ra 
1843.] 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
711 
higher. In walks from three to five feet wide, the centre 
should be level with the highest part of the edging, and 
curve very gradually to the sides ; but in walks of greater 
width, they should be somewhat higher: say, increase an 
inch in height for every additional three feet in width. 
Ihave been thus diffuse on this subject, partly from a 
love of seeing good walks, and partly from a conviction 
that the amateur, or professional gardener, cannot intro- 
duce a greater improvement into his garden than to level 
the edgings, and fill his walks brim-full of gravel. 
Burke, in his Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful, has a 
Tremark so applicable to this subject, that I cannot do better 
than quote it, to shew how necessary the above improve- 
ments are to the beauty of a garden. Speaking of smooth- 
ness, he says, ‘‘ It is a quality so essential to beauty, that 
I do not now recollect anything beautiful that is not! 
smooth. In trees and flowers smooth leaves are beauti- 
ful ;—smooth slopes of earth in gardens,—smooth streams, 
in the landscape,—smooth coats of birds and beasts, in 
animal beauties ;—and in ornamental furniture, smooth and 
polished surfaces. A very considerable part of the effect of 
beauty is owing to this quality; indeed, the most consi- 
derable ; for take any beautiful object, and give it a broken 
and rugged surface, and, however well formed it may be 
in other respects, it pleases no longer 5 whereas, let it 
want ever so many of the other constituents, if it wants 
not this, it becomes more pleasing than almost all the 
others without it.’ It will thus be seen that smoothness 
is one of the fundamental constituents of beauty, ergo, no 
walks or edgings can be beautiful that are not smooth. 
The above remarks apply with equal force to box- 
edgings: they ought never to exceed an inch in height, and 
the walks should be full of gravel. 
W. P. Ayres, Brooklands. 
Errata.—m my last article, first paragraph, for “interruption,” 
Tead “interception ;” and further on, for “interrupt,” read 
“intercept.” 
HOME CORRESPONDENCE. 
Luminous Plants.—As you have drawn attention to 
what is called the “ phosphorescence of plants,” I senda 
few notes, This appearance is not confined to plants, 
and is of frequent occurrence in the animal kingdom, 
Amongst the higher forms of animals, the light of the 
glow-worm, an insect, and several species of Annelides, 
are well known ; but in the lower animals it is much more 
common, The light given out by jelly-fishes and various 
Kinds of Zoophytes forms the glory of the tropical seas 
on bright still nights, and this phenomenon is often ob- 
served in warm weather on our own coasts. In these 
cases it seems connected more with the vegetative than 
the animal function, not being dependent on the nervous 
system. In plants a luminous appearance has been ob- 
Served, under two circumstances, amongst the living and 
the dying. The light given out from decaying wood, does 
not appear to be a merely chemical process, as it only 
occurs in the wood of plants that have been recently cut 
down, and not in old dry timber. Amongst living plants 
luminosity has been frequently witnessed. You mention 
in the last Number the well-attested facts of the Rhizo- 
morpha and the Agaricus olearius, numerous examples of 
which might be brought forward by good observers. This 
light, as well as that from decaying wood, is stated by 
Meyen to be increased on plunging the plant, or wood, 
into oxygen gas; and he attributes the phenomenon to 
the chemical action going on in both the living and de- 
caying tissues. The light fromthe moss, mentioned by 
Mr. Babington, has also been observed in Germany on 
another species of Schistostega, the S. osmundacea. It 
has been observed by Funk, Brandenberg, Nees Von 
Esenbeck, Hornschuch, and Struve. Bridel-Brideri and 
Agardh, attributed this light to a small Alga, which the 
former called Catoptridium smaragdinum, and the latter 
Protococeus smaragdinus, which they supposed occupied the 
moss. Unger, however, has examined the moss accurately, 
and finds that at certain seasons the peculiar utricles of this 
moss assume a globular form, and being partly transpa- 
rent, the light is refracted and reflected in such a way as 
to present a luminosity on the surface of the vesicles. 
