| 
254 |. THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
[APRIL 18, 
equal parts of linseed oil and suet or tallow, mixed by 
melting, and the whitening beaten in in the usual way ; 
those who prefer a smaller proportion may use halt a 
pound of suet or tallow to a pint of linseed oil.— P. 
Caveat Emptor. Don’t buy a Pig in a poke,— 
Perhaps you will allow me (though I know you dislike 
gardening gossip) to tell a tale which may be of service 
to your correspondents who complain of fraudulent ad- 
vertisers. Once upon a time, I was led by a specious |. 
advertisement to order a new Fuchsia from a country 
nurseryman, and not being “a known correspondent,” 
&e., I inclosed my 10s. 6d. in the shape of a post-office 
order. In due time I received the plant, in a thumb 
pot, and had to pay 2s. or 3s. more for carriage, porter- 
age, &c. After some months of nursing, I had the 
satisfaction to discover that my money, care, and atten- 
tion, had all been thrown away on a bit of rubbish, for 
which, if I had seen the plant in bloom before I ordered 
it, I would not have given 6d, I thought myself much 
worse off, than if, like your Guernsey correspondent, I 
had not received anything for my money. However, I 
resolved that I never would, from that time, * buy a 
pig in a poke ;” and I have often since had reason to 
think that my half-guinea was well spent.—J. JV. 
Brewing.—\st, your correspondent is right in reading 
“stewed” for “strewed,” It was a mistake of the printer. 
2nd, the quantity of Hops is right. 3rd, the Hops and 
Camomile flowers are to be added to the other ingre- 
dients when, in technical language, the beer begins to 
fine itself. 4th, perhaps I used the term boil, which 
your correspondent says every housewife would know 
better than to use, because I am not a housewife. 
5th, nevertheless, the brewer says the beer ought to be 
boiled both before and after the Hops and Camomiles 
are put in.—Anon., April 13. 
Destruction of Insects.—As a radical eure of in- 
veterate cases of green-fly, I beg to suggest immer- 
sion of the whole plant while small, in a vessel of oil, 
to be followed by immersion in a solution of soda, and 
lastly, of pure water. Oil is destructive of insect life, 
by closing the pores of respiration ; and will penetrate 
into convolutions of the young leaves of the plant, where 
tobacco-smoke cannot reach. The latter remedy is 
always found to require one or more quickly repeated 
applications, or otherwise to be ineffective. An oil bath 
would destroy the life both of insects and eggs. —C. 
Foreign Correspondence. 
France: Department de la M., April 10.—The good 
folks in England, who get up societies at their plea- 
sure, would hardly believe the trouble there is in this 
land of liberty in establishing so simple a thing as a 
provincial “Société d’Horticulture, autorisée par le 
Ministre.” You are, perhaps, aware that by what are 
called “the laws of September,” 20 persons cannot meet 
for a specific purpose without the permission of the 
higher powers ; not even 20 florists can combine to im- 
prove the culture of their pets, without special authority 
so to do from the Minister of the Interior. This it has 
required, in our case, four months and a half to obtain. 
T had first to send our proposed rules and a correct list 
of the founders, in duplicate, certified by the provisional 
President and Secretary to the Sous-Préfet, who sent 
it to the Préfet. The latter functionary, although a 
strong recommendation in our favour had been sent by 
his deputy, thought proper to return the documents, de- 
siring that a special report should be made by the mayor 
on the subject, forfear there should be any Carlist or 
Republican scheme at the bottom of it. Well, in due 
time the mayor likewise made a very favourable report 
and sent it to the Sous. Préfet, who sent all the documents 
back to the Préfet at B * *, who packed them off, accom- 
panied with his learned observationsto the Minister of the 
Interior at Paris. After a couple of months’ consider- 
ation the great man was pleased to attach the magic 
word “ approved” to our plan, but with a saving clause, 
that no alteration should ever be made in our rules 
without his special permission. This being done, copies 
of all the papers were sent back to the Préfet at B * *. 
who sent them back to the Préfet at G * *, who sen 
them to the mayor at the Town-hall, who sent a letter 
with the good news to our president, who sent it to me, 
who sent the Réglement approuvé forthwith to the 
printers. I am, however, by no means certain that we 
can legally meet with praning knives in our pockets ; 
we should, probably, come under the laws against con- 
cealed weapons. 
eV 
Hotieties. 
