43—1846.] 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONI 
CLE. 709 
first with a certain degree of doubt, for not only has old 
prejudice to be conquered, but new tastes to be ac- 
quired. Two qualities which may be considered as highly 
recommendatory and peculiar to the Potato, help to 
give it its present value in the estimation of that class 
by whom it is chiefly used: one the quantity of matter 
produced, convertible into food, the other its facility of 
‘preparation for that purpose; nothing can be more 
readily cooked, and with poor people this last is really 
‘an important consideration. 
That the excessive cultivation and use of the Potato 
4s an evil, can scarcely be doubted, and the check the 
existing disease has given to its farther extension will 
not, I am well persuaded, ultimately be greatly lamented, 
as other and possibly more wholesome and nutritious 
vegetables will be sought for and brought into more 
general cultivation. There is one particularly that may 
be f: bly ioned ded as well 
worthy increased attention: I allude to the Dwarf 
French Bean, or Haricot as it is commonly termed in 
France, in which country it is commonly used in its 
more wholesome and proper state, the matured seed, 
and not as we employ it, in its unripened condition, 
I think cottagers would not do wrong in appropriat- 
ing half their usual Potato ground to this useful Bean. 
It is exceedingly prolific, and will afford a constant 
supply of green pods all through the season, independ- 
ant of its regular crop, which will ripen better from 
the pods being occasionally thinned. In corroboration 
of this we have now a considerable piece of ground 
cropped with this Bean, which has afforded a regular 
supply all the season, and will give an ample crop of 
well ripened Beans for winter consumption. 
In France the Haricot is boiled and served up with 
Parsley and butter ; it forms an excellent and highly 
‘nutritious dish. Should particulars of its culture be 
wequired, I shall be happy to give them.—W. J., 
Windsor, October 16. [Pray do.] 
BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCE- 
MENT OF SCIENCE, 
(Continued from p. 692.) 
Tunspay, Serremper 15.— NaTURAL History SEC- 
"TION,—A. letter was received from Mrs. Wuirpy, of 
‘Newlands, near Lymington, Hants, in which she stated 
the encouraging result of her experiments begun 10 
years ago on her own estate, and exhibited specimens of 
raw and d silk, with fulldetails. Mrs. Whitby 
‘began by planting various sorts of Mulberry trees, and 
-finds the dwarf Philippine (Morus multicaulis) is by far 
the best, as producing more leaf, and from the facility 
with which its cuttings are struck, more easily propa- 
gated than any other. Of the various races of silk- 
worms, she finds, that by procuring the eggs of the 
large Italian sort of four changes, she obtains as great 
a proportion, and as good a quality of silk as they do 
‘in Italy or France. The testimony of several eminent 
‘manufacturers in London, Manchester, and Coventry, 
attest this, and has afforded Mrs. Whitby the satisfac. 
ion of presenting to her Majesty Queen Victoria, 20 
yards of rich and brilliant damask, manufactured from 
Silk raised at Newlands, who was graciously pleased to 
accept of this indication of a new source of riches in 
her dominions, After making every allowance for ocea- 
“gional unfavourable seasons and labour, machinery, out- 
lay of money, &e., it will be found that land laid out 
for furnishing food for this valuable caterpillar will 
yield at least 207. per acre profit. The comparison 
is briefly as follows, 1 oz. of eggs produces 40,000 worms, 
‘which require 1400 lbs. of leaves ; deducting 25 per 
cent. for accidents there will be 30,000 cocoons, weigh- 
ing 75 lbs., which, at 10 Ibs. per lb. of silk will yield 
7% lbs. of the best raw silk (besides refuse), equal at 
25s. per lb. to 8/. 12». 6d., one acre of land bearing 
1225 plants of 6 or 8 years’ growth, yields 4900 lbs. of 
leaves, and will consequently feed 34 ozs. of eggs, which 
at 8/ 12s. 6d. nett per oz. as above stated, yield 
302. 3s. 9d., and deducting 33 per cent. for labour, ma- 
chinery, &c., 10/.,there will remain a final profit per 
acre on 34 ozs. of eggs, 207. 
