. tomary sequents, of the disease. 
134 THE 
GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
[FEB. 28, 
fection with other kinds of fruits; there is not that dif- 
ficulty even in their production as there is in producing 
fine Pears.— James. Barnes, Dicton. 
Simmons’s Hygrometer.—This instrument, noticed in 
` the Leading Article of last Saturday, has been in my 
possession several weeks, and it gives me pleasure to 
say, that its action in determining the state of the at- 
. mosphere in my Orchidaceous and other houses is per- 
fect. I look upon it as no small advantage to be able 
to communicate to others the humidity as well as the 
temperature we maintain in our plant structures. 
Every practical man on entering such erection casts his 
eye on the thermometer, and at once learns the tempe- 
rature; he may now do the same on the hygrometer, 
and read off more easily the amount of moisture present. 
I hope it will not be long before all practical men will 
understand what is meant when such a statement as the 
following appears :—“ We are now keeping the Orchi- 
daceous house at from 50° to 70° of Simmons.” As the 
inventor is a friend of mine and no horticulturist, if any 
of your readers wish for any information respecting the 
instrument, I shall be happy to give it upon applica- 
tion, premising that I have not the slightest pecuniary 
interest in it. Nevertheless, believing it will be found a 
most useful instrument, I do feel interested in its sale 
for the sake of its ingenious inventor, as well as for the 
advance of horticulture.—Z. Beck, Worton Cottage. 
Profitable Mode of Planting Potatoes.—Plough in a 
good coat of manure, then plant with Bean-dibber a 
Single eye scooped out, 6 inches apart and 18 inches 
between the rows. ‘The scoop-bowl should measure 
1 inch in diameter, set on, inclining backwards, and 
Linch fromthe handle. A woman can scoop 2 bushels 
ina day. ‘The produce I have realised from the above 
mode has been 226 tlree-bushel sacks to the acre, heaped 
measure. In addition to this, more than two-thirds of 
the Potatoes remained for food for my pigs and cows. 
The experiment I made was as follows ; I planted four 
lands in one field :— 
The tst, with two quarters of a Potato. 
» 1 
with one quarter ha 
2 9d, with two eyes (t 
> 4th, with one eye ^" 
, 
The fourth produced just double the quantity of the 
first—Charles Talmage, Hersepeth, near Wheatley, 
Oxon 
Potato Gangrene.—In the “ Gardeners’ Almanac,” 
I have thus described the phenomena of this disease :— 
* Immediately after the rains and morning frosts of 
early August, the stems began to deeay, but the weather 
continuing wet, instead of their decay being dry, and 
attended with the usual phenomena of their reduetion 
to mere woody fibre, the putrefaction -was moist, and 
the smell attendant upon it precisely that evolved du- 
ring the decay of dead Potato haulm partly. under 
water. The stem$ decayed whilst the fibres connect- 
ing the tubers with them were fresh and juicy—the pu- 
trefaction spread along these, the ichor being absorbed 
by their still energetic vessels, and passing into the 
still immature and unusually juiey tubers, imparted to 
them the gangrene ; the infection first being apparent 
at the end nearest the connecting fibre, spreading gra- 
dually throughout the liber of the tuber, rendering it 
brown like a decayed Apple, and lastly, causing the 
decay of its interior portion. Previously to the final 
decay, the increased specifie gravity of the Potato is re- 
markable, amounting to one-third more than that of a 
healthy tuber— an increase/caused by its greater amount 
of water. When boiled it becomes black; but when 
submitted to a dry heat of about 2009, it rapidly loses 
moisture, and the progress of the ulceration is retarded, 
if not entirely stopped." Since the above description 
was penned, I have had abundant opportunity of ex- 
amining Potatoes affected with the disease, and of pur- 
suing numerous experiments, every one of which con- 
firms my opinion that the Potato disease is purely a 
gangrene or ulceration of the tuber, and that the fungi 
and insects which supervene are merely sequents, cus- 
In every instance, ex- 
cept where the disease is imparted by inoculation or 
contact, it first makes its appearance at the end whereby 
it is connected with the parent stem, in conformity with 
the general observation that the disease first made its 
appearance in some part of the stem, and intimating 
that the ichorous matter there engendered was thence 
imparted to the tuber, If the cause of the disease had 
been a fungus, it seems apparent that its pores would 
*veeasionally have vegetated first, or simultaneously, in 
other parts of the tubers than that in most immediate 
contact with the stem. Again, if the cause of the 
isease was a fungus, then the application of any 
substance destructive of the fungi tribe would be 
effectually remedial. Now common salt is a sub- 
stance possessing that destructive power. It will 
reduce the common Mushroom, and other fungi, to 
little more than a liquid form in a very short space of 
time ; yet it has no effect in preventing the decay of 
the Potato once infected with the prevailing disease. I 
have washed the diseased tubers with brine, and have 
buried them in salt, but the gangrene still proceeded. 
These are facts apparently irreconcilable with the opi- 
nion that the disease is caused by a parasitieal fungus. 
