80—1846.] 
THE GARDENERS' 
CHRONICLE. 
499 
RIED PLANTS FROM CHINA.—A few sets of | Prolifics are affected, and I believe also it has begun 
the VALUABLE DRIED PLANTS collected in China| amongst the late kinds. Some of 
Mr. Forrunz, may still be procured by applying to R. 
WARD, Esq., Young-street, Kensington, London. Amon; 
them are many new and rare species scarcely known to Euro- 
peans, 
NOW READY, IN FOUR-INCH POTS. 
Arabella 15s. 0d, | Mustee . oe 15s, 0d. 
Othello parcet Mare Antony -- 15.0 
Rosy Circle ..  .. 15 0 | Isabella volete den 
Yenobia +s 0. 7 6 | Margaret 7 
Favorita, .. 7s. 6d. 
The above will be delivered free in London, for prepayment 
a only, Usual allowance to the trade when their card accompa. 
nies the remittance, Post-office orders are requested upon 
Brentford. 
‘The Gardeners’ Chrontele. 
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1846. 
MEETINGS FOR THE TWO FOLLOWING WEEKS. 
Mowpay,, Aug. 8—Entomological . . . . 8»X 
‘Dunspay,’ — 4—Horticultural Lg Uia. 
Fray, — T-Botanio , e. -o . . . 8X. 
‘Unwittine as we are to revive the painful dis- 
‘cussions of last year as to the Poraro DISEASE, 
yet-our duty to the public prevents our concealing 
what is known of its progress. We are therefore 
bound to say without reserve that the new crop is 
in great danger; that the disease is reappearing in 
all directions in its old form, and that Ireland is 
threatened with a calamity far beyond anything yet 
experienced ; for we cannot in reason hope for 
another winter unoxampled for mildness. The re- 
ports in the daily papers are true, and no man's 
crop is certainly safe. We selecta few cases from 
our own correspondence : 
One of our faithful Irish friends writes thus :—“ I 
am very sorry to tell you, and that without fear of 
contradiction from newspaper editors on this side, 
that most of the Potatoes in this neighbourhood have, 
within a few days, exhibited marks of serious dis- 
ease. In some parts of the county of Meath, the 
report is as bad. If this should be general through 
Ireland, then, indeed, famine will stare vs in the 
face, for in many places even where the stalks have 
withered, there are not any tubers as yet formed in 
this late country. The loss of Potatoes here will 
leave you well-fed English without our Irish bacon or 
pigs.” We know that at a meeting of the Grand 
‘Jury of Westmeath the other day, every person 
present agreed in opinion that a total failure of 
the crop will shortly take place.—— Än “East 
Lothian Farmer" at Waughton, by Prestonkirk, 
States that about a week ago the shaws in 
Several of the cottagers' gardens appeared as if 
* they had been subjected to a severe frost, and the 
‘tubers are already so tainted that they have com- 
menced feeding their pigs with them. Most of 
those dug on Saturday evening for the Sabbath 
‘dinner (yesterday), had to be thrown out, so offen- 
sive was the smell from them. | This state of things 
‘exists with my knowledge in six different gardens 
within a circuit of two miles."——At Waterford, 
‘another correspondent writes that all hopes are gone, 
as beyond a doubt the Potato-crop will be a com- 
plete failure this year. He does not know a field, 
or even a plant, which on close inspection is not 
diseased. He has heard from all quarters of the 
appearance of the disease during the last fortnight, 
till when the Potato-fields never looked better, and 
even to speak of disease was thought madness. The 
disease will have much worse effects now than it 
had last year, as then the Potatoes were nearly per- 
fect, and many not diseased at all; but now it has 
attacked the entire crop, the greater part of which 
has not yet formed tubers, as in that part of 
Ireland men plant the main crop very late. ——Our 
advices from Cork are if possible more deplorable.--— 
At Barnstaple, Devon, Mr. Gitzert Corvon states 
that the Potato disease has appeared within the 
last ten days in at least a dozen parishes within ten 
miles of that town, mostly to the east and south- 
ast, The tops of the stalks appear to be burnt off 
as with lightning ; and however luxuriant a field of 
Potatoes may look to day, to-morrow the blight (or 
‘Call it what you may) appears in spots; and ir 
n 
. Many instances a strong smell is given off, as from 
decayed Potato haulms.—— At Worthing, we learn 
from Mr. Gap» that the disease has again shown 
Uselfin that part of the county of Sussex. “In 
the garden of D. Levon, Esq., they were going off 
Very fast on Monday last, which Y saw. R. Mar- 
TIN, of Coate, has a large piece in nearly as bad 
