51—1846.] 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONI 
CLE. e89 
(p. 506, 1844), we have only to announce a second edition | 
of it, with considerable and useful additions. Itis a very 
good Christmas present for young people no longer 
children, 
Manual of Materia Medica and Therapeutics. By 
J. F. Royle, M.D., F.R.S. 12mo. Churchill. 
Medical works do not generally come within the limits 
of the Gardeners’ Chronicle. Materia medica, which 
includes the application of plants to the cure of disease, 
1s the exception, and we gladly avail ourselves of the 
distinction to notice Prof. Royle's compendious and 
Well arranged Manual. In this work about 420 pages 
are devoted to a classified account of the principal me- 
ical plants recognised in modern practice, and neat 
woodcuts of many of the more remarkable species are 
employed in illustration of the descriptions. The 
author's intimate acquaintance with’ the sourees of ori- 
ental drugs, in which he is distinguished beyond any 
Contemporary, has ensured all the accuracy that is 
attainable wherever. such. subjects are introduced, and 
in matters beyond his personal knowledge he has been 
aided by the original investigations of Dr. Faleoner, 
whose residence in Central Asia has been productive 
of so many great resulis to science. 
Further than such advantages as these have enabled 
Dr. Royle to be original, his work is but the epitome of 
those of his predecessors. -It could not be otherwise ; 
it is however the cream: minus the milk ; and in this 
Tespect it will be highly valuable. to students, to. whom 
We recommend it, 
_ The following account of the true source of Asafc- 
tida, which has so long puzzled Europeans, is new, and 
extremely interesting. Dr. Falconer, who calls the 
‘plant which furnishes this drug Narthex- Asafoetida, 
Concludes his description of it with the following re- 
S i 
“ Narthex, both in the characters of the flowers and 
fruit, and in its * Pzoony-leaved? habit, differs widely 
rom any known species of Ferula, and appears to con- 
Stitute a distinct and well-marked genus. 
* In the Dardoh or Dangree language (the Dardohs 
being the Daradi of Arrian) the plant is called *Sip' or 
Sup? "The young shoots of the stem in spring are 
prized as.an excellent.and delicate-vegetable. 
* The species would appear to oceur ini the greatest 
abundance in the provinces of Khorassan and Laar in 
Persia, and thence to extend on the one hand into the 
plains of Toorkestan on the Oxus north of the Hindoo 
Khoosh mountains, where it seems to have been met 
with by Sir Alex. Burnes, and on the other to stretch 
across from Beloochistan, through Candahar and other 
Provinces of Affghanistan to the. eastern side of the 
valley of the Indus, where it stops in Astore, and does 
not oceur in great abundance. The whole of this re- 
gion, which constitutes the head-quarters of the gum- 
bearing Umbelliferse,. possesses the common: character 
of an excessively dry climate, indicated in Berghaus’s 
hygrometrie map in Johnson’s ‘Physical Atlas’ by a 
^ belt of white. 
“Besides the gum-resin, the fruit of Narthex Asa- 
footida is iniported into India from Persia and Affghan- 
istan, under the name of ¢Anjoodan,’ being extensively 
employed by the native physicians in India: *Anjoodan* 
being the epithet applied to the seed of the * Heengseh," 
Or Hulteet, by Avicenna, also quoted by Keempfer, 
and used by the Indo-Persian.and. Arabie writers 
generally in describing the Asafctida plant. Another 
Umbelliferous fruit is also imported with it, and sold 
under the: name: of *Dooqoo* (a word. evidently. con- 
nected with the Savkos of the Greeks), being recom- 
mended as-an excellent substitute for * Anjoodan, which 
it closely resembles in its, general appearance. This I 
found to be the fruit of a-species of true Ferula ; it is 
one of the two Asafoatida-like fruits d by Dr. 
yle as occurring in the bazaars of northern India. 
The species of Ferula yielding. this fruit. may furnish 
‘some one of the obscurely-known gum-resins resembling 
Asoefatida, produced in Persia.” 
New Garden’Plants. 
60, Hornürnpr rariora, Broad-leaved Holbillia. 
Half hardy climber. (Lardizabalads.*) Nipal. 
