592 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
require but a slight connexion with the soil, and develop 
themselves without its co-operation, in proof of which 
he adduces the slender roots of Sedum, Cactus, and Sem- 
ervivum. believes, in fine, that in lactescent plants 
: ble t 
[Aue. 26, 
explain one point in the culture of those dwarf Pelargoniums 
which I named at the end of the last Calendar, and which are not 
well understood. These plants are mere weeds in the eyes of the 
florist, but like many old sorts, they make far better beds than the 
large new ones. y are the Hybrid Perpetuals among the 
i ; some of them are among the best for winter and 
the humidity absorbed from the air, and indisp 
their growth, is protected from evaporation by the 
very nature of their sap, as humidity is surrounded 
by caoutchouc and is protected by a sort of impermea- 
ble integument! Riswm teneatis, amici—exclaims Moh], 
in allusion to these opinions. The assertion that an- 
tediluvian plants lived on a soil devoid of humus is so 
extraordinary, that M. refutes it at some length. We 
know, he says, that monocotyledonous and cryptogamic 
plants possess no tap-roots, but merely fibres, which, al- 
though they are slender, still are very numerous. The as- 
sertion, therefore, that plants with thick, branchy roots (like 
our trees) obtain their food from the soil, and those plants 
which possess fibrous ones are nourished by the air—is 
untenable. L. himself ‘‘ considers the absorption of inor- 
ganic substances to be necessary for the nourishment o 
plants; those, however, can only be absorbed by the roots.”” 
“ The reader’’—concludes M.—‘‘ will, I trust, not expect 
from me a refutation of Liebig’s assertions on tropical 
vegetation, which are really beneath criticism, If the 
luxuriant vegetation of the tropics, with their virgin forests, 
Palms, and arborescent Grasses, is to be typified by @ 
few Sedums, Cacti, or Sempervivums, and if lactescent 
plants are to be looked upon as surrounded by a coat of 
Tndian-rubber ; then, certainly, anything may be proved 
—and, not least, the ignorance of the propounder.’’ 
Professor Liebig’s third chapter, inscribed “ The Assi- 
milation of Hydrogen,’’ proves pretty well that all which 
Chemistry has made out about chemical processes in the 
interior of plants amounts to almost nothing. L. states, 
in the first instance, that woody fibre consists of carbon 
and the component parts of water, or of carbon plus a 
certain quantity of hydrogen. Here, therefore, the very 
first proposition in the progress of assimilation contains 
ion 
early spring forcing ; others have their foliage so sweet, that they 
are regularly forced with Sweet Briar, the Lemon-plant (Aloysia), 
and others of that stamp, to furnish bouquets. Hundreds of 
the Prince of Orange are thus annually forced for the London 
markets ; this one is also the hardiest of the family, It will stand 
They are, joreover, an 
anomalous race, differing widely from their fellows ; their habit 
the flowering portion on the top of the other sorts. 
capable of hybridization only to a very limited extent, but an 
occasional one, with some improvement, comes out now and 
then, Queen Victoria is the latest and best of them I have 
seen, and as they promise to drive the larger ones out of the 
flower-garden in a few years, just as the hybrid Perpetual Roses 
are doing now with the older sorts, I shall be excused 
Now, as they cannot be propa- 
flower 
< 
season arrives. Then, at planting-out time, a few dozens of the 
smallest plants should be reserved, along with as many Helio. 
kept rather dry in a close hotbed or stove. 
I,—KITCHEN-GARDEN AND ORCHARD, 
In-door Department. 
Prnery.—Shut them up in a moist heat of 90° in the afternoon, 
and as long as you keep them above 60° in ing, all is 
right; but as the autumn is the best growing season, let the 
heat be up to 60° as a minimum, until frost and snow, with short 
days, will lower it down to 50°, which may be stated as the mini- 
mum 
an éi/her andan or. L. thinks (p. 60) that di I 
of water is the more likely to take place, because water is 
the easier of decomposition ; and this is plausible enough. 
But what shall we think of the consistency of Liebig, if 
in all other parts of his work the decomposition of carbonic 
acid is considered as a self-evident fact (p.121); and 
leaves are said to possess powers of decomposition stronger 
than that of the most powerful chemical agencies, because 
they can decompose carbonic acid, which resists the 
strongest galvanic battery! L. states further, that the 
formation of acids, of ethereal oils, (having no oxygen,) 
and of caoutchouc, may be considered as combinations of 
carbonic acid with water ; all, or the greater part, of the 
oxygen having been eliminated. This may be true in a 
chemical point of view, but it remains to be proved that 
these combinations are really formed by water and car- 
boniec acid, and are not the result of other organic com- 
binations. But if the latter be the case,—if ethereal oils 
are formed by the ‘mutual combination of organic sub- 
stances,—if they exhibit certain determined stages of 
vegetable metamorphosis, then the decomposition of water 
and carbonic acid cannot be taken into account, because 
these do not exist as such in organic combinations ; “and 
then” (concludes Dr. M.) “ the process to which the above 
substances owe their origin is a far different one, and the 
explanation of Liebig is anything but a formula explain- 
ing their origin,’? but is quite as erroneous as the 
assertion would be that sugar consists of carbonic acid 
and spirits of wine. 
