3.—1846.1 THE 
GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 39 
the above Atropa Mandragora, as the Arabs usually 
Yefer only to the plants of Dioscorides, and, on this 
occasion, they quote him.as well as Galen, and aseribe 
Narcotic properties to both the root and the fruit. 
D'Herbelot, under the article * Abrousanam, details 
some of the sup itious opinions respecting this plant, 
which originated in the East, but which continued for a 
long time to be retailed by authors in Europe. By the 
Arabs it is said:to be called tufah-al-sheitan, or devil's 
Apple. If we look to-the works of more modern authors, 
we find a continuance of the same statements. “Chus 
Mariti, in his Travels (vol, ii. p. 195), says that the 
Arabs called the Mandrake plant (yabrochak), which is, 
no doubt, the same name as given above. ‘At the 
village of St. John in the mountains, about 6 miles 
South-west from Jerusalem, this plant is found at pre- 
Sent, as well as in Tuscany. It grows low, like Lettuce, 
to which its leaves have a strong resemblance, except 
that they have a dark green colour. The flowers are 
purple, and the root is for the most part forked. 
fruit, when ripe, in the beginning of May, is of the size 
and colour of a small Apple, exceedingly ruddy, and of 
a most agreeable odour ;.our guide thought us fools for 
suspecting it to be hol . He ate it freely 
himself, and it is generally valued by the inhabitants as 
exhilarating their spirits and a provocative to venery.’ 
. Maundrell was informed by the chief priest of the 
Samaritans that it was still noted for its genial virtue. 
Hasselquist also seems inclined to consider it the dudaim, 
for, when at Nazareth, he says, ‘what I found most 
remarkable in their villages was the great quantity of 
Mandrakes that grew in a vale below it. The fruit was 
now (May 16)xipe. From the season in which this 
Mandrake blossoms and ripens its fruit, one might form 
a conjecture that it is Rachel’s dudaim. hese were 
brougit her in the Wheat harvest, which in Galilee is 
in the month of May, about this time, and the Mandrake 
Was now in fruit. Considering therefore that the ear- 
liest translators have given Mandragora and Y abrokhim 
as the synonymous names for dudaim, and that the root 
and fruits of Atropa Mandragora have, from early 
times, been supposed to be possessed of the same pro- 
perties which are ascribed to the dudaim, there does 
not appearito us any other plant, which has been yet 
adduced, better entitled than it to stand for the dudaim. 
But there does not exist sufficient collateral proof to 
confirm the selection by the Greek translator of the 
Mandragora as the dudaim, in preference to some other 
plants, which might be adduced, and to which similar 
properties have from ancient times been ascribed.” 
With this care and intimate knowledge of the vege- 
tation of the East is every botanical subject dealt with; 
and as the other contributors seem each to have 
executed his task as faithfully, Dr. Kitto’s Cyclopedia 
Will take a high place among the classical works on 
Biblical criticism. 
Wew Garden Planis. 
7. INDIGOFERA pecora. Decorated Indigo. Green- 
house Shrub. (Leguminous Plants). China. 
Received from Mr. Fortune, May 1, 1845. A dark- 
green hands bush, with s hat glaucous branches. 
The leaves are pinnate in from two to five pairs and an 
odd one, quite smooth on the upper side, but slightly 
covered on the under side with very fine hairs, attached 
by their middle ; the leaflets are exactly ovate, with a 
short bristle at their end, between 13 and 2 inches 
long, of a very dark green colour; and to each pair 
there are-two short bristle-like stipules. The flowers 
Srow from the axils of the leaves in horizontal racemes 
Much shorter than the leaves themselves ; they are of 
a light rose-colour and very handsome. The calyx is a 
at membranous five-toothed cup, with the two upper 
teeth very. far apart. The standard of the corolla is 
z oblong, nearly flat, very slightly keeled behind, nearly 
White, ‘but pencilled with delicate crimson lines near 
the base ; in length it is equal to the wings and keel, 
and forms with them.an angle of about 45° when ex- 
Panded ; the wings are narrowly lanceolate and ciliated, 
of a pale bright rose-colour ; the keel is rather paler, 
and bordered with a woolly or very downy upper edge. 
t is a greenhouse plant which will grow freely in 
almost any sort of soil, especially sandy peat. In sum- 
Mer an ample supply of water is required, and air at all 
times when the weather is favourable. To prevent the 
leaves from being scorched by the sun, it will be neces- 
Sary to use shading. In winter water should only be 
given when the soil becomes dry. It strikes freely from 
Cuttings under ordinary treatment. This is a good ad- 
dition to, our greenhouse plants.—Journal of the Horti- 
culiural Society. 
