196 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Mar. so, 



i 



eye of parties willing to try comparative experiments in 

 different soils and situations. 



A rapid formation of roots has been remarked to have 

 taken place in autumn in large shrubs (Laurels) which 

 were taken up last September, and heeled close together 

 with some loose earth thrown over their roots, for subse- 

 quent planting at leisure during winter. And a similar 

 occurrence was observed some years ago in similar shrubs 

 that were lifted, and replaced in their holes in August : 

 their subsequent removal about November was remarkably 

 successful. Loose earth seems more favourable for the 

 formation of young roots than the tight packing of the 

 balls, according to Sir Henry Stewart's method, adopted 

 ■when more care and attention is paid to the removal of 

 better phnts ; yet this last operation is essentially neces- 

 sary, before the ground is dried up by summer heat. On 

 the whole, the double removal seems to have been most 

 successful. Doubtless good roots will be formed by early 

 autumn cutting. The question may be asked: — "Will 

 it be at the expense of the buds for the ensuing year ?" 



Having adopted some variations in the mode of taking 

 up large trees from that recommended in the " Planters' 

 Guide," which tend both to reduce its expense and risk of 

 injury to the roots, I will venture to detail the method in 

 ■which that operation has been conducted for some years 

 Past, and its cost during the present season. 



As soon as the surface-roots 

 have been cleared in the trench, 

 the tree is firmly secured to a 

 pole, of 22, instead of 15 feet 

 in length, by three or four 

 lashings formed of five or six 

 rounds of 1-inch rope, frapped 

 together. The carriage and tree 

 are then hove down by a purchase 

 applied to the top of the pole, con- 

 sisting either of two single blocks, 

 or a single and double block, and a 



2^-inch rope (shroud laid). 



Infinitely less injury seems done to the lower roots by 

 tearing them up than would be occasioned by under- 

 cutting the ball, while the surface-roots entirely escape 

 the handling and turning back that would otherwise be 

 required to enable men to work below them. 



The strain on the carriage and stem of the tree is, how- 

 ever, extremely severe ; but the bark of Turkey Oaks of 

 8 inches in diameter is capable of lifting near 2 tons of 

 earth without injury, in ground that is unfavourable for 

 the formation of tap-roots, when properly secured, that is, 

 wrapped up in pieces of old sacking. Only one soft-barked 

 tree (a Lime) has been removed exceeding 8 inches diameter 

 near to the roots ; it bent under the weight, about 2 tons 

 of earth, and, had the least slipping of the lashings 

 occurred, it is obvious the bark must have been stripped 

 off. The bark has been injured for a few square inches, 

 where it bore on the straw matting. The plan is clearly 

 not suited for such trees. 



While some of the men are employed in tying up the 



branches, one of them shifts the upper block from the pole 



to the axletree ; 5 or 6 fms., however, of rope, fixed to the 



axle, would be preferable, as the block could be hooked 



on at once ; the carriage is then quietly drawn out of the 



hole by a horse, at just one-third of his speed. In many 



cases it is requisite to shift the purchase, so as to draw 



out the carriage with the roots forward. The work done 



in five days by four men was — an 8|-inch tree in diameter 



in the morning, and a 6-inch tree in the afternoon. A horse 



was brought by another man at half-past 10, and at'half- 



past 3 o'clock, which are charged at half a day each. 



4,J Men, at 20d. 

 $ Horse, at 3*. 

 A load of compost 



7s. 6d. 

 1 6 

 1 6 



10 6 



To this must be added an hour's work for two more 

 horses, if the tree is removed up-hill. The larger tree may 

 he taken at 6s. 6d., and the small one at 5s. ; their average 

 height was about 35 feet. 



The carriage is roughly made ; its cost was 1\ days' 

 labour for a carpenter, and 2 days for a labourer to assist, 

 and about 25 lbs. of iron-work to fix it on a pair of strong 

 and broad cart-wheels, 6 inches wide, and 4^ feet high. 

 The pole is a small-leaved Cornish Elm, exceeding 8 inches 

 3n diameter at bottom, and rather less than 6 at top. The 

 bed was adzed out of a waste piece from the fork of a large 

 cotch Fir, 18 inches deep. 



c. Pole of Elm, 22 ft. long, S in. diameter at bottom, and5j at top. 

