

1844.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



543 



8 



time. The stage on which these flowers are arranged 

 would probably be more effective if divided into two ; for 

 in arranging so large a quantity for general effect, it is 

 difficult to give the due preponderance to colour, without 

 a much larger proportion of flakes and bizarres, com-' 

 pared to the number of Picotees. This assortment, like 

 all good collections, is composed of the standard varieties, 

 which have stood the test of years ; with the fine sorts 

 more recently introduced. In their growth the stems 

 are rather short, but the flowers are full-sized and good 

 in colour ; the flakes are particularly fine ; the blzarres 

 partake of the fault of the season, that of being rather 

 pouncy in the white. It is through this establishment 

 that the Picotees raised by the Rev. I. Burroughes, an 

 enthusiastic and successful cultivator of this favourite 

 flower, find their way to the public. I noticed a new 

 variety raised by this gentleman, named the Duke of New- 

 castle, a flower of first-rate properties; it is a l'ght-edged 

 purple; the petals are large and of good form and substance, 

 even on the edge ; the colour unbroken, the pod good, and 

 with less disposition to bar than is common. Another 

 new flower, named Mrs. Beoyon, from the same source, 

 apparently a fine variety, not sufficiently open to 

 form a correct opinion of, and a new variety named 

 Cook's Unique, red edge, with large stout petals and 

 good crown, are two fine flowers which will soon find 

 their stations in general collections. The Fuchsias here 

 are numerous and well-grown. To a collection of the 

 finest sorts in general cultivation, are added many seed- 

 lings of great merit of Messrs. Y.'s own raising, and from 

 ■eedlings of the present year, three have been selected, 

 which are handsome and distinct varieties — named Laco- 

 nii, Elegans, and Elisha ; the last-mentioned variety has a 

 very faint piuk tube, sepals tipped with green, corolla deep 

 blood-colour, and the flowers are a good size. Among 

 the seedling Verbena*, a few distinct varieties have ap- 

 peared — one named Leonora, a rich lilac purple, with a 

 light eye, is a very bright and beautiful flower ; Rose 

 charmante, a brilliant rosy pink of a peculiar tint ; Bri- 

 tish Queen, a large handsome lilac; and Hebe, a delicate 

 grey; Vulcan, which is a very distinct flower, has the 

 fault of curling back, and will, on this account, be less 

 effective. In the grounds T noticed a very extensive col- 

 lection of Araucaria imbricata, in fine health and condi- 

 tion ; Abies Deodara, and young plants of Pinus 

 gerardiana and escelsa. This memorandum was made 

 from the town garden — the nursery is some distance 

 from Y a/mouth. — F. II. 



Miscellaneous. 



An Easy Way of Making ths Seeds of the Cedar of 

 Lebanon Germinate. — M. Leroy (Andre), a nurseryman 

 at Algiers, employs a much more simple and natural 

 method of raising Cedar seeds than the common one. 

 Instead of extracting the seeds from the cones, he plants 

 these last entire in the soil; the seeds find in this condi- 

 tion a moisture suitable for their germination ; they un- 

 fold themselves between the scales, of which many perish 

 of themselves. It is easy then to remove them, for after- 

 transplantation, either into beds, into the open ground, 

 or into pots. This way is convenient for gardeners who 

 are engaged in the multiplication of such trees ; for it 

 comes nearest to nature, and all the fertile seeds germi- 

 nate. M. Pepin has presented to the Royal Society of 

 Agriculture some seeds of a Cedar of Lebanon,, gathered 

 from a single tree, plauted in the Garden of Plants in 

 1735, by Bernard de Jussieu. These seeds germinated 

 last winter in their cones, while still attached to the 

 tree ; from the end of January every gale of wind blew 

 down several. This premature germination was doubt- 

 less owing to the mildness and dampness of the winter. 

 This was the first time that M. Pepin remarked this 

 fact. The greatest part of the seeds were very much 

 swelled, others had their radicle already extended, to the 

 length of one or two inches. The winged membrane 

 which accompanied the seed was generally adherent 

 Many hundreds of those seeds collected on the ground, 

 have been sown in February, and are in as perfect a state 

 of vegetation as those which have been since put into 

 the ground. — Revue Ilorticole. 