From L. W. Dillwyn, Esq, of Sketty: Hall, near Swan- 
Sea, with whom it flowered, perhaps for: the first time 
in Europe, on a south wall, without, protection, in the 
beginning ‘of last March. . Other plants, in the stove 
and conservatory; have shewn no disposition to blossom. 
Tt is a plant of. interest, notwithstanding the greenness 
of its flowers. Bub it is.sweet-scented. Mr, Dillwyn 
informs us that the female- blossoms have a faint sweet 
smell, such as is common in flowers of the same colour, 
but this smell is infinitely more powerful in the males, 
which towards sunset fill the air, in favourable weather, 
for several yards around; with a delicious perfume. The 
atter appear later than the females: there was full ten 
days between the first opening of the two sexes.—Bota- 
nical Register. 
l. Ononrocnossum -wEMBRANACEUM, Membrane- 
sheathed Toothtongue. Stove Epiphyte. (Orchids. *) 
exico. 
This delicious species, for so it deserves to be ealled, on 
account of its agrecuble odour and delicate flowers— 
this delicious. species is quite like O. Geryantesii in 
general appearance, and may possibly be a mere variety 
is very deeply heart-shaped and quite rounded at the; on the chalk than is Pinus pumilio, Larix daurie 
icans. TL 
point ; the two front teeth of the lip are shorter, aud 
less hairy, and the coneavity at the base of the lip hasa 
much smaller central tubercle. In other respects the 
two plants may be regarded as being identiesl. Like 
O. Rossii it may either be tied to a block of wood, with 
a little sphagnum to retain moisture, or potted in turfy 
heath-mould in the usual way. In whatever manner it 
is treated; an ample supply of water should be given 
during the summer months, and: a dump atmosphere 
maintained throughout the year. In winter, the soilor 
moss about the roots should be allowed to beeome al- 
most dry, especially if grown in a pot. And since such 
plants are always benefited by being repotted once a 
year, that operation must be performed while the plant 
is dry, and in astate of rest.— Botanical Register. 
‘Garden Memoranda. 
The Horticultural Society’s Garden at Turnham- 
green.—The Reading-room.—A second lecture, illus- 
trated by experiments, was delivered by Dr. Lindley, to 
the young men in the garden, on Monday last. The 
subject: was, “Plants feed on: charcoal. How is that, 
and whence do they get it ?? 
first point of science to be known by gar- 
deners, properly so called (as distinguished from gar- 
den-labourers), said Dr. Lindley, is, what eonsti- 
tutes the food of a plant. ‘This is ascertained by ex- 
amining its chemical condition. What it contains’ is 
what it feeds on. “Plants were stated to have many 
kinds of food, the first of which in importance was ehar- 
coal. This was proved by charring a pieceof Willow 
wood, in a test tube, over a spirit lamp ; whereby the 
water and other volatile matters were driven off, the 
mass of what remained being carbon or charcoal. 
But charcoal varies greatly in its appearance, ac- 
cording to circumstances. The diamond is char 
coal in its purest state, and chareoal is. often 
combined with other bodies, whose appearance 
would least indicate its presence. Loaf sugar was 
shown to be composed of charcoal and water, by plac- 
ing some in a glass with a little sulphurie acid, which 
drew off the water and left the charcoal behind. Starch 
was proved in like manner to consist of a considerable 
quantity of solid charcoal. Oil of turpentine (carbon 
and hydrogen) was shown to contain, charcoal, by sepa- 
rating the hydrogen with chlorine, the charcoal remain- 
ing behind. | It was added that charcoal may also exist 
in the form of air or gaseous, matter ; the most impor- 
tant of which is carbonic acid, or.a combination of char 
coal and oxygen. (Owing to au accident. the proof 
of this, by separating the charcoal,and oxygen, was 
deferred.) But although these substances were all 
proved to. contain more.or less charcoal, they do nof. all 
possess itin a fit state for entering into the composi- 
tion of plants. Those substances only can be benefi- 
cially applied as food which contain charcoal in a form 
capable of being taken up, through the skin and leaves 
of plants. - Oil of turpentine is not food for plants, al- 
hough. it: contains charcoal. Sugar and starch are 
when internal ; but not when. external, partly because 
solids cannot be taken up. It. is necessary that they 
should be dissolved, which readily takes placein the tissue 
of plants. Sugar, however, might be used as external 
food, in minute quantity, if it. were worth while. Char- 
coal itself is not fit food for plants until it becomes gaseous. 
