjunga rose 20,000 feet above the lofty point at which I gazed! Owing to the clearness of the atmosphere, the snow appeared to my fancy but a few miles off, and the loftiest mountain at only a day's journey. The heavenward outline was projected against a pale blue sky, while little detached patches of mist clung here and there to the highest peaks, and were tinged with golden yellow, or rosy red, by the rising sun, which touched these elevated points long ere it reached the lower position which I occupied.” We understand seeds of these magnificent objects of eastern vegetation are daily expected at Kew. How far and how soon these expectations are likely to be realized, remains, of course, a matter of doubt; but this doubt can only refer to time. That seeds of all those to which we now immediately refer will be received, is as certain as if the plants were already growing on the banks of the Thames; and not only those alluded to above, but many others from the same vast continent, not less remarkable for their novelty and beauty than those now under notice. Gentlemen and amateurs who are at all interested in the collection and culture of these splendid shrubs and trees of the eastern world, will be delighted not less with the book itself, and the manner in which it is got up, than with the interesting matter which it contains.-(Gardeners' Journal, 1849, p. 243.) ART. II. Domestic Notices. Worcester County Horticultural Society.-The annual meeting of this Society was held on the 19th of April, and the following gentlemen were unanimously chosen officers for the year ensuing : President.-John Milton Earle, Worcester. Vice Presidents.-Stephen Salisbury, Wm. Workman, Chas. Thurber. Trustees.-Clarendon Harris, Meltiah B. Green, Samuel H. Colton, Wm. M. Bickford, Wm. N. Green, Daniel W. Lincoln, Charles Paine, Worcester; Leonard Cheney, Southbridge; Job C. Stone, Shrewsbury; Calvin W. Forbush, Grafton. Secretary-George Jaques. Librarian.-Anthony Chase. A Committee, appointed for the purpose, have in preparation for the press a pamphlet containing the new code of By-laws, a list of the members of the Society, and the Premiums to be awarded at the next annual exhibition, &c. &c. The prosperous condition of the Society, and the increasing horticultural resources of the County, encourage us to hope that the future exhibitions of this society will not be less frequent or attractive than those of former years have been. If every member will do a little, the combined result will be most gratifying to all.-(Worc. Spy.) Cincinnati Horticultural Society.-The annual meeting of this society was held in April, and the following officers elected for the ensuing year :President.-A. H. Ernst. Vice Presidents.-J. Hoffner, Dr. S. Mosher, R. M. Moore. Treasurer.-H. Brachman. Corresponding Secretary-Geo. Graham. Recording Secretary.-I. P. Foote. Mr. Ernst, in taking the chair, addressed the society in a few pertinent remarks. He thanked the members for the honor they had conferred on him, and, with their confidence and forbearance, he hoped to discharge the duties of his office to the approbation and satisfaction of all. Annual Fair of the New York State Agricultural Society.—Premiums on Flowers and Fruits to be awarded.—We are pleased to call the attention of amateurs and cultivators of fruit to the liberal premiums offered by this society for collections of fruit cultivated out of the State; so liberal that we hope, not only for the reputation of New England as a fine fruit region, but for the interests of cultivators themselves, a magnificent display will be made from the vicinity of Boston. The west will be well represented at the Fair at Syracuse, and the number of pomologists which will be drawn together there on account of the meeting of the North American Pomological Convention will be large, and afford a fine opportunity for an interchange of sentiments,-an examination of specimens and the detection of synonymes with which our catalogues are yet too much encumbered. The following is the Schedule of Premiums as offered by the State Society : FLOWERS. Greatest variety and quantity of flowers, DAHLIAS.-Greatest variety, Best 24 dissimilar blooms, $5.00 5 00 3 00 Best and largest basket bouquet with handle, For the most beautifully arranged basket of flowers, . 3 00 Silver medal. 3 00 3.00 2.00 3 00 2.00 2.00 3 00 3 00 2 00 Silver medal. Silver medal. Best floral exhibition by any horticultural society, Hovey's Colored Fruits. FRUIT. APPLES. For the greatest and best variety of good table apples, 3 of each variety, named and labelled, grown by exhibitor, The best 6 winter varieties, Second best,. $3 00 Trans. and 2 00 For best fall seedling apple, for all purposes, with description 5 00 2.00 PEARS. For the greatest number of varieties of good pears, named and labelled, Second best, Third best, Diploma and 5 00 For the best collection of first-rate autumn pears, named and labelled, Second best,. Trans. Diploma and 5 00 For largest and best collection of winter pears, named and la belled, Second best,. Diploma and 5 00 Best collection of newly introduced pears, with a description, &c., Second best,. Best 6 varieties, labelled, Second best,. Best 12 peaches, Second best, Best seedling variety, 6 specimens, Second best,. PLUMS.-Best collection of plums, 6 specimens each variety Diploma and Hovey's Colored Fruits. PEACHES. Best 12 varieties, labelled, Diploma and 5 00 Second best,. Best seedling plums, with description, Second best, Trans. Diploma and 5 00 2 00 NECTARINES AND APRICOTS.-Best and greatest number of good varieties, 6 specimens each, labelled, QUINCES.-Best 12 quinces of any variety, Third best, GRAPES.-Best and most extensive collection of good native grapes, grown in open air, 3 00 2 00 3 00 Trans. 3 00 2 00 Trans. 5 00 |