542 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



It was a remarkably handsome fruit ; the crown was, 

 however, ratber large. — Mr. Hamp, gr. to J. Thome, 

 Esq., showed a Queen Pine, weighing 3 lbs. 14 oz., and 

 a Black Jamaica of the same weight ; they were stated 

 to have been grown on the tank system. — Finally, Mr. 

 Belton, gr. to C. \\ inn, Esq., was awarded a Banksian 

 Medal for a handsome Brown Providence Pine, weighing 

 6 lbs. 11 oz., and measuring 18 in. round and 9 in. high. 

 Mr. Belton stated that the plant from which this was 

 cut is only 12 months old ; the sucker was taken off the 

 old stool without roots in 1843, it was potted, and in 

 February last was turned out of the pot into the bark- 

 bed and planted in chopped turf mixed with a small 

 quantity of charcoal. The plant had been only five 

 times watered with liquid manure since February. Mr. 

 Belton writes, that beside this, three other plants of the 

 same age produced fruit each exceeding G lbs. in weight. 

 — Mr. Barker, gr. to the Rev. T. Thurlow, sent a large 

 mass of the fruit of Musa Cavendishii which was over- 

 ripe in the centre, while the point was quite green, thus 

 showing the fruit, which ripens in succession, in the 

 different stages of growth. — Specimens of a Seedling 

 Cherry were sent by Mr. R. Buck, of Blackheath. — 

 R. Thompson, Esq., of Stansly Hall, received a Knightian 

 Medal for 3 fine bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes, 

 the heaviest of which weighed 1 lb. 8 oz.; and also for three 

 beautiful bunches of Black Prince, (called Lombardy) 



weighing 1 lb. 8 oz. and 1 lb. 6 oz From the garden of 



the Society was the well known Mormodes aromaticum, 

 Catasetum.Russellianum, and a new variety of Dendro- 

 bium secundum, received from Mr. Fortune, who found 

 it growing about Anger Point. It produces beautiful 

 racemes of dark purple blossoms, which are quite dif- 

 ferent from the pale flowers of the old species. From 

 the same collection was also the new Achimenes picta, 

 which independently of the beauty of its flowers has a 

 pretty grayish-striped foliage that the others do not pos- 

 sess. Along with this was A. longiflora and grandiflora, 

 the smaller variety of Erica cubica, the well known 

 Stephanotus floribundus, Statice Dickensoni, Myoporum 

 parvifolium, Chironia frutescens, and a collection of cut 

 flowers of Verbenas. « 



i and 6. Mr. Bullock, for a Seedling. Extra Prizks.— I'nn oj | the Quercus humilis of the older hnf-, 



[Aug. io, 



Scarlet and Crimson Bizarrcs : Mr. Ffolliday, with 2 of Harve\ 's 

 Conqueror, and 1 of Martin's Splendid scarlet Bizarre, and 2 of 

 Mansley's Robert Barns, and 1 of Ely's Lord Milton's crimson 

 Uizarre. Pan of Carnations: Mr. Holliday, with Harvey's 

 Conqueror scarlet Bizarre, Lord Milton crimson Bizarre, Mar- 

 quess of Grariby, scarlet-feathered ; Lady Ely, red-feathered; 

 Evans's Queen Victoria, pink-feathered. Light-edge Picotee, 

 Mr. Archer, with Brinkler's Purple Perfection. 



nists, whose 



COUNTRY SHOWS. 



Royal Berkshire Horticultural Society, July 26.— This was the 

 second Sh'»wforthe season. The following is a list of Prizes : — 

 Carnations,}, Mr. Willmer, for Taylor's Marquess of West- 

 minster, Willmer's Bomplant, Middlesex Hero, Fulbrook's 

 Grenadier, Smith's Mrs. Betts, Wilson's Harriet, Strong's Duke 

 of York, Defiance, Brown's do., Watts's Bishop of Gloucester, 

 Jacques's Phcebus, Hed ley's William Cobbett, Duke of Northum- 

 berland, Hep worth's Brilliant, Babbins's Squire Mayneau, 

 Soorn's Duchess of Kent, Holmes's Connt Paulini, Willmer's 

 Princeof Wales, and others. I2varieties t Messrs. Tyao and Son, 

 for Stone's Venus, Brooks's Flora's Garland, Brinkler's De- 

 fiance, Ely's Mr. Fuller, Conquering Hero, Twiche't's Don 

 Jonn, t*t2. ri on's Enchantress. Headly's Achilles, Smith's Duke 

 of Wellington, Her" of Middlesex, Turner's Prince*-, Hhafflotte, 

 and Wilson's Harriet. Amateurs' Class— 12 varieties, Rev. A. H. 

