1843.] 
THE’ GARDENERS 
J.’s evidence about his Heaths is not conclusive, since it 
is well known that this tribe, if not in full growth, can 
bear a little frost ; his elevated situation was moreover in 
their favour, for when frost is not charged with vapour 
it does far less injury, as any one may have remarked who 
witnessed the mischief sustained by Evergreens in the 
winter of 1837-8, in low situations, compared with others 
on higher grounds. As I live in a low locality, there is not 
a season in which I am not visited by late spring and early 
autumn frosts; and I invariably, water French Beans, 
Dahlias, &c. ; but I cannot decide whether it has the de- 
sired effect or not; if the plants thus treated recover, 
those that are left unwatered do so likewise. During the 
severe frost in January, 1841, I had a great many Pelar- 
goniums placed in a large Vinery, and the flues not being 
clean, I was unable to keep a sufficiently high temperature 
to prevent those near the glass from being frozen; I wa- 
tered them with water of the same warmth as I generally 
used, which soon froze on the leaves, although the tem- 
perature in the body of the house was several degrees 
above the freezing point ; the plants did not all die nor 
lose their leaves, but they were in such a languishing state 
that I judged it best to throw them away. I have had 
Pelargoniums repeatedly frozen without sustaining any 
injury, but on such occasions I apply no fire to them, un- 
less it is likely to be a raw, frosty day. I had two pots 
of Mustard ina cold Vinery, which, on the morning of 
the 6th inst., were both frozen; I watered one of them 3 
that which I did not water recovered, the other did not. 
I am in the habit of placing pans of water ‘under my 
Apricot-trees while in bloom, having heard it recommended 
as an infallible receipt, but I cannot see that any benefit 
is derived from it, Is such a custom common, and in 
what manner does it operate ?—J. M. 
Climate in the North of Scotland.—Mr. Proctor re- 
marks, at p. 117, that one would suppose the climate of 
Edinburgh to be milder than at Inverness. I think, 
however, that our sheltered Highlands are at least equally 
as favourable as those near Edinburgh, and that our light 
sandy soil is more suitable to tuberous-rooted plants that 
are liable to damp off in winter. The thin stratum of light 
sandy soil at Holme lying upon gravel must be well suited 
for tuberous-rooted plants during winter; and I think, 
from the following facts, that Tarbet Gardens in Ross- 
shire are, with few exceptions, as favourable to, general 
vegetation as any in the north of Scotland. “In 1835, 
Almonds and Mulberries ripened ; Apricots and Peaches 
bore well; there was a good crop of fine Figs: Mauran- 
dia Barclayana, eight feet high, survived the winter ; Mag- 
nélias flowered, and Dablias lived through the winter 
without protection. Asparagus was cut from the open 
ground ten days earlier than in the neighbourhood of 
Edinburgh. lis Grace the Duke of Buccleuch pro- 
nounced the Figs, Peaches, and Apricots to be as fine as 
his own at Dalkeith.—John Ross, Holme Gardens. 
Pinus Laricio.—I find rabbits destroy this species, 
while they do not touch the common Scotch Fir ; neither 
do they, as far as my experience goes, attack the Wey- 
mouth Pine] or, the Silver Fir, but they eat the Pinaster, 
—J. R. 
The Aucuba Japonica.—This beautiful plant is not 
grown half so extensively as it deserves. It is easily 
propagated, and is well adapted for the purpose of 
covering the ground under trees in extensive shrubberies 
with a dense and beautiful foliage ; and when planted in 
masses in a rather sheltered situation, or mixed for the 
sake of contrast with a few evergreens, such as the com- 
mon and Portugal Laurel, Ivy, or Laurustinus, it forms 
one of the most pleasing objects in nature.—J. 7. 
