416 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICTJLTTJEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. t November H. 1608. 



knowledge, but the Pea itself. The Pea was crossed, and 

 the cross changed that Pea, not the offspring of the Pea, al- 

 though we may infer the offspring to be of the same colour 

 as the parent. By that analogy it would be necessary to 

 adopt the notion that the male influence in the animal king- 

 dom changed the colour of the skin or coat of the female, 

 not the skin or coat of their offspring, or second generation. 

 Now, if we analyse the more plausible side of the question 

 which is thus raised — the egg changed by the influence of 

 the male, we shall be able, without any stretch of idea, 

 to dispose of it as easily as of the other. The egg in the 

 feathered race represents by analogy the pea-pod, not the 

 body of the Pea ; and to have a bearing on the question in 

 hand, Gartner's experiment would need to change the colour 

 of the pod, not of the Pea. But the fact is, we can trace no 

 dii'ect analogy between the modes of fecundation in the two 

 kingdoms ; all we know is, the effect of the mode is the dii'ect 

 opposite in the two. Repeated approaches of consanguinity 

 is a well-known cause of degeneracy in the animal kingdom, 

 and the surest way of improving races in the vegetable 

 kingdom — that is, improving flowers and fruits ; and yet 

 when we push the inqim-y or the mode of improving to its 

 rdtimate, we find, or, at least, we have already found, that 

 these improvements have been acquii-ed at the expense of 

 the health of that sti'ain or race ere we readied the limits 

 of the ultimatum or final stage of improvement, as florists 

 could tell us from then- records of their different " worts," 

 every one of which has been getting less and more less 

 healthy, and by consequence more difficirlt to preserve, from 

 the first cross by in-and-in breeding. 



This seems the best plaee for me to make a suitable apology 

 to Mr. Darwin, and to ask a thousand pardons for my seem- 

 ing contradiction ; but I had not the slightest idea even 

 of contradicting him, mrich less of discourtesy. I wrote 

 lujjaedly and very eai'uestly for a particular reason — well 

 finowing that every word Mr. Darwin says carries great in- 

 fluence with it to the ends of the earth. I knew Giii-tner 

 was the least reliable of all the old authors ; that he published 

 the greatest absurdities about it, above all who wrote before 

 him ; that his first edition was the text- book of all who wrote 

 upon crossing without experience in it themselves ; and that 

 it would be a thousand pities if Mr. Darwin lent the power 

 o£ his authority to Gartner's speculations, which have not 

 advanced the art one single degree. It cannot possibly be 

 an attack on an author for another to expose errors he might 

 have faUen into. I have no idea, or any wish, but to speak 

 the truth only about this author, when I afih-m that nine- 

 tenths of his nine thousand recorded experiments ai-e nothing 

 better than idle speculations. I am satisfied there are 

 not nine of them out of nine hundred which would come 

 exactly aUke next year or next trial the same season, and 

 such might be recorded a thousand-fold without helping the 

 art of crossing to advance one single step. As the work of 

 an amiable naturalist, and as pleasant reading, I have no 

 doubt but Gartner will be read as long as Sir Walter Scott. 

 I only wish I could read him in the original, or that he had a 

 good practical English reviewer instead of a highly scientific 

 one. — D. Beaton.] 



HEATING A GEEENHOUSE FEOM A DINING- 

 EOOM FIEE. 



In reply to " A Devonshire Vicak," in your Journal of 

 the 10th inst., page 372, I beg to suggest the following :— 



Some thii'ty years ago I recollect being in a room that was 

 heated by means of the siu-plus hot air from the kitchen 

 grate. It was, I believe, thus ; — An ii-on tube about li inch 

 ki diameter' commenced its course at the lower end, and on 

 one side of the kitchen fii-eplace ; it passed thence to the back 

 of the fire, where it doubled upon itself, up and down, each 

 fold touching the former one to the frill width of the grate, 

 the whole forming the back of the gi'ate. It was then 

 carried through the partition-waU and made its exit by the 

 side of the dining-room fireplaioe, the outlet of which was 

 guarded by a slide, as also was the inlet on the kitchen side. 

 Thus when the slides were open and a fire was in the kitchen 

 grate, there was always a plentiful supply of hot air in the 

 dining-room, which could be regulated by the slide in the 

 dining-room. — J. B. 



