5.60 



THE GARDENERS 



CHRONICLE. 



[Aua. 17, 



are very prwiuse bloomers; but unquestionably the tinwt 

 dwarf Pelargonium in existence is that which has this "aaon 

 been exhibited under the name of '• Geuetal Tom Thumb. It 

 grow, almost prostrate, li exceedingly rich and den*c in 

 foliage, and produces with the greate-t profusion large trusses 

 of the moat dazzling scarlet flowers imaginable. I have a plant 

 at this moment nine inches high, and six feet in circumference, 

 studded with twenty seven trusses of expanded bloom, and 

 some of the trus«e* are six inches in diameter; and on five 

 plants there are upwards of ho trusses of flowers. Another 

 fine variety is one which 1 got from a nurseryman in ►P" ^- 

 under the name of " King." It is very bright in colour the 

 habit dwarf, and the trusses large. The Huntsman is iab.fi ■ a 

 desirable variety for bedding ont. The above are the best 

 aorts which I have ma with. I have heard of better, but 



I have yet to see them. . tM . . .„«,*,_—„ 



Chrytunthemumt-ViiUA now be layered, either giving them a 

 twist, or making an incision on the under side before they are 

 pegged down. Those intended for the greenhouse n a y be 

 UyVred In pots, and they will sustain no check from ». moval 

 that is if they are gradually severed from the old plants. ^ Give 

 them plenty of liquid manure after they have formed roots. - 



WPA ' lil.-FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



Carnafio«*.-The seed-pods of the first blooms must now be 

 welf w.tc»!ed and the calyx .lit down to avoid the accumui a non 

 of wet. It will be a good plan to allow them to hang downwards 

 Apparently this will be a good season for seed, and from the 

 riiht direction given to the cultivation and impregnation of 

 these beautiful flowers, we certainly are sanguine in soon 

 seeing an improved breed. Many of the old varieties of Picotee 

 will this autumn be discarded, serrated edges being a sad 

 blemish. The amateur will do well to look about him for 

 some of the newer and better varieties to supply their places. 

 We learn from the Midland Counties that Rose Picotees, which 

 hitherto have been looked on slightingly, are coming into 

 favour. The only matter of surprise with us is how they have 

 been neglected so long. Pinks.— Seed must be gathered j half 

 of what we have this year saved will be sown immediately, 

 and the other half next June. Shoots, slipped off and dibbled 

 in sand and leaf-soil, and kept moist and shaded, will root well. 

 Tulips.— The bed for next season's planting must^be^ often 

 tun 

 may 



Md, to sweeten by exposure to sun and air. The bulbs also 



j be examined, and any alteration made in the arrangement 



of the rcots, according to memorandums made in blooming- 

 time. Discard all bad and inferior varieties, those with foul 

 cups and pointed petals. &c. &c. Auriculas -moat be kept free 

 from decayed leaves, and the pots regularly supplied with 

 water. Pansies.— Seed may still be sown. Young plauts should 

 be pricked out in beds, as should also any self-sown seedlings 

 worth saving. Dahlias— Thin out strong growing sorts, and 

 pull off deformed buds as they appear.— J. F. W. 



IV.-P1NERIES, VINERIES, &c. 

