598 



JOURNAL OP HORTICXJLTUUB AND COTTAGE GAILDENEB. 



[ Ma7 :29, leec 



Sapor WAS illustrated by nnniProafl Rpecimen« of Cinchona barkn, of 

 ricd specimens of the plant!), grown in India and collected by Mr. 

 Harkluini, &:c. 



Professor Kocn then made somo rcmarlra on tlie uomcnclataro of 

 plants, itc, ttnd the mcttins udjonmcd. 



The second meeting of thu Dutauiciil ConKress was held on Thnrs- 

 dav, in the Sbec|>shauks Gallery, which was well filled throagbont 

 the whole procee<linc:s. 



The first paper read was that nf Dr. Moore, Gla^novin, on the 

 climate, flora. uuJ crops of Irelaud ; thti next that of Professor Lecoii. 



Mr. HoWLETT exhibited a model of an appamtu^ which should 

 combine shadinj? with uiKht-covering of plunt-hoaHert, by means of one 

 contrivance fitted to the roof. It was considered that for most pur- 

 poses this routrivance would exclude the lij^'ht too much. 



Mr. Anderson's paper on Orchid enltnre excited un animated dis- 

 cussion, in which Professor Daubeuy, Professor llcichenbach, Mr. 

 Batcman, M. Alfred de Momey, and Mr. Howlett took part, all advo- 

 cating the justness of Mr. Anderson's views. 



Mr. Krelage next addiessed the meeting in German, on the 

 nomenelatore of plants. 



Dr. Dickson, Kdinburt^h. read some remarks on the leaves of Snia- 

 dopitys and PhyUocladus, which he considers in the light of leaf-like 

 branches rather thau as true leaves, a view in which Professor Ca^imr)' 

 did not folly cuiucide. 



Professor De Candolle exhibited a measure, on a lonj; strip of 

 mper, of the trunk of one of th*; gigantic Sequoias of California. 

 The enormous dimensions were well exempUtied h}- the lengtli of the 

 strip, which extended well nigh from one side to the other of the room. 

 The rate of m-owth was carefully noted by counting the annular rings. 



Professor Reighexbacii addressed the meeting in English on cer- 

 tain peculiarities of Orchid structure. In the course of the discussion 

 that ensued on this subject. Mr. Bate man said that he had seen a 

 branched spike of Odontoglossnm grande, and Dr. Masters said he 

 had also met with a similar case in Ophrys aranifera. 



Professor Morren, of Liege, treated at some length on the influence 

 of coal gas on plants, and detailed his experiments on this point. 



Mr. W. G. SsnTH then stated his views aa to the corona of Nar- 

 cissns. 



Several other communications were read, including one from M. 

 Andre. Paris, and the Pi-esideut declared the Congress at an end : on 

 which Mr. Bennett proposed. Dr. Daubeny seconded, and Dr. Schnlz 

 Bipontinn^ supported, a cordial vote of thanks to the President. 



THE COXVERSAZIONE. 

 The Conversazione on the evening of the '23rd was held in tlie 

 Haphael Room at the South Kensington Museum. There was a bril- 

 liant atteudaucc. 



M. DE CANDOLLES ADDRESS TO THE COXGRES.S. 



In order to derive the full advantage from a meeting of so many 

 lovers of science, horticulturists and botanists, brought together from 

 all parts of Europe, it is necessary that the common object for which 

 tliev have met should be perfectly understood. 



it devolves on me, who am called upon to preside fan honour of 

 which I feel myself unworthy), to point out the bond which unites us, 

 and of which, perhaps, you have at present but a vague, and, so to 

 speak, an intuitive perception. 



In my opinion, we are not here merely as amateurs to satisfy onr 

 curiosity. The proof of which is, we are here assembled to listen to 

 discussions, instead of wandering about the fairy-like garden of the Ex- 

 liibition. Evidently we seek something more than a mere show, and 

 that something is, in my opinion, instruction. It is not sufficient for 

 horticulturists merely to see — they must also study and retlect. 

 Neither is it sufficient for botanists to observe details minutely ; they 

 must also see the plants on a large scale, and in grouped masses. The 

 connection of Practice with Theon,-, aud of Art with Science, is ac- 

 knowledged to be indispensable ; and in accordance with this prevalent 

 opinion we here ailimi, by our presence in this room, tlic necessary- 

 union of Botany and Horticulture. The aim of my brief observations 

 will be to call to mind how they aid each other, and to show how much 

 more they might do so. If I am not mistaken, it will follow from facts 

 to which I shall allndo, that our united et^orts, scientilic or practical, 

 modest tliough they appear, eoutributc to increase the well-being of 

 man, in all conditions aud in all countries. 



FIRSTIA-. — Tire AnVANTAGES OF HORTICrLTI-RF, TO BOTA>-Y. 



liCt us first mention thu sen-ices that horticulture renders, or may 

 lender, to botany. "Without being myself a horticulturist. I affirm or 

 recognise them willingly, iim advancement of Science rendering it 

 necessary to have recourse to all its collatei-al branches. 



We no longer live in those times of illusion when botanists merely 

 occupied themselves with European plants, or with a few from the 

 East, andf from a (Spirit of caution rather than from ignorance, 

 pictured to themselves all di-^tant countries as possessing much the 

 same general vegetation, with a few uncommou or exceptional species. 

