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842 
Fact ; viz., that their summers are as often hot and dry 
as ours are cool and moist. ] 
Autumn Carnations.—How is it that the Sower-mar- 
kets at Paris are throughout the autumn filled with bunches 
of white and of red crimson Carnations? What is the 
treatment necessary to make them flower in the autumn? 
‘We seem never to succeed in flowering in the autumn the 
small plants of Catalonian Jasmines, Pomegranates, and 
Winter Cherry, which make the Paris flower-markets so 
gay in the antumn.— Totty. 
Rot in Larch.—There has lately been some discussion 
Tespecting the rot in Larch. Most writers lay the fault 
to the soil; this supposition is in a great measure correct, 
if climate be taken in conjunction with it, as I mentioned 
in Mr. Loudon’s Gardener’s Magazine for 1840, p- 386. 
Perhaps it may not be out of place to give an extract 
from it :—“ When Larch and Spruce Firs are young, they 
grow often rapidly, and the wood formed at that period 
is very porous, both in the trunk and roots. As the trees 
advance in age, the supply for their growth is less, from 
the soil being greatly exhausted, and often from the trees 
not having been thinned out in proper time. The outer 
case of wood then formed is less porous, and becomes in 
time too compact to admit air to the early-formed wood 
within. This latter being of a coarse grain, the dry rot 
begins to infect it, in the same manner as it attacks 
wood which has been painted in a green state, the 
paint excluding the air from the inside wood. , 
The decay in trees goes on more or less rapidly, 
according to the grain of the wood. It ascends the 
trunk, and makes its way along the roots: at least 
those first formed, which have become the conducting 
tubes to the trunk from the smaller roots and fibres. AS 
the disease advances, the sap collected in the fibres passes 
with difficulty through the decayed conductors to the 
trunk, and the trees become sickly, although the smaller 
roots and fibres, where the sap accumulates, be healthy. 
As further proof that decay proceeds from too quick a 
growth, the trees that have grown beside decayed ones, 
but happened to grow slowly, have been found sound; 
and it may often be observed, in trees partly decayed, 
that is, the quick growths in the trunk that are rotten. 
It is a common observation, that a tree has got down toa 
soil which it does not like. If the soil were in fault, the 
wood grown there would be bad, whereas in reality it is 
the best. The error lies in the supposition that the 
decay proceeds in age from soil and climate, but its 
= 
foundation is actually laid in the youth of the tree. In | 
proof of this, it is a well known fact, that trees grown in 
cold and barren situations are always sound. These 
growths are small, and the wood in consequence is durable. 
The best Larch, for instance, in Britain, is grown at Dun- 
keld. Larches grow there as in their native Alps.’” 
What I have said agrees in some measure with the views 
of Sir C. G. Stuart Monteath, who seems to have paid 
attention to this important subject. He says, in the 
Chronicle, Avg. 19, ‘I have found a great proportion 
of the Larch trees upon the sandy soil began to decay at 
the root in the course of ten or twelve years.” Again, 
“* The Larch tree planted upon the sides of hills composed 
of Grauwacke or slaty rock, so common in the south of 
Scotland, I have always found to succeed best, and not 
at all liable to the disease.” After what has been observed, 
the remedy for the evil requires very little reflection. Let 
Larches be planted in poor soil, resembling as nearly as 
possible that of their original native region, and if possible 
on elevated situations ; and let them be properly thinned 
out when young, to admit air freely around them. The 
farther they are from the desired soil and situation, the 
greater attention must be paid to this important point, so 
that the growth of the trees be not accelerated by too 
much warmth. If I am wrong in the opinion that the 
rot proceeds from the exclusion of air from the heart or 
inside of the tree, by the great closeness of grain of the 
external wood, there can, at least, be no doubt that the 
seeds of decay are first sown by too rapid growth. And 
little do planters think, when admiring the great progress 
of their young Larch Firs, that growth so rapid is but 
laying the foundation of worthless timber.—/J. Wighton. 