 Pineries.— It is to be regretted that so few of thoae who have 

 been growing Pines over tanks have published the result of 

 their experience. In the absence of something better, I will state 

 what I find to be good practice with plants intended tor fruiting 

 during January and February. The tank pit must be got. in 

 readiness by putting into it afoot and a half or two feet of fresh 

 leaves or tan, according to the size of the pots, or the distance 

 of the pit from the glass. I then select the plants, and shift 

 them into pots from 16 to 18 inches wide, and one foot deep, 

 the sides of the pots being perforated with about 12 holes, each 

 about an inch and a half in diameter, and placed at regular 

 distances. Over the drainage I place a layer of Couch-grass 

 roots, and then some lumpy loam. On this I place the ball of 

 the plant, as entire as possible, and then fill the pot up with 

 good sound loam, without any manure, except a small propor- 

 tion of flaky leaf-mould. They are then plunged in the tan, or 

 leaves, to within one inch of the rim. By January the roots 

 will be found to be coming through the holes into the bed; I 

 then clear away the tan six inches round the side of the pots, 

 and to the whole depth of the pots, and replace it with turfy 

 loam and rough leaf-mould. Over this I place as much new 

 tan as the lower leaves of the plants will admit of, so as to 

 bring the heat as much to the surface as possible; one disad- 

 vantage of turning the plants out into soil over tanks being 

 that the heat does not rise freely through the soil to the surface, 

 where the best roots should be. It will be easily seen that the 

 use of this kind of pot has all the advantage of the turning-out 

 system, and at the same time meets the objections of those who 

 complain— not without reason— of not having sufficient control 

 over their plants when turned cut, in such cases as their not 

 coming into fruit when expected, Sec. If the weather continue 

 cloudy, but warm, give plenty of air to the growing plants, to 

 prevent their drawing. Proceed without delay with the potting 



of all plan's requiring it. 



Vines.— This damp weather will make it necessary to use 

 every precaution to prevent an undue degree of moisture where 

 Grapes are ripening, or ripe. Make a little fire during the day, 

 and give some top air. Stop all useless growths in the late 

 houses. Dm not remove the leaves of the Vines, to expose the 

 fruit to the sun, unless they are very thick, and under the whole 

 surface of the glas3. No leaves will require removing now, if 

 they have been properly attended to at the time of regulating 

 and thinning the shoots and spurs in the spring. 



Peach-house.— Little is required here now, except to give as 

 much air as possible, where the lights are kept on the house, to 

 water where necessary, and to wash the trees frequently with 

 the syringe, to free them from insects and dust. 



Figs.— See former Calendars. 



M elans.— During this damp weather, Melons will require 

 close attention to the removal of decaying or superfluous leaves 

 and shoots. Give air, if possible, every day; and light a little 

 fire, to keep up the temperature, and drive off damp. They will 

 require very little water now at the roots. — G. F. 



V.— HARDY FRUIT AND KITCHEN-GARDEN. 



rruit.— The present dull weather, however favourable to the 

 destruction of the red spider, is not at all favourable for the ma- 

 turation of fruit, or of imparting to it a rich flavour. The 

 bunches of Grapes might be inclosed in half-globes of glass, 

 which may be obtained at any glass-blowing establishment; 

 and any spare lights of framing or Peach-houses might now be 

 profitably fixed against favourite Vines or Peaeh-trees. Where 

 wasps or flics are troublesome, the fruit may be defended with 

 gauze or thin bunting ; but where much attention to ripening 

 the wood is necessary, nothing is better, than covering each 

 fruit very thinly with cotton wadding. The heavy rains we 

 have now had will prevent wasps being very troublesome for 

 sometime. 



Cauliflowers .-Make arrangements to sow seed thinly now, 

 about the 26th, and again in the first week in September. The 

 first will supply a few early heads, but they will require a good 

 deal of protection. I chiefly depend on the September sowing, 

 keeping them as hardy as possible during winter, not denying 

 them a little frost; and then, by keeping the glasses prettv 

 close, and covering up on cold nights in spring, I get the head's 

 as early as from plants sown now, with the advantage of 

 scarcely ever having a head starting prematurely. Plant out 

 a good breadth of those sown in June and July; you will find 

 them more thought of, if you can protect them during winter, 

 than any sorts of Broccoli. Lettuces.— Sow now and at the end 

 of the month for winter and early spring supply. For this pur- 

 pose, the Brown Dutch and hardy Hammersmith are the best 

 Cabbages; the black-seeded white, and the different varieties 

 of the Brown Bath, are the best Cos varieties. A black seeded 

 ■variety of the latter, sent out by the Messrs. Lane, is the 

 hardiest for standing the winter, and the longest in running 

 to seed in the summer that I have met with. Keep planting out 

 succession crops. Carrots. — Sow a small bed now and at 



die end of' the month for drawing young in winter and spring. 

