THE GARDENERS* CHRONICLE. 



2J3 



terial 



jtmof 



r» tb«t >» » 7^_ j„„„ ,„ two or three eyes, shake 



•T .these Plants down to two or mree ejc, .u-.c 

 Setoff of their pots, and place them m s.m.lar 

 *•"" 'Ltii as the former ones, taking care to 

 *£iC « u (ta potting) regular* through the soil, 

 •^ h, n ^«>h commences, each spongele mar be in 

 that when gro»< d , jg J9 , much better prac . 



tome dute contact ««i wj ^ ^^ disturbing the 



*« ,^'°, often done. The s.me routine of management 



matt 

 mended 



^^encTaliyV found stronger than those raised 

 T 7 . ««r and they possess the advantage of ripening 

 fSSi" in ^summer. It will depend on the 



the cultivator has at his disposal which plan he 



-John Spencer, Gardens, Bowood. 



{To be continued.) 



neani 

 (Mow* 



Home Correspondence. 



Grafting Pelargoniums. — In a late Number is an 

 account of M. de Meline, of the Botanic Garden at Dijon, 

 having grafted numerous varieties of Pelargonium on 

 tie same plant. There are very few plants that can be 

 grafted with greater success than Pelargoniums, if the 

 stock and §cion be selected about the same diameter, and 

 if the wood is neither too old nor too young and suc- 

 culent. For the last ten years I have occasionally grafted 

 aotne in August or September, using pretty well ripened 

 wood of the same year's growth. I shall only detail one 

 instance:— In August of 1842, I selected a plant of the 

 Beauty of Ware, which had a single stem about a foot 

 high, where it divided into several branches ; these were 

 out back to about three inches long, and in ten days 

 afterwards they were grafted with eight different sorts. 

 They were done after the manner of whip-grafting, and 

 tied "with bast and clayed, over which was put a little 

 DOM, to keep the clay from cracking, and to preserve 

 the whole in a moist state, being occasionally sprinkled 

 with water. The plant was placed in a shadowy part of 

 a vinery, and in a month every one of the grafts had 

 begun to grow. The plant was then put into a cold 

 frame for a few days ; it was then taken out of the pot, 

 and all the earth being shaken from the roots, it was re- 

 potted in fresh soil, and received the same treatment as 

 the other Pelargoniums. Two of the grafts were broken 

 off by an accident, the other six flowered well in June 

 •nd July. In August the branches were again cut back, 

 and ten more varieties were grafted on it, including 

 Smith's Superb Scarlet, Carnation Scarlet, Frogmore 

 Scarlet, and the old variegated-leaved Scarlet ; the last 

 two failed along with two of the other sorts. This, perhaps, 

 was owing to the plant having been placed in a shady 

 place out of doors, immediately after it was grafted, where 

 it remained until October, when it was placed in the con- 



which the fish may attach their spawn ; this pond is fed 

 from another, where the fish breed abundantly, but it has 

 plenty of stones as well as water-plants in it. The water 

 feeding all these ponds is at times of a brackish nature ; 

 it runs over a soil impregnated with iron. I will describe 

 four raore| ponds in which fish thrive and partly breed. 

 The 1st and 2d are at Epsom, and are artificial ; No 1 is 

 made with tiles and cement, about two feet deep 

 throughout, except near the edge, which shelves a 

 little, and is supplied with water from a well in 

 the chalk ; when the water in the pond is getting 

 low, a man pumps from the well into the pond. No. 2 

 is a small reservoir, about seven feet in diameter 

 and five deep ; this, too, is supplied with water from a 

 well in the chalk ; the pond is cemented all round, the 

 only places to which the fish may attach their spawn is 

 the sides, and a small fountain in the centre ; but in a 

 pond like this it is advisable to put in a few branches of 

 Willow to reach from the bottom to the top. No. 3 is 

 formed like No. 2, only it is deeper by a foot or two, and 

 is supplied with water from the New River ; pieces of 

 Willow and aquatic plants are put into it, snd during the 

 time I knew it the fish flourished. No. 4 was on the 

 summit of the Gog-Magog Hills near Cambridge ; it was 

 a small basin, formed for the reception of the fish, and 

 water was supplied to it from a well in the chalk • it was 

 about a twelvemonth after I had sent fish to it that I 

 saw them, when they appeared to be in good health, but 

 had not then^increased ; the basin was too small, and too 

 much shaded by trees to favour propagation. If any one 

 is desirous to see fish and ponds, let them visit Epsom 

 about the latter part of May and beginning of June ; they 

 will then see how ponds are constructed, and how the fish 

 deposit their spawn, and any little boy on the common 

 will catch them for sixpence per pair. If fish do not 

 breed, the fault is either that they are all of one sex, or 

 that the pond rests on a spring, and is too cold, or is not 

 sufficiently shallow towards the edge ; or there is a want 

 of gravel, stories, or.sticks in water sufficiently warm during 

 the breeding season. — J. Steele, Epsom. 



