590 



THE GARDENERS* CHRONICLE; 





Discard this system, and begin by giving" a drop or so oi j when it is much admired both for its strange form and 



1 



castor oil dabbed on a small piece of bread, previously 

 laturated with honey or with sugar and water. Remove 

 with a sharp rile the apex of the lower mandible, so that 

 a small triangle may be formed ; this will stop the draw- 

 ing of feathers, but will not interfere with the necessary 

 process of pruning. Feed on Hemp-seed, with, occa- 

 sionally, pieces of ripe fruit, and now and then two or 

 three Almonds in the shell. The time necessarily occu- 

 pied in satisfying its appetite with the seed will not only 

 prevent surfeit, but will stop the screaming through 

 idleness — although the gray parrot is not the most noisy 



of the race. — E. " A Lady " writes-" I purchased a 



gray parrot that had scarcely a feather, and it con- 

 tinued to pluck them until it was taken off all greasy 

 food, also meat, and even bones, as the marrow gives 

 them a taste for blood, and they will even pluck their 

 feathers for the sake of the blood at the roots : they will 

 lose this habit after a time, should this plan be strictly 

 adopted : — Capsicum twice a week should be given till 

 they assume a healthy appearance. Seeds are what they 



like. My bird in a few months had a fine plumage. " 



Another writer recommends change of food, viz., bread 

 scalded in water, Indian corn, and occasionally a few 

 Almonds. The heat of the skin is the cause of Poll's 

 troubles. It should also have tepid water to wash in, 

 and should always be kept out of draughts ; the latter are 

 most injurious, and generally fatal to the tribe, or any 



birds accustomed to a warm climate. — Falcon. A 



fifth correspondent, signing himself " Medicus Corcagi- 

 ensis," says that M A Constant Reader's" treatment of 

 his parrot is the cause of his depriving himself of his 

 feathers. The same writer states that animal food in any 

 shape or form, if given frequently and long continued, 



will produce this effect. Do not allow the gray parrot 



to pick any more chicken-bones, or any kind of meat ; 

 confine her strictly to bread and milk, and a little hemp- 

 seed, if she will eat it. Ripe sweet fruit may be offered 

 occasionally ; give her now and then a shallow pan of 

 water, tepid, to dabble about in like a duck. I should 

 like to hear the result of this regimen in the course of 



two or three months. — Psittace. Milk and chickens' 



bones are bad for a gray parrot, but particularly the 

 latter. Parrots are fruit-eating birds, but, like their 

 fellow bipeds, are fond of food that is not good for them. 

 Animal food induces a feverishness in the skin, which 

 causes them to pick their feathers ; these easily come 

 out, and they get a little soft picking on the ends of the 

 quills, and thus it goes on till, unlike the Kilkenny cats, 

 not even a vestige of their tails remain. They delight 

 in a mealy Potato, or bread soaked in water, which 

 agreed right well with one in my possession for some 



time.— B. F. "N. S. H." asks, "If any remedy 



can be applied to prevent a favourite bird picking off its 

 feathers ? " To this I answer, No. This is one of the 

 inveterate bad habits peculiar to some birds, from which 



iney nev t 7r!" be weaned - Your correspondent will, I 

 fear, have' an" unsightly bird to lo^. ,,uon ' as lon S »s bis 

 parrot survives, if, indeed, it is considered a matter oi 

 " necessity " to reckon him as one of the family, and 6 

 preserve his life. I have had several b; rdg d . h 

 last six years, inoculated mth thig innoyinff propei f 8ityj 

 and !ij every case I have found it expedient to shorten 

 their lives. Their personel has rendered this a simple 

 act o( humanity.— William Kidd y New-road, Hammer- 

 smith. 



Plan of keeping up a Moist Atmosphere.—" A." has 

 found the following mode of maintaining a moist atmo- 

 sphere, during the propagation of cuttings, successful :— - 



Reference to Plan. 



a The cover of a handglass. 



b The framework of ditto. 



c A tray, or riddle, having a bottom 



made of copper wire, or perfo- 



b rated zinc, to receive soil 



wherein to plant cuttings. 



d An earthen pan, filled with water. 

 e Cuttings. 



Place the pan upon the ground, and the tray upon the 

 pan, and over these put a handglass. 



Foreign Correspondence. 



