212 



THE 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[A 



thinned, acquire a small leaf-stalk, and actually reach an 

 intermediate state between that of the true leaf and 



cotyledon. . 1/ 



And always thus does the young plant struggle into 

 eiistence, proceeding from one state of perfection to a 

 higher, or, as Morphologists say, from imperfection 

 towards perfection— terms that have been cavilled at, ana 

 stigmatised as atheistical ! but not used irreverently, or m 

 the sense of materialists. It is, doubtless, true that an 

 egg is perfect as an egg, and so is a seed as a seed ; but 

 that man must have a strangely-constituted mind, who 

 cannot see that an egg is less perfect than the bird which 

 is hatched within it, or a seed less perfect than the tree 

 into which it grows. Those over-zealous persons, who, in 

 their diseased imaginations, fancy they perceive in the 

 Morphologut a latent Materialist, themselves exhibit the 

 most enormous ignorance of the high attributes of the 

 Creator. It is not necessary to be always talking of a 

 great First Cause. In considering the works of Nature, we 

 always deal with the facts that are plainly before us. i3y 

 all men of sense it is understood that m speaking of 

 natural phenomena an acknowledgment of the power that 

 produces them is implied. " II est certain, says an 

 eminent philosopher, in writing of such things, • que 

 tout cela est automatique J il n'y a point la d intelligence 

 ni de volonte. Mais derriere cet etre inintelhgent se trouve 

 rintelligence creatrice, qui a tftabli les admirables 

 machines vCgetales qui executent ces mouvemens automa- 

 tiques, tous dirigecs vers un but indique par les besoms 

 de la plante." We recommend this sentiment to the con- 

 sideration of a class of writers, to whom, if we have some- 

 times alluded, it has been for the sake of what, we pre- 

 sume, are their good intentions, but certainly not for 

 their intelligence and sound judgment. — 11. E. 



Erratum in last Number, p. 19 '>, line 4 from the bottom, for 

 " proportion's " read " perfection's." 



sive efforts, each exerting a negative influence on the one 



which preceded it. 



Heath-mould has been recommended by some growers 



for the cultivation of the Fuchsia. I have no wish to un- 

 derrate the value of this material ; but when it is remem- 

 bered that the qualities of Heath-mould vary as much as 

 the indefinite qualities of loam, it must be admitted (apart 

 from the fact that, whilst there are several natural orders 

 of plants, to the cultivation of which Heath-mould is in- 

 dispensable, there are many others, on the contrary, to 

 which it is in no respect essential), that its application, in 

 many instances, will depend upon its prepared texture and 

 quality. Vegetable matter, in a highly decomposed form, 

 being the basis of Heath-mould, is capable of holding nu- 

 tritive properties longer than other soils, where silex 

 abounds ; and it is probably this quality which gives it 

 its value in the Vegetable economy, viz. of maintaining 

 longer than others an equilibrium of moisture in plants 

 whose external organs are less capable of absorbing ali- 

 ment from atmospheric and solar agencies.— W. Wood, 

 Pine-apple Place. 



(To be continued.) 



FUCHSIAS. 



(Continued from p. 195.) 



The last paper contained remarks on the means of 

 obtaining an accumulative growth from one-year plants, 

 or those potted the previous autumn, such being generally 

 found in a state unsuited for another season's growth. 

 The principal points were, to obtain an increased circula- 

 tion of moisture by enlarging the bottom cavity of the ball 

 externally, and to reduce the terminal shoots to a propor- 

 tion commensurate with the general vigour and habit of 



the plant. 



The treatment required for young plants, as cuttings of 



the current season's growth, diners in some respects. 

