1844 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



447 



4 





t 



~ ~ a A many an old familiar face, speaking of home 

 there find ma J ^ see Ranunculuses, Cardammes, 



and its cot , Sundews, and Geum-like plants, 



"^Twith Epilobiums, Callitriche, and Montia fon- 

 mU hut to remind us that we are, nevertheless in a 

 Unt; i,nd Aceenas mix with the herbage, and a Myr- 

 ftraD5 tree (Metrosideros lucida), from 20 to 40 feet 

 PT unfolds its crimson flowers. 



g \V e await with impatience the continuance of this 

 mosUnteresting book. 



vnTlCFS of NEWPLANTS WHICH are EITHER 

 >0TIC USEFUL OR ORNAMENTAL. 



« -numicM Hbndersonii. Messrs. Henderson's Gom- 



G ,°k - PB « Vfvergreen Shrub). Leguminos<e. Decandna 

 pboiobmm. I & [ant be , ongs to a g. enus extremely elegant 

 Monogyuia. * f lyinorplmm i s probably the most uni- 



*° d Ttw of any of its members, and is remarkable for 

 venally K ""\. intv of its stems, and the bold and conspicuous 



thetena0 !l„r of its beautiful blossoms, and it is also a plant of 

 •rrangemeni" e asy culture. G. Hendersonii possesses a 



-j^-cter which differs widely from this, though it is no less 



;Sck growth and easy cuUure. 



^r'^i'htd^fo/Sauty! 1 Instead of shoots remarkable for 

 disunited tor o . y ^ cont a small dwarf 



f?h of a low growKnd very stiff rigid habit, approaching 

 b ' Lrlv to G ericifolia. The leaflets are small and narrow, 

 Siavfternatc, whilst those of G. polyniorphum are sometimes 

 alwajsce , .. five# The flowers are scarcely so large, 



?7 e .rJ DroTccSTn equal abundance, and near the extremity 

 Irthn shoots Seeds were sent over by Captain Mangles from 

 tte Swan River in 1840, from which plants were raised in the 

 fnllnwinc spring. This plant flowered in the nursery of Messrs. 

 Sende son nf Pine-apple-place Considerable skill and atten- 

 tion is necessary to preserve this species, and indeed many of 

 the slow crowing New Holland plants, in a healthy growing 

 conditHin It is one of those delicate-rooted plants which are 

 so extremely susceptible of injury from the careless application 

 of water Nothing is more likely to prove fatal than either to 

 allow the soil to become too dry, or to maintain it in a wet and 

 sodden state. At each application sufficient water must be 

 given to moisten all the soil contained in the pot. Slight 

 waterings, though often repeated, are not so beneficial as one 

 copious application; as the surface of the soil alone becomes 

 moist and the great bulk which surrounds the roots of the plant, 

 and on which it is chiefly dependent for nourishment, remain* 

 almost a- dry as before. A peaty soil of a fibrous nature, with 

 a trifling admixture of loam and sand, should be chosen, and in 

 potting, sufficient drainage must be employed to provide a 

 ready escape for superabundant moisture. And as this is a 

 plant which never rambles or grows large and luxuriant, it 

 must not be planted in too large a pot. Immediately after pot* 

 ting it should be placed in a close frame, and kept shaded from 

 bright sunshine, till the roots have taken hold of the fresh com- 

 post. The great difficulty experienced in inducing cuttings to 

 strike root still prevents the plant from becoming common or 

 even generally known. Cuttings must be chosen from the 

 young wood just as it begins to acquire firmness, and they 

 should be planted in sand, the pot plunged in a slight bottom- 

 heat, and covered with a bell-glass. The specific designation 

 is given in compliment to Messrs. Henderson, of Pine-apple 

 place.— Pazton's Magazine of Botany. 



emission of too much vapour, for most things, in winter. ' 

