662 
THE GARDENERS’: CHRONICLE. 
[SEpr. 23, 
Prejudices.—Gif your correspondent ‘ Q.” cxnects a 
favour frae ane, he might aye be civil, I think, a~J nc misca’ 
ane ; for though a puir chield may hae the misfortune to be 
planted on a moor, and may bea ‘* Moorland Gardener,’’ it 
disna happen as a necessary case that he maun be a “ Moor- 
land Willie,” sic a ane, ye ken, as a Scotch poet describes, 
wha went a courting auld Gaffer’s bonny Jean, wha lived 
im Glen-Jeoch ; the carl was half blind wi’ age, and had 
to look for the lassie wi’ his spectacles on, and when he 
saw her, sang to the tune of “ Whistle o’er the lave o’t.” 
T hae learned mony a gude lesson about gardening since I 
began reading the Chronicle; and anither thing I hae 
also observed by means 0’ that periodical—that it is nae 
canny thing to be an innovator : it taks guns o” nae small 
calibre, and bullets that wad fili the mou’ o” “‘Mons Meg,” 
to batter doon the walls 0’ pride and prejudice, and 
indurated custom. If ony ane like mysel’ was just to 
say that ‘‘ Wines do not work when Vines are in the 
flower,’’ he would soon be knocked down by the believers 
in antipathetical and sympathetical doctrine, with large 
extracts from the work o’ Sir Kenelm Digby. and 
Nicholas Culpepper; and it will not be out 0’ the 
mind o’ thousands 0’ the readers o’ the Chronicle 
what an unco ado there was about the recommendation of 
“* glazed pots’’ and ‘‘ the one-shift system ;”’ and there is 
reason to believe that mony a gardener disna think them 
gude things yet, just because they didna mak the discovery 
themsels, or had ony merit in bringing them before the 
public. But if people would just keep their een open at 
times, and no gang sleeping through the world a’thegither, 
they would learn mony a usefu’ lesson frae sources that 
they little dream of, for even bairns will speer things and 
do things that might mak auld folk wonder; and sae 
it happened when the ‘‘glazed-pot” and ‘ one-shift 
system’’ controversies were attracting the attention o’ 
mony, that an earthen dish that had been used for holding 
pickle met with an accident that made it of no use for the 
purpose it was intended for, and so it was laid aside as 
useless ; it was somewhat less than a firlet, and ye ken 
it requires a clay yessel to be weel burnt and weel glazed 
to hold pickle that will soom a tawtie; and it sae hap- 
pened that some bairns in their daffin would build houses 
and mak gardens, and they would have a flower-garden in 
the muckle glazed pot, and they managed to fill it with 
gerden-earth, and planted a flowering shrub in the centre, 
and lesser plants nearer the edge, and a bonny looking 
thing it was when they had finished it. Thought I to 
mysel’, when I saw it, puir things! ye never heard o’ 
“*glazed pots’’ and the ‘‘ one-shift system,” and yet ye 
&re combining them baith together, and no an ill word 
about it ; ye little ken what division there is in the gar- 
dening world about the things that are gieing ye sae 
touckle delight. And weel the plants grew, as they were 
allowed to remain, and sae it may happen with the 
maturing 0” out-door plants in dry weather. Gardeners 
hae got so accustomed to the watering o” certain crops in 
summer that mony o’ them will not give it up, although 
the plants, if they could speak, would say—‘‘ No more, I 
thank you ;”’ but they will continue to pour it down their 
throats, or rather up their throats, although the drink 
that they receive may not be to their liking; it may con- 
tain the oxide of iron, the sulphate of lime, the carbonate 
of lime, and carbonate of soda, besides nitrates and muri- 
ates, that I ken little about; and the warst thing ava is, 
that mony gardeners neither ken nor care about the test- 
ing o’ their water—they dinna ken the use 0’ the chloride 
of barium, or the oxalate of ammonia, or oxalic acid. 
