360 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
[May 27, 
47. Habits of the Lion.—Pope makes a curious mis- 
take about lions in his note to a passage respecting them 
in the Essay on Man. ‘‘The manner,’’ says he, ‘‘ 0} 
Lions hunting their prey in the deserts of Africa is this: 
at"their first going out in the night-time, they set up a loud 
roar, and then listen to the noise made by the beasts in 
their flight, pursuing them by the ear, and not by the 
nostril.’” On the contrary, the lion hunts but little, is 
sluggish, and instead of pursuing by the ear, lurks, and 
springs on his prey by surprise. 
48. Uses of the Mesembryanthema.—The common 
Ice-plant of the gardens, Mesembryanthemum ecrystal- 
linum, so called because its cuticle is elevated in the form 
of multitudes of crystalline points, is burnt in the Canaries 
for the sake of its ashes, which the Spaniards import in 
large quantities for their glass-works, under the name of 
Barilla Moradera. Another species, the M. nodiflorum, 
is used in Egypt for the same purpose, and also in the 
manufacture of morocco leather. ‘This and the other 
species are chiefly found in sandy, desert, arid places, 
where they flourish in the absence of other vegetation, 
and afford a grateful food to cattle, which browse upon 
them. M. emarcidum, according to Burnett, is fermented 
by the Hottentots, when it becomes narcotic, and is 
chewed by those people like Tobacco. 
“ARebiews. 
The Transactions of the Gardeners’ and Stewards’ Pro- 
vident and Mutual Insiruction Society. Dublin. 
Tue objects of the Society which issues the above little 
periodical are the creation of a Benefit Fund, and the dif- 
fusion of knowledge in farming and gardening among its 
members. It formerly published the ‘‘ Irish Farmers’ 
and Gardeners’ Register,” which is now discontinued, and 
the present work substituted for it. 
Embracing two designs, which are both of a praise- 
worthy character, we cannot but wish it every success, 
and congratulate the members upon having a printed 
medium through which the more valuable of their com- 
munications may be handed about, and rendered more 
useful. In each of the three numbers for March, April, 
and May, which have been sent to us, there is an original 
paper, a few paragraphs containing good practical inform- 
ation, and a voluminous calendar of Garden Operations 
for the succeeding month. They appear to be sent out 
monthly. 
No. I. contains an agricultural article on sowing grain- 
crops ; and the writer concludes with the following advice 
about selecting the seed of all kinds of grain 
*1st—Never retain the same kind of seed too long 
upon the land ; at the end of three years it will generally 
deteriorate, and ought to be changed; change of seed 
always produces a change for the better in the crops. 
Heavy clay-lands will longest retain the seed pure; light 
Joams and “peat soils will sooner require the change. 
2d—In selecting seed it should be ascertained, if 
pean where and on what kind of soil it grew; and 
select a soil of a different quality to that on which it is to 
be sown. Never select seed from a rich soil to sow it on 
a poor ; but prefer that from a poor soil to sow it ona rich, 
‘« 3d—Always select seed weil cleaned and pure, being 
strictly of the same kind; seed of different kinds will vege- 
tate at different times, and ripen at different seasons, 
which occasions serious loss, and further deterioration of 
sample.” 
In No. II., for April, there is an excellent communica- 
tion on the treatment of Mangold Wurzel. An article 
on the culture of the Potato occupies the principal part 
of No. III. We give an extract respecting the diseases to 
which the plant is subject :— 
“* The disorders to which the Potato is liable are, Dry 
Rot, Curl, and Scab. The first of these, which is the 
most dangerous, makes its ravages among our old mellow 
varieties, corroding them as a canker, commencing where 
some bruise, scab, or wound has effected an opening on 
the rind or skin of the tubers, and by admitting atmo- 
spheric air to mix with the saccharine and other juices of 
the Potato, causes gangrene to set in, and in a few months 
infect the whole tuber, and it becomes a brown putrid mass 
of dry rot. Old varieties of the Potato are not so liable to it, 
when grown on bog moor or mountain land. The Potato 
abounds in a starchy substance, and when cut or bruised 
there issues a portion of the liquid, and forms an incrus- 
tation on the wounded part, impenetrable to the atmo- 
sphere ; but on the contrary, strong lands which retain 
ammoniacal salts, and that are remarkable for producing 
gluten, grow Potatoes destitute of the necessary quantity 
of starch, and so dry and mealy that their wounds and 
bruises remain porous and open to the influence of air, 
and to the baneful consequences of dry-rot. 
