1- U.J 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



167 



cts escaped 



««* wd J r Z e^ bit d 1 new species of Polyommatus, 



„ r . Do»^. d ^ r f_r oa r species of PapUio, from Assam, 



"» ' b f l\ o ,e?e new, and the other two had not 



,„« exhibited, i-w . •\Vcstwood exhibited specimens 



* rt te ', fc Ci insect, in which the leg had been re- 



Jf an ort D / er ° _in "been broken off. The new leg was 

 placed »fterhav. r be n ^^ ^ fte 



jutinruisbed fiom tue u;u / 



^ fa *£££ S r^=3-rf the larvceof Ra- 



ph h.rimr an imperfect metamorphosis, as the pupa 



„pon as ba 7° hed r some days before it passed into the 

 • .^Mr. Westwood also read a paper on the 



xmago s.8.e. - Palmon . This genus belonged to 



economy ot we fe d been described 



t bC ^Z ufw te S the Entomological Maga- 

 S? stSn^the eggs of a species of Mantis The 

 ^ of the Mantis are covered over with a woolly case, 

 kU however did not prevent the Palmon from deposit- 

 Ssorin "he case/ This fact the author considered 

 opposed to the opinion expressed by Mr.^Curtts in 



ru 



Lis 



the 



_„ paper on me cocoons of the larvas of Dieloceras 

 Ellis i, which he supposed were covered with wool to pre- 

 vent" the attacks of the Ichneumomdae. A discussion 

 followed the reading this paper, in the course of which the 

 President observed that he believed the law of tae repro- 

 duction of parts was the same in all the Articulate. The 

 reason why the limbs of the larr*e of insects undergoing a 

 perfect metamorphosis were not reproduced was, that they 

 died of hemorrhage from the wound. He referred to Mr. 

 II. Goodsir's observations on the reproduction of the legs 

 of the Crustacea, waieh Mr. Goodsir had traced to the 

 existence of a glmd for the especial purpose. He hoped, 

 however, those observations would be repeated. In the 

 course of the disc Ion the curious fact was stated that 

 sometimes insects belonging to winged genera failed to 

 develop their wings, and were wingless, whilst sometimes 

 wingless species, of which the too common Cimex 

 lectuiaria (Bug) was an example, took to themselves 

 wrings and begun to fly. 



A History of British Fossil Mammalia and Birds has 

 been commenced in monthly Parts by Prof. Owen. The 

 Author proposes " to give a description of the most 

 instructive and remarkable remains of the extinct Mammals 

 and Birds of the British islauds ; to define their generic 

 and specific characters, so far as they are exhibited by 

 such remains ; to deduce therefrom, by physiological 

 comparisons, the habits of the species when living; to 

 trace out tlieir zoological affinities, and to indicate their 

 geological relations, and the order of their occurrence in 

 the fossiliferous strata of Great Britain." We cannot 

 doubt that thie will be an important publication, and most 

 acceptable to Geologists. The flrat Number is executed in 

 the same beautiful manner as Mr. Van Voorst's other 

 works, and the name of Prof. Owen is the best of all 

 guarantees for the value of the information it contains. 



J and it will soon be more calculated to puzzle than to 

 assist the student in botany. The Flora of Staffordshire 

 is somewhat northern and subalpine, the surface of the 

 county lying between 700 and 1500 feet above the level 

 of the sea. It is quite deficient in many of the plants 

 very common in the south of England and near London, 

 and comparatively few of the plants cf the chalk are found, 

 as Stafford consists principally of the new red sandstone. 

 In addition to the flowering plants, there are lists of the 

 Cryptogamia, which seem to be tolerably full, and much 

 more complete than such lists usually are. 



There are interesting accounts of the lead, copper, and 

 coal mines, and also of the Staffordshire potteries. A 

 memoir is added of that extraordinary man Josiah Wedg- 

 wood, to whom his country and the world are so much 

 indebted, for extending and beautifying the art of pottery. 

 He was the son of a potter, the youngest of 13 children, 

 and at 11 years old begun to work at his father's business. 

