1844.] 



=r^TT7The aeentTc^nrerriing whose utility in cultiva- 

 • A T^f S may be reasonably entertained, are the salts 

 T £ic^id The latter is proved to be of itself a 

 ^werfol and valuable promoter of growth when em- 

 'l^in very small quantity, and the effect of muriate 

 P ^ or common salt is well known. Hence Mr. 

 ^attention was turned to the consideration of the 



;.*,« and among others of muriate of lime. 

 m « r „ nearly ail the experiments which have been made at 

 ♦u rTdens;" he observes, «< marked effects have been 



Wed by manures containing muriatic acid ; hence it 

 P Tonable to conclude beforehand that the muriate 

 W nimTwould prove a good manure. Other considera- 

 ? . Ive it a still higher interest; from previous expe- 

 nd it had been ascertained that a very small quantity 

 Trmiriate of lime in a soil, exerted, in consequence of 

 ?i hTerometric properties, powerful influence on^he 

 Entire power of the soil for moisture. It was, how- 

 ^r apprehended that the presence of any quantity of 

 theislt even though small, might prove injurious to 



etation. The experiments above described show that 

 Jh?$ ii not the case ; the quantity employed was con- 

 siderable and so far from doing any harm, it on the 

 contrary produced a very excellent effect. The experi- 

 ments on the hvgrometric powers of soils just referred 

 to were part of an extensive series, undertaken with a 

 view of ascertaining what influence saline manures exert 

 on the retention of moisture. Weighed quantities of 

 natural and artificial soils of various natures were 

 moistened, some with pure water, and others with water 

 holding in solution minute quantities of different saline 

 substances ; the soils were carefully weighed from day to 

 day, and the daily Iobs of water, subtracted from the 

 original quantity of moisture which the soils contained, 

 showed the relative retentive power of the soil under ex- 

 amination. The following short table shows the result 

 of one of those experiments in which 25 portions of fine 

 siliceous sand weighing 2000 grains each, were each moist- 

 ened with 500 grains of pure water, and weighed every day. 

 To the first five portions nothing but the water was 

 added, the next five received in addition one grain of 

 muriate of lime, the next five two grains of that salt, the 

 next five, five grains, and the remainder ten grains of the 

 muriate. The mean of each five weighings alone is given ; 

 the numbers show the weight of water retained by each 

 portion during the experiment : — 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



411 



1st Day 



2d do. 



3d do. 



4th do. 



eth do. 



6th do. 



7th do. 



8th do. 



9'h do. 

 10th do. 

 llth do. 

 12th do. 

 13th do. 

 14th do. 

 15th do. 

 16th do. 



Water 

 only. 



1 Grain 



Muriate of 



Lime. 



500 



444 



892 



322 



266 



230 



188 



132 



80 



50 



26 



13 



8 



2 



2 



2 



500 

 449 

 403 

 344 

 293 

 26 1 

 223 

 176 



129 

 93 



68 



40 

 26 

 14 



9 



5 



2 Grains 



Muriate of 



Lime. 



500 

 453 

 408 

 SSI 



305 



273 



236 



189 



145 

 110 



85 



57 

 40 



25 



18 



12 



5 Grains 



Muriate of 



Lime. 



500 

 457 



412 

 356 

 312 

 280 

 243 



197 



154 

 121 



98 



71 

 56 



39 

 31 



24 



10 Grains 



Muriate of 



Lime. 



500 

 463 

 416 

 361 



317 

 286 

 249 

 206 

 163 

 134 

 114 

 90 



77 



60 



52 

 44 



Hence it appears that while soil in its ordinary con- 

 dition had lost in 16 days nearly all its water, that in 

 which 10 grains, or a 200th part of muriate of lime had 

 been rnued, retained nearly a tenth of the water ; a most 

 important consideration in a practical point of view, con- 

 sidering the cheapness of the material and the disastrous 

 effect* of drought. 