In the fourth chapter, ‘‘ On the Origin and the Assi- 
milation of Nitrogen,’’ L. starts from the correct asser- 
tion, that even in a soil richest in humus, no vegetation 
can take place without the co-operation of some nitrogen- 
ous substances; and that (as it has been proved by 
Boussingault) their nitrogen is derived from the atmo- 
sphere. But L. subsequently rejects the opinion (p. 65) 
that plants assimilate the nitrogen of the air in a direct 
manner, and derive their nitrogen from the ammonia 
contained in the rain-water (a discovery made by himself), 
adducing in proof that nitrogen is conveyed to plants 
in the form of ammonia, the analysis of the sap of 
Acorns, Birches, &c., in which ammoniacal salts have been 
found. This idea is certainly the most valuable in the 
whole of L.’s work. But here, as elsewhere, he has been 
satisfied with generalities, without looking to details of 
great importance in vegetable physiology. Considering 
the ammonia of rain-water sufficient for explaining the 
amount of nitrogen contained in plants, he has entirely 
neglected the nitric salts, and asserts (without adducing 
any proof) that Borage, the Chenopodia, and the Jerusa- 
lem Artichoke, owe their nitric salts merely to ammonia— 
an assertion by no means confirmed by the experiments 
of John. 
(To be continued.) 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS forthe ensuing week. 
LOWER-GARDENING Plants, and especially the new Pelargo- 
p through the winter. 
NeEry.—About this time there are four good signs which 
never fail to show the practical gardener how matters have been 
managed in this house for the last year or two. I mean in those 
houses that areforced in March, The black Grapes are now of a 
jet-like colour, with a fine bluish bloom; the white ones of a fine 
soft amber tint. Then the young wood is darkish brown, and 
the leaves perfectly green, but firmer and drier than formerly, 
i i These signs show that 
many Vineries in the country showing both signs. I once suc- 
ceeded in redeeming old plants which had the latter symptoms, 
and the means I used I shall state ere long. 
Out-door Department. 
e late-sown Peas and Kidney-Beans have little time to 
often throw off the passing 
well-stirred between rows of young crops 
Beans, and late-planted Cauliflowers are the only young crops 
now to be looked to in this way. 
AsPARAGUS.—This is now swelling off a heavy crop of seeds, 
much. If attempts 
were made to clear off the fruit, the chances are that more harm 
than good would be done by breaking and bruising the young 
layer of short grass. The old wood of the Raspberry may be cut 
out as soon as the fruit is off, and also a few of the weakest of the 
young shoots; this will strengthen the roots, and let the air have 
free access to the next year’scanes. From this time to the mid- 
s of all sorts that are 
injured by frost ; the buds on the remaining branches will be more 
prominent by the force of the ascending sap being thus checked, 
and the edges of the wounds made by the pruning-knife are healed 
over before winter. For these reasons, and others that might be 
adduced, September is the best, and perhaps spring the worst, 
time to cut hedges. 
II.—FLOWER-GARDEN AND SHRUBBERY. 
In-door Department. 
rove.—* What have youtosay about the bulbous section of the 
Epidendrumsto which macrochilum belongs?” asks a correspon- 
ent. Theydislike much water at the roots, and should not have 
much shade, seeing that they grow on trees fully exposed. Most 
people keep them too much shaded. 
niums, have attracted more attention than I ( have 
received several letters lately on this subject, of which I shall 
make use by-and-by; meantime, let us not forget the other 
families required for the flower-beds. There are many bad Ver- 
benas and Petunias which require to be purged from the lists. 
Among Verbenas, take the best variety of the creeping Scarlets, 
or Melindres breed ; then the best of the more upright sorts of the 
same colour, and these two will give you the cream of the 
scarlet Verbenas. Then come the Purples; there is scarcely a 
creeping one among them; but you may take the best coloured 
dwarf, and the tallest among them; this is sufficient for the 
purple colour, After that, take the pink ones in the same manner, 
and then the Whites—1 wish I could say the same of blue ones, 
The so-called blue Verbena is like the scarlet Laburnum 
after seeing all about London, and collecting nearly 50 varieties of 
3 
@ 
4 
2 
ps 
g 
& 
ea 
a 
we 
2 
2 
Ps 
are for neutral beds; that is, beds with no decided 
color Instead of giving the names, I shall wait to hear the 
merits of th different varieties discussed by others. Petunias 
must be dealt with after the same manner. But I must hasten to 
the number included in this section, few of the: 
are really fine plants. This reminds me thi isi 
to pot such Orchidacez as require it. 
will be in flower with me three weeks earlier than last year; it 
was kept last winter along with others from the highlands of 
Mexico, in a temperature not exceeding 45°. Any woody stove- 
plant now in growth should be checked a little, unless it be a 
climber. 