 In "\~* T. *"* Tr^ttf* nn * m of York. Brinkler's D^.„ r , ,'„;, 

 cutt's Victoria, Ilales'a Prince Albert, Strong's Esther, Duke 

 of Northumberland, Ely's Lord Milton, Ely's Lady Ely, SoorntM 

 Bloomsbury, Brown's Bishop of Gloucester, Mansley, and 

 Beauty of Woeiehouse. Picotees, I, Mr. WjUmer, for Wells's 

 Dake, Mussen's Charlotte, Jes»op's Sir YV. Middleton, Bly f a 

 Criterion, Gidden's Miss HeoneH, Teazer, Lydia, Barnard's 

 Mrs. Barnard, Gidden's Sir R. Peel, Trude's Queen Victoria, 

 Kirtland's Princess Augusta, Sykes's Eliza, Willmer's Princess 

 Royal, Queen Adelaide, Wildman's Isabella, Barrard's Bor- 

 derer, Ely's John Bull, Green's Victoria, Crack's Victoria, and 

 Gidden's Vespasian. 12 varieties, 1, Kev. A, H. Matthews, for 

 Willmer's Princess Royal, West's Matilda, Burroughs's Mrs. 

 Beavon, Matthews's Enchantress, Toll worthy's Isabella, Sir 

 William Middleton, Matthews'g Cynthia, Green's Victoria, 

 Crask's Victoria, Brinkler's Perfection, Matchews's Regitia, and 

 Trip to Cambridge; 2. Mr. West, for Gidden's Princess Royal, 

 Trip to Cambridge, Gulden'* Vespasian, Matilda, Sharp's Fair 

 Flora, Kirtland's Queen, Turner's Queen, Nos. ?4, 31 ; 3, Mr. 

 Costa, for Princess Royal, Wilson** Pluperfect, Trip to Cam 

 bridge, Wain's Victoria, Costa's John Hampden, Kirtland'^ 

 Queen, Costa's Venus, West's Matilda, and No. 4. 



111" 



Gnisbro Horticultural Society, Ju?y 25.— This was the first 

 meeting for this season* Several prizes were awarded, but vre 

 have only received a list of rewards, without the names ot tue 

 flowers for which they were given. 



Northampton Horticultural Society, July 30.— At this, the 

 Annual Meeting, the following prizes were awarded : — Scarlet 

 Bizarres: 1, Mr. Holliday, for Harvey's Conqueror; 2, Mr. 

 Jenkins, for Martin's Splendid ; 3, Mr. Jacquest, for the same. 

 Crimson Bizarres: I, Mr. Holliday, for Ely's Lord Milton ; 2, 

 Mr. Cheny, for Vvakefieid's Paul Pry; 3, Mr. Carter, tor the 

 same. Scarlet Flakes: I, Mr. Carter, for a needling; 2, Mr. 

 Holliday, for Addenbrooke's Lydia ; 3, Mr. Archer, for Wilson 'a 

 William the Fourth; 4, Mr. Cheny, for Chadwick's Brilliant; 

 5, Mr. Hard wick, for a Seedling. Rom Flakes: l, Mr. Holliday, 

 for a seedling, called Duchess of Buccleuch; 3, Mr. Bullock, 

 for Sir George Crewe; 4, Mr. Hardwick, for Lady Ely; 5, Mr. 

 Bullock, for Sir George Crewe. Purple Flakes: ), Mr. Weston, 

 for Harvey's Commander; 2, Mr. Holliday, for Evans's Queen 

 Victoria; 3, Mr. Carter, for Village Maid; 4, Mr. Hollrday, for 

 Queen Victoria; 6, Mr. Cneny, for Belierophon ; 6, Mr. Jen kin*, 

 for Commander; 7. Mr. Perkins, (or Ely's Mango. RedPicotees. 

