184*j_ 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LON1 >N. 

 Se ,-,.— J. Reynolds, I [., Treasurer, in the Chair. 

 Mr T lug* 11 presented a specimen of Teurrium Butrvs 



fouii 1 in a s ton 7 field at the back of Box Ili11 ' Detween 

 Brockham and the upper part of Headley Lane, Surrey, 



in August last.— Read, Dr. Taylor's description of tome 



new Musci and Lichenes, from the Australian Colonies ; 



namely, Dicranum Mcnziesi', Bryum leptotheciam, 



Bartraniia tenuis, Hypnum ex cava turn, Usaea seabrida, 



aad Purmelia tubularis, all of Ta)l. MSS. 



ROYAL CALEDONIAN HORTICULTURAL 



SOCIETY'. 



Sept. 5.— This was the Quarterly Meeting. Collec- 

 tions of fine Carnations, Flakes, Bizarres, and Picotees, 

 were produced by Mr. Young and Mr. Thomson, but no 

 competition being announced for this day, no award was 

 made.— Specimens of a seedling Apricot, raised by Mr. J. 

 Thomson, were tried, and found to be saccharine, juicy, 

 and as high-flavoured as the Moorpark from the same 

 wall, and considerably earlier, having been ripe more 

 than a fortnight ago, and being now nearly past. — Various 

 fruits from the Society's garden were also tried ; particu- 

 larly the Washington, Sharpens Emperor, and Coul 

 Orleans Plums ; Moorpark, Breda, and Red Roman 

 Apricots, with the Raisin Grape, which was considered 

 hardy, having ripened its clusters in a cold greenhouse. 

 Several very beautiful specimens of exotic plants, in full 

 flower from the hothouses in the Society's garden, or- 

 namented the Hall; particularly Stanhopea insignia, and 

 S. insignia speciosa; Miltonia spectabilis, having several 

 flower-sU , and Clerodendron splendens. — The Secretary 

 read a communication from Mr. J. Lothian, gr. to Mr. 

 Campbell, on the use of Seaweed as a manure. From 

 the garden being situate on the shore of Loch Killis, 

 ample opportunities are afforded for procuring sea-ware, 

 and f r trying its effects on various kinds of soil, and 

 for different crops. Mr. Lothian's experience shows that 

 it is best suited for very light or sandy soils, being of no 

 advantage on heavy loams, and on clayey damp soils 

 positively injurious. When trenched into a sandy soil, 

 sea-ware was found to afford capital crops of Potatoes, 

 Peas, Turnips, and Cabbages. The drift-ware (mixed 

 with Sertulariae, Flustree, &c.,) when used as a win'er 

 covering for Asparagus and Artichoke beds, proved an 

 excellent fertiliser. When sea-weed was dug in during 

 autumn, between the Gooseberry and Raspberry lines, it 

 was found very useful in destroying vermin, and promot- 

 ing the vigour and fruitfulness of the bushes. — A number 

 of new members were on this occasion added to the 

 Society. 



REGENT'S PARK GARDENERS' SOCIETY. 



As a proof that Morphology is exciting considerable 

 interest, a public meeting for its discussion has been held 

 during the week, in the room used for the meetings of 

 the Regent's Park Gardeners' Society. A rather pro- 

 tracted discussion took place, and mmy interesting 

 specimens, illustrative of the subject, were exhibited. 

 The chairman (Mr. Raith) made some remarks on the 

 history of the science, and then read some paragraphs 

 from Dr. L'ndley's " Introduction to Botany," in explana- 

 tion of it. — A person present then moved a resolution, to 

 the effect that nothing had yet appeared iu support of 

 the monstrous doctrine, at all reconcileable with reason or 

 common sense. — Mr. C. Moore observed, that a few 

 months since he was prejudiced against it, but that he 

 had since seen reason entirely to change his views, and 

 had brought specimens to the meeting, for the purpose 

 of proving that Morphology indeed rested on proofs. 

