No. 19, wherein the Earl of Northumberland, addressing the Privy Council of England, mentions that he and his son have indentures and hostages for the surrender of Ormiston Castle in Scotland on the 1st of August, if not delivered by battle, and he requires money for his services. In another letter in the same collection, No. 21, from the said Earl to King Henry IV., dated 26th June 1403, he demands money as he had received none, and assures his "Magestee royalle," that he shall be at Ormiston on the day appointed. Both the epistles are in French, and have been printed in the proceedings and ordinances of the Privy Council of England, issued by the Record Commission in 1834, vol. i., pp. 203, 204." Bowar, in his continuation of Fordun's Scotichronicon, vol. ii., pp. 435-7, supplies a long account of the siege, and calls the governor of the tower Johannes Gledstanis. John Hardyng, who must have been present on the occasion, unfortunately never once mentions the circumstance in his Chronicle.

*

As the family of Gledstones were afterwards owners of the estate of Cocklaw, this at least tells in favour of the fortress being near the head of the Beaumont. Still, the other authorities are entitled to consideration, and whoever would elucidate any obscure point in our country's annals, ought to regard truth as the great aim at which he would arrive. Actuated thereby, perhaps some of your contributors may be able to throw additional light on this passage in our history. To those who are Latin scholars, Bowar is worthy of consultation, and I think it would add much to the value of your Miscellany if any of your classical correspondents would occasionaly favour us with an English translation of some chapter in the "Scotichronicon," which bears on the stirring events which have taken place on the middle and eastern marches. It is man alone who, by his character or actions, can impress any spot of earth with unfailing interest, and to those who have visited the battle-fields of Otterburn and Homildon, it would be pleasing to gaze on the locality where we are assured Henry Hotspur drew his sword for the last time on the Scottish Border. Yours, &c., R. W.

27th May 1863.

V

CALENDAR OF HORTICULTURE.

FORCING DEPARTMENT.

INES-Where the fruit is ripe, or nearly so, a dry and cool atmosphere should be regularly aimed at; the night temperature should be about 60°, and from 70° to 75°, according to the weather, during the day. Muscats should still have a temperature of 70° to 75° during the night, with an allowance of 10° or 15° during the day. Late grapes, for winter use, should be well thinned, as, if left too thick, the one is apt to cause the other to decay when there is not sufficient room for a free current of air to pass through the bunch. The temperature may range from 65° to 70° at night, with an allowance of 10° or 15°, according to the weather in the daytime. Both in the case of muscats and these, the houses should be shut up early in the afternoons, with a temperature of 90° for the former, and about 85° for the latter, and have the paths, borders, and walls well damped to insure a nice humid atmosphere. It would be of good service to syringe the foliage occasionally to keep clean and healthy, and prevent red-spider, which is one of their greatest pests. Should this not prove effectual, give the pipes a good coating over of sulphur and soot, mixed up with as much water as will bring it to a thin paste, after which, apply it with a painter's brush, keeping up a brisk heat for a night or

* In this work appear also five letters written in French by the renowned Hotspur, and are the only specimens of his composition which have descended to our time. The last letter, dated in 1401 or 1402, is very characteristic of the man. He was badly used by the Parliament and Treasurer of England, and neither his father nor himself could obtain payment of what money was owing them for defence of the marches.

two in the hot-water pipes. See that the roots in no case suffer from want of moisture. A little manure water may be given with great advantage to those which are swelling their fruit. Attend to the pinching of all laterals.

Peaches.-Fruit that is ripening should have abundance of air day and night, while a dry, hot atmosphere should at the same time be aimed at. In this case, all watering must be withheld; but where the fruit is swelling give abundance of it, occasionally adding manure-water. Where crops are gathered, syringe regularly to keep the trees healthy and clean.

Melons.-Ripening fruit should be kept a little cooler and have a dry atmosphere. Where they are nearly ripe a liberal watering should be given to carry them through the ripening season. If late crops are not planted, this should at once be done. Attend to the stopping of laterals and the impregnation of the female flowers. Night temperature, 65° daytime, 10° or 15° more according to the weather.

Cucumbers. Attend to the regulating of the shoots, and the pinching of the laterals. Give abundance of water to the roots, and keep a nice humid atmosphere by regular syringing of the plants and damping the walls.

PLANT DEPARTMENT.

Greenhouse and Conservatory.-Keep the house always gay, with a fresh lot of plants in bloom from the pits and frames. Syringe regularly to keep down green-fly, taking care to keep the water off those in bloom as much as possible. Should green-fly become troublesome, fumigate two nights in succession, which, in ordinary cases, will prove successful. The plants must all be dry before each operation. Those plants of which more are wanted should be propagated. Pot any plants that are in need. Allow nothing to be too dry, but water nothing which does not require it. Wherever mildew makes its appearance, dust with flower of sulphur. Expose pelargoniums that are past to plenty of air and the free action of the sun, in order to ripen the wood perfectly before cutting them. them get pretty dry previous to this operation, and continue so till after the cuts are dried.

Let

Plant Stove. By this time the plants here will have made their wood, which should be hardened off by giving air more freely and with caution-restricting them to less water at the roots. Syringe frequently, and fumigate when necessary. Propagate all desired varieties as early as possible, to have them established before winter. Night temperature 65°, shutting up in the afternoon with a temperature of 85°, or so.