State as last year. In the parishes of Salvington, | Y 
Urrington, Worthing, Lancing, and Goring, the 
ate likewise infected.” Clee 
th n a letter received from Scotland yesterday, 
acre is the following important passage from 
€ pen of a practised observer. “The Potato 
arasite began its ravages here about 10 days ago 
Aberdeen, July 16); the Early Kidneys and 
our market 
gard will be d to very serious loss in 
consequence. I was in two gardens last night 
where it has already done much damage ; in 
neither of these was there the slightest trace of 
disease last year.” 7 
The same story is told in Wales, Shropshire, 
Warwickshire, Middlesex, Essex, Nottingham, 
Cheshire, and Yorkshire; and many Irish counties ; 
in fact our table is covered with letters on the 
subject, and no doubt can be entertained that 
our apprehensions are realised, and that heavy 
osses must fall on some people. Let us hope that 
this renewal of a great calamity will teach gentle- 
men to be in future more sparing of their censure 
of those who venture to point out dangers which 
the uninformed are unable to perceive.* 
Nor is it in Great Britain only that the scourge 
prevails. The Rev. Mr. Berxerzy has favoured 
us with the following memoranda gleaned from his 
correspondence :— 
* The attention of the Academy at Paris has again 
been directed to the subject by M. Pavey, who 
reports the existence of the disease at the present 
time in France. On the other hand I received by the 
preceding post from a scientific Proprietaire in 
the north of France, the following intelligence :— 
*'The Potatoes here are in full luxuriance, and 
have a very healthy look. The Professor of Ghent 
(M. Kickx) tells me that his gardener has planted 
diseased tubers in ground manured with Potato 
stalks strongly affected with Botrytis, and that since 
their appearance above ground a part of the diseased 
culms has been placed in contact with the young 
shoots, so as to give every opportunity for the 
propagation of the parasite, but that up to the 
present time the plants are healthy and luxuriant.’ 
It is obvious that it would be premature to draw 
any conclusions as yet from this statement. Ofthe 
existence of the disease at the present moment in 
widely distant localities there is not the slightest 
doubt.” : 
Now, as last year, the crops look beautifully, 
and no one could anticipate a failure, yet we see 
them going off in the same mysterious way, 
and under quite new conditions of weather. 
What, then, is to be done? There was but one 
thing which last year-stopped the progress of dis- 
ease,and that was mowing off or pulling up the 
tops. That did answer where the operation was 
performed soon enough; that is to say, the Potatoes 
did not decay, But then the crop was greatly 
diminished, for the growth of the Potatoes- left in 
the ground was unable to proceed any further. 
Those already formed ripened, however, and that 
was something. 
Mr. Errtneron, one of our most intelligent cor- 
respondents, puts his faith in lime. We do not; 
but we gladly give his opinion, in the hope that he 
may be right :—“ I would strongly advise all who 
are troubled with its ravages to try quicklime. This 
was very favourably spoken oflast year by some 
clever practical men, and would, at the least, bene- 
fit the land for succeeding crops. I would slake it 
very shortly before using it, and apply it during a 
dry state of the atmosphere so thickly as to 
thoroughly whiten the whole plant. If a shower 
of rain supervened, I would seize the first opportu- 
nity of repeating it. Next to lime as a practicable 
and useful application, I would char all the refuse 
sawdust, old tan, and vegetable refuse, and apply it 
with an unsparing hand. Sulphur might also be 
tried, and, to economise it, some other ordinary 
matter in a dry state might be mixed with it: 
these, however, are but experiments.” 
We will not pretend to advise the public what to 
do ; everybody must judge for himself as to what 
may be most conducive to his own interest. We 
can only state that if the tops are to be pulled up, 
it should be when the black spots and scorched ap- 
pearance of the foliage are distinctly visible. It 
need not be done earlier, nor would it be advisable 
todefer it to a later period. 
If however it should be found that the mischief 
is past all remedy, then indeed the question of re- 
cropping the land becomes a most important one 5 
and in that point of view we would strongly advise 
such counsel as that of Mr. Errineron to be 
followed. 