The reading this paper excited much discussion. 
Mr. OcıLBy regarded it as of great importance. Mrs. 
"Whitby had by introducing this new species of Mul- 
‘berry (Morus multicaulis) overcome the great difficulty 
which laid in the way of rearing the silkworm in 
‘England, as other species did not produce their leaves 
early enough to feed the worm. He especially hoped 
‘that the tree would grow in Ireland so as to afford a 
‘means of subsistence to some portion of that country. 
He had made many enquiries with regard to the value 
of different kinds of silk and found that that made from 
‘the English cocoons was the most valuable. 
Reference having been made to feeding silkworms on 
other plants containing milky juices, Mr. PATTERSON 
referred to the experiments of Mr. Felkin, of Notting- 
ham, in which it was found that when silk-worms were 
fed on other plants they died in much greater numbers 
"than when fed on Mulberry leaves. 
Dr. LANKESTER stated that it was well known that 
‘the silk-worm of India would not feed on the Mulberry, 
and that the silk-worm of Italy would not feed on the 
food of the Indian worm. Caution ought, therefore, 
to be employed in recommending substitutes for the 
ordinary food of the silk-worm. 
Mr. MowckroN Mirnes wished to know if it were 
‘probable that the Morus multicaulis would grow in the 
north of England, and whether other plants, such as 
"Maize, would grow under its shade? In answer to 
‘these questions it was stated that this Mulberry was 
:growing in several parts of the south of England at 
‘the present time, 
Observations on the true nature of the Tendril in the 
mate, and at a height of 750 feet above the level of the 
sea. I have just had mine measured ; the height is 40 
Cucumber, by T. Butt Sauter, M.D., F.L.S.— While it 
is now admitted that the tendril is a dification o: 
some essential part of the plant, it is in most plants suf- 
ficiently obvious what organ is so altered, as for in- 
stance the leaf or petiole in the Leguminous plants, of 
the peduncle in Passiflora, and of the primary axis of 
the plant in the Vine—in this family it is not so 
obvious. In the monstrous state of a Cucumber plant 
now shown, where all the parts appear in a more ele- 
mentary form than in its natural state, we have this 
question satisfactorily solved. While the female flower 
is resolved into an aggregation of thick adherent leaves, 
and tlfe staminate flowers into an aggregation of leaves 
not adherent, we see the tendril as a simple slender 
leaf, and not a branch bearing any aggregation of leaves, 
asit would be were it any modification of a branch or 
any part of the infloresence. It would appear from this 
that the tendril in this genus and family represents the 
leaf, while the developed leaf next to it is the first leaf 
of a sessile axillary branch. 
A paper was read by Mr. W. Tuompson, entitled, 
*€ Comparison of the periods of the flowering of Plants in 
the early spring of 1846 in the Botanic Garden of Bel- 
fast and the Jardin des Plantes at Paris 3” also, 
* Notes on additions to the Flora of Ireland.”—The 
comparison showed that the same species flowered much 
earlier at Belfast than at Paris, though at the latter 
place the spring of 1846 was the earliest of the last 40 
years. It was suggested that returns of this kind from 
the botanic gardens of the United Kingdom, and these 
again compared with similar catalogues from the public 
gardens on the continent of Europe, would possess 
much interest in various points of view. A few species 
of PI gamie and Cryptogami plants were noticed 
as additions to the flora of Ireland and specimens ex- 
hibited, the Pheenogamie species were chiefly collected 
by Mr. D. Oer, foreman in the Belfast botanic garden, 
(To be continued.) 
RESULT OF AN EXPERIMENT UPON POTATO 
PLANTING, 
ON THE ESTATE OF SIR P. DE M G. EGERTON, BT., M.P. 
IN each instance two drills were measured, each 
rt.— October 12, 1846. 
$ 
When Namesof |23 
planted. Potatoes, CEA 
5 | Moderate in size. 
.. |Obliged to be raised 
five weeks ago; 
they were rotting 
e ast. 
Seed obtained from 
js White Ladies ..| 52 15 
the garden. 
zH Bloody Rogers ..| 10 18 | Very small; the best 
doubtful. 
