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„tion, the vegetable kingdom need have exhibited no 
500 
[Jury 25, 
THE GARDENERS’? CHRONICLE. 
curred—the turf is cut, carted home, chopped in pieces, 
put into the border, the trees planted, and all is com- 
pleted ; but in making use of an artificial soil, though 
ou go to work most carefully, who shall say where the 
expense will end ? The labour consumed in the mixings, 
turnings, &c., that are requisite, besides the expenditure 
for such components as I conceive would be required 
to place it on an equality with turf. If it be objected 
for, had there been no intellect, such exquisite organi- 
sation would have been utterly useless. ‘The nutritive 
and medicinal uses of plants are destined to serve the 
physical wants of the human and the irrational animal ; 
the systematic arrangement to exercise his intellectual 
capacities. I feel so conscious at this moment that it 
would be a mere act of condescension to bestow more 
than a passing allusion in the argument still clung to by 
ET e 
that the plan of paring a pasture is d l, I reply 
that a man’s labour for a day with a plough or spade 
(according to the quantity), and a few good Grass seeds, 
will speedily make up for the turf, and is not unfre- 
quently the means of reinvigorating and improving the 
pasture. And now a few words as to the advantages 
I believe turf to possess over mixed material. 
I do not mean to assert that fruit trees will not grow 
in other material than turf; I have tried various soils 
and eompounds, and some with fair success; but I 
never by such methods produced crops equal to those 
grown from turfy matter, either in quantity, size, or 
flavour. I believe turf procured from a pasture to contain 
properties adapted to the wants of trees, which artificial 
substitutes do not possess; and I have always found 
that in turf the trees * fibre ” more, ramifying through in 
all directions. More moderate-sized and fruitful wood 
is also formed. But in borders formed of different ma- 
terials, the roots are found to be much stronger, but 
fewer ; pushing farther from home, and very often 
downwards, though perhaps into a cold clay. Trees 
in this state will be seen to make tremendously strong 
wood, and to be very unwilling to bear fruit. 
The durability of a turf border should also, I think, 
be a weighty argument in its favour: if properly 
formed, it will not need renewal for 20 or 30 years. 
am aware that many are of opinion that injury is done 
to a pasture by paring off the turf, but I am of belief 
that it is mostly to the eye, and that only temporarily ; 
and, surely, nobody who takes a delight in a garden 
would (even admitting that some slight harm was done) 
consider it worthy of notice, or think anything too good 
which was essential; more especially when counter- 
balanced by the production of good flavoured fruit, 
which, whether growing or placed on the table, is a 
source of pride and pleasure to all parties; but re- 
verse the picture, aud, with fruit not fit to be eaten or 
looked at, observe the painful feelings of all—the gar- 
dener the great sufferer, although the fault lies beyond 
his control. To produce good fruit, good means and 
good materials must be employed ; and for fruit borders, 
my conviction is, that nothing is better than green turf. 
—J. L. Snow, Swinton-park. 
g 
m 
BOTANICAL AMENITIES, 
THE exact sciences have obtained unrivalled praise 
as a means of disciplining the mind into habits of self- 
control and systematic regularity. Their effect, doubtless, 
in a well-regulated mind, will be to induce that faciltty 
in i igating natural pl so much sought 
after ; and so far alone, the result of their study would 
amply repay the labours of the learner. Though it may 
appear injudicious to impart much prominence to the 
consideration of mere mental gratification, i6 will be 
readily coneeded that some of the highest emotions the 
human mind is capable of receiving are elicited in ex- 
periencing the fine power of unravelling mysteries, 
possessed by ths systems of the greater math ician 
the ranks of the sceptie, concerning “ the 
fortuitous concurrence of atoms” that I can but pro- 
test my belief that six months’ botanizing, with a cheer- 
ful, open spirit, ready to embrace every favourable, and 
stifle every inauspicious impression, would prove a cer- 
tain cure. 
