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REDIT is really due to the officials for the regularity with which the Trade and Navigation Accounts are now printed. They are to be always depended upon on the 7th of the month, bringing quantities and valuations up to date. The "Circumlocution Office" in this governmental department may be said to be abolished. We wish the same remark were applicable to every other section of State business.

For the three-quarters of the year that have passed, we have received a much larger supply of cattle than in the corresponding period of 1870-in round numbers 157,000, as against 125,000-figures which would seem to prove that the home-supply is very deficient; and they also lead to the understanding that, but for the receipts from abroad, the price of meat would be immensely higher than it is now, when it is exorbitant.

Sheep, during the month, we imported in very much larger numbers than in September of last year, in fact, the number landed was nearly doubled. The precise figures were:-September 1870, 53,721; September 1871, 104,264. On the nine months, also, the increase was remarkable, the number we imported to the end of last month reaching 700, 131, as against 513,602 in the corresponding period of last year. Calves also came more liberally, both in the month and nine months; and the imports of swine, although these animals are rather scarce now in the Metropolitan market, have, in the month, declined from 12,031 to 9791. In the nine months there is little change in numbers, as, up to the period for which the Returns are made up, we have imported 71,381 ; in the same period of last year, 71,854. Bacon, which, as arranged in the Returns, comes under the sames heading, or at all events in alphabetical order, bulks much more largely both during the month and nine months of this year, than it did in the

like period of last. In the month we had more than three times the quantity that we had in September 1870, and in the threequarters of the year more than 300,000 cwt., the exact quantities being, for this year, up to the end of Septemher, 730,181 cwt., in the like period of last year only 428,674 cwt. The total amount of money that we disbursed for live animals and bacon, up to the end of last month, was £6,336,950, a portion of which we think, with carefulness in regard to infectious diseases, might have been retained in our own pockets. But this is not all the money we paid for animal food. We gave £480,113 for salted, and fresh or slightly salted beef; £124,123 for hams; for preserved and other meat, not enumerated, £449,664 (and it may here be observed that no less than £415,330 of this was paid out for preserved meat alone, shewing how much this commodity is growing in public favour); for pork, £604,630, and for poultry, game, &c., £78,856. These items, combined, make, in all, £1,737,386, which, added to the amount previously mentioned, makes a total of £8,074,336.

Our imports of wheat during the month were considerably in excess of those received in September of 1870; and in the nine months we imported about 4,500,000 cwt. more, the totals being, for the first three quarters of 1870, 22,908,916; in the same period of this year we took 27,338,951 cwt., at a cost of £15,956,011; while last year, up to the same date, we only paid away £11,836,971-the difference in the value, per cwt., being about is. 8d.

During the month Russia and the United States were our principal contributors, as indeed they were the whole season through, as will be seen from the annexed table. With reference to other commodities coming under the general head of corn, we notice that we have a smaller supply of both oats

Turning next to other articles of provision, we notice that we have imported, in the month, nearly 8000 cwt. less of butter than in the corresponding month of last year, but in the nine months that have expired upwards of 160,000 cwt. more. The cost of butter, up to the end of September, was £4,985,623; last year, to the same date, £4,590,609, which shews that we were getting it, in round numbers, at about 1d. per lb. less this year. With cheese we were supplied more liberally in both periods, and the prices were not so extravagant as in the previous year. For 672,649 cwt. we paid, in the three-quarters of the year 1870, £2,000,766; in the same time of 1871, for 874,404 cwt., we were debited with only £2,413,372. But surely £7,500,000 of money is more than we ought to pay for dairy produce, our own country being so well adapted for the rearing of cattle.

With regard to manurial substances, we remark that bones have been in much the same demand during September this year as last, but in the longer period we note an increase of 9000 tons, but the prices this year about correspond. The total sum paid out up to the end of September for this commodity was £435,127, to compare with £371,274 in the corresponding term of last year. The receipts of guano, alike in

The Gardener, Nos. I. to IX. for 1871: Edited by DAVID THOMSON. London and Edinburgh: W. Blackwood & Sons.

THIS is a monthly serial devoted to practical gardening. It has been frequently placed from time to time under a variety of conductors or editors, and has had a somewhat chequered career. It has always been the popular organ of Scotch gardeners, and many excellent contributions have adorned its pages. Not the least prominent were the remarkable papers from the pen of the late Dr Smith, of Ecclesmachen, on the "Degeneration Theory," which confounded, in some degree, even the late Dr Lindley. It has aimed at all times to disseminate the most sound practical information, and has in recent times even taken a wider field. It is aiming to keep pace with the age, and place upon record the most advanced and most intelligent practice of the times. That it is succeeding, we are glad, in the interests of horticulture, to announce. The present volume, or that portion of it already published, stands in favourable comparison with any of its predecessors. Like all serial literature now-a-days, it is not without blemishes, but the matter is very sound and safe.

