1843.] 
“THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE. 
843 
ask ‘“ Quercus ”’ to do the same ere he pronounce judgment 
against a system so sanctioned, when there is 80 little 
difficulty in following the example of Messrs. Humphreys 
and Scott Russel, and that too in a matter not of momentary 
Importance, but of increasing consequence to ages yet to 
come, as regards not only ornamental timber, but the very 
defence of our nation. Our ships, to be good and service- 
able, must be made of solid timber ; as the old song says, 
“Hearts of Oak are our ships, 
Jolly tars are our men.” 
Tt appears by a note signed ‘‘ Cymri,” in the Paper to 
which I advert, that this system was pursued by Dr. 
Thackeray in the woods of Mr. Wilson Jones, commencing 
in the year 1804; now that period embraces the time 
in which “ Quercus ” challenges this inquiry—“ whether 
any system of pruning has proved beneficial to plantations, 
or whether the woods would not have been more valuable 
without it.” It appears to me the opportunity is afforded 
to him, by making a personal inspection of the woods of 
Mr. Jones and of Dr. Thackeray, (which I suppose cannot 
be far distant from each other,) and having done so, I 
hope “ Quercus’? will report the state in which he found 
these plantations, and his reasons why he shall have 
changed his mind, as I expect he will, or why he shall 
Yetain his opinion upon the benefit of the no-pruning 
system. I most earnestly request of “ Quercus’ to avail 
himself of the advice of ‘Pro Bono Publico :” “Come 
and examine for yourself, or depute some one on whom 
you can rely, who will report to you the condition of the 
Woods in question.” The subject is one of deep and per- 
manent interest to the public. If Dr. Thackeray’s course 
@ wrong, many around him will fall into his mistake ; for 
the apparent success of his plantations has, I am assured, 
encouraged many gentleman around to plant and to follow 
his example in pruning ; thus, much evil will follow to the 
country, but if right much good. Let the subject be 
Seriously taken up under this consideration, and I doubt 
hot the decision will prove beneficial. I have heard a 
circumstance on the subject of Dr. Thackeray’s exertions 
to cover the mountains with which he is connected, (either 
Mr. Wilson Jones’s or his own,) which I think worth intro- 
ducing here: it is this—that, when he commenced his plant- 
ations he was forced to send to Scotland for his plants, 
None being to be had in his neighbourhood, and that now 
there are very extensive nurseries in the district of Chester. 
If he who has made a blade of grass to grow where it 
never did previously is entitled to praise, I cannot think 
he who has covered hundreds of acres with trees in situa- 
tions that were thought in every way unprofitable, without 
cause for praise also.—Consule Planco, Wicklow Moun- 
tains, November 22. 
Training Forest Trees. — Having observed several 
articles on ‘‘ thinning and pruning forest trees,’’ and 
“ prune not at all,’? by ‘¢ Quercus” and others in some late 
Numbers, allow me to make a few observations, | still 
find the same chaos of opinions on that subject as 
formerly ; and so it ever will be till there is an Arbori- 
cultural Society formed, with experimental plantations, 
near the metropolis, to show the true principle by practice 
and example, as I have so often suggested. From the 
confused ideas about the term pruning, I have substituted 
for it the word ¢raining forest-trees. 1 find ‘* Quercus ”” 
still adheres to reciprocity between roots and branches ; 
that all pruning is erroneous, except when very young— 
how young? and that all plantations however thriving 
would have been better without any att except thinning. 
