636 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



persons unacquainted with entomology, that we have four 

 ipecies of wasps in England ; two of these build their 

 nests above ground, and two under ground. Of those 

 that build above ground, the hornet (Vespa crabro) 

 makes use of materials collected from rotten wood, and 

 the other (Vespa britannica) from sound wood ; and the 

 same distinction in the materials is also observed in the 

 nests of the two underground builders. The common 

 wasp (V. vulgaris) uses the fibre of sound wood, whilst 

 the anchor-faced wasp (V. rufa) collects only from rot- 

 ten wood, like the hornet. The two underground species 

 appear to be equally common in this neighbourhood. 

 Beautiful figures of Vespa rufa are given in Mr. Curtis's 

 u British Entomology." The materials of which the 

 comb is made so closely resemble paper, that I have a 

 specimen where the wasps had worked up a piece of blue 

 paper to serve their purpose ; and I think it very possible 

 that they may not unfrequently avail themselves of 

 similar substances, though we should hardly detect the 

 source from whence they had obtained their materials, if 

 it did not happen to be so highly coloured as in the in- 

 stance I have noticed. How marvellous it is that a 

 single queen should have been ascertained to lay as many 

 as 20,000 eggs ! I have found as many as 500 young 

 queens in a large nest. I once brought home in a band- 

 box a hornet's nest, which I took out of the roof of a 

 cottage, after destroying all the neuters, partly by tur- 

 pentine and partly by catching them with a forceps. 

 Upon placing the nest under a large bell-glass, with a 

 little spirits of turpentine, out came about 150 hornets, 

 half of them drones, and the rest young queens. It was 

 rather lucky there were no neuters left, or I might have 

 been more severely stung than would have been agree- 

 able ; the queens were too sluggish to attack me.-/. S. 

 Ilenslow, Hitcham. 



DISEASES OF PLANTS—No. III. 



[Fungi.] 

 Bi;fore we enter more particularly upon the subject 

 of the diseases of plants, as produced by Fungi, it will 

 be right to say a few words respecting the parasites 

 themselves. They are divided into two great classes, 

 distinguished by the structure of their parts of fructifi- 

 cation. In the one, (figs. 1 and 2) the reproductive bodies 

 are produced externally, and very frequently in definite 

 numbers, as two or four, at the extremity of certain 

 privileged cells or threads, which arise from the common 

 mass of cells, forming a more or less compact tuft or disc, 

 or built up into variously-shaped processes, as gills, tubes, 

 &c, which distinguish the several genera ; or, in the 

 second case, (fig. 3) within the cavity of certain cells dis- 

 tinguished generally, as in the former case, from the other 

 constituent cells, and most frequently eight in number, 

 disposed in one or two rows. 



those Fungi which are most attractive from their size and 

 qualities, such as the large tribe of Mushrooms and Toad- 

 stools, together with the species, often of a leathery or 

 corky texture, which grow on timber, producing the va- 

 rious forms of dry-rot, and supplying the amadou of com- 

 merce. The greater part of these have the hymenium 

 perforated with thousands of pores, by means of which 

 the fructifying surface is multiplied; but not a few have 

 the sporiferous disc perfectly even, or at least only indis- 

 tinctly or irregularly rugose. To the same group belongs 

 the Puff-ball Tribe, whose structure, however, in conse- 

 quence of the early stage of growth at which it is entirely 

 effaced, has only very lately been ascertained ; as is the 

 case also with the tribe of Phalli, of which one species is 

 well known, even to superficial observers, from its disgust- 

 ing odour. A portion also of the underground Fungi has 

 been shown by Vittadini, Klotzsch, Tulasne, and others, 

 to possess a similar structure. And still more lately the 

 pretty little cups like biruV-nests, which are never seen 

 without attracting admiration, have been shown most 

 unexpectedly, by those admirable botanists, the Messrs. 

