19—1845.] 
THE GARDENERS' 
CHRONICLE. 
301 
————————————— 
premature disposition of this species to form flower- 
buds, it may by early sowing and striet attention in 
obtaining a vigorous growth previously to its summer 
bloom, be adopted as an annual, but to obtain its highest 
fertility it should be sown in July, and preserved in 
‘store pots for the following season, Amongst our 
recently introduced plants this is one of the most beau- 
tiful, and by far the most elegant of the Bell-flowers 
for producing a general effect, whether for massing in 
eds or for individual interest in the borders. Its 
Prepossessing colour and adaptation for autumnal 
display will prove it to be a desideratum in every 
extensive establishment. 
ll. Clintonia pulchella.—This is a tender annual 
xequiring to be sown about February or March, in a 
hotbed or forcing-house, ata temp of 65° or 70°; 
when about one-eighth of an inch in height it should 
be carefully transplanted to pots of 5 and 6 inches 
diameter, drained with potsherds to nearly one-half 
their depth, using a tolerably fine compost of one-half 
light sandy garden loam, and the remainder in 
equal proportions of leaf soil and heath mould. 
When thus established in the above temperature, they 
should be removed to a shelf or platform, admitting a 
full exposure to light, or placed within a hotbed of a 
temperate degree in heat, and preserved from currents 
of cold air. After being established in store pots, as 
described, exposure to strong light, a genial tempera- 
ture (from 60° to 659), and, if within a frame, a partial 
Shade from intense sunlight, are essential points of 
Management. As the plants increase in vigour, gradu- 
ally harden them off in a cold frame, with a tempera- 
ture favourable to their continued growth, regulating 
‘the admission of air by the external atmosphere; it 
should always be given in an opposite direction to the 
"wind, by elevating the lights sideways as the current 
‘varies, ‘This plant is generally considered too delicate 
for open exposure in beds, and is mostly seen expand- 
ing its lovely flowers in the greenhouse or conservatory. 
hy it is not oftener seen in our parterres can only be 
attributed to an absence of the conditions essential to 
its growth. It would be as reasonable to expect the 
growth of timber trees equal to our navy in a gravel 
pit, as to look for the perfection of beauty from Clin- 
‘tonia pulchella in our ordinary flower-beds. It is a 
plant of slender and delicate habit, growing from two 
to four inches in height, and producing a profusion of 
Sapphire blue flowers, with a yellowish white centre, 
from June until September. 
Being one of the smallest, as well as the most beauti- 
fal plants that adorn our collections, a comparatively 
‘Small amount of nutritive matter is sufficient to produce 
its highest vigour, and Nature ‘has been so prodigal as 
‘to give it a tendency to form flower-buds in much greater 
Profusion than is essential to its existence. To adapt its 
growth for producing ageneral effect inthe flower-garden, 
he following treatment should be observed :—Take out 
the soil to the depth of 2 feet, and replace it with full 12 
“inches of bottom drainage of brick or stone refuse, over 
which add a stratum of coarse wood-ashes, or dried 
turf-siftings, and fil: up with a compost of one-half well- 
pulverised garden loam, and equal portions of heath- 
‘mould and leat soil, well incorporated with white sand 
‘to one-sixth of the whole amount, and passed through a 
tolerably wide sieve. This artificial preparation should 
‘be made a short time previous to the season suitable for 
Planting (latter end of May). The operation should be 
‘performed in warm moist weather, and, if possible, 
Without dividing the plants, by inserting the balls en- 
"tire from the pots. Should the season prove unfavour- 
able, the transplanted stores should be covered with 
portable hand-glasses, partially elevated at the corners 
to admit uniform air when requisite, or elevated side- 
Ways, contrary to the wind, and covered close by night, 
ifneediul. Itis also a charming acquisition for adorn- 
ing rock-work, where it appears * at home,” partially 
usus, from the mid-day sun.— W. Wood, Pine-apple 
ace, 
Home Correspondence. 