This I maintain is erroneous too; it is as much as to say, 
leave all to Nature ; but is it not by leaving them to 
Nature and unskilful treatment that we witness the worth- 
less and disgraceful state of our ancient woods, youn 
plantations, and hedge-row timber in general? ‘ Quercus” 
asserts that all pruning reduces the head, and consequently 
the timber in the stem and the reciprocity between the 
roots and branches. Now I distinctly said in a reply to 
“Quercus” on this subject some time ago, that the 
System of training forest-trees which I had found out and 
Practised (for I will no longer call it pruning) increases 
the number of branches on a tree, consequently the 
increase of timber in the stem, and I presume the recipro- 
city between roots and branches. If any check is pro- 
duced by merely breaking out the central bud, or shorten- 
ing an over-strong young side shoot, in order to produce 
a greater number of a less size, it must be momentarily as 
it were; in fact the system is to increase and regulate 
the number and size of the branches, and establish the 
“prune-not-at-all” system: but that cannot be accom- 
Plished without training. I admit Mr. Cree’s practice 
Or system and mine are nearly alike; yet I do not agree 
With him in taking the lower tier of branches from trees 
Uniformly nor regularly at stated periods, because many 
trees do not require it, for the longer the branches are 
left on the more is the stem increased, so long as they do 
Not get too large to injure the timber when they are 
*emoved either by art or nature 5 besides it looks rather 
formal or artificial. Neither do I agree with Mr. Cree on 
the increase of timber in trees merely by cambium ; but I 
Will say a little more of my ideas on the increase of timber 
in the stems of trees shortly, if you allow me space in 
Your Paper. I can give credit to what has been said about 
Dr. Thackeray’s plantations ; I opine Dr. Thackeray is a 
Mountaineer,” and who-lately sent mea printed paper 
On Arboriculture without a name ; if so, and he should 
regards economy, impracticable ; for his system is a waste 
of time and an expenditure of money to no advantage. 
He states that the front of the borders should be turved— 
does he mean every border in a flower-garden ? or does 
he mean only those that surround shrubberies? Taking 
it to be the latter, such borders generally consist of Her- 
baceous plants and Annuals, intermixed here and there 
with ornamental shrubs. Suppose Mr. A. banishes 
the Annuals and Herbaceous plants, where is the turf to 
come from to turf the borders? It is very expensive to 
buy, and very few like to strip their parks for that purpose; 
but suppose they do this, there is the trouble of mowing it 
about once a week, and where there are many shrubs this 
will be greatly augmented; and besides under such trees 
(for they can scarcely be called shrubs if the roots extend 
30 square yards), the turf will need to be annually 
renewed, and for this trouble and expense there will be 
little gained. Instead of a fine show of Annualsand Herba- 
ceous plants there willbe only a strip of grass about 6ft. wide 
running along the side of the walk. One half of the year 
will be occupied in watering and mowing, the other half 
in renewing it. Shrubs in turfed borders do not thrive so 
well as those in dug borders or shrubberies ; the dig- 
ging tends to increase their growth instead of retarding 
it. There is also a want of neatness attending Mr. A.’s 
plan, for the first windy day or night will cause a portion of 
the leaves to be blown all over the grass, and this will 
continue until all the leaves are fallen off the trees. If 
Mr, A. would look into the Market Gardens he would see 
Apple, Pear, Plum, Gooseberry, and Currant-trees not 
only dug between, but also cropped to within a foot of the 
stem. The branches of these are not stunted, nor will 
one week of dry weather cause them to lose their leaves ; 
their produce is abundant and of good quality, and the 
practice there is just the reverse of Mr. A.’s theory ; hence 
if digging benefits fruit-trees, will it not also benefit 
shrubs? If manure was spread on the surface of the 
ground, would decomposition take place sooner than if it 
were dug in? I should think not; but Mr. A. would 
allow the wind to blow all the leaves away instead of digging 
them in. I would go further, and say that all the 
Grass mown off lawns in the summer time should be dug 
into shrubberies. Mr. A. asserts that he could point out 
scores of places round the metropolis where the digging 
of shrubberies has been practised, and that he could take 
a shrub that has been planted for 25 years, and put it in 
a 4-sized pot, and that without cutting any of the roots 
or breaking the ball. I beg to call on Mr. A. to name 
one place where he could do this, for I do not consider it 
fair for any one to make such an assertion without being 
able to prove it.—The Knave of Spades. 