 He was, however, obliged to give up, in consequence of a 

 lameness. In spite, however, of all these difficulties, he 

 by his genius and perseverance obtained that wealth and 

 position which are well known to all. 



The work is illustrated with a number of engravings of 

 antiquities, trees, animals, and other objects of interest, 

 and we can but recommend the volume to those who take 

 a general interest in natural history, and especially those 

 who are living in the count? of Stafford — L. E. 



A Descriptive List of Perennial Grass-Seeds, by J. 

 Sutton and Sons, Reading, is a single sheet of paper set- 

 ting forth the kinds of soil best suited for the Grasses and 

 other plants employed in forming permanent pasture arti- 

 ficially. It will be found useful, and may be had upon 

 application to the authors. 



Practical Treatise on Brewing. By William Black. 



3d Edition. 8vo. Longmans. 



• iV"? 1S a com P lete account of the process of brewing 

 m the large way, with directions for conducting the ope- 

 ration properly in small households. Among the novel 

 views of the author, we may more particularly mention 

 cis opinion that the quality of malt depends on the soil 

 on which the Barley is grown ; and that the bad quality 

 oi Deer, although no doubt owing very often to other 

 causes, is frequently caused by the unsuspected agency of 

 galvanic influence. For the evidence adduced in support 

 aese Vlews > *e must refer the reader to the work itself. 



\The Katurdl History of the C aunty of Stafford. 

 Tup rt Garner > F -LS. London. * Van Voorst, 



stud f nothl "g more likely to excite a taste for the 

 sccZ t n ff ataral history than well-written, interesting 

 Dlant i l ob J ects - However important lists of 



&c m h 8nimals ' aild technical descriptions of strata, 

 thinV^H - t0 tne a{ * vanc enient of science, thev are not 

 embark- , ,nterest the feelings, and induce persons to 



but fit T i Study * U P t0 this time there have been 

 in? all n P ublished on local natural history, embrac- 

 es m l ° bj ' ects of interest in a particular district, 

 and l P i s ay Q , arisen from tbe want of persons, with time 

 how-eve h C ° uld accom P' ish such a task. It has, 



of Staff' lk d °" e in the vollimc before us for the county 

 ben r V * ^ Ir * Gar «er ; and few persons could have 



TV 0Und mor e competent to the task, 

 men wlu COmmence s with some history of the eminent 



Stafford tI C b ° rn ' or have lived » in the C0UIlt y of 



°2v 7*\\ S eo S ra phy, meteorology, antiquities, geo- 



•Bcceii S , y * and botan y ot " the county, are treated of in 

 tome "en e t r ia|,t ; :rS ' AU the3e sub J ects are developed at 

 contain / ' , the zoological and botanical departments 

 that will i observation s of an introductory nature, 

 text-bonl-T I the volume ser ve, in some measure, as a 

 not, hnL e Stud y of animals and plants. We can- 



plants * J- C ° mmead Mr - Garner for arranging his 

 tte Flor.. *! t0 lhe Linn «>an system. None of 

 Wf as of the whole island are so arranged now, 



NOTICES of NEW PLANTS WHICH ARE EITHER 



USEFUL OR ORNAMENTAL. 



Saxifhaca ciliata. Fringed Saxifrage. {Hardu Perennial.) 

 Saxifragacere. Decandria Digynia.— This plant, of the section 

 Bergenia, and very nearly allied to S. lignlata, is like that species 

 a native of the mountains of Northern India. Dr. Roylc speaks 

 of it thus :— " I have had some difficulty in naming this plant, as 

 the published descriptions, as well as the distributed specimens 

 of Wall. Cat. 4492. and figures of S. lignlata, to which it is most 

 nearly allied, do not concspond with one another; indeed* two 

 distinct species pass under that name. The plant, S, ciliata, is 

 found on the Mussoorec and Suen Range, at lower elevations 

 than S. lignlata." The plant in the garden of the Horticultural 

 Society was raised from seeds sent under the name of S. ciliata, 

 from the Botanical Garden of Saharunpur. We must remark 

 that Dr. Walpers has a second S. ciliata from India? the latter 

 being S. imbricata of Roylc. This is a robust hardy perennial, 

 requiring the same soil and treatment as S. crassifolia ; but when 

 planted in the open border it must not have a situation which is 

 damp in winter or fully exposed to the sun in summer. It is 

 easily increased by dividing the old plants, or by seeds, which 

 should be sown, when ripe, in pots filled with sandy peat and a 

 small portion of loam. It flowers about May, in the open border. 



