1844. 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



."•'. '*?A ' h :!.i Ud .f *Z",it HEX 1 ^IZ^*?^™ * ° f ""» --"Vrto tbcUtter^ ^cce,,-™^^^.^ 



429 





but in the above case i nare no uesiu»i 

 indies (whoever they were, and I am 

 knoW), were decidedly wrong. If the 



Ja.\ offered by the 'Society, to what they considered 

 ?h first or best collection. Now, I am quite aware of 

 th* difficulties conscientious men have to encounter in 

 »rdn* m j ud * e *> notwithstanding their instructions, and 

 the latitude of discretion allowed ihem. Having many 

 times acted in that capacity both at Chiswick and else- 

 where I have not escaped the fate of most, in having 

 judgment (such as it is) criticised and impugned ; 

 hut in the above case I have no hesitation in saying the 



I am sure I do not 

 Society offers a 

 acnes of medals for a series of collections, say of Heaths 

 or Pelargoniums, I cannot conceive it to be within the dis- 

 cretion of any judges to give the secondary medal to the 

 best collection present, however far thtt may fall short of 

 their ideal notion of perfection. In such a case I think 

 it the bounden duty of the judges to award the highest 

 medal the Society offers to the best collection there pre- 

 sent before them ; their discretion by no means extend- 

 ing to alter and set aside the proffered rewards of the 

 Society. In so doing, they exceed their duty, mortify 

 and disappoint the exhibitor, and do an injury to the 

 Sorety, which every well-wisher to its interests must 

 deplore and condemn. In course of practice in these 

 matters, I have seen subjects exhibited the worth of 

 which were so far below what the Society offers for 

 things of the same name and kind, that we felt it a duty 

 to pans them over altogether, but such could not happen 

 with collections of Heaths ; and I deeply regret the Society 

 should suffer injury, or its Exhibitions be deteriorated, by 

 any such instances of overstrained discretion (indiscretion?) 

 I leave this for your cogitation, being an ardent well-wisher 

 to the Society. — One of the Judges (not of Heaths), 

 [As our correspondent is one of the judges, he must be 

 aware of hree things — 1. That " the judges have the 

 p»fr of increasing or diminishing the number and value 



of the silver medals offered by the Society for particular 

 objects, and also of conferring silver medals or certifi- 

 cates in cases not contemplated in the regulations, if 

 they think it necessary to do so." And also " of not 

 making any award in cases where the objects exhibited do 

 not appear worthy of a medal ; otherwise a bad single 

 exhibition might obtain a prize, merely because there is 

 no better exhibition of the same class to oppose it." 

 2. That whenever the judges propose to withhold a medal, 

 the Society's officer, who registers the award, invariably 

 begs them to consider again whether they are quite jrs- 

 tified in doing so, he, at the same time, pointing out 

 that such a regulation should not be put in force except 

 on Tery sufficient grounds, and that they should always 

 tot on the side of liberality. 3. That the Society never 

 disturbs an award after it has been made. We state this 



each succeeding one becoming more and more developed, 

 and more and more perfect, it must follow that the same 

 source which supplied the materials from which these 

 organs were fashioned, by the inherent force (we may 

 believe) of the mysterious vitality with which the germ 

 was imoued, must also supply the materials from which 

 a series of organs, still more perfect, are eventually 

 moulded, and which have allotted to them the peculiar 

 task of perpetuating their race. Beside this truth, an- 

 other must be maintained and reiterated— namely, that 

 circumstances are ordained to exercise an influence over 

 the development of plants ; and that, when a sufficient 

 age and maturity is attained, the nature of that develop- 

 ment does change according to the nature of the circum- 

 stances which affect it. — T.Moore. 



Morphology.— Morphology has certainly good argu- 

 ments in its favour ; but some of its propositions are so 

 startling, that mature consideration is requisite before 

 yielding an assent to them. That stem, branch, bract, 

 flower, and fruit, are but metamorphosed leaves is the 

 leading doctrine of Morphologists ; but, I would ask, 

 why of leaves? May not leaves with equal propriety be 

 said to be modifications of the stem or the flower ? No 

 doubt the leaf is a most important organ, and performs 

 most useful functions in the vegetable economy ; but 

 does not the flower present a more advanced stage of 

 organisation, and is not the fruit the most perfect of all ? 

