May i, 1876. 1 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTURE AND OOTXAGE GARDENER. 



357 



the reenlts were similar to those that have been described. 

 The author makes the following remarks in conoluBioQ : — 

 " The experiments here described show that many liowers 

 need light to acquire their normal colonration, while others 

 can dispense with it. Wherein lies the ground of this differ- 

 ence does not yet appear, and numerous further experiments 

 will be necessary before the phenomena can be reduced to 

 order. In most of my experiments the individual flower- 

 bearing shoots were brought entirely into tho dark. Objection 

 might perhaps be taken on this score to the value of such 

 evidence, and the phenomena observed be partly attributed 

 to defective nutrition ; but the experimental plants were in 

 all cases perennial growths furnished with many subterranean 

 parts, which of course coutaiued abundant quantities of re- 

 serve material ; there were also present, iu most cases, numer- 

 ous uncovered shoots in connection with those in the dark, 

 and which could bring nutriment to the latter ; still I did not 

 give special care to this point. But, above all, the fact was 

 to me decisive, that the flowers formed under exclusion of 

 light presented a normal size and form. Under such circum- 

 stances it would be a highly-forced view to attribute the 

 absence of colouring matter to defective nutrition." — {English 

 Mechanic and World of Science.) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



We are told that the Nottingham and Midland Counties 

 EosE Show and HoRTicnLTURAL Exhibition will be held in 

 the Nottingham Arboretum on the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 10th of 

 July, and that a liberal schedule of prizes is in course of 

 preparation. 



The celebrated annual display of Bhododendkons and 



OTHER AsiEBicAN PLANTS from the nurseries of Messrs. John 

 Waterer & Sons, Bagshot (which for upwards of twenty years 

 formed such an attractive feature at the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens, London), will this year be held in the grounds of 

 Manley Hall, Manchester, the property of Ellis Lever, Esq., 

 and from the present appearance of the plants it is confidently 

 expected that the display of bloom will be such as to excel all 

 previous exhibitions of the kind. 



— — Pine Apple Place Nuksekt, St. John's Wood, has been 

 purchased by Messes. E. G. Henderson & Son, of the neigh- 

 bouring Wellington Nurseries. The two nurseries were founded 

 by branches of the same family, and the head of the Welling- 

 ton Nurseries firm, Mr. E. G. Henderson, is another testimony 

 to the healthfulness of the gardening profession, for he is in 

 his ninety-third year. Perhaps writing about gardening also 

 promotes longevity. 



To ascertain whether the colour of bain gauges has 



any effect on the quantity they retain, M. Wild recently made 

 some experiments — first, by pouring equal quantities of water 

 into three guages, one of which was painted black, another 

 white, while the third was not painted, exposing them on dry 

 days, and observing after some time the quantity of water in 

 the gauges. The black gauge had lost a quantity of water 

 corresponding to 0.07mm. ; the white, 0.09mm ; the blank, 

 0.52mm. In a second series of experiments the falling rain 

 was measured in the black and white gauges. It appeared that 

 there was a difference of about 1 per cent., the black-painted 

 gauge showing less rain than the white. But since rain 

 gauges, even when near one another, differ in their indications, 

 M. Wild considers that the influence of colour of gauge is, at 

 least in one (German) climate, extremely small. 



The stomata of the leaves of plants are generally 



found on the under side, and it is commonly supposed that 

 they could not perform their essential functions if they were 

 exposed to direct sunlight. It is sometimes stated that if 

 Buch leaves were turned round and compelled to remain in 

 this position the plant would die. An American observer, Mr. 

 Meehan, has noticed effects which seem to require a modifica- 

 tion of this view. On a small tree of Maple (Acer pseudo- 

 platanus), grown from seed and three years old, the leaves were 

 in the reversed position. At first they had been normal, bat 

 they had turned round. In a young Oak the leaves had a 

 vertical position, and this is aleo the case with a great number 

 of Proteaceae and Myrtaceae of South Africa and Australia, 

 the Eucalyptus globulus being the best example ; and it is said 

 these leaves have stomata on both sides, and that through the 

 effort of these organs to turn to earth there is vertical equili- 

 brium, and neithei side has an advantage. But the case of the 



Maple cannot be thus explained, and the stomata were found 

 only on one side, and that tho normal. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



kitchen garden. 