Florists’ Flowers.—A teaspoonful of Humphreys’ soluble 
compound to a gill of rain-water, applied once to an Auri- 
cula in a 32-pot, improved the plant. Liquid manure 
applied to Pinks caused them to grow and bloom better 
than usual. One sort, which is considered an excellent 
self, and which I had grown in beds for years, was this 
season thoroughly laced, growing in a box. I had seen 
the centre petals partially laced before, but never the 
guard-leaves. The liquid was prepared by steeping in 
water some soil which had lain a year or more under a 
heap of horse-dung, which had received the slop-pails of a 
house during that period ; to this liquid a little soot was 
added: it was given weak, but often. The plants threw 
out much Grass, remained long in*bloom, and bore seed 
freely. Some time ago, a Lancashire florist told me that 
he frequently had seen his neighbours who grew Hyacinths 
topping their pots with coal-ashes to clear the white. In 
the “‘ Floricultural Cabinet,” a writer, who signed ‘ In- 
novator,”’ some years ago recommended gypsum for the 
same reason to be mixed among Carnation compost. 
Perhaps sulphuric acid was to be the agent in both cases. 
Five years ago I mixed some Carnation compost, to which 
gypsum, pounded to the size of small peas, was added in 
the proportion of one-sixteenth of the whole. In the 
spring of this year the gypsum still remained undissolved, 
nor could I perceive any difference in the colour of the 
flowers, but the plants grew well in it. TI find that when 
my Pinks and Carnations are plunged in coal-ashes, the 
roots run through the pots into the ashes; and I have 
noticed that when small cinders have been employed as 
drainage for the Polyanthus, the plant has! rooted freely 
THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE. 
intothem. Possibly these cinders or ashes might be used 
in the compost with good effect, especially when the Car- 
nation is potted in an 8 or 10 pot, not unusual here.—O. 
Canker in Auriculas.—What is the {cause of this 
disease? Old florists here say it is infectious; and 
though excision is sometimes a cure, yet they will often 
prefer destroying a cankered plant at once, lest it should 
infeot the others. It attacks plants in the open ground, 
therefore perhaps is not caused by drip nor yet by confine- 
ment.—O., Leeds. [Perhaps some correspondent will 
favour us with his opinion on this subject. ] 
Jointing Earthenware Pipes.—For some time past I 
have looked for Mr. Hurst’s mode of jointing these pipes ; 
but in vain; and as ‘‘ W. B. H.’’ wishes information on 
this subject I beg to offer a plan adopted here with success. 
When the pipes were fitted the end of the one into the 
other, a quantity of white and red lead was procured and 
mixed together. That part to which the lead was to be 
applied, was touched with a brush dipped in oil, a good 
coating of lead was put on, and in this manner every joint 
was secured. No water was put into the pipes until the 
paint became quite hard and dry, which was in about six 
or eight days after the operation, and they have kept 
perfectly water-tight ever since. The advice given to 
gardeners in the leading article at p. 807 is good, and 
from experience I can state that tanks do not answer for 
Greenhouse plants in the winter time; neither are they 
suitable for pits to preserve plants in, on account of 
emission of vapour, and the earthen pipes are also ob- 
jectionable for the same reason.—J. M. [We are glad 
to hear that earthenware pipes will do. What we have 
seen tried have all failed, in consequence of expansion and 
contraction, which broke them. ] 
The Coffee Plant.—A Coffee-tree in my bark stove was 
clothed with fruit in the spring of the year: many were 
eaten, but many dropped ; of the latter a crop sprang up 
in the old bark below the tree, and at this moment some 
are about an inch high, with the remains of the dry pulp 
clasping the seminal leaves ; others one inch and a-half, 
with the round seed-leaves expanded like shillings or half- 
crowns, and a few have the second leaf developed,—these 
last being about six months old. We have potted off a 
dozen or so. I was not before aware of the rapid germin- 
ation of the Coffee-bean.—P. Neill. 