 "When such plants have been duly attended to in their 

 removal from the store-pot, it is well known that their 

 growth is more uniform and accumulative than those 

 which have received a previous and premature rest ; con- 

 sequently the period of their removal from 60-size pots to 

 larger, is limited in proportion to their condition and the 

 habit of the variety. Nevertheless, if the cavity at the 

 bottom is such as to indicate an impeded circulation in 

 consequence of being closed by the position of the bottom 

 potsherd, the cavity should be partially enlarged, as before 

 recommended, and after the first or second top buds are 

 pinched or cut off, it may await the fuller formation of 

 its side or axillary growth previous to being shifted to a 

 large 32 or 21-pot, into similar proportions and qualities 

 of soil, as before stated. If the plants have already ex- 

 panded their buds from the base of , each leaf, they should 

 be immediately shifted ; and, when established, the top 

 hud may be taken off, or more, as the variety may require. 

 From these remarks it may be inferred that plants, 

 received in tliumb-pots, should, if four joints long, be 

 divested of the top bud a week or ten days previous to 

 being removed to small or large GOs. The reasons for 

 this are, that, as it is probable that plants when exposed 

 to such small portions of soil are likely to be subject to 

 opposite extremes of temperature and of moisture, so as to 

 reduce their constitutional vigour below the possibility of 

 accumulating it under such conditions, it is essential to 

 shift them in proportion to their strength, that the culti- 

 vator may start them into such a growth by uniform pro- 

 portions of soil, &c. (§§ 8, 9, and 10), as to enable him 

 to give a final shift, or potting. This appears to be an 

 essential condition of cultivation, in accordance with the 

 principle, that •• there is no arrangement of soil essential 

 to the perfect condition of a plant, which is not propor- 

 tionately essential throughout its whole period of growth." 

 It is therefore assumed that all plants should be brought 

 to the highest possible vigour, compatible with their 

 existing conditions, previous to being exposed to the 

 intense agencies of heat, moisture, &c. 



With respect to the removal of foreshoots, or top buds, 

 in order to induce a freer growth below, the following 

 opinions are offered :— Where the buds are bursting from 

 the base of the plant upwards, their perfect formation de- 

 pends upon the removal of the plant to a larger amount of 

 soil from the time of their first appearance, and a strong 

 exposure to light, heat, and other essential agencies, it 

 being understood, that to obtain splendid growth from a 

 plant of one stem by causing an expansion of growth from 

 the base upwards, in proportion to its height, is much 

 more difficult than a similar width of growth from a plant 

 of two or three stems. The first implies an approxima- 

 tion to its conditions of growth in nature, by very ample 

 and uniform proportions of soil, with appropriate expo- 

 sure during the first stages of growth, aided by partially 

 inverting the leading shoot to retard the vertical flow of 

 sap ; while the second instance is illustrative of the con- 

 ditions of growth by art, which obtains by a comparative 

 result the intervention of many causes, which the former 

 obtains by less. The first forms, in its first growth, the 

 basis of ultimate vigour ; the second reaches it by succes- 



* ENTOMOLOGY. 



Cynips Quercus Castanet (the Che snut- fruited 

 Oak-gall-Jly.y-l have already described various galls, 

 and the insects inhabiting them, and lately some of those 

 created by the Aphides or Plant-lice, which excrescences 

 are not genuine galls ; and of those Hymenoptera, which 

 are allied to the species that cause the galls of commerce ; 

 the histories of three interesting varieties have appeared 

 in this Journal,* viz., the Oak-spangle, the Parasol- gall, 

 and the Root-gall flies. I have now the pleasure of con- 

 tributing another species, which does not appear to have 

 been noticed in any work ; and I shall feel obliged by any 

 information regarding it, should it be discovered in this 

 country. I unexpectedly met with these curious galls 

 last year in the month of August, in the beautiful park 

 and plantations near Florence, called the Reali Cascine ; 

 some Ivy was twining round the Oak which produced 

 the galls, and at a short distance I imagined they were 

 the flowering buds of that creeper, and it was quite acci- 

 dentally that I discovered my mistake. On mentioning 

 the subject to my friend, Professor Passerini, he informed 

 me they were not unfrequently found in the country 

 around Florence, and that when they were sufficiently 

 abundant to attract the notice of the common people, 

 they gave a singular explanation of the apparent pheno- 

 menon, namely, that the Oaks had been impregnated by 

 the Spanish Chesnut, whose spiny young seed-vessels, 

 these galls certainly in some measure resemble. 