BOTANICAL SOCIETY, OF LONDON. 
April 4.—The Vice-President in the Chair. Dona- 
tions to the library were announced from the Horticul- 
tural Society of Berlin, and Mr. W. Pamplin. The 
following specimens were exhibited :— 
l. Dwarf and much-branehed forms of Gnaphalium 
minimum, sent by the Rev. G. W. Sandys, as bearing 
the general appearance of Gnaphalium uliginosum, and, 
at first sight, seemingly distinct from both of these 
species. 
_ 2. Examples of the peculiar Linaria, from Bandon, 
in Ireland, labelled with the MS. name of Linaria se- 
pium, Allm. For these specimens the Society was in- 
debted to Professor Allman, who, however, did not add 
any remarks in explanation of the change of name. 
They are identical with the Cornish Linaria, described 
by Mr. Hewett Watson in the * London Journal of 
Botany " (Feb. 1842), under the name of Linaria Bau- 
hini, and introduced into the fifth edition of the 
* British Flora,” and the * Manual of British Botany,” 
under the name of Linaria Italica. The specimens are 
so completely intermediate between Linaria vulgaris 
and Linaria repens, in their technical characters, as to 
have led several botanists into an opinion of their hy- 
brid origin ; and this view is certainly supported by the 
hi i "m diat 
fact that Hamp p are again 
between Linaria repens and Linaria Italica (Bauhini or 
sepium). 
3. Continuation of Mr. Andrews’ series of Irish 
Saxifrages, to illustrate their wide range of variation ; 
the species exhibited on this occasion being Saxifraga 
Geum and Saxifraga hirsuta. From the beautiful 
series of specimens, now in the Society’s Herbarium, 
the fact of the Hibernian forms, including those of the 
Pyrenees, is placed beyond all doubt or cavil; while 
the specific identity of Saxifraga Geum and Saxifraga 
hirsuta is rendered probable. 
The Secretary announces that the new regulations 
for the exchange of specimens were ready for distribu- 
tion to the members, and might be obtained by other 
botanists upon application. 
STAMFORD HILL, CLAPTON, AND STOKE 
NEWINGTON GARDENERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
March 2.—Mr. RarwBow in the chair. Mr. Crox- 
ford, gr. to — Barnes, Esq., Stamford-hill, read a paper 
on the cultivation of the Melon, He said that, although 
it was true that the modern plan of heating by hot 
water was far superior to that of hot dung; yet, 
while the majority of growers were obliged to continue 
the latter, he thought that attention ought to be directed 
to the discovery of the best mode of carrying it into 
effect. It should be remembered that new systems 
were neither intended to produce or apply new agents ; 
the object of every improvement in structure or heat- 
ing apparatus was simply to administer with greater 
regularity the elements essential to the healthy exist- 
ence of the inmates, and to exclude with greater cer- 
tainty the non-essential and injurious. Heat is an 
agent over which we have now a tolerably good com- 
mand; but with light we are very differently cireum- 
stanced. The art, therefore, of applying the former 
aright in the case of the Melon, consists not in the 
exact imitation of the degree under which that plant 
thrives in its native habitat, but in balancing it with the 
quantity of light here obtained ; so that the intensity of 
each of these two agents may bear the same proportion 
as they would under perfectly natural treatment. We 
find that the temperature of the Melon’s native soil 
takes a medium range between the two extremes to 
which the air is subject during day and night through 
the influence or absence of solar heat. Taking this for 
a guide, he had since found from experience that the 
bottom-heat, however applied, should never exceed 80°, 
—75° was quite high enough, with a top-heat something 
lower than that until the fruit begins to swell, when the 
latter may range from 70° to 95°. Respecting ventila- 
tion, he gave air for no other purpose than that of re- 
gulating the temperature. To increase the quantity of 
air given, either at the time of the fruit setting or ripen- 
ing, if it caused the heat to decline below the degree 
recommended above, would, he thought, be injudicious 
treatment. He merely kept the fruit as dry as was 