‘The Curl is a disease that a few harvest kinds are 
subject to, such are Bangor, Red Nose Kidney, and most 
of the kidney varieties. It is caused by allowing them to 
become too ripe before dug out; if taken up whilst in a 
growing state, before the stalks wither, and exposed to the 
influence of the sun until they turn green in the colour, 
the propensity to curl will be remedied. 
“The Scab infects all Potatoes grown on lands void of 
fertility, that are worn out, or too long under the opera- 
tion of the plough, and I would not advise a Potato crop 
in such soils. The farmer should endeavour to have his 
Potatoes for seed from moor or mountain soils, and if 
such cannot be procured, from mellow fresh ones ; always 
avoiding seed from worn-out land.” 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS for the ensuing week. 
Now that the busy time of sowing and planting is over, save with 
afew of the later flower-garden-plants, and the season hitherto 
being the most favourable we have had for many years, we shall 
have more leisure for the next three months to turn our attention 
to the higher branches of gardening ; and this is so far fortunate, 
because, whatever kinds of plants one cultivates, unless the 
ee attention is paid to them while they are making their 
wth, so as to bring them into fine SOS aoa specimens, 
tiey will not be worth TOOKIng? at, be th orare. 4 
window-gardening round London, NOW aes can boast of 
etter specimens of skill and attention than the general run of 
our best conservatories could do as late as fourteen years back. 
In the olden times, he whose collection numbered the most 
species was considered the fortunate king of spades. While 2 this 
taste prevailed, gardeners were compelled to crowd their plants 
so much, that their naked stems looked more like fiddle-sticks 
than anything else. 
vails ; no matter how rare a plan 
artificial treatmert as to suit the views of the possessor, it is at 
once discarded for ever ; and in this eons the grand secret of 
keeping up a selection of plants. ‘ormer period were the 
advantages of growing plants into fine apscimetis more apparent 
than at the last show of the Horticultural Society, where almost 
every plant was a perfect specimen of its kind. The manner, 
also, in which the exhibitors placed their plants on the table was 
a lesson of itself worth going a hundred miles to see, and to 
learn. Instead of crowding them after the manner of the old 
school, every plant had a free scope all round, so that you could 
see the different modes of pruning, training, and sere which 
the growers found most applicatle to each kind; and let your 
experience be what it might, po could learn many manafal hints 
from this arrangement. after witnessing this arrange. 
ment, who will allow his plants to. ae huddled up together at home, 
has paid too dear aio te admission-ticket, 
‘DEN AND See, 
oor Departmen 
Pinery.— About the beginning of gin the succession and 
younger plants will want potting, and if they arein a healthy 
vigorous state, they will ahige plenty of room in the new pots, 
as, after Midsummer, wi n they are established in the new soil, 
they will grow faster than, at any other period of the season. 
INERY.—These houses are now out of all sort of danger that 
I anan, think of, iona AD may be feared from too heavy a crop ; 
benett of them. gee also that the bunches of the succession-crops 
e well thinned, and keep up a good growing atmosphere till the 
frate begins to ripen. 
HES AND CuERRIES.—All that can be done to them is to 
guard the crop, The trees must put up with a littleill-treatment 
till the crops are gathered. 
Fics.—These must never suffer for want of water. Pinch off 
the tops of the young shoots always at the third or fourth joint, 
unless you want eos a fillup deh, space. 
