102 THE 
GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
[FEB. 14, 
few twigs to grow round the point of junetion. This 
fact, and the constant practice in Belgium and Holland 
of plauting in publie walks trees with the stems of three 
or four inches diameter, from which the heads are 
wholly cut off, and then turning one of the young shoots 
to form a new head, might furnish a useful hint for 
improving our own practice in planting single trees in 
our parks, where, from their slender trunks and large 
heads, they seldom, in spite of the pains employed in 
staking them, make a satisfactory progress.— W. Spence: 
Parrots.— Has any attempt been made to introduce 
parrots to the woods of this country during the summer 
Season. I have at present a large green parrot ; it was 
brought from Demerara, and has had already some 
strange adventures, both by sea and land. It has lived 
with me several years, and appears to be both healthy 
and hardy, and thrives well upon common fare. It has 
escaped several times to the woods, but not much in- 
clined to fly far away ; but it will not allow itself to be 
taken easily, and it is seldom done without bloodshed, 
Perhaps some of your readers could say whether such 
birds would live in gardens or woods in this country.— 
Peter Mackenzie. 
United Practical Gardeners’ Society for Mutual 
Instruction. —Vhis society held its first meeting on 
Monday last, under most encouraging circumstances, 
their being upwards of 40 practical gardeners elected. 
The object of the society is mutual instruction, derived 
by cussing subjects relating to horticulture, every 
Monday evening, when members subseribe one penn, 
» per week (1s. entrance) for the purchase of newspapers 
H 
the ground, other seed could not be brought'in the 
manure; if dropped by birds or mice or by any other 
means, it was singular for it to grow exactly in the rows 
where I had set the Wheat, which it did; and perhaps 
what was more curious still, neither the Rye nor 
Barley came into ear the previous season, both being 
much earlier than Wheat. This fact appears to go far 
in favour of the doctrine of the transmutation of corn. 
—J. Wighton. 
Foreign Correspondence. 
Paris Winter Garden.—Feb. 1846.—For the last 
two or three years rumour with her thousand tongues 
30 wide, with a triple span roof about 16 or 18 feet 
high ; the centre is supported by four rows of square 
wooden pillars ; the garden is laid out in what is here 
called the English style, the borders being thiekly 
planted with greenhouse and half-hardy shrubs, such as 
Camellias, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Ericas, Mag- 
nolias, Fuchsias, Epacris, Mimosas, Chorizemas, Corrseas, 
Oranges, Kennedyas, Pimeleas, Veronicas, Clematis, 
aphnes, Abutilons, some Palms, Strelitzias, &e. 
The edgings are Laurestines, Ericas, Azaleas, Daphnes, 
&e. The pillars are decorated with rustie baskets 
containing plants in flower, and from the roof are sus- 
ended faney pots with drooping plants, such as 
Russellia juncea, &e. In the centre of the grand allée 
has been busily occupied with the project of a winter 
garden upon a grand scale in the most fashionable 
promenade of Paris, the Champs Elysées ; all sorts of 
reports were current respecting the wealth of the 
founders, the itude of the g, aud the 
choice collection of plants with which it was to be: 
embellished. The Jardin d'hiver of Lémichez, together 
with private nurseries, and the Marchées des Fleurs 
were to be superseded, and the whole Parisian and 
provincial trade d in the new floral temple ; 
even the fame of Chatsworth was to be forgotten in the 
splendour of the Champs Elysées ; not only were the 
most beautiful flowering plants to be congregated from 
all parts of the globe, but charming floral nymphs were 
to be in attendance with the most odoriferous bouquets ; 
in fact, nothing was to be omitted that could captivate 
the beau monde of Paris; as to the projectors of this 
fortunate i not even a premium of 30 or 50 
and periodicals, and for the relief of distressed g E 
The committee hope to have the assistance of gardeners 
residing at a distance, by forwarding any communiea- 
tions that may be interesting, and calculated to carry 
out the views of the Society.— E. F. Fairbuirn, Sec. 