Morphology. — The structure and conformation of the 

 vegetable world is a most interesting and curious study, 

 and well deserves the attention of the botanist. The re- 

 duction of all the various organs and developments of 

 plants to a few simple original forms, of which they are 

 but modifications and degrees, has been effected by 

 modern science, and has no doubt thrown great light on 

 the subject. I would, however, beg leave to say a few 

 words on what may be called the abuse of the doctrines 

 taught by Morphology, or the utilitarian way (if I 

 may be allowed the expression,) in which, by this method 

 of explaining structural botany, the majesty of Nature is 

 apt to be lost sight of, and some of her most beautiful 

 productions attributed to mere chance. In the now 

 generally received opinion, the leaf is thought to be the 

 primary form of vegetable organisation, and all the other 

 organs and parts of the plant (with the exception of the 



•ervatory. In December there were 13 varieties growing 



on the same plant, which will be a novelty when in stem which produces the leaf) to be croc leaves in a more 



Ttower, having so many distinct colours, Smith's Superb or less developed state. But some writers on the subject 



bcarlet forming the centre. I have observed that weak 



growmg sorts grow stronger when grafted on robust 



kinds than on their own xoots.-James Alexander, 



Heath Farm, A thy. ' 



ho?AfJ t ish ;C ln L lhis nei gn°ourhood, every pond that 

 of comnU nV ?^, h thC ' ear is fu!l of them, and instead 

 bto S ri? ? u ,,Ufe in rcarin S them, *• ^eat difficulty 

 there 8 !, J A °l ^T In ever y cottager's garden, where 

 feet th * T h f l dugt ° the de » th ^ four, five, or seven 

 t^e ,. 1 u hC8 tbrive and br eed. In these ponds 



tjever .j ■ — -~ "*"* t-uam rammed, ana nas 



**ed, of va ion! I ? 7 descri i )ti0Q P« into it, yet water- 



*»mer lid T ' gr ° W & U in thc S P rin - and earl r 



* drink' at a?*?"* d ° Wn ; H is a P ond for the cattle 

 •tone, have' been ~! drinkin &-P Ia <** rough gravel and 



poaching or breaking tK Q l ° ¥ ment the Catt,e fr ° m 

 ■boat 14 m. ir 5 the K ro ^nd uoon anv of the chalk : 



1 years 



ground upon any of the chalk ; 



01 ^old and SiUer Fi.K """"?. *" aces I0r cattle, are run 

 "*r of nurtur »! f f ,h ? nothln ? ia «*er done to them by 

 E P*>m is aUo f u f, the » Dawn I *• pond in the centre of 

 thr *e or four V*. j ponda are al i mudded everv 



thrown a Wav vl/V, the fi sh taken out and sold o'r 



r,in falls in suffi^T * that are ke Pt in tabs until the 

 r»- t, n cientouanHf»«- rt „n A.__ . , 



of 



other 



springs; the water in them is 



-* ucr rain wa^r o„ -r-;»6« , me water in tnem is 

 0r from both tW Water fr0m land wrings in the winter, 



sources. Gold and Silver Fish will 



m ponds in which there are 

 em — the water is too cold 



^yfurw-^J^^mth 



foiled have Tali °/r ?k°" and die ' The pond* I have 

 !? d llo pe from the aide. tT^™ 7 ° r gravell y bot toms, 

 Sf. •P-wn on the nehM. Centre ; thc fifh de P osit 



T bch oeing much w^rif "r*™* 1 in *■ shall °" water > 

 !P * e r it than the ^ , lhe * reater P ower of the 

 $«**> the spawa j, 1 Wp P lacei "quired for aquatic 

 2l All who form M7 ? r 1 U,n ° f bein S quickened into 

 Sr Cl ° r P^bles^tTe H ?, kCep fi8h in » contrive to have 

 £* \tbe ffiost ■« e mJtK ? 1 ' '? the shaU °ws, because 

 E5?v hltI *™ wquTinM ?u° f succeedi "S- Another 



tU i"* bein & mTed whh Z lth W8i made whh cla T. a 

 «*• udea being pep e n d 7 r ,b U ■ » » full of large fish, but 



1U de Pth i. thre P e rf 0ur ? f \ the ^ do not &eed well ; 



