REVIEWS.

ART. I. The Gardener's Magazine and Register of Rural and Domestic Improvements. Conducted by J. C. Loudon, F. L. S., H. S., &c. In Monthly Numbers. 8vo. 1s. 6d. each. No LXIX for December.

THE number of this valuable Magazine for December contains a long article, by the conductor, of upwards of twenty-five pages, entitled "A Summary View of the Progress of Gardening, and of rural Improvement generally, in Britain, during the past year; with some notices relative to the state of both in foreign countries."

In taking a view of the progress of gardening, the conductor has made two principal divisions, viz.,-Gardening as an art, and the Statistics of Gardening. Under the former is included landscape gardening, arboriculture, floriculture, and horticulture.

Landscape gardening is, as yet, the least understood of any department. According to some, no such thing existed, until the modern or natural style of laying out grounds was introduced; according to others, it includes every mode of laying out grounds, either ancient or modern. Used in this latter sense, the conductor claims the merit of having, in the several volumes of the Magazine, distinguished and defined the four different modes of creating artificial landscapes, which constitute the geometrical, the picturesque, the gardenesque, and the rural styles. These are, we apprehend, not generally understood, and we therefore extract the following remarks, and commend them to the attention of every reader :—

"The geometrical style consists in laying out and planting grounds in geometrical figures. The picturesque style is characterized, in regard to means, by the trees and shrubs being planted at irregular distances, as they are in natural forests and forest groups; and, in regard to effect, by its forming such masses of wood, and groups of trees and shrubs, and such a general union of these in compositions, as will look well, if painted. The gardenesque style of landscape is characterized, as to means, by the trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, whether in masses or groups, being planted at such distances as never to be allowed to touch each other; and, in regard to effect, by masses and groups, which, while they show the form of each individual tree and shrub at a near view, yet, at a distance, form masses and groups such as, though they would not be made choice of, in preference, yet would not be rejected by a landscapepainter. Comparing the picturesque and the gardenesque styles of landscape, the former may be said to study most the effect of the whole, as a picture or landscape, which might be painted; and the latter the beauties of the whole, as a garden scene for walking in, and enjoying the trees and plants individually. Compared as to the intensity and duration of the enjoyment, the picturesque style may be said to address itself chiefly to one class of admirers, viz., the lovers of landscape scenery; and the gardenesque not only to the lovers of landscape scenery, but to the bot

anist and the gardener. The latter, therefore, embracing, as it does, more than one kind of beauty, stands higher in the scale of art, than the former. Rural, or natural, landscape is characterized by being rural, or natural, as contrasted with the artificial scenery by which it is, or may be, surrounded, in the given locality: it becomes, therefore, only an art, when it is known to be the work of man. To us it appears that, when the terms designating these four styles are properly understood, so as to be readily applied to artificial scenery, by gardeners, it will be of essential service to them, in laying out grounds: it will prevent them from endeavoring to bring together, in the same garden or scene, beauties, which are incompatible with each other: for example, the gardenesque and the picturesque, in the same shrubbery, or on the same lawn; or, in other words, handsome single specimens and picturesque groups: or from attempting to combine the gardenesque with the natural; in other words, from mixing portions of what may be called highly refined scenery, composed of exotic trees and plants, with fine turf and gravel, with portions of the ordinary nature of the locality. The introduction of herbaceous flowers among trees and shrubs is a subject connected with landscape-gardening, which, at present, is not at all understood by practical men. When herbaceous flowers are introduced in picturesque scenery, they ought to be allowed to run wild, and the surface on which they are planted should never, in the slightest degree, be cultivated; but when they are introduced into gardenesque scenery, it must only be in situations where the particular kind of plant will thrive and come to perfection; and the ground about each plant must be highly cultivated. In the rural style, no foreign plants whatever, and no marks of culture, must appear."