 The Melon-pits lately erected appear to answer well, 

 especially where the iron tanks are covered with porous 

 tiles, made to fit above and lap down the sides. The tiles 

 give out enough of moisture to the soil, and effectually 

 prevent the roots from beina; injured by contact with 

 the iron. That the plants like their situation is amply 

 proved by their fine, large, dark-green foliage. They 

 were raised from seeds sent by Colonel Stoddart from 

 Bokhara ; and by others from Cabul. They appear to 

 be strong-growing, and prolific kinds ; they are planted 

 in Norwood loam. In some instances, the surface of 

 this is paved with small stones, which tend to preserve 

 the roots in a more uniform state with regard to heat 

 and moisture during this dry season. In the large stove 

 is a plant of Aristolochia gigas, or Pilate's nightcap, 

 trained along the roof. This is an excellent stove- 

 climber, having been in bloom three or four months, and 

 producing seven or eight of its singularly large concave 

 blossoms at a time. Besides their size and curious form 

 they are not without beauty, from the pretty dark- 

 purple veins that intersect the lip, which has a cream- 

 coloured ground. Around the orifice of the tube the 

 colour is a beautiful, rich, velvety purple, which adds 

 much to the beauty of the flower. In general appear- 

 ance it somewhat resembles Aristolochia fastens, but is 

 much larger, and has more the appearance of a cap. 

 When grown in a pot this plant is exceedingly liable to be 

 attacked by red spider, which renders the plant un- 

 healthy, and gives the foliage a bad appearance; 

 but it succeeds well planted out in the border of a large 

 stove, for which, from its extreme luxuriance of growth, it 

 is particularly suitable. It was received from Guatemala 

 a few years ago, but is not yet generally known. In the 

 same house was a Gesnera, very much like G. rutila, 

 that had been sent from Popayan by Mr. Hartweg. In 

 the house that was formerly a Pine-stove, but that has 

 lately been greatly altered and improved, the plants have 

 a very healthy appearance. A large plant of Doryanthes 

 excelsa is throwing up a strong flower-stem, at present 

 about 6 feet high, in the large conservatory ; and here, 

 among other plants, was also in bloom a tine bush of 

 Mimulus glutinosus. 



168 hours, 

 sown, the 

 2, and all 



Garden Memoranda. 



Horticultural Society's Garden^ Turnham Green. — 

 Among the various experiments carried on here, that of 

 steeping seeds has occupied some attention. Seeds of 

 the principal kinds of grain and legumes, viz., Wheat, 

 Barley, Rye, Oats, Beans, and Peas, have been steeped 

 in solutions of nitrate of soda, muriate of lime, sulphate 

 of magnesia, muriate of ammonia, phosphate of ammo- 

 nia, salt, and water. These are sown in parallel beds, in 

 rows drilled across the beds, and an unsteeped row of 

 each of the above-named grain is sown beside them, in 

 order to ascertain comparatively the effect of the steeps. 

 Judging from present appearances the Wheat, Barley, 

 Rye, and Oats, seem to be little affected by the steeps, 

 but, if anything, some have rather an injurious than a 

 beneficial effect, especially on the Wheat. In the case 

 of Peas, however, all were killed except those steeped in 

 sulphate of magnesia, the unsteeped, and those steeped 

 m water only ; the latter are the best. Of Beans, the 

 row that was steeped in water is decidedly the best. In 

 the large stove are seeds of Lupinus Hartwegii, in pots, 

 that were steeped in a solution of phosphate of ammonia. 

 There were 12 pots, in each of which 5 seeds were sown 

 on the 22d of April ; those that germinated appeared 

 above the soil about the 25th of the same month. The 

 nrst sowing was G hours in the steep, the second was 

 • anu so on in progression to the 12tb, which was 



or a week in the steep. Of the 5 seeds 

 greatest number raised in each pot was 



- . °f them had a sickly appearance ; four 



ot the pots produced nothing, including the seeds that 

 were m the steep 168 hours. Other 12 pots were sown 



*\ S ki stee P ed in the same kind of solution, but con- 

 siderably weaker, all other circumstances being the same 



a -tK V6 i ; - and the resultin this instance is nearly similar 

 --with this exception, that the 5 seeds which were G 

 flours in the steep were healthy. Five seeds, receiving 

 exactly the same treatment with regard to tem- 

 ?g F ^ re ' &c -» but not steeped in the solution, are very 

 f n P The S rou nd manured with artificial manures 

 w[th f t0C8 last 8eason » ^ this year sown with Barley, 

 subst anj manure > in order to prove the effect of the 

 ati an ^ on a second crop ; owing to fhelong continu- 

 littlp ?■«• y weath er, however, there is at present very 



said of . k erence in an y of the beds * The same may be 



as ul portious sown with Wheat,and manured exactly 

 nhafp f eaS ° n ; wbere the muriate, sulphate, and phos- 

 JL_ V f. mmoni a were applied, the plants exhibit adarker 

 the I ge than the others. With regard to heating, 

 w ecast - ,r °n tanks put up by Burbidge and Healy, in the 

 Weath envi /" ier y;bave as yet proved satisfactory. During dry 

 for th" c . ircul »r openings in the covers are left open 

 the V' C en "* 8ion of vapour — so essentially necessary to 

 have IT' /u this dry season particularly. The Vin»s 

 fluee r alth y Droaa dark-green foliage. The smoke- 

 tight ^ , u° nverted int ° hot- water gutters, rendered water- 

 r 8 °7 cement, and covered with tiles, answer admirably 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS 



For the ensuing Week. 