Swans and Weeds.in Ponds.—In a late Chronicle 
Mr, Ayres said something respecting Swans clearing weeds 
from ponds that brought forth remarks from an Edin- 
burgh correspondent to the contrary. Having often seen 
Swans in ponds almost choked up with weeds, I lean to 
what the latter said. The case, however, may be different 
when Swans are in very small ponds, and amongst certain 
kind of weeds. Putting more Swans into larger ponds, 
though cygnets, would be of little use, for they would not 
agree. When Swans are in large streams, each pair have 
their own boundaries, and ‘‘ woe betide’’ the weaker that 
venture beyond their beat. I may mention an instance 
of this, which came under my observation. During last 
summer, a pair of young Swans (not cygnets) happened 
to stray near where their next neighbours’ nest was. The 
old male soon drove the young hen into the field, and a battle 
commenced between the cocks ;}and what by the splash- 
ing of their wings, biting each others’ necks, and hallooing 
of the boys, there was a fine affray. At last the old cock 
drove the other to the side, and forced his neck against 
the bank, and would have soon killed him, if they had not 
been separated. The intruders took to the field home- 
wards; the other pursued, but was soon left in the 
distance. Finding this he took to the stream, as if he 
knew where it was likely they would cross. The retreaters, 
however, seemed ‘‘ awake,’’ for they ran across another 
field and gave their expecting antagonist the slip.— 
J. Wighton. 
Manure for Melons.—In the Chronicle for the 16th of 
September, p. 645, I find your correspondent ‘* E. M.” 
mentioning that the Persian Melons derive their superiority 
from the use of pigeon-dung. Now, some time since, 
while reading ‘* Loudon’s Encyclopedia of Gardening,”’ 
p- 9, where it treats on this subject, the thought struck me 
that there might be a similarity between the stimulating 
properties of hens’ dung and pigeons’ in promoting the 
growth [of the Melon. I accordingly requested, in the 
spring of 1842, that the manure from the hen-house 
should be saved, and after having obtained a heap of it, 
free from any other mixture, I reserved it by itself, and 
turned it over two or three times during the winter. In 
the month of May I erected a temporary 7-light frame, 
and under each light made a hole for the fermented 
manure about 18 inches deep. In mixing up the soil I 
used better than one-fourth part of hens’ manure. 
turned my plants out into the bedin the third week in 
May, and planted under each light. These had a space 
of 4 ft. by (MS. illegible), to grow in, and it was evident 
soon after they began to grow that the soil agreed with 
them. From their luxuriant growth I was compelled to 
use my thumb and finger freely ; and in proportion to 
their growth so was their fruitfulness. There was what 
was generally considered a good crop of fair-sized fruit. 
Some bore a second time, and the others would have 
done so had they been allowed ; but it was too late in the 
season, and it was not convenient to apply a lining. I 
have also used this soil in the growth of Cockscombs with 
equal success. J trust these observations will call forth 
the attention of gardeners who may have a better oppor- 
tunity of ascertaining its merits, and the means of apply- 
ing it more successfully.—J. I’. M‘Elroy. 
Pine Apples.—Some sensation having been occasioned 
by a statement lately made in the Chronicle about the 
weight of some Pine-apples recently grown at Bicton vary- 
ing from 5 to 6 lbs, I beg to state such was by no means 
@ rare occurrence there previous to the present manage- 
ment; for from 1834 to 1840 during which time I was 
foreman under the late gardener Mr. R. Glendinning 
(now of Chiswick Nursery), fruit was annually produced 
equal to the weight of those recently noticed. One grown 
in 1835, I well remember, weighed, when divested of all its 
under leaves and the stem cut close to the fruit, 6 lbs. 
3 oz. Mr. Glendinning some time since published a 
treatise on the cultivation of this noble fruit, and having 
practically carried out under his own superintendence the 
directions therein contained, I can confidently assert that 
by following his system, Pine-apples of the above weight 
will be thought no rarity, and scarcely worth recording. 
—J, Piller, Exeter. 
Large Pines.—Having for many years felt an interest 
in the culture of the Pine-apple, will be my apology for 
troubling you with the following remarks. The readers 
of the Gardeners’ Chronicle, as well as those who attend 
the Chiswick and Regent-street Exhibitions, have abun- 
dant testimony of Mr. Spencer’s eminent success in the 
production of this prince of fruits. We require no further 
statement from him or from Mr. Murray, who has pro- 
bably in the present day produced the largest Queen Pine- 
apple in the highest possible state of cultivation. The 
circumstance of public exhibition has placed these two 
eminent gardeners in a different position from those whose 
success rests on the statement of one or two persons, 
however unquestionable such reports may be. Hundreds 
and thousands have seen with complete astonishment the 
distinguished productions of Messrs. Murray and Spencer 5 
and this public exposition of their successful practice has 
created a desire, as extensive as it is intense, among prac- 
tical men to become acquainted with the method pursued 
in attaining such extraordinary results. It may be inferred 
that it is by other means than those which have resulted in 
a few fruit of 2 lbs., and some wonderful ones of 3 lbs. It 
has been insinuated that some of these successful Pine- 
growers feed their plants on chopped charcoal, just as- 
farmers do their oxen on Turnips ; and itis further alleged 
that the plants consume the one with as much avidity as 
the oxen do the other.—Prurient, Nov. 22. . 