“It must be remembered,” he observes, “that 
this disaster is commencing much earlier than last 
ear. This, although’a serious matter, serves at 
least to put people on their guard. Provision should 
be made forthwith to secure plants of the various 
useful greens, Gardeners of course are well pro- 
vided with these to fill all blanks; others may be 
taken by surprize. It may be useful to such to 
know, that the early York Cabbage, or in fact any 
qu 
di 
* See pp. 116 and 131 of our Journal for this year. 
yt 
good early Cabbage, may be yet sown, to come in 
through the autumn and winter. It is, however, 
pastthe proper time; but by preparing the soil 
with extra manuring, and hastening germination by 
soaking the seed for six or eight hours, in water 
warm as new milk, much—very much, may be yet 
accomplished. Cabbages, however, for this pur- 
pose, must not be sown in small and crowded seed- 
beds ; they should, if gaining time is an object, be 
allowed abundance of room. Indeed the very best 
plan wouid be to sow them in drills, and thin them 
out to remain; transplanting the surplus plants. 
Green-kale, Savoys, the Pomeranian Cabbage 
(the tenderest of Cabbages when boiled), with the 
various Broccolies, will of course be thought of; 
and the cottager should see to his Thousand-headed 
Cabbage, which is too little known. The common 
white Turnips, also, with the Dale’s hybrid, almost 
as rich as a Swede, keep as well, and may be sown 
later, and should have every attention.” (See also 
the Calendar of Operations of to-day). 
We have so many plaints of the ineffici 
of the PuospHoric RAT Porson, which we formerly 
recommended, that we must again advert to the 
subject. ‘Some correspondents say that the rats 
will not touch it; others that they eat it and are 
attracted by it, and then neglect it ; and both agree 
that it has no effect. 
We do not pretend to reconcile these statements 
with each other, or to explain our correspondents’ 
failure to produce effects which we have obtained 
without difficulty. Our attention was originally 
drawn to the preparation by Dr. Unz's paper in the 
“Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society ;" we 
made some, applied it to the runs of water-rats, and 
it answered perfectly : that is to say, the rats dis- 
appeared. 
But we found it both troublesome and expensive to 
make the mixture ourselves, and therefore when it 
was advertised, we purchased a pot, and used it to 
drive a host of rats out of an old stable and cottage, 
which they had so far attacked as to have eaten 
the flooring and skirting-boards into large holes. 
The rats again disappeared. 
As we said before, we do not know whether they 
are killed or not. We were satisfied to be rid of 
them; and we cannot but suppose that some mis- 
application of the poison, or mismanagement of the 
mixture, must have been the cause of the failures 
complained of. The “ pills ” which we employ are 
as large as hens’ eggs. 
Weare charged with having committed an in- 
Justice; let us hasten to correct it. We said, it 
seems, that Mr. Fatconer, whose magnificent 
RzwaNTHERAS were the object of so much admira- 
tion the other day at Chiswick, was the only man 
who could fower that plant; and this being 
read literally has produced grave evidence to the 
contrary. It reminds us of the poor clergyman 
who got into a scrape with his congregation for 
saying that he had a hundred reasons for what ne 
did, when it was proved that he had only nineteen. 
We, however, stand corrected ; and we rejoice to 
make the avowal, because it enables us to do justice 
to the merits of Mr. P. Basserr, an excellent gar- 
dener and worthy man, who has the care of the 
gardens at Westonbirt. We have before us proof 
of his skill, in the shape of a Renanthera branch, 
18 inches long, 17 inches wide, with six arms, and 
117 scarlet blossoms (we have eounted them), each 
of which is 24 in. in diameter. We learn, too, that 
the same plant has four other branches nearly equal 
to the one that has been sent us.f } What a pity that 
Mr. Basszrr did not perplex the judges by showing 
his plant against Mr. FALcONER's. 
Mr. Basserr adds, that he finds no difficulty 
whatever in flowering this charming plant. Let us 
express on our own part, and that of others, a hope 
that he will favour the public with the details of his 
mode of treatment. 
FRUIT-TREE BORDERS. 
As discussion is invited on the question as to whether 
turf may or may not be dispensed with in the formation 
of fruit-tree borders, and as a practical experience of 
some years would lead me to differ from your opinion, 
perhaps I may be allowed to state the grounds on 
which my opinion is based :— 
Your assertion in regard to the superiority plain 
food possesses over peacoeks' hearts on the ground 
of economy, is indisputable; yet, though a “ Bristol 
Stone? may in appearance equal the diamond, no argu- 
ment is needed to prove the infinite superiority of the 
latter over the former; and so in gardening statisties, 
I hold it but poor economy to run a risk for the sake of 
what may at first appear cheaper, but may ultimately 
prove much dearer. job once well done, is better 
than twice half done ; but first let us consider the ex- 
travagance of “ turf-paring,” as compared with the ex- 
pence of forming the border by other methods. In 
using turf the first outlay is certainly the only one in- 