Another paper consists of notes by Dr. Lindley, 

 upon the Rate of Growth by Plants, at Different 

 wioda of the Day. In this paper the object was to 



Shi- 1Q a degree in which vegetation is affected bv 

 £gnt and darkness in the rate of growth. We must 



flue 6 f u the develo P m ent of a plant under the in- 

 SDh ° Ce °. f a br, g»t sun, or in a damp and clouded atmo- 



■EnrU ' ln .„ R t C0 ° l ni & ht » or in a chill y morning before 

 few cm *!!! materi *lly dissimilar. But it is in very 

 to such 8 • P h y siol °g i sts have turned their attention 

 forcing Ta " atlons » and because the operations of the 

 quiry a gCner are much connected with the in- 

 madpfnn/f r,eS °f OD8er vations upon the subject was 

 Mr JZJ n M d , ail y« in lhe g ar <*en of the Society, by 



A Pril 1843 n ,dur ' ng the months of March and 

 Sweet Will Plants selected for experiment were a 



f •«*• i ana t 



tabular form W "T" y,tja ^ lwa ^ yjuo *° 6""- -*- 



^stnts. A.ft* . can on ly find room for some of the 



tions confirm er t Statln8tllat in some respects the observa- 

 fastest in war P reva iling opinion that plants grow 

 bright weath ^ , 0ud y weather, and slowest in clear, 

 " Bu t if the T ■ author remarks as follows: — 

 confirm the * Xper 1 lments were to a certain degree to 

 "*arm cloudy wh ° pinion that plants grow fastest in 



war m 

 thep 



9 



^ l are founl " iOISluI *e. Ihe numerous exceptions 



S^th confon *r en u m those P lants which in rapid 

 Efficiently well , best to the supposed rule show this 



tk « 'lowest ern ,, when * e a "empt to reduce to it 

 ■? met 'ttie8 o n r WC fail entireI y 5 the facts inclining 

 Ue m °*t «inirnU W f 7 and 80metime s the other. One of 

 * th e totally a f s brou 8 ht out by these observations 

 ,r °duced unon i COrres P°»dence between the effects 



Uncet - Thelk- * * y the 8ame ext ernal circura- 

 . «c subjects of experiment were placed within 



a few feet of each other, in a house heated very uni 

 formly, and equally exposed to light, and to every other 

 agent by which it is conceivable that plants should be 

 affected. Yet, strange to say, it appears certain that 

 the same causes do not produce the same results, when 

 operating upon plants of different species. For example, 

 the greatest growth made by the Sweet Willow was on 

 the 7th of March, when the noon-day observation gave 

 .56 ; at that hour the growth of the Fig had been only 

 .08, and of the Passionflower .24, which was about the 

 average ; and of the Vine only .42, which was slightly 

 above it. The greatest growth of the Passionflower was 

 on the 14th of April, when the 6 p.m. observation gave 

 ,82, which was .42 above the average; on the same day 

 the Willow had grown .36, or .20 above the average ; 

 the Fig .09, or about the average ; and the Vine, .14 or 

 •24 below the average ! Upon the whole, then, it seems 

 that we must regard the growth of plants as a far more 

 complicated problem than is generally supposed. The 

 evidence that has been produced appears to show that 

 there is a regular oscillation of growth during the 24 

 hours, that the principal development takes place in the 

 afternoon (between noon and 6 in the evening), and fol- 

 lows the smallest, which occurs in the forenoon (between 

 6 in the morning and noon) ; and that this oscillation is 

 not connected with light and temperature, because the 

 growth in the forenoon is less than in the morning (11 

 p.m. to G a.m.), when the temperature is at its lowest; 

 it may also be inferred that thin-skinned plants grow 

 fastest in the absence of bright light, and possibly that 

 thick-skinned plants obey an opposite law. But it does 

 not appear satisfactorily that the varying rates of elon- 

 gation are, under the circumstances of the experiments 

 now detailed, dependent, to any considerable extent, 

 upon fluctuations of temperature, light, or moisture. 

 On the contrary, it seems almost certain that some 

 other powerful agent is in operation, the nature of which 

 we have at present no means of ascertaining. 



