po be ——— 
1843.) 
THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE. 
159 
Red Clover, but remain soft. After being cut, it soon shoots | 
again, and seed-crops had been taken three successive years: 
from the same plants, which had been top-dressed with stable 
manure in the winter. 7 
obbs, who S 
quisition, as it was a perennial, and possessed all the good quali- 
their manufacture, price, and peculiar merits; Mr. Squarey a 
specimen of phosphate of lime; Mr. F. Clowes a communicafion 
i i anson Dr. Ure’s 
LINNEAN SOCIETY. 
‘The Lord Bishop of Norwich in the chair. Messrs. T. C, Janson 
and W. Solly were elected Fellows. Mr, Smith presented a fine 
print of Banksia grandis, Mr. Westwood ented two curious 
productions obtained from plants of Sonneratia Acida. They had 
deen sent to this country by Mr. Templeton, of Ceylon, in which 
island the Sonneritia grows abundantly. These bodies were 
spindle-shaped, looking like great Clavarias. Ina letter from Mr. 
ated to be produced as off-shoots from 
The end most distant from the root 
k and pith; whilst that which was near the 
portion, which was very much en 
two ends, consisted of an exceedingly light, soft, fibrous, woody 
tissue. On this account it had been used with great success as 
a lining for i i i are allowed at this 
Society, of course no opinion was given to the Members by the 
able botanists present on the nature of these curious produc- 
tions. A continuation of Mr. Griffith’s paper on the develop- 
ment of the ovulum of S4ntalum was read to the Society, and 
accompanied by drawings illustrative of the author’s views. 
equal in value to those offered on the days of competition. But, 
with the view of extending the interests of the Society, and of 
creating a reasonable distinction between members and non- 
m that no such prizes be paid to any but subscribers.” 
Both the latter propositions were agreed to. 
Thi rizes be offered from time to tis essays upon 
he various flowers which fall within the objects of the Society, 
embracing their properties and def le of © 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Treatment of Lachendlias.—The bulbs which are not 
large should be potted in September, three in a pot. The 
soil should be a mixture of peat and sand, about three 
parts of the former to one of the latter, with a small 
quantity of leaf-mould, Select good sound bulbs for 
flowering, and pot the small offsets by themselves. The 
pots should be well drained, and after the bulbs are 
planted, remove them to a frame, where they will have 
light, and not be exposed to the cold autumn rains. 
Keep them in this situation until November, or when 
the nights become quite frosty, giving just sufficient 
water to keep the earth moist. At that time they may be 
removed to the parlour or greenhouse, placing them ina 
light situation, and watering them cautiously until they 
begin to grow. In February the flower-stems will ap- 
pear, when more water should be given, though with 
care; the flower-stems will now shoot up, and in the 
course of a few weeks will be beautifully in bloom, re- 
maining so for two or three weeks, or much longer if they 
are kept in a partially shaded place. In May, when the 
foliage begins to turn yellow, the pots may be removed 
to the open air for a few weeks, when the bulbs should 
be taken out of the pots and laid away in a dry, cool, 
place, until wanted for planting again in the autumn,— 
Hovey’s Magazine of Horticulture. 
Bulbous-rooted Chervil.— Offsets and seeds of this plant 
were presented to the Horticultural Society of Paris by 
M. Lissa, who reported that it was grown in Germany for 
culinary purposes. A few offsets, about the size of nuts, 
are produced at the base of each plant. At present, we 
are of opinion, that, in consequence of the poisonous qua- 
lities of many umbelliferous plants, it will be prudent, 
until more is known respecting it, to use this vegetable 
with circumspection.—Bon Jardinier, 
New Potatoes.—In consequence of the extreme mild- 
ness of the season at the close of last autumn, a novel 
experiment in gardening was attempted by a lady in 
Madeira-street, North Leith, near the opening of Queens- 
ferry-road, which has turned out completely successful. 
About the middle of October she planted some Potatoes 
in boxes under shelter—these, when the roots struck, were 
removed to drills in the garden, and warmly protected 
against the contingencies of winter. The stems grew, 
giving promise of an early crop. On Saturday last the earth 
was removed, and a plentiful supply taken up ; the Pota- 
toes varying in size from a pheasant’s to a hen’s egg.— 
Edinburgh Paper. 
Sulphur in Planis.—Among the plants which are 
known as containing sulphur, the garden Cress may be 
Particularly adduced. There can be no doubt that these 
Plants are capable of decamposing the sulphuric acid _con- 
tained in the saline sulphlurets of the soil, so as to take 
therefrom the sulphur. Vogel, however, sowed seeds in i 
a soil which contained neither free sulphur nor saline sul- 
phates ; and notwithstanding this these plants contained a 
considerable quantity of salphur. The soil consisted of 
a coarse powder of white glass, Before it had been put 
into the vessel the glass had been strongly heated, but not 
to the point of fusion, and then washed with a consider- 
able quantity of water, which, however, did not take 
therefrom any sulphates. Vogel sowed in this soil Cress- 
seeds, and kept the soil moist with distilled water. When 
the young plants had attained the height of some inches, 
they were extracted, together with the roots ; the white 
roots were then cut off, and, after being washed, quickly 
dried, together with the plants. Both were then exposed 
to the action of heat in a retort, and it now appeared 
that not only the green leaves and stalks, but likewise the 
white roots contained a considerable quantity of sulphur. 