 Vu*Arooro5.-Keep collecting horse-droppings and cow-dung, 

 and «'et them dried as well as you can for beds in sheds, or 

 hou«e« Where shed or house-room is deficient, and there is 

 a scarcity of material for large beds in winter, it will be a good 

 nian to make a slight bed or two in a sheltered place now. tor 

 this purpose nothing is preferable to the half-reduced dung 

 from an old lining In rather a dry state. If built in the ridge 

 form from two to three feet in width at bottom, and the same 

 in hfight, and firmly beat together and defended from heavy 

 rains it may be spawned, earthed, and bearing, before a 

 larger bed could be safely covered in. This is rare weather 

 for field Mushrooms, but many gentlemen object to their 

 going to their table ; and this is no wonder when one sees the 

 poisonous rubbish that is eaten, in defiance of warning.— R.F. 



VII.— COTTAGERS' GARDENS. 

 About this time in favourable seasons the cottage garden be- 

 comes an object of interest and beauty. Many of its gayest 

 ornaments, such as Hollyhocks, Dahlias, Lobelias, &c, are 

 now in perfection, and will require some attention. All strong 

 growing plants should be tied up so as to prevent them from 

 being broken in stormy weather. In doing this, however, they 

 should not be bundled together so as to disfigure them by 

 giving them a stiff and formal appearance; on the contrary, 

 the stems and branches should be kept as much as possible in 

 their natural position, and they should be tied so as to conceal 

 the stakes that support them. Continue to keep any fruit-trees 

 that are trained against the walls neatly fastened in, as by this 

 means the wood gets better ripened, and the fruit receives a 

 greater supply of light and air. Vines should be regularlyattended 

 to; thin the bunches, and regulate the shoots, stopping back all 

 the laterals to one joint. Where those formerly stopped have 

 made a second growth, they must be shortened back as before. 

 If the weather is favourable, a small patch of Onions bad 

 better be sown during the week on some rich, light piece of 

 ground, for winter and spring use. The White Lisbon being 

 very hardy, is a good sort for the purpose. Any ground 

 becoming vacant, by the removal of other crops, may still be 

 planted with winter Greens. If a small quantity of Broccoli is 

 planted about this time, or a little later, it will form a succes- 

 sion to the main crop, and will be found very useful. A bed of 

 Carrots may also be sown now for use next May. Last year 1 

 made two sowings of Lettuces, one on the 20th of August, the 

 other on the 15th of September; both sowings did well; the 

 latter came into use about a month later than the first sowing, and 

 formed an excellent succession. If a small quantity of Stock 

 seed is put in now, and the plants carefully taken up and 

 potted when they have advanced a little in growth, they will 

 be useful for ornamenting either the window or flower border 

 in spring. They may be preserved over winter with very little 

 protection. If a stock of Verbenas, Petunias, Scarlet Pelargo- 

 niums, and such other showy plants as are readily propagated 

 can be kept over winter, cuttings of them should now be got 

 in. If inserted about this time into a light sandy soil, covered 

 with a hand-glass, and shaded from the sun, they will soon 

 become well rooted, and be in good condition for standing the 

 winter before it arrives.— J. M'H. 



State of the Weather near London for the week ending Aug. 15, 1844, at 



observed at the Horticultural Garden, Chiswick. 



Aug 



Moon's 

 Age. 



Baromktkr. 



Thkrmomktbr. 



Max. 



T9.756 



29.744 



29.783 



29.608 



29.641 



29.424 



29-744 



29 671 



Min. 

 29.733 

 29.591 

 29.550 

 29.374 

 29.531 

 29 331 

 29.552 



29.523 



Max. 

 74 



76 

 73 

 70 

 65 

 65 

 68 



70.1 



Min. 

 45 

 41 

 64 

 54 



61 



49 

 47 



48.7 



Mean. 



59.5 

 58.5 

 63.5 

 62.0 

 68.0 

 67.0 

 57.5 



Wind. 



S.W. 



N. 

 S.W. 



w. 



S.W. 



w. 



N.W. 



59.4 



Rain. 



.12 

 .33 



.24 



.20 



.03 



102 



Average 



Aug. 9 Fine, with light clouds; densely clouded at night. 



— 10 Light haze ; tine, with white douds; clear. 



— 11 Very fine; slightly overcast; rain at ni^ht. 



— 12 Overcast; heavy rain in forenoon ; slightly clouded. 



— 13 Overcast ; showers ; constant rain ; clear at night. 