Perhaps to a person uninitiated in botanical systems. 
these remarks may prove unintelligible. If, however, 
they should induce but a few to consecrate some of their 
leisure hours to the most agreeable and accessible pur- 
suit in the range of natural history—a pursuit which 
carries with it its own reward of health, bodily activity, 
and chaste mental gratification, the writer may congra- 
tulate himself in having been an instrument of alluring 
into a field profusely seattered with the fairer gifts of 
nature, some whom he is anxious to introduce to ame- 
nities he has deeply enjoyed himself. A new and most 
expanded sheet of the book of nature has opened itself 
to the gaze of the botanical student. he flowers which 
before attracted his notice with but silent beauty, have 
become the eloquent companions of his walks. Every 
bank, nay, every dry and desert spot has become instinct 
with life, and animated with intelligence. No longer a 
mere wonderer, he learns that “wondering is not the 
way to grow wise ;” he becomes conversant with the 
loveliness of every blooming flower that gems the rejoic- 
ing land, and has learnt to perceive marks of construc- 
tive wisdom, and evidences of riches of benevolence in 
many of the meanest of those weeds which before were 
but uninteresting appendages to the green garb of the 
earth. Such are a few of the pleasures the botanist 
loves to acknowledge ; may many more taste them, and 
the science prosper in the multitude of its diseiples.— 
F. A. Malleson, Pulborough. 
ee EET 
ON THE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS WHICH CON- 
STITUTE |THE NUTRITIVE PORTIONS OF 
THE POTATO. 
By the Rev. Prof. HENSLOW. 
(Continued from p. 478.) 
ALTHOUGH we believe all vegetable membrane to be 
composed of the three elements only whica we have 
named (always excepting the minute pozcions of inor- 
anie matters which are to be found here and there 
united with them), yet we are not to conclude that these 
three elements are alone essential to the development 
of vegetable tissue. Therc is a fourth element, nitrogen, 
everywhere present in plants, though it forms a very 
small per centage of their entire structure, and does not 
appear to ke a component part of any of their tissues. 
It occurs in certain organic compounds which have 
^sen prepared by the vital energy of plants within the 
little bladders we have so often referred to. This class 
of compounds consists of four elements, viz., the same 
three we have already noticed in membrane and starch, 
and this fourth one, nitrogen. The compounds contain- 
ing nitrogen will presently be discussed, but I defer 
their consideration until I have concluded what I wish 
0 sa; ting starch and other allied compounds 
To trace to a single cause phenomena infinitely varying 
n grandeur and in loveliness ; to lay open to view laws 
of unlimited dominion, and to discover the hidden links 
which bind in an uninterrupted connexion the appa- 
rently dissimilar operations of nature—these are privi- 
leges worthy the enjoyment of a being “a little lower 
than the angels.” : T 
But it has occurred to me with the more force perhaps, 
beeause I do not recolleet having seen the remark else- 
where, that there is not a branch of the study of nature 
more strikingly illustrative of the marvellous order and 
system prevailing in ereation than botany. Mathema- 
tical discoveries are liable to error, and much remains 
veiled or undiscoverable in the deep crypts of nature. 
But an admirable system of organisation, comprehen- 
sible to perfection by the most ordinary capacities, 
obtains in the construction of plants. To one who has 
l a student's attention to botany, it may 
t the myriads of vegetable producti 
pee of three elements only. In order that we may 
be prepared to identify starch, and to separate it from 
any other white powdery substance with which an un- 
practised eye might otherwise confound it, I shall 
show you a test by which it is readily to be detected, 
even without our having recourse to the microscope. 
The shining steel-grey erystals in this bottle are iodine, an 
elementthatisreadily fusible,and whieh,when heated over 
a candle, as you see, rapidly rises in the form of a violet 
coloured vapour. I have here a tincture of this iodine 
prepared by dissolving it in aleohol. In this wine-glass 
full of water, I place a little starch ; and after stirring 
it up, I add a single drop of the tincture of iodine, and 
you see the grains of starch immediately assume a dark 
purple tinge. In order that iodine should be able to 
tinge starch of this purple or bluish-purple colour, it 
must itself be in a free or uncombined state. As the 
chemical reactions between various compounds are 
around us, there exists no more than a partial chain of 
resemblances ; and that to divide the whole kingdom, 
comprising about 80,000 known and named species, into 
distinct families and relationships, would be an impos- 
sible task ; in a word, that it would be a vain attempt 
to assign to every known plant such a place in a general 
flora ; that after a little attentive research through his 
manual, the botanist should arrive at certain approxi 
mations to the name of a plant unknown to him, and 
proceeding by safe and [studied steps, gradually be 
enabled, with unerring certainty, to place his finger on 
the name of the plant, and thence be enabled to tell its 
natural history, properties, and every circumstance of 
interest connected with it ; yet, this may with ease be 
done for every plant out of a thousand, nor is a bright 
genius necessary for this almost mechanical process. 
No surer example than this is needed to illustrate 
the argument that God made the world for man as an 
intellectual being, Had the Creator issued the universe 
from his Almighty hand, without a view of providing e: 
ercise for the mental powers of the prime object of crea- | 
traces of systematic arrangement; a plant would phe 
possessed no characteristies beyond those which should | 
inform the eye at a cursory glance that it wasa vegetable; | 
always I will show you an experiment or 
two illustrative of what I have just stated. This bottle 
contains a solution of iodide of potassium, a substance 
which, to the eye, looks much like common rock salt. 