Cider; the Antiquity of its Use in A 'or mandy.— The 

 use of the fermeuted juice of App'es and Pears was 

 known in the sixth century, and perhaps before, because 

 since 587 St. Radegonde, Queen of France, drank perry 

 (piratium) daily. The cultivation of the A pple and Pear 

 tree must have been followed in Gaul, under the 

 government of the Romans, who, as we know, took great 

 interest in this cultivation. As to the art of extracting 

 a fermented liquor from these two fruits, the exact time 

 of its antiquity cannot be fixed, but it is at least certain 

 that it was known to the Gauls and afterwards to the 

 Franks, long before the arrival of the Normans. Indeed, 

 m the eighth century, in the famous Capitulary of Vilhs, 

 which repeats the views of Charlemagne upon the 

 finances and administration of his dominions, is found 

 a curious list of the different trades which he 

 thought necessary to be in each of his great estates. 

 This illustrious Prince ordered that they should contain 

 persons who were able to brew beer and beverages made 

 with Apples, Pears, and other fruits. Other records of 

 the same period frequently mention the use of cider ; 

 and at the time of the fourth irruption of the men of the 

 ^•orth, inro Neustria, in 8G2, some authorities not less 

 respectable speak of the alleys of Apple-trees which 

 ■urrounded the ancient abbey of Fontenelle or Saint 

 Wandrille, which these conquerors entirely de>troyed. 

 Huguesde Gournay, in the charter of the foundation of 

 tlair Ruifeel, gires to the monastery a right to one of his 

 Apple orchard*. We also see, in a record of 1 1 83, that the 

 Monks of Jumieges received a donation in Apples, suf- 



ficient to make enough cider for their consumption. 

 There are numbers of charters as ancient, in which one 

 of the principal duties that the monarch requires of hi* 

 vassals is to gather his Apples to make his cider. I am 

 indebted to M. Deville, the director of the Museum of 

 Antiquities at Rouen, for the knowledge of a curious 

 document respecting this subject. It relates a passage 

 of a poem, written by the chaplain of Philip Augustas, 

 William Lebreton, who had followed this Prince at the 

 conquest of Normandy, in 1203—1204. This is what 

 he says — 



•• Son tot in autumni rubet AUia tempore pomis 

 Unite liquare solet siceram sibi Neustria gratam j" 



Algia is the province of Auge, and from sicera, an 

 ancient Latin word, which signified all fermented liquors 

 except wine, is derived our word cidre, which was then 

 written sidre. Noel found that cider was among the 

 goods which went up the Seine in 1315, and that in 1407 

 it was suld in Paris by wine-merchants. It appears very 

 clear to me that we are not indebted either to the people 

 of Navarre, Biscay, or to the North mans, for introducing 

 the cultivation of the Apple-tree into France, and for the 

 art of brewing Apples. Put I think it is equally certain 

 that it was only towards the end of the 13th or 14th 

 century that the use of cider became general in Nor- 

 mandy. Before that period beer, then known under the 

 name of cervoise, was the common drink, even in those 

 provinces which at the present time produce the most 

 Apple*. Many facts prove it. In towns and country 

 villages there were brewhoases, some of which(are known 

 to have been very ancient, one of which was at Lille- 

 bonne. In 1358 there were brewhouses at Rouen. The 

 acts of Dieppe mention beer, in speaking of the liquors 

 which the fishermen took out with them to sea ; and we 

 know, besiiies, that there were very few religious houses 

 which had not mash-tubs, boilers, and other utensils 

 necessary for brewing this liquor. If, as we doubt not, 

 Normandy possessed great numbers of vineyards before 

 and during the middle ages, beer, and afterwards cider, 

 counterbalanced at a very early period the use of wine, 

 which has never been in our country anything more than 

 a very indifferent drink. The cessation of the cultiva- 

 tion of the Vine has in my opinion been caused by the 

 disforesting of our country, for the old and lofty forests 

 protected the sides of the hills planted with Vines from 

 the north winds, and consequently assisted in ripening 

 the Grapes. In proportion as the forests of Normandy, 

 which formed an extensive net-work, were felled, the 

 quantity and quality of the wine decreasing every year, 

 the inhabitants had recourse to other liquors, the pre- 

 paration of which depended less upon the inclemency ol 

 the weather. — C< mptes Rendus. 



.CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS 



For the ensuing Week. 



L— HOTHOUSE, CONSERVATORIES, Ac. 



Aftkr the middle of August— in dull weather— established 

 stove plants should not be watered late in the afternoon; 

 the dryer the stove is kept at night through the autumn the 

 better the plants will ripen their wood ; and we all know that 

 on the perfect maturity of each season's growth depend in a 

 great measure the success of fluweiing and fruiting exotic 

 plants: therefore allow the plants as much room as possible for 

 the next three months. This cannot be too much insisted upon. 

 An early vinery, where the leaves are all fallen, would be a 

 good place into which to remove some of the stronger specimens 

 Irora the stove for six weeks or so : here, with dry atmosphere, 

 and plenty of air and light, they would ripen their wood per- 

 fectly, and the Vines would not be injuied by the treatment. 



Conservatory. — Those with fixed roots aud narrow pits 

 attached outside for planting stove-climbers in, for furnishing 

 the rafters, are now coming generally into use, and the expe- 

 rience ol a few years will suggest further improvements in this 

 way- •• Devonian's" experience this season (p. 504) ha* proved 

 wiiat I have long asserted, that none of the hardy climbers 

 should be allowed to run into the upper portion of a hou«e 

 having a fixed roof. Even the Maudevilla, which flowers 

 equally well in the stove and in the open air against a conser- 

 vatory wall, will succeed better in the lower part of such a 

 house. There can be no question about the next best climber 

 to suii** Devonian V hou»e without t e aid of a stove pit : it 

 is the Stephanotus floribuudus. A plant of this that has not 

 been more than eighteeu months planted out in the conser- 

 vatory here, is now a complete mass of bloom from top to bot- 

 tom, and growing away as freely as a P.--ioi»tloAer which is 

 against the next pilaster. Echites subertcta was planted last 

 spring; and it promises to rival the Stephauotus. I mention 

 these things in ord» r to keep people from planting out such 

 climbers in a conservatory from this time till next April. A 

 great step in furtherance of this mode of applying tender 

 climbers would be to procure old plants, and train them on the 

 rafter:* of a stove i r v.nery one season before they are removed 

 to the borders of the conservatory ; but where there is a pit at 

 the back of the conservatory to receive them this piecauticn is 

 not necessary. 



Hmtmhsmm and Fits.— Many of the more tender Heaths suffer 

 much tii m wet autu:nns, and nurserymen turn these into pits 

 or greenhouses about this tone. Pits are by far the best places 

 for such plants, as the glass can be put off and ou as circum- 

 stances may require. Chrysauthemu us anu Violets VHnft be well 

 attended to iron this time; give abundance of liquid manure 

 to both, now that they are strong enough to make use of rich 

 food. A plant or two of the Cactus truueatus might be put into 

 the Gardenia frame, or into an empty Melon pit, with other 

 plants requ ring heat: they would flower sooner than the 



general stock, and a few of them might be ke^/t back tor suc- 

 cession.—/; B. 



II.— FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Gut-door Department. 



