| 2.—1846.] - 
` Many excellent varieties were found. 
. Of fruit-trees. 
THE 
GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
23 
, There are some very useful remarks on the produc- 
tion of new varieties of fruits. “Once in the possession 
_ of a variety which has moved out of the natural into a 
more domesticated form, we have in our hands the best 
Material for the improving process. ‘The fixed original 
abit of the species is broken in upon, and this variety, 
which we have created, has always afterwards some 
tendency to make further departures from the original 
form. It is true, that all or most of its seedlings will 
Still retain a likeness to the parent, but a few will differ 
ìn some respects, and it is by seizing upon those which 
show. symptoms of variation, that the improver of vege- 
table races founds his hopes." The mode pursued by 
Dr. Van Mors was to sow the seeds of garden varieties 
in the first instance. The fruit of this generation was 
Senerally very inferior; but seeds from it were sown 
or a second generation, and so on. Amongst the seed- 
ings of the fourth and fifth generations, ina direct line, 
In this country 
thousands of seedlings have been raised from the finest 
Varieties and proving inferior, on fruiting, have been in 
disappointment thrown away after years of nursing ; 
Whereas, it appears the seeds of this degeneration, as it 
May be termed, ought to have been sown as above men- 
tioned. Duhamel had been in the habit of sowing seeds 
of the finest table Pears in France for 50 years 
ever having produced a good variety. Because his 
Seedlings were bad he had never dreamed of sowi 
heir seeds, otherwise, with half a century of pe: 
Verence, he might have been as successful as was the 
indefatigable Van Mons. 
Ample directions are given, with illustrations, for per- 
forming the operations connected with the propagation 
à What is termed American 
Jing differs from the mode usually practise re- 
Moving the slice of wood taken off the shoot along with 
the bud and portion of bark to be inserted ; and “is 
found greatly preferable to the European mode, at least 
or this climate. Many sorts of fruit-trees, especially 
lums and Cherries, nearly mature their growth, and 
Yequire to be budded, in the hottest part of our summer. 
In the old method, the bud having only à particle of 
wood in the heart of the bud, is much more liable to be 
destroyed. by heat or dryness than when the slice of 
wood is left behind, in the American way. The American 
method requires less skill, ean be done earlier in the 
season, with younger wood ; is performed in much less 
time, and is uniformly more successful. It has been 
fairly tested upon hundreds of thousands of fruit-trees in 
our gardens for the last 20 years; and although prac- 
tised English budders, coming here, are at first greatly 
prejudiced against it, as being in direct opposition to 
e 
. One of the most essential features in tho old mode, yet 
a fair trial has never failed to convince them of the 
Superiority of the new." 
There are 186 varieties of Apples described, 59 of 
the principal of which are figured in outline. Cherries, 
47 described, 30 figured : Figs, 15 described ; Goo: 
berries, 40 ; Grapes, foreign 35, native 12; Plums, 97, 
With 28 figures ; Pears, 233, of which no fewer than 78 
are figured ; Peaches and Nectarines, 97 ; Raspberries, 
14; Strawberries, 36, with figures of Hovey's Seedling 
and Ross's Phoenix ; Melons, 13. 
The Appendix contains interesting remarks on the 
duration of varieties of fruit-trees. 
Mr. Knight’s own observations 
land led him to consider the English Golden 
RERO and the Nonpareil, their two most celebrated 
NES of Apple, as the strongest examples of varie- 
whi JUStgone to decay, or, in fact, the natural life of 
"ch had virtually expired twenty years before. 
nb years longer, he thought, i& might linger on in the 
f Wu parts of England, as he supposed varieties to 
All most speedily into decay in thé north, or in a cold 
Climate, 
“Certain French writers, about this time, gladly 
Seized Knight’s theory as an explanation of the miser- 
xs State into whieh the fine old sorts of Pears had 
allen about Paris, owing to bad culture and propaga- 
‘on. ‘They sealed the death-warrant, in like manner, 
of the B. i 
others, 
> 
Saali theory work in America ? is the most 
ose ths UR xs In this country we have soil varying 
Res 23 orest sand to the richest alluvial, climate 
arying from frigid to almost torrid—a range wide 
enough to include all fruit-trees between the Apple and 
the Orange. 
“We answer, 
witola are d that the faets here, judged in the 
of ecidedly against the theory of the extinetion 
i varieties, While here, as abroad, unfavourable soil, 
climate, or culture, have produced their natural results 
" a feeble and diseased state of certain sorts of fruit, 
noe are only exceptions to the general vigour and 
ealth of the finest old sorts in the country at large. 