Noo to understand the use o’ these and sic like things, 
would be a wonderfu’ help to dispel the mists frae their 
een, and they would be enabled to look upon the secrets 
©” nature wi’ as clear a sight as if they had rubbed their 
€en with eyebright. But it would, perhaps, be an easier 
way, and it would save a great deal o’ trouble baith to the 
head and the hands, to be more carefu’ 0’ the ammoniaised 
water o’ the heavens when it comes to the earth for the 
benefit o’ the plants we hae charge o’ ; for I think we are 
taught somewhere in the Chronicle, that all the nitrogen 
0’ plants can only be obtained in the form of ammonia, 
and that the ammonia is supplied by rain-water, that car- 
Ties it doon frae the air in which it had been hanging for 
I dinna ken how lang; but all the ammonia that falls wi’ 
the rain disna remain in the earth, for only a part of it is 
taken up by the roots, and the rest flies awa again, maybe 
to be washed down on the sands o’ Africa. Noo I am 
thinking that the covering or mantle that is spread oyer 
€ roots o’ certain crops answers a twafold purpose in 
dry weather—it may prevent much o’ the ammonia frae 
escaping by means o’ evaporation, and retain a sufficient 
quantity o’ moisture for assisting the decomposition of 
Organic matter in the soil. It often taks awa the pleasure 
0’ gardening in summer when every muscle o’ the body 
is strained wi’ the water-barrow and watering pots, and 
the legs and feet as wet as if they had been dwelling in 
the same habitation wi’ Callitriche and fresh-water soldiers, 
oo I can assure your readers that it is a far pleasanter 
thing for the mind, and much easier for our mortal parts, 
Just to tak a walk among the out-door crops, and witness 
the rogress they mak when a proper covering is applied 
to their roots in dry weather; and although I may hae 
succeeded to please mysel’ in the material I hae used, 
may be nae harm in using a wee thing o’ Scotch 
neon until anither season may test it better; but 
teeny wishes to ken what the covering may be, I may 
im something o’ its nature—it sucks in water nearly 
pies ne and pees with it as reluctantly as the 
mon wo ith hi 
‘A Moorlaniaey, iets part with his gowden gear.— 
The Early May Pea, alluded to-by Mr. Noble, is, pro- 
bably, the. Early May of the seed-shops, which fe fen 
times one sort, and sometimes another. The Pea known 
in this neighbourhood under that name grows about three 
feet high, and is, as I before stated, several days earlier 
than Farnes’s First Early. Mr. Noble might easily satisfy 
himself upon that point, by procuring the kind I alluded 
to ; mine were obtained from Mr. Richard Gadd, Seeds- 
man, &c., Dorking._J. B. Whiting. 
Peas.—Y think that the paragraph headed ‘ Farnes’s 
Early Peas,” in the Chronicle of the 9th instant, must 
have escaped your usual penetration. It appears to me 
to be an advertisement, for the purpose of bringing into 
public notice a Pea which I have no doubt is a very good 
one; but I have no hesitation in saying that there is not 
any Pea known in this country (by whatever name it may 
be called) that will be fit for table ten or fourteen days 
before a good stock of Warwick’s, procured from the 
of plants adapted for such a purpose, and these, too, 
within the reach of all. And what better proof could I 
cite than the circumstance of meeting with the grouping 
system—not only in the noble domain, but also in the 
suburban residence? Dropmore is distinguished for this 
system—so is Stanmore Priory ; also Brooklands, Broom 
House, and many others. It is invaluable as a system to 
the man of leisure, as well as to the man of business ; 
for there is no strong sensation wanted to unravel a com- 
plex expression—all being distinctly seen, and the whole 
picture conceived with ease and facility.— 
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE. 