ConservATory.—The different species of Begénia are well 
suited for flowering in this house, and in rooms through the 
summer: they are enabled to resist the dry atmosphere in such 
places, compared with that of the stove, by the succulency of 
their stems and foliage. The Stephanotus I mentioned some time 
sing is now nearly done flowering, and is growin; 
freely as 
last May, 
keeping it in the same house 
changes never suit any plant. 
Pirs.—Early Chrysanthemum: 
but I was preparing it since this time last year, by 
with the Pelargoniums. 
3 and Salvia. splendens, with 
some of the Heliotropes and forcing Pelargoniums, should now 
Another good reason is that 
ry as 
a Passion-flower ; it was only planted out in the end of 
Sudden 
be put under cover in pits, to bring them on slowly. ‘any of 
the dwarf China, Bourbon, and Tea Roses, treated in this way, 
would bloom through November till Christmas, when forced 
Cabbage and Moss Roses will be coming in; there is nothing 
like looking early to these things,—one day lost now is as muc’ 
as a week in spring. 
Frower-Garnen,—After so much about Pelargoniums, the 
next step will be to make a selection of the best, and most dis- 
tinctly coloured of the autumn flowering Cape Heaths, for fur- 
nishing the flower-garden in the latter part of the season. [have 
been collecting materials for this scheme for the last 12 months, 
and shall put them into form in due time. Meanwhile accounts 
of bedding Pelargoniums &c, are coming in from distant parts of 
the country. A corresponden' m St. Andrews says he has 
planted out his best Pelargoniums in the flower-garden ; but such 
an account without names is of little value. It is true we have 
planted out this class for years in England, but we find some run 
too much to leaf; others flower fits and starts, or flower three 
weeks, then grow away as long and then flower again; while the 
beauty of others is washed off by a slight shower, or fades away 
under a strong sun. Selections, therefore, and not collections, 
are wanted. Beds of Lupinus Hartwegii and nanus, with Salvia 
patens, Mignonette, Alonsoa, and similar plants, will now require 
constant attention, to cut off the flower-spikes as they begin to 
seed at the bottom; with care they may be kept in flower to the 
end of the season.—D. Beaton, Shrubland Park Gardens, Ipswich. 
State of the Weather Lond the week ending Aug. 24, 1843, as 
_ observed at the Horticultural Garden, Chiswick. 
Aug. ee j ‘Tnenwonernn. Wind. | Rain. 
Max. | Min. | Max, in. ; Mean. | ———).___ 
day 18 | 30.084 | 29.958 84 59 The E 
Saturday 19 | 29,92 29.670 61 72.5 01 
Sunday 30.171 | 99.647 72 47 59.5 
fonday 21} 29977 | 99.885 n 49 60.0 102 
Tuesday 22 | 29 29.477 62 45 53.5 32 
Wednesday 23 | 29.619 | 99.412 69 53 61.0 196 
Thursday 24] 29.787 | 29.599 74 46 | 60.0 
Average |" 29.871 29,664 | 73.7 61.4 | 62.5 _ +130 
August 18. Foggy; sultry, with dusky clouds; clear at night. 
19. Very fine; cloudless and hot, with slight dry haze; clear and 
ne, 
20. Cloudy ; very fine; overcast, 
21, Clear and fine; very fine, with few clouds ; overcast, 
22. Overcast; rather boisterous; rain, heavy rain at 4 p.m. ; overcast. 
23. Fine; overcast; 7 pm. rain commenced, continuing constant 
and heavy all night; wind sometimes boisterous- 
24, Cloudy ; fine, with clouds; yery fine; clear at night. 
‘ean temperature of the week 4° above the averages 
State of the Weather at Chiswick during the last 17 years, for the ensuing 
Week ending September 2, 1843. 