 Would it not be a much better mode of stating the 

 doctrine, to say that stem, branches, leaves, flower, and 

 fruit, are essentially the same in structure and composi- 

 tion, but varied and modified in their outward form and 

 appearance ? Few would, I think, object to this 



seen a dozen all over 

 the garden up to the present time. If gardeners will 

 follow this plan they will haTe no reason to regret the 

 expenmeot. The garden here had hitherto been much 

 infested with caterpillars, which, in some years, stripped 

 the trees of nearly every leaf. — A.K, 



Whitney'* Composition.— Last winter I procured a 

 quantity of calico and book-muslin, which was prepared 

 strictly in accordance with Mr. Whitney's printed 

 directions. On applying the fluid, however, it did not 

 cover near the extent of surface it was said to do, although 

 all the minutiae were fully attended to. When the flower- 

 buds on my peach-trees began to expand, the most pro- 

 mising trees were shaded with this material, others being 

 covered with netting only. As the season advanced, the 

 foliage of those protected by Mr. Whitney's material 

 showed signs of blister, and the evil continued to increase 

 until the shading was removed ; while those protected by 

 the netting were wholly uninjured. The quantity of 

 fruit in each case is about equal. Those that were under 

 the waterproof material are perhaps a little in advance, 

 but the difference is not great. Book-muslin admit! 

 more light than calico, but is very unsuitable in exposed 

 situations. Its texture does not stand the pressure of 

 wind, although very carefully secured to the frames. An 

 amateur in this neighbourhood has this season prepared 

 calico for growing cucumbers, according to a prescription 

 by " Devonieusis. This is equally waterproof, quite at 

 transparent as that of Whitney, and not half so ex- 

 pensive, which is of some consequence. A few o( hit 

 fruit measure 20 inches in length, and the plants are 

 healthy and vigorous.— Alex. Cramb, Heywood House, 

 -Another correspondent, whose name we have, writes 



phraseology. Any one acquainted with the subject of thus:—" I, with others, find that Mr. Whitney's Corn- 

 Vegetable Chemistry would agree to it without much position does not go so far as he says it will; 60 feet 

 hesitation; and I contend that the above proposition take a quart, and much care." — W. 



much on behalf of the Society. For ourselves, we are 

 clearly of opinion that withholding medals, except on 

 ▼cry sufficient grounds, is unfair to the exhibitors, inju- 

 rious to the exhibitions, and entirely contrary to the 

 intentions of the Society. The absence of large collec- 

 tions is owing to the new regulation, which prevents Aza- 

 leas, Cacti, Heaths, and such things being included in 

 them. This rule was made under the impression that it 

 would improve the appearance of the large collections; 

 Dot it is clear that exhibitors cannot, in general, comply 

 wrtb it, and we have no doubt that it will be altered 

 another year.] 



Morphology.-JTboti who oppose the doctrine of Mor- 



££*„ 5' a ? con8tantl 7 referring to instances of mon- 

 strous development in the animal kingdom, as proofs that 



mlrl°\' C if ve S etable monstrosities are to be regarded 

 MorVr, eingaccidentaland adventitious, and not, as the 



ve^n f tS , think ' P roofs of the real natttre ° f t^ 

 in wl 1 iT»r V ^° pment ' and exhibiting clearly the manner 



forth «. j tor has willcd that each 8hould brin S 



which h! ' S t ed ater its kind '" Amon « the statements 

 who h«l| V > n 1 86d to decr * the doctrine, and those 

 as beini V T ne have been 8 ° positively insisted upon 

 ammal m «lf 8,VCly repulsive to if > a8 these instances of 

 thTbeT, 1 ?u t,0n ' Jt 8eems ^ h»*e been forgotten 

 *al 'and that rt £**" ° f the d <^opment of the ani- 

 exist any a,*!/ the ve S e t*ble kingdom, there does not 

 f rom the nr* • COn8e quently, the deductions drawn 

 weight in tKa 68 afforae <* by such instances, have no 



of the foreeoi g r ent - We ma ? take a8 an ^^ration 

 aQ d the ir ft f gl period when the infant creature, 



P rl °r to this n Ve ^ tabIe ' Decome visibIe and tangible : 