— 14 Overcast; rain; wry heavy squall commenced suddenly at noon, 



with rain in torrents; very clear at night. 



— 15 Dense clouds; rather boisterous; rain; overcast at night. 



Mean temperature of the week 3.80 deg. below the average. 



State of the Weather at Chiswick during the last 18 years, for the ensuing 



Week ending Aug. 24, 1844. 



Aug 



Sun. 18 

 Mon. 19 

 Tues. 20 

 Wed. 21 



Thur.2-' 

 Fri. 23 

 Sat. 21 





Aver. 



Highest 



Temp. 



71.3 



73.9 



73 5 



72.G 



71.1 

 72.2 



71.3 



Aver. 

 Lowest 

 Temp. 



53.6 

 51.3 

 52.3 

 60.2 

 63.2 

 49.2 

 5L3 



I 



Mean 

 Teinp 



61.0 

 62.6 

 62.9 

 61.4 

 62.1 



60.7 

 62.8 



No. of 



^■sH 



Pre 



vailing Winds 



t 



Greatest 



t . 



Years in 



which it 

 Rained. 



quantity 

 of Kain. 



1 



l 1 4 



3 



l 



• 



r. 



3 



* 

 • 



f. 

 2 



• 



4 



• 



8 



0.3 Ho. 



_» 



7 



21 



H * 



2 



1 



1 



5 



6 



3 



7 



0.18 



II— 



1 



— 



5 



1 



8 



2 



m 



6 



0.62 



2 1 



- 



1 



4 



4 



4 



2 



9 



0.58 



— * 



1 







4 



5 



I 



1 



10 



0.95 



— 



1 



— 



— 



3 



3 



9 



2 



10 



0.23 



1 



3 



^^ 



^^ 



43 



41 3 



able to extirpate them entirely- by this means (it being a 

 winged insect), you will thin their ranks very much.* 



Cats.— W. K. W.—A. person cannot justify killing the cat am 

 more than he can the dog of another. If, however, in the 

 case in question, the cat were seen in the act of killing o* 

 attacking, or carrying off a pigeon, it might be destroyed! W 



Exhibitions.— A Simpleton inquires whether if a prize is offered 

 for 24 varieties of greenhouse plants, at any public Exhibition 

 of flowers, &c, it would be right on the part of the person 

 exhibiting to include in the number one Achimenes longi- 

 flora and one A. grandiflora, or two varieties of any other 

 kind of plants? We answer yes. 



Freckles.— An Old Subscriber.— They say that Elder-flower. 

 water or Bean-flower- water will remove them; but we have 

 not much faith in the remedy. 



Grafting.— Puer.— We suppose you allude to these lines— 

 M More wondrous change ; ripe Apples grow on Pears, 

 The grafted PJum vermilion Cherries bears." 

 This is true ; but Apples do not stand well if worked on Pears. 

 The rule, that like only can be grafted upon like, is not here 

 infringed ; for similitude does not signify identity. 



Insects.— Entomolugos.— Your pupa of the Emperor moth has 

 been infested with parasites, but as they have all hatched, it 

 is impossible to determine the species j neither can we 

 give you the name of the spider unless you send a speci- 

 men. R. L. T.— The subject is too difficult to decide upon 



without repeated examination upon the spot. AH we can do 

 is to offer to tell you what the insects are if you detect any, 

 and will send us specimens, protected from pressure; should 

 you succeed, it is far from improbable we shall find the red 

 spider is the cause of the mischief. R. 



Laurustinds.— A. B.— These may be struck from cuttings of 

 the young wood put in about the end of August or beginning 

 of September. They should be put under a handglass in a 

 shady, rather damp situation, and treated like the common 

 China Rose, when it is struck from cuttings.^ 



Local Horticultural Societies.— T. L.— Much obliged. 

 We will notice this matter next week. 



Mildew.— A Constant Subscriber. — We should say that your 

 Peach-fruit is attacked by disease in consequence of damp 

 and cold. More sun and air would, in that case, be the re- 

 medy. You will easily judge whether this is likely to be the 

 cause. The fruit is more rotten than mildewed. 