Vine Borders.—Although aware that your columns are 
too valuable to admit of many repetitions, yet I am 
tempted to offer a few remarks on Mr, Roberts’s Treatise 
on the Vine, reviewed at pp. 103 and 119. The soil re- 
commended by Mr. R. is composed of } loam: this, in my 
opinion, is excellent advice. Manures are too absorbent 
of moisture for this climate, as well as too valuable, to be 
range, that something more explicit is necessary—espe- 
cially with the young amateur; and itis to be lamented 
that, in the present imperfect state of Horticultural know- 
ledge, we have not a more definite mode of conveying our 
ideas on that head. Mr. R. recommends ‘ strong 
loam.”’ By this, I presume he means loam in which the 
clayey principle predominates. I much doubt the pro- 
priety of using adhesive loam at the depth recommended, 
viz., 30 inches. Water percolates but slowly through 
“strong loam,” and I cannot but think that, in capricious 
Seasons, the depth is too great by a foot. The rest of 
r. R.’s directions as to compost are, as I think, very 
good. I see no reason, however, why the turfy loam 
should not be thrown into the border as it comes from the 
field, if in a dry state; more especially (as Mr. R. very 
justly observes) ‘¢ atmospheric air is of incalculable benefit 
to the roots of the Vine.’’ I am, I confess, astonished at 
the depth of fermenting material recommended by some 
Practitioners for covering the roots. Mr. Roberts, for 
one, recommends 30 inches; I find also, in a description, 
of the course of culture pursued at Oakhill some few years 
ag0, froma diary kept by Mr. Forsyth, in ‘* Loudon’s 
Magazine,” that the gardener used a foot of leaves, with 
another foot of hot dung, and that the whole was covered 
ae reed mats ; the heat of the fermenting matter, after 
e Vines had begun to grow, being 96°. This heavy mass 
yemained in the horder until the Grapes were nearly ripe, 
5 Sa can this be reconciled with the necessity of a free 
; Ssion of air to the roots? I have known repeatedly, 
Tees and bushes killed, or seriously injured, by heaping 
earth above their roots. Will it be argued that the com- 
CHRONICLE. 
Q11 
parative porosity of the material, makes the difference ? 
Tf hot dung, &c., can be heaped up to any indefinite 
extent above the roots of Vines, why not force early 
Cucumbers, Seakale, Asparagus, &c., on the Vine border, 
and thus kill two birds with one stone? I remember about 
20 years since, going with a friend to see the forcing 
establishment of “ Breffitt’”” at Barnes—he was then noted 
foréearly Black Hamburgh Grapes. Here we actually 
found the very thing alluded to, viz., forcing Asparagus, 
&c., on the Vine border. The houses were in a dilapi- 
dated state, and several panes of glass were represented 
by wisps of hay and rags. Yet the early Grapes certainly 
looked very well. I have little doubt but that ‘‘ shank- 
ing” is caused by a sudden lowering of the temperature of 
the soil, by heavy rains, or by a series of unusually cold 
weather, at the very time when the greatest demand is 
made on the catering roots. The young spongioles in 
this case become totally inactive for a while, and that ata 
most important period, the soil becoming lowered, in all 
probability, after heavy rains, 10 or 15 degrees. In con- 
clusion, let me ask, is the ‘‘ shanking”’ of Grapes known 
in the vineyards of the South ?—Rolert Errington, Oulton, 
near Tarporley. 
Garden Frames.—For the encouragement of those 
cottagers who are anxious to possess garden frames, but 
who cannot go to the expense of having their lights glazed 
by the glazier, I can inform them that. waste glass may 
be had of glaziers for a very trifling sum—(indeed a good 
deal may occasionally be gathered from the refuse which 
the glaziers throw away,) and may afterwards be cut al- 
most as evenly as with the dianiond, simply by holding 
the glass on the even edge of a piece of red-hot iron—a 
square-ended kitchen poker will do—[we do not under- 
stand this] ; when they are easily put into the frames with 
a little glaziers’ putty, made of whiting and linseed oil, 
This is commonly practised in this neighbourhood by the 
cottagers, some of whom have frames 6{t. wide, and from 
20 to 30 feet long, which are generally nneated by a fire, 
regulated by having a door to the ash-pit, with a venti- 
lator fixed in it; by which means the expense of heating 
in this part of the country is not more than 2d. per week, 
—Cottagers’ Friend, Dewsbury. 
Economical Pump.—‘ Auricula,’”’ at p, 174, asserts 
that the pump for supplying forcing houses, which he 
there describes, is superior to the one alluded to by 
myself at p. 22, and states, moreover, that it is impos- 
sible for water to be conveyed to the adjoining houses 
without. an extra pump and cistern. In this he is 
mistaken, as the pump referred to discharges the water 
five feet above the level of the pavement. _ He also criti- 
cises my idea of covering an ornamental object with 
creepers; but where harmony is concerned, such an 
occurrence is by no means rare. As for his cautioning 
others, Jest they should fall into a similar error with 
myself, I can only say that the pump has answered our 
most sanguine expectations, and that the expense of 
one upon his principle would be at least three times 
greater than mine.—Snowdrop. [Here this correspon- 
dence must end.] 