But if my observations are correct, I have absolute 
proof that the fungus appears only after the disease has 
made considerable progress, and decomposition has con- 
siderably advanced. J have examined the outside and 
the liber of a tuber in the early stages of its disease, but 
have never succeeded in finding a single fungus, nor 
even the appearance of its hyphasma or rootlets among 
the diseased cells. If the Rev. Mr. Berkeley has de- | 
\ 
tected them, it will strengthen his opinion thata botrytis 
is the cause of the disease. His excellent essay on the 
subject in the “Journal of the Horticultural Society,” 
is well deserving of perusal. Then, again, I have taken 
the putrid matter from a tuber in which the disease 
was far advanced, and haye introduced it into an.exten- 
sive wound freshly made in a healthy Potato, and the 
latter has speedily become infected, though in the 
putrid matter introduced, there was no appearance 
of fungi, Even when common salt was mixed with 
the putrid matter previously to introduction, for the 
purpose of destroying any fungi it might contain, still 
the disease was imparted by the inoculation. At pre- 
sent, therefore, my opinion as to the nature of the dis- 
ease remains unshaken, I think it an. ulceration, 
attended by all the usual phenomena of vegetable putre- 
faction; and, among others, that of engendering matter 
peeuliarly favoured by the lower orders of fungi. As 
the Potato arrives at the last stages of decomposition, 
not only is the botrytis, but mucor, found upon it 
abundantly if exposed to the air in darkness. I am 
equally unshaken in the opinion that the gangrene was 
occasioned by the excessive rains and reduced tempera- 
ture of early August. It matters nothing that the tem- 
perature and fall of rain, during the whole of 1845, did 
not much differ from that on au averageof years. The 
question is, was there not generally an excess of rain, 
and an unusually low reduction of temperature at the 
beginning of August, when the disease made its promi- 
nent appearance? In all the meteorological tables 
whieh I have consulted this was the case.—G. W. 
Johnson. 
Russian Stoves.—I observed (p. 101) a trifling press 
error in the description of the Russian mode of clean- 
ing chimnies, but which might lead to mischief; a 
* billet," as printed, would be liable to tear the inside of a 
chimney ; but a. bullet, as it should have been (say a 
10 or 18 pounder), would carry down the brush without 
injury to the briek-work of the shaft, Itdoes not seem 
probable that working drawings of a Russian stove 
could be procured in this country, possibly not even at 
St. Petersburg, as the stove builders there never 
appeared to use drawings ; 
tiles were their only 
guide for the exterior 
of the stove, the inte- 
rior they constructed, 
as led by habit and 
individual skill, with 
more. or (less of 
flue. The annexed 
woodcut, however, may 
give some idea of the 
ordinary kind of stove 
for heating largerooms. 
The sketch is without 
any attempt at the 
customary ornamental 
yarieties, as regards 
form or decoration,— 
such as) pediments, ©, An opening or pipe communi- 
columns, &e., as these cating with ft, i 
must depend on the pe ME Ud to 
taste of the builder. 6f the 14th inst. This opening to be 
I add a perpendicular at the top or the back of the flue, 
section of the flue. according to what is most suitable 
This latter, if taker as t° the chimney shaft. 
an horizontal section, may serve to show the manner 
M 3 
of forming fiues in a Lejanka. coke or 
the glazed ornamental 
stripped by these destructive pests, so that in some 
trees the fruit was deprived of flavour, or of further 
growth. The following season, when about to gather a 
few early ripened Gooseberries, I found that my fingers 
were soiled with soot, and on demanding of the gar- 
dener why this trap had been s-t, he told me it was to 
destroy the caterpillars, but he said “it had not done 
much good :” the application of soot to the trees at 
such a time, and in such a manner, surprised me, and I 
desired that he would; in the month of February or 
March of the next year, spread a, good spadeful of soot 
under each tree, and with a prong mix it lightly with 
the earth, and set his wits to work to discover the rea- 
son for so doing ; but not to fail to.search for the cater- 
pillar at the usual time of their destructive visits. 
Having applied the soot as directed to a row of about 
30 Gooseberry trees, he found, as the season advanced, 
that he had thereby effectually, prevented the ravages, 
or even the app of t illars.—A Sub: 
scriber. 
Impositions.—Observing in your Paper of last week 
some remarks upon the Pear advertised by us under 
the name of Sussex Monster, as being an old friend 
under a new name, we beg to state thatwe received it 
from Frederick Allman, nurseryman, Horsham, Sussex, 
the grower, who requested us to advertise ‘it for 
him at 10s. 67. each, allowing us the usual trade discount. 
We did so, believing him to be an honest upright man 5 
he represented it to be a new kind, and with this belief 
we undertook to advertise it for him.— Warner and 
Warner. 
Weerkty Prices or PorAToEs per ton, in Covent 
Garden Market, in 1845, and 1846. 
“1846. 
1845. || | 
Jose caos ty 25| 50s. to 80s.| Jan. .. eM 80s. to 1605.. 