I.— STOVE, CONSERVATORIES, &c. 

 For the next six weeks or two months, according to the 

 weather, stove plants ought to have more air and light than at 

 any other period. After this time, therefore, shade as little as 

 possible with the exception of Orchidacere and young or newly, 

 propagated plants. Seeds of those splendid Clerodendrons. 

 which make such fine display at summer Exhibitions, should be 

 sown as early this month as possible ; they will flower about this 

 time next year, or earlier; and seedling plants of them are 

 much easier to mar.age than those from cuttings. 



Conservatory.— Climbers in this house-it they are what 

 they should be— will now require the greatest attention ; train- 

 ing, thinning, and arranging them properly, occupies a great 

 deal of time, and is one of those jobs that should never be done 

 in a hn.ry. Formerly.it was customary in many places to tie 

 up these close to the pillars and rafters, &c, in a stilt', formal 

 way, bus now it is thought they can hardly have too much 

 freedom, providing they do not injure other plants with their 

 shade. Orange-trees, and many large specimen plants, require 

 less water about this time; but diminish the quantity very 



rapidly. I have lately given my stock a dose or two of Potter's 

 Liquid Guano with evident benefit to the plants. Pmnaet.— 

 Take advantage of the first showery weather, to put out your 



voung plants.— J. F. W. • 



IV.— PINERIES, VINERIES, &c. 

 Pineries.— Examine frequently all plants in pots not plunged 

 over the rim, to see if they require water. Be attentive to 

 giving air, and shadi ,n hot weather. Should any of the fruit 

 show indications of ripening before the soil is in a proper state 

 of dryness, raise the p->ts out of the tan, to allow them to 

 become dry, and avoid syringing them. Much cau'ion should 

 be exercised not to continue watering too long, as the flavour 

 of the fruit suffers much by the soil being kept t list when 



ripening. Pot or plant all strong suckers as soou as taken 

 from the plants. Suckers grow with greatest vigour when 

 planted in flaky or half-decayed leaf-mould over tan; and if 

 those now ready can be so treated, they will, by the end of 

 September, have made great progre*^. and be fit tor potting in 

 6 or 7 inch pots, in which they will be well-established by the 

 middle of November. Whether planted out or potted they 

 should have a bottom-heat of from So to 85°, and be shaded in 

 biigut sunshine, till they are well rooted. 



Vinei — Thaee who have been fortunate in keeping the 

 foliage of their early forced Vines clean and healthy up to this 

 period, will stand the best chauce M success next >ear. Con- 

 tinue to wash the foliage occasionally, and give plenty of air. 

 If the loot* are outside, no more watering will be necessary 

 in situations where rain has fallen freely, particularly 

 where mulching is practised, as recommended in former 

 Calendars. Those who, like ourselves, are in a situat.on some- 

 what resembling that of Tantalus, and can see and : e r ot ram 

 falling in abundance all arooo I them, while their own ground 

 is parched up like an African desert, must water away yet. 

 The mulching should be of sufficient thickness to prevent the 

 soil from cracking, but not alt. r to prevent the action of 



the sun and atmosphere on the b »rder, as that is of great benefit 

 to the roots. In the ** Answers to Correspondents *' la*t week, 

 it is saiil that " MOM of the best gardeners syringe their Vines 

 morning, noon, and night." As this practice in at variance 

 ith m wn experience, I am now making some further expe- 

 riments on the subject, which may help to set the matter at 

 rest, and the results of which 1 will make known. 



Ptath houses.— Attend to the watering, syringing, and venti- 

 lating of the late hou . HouseN f.om which the crop has 

 been gathered should be kept perfectly clean from insects, and 

 the paths ai.d borders in neat order. If the lights are required 

 for other crops they may be removed alter the Ireea have been 

 properly hardened to the air, by leaving the back and front 

 ventilators open night and day for a week or 10 days. I, how- 

 ever, prefer keeping the lights on till the leaves begin to fade, 

 giving the air fall scope, and supplying the Inside roots with 



water when necessary. 