—Botanical Register. 



Nelumbtum Caspicdm. Caspian Nelumbinm. {Stove Aquatic.) 

 Nelumbiacere. Polyadelphia Polygynia— Wc are happy to have 

 an opportunity of publishing this, not only for its own sake, but 

 because it affords an opportunity of pointing out the true dis- 

 tinction between the Caspian and iDdian Nelumbia. According 

 to M. De Candolic all the Nelumbia found in various parts of Asia | ™°_^ 1 . 

 are varieties of one species, and this opinion is generally adopted. 

 It is, however, difficult to believe that the deep red Nelumbinm 

 of India, with very sharp-pointed petals, such as is figured in the 

 " Botanical Magazine" t. 39'.o, and elsewhere, can be the same 

 with the blunt- petalled white-flowered plant " found at the mouth 

 of the Volga, near Astrachan, in a part of the river called Tschul- 

 pan, amongst reeds intermixed with Nympheeas and Trapa," 

 which, according to Messrs. Fischer and Steven, is the locality 

 of this plant. M. De Candolic indeed suspected that it must be 

 different, but lie did not remark in the dried specimens examined 

 by him anv character beyond the bluntness of the petals and 

 their general uniformity in size, and upon that distinction he was 

 unwilling to rely. The true difference seems to consist in the 

 very small number of carpels, which do not appear to exceed 

 nine, while in the great Indian species they are as numerous as 

 thirty or thirty-three. Speaking of N. speciosum and its sup- 

 posed varieties, Dr. Roxburgh writes as follows :— *« I have met 

 with only two sorts on the coast of Coromanriel, one with rose- 

 coloured flowers, the other with flowers perfectly white, and 

 since that time a third variety has been brought from China with 

 smaller rosy flowers. They grow in such sweet water lakes, 

 &c, as do not dry up during the diiest season, and, on the coast, 

 fiower all the year round. In Bengal they flower during the hot 

 season, April, May, and June, and ripen their seed about the 

 close of the rains.' In China there is a stiil more beautiful bright 

 crimson varietv, which they call Hung-lin ; 1 have hitherto only 

 seen a drawing of it. The white Nclumbium differs in few re- 

 spects from the red one, and may be considered as only a variety 

 of it. The tender shoots of the roots between the joints of both 

 sorts are eaten by the natives, either simply boiled or in their 

 curries. The seeds are eaten raw, roasted, or boiled. The leaves 

 are used to eat off instead of plates. These holy and beautiful 

 plants are often met with in the religion- ceremonies of the Hin- 

 doos under their Sanscrit name Padma." It is a stove aquatic, 



annual rings have been counted, whence it results, in 

 taking a horizontal radius from the exterior circumference 

 to the centre of the Oak, that there must have been from 

 1800 to 2000 of these rings, which makes its age nearly 

 2000 years. — Annates de la SociCtc d' Agriculture de la 

 Rochelle. 



An Economical Polish Beverage. — Into sixty quarts of 

 water put three ounces of Elder flowers, five pounds of 

 common brown sugar, one quart of vinegar, and one of 

 brandy ; infuse them for three days, stirring them once 

 every d iy. This beverage, which is mentioned in the 

 M Agricultural Journal of Aix," is quite as agreeable as 

 beer, and costs ten times less. — Rev. Hort., 18 13, p. 4G8. 