Polmaise Heating.—Until I saw the facts from Pol- 
“maise (p. 251), I was under the impression that the fire 
of the stove was supplied with air from the cold drain, 
and consequently from the house ; and that, in fact, the 
Tenewal of the air of the house, by a fresh supply from 
Without, depended on the constant abstraction of a por- 
tion to feed the fire. On this supposition my commu- 
Tieation at p. 285 was drawn up, and the plan it con- 
tained was intended to provide for bringing in and 
Warming a fresh supply of air to meet this consump- 
"ion, aud prevent am injurious indraft of cold air 
through the laps of the glass and other erevices, mixing 
With and reducing the temperature of the warm cur- 
rent. I perceive, however, from Mr. Murray’s state- 
Tent, that the fire of his stove is supplied from the 
external air, without having any connection with the 
interior of the house ; and he recommends this ar- 
Tangement in order to obviate all chance of a reflux of 
the gaseous products of combustion from the stove into 
the house, But it does not appear how Mr. M. pro- 
Vides for renewing the air of the house—whether he 
as any specific provision for taking in a supply of fresh 
air and allowing that which has been used to escape, 
9r whether these changes are left to take effect as they 
est may, through any crevices or undesigned openings 
eft in the house. In the latter case the effeet must 
e uncertain ; and I should think little or no change or 
Tenewal of the air can really take place ; for though in 
a state of constant movement and circulation, it must 
in the main be the same body of air, the particles of 
which are carried in a successive round'among the 
foliage of the plants in the house. Or if we suppose 
that a renewal of the atmosphere of the house is actually 
going on, by the escape of a portion of it, and the en- 
trance of fresh air from without through the crevices of 
the house, it must obviously be done at the expense of 
the warm current, having its temperature reduced by 
the intermixturg of cold air. In every view of the subject, 
therefore, it seems desirable that a distinct provision 
should be made for introducing a supply of fresh air, by 
such means as shall insure its being warmed before it 
ean enter the house ; and I do not know any way in 
which it can beso economically done as by means of an 
air tunnel surrounding the flue of the stove, and com- 
munieating with the hot chamber in the manner I have 
described, so as to appropriate the heat absorbed by 
the flue, which would otherwise escape and be lost. 
But the arrangements would require to be modified to 
suit the altered condition of the problem ; for as the fire 
of the stove is supposed to have no communication with 
the interior of the house, the mouth of the airtunnel must 
be placed below the level of the cold drain ; otherwise 
the source of the circulating current would be reversed, 
and the warm air would be discharged into the at- 
mosphere through the tunnel, This arrangement is re- 
presented in the annexed drawing, in which W is 
T 
se —— = 
7 
/ ^ THY 
the outside of the back wall of the house ; S the stove, 
the flue of which, F, first descends, and is then carried 
horizontally to the end of the house, where it enters an 
ordinary brick chimney C ; the air tunnel T surround- 
ing the flue communicates at one end with the external 
atmosphere (where it is fitted with a register plate or 
valve), and at the other with the hot chamber H ; D 
represents the position of the cold drain, communicating 
with the hot chamber on the further side of the stove, 
on a higher level than the air tunnel ; O is the opening 
by which the warm air enters the house.—J. H. H. 
B—k, April 30. 
Morphology.—The following woodeut represents a 
curious and interesting instance of morphology in the 
branch of a Cape Heath. The specimen was cut from 
E. Hartnelli; it has been about 3 years in forming, and 
it is now beginning to decay. The plant is young and 
healthy, and about 4 years of age. I have seen simi- 
lar illustrations of this doctrine in branches of other 
plants, but never before in the Heath tribe.— JV. M. 
Ventilation of Hothouses.—I think your modification 
of Mr. Williams’ plan of aération (267 c), is incorrect 
in principle, and I doubt if it would work. Heat is very 
slowly transmitted through still air, and I doubt if it 
would be itted at all d ds, The air at the 
top of the house heated by your plan, would expand and 
escape upwards through the interstices of the screen ; 
but would not descend and displace the colder and 
heavier air below. It would,I think, be a more effective 
arrangement to place your perforated zine at the bot- 
tom ;of the house fin an angle which might be made 
variable, so as. torreceive the'sun's rays at right angles, 
as nearly as may be according to the season of the year, 
and the bottom or back of the aërating chamber to be 
painted black, so as to absorb heat during the day and 
radiate during the night.—J. S. H., Perthshire. [We 
are sorry to find our plan so misunderstood ; but, upon. 
referring to it, we do not see how we can make it plainer. 
We did not mention perforated zine.] 
Fruit-tree Borders.—In regard to the inquiry of your 
correspondent, p. 268, after a method of obtaining suit- 
able soil for renovating a border without robbing arable 
soil of its vegetable mould, I would suggest au accumu- 
lation of common soil disposed in a long and not too 
broad heap like that of a Potato-pit, and allowed to re- 
main for several years to * meliorate" by the influence 
of sun and air, as it;is found to do in a remarkable 
degree. Soil in its natural position on the surface of the 
ground, even although thorough drained, contains too 
much moisture to admit of being permeated by the air ; 
but when placed in a heaped mass, the rain which falls 
on it drains off, leaving behind its atmospherieal 
treasures, the air itself follows, and thus a natural inter- 
change and circulation of air is always passing through 
the mass. These beneficial influences would be in- 
creased by turning over the mass twice a year, and if 
the surface were sown with Grass or Turnip-seed, this 
when turned down, would create a portion of vegetable 
mould.—J. S. H., Perthshire. The case of * worn out 
borders? appears a particularly suitable one for analysis 
of the soil Not a “guinea” analysis, but a really 
effective and searching examination of its contents, or- 
ganie as well as inorganie, to ascertain what the trees 
have left behind, as well as what they have drawn off. 