‘ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND, 
March 22.—T. R. Barker, Esq., inthe chair. 32 Members were 
elected. Sir F. Mackenzie presented a statement of his plan for 
establishing a Model Farm in each county of England and Wales 
by public subscription, at an estimated sum of 117,207/.—H. R. 
Sandbach, Esq., communicated his offer of any quantity of landin 
North Wales, on reasonable terms, for establishing an experi- 
mental farm, provided it were managed under the direction of the 
Society.—C. Hillyard, Esq., stated that he had been informed of 
the recent loss of Turnip-feedi beep in in con- 
sequence of an accumulation of red-water in the abdomen; and 
that he had understood that the following recipe had been em- 
ployed with the greatest success: 6 0z. Epsom salts, 4 0z. nitre 
in powder, 3 pints boiling water (poured upon the salts and nitre) ; 
when new-milk warm, add 4 oz. spirits of turpentine, } oz. bole 
Armenian in powder; mix and shake the whole well together 
when given. The dose is from 3 to4 table-spoonsful. N.B.— 
The sheep must be bled before administering the medicine. 
«when it is to be given to a large number of sheep, they 
must be taken from the turnips, or whatever they are feeding 
on, an into a pen or fold yard for two hours before it is 
‘iven. Then a small horn should be provided that will just hold 
the quantity proper for each sheep. Let the bottle be well shaken 
each time itis poured into the horn. This method of giving 
for Young Farmers; Mr. Shaw, 
Murray, his Trials and Effects of Chemical Fertilizers; Mr. A. 
Low, his treatises on the Potato Crops, and the Cultivation of 
¥lax; and Messrs. Lawson, their treatise on the Cultivated Grasses. 
BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
Dec. 16, 1842.—Dr. W. H. Willshire in the chair. ; 
British plants were announced from the Liverpool Natural His- 
tory Society, Mr. J. Tatham, and Mr. W. s Mr. A. 
‘Gerard presented a small collection of plants from Sierra Leone. 
Dr. Lhotsky read a paper on the limits of vegetation. . 
Jan. 6, 1843.—J. EB. Gray, Esq., President, in the chair, The 
following donations were announced :—British plants from the 
Royal Horticultural Society of Cornwall, Dr. Ayres, Mr. J. Mer- 
ky Brown, Mr. W. Baxter, Mr. T. Twining, jun,, Mr. T, 
Beesley, and Mr. J. Goodlad, jun. ; British Fungi, from Mr. H, 
©, Stephens. ‘The Rev. W. H, Coleman presented a specimen of 
Carex Boennhausiana (Weihe), found by himin Herts. A paper 
was read from Dr, Lhotsky, on the sugar of Eucalyptus. 
Jan. 20.—A rd, Esq., in the chair. Donations to_ the 
ibrary were announced from the Boston Natural History Society, 
the Manchester Geological Society, the Academy of Natural 
Sciences, Philadelphia ; from the President, and from Messts, E, 
‘Donations of 
Doubleday, W. Baxter, and S. P, Woodward. British plants had 
m Mr. J. Buchanan, and British Mosses from 
fin 
of. Majanthemum bifolium (De C., Convallaria bifolia Linn.), 
found by him at Howick, in Northumberland, A paver ‘was read 
from Mr. W. Gardiner, jun., on the localities of the rarer Alpine 
Hypna. Thepaper was accompanied by specimens, 
ROYAL CALEDONIAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
the silver medal was awarded to Mr. Alex. Smith, gr. to W. 
Forbes, Esq., M.P.3 for C. Sweetii, Donckeléeri, conspicua, Ber- 
nardi, splendens, and americana: 2, Mr. J. Young, gr. to T. 
Oliver, Esq. the three finest-flowered New Holland plants, 
the silver medal was sassigned to Mr. Young, Newington Lodge, 
r Pultenzea subumbellata, Epacris impressa, and Hévea Ceisi. 
The display of Hyacinths was splendid, all beg grown. in pots. 
al was voted to Mr. Young, the kinds 
notice relative to the desirable properties of Helleborus odoratus, 
and Cyclamen vernum an 
flowers, with-specimens, a premium was awarde 
Forrester, gr. to Capt. Falconar. A number of other fine plants 
decorated the hall, and added to the interest of the: meeting. 