8. LOBELIA GLANDULOSA. 
Perennial. 
Crassiuscula. 
This isa hardy herbaceous plant, of the easiest culti- 
vation, growing freely in any kind of garden soil, and 
not unlike the well-known L. syphilitica, but much less 
showy. 1 It attains the height of two aud a half feet, 
flowers in September and Oetober, and, like so many 
of its race, prefers a moist situation to a dry one. 
Elliot says that it grows in damp Pine barrens. The 
Stem is between 3 and 4 feet high, quite undivided, 
angular and covered with short hairs; The- leaves are 
Sessile, oval-lanceolate ; near the base of the stem 
narrowed into a short winged stalk, irregularly toothed, 
and bordered with hard white conical glands, which 
also appear on the edge of the bracts and ealyx, from 
Which remarkable circumstance the species derives its 
name, The.spikes are something less than a foot long, 
Glandular Lobelia. Hardy 
(Lobeliads). Carolina, Syn. L 
and covered at short intervals by pale blue flowers, 
rather smaller than in the well-known Lobelia syphili- 
tica, The sepals are reflexed on the edge and slightly 
toothed. "The lower lip of the corolla consists of three 
sharp ovate lobes, the upper of two very narrow chan- 
nelled reflexed ones. Two varieties of it are mentioned 
by M. Alphonse Dé Candolle ; one a smaller plant with 
a smooth corolla and calyx, the other with oblong downy 
leaves. We have not remarked either in gardens. It 
is also said to vary with oval, lanceolate, and linear 
leaves, which are more or less toothed.— Botanical 
Reyister, 1846, ¢. 6. 
Garden Memoranda. 
Messrs. Fairbairn’s Nursery, Clapham.—Since we 
last visited this establisliment several novelties have 
sprung up in the shape of horticultural buildings. At 
the east end of the former range a spacious greenhouse 
has been erected for the accommodation of specimen 
plants and young stock. Thisstructure is about 80 feet 
in length, 12 feet in breadth, and about 11 feet in height. 
It is span-roofed, the front or south side being about 
103 feet in depth, and the north side-6 feet ; the latter 
resting on a back wall of 84 feet in height. "This wall 
is, however, provided with windows which slide up and 
own by means of weights and pulleys, thus offering 
ample means of ilationin summer, and i ing the 
amount of light in winter. The sashes in the roof are 
moveable, and the front or upright sashes, whieh are 
about 3 feet in height, also move up and down by means 
of weights and pulleys, making the front altogether 
about 7 feet in height, one half being glass and the 
other brick work. Aslate sheif, about 5 feet in breadth, 
on a level with the bottom of the upright sashes, runs 
the whole length of the house ; in front of this is the 
pathway about 3 feet in width, and on the other, side of 
the pathway is a pit about 4 feet in width, whieh is 
hiefly filled with Camellias. On the front shelf were 
many fine specimens of Cape Heaths, for which this 
nursery is justly celebrated ; but the best display of 
large and fine plants of this beautiful genus was 
in a new house which has lately been erected for 
them at the west end of the former range. This 
is a neat-looking structure about 40 feet in length 
and 15 feet in breadth, and from its being well venti- 
lated, appears to be extremely well adapted for the 
growth of greenhouse plants in general; but especially 
of Heaths. It is span roofed, the south side being 
14 feet in depth, and the north side about 5 feet 
6 inches, resting on a back wall of nearly 8 feet in 
height. The latter has several windows or ventilators 
in the length, and the top lights are all moveable as 
well as. the sashes in front, which are about 3 feet in 
height. A slate shelf, 24 feet in breadth, extends the 
length of the front and ends, and in the centre sur- 
rounded by a stone pathway is a raised platform, on 
which the plants are placed. It is glazed by British 
sheet-glass; the panes being overlapped, and about 
2 feet in length, which gives the roof a clean and light 
appearance. ‘This, as well-as the other new house, is 
heated by hot-water circulating in iron pipes from one 
of Spiller’s upright cylindrical boilers. In addition to 
these it may be mentioned that a small Pelargonium 
house has been put up at the end of the propagating 
house, both being warmed by hot-water flowing from 
one boiler. In all the "houses, the Heaths, both speci- 
men plants and young stock, were in luxuriant health, and 
exhibited the best of management. They are growing 
in Shirley peat, which being very fibrous in texture, is 
every way well adapted to the culture of such plants. 