The Blue Wood Anemone.—Vurning over the pages 
of an authoress, whose name has become immortalise. 
in connection with the poetry of flowers,* I met with 
lines on the Blue Anemone, in which it is designated 
the * Flower of the Soul.” Probably the species alluded 
to is the blue Wood Anemone (A. appennina), which is 
one of the most interesting of our spring flowers. The 
sym jolie meaning would, however, to an ordinary ob- 
server, be scarcely recognised apart from a knowledge 
ofthe eharaeter and habit of the plant. It is of low 
and.cirpet-like habit, unfolding its close and compact 
leaves a few inches above the ground, like a protecting 
canopy over the germs of beauty which lie couched be- 
neath, but which, when matured, appear above them, ex- 
panding with the early sunbeam, and closing with its de- 
clining ray. As a native of shady places (which its 
name implies), its delicate structure at first sight ap- 
pears unfavourable to its preservation, but Nature has 
endued it with favourable conditions for. artificial ex- 
posure. Its dwarfness is a security from the effects of 
wind, and its ample foliage, expanding the upper sur- 
face to the light, secures a uniform elevation, and 
supports the numerous slender flower stems which 
emerge from beneath it, and further preserves from 
har. the beauty of the flowers, which, more than most 
others, are “born to blush unseen ;" the leaves are 
clothed with silk-like hairs, which act as conductors of 
water, and thus, by limiting the amount. of absorption, 
preserve the plant from the accumulated pressure of 
atmospheric moisture, which falls from the trees by 
which it is often surrounded, and within whose 
shade it luxuriates. Partial shade appears essential to 
its perfect growth, and a bright and genial atmosphere 
for the expansion of its bloom. The only difference it 
assumes, when removed from its native localities to 
more exposed situations, is a less luxuriant habit $ 
hence it i 
as a relief to the dense masses of the vivid yellow Alpine 
Wallflower (Cheiranthus alpinus). The poetess's spiri- 
tual comparison of the reflected colours of the firma- 
ment upon its flowers—their quick contraction, or 
“shrinking” before the gathering storm, the ¢ passing 
weeze’’ and the * verual shower"—and anon, their 
bright and joyous expansion on the return of sunnier 
skies, are not less true than figurative, and emblematic 
of the soul shrinking under the vicissitudes of life, or 
the reverses of hope.—W7 Wood, Pine Apple Place. 
Transmutation of Corn.—There being nothing satis- 
facto: wown about the transmutation of corn, I beg 
to offer the result of my own experience in the matter, 
during the spring of 1844. I sowed about two rods 
with Wheat by the old aud good plan of dibbling in the 
seed. My object was to have it late, in order to attract 
the pickcheeses from my green Peas, which I find to be 
an excellent plan, When those birds are kept in bounds 
they are of much service in gardens, their diet bein 
chiefly that of insects; but when that food fails they 
must have something else. Though they are fond of 
green still they prefer corn or Sunflower heads to 
piek. "The spring mentioned being dry, my Wheat did 
not vegetate till late, and consequently did not come into 
earin the autumn, presenting the appearance of rank 
Grass, which I mowed down twice, and the greater part 
of the erop survived the winter. The first heads were 
Rye and Barley, but the crop in general was Wheat, as 
true as in another crop near it, treated in the usual way. 
As I only sowed the latter, it is natural to inquire how 
came the mixture of grain in my crop? As I limed 
M rns * Mrs,Hemans. —— 
per cent. would be suffieient to induce them to part 
with shares. Such were some of the dreams of its parti- 
sais, who had already forgotten the fate ofa somewhat 
similar lish on the Boul 1 Mont Parnasse, 
which proposed to furnish not only Paris but London 
and Brusseis with cut flowers, All conjecture is now 
is a rockwork basin and fountain; against the side 
walls are stages for Camellias, Geraniums, and flower- 
ing plants ; the lower end is ornamented with large 
looking glasses, and there is a reading-table, with news- 
papers, &e. for idlers. The side buildings are devoted 
to propagation and stock ; at the left hand entrance is 
a room for the making up and sale of bouquets, which 
according to the prospectus may be chosen from the 
plants in the garden. No expense appears to have been 
spared to procure large plants, of which there are some 
fine speci of Rhododend: , Azaleas, Correeas, and 
Camellias ; indeed, three plants of this last are said to 
have cost 10,000 francs (about 400/.) Such is the 
Winter-garden of the Champs Elysées, from which so 
much was expected ; willit answer ? that is the general 
question among horticulturists. One glance is enough 
to show that its cheval de bataille must be a retail 
flower-trade, and that only; as a wholesale nursery it 
; cannot for a moment compete with others in the neigh- 
|bourhood, for it does not even possess within itself 
means to produce sufficient stock for home consumption, 
and must trust to the publie markets for at least nine- 
tenths of its flowering plants and bouquets. Under 
such circumstances can it ever pay the expenses of rent 
set at rest, for the new Jardin d'hiver has within the 
ast week been opened to the publie, and no pains spared 
to make it known ; every part of Paris is plaearded 
with large bills, and advertisements in the George 
Robins style are in all the daily papers ; it is said that 
one thousand persons were admitted on the first day, 
and five hundred last Sunday. "This certainly is no bad 
commencement, considering that the admission is 
l frane each person. The situation is, perhaps, the 
very best that eould be chosen, being in the grand 
avenue of the Champs Elysées, about half way between 
the Plaee de la Coneorde and the Etoile 5 no doubt it 
will bea fashionable rendezvous for a season ; after that 
nous verrons. The following woodcut will give some idea 
of the plan and general distribution of the garden. 
