1843.] 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONIC 
LE. 559 
, or quadrangularis, ‘ Bot. Mag.’? 567, has the 
upper segment large and concave, all the rest abbreviated. 
three natural sorts have the usual seed of the Cape Gladioh with 
foliaceous margins. I have had many instances of seedlings amongs| 
the mixed produce from Cardinalis, blandus, and tristis, with the 
lower lip abbreviated, ti ly during an. ble season, 
Cunonius and splendens, which are closely akin, and scarcely separ- 
able, are both stoloniferous ; quadrangularis is not, the latter having 
precisely. the singular leaf of G. tristis, with four angles, the mi rib 
eing like the blade of the leaf. It is evident that the genera Ani- 
santhus and Petamenes cannot be supported, their distinctions 
depending upon features which are variable.—Hon. and Rev. W. 
Herbert, in Botanical Register, ‘i 
IFRENARIA INODORA. Scentless Bifrenaria. (Stove Epiphyte.) 
i i is plant was imported 
aches so nea 
flourishes in a warm, 
of a pale green, bearin: ‘The 
species is much the finest yet known, its flowers being as large as 
those of Maxillaria Harrisonive.— Botanical Register. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
On the Nutritive Power of Bread and Flour of dif- 
ferent Countries.—\t was observed as early as 1742, by 
Beccaria of Bologna, in Italy, that Flour consisted of two 
parts, differing essentially in their nature; the starchy 
part affording principles similar to those of all vegetables, 
and the glutinous part supplying azotized substances simi- 
lar to those derived from an animal origin. According to 
the present views of chemists, those substances which 
contain azote are alone capable of forming blood, or, in 
common language, of nourishing the body. It is obvious, 
therefore, that the determination of the amount of this 
element present in Flour affords us at once an index of 
the nutritive power of Flour or Bread; on this principle 
the following important Table has been constructed by 
Dr. Robert D. Thomson, of Glasgow. The Naumburg 
Bread—a town in the south of Prussia, situated in a fine 
corn country,—the Dresden and Berlin Bread, were 
obtained in these cities in August, 1842. The Flour was 
probably, therefore, grown in 1841. The other specimens 
were procured in the early part of the present year, and 
are probably of the growth of 1842. The last column 
gives the relative value ; 100 of Naumburg being equiva- 
lent to 1154 of Dresden Bread :— 
Azotized 
Principles. 
Per Cent. Equivalents. 
Naumberg Bread Atay ee 26949) 100700 
Dresden do. =. . . soe 3 115°31 
Berlin lo. . . . . 116-04 
Canada Flour . . . . ie hd 117°23 
Essex do. . y : o 121°33 
Glasgow unfermented Bread . ges 123-15 
Lothian Flour. . . . . 134-06 
United States Flour cdyaig . 145°03 
‘itto, by mechanical analysis . 150°00 
The low position of the American Flour, as indicated 
by the first experiment in the Table, was so startling, that 
it was repeated by means of the mechanical process, The 
Tesult of the analysis of three ounces was as follows :— 
Per Cent, 
terol. cic oe 9 eve, yoy wy etiee:902"00 68:73 
Azotized Principles : 
Glaten usr drier Lise, ap dfetaidie SOHO, 9°93 
Albumen. « «  « + 14:00 1:06 
Gum acta, fe sue ak heme yeeseey ee OAD 4°60 
Sngar . . . . . . sf 16°30 2d 
VGC Semis “dicey? pst + + 189°40 14.44 
3 02.=1312'50 100°00 
x It is from this analysis that the second result is given 
1M the Table, and it affords a striking confirmation of the 
Accuracy of the first determination. It is only necessary 
to add, that all these specimens were dried at the temper- 
ature of 212° before being subjected to experiment. 