Dec. 10 .|Winter Pink Eyes} 41 4. | Moderate in size. 
$ Blue amora iej 57 4 |Very fine. 
Second 'or- 
bid dwara Pinkeyes] 45 4 | Very fing. 
1846. 
Jan.12.|Blue Farmers ,.| 62 5 |Veryfine. — 
Ty Bloody Rogers ,. 8 28 | These adjoin the 
assign any reason 
for the difference. 
de Winter Pink Eyes| 57 8 ery A 
Feb. 18|Winter Pink Eyes| 40 6 | Tolerably fine. 
M Blue Farmer: «1.60 4 Fine Potatoes. 
de Bloody Rogers ..| 7 15 | Inferior, even the 
ones. 
Mar. 27, Winter Pink Byes} 49 
5 
» [Blue Farmers ..| 65 | 10 
m Bloody Rogers ..| 1l 21 
April 23) Winter Pink Eyes} 43 5 
as ue Farmers ..| 55 7 | Good. "NER. 
» Bloody Rogers .. 5 17 |Thebestveryinferior 
N.B. The Bloody Rogers, which have failed so signally, were 
previously regarded as the best spring Potatoes. 
Good. 
Thebestvery inferior 
Small. 
Home Correspondence. 
Effect of Manure on the Polato Disease.— Your 
articles on Potatoes are excellent and most valuable ; 
but have you not made one omission? Manure 
both years has increased the rot. In some fields the 
heaps were left a time unspread. On these spots the 
crop was entirely decayed, whilst in the rest of the 
ground, not a tenth part was destroyed. From last 
yeax’s experience, many planted Potatoes without any 
manure, and the result has verified the excellence of 
the plan, The quantity of untainted Potatoes is far 
greater than where manure was applied. The aim 
next year must be to obtain sound, not great produce. 
he manure should be applied to other crops. Now for 
theory, as to the reasons:—1. Potatoes absorb a small 
portion of undecomposed manure when it is supplied in 
abundance (Solly 507.) Will not this accelerate decom- 
position in the plant? 2, Nitrogen causes many 
bst; to be d posed (Solly, end of 314). But 
nitrogen either in ammonia, or some other way, is 
supplied by fresh manure containing animal substances. 
Will not therefore an extra dose of nitrogen 1n à Potato 
tend to destroy its soundness ! Indeed, it is in the 
nitrogenous part where the decay begins.—Sigma, [But 
jn 1845 unmannred land suffered excessively. Never- 
theless we agree that azotised manures had better be 
discontinued for the present. i 
Abies Douglasii.-- The m and growth of the Abies 
Douglasii in the fine climate of Dropmore and Carclew, 
having been noticed, it may not be uninteresting to know 
how it has prospered in a comparatively ungenial cli- 
feet, the at 2 feet from the ground is 3 
feet 6 inches, the length of some of the lower branches 
nearly 14 feet, and the circumference of the branches 
on the ground about 90 feet. It is thickly clothed with 
luxuriant branches from the ground to the top. It 
would certainly have been 5 or 6 feet higher, but from 
the misfortune of having twice lost its leading shoot; 
three years ago a shot from a gun pierced the leading 
shoot, and this year a severe hailstorm broke it down. 
In one respect Iam more fortunate than Sir C. Lemon, 
at Carclew, for I have 50 fine young plants raised from 
the seed of last year, but which had a narrow escape 
from death by the same hailstorm that broke the lead- 
ing shoot of their parent, and were only saved by the 
gardener rushing out with a hand glass; they would 
otherwise all have perished, along with other plants that 
were cut down in great numbers. I have two or three 
fine plants raised from layers, which seem to be putting 
out shoots on all sides, and growing well and upright. 
There are no cones upon the tree this year.— William 
Ord, Whitfield Hall, Northumberland. 