MELONs AND CucuMBERS.—. w the other day an original 
and very simple re cuicaa of smoking f these RIA 3 92, papeeny any 
State of the Weather near London for the Week ending May 28, 184g, as 
observed at the Horticultural Garden, Chiswick. 
| Wind. | Rain. 
May: | | | 
iday 19 02 
Saturday 20 | a 
Sunday 21 05 
Genes = 09 
Tue 53 
Wednatany 3 29.479 06 
Thur: | 29.005 67 41 
Average | 29794 | 99.509 | 62.8 | 45.0 119 
May 19. stl gO) cloudy ; overcast ani 
ive ene ‘and Huei cond } ‘heavy vain at night, 
a owers; clear an 
re: AS ea at noon; 
23. a fae orerys (ans at night ; heavy rain. 
24. Heav aloud ra ne, . % 
95, Henvy eleva ver: veveten’s ny With many shooting stars, 
ean temperature of the week 2. co elowrte averag 
State of the Weather at cia k during the last 17 years, for the ensuing 
eek 
niles June 8, 18 
say aa aver (a Nek ect AltGeen eee ; 
June. |Highest Lowent | quantity jefe Sid 
ie Temp. | ‘emp. |T°P) which, i ef geil % Alas i ie 
Sun. 28 an |. 45.5 
aeolent ll] 
loavanae 
he highest temperature during the above period occurred on the 2nd, 
Ree eae 5°; and the*lowest on the 28th, 1834, and 3rd, 1837— 
thermometer 
REPORT ON COVENT-GARDEN MARKET, 
For the Week ending May 26, 1843. 
The market this week re well stocked with garden produce is 
a better quality. Carrots and Turnips, of the present year, a 
now getting of a tole able size; and there is a eondeable 
uantity of Cauliflowers, offered at t 6d. each, Grapes, Pines, 
Melons, and herries, are exceedingly good, particularly 
the first and the two last. Some hothouse Grapes are 
selling as low as 2s. a pound; but they are evidently very 
stale. Ordinary ones produce 4s. a Gooseberries 
are much larger, and there are some Currants in afew ol 
the stalls. Foreign Grapes and Oranges are many of them now 
rotting. Peaches are of a moderate an penned poorly coloured. 
The flowering plants in pots, that we’ esh to us, were Epacris 
mundula, E, vette jaibiae E. eee a 
kind of plants in frames. It is this: 
of saltpetre in a Bray of water ; eG pieces of the sri brown 
paper, about six inches wide, ten or twelve inches long; 
steep them in the Aiguid ea they cra all wet; dry them, and they 
are fit for use, and w: eep I know not how long. When you 
want to smoke give roll one or two of the pieces like a cigar, 
leaving a hollow in the middie from half-an-inch to an inch bh in 
diameter, and fill this up with tobacco; then twist one 
stick it in the soil, and light the other end, and the thing will 
moke away slowly for an hour or more, and kill all the flies. An 
thiksepee near this place hit ae the plan this season, and he 
uses the refuse tobacco of his smoking-room, or the odds and 
ends of cigars, and us is left i a nits pipes, &e. 
oor Departmen 
The last three yeaa tinvenedn the finest weather for ppacdenae 
that we ever experienced in May. Insects have been as yet less 
general than bates and all the crops of vegetables ha fruits are 
now ver, sing indeed, have had only two Goose-~ 
berry bushes infected with the caterpillar, anda little dose of the 
gas-liquo! d them instantly ; the liquor was diluted as I have 
aivendy: seated 
AaGus.—This is the very best time in the whole year to 
apply salts and saline manures to this crop. The drainage of 
common sewers, of stables and cow-houses, laundries, or even 
pond-water made thick with soot, will all be now appropriated 
by these plants. 
scour for autumn may yet be sown. Grange’s Early 
White is the best; but if you are fond of novelties, you can get 
them under half-a- ace new names, all of which may be true 
enough for suk kn 
ULIFLOWE sayin ained not like to sow this later than the 
beginning of this: week for late autumn use. Sow very thin 
can hardly expect to be able to Lust out next month, so that the 
st plant out permanently. 
x the beginning of June is 
the best time to sow this sany wieleseae sallad for autumn use 
and as you ought to sow some every three weeks till the middle 
of September, you need sow only apinch of seeds each time; sow 
them also very thin. 