These vesicles are, perhaps, what Professor Lloyd took for 
crystals. Meyen says be has confirmed Unger’s observa- 
tions. With regard to the light given out from the flowers 
of plants, there can be no oubt as to the phenomenon 
Not being an unfrequent one. Since the time that it was 
first observed by Christina Linné, many have re- 
corded the same fact. Linneus, the younger Linnaeus, 
Hagegren, Crome, Zawadzki, Hagen, Johnson, and the 
Duke of Buckingham, are amongst the observers who 
have recorded their experience on this subject. The plants 
in the flowers of which it has been observed, are the Tro- 
Ppeolum majus, Helianthus annuus, Calendula officinalis, 
‘agetes erecta, and T. patula, Lilium chalcedonicum, and 
L. bulbiferum, Polyanthus tuberosa, Papaver orientale, 
hrysanthemum inodorum, CEnothera macrocarpa, and 
Gorteria rigens. We are, perhaps, not ina position to 
Say this is not an optical illusion 5 but if it were, one 
Would expect that it should be more constant. It has also 
been seen by several observers at the same time, in differ- 
€nt positions, and when one has seen it, the others have 
Seen it. Using analogy as our guide, one would be more 
inclined to attribute it to the same action, whatever that 
may be, which produces the same phenomenon in the 
lower animals, decaying wood, and the Cryptogamia. 
The phenomenon in these cases, which no one ascribes to 
Optical illusion, is only occasional. In addition to these 
Observations on the light of flowers, there are some on 
the phosphorescence and luminosity of sap. Mornay 
leseribes a tree in South America, called Cipo de Cuna- 
Man, with a milky juice, which gave out in the dark a 
bright light, Martius, also, in a plant which he named 
Euphorbia phosphorea, says, that when wounded, the sap 
gave out a light. When this was observed, the tempera- 
ture was 20° Reaumur, but ceased when the heat sunk to 
16°; he could not find that it affected the Galvanometer 
in the least. Senebier states, that in his experiments on 
the Arums, he observed on one occasion, when confining 
an Arum in oxygen gas, that it gave out light as well as 
heat. In endeavouring to account for these phenomena, 
Meyen, in his Physiology, rejects all other explanations, 
and conceives that the facts hitherto observed, favour the 
view, that the luminosity is the result of the active che- 
mical processes involved in the process of decarbonising 
the plant. In conclusion, I would point out also the 
relation between these phenomena and that still more 
remarkable one, the spontaneous combustion of the human 
frame. In this case there appears to be a combustion 
going on intermediate between mere oxidation and flame. 
I hope these observations may induce some of your read- 
ers, with ample opportunities in the field and garden, to 
take up the subject, and record any facts they may have 
observed or shall observe, in your Paper.—E. Lankester. 
Luminous Appearances in Plants.—I am surprised 
that doubts should be entertained of the luminous appear- 
ances on certain garden flowers. I have observed it 
frequently, and have looked for it in each succeeding 
summer, on the double Marygold, and more especially on 
the Papaver pilosum, the {Hairy red Poppy, in my garden 
at Moseley, in Worcestershire. In the evening, after a 
hot dry day, the flashes of light afforded much amusement 
to myself and to others. I believe it is Coleridge, who 
has recorded, in one of his poems, the same beautiful 
appearance on the Marygold, observed at Stavey, in 
Somersetshire. Here, where the climate is moister and 
less congenial to floriculture, the same flowers do not 
present the same phenomenon—at least, I have not seen 
it.— P, M. James. 
Wintering Pelargoniums.—In the month of October, 
last year, 1 took up a bed of Pelargoniums which had 
been planted in the garden; they were hung up by the 
roots in adry cellar. In the month of May they began to 
shoot, and in the middle of June I had them cut down and 
planted in the garden, not having the convenience of a 
spare hot-bed. For the last two months they have been 
in full blossom. I did not lose one scarlet one. 
was not my own; it was suggested by Capt. Mangles’ 
excellent little work on Flowers.—Daphne. 