ia oldest known variety of Pear is the autumn Berga- 
fot believed by Pomologists to be identically the same 
[o cultivated by the Romans in the time of Julius 
ar—that is to say, the varisty is nearly 2000 years 
old. It grows with as much vigour, and bears as regu- 
lar and abundant erops of fair fine fruit in our own 
garden as any sort we cultivate. Whole orchards of 
the Doyenné are in the finest and most productive state 
of bearing in the interior of this State, and numberless 
instances in the western States—and any one may see, 
in September, grown in the apparently cold aud clayey 
soil near the town of Hudson, on the North River, 
specimens of this < outcast, weighing three-fourths of.a 
pound, and of a golden: fairness and lusciousness of 
flavour worthy of the garden of the Hesperides,—cer- 
tainly, we are confident, never surpassed in the lustiest 
youth of the variety in France. Of the Golden Pippin 
we can point out trees in the valley of the Hudson, pro- 
ductive of the fairest and finest fruit."— || 
Aone the new works of minor importance which Christ- 
mas has produced, the following may be mentioned as hav- 
ing some relation togardening or gardeners. The Natural- 
ists’ Almanac (VanVoorst) a little pocket companion, bet- 
ter than it was, but not so good as it should be. The 
Ombrological Almanac, by far the best of the weather 
almanaes, and so well done that it is really worth 
being consulted : with Mr. Legh, the author, meteor- 
ology has long been a serious study ; he calculates the 
variations of the p upon philosophical prin- 
ciples, and his results are well deserving of attentive 
study. If the accuracy of his anticipations for the re- 
mainder of the year is as great as that for the first five 
he will have furnished the best evidence of the 
orrectness of his views. We write on Jan. 6; the 
weather from 9 a.m. to 4 P.M. is set down as * fair, 
cloudy, very slight showers." Nothing can be more 
exact. The 12th is to be fair and frosty all day, with a 
W.S.W. wind. Our readers may watch the result, 
and judge of that for themselves. The People's Journal 
by the editor of the “ Artizan," and the new issue of 
Knight’s Penny Magazine may both be bought for the 
eost of a pot of beer : need we say to gardeners which 
they should choose. They are weekly periodicals, full 
of most useful knowledge. Notes on English Grammar 
(Simpkin and Co.) may be studied with adyantage by 
many persons who are called well educated. The rules 
are so simple, that he who runs may read. A new 
edition. of Lawson's excellent pamphlet on Cultivated 
Grasses (Blackwood) shows that the merits of the first 
ave been appreciated. very farmer and gardener 
ought to possess it. As a work of reference it is indis- 
pensable. 
en 
New Garden Plants. 
4, Evotyunus PURPURO-CERULEUS.  Purplish- Blue 
flowered Evolvulus. Stove Perennial, (Bindweeds.) 
West Indies. 
A small but most lovely little suffruticose plant, 
with copious flowers, at first sight not much unlike 
those of Anagallis czrulea, but borne upon erect 
twiggy branches with small patent or reflexed leaves, 
and worthy ofa place in every garden on account of the 
brilliant colour of its blossoms. Its nearest afiinity, 
as to species, is with E. Arbuseula of Poiret, Bahama ; 
but that has still smaller and erect leaves, not taper- 
ing at the base, like those of the one now before 
us. It inhabits dry rocks near the sea, in the district 
of Manchester, Jamaica; and caught the attention of 
Mr. Purdie, its discoverer (who sent home seeds of 
itto the Royal Gardens of Kew), by its showy bright blue 
flowers. A variety has bloomed at Kew, from the same 
country, with pale blue flowers. It was reared in the 
stove, and requires to be kept moderately moist. It 
flowers in July and August.—Bot. Mag., 1845, t. 4202. 
5. SPIRÆA ANGUSTIFOLIA. 
Hardy Shrub. (Roseworts. 
Sp. CHAR. shrub. Stem smooth. Leaves inver 
simply serrated, entire at the base, smooth. 
minal, nicled.  Peduncles and pedicels rather dow 
Calyx-lobes triangular, spreading, somewhat downy. Ovary 
Narrow-leaved Spiræa. 
smooth, 
A hardy shrub, from the Berlin Garden, reported to be 
near Sp. salicifolia. It is said to be also called Sp. lanci- 
folia, which is however a different species. Its native 
country is unknown.—Ofto and Dietrich’s Garten- 
zeitung, No. 32, 1845. 
6. Sperm VENUSTA. Trim Spiræa.) Hardy Perennial. 
(Roseworts) t 
Sp. Onn,—Herbaceous. 
the upper palm 
segment 
Lower leaves palmatel, 
a tifid, with oblong lanceolate co 
which are downy beneath, on the rib 
cordate, serrate. Ovaries straight, smooth, 
thickened at the top. ^ i 
Said to belong to the Section Ulmaria, and to be near Sp. 
lobata, but different. Grows 4 to 5 ft. high. Its native 
country is unknown ; has been obtained out of the nur- 
series of Messrs. Booth and Mr. Van Houtte.— Otto and 
Dietrich’s Gartenzeitung, No. 32, 1945. 
pinnatifid ; 
ated 
pule: 
g Style curved, 
Miscellaneous. 
Destruction of Insects: Shore’s Bemedy.—Mr. E. C. 
Shore, who was recommended to the Society as a person 
in possession of the means of destroying insects, was 
permitted to experiment on various plants, in order to 
test the efficacy of the substances which he employed, 
Every facility was afforded him, but he found that suc- 
cess did not correspond with his expectations, for the 
plants were killed or greatly injured in many instances, 
although the insects were not, The red spider on 
Peach-trees was killed, but the shoot died next day. 