or four feet, and sticks are put in, to 



subj 

 go even further than thi% and say (if not in precise words, 

 at least by implication) that it is only by chance and 

 casualty that any other organs than leaves and stem exist ; 

 that bracts, for instance, are merely immature leaves, 

 which poverty of soil, or other causes, have prevented the 

 plant from developing ; or that flowers have been pro. 

 duced from leaves, merely by circumstances favouring 

 their greater development. Now these assertions appear 

 to me erroneous, and I think are at once disproved by 

 the fact of the constant and unvarying arrangement of 

 the different parts of plants by the hand of Nature. In 

 the normal or wild state of any plant, we always find the 

 various organs similarly disposed, and bearing the same 



relative position to each other. We find the leaf, the 

 bract, and the flower, each occupying its allotted and 

 certain situation. This would not assuredly be the case 

 if their development was but the result of accident. I 

 will admit that the structure of the leaf, the bract, and 

 the flower, is essentially the same (and this seems to be 

 now quite ascertained), but I would have things called by 

 their right names, and I would deprecate the use of lan- 

 guage calculated to derogate from the dignity and plastic 

 power of Nature. — Dendrophilus. [Our correspondent 

 evidently misunderstands the meaning of the Morpholo- 

 gists] 



The Penny Postage. — The facility, punctuality, and 

 moderate charge at which letters and small parcels 

 may now be conveyed from one part to another, even to 

 the most remote village, hamlet, or peasant's cottage, 

 must alike be beneficially felt by all ; and in time will, I 

 make no doubt, greatly improve and increase knowledge, 

 the great bulwark of the country, by stimulating many 

 to attempt writing that under the old system could not 

 afford to pay the postage. Many a poor parent and 

 distant child cau now have the pleasure of corresponding 

 with each other ; merchants, tradesmen, publishers, and 

 correspondents of all classes are alike benefited by the 

 present reasonable and expeditious transit. To no pro- 

 fession has it opened up a wider field than to gardeners : 