 Tulasne, to belong to the division in which the spores are 

 produced externally on certain cells of the hymenium. In 

 a portion of the Puff-ball tribe, however, which in a young 

 state are creamy or mucilaginous, amongst which is 

 reckoned the frothy yellow Fungus so common in hot- 

 houses, and so annoying from the dirt produced by its 

 multitudes of sooty spores, the structure has at present 

 not been ascertained precisely, though there is great 

 reason to believe that they will be found to resemble, in 

 this respect, the more known form of Puff-balls, with 

 which they have been so long associated. Aftpr *.V*-- 

 may be reckoned Hi© Fungi which grow on the green 

 parts of living plants, penetrating their tissues and prey- 

 ing on them, which will occupy much of our attention 

 under the various heads of Mildew, Blight, &c. To these 

 may be added a number of minute species of various 

 characters, which, though interesting to the systematist, 

 are mostly of little importance as 

 regards our present object. And lastly, 

 a large portion of the moulds, pro- 

 perly so called, which are often active 

 agents of destruction, and, as will be 

 seen by the annexed sketch of Bo- 

 trytis curta, perfectly resemble the 

 elements of which the larger and more 

 perfect Fungi are composed. — M. J. 

 Berkeley. 



■i:pt 



shooting at thetreeTan^r.i 



Let it rfin, hail, bw l^J °Z M T "** N 

 interesting ceremony i, alw aT . ' ^" " rj <*«««* 

 at night, a tremendous fire brin.TT nCe<1 « ^dS 

 afterwards. The, repe" „ r * U f h pt 7 °' "'eral .** 

 tog song.^ith all tSe Z^W^f 1 * 





permit. The juice of the fruit i. ,?" lan « 



for many hours, pretty freel, Dre.^?*^ m ** 

 ing ceremony, soW a perK ' T 7 'V"' iBt «^ 



HS5TJ? ■— * K.£^-W5 I 



long laid by are on this re mark .'w Uunsand 



localities : 







i affray wicn p-a 

 «r rwjfV, O »v».- aa i-.o uuu ujockaue-n 







APPLE ORCHARDS IN DEVONSHIRE. 



A few years since, after along and tedious ride from 

 London, on the outside of a coach, during a drizzling damp 

 day and night in autumn, I found myself comfortably 

 settled down in Devonshire. I was much delighted with 

 the large extent of Apple orchards : some were loaded 

 with large quantities of pretty tempting cherry-cheeked 

 fruit, and of others ihc n ult was collected into hoapo, 

 perfuming the air with such a mouth-watering fragrance 







1. -- Agaricus elixtis, (Sow.) 4.— Sporidium of Tuber magr- 

 Sporophore, with its four long natum (Piedmontese truffle), 

 stengmafca and small spores. with its ascus, from a sketch 



2. — Agaricus semiovatus, sent by Dr. Montagne. 

 (Sow.) Sporophores, with 5.— Sporidium of Pcziza 

 their four stengmata, and aurantia, with its two nuclei, 

 spores in various degrees of 6.— Single sporidium with 

 development. its large globose nucleus. 



3.— Hclvella elastica; asci, 

 and sporidia. 



^ This distinction, however, though apparently so 

 simple, and confessedly of the very greatest importance, 

 is, unfortunately, not always very easy of application. 

 In some cases, from the minuteness and tenderness of 

 the Darts of fructification, and the extreme flaccidity of 

 the neighbouring cells, it can only be ascertained by very 

 nice manipulation, and a practised eye; and often, in 

 particular stages of growth, the vegetation is so rapid, 

 that an hour or two will induce such changes as com- 

 pletely to mask the original structure. In other cases, 

 the two modes of structure approach each other by such 

 nice gradations, that it is not always easy to determine 

 ™th precision to which particular type a particular 

 ™ ? f fruc tiacation ought to be referred. In the latter 

 t Wnn 6Ver ' ^ in that of ^alogous difficulties amongst 



bv watchr, U tV >lantS ' the que8tion frequently is solved 

 *T* h rl ^Progress of germination. 



everv LnH^n ' h ° We l Cr ' attend the naturalist ™ 



IrHftTtLJ^T ; thG m ° St im P°rtant characters 



are often those which are most difficult of access- but 



as in the study of phamogamous plants, it is not neces-' 



sary for every ordinary lover of plants enter nto all 



the minut.rc of structure which engage the atTenlion of 



the physiologist, though all satisfactory arrangement of 



organised beings depends upon such points beL riehtlv 



ascertained and understood. So in the study of Funei a 



little experience and tact will enable a person, without 



much difficulty, to refer a species to its proper place in 



the system. 