The article on Vines and Vine-borders by Mr Wm. Thomson, in the January number, is eminently practical and instructive, directing attention to the cause of shallow poor borders being more prolific of root than rich, properly-constructed ones, and pointing, with the finger of caution, against plethoric unripened Vine-canes. Mr Fraser, in his Notes on Rhododendrons, remarks that in crossing species, attention should always be directed to have the hardiest one as the seed-bearing parent, as the progeny in that respect takes more after the female than the male parents. There is also a good illustrated article on Pandanads. In February, we have a first-rate article on Succulents, by the Editor, where he points out how "the flaunting daub of colour" should be toned down to please the eye of taste. No better subjects have been selected in modern ornamentation than a variety of these succulents. There is a useful paper on beddingplants, in which Pelargoniums, Vesuvius, Gloriosus, Grand Duke, Fire King, Lucius, Jean Lesley, &c., are considered great gains in that family. In March, we have a diagram of Picturesque Beds, and some remarks upon how they ought to be properly filled. To our thinking they are more gardenesque than picturesque, but independent of that they exhibit how planters should avoid the dumpy form or contour,

blending it, or correcting it, rather, with Palms, Yuccas, &c. There is a good article on Strawberry Forcing by Mr Simpson; and a paper on Table Decorations. In April, there is an illustrated article on New Plants, a complete and useful list of Rhododendrons, and a seasonable paper on Hardy Primulas, and how to grow them for in-door decoration. In May, there is a good notice, with a couple of illustrations of Cypripediums, and a remark that they are well grown at Mayfield, Falkirk, N.B. There is also a series of articles entitled, "Hints to Amateurs," which are pointed, and must be instructive to those to whom they are principally directed.

The Sub-Tropical Garden; or Beauty of Form in the Flower Garden. By W. ROBINSON, F.L.S. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street. MR ROBINSON has rendered good service to the old art by writing this book. It is admirably got up, and profusely illustrated. In its handsome pages, beauty of form in the flower garden can be studied with high satisfaction, as well as real profit. About sixty of the choicest subjects for this style of gardening are illustrated by the graceful and exact pencils of Dawson, Whymper, Hooper, Vilmorin, and Andrews. These constitute a choice gallery of fine foliage plant por traits. Ample descriptions of the least tender and hardy species are given, alphabetically arranged, with brief cultural notes, sufficient to produce the plants in the best condition for the purposes intended. This is followed with select lists for various purposes. Then we have sub-divisions, thus :-A selection of hardy perennials affording the finest effects in the subtropical garden ;-a selection of the finest tender subtropical plants that will succeed in our climate in summer ;- a selection of hardy plants suited for isola. tion on the turf of the flower garden and pleasure ground;-a selection of plants useful for the open air in summer, and for embellishing the conservatory in winter ;-a selection of hardy plants of vigorous habit and distinct character, suited for planting in semi-wild places in pleasure grounds, or near wood walks ;-a selection of kinds that will best withstand wind;-a list of sub-tropical plants to raise from seed ;-a selection of annual and biennial plants useful for the sub-tropical garden. Annual plants grown usually for their flowers being omitted. Then follows a selection of flowers usually associated with subtropical plants, choosing only those that associate best with fine foliage plants;-list of plants for car

peting the ground beneath sub-tropical plants ;-trees and shrubs of remarkable foliage suited for the subtropical garden. This is a capital suggestion. Mr Robinson proposed that such trees or bushes as the following should be cut down annually, whether run up or not with the finest foliage, the Lavatera arborea, Helianthus major, Catalpa syringefolia, Ailantus glandulosa, &c. Then follows a selection of Conifers for association with flower garden plants; Conifers suitable for training round the same ;-a selection of Gourds; ornamental Grasses ;-list of Ferns for growing away from the fernery ;-and of Bog plants for grouping round the margins of lakes, &c.

A very full description of well classified material, from which our readers could not do better than draw freely in the pursuit of this style of gardening. The guiding aim of this book, as the author assures us on the first page of his preface, has been the selection of really suitable subjects, and the rejection of many that have been recommended and tried for this purpose, and this work of picking out the best, and weeding out the worthless, required to be done. An immense lot of coarse rubbish has been introduced as suitable for sub-tropical gardens—much of it no better than our common Docks, and not to be compared with our grand Thistles and other weeds. Tropical and coarse have been at times the only qualities needed to ensure a place in this style of gardening. In many respects we look upon the author's introductory chapter as the most useful portion of the book. Here he discusses the merits and imperfection of this style of gardening with equal boldness, breadth, and freshness. He is no blind admirer of all that has been exhibited under the name of sub-tropical gardening, whether in the Metropolis or elsewhere. On the contrary, he condemns many of the limpy groups of plants which have had nothing to recommend them, only that the leaves were fat and big. His suggestions for mixed groups, irregular masses, single speci

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mens on the turf, &c., are excellent. His ideal, as given at page 5 of the Introduction, is in the following terms :

"Nature in puris naturalibis we cannot have in our gardens, but Nature's laws should not be violated, and few human beings have contravened them more than our flower gardeners during the past twenty years. We should compose from Nature, as landscape artists do. We may have in our gardens—and without making wildernesses of them either-all the shade, the relief, the grace, the beauty, and nearly all the irregularity of Nature."

This is certainly aiming high, and the purport of the book as a whole, and of the well and carefully written introduction in particular, is to inform all whom it may concern, by precept, criticism, and example, how to bring their gardens into harmony with that higher style of taste that interests and delights all beholders, and advances the true interest of what Bacon calls the purest of human pleasures. The old landscape gardening dogmas, which tell us we cannot have all the wild beauty of Nature in our gardens, and may as well resign ourselves to the compass and the level, and the defined daub of colour and pudding-like heaps of shrubs, had some faint force when our materials for gardening were few, but considering our present rich, and to a great extent unused, stores from every clime, and from almost every important section of the vegetable kingdom, it is demonstrably false and foolish. And, again, page 28, "Make your garden as distinct as possible from those of your neighbours, which by no means necessitates a departure from the rules of good taste," is capital advice, possibly barbed with a little satire, but never more apropos than in this age of slavish imitation and inveterate plagiarism in all garden matters. Without agreeing with the sprightly author on all points, or going the whole way with him in some of the criticisms or proposals, we heartily commend this book, and invite our readers to read it for themselves.