Tea in India. — The Tea plantation at Kaola Ghir, on 

 the western branch of the Tonse Canal, is, perhaps, the 

 most interesting of nil the symptoms of slosvly returning 

 animation in the Dhcon. There are to be seen 5000 

 vigorous plants of the shrub, thriving with a luxuriance 

 unequalled, we were .assured by the Malli, Chev-t Ram, 

 and the Chowdrie of the Botanic Gardens, in this neigh- 

 bourhood, Nanucky unequalled in any other garden in the 

 country. Many of the .plants had blossoms and seeds 

 upon them, and there seems no limit to the extent to 

 which these plantations may be carried within half a dozen 

 }ears. The increase, this year alone, at Kaola Ghir, by 

 Dr. Jameson's ciders, exceeds 3000 plants, and next year 

 it might be 20,000 ! The best plants are raised from 

 seeds, layering app ing not to be so quick nor so good 

 a process ; and these seedlings produce in the third year, 

 a few even in the second, a largo crop of seeds, which of 

 course may be employed in extending the plantations. 

 In 20 years, the entire Tea market of the world might be 

 furnished from the Dhoon and similar Indian localities." 

 — The Hills, an Indian Paper. 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS 



For the entntinf* Week. 



stone, to act on the s:\me principle as drainage, for the water in 

 which it is grown requires to be renewed once or twice a week, 

 and should never be allowed (especially in summer) to be below 

 80°. About the end of Octob.r, when the leaves begin to decay, 

 the pot should be lifted out of the water and dried off gradually. 

 As the soil becomes dry it will crack or leave the sides of the pot, 

 which should be filled up with sand, in order to cover many roots 

 that would otherwise bo exposed.— Botanical Register. 



I.— HOTHOUSf.S.CO IKVATORIES, &c. 

 Keep up a moist heat of 75° or 60°, and let the house be rather 

 close, in order to encourage newly-potted plants. Proceed with 

 potting the different tribes as before mentioned; watch carefully 

 over seedlings, and get in cuttings of those plants you wish to 

 increase as eaily as possible. Now is the best time to strike 



cuttings. 



Conservatory.— Climbers will now begin to spread over this 

 house, and will require particular care in training them regularly 

 at first. Stephanotus floribundus seems rather more hardy than 

 Passiflora Loudoni: b"th survived in the conservatory here, 

 this winter, in a temperature that averaged 45°; they are 

 now beginning to grow freely. Little syringing should be 

 done here, on account of the bloom ; water must therefore be 

 poured on the paths, and any spare places, to keep the 

 atmosphere moist and cool. See that insects are kept down, and 

 that plants have sufficient room. Specimen plants are easily 

 injured at this time, if they are crowded together ; all the plants 

 brought in for the sake of their flowers only should be removed 

 as soon as they are out of bloom. 



Gree ihous°. — Some of the more hardy and common plants in 

 this home might now be turned out to some sheltered place, in 

 order to give more room to the finer kinds. Young plants in 

 small pota might now be potted on the one-shift system } but for 

 this, it is essential that their roots are not much matted, and that 

 they are in a growing state. The only disadvantage in this sys- 

 tem is, that after a few years the soil will subside too much in 

 the pot, and many delicate plants will not bear the pots to be 

 filled up again. The best remedy against this, is to place an in- 

 verted pot over the drainage, as is often done for Orchidacesc, 

 and to have it so adjusted, that when you place the small ball 

 on the bottom of it, the top of the bail will be level with the top 

 of the large pot. A small Heath thus treated may safely be 

 trusted in the largest pot : the collar of the plant always remains 

 at the same level at which it is first placed. 



Forcing-pits.-Keep every part of these pits full of plants, 

 cuttings, &c. ; anv plant that can be forced into flower during 

 spring is desirable." The Glycine sinensis h one of the easiest to 

 force in a heat of 55° to 60°; we have it now beautifully m 

 bloom. All the species of Ja>mine force well ; if they are kept 

 under-potted, and their young wood is constantly stopped in the 

 growing season, they form loose bushes, and give up their 

 climbing habit when they are mo: e manageable for forcing. 

 Honeysuckles might doubtless be treated in the same way. All 

 American plants require large quantities of water waen 

 forced. Introduce dry bulbs of sorts to succeed Gloxinias and 

 Achimencs, and sow a few seeds of Balsams, Coxcombs, Browal- 



lias.Thunbergias.&c. — D. B. 



H.-FLOWER-GARDENT AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Out-door Department. 