 *. Ash stay, gammoned up to the pole with inch stuff. 



<. Rough piece of Scotch Fir, adzed down. 



d. Do., Scotch Fir. e. Side stays. /. Mat of straw. 

 The pole is placed high, to enable the lashings to be made more 



secure. 



On calculating the solid contents of wood in the carriage 

 in cubic inches, it amounts to about 11 solid feet, hence 

 its weight is about 5 cwt. ; and about 3| tons would be the 

 probable limit of the load for the axletree. 



The wood in the previous carriage was crushed, inconse- 

 quence of decay, and the axletree was bent by the strain 

 In taking up a tree. 



It is obvious that the success of these operations is 

 entirely dependent on the lashing of the tree securely to 

 the pole ; it can be managed with the greatest ease, if a 



labourer can be found who has been a few months at sea, 

 otherwise great attention must be paid to this point, and 

 perhaps some failures from slipping will occur — E, 



Home Correspondence. 



Whitney's Composition. — To the many notices of the 

 successful application to the purposes of Horticulture of 

 Mr. G.Whitney's (of Shrewsbury) Transparent Composi- 

 tion which have appeared in your columns, permit me to 

 contribute the following, which I doubt not will be perused 

 by your numerous subscribers and readers with similar 

 gratification which resulted to myself from its examination. 

 During the last few weeks Mr. Whitney has erected in 

 his garden a house 28 feet long by 12 feet wide and 15 feet 

 high, covered entirely with muslin prepared with his 

 Transparent Composition. Internally the house is divided 

 into a stove-pit, heated by a hot-water apparatus ; and a 

 greenhouse or conservatory. In the stove a Vine (Black 

 Hamburgh) has been introduced (for experiment), which 

 bids fair in a very few days to be clothed with healthy and 

 luxuriant foliage. Cucumber plants inserted there are 

 thriving well, and never flagged or drooped in the least 

 on their removal, although not shaded. In the greenhouse 

 compartment Pceonies, Fuchsias, and other plants, are 

 healthily putting forth strong and vigorous shoots. Indeed, 

 the whole promises speedily to be a scene of great beauty 

 and luxuriant vegetation. Nor can it fail to be so, the 

 light being so clear, abundant, and yet subdued, being 

 very similar to that reflected from a white cloud, quite 

 unaccompanied with any glare, and admirably and equally 

 diffused throughout every portion of the house by the 

 singularly radiant and repeated reflections from the white 

 coverings, walls, and surfaces. The temperature in the 

 stove, which is usually kept at 80°, is well and uniformly 

 preserved, the air-tight nature of the whole apparatus not 

 suffering it to fall more than a very few degrees even 

 during the late cold and severe frosty nights, although 

 very little fire has been kept up. In addition to all this, 

 economy speaks loudly, the cost of the prepared muslin 

 not having exceeded one-fifteenth that of glass for an 

 erection of similar dimensions. I trust to hear that so 

 successful an example has been followed throughout the 

 kingdom, and that the time is near at hand when every 

 one devoted to gardening in any department, however 

 humble his means, will be found gratifying his taste in 

 the possession of greenhouses, &c. similarly constructed, 

 with this useful composition, for the ingenious invention 

 of which the cordial thanks of high and low are abun- 

 dantly due to Mr. Whitney. — Botanophilos. 



Durability of Oak. — There can be no doubt that the 

 supposed date, 1035, on the Oak-beam taken from a house 

 near Oswestry, is not of the time assigned to it. One of 

 the earliest authenticated instances of the use in Europe 

 of Arabic numerals is the date 1375, written by Petrarch 

 on a copy of St. Augustine's works. When the use of 

 these numerals was first introduced into England is doubt- 

 ful, but they were, at all events, not used in keeping the 

 accounts of the English colleges till near about the 

 beginning of the 16th century, and it is very unlikely that 

 they came into vulgar use till long afterwards ; they are 

 of rare occurrence in writings of the first half of the 16th 

 century. But is it certain that the figures 1035 were 

 used for a date at all? May they not be the mark denot- 

 ing the number of a lot of wood, or the private mark of 

 a tradesman ? 



