1844. J 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



655 



D ] ant flowered profusely with Mr. Young for the first time last 

 March. Although flowers have never been disclosed before the 

 present year, the prodigality of their production, in every case we 

 have witnessed, justify us in considering it as a free-flowering and 

 highly ornamental species. At Ealing Park, Mr. Robertson had 

 a number of small plants just raised from cuttings, completely 

 laden with blossoms. These had been kept in a warm house ; 

 and we have no doubt that the flowering, and indeed the health 

 and vigorous growth of most New Holland plants, will always be 



that time residing in a Chinese temple, called Teiu 

 i ung, in the Ningpo district, in the midst of the Green 

 lea cultivation. Hundreds of Chinese were busy gather- 

 ing the leaves of the shrub, which covers the sides of 

 the hills. This part of the country has proved by far 

 the richest place for plants and scenery which Mr. Fortune 



vaTtly "improved by the application of a little additional warmth ^Kf onlv^iJ T^I ^ ^ ^i"-* Wh [ Ch had ^ prC " 

 in the early spring months when the shoots are tender. The vlou "y only seen in gardens, being there wild in the 



name of the genus is a combination of two Greek words, 

 gaster, the belly, and lobos, a pod, alluding to the distension of 

 the legume. The marginal spines of the leaf have suggested the 

 specific term. — Puxton's Magazine of Botany. 



Garden Memoranda. 



Horticultural Society's Garden, Turnham Green. — 

 The Orchidaceous-house here is undergoing repair, and 

 at the same time considerable alteration. In addition to 

 the hot-water pipes, which run round the house under the 

 front and back shelves, by which it has hitherto been 

 warmed, the bed under the plants in the centre is about 

 to be heated by hot water in open iron tanks, constructed 

 by Burbidge and Heaiy. This is to be effected by means 

 of a flow and return, inclosed in a hollow chamber co- 

 vered in with slates, on which the plants are to be placed. 

 These tanks are to be set on brick supports, about two 

 feet from the bottom of the chamber, which is 3± feet 

 deep, and are to be heated by one of Burbidge and 

 Healy's new boilers. The hot water will be conducted 

 from the boiler to the tanks by means of one-inch pipes 

 passing under the pathway into the bed. In order that 

 the house may be steamed occasionally, small openings 

 will be made in the sides of the chamber and furnished 

 with sliding lids, to be opened or shut as required. All 

 the rain which falls upon the roof will be collected in a 

 large slate cistern, placed at one end of the bed which 

 occupies the centre of the house. It measures 5 feet 9 

 inches in length, 3 J feet in width, and the same in depth. 

 The curvilinear stove was gay with the several species 

 of Achimenes, among which was the new one, A. picta, 

 which, independently of its beautiful blossoms, is richly 

 clothed with a finely variegated foliage, which the other 

 Borts do not possess. Tn this house was also in flower 

 the yellow variety of Gloriosa superba, an old and well- 

 known plant, but one which is seldom seen in bloom ; Lzelia 

 superbiens is growing here on a large block in great lux- 

 uriance, and is again throwing up several flower-stems. 

 The specimen of Aristolochiagigas trained along the roof 

 has produced its singularlylarge concave blossoms in great 

 abundance through the whole summer months, and is 

 still in fine bloom. It does not succeed well when grown 

 in a pot; but, when planted out in the border of a stove, 

 it thrives and flowers profusely with little care, speedily 

 spreading over a large space. In the house, which 

 was formerly a Pine-stove, but which has lately been 

 much altered, the plants are looking well, the Orchi- 

 T;f7 °* charred blocks, indicating by the healthy green 

 of their foliage that they like the situation. On the front 

 shelf was a plant of Clerodendron fallax, producing a 

 head of flowers of brilliant scarlet. The plants in the 

 large conservatory are looking well ; it is in spring, how- 



h i at » h0Use P resents the gayest appearance, 

 wneu the Acacias and other leguminous plants are in 

 oloom. The front shelves are at present decorated with 

 several of the new varieties of Fuchsia, which were dis- 

 playing an abundance of showy blossoms. Trained ud 

 the south side of the house was a plant of Centrosema 

 splendens in flower— an exceedingly handsome scar- 

 let climber : it is better known in gardens under the 

 name of Kennedya splendens. The sweet-scented Man- 



woods and hedges. He had succeeded in reaching 

 bnanghae, ,m the Moutan season, and found hundreds ot 

 gardens there filled with this beautiful flower. Some 

 capital Azaleas had also fallen in his way. 



Destruction of the Gooseberry Caterpillar by Salt.— 

 1 o destroy the green worm, as also the small orange- 

 coloured aphides, which often injure the bushes and 

 destroy the fruit, we sprinkle the plants with salt and 

 water early m the spring, before the leaves are deve- 

 loped ; the mixture may then be made so strong as to 

 whiten the branches, without affecting the future crop. 

 Should the leaves or buds be in part expanded, the 

 brine should be greatly reduced, say one quart of salt to 

 about eight gallons of soft water