Sowine SummER Crops.—All 5) 
summer crops, g08. whatever 
any of the 
To be sure, you can 
thin out if they happen to be too thick; but if the weather is dry 
at the time, you may do a good deal of harm, and, on the whole, 
you had better sow thin in the first instance cand I have allowe: 
eae a new heading in the Calendar to remind you more particu- 
arly on this point. Lettuces, and the other succession-cro; 
vat will, of course, not forget to sow, if you have only a penny 
almanac to say when 
Orcuarp.—One of the very best points of the old school is 
now-a-days not so much attended to as it ought to be—I mean 
the thinning-out and regulating the summer-growth of the 
Gooseberry, Currant, Raspberry bushes. Though the 
Basten garden were full of weeds, the summer-pruning of these 
ry was lie omitted in my younger days, and always about 
this me. early situations, Peaches and Apricots may now be 
patr: ‘ally enna where a heavy crop isset. Cherries and Plums 
s will also want thinning by-and-by. All the late 
Pears, either on walls or standards, are much improved by early 
thinning. It is hardly Sao to remind any one to keep down 
insects of il is, on fruit-tree: 
maples GARDE IN in oe eae 
‘oor Departme: 
Stove —Very m any of ete free-: ao plants will now want 
another shift into larger pots, and as they must occu 
room, you ee remove some of the more hardy sorts to the 
greenhouse, or some other place. Now and in the middle of 
winter are ‘the advantages of an intermediate house between a 
stove and greenhouse most apparent; this is the most useful 
house that can be about an establishment. Recollect that no 
plant is worth looking at until it is brought to a good specimen. 
GreEennous you can by any possibility have access to 
spare frames or pits, all the Heaths, and most of the eee eres 
and more delicate greenhouse plants, will grow in t 
better than in the best-constructed greenhouse; and in tyeveade 
you can turn your greenhouse into an intermediate stove, or into 
a As house where only plants in flower are to be kept for the 
summe: 
ITS aes, Frames.—When the finer plants are brought into 
these you may keep them a little closer, and probably many of the 
plants will want a little shade in the middle of the day at first. 
‘After the pots are all watered in the afternoon, give the whole a 
good sprinkling with the aniees not, however, if it has been a 
dull cloudy day. 
Out-door Department. 
Frowrr-GArpen.—This has been such a fine time for turning 
out flower-garden plants, for sowing or transplanting annuals, 
for mowing and rolling, and for the growth of weeds, that people 
are so much engaged in all this as to leave them little time to 
read Calendars.— D. Beaton, Shrubland Park Gardens, 
few wretched Balsams,Lupinus polyphyllus ot the blu 
white varieties), Cereus flagelliformis, oe usk plant, some Feaa 
Mignonette, the red-blossomed orn, Boronia denticulata, 
Entaxia myrtifolia, and the Honeysuckle. Of cut specimens the 
principal were, Fabiana imbricata, varieties of Erica ventricosa, 
and E. vestita, E. Peraplcuas Lupinus polyphyllus, and various 
neh of herbaceous Pzeon: 
i) Sarunpay, May'27, 1843.—FRUITS :— 
Pine A er 1b. Gs to 10s Oranges, ites et 100, 6 to 20 
Grapes, hothouse @, per Ib, 4s to 8 Lei + doz. Is to 
‘Spanish, per Ib. 10 to Le 6d camer 100,58 to te 
Portugal, perIb. 19 to 3s 
Peaches, per dozen, 9s to 125 
Nectarines, per dozen, 9s to 12s 
‘Melons, 6s to 12s 
Cucumbers, per brace, Is to 8s 
163 
Apples, dessert, per pa 45 88 to 228 Sweet Almonds, per ee 
Kitchen, per bush. 6s to 108 Filberts, See ‘bee Sor to 55s 
jes, forced, peror.y6d toa | Geb Nuts, per 100 Iba, 60s to 7 
“ha ioleve, Qs 6d to 6s ware 
urrants, per pottle, 8d to,194 ae 8 
Apricots, ere ey Ts to 28 a 
Oranges, per doz., 1s to 2s 6d i 
© 100,68 to 20s 
VEGETABLES. 
