532 Summary Vie"^ of the Progress of Gardenings 



ment of fruit trees, with regard to improving the produce and 

 procuring new varieties, deserve the particular attention of the 

 practical gardener. Among the many scattered facts relating 

 to vegetable physiology which will be found recorded under 

 the head of General Notices in the present volume, we may refer 

 to a remark by Signor Manetti respecting impregnating plants 

 with strong or peculiar odours, (p. GSt.) 



Climate. — The subjects of temperature, the weather, and water, 

 relatively to the culture of plants, will be found treated on in va- 

 rious articles, but more particularly in one hi p. l^., and in the 

 introduction to Mr. Thompson's Frnit Hepori. (p. 54-4.) 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



'Ne^iO Agents of Culture. — A very important point which we 

 have to notice under this head, is the process of Kyanising, or 

 tanning, every kind of wood to be used for garden purposes, by 

 immersing it in a solution of corrosive sublimate. It is not easy 

 to convince practical men of the value of this preparation ; never- 

 theless it is placed beyond all doubt, both by theory and experi- 

 ment. We refer to what is stated on the subject in p. 365. ; and 

 we may also direct attention to several papers in the Architectural 

 Magazine for the present year, and one by Charles Waterton, 

 Esq., in his Essajjs on Natural Historij, just published. One 

 caution we think it necessary to give to those who intend making 

 use of this process, which is to shape and fit the wood to be 

 Kyanised exactly for the purpose for which it is intended before 

 submitting it to the process. This will appear the more neces- 

 sary, when it is considered that the Kyanising, or tanning, process 

 penetrates only a very few lines into the surface of the wood : in 

 close-grained wood, for example, .^.ich as the beech, not more than 

 a quarter of an inch ; and in looser-grained woods, such as com- 

 mon deal, very seldom more than half an inch. If, therefore, a 

 gardener were to Kyanise tallies for naming plants, or sticks for 

 tying them up, before sharpening the ends to be inserted in the 

 ground, and were to sharpen these ends afterwards, the rot would 

 commence below, just as soon as if the process of Kyanising had 

 not been employed. We are particularly anxious to impress 

 this on the minds of gardeners ; because, in consequence of some 

 persons having an idea that the corrosive sublimate penetrates to 

 the very heart of the wood immersed in it, they have it Kyanised 

 first, and sawn up into the Ibrms in which they mean to use it 

 afterwards. Assuredly, the wood so treated, if in pieces thicker 

 than an inch, will not be rendered one whit more durable by the 

 process than if it had never been submitted to it. On the other 

 hand, by preparing the wood first, and Kyanising it afterwards, 

 not only a prolonged durability is obtained, but the expense of 

 painting is rendered unnecessary, unless for ornament. The 

 process of Kyanising is calculated to give much greater dura- 