Fig-h .use.— Trees planted within the last two or three years 

 will probably be growing too \ rously to bear much fruit. 

 Give them no more water than will secure the fruit they have 

 on from dropping ; stop the lateral bhoots at every third eye, 

 and keep them thin, iu order to let the leaves have sufficient 



air and light. . 



Strawberries.-K number of small pots should now be got in 

 readiness in which to lay the runners intended to make plants 

 for forcing next season. Taking care to nave plenty of plants is 

 one great step towards having plenty of truit next spring. Pre- 

 pare also some loamy soil, moderately enriched with leaf- 



monld. for potting them in. *_ - - . . — 



l/,./,,,*.— Pay attention to stopping the laterals and setting 

 the fruit on the successional plants. Keep them very thin, 

 never allowing one leaf to overlap another. Keep np the heat 

 in dung-beds by fresh linings when necessary.— G. r . 



V.-HARDY FRUIT AND KITCHEN-GARDEN. 

 Pear and Apple Trees, ^c— Those who thought proper to 

 attend to the stopping of the shoots of Pear trees, &c. against 

 walls, will be gratified with perceiving the buds swelling beau- 

 tifully at the points of the small spurs, and at the base of the 

 shoots shortened. Allow the yoang shoot, started from the 

 foremost bud of the stopped shoot, to grow a little longer, or if 

 getting long, merely pinch out its point, as any sudden check 

 to the flow of the sap, alter such feaial rains, w tuld he apt to 

 cause those promising buds to break into shoots which you 

 would rather wish to gee adorned with blossom and fruit next 



Whatever opinions we may entertain on disputed 



season. 



points in vegetable morphology, there can be no question 

 that the production of blossom or of leaf buds, will depend 

 mainly on the circumstances in which a plant is situated, and the 

 treatment it receives. It is a general c >.n plaint th.tfirie looking 

 old Pear trees against walls produce sparingly, and that chiefly 

 on the points of the branches. This is party owing to the 

 fact, that the other parts of the tree are so pothered with 

 breastwood during the best part of the summer, that the buds 

 finally left cannot be matured by the juice-elaborating in- 

 fluence of light, and partly is it attributable to the prejudice 

 that exists among the employers of gardeners against seeing 

 their fruit-tree borders uncropped, the consequence of which is 

 ihat the roots are incited to go so deep that they absorb juices 

 Of so rank a character, that our longest and best suuimers are 

 insufficient to ripen the buds on their will iw-like draoCkjna 

 true remedy for this is to raise the roots nearer the surface 

 (the cutting of the roots a yard or two from the bole ot the tree 

 and filling the trench with rich compost, is working to make 

 work), timely fore-shortening, and slight or no cropping. On 

 Tome occasions I have witnessed beneficial resu produced by 



s 



ummer for almost all plants— the only fault being the [ attend to shading, &c, as the warm 



gradually. .. , , . 



Greenhouse.— If the plants here now are all of the true green- 

 house kinds, give them as much air as the house will admit; 

 but if, as is generally tr.e case at this time, they are a mixed 

 collection of half stove plants and annuals, fee, you must keep 

 them close at night, with a very damp atmosphere, and you 

 may let the house get well heated by the suu before you give 

 air in the morning. Training and staking plants, surfacing 

 pots, and all that sort of routine business, you need not be re- 



II. ^FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Out-door Department. 



There is little to attend to in this department at the present 

 time, except cleaning, and keeping everything and every place 

 as neat and tidy as possible. The Grass here, which was dressed 

 with Potter's Guano when the rain fell, though as brown as a 

 grave!- walk, is now as green as could pos-ibly be desired, while 

 other lawns in the neighborhood are still comparatively quite 

 brown : so much for Potter's Guano. Attend to the removal of 

 flowers as fast as they decay, as nothing looks so untidy in a 

 well-kept garden as dead flowers. 