| 
GROUND PLAN, 
E 
and management, which may be calculated at 15,000 or 
16,000 francs (600/.) a year ; to say nothing of the out- 
lay for buildings and plants. The speculation was 
originally set on foot as a“ Jointestock Nursery,” and 
is at present the entire property of three or four 
capitalists, who have the power of putting shares into 
the market whenever, and at whatever price they please, 
Societies. 
BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
Feb. 6.—The Vice President in the chair. Dona- 
tions to the library were announced from the Dublin 
Natural History Society, the Liverpool Literary and 
Philosophical Society, and Dr. Martius, British 
plants had been received from Professor Balfour, 
Mr. R. Embleton, and Mr. J. T. Mackay; and foreign 
plants from Dr. Dickenson, and Mr. T. C. Hunt, Her 
Majesty's Consul at St. Michaels, Azores. The col- 
lection sent by the latter gentleman consists of between 
two and three thousand specimens collected in the 
Azores. The following plants were exhibited :—Vacci- 
nium macrocarpum (Ait); discovered by Dr. Bidwell in 
Soughton Bog, near Mold, Flintshire, in August 1845. 
Cerastium strictum (Linn. ); discovered by Mr. Andrews 
in Great Arran Isle, Galway, Ireland, in August, 1845. 
Poa Balfourii (Parn.), collected on Ben Voirlich, 
near the head of Loch Lomond, Scotland, by Professor 
Balfour. Cerastium holosteoides (Fries); collected by 
John Storey, Esq., on the banks of the Tyne, N. B. 
This example has the glabrous surface of holosteoides, 
but searcely differs from C. triviale in the character of 
its inflorescence : it is thus a connecting link between 
them. Trifolium Bocconi and Molinerii, and “ Oro- 
banche amethystea?” collected by the Rev. W. S. 
Hore, as recorded in the “ Phytologist” for August 
1845. Primula veris, and varieties; a series of 
14 specimens to show the transition from P. veris to 
. vulgaris ; being some of the plants raised from the 
seeds of P. vulgaris var. intermedia, as recorded by 
Mr. Hewett Watson in the * Phytologist” for July last, 
Read * An Outline of the Flora of the neighbourhood 
of Godalming in the county of Surrey, with brief 
notices of the Geological Features and general aspect of 
the District,” by J. D. Salmon, Esq., Corresponding 
Member of the Society. 
INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS. 
Jan. 26.—A letter was read from Herr Zanth (honorary 
and corresponding member of the Institute), at Stut- 
gard, descriptive of a Casino, now nearly completed 
from his designs and under his superintendence, for the 
King of W g. The structure. 1, after the 
royal owner, “ Wilhelma,’’—is of stone, in the Moresque 
style, the courses of the masonry being coloured white, 
yellow, and red violet, and covered with copper, partly 
gilt. It is situated in a winter garden, in the midst of 
four conservatories, with porticoes, steps, terraces, and 
parterres ;—it consists of a vestibule, an Oriental court, 
with a fountain, a picture-gallery, a divan, a saloon, an 
ti t 
ELEVATION. 
Scale—10 feet to a centimetre, 
Reference to Plan.—1, Ground plan of the garden ; 2, Read- 
ing-table and stool ; 3, Salon des bouquets ; 4, Bureau ; 5, Ca- 
mellia-house : 6 1 i i * 
house; 8, Fuchsias, &c., house; 9, Stove; 10, Propagation: 
house, 
The coup d’wil upon entering is by no means imposing, 
and not at all equal to what I had been led to expect ; 
the wood-work is too heavy, and the elevation too low; 
the principal building is about 100 or 120 feet long;by 
g and app , à sleeping and dressing- 
room, and a bath with an arched roof, decorated with 
pendants. The conservatories and porticoes are of cast- 
iron, very slender, and richly ornamented ;—in the same 
taste, the conservatories are divided into two aisles, con- 
taining various rare flowers, and abut against two 
pavilions, surmounted by glazed oetangular cupolas, for 
tropical plants ;—the entire extent is about 350 feet j 
at the end of the conservatories the porticoes commence, 
which form the enclosure of a flower-garden, for the 
private use of the king. 
