126 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ Febtuory 13, 1863. 



this I have noticed for two successive years. There would be 

 an occasional outburst of sun for a few minutes in the course 

 of some chance day or two during the time, but nothing worthy 

 of note ; yet notwithstanding all this unfortunate, bad state of 

 the weather, as many would term it, we never failed in obtaining 

 a good regular crop of Muscats with well-formed bunches. 



Another simple fact I wish to state is this. One end of the 

 house is much warmer than the other part, on account of some 

 extra piping branching from an adjoining house, consequently 

 four of the Vines are rather earlier than the rest. These are 

 in flower from a week to ten days before the others, and 

 daring this time the atmosphere of the house is kept in the 

 same condition in respect to moisture as it was previous to the 

 flowering, moisture being only slightly withheld just beneath the 

 four Vines in flower, and these set their bunches much better 

 than the Vines to which a rather drier atmosphere is afforded. 



Again. I have particularly noticed that in a dull humid 

 day, on gently shaking the Vine or bunch, the pollen will be 

 seen falling in large quantities to the floor ; whereas, on a 

 bright clear day with a breeze blowing, the pollen will scarcely 

 be perceived on shaking, and it appears much lighter, escaping 

 upwards. Whether the pollen is as potent on a dull day as on 

 a drier one is another question. I should for my own part say 

 it is, if we are to take the setting of these Muscats into con- 

 sideration. — H. Battram, Foreman, Cyfarthja Gardens. 



EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETYS 



EXAMINATIONS. 



■ Last week we announced the various success that attended 

 the candidates at the last examinations of the Boyal Horticul- 

 tural Society. We now supply the number of marks which 

 each candidate obtained. 



CONIFERS FOR A CLAY SOIL. 



Whilst thanking Mr. Eobson for his hint as regards the 

 fitness of Taxodium sempervirens for a clay soil, I beg to say 

 that I have tried it, and that it grows most vigorously. I did 

 not mention it in my last letter, as I was writing more especi- 

 ally about the Cupressus macrocarpa ; but as my letter seems 

 to have been useful, I will add a few more remarks upon those 

 Pines which I have found grow well in a stiff clay. 



As regards the Taxodium, the proper name for which I have 

 been told now is Sequoia (Is this so?), I find that it is one of 

 the fastest-growing Pines we have, but owing to its shooting 

 very early it is nearly always checked by late frosts, and is 

 much browned by March winds. One I planted in 18.58, and 

 moved two years afterwards, is now 17 feet high and 2 feet 

 4 inches round the stem at the bottom ; but it has lost its 

 leader twice if not three times, and in consequence has not 

 increased in height at all for the last two years. Had it not 

 been for this it would have been 4 or 5 feet higher at the least, 

 at the rate of its growth in former years. With this exception 

 it grows as well as I could wish, for neither the frost nor the 

 winds seem to have any injurious effect on the vitality of the 

 tree, and although it has not grown these two years in height, 

 it has in girth. It grows also most freely from cuttings, and 

 I have several specimens about 10 feet high, which I have 

 taken as cuttings from the above-named tree, and which no 

 one could distinguish from seedlings. 