The Turnip-flea was not killed by a powder sprinkled 
the recommendation of Sir C. 
The Chamomile in a green state was suspended among 
the branches attacked by the scale ; but no alteration 
could be perceived, nor was the least effect produced 
upon the insec: To ascertain whether or nos Chamo- 
mile-water possessed the power of destroying seale.and 
other insects on plants, the Chamomile was infused in 
boiling water, and when cold applied to the plants with. 
a syringe. No difference could be perceived. Nos 
was destroyed. Corrosive Sublimaie, to destroy aphi 
and other inseets.—' This was dissolved in water, and 
applied to the plants with a syringe. The insects were 
killed instantaneously ; but, when the’ solution was 
made strong enough to kill insects, it destroyed the 
plants also. Naptha, Whisky, Oil, as remedies for 
the scale. — These substances wi all tried separately 
to different plants ; applied: with a eamel-hair brush, 
and used in similar quantities The leaves and 
branches which were thus dressed with oil perished in 
& few days ; those to which naphtha and whisky were 
applied were apparently uninjured. Oil destroys both 
scale and plants; whisky and naphtha destroy mealy 
bug while in an active state, but has no influence over 
the eggs of the insect, Spirit of Wine, to destroy scale, 
mealy bug, &e., has been tried. The spirits were ap- 
plied to the plants with a camel-hair brush.’ in 12 
hours afterwards the part where the spirits had been 
applied became a brown spot, and if they were diluted 
with water so as not to injure the plant they had no 
effect on the insects. This mode of destroying insects 
cannot be applied with safety ; if strong enough ‘to de- 
stroy them, it also destroys the plants.—Journal of the 
Horticultural Society. 
Transmission of Bulbs from India.— Bulbs, experi- 
mentally prepared for a voyage to England, were re- 
ceived from India by the Court of Directors of the East 
India Company, and sent to the Garden for examination. 
One half of the bulbs were simply wrapped in cotton 
and packed in brown paper, while the other portion (of 
the same kinds of bulbs) was enerusted in a kind of, 
white wax, and covered with cotton like the others. 
When received at the Garden, in June, 1844, those 
bulbs.whieh were simply packed in cotton and brown 
paper had emitted roots on the journey, and the tops in 
most cases had grown considerably, while those coated 
with wax remained quite firm and as fresh as when : 
first packed; although, according to the statement on 
the outside of the parcel containing them, they must 
have been confined in the wax three months. ‘ihe 
bulbs transmitted in cotton'began to grow first, but 
soon showed symptoms of debility ; while those sent in 
wax did not move much before a month after they were 
potted, but then they grew strong and healthy. In one 
or two cases the bulbs perished in the cotton, while the 
same kind packed or coated in wax survived the journey. 
— Journal of the Horticultural Society. 
¢ 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 
(For the ensuing Week. 
Tur winter having been unusually mild, every chance 
has been afforded of not only bringing up all arrears of 
autumn business, but of even “stealing a march ” on 
the coming spring. One of the most important points 
in gardening is to take care that the genuine winter 
business does not in any degree stand over until the 
spring arrives, as that period will assuredly bring mat- . 
ters so important with it as to press on the heels of the - 
most assiduous and thoughtful, I am much afraid that 
great complaints will exist of an imperfect development 
of the buds of our tender wall fruits ; last summer was 
so deficient in solar light and heat, and withal so wet, 
that those who still adhere to deep and rich borders, 
and train their wood thickly, will, 1 think, find it neces- 
sary to revoke plans so inimical to the success of tender 
Hes CONSERVATORIES, STOVES, &c. 
The Conservatory.—As this structure is the chief 
place of resort of the family in winter, it is requisite 
that the floors, &e., be at all times kept particularly. 
clean and dry ; dryness of atmosphere through fire heat 
^| will not, however, keep the plants in that luxuriant 
health which not only creates a present interest in them, 
but also furnishes a guarantee for success in future. 
Great moderation, therefore, in the use of fire heat is 
necessary in this department; more especially in the 
dead of winter. A temperature of from 40° to 45° by 
night, and from 50° to 55° by day, is at this period 
amply sufficient. Take care that Camellias in blossom 
are thoroughly watered with clear and tepid liquid 
manure. The Stove and. Orchidaceous-house.—Keep 
up abundance of atmospheric humidity, to counteract 
the parching or shrivelling tendency of hot pipes or flues. 
To obviate the inconvenience of drip leave a little back 
air all nightif onlyfan inch,’ A- few early Gloxinias 
and Achimenes may now be introduced to bottom-heat 
in this house. The Pelargonium-house.—Keep these in 
a quiescent state ; give as little water as possible, in 
fact, none, except the plants show a disposition to flag 
in the leaf. Abundance of air is requisite ; avoiding, 
however, cold currents, which are very liable to spot the 
leaf when ina tender state, through close confinement. A 
over the plants. In the hothouse t eight 
common plants of various sorts were selected. The 
substance was used in a pounded state, and the plants 
! of 50° by day and of 40° by night is suf- 
ficient for the present. The Mived jGreenhouse.—AÀ8 
few, excepting some of the most opulent, possess a dis- 