 Heavy-edge: l, Mr. Jacquest, for Marrin's Prince George; S g 

 Mr. Weston, for the same; 3, Mr. Jenkins, for Orson's Ade- 



i if ; i 4, Mr * Carter ' for Sharp's Duke of Wellington ; 5, Mr. 

 isuuoclt, for Prince George ; 6, Mr. Archer, for Duke of Welling. 



J^L^"^ 8 - Mr - Hardwick, 



SLP^-iH Wellington ; and 9, Mr. Perkins, for Prince George. 

 Med, Light-edge : I , Mr. Bullock, for Wood's William the Fourth ; 



Hector. Bed, Feathered- edge: I, Mr. Archer, for Orson's A<le 

 lakte; 2, Mr. Holliday, for Duke of Wellington 3 M Perkins" 

 /or Martin's Grenadier; 4, Mr. Hardwick. for Duke of We -' 

 hngrton ; 5, Mr. Jenkins, for Martin's Ruler-, ami 6 Mr 

 Carter, for Teaser. Purple Picotees, Hewed™- i 5 J' 

 Holliday, for Kirtland's Princess Augusta of CamUrUtea • 2' 

 Mr. Bullock, for Boothman's Princess Victoria; 3, Mr "llard' 

 wick, for a seedling: : 4, Mr. Carter, for Princess Victoria 

 Purple, Light-edge : I, Mr. Holliday, for Ely's Grace Darling 

 2, Mr. Carter, for Kirtland's Princess Victoria -, and 3 Mr! 

 Jacquest, for tbe same. Purple, Feathered-edge : l, Mr. Hol- 

 liday, for Wilson's Pluperfect; 2, Mr. Jenkins, for Sharp's In- 

 vincible; 3, Mr. Jacquest, for Brinkler's Juliet ; 4, Mr. Hard- 

 wick, for a Seedling; 5, Mr. Weston, for Gill's Enchantress - 



iiebfefos. 



Spain and the Spaniards, in 1843. By Capt. S. 



drington, R.N., F.R.S. 2 vols., 8vo. Boone. 

 The author of these volumes is already advantageously 

 known by his " Sketches in Spain," published some 

 years since — a work which gives us the only account of 

 Spanish natural history which is to be found in modern 

 English literature- When Captain Cook (now "WiJ- 

 drington) returned from Spain with accounts of new 

 Pines, Oaks, and other plants, to be found in a quarter 

 of Europe so often visited by English, his statement 

 excited no little surprise ; and it was only by raising 

 them from seeds, and cultivating them in our gardens, 

 that their existence, as new species, was satisfactorily 

 established. It was, therefore, with no small interest 

 that we commenced the perusal of his new volumes, and 

 we have not been disappointed. 



When the learned professor of chemistry at Oxford 

 volunteered to explore the localities in Spain where 

 phosphorite was sa«d to exist in such abundance as to 

 offer an inexhaustible supply of phosphoric acid to our 

 agriculturists, Captain VViddrington agreed to accom- 

 pany him. The wprk before us is the result of that 

 tour, extended through Navarre, the Castiles, Estre- 

 marlura, Grenada, Leon, the Asturias, and Galicia ; 

 daring which every opportunity of acquiring information 

 regarding the social, political, artistical, and agricultural 

 condition of the people was seized by one thoroughly 

 acquainted with their language and customs. 



The phosphorite, the great object of the journey, was 

 found at a place called Logrosan, in the heart of Estre- 

 madura, so far removed from the coast as to leave small 

 hope of its being possible to export it profitably, even if 

 it were in great abundance. But in fact the quantity 

 api ears to be inconsiderable compared with the reports 

 that had been heard of its abundance. 



