Depurate him from the Faeces and Scoria of this, Highly Rectify and Volatilize, his aethereal spirit, Bring it over the Helm of the Retort of this Globe, place in a proper Recipient or Crystalline orb, Among the elect of the Flowers of Benjamin; never to be saturated till the General Resuscitation, Deflagration, Calcination, and Sublimation of all things.

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A NEW STOVE CLIMBER.

(Ipomaea thomsoniana.)

The first time we saw flowers of this beautiful new climbing plant (about a year ago) we thought that it was a white-flowered variety of the favorite old Ipomaea Horsfalliae, as it so nearly resembles it.  It has, however, been proved to be a distinct new species, and Dr. Masters has named it in compliment to Mr. Thomson of Edinburgh.  It differs from I. Horsfalliae in having the leaflets in sets of threes instead of fives, and, moreover, they are quite entire.  The flowers, too, are quite double the size of those of Horsfalliae, but are produced in clusters in much the same way; they are snow-white.  This Ipomaea is indeed a welcome addition to the list of stove-climbing plants, and will undoubtedly become as popular as I. Horsfalliae, which may be found in almost every stove.  It is of easy culture and of rapid growth, and it is to be hoped that it is as continuous in flowering as Horsfalliae.  It is among the new plants of the year now being distributed by Mr. B.S.  Williams, of the Victoria Nurseries, Upper Holloway.—­The Garden.

[Illustration:  A NEW STOVE CLIMBER.  IPOMAEA THOMSONIANA.]

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HISTORY OF WHEAT.

Isis was supposed to have introduced wheat into Egypt, Demeter into Greece, and the Emperor Chin-Wong into China, about 3000 B.C.  In Europe it was cultivated before the period of history, as samples have been recovered from the lacustrine dwellings of Switzerland.

The first wheat raised in the “New World” was sown by the Spaniards on the island of Isabella, in January, 1494, and on March the 30th the ears were gathered.  The foundation of the wheat harvest of Mexico is said to have been three or four grains carefully cultivated in 1530, and preserved by a slave of Cortez.  The first crop of Quito was raised by a Franciscan monk in front of the convent.  Garcilasso de la Vega affirms that in Peru, up to 1658, wheaten bread had not been sold in Cusco.  Wheat was first sown by Goshnold Cuttyhunk, on one of the Elizabeth Islands in Buzzard’s Bay, off Massachusetts, in 1602, when he first explored the coast.  In 1604, on the island of St. Croix, near Calais, Me., the Sieur de Monts had some wheat sown which flourished finely.  In 1611 the first wheat appears to have been sown in Virginia.  In 1626,