Here we have another instance of the absurd errors 

 into which persons fall, from their total ignorance of the 

 laws of Nature, which might be easily remedied by 

 making Natural History a branch of education. I am 

 ready to acknowledge that these curious vegetable pro- 

 ductions were quite unknown to me, but suspecting they 

 were the nidus of some Cynips, I gathered a few ; indeed 

 they appeared to be very scarce at that season, for I 

 could find none on any other Oak-trees ; and last February 

 I had the satisfaction of breeding nine specimens of the 

 fly from one of them. These Oak-galls (fig. 1) are green, 



f Rosse and C. Quercus radicis, I never yet bred a male 

 Two dark spots are exhibited in the gall (fig. 1), through 

 which the gall-flies made their exit, by eating their way 

 out, and there were seven other holes in different part* 

 proving that the cells are separated, and that each inieei 

 had to perforate its case as soon as it hatched, so that the 

 last was not able to avail itself of the previous labours of 

 its associates. 



The female fly is similar to others of the same genua 

 but not being identical with any I have seen, 1 naT g 

 named it Cynips Quercus Castanese, in allusion to the 

 galls resembling the young fruit of the Spanish Chesnut. 

 It is black, the antennae are slightly clavate, and about as 

 long as the head and thorax ; they are composed of 13 

 small joints, the basal one being the stoutest, the second 

 much smaller and oval, the third the longest and slender ; 

 the apical joint is conical ; the head, thorax, and scutellum 

 appear griseous, from the short gray hairs which are 

 scattered over those parts ; they are all minutely and 

 thickly punctured ; the eyes are oval and lateral, and on 

 the crown are three ocelli, forming a tolerably large 

 triangle ; upon the thorax are four longitudinal grooves> 

 two in front parallel, with one on each side, curved next 

 the collar, and extending to the scutel, where they ap- 

 proximate, and nearer the lateral margin is a short one ; 

 the scutellum is nearly orbicular ; the abdomen is rather 

 smaller than the thorax, very glossy above, ochreous 

 beneath, of an oval form, the apex conical and pointed; 

 the ferruginous ovipositor is concealed beneath ; the wings 

 are pubescent, the upper ones, as usual, are very long 

 and ample, the nervures are bright brown, with a minute 

 triangular cell on the disc ; the socket at the base is fer- 

 ruginous ; the inferior wings are small and nerveless ; an- 

 terior legs ferruginous, the thighs partially, the apical 

 joint of the feet entirely, pitchy ; the other legs are of a 

 deeper rust colour, the hinder the longest and stoutest ; 

 the coxa; are large, and piceous at the base, as are like- 

 wise the trochanters and thighs ; the tibiae and basal, ai 

 well as the apical joint of the tarsi, are blackish (fig. 3). 

 The cross-lines show the natural size of the female ; the 

 male is unknown. — Ruricola. 



and those which I found did not exceed the size of a 

 common Hazel-nut ; they are covered with erect filaments, 

 rather flattened, especially towards the tips, which are 

 clubbed, of a pitchy colour, and apparently viscid ; they 

 are formed on the sides of the twigs, and are probably 

 produced from the small buds at the base of the leaves ; 

 there were also two kidney-shaped galls arising from two 

 other buds (fig. 2) in the branch figured ; these were of 

 an ashy-brown tint, partaking of the colour of the Bark, 

 with smooth spots, but they have produced nothing ; 

 indeed they appeared to be solid, and were as hard as a 

 knot of wood ; yet I do not feel certain these may not be 

 the nidus of the males, from which that sex would issue 

 in a natural state, for, the leaves falling to the ground in 

 the autumn, they would be kept moist during the winter, 

 which would enable the larvae to feed, and the flies to 

 escape at the appointed time. This, however, is mere 

 conjecture ; and it is possible that the male eggs may be 

 deposited in separate buds, producing distinct galls, and 

 that they are generated at an earlier or later period; 

 however that may be, all the specimens I have bred are 

 females, and such is usually the case ; for out of hundreds 

 of flies that I have obtai ned from the galls of Cynips, 



* Viae vol. i. p. 732 i vol. ii. Pec, 2* -, ana vol. ui. p. 52. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF GRAPES IN POTS. 