" The town of Logrosan stands upon and is chiefly 

 built out of a mass of very hard and compact schist, 

 mostly black, with large veins of quartz. The beds of 

 this slate are nearly vertical, and run from S.S.W. to 

 N.N.E., being in fact part of the great system of Estre- 

 madura. The vein or bed of phosphorite appeared to 

 me to be conformable with these slates, and from obser- 

 vation at the junction near the road where it is best seen, 

 would appear to have been raised tocether with them ; 

 at least I could come to no other conclusion. It ap- 

 "fared to me quite independent of the granite and other 

 forrnriti ""; and *o belon<" entity ?o the siate. 



vein is of unknown depth, the quality improving as you 



descend, according to the accounts of the people, borne 



out by our own observations. In general it is about six 



or seven feet in thickness, but in the lower division 



rather more ; and also at the higher extremity appeared 



to widen very considerably. It is, however, not pure 



throughout this width, but passes into silex, and some 



pieces were sufficiently hard to form Hints before the 



introduction of percussion locks. In some parts it has 



a chalcedonic appearance, and I received a cut in my 



hand by a fragment, whilst working with the hammer, 



quite as clean as if done with a knife. By the great 



kindness of Senor Luna we were allowed to dig or do 



what we liked, and to carry away any quantity of the 



mineral Dr. Daubeny might wish, with a view to the 



future analysis. We accordingly determined to take 



four mule loads, each load or carga being calculated at 



eight arrobas, or 200 lbs., which quantity was put into 



two strong bags made of the coarse linen woven in all 



these towns. From the specific weight being very great, 



the cargas when made up had the appearance of lead or 



other heavy mineral. The distance to Seville is about 



five days' journey, and the contract was made to convey 



it at so much per carga, return of course included. The 



terms were extravagantly high, and quite out of the 



question for anything except experiment, but we had no 



remedy : should any quantity ever be required, it must 



be sent by cars round by the high road of Merida. 



" After the requisite quantity had been quarried, which 

 was soon done, we selected the most pure samples for 

 packing up, and although this appeared to be the best 

 site for quarrying the mineral, at least one-half was 

 useless, from its being so siliceous. The finer parts 

 have a purple and white laminated and reniform struc- 

 ture, like some depositions of carbonate of lime. It is 

 extremely phosphorescent when pulverised and thrown 

 on coals or charcoal ; and there is no doubt the accidental 

 discovery of this circumstance, and its very different 

 appearance from any of the adjacent rocks, originally 

 led to the discovery of its existence in this remote and 

 little-frequented district." 



We regret that our limited space should prevent oar 

 making many extracts from this interesting work. We 

 must, however, find room for the author's account of a 

 Spanish Oak :— . 



" From the southern verge of the Serrania de Ronda, 

 above Marbella, I have traced it, during my various 

 tours, to the centre of the mountains of Leon, almost 

 to the water-shed of Asturias, and from the Alcarria above 

 Gaadalaxara, to the western parts of the Sierra de Morena. 

 The tree is seen, almost without exception, as scrub 

 or copse, in which state vast tracts of it are to be met 

 with in the wide region of its habitat. I have not the 

 smallest doubt that the spray of this tree has furnished 



have, until quite recently, furnished the'materiabffc 

 the compilations called the Natural Historv of £• 

 The foliage differs considerably in size an/coUm? *' 

 usual in copse, and this is another reason for its fieuri. 

 under different names. It is a very beautiful decidua? 

 tree, and when in health is second to none of tfc 

 European species in appearance, and I have no doubt U 

 hardy enough for our climate. The foliage is a dark 

 shining green, the leaves of a sort of oval shape aid 

 serrated ; they vary in size from one inch in length or 

 less, to four inches ; so much so, that only a great deal 

 of practice would enable any one to avoid confoundioe 

 and splitting it into species. I suppose from the locality 

 this is the tree figured by Boissier, as Q. Alpestris, which 

 absurd name he proposed to confer on it, but the Quercus 

 Quexigo would be far more appropriate, and his plate does 

 not much resemble this tree, although he calls it Quexizo. 