One remark of Mr. Eobson's surprises me — namely, that in 

 which he says that a specimen of Cryptomeria japonica was 

 much injured by frost. Now, I have an avenue of them planted 

 in 18.58 ; and although they have made slow progress, being on 

 an average about 10 feet high only, not a plant of them has 

 ever been injured by frost in the least degree, though planted 

 in the same stiff clay, and I fancied till now that they were one 

 of the Pines that we might reckon as frost-proof. They are 

 just now apparently " taking hold" of the ground, and I think 

 they will make greater progress next year than they have 

 hitherto. Some of them which are a little protected by a wood 



near are doing remarkably well, so that the clay (drained) does 

 not seem to disagree with them, though I fancy that they 

 would do better in a lighter soil, but on the whole 1 have not 

 much reason to complain of them. Now they are accustomed- 

 to the soil I think they will some day make tine trees, for in 

 stiff clays such as this I find that one must not be too soon 

 cast down at trees not taking. They are with some excep- 

 tions verj- slow at first, but when once thoroughly established 

 make up for it afterwards. Amongst the trees, then, of the 

 Pine tribe which I have tried that do well in a stiff clay, after 

 Pinus insignis and Cupressus macrocarpa — which are, perhaps, 

 the most vigorous of all, but unfortunately only half-hardy — 

 I find P. austriaca, Picea pinsapo, Taxodium sempervirens, 

 Wellingtonia, Cupressus Lawsoniana, T. Lobbii (both very 

 vigorous). Thuja aurea, T. glauca, Cryptomeria japonica (fairly), 

 Juniperus glauca, and the common Pencil Cedar all thrive. 



With regard to what Mr. Chitty says, that his experience 

 tells a different tale, and goes to prove that Cupressus macro- 

 carpa is not hardy enough to stand such winters as that of 

 1807 in all situations — why, that was the very point my first 

 letter on the subject went to prove. No one with his eyes open, 

 after the experience of last winter, could be hardy enough 

 himself to say that ; on the contrary, it is quite clear that it 

 is only half-hardy. I endeavoured to point out from experi- 

 ence, besides the fact of its flourishing so well in stiff clays, in 

 what situations it was likely to succeed, and where it would 

 probably fail. — A Someiiset.shike P.^eson. 



P.S. — I have just planted a Thuja gigantea, thinking, on 

 account of its name, that it would grow quickly and to a large 

 size. Can you tell me to what height it is likely to grow? I 

 have also two ten-years-old plants, raised from seed which 

 I gathered from Cypresses growing over Shelley's tomb at 

 Rome, that have grown well. One is about 9 feet high ; the 

 other, which was the better of the two, was cut very hard by the 

 frost last year, but is still likely to do well, though I have been 

 obUged to cut away 4 or 5 feet of it. 



[Gordon in his " Pinetum " gives a very wide range of heights 

 to which Thuja gigantea attains. He says it is " a noble ever- 

 green tree, with an umbrella-shaped top, and straight stem when 

 old, growing from 40 to 140 feet high, and from 3 to 5 feet in 

 diameter." Its native habitat seems to be the banks of rivers. 

 —Eds.] 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



Feom what we already know, there is every prospect that the 

 Royal HonxicrLifRAL Society's ExnimxioN .iT Leicestek in 

 July next bids fair to rival, if not to excel, that of Bury St. 

 Edmimds last year. According to the last information the 

 amount already subscribed by local effort amounts to £225, 

 as against £197 (is. (iil. at Bury St. Edmunds. It must, how- 

 ever, be borne in mind that Leicester is the centre of a great 

 manufacturing and wealthy neighbourhood, whilst that of 

 Bury is merely agricultural ; and we shall be much disappointed 

 if the amount still to come from Leicester be not considerably 

 in advance of that already named. We have no doubt it will 

 be, and that Leicester will not fall short of any effort that may 

 be expected from it. 



The Midland Railway Company have agreed to convey 



all plants that may be exhibited at Leicester at the Royal Hor- 

 ticultural Show in July next for a single fare, which must be 

 paid when the plants are sent ; and if after the Show they con- 

 tinue the property of the exhibitor, they will be returned free 

 of carriage. 



We have great pleasure in announcing that the Cotton 



Supply Association of Manchester has presented Major R. 

 Trevor Clarke with an address and the gold medal of the 

 Association for his researches in the hybridisation and culture 

 of the Cotton plant. The medal is a beautiful work of art, and 

 bears the following inscription — " Presented for the Successful 

 Cultivation of Cotton to Major B. Trevor Clarke. Feb. 17, 

 1808." This needs no comment. All who know how assiduous 

 Major Clarke is in the promotion of all that can benefit art, 

 science, and industry, will rejoice to know that his labours 

 have in this instance met with their just reward. 



" Cabter's Practical Gardener." — Under this title Messrs. 

 Carter Sc Co., of High Holbom, have issued a useful guide- 

 book, arranged in the form of a monthly calendar of the ope- 

 rations in the fruit, kitchen, and flower garden, conservatory, 