Names of Plants.— M. — Basellaalba? An Amateur.— Eutoca 



viscida. 5. W.— Epipactis latifolia. A Lady.— By no 



means Humea elegans, but Verbena canescens, or some such 



miserable species.- W. W.— Your Rose appears to be the 



Yellow China. Impatiens. — Origanum Majorana. IF.— 



Alstrcemerias next week. J. M. IT.— Cotyledon umbilicus, 



not lutens. Veronica verna apparently ; if not, we will say 



so next week. E. L.— It is impossible to name fragments. 



The leaves may have belonged to aSesbania. 



Names of Fruit.— R. N.— Mirobalan or Cherry Plum. J 



Peas.— John H or sf all. —Your Pea, with pods destitute of tough 

 lining, is the Sugar Pea. The London nurserymen can most 

 probably supply it. It is the Pois sans Parchemin of the 



French. || . , . , 



Pelargoniums— C. G.H.— The following are the principal 



sorts with sweet-scented leaves :— Citriodorum, Prince of 

 Orange, Emily, Fair Ellen, Bagshot Park, Oak-leaf; rose- 

 scented, and the balm-scented.* 



Pomegranates.-G. Thorburn.—We are acquainted with your 

 Pomegranate, but onlv from Chinese drawings. It is a fine 

 thine when it flowers, and we congratulate you on possessing 

 it. The Chinese have several beautiful varieties of this plant. 

 It has no name that we know of. 



Transparent Varnishes.-/. H.-Your letter is an adver- 



MisceTlaneous.-F. Xodigas -Gr*tizsIco»es ^coram 

 nobis depictas nunquam edimus.— J/i?«w.-Tnere is no 

 objection to having your stove to face tne south east.*— - 



ing up the rafters of you^ereenhouse. 1 



SFFDLING FLOWERS. . 



„ rr vw« ha v/ examined your collection of 

 Fuchsias.— G. H. iV.-We have e xam iiraa 3 



Seedling Fuchsias; they are «enera»]r small, 



equal to the sorts generally _to be J™^^ ^ ^ greeQ 



The highest temperature during the above period occurred on the 21st, 

 1835— therm. 83° ; and the lowest on the 20th, 1839— therm. 37°. 



ally to be found in collections. No. 



3 is the prettiest; ^«J^^^^S^^S 



in the sepals.* er«wo-u»c.-*roray° they were com- 



in a box without anything damp abou f JJem. tli ey we 

 pletely dried up by the time they reached us. 

 L0BBLiIs.-ii. yerschafelt.-iieitheTf^ ™™*>* n0 \ lgh 

 nor formosa, with rose-coloured flowers, are sho y 

 for England. L. rautabilis is, howe\er, reany _ . tM|-- 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Books.— A. Z.— Loudon's •• Encyclopaedia of Plants " refers to 

 garden plants as well as wild ones, and is most useful for the 

 former. Lindle)'s " Synopsis" will probably answer your 

 purpose best. British Ferns are not generally grown for 

 sale, but the London nurserymen can any of them obtain 



such species as are buyable. Maidstone.—' 1 Howitt's Rural 



Life in Germany," and "Murray's Handbook for Germany." 

 We are not acquainted with such books for the Channel 

 Islands. It is impossible to say how much cheaper these 

 countries are than England. All depends upon the way of 

 living. They are, however, very much cheaper. 



Carnations.— An Amateur.— Good geneial directions for the 

 cultivation of the Carnation will be found in the 19th No. of 

 the •« Florists' Journal," in Wakeling's " Florists' Guide," 



and in other Floricultural publications.* S. II. — Refer to 



vol. i. p. 430; vol. lii. p. 191, and you will find the in- 

 foimation you require.* 



Carnations and Picotees. — H. H. — We recommend you the 

 following sorts -.—Scarlet bixarres: Twitchett's Don John, 

 Headley's William Cobbett, Ely's Lord Durham, Strong's 

 Duke of York, Willmer's Conquering Hero, and Ely's Lord 

 Pollington. Crimson bizarres : Puxley's Prince Albert, Ely's 

 Duke of Bedford, Wakefield's Paul Pry, Holmes's Count 

 Paulina, Cartwright's Rainbow, and Mansley's Robert 

 Burns. Scarlet Flakes : Addenbrook's Lydia, Chadwick's 

 Brilliant, Willmer's Hero of Middlesex, Greaseley's Mary 

 Anne, Wiggs*s Eirl of Leicester, and Wilson's William IV. 