This was indeed the case with the seeds employed; but 
the quantity of sulphur contained in the plants is much 
more considerable than that contained in the seeds. The 
juice pressed from the plants of Cress grown on powdered 
glass, as previously described, also contained saline sul- 
phates in considerable quantity. Vogel also caused some 
Cress-seeds to vegetate in coarsely-ground quartz, and in 
pulverized flint-glass, and also in fine and well-washed 
silica, previously disengaged from fiuosilicic acid by means 
of water. (The vegetation proceeded much slower in the 
last than in the two first.) The plants grown in a soil of 
this description always contained sulphur and saline sul- 
phates. In order to fix approximately the quantity of 
sulphur contained in the seeds of Cress, as well as in the 
plants grown therefrom, Vogel iwiiher undertook the fol- 
lowing experiments :—100 grains of Cress-seeds were 
heated gradually in a retort to a red heat, and the 
gasses which meanwhile formed received in a ley of potassa. 
To this ley acetate of lead was then added, until no fur~ 
ther precipitation ensued. The brown precipitate thus 
produced, after being well washed, was found to consist 
of hydrated oxide of lead, together with carbonate of 
lead, and of black sulphuret of lead, The two former 
were dissolved in dilute and boiling nitric acid, and a 
quantity of sulphuret of lead was then left behind, which, 
after being washed with a good deal of water, and then 
dried, weighed 0.95 grains, corresponding to 0.129 of sul- 
phur. In order to obtain in like manner a quantitative 
estimation of the sulphur contained in the Cress-plants, 
Vogel then submitted a number of plants grown from 100 
grains of seeds to another examination. They weighed 
after being dried 2,040 grains, which, treated in the same 
manner as the seeds, yielded 15:1 grains of sulphuret of 
lead, corresponding to 2°03 grains of sulphur. How this 
surplus of sulphur may have been introduced into the 
plants, the writer has in yain endeavoured to explain,— 
Annals of Chemistry. 
British Guyana.—Mr. Schomburgk, after an absence 
of thirteen months, has returned with his party from the 
interior. He represents the climate in the vicinity of the 
Sandstone Hills, which stretch for several miles across the 
country, to be temperate, the thermometer before sun- 
tise never standing above 51°; a further evidence of which 
is that blackberries are there found in abundance. In 
traversing the savannahs and forests, Mr. Schomburgk 
saw hundreds of acres of Plantains growing wild, and so 
luxuriantly that he represents some of them to be as 
thick asa man’s body, and 40 or 50 feet high. He has 
brought with him suckers from these trees, which he is 
desirous of cultivating ; being confident that they are not 
tainted with the disease which affects so large a portion of 
the Plantains in a cultivated state. The health of Mr. 
S. and his party has been generally good throughout 
the whole period, with the exception of occasional attacks 
of fever, and suffering from want of food.—Eatracted 
from the Guyana Herald. 
Very curious Fact, if irue:—A gentleman living in 
the vicinity of Dumfries lately bought some gas-work 
lime in order to make a compost of manure for farm 
purposes. The hens in his poultry-yard, which were 
laying eggs, had access to this compost ; and as it is well 
known that fowls partake readily of lime, which enters 
largely into, and is necessary to, the formation of the 
shell, they fed, it is supposed, according to their appetite, 
upon it. The consequence was, that in a few days, with 
much astonishment, the eggs on being opened, were found 
to have such an intolerable smell of gas that no one could 
eat them.—Dumfries Herald. 
Mildness of the Climate in Devonshire.—There is now 
rowing at Brookhill, the residence of A. H. Holdsworth, 
Esq., at the entrance of the river Dart, a Mimosa, of 
most delicate foliage, and covered with a profusion of 
yellow flowers. It is 20 feet high, was raised about 12 
years since, from a seed brought from the Cape of Good 
Hope, and during the whole time it has withstood the 
rigour of our climate, which indeed is scarcely felt in that 
warm and sheltered spot.—Hweler Gazette. 
GARDEN MEMORANDA. 