In the department of arboriculture, considerable has been done; many new arboretums have been begun, and others partially completed; the taste for planting them is upon the increase, and no place of any distinction will long be considered complete without one. We wish that this love of hardy trees and shrubs was more common among our amateur gardeners, and gentlemen, possessing fine residences in the vicinity of our large cities. The taste for exotics, which need protection during our severe winters, and various florists' flowers, which require much care, has rapidly increased within a few years, and it will also, we most sincerely hope, continue to, for years to come. Still, we would not have it exclude a love for ornamental plantations of hardy trees and shrubs, collected from all parts of our country, and from foreign climes of the same temperature, or where such can be found as will be hardy when transferred to our gardens. The former is a taste which, though perhaps more general, because the objects are more rare, is certainly a much less refined as well as a less pleasing one. We stop to admire the modest violet or the gorgeous tulip, while we pass a humble shrub or the majestic oak, as a common object. The former are beautiful, while their delicate or magnificent blossoms appear; but as soon as these are gone, their foliage presents little for admiration. How different is it with the latter! In flower or out of flower, they are ever interesting. The bursting of the buds in the spring, the opening of the blossoms,--the mature foliage.the ripening fruit,—and, in autumn, the gay and varied colors of

their foliage, are all,-all, objects of admiration; and even in winter, how interesting to the lover of nature is even the beautiful ramification of their leafless branches! When our shrubberies can be filled with mountain laurels, rhododendrons, azaleas, and such truly splendid shrubs, shall we let the dazzling beauty of the tulip, or the splendor of the camellia satisfy us? Should we give all our attention to the latter, to the entire exclusion of the former? We sincerely hope not; and we would again, as we often have, invite our readers to give more attention to the subject.

Floriculture is, at the present time, the most flourishing department of gardening in England. Dahlias and heartseases are some of the greatest articles of commerce. The establishment of two floricultural societies in London has been eminently useful in spreading a greater taste for these flowers. Great importations of Ghent azaleas and French roses have been made within a few years. A large number of hybrid plants have been lately produced in English gardens.

The most fashionable house plants, at this time, are the Orchidaceæ. Many new species are imported every year, and their culture is becoming much better understood than heretofore. There is scarcely a collection of plants of any notoriety, but what includes a large number of them.

In horticulture, the coiling system of vines first brought to notice by Mr. Mearns, and which we have often spoken of, has attracted more attention than any other subject. Its merits are, however, not yet considered much by practical men. So far as we have heard, from those who adopted the system in our vicinity, the same has been the result. The London Horticultural Society, owing to pecuniary circumstances, has given up the cultivation of culinary vegetables. This is much regretted, as the quality and value of all newly introduced plants was then ascertained and reported in their Transactions, and from them, became generally known, and, consequently, brought into cultivation, by the agency of seed stores, where every thing can be procured. A method of "compressing herbs into cakes, and preserving them closely wrapped up in paper till wanted for use, has been practised by Mr. Lindsay, gardener to his grace the Duke of Devonshire, at Chiswick." The conductor observes, that it well deserves imitation, and might be extended to parsley, fermel, &c. Our transatlantic friends are behind the age in some things. The Shakers, in the New England States, have, for years, pursued this practice, and carry on a considerable business in the article of dried herbs.

Botanical and horticultural gardens are on the increase in England. Some new palm-houses are contemplated. The Earl of Mountnorris has sent a collector to New Zealand, in the hope of discovering some new ligneous plants in the mountainous parts of

that country. Cottage gardens have been much improved, and the conductor remarks as follows:

"It has been observed to us, by others, and we have observed it ourselves, during our occasional tours, that the gardens of cottagers by the road side, have wonderfully improved within these few years; and we have before often observed that, in many parts of the country, dahlias, fuchsias, and other new plants are to be seen in them, which were formerly confined to gentlemen's gardens. This improvement, as we have elsewhere stated, is chiefly owing to the exertions of the horticultural societies, and partly, also, to the benevolent and patriotic exertions of some gentlemen, who authorise their head gardeners to supply the cottagers on their estates with such useful and ornamental plants as can be spared, and are suitable for cottage gardens. Various gentlemen, also, in different parts of the country, require their head gardeners to keep a nursery of fruit trees and fruit shrubs, to be given away to their farmers and cottagers. When we consider how greatly the beauty of the margins of all our roads is increased by this practice, and how much it tends to increase the comfort and happiness of the cottager, we cannot too highly express our admiration of such practices. We only wish they might prevail every where, and that every proprietor of land in Great Britain or Ireland would adopt them.”

Commercial gardening is rather in a declining state; the supply being greater than the demand. Were it not for the immense number of plants which are annually exported to this country, it would be much more depressed than it now is. Nurseries have become very general throughout England, and those around the metropolis make but few sales compared with those of former years. Their articles are now limited to such as are new and rare, the more common being little sought after. It has always been a wonder with individuals who import plants to this country, why they should remain so high at the present time, especially those sorts which have for years been in the English nurseries. This is, no doubt, owing, in a great measure, to the high rents which are paid for land, near the cities of London and Liverpool, where only such plants are grown as are wanted here. To this cause, and long credits, the conductor attributes the high prices, and remarks that "nurserymen will find, that, by calculating on small profits and extensive sales, they will be greater gainers than by relying on high prices and select purchasers at indefinite credits." "This," he says, "indeed is the spirit of the age, which it is in vain, for any person that would live and thrive, long to resist." We most cordially agree with these observations, and would ask the nurserymen of our own country, and especially those in our vicinity, whether they would not also be the greater gainers, if they were guided by this principle. It is useless to hold up articles, because, they are not necessary to the absolute wants of life, at a price which none but the solely affluent can purchase; while persons of more humble means would most gladly avail themselves of the opportunity to buy at reasonable rates. The "spirit of the age" does, indeed, demand

Review of Comstock's Treatise on the Culture of Silk. 149

a reform in this matter. Considerable business is stated to be done between the English and American seedsmen.

The state of gardening in various countries, occupies a considerable space. In France, a taste for gardening is on the increase; nurseries have increased, and the intercourse between the seedsmen of France and Britain, and also America, has greatly increased. M. Vilmorin & Co. are the greatest seedsmen in Europe. The export of bulbs from Holland has greatly increased within a few years. In Belgium, the king has introduced "extensive ranges of houses and pits," into the garden attached to the palace of Lacken, near Brussels. In other foreign countries, nothing very remarkable appears to have occurred in the science of gardening. A taste for its pursuit is generally on the increase.

In this country, gardening is noticed as "making rapid progress." The horticultural societies are mentioned, as well as "two gardening magazines," and other journals of agriculture. Little yet, however, seems to be known of the actual state in which gardening exists in this country. Some gardens are said to belong to wealthy merchants in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, which information was gathered from our magazine. But Boston, with its vicinity, is not mentioned. The conductor anticipates among the citizens of the western world, municipal gardens, parks, pleasuregrounds, and hot-houses, the common property of the towns, which will rival those of the European aristocracy." We indeed, expect much ourselves; but we are afraid that it will be many years before such anticipations are realized. We hope, before the next annual view of the progress of gardening shall appear, that the conductor will have gathered more information respecting its advancement in the United States.

A long article on laying out Public Gardens and Promenades, also by the conductor, occupies many pages.

ART. II. A Practical Treatise on the Culture of Silk, adapted to the Soil and Climate of the United States. By F. G. Comstock, Secretary of the Hartford County Silk Society, and Editor of the Silk Culturist. 1 vol. 12mo. pp. 108. Hartford: Wm. G. Comstock. 1836.

ALTHOUGH the subject upon which this work treats, may not come precisely within the limits of our Magazine, still we cannot omit to notice it, under the present state of public excitement, in