Some: beautiful fruticose exotics, in loom, ‘were sent for 
exhibition from the Inverleith Nurseries, particularly Hévea pun~ 
gens, Epacris microphylla, a double-flowered Azalea, and ahybrid 
etween Rs a i Mr. Addi-~ 
son exhibited a plant of the lovely Dodecatheon Media, in fall 
flower. Mrs. Brown,) Primrose: Bank, sent'a large flowering 
specimen of Acacia affinis ; ‘Mr: ‘MacNaughton; Edmondstone, 
flowers of a) seedling Camellia, having the habit of myrtifélia; 
and Mr. Smith, a seedling Amaryllis, marked as hybrid between, 
Johnsoni ané psittacina, Several curious specimens of tropical 
Epiphytes and Ferns, growing in balls of Sphagnum and Hypnum, 
and cultivated in imverted positions, were suspended from tri- 
angles, and attracted much notice. These were from the 
Society’s hothouses, under the charge of Mr. J. M‘Nab. A col- 
lection of 20 select kinds of Apples, preserved in dry sand, and 
having the names attached to them, was from Mr. W. Sharpe, 
3arden, for which a premium was voted. A seedling 
tive, and the fruit adapted for long keeping, and excellent for all. 
culinary purposesi' i 
which will no 
cot 
ing chiefly of the new kind, called Myatt’s Victoria. For the 
heaviest sta cs, the silver medal was awarded to 
arquess of Lothian: 2, Mr. W. Thom, gr. to Alex. 
q.: 3, Mr. R. Watson, gr.to D. Anderson, Esq.: 
For specimens of well-grown Onions, of different sorts, with a 
communication detailing the mode of culture, a medal was v! 
to Mr. W: Fi i o Cochrane. The secretary 
called the attention of the meeting toa section of the trunk of the 
compost for fertilising dry or sandy soils, by Mr. P. Mackenzie, 
‘West Plean, and was r ie 
pore, Director of the Ho! 
the north-west provinces, was elected a Member. The following 
gentlemen were enrolled as ordinary Members :—R. Bald, Esq., 
J. Meikleham, Esq., Arch. Campbell, Esq., D. Cousin, Esq., D. 
Dickson, Esq., W. Whitehead, Esq., and P. Nimmo, Esq. : the 
following as corresponding Members—Mr. J, Macdonald, Mr. P. 
Mackenzie, and Mr. J. Blair, Dysart House. 
COUNTRY SHOWS. 
Hampshire Horticultural Society, March 16.—The first meeting 
took place at the Corn Exchange, Winchester, and a better 
display of plants could scarcely have been presented. 
following. was the award of prizes: Brest OrcHIDACEOUS 
Pianr (Stenorynchus Orchioides), Rev. F. Beadon. Best Stove 
Prant (Begénia coccinea), Mr. Wickham. Best COLLECTION OF 
Srove PLants, Rev. F. Beadon. Best GreeNHOUSE PLANT 
Burst COLLECTION OF 
Dirro, Col. Wall. 
Rashleigh, Four Best Ericas, Rev. G. C. Ra ager 
Best CAMELLIAS, Cur oR IN Pots, SirT. Baring, Bart, 5 2, J.T. 
Bart. Four 
erly. Best Cur FiowErs, named, Sir T. Baring, r 
Bust Force AMERICAN Prams, Iv’ Po7s, Sir I. Baring, Bart. 
Six Best Forcep Suruss, Sir T. ‘ips, . "Tourer Besr 
Exrras: 
Hammersmith Cucumber Show, March 20.—The fifth annual 
meeting was held at Mr. Lidgard’s, 'Thatched House Inn. ‘The 
following were the successful exhibitors: Mr. Mills, gr. to the 
Baroness de Rothschild, for a brace of fruit of his own_sort, each 
‘i to — Mill, Esq., for a 
of Ealing (Mills’s sort), 16 inches long; 4, Mr. Humber, of Southall, 
(Weedon’s), 12 inches long. 
NOTICES or NEW PLANTS WHICH ARE EITHER 
USEFUL OR ORNAMENTAL. 
CoLu‘MNEA SPLENDENS. Splendid-flowered Columnea. (Stove 
Shrub). 4 idyndmia Angi ia.—This extremely 
handsome plant is now blooming at the nursery of Messrs. Rol~ 
lissons, where it is treated as a sort of low climbing shrub. The 
foliage is thick and fleshy, not so distant as thatof C, Schiediana 