The Rhododendron a good Thermometer.—The follow- 
ing singular statement appears in the American Agricul- 
turist. “There are few persons who would see, on first 
scrutiny, in the Rhododendron maximum a complete ther- 
mometer. There have been for the last five years several 
very large specimens of this shrub close by our dining- | 
room windows, and, by protracted observations by various | 
members of the family, they have been so infallible in | 
showing the temperature of the atmosphere, that the | 
thermometer, which hung without the door, became in | 
some measure useless, unless we wished to ascertain to a | 
degree the state of the air. When the weather is cold, | 
and the thermometer about zero, the leaves are rolled so | 
tightly together that it seems almost impossible for them | 
to again become unrolled, at the same time they are turned 
nearly black ; and the expansion, as the weather moderates, 
shape, a person is enabled to form a pretty accurate | 
opinion of the weather ; and when mild, the leaves assume 
a light and very rich green.’” | 
Botanical Prize-men.—The following gentlemen ob- | 
tained honours at the recent examination in Botany, in 
University College, London:—The Ist certificate and 
gold medal, Mr. C. Prentice, of Kingston-on-Thames ; | 
2nd certificate and silver medal, Mr. W. H. Colborne, of, 
| 
| 
Chippenham ; 3d certificate, Mr. J. R. Pretty, of London, 
and Mr. A. Haviland, of Bridgewater ; 4th ditto, Mr. R. 
de Champ Bali, of Plymouth ; 5th, Mr. Alex. Henry, of 
Kingsbridge, Devon; 6th, Mr. H. F. Goodridge, of Bath ; | 
7th, Mr. W. R. Randall, of Southampton; 8th, Mr. C. 
R. Matthew, of *Paddington ; 9th, Mr. J. H. Elliott, of 
London. 
Cormack’s Prince Albert Pea.—This Pea, which has 
been cultivated in the garden of the Horticultural Society 
during the present season, produced Peas fit for table 
ten days earlier than any other variety sown at the same 
time. It is a seedling from Cormack’s Early Kent, but 
is earlier and more hardy ; and it may be recommended as 
the best early Pea. 
THE NATURALIST’S CORNER.—No. XV. 
(Continued from page 463.) 
55. Agarics.—There is this most remarkable fact con- | 
nected with the qualities of the Agarics; or Mushrooms; | 
a fact which seems to show that their properties depend | 
upon climate and situation and accidental circumstances, 
rather than upon specific peculiarities. Those kinds | 
which are wholesome in one country are not soin another ; 
thus, in Great Britain, the common Mushroom (Agaricus 
campestris), the Fairy Ring Agaric (A. pratensis), and 
the A. Georgii, are the only sorts that it is quite safe to 
eat; while the Fly Agaric (A. muscarius), and A. virosus 
are extremely poisonous. But in other countries of 
Europe it is different. In France, in Italy, and especially 
in Russia, a usual aliment is afforded by a great variety of 
species, which, although very common in this country, it 
wou e extremely dangerous to eat; and, on the other | 
hand, even the dangerous A. muscarius is a species of food | 
in Kamtschatka. 
56. Aromatics.—The impression made on the organs 
of smell and taste, and the peculiar influence exercised 
over the digestive powe y those agents obtained from 
the vegetable kingdom are very peculiar. Scarcely any 
one is insensible to the odour of particular flowers, and 
some are affected by them to an extraordinary degree. 
The approach to Ceylon can be determined by the fra- 
grance of the airat the distance of many miles ; the Mag- 
nolia glauca diffuses an odour by which it can be recog- 
nised at the distance of three miles among the swampy 
districts in which it grows. This powerfully affects many 
persons while travelling or hunting ; and the Magnolia 
tripetala causes sickness, headach, and an aggravation 
of fevers or rheumatism, among those near it who are 
Jabouring under these complaints. The odour of the 
Jonquils and other fragrant plants raised in Holland, is so 
great. when brought into a close apartment, as to be 
quite overpowering. In such countries or places as have 
a very humid atmosphere, the odour of plants is most 
readily diffused as well as most potent; of this we may 
satisfy ourselves by calling to mind the greater fragrance 
of flowers early in the morning, in the evening, or after a 
shower. This accounts for the violent action of the 
plants in the countries just mentioned; but even many 
lants of Britain affect some individuals, endowed with a 
peculiar and excessive sensibility to an extreme degree. 