The balls are not elevated in the pots, as is sometimes 
done, this being considered unnecessary where the soil 
is used in a rough state, and where the pots are effec- 
tually drained, which is the chief agent cf success in 
pot-culture. 
Helmington-hall, West of Durham, the Seat of Mrs. 
Spencer.—There is here a number of plants of the 
Salvia fulgens, 5 feet in height, growing on the open 
border in flower. They have bloomed well all the third 
season of the year, and are still continuing thus far in the 
ourth to produee flowers and foliage equally good, 
being a rare cir in this i county ; 
they have been much admired. Has anybody else Sal- 
vias in flower on the open border, without artifical pro- 
tection in this northern climate !—A. D. 
Broughton-hall, near Manchester. — The Rev. J. 
Clowes, we are glad to learn, has been fortunate enough 
to obtain from Fernando Po an entire plant of Ansellia 
Africana in good preservati The ps 
about the height of an umbrella, and appear, from the 
remains of the flowering stems at the top, to spread 
abroad to about the same circumference. Each flower 
is reported to be as large as a Tulip, and to be very 
handsome. Oncidium phymatochilum is also coming 
finely into bloom, producing two strong stems. 
£ 
$ 
Wiscellaneous. : 
Destruction of Insects: Kyles Liguid.—A. liquid 
for destroying mealy bug and other insects, invented by 
Mr. Brown, chemist, Layton, having been sent to the 
garden by Mr. John Kyle, the following trials were 
made. As recommended by him, the liquid was applied 
with a eamel-hair brush to Begonia undulata, Epiden- 
drum hl anda M illari The „plants 
were apparently uninjured, In every case the insects 
were killed. 4 Composition for destroying scale on 
Pines having been sent to the garden by Robert Dymond, 
Esq., whose gardener was the inventor, the following 
trials were made with it. The composition, being like 
black paint, was diluted with water, according to the 
donor’s directions, and applied to the plants with a 
brush. Not having Pines to operate upon, common 
stove and greenhouse’ plants were substituted. The 
plants were rendered unsightly until the old leaves 
dropped off, the substance being of such a nature as 
not to wash off by syringing with clean water. The 
young leaves soon became covered with scale like those 
which were dressed with the liquid. In this case ver 
few of the insects were killed ; and although they had 
been destroyed, the remedy proved worse than the dis- 
ease. Spirit of Wine, in the form of vapour, has been 
tried to destroy scale and other inseets on plants. The 
plant experimented: upon was put into an empty water- 
tub,and coveredup close to retain thesteam ; a small vessel 
full of hot water was placed beside the plant, over which 
a cup was placed containing the spirit. In this opera- 
tion six hours seem to be about the time required. The 
quantity of spirit should be in proportion to the space 
intended to be filled. Fora common water-tub, if the 
spirits are good, a wine-glassful is quite sufficient. 
Several Orchidaceous plants have been cleaned by this 
process without being in the least injured.— Journal of 
the Horticultural Society. 