 He produced a specimen of the viviparous variety of Aira 

 caespitosa, the panicle of which, instead of developing 

 Olossoms in the ordinary manner, had produced a quan- 

 tity of buds, and these, on being spread over the surface 

 of damp soil, had become rooted and established plants ; 

 mthis case, the glumes never having expanded, he con- 

 ceived the production of plants from the parts which 

 should have perfected seed, as strong and incontrovertible 



vidence, that flowers and leaves are natural modinea- 



ions of the same elementary organ. Allium scorodo- 



P ra8U T ra » wil ^ viviparous heads, was also produced. He 



rongly advised the dismissal of prejudice in considering 

 such a subject, and a close examination of fa- ts before a 

 conc.uson was arrived at— The person above alluded 

 o spoke in opposition, and endeavoured to explain the 

 auae of plants becoming viviparous, by assuming that 

 toe internal p ir ts of the flowers had been enabled to per- 

 v r , m th ^ lr f unc ions, and produce seed, although they 

 «w not been visibly expanded ; and that this seed had 

 germinated whilst attached to the stem, and thus pro- 

 Prod , i y ° Ung plants ( ! ) With reference t0 the branches 

 thattv fr ° m " he centre of SO:De floors, he contended 

 v . was a monstrosity similar to what sometimes 



t«A»? S m the an ' in *al kingdom, s ch as a child born with 



deniV M b3 ' 0r a lamb with two heaJs or tails W He 



escpnr i i any of the P arts of a P hnt or flower were not 

 -en.ial, having each a peculiar and allotted function to 



; ai ' , m ; , and contended that God had made nothing in 

 could h i dformed a11 things perfect, and that nothing 

 dan er more strongly on atheism than this moat 



hsd 8 h r ? U ' f nd P ernici0U3 doctrine.— Mr. Maher, who 

 folln i r - G some beautiful morphological specimens, 



lowed in vindication of the science. He said, that it 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



639 



cea{ r r hl f l1 WerC urulerstood ) ™$ but one individual, or 

 »»«..« ° Vl *al:ty, the vegetable is composed of a nu- 



tfii a have no beai e qu g q. He would 



indeed willingly allow that the Creator had made nothing 

 in ?ain; but as a proof that this fact did not become 

 opposed to Morphology, he < J numerous instances 

 ot plants which produce perfect seeds, and re-proJu 

 their specie?, and are yet wanting in some of the parti 

 which are held to be essential, or eveu indispensable, ly 

 aati-morphoiogists : that, the Oak, (thick produc 

 perfect lea\ei and fibers of its own peculiar nature, 

 is entirely devoid of the corolla, which is present in the 

 majority of plan s; and in the Salpi^loasU, which, when 

 fully developed, has a very handtotne and conspicuous 

 corolla; he had observed a seedling of which the flowers 

 were devoid of a corolla, but had, nevertheless, borne 

 seeds, and produced perfect plants. He entirely repu- 

 diated the charge of atheism, which was inapplicable to 

 those who professed the doctriue ; they being fully 

 imbued with a sense of ihe Divine power, and even less 

 atheistical than the florists, who had been and were 

 busily engaged iu perfecting the perfection of the Creator. 

 The further discussion of the subject was postponed to 

 the next meeting. — M. 





ilso in bloom many of the new varieties of Fuchsia now 

 in cult ion, some of wl i were covered with very 

 large and showy fl wers. The open grounds were orna- 

 mented with Dahlias, Hoi) hocks, &c M just coming into 

 bloom, many of which are fine sorts. 



NOTICES of NEW PLANTS WHICH are EITHER 



USEFUL Oil ORNAMENTAL. 



Inga I'ULciikrr ma. Prettiest flo Inga. {Greenhouse 



Shrub). Legumlrn . r mia Monoeci*. — In a genus of 



plants like the present, aboum : in noble trees and handsome 

 shrubs, airy and elegant in their foliage, and bedecked with ft] 

 cious inflorescence, the propriety of bestowing a name denoting 

 superlative beauty upon any individual i maybe somewhat 



qi ionable. V f hyperbole there ma\ pear, however, 



in that as d to this plant, the beauty and loveliness of its cha- 



racters entitle it to some corresponding epithet to distinguish it; 

 and though there may be other species equally meriting admira- 

 tion and distinction, these is none more worthy of ranking 

 amongst the fairest ornaments of the tribe. One hundred and 

 thirty-six species of Inga are enumerated Don in his u rn 



of Gardening and Botany," and It would a"; ar (rem our'cata 



logues, that fully one hundred of these have never yet graced a 

 British collection. We may, therefore, 1 that many, when in- 

 troduced, will prove useful acquisitions to the stove or the green- 

 house. This plant flowered last February in ; collection of Mr. 