Hong-Kong, March 21, 1814.— You have, doubtless, 

 often heard of the celebrated Fatee Gardens, near 

 Canton, the flowery land, as the name implies, from 

 whence a great number of those fine plants were first 

 procured which now decorate our gardens in England. 

 They are situated two or three miles above the city, on 

 the opposite side of the river, and are, in fact, Chinese 

 Nursery Gardens, where plants are cultivated for sale. 

 I visited them for the first time last summer, on my 

 arrival in China, before proceeding to the northern pro- 

 vinces ; and again a week or two ago. There, I suppose, 

 I beheld a specimen of the-far-famed system of Chinese 

 gardening, about which we have heard so much in Eng- 

 land, and of which I shall tell you something fully. The 

 plants are principally kept in large pots arranged in 

 rows along the sides of narrow paved walks, with the 

 houses of the gardeners at the entrance through which 

 the visitors pass to the gardens. There are about a 

 dozen of these gardens, more or less extensive, according 

 to the business or wealth of the proprietor ; but they arS 

 generally smaller than the smallest of our London nur- 

 series. They have also stock-grounds, where the dif- 

 ferent plants are planted out in the ground, and where 

 the first process of dwarfing their celebrated trees is put 

 in operation. These gardens contain large collections of 

 Camellias, Azaleas, Oranges, Roses, and various other 

 well-known plants, which are purchased by the Chinese 

 when in flower. The most striking plant in autumn or 

 winter is the curious fingered Citron, which the Chinese 

 gather and place in their dwellings or on their altars 



also for its perfume. The Mandarin Orange is also 

 much growTi at Fatee, where the plants are kept in a dry 

 state, and flower and fruit most profusely, producing 

 large, flat, dark, red-skinned fruit. The Chinese have a 

 great variety ot plants belonging to the Orange tribe ; 

 and one which they call the Cum quat — a small oval- 

 fruited variety — is most excellent in their preserves. 

 The Murraya exotica, Aglaiaodorata, Ixoras, and Lager- 

 strcemia, are also very ornamental here in autumn. In 

 spring the Fatee Gardens possess the greatest attrac- 

 tions. Now they are gay with Azaleas, Cydonias, 

 double-blossomed Prunus, Judas-tree, Rubus rossefolius, 

 Bletia hyacinthina, Roses, and Camellias. The Azaleas 

 are most splendid, and reminded me of the Exhibition 

 in the garden of the Horticultural Society of London, 

 only on a much larger scale. The principal kinds grown 

 are Indica, Indica alba and phzenicea, lateritia, varie- 

 gata, and the yellow Azalea sinensis. By the by, I 

 found this plant wild on the Ningpo Hills, so that there 

 is no doubt of its being a genuine Chinese variety — a 

 fact which you seem to doubt in the * Botanical Register," 

 where this plant is figured and described. The air at 

 this season around Fatee is perfumed with the sweet 

 flowers of Olea fragrans, and the Magnolia fuscata, both 

 of which are grown extensively in these gardens. Dwarf 

 trees, as you may easily imagine, occupy a principal 

 station, and are highly prized by the Chinese; they 

 are trained into the most grotesque and curious forms, 

 resembling pagodas, dwelling-houses, and various kinds 

 of animals ; but during my stay in the town of Ningpo, 

 in the north, I saw some which far surpassed any about 

 Canton. These were Pine-trees, clipped and trained in 

 the form of deer — horns, legs, eyes, and everything com- 

 plete. A Mandarin there very kindly offered to make me 

 a present of one of them, but I was obliged to decline 

 his civil offer, as it was of no use to me, and as my col- 

 lection of plants was already large, and difficult to move 

 about with. The plants which stand next to dwarf trees in 

 importance with the Chinese are certainly Chrysanthe- 

 mums, which they manage extremely well — perhaps better 

 than they do any other plant. So high do these plants 

 stand in the favour of the Chinese gardener, that he will 

 cultivate them extensively, even against the wishes of his 

 employer; and, in many instances, rather leave his 

 situation than give up the growth of his favourite flower. 