Cabbage-plants, per doz, bunch.,1s toe Shallote, green, per bunch, 8d to 6d 
Cabbages, per doz., 6d to 1s sparagus, large, per hundred, 4s to 78 
Ca lowers, es dozen, 48 ea x Sm: . bun, vee eae 
ed sp. 100, Bato ds 6d i 
i 
Beans, Kidney, fore Peas, forcedy pers ‘ha 
Potatoes, per ton, 60s t Herne, Cab ae Y 
- r cw 0 Is Bd 
= _ perbushel, 2s to 28 6d Belery, P bie TiBto 16) ba v0, 1s 6d 
jdney, p. bush., Iida to ead arb Stalks, per bdle, 4d to i 3d 
Scotch, per bushel, Small Salads, per Ppunnet, Sd to 8 
w, per Ib., 6d to ie Green Basil, per bunch, 4d"to 6 
reen 
per believes Watercress, per do 
‘arsley, per half 
+ doz. 3: to 6s |Tarragon, per doz. Dusfchesy 2s toae 
unch, od to 196d) Fennel, per doz. bun 
int, nese ‘omehi, vee 
New 
Terusalem artic hokes, 
Sy ret, os 
ioe’ Spring, per bune ch, 
e 
pottle, 6d t 
voks, bun, 5¢ to Gs 
Onions, Bes, bushel, 8¢ to 84 
per bunch, 2d to d 
Prokdtngs per hf.-sv., ast fa tobe 
Green, p. doz. bun, 25 
., per bun, 6d to 1s 62) 
Spring ae wine 6d to 1s 6d 
Notices to Cor Prams 
Satr.—Dianthus.—It was a sad error to listen to such foolish 
s that of salting your flower-beds. 
the eis and may Toe succeed ; 
3. To water the soil with nitric acid, “wien will gai the 
salt and Hon nitrate of soda. , however, the latter 
will be too costly a remedy. The est: ‘way will De ie try @ 
bushel of the soil first, and see what happens. The 
be diluted largely with water, and the mass left for a fortnight 
when it should be examined, to see if the soil is better. 
may be ascertained by potting in it some spare Carnations, of 
no value, 
Manurns.—G@uano.—Use it at the ae of 31b. to a gallon of 
‘water ; it RGR in Haas I not get effect enough 
repeat the woe pply aoa to your heaps of 
weeds and Beat: and you will find it speedily fit them for manure: 
——Graft,—If you wall take the trouble to refer back to our 
Notices to Correspondents for the last half-year, you will 
meet with all you desire on the subject. 
‘onDS.—An. Original Subscriber can try powdered charcoal in 
clearing ips i in his pond. It may possibly prove eftectual s 
we cannot advise him as to any other plan. a 
GARDEN- the aha yess HPA eae vane 
sis TOM- He 
want ina dhort ¢ time, ine a Pibading Aes srobanly wb 
In the meanwhile we see no objection to your boiler ; but W a 
will not an old copper kettle, with holes cut for the flow a” 
ell? 
‘ory.—Foster’s spades are not the same as LY?- 
mer are manufactured 
articles ought to have been able to inform you. If th 
your neighbourhood. do not choose either to supply 
themselves, nor to give themselves the trouble 0! 
information respecting them from their London corres? ‘ugh 
ents, you can certainly procure the article in question n thro! 
the London nurserymen. | 
FRuit-TREES,— H.—We hear of no complaint 
pleat a except such as are always made by grumbler: 
rovid 
Pivz-APries.—Will Mr. Hamilton, who last year made som 
statements about his success in growing Pines, be 8° &' 
s in 
‘Ss 10 oat 
ia 