The Vine. — There is a very singular and perplexing 

 statement by " R. P." at p. 166, respecting the fruitfulness 

 and unfruitfulness of his Vines, that are subjected to the 

 heat of a fruiting Pine-stove. The subject is worthy of 

 the attention of practical men ; it opens up a wide field 

 for discussion. " R. P." prunes his Vines on the spur 

 system, which is good; but why does not the shoot 

 trained across the bottom of the light and up the adjoining 

 rafter bear equally with the parent stem ? First, is caution 

 used to make the wood on both rafters break its buds 

 at one time ? Although the wood is ever so promising on 

 the adjoining rafter, if the parent stem breaks its buds 

 while the other is dormant, I have not the least doubt but 

 that what would have been fruit on the adjoining rafter 

 will be converted into tendrils ; the organisable matter 

 stored up previously, and while the Vine was at rest, 

 should the parent stem take the lead in breaking its buds, 

 will be drawn to the support of them, more especially as it 

 has a clear upright course, not receiving a check in having 

 to flow horizontally before it reaches an upright position, 

 as in the other stem. There is still some mystery with 

 regard to the Black Muscat (a Grape I am not acquainted 

 with — perhaps a synonyme of the Muscadel or Morocco, 

 neither of which is calculated for a fruiting Pine-stove, 

 being late Grapes : should it approach its congener in size 

 of bunch, berry, and flavour, it will be a desirable variety). 

 There is no obvious reason for its sterility, unless, being a 

 late Grape, it is impatient of heat at an early period, which 

 experience teaches is one great reason of its being abortive. 

 I should wish to be informed regarding" R. P.'s" system 

 of summer pruning, and whether he follows the system of 

 disbudding, as mentioned in my treatise on the Vine, as 

 on that, and attention to the roots, will, in a great 

 measure, depend the fruitfulness of his Vines. The follow- 

 ing case occurred here last season. I have three succession 

 Pine-stoves, with upright glass in front, 2 feet 6 inches 

 high ; the rafters and back walls are covered with Vines, 

 besides a late Vinery. In my earliest house of Grapes, 

 which is one of the above Pine-stoves, I had, at the time 

 of planting, in 1839, to one of the rafters planted a White 

 Muscat, which proved wrong to its name, and turned out 

 to be a Black Morocco (which is a valuable late Grape, 

 and keeps equally well with West's St. Peter, but it is 

 not suitable for an early house) ; last season I cut it away, 

 intending to bring in a white Muscat in its place. On the 



adjoining rafter is a Hamburgh ; after itl^TTuTh^T 

 shown fruit, and the shoots were stopped, a thourkt 

 struck me of carrying out my method of disbuddine ftitt 

 further, and marking the result; accordingly, I select i 

 the bud on the lowest spur below the angle of the r ft 

 near where the stem of the Vine entered through the sill in t£ 

 wall, and conducted the young shoot as it progressed 

 growth across the bottom of the light and up the adjoini 11 * 

 rafter, taking off all tendrils and laterals as they appeared* 

 and disbudding the shoot, as I do in autumn as t 

 advanced in growth, or as soon as I could perceive th t 

 the buds were formed. This, by many, would have been 

 thought a dangerous experiment, operating on the growin 

 shoot. I then stopped it a"t 14 feet in length, including thf 

 portion across the bottom of the light and to the botto 

 of the parent stem, intending to prune it back to 12 eyes* 

 I allowed three laterals to remain at the extremity of the 

 shoot, to keep it in check, which I stopped with caution, 

 and removed altogether in a few weeks afterwards. I left 

 12 eyes for spurs, 6 on each side, and not a single bud 

 broke untimely under the experiment : using caution the 

 buds broke with the parent stem when I began to force • 

 and the result is, that this season the 12 eyes have shown 

 31 bunches of Grapes. I forward you a specimen from 

 a young cane of a Cannon Hall, carried up in a 

 similar manner, that was not disbudded while it was 

 growing, but operated upon (according to my usual prac- 

 tice) when it had attained its full growth ; it has shown 

 three and four bunches at one eye : the specimen Bent is 

 from an eye producing four. If " R. P." will observe the 

 following three points, viz., timely stopping at summer 

 pruning, in order to induce his Vines to make strong wood: 

 disbudding as soon as they have made their summer 

 growth, or, with caution, at the time they are making 

 their growth, taking care that they break the whole of their 

 buds regularly, under as Iowa temperature as is consistent 

 with the welfare of his Vines; and paying attention to the 

 root — I imagine he will find little cause for complaint.— ■ 

 James Roberts, Eshton Hall. [The specimen seut pro- 

 mised to be a very|large bunch. It contained 2816 flowers .'] 