 Jackson, of Kingston, from whom health ants maybe procured. 

 Uniting with its superior ornamental qualiti a propensity to 

 disclose its beauties at a Season when the general paucity of 

 flower induces us to regard every fugitive blossom with a f 

 vourable eye, it is still more valuable. It bears a striking simi- 

 larity in its general aspect to I. kermesina. It has, however, 

 much smaller foliage, and the drooping tassel-like blossoms, 

 though scarcely equal in size, shine with a deeper and more lus- 

 trous hue. The irritability common to the leaves of many Ipeclei 

 of Mimosa^ and especially M. pudica and sensitiva, is also dis- 

 played, though to a le^s striking degree, in the plant under 

 notice, particularly when grown in a warm stove. If the young 

 leaves are pressed roughly by the hand, exposed to a strong cur- 

 rent of air, or a sudden depression of temperature, they rapidly 

 contract and fold together, but soon expand and raise themselves 

 again to their usual position. When cultivated in the greenhouse 

 the leaflets never expand, even in the brightest and warmest days 

 throughout the whole course of the winter season. In its cult; 

 tion, the chief things to be thought of are the selection of a suit- 

 able medium for the roots, to pro\ ide a congenial atmosphere in 

 the growing season, and afterwards conditions favourable to a sus- 

 pension of ve. .tive activity. A light loam added to an equal 

 proportion of peat and sand, enriched with well reJuced leaf mould, 

 may be used with propriety. A greenhouse U perature is de- 

 cidedly most proper during the summer sea:>on, and till the 

 autumn is far advanced. In winter it should be kepi inthestoxe, 

 where it may remain till May or June. It is stated to be a nati\ 

 of Mexico, in Loudon's "HortUS I>ritannicus," and introduced to 

 this country in 1S22. The generic title is a South American name 

 adopted by Marcgna, a naturalist who wrote on the Natural His 

 tory of Brazil, about the middle of the nth century.— Pax- 



ton's Magazine of Botany. 



Odontoglossl-m ljevh. Smooth- lipped Odontcglossum 

 (Stove Epiphute.) Orchfciaceae. Gym ria Munaodria.— Both 

 Mr. Skinner and Mr. Hartvveg found this plant a- undantly in 



uatemala, and sent it home to their frien is, so that it is by 

 no means rare in collections. It is not, however, much 

 esteemed, because of the flatness of colour in its flowers. 

 Neverthel , they have cin amon-brown blotches on the 

 veilow ground of the petals A sepals; and the lip, which I 

 white, is bauded with violet across the middle; besides ch, 

 theyaie fragrant. Tne name Odontogl sum, or Tooth tongut 

 has been given to these plant* became they are u-.ually fur- 

 nished with strong tteth on the lower pait of the lip, and these 

 teeth are not (infrequently very conspicuous. Here, however, 

 thev are reduced to a couple of tiifl; notches, and might be 

 easily overlooked. This species should be potted in turfy peat, 

 and placed in a moist stove. A liberal su, ply of water should 

 be given during the growing season, and the hou.-e should be 

 shaded in sunny weather, in order to keep the mperatarc as 

 near 80° by day as possible. In winter, like many other bulbous 

 Orchidaceous plants, it require, very little wate: for a few- 

 weeks, but would be much benefited (especially iu clear 

 weather) if the house in ich it is grown could be tilled with 

 ream once a day. The temperature should at that time never 

 be raided above 6o° by ftre-hi at. -JBofantcfll RegiMtcr. 



