S90 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[June 



good glass is made straighter and eveuer.— J. L- Snow, 



Sainton Gardens. „ 



Root Excretions.— In a late No., " Dendroph.lus 

 inquires, What becomes of inorganic matters, which 

 plants are constantly taking up, and which do not appear 

 to be essential to their healthy existence? He is 

 undoubtedly wrong in assuming that there is no other 

 explanation but " the theory of excretion by the roots ; 

 bu* still, the question remains, What becomes of these 

 superfluous inorganic matters ? In many instances, when 

 taken up in large quantities, they are deposited in the 

 tissues of the plants so profusely as to obstruct the 

 necessary functions for the life of the plant, and death 

 is the consequence. Where these inorganic substances 

 ■.re not taken up in sufficient quantities to destroy the 

 life of the plant, they are deposited in the tissues of the 

 plant, either externally or internally or both, according 

 to its structure. Plants growing on the sea-shore, 

 as Salsoia and others, when exposed to the absorption 

 of large quantities of sea-water, deposit in great 

 abundance crystals of chloride of sodium in their 

 tissues and upon their epidermis. I have examined 

 Charas growing in pools, where the waters, from 

 the presence of carbonic acid, hold ill solution great 

 quantities of carbonate of lime, and I have found this 

 salt filling their large intercellular cavities, and forming 

 a crop of beautiful crystals on their epidermis, whilst 

 those of the same species, growing in ponds, with a less 

 quantity of carbonate of lime, have exhibited a compara- 

 tive paucity of crystals. The colouring of wood, also, 

 by introducing solutions of the metallic oxides into trees, 

 is a good illustration of the mode in which superfluous 

 inorganic matters are disposed of in the tissues of a 

 plant. The point of practical importnncein this question 

 is to prevent, iu the supplying of manures to plants, such 

 a quantity of unnecessary inorganic matter entering their 

 tissues as shall either destroy them at once, or render 

 the processes of life less efficient. As an instance of how 

 inorganic matters are got rid of by plants, I may mention 

 that only a short time since, I had a substance almost as 

 hard as iron placed in my hand to guess its source ; it 

 was a portion" of the trunk of a decayed tree from New 

 Holland, which 1 make no doubt had grown near a chaly- 

 beate spring, the inorganic contends of which, when 

 taken into the tissues of the plant, had been deposited, 

 and formed the hardened substance of which I saw a 

 part. — L. E. 



rearing their third brood. Last year, in spite of all 

 danger from a well-frequented footpath on one side of 

 the stream, they reared eight cygnets out of nine. I have 

 known them, as your correspondent " Mr.Wighton" hints, 

 •« take the wings of the morning," but " evening shades" 

 found them in their old quarters ; this only occurs in 

 very hard weather, when they soar away at a great 

 elevation for a few hours occasionally. As a further 

 proof of their attachment to locality, they invariably 

 11 nest" in my garden on the spot where they first turned 

 down, though they have a mile in each direction for 

 further choice. Some remarks have appeared in the 

 Chronicle respecting the food of Swans. On a piece of 

 water of U a re in my garden, they make but little impres- 

 sion upon the aquatic weeds ; but on smaller waters they 

 must undoubtedly be of service in keeping down these 

 plants. I have tempted them with fish of different 

 species and sizes, but they invariably reject them ; young 

 frogs and toads they treat similarly ; young Grass and 

 aquatic plants appear to me to be their natural food, and 

 of these they eat largely ; if they destroy toads, it is in 

 my opinion from the extreme jealousy they naturally 

 have to companionship with any animal on the water, 

 particularly in breeding time; even the cygnets of the 

 former season should be removed early in the spring, for 

 if they have not room on the stream to retreat to, their 

 remaining on the spot would be fatal to them. The 

 extreme grace of the Swan is its almost only recom- 

 mendation, and with it a deep poetic feeing has been 

 bound up for ages; and I beg of all who may wish to 

 partially domesticate this bird, not to rob it of its great 

 attribute.— M., Deptford. 



Coniferce.— The following is a memorandum of the 

 Mexican Pines growing in the open garden here. They 

 are planted on a high lidge of ground on the north side 

 of the mansion, where there was for some years a mass 

 of Scotch and Weymouth Pines, which grew remarkably 

 well ; they are now cleared from a part of the summit. 