Myatt’s Pine Strawberries.—At p. 587 of this year it 
is stated that I planted out a bed of second runners on 
the 26th of Oct. last year; which, to my surprise, 
matured some good fruit, and which I suppose is a circum- 
stance of rather uncommon occurrence. At the present 
time, the bed presents the appearance of midsummer more 
than that of autumn, for it is now producing a second 
crop, and I have no doubt but that it will be some weeks 
yet before all the fruit will be matured. Is it usual for 
such runners to do so ?—D. Z. 
Humphreys’ s Compound.—I have seen several inquiries 
respecting this Compound, and I beg to state that I have 
tried it sparingly on Heaths, Pelargoniums, Chrysanthe- 
mums, &c. It appears to improve the foliage and give 
the plants strength, so that L intend to try it further.—W. 
Fruit without Leaves.—In a late Chronicle there is an 
article under this head, by ‘‘ R. H.,’’ who isa young man 
employed in Cantley Gardens. I have had an opportunity 
of examining the Peaches which he mentioned as being 
healthy good-sized fruit. They are the late Admirable 
Peach ; the fruit when gathered were not much more than 
half the usual size, and were of inferior flavour, without 
kernel, and the stone was very imperfect. Peach-trees 
were very much injured in this neighbourhood last spring 
by the cold winds, consequently there are many instances 
where the points of the young shoots withered after the 
fruit had attained a considerable size.—G. Doncaster. 
Anactochilus setaceus.—In looking over Bennett's recent 
work on Ceylon, I found the following allusion to this 
pretty plant, which may guide some of your readers to its 
successful cultivation :—‘* The botanist will be delighted 
with the beautiful little plant called Rajah Wanya, or 
Jungle King, which delights in marshy places, and 
abounds in this neighbourhood (Marrundamkoollé). The 
natives, ignorant of the attractive influence of water upon 
trees, ascribe the bending of their branches over the 
water and marshy places, inhabited by the Rajah 
Wanya, to their natural homage to the Jungle King plant.” 
—Pons Alii. 
Fruit Trees in Gravel.“ Este” ventures to suggest from 
experience of thirty years, that the most productive Pears 
in the gravels common in the blue clay formation, are— 
Jst—The Chaumontelle, which rarely fails, 2d—The 
Lammas. The Bon Chrétien answers fairly; other 
Pears may grow, but the Chaumontelle alone is perfectly 
healthy. Of Apples, the Keswick Codlin is the only 
uniform bearer, and this, perhaps, because the fruit being 
gathered early, the tree is not exhausted by having to 
ripen its fruit. The Codlin in question has uniformly a 
slight ridge on one side. The Ribstone will not grow ; 
The Franklin Pippin and Warwickshire Pippin are the 
next best. No good Nonpareils ripen in this gravel. 
Vines.—In reply to “A Subscriber from the Beginning,” 
at p. 645, who seems to think that “to take away all un- 
fruitful branches’ will render his Vines unsightly, and 
his crops irregular, I beg to state that I cannot under- 
stand how the taking away of “a barren branch” will 
have that effect. The Vines that I usually force first are 
trained up the rafters of a succession Pine pit, and are 
planted jnside. between the flue and front wall, which is 
built on arches, in order to allow the roots to pass outside, 
where there is a border along the front 18 inches wide, 
and then a gravel walk runs parallel with the range of 
houses, which is eight feet wide. This is all the space the 
The idea 
Vines have for their roots to feed in ; and, moreover, some 
of the largest of these are now above the level of the 
gravel. These receive no covering, nor manure of any 
kind, even while the Vines are at work ; and from the con- 
struction of the house the rods cannot be exposed to the 
weather during their season of rest; but in order to re- 
medy this as much as possible I have them tied up quite 
close to the glass. This house is planted with Black Ham- 
burgh, Sweetwater, and with what some call the Black 
Prince. From these, ith ding the bl 
i t just d, I have cut some excelient 
bunches of Grapes, particularly one from the Black Ham- 
burgh, which weighed 2 lbs., and upon one of the rods 
there were no fewer than 22 bunches, although perhaps 
not all equal in weight to the one specified, and on those 
of the Sweetwater they were even more numerous. A few 
bunches from the Black Prince weighed 3 lbs. This house 
is 12 feet high, by 16 feet wide ; and in the next house, 
which is of the same dimensions, and under the same cir- 
cumstances, are some rods which fairly set no fewer than 
50 bunches. From these facts I trust that a ‘‘ Subscriber 
from the Beginning ” will be satisfied with my success in 
the culture of the Vine, and if he will clearly state his dif- 
ficulty, I have no doubt he will meet with assistance from 
—A Subscriber. 