To the first division, then, belong the greater part of 



that on the first opportunity I was naturally led to gratify 

 my wishes by tasting such pretty-looking objects. I soon 

 discovered, however, that they were not so good as they 

 looked to be, but were grown for the purpose of being 

 ground down for cider, which is certainly a very good and 

 pleasant beverage when well made. In making it I find 

 that good fruit, good, clean, sound casks, and°strict at- 

 tention to continually racking it when showing the least 

 symptoms of being moved or fermented, are the principal 

 and grand secrets for securing, in good condition, this 

 favourite beverage. 



Perhaps now, after residing in this cider-county, 

 amongst the Apple orchards for some years, it may not 

 be uninteresting to give some account of the method 

 of cultivation followed in such orchards here The 

 trees are planted, to a large extent, apparently without 

 considering what sort of soil or situation is best, and 

 without making any previous preparation ; a situation is 

 chosen, a pit is dug with a curious clumsy bit of iron 

 having a large socket-hole at one end of it, in which is 

 driven along strong pole, which answers for a handle • it 

 is worked with both hands over one knee ; the depth that 

 the roots are buried does not seem to be of any moment, 

 provided the trees are firmly fixed, so as to prevent the 

 wind from driving them down. I have never observed 

 any pruning performed, except such as is done by 

 bullocks horses, donkeys, & c . ; and as I have never 

 observed any "horse-ladders" here in use, of course 

 he pruning is not very effectively performed about the 



!?£ri P V / V6ry l0ft * trees * The onl 7 digging or 

 have rfh 7'"",°' ^ gr ° Und amon * tbe trees that I 

 ^Zrtf ,S - ° ne by plgS ' which « occasionally 



the Tear llthl ^ ^ V*"** at Certain seasons °f 

 the year, with the rings taken from their snouts. In a 



TtL S 'T n ^ eSe ir ! telli S ent animals occasionally turn 



his is K P TlT t0le i ab L y regular manner ! a » d where 

 ^ 8 th * Case the *°°« ^ects of their industry are ob- 



l Z li«J2 ?r Ver 7 * 1S I™* 7 0n Fare OCCa8ions that thev 

 are al owed to perform this surface operation. The ani- 

 mals that do the pruning are the principal business- 



fhe ^ v Say^ alU^ rt 8, aS ', iaadditionto ** operation, 

 they tread down the under crop of Grass, weeds, and 



ri 1 !! ' takC the K t0 the cider-mill, and the 



cider to the consumer ; besides, on rare occurences, a 



little manure is conveyed by them and placed over the 

 roots, close to the trunks of the trees : it is sometimes, 

 although rarely, placed at the great distance of three or 

 four teet from he trunk. Bipeds, notwithstanding, 

 perform some of the most interesting and essential pans, 

 such as planting, collecting the fruit, consuming it in 

 part, and assisting in making the cider ; together with 



Whence &2E&2 Z'Xll^o. 

 And whence thou mayest bear Apples enow ."*"* 



Hats-full! caps-full' ' 



Bu A s hel-bushel-sacks full I 



If thee does nn^li^fiX XV 

 We'll down with thy top, Yn^TwUn & - 



Were the natives shoot at tkt trm 



1 , N ^ fc b ^ i ? 8 ^ acqua£nted with th e custom here n„.k 7* 

 old Twelfth Night, I must acknowledge that I "^ 

 what alarmed at such a continual loud and AttlSS 

 of fire-arms in every direction, livinir as I AH •"***« 

 retired spot, away /rom any ath™!. Sen £? VS* 

 cold gloomy dark, and still night, and bei„ r sndSf' 

 awoke by the loud reports of fire-arms, I co ^ M not ?2 

 the meaning of it at that untimely hour • I 1,; JJ* 

 first that it was an affray with rnZvJJ.L 1 ^'* « 



en; and, suddenly hew*! 



r y . , ■ •- , -«•■"' ■« a plantation doMk. 