Magnolia pumila, &c.—1t is stated in the “ Botani- 
cal Magazine” for September (t. 4251), that the charm- 
ing shrub, Magnolia pumila (under its new name of 
Talauma Candollii) is a * native of Java, and that the 
warmth of a stove is necessary for it.” Now, in 1844, 
I happened to have two plants of it in but indifferent 
health, and was induced to try what a cooler treatment 
would do for them ; they were accordingly placed in a 
cold pit, and very soon showed, by the foliage acquiring 
more substance, becoming of a finer green, and by the 
shoots getting more robust, that they enjoyed the 
change. Here they have remained for the last two 
winters, the lights only covered with mats, without any 
artificial warmth, and have bloomed splendidly, and are 
now in.more vigorous health than I ever before had 
them. I also observe in the “ Botanical Register” for 
September (491) that Holbollia latifolia (or Stauntonia 
latifolia) is noticed as having been flowered in March 
last, * perhaps for the first time in Europe,” by L. W. 
Dillwyn, Esq. It, however, flowered with me in April, 
1845, and again profusely this spring in my conserva- 
tory, perfuming the air with its fragrance for a consi- 
derable time; and though its flowers are not showy 
yet, the fine dark-green foliage and delightful fragrance 
(much resembling Pergularia odoratissima) make it 
worthy of a place as an evergreen climber in every con- 
servatory. Ít certainly does not require more warmi 
than the Camellia, if not perfectly hardy ; for, having 
a duplicate plant for which I could not spare room 
when housing my plants last autumn, it was turned out 
into my shrub-border to take its chance (as is my fre- 
quent practice with spare conservatory plants), and, 
without any protection, it stood the winter, being but 
partially cut down, and has made a good healthy shoot 
this summer trained to a stake. So there can be little 
doubt of its hardiness.—J. .4., Northampton. 
State of the Potato Crop in Germany and Belgium. 
—I have just returned from a trip to Germany by way 
of Belgium, and having purposely attended to the state 
of the Potato crop in those countries, I beg to give the 
substance of my observations. I left Ostend for Louvain 
on the 5th of September, and as far as Termond the 
appearance of the Potato crop was that it was injured 
to the extent of one-half, but the dreadful storm of 
thunder, lightning, and rain which fell that evening, 
and the night coming on, prevented me from seeing the 
progress of the affliction further towards Louvain. The 
excellent hostess at the Hotel Suéde would have it that 
the Potatoes in the district of Louvain were mot in- 
jured; and, certainly, those at her (able d'hote on the 
6th of September did not appear to beso. However, on 
proceeding thence on the afternoon of that day, for Aix 
la Chapelle, I found as long as daylight lasted that the 
leaves and stalks of the Potatoes were blightec to the 
extent of one-third, yet in the immediate neighbour- 
hood of Aix there were, even for some days aíter my 
arrival there, but slight appearances of the disease, 
Nevertheless, on walking about the country on Friday, 
the 11th of September, I found spots in which the 
leaves and stalks were partially blackened, and the 
peasants were taking up the Potatoes. The wife of a 
peasant who was so employed told me that the injury 
commenced about a week previousiy, but that the Po- 
tato itself was not affected ; yet, on examining, with an 
intelligent peasant, the next occupation but one, we 
found a diseased Potato. On my arrival at Wiesbaden, 
on the 15th of September, I could not see any traces of 
the pestilence ; yet, before I left on the 25th of Sep- 
tember, it had made its appearance ; but the crop by 
that time was nearly ripe, and the country abounds 
with Cabbages, Carrots, a species of Turnip Cabbages, 
and all sorts of vegetables ; so that that district will 
scarcely feel the evil effects elsewhere sustained. On 
my return on the left bank of the Rhine, I found at 
Bonn and homeward, the stalks and leaves considerably 
blighted ; but a peasant near Malines told me that the 
Potato itself was not much affected, and, in his own 
opinion, the root would not in that country be dear. It 
appears to me that the affliction. began in Ireland 
and in the west of Europe, and travelled east and 
south-east about 50 milesa week. I went into Devon- 
shire the latter end of July, when there were no ap- 
pearances of it ; but before I left the blight had spread 
over the whole county, and thence it traversed the 
east and south of England ; but there was a singular 
exception of a piece of land between Margate and 
Ramsgate, which had not any visible sign of the disease 