So far we have been able to work constantly in this depart- 

 ment, and the usual routine work has been well brought for- 

 ward. The ground is perfectly dry on tho surface, but a very few 

 inches underneath it is very moist. We have been planting out 

 Cauliflower plants for Buccession. The plants were raised under 

 glass, but from being carefully exposed to light and air from the 

 first and gradually hardened off they are very stocky plants. 

 We have not watered them at all, although the appearance of 

 the ground on the surface would seem to justify us doing so. 

 It may be as well just to make a remark on watering in passing. 

 Those who have not had much experience iu garden work are 

 too free with the water-pot early iu the year, and they are not 

 always sufficiently careful as to bow they apply it. In every 

 case the ground should be examined a few inches under the 

 surface, and if it is quito moist water should not be applied to 

 plants newly put out, even if the weather is fine at the time; 

 in the course of ten hours or less wintry weather may set iu 

 with Buow or hail in flowery May, and the small fibrous roots 

 suffer. It is a good plan to mulch the surface of the ground 

 with rotted frame manure, and should any freshly-planted crops 

 flag let them bo syringed overhead two or three times until 

 they are established. 



We have been hoeing and placing sticks to second crops of 

 Peas. The earliest, William I., is showing blossom, but the 

 crop will be poor owing to the persistent way in which the 

 sparrows have attacked them this season. They are safe under 

 the pea-protectors at a time when they are most attractive to 

 the birds, and generally they are left alone when the protectors 

 are removed and the sticks put to them ; this season they ate 

 the leaves after the Peas were a foot high. We have made a 

 sowing of late Peas, and will sow again about the middle of the 

 month. 



A sowing of Broccoli may also be made at this time. The 

 whole of the Brassica tribe suffer from what gardeners call the 

 club. The maggot which is the cause of this may be destroyed 

 by trenching the ground 3 feet deep when this is possible. Gas 

 lime is also said to be obnoxious to this pest of the kitchen 

 garden. Brussels Sprouts may be both sown and planted out. 

 Salsafy and Scorzonera may be sown if not done in April. Wo 

 have pricked-out Celery iu a sheltered place, allowing 3 or 

 4 inches between the plants ; also hoed and thinned-out Onions 

 and Carrots, leaving a space of 4 or 5 inches between the plants. 

 Beet has been sown in drills about a foot apart, and summer 

 Spinach between the rows of Peas. Vegetable Marrows and 

 Gherkin Cucumbers should now be sown in pots on a hotbed. 

 When the plants have the seed leaves fully developed they should 

 be potted singly in 48-aized pots, and when the plants are sulS- 

 ciently large they should be planted out under hand-Ughts either 

 in the open ground or on a dung bed. When the plants have filled 

 the lights the top may be removed. All sorts of small salad 

 that may be required should be sown in succession, and after 

 this time of the year it should have a shady position. Turnips 

 sown now will be ready for use towards the end of July. Dwarf 

 Kidney Beans and Scarlet Runners may also be sown now, the 

 former from 2 to 2t feet apart and the latter 4 feet 6 inches. 

 Amongst new sorts the Canadian Wonder is a most excellent 

 Dwarf Kidney Bean. Any spare time may be devoted to hoeing 

 the ground between all growing crops, and ground that may still 

 be laying vacant should either be hoed or forked over. 



Melons and Cucumbers. — These do very well iu frames after 

 this month without being at much pains to cover the frames at 

 night or to watch the ventilation during a biting east wind with 

 alternate sunshine and shade. The beds should be well made 

 with properly worked stable manure and leaves in equal pro- 

 portions. The foundation of the bed should be raised upon a 

 foot or 18 inches of rough faggots, as, unless there is a hollow 

 space underneath the manure, the heat from any linings that 

 may be applied to the frame does not penetrate the bed. If the 

 heat has not quite fallen to a safe point some turf may be laid 

 over the bed to keep down the heat before putting in the usual 

 compost. A proper size for a onclight Melon or Cucumber 

 frame is 4 feet by 6, the light to be 4 feet wide ; a two-light 

 frame would be 8, and a three-light 12 feet long. For a frame 

 this size one plant should be put out in the centre of each light 

 on a hill, and when the growths have covered the hill the re- 

 mainder of the space should be filled-in with fresh compost. If 

 the weather is hot and the nights warm the plants may either 

 be syringed or watered overhead daily. Should the nights be 

 cold cover up with mats. 



In Melon houses where the fruit is setting the night tempe- 

 rature should be G5° and the atmosphere only moderately moist. 

 We generally dispense with all evaporating troughs in forcing 