This is. the form in which Nature herself provides. it. 
From 3 io 8 per thousand parts of the air we breathe 
is carbonic acid gas. It is the heavy gas so destruc- 
tive to animal life, often found at the bottom of wells 
and mines, It is. supplied in considerable abundance 
from deeaying animal and vegetable: matter ; but the 
greai-source of supply is the animal kingdom. Indeed 
there is, perhaps, no arrangement in the whole economy 
of Nature more: beautiful than that observed in relation 
to this gas. It maintains the equilibrium or balance of 
the animal and vegetable worlds. What is thrown: off 
from the lungs of the animal kingdom as poison to it 
is food in its best form for the vegetable world. But 
| notwithstanding the immense quantities exhaled from 
the Jungs of animals, the atmosphere. contains but a 
small quantity, as was before stated, and hence the im- 
portance of giving motion to the air in hothouses. For 
plants feed through their leaves and skin, as well as by 
their roots, and it is obvious that air passing quickly 
over the surface of a plant will part with its ear- 
bonie acid in greater abundance than when it rests upon 
the absorbing surface. in tranquillity. This was illns- 
trated by referenee to the action of an Argand lamp. 
As to the roots, it was explained that, they require that 
air containing ‘carbonic? acid should have the freest 
access to them, on which good potting greatly depended, 
as does the operation of draining, which derives a large 
part of its advantage- from the freedom with which 
carbonic- acid can. find. its; way to the xoots. of plants 
through the numerous chinks and crevices that lead 
the water into the drains. Many other experiments 
besides those which have.been mentioned were per- 
formed, in illustration of these facts. _ 
nO QU ORE B Ee 
“Miscellaneous. à 
Chalk Soils.—'The trees, shrubs, and plants, which 
we have observed most flourishing on chalky soils, are | 
the following ; though many others will grow there less 
vigorously. All the varieties of the Ashy. Elm, Ame- 
ofit, It differs, however, in the following respects :— 
ts flowers are whiter and. rather larger, and the lip is 
Spotted at the base sits petals are much blunter ; its lip 
E ks iit enis an ama or capis celat 
* See Lindley’s “ Vegetable Kingdom ” for an explanation of 
these terms, 
‘Maple grow well upon-the chalk hills. 
lanchier, and Crategus. ` Mr. Taunton also finds the 
0 Ofthe: Pines, 
we hope never to see planted there the disgustful Seoteh 
Fir; for it is worthy of cultivation for no one super- 
excellent quality, and is far less suecessful and enduring 
Pinus nigric: pe Deodara Pine promises 
flourish on the chalk. Of shrubs which succeed excel- 
lently on the chalk, are the. varieties of Berberis, Phil- 
lyrea, Ribes, Spiræa, and Viburnum, to which Mr. 
Taunton.adds Mahonia repens, though usually consi- 
dered a peat plant. Of common garden flowers, the 
most successful are Aconite, Campanula, (Enothera, 
Lupine, Prony, Phlox, Potentilla, and Veronica.— 
Johnson's. Gardeners’ Almanac. 
Wash for Green. Fly,—A solution of polysulphuret 
of-calcium, obtained by boiling lime.and flowers of sul- 
phur.in water, is very destructive to aphides, and. is 
not: unfrequently employed by gardeners for this) pur- 
pose.— Pharmaceutical Journal. 
Josling's St. Albau's Grape.—1i is buf m.that 
a seedling Grape is obtained which can beree nended 
in preference to those varieties that have been long in 
cultivation ; and still more rarely do seedlings possess 
any of that peculiarly rich flavour which characterises 
the Museats of Alexandria and the Frontignans. A 
Grape having the. high qualities of tho: just men- 
tioned, and not liable to. shank and shrivel as every 
gardener is aware the Frontignans are too apt to do, 
must be a.great acquisition ; and such the seedling which 
forms the subject of this notice will undoubteldly prove. 
It was raised by, Mr. Robert Josling, Seedsman, &c , St. 