 Purple Flakes: Mansley's Beauty of Woodhouse, Pollard's 

 First-Rate, Millwood's Premier, Willmer's Solander, Ely's 

 John Wright, Ely's Mango. Rose Flakes: Brooks's Flora's 

 Garland, Wilson's Harriet, Greaseley's Village Maid, Pear- 

 son's Madame Mara, Willmer's Endymion, Dalton's Lan- 

 cashire Lass. Picotees, purple edged: Kirtland's Princess 

 Augusta, Dickson's Trip to Cambridge, Crask's Queen 

 Victoria, Wilson's Pluperfect, John's Prince Albert, Brinkler's 

 Purple Perfection. Red edged:' Gidden's Teaser, Sharp's 

 Gem, Wildman's Isabella, Sharp's Duke of Wellington, 

 Hector, and Gem. Rose edged: Garratt's Lady Dacre, Will- 

 mer's Princess Royal, Barnard's Mrs. Barnard, Green's 

 Queen Victoria, Sykes's Eliza, and Barraud's Bride.* 



Earwigs.— E. G.— The beat general means of ridding yourself 

 of Earwigs is by putting a little Moss at the bottom of small 

 garden-pots, which should be supported on garden-sticks ; 

 and by laying about joints of withered Hemlock or Bean- 

 stalks; to these the insects will retire. They should be 

 examined daily, and destroyed. Although you may not be 



recommena you tu F .^~ g"" ies in cultivation supe- 

 C.B. -There are several **»"" "J c ; nd the centre 

 .1. the eye of which l %n^_fS„g W eU formed, 



with SIcp iapis lazuli blac flowers the size of L. ripUj** 



and a pair of clear white strides in the m iaa» o 



Up. Je recommend you to Propane this^one. .^ ^ 



Pavsies.- 



rior to No 



wants clearness ; 2 is a promising 



flat, with the colours clear and d^nct. brilli&n t 



Pelargoniums.- If. G-Your ^seedUng scarlet^ ^ 



in colour; it depends entirely u P°° pn t 1 , Jf v " tion .*--^n Old 



whether it is a desirable variety ^t ^ 8ubstauC e ; 



Subscriber.— Your seedling, Kate, yan«ro« 



it is very pretty in colour and markin - fi(d Sca rlet is 



Picotkks.-G. H. iV.-Your Picotee nam«"J?-K ght; it will 

 PlC °Iho k wy flower, the white ^J. » d tt ?^ r n l5Uei«ntt7 



make an excellent border variety, but 



good for a stand.* nrettv. delicate pmj 



Pmunias — W. G.-Your « e f dhn 5/ 8 no a ve ? t y to recooimead It 



flower, but it possesses no decided novelty jo ^.^ v0U , 



for eeneral cultivation.* J- J>— Tne .. S ""JL ug to form an 



specTmeis arrived rendered it tog^fij ^ something 

 opinion of them , they require to be packea up ^.^ ^ 

 damp ; Moss is easily procured •■*»•£* aU common m 



any we know.* Anonymous ;-8 seedling, sorts gene- 



colour and character, and not differ ng from ^^ ^.^ „ a 

 rally to be seen in cultivation.*--^ ^- veins „ p on a 



well-formed and very pretty flower , Wy" s slim lar to your 



?eaV-o\^e=nc b 2 & a Jg-ffi^g 



It "a ; the three latter «o"«".» l *'™ k d , ^the bloom'; 

 towt-'of good tM ' ur *-*- t T n i: t S a8 i i'rthe ?ormer »P«* e »\* 



PH V L a°n ™r-dtot fine or ^^'^^ ^ith a v" olet ^ 

 V of a rose-coloor , .the : edge „ th. flower 1^ from the van. 





leavm 

 tion in the 



the rosy colour round th !^Ver not effective.* 

 he colour. We consider the fio^rn^^.^ ^ ute . 





..n^ual, manr communication, bare oee" 



