MISCELLANEOUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1489, 29 May 1880, Page 7

MISCELLANEOUS.

Extensive Planting in Scotland. — The Journal of Forestry states that on the estate of Mr Young, Durris, Kincardineßhire, upwards of four-and-a-half millions of young forest trees have been planted within the last three years. The area occupied by this immense number of plants is about 1400 acres, and the sorts planted consist of Scotch fir larch, ables Douglasii, silver fir, and spruce. Cllanthus Puniceus (the Glory Pea and Parrot-beak flower of the settlers, and Koiohai ngutukaka, of the natives).— This is, according to Sir J. D. Hooker, a native of only the Northern Island j but, strange to say, it is not known to grow wild, and in New Zealand bo plant is found indigenous to the native bush. It has, since its introduction to Britain in 1832, been generally treatedjas a greenhouse plant, although in numerous instances it has survived mild winters on southerly exposed walls. A variety having muoh smoother leaves than the original, whioh waa raised in England and named C. p. magnificus, is ateo muoh hardier than it, and has fully as beautiful raoemes of 2 to 2\ inohea lone, scarlet flowers. A well spread plant of this variety on a south wall attained a height of about 14 feet, and had upwards of a thousand flowers all fully expanded at one time. Next winter, however, it was killed down to within three or four feet of the ground, and although two seedlings from it flowered and seeded in the open ground in the Bummer of 1877, they were both killed in the succeeding winter ; but several residents at Bute and other Clyde-side watering places to whom I gave seeds were more successful with their products — Cor. in .Gardener's Chronicle.

The Scottish Guardian states that lately two ladles were set apart with imposition of hands by the Bishop of London as deaconesses. The service was held in the chapel of the London Diooeman Dewoneas Institu* tion, Weatbourae-park,