consistent with the health of the plants. The soil he 
used was the top and second spit of strong pasture 
loam, with an eighth part of common manure, well mixed 
and broken by repeated turnings during 12 months 
prior to its being used. Few plants require more water 
than the Melon in the early stages of its growth ; but 
from the time of its setting to the ripening of its fruit, 
a moderate quantity only of that element should be 
applied. The propriety of this is indicated in the cir- 
cumstances attending the production of all our indi- 
genous fruits : vegetation commences when the earth 
contains the largest quantity of water ; a steady diminu- 
tion of this moisture is coincident with the increase of 
light and heat, through the” intensity of which perfec- 
tion is attained. Sudden transitions should, however, 
be avoided, being always injurious, and not unfrequently 
fatal to the crop. In making a dung-bed he used a good 
quantity of wood, whieh kept the heat steady, and pre- 
vented the sides from sinking and the consequent crack- 
ing of the soil from the action of the linings. Having 
made the bed firm, when sweet, he planted two plants 
upon a hill 15 inches in depth under each light, spread- 
ing six inches of soil over the other parts of the bed. 
As soon as the roots began to extend from the hills he 
gave them a good soaking of water, and on the day 
following completed the earthing, bringing the whole 
surface to a level with the hills, treading it firmly down, 
and watering if dry ; upon this two inches of light soil 
was spread, which prevented excessive evapora- 
tion, and generally obviated the necessity of giving 
more water before the fruit was set. He con- 
sidered dung beds far inferior to trellis in every 
respect. He could always obtain a greater weight of 
fruit from a narrow pit with the latter, with one plant 
to a light, than from two in a dung bed, however wide ; 
and would advise those who have large brick pits, in- 
stead of putting dung within them, to form a hollow 
chamber at bottom with rough wood, and to put 2 feet 
of soil upon it for the plants to grow in; this, in the 
months of summer, would receive sufficient heat from 
the sun and the air confined in the pit, to bring it to 
the temp alread, ik Thinning, under 
all circumstances, is a most important operation. His 
plan was to take them in infancy, to rub, pinch, or cut 
off all shoots beyond the number required to cover the 
bed: by a proper attention to this, the plants are en- 
abled to develop their organs so perfectly, that the 
fruit is almost sure to set, and surpass both in size and 
quality the produce of plants, however vigorous, that 
have been neglected in this particular. Attention to 
setting the fruit at all seasons was enjoined, as the 
means of securing a regular crop, the fruit all swelling 
at the same time. In the case of canker, the only 
remedy he had found was dry lime, applied to the parts 
affected—Mr. Suzmwoop said he had always regarded 
the plan of warming the chamber of a pit or frame by 
driving a large amount of heat through the soil in which 
the roots were growing, as one of the most unmanage- 
able and improper that could well be adopted. Why, 
he would ask, did propagators plunge pots of cuttings 
of almost all plants into a hot-bed, but to induce them 
to make roots? We, by the same mode, in the case of 
the Melon plant, produce the same result; and then, 
after thus multiplying the organs of absorption to an 
undue extent, meet the difficulty of getting the fruit to 
set, owing to the superabundance of crude sap forced 
by this means into the system of the plant, by a recourse 
to the equally unnatural plan of cutting off the supply 
of water to prevent the said organs discharging to the 
full extent of their power those functions for which 
Nature intended them. He thought that while such 
treatment as this was pursued, it was more reasonable 
to ascribe our success to the inherent hardihood of the 
Melon plant, than to attribute our failures to its consti- 
tutional delicacy. By the use of trellis, our pits will 
contain a large quantity of air, and if this air be kept 
at the temperature recommended by Mr. Croxford, i$ 