Alban's, from seed sown about six years ago ; and a notice 
of its fruit appeared in the Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1845, 
page 660, as being excellent, rich and sugary, with a 
Frontignan flavour ; and that the variety was deserving 
of extensive circulation. This year fruit of it was ex- 
hibited at the meeting of the Society in Regent street, 
September Ist, for which a Certificate of Merit was 
awarded. The bunch, supported by a strong footstalk, 
is very long and tapering, with strong i 
shoulders. The berries are about the size o 
the White Frontignan, round, greenish-whit 
a tinge of golden-yellow when well ripened. 
rather firmer than that of the Frontignan Grap: 
not so firm as that of the Muscat of Alexandr 
rich and sugary, with a Frontignan flavour. 
leaves, in their general outline, are tolerably round, 
their lobes not deep, but the serratures are tolerably 
| sharp ; both the upper and under surfaces are remark- 
ably glabrous, and slightly tinged with red. On the 
whole the leaves bear considerable resemblance to those 
of the White Museat of Alexandria ; the berries, how- 
ever, differ in being ‘decidedly round, like those of the 
Frontignans ; but the leaves of the latter are not gla- 
brous, being furnished with bristly hairs atand near the 
axils of the veins beneath. It is perfectly distinct 
from any other variety known. 
beeu received from Mr. Josling in reply to inquiries 
respecting this excellent Grape :—** About six years 
ago I sowed some seeds of Grapes disfigured by wasps, 
of the White Muscat, White Hamburgh, or Large 
White Nice, White Muscadine, and White Sweet-water 5 
the Frontignan I did not grow at the time. These 
were gathered and sown promiscuously, so that I ean- 
not say positively from which of these sorts the variety 
in question has originated. My opinion is, that it. is 
between the White Nice and the Muscat; these grew 
side by side. In the following autumn, after the seed- 
lings ‘came up, two were planted by the side of each 
Vine already growing ; and the shoots trained up the 
rafters inside. Most of these have fruited, but proving 
worthless have sinee been cut away. 1 reserved three, 
besides the one which is the subject of this communica- 
tion, but they are much inferior to it. For this I made 
space by eutting away the original Vine, a Black Ham- 
burgh, by the side of which it was planted. 
most distinetly from the White Frentignan, from. the 
time of showing fruit, until, and when, ripe. In 
showing its fruit the branches are very long, om 
amazingly stout footstalks, which strut diagonally from 
the Vine in a manner very different from any I grow. 
At this stage they are very conspicuous throughout the 
house. After this the berries assume a dark-green 
eolour, the Frontignan is of a pale green ; it shoulders, 
the Frontignan does not ; the bunch tapers to a point, 
the Frontignan is more cylindrical; the footstalk 
throughout the bunch is very stiff, the Frontignan 
hangs loosely. In flavour itapproaches the Frontignan 
more than any other Grape; but even in this respeet, 
it differs materially, the berry in the mouth having 
more substance, and being more sugary and sweetmeat 
like; when ripe it assumes a dark-gold colour. The 
berries have their pedieels well extended, so that much 
thinning is not required. With regard to the foliage, 
on first breaking it has not that white mealy appearance 
which the Frontignans have ; it more resembles the 
Black Hamburgh in all its habits of growth. In 
ripening, this variety is rather later than the Frontig- 
nan, and has not shanked with me, nor shrivelled in 
the berry, as*does the Frontignan. I have grown 30 
rafters of Grapes in three houses, of the leading kinds, 
within the. last sixteen years, and I can assert that it is 
decidedly distinctfrom any that I grow. Its habit of 
growth is strong and robust ; and altogether I consider 
it a valuable variety." In this opinion I coneur,— 
Thompson in Journal of the Horticultural Society. 
Bees in a .Bed.— A known correspondent mentions 
that a friend of his whose calling took him and his wife 
from home, and who had not visited their house since 
the May term till the 8th of the present month (Dec.), 
| found on removing the coverlet of the bed a bees’ nest 
amongst the blankets, the size of a man's hand, or 
larger, the variety being what. is called the foggy bee. 
None were alive, all their store being gone. The only 
Mesh 
but 
The followimg has; 