Pilchard Oil.—A Subscriber would be obliged to any 
of the readers of the Gardeners’ Chronicle residing in 
Cornwall or Devonshire for the following information -— 
«Whether Pilchard Oilis a good and cheap oil for coarse 
painting,—being told that it is much used in Cornwall for 
that purpose ; if itis so, begs to know the mode of use, 
and where it could be obtained.” 
Propagation in Water.— Passing through Buckingham 
Palace-garden, my attention was called to a rather inter- 
esting fact. One of the Artists who are engaged by com- 
mand of her Majesty in painting the walls of a Summer- 
temple—in the Fresco style, from designs from Milton’s 
“Comus ’’—had some weeks ago detached two small 
branches of Solanum dulcamara, probably as aids in form- 
ing an outline from Nature, and thus exposed them in 
water near the front windows, where they have now 
emitted roots several inches long. My obliging attendant 
(Mr. Hynes) not having observed them until foundin the 
state now described, could not ascertain the exact period 
in which the process had taken place. This adaptation of 
organic structure to a state not common in Nature, adds 
one more instance to the proofs of a capability to assimi- 
late food to a certain extent from fluid elements apart 
from those ordinary materials which Nature has designed 
for its higher and ultimate effects. From the power pos- 
sessed by water of affording sustenance more immediate and 
effective than any other agent, it may be inferred that the 
amount of its influence in the economy of Vegetation is far 
more extensive than is generally supposed. Whatever the 
amount of material to which plants are exposed, such an 
application will invariably be found accompanied by an 
adaptive process, in which the circulation and appropria- 
tion of this single element will be such as to exceed all 
ordinary calculation, whether viewed merely as a medium 
by which other agencies operate, or as a part of the per- 
manent circulating fluid of plants throughout their various 
stages of existence. The above fact recals a similar in- 
stance which occurred 15 or 16 years ago. A small twig 
of Stachys fruticosa, a shrubby greenhouse plant, was 
placed in a small vial on a plate-rack or case, situated 
at the side of the room most distant from the light, 
where in about two weeks it emitted roots, and whence it 
was eventually transferred to a more favourable position 
and material for growth.— WW. W. 
To keep Moss Green Twenty Years.—Get it at the 
right time of the year, wash it: clean from the dirt, and 
set it in, the shade out of the sun and out of the wind to 
dry; and when it is dry, them dip it in spirits of wine, 
and lay it up in papers, and it will keep good for 20 years. 
— Anonymous. 
Leaf.cutter Bee—Amongst the various insects that 
adopt singular contrivances to protect their offspring 
during winter may be mentioned the ‘‘ Leaf-cutter Bee,” 
which belongs to the genus of Megachile, of which there are 
eight species indigenous to Britain. These insects must 
at an early period have attracted the attention of the ob- 
server on account of their rolling their cells very curiously 
in leaves. What Réaumur, Ray, and others have related 
sake of readers who perhaps seldom or never peruse their 
pages, I shall state what I know respecting the history of 
one of the most interesting of the species called the “‘ Rose- 
leaf-cutter Bee,’’ so named from its preferring the green 
leaf of that shrub as a protection to its cells. A friend 
gave me some cells of this insect that he had found in the 
lock of a door, rolled in Rose-leaves in a singular manner, 
something like little thimbles or balls united together as if 
they had been shot froma pop-gun. My friend expressed 
his surprise respecting them, but not so much as did 
St. Francis Kavier,when he discovered the ‘ Leaf-cutter 
Bee moving along in its solemn way, holding up its fore 
legs as in the act of devotion.’”’ I kept the cells until the 
beginning of the following summer, and was astonished at 
perceiving a number of small flies emerging from them, 
instead of, as I expected, a Bee from each cell. On 
examining some of the cells, I found they contained 
a number of small chrysalids, but no honey, as stated 
by Rennie in the ‘ Insect Architecture.’’ I do not 
see why they should, for honey is the food of the 
insect in the winged state. The same author says they 
collect pollen from thistles : this I never could discover ; 
indeed, I doubt it, for such plants are not suitable for that 
purpose. To account for the intruders puzzled me; how- 
ever, to clear it up, I sent some of the cells to the Rev. 