will be sure to warm the soil sufficiently, provided we 
take the precaution of confining a foot of air between 
that soil and the subjacent earth, otherwise we must 
expect it to lose its heat by conduction below, as fast as 
it acquires it by induction at the surface.—Mr. BUNDLE 
stated, that he had last summer grown three lights of 
Melons with artificial bottom-heat, and 10 without; the 
result of this experiment was decidedly against the 
former, for he had never yet seen better fruit or a better 
erop than the produce of the 10 lights last named.— 
Mr. McErnov spoke in favour of using stimulating 
manures with the soil, such as fowls'-dung, guano, &e. ; 
but where these were employed great attention must be 
paid to thinning the shoots. To prevent the ravages of 
the red spider, he laid tiles here and there upon the 
surface of the bed; these he occasionally wetted, and 
kept the lights closed for an hour afterwards, while the 
sun was shining bright upon them, for the purpose o 
saturating the confined air with hot steam, than which 
nothing was more destructive to the life of these pests; 
the temperature he afterwards lowered by shading be- 
fore giving air.—Mr. Neves believed the best manure 
that could be employed was ditch or pond-serapings ; 
this, well incorporated with very strong loam, and use 
in a body of at least 14 inches in depth, would, under the 
course of treatment advocated by M. Croxford, pro- 
duce fruit of first-rate quality, far superior to what is 
generally obtained from more expensive composts.— 
Mr, Barrer attributed the canker to the soil being hol- 
low about the stem of the plant; this should be guarded 
against in planting. To destroy the red spider, he 
syringed the leaves on the under side with lime-water, 
and closed the frame for two hours afterwards, during 
the heat of the morning sun.— W. Sherwood, Hon, See» 
23. Brassica CHINENSIS. Chinese Oil Cabbage. Hardy 
Annual. (Crucifers.) Shanghai. 
A hardy annual which grows freely in almost any sort 
of soil. The seed should be sown in April, in a shel- 
tered situation, then in May the plants may be planted 
out where they are to remain, allowing 2 feet between 
each plant. lt appears to be of no importance in& 
horticultural point of view, but may be cultivated by 
farmers for feeding cattle, or for oil as it is in China.— 
Horticultural Journal, 
24. RUELLIA MACRoPHYLLA. Large-leayed Ruellia. 
Stove Perennial. (Acanthads). Spanish Main. 
This fine herbaceous plant is a native of Santa Martha; 
according to Vahl. It bears large branching forked 
panicles, loaded with flowers of glowing scarlet, and 
nearly three inches long. In that state it was exhibited 
at a meeting of the Horticultural Society in October last 
by Mr. Carton, gr. to his Grace the Duke of Northum- 
berland. It should be an instruction to all person& 
sending home South American seeds not to forget the 
fine species of Acanthads with which that part of the 
world abounds ; for although many are but weeds, yet 
others are quite as striking for their beauty as this and 
the Justicias, Aphelandras, &e., already in cultivation- 
They were formerly here in many instances, but requir- 
ing a moist warm atmosphere at a time when gardeners 
did not know how to obtain heat without dryness, they 
soon became sickly and died. Among the reputed 
species of this very genus, we see in our herbarium the 
Ruellia trivialis, grandiflora, and longiflora of Salzmann, 
all from the woods of Bahia, every one of which is & 
finer species than even this. Nor are the East India 
species inferior, as is attested by the numerous kinds 0! 
CGoldfussi Strobhil n $ Dip F +h &e., with 
which botanists are familiar—only, however, in their 
dried ‘gardens. As they are easily propagated ani 
grown, all these would be real acquisitions, and might 
easily be had. This species requires to be kept in & 
stove, and being a plant of free growth, will succeed in 
almost any sort of soil. uring summer an ample 
supply of water should be given to its root, and syringed 
over head once or twice a day. After flowering it 
should be cut back to secure a supply of young shoots 
from the bottom, for flowering the following season- 