 The soil is a light sand, but has probably been enriched 

 with the decayed leaves of the Fir for seme years. Pinus 

 pseudostrobus has been out two winters and is not in- 

 jured; P. jatula has been out one year, and is not the 

 least injured; P. apulcensis has also been planted out 

 one year, and is not at all injured ; P. Ayacahuite was put 

 out about the same time, and has already grown nine 



P. Russelliana has been out for a similar period, 



cuttings under ; for these purposes nothing canbeUetteT 

 and if it can be brought so as to be equally serviceablt 



of the most useful iawkti^. 



ugl 

 for wall-trees, it will be one 



most useful inventions 



— - — m — - __ - H B * ^ 



of the age. I may also add, that when stretched upo* 

 light triangular frames, it forms the most complete pro- 

 tection to young Coniferse, from having their branches 



broken by the weight of snow in winter R. Davit 



Millington. ' 



Toads and Snakes in Ireland. — At p. 357 of a late 

 Chronicle, a correspondent, signing himself " J. 

 Wighton," expresses the opinion that toads would live 

 in Ireland, and that the experiment has not been carefully 

 made. In this he is probably correct ; but he does not 

 appear to know that the natter-jack toad (Bufo Calamity 

 Laur.) is found in paits of the county of Kerry. Thii 

 reptile proves to be far from uncommon in many parti 

 of England, inhabiting sandy districts, where it has ac- 

 cess to pits or bogs. It is a prettier animal than tie 

 toad, and far more active, running with considerable 

 velocity when disturbed. I now come to the snake, 

 which your correspondent says that wet boggy ground 

 "oes not suit, and that, therefore, it would not, probably, 

 ..ourish in Ireland. In answer to this, I need only say 

 that the snake {Xatrix Torquatu) is very common in the 

 fens of Cambridgeshire. — C. C. B., Cambridge. 



Miscellaneous — A correspondent, from Salt-hill, states 

 that a plant of Statice pseudo Armeria was put out into 

 the open border in Nov., 1813, and has stood the winter 

 well. He adds, that it has three fine spikes of bloom, and 

 that it appears perfectly hardy. 



d 



flo 



inches ; _ 



and is not injured ; P. Devoniana has been out one year, 



The Golden Pippin. — Among » NoLices to Corre- but the leaves have been injured ; it is, however, break- 



pondents," in a late Number, I observe some remarks | ing again and promises to recover ; P. Hartwegu is not 



(but too true) upon the probable extinction in England at ail injured ; P. macrophylla has been out oneyear, 



of the Golden Pippin. 1 beg leave to meotion that the 

 Golden Pippin nourishes in the neighbourhood of 

 Oporto, Portugal. Some years since, in the garden of 

 a Quin'a, opoa the left bank of the Douro, belonging 

 to a brother 'of the present Consul for Portugal, no* 

 resident in London, I counted a fine young plantation of 

 Golden Pippin-trees, comprising at least 1000 strong 

 plants. Now, it occurs to me that, for a renewal of the 

 Golden Pippin in England, we might import a quantity 

 of these plunts from the vicinity of Oporto, by steam- 

 vessels, at the proper season. — B. D. Greys. 



Gooseberry Caterpillar. — In a late Chronicle, p. 3/2, 

 are some remarks upon the caterpillar,which has this year 

 proved so destructive to the foliage of Gooseberries and 

 Currants. Mr. Walker is, however, wrong in considering it 

 the larva of the Currant Moth (Abraxas Grossulariata); it 

 does not belong to the order Lepidoptera, but is the larva 

 of a hymenoperous insect — I believe Nematus Ribesii, 

 of Mr. Stephens. Abraxas Grossulariata is a common 

 species, but seldom sufficiently numerous to do any 

 serious injury. The caterpillars of this species hatch in 

 the autumn, remain torpid during winter, and feed again 

 in spring. There are two or three broods of Nematus 

 Ribesii in the course of the year. The correctness of 

 my statement can easily be ascertained by preserving a 

 few caterpillars in a box with a little earth. — Henry 

 Double day. 