 The timber of the Quexigo is of good quality, but as 

 they never grow together, there are no means of com- 

 paring its absolute value with that of the Q. robur. The 

 bark of the large trees is corrugated much in the same 

 way as that of the Encina. The elevation of the zone 

 the two species inhabit is exactly similar, but I have not 

 seen the Quexigo so low to the south as the congener, 

 and I am not aware that it is found below the centre of 

 the Sierra Morena, and the Serrania de Ronda. The 

 medium height at which it is generally seen is from 2000 

 to 3000 feet above the level of the sea, although both 

 in the mountains of Leon, and in the Serrania de Ronda 

 it attains a greater elevation. Wherever they are seen 

 in juxtaposition, as in the Serrania de Guadalupe, and 

 also in the Leon district, the species that is placed imme- 

 diately above it is the Alvar, or Quercus tosa, mentioned 

 in my former work as forming a zone in the Guadarrama 

 and S. Nevada. This is the woolly-leaved species so 

 I common in the Landes, and at the foot of the Pyrenees, 

 and I believe also in the Boccage of La Vendee, the 

 most northern habitat that I can quote belonging to it." 

 At Jaen Captain Widdrington found in the markets 

 '* a round Pear, not to be distinguished in appearance 

 from an Apple, of extremely good flavour." What can 

 this be ? 



The following account of the bees of Estremadura is in- 

 teresting. The case of the hiveless bees is new and curious: 

 — M Bees abound in this district, and increase to suchan 

 extent that they return an enormous profit to those who 

 take the trouble of looking after them. The common 

 hive is the hollow stem of the Cork-tree, which is cut in 

 lengths and is perhaps the best material in the world for 

 the purpose ; next to it is the common strav/one used in 

 England ; both these substances have the same valuable 

 quality of being non-conductors of heat and cold. They 

 had never heard of such a thing, much less practised it, 

 as killing bees, and were surprised when I mentioned 

 such a custom. I ascertained a very curious fact in their 



economy that is well worth attending to. A gentleman* 

 was mentioned in my former work as living near Cazalia,. 

 whom I visited in his cortijo there, where he was farming 

 the property he had purchased with his own fortune, 

 from the Carthusian convent of Cazalia, and which had 

 been restored to it, without a farthing being reimbursed, 

 by the orders consequent on the invasion of 1823. This 

 is the Canon Cepero, so well known in the first Cortes 

 at Cadiz, of which he was one of the most eloquent and 

 distinguished members. After the death of Ferdinand 

 he recovered his property, resuming his station as canon 

 of Seville, and was living in the house of Murillo, where 

 I paid him a visit. He told me that being shut up m 

 the convent of the Cartuxa at Seville, by order of Fer- 

 dinand after his return in 1814, a lot he shared with 

 nearly all who had distinguished themselves in preserving 

 the throne during the war of independence ; by way ot 

 passing the time he applied himself to study the economy 

 of bees, which he had followed up at Cazalia, and was so 

 successful in his management that in a very short time 

 he had a thousand hives ! When the civil war com- 

 menced circumstances caused their being neglected and 

 dispersed, and some swarms, finding no holes or cavities 

 to suit them, attached themselves to a beam in an out- 

 house, where they made their combs in a similar manner 

 to that by which the tree wasps suspend their curious 

 fabric from the branches. They were so well ^ satished 

 with this novel situation that they never left it nor 



swarmed, but kept adding successive combs, until they 

 nearly reached the ground, and hung from ■ /^f. P oin ^ 



suspension like a huge living and waxen stalactite. 1 

 owner never disturbed them, but had the lower comos 

 cut off as they were wanted, and the colony had now 

 remained for a considerable period, without tbeiranowiBR 



the least disposition to change it. 



This is certainly 



rather important information for the managers of ap ane v 

 and may serve to confirm the statements lately puDiisne 

 on the practicability of inducing the insect to wor 

 downwards." 



* 



Garden Memoranda. 



Messrs. Youell % Co., Yarmouth.-The con "\™l 

 from Norwich to Yarmouth by the railroad iorms 

 a very agreeable ride ; the country being level, a p» 

 senger enjoys a sight of the surrounding scenery ™***Z 

 interruption during his transit, from the " Ancient UtJ 

 to the mouth of the Yare. In a recent visit to the former 

 place, I was induced by this easy mode of conveyance w 

 visit the establishment of the Messrs. Youell, to seetnw 

 extensive collection of Carnations and ^ co ; tec8 * ^ 

 stage alone is furnished with more than , 00 P^^ 

 double tbis quantity forms a reserve, which &™ 1 " ^ 

 to fill up the vacancies as they oceur, by whlc Vrl u 

 hibition is kept in good condition for a consider* 