No. 0} E ie 
Aug. | Aver. er. in | Greatest sale 
and Sept: |Highest| Lowest | Mean] Years in| uancity |, . ie 3 lz 
Temp. | ‘Temp. P Teaiaias of Rain. A al Ie 
614 6 0.40 in. | 4 5) 8 
61.6 8 0.20 |= sie) 
60.7 7 0.58 \3 6 2} 1 
0 5 0.92 | 3) 5| 8 
59.8 10 ogg | a ai 4 
59.6 10 1.50 1 a 3) 2 
89.6 8 023 8 3} 5|— 
The hig! perature during the above period occurred on the 80th of 
August, 1826—thérmometer 83°; and the lowest on the Ist of September, igs 
—thermometer 36°, 
REPORT ON COVENT-GARDEN MARKET, 
wr the Week ending August 25, 184 
ket, Vege nite 
plentiful. Amongst the Grapes are excellent bunches of 34 
uscat; and Black Hamburghs, in particular, are good. Peach 
1s. 6d. per lb. Gooseberries and Cw 
Filberts are rather on the increase, and fetch from 40s. to es 
e everywhere inferior, Cauliflow. 
beginning to improve a little. 
abundant; there is also an excellent supply of Win 
Celery continues to improve; the Red Solid is selling at 
Onions are plentiful. Peas are becoming 
abundant. Carrots are good, and Shallots plentiful. joni 
Flowers are chiefly composed of Tropzeolum peregrinum, iE peasy 
yenusta, Yellow and Perpetual Roses, China Asters, bee 
"Verbenas, Fuchsias, Calceolarias, Picotees, and Carnations: 
ICES, Sarvnpax, Avgust £6: 1943.— 
ITSt— oa 
Pine Apple, per ib., 3s to 6s ‘aspberries, per gallon, 7¢ t 
ex he 
Grapes, hothouse, per Jb. 2¢ to 6s Cherries, Morello, stanaards, P 
eaches, per dozen, 12s to 21s sieve, 65 1s 
Nectarines, per dozen, 12¢ to 214 all, per 1b.) 1s toto asad 
Apricots, per doz, 1s to 4¢ Apples, new, per hf-6v 27 69 98 
i » 6 Pears, per half-sieves 280 «9 33 
2s to 6s Oranges, per dozen, 1s Oa i 
x» Dutch, each, 1s 6d to 3¢ — per 100,105 0 
Plums, per punnet, 1s to Lemons, per doz. 13 60 1, 
violet, per hf-sieve, 2s 6d to 3s 6d — per 100, 58 tO city a8 
— Gage, per punnet, 2s ncumbers, per bine 1 75 
Gages, Green, per hf-sv., 108 
to 12s 
Gooseberries, p hf-sv, 2sto 3 
Currants, per half-sieve, 3s to 4s 6d 
—_’ Black, per hf-sv., 286d to 5s 
— Red, for wine, per sv. 4s 6d to 5s 
— for dessert, p- hf-sy,, 4s to 6s 
VEGETABLES. 
Imonds, per pecly 
Nuts, per bushel — 
— Brazil, 168 
= Barcelona, 9% for 
= Cob, 126 3 tO 
Pilverte: Umgliah, p 100108. 50 
P .» 25 t0 AF as 
Cabbages, per doz., 9d to 1 3d Leeks, per doz ea eho 1f (aga 
Cauliflowers, per dozen, 28 to 5s Onions, Spring P- 407) Mchins 2¢ 105 
Beans, per hf-seve, 1s to 26d) — Large, PEt Sotoz,, 14 6 
et, per hf-sy., 18 Gd to 29 6d Spanish, per a0 
— Windsor, per sieve, Is to 1s 6d perl eos 
Potatoes, New, per ton, 60s tos |Chilis, per 100 109 36 
- per cwt., 3s to 516d |Peas, per busheo Fae 
= perbushel, 123 to 26 6d Sper sack core, of 10 14 
- jdney, p.bush., 2s to ded |Lettuce, Gabbe I score, Od 80 Seg 
tichokes, green, per doz. 1s to =, Gob NS to 16) od.t0 14 
Veretable Marrows, per doz, Gd tole |Celerys P-Y47p4¢ punnety 24 sen ag 
Turnips, per doz banches, 3¢ to 6e [Small Salads, Poi joz, bunches 17 1) gg. 
ty per dozen, Od to le Swveet Basis Fe gor, sm: bun- 4 
Ri bundle, 1s to 6: Watercress, Pie sieve, 
aan Pee ann bands dito ls |Parsleys PX hoz, bunches, £6 t0 5 
oz, bunch, ddvole |Parragom Pig, buny 26 (0,34 5 ag 
eer ‘punches, oa 0 Ad 
Mint, per doz. Hae 
jo een, P' 
Ma) ottle, 28 to 48 
sans per bushel, 74 to 95 
intss 
spondents. 
mod, Flora, 
= ally m0) 
quirer, An Irishman, 
the following notice, 
seems to have been fo’ 
common flowers, il ut themse rea- 
not to . Itis un 
beg our correspondent pain of neglecting aoe he examina- 
ints to & 
it to such inquiries. 
plants are as many as 
a time. 
‘ust to be 
~ re 
ood a here Jaid 
+ now blame themselves if 
inquirer es a 
most Tr 
rosso exant ut, ehere. 
We should say th ry to send at 
tr 
; and 
n ti 
down ou 
we return to it, 