Miscellaneous. 



Guano. — The top and sides of the Morro de Arica, on 

 the Coast of Peru, appeared, as we had already seen 

 them from the open sea, of a white colour ; but we had 

 been mistaken in supposing that such was the colour of 

 the rock. This white coating is the celebrated fowls' 

 dung, the guano of the Peruvians, which has excited so 

 much attention in recent times.* Along almost the whole 

 coast of South Peru this excrementitious matter covers 

 the small islands and cliffs near to the coast : and on 

 some spots lies in such enormous beds as could only be 

 produced by the accumulation of thousands of years. It 

 is derived from the immense multitudes of the larger sea- 

 fowls which inhabit this coast, and which belong chiefly 

 to the genera of Pelicans, Cormorants, and Gulls. Their 

 number is legion, for, in the true sense of the word, they 

 eclipse the sun when, early in the morning they take 

 flight from their resting places, in flocks that are miles 

 in length. One must have seen them in order to form 

 an adequate idea of their numbers ; and then it becomes 

 conceivable how in particular places such vast masses of 

 this manure are yearly dug up. Mr. Rivero estimates 

 that the islands Ilay and Jesus alone yielded annually 

 500 fanegas of this fresh birds'-dung. The guano is an 

 article of commerce of great importance, particularly as, in 

 the southern maritime provinces of Peru, where a great 

 want of water prevails, the soil is very sandy, and re- 

 quires to be manured previously to being tilled. The 

 extraordinary fertility which birds'-dung, with sufficient 

 irrigation, imparts to the soil, is equally well known to 

 our countrymen in Europe : in Peru the produce of the 

 fields is doubled by it. According to the age, and per- 

 haps also according to the different kinds of fowl that 

 yield it, the guano is found of different colours and 

 quality ; so that it has been divided into three distinct 

 varieties, namely, the red (Guano rojo), the brown (G. 

 perduzco), and the white (G. bianco); which also bring 

 different prices. The red and brown kinds sell at 1^ dol- 

 lars the fanega (2\ quintals), while the fresh white 

 fetches 2 dollars, and in time of war still higher 



prices The birds which yield the Peruvian 



guano are known by the general name of Huanacs. — 

 Meyen's lleise urn die Welt, vol. i. p. 434-5. 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS 



For the ensuing Week. 



I.— HOTHOUSE, CONSERVATORIES, &c. 

 This is about the best time to get any necessary repairs, or 

 painting, &c. done in the stoves, as the greater portion of the 

 plants may be safely removed into other houses; indeed all 

 plant-houses ought to have a slight coat of paint annually. Any 

 moveable sashes may be done from the outside, by turning 

 them on purpose. The lights of pits and frames at work may 

 be painted any time in dry weather, by turning them in the 

 same way. Many of the soft-wooded stove plants flower best 



while they are young ; and about the end of June is a good 

 time to propagate these for flowering next year. 



Conservatory. — Common Pelargoniums are now being struck 

 from cuttings in the open ground round London in mul- 

 titudes; the old plants might also be shaken oat of their pots, 

 and planted in the open ground, to be taken up early in the 

 autumn, so as to get well established in the pots before winter; 

 they would make excellent plants for forcing next spring; 

 the midsummer cuttings will make strong plants by next 

 October ; and if they are well encouraged early in the spring, 

 they will make beautiful flowering plants this time next year. 

 All the best varieties of the Chinese Primrose should now be 

 divided and planted out in a shady situation in very rotten 

 leaf-mould, to be taken up next September for winter flower- 

 ing. Seedlings of them should also be planted out now in spare 



♦ It is worthy of note that the guano was known to Ilorrera. In 

 Dec. V., lib. iv.. cap. !), In ys ifc En algunas Mas de la c. del 

 Pern se ven unos cerros blancos, qui pareeen de nieve, y son mon- 

 tanos de estiercoide Pajaros nuirinos, que van alii a ettercolar, y 

 alii van los Rancos a cargar de ello, para estercolar la tierra, de 

 que sienten gran provechoete." 





pits, well shaded, there to remain till they all flower, when the 

 inferior sorts may be thrown away. 