In addicion to a proper preparation of tiie soil of flower-beds, 

 it will also in another season be advisable to place more re- 

 liance upon Annuals for an early spring display ; and conse- 

 quently, a proper preparation must be made by sowing a 

 general collection of the best kinds towards the middle of Sep- 

 tember. In the spring, I recommended the planting of beds 

 thicker than usual : and accordingly, instead of allowing onv 

 plant to every square foot, as was the rule in former year*, 1 

 planted two. The result, considering the season, has beeusa- 



factory, my beds having- been filled and in full bloom for tbe 

 test six week*; but then tnis has been attah»ed by an expen- 

 diture of labour which not one gardener in fifty could com- 

 mand ; and therefore, though the beds are full, there is no par- 

 ticular credit in the matter, as inordinary seasons I have seen 

 them quite a*, well stocked by the midd.e of June, and without 

 using near so many plants. Now, in the coming season, I in- 

 tend to plant three plants on evtry square foot ; aud instead of i 



propagating anu keeping tiie plants m cue usual w»y. in 

 stock pots, [ intend to strike three plants in a large 60, filling 

 the pot half full of soil in the first outset, and theu earthing the 

 plants up as they advance in growth ; tt»us our plants will be 

 all autumn-potted; and though they may require more room 

 for the winter, turf-pits are readily built, and, with proper 

 attention, they preserve plants as well as can be desired. No 

 amount of lab >ur, however judiciously directed in the spring, 

 can make up for time lost la the preparation of plants in the 

 autumn. Tnose who have the best plants in November will have 

 the best show of flowers next June. 



Reserve- Gardtn.— Sow ten- week stocks immediately, under 

 the protection of a hand glass. Do not permit the young 

 plants to become wet, or they will damp off. They are liable to 

 mildewy but sulphur will check it. 



Pits and Framrs.—Prt>ceed with the propagation of al! bed- 

 ding-out plants as expeditiously as possible, making ch >ice of 

 the more difficult ones first, such as Nieremhergias, Lotu- -.and 

 the like. Leschenaultias for turning out next season should 

 now be strong plants; give then; another shift if they require 

 it. Propagate scarlet, variegated, and common Pelargoniums 

 asfastas youc-»n get cuttings.-— W* P. A. 



IV.— PIXERIBS, VINERIi S, &c. 



Pineries. — Let the plants swelling their iruu be looked over 

 twice or three times a week when the weather is hot, t y 



may receive no check for waut of water. Dew the leaves over 

 on the afternoon of every fine day. Much judgment should 

 be exercised in watering the large successions during the next 

 three months, as many of the pots are by this time so lull of 

 roots, that, if as much wa'er were given to them as the roots 

 would absorb, the result would he, by the commencement of 

 winter, large and overgrown plants, which, however, would 

 produce fruit of a very disproportionate size, owingto the plant 

 having expended su much of its strength in the formation of 

 leaves. Those who have given their larger successions t.ie final 

 shift will do well to prevent this overgrowth, b> withholding, to 

 a certain extent, the usual supply ol water. The same effect 

 nay be produced by giving more air; but this would also check 

 the growth of other plants in the same pit, which may rather 

 require to be cue. imaged. If a pit heated with dung can be 



aioil for growing the croons and suckers in, it will suit thern 

 much better than putting them with the other plants in the 

 larger pits. Prepare it by filling it with Oak-leaves, or partly, 

 •eut baik \ apply but slight linings at first, to avoid having a* 

 undue degree of bottom- heat. Piunge the pots about two- 

 thirds of their depth hi a layer ot tan, and shade till they 

 become rooted. 



Vineries.— Use great caution now to prevent moisture in 

 houses where fruit is ripening, as it causes some of tiie thtn- 

 ftkinned kinds, as Muscadines and S*eeiwaters, to crack. No 

 pot-plants which require watering or syringing should be kept 

 in the vineries with ripening fruit. Now is a good tune to 

 repair and paint, or make any necessary alteiations in the early 

 vineries. Vines in pots, when their leaver begin to fade, should 

 be removed to the north side of a wall, and the pots laid on their 

 sides, that the roots may be kept dry; a little litter may be laid 

 over the pots, which will be of service to the roots, by preserv- 

 ing them from sudden changes. 



Peach Houses.— In the late houses (the crop being now over) 

 the trees will require to he watered and syringed with regu- 

 larity. The lights should be open as much as possible to admit 

 of a free circulation of air. Alter the crop is gathered, I find 

 nothing better for clearing the trees of thrip and red spider, 

 than appl}ing soap leys to them with the engine. 



Pigs. — In fine weather too much air cannot be given where 

 fruit is ripening. Supply the roots with water when necessary. 

 For this no rule can be laid down, as much depends on the trees 

 being in a state of luxuriant growth or otherwise, or ou their 

 being confined by walls. Those, whose roots are confined by 

 walls (il bearing freely) will require occasionally a good water- 

 ing with liquid manure. 



Melons.— In dull weather the Melon plants will grow very 

 fast, and will require strict attention to stopping aud thinning. 