The sweet-scented Violet has such an effect on certain 
persons as to occasion headach, convulsions, and apoplexy. 
57, Nelumbium speciosum.—Of all the vegetable pro- 
ductions of Astrakhan, none is more remarkable than the 
great Water-lily. Its leavés are nearly 2 ft. in diameter, and 
float upon the surface of the water; the stalk which bears 
them rises perpendicularly between six and eight feet. from 
the bed of the water, and from between the leaves issue 
stout runners, which terminate in a splendid rose-coloured 
flower of delicious fragrance. The plant is held in deep 
yeneration by the Hindoos and natives of Thibet, from 
a belief that their divinities reappear after death in the 
shape of these richly-scented flowers. The nuts, or cap- 
sules, of the plant are also in great request among them; 
and the flowers are distilled at Astrakhan into a water, 
which has the taste of amber, and, used as a cosmetic, 
gives softness to the skin. 
58. The dried leaves of the Savxifraga crassifolia are 
used in Siberia and other parts of Upper Asia as a sub- 
stitute for tea. They are chiefly gathered in the valley of 
the Tsharysh, on a mountain, which, on that account is 
called by the Russians Tshaynaya Sopka, the Tea Moun- 
tain. The leathery spongy leaves of this plant fall off in 
is so gradual, that, by the degrees of their colour and | q 
| wooded plants, and the healthy stat 
the fourth year, when those only are gathered which are 
quite black. They require no other preparation to be 
used. The infusion is reddish, and of an astringent 
taste, similar to that of tea, but the aromatic flavour is 
wanting. 
GARDEN MEMORANDA. 
J, Allcard, Esq., Stratford Green.—In the Orchidaceous house 
seyeral varieties of Gongora maculata, suspended in baskets over 
a small reservoir of water, are flowering in great luxuriance ; 
while beneath them the delicate Nymphzea ceeriilea, is expanding 
its beautiful light-blue starlike flowers. Passifiora Kermesina is 
trained, as a shade, above all, and is hanging in rich crimson fes- 
toons from the rafters of the house, i 
ténia spectabilis, with 13 flowers open, and many more unex- 
panded, makes a rich display; in addition to this, there are in 
bloom Stanhépea ocalata rina ; Bréssia verrucosa, with 
singular strap-shaped divisions of the perianth: Oncidium 
Baueri, with spikes at least eight feet long; the highly-coloured 
On. Lanceanum ; the delicate Epidendrum leucochilum; Cirrhea 
viridi-purpurea, Zygopétalum rostratum, and numerous others, 
exceedingly rich, and contains many highly- 
pecies ; the larger ones being planted amongst rock. 
1 the centre of the house, where they seem to thrive with 
Several speci- 
e Cyathea arbérea, or Tree Fern, bave lately been 
rei they do not appear likely to recover 
from the effects of the voyage. In the greenhouse are excellent 
plants of Thunbérgia aurantiaca and alata alba; the pale variety 
of Lilium punctatum; a great variety of Fu 8, maguitica 
being the most prolific bloomer, in which respect Venus victrix 
also excels, and, independently of its peculiar colour, is w: 
cultivating on that account, A‘small plant of Fuchsia Eppsii is 
flowering freely, although the blooms are , compared with 
some which we have seen elsewhere. The rich blue flowers of 
Achimenes longiflora form a pleasing contrast with the more 
brilliant colours of the Balsams and Fui it i] a 
be two distinct varieties of this plant, one with leaves the under- 
surface of which are light-green, the other having them of a deep 
red, as is the case with several Begénias, and bearing flowers of 
a darker colour thao the former. Upon the lawn we noticed a 
bed of the Frogmore Scarlet Pelargonium, which is admirably 
adapted for planting out in this manner, being a free bloomer, 
and of particulaxly dwarf habit. Another clump was composed 
of Campanula stricta, which answers admirably in such a wet 
season as the present, affording a rapid succession of its pale 
blue flowers for a considerable length of time. The Vineries 
contain a good crop of Grapes, considering the short time during 
which the Vines have been established. Some young ones in 
pots are loaded with ripe fruit, several of them bearing as many 
as eight or nine bunches each. In these houses are healthy 
plants of Achimenes peduncuiata: Erythrina crista-galli, in a 
most vigorous condition; Portulaca splendens and Thellusoni, 
flowering profusely, and the beautiful Ipomoea rubro.cz Giles 
twining round one of the supporters o: 
from the er elons and Cucur 
fernery 
he 
shift system” of potting 
, Pimeleas, and other hard. 