Garden Memoranda. 



r 



o 



merer 4 «« ~-* ? — «• '^c^uic » uumjiussu "• » — 



titaiitr , gene8 of individuals, or distinct points of 



7> and therefore the monstrosities of the animal 



Dulcet/ Gardens, near Forres— On recently visitii 

 these gardens, we were gratified by observing a number 

 of rnre and pretty plaits in bloom, among which we 

 particularly noticed in the new stove, a large plant of 

 Zygopetalum Mackaii, bearing a number of spikes of 

 flower; the delicately coloured Cattleja Harrisonise; the 

 highly fragrant Stanhopea oculata, in fine flowtr; aioi 

 with a large plant of Oncidium flexuosum ; the butterfly 

 plant, O. Papilio ; the beautiful Saccolabium gu'tat. 

 producing its graceful raceme of flowers like a pendant 

 feather; Vanda muitiflora, with small jellow flowers 

 barred with brown, and the deep ytll.w Dendrobium 

 chrysanthum, marked in the centre with a dark velvety 

 spot. Tne beauty of ttrs house w::s much heightened 

 by the different species of Achimenes. There was also 

 in good bloom the beau .1, bright yellow-flowered 

 Echites suberecta, and the exquisitely tinted Ipon « 

 Learii. In one of the houses we observed a large p ant 

 of Lilium punctata album, with four flower-stalU, 



van feet high, bearing nearly forty be *"[ luI .^ 

 dowers; a good L. punctatum with three stalks, W feet 

 high, bearing up.a.ds of a sco-e of delicate tinted pink 

 and white blossoms ; and the scarce L. »] eciosum, with 

 one stalk, four feet high, bearing nine exquisitely beauti- 

 ful rose and white flowers. In this hcue there was - 



Miscellaneous. 



Mutual Indentation of Tuo Forest Trees. Near the 



walk which leads to the flower-garden at Walton Hall, 

 near Wakefield, may be seen an English Elm and a 

 Scotch Fir growirg in close embrace. They are now 15 

 feet in height, and 1 foot 10 inches in circumferene at 

 the base. By twisting the leading shoot of one tree 

 aunually round that of the other, the trees have become 

 deeply embedded in each other's folds. The Elm being 

 of stronger vegetation than the Spruce, I have taken the 

 precaution of curtailing the lateral branches of the 

 former, lest it should prove too much for its weaker 

 partner. — U w atrrton's Essays. 



Insect Revenge. — At Lcintwardiue, lately, a swarm of 

 bees, which had been bru.-hed off the mouth of the hive, 

 where they ha 1 clustered, became so irritated, that they 

 set upon everything in their way, and stung to death 

 26 chickens and young ducks. The old poultry got out 

 of their road, or they probably would have shared the 

 same fate. After sundry gyrations, and other onslaughts 

 upon roan and beast, the night approaching, they re- 

 turned quietly to the hive.— > sman. 



New sort of Tamarisk. — At Mudjelibe", or Babel, part 

 of ancient Babylon, there grows on the sum f ruins, 



which are supposed to have been the suspended gardens 

 of Semiramis, a lonely tree of which all travellers speak. 

 Some call it cedar, others say that it is a tree, the like of 

 which is not to be found anywhere else ; finally, a very 

 ancient tree, perhaps, even as old as the time of Herodo- 

 tus. This tree, according to dried specimens, gathered by 

 Aucher, in 1835, is the Tamarix pyenocarpa. Other 

 special of Tamarisk grow in those countries, among 

 others, the Tamarix articulata, which is very common in 

 Asia, as well as Tamarix gallica, which is found almost 

 everywhere. This last species is not rare in the gardens 

 of Europe, whilst the other two are not yet known there. 

 — Pi'iin, in Revue Horticule. 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS 



For the ensuing Week. 

 I.— HOTHOUSE, CONSERVATORIES, Ac. 



Stovk Plants, and indeed all house-plants, have ripened 

 belter this season than they gencially do, owing to the hot, 

 dear weather, in the end of the spring and through the 

 •imer. Tnis corresponds with the treatment generally 

 recommended for some > cars past, w i la— after vegeta 

 has fairly begun in spring, to increase the temperature of the 

 houses, and byway of gentle forcing to assist nature. Plant? thus 

 ueated, ae.d st :ve plants in particular, cannot be too cautiously 

 watered late in the autumn. Nothing i* now wanted, but to 

 keep the soil from getting quite dry. In dull or rainy weather 

 ght fires iiould be made in the forenoon, not so much fur the 

 purpose of raising the tempeeture, as for drying the house. 