 Give plenty of air, it will improve the flavour ot the fruit. With- 

 hold water when the fruit is ripening: a sudden supply of 

 water at that time often causes the fruit to crack and become 

 worthless. — G. F. 



V. — HARDY FRUIT AND KITCHEN-G.ARDEN. 



Vines will now require much attention where there is a pros- 

 pect ol* ripening the fruit. The bunches should receive their 

 final thinning, and u ss in the case of small sorts no more 

 th*n one bunch should be left on a s-hoot. Remove all super- 

 fluous wood, in order to throw as much strength aspossibld 

 into the fruit. If the .*pur system of pruning is adopted, leave 

 as many shoots besides those in fruit as will be wanted next 

 season ; shorten bearing shoots one joint beyond the bunch, or to 

 the joint at the fruit, provided the le «f is preserved, and oire joint 

 ot lateral allowed to remain. Pick, out a few of the buds at the 

 axils of the leaves, toward* the points ot these shoots, that the 

 buds at their base may he lendered more plump for next season. 

 Ir the longorsucc ssion rod system is fallowed no short shoots 

 need be left thai do not carry truit, and these must be kept well 

 shortened, so that by removing all useless growth and picking 

 out the young buds in the axils of the leaves of such shoots, 

 more strength and full exposure maybe given to those long 

 shoots you intend for bearing next year. Leaving a lateral 

 with a le*f or two attached, has a tendency to strengthen the 

 hud at ts base, and prcveuts this bud bursting, ir trie shoot 

 should be rather prematurely shortened ; but some successful 

 gard* ners object altogether to the leaving of such laterals, 

 considering that they lender the buds three-cornered instead of 

 plump and round. G-afts should now have their bandages 

 loosened, and their shoots properly secured from winds. 



Mildew.— See that it does not make its appearance ou your 

 wall trees. As a temporary remedy, notuiug is preferable to 

 flowers of sulphur. If merely the points of shoots become 

 affected, cut them off at once. Some trees from their tender 

 nature are very liable to its attacks, bur in t.eir case its ravages 

 mav be much modified, if not altogether removed, by paying 

 attention to keeping the root aud top of the tree in an equal 

 Stale as respects temperature and moisture. Much knowledge 

 may be gained respecting this troubles me enemy, by watehiag 

 ti.ecircu: stances in which it at»aks the more common vege- 

 tables, as Peas> &c. few*— Theremainsof the autumn-sown 

 Onions should now be got out of the ground as souu as possible. 

 The same may be said of Shallots, Garlic, &c, as soon as their 

 leaves decay, Sprinu-sown Onions a*ay have their tops gently 

 bent down with t e head of a rake, to cause the buibs to swell 

 better. The sowing of seed to stand the winter, should proceed 

 without delay Upon cold stiff soils; on light soils, and warm 

 situations, it will do a fortnight hence. No sorts are better 

 than the S rasburgh, or lar^e White Spanish. Celyy.— Prep*** 

 for earthii g up the rir>r general supply by removing ail suckers 

 and tying the plants neatly up. I earth up my first crops all 

 at once, fr m three weeks to a month belore it is wai I. If 

 earthed up at uifferent times at this early season, many of the 

 heads will run. We have had some for occasional use fur more 

 than a month. Routine.— Gather Herbs for dryi P.aat out 



aud hoe among winter crops. Clear Strawbeiry beds; mate 

 t.esh planUtio «s. Sweep and roll the walks * n * render Che 

 kitchen-garden as much au object ol interest as the pieasiwe- 

 groon«L — R. F. 



VI.— ARBORICULTURE. . 



Old Woods.— Put in practice the directions given in late i*o*. 



Coppice- Atle*4 to directions preria«^y gi^n ro; summer 



rnHfiugemenr in this department. . fK . 



You Plant atwns.-ll id of great importance t» : W »* 

 young plants and trees clear of aU other stuff, , c ^"^ n "l inW P " 

 thing (hat overgrows or press* anthem, or ^ at «^/ ^^ 



eir young and tender shoot*. When too ?™***™^ 



tree* grow u* tall and^wler, and without a sufficient numtoer 