J. Duncan, who wrote to meas follows :—‘‘ The cells you 
have sent have all been pierced by a small four-winged 
parasitical fly, which consumed the whole substance of the 
chrysalises. Two of these I found in the box. It is very 
like the small Microgaster which destroys in such numbers 
the caterpillars and chrysalis of the common Cabbage 
Butterfly. The Leaf-cutter Bees are not gregarious 
during summer ; the curious cells being constructed by a 
single pair.’ It is worthy of remark that the “ Rose-leaf 
Cutter Bee,” thongh not unlike the Honey Bee, may be 
easily distinguished by the curious circumstance of its 
collecting pollen under its body between the segments, 
and not on its legs, like other Bees, (these being admirably 
adapted for that purpose). Their parasitical enemies may 
account for their being rather rare, and it would be well 
if the Butterflies that produce the Cabbage Caterpillars 
were 80. However, this little insect destroys vast numbers 
of the latter, as noticed by the able Entomologist I have 
quoted, who has thrown much light on the insects 
destructive to vegetation Wighton. 
ee 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
OXFORDSHIRE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. - 
i ie Members of this 
Society, holden in the Council Chamber, in this city, Mr. A. 
ead :—‘* Your Committee, in submitting to the Members of the 
and thus enable the Committee to carry out those plans w! 
have been long contemplated.” 
BALANCE-SHEET FOR THE YEAR. 
Balance in hand last # 8, d.|__ 
year a . + 33 13 0 |Prizes . . . 
Subscriptions received 153 14 6 | Expenses at Shows, 
Entries for Productions 29 15 6| Bands, paid Judge, 
Admissions . + 130 36] Acting Secretary, 
Postages,and other 
incidentalexpenses 103 5 2 
Printing & Advertising 32 60 
Balance in the Trea- 
34 04 
surer’s hands 
£347 66 
# s.d. 
157 15 0 
£347 66 
v. F 
the year 1844.—Rev. 3. Bakers aubeney, Professor of Botany, 
-H. B. » Rev. J. x, D.. 
J.W. sapere ti, M. J. Johnson, Esq., J. H. Langston, 
Esq., M.P., Rev. A. H. Matthews, J. Morrell, jun., Esq., C. Peers, 
sq., J. Saunders, Eaq., Rev. V. Thomas, Mr. W. Day, Mr. J. 
Stevens, Mr. J. Maltby, Mr. W. Collcutt, C. Dudley, Esq., Mr. J. 
Plowman, Mr, J. Hastings, jan., Mr. T. Walker, Mr. J, Perkins, 
, ose r. J. Robinson. After some other 
business the meeting adjourned till the 13th of December. 
was 
other gentlemen Vice-Presidents for the forthcoming season. 
The Shows were fixed for the first week in February and the last 
in April; when, in addition to a sweepstakes of 1/. each, 20 Feizes 
will be offered by the Society. 
COUNTRY SHOWS.! 
int 
mens of Stove and greenliouse plants. 
Ww Hat Ke Holloway, Esq., were remarkably 
fine, especially the Beurré Diel, three of which weighed respect. 
ively 2502. 2602., The collections of Apples were also 
good, prizes were thus awarded :—Orchidaceous Plant, 
Zygopetalum Mackaii, dead silver medal, 1, J. Fleming, Esq.; 2, 
ditio, Maxillaria picta, bright silver medal, J. T, Waddington, 
Esq. Stove Plant (not Orchidaceous), Gesnera zebrina, dead 
silver medal, Mr. Wickham, Collection of ditto (of any kind), 
dead silver medal, Rev. Mr. Beadon. Greenhouse Plant, Fuchsi 
corymbiflora, dead silver medal, J. T. Waddington, Esq. Collec 
respecting them ig well worthy of attention; but for the 
tion of ditto, dead silver medal, 1, Rev. G. C. Rashleigh 2, ditto 