 I was told the other day that the late Mr. Beale used to 

 say that he grew Chrysanthemums in his garden for no 

 other purpose than to please his gardener, not having 

 any taste for this particular flower himself. Moutans 

 are not natives of the South of China, but are brought 

 down in large quantities every year, about the month of 

 January, from the northern provinces. They flower 

 soon after they arrive, and are rapidly bought up by the 

 Chinese to ornament their houses, after which they are 

 thrown away, as they do not thrive well so far son* 1 * 

 Canton or Macao, and will not *— — ll as 



They are sold ace- '- - .*ower a second season. 



fi,_ .-.uing to the number of flower-buds 



• ..cy may have upon them, many of them fetching rather 

 high prices. One of the old gardeners here, whose 

 union is Aching, does a considerable trade in seeds with 

 the English and American residents ; but, unfortunately, 

 he has got a bad name, owing to his seeds generally fail- 

 ing to grow when they are sent home. It is now cur- 

 rently reported that the old man boils them, in order 

 that his trade may not be spoiled by some enterprising 

 propagator at home; but I do not credit any statement 

 of this kind, and you will, therefore, confer a great 

 favour on him if you will contradict this report, and 

 save his good name. Although the botanist will find 

 but little that is new to him in these gardens, yet they 

 are well worth a visit ; and in the spring months, when 

 most of the plants are in bloom, they have really a gor- 

 geous and imposing appearance, worthy of the poetical 

 name of Fatee, or flowery land, which the Chinese have 

 given them. The garden which formerly belonged to 

 the East India Company is still in existence; it is but a 

 small place on the river side, not more than 60 paces 

 each way, having broad chunamed walks round it, and 

 a clump, with a few trees in the middle, and a few more 

 between the walk and the wall all round. Since Mr. 

 Reeves's time no one seems to pay any attention to the 

 plants here, and if there ever were any rare species, they 

 are all gone now. A few Palms, Plantains, Magnolia 

 grandiflora, Clerodendron fragrans, Justicia adhatoda, 

 Ligustrum, Murraya exotica, the Lechee, and two or 



n, in 



Widdy Bank Fell, about ten miles st7f~^l~^ 

 Teesdale, and five from the High Force in Dark : ~ 

 the elevation was about 1800 feet. The localit '" 

 confined to a very small space—Specimens of Anemo^ 

 ranunculoides were presented by Mr. M. Stovin, fo£2 

 wild in a wood near \\ orksop, Nottingham. Specif* 

 from this locality were presented in June last- and in 

 letter to the Secretary, Mr. S. observes, « The mor? t 

 see and hear of this plant, in the Nottingham station 

 the more am I convinced of its beimr wild "__ tk. 1 ' 



wild."— The 



eluding portion of Mr. Lees's elaborate paper, on thV 

 British Fruticose species of Rubus was read, and sever.l 

 specimens and drawings exhibited in illustration of th7 

 visws contained in the Essavs. 



three other well-known things, are all that it contains. 

 The factory itself is still in ruins, but the Consul is 

 getting them cleared away, preparatory to the construc- 

 tion of new houses for the English merchants. In front 

 of the American factory there is a very nice public 

 garden, at least six times the size of the Company's, 

 with fine broad walks for recreation, and containing 

 numerous shrubs and trees indigenous, to the country; 

 nothing, it is true, of any rarity, but sufficient to make 

 the garden look extremely well. A good garden and 

 promenade is of much importance here ; for it is likely 

 to be some years before foreigners enjoy the same liberty 

 at Canton as they do in the other parts of China.— R. F. 



Storiettes. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 

 Aug. 2.— J. Reynolds, Esq., Treasurer, in the Chair. 

 Mr. G. S. Gibson, and Mr. J. Tatham, Jun., presented 

 specimens of a new British plant, Spergula stricta of 

 Swartz (Arenaria uliginosa, Schleich. and Decand. ; 

 AUinantha stricta f Fenzl and Reichenbach), discovered 

 by them in June last (in company with Mr. J. Back- 

 house and Son, and Mr. S. Thompson), near the top of 



The Favourites of the Flower Garden, arranged accord- 

 ing to the Natural System of Botany. Bv 6 

 Francis, F.L.S. 12mo. Simpkin & Co. 