Old Wall Nails.— When a boy, many a long cold day 

 I have sat in a cold shed on a stool, having a square 

 piece of iron fixed in one end, similar to what a black- 

 smith makes use of in preparing horse-shoe nails, with i 

 hammer, rap, tap, tapping, cleaning and preparing in 

 readiness old wall nails for the men who were nailing and 

 training the wall-trees. Many a tap it required to get 

 one thousand cleaned for use, letting alone, if possible, 

 any extra raps on the thumb or forefinger when the 

 hands were cold. I then resolved, if ever I should my- 

 self get master of a place, and have old wall nails to clean, 

 that I would adopt some more expeditious method. When 

 attending Covent Garden Market, I observed that the 

 fruiterers had a very clever and expeditious method of 

 cleaning old Nuts and Walnuts of dust and mildew; 

 putting a quantity into a sack or large bag, a person took 

 hold of each end of the sack and worked it to and fro to 

 each other, in the same manner that two stone-sawyers 

 use a cross-cut saw ; the friction soon cleaned and 

 brightened both Nuts and Walnuts. By turning them 

 into another sack, and dropping a very small portion of 

 oil among them, and well working them in the same way, 

 the Nuts would look as clean and bright as if they were 

 quite new. Imagining that it would be a famous plan for 

 cleaning old wall nails, I took the first opportunity of 

 putting it into practice ; it answered my expectations 

 admirably : putting about five thousand into the sack at 

 one time, along with two or three handfuls of coarse, 

 sharp, river or sea sand, and working them as above re- 

 commended, in about twenty minutes or half an hours 

 friction they turned out as clean as new pins. By turning 

 them into a suitable sieve or basket, -the dust may readuy 

 be separated, and thus all the old nails of a large garden 

 may be thoroughly cleaned in a few hours ; U they are 

 particularly wished to be kept free from rait * {Un, *™L 

 you have only to drop a small quantity of oil amongst 

 them, and give them another good working m the sacK. 

 Observer J. . t * . 



Seed Steeping.— If I understand the theory oi » 

 steeping process) the body of the seed, i.e., the i coty^ ^ 

 or what answers to them, being ot a iow« 

 organisation than the germ or actual seat of active vi . i 

 is charged by art with a larger quantity of saline ana 

 parts than what was originally furnished by nature , 

 the germ, on being awakened to growth, and nntting 

 unusual supply of nourishment, vegetates with a p i 

 tionate vigour of growth. This I can ^ erst * D V g0 

 that the process, upon the above principles, ™° 

 entirely influence the vegetation of a whole season, ^ 

 sibly to render subsequent manuring unnecessary, 

 so easily conceived. The effect of this earliest^ ^ 

 manuring so instant upon germination, and as l ^ 



close to its work, appears to be to induce in tne 

 the cerealia a profuse tillering or production or ^ 

 shoots. Now, a plant, like an animal, is increa. e " ' of 

 assimilation to itself— to use an old-fashione rt l t;in 

 certain heterogeneous substances derived from w . flf 



other words, by absorption by root and otiic ^ ^ 

 various mineral and organic substances, and oy ^ Us 

 peculiar system of combinations, converting tne ^ 

 own substance. When, then, the young embryo n 

 sumed the nourishment afforded by its P l * centa / aQ aI1 d is 

 Bickes's sulphate of ammonia into the barga , ^ jt 

 thrown upon a barren world to seek subsistence,^.^ 

 by its multiplication of parts more capable orp jt| 



than before ? and will it not feel want of food, d 



superior number of mouths, equally with any i ^ 

 companion ? It would appear that a saving ot see ^ 

 effected, assuming that three seeds affording rf 



each, are no better than one with three, the amu 