(frr f n/iuuse.— All the best specimen plants are still to be kept 

 in-doois, but the paths are flooded over every evening to keep 

 the plants in a moist atmosphere ; and where a portion of the 

 hardier stove plants are introduced among them, the doors and 

 ventilators had better be shut up late in the evenings. 



Pits.— Prepare to make a large plantation of your choice 

 dwarf and young plants in these uaeftti structures, turned out 

 of the pots for two or three months in suitable composts. One 

 who has notseen the good effects of this plan can hardly con- 

 ceive the improvement it makes in the plants, particularly on 

 Heaths, Epacrises, and other delxate plants, which are difficult 

 to manage in drv hot seasons mnder the ordinary pot culture. 

 —D. B. 



II.— FLOWER GARDEN' AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Out-dour Department* 



The directions of last week, 1 am sorry to say, are still appli- 

 cable in this put Ot the COQDtry ; lor though I can hear of heary 

 rains in various parts, it is by no means a general thing at pre- 

 sent. This dull weather is, however, all in our favour, and ray 

 plants, which have been well watered, have grown more within 

 the last ten days than they had previously in treble the time. 

 I have heard of great success having attended the applic >n 

 of concentrated manures to bedded out pi tnts this I MX) ; but 

 as the same cause which has kept tin in growing through this 

 dry weather will start them to growth instead of flower, 

 perhaps those who may now have strong ; its will find a great 

 scarcity of bloom la the autumn. I therefore do not fe< 1 war- 

 ranted to recommend the use of bik 1 1 mutants, except on very 

 poor soils, an til by experiment 1 have satisfied myself of the 

 advantages of their application. 



Chrysanthemum* which have been planted out and are now 

 becoming tall, may have their branches regularly pegged out so 

 as to get the tips turned up prepare > to their being layered 

 towards the end of next month.— ir. P, A. 



111.— FLORISTS FLOW ERS. 



Aurirulns.— Continue to prick out seedlings, in pans or boxes, 

 shading them irom the sun. Polyanthuses* ii wc continue to 

 have showers, may be parted to advantage now, renewing the 

 bed with decayed cow-i iure, and leal-soil, some growers 

 horten the leaves; it is mo^t advisable not to do so. 

 Tulips. — The general collection may now be taken up, pro- 

 vided the foliage lias assumed a yellow hue; shake the soil 



clean from the roots, but do not yet remove t ibres in outer 

 skin from the bulbs; place them in their respective compart- 

 ments in the boxes, or wrap them in very thin paper, called 

 M Cap-paper, 1 ' writing the name on each. Hanunculuse$<— 

 The late drought has been seriously against these beautiful 

 flowers. Any roots, the foliage of which has begun to 

 decay, must immediately be taken up ; as rainy weather 

 will cause them to " start * again, to the almost certain 

 destruction of the root. In sunny weather, dust the capsules 

 of your favourite flow« is, which you may be anxious to seed, 

 with farina of the best formed semidoublcs you can iin. 

 Carnations.— Follow the directions given last week, pinching 

 oft the laterals, disbudding, tyinff, keeping free from Aphis (if 

 possible), &c. &c. Put in pipings, as i tended for the 



pink, marking each lot of cutUqgs, so that when the layers 

 bloom from which they were taken, if they should chance to be 

 44 run," or full of colour, the pipings from such foul flowers 

 may be destroyed. Dahlias.— Careiully stake, tie, &c. &c— 

 J. F. W. 



IV.-PINER1ES, VINERIES, &c. 