 Allow a li tie ventilation, as stoves gi ily are too much 



crowded, and so damp that, mor*.- or less, air is always ueces- 



ary to maintain a healthy atmosphere. 

 Conservatory.— On the contrary, everything in the conserva- 

 tory should be clean and sweet; the | ts sh< uld never be 

 crowded, therefore lit air is wanted through the ventilators 

 Wh 1 • the plants *re at rc*t ; i cd, letting in strong currents 

 of airafttr this tine does a good al of mischief, by dr? r 

 the s ilia the pots too much, nnd tl-us rendering large doses of 

 water ncc rj when none at all is wanted. Plants in sitting- 

 rooms now require a very different treatment ; housemaids will 

 ventilate their rooms as ii d as often as they can, and 



nake large fires in cold weather, very much to the injury of 



laots, which must have water freely every day, and should be 

 ch inged as often as the ck will permit. 



Pit* and J mes.—V.y the middle of Se. tember Violets should 



e planted out in pits, wit a few inches of the gla^s; after 

 they are well watered lay half an inch f very dry soil over the 

 surface, hi order to k down the damp until the plants are 

 firmly es ablisl.ed and inured to confinement. Pots of Mig- 

 rionette roust a be protected from rain ; but they should not 

 >e kept ci le. Heliotropes often get too strong about this 



me, if they ar j in the open air ; when this happens they never 

 dower 8) freely in winter; a short allowance of water with 



>me covering will scon check them. Chhu Roses of all classes 

 that have been clo=e pruned in August should now be encou- 

 raged in pits, and they will soon begin to bloom. Dwarf 

 Neriums that have beeu hard forced to make young wood after 

 dowering should be hardened to stand over the winter in cold 

 pita, merely keeping th- fn • from then.— D. #• oi „ 

 II.-1LOVVER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Out-dour Department. 

 Where extensive alterations and improvements in pleasure. 



n u.ris are cordon; lated, the sooner they are proceeded w^i 

 ,ift, his time the better There are mam advantages in com- 

 mencing early : fii much more work can be done in a l given 

 time now that the ground is in a workable condition than it is 

 possible to perform after the rains of wmter have set in , and 

 net only can mu.b more be done, but it can be performed m a 

 much more satisfactory manner, secondly, by commencing 

 e irlv we have the choice of the nurseries for such plants as are 

 re u red and there is a b. tter chance of the transplanted shrubs 

 succeeding, because, if the au'umii is mild, they will strike root 



I once and if it is not mild they will get so firmly fixed in the 



round as to receive little injury, thirdly, new ground work 

 should always, if possible, be got over before Christmas, and 

 ail planting should be completed by the middle or end of No- 

 vember. Choice Evergreens, especially if removed from nur- 

 sery-beds, I prefer transplanting in April, as I have always 

 Dund them succeed better than wh» n removed in the autumn. 

 since April last I have removed hundreds of both evergreens 

 deciduous shrubs and tree ome of them from 10 to '20 feet 



igh, and in fnllleafi aid dry as the season has been I have 

 not on an average lost more than one in a hundred. The last, 

 ami perhaps greatest advantage of autumn planting is, that 

 it sets the gai dener's hands at liberty for spring work, wmcb, ii 

 anything like high keej ; is desired in the grounds, is essen- 

 tia'!} necessary. 



not already got in, ti.erc is little time to »<»«■• ""*" , " - h 

 standing out to be hardened should be so "***£** ***?** 

 readily covered in ca^c of irost, which »»r D ?" KkVn^Sd 

 and choice pi 5 in b wh mt ended totaje up and 



pot, should also be protecU ^ n:^^ w . t . *. 



HI —FLO RIOTS' FLOWERS- 



TutU,, -Seed mar now be sown in shallow pans or ^oxes. 

 e rh£it vc'y Sightly Continue to make addiac to ynur 

 ifctioV; a way* % g quality to quant i,ny fin 



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