And just as common salt is composed of two elements, 
chlorine and sodium, so is this substance composed of 
the two elements, iodine and potassium. I mix a little 
starch, as before, in a wine-glass full of water, and drop 
in some of the iodide of potassium ; but no effect is pro- 
duced, the starch remaining uncoloured. I next add a 
drop or two of sulphuric acid and stir up the whole, and 
you see the starch gradually becomes tinged of a purple 
colour. This shows us that the iodine has been set free 
from its combination with the potassium, by the sul- 
phurie acid. We have now in the glass the iodine 
united with the starch, and the sulphurie acid with the 
potassium, in the form of,a salt named sulphate of 
potass. I will next drop in a little ammonia, and you 
see the colour again leaves the starch, showing us that 
the iodine has returned to its former state of combina- 
tion with the' potassium, which the sulphurie aeid has 
left to unite with the ammonia. Let us then sup- 
pose that we have shown this white powder to be 
starch, by the action which iodine has produced upon 
it. We know also from the report of chemists, that it is 
composed of the same three elements, combined in the 
same proportions as they are combined in the tissues of 
plants. The next question is how can starch be ren- 
dered subservient to the development of these tissues, 
seeing it consists of insoluble grains shut up within the 
little bladders of which the cellular tissue is composed ? 
One great characteristic of organic compounds ap- 
pears to consist in their being essentially combinations 
which cannot be formed without calling in the direct 
agency of * vegetable life.” Vegetables may be viewed 
as the alembies in nature’s great laboratory, appointed 
for originating all organic matter. When an organic 
compound shall once have been formed by the instru- 
mentality of a plant, it may afterwards be modified and 
changed into another organic compound by the skill of 
the chemist : but I believe it has not yet been prove 
that the chemist can originate a truly organic combi- 
nation between the three or four elements which com- 
pose the tissues of animals and vegetables. But, even 
if art should ever be able to imitate nature in this step, 
still, how aceurately does the very letter of Genesis 
agree with the fact, that all animals derive the mate- 
rials of which their flesh is composed from matter pre- 
viously organised by vegetable life! “To every beast 
of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every- 
thing that creepeth upon the earth wherein there iS 
life, I have given every green herb for meat." * 
(To be continued.) 
THE AMATEUR GARDENER. 
On Buppine Roses. — As all floriculturists love 
Roses, it is a work of sup gation to d 
them to the attention of amateurs. How imperfect 
would their gardens, however small, be without them ! 
and how anxious they all are to secure varieties of this 
beautiful flower! Butif nothing need be said to make the 
culture of Roses a common and favourite pursuit, every 
contribution in aid of its successful and perfect deve- 
lopment must be regarded with interest. The propa- 
gation and growth of the Rose have engaged the efforts 
of the highest floricultural skill, and the methods of pro- 
cedure have peen understood by comparatively few. In 
a publication like the Gardeners’ Chronicle, novices ex- 
ect to be assisted in their pursuits, and it is for them, 
and not for the more advanced, that the following hinte 
are thrown out. Much has already been written in 
this work on Rose culture, and the volume of collected 
papers, called “the Tree Rose,” almost exhausts the 
subject of budding. All that will now be attempted i$; 
to assist the amateur who may be anxious to perform 
the operation of budding for himself; a task the writer 
undertakes with the more confidence, as he has been 
tolerably ful in this dep of gardeni: 
The objects contemplated by budding Roses should 
be well understood before the work is begun. If it is 
cases, in the course of one season. $ 
If the rule of literary criticism has any truth in it~ 
“Tn every work regard the writer's end,” " 
the same principle fully applies to florieulture, 2"' 
especially in the instance now under consideration 
What is the end or purpose to be answered by standar 
Roses? I reply, they are only useful or desirable ur 
ith 
srt AE: " 
served some of the correspondents of ma hot 
deners Chi have referred to the disputed point W nead 
the antediluvians ate flesh or not. p are Gp 
in opinion why Abel kept sheep. Perhaps he had faith Si 
cient to enable him to understand from the works of the © ion 
i j i the like dominio g 
nferior creatures do 
God's care, such'as tigers, eagles, and pikes, permitted. t the 
press 
tive only to the p 
bolder Man of Faith, accepting freely of whatev ada 
could not see to be forbidden him by the spirit of su 
lation as God had vouchsafed to him, 
4 