of the specimens under this 
treatment bear ample testimony to its superiority, after a plant 
has once become established, over the more ancient plan of 
little shift and often. —R. 4., July 26. 
adapted for their growth. The ‘‘sing! 
P 
has been practised here upon Heatt 
ebiete 
Dr. Justus Liebig, in his Relation to Vegetable Physi- 
ology. By Dr. Hugo Mohl. (I 
Verbiltniss zur 
Frues. 1843. 
(Continued from page 544.) 
Pflanzen-Physiologie.) | Tubingen. 
chapters of Professor Liebig’s book, ir ed ** The Assi- 
milation of Carbon.” The question at issue is, whether 
the plants owe their carbon to the absorption of organic 
or inorganic substances, Prof, L. having given his sanction 
to the latter opinion, The reasons which seem to have 
weighed most with him are, Ist, Humic acid loses its 
soluble character by exsication as well as by freezing ; 
2d, Even conceding that all the bases found in the ashes 
of plants should have been conveyed to their substance in 
the form of humates, yet the amount of humie acid thus 
conveyed to plants is not sufficient to explain the amount 
of carbon they contain ; moreover, 8d, Even all the rain 
which falls on a certain area is not sufficient to explain 
the large quantity of carbon they contain: bnt the chief 
argument against the plants deriving carbon from hu- 
mus is, 4th, That manured and barren ground will yield 
nearly the same amount of carbon in the plants growing 
thereon. It is, in fine, to be observed, that, 5th, Humus 
and the carbon of plants must have the same origin, as it 
is impossible that there could have existed any primitive 
humus, for plants must have existed before humus. Plants 
receive,therefore, their carbon from the atmosphere, where it 
exists in sufficient quantity to supply all plants with car- 
bon, Dr. Mohl says, then, that L. Aas arrived, in these 
remarks, at one or two results correct in the mains but 
he also shows that most of it (or at least as much as is 
true) has been known to Saussure 40 years ago. As the 
above axiom, however, is one of great importance in bo- 
tanical physiology, Dr. Mohl proceeds to examine the 
doctrine of Liebig in detail. The argument stated under 
No. J proves, he says, nothing—because the combination 
of humic acid with alkalies, stated under No. 2, is in 
direct contradistion to it. These parts of the question 
have been, however, already sifted by Schleiden ; and the 
utmost which can be conceded is, that plants do not 
obtain adi their carbon from the soil. 
Liebig concludes one of his remarks relating to humus 
in the following words :—‘ As plants grown on an acre of 
unmanured meadow or forest-land will assimilate an equal 
amount of carbon to those grown on manured and culti- 
vated fields,—as, moreover, the former soil will not become, 
by the process of vegetation, poorer in humus, but, on the 
contrary, richer ; there must be a source different from 
humus or manure, whence plants receive their carbon, and 
this is the atmosphere.”” This mistaken argument of 
Liebig, (says Dr. Mohl,) arises out of his confounding 
ser 
the origin of carbon in the whole of vegetation with that 
in a single plant, as well as on his placing unmanured soil 
Justus Liebigts_ 
The next part of Dr. Mohi’s observations relates to the ‘i 
ribs 
cea 