The Harvest Mouse—Mr. Thomas Chapman, of the 
Dungeon Farm, Hutton, Lancashire, was setting up the 
sheaves of Wheat after his reapers, when his attention 
was arrested by a peculiar sound issuing from the newly- 
made sheaves. On examining it, he was surprised to 
find a nest of the harvest-mouse, containing nine young 
ones, in the midst of the sheaf, and about 18 inches 
above the band ; presently afterwards, he discovered two 
other nests, similarly situated, and likewise containing 
young. These nests are very ingeniously suspended from 
two or three stalks of the Wheat, are round, and about 
the size of a cricket-ball, with the aperture so ingeniously 
closed as not to be seen, and it is supposed that the 
parent mouse opens the nest at different parts, and so 
affords nourishment to each one of her offspring, taking 
care to close all safely again. ‘They are so compact and well- 
filled that they might be rolled across a table without being 
i Y d, though containi oung mice ; but what is 
most surprisingis, the Wheat was cut and the sheaves bound 
up without the reapers discovering the nest, or in the 
least degree having injured either it or the young. Before 
the Wheat was cut, the nests would be about four feet 
from the ground. I have also seen those nests found in 
tall Rye-grass in this neighbourhood. Facile. 
Strawberries.—Having been successful in securing an 
excellent crop of Keen’s Seedling Strawberry at this sea- 
son of the year, I beg to state the mode in which they 
were obtained. The plants, which were forced early in 
spring, were planted out into a rich border, where they 
remained until the last week of September, when they 
threw up very strong spikes of flowers; they were taken 
up and potted in the same soil in which they were grow- 
ing, and placed in Pine frames. From these I lately 
gathered a dish of very good fruit, and in all probability I 
shall be enabled to do so twice or three times a week, 
and they will continue to bear until Christmas, as there 
is an abundance of bloom as well as fruit. Should this 
not be a common mode, it may perhaps prove an acqui- 
—W, Godwin. 
s.—I have been making a plantation of 
nurseryman which bloomed beautifully, but this season 
they have, almost without exception, flowered with open 
centres, and some of them have come all but single. The 
soil in which they ate growing is of the same description 
as that in which they were grown last season. It isa light 
sandy loam. The ground was cleared of Gooseberries last 
year, trenched, and richly manured with thoroughly-rotted 
cow-dung, The Dahlias were turned out in the middie of 
June, and the ground was again dressed with bone-dust, 
The plants have grown very luxuriantly; this season hag 
been exceedingly fine, but dry. have wavered only 
sparingly, and pruned almost none ; and it may be in Some 
of these last points that I have erred. Perhaps some of your 
more experiened correspondents in these two matters will 
favour me with an answer—A Subscriber. 
One-shift System for Strawberries.—1 force a few 
Strawberries, and have hitherto followed the usual prac- 
tice of striking the early runners in small pots, and shift- 
ing them into larger ones in August or at Michaelmas. 
In this year I ranged one-half my stock of full-sized pots 
(a size larger than the usual Strawberry-pot), ready filled 
with good soil, alongside the parent plants; and, without 
sinking the pots into the ground, raised the runners over 
the sides of the pots and pegyed them down, and so 
left them. The other half of my stock I treated in the 
usual way. As they appear at present, the first-mentioned 
are by much the finer and stronger plants, and promise 
to produce a better crop than those shifted.—P. P. 
Refuse Sulphates as Manwre.—At a manufactory on my 
farm I have large quantities of the sulphate refuse from 
the manufacture of chlorine, and I have tried a variety of 
experiments for the purpose of making it useful for Agri- 
culture, but without success, and I do not think that it 
will ever be of much value. It proves most beneficial 
when mixed with lime, to precipitate the manganese, and 
then turned over repeatedly with a quantity of rich earth 
for some months.—J. B. Lawes. 