Salerno, August 27, 1843.—These latitudes have been 
visited with a summer of extraordinary coolness, accom- 
panied by a long duration of dryness, which renders the 
principal houses in London, if sown in the open ground 
on the same day and under similar An 
I think that the Horticultural Society would be con- 
ferring a great benefit on its members and the public 
at large if they would devote a portion of their garden 
to a proof of the new vegetables which are advertised, 
(but I fear this would be impracticable, as it would require 
too large a space) ; the public would then be introduced 
to many of their old acquaintances with new names. 
had intended the foregoing for the last week’s Chronicle, 
but was too late ; I am, however, glad that I did not send 
it, as I observe in your present Number another article 
headed “ Peas,” which requires a few remarks. Your 
correspondent, an ‘‘ Original Subscriber,’? says that in 
the spring he sowed a pint of the Prince Albert Pea, and 
that they came in a week earlier than the Early Frames, 
which were sown six weeks before them; this may be 
very true, but it proves nothing. Had he, at the same 
time that he sowed the Prince Albert, sown some of the 
same Frames that he had previously sown, he would 
probably have found that they would 
4 
the same garden side by side, some ‘ Prince Albert,” 
I beg, however, to observe the 
two'former bore no comparison in the size of the pods or 
quantity with the two other sorts.—F.H.S8. [The 
paragraph in question was certainly overlooked. All new 
vegetables are tried in the Horticultural Garden, as far as 
it is possible that they should be.] 
Clover Dodder.—Since reading the paper from Prof, 
enslow, on a species of Cuscuta which he suspects to 
be introduced with foreign seed, I have observed it grow- 
ing in some rows of Lucerne, which I sowed with seed 
imported from Khelat, and I am confident there was not 
a plant of Cuscuta on the ground, or anywhere near it. 
On a piece of ground close adjoining that sown with the 
Khelat seed, I sowed some Lucerne, saved in this country, 
which is quite clear from the Cuscuta, which proves that 
it must be imported with the Khelat seed. I have sent 
you a specimen, cut from the middle of one of the rows, 
and which is a faint sample of the rows that are infected, 
with it— W, Scott, [The specimen sent was not in flower, 
but it looked very like the Clover Dodder.] 
To keep Wasps from Fruit.—The best remedy to 
prevent Wasps from attacking wall-fruit is to plant close 
against or near the fruit tree Symphoria racemosa. In 
the year 1826 (when I made the memorandum), in my 
father’s garden, we had a Moor-park Apricot with a 
quantity of fruit upon it, and near to it stood in blossom 
8. racemosa, which the Wasps preferred to the fruit, as 
there was not a single fruit touched, although all day long 
the blossoms of S. racemosa were frequented by the Wasps. 
—G. 8. Winile. 
Vegetable Marrow.—i perceive that a correspondent 
complains of his fruit falling off. Mine have this year 
fallen off by hundreds in the early part of the season, and 
I attributed it to the uncongenial early summer, which was 
all against them. have now as large and fine a crop as 
can be produced of all the different sorts.— Rus. 
Grouping Plants in Flower-Gardens.—If there is one 
feature more characteristic than another of the improve- 
more singular still, Till within the last fort- 
night the temy e has never app hed that of the ave- 
rage summer weather, and even now the mornings and 
nights are decidedly cold, though the sun acts with great in- 
tensity through the clear medium always afforded by the 
prevalence of north winds at this time of year. The conse- 
quences have been prejudicial to the crops, especially the 
later harvest of Indian Wheat, which was dried up before 
the ears properly filled. The vintage will likewise suffer 
from the same causes. The ornamental vegetation has, 
however, not been subjected to the same evil, except in 
some of the late-flowering exotics of higher growth, such 
as Sterculia platanifolia and the Lagerstroemia, the 
blossoms of which have never expanded, and are now 
falling off.—K. 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 
Sept. 19.—G. Bain, Esq.,in the chair. The Rev. R. C, Jenkins, 