The latter may be, at this time, with the many recent 
analyses of vegetable ashes, roughly estimated from an 
average of the fruit ; but the former has not yet been 
thoroughly gone into, notwithstanding the excellent and 
valuable experiments of Dr. Daubeny. And there is à 
further consideration, of probable practical importance 
—the state of composition of the soil in relation to the 
aetion of weather and vegetative foree. Such an 
analysis should be performed by an experienced hand, 
who would not grudge his time nor hasten his results, 
but would, at every step of the process, bear in mind 
the importance of the object.—P. 
Canker in Fruit Trees.—That one of its causes is 
atmospheric influence I think the following fact tends to 
prove :—In 1843, I think, far on in May or in the be- 
ginning of June, after a period of unusually warm wea- 
ther, and after a very warm day, when vegetation was 
rife, and the sap running in full vigour, there was a 
night of severe, I may almost say, for this country, in- 
tense frost; previous to this I had a young standard 
Ribstone Pippin in the most vigorous growth, and per- 
fectly free from the slightest appearance of canker, or 
any other defect, and the bark so smooth and healthy 
as to attract my particular observation the day preced- 
ing the frost. A few days afterwards I observed the 
canker had assailed it in every part—upon the trunk 
and upon branches ; upon the former in numerous 
blotches, more or less deep, and showing themselves as 
if seared an ted by the application of a hot 
iron; whilst in numerous of the branches the injury 
had entirely encircled and killed them. ‘The tree con- 
tinues to live, but not recover, although this season it 
bears some evidences of improvement. All the other 
Apple trees were affected in my garden, more or less, 
but as they had not previously attracted my particular 
attention, I can only say I had not previously noticed 
the canker in any of them, though it was speedily per- 
ceptible enough after the night in question. I will not 
trouble you with any theory or comments of mine; I 
merely state a fact which attracted my particular atten- 
tion at the time of its occurrence.—J. G. B., Exeter. 
Wireworm and White Mustard.—Two years ago I 
broke up some old sward ; part is appropriated to a 
kitehen garden, and part for raising green and root 
crops for cattle. I have suffered from wireworm toa 
considerable extent; last year my erop of Potatoes was 
nearly eut off by them, and I am fearful many of my 
present year’s sets will share the same fate. Lettuces 
and Cauliflowers have many of them fallen a prey to 
this destructive enemy ; 57 were found at the root of 
one plant. I have seen it mentioned in some publica- 
tion lately, that while Mustard sown on the land is a 
sure cure for wireworm; can anybody from experience 
throw a little light on the subject? I have tried sliced 
Potatoes and a skewer, and tiles baited with crumbs 
of bread, with success, but these are slow processes, 
and I want a more extensive and prompt one.— 2, 
Gold Mohur Plant.—There is more in your corre- 
spondent’s inquiry respecting this than at first occurs to 
a person who has not been in India, and has only been 
accustomed to hear or read of a coin called by Eu- 
ropeans in India the “gold mohur,” by a sort of tauto- 
logical expression similar to the term “golden guinea” 
at home. Of course the natives of India know nothing 
of this bizarre union of an English and a Hindoostanee 
word ; yet they have a term denominative of a certain 
tree or shrub which in sound so closely resembles gold 
mohur, that it might easily, and, in fact, I believe is 
taken to be identical with it by Europeans who are un- 
acquainted with the real orthography and derivation of 
the native term; and hence the shrub referred to is 
vulgarly called the * Gold Mohur tree.” The native 
word is gool mohur, or gool mor, a compound term 
from the Persian word gool, which specifically signifies 
a Rose, but in a more general sense means simply a 
flower, and in this sense combines with other terms and 
forms p d words, inative of certain flowers, 
shrubs, &e. Thus gool-shubboo is the Tuberose, gool- 
abbas the Marvel of Peru, gool-mehudee the Balsam, 
and the word under consideration, gool-mohur or mor, 
is the Barbadoes Fence-flower, or Poinciana pulcher- 
rima.—J. H. H. [See p. 286.] 
Hydraulic Machines.—Soft water—so essential to 
the beauty and fertility of a garden, and so absolutely 
necessary in a dry season, not only to bring flowers to 