Pruning.—With reference to the propriety of pruning 
forest-trees, do your correspondents ‘* Quercus’” and 
others, sufficiently consider that the principal object is the 
rowth of valuable timber. An Oak-tree that is left en- 
tirely without pruning may, perhaps, produce the largest 
quantity of actual wood in any given time; but then how 
much of this is usefulas timber? At eight or ten feet 
from the ground it branches out into a large head, which, 
with the limbs, except of the largest trees, is fit only for 
the fire, and this is the case with most trees grown In 
hedge-rows. — If, however, it is regularly pruned from an 
early age, by taking off the under-branches without too 
much reducing the head at any one time, it will grow up 
with a tall trunk, and produce a considerable length of 
excellent timber, according to the soil in which it grows; 
and this kind of pruning is, in some measure, naturally 
performed for the toplings in woods, by the branches of 
other trees, and the underwood constantly brushing 
against them, and preventing the growth of the side- 
shoots, If it is wrong to take away any part of the head 
of a tree, how is it that the trunks of Pollards (which are 
entirely beheaded—a horrid practice !) increase in girth 
more rapidly than spires’. 4. C. F 
New Hardy Plant.—As considerable interest is evinced 
on the subject of plants that will stand the winter in this 
country, and feeling certain that many now considered 
tender will, with judicious treatment and proper soil, beat 
the rigour of our climate, thus bringing numerous orna- 
mental specimens within the reach of persons not having 
greenhouses, and adding greatly to the beauty of out 
gardens, I beg to mention having seen a beautiful tree 
growing in this neighbourhood (the Eucalyptus calo- 
phylla), which, in page 783 of the Gardeners’ Chronicle 
for 1841, is called a greenhouse shrub. The plant is now 
nearly 12 feet high, and has been growing for the Jast 
seven years without the least protection ina very expose 
situation at Brodwinsor, in this county. The specime? 
has not flowered. Two leaves of the tree are inclosed, 
I may be wrong in the name of the plant.—d. #., Bea- 
minster, Dorset. [The plant here mentioned by oy 
obliging correspondent is not Eucalyptus calophylla, bu 
some species nearly allied to E. robusta, if not that plant-] 
Planting.—Your Paper of the 11th Nov. was forwarde 
to me, I suppose because I wish success to planting Gs 
masse and in hedge-rows, The taste for the former 1 ac 
quired in visiting mountain districts in Scotland and Were 
where nothing else could be cultivated, and for the Ae 
in the lovely surface of Warwickshire and other distri¢ 
of England, which (however rich in pasture and sree 
would be unadorned indeed, deprived of their hedge-ror 
timber. Happily the subject of planting and promneis 
not connected with party-feelings—is one on which Z 
can agree to differ, and if we find ourselves in error Hs 
may acknowledge our mistake, and not be ashamed y 
confess it and declare our determination to correct ae 
Under this impression I am led to notice a passage 19 Toes 
Paper on the subject of pruning, bearing the ae 
“Quercus.” If I recollect right ‘‘ Quercus 4 ge Sita 
to in a former paper by ‘‘ Pro Bono Publico,’’ in W Dr 
statements are made of the course pursued by “at 
Thackeray, of Chester, in his extensive plantations 
Nerquis, in Wales, and particularly in regard to his Tees 
of pruning ; this mode ‘‘ Quercus ’’ objects to as. ale - 
to the trees : “ Pro Bono Publico’” challenges inves a A 
tion for Dr. Thackeray, by a minute examen ue, i 
state of his woods. His course 18 cones Me eat 
an authority than that of Mr. Humphreys an ally ind 
Russel, both of whom, if I mistake not, person ue a 
spected these before they felt authorised to expres os 
opinion about them. Now surely it is not too mue 