C. R. Read, Esq., Mr. J. Youell, and Mr. J. Backhouse, were 
elected Fellows. From Mr, Mills, of Gunnersbury Park, was a 
Cucumber, named Jewess, (an early forcing sort,) measuring in 
length 24$inches, and 33inches in diameter ; the stem on which 
it grew was 33inches in circumference, immediately above the 
ground, r. Dawson, 17, Abbey-road, St. John’s-wood, sent 
two curious specimens of monstrous Pears. From Mr. Fleming, 
gr to his Grace the Duke of Sutherland, were three Persian 
was awarded. From Mr. Busby, gr, Titness 
Park, Sunning-hill, was a beautiful large green-fleshed Welling- 
elon, weighing 6)bs. 50z., al 
weighing 3 lbs, 2 0z. A certi 
ton. Mr. Fish, gr to T. Sower' 
ing them for more than three weeks past, and expects them to 
continue until checked by the cold, frosty nights. i 
however, nothing new in the system, although it is not generally 
adopted. i 
bearing abundantly 
in the succeeding season, and states, moreover, that his best 
fruit during the months of June and July is generally obtained from 
M. Hen- 
aumont, was sent a Globe Pine-Apple, 
weighing 5 Ibs. 5 oz., and measuring 94 inches long and 6 inches 
was a new seedling Fuchsia, 
called Pride of Peckham. R, W. Barchard, Esq., sent a plant of 
manthus toxicarius. From the Gardens of the Society were 
plants of Begonia Evansiana, Mandevilla suaveolens, Chironia 
frutescens, i ii anda i 
from Jamaica by Mr. Hartweg; also Brassavola venosa, Coma- 
rostaphylis arbutoides, Fuchsia Standishii, and cut flowers of Lu- 
pinus séemp 
stands of Messrs, Brown, Widnall, Girling, Bates, &c. There 
wi 
‘as also a deficiency am the miscellaneous collections of 
plants. The best was that sent by Mr. Bruce, gr. to Boyd 
Miller, Es ong which were some well-grown plants of 
Achimenes coccinea and longiflora, a beautiful specimen of Wit- 
senia corymbosa, Erica vestita coccinea, numerously covered 
rinum amabile, and a very fine 
ment in modern Flower-Gardens over the old, promiscuous 
method of planting, it is the facility with which a plant’s 
character can be determined at first sight,—from the large 
masses of one plant grown together, as well as the con- 
trast of colour produced in grouping: this seems to me 
to meet thg difficulty so often complained of by those | 
ho urge as an excuse for their limited knowledge of | 
plants, the abstruseness of the art; and it is in some | 
degree to this circumstance that I attribute the rapid 
progress grouping has made of late years, and the prospect 
of a wonderful increase to the number of its followers in 
future years. Some important facts conspire to lead me 
thus to hope, and amongst these is the readiness with 
which employers co-operate with their gardeners in carry- 
ing into practice their intentions, and also the improved 
taste of gardeners ; for, after all, it may be safely asserted 
that without this all will be of no avail. It is quite just 
and proper that employers should suggest, but at the 
same time recollect that this is so completely a practical | 
system, that large scope should be given to the gardener’s 
inventive faculties, for in proportion as this is observed 
do I see good order and all that belongs to high-keeping 
developed in the Flower-Garden. Another reason why I 
4 
think it is progressive is the fact of an increased number : 
2 
ae 
= 
flowers; three young plants of 
specimen of Boronia pinnata. In mp’s collection were 
Gloxinia Violacea and candida, pretty good plants of Erythrina 
Crista-galli, a wea saligna; from Mr. 
attison was a goo 
phe lant of Fuchsia Youngii, covering the pot 
with its fine pendent branches, Sollya linearis, and Hoya carnosa. 
a handsome plant of Petunia splendens, also Achimenes grandi- 
flora, Pedunculata, and coccinea, the latter covered with its 
hears, Esq., exhibited six plants 
From Mr. Gaines was a collection of 
Consisting of some of the newer kinds. Mr. Pawley 
also sent 12 
» which attracted much attention. 
is a list of prizes awarded:—CLASS I.— 
h Dahlias, 24 blooms.—1, Gold Medal, Mr. Headley, 
for the following :—Admiral Stopford, Hudson’s Princess Royal, 
urite, Mrs, Shelley, Lady Cowper, Bridesmaid, Sir F. 
Albert, Wheeler’s Maria, Conductor, 
F the {Unique, Beauty of the Plain, Essex Triumph, President 
tune West, Phenomenon, Dodd’s Prince of Wales, Lady Ann 
Murray, Lady Middleton, Perpetual Grand, Indispensable, 