 A century of discovery has made kno^vn the extreme variety in the 

 . Floras, the restricted limits of many species, and the complicated en- 

 tanglement of their geographical distribution. To see all the different 

 forms of Yt^etation of the worU, one would realise in u degree the 



history of the Wandering Jew : besides, with thij constant traTclling. 

 wh« re would b^ the opportuoitic!! for that rellecUou or fttudy wbico 

 create trne scituce / 



The Iravellor is too much exhausted in worm conntriei, too dis- 

 tracted in those temperate regions favourable to active tife, and hi.'^ 

 facultiett are too much benumbed in tlie coldur regiom^, to enable him 

 to devote himself to minnti* researchiis with the lens or the microscope, 

 or even to sketch or properly describe that which be has ^athcrod. Ho 

 sees, in passing, a crowd of things, hut he can scarcely ever stop to- 

 enter into details, especially of those that come in rapid succesuon. 

 Rarely can he see the fruit and dower of a species at the same time. 

 and il is quite impotisible for him to study their completo developmeDt 

 during the whole year. The notes token by the most inteUiaent 

 naturalist arc so affecte>d by thest' futal circumstances, that it is seldom 

 they add itnything to tliat which a dried specimen can teach thu 

 sedentan.' botanist. 



It is horticulture, then, which brings before us a multitude of exotic 

 plants in a condition best adapted for study. Thanks to the variety of 

 Hjiecies it accumulates and successfully cultivates, the botanist can in- 

 vestigate the most diiticult questions, aud pursue his researches in 

 families whose genera are not indigenous in Europe. In the herbarium, 

 more minute ubgervatious can he made than is generally supposed ; 

 nevertheless, for certain researches, it is absolutely necessary to bav» 

 the living plant, particularly for those relating to relative disposition, 

 the origin and development of the several organs, as well as for study- 

 ing the curious phenomena of fertilisation, the movements and direction 

 of the stem, leaves, and parts of the tiowers. Horticulture has done 

 much to advance the pi-ogresa of pliysiological botany, but it still has 

 much to do. The roost remarkable experiments of phviioloirists — viz.. 

 those of Hales, Duhomol. Knight — have been made in gardens. Also, 

 the long scries of experiments of the younger Gaertner, and, more 

 recently, of M. Naudin, on hybridisation, which relate to the cardinol 

 subjwt of the species. As mueli may be said of the numerous trials 

 which are made, in horticolturol establishments, to obtain new race* 

 or varieties. These hare a great scientific importance, and it is un- 

 doubtedly the horticulturists who arc the teachers of botanists on these 

 subjects. 



It appears to me, however, that gardens can be made still more 

 useful in currying out physiological researches. For instance : there is 

 mnch yet to be learnt on the mode of action of heat, light, and eloc- 

 trieity upon vegetation. I pointed out many of these deticienries in 

 1S55, in my " tieographie Botanique Raisonnee."* Ten years later, 

 Mr. Julius Sachs, in his recently published aud valuable work on 

 physiological botany, f points out much the same deficiencies^ notwith- 

 standing tlmt some progress has been made in these matters. The 

 evil consists in this, that when it is desired to ohsen'c the action of 

 temperature, either fixed or varied, mean or extreme, or the effect of 

 light, it is exceedingly difl&cult. and sometimes impossible, when ob- 

 servations are made in the usual manner, to eliminate the effects of the 

 constant variations of heat and light. In the laboratory it is possible 

 to operate under more exactly Jehned conditions, but they are rarely 

 sufficiently persistent ; and tlie obsen-er is led into error by growing 

 plants in too contracted a space, either in tubes or bell-gUsses. This 

 last objection is apparent when it is wished to ascertain the inffaence 

 of the gases diffused in the atmosphere around plants, or that of th» 

 plants themselves upon the atmos]there. 



Place pliuits under a receiver, they are no longer in a natural con- 

 dition ; leave them in the open air, and the winds and currents, pro- 

 duced at each moment of the day by the temperature, disiwrse the 

 gaseous bodies in the atmosphere. "Every one Ls aware of the nu- 

 merous discussions concerning the more or less pemiciona influence 

 of the gases given off from certain manufactories. The ruin now of a 

 manufacturer, now of a horticulturist, may result from tb«- declaraticn 

 of an expert; hence, it U incumbent on scientilic men not to pro- 

 nounce on these delicate questions without substantial proof. 



With a view to these researches, of which I merely point out th« 

 general nature, but which are immensely varied in details. I hitely put 

 this question^—" Could not experimental greenhouses be built, in 

 which the temperature might be regulated for a prolonged time, and 

 be either fixed, constant, or variable, according to the wish of the ob- 

 sen-er?" My question passed unnoticed in a voluminous work where. 

 in truth, it was but an accessory. I renew it now in the presence of 

 an assembly admirably qualified to solve it. I should like, were it 

 possible, to have a greenhouse placed in some larffe horticultural 

 tj^tablishment or botanic garden, under the direction of some ingenious 

 and accurate phvsiologist, and adapted to experiments on vegetable 

 phvsiology ; and this is. within a little, my idea of such a construction : 



The building sliould be sheltered from all external variations of 

 temperatnre ; to effect which. I imofone it should be in a great 

 measure below the level of the ground. 1 would have it bnilt of 

 thick brickwork, in the form of a vault. The upper convexity. 

 which would rise above the ground, should have two openings— one 

 exposed to the south, the other to the north— iu order to receive 

 the direct ravs of the sun or tliffosed light. These apertures should 

 each be closed bv two vcrv transparent glass windows, hermetically 

 tixcd. Besides which, there should be. on the outside, means of 



• PnKcs 46. 49, 57, and 1M6. , , - a 



+ " liftnflhnch dcr experimcntal-physiologie dorpSarzen," 1 vol. m 8T0. 

 Lcipbig.lbGS. 

 1 " Olographic Botaniqae," 1855, p-^ges 49 and 1346* 