 neutral wound/- the con8ia * er ation may be left on 



fefcnt animal at l^ n0t affeCt thc 1 ue8tion - An 

 not perfect at 1 moment after its birth, it 



increase in'si •* fully forraed 5 and its subsequent 

 P«rts, but /'with l8 n °- t caused °y any accession of new 

 Kene of disten*' * tnflin & e *ception) is only a constant 

 tbat 8tru c t ure wr\ 0r °* filiin S out tne various parts ot 

 there palpable in *' the moment of its birth, was 



miniature. It i 3 everv .P art — a perfect animal being in 

 *ben it bursts fro^ dlfferent wi th a new-born vegetable 

 Tiew J it ha S not m ltS tenemer, t and is presented to our 

 {***, indeed a root* 617 part of its structure formed : it 

 but these are imne f* * hC nucleus of one 5 * bas leaves, 

 to those which foil ' transient, and subservient only 

 'jSetab'e being Z J and the future existence of this 



, 't« structure whiT merely a 8cene of fi,lin & out P art8 

 Zl instant •cce^n* 1 ' # then present and P al P* ble ' b,,t 

 idd,t 'on of new rn ?, f new ^ arts ' and ° r a constant 

 ° o r , foments conn "?'*,, " C u bein * the case ' no instance 



A? M having ° e WUh aDimaI orgamsation can be 



!. Mor Pboloa/ U T e ! a \ ,on or bearin 5 on the doctrine 

 able kin 



e *isten 



would embody the whole of the much-vaunted doctrines 

 of Morphology. But when we hear flowers called " im- 

 per'ect leaves," or fruit " stunted branches," is it not 

 natural to regard such terms as unscrupulous and un- 

 philosophical ? No doubt florists can sometimes, by 

 varying their mode of treatment, cause plants to grow 

 to flowers or branches — to wood or fruit— according to 

 wish ; but then, this is by using artificial means. In a 

 natural state, the various organs of a plant will be found oc- 

 cupying their allotted and constant situations; and if,as in 

 the case of the Pseony, instanced by " R. E.," there is a 

 progressive change from the lowermost leaf to the very 

 pistil, are not these but the nice and beautiful grada- 

 tions which Nature, always hating sudden transforma- 

 tions, employs in all her works ? — Dendrophilus. [The 

 reason why leaves are taken as the types of all the other 

 organs is, that they are first formed, appear in a perfect 

 state before any other part, evidently change into the other 

 organs, which themselves are reconverted into ordinary 

 leaves in the presence of any disturbing cause of suffi- 

 cient power. The artificial means employed by florists 

 are only an imitation of the ordinary means put in action 

 by Nature, when transformations are produced. J 



Budding. — I have generally used adhesive plaister cut 

 into strips about a quarter of an inch wide, to secure the 

 bud in its place, and I consider it far better than either 

 bast or worsted, as it not only keeps out the air per- 

 fectly, but is less likely to cut into the stock. It is 

 equally eligible for grafting ; I have grafts inserted this 

 spring, and secured by the plaister, having the union of 

 the bark with that of the stock so accurate as not to be 

 seen but by a careful inspection. — Lusor. 



Labelling. — In reference to labelling Roses,(see" Rose 

 Garden," p. 372,) I beg to recommend the following plan 

 for securing neatness in the stamping. I have a piece 

 of iron plate 8 inches long, 2 wide, and 5 thick ; upon 

 this is another the same length, 1 inch wide, and J thick, 

 fixed by a screw at each end, so as to cover half the width 

 of the other plate. I introduce the lead I wish to stamp 

 between the two plates, and fix it firmly by tightening 

 the screws. I then apply the letter-punches to the edge 

 of the thin plate, and punch upon the thick one, which 

 gives me a true line. The operaiion will be understood 



^om%*i ich belon * 8 exclusively to the veget- 

 »<*. has m> °V" a .P * nt - whcn ^ first springs into 





^ v "*for cla m^ root and 



a > and a. lU further growth and increa.eisin 



Pansies. —This being the proper time to plant out 

 Pansies, cuttings of which were put in under hand- 

 glasses in April, and are now fit for bedding out, I beg to 

 give the following particulars as to their successful culti- 

 vation. Prepare a bed to the depth of two feet with, 

 loam, cow-dung, and road-sand ; place the plants 18 

 inches apart every way ; coat the bed all over with cow- 

 dung one inch in thickness, to prevent it appearing un- 

 sightly ; cover it over with fine sifted road-sand, which 

 will cause it to have a neat appearance, and the sharp 

 gritty particles will also protect the plants from snails, 

 slugs, &c, as they have a great aversion tp crawl over 

 rough uneven surfaces ; the above composition will 

 cause the plants to grow moderately and bloom finely, 

 and the coating of cow-dung will prevent the necessity of 

 watering during the hottest weather. — J. R. % Woolwich. 