(Continued from page 197.) 



After potting, the plants should be placed in sorae 

 house or pit where a temperature from 60° to 80°, or 85°, 

 is maintained ; they should also be so arranged that 

 the shoots as they advance can be trained immediately 

 under the glass, and be exposed as much as possible to toe 

 li»ht. The front kerbs and back shelves of Pine-pits are 

 suitable places, and the partial shade that the Vines afford 

 benefit the Pines during three or four of the summer 

 months. Where there is only a Vinery they may be 

 trained between the permanent Vines, or in any other place 

 where the cultivator can make room for them. As tie 

 shoots advance train them carefully, and stop the laterals 

 as they appear. When first potted the P laQt s^^b ut 

 little wate?, but it must be gradually increased as the po » 

 become filled with roots ; they will then require it regularly 

 during their growth, and manure-water ^\^T^ 

 given: although the quantity they demand the ™**™ 

 is small in comparison to what they require after*a<i £ 

 The most suitable length of cane for pots is from Jou to 

 six feet, but if from any peculiarity in the hou, e J 

 they are to be fruited, a longer length may be r qm , 

 the y y should be left accordingly, as the Vine will gr 

 strong enough for fruiting, 0, or even i 

 After it has grown a foot more than the length q 

 the next season, it should be stopped ; three or_ io 

 upper laterals, however, may be allowed to gro* £. 

 joints, to prevent the topmost eyes br akmg. Mow ^ 

 may now be applied to cause the buds to »" e "' a " are n0 * 

 be taken to preserve the principal leaves as hey ar ^ 

 performing a most important part in regara ^^ 



season. When the wood appears to b *"" * t thc vine. 



ripening), water should only be aPPl iedt £ P ^a e very means 

 flagging, the laterals should be ^n o^d et^ . f fc 



shouldbeemployedto ripen the wood .P eriec * - rwhe n they 

 isnot convenient to allow a large admission" rem0ving 

 are growing, it would benefit them ^ u ™ J the benefit 

 them to a cool house, where they would have ^ 



of more air and- a lower temperature at n i„ . ^ ^ 

 beginning of September, if the (^^^o place out 

 been followed, the Vines will be ripe e«^F and 

 of doors. The north side of a wall is the oeF ^^ 

 the pots should be laid on their sides, ana ^ ^ ^.^ 

 taken to throw the plants into a state ot : re* , ^ fof 

 tor will thus find himself in possession ot :v * keQ for 



strength and vigorous habits may justly De 



older plants. . . , nr ted on above 



It will be seen, then, that the pnnc »ple« w * . QSt « 

 are, selecting properly, matured wood for cut g ^ ^ 

 ing only one eye in each pot to preven any c 



plant in repotting-placing ? e Vm ^ing^^ 

 which they are to fruit-exposing them dunng ^ ^ 



to the greatest possible amount of 1 got •* feC tly 



them, taking especial ™ *£" £*,$*. ™ if 

 ripe, and inducing an early state ot r F ^ 





But 



I re pu»v. ear 



xnnes for one j* 



the above mode of obtaining pruning Vines 

 should be thought too troublesome from ^ 



quiring bottom-heat during their first ; .Utf < get j» »f 

 Se planted singly, as before, » ^-po^ „ U i J* 



house or pit where there is a ^ ^» their root* 

 longer, howevcr^by this method m « evelo P\ n / be fore >* £ 

 and' may nc t want shifting into larger pot. * 



or June. Whence plants may be ***** bo aie 



which they may r.main through the ^ * iof #g 

 or pit in which room can be found tort^V ^ gtop ^ 

 tion to watering, tyeing up, &c. Wj ^ -^ 



when 2 or 3 feet high, and when the woo* 