WOEE FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



E'VEKT opportunity of favom-able weather shordd be 

 promptly employed in carrying out whatever digging, 

 trenching, and draining have been marked out for com- 

 pletion dui-ing the winter months ; if defen'ed until a later 

 period severe weather may set in, and thus the operations 

 may be retarded to the manifest loss of many advantages. 

 Brussels Sprouts, when the head is cut the dead leaves should 

 be removed, but none of the gi-een ones, as they protect the 

 young side shoots. The same may be said of Scotch Kale 

 and other winter greens. Cabbage, take advantage of a 

 favourable day to earth-up the autumn plantations. It not 

 only invigorates but prevents them fi'om being loosened by 

 the winds. Cauliflo^aers, never neglect giving ail' daily to 

 those under hand-glasses and in fi'ames, unless dui'ing severe 

 frost. If the plants are now elongated by an insufficiency 

 of air they will be very liable to button-off. Endive, any 

 that have been planted in ft-ames should have air fr-eely ad- 

 mitted to them to prevent rotting. Mushromns, the beds out 

 of doors should have a thick covering of straw, over which 

 should be placed mats to protect them fr-om wet and frost. 

 When the straw is wet it should be replaced with dry. 

 Radishes, on a di'y wai'm border a few beds of Early Frame 

 or Short-topped should be sown either alone or with the 

 Short Horn CaiTot. Cover the beds with straw or litter till 

 the seeds germinate, when they should be uncovered every 

 day when not frosty. A frame should likewise be pilaced on 

 a gentle bottom heat for a sowing of the above to draw_ early. 

 Strawbei-ries, we do not approve of the practice of cutting off 

 the leaves indiscriminately at the winter dressing, conceiv- 

 ing them to be designed by Nature for the protection of the 

 buds which ai'e to produce the futm'e blossoms. On the 

 score of neatness, the removal of such as are decayed wiU 

 be sufficient, and to this, if done eareftdly, there can be no 

 objection. Dig in these trimmi n gs now with a portion of 

 old hotbed manure between the rows, digging down only 

 in the centre so as not to disturb the roots too much. The 

 slight root-pruning caused by this process will be rather 

 beneficial than othei'wise, and the di'essing will be placed 

 just where the new fibres produced in spring will be able to 

 profit by it. 



FLOWER UAEDEN. 



If not already done, get aE borders neatly trimmed-up 

 for the winter. Valuable plants, as variegated HoUies, 

 Ehododendi'ons, &c., if not growing as fr'eely as it is desir- 

 able that they should do, would be benefited by a Uberal 

 allowance of rotten manure or well-decayed leaf soU apphed 

 as a top-dressing, covering it with a little fine soil, and 

 working it into the gi'ound towards the extremities of the 

 roots. "But Rhododendrons and what are generally termed 

 American plants beai- removal so well, that these, where not 

 oTowing satisfactoi-ily shoidd be taken up, the ground well 

 prepared by a Uberal addition of peat or leaf mould, and re- 

 planted. While the -winter continues mild the plantmg of 

 deciduous trees may be proceeded with, pro-viding the state 

 of the land will permit of the operation being profitably per- 

 formed. Deciduous shrubs may be pi-uned whenever there 

 is time, except dm-ing severe fr-ost. Many of the larger- 

 oTOwing plants will only require going over once m two or 

 three years. Smaller-growing shrubs, as some kinds of 

 Cytisus, Spirajas, Deutzias, &c., should, however, be pruned 

 annually if a good show of flowers and uniformly-shaped 

 bushes are desired. Secm-e shi'ubs and yoimg ti'ees from 

 the effects of boisterous winds by stakes. Plant climbers, as 

 Ivies, Clematises, &c., and train and support creepers agamst 

 walls generally. Where walks ai'e in good condition but 

 have weeds stm making theii' appeai'ance on the surface, 

 recourse shoidd b.B h.id to har4-picking, and the use of the 

 rake and hoe sb.ir.ll '..e avcide.-l at this season as much as 

 possible. These i>istrM;,.t'r.t.- .w more harm than good by 

 breaking-up the sui-faoe, -while Ue desti-uction of the weeds 

 is not secured. 



FRUIT GABiDEN. 



When orchard trees have been fcr some years left un- 

 pruned some of the branches will require thinnmg out; 

 keep the middle of the trees open to admit air and to pro- 

 mote the formation of fruit-buds on the interior branches. 

 Peai's should not be allowed to become over-ripe before being 