Indestructibility of Po'ato-Starch.—The following 
ease may not be uninteresting at the present time, as 
itshows the resistive power of starch to the ordinary 
influences of vegetable d positi A gentl 
living in this neighbourhood, four years ago (in 1841) 
made a pit in an outhouse for the purpose of preserving 
his winter stock of Potatoes. The pit was made and 
filled with Potatoes,in dry weather, but when the winter 
had set in, it was found. to be nearly full of water, and 
the Potatoes to be so far deeayed as to be considered 
worthless. Accordingly, they were buried in a large 
hole, about three feet deep,.in the garden, covered with 
earth to the thickness of about.a foot or two, and thus 
left, as was thought, to rot and become converted into 
manure. A few weeks since, on digging over the spot 
where these Potatoes were buried, a white mass was 
turned up, whieh proved to be part of the remains of 
the Potatoes. A careful examination of the spot was 
now made. ‘The Potatoes, which originally occupied a 
space about two feet deep, were found compressed into 
a layer of eight or nine inehes intbiekness. ‘The upper 
part of this layer consisted of a mass of white powder, 
which, on being examined by the microscope, was 
ascertained to be pure and perfeet starch. In the 
lower part of the layer, the cortical portion of the 
tubers, as well as the starch, still remained ; thus each 
Potato, ina flattened state, like a dried Fig, could be se- 
arated from the rest, and on removing the dry peel, 
the interior was found to consist of the starch, nearly 
pure, but-a little more coloured than that in the upper 
part of the layer. These flattened remains of the 
Potatoes have a strong and most offensive smell ; but 
the-starch, on being washed, isas- sweet and white, and 
in every respect:as good, asthat obtained from fresh 
and sound ‘Potatoes, although it has been buried in the 
ground, and has remained in contact with the decaying 
portion of the tubers during a period of full three years 
anda half. The surface of the decayed Potatoes was 
covered with an immense number of earth worms, 
completely matted together, and the mould for six or 
eight inches above these was full of maggots, similar to 
those of the common house flies ; but neither worms 
nor maggots were found among the decayed Potatoes.— 
Deane in Pharmaceutical Journal. 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS, 
(For the ensuing Week.) 
Tux great utility of charcoal and wood ashes is ad- 
mitted on all hands for gardening purposes ; I would, 
therefore, beg to direct the attention of the gardening 
world to the necessity of a somewhat systematic course 
of procedure in the mode by which it is made. Now is 
the time (whilst the felling of trees, the “stocking” of 
hedges, or thinning of woods are proceeding) to lay in 
a considerable stock for the year. ‘The process of burn- 
ing is most simple. I begin by burning all the Jargest 
of the brush as a centre of operations; following up 
with the smaller wood ; and when in a due state of 
combusticn, covering the whole with the rough refuse 
of the kitchen garden, which has been. twelvemonths in 
collecting. Finally, a coating of turves or soil—double 
if turves ; the latter being reserved for prime potting 
purposes. The material thus managed, will furnish 
large masses of charcoal for Orchids, &e.; smaller 
lumps for drainage to pots ; and wood-ash in ábundanee 
for dressing seed-beds, for any plants which require 
fresh material. 
CONSERVATORIES, STOVES, &c. 
Conservatory.—In recourse to artificial heat for this 
structure, too much stress cannot be laid on the mode- 
ration necessary. As has been well observed, the fire 
king is sometimes a greater enemy than the ice king. 
Try to ensure sufficient atmospheric moisture without 
drip. To accomplish this, there should be a moderate, 
but permanent moisture supplied, either on some part 
of the floors or in contact with a return pipe, especially 
during the day ; and at night back air, more or less, 
continually—Do not excite stove plants at present; 
wait for longer days and more light. — Take care to dispel 
damp by all possible means from plant-frames, and pick 
off all deeaying matter. 
KITCHEN GARDEN FORCING, 
Pinery.—Fruiting plants up, or required to rise very 
soon, for early fruit, should now be allowed a slight rise 
in the thermometer; on light days 70° or 75°, and in 
sunshine 10° more may be indulged in. Those who are 
about commencing, or have already commenced, the Ha- 
miltonian system, must carefully guard against over-ex- 
citement through bottom heat at this period. The same 