Grafted Currants. — Standard Currants have a pretty 

 appearance, and this is increased if they are grafted with 

 opposite colours, such as black and white, wh teaud red, 

 or red and white. Allow the stock to reach four feet 

 in height, then let it break two shoots, one of which i* 

 to be grafted with the desired variety ; when this shoot 

 has grown about six inches let both be stopped, so as to 

 make a bushy compact head. For standards, or espa- 

 liers, train either horizontally, or by the fan method, 

 about six shoots or more, according to the space you 

 wish to cover, on either side, leaving one for the centre 

 to be grafted. Train the same number of shoots of 

 the worked variety. Each leading shoot, if kept well 

 spurred in, will bear abundantly, and the fruit will also 

 be of finer quality, and of a sweeter flavour, by being 

 fully exposed to the sun and air, which is better attained 

 by this method, than if the plants were grown in the 

 usual way.— J. Ii. t Woolwich. 



Swans.— \ beg to offer my testimony in favour of Mr. 

 Forsyth's recommendation against the cruel disfiguring 

 process of pinioning Swans. Of the cruelty there is no 

 doubt ; it classes with docking horses, dogs, &c , upon 

 the strength of vulgar prejudice. If procured young, 

 Swans, like many other birds, have strong local attach- 

 ment. Who ever heard of pinioning pigeons or other 

 birds, from choice ? — from necessity there is no plea. 

 Pinioned Swans having repeatedly perished from the 

 attacks of dogs on the stream adjoining my premises, i? 

 occurred to me that it must be wrong to deprive this 

 noble bird of any portion of its powerful means cf de- 

 fence and retreat. I therefore procured four years ago a 

 pair of Swans in their second year, unmutilated ; here 

 they now remain far superior in appearance, and are now 



likewise Pinus Caria, P. 

 Massoniana ; Picea Pin- 

 Scolt f Bury II ill, near 



and is not in the least injured ; P. tenuifolia was killed to 

 the ground ; P. filifolia was also killed to the ground, but 

 is breaking from the bottom of the stem ; P. Teocote 

 was killed by the winter of 1842. I have planted out 

 this season,— Pinus oocarpa, P. oocarpoides, P. leio- 

 pbylla, and P. Montezumje ; 

 Gerardiana, P. pithyusa, P. 

 drow, and P. Hudsoni. — IV. 



Dorking, Surrey, | 



Humphreys's Compound.— In these days of deception 

 it is due to those persons who send out a really good 

 article, that those who benefit by it should make it 

 known. A London seedsman some time ago sent me a 

 bottle of Humphreys's Compound to try on our Pe- 

 largoniums. On looking over the directions, &c, I found 

 it stated that a single bottle was equal to some hundred- 

 weight of rich compost, &c. ; and, believing it to be an 

 extravagant puff, I had very little faith in it. I, how- 

 ever, selected a large stock plant, which, from having 

 been in a cold draught, had become very sickly and 

 yellow. I gave it one teaspoonful of the compound, in a 

 pint of soft water, and being certain that it had a marked 

 effect, I gave it two more doses, allowing a week to 

 elapse between each application. In three weeks it was 

 by far the finest plant in the house. I then applied it to all 

 the plants which showed any symptoms of turningyellow, 

 and in a few days they were all a beautiful green. This 

 was when they were in large bud. Since the dry 

 weather has set in, being short of soft water, I have been 

 obliged to use hard from the brook ; this had caused a 

 fine specimen of Enchantress to look much worse than it 

 did a short time ago ; in fact, a few of the lower leaves 

 were very yellow; one of them was more than half bright 

 yellow, and I imagined would have dropped off within 

 the week. I procured a second bottle, and gave it one 

 teaspoonful, my man remarking, with a laugh, that if it 

 restored that leaf he should think it worth having ; it is 

 now ten days ago, and the plant is in flower. I have 

 seen no effect upon the bloom, which was very good 

 before, but the plant is now a beautiful green, and the 

 above-mentioned leaf is now nearly as green as the rest. 

 I observed the green gradually encroaching upon the 

 yellow, till now there is only about the eighth of an inch 

 left. I do not imagine that this manure will make up for 

 the want of rich soil ; but if it restores the green alone 

 it will be very valuable. One plant of Sylph, to which 

 it has beea applied three times, is now in bloom, and I 

 really think that it is finer in the flower than usual. — 

 J. Ii. Pearson, Chitwell Nurseries. 



Whitney's Composition.— I find that this composition 

 upon wall-trees has the same effect as that described by 

 " Rambler " and " Lignemont." I tried a frame of 

 calico prepared with it upon a French Pear-tree, making 

 the frame fit close to the wall at the top, and sloping it 

 off so as to be about a foot from the wall at the bottom, 

 for the free admission of air. While all the surrounding 

 frees are covered with fruit, the one protected by the 

 frame has set badly ; its leaves beir,^ blistered and much 

 eaten by caterpillars. I have also tried the prepared 

 calico instead of glass for Cucumbers, and for stiikin 



Societies. 