 Strawberries. — My practice in the cultivation of these 

 is neither novel nor peculiarly valuable, but it has certainly 

 been abundantly successful, and might possibly, as far as 

 it goes, assist in settling the question of the annual re- 

 newal of this valuable and highly esteemed fruit. My 

 plan, then, is as follows : — I peg down the runners as 

 early as possible, taking care to cut off all the super- 

 fluous ones as they appear. By the first week in July, at 

 the latest, I plant them out at 18 inches between the 

 rows, and only one foot from plant to plant. I prepare 

 my bed by deep trenching, and manure it abundantly 

 with good frame dung, mixed with the rakings of the 

 borders, mowings of the lawns, refuse vegetables — in short, 

 with litter of all sorts, and then well saturate the heap 

 with gas-water. The result of this practice this year was, 

 and continues still to be, as follows: — My bed was under 

 a south-east wall, and divided equally between Keen's 

 Seedlings and the British Queen; the length is 100 feet, 

 the breadth is 9 feet. I began to gather most excellent 

 fruit on the 23d of May, and on that day picked a quart 

 of Keen's Seedlings, and from that time to this, I have 

 gathered more than 2\ bushels, the Seedlings being 

 nearly exhausted, but the Queens promising a more 

 lengthened duration. I have to add, that they have, not- 

 withstanding the dryness of the season, been watered but 

 three times, but then they were deluged, and that every 

 week I regularly took off all runners. The fruit o( both 

 sorts was the finest I ever saw, and that not by culled 

 samples, but universally over the beds. These were 

 planted runners last year, and put in the first week in . 

 July.— J. Vaux, Northfield, Ryde. 



Asparagus. — I tried salting Asparagus-beds two years 

 ago, and each year the beds were worse and worse, and now 

 that I am digging them up, the earth turns up in largo 

 lumps as adhesive as glue ; the roots are in pools of 

 water, and of course nearly rotten. This is not the fault 

 of the soil or subsoil, the former having the advantage of 

 28 years' indefatigable care, and the latter a rather 

 tenacious brick earth.— J. Vaux, Norlhfield, Ryde, 

 by reference to the accompanying woodcut. I have I [Our correspondent may rely upon it his mode of apply- 

 found it an improvement to bevel off the edge of the thin i«g the salt, or some other cause, has done the mischief, 

 plate— as shown in the cut— to about ,\, of an inch. All evidence goes to prove the great value of salt to 



I consider Wetterstedt's marine metal better than lead Asparagus.] " Este" begs to say that, following the 



— beine thinner, and, of course, lighter.— W. advice in the Gardeners' Chronicle, he applied salt to his 



Gooseberry Caterpillars I have for the last three I Asparagus beds, each 14 square yards, nine in number, 



seasons (this year excepted) adopted the method of pick- | 2 lbs. to the yard ; 1843 was a cold and wet spring ; his 

 ing off the eggs of these before they are hatched, or im- produce was greater and finer than ever. This year he 

 mediately afterwards. This plan is both simple and followed the same plan, the spring dry and frequently 

 effectual, and is not expensive when the person who does hot ; the produce greater and better than last year, 

 it becomes accustomed to the work. The garden under Thanks, and many, to the sound sense of the Gardeners 

 my care contains between three and four acres ; all round Chronicle. 



the borders and two squares are planted with Gooseberry Bees.— Your correspondent, Mr. Grant, complains or 



" " what he styles remarks tending to ridicule his com- 



■ 







1 RET) MTCVO 



e 



! ' I 



1 1 

 1 } 



1 



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bushes. The first year I gave a boy a halfpenny per dozen 

 for leaves containing eggs, or caterpillars ju»t hatched, be- 

 fore any of them had left the leaf. The whole sum given to 

 the boy dining the season amounted to about 7*. 6d. 

 Last year I gave the boys employed in the garden 6*. 

 for keeping it free from caterpillars, and this they did 



munications. I acknowledge that, on reading in the 

 Gardeners 1 Chronicle, some of the communications on 

 the subject of bees, my feelings have been aroused ; and 

 I agree with the observation made by a recent writer 

 on - Substances in Manures," who observes, that 