Messrs. Chandler's Nursery, Vaurhall.—The extensive collec- 
og 
small, well-arranged, p r 
streaked and mottled with rose; eximia, a large deep rose- 
when it comes true to its character, being dark red, mottled with 
white ; fimbriata, a delicate white, possessing all the good proper- 
ties of the old white, and having the p mi- 
uta, a smal carmine flower, somewhat cupped and well 
filled up in the centre ; elegans, rosy pink, & large, bold flower ; 
Woddsii, resembling the last in colour, put better filled up in the 
4 
o 
B 
2 
e 
= 
Cow 
4 
3 
2 
7 
5 
4 
8 
8 
2 
Fy 
coy 
a 
5 
4 
= 
4 
E 
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3 
Es 
The graceful little Cyclamen coum, wit 
Fairy Roses, Azaleas, Hyacinths, Tulips, &c., al 
lively. flows 
glauca, which is here plooming in great perfection; the double- 
plossomed Peach is also well adapted for the same purpose.— 
R.A., March 6. 
Rebielos. 
A Treatise on the Culture of the Vine in Pots. By 
J. Mearns, F.H.S. 12mo. Orr and Co. 
Mr. Mrarns has long been celebrated for the success 
which has attended his cultivation of the Vine by the 
coiling system ; a work, therefore, which promises to 
convey the necessary information relative to this method of 
treatment can scarcely fail of being well received. 
To render the treatise as complete as possible, the 
author has briefly entered upon the Natural History of 
the Vine ; tracing its progress from its first introduc- 
tion into Britain, and instancing some of the most re- 
markable Vines now existing. It appears that no regular 
mode of classifying the numerous varieties of the Grape 
has yet been adopted, although the catalogue of the Lux- 
embourg collection, published in 1802, recorded 267 sorts. 
For the list contained in this work Mr. Mearns is in- 
debted to the catalogue of the Horticultural Society, con- 
taining 183 sorts. 
The author, in his description of soils, states that after 
numerous experiments he found pot-Vines ‘ to luxuriate 
in a loose, fresh-chopped, turfy soil, taken from the top of 
a magnesian limestone rock, and which had been a sheep- 
walk for ages, laying so thin upon the surface, that in 
many places it was only three inches deep.” With this 
were mixed road-scrapings, containing silicious matter and 
brick-rubbish, in a mellow state, and in sufficient quan- 
tity ‘‘to allow the water to drain freely through all its 
parts, and to permit the young roots to ramify freely 
therein.’’ 
In the propagation of Vines by coiling, the author’s 
practice, if single rods are contemplated, is not to leave 
them longer than four or five feet, and to remove all the 
buds but the uppermost. These rootless cuttings are 
coiled into long narrow pots ; being so placed that the 
bud of the apex of the shoot, although the highest part, 
is still two inches beneath the surface of the soil, at the 
same time sufficient room is left beneath the coil for the 
roots to extend themselves. These cuttings, being put 
in between the middle of January and the end of March, 
are plunged at once into a hotbed, between 90° and 100°, 
where they remain until they require more pot-room : 
they are then shifted, and placed in a suitable situation 
until again excited in November or December. When 
the cutting begins to grow, the shoot is trained upright, 
until it is seven, eight, or ten joints long, when the top 
is pinched off. 
After this stopping, the laterals are displaced as they 
appear; and if the Vines have done well, two or three of 
the buds will also be excited at the same time, in which 
case the shoots are cut down to the lowest excited eye. 
The single shoot is then trained upright and divested of 
all laterals and tendrils. None of the plants are allowed 
to grow longer than from four to six feet, at which length 
the tops are pinched off ; the uppermost lateral, which is 
also stopped at the first joint, being left to carry off the 
remaining sap. At this season the plants are removed to 
a warm and sheltered situation in the open air ; and when 
the leaves fall, they are headed down to one, two, or three 
joints, according to their strength, and are placed against 
a northern aspect. When cold weather sets in, they are 
taken back to a sheltered spot and plunged in the ground 
to protect the roots ; the pots being mulched over and 
the rods covered to protect them from frost. 
When these yearling potted Vines are brought early 
into action, it is recommended to bow a plece of wire, 
above the pot, with both its ends running down the inside ; 
of sufficient height to allow the whole length of the stem 
to be attached to it, as represented in the accompanying 
figure. The buds, from the stem 
being thus bent, break more regu. 
larly, and when this is effected the 
“ine is untied and secured to an 
upright stake or sloping trellis. To 
prevent evaporation, the stem is 
wrapped loosely in moss, which is 
kept constantly moist, until the 
Grapes are set, when it is removed. 
The plants, up to this period, are 
encouraged by bottom-heat and 
shifting ; and the quantity of fruit 
is regulated by the size of the pot 
and quality of the Vine. 
The author next treats upon & 
more expeditious mode of culture 
by the coiling system, by wh 
the shoot of a Vine is brought into 
bearing in the same season as it is planted. For an 
account of this we must refer our readers to the work 
itself. There is one point insisted upon, which should 
never be lost sight of in the production of early Grapes ; 
namely, to haye the plants situated near the light. Upon 