I LE 1 80 31| 70 140 
8|50 80 | Feb. Sarees, 7| 70 160 
15|50 80 | 14| 70 160 
22| 50  80| 21 70 160 
29|50 80 || 28| 70 — 160 
Also at the waterside, Southwark. 
27 | 555. to 80s-||Jan. 
3| 55 80 |Feb. 
10| 55  80| 
17 "55 —'80:| 16 50 120 
24|55 80 23| 60 — 130 
35s cbiefos. 
Awoxa the numerous works on Gardening, Botany, 
&c., which have accumulated on our table within the 
few last weeks, the following may be especially noticed:— 
Flore des Jardins et des grandes cultures, by M. 
Seringe (vol. i.), is an 8vo of 600 pages, containing a 
familiar introduction to the Theory and Practice of Gar- 
dening, and a popular account of the six following 
natural orders of plants, viz.:—Violetworts, Rock 
Roses, Weldworts, Capparids, Crucifers, and Poppy- 
worts. The work is illustrated with good, plates and 
woodcuts, and will be found useful to the student, 
Dr. Lovell Philips’ Essay on Tropical Agriculture, 
noticed at p. 281, 1844, has reached a third edition—a 
satisfactory proof that our West and East Indian 
friends are thinking of something more than sugar and 
opium. The present edition has two letters on the 
treatment of cattle and the rotation of crops, which we 
T g 
anthracite coal to be the 
fuel, the fuel chamber is 
large enough to receive 
an Oxford grate, or to 
admit of the construction 
of an earthen Arnott 
stove.  Fire-brieks and 
fire-tiles only should be 
used for the whole in- 
ternal structure, and pro- 
vision should be made ai 
land 2 for taking out a 
tile and briek once or 
twice a year, so as to 
form an opening for the 
insertion of a seraper to 
“clean out soot. The 
Russian glazed tiles, when 
of large dimensions, have 
small holes formed in the 
inside, through which 
connecting wires are 
passed and twisted tight. 
The tiles for angles are angular, so as to avoid joins at 
any edge. Glazed tile covered stoves have the great 
advantage over iron ones of never emitting smell, or 
contaminating the air, besides, when well construeted, 
that of perfect, safety from fire, as they never become 
red hot on the outside.—M. B 
Gooseberry Caterpillar.—Heat water (as much as 
might be wanted), to 150° Fahr., and syringe the bushes 
well; then strew a small quantity of hot lime under them, 
and pat the ground with the back of a spade or shovel. 
I have followed this plan with complete success about 
14 years ; the hot water does not hurt the bushes even 
in the hot weather of May.—J. M. The season has 
arrived for applying a remedyjby which this pest might 
be effectually prevented from appearing at all on the 
Gooseberry trees, I will state a simple method, which 
has been followed with complete success in my garden. 
Two or three years ago, my Gooseberry trees were 
Perpendicular Section of the Flues 
from A to B. 
Seale 4 of an inch to a foot, 
d to the notice of the agricultural reader, 
The 8th Number of the Tasmanian Journal, con- 
tains, among other topies, a description of some New 
Zealand Ferns by Mr. Colenso, and notes on the dental 
apparatus of Tasmanian snakes. 
A new Universal E i i 
Dictionary of the English Language, embracing all the 
Terms used in Art, Science, and Literature (Gilbert), 
has a title which would insure it a sale if it were fairly 
executed. We cannot, however, afford it one word of 
praise. The notion of its being necessary to explain the 
pronunciation of abscond by ab-skond is ridiculous, 
and quite shakes our confidence in the common sense 
of the author. Nor is this unfavourable impression re- 
moved by finding such words as Abronia, Abrotanum, 
Absinthium, set down as “English” words. We cannot 
even spare a line of compliment for the manner in whieh 
the sound or meaning of such words is explained; in 
Abrotanum the accent is on the wrong syllable ; Abrus 
is not wild Liquorice, although itis so called in the West 
Indies ; there is no such genus of plants as Acalepha,. 
neither is Acalypha “a genus of prickly plants ;” nor is 
the natural order Acanthaceæ composed of shrubs or 
herbs, “generally prickly ;” nor have the plants of this 
order a“ turcillated" (what on earth is that?) pistil- 
lum ; nor—but it is useless to go on. 
The Church of England Magazine occasionally con- 
tains some interesting articles on the gossip of flowers; 
but we must make an exception to the Crocus in the last 
Number, which is, both as to letterpress and likeness (!) 
we will not say what. 
Professor Schykowffsky has translated Dr. Lindley's 
Theory of Horticulture into Russian, and a copy is 
before us. It is well printed,and the Russian copies- 
of the woodeuts are very respectable. ^ 
Professor C. A. Meyer has published a short account 
of the genus Ephedra, which he finds contain 21 species. 
From Dr. Kirschleger, Professor of Botany at Stras- 
l and P. 
burg, has appeared an historical essay on the doctrines. . 
of Vegetable Morphology, up to July 1845 5 it is full of 
talent, and may be regarded as an excellent sketch of 
the subject.” 