Pineries.— It the bottom heat where the plants are swelling 

 their fruit fall below 85°, the readiest way of renewing it will 

 be to lay a few inches of fresh tan on tne surface; should the 

 pots be already plunged to the rim, the new tan may be laid 

 over the surface ofthe soil, without detriment, it not with posi- 

 tively good effects to the plant, as it helps to keep the soil in a 

 uniform state of moisture, which is a great desideratum in the 

 culture of this plant, as well as of all others. Where the young 

 stock is grown in pits heated on the tank system, and tan is 

 consequently used merely as a material for plunging:, I 

 recommend "the practice of covering the rims of the potato the 

 depth of two inches, as also recommended in Mr. Hamilton's 

 " Treatise/ 9 I have practised this method, and find it bene- 

 ficial to the plants, and also a saving of labour, as watering is 

 almost dispensed with, excepting what the plants receive by 

 being well syringed every evening. 



Vineries.— Let the houses where the fruit has been cut have 

 plentvof air, and keep the Vines free from insects. Those 

 Vines" now ripening their crop will require the temperature to 

 be kept well up during the day, with abundant ventilation at 

 the top of the house. No fire need be made at night, but the 

 atmosphere must be kept dry. Attend to the watering of the 

 Vines planted inside the border. In removing the litter from 

 the roots, take care to leave sem* of the shortest as a 

 mulching, and if the border appears at all dry, give a copious 

 watering. 



Peach- houses.— Continue the treatment recommended tor tne 



IciSt f ti W WGCWs 



Fig-housf.— The plants in pots will now have their second 

 crop advancing to maturity, if they have been treated as re- 

 commended in the Calendar for April 20th. Let them have 

 regular supplies of water as they may require it, and avoid 



we-ting the fruit. . 



Melons.— Wc hod it difficult to keep Melon plants in pits 

 heated by hot water free from red spider this season ; nothing 

 but constant watching for its appearance, and applying imme- 

 diately the usual remedies, will keep this pe*t in check we 

 wash the walls and pipes once a fortnight with white wash, in 

 a pailful of which half-a-pound of sulphur has been »»«"ett. 

 Persian Melons require a very dry and warm atmospnere to 

 grow in, with abundance of notetare at the lower part 01 tne 

 soil. This we supply to them by means of earthen pipes placed 

 perpendicularly in the soil at intervals of five or six feet, into 

 these water is poured once a week; and to keep the atrno- 

 sphere dry, the apertures of these pipes are covered with tiles 



in damp weather.— G. F. ^.TPtif' rADnpv 



V— HARDY FRUIT AND KTTCHE.s-GARDElS. 



Last night we had at last a beautiful ran. Every one who 

 has had the same privilege will be busy planting, sowing, thin- 

 nine- cScc As soon as convenient let the surface of the ground 

 be well stirred with the rake or hoe, to prevent the moisture 

 evaporating. The late very dry weather will have forced several 

 tbinjrs upon the consideration ot many ; such as the importance 

 of so choosing the site of a garden as to have a plentiful supply 

 of water ; the construction of tanks in gardens short of a supply, 

 to receive the water from drainage, hothouses, frames, &c. It 

 is an ascertained fact, that in general as much rain fails on a 

 dwelling-house as will supply the inmates during the season. 

 Why should such a fact not be made available in gardens ? In 

 most pit and frame grounds much valuable matter is lost every 

 heavy rain, which would be of great service for summer crops. 

 The past season will likewise have demonstrated the utter in- 

 efficiency of surface-watering, the importance of keeping the 

 irfaee of the -oil loose and often moved, and the great advan- 

 tage of digging or trenching deep for all the main crops. Cm 

 ground thus treated 1 have never seen Peas, Potatoes, &c loo* 

 better, though they have had no t stance from the wat< ring- 

 pot. Ruutine.— Attend to fruit-trees, peg down the shoot soi 

 Cucumbers and Vegetable Marrow underhand-lights, bf umi au 

 roll the walks and make every place clean and tidy.— ■«•*• 



Vl.-ARBORICULTURE that 



Old Woods.— Attend to previous directi 'v/Ides o/ their 



the persons employed really understand tne puncu*** 



work * . ro A in this department; 



Coppice.-The same attention is rcqii^red £ i £ Bt 



prune, train, and regulate }** J^?*™?.. ^ much crowded, 

 do nut allow them to get injured by nem* «*" 