The weather has been so exceedingly precarious of late that 

 it is doubtful whether mnYiy cf the operations already recom- 

 mended have been performed ; therefore look back to former 

 calendars, and bring the work up as expeditiously as possible. 

 Worms are verv troublesome this showery we cr, but tlicy may 

 be kept in check by watering the turf occasionally with lime- 

 water made from stone lime, or they may be brought to the sur- 

 face cf the ground, and then removed by hand, by watering with 

 a weak solution of corrosive sublimate. The best plan to absolve 

 this mineral poison is to add its w lit of spirits or salts to it. 

 Attend to mowing, sweeping, and everything that tends to pro- 

 mote neatness. Vacant beds in the Flower-Gardcn will be bene- 

 fited by being dug over again when they are dry. 



Shrubbery.— If it is intended to make any addition of n 



ftfef**M -ass* ^^ *• * ^^ * — ■ ^^ ^^ »*» ifc— r ssr 



Age and Extraordinary Size of an Oik. — At ab 

 iles W.S.W. of Saintes (in the Lower Charente), 



I 



Miscellaneous. 



At about G 

 miles W.S.W. of Saintes [in tne Lower ^uarente), near 

 the road to Cozes, stands an old Oak-tree, in the large 

 court of a modern mansion, which still promises to Jive 

 m;my centuries, if the axe of some Vandal does not cut it 

 down. The following are the proportions of this king of 

 the forests of France, and probably of ail Europe: — 



Diameter of the trunk at the ground . . from 9 to 10 yards 



At the height of a man . . . • &h to , i 



At the base of the principal branches 



Of the whole head .... 



The height of the trunk ..... 

 „ The general height of the tree . 



A room has been cut out of the dead wood of the mtenor 

 of the trunk, measuring from 9 to 12 feet in diameter, and 

 9 ft. high, and they have cut a circular seat out of the 

 solid wood. They put a round table in the middle when 

 it is wanted, round which twelve guests can sit. A door 

 and a window admit daylight into this new sort of dining- 

 room, which is adorned by a Hfing carpet of Ferns, 

 Fungi, Lichens, &c. Upon a plate of wood taken from 

 the trunk, about the height of the door, 200 concentric 



if 

 t$ 



if 



1 to 2 

 40 to 43 



& 

 22 



ew shrub3 



or trees in'this department they should be got in immediately. 

 Paulovnia imperialis is a noble plant, if for its leaves only, and 

 should be planted on every lawn; it will require protec- 

 tion until the stem gets woody j but after that it will probably 

 stand as well as Catalpa syringifoiia. Araucaria imbricata is 

 one of the noblest plants we have, and many of the Cedars, 

 Piuuses,andCv(iresses— to say nothing of Magnolias-are very 

 beautiful. Continue the covering of tender plants for some time 

 longer. Pinuses suffer more from the destruction of their early 

 spring growths than from any other cause ; therefore, endeavour 

 to check them by admitting a current of cold air from the north 

 side, and by keeping the plants shaded on sunny days. 



Pits and Frames.-' Among the first things to be attended to, 

 especially where a large stock is required for flower garden 

 decoration, is the propagation of Chrysanthemums. Among the 

 new ones which bloomed with me last year, may be mentioned 

 Bijoa, Aiago, Grand Napoleon, Casimir Pericr, Demosthenes, 

 Julius Csesar, Abelard, Ivanhoe, Minerva, Theresa, Marie and 

 Phidias. Several of these are seedlings sent out for the first time 

 last season by Messrs. Chandler, and are really excellent. Pot 

 Tubero->es in 43s. in turfy soil, and place them in a gentle warmth 

 until they begin to grow. They are useful for setting among 

 plants near the windo , or for the decoration of the hall or 

 drawing-room— W. P. A. 



IH.-FLORISTS' FLOWERS. _^ 



A uriculas. -Another class of these flowers styled Alpines, nave 

 made great advances in public favour of late. l*2^?JKiZ 

 all shades, from light pink and grey to dark ennr s«nadj eep 

 purple, the eye or centre of the flower being re low Joined to 

 extreme hardiness and beauty, they likewise seed profusely. It 