 This little book is intended for the use of very youne 

 people, who desire to acquire some knowledge of Botany 

 as an amusement, and it is well suited to that purpose 

 Compared with the juvenile introductions to the Linnein 

 System of Botany, it is a considerable stride; and it shows 

 most clearly how ignorant was that outcry which arose 

 a few years ago, when it was first proposed to substitute 

 amongst students, for the threadbare artificial arrange- 

 ment of Linnaeus, the more philosophical classification of 

 Ray and Jussieu. People now inquire what the difficul- 

 ties are which terrified the ancient Botanists of 1830 

 and wonder what their clamour was about. The fact is,' 

 that the one method of studying Botany is as easy as the 

 other, if set about in the right way. The object of Mr. 

 Francis is to point out that way', and he has done so 

 zealously. We doubt, however, whether, for the 

 purpose of teaching, the work is quite exact enough. 

 However, it is only to be regarded as a preparation for 

 further information ; as the means, in fact, of exciting, 

 rather than satisfying, a taste for the study of the com- 

 mon flowers of our gardens. By aid of an abundance 

 of etchings and woodcuts, the subject is rendered so easy 

 to understand, that the most dull of apprehension may 

 quickly learn how to use the natural system for common 

 plants. The Author's account of the Daisy will illus- 

 trate his mode of dealing with the popular part of his 

 subject. 



"Everybody knows the Daisy of the fields, and every 

 one with the least taste for poetry must have read some 

 little poem written in its praise ; but our young friends 

 may not be aware that the numerous varieties of Daisies 

 found in the garden are all derived from this little wild- 

 ing. These garden favourites are of much difference of 

 form and colour ; one variety is of a very dark-red, an- 

 other of pink and white, others pure white, while a fourth 

 ki * u lias one large flower [head] and several smaller ones* 

 growing out or it ; so iu<*»- . vlias oeeu uumparcu io ahei* 

 surrounded by her chickens, and called accordingly the 

 Hen and Chickens Daisy. These denizens of the garden 

 have not, however, the charms of the wilder plant— they 

 blossom but at one season, they are often killed by the 

 drought of summer, and the damp of winter; but the 

 little darling of the wild, and which has been emphatically 

 called < Nature's Favourite,' the « Poet's Darling, the 

 « Eye of the Day ' (' Day's Eye ' or < Daisy '), and many 

 other names, blossoms everywhere and at all seasons, 

 suggesting a thought of innocence and home, for it is 

 especially an English flower; and delighted must Dr. 

 Carey have been to see one spring up m India, from 

 among some other seeds brought from England. This 

 circumstance has given rise to some exquisite lines by 

 the poet Montgomery, which are too long to quote, but 

 which conclude thus— 



Thrice welcome little English flower, 



To me the pledge of hope unseen, 

 When sorrow would my soul o'crpower 



For joys that were, or might have been. 

 I'll call to mind how fresh and green 



I saw thee waking from the dust, 

 Then turn to Heaven, with brow serene, 



And place in God my trust ! 



« It was a delightful thought of the ancient Celts to 



suppose that the employment * ™l*?l* £"^ t 

 moved to heaven, became henceforth the scat erer 8 ot 

 flowers upon the earth. The virgins of Mor« n o 

 soothe the grief of Malvina, who has lost her infant son, 

 KTo her^ We have seen, O Malvina we have seen 

 the infant you regret reclining OQ a light mist I tap 

 preached us, and has shed on our fields a harvest of new 

 flowers. Look, O Malvina-among these flowers we 

 diXguish one with a golden disk surrounded by silver 

 leaves 5 _ a sweet tinge of crimson adorns its de cate rays , 

 waved by a gentle wind we might call it a little infant 

 paying in a \ reen meadow, and the flower of thy bo om 

 has given a new flower to the hills of Cromla. Since 

 that day the daughters of Morven have consecrated the 

 Daisy to infancy; it is, said they,; the flower of iuno- 



cence—the flower of the new-born. 



cence umm j That old faV0 urite the Daisy, bora 



By millions in the balmy vernal morn, 

 The child's own flower.— Carnngton. 



Garden Memoranda. 



Groom's Nursery, Clapham Rise.— At this nursery 

 there is now in bloom many large and !J e |^ r0WI1 "^ 

 mens of all the varieties of Lilium lancifolium Several 



of the plants are between 6 and 7 feet high, 

 having from 8 to 10 stems, each producing from U to 

 To fully expanded blooms, they present a .o ^ 

 nificent appearance. On one *V**"™£^ l £\ n * 

 or speciosum, there are as many as . 3 Vt W f^ Itremely 

 on a single stem. Not only are these LUies extrem y 