Reserve Garden.— Under this head last week T made a mistake : 

 the last sentence ought to have read as follows :-Brompton 

 Stocks must be sown immediately, but Brompton Ten-week 

 Stocks I never sow before the first week in August. The reader 

 will please to attend to this. ,,,_,- j u 



Rnsery .—This is delightful weather for budding; and where 

 the buns are properly matured, as they are in most places, it 

 must be attended to immediately. Established plants of Roses, 

 that make very strong branches which hide the flowers, should 

 have them shortened in below the level of the flowers.— 



W. P. A. 



III.— FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



Tulips.— These ought now to be all safely stored; those which 

 are seeding on the bed, must occasionally be examined ; when 

 the stalk assumes a yellow tint, the roots may be taken up, and 

 the stems, with capsules attached, may be placed in an airy 

 room, till they become perfectly dry. Bulbs which have per- 

 fected a head of seed, usually " come out of character" the fol- 

 lowing season. More Tulip seed will be saved this season than 

 usual; and florists are congratulating themselves on the 

 great increase their bulbs have made, and the prime condition 

 they take up in. Pinks.— Plant out the first crop of pipin&s, 

 if proper attention can be given them; such as 8n jJ ai "|f: 

 watering, &c. If more convenient, wait till the first slower 

 comes. Carnations.- 1 noticed in the Chronicle some time 

 ago, a recommendation to mix fresh cow manure with w *£ r « 

 tor plants; it may suit some well, I doubt not; but I nea 

 lost a large stock of Carnations two years ago, by warer s 

 them with such a mixture. It was just previous to iaye m b. 

 and it appears that the eggs of a species of fly were aep 

 in the dung; and consequently earned to the surface or toe „u 

 in the pots, with the water; the process of l R y er . in »J!h hlack ' 

 and in about a week, myriads of small brown grubs with discs 

 shining heads were hatched. The work of desttucUon co«n- 



menced scores of pots, full of layers, J«^J^ v ? a ' an d 

 layers of those remaining were unpegged, the sou ren 



every precaution taken ; but the P^« "^ a S \um ng heir 

 it appeared, in consequence of the pests (to «g ^JT^ \££ 



pupa state. They did not attack those w latera i s , a „d Nursery Work.— la consequent -■ - - treqae nt stirring 



HS'L £?»£ U * iff S weatner brings them on ground, between rows of plants, will req 



aSngoff thTJoaTg «2ta every alternate branch on old 

 trees choosing nice shoots, about a foot apart, on the other 

 branched ^commencing at the top of the tree^ym -shoots 

 In a pendent position to the denuded branches, taking oat 

 these branches in the succeeding yea', and t {« '^ear^n% 

 other circumstances being favourable, the tree was regularly 



covered with young {l *f clumbers under hand-lights should 

 Vegetable Marrow and Cucu mber iu * ^ ^^ 



have a little ^ ll g/ ci s /f a ^eSte^ which 'will keep the fruit 

 are pegged out to their n au e mushrooms quicker 



clean, '^•J^SSmML Cucumbers in frames will require 

 S^ - BB^S5!d.« we have much dull weather, and 

 11^ fshoSa beso\vn, or «s^««Mri :**^*£* 



B „ «« m Re ~ure nice crisp truit, when those on ridges may have 

 I ™J£ s?n ed rom a cold autumn. In making beds, though 

 SeiK?ow be wanted, it will be found a saving of 

 labour and ultimately of material, to make them large enough 

 nt first' as previously recommended.— R. F. 

 at nr s r, a* p V l.— ARBORICULTURE. 



Old Woods.— As the overgrowth of Brieis and other stuff is 

 very injurious to young trees, frequent attention sh >uld be 

 naid to keeping their summer growths from being ipjur.-d. 



Coppice.— Presuming that all tne produce of this year's cutting 

 is cleared away, and that fences are put in good repair, great 

 care should now be taken to regulate and keep in proper order 



e young shoots from stools, &c. Train these, for P"' n £!"* 

 purposes, and prevent them from injuring each other oy 0.105 



too crowded. . . .. -.- a t 



Young Plantations. -If landowners would consider t tie gre 

 vantages, as well as profits, that would arise ^^^ 



summer~pruning and training of young trees, r« ^ 1 ""-" " 

 they are first planted until they shall haye : reach ed *fteen ^ 

 twenty years' growth, the plantations 1 and f^* '^arance. 

 is country would have a much » ore " td J 1 t, Jhe%»neral state 

 The neglect of this practice is apparent :irom - 

 of plantations and hedge-row trees »t the pre ilion . Me ep 



He^e-rowt—Young trees '^•JffSuses. 

 them from being injured by cattle or d Wea ther, the 



Nursery Work. -la consequence of the s ._.-.__:__ 