L1NNEAN SOCIETY. 



June 4lh*—The Bishop of Norwich in the chair.— 

 Sir E. F. Bromhead, Bart., Arthur Henfrey, Esq., and 

 Dr. Potter, were elected fellows.— Mr. Richard Taylor 

 presented to the Museum a specimen of a fasciated 

 branch of the common Ash-tree. — A continuation of 

 Mr. Wood's paper on the arrangement of the European 

 Carices was read. — A paper was read from Mr. Griffith 

 of India, on the genus Sarcophyte. The description of 

 this genus was given from a dried specimen which the 

 author had received from Mr. Harvey. The plant has 

 not a fungiform character, and abounds in a red colour- 

 ing matter. Endlicher had previously described this 

 genus ; the author had not seen the membrane 

 over the polleniferous masses described by Endlicher ; 

 the anther more nearlv resembled that of Raffleaia 

 than that of Balanop'hora ; it resembled that of 

 Rlrzophora more nearly than either. The structure 

 of the ovary presented many anomalies. The ai Inn ities 

 of this genus on the whole are very doubtful. It 

 had been placed in Cytineze by Lindley ; in Cynomo- 

 riaceee by Endlicher ; in Balanophorese ; but it s rongiy 

 differed from all, and its parasitism alone could not 

 demand for it such a position. The author believed 

 that the mass of affinities in the plant, pointed ^towards 

 Urticacerc.-Before adjourning the meett n?, the Pre* 



•f 



O 



Varlev, exhibited their microscope?. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCItTY. 

 Monday, June 3,-George Newport, *<H *«' ^ 

 the chair.— A. paper was read from Mr. F. bimth, onme 

 O ynerus AnteJpe, a species of Hy»«opt.rou. .«£. 

 Drawings of its structure, with specimen of *• F*« 

 insect, its pupa, aud of the spec.es of Ieh »e» » » 

 attacks it/were exhibited._A paper -^ d £lucid*, 

 Waterhouse, on a new genus of the t amiiy ine 



which Mr. Cuming had obtained 1 w . th. Fh-PP^ 

 Islands. The genus was named N «« j, 



species were described. A new spec.es of I Blep 

 was also described from the same MtaoA » • ^ 

 exhibited a specimen of a Lime-tree .taw » ^ 

 attacked by a species of Coccus.-The <J™ f tt 



attention to a portion of the branch and leave rf 



Orange-tree, which were covered with a * P 

 Coccus. This was brought ^m ttaeAsor* ^ attacks of 

 Orange-trees were sunV r.ng greatly trom ^^ A<A 

 this insect. Mr. Ivens, from the Asor , ^ .^^ 

 the whole of the Orange-trees on one tho „sand 



were attacked, and that where tw ch( , st 



chests had been before exported, n o ^ ^ 



had been sent away during the pan J and ha 4 



first appeared in this bland three J»^ Mtttl Mul- 

 been supposed to have been in troau "V the American 

 berry-trees, which had been brought by ^ 



Consul for the pnrpose of r "" ng M lchael were now 

 Orange-trees on the island of at. •> jt8 ra vage» 



attacked, and the insect « hrc » ten f 8 ' ""mination there, 

 can be stopped, to do the work of exte ble 



as effectually as at Fayal. The extent o ^ ^ 



mischief may be judged of from tta ^ ^ 



Orange trade 



constantly employs *vu •«- ~. •-- , ]t app , . 



duty to the revenue of upwards of ou,o Michael* 

 that the insect had been i^^^ined Oraog 



through the wreck of a vessel, which co ^ 



that had been grown on the first :«Ui^ . n greatcft t 



attacked all parts of the tree, but tiiei b iossoa* 



abundance. It was found on the leave . que nct 



and the fruit. Many of the trees died as a ^ ffUlt 



of the attack, whilst others languw ed, • noaC of 



only partially. The old trees ***"**£*'&**** *** 

 them escaped. Most of the tree* oo % arioBi plaj* 

 old trees, or trees produced from layers. „ in . If 



had been tried to get rid of the^ut ^ 



other countries where frosts occurred the* 