FLOWER-GARDEN DEPARTMENT.

Keep the grass tidy by frequent mowing, sweeping, and rolling. Where necessary, water should be applied. Keep the flower-beds all neat and trim, by pegging and pinching anything which requires it. Keep the walks well raked and rolled, and free from weeds. Train and tie up all creepers or flowering plants, such as hollyhocks, &c. Clip, prune, and regulate all sorts of hedges, and any evergreens which may be coming beyond bounds. Propagate geraniums, &c., for next year, also by layers, carnations, roses, &c. &c.

KITCHEN-GARDEN DEPARTMENT.

Borecole, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, for the main winter crop, should be planted early. Cabbage for autumn use should also be planted, and a sowing put in for planting in autumn. Celery for the main crop should be planted, and have abundance of water till fully established. Earth up the early planting whenever a good opportunity offers itself. Peas, the late crop, should be sown immediately, if not already done; earth up and stack those in need. Parsley may be sown in the early part of the month. Keep up a regular supply of salad, by sowing mustard and cress every week, and by frequent sowings and plantings of lettuce. Be particular to keep all crops clean, and free from weeds, as they not only look unsightly, but prove very injurious to the ground and crops in general. Should this month be hot and parching, see that your crops do not suffer for want of water. SYLVA.

AGRICULTURAL REPORT.

THE early rains of June have had a most gratifying effect upon the pastures, which were looking most indifferently-some from natural poverty, others from overstocking, but nearly all from want of moisture.

In the south and east of England, the spring was unusually dry, and clovers and meadows have suffered severely in consequence.

Wheat came early into ear, but on most soils wanted rain, and late-sown barley suffered greatly from the drought,- —as well as potatoes and mangold; and although the time for turnip-sowing came, cold dry winds made the farmers afraid to sow the seed.

Rain

Such were the conditions and prospects of agriculture when June came in. has since fallen in the south and east; sunshine followed, and all the beneficial results that could be anticipated, verifying the old maxim, "Better late than never.” On the Border, wheat and oats look remarkably well, and are growing vigorously. Barley is exceedingly promising on kindly soils, and on strong lands has got well away since the rain came. Never was the turnip land in better condition for seed, of which great quantities have already been sown, while the bottom and second grass of the meadows and hill-lands have shot again into active vegetation.

We have travelled over a large breadth of the Border district within the last four days, and our only surprise was, to find the prospects of the agriculturist so promising, considering the dull, dry, cold weather experienced in May. Potatoes look well; and although in some places frosts retarded the early ones, no great harm has been done. The present genial weather, and a bright and warm July, will develop and mature the products of the farm, and we see no reason to apprehend in the coming harvest the same inequalities and deficiency of yield which attended that of 1862.

Until the late coarse weather, the accounts from France were highly favourable, and the chief continental corn-growing countries (Hungary and part of Italy excepted) have nothing yet to complain about. Sheep and cattle are extremely dear, with a tendency to higher rates. The corn-markets are well supplied, prices firmer, and our expectations of supplies from America and some parts of continental Europe rather diminishing. No remarkable fluctuation in the value of breadstuffs need be at present anticipated, but with favourable conditions of weather, and continued national prosperity, steadiness in price may check the electric influences of local character which commonly affect markets in the face of harvest.

OBITUARY.

June 3.-At Lanton, Jedburgh, HENRY ELLIOT, Esq.

4.-At Glasgow, aged 26, JAMES, son of Mr John Weatherston, Horncliffe,
Berwick-upon-Tweed.

4.-At Ravensworth Castle, the Hon. HEDWORTH JOHN LIDDEL, second
son of the Right Hon. Lord Ravensworth, aged 38.
6.-At Palace, near Jedburgh, JOHN THOMSON, Esq.

7.-At_24 Bruton Street, London, after a long illness, the Lady LOUISA
ELIZABETH PAKENHAM, aged 33.

7.-At 15 Chester Street, Berkeley Square, London, aged 81, General Sir JOHN HANBURY, K.C.B., K.C.H., Colonel of the 90th Regiment, and uncle of the present Lord Bateman.

8.-At Bridgend, Glamorgan, CHARLES JAMES DUNDAS NAPIER, aged 30, Lieutenant Royal Marine Light Infantry.

10. At Edinburgh, Mrs HAY of Dunse Castle, Berwickshire.

15.-At 26 Pall Mall, London, Captain CHARLES WILLIAM GORDON, M.P. for Berwick-upon-Tweed, and youngest son of the late Charles Gordon, Esq. of Fyvie Castle, Aberdeenshire.

Relatives or Friends supplying Memoirs are requested to append their addresses, and a copy of this Magazine, containing their communications, will be sent them.

NOTES TO CORRESPONDENTS.-In forwarding MSS. to the Editors of the "BORDER MAGAZINE," authors are requested to write on one side of the paper only. Advertisements, and Books for Review, must be sent to the Publisher, Mr W. P. Nimmo, 2 St David Street, Edinburgh. A great number of communications, Notices of Books, and others, unavoidably stand over till next month.