 it gives the opportunity of exchanging seeds with each 

 other from different localities, comparing specimens, and 

 getting them properly named, &c. They can also forward 

 to each other any improved method they may have dis- 

 covered in cultivating any kind of plant, fruit, &c. ; and 

 they can communicate their experience to some periodical, 

 for the benefit of the public, who, if they think proper, 

 may practise and improve on it ; for it is to be observed 

 that there is no method or system in practice, however 

 perfect to appearance, that may not be improved upon, by 

 the persevering and intelligent. At the same time I 

 would observe, that a person that takes the opportunity 



of writing a practical article, which he considers likely to 

 throw more light on the cultivation of any plant, fruit, 

 &c, that he has himself been more successful in cultivating, 

 or in bringing to a higher state of perfection than others, 

 and attaches his name to the article, is certain to receive 

 a host of letters ; some wishing for a farther explanation, 

 others observing that it is so different to what they have 

 ever seen or heard of in practice, that they consider it is 

 an impossibility to Bucceed, &c. Some again write for 

 the whole article, as they have been informed that it has 

 been published in some periodical or journal to which, 

 they are not subscribers. Nine out of ten of those worthy 

 correspondents never think of inclosing so much as the 

 penny postage stamp for the required information ; thus 

 it is not only an encroachment on a gardener's very 

 limited time, but on his pocket likewise, if he should 

 think proper to find paper, wafers, and stamps. To the 

 correctness of this statement I have not the least doubt 

 many can bear testimony, and like myself are deterred 

 from adding their names, which is very essential to any 

 practical article, in order to give it respect and confidence- 

 Gardeners in general are not so well paid as to afford to 

 answer a host of such correspondents, supposing they 

 could allow their time to be encroached on by writing 

 over again, what possibly cost them many years' anxiety, 

 and ili-paid perseverance to obtain. — Obser t J- 



Double White iJepatica. — In a late Number it is stated 

 that you are unacquainted with any Double White Hepa- 

 tica. Being misled by Martyn's edition of the " Gardeners* 

 Dictionary," I, for several years, endeavoured in vain to 

 procure a specimen of it. I have, however, the certain 

 evidence of a friend, that a pot of the double white, some 

 years ago, was exhibited at a flower-shop in Bath, which 

 the owner refused to sell for any money, alleging that he 

 had never seen another; and in answer to some subsequent 

 applications for a specimen, the gardener said that the 

 plants had died without his being able to increase it. In 

 Martyn's edition, above referred to, the double white is 

 represented to be equally common with the double blue 

 and double red Hepatica, and the error is continued in 

 Rees* Cyclopaedia ; but no such mention of the double 

 white variety is made in either of the original editions of 

 the dictionary, and the following interesting suggestion of 

 Miller's has been entirely omitted by Ma»-tyn : — '* I have 

 sometimes known the double blue sort produce some 

 flowers in autumn, which were inclining to white, and 

 thereby some people have been deceived, who have pro- 

 cured the roots at that season and planted them in their 

 gardens ; but the spring following their flowers were blue 

 as before, and this is what frequently happens when the 

 autumn is so mild as to cause them to flower ; but whe- 

 ther the double white sort, mentioned in the books, was 

 only this accidental alteration in the colour of the flower 

 I cannot say, though it seems very probable it was, since 

 I never could hear of any person who ever saw the double, 

 white sort flower in the spring."— L. \V. D., Sketty-UalL 



Celery. — I am induced to recommend a mode of cultU 

 vating this valuable esculent, which I practised last season 



with the most complete success. My gardener having 



mentioned that his supply of Celery-plaiits had run short 

 of the expected demand on him, I told him to goto a 

 marsh in his neighbourhood, on the banks of the river Lee, 

 where the tide flows over at high water, and that he would 

 find abundance of plants ready for his use, both of the red 

 and white kinds, aud to make trial of them. He looked 

 astonished at my proposal, but seeing that I was in earnest 

 and willing to take on myself the responsibility in the 

 event of failure, he did as he was directed, and is now- 

 ready to confess that he never cultivated a better crop 

 than the product of these wild plants, as he called them. 

 Persons who eat of them at my table praised them cot 

 only for delicacy of flavour, but for freedom from hollow- 

 ness in the heart, which was found in almost all the Celery 

 of the past year in this quarter. My gardener is so well 

 satisfied of the result of the experiment, that he does 

 not intend sowing Celery-seed in a hot-bed as usual this 

 season. It will be ?aid in reply, such are not within the 

 reach of many to procure ; but where they are I can con- 

 fidently recommend them. En pass-mi, I may remark— 

 " I do not consider the rearing of large Celery desirable," 

 as Mr. Paxton and others observe. — Corcagiei >u. 



Seedlings.— I have noticed that young plants in the 

 seed-leaf, if deprived of their root and replanted, plunging 

 them up to the cotyledons, and pressing the earth, which 

 must be very fine, carefully up to the tender stem, will 

 again strike root and flourish. This may be useful in the 

 case of valuable plants, one only germinating perhaps out 

 of the lot, and that damping or having been eaten off by 

 insects close to the surface of the earth. It was first 

 noticed in the case of a Balsam, afterwards with Anagallis 

 and others. The fact may not be new, but is, at all events, 

 worth knowing at this time of the year. — Micklewell. 



Linnaan Botany. — On page 361 of the " Gardeners* 

 Chronicle " for 1843, it is stated in a notice to a Corres- 

 pondent that M The Linnaean system of Botany is not 

 worth learning, and we cannot do you the disservice of 

 recommending you a book on the subject." Now, if by 

 this is to be understood, that a knowledge of the Linnsean 

 system does not tend to explain the physiological structure 

 of plants, to ascertain their medicinal properties, to assise 

 the investigation of the laws of vegetation, to enable 

 Botanists to declare the general nature of the soil on 

 which plants are discovered ; that, lastly, it does not allow 

 the application of Botanical science to the purposes of 

 Agriculture, the truth of the above statement is easily 

 admitted. But if, on the other hand, we are to be.iere 

 that Linnieus's system is abstractly bad, that the know- 

 ledge conveyed by it is not worth retaining in the memory, 

 or that it positively misleads its followers, such a state- 

 ment appears to be open to con^derable objection, ba- 

 perior us a natural system must always be to an artificial, 