I fancied at first that it was some poor fellow whTk2 

 been wounded in the affray : on getting up, howevtr f 

 found that it was a couple of owls answering each o&r 

 they were as happy as could be, and the firing, 1 100a 

 found, was in no particular spot, but went pop, banc 

 east and west, north and south. On making an ttrR 

 inquiry next morning, I was informed that it was tbe 

 yearly custom. 



The Apple trees, with few exceptions, are entirely 

 left to nature, consequently they are entirely coTerea 

 from top to bottom with long Moss and Licbeni; 

 the wood and branches are as thick as those of 1 

 weeping Willow ; the fruit is generally very small §U 

 corey. The varieties are not numerous : they seess 

 all in this locality to cultivate the same kinds. I 

 have sometimes thought other good sorts could be 

 beneficially cultivated— some of the large, free-bearinj, 

 juicy varieties, such as the Hawthornden, Keswick 

 CodIing,.Kentish Beauty, Kentish Fill-basket, &c. Whea 

 I make mention of those sorts, and a number of others, 

 I am always informed that they will not answer her- 

 abouts, although I have never met with one person that 

 had ever attempted, or that had ever heard of any one 

 else attempting to introduce them ! I should be ra^**- 



in^linPfl to think - that tkoco largo juioy kiilllS, Cultivated 



for mixing with the little Bitter-sweets, would not be 

 amiss, although I dare say, under the present system of 

 cultivation, they would not be produced very large or 

 juicy. The leaves of the trees show great poverty ; they 

 are small, thin, and are not much larger than Damson 

 leaves ; they turn yellow, and fall off in some localities 

 long before the fruit has arrived at perfection ; and the 

 abundance of long Moss and Lichen in my opinion to 1 

 certain extent indicates poverty. 



I will here attempt to describe three different orchards, 

 under the management of three different persons. Tbs 

 first is an orchard of above 12 acres in size ; the owner 

 never digs, manures, or prunes himself, but leaves tboss 

 operations to be performed by his cattle; he does not 

 allow pigs to run in his orchard, therefore he has no dig- 

 ging done ; and the consequence is, that he does not get 

 a tree to bear fruit once in seven years. He lately ^in- 

 formed me that he should not have Apples enough tbi9 

 autumn to make four hogsheads of cider; that the sea- 

 sons were now so unfavourable he could get no A PP e • 

 and were it not for the grazing for his cattle undern "" 

 the trees, he should have no return, which was now become 

 a very poor one. I asked him why he did not mR " urc |v 

 trees ; in reply, he observed, they have all that tbe cat 

 make among them ; we do not mow, or carry any n^j 

 away from them. The second is a small orchard sop» 

 one acre in extent, the owner of which manures a 00 

 trees every season ; here, however, there is no d WJ 

 clone. The trees are healthy, they grow and make . 

 and produce large thick dark-green leaves and siri* 

 buds ; they are not so thickly covered with 3io-» 

 Lichen, and rarely fail to bring forth a heavy ^rop 

 good fruit. This person's cider is much songw ^ 

 being good, and of course of more value. He ma 

 larger quantity of cider than the person mentionea ■ 

 with his 12 acres. The last is a small orchard neia/ 

 another individual, who keeps no other cattle s nc 

 pigs, which are allowed to rove at freedom sdou , 

 orchard; and as the rings are taken out of their sno ^ 

 autumn, when the ground is nicely softened oy me 

 and the worms are working near the surface, those ■, 

 thy animals rout and turn up the surface ma 10 

 regular way. From the digging and •«■«"$, V & 

 pigs, an 







id from what the holder can muster, tnis 

 best bearing, healthy, orchard in the district. \ 

 duces the best cider and the least Moss J**"^ 

 This shows how beneficial a little surface-stirnng . 

 the addition of a little manure is. A considerable qua 

 of cider made and consumed hereabouts is ver ^ rf 

 the vi ;es of the men who are in the constant 

 drinking it are sallow and wrinkled. Only fancy 

 ing daily, old cider sour as vinegar \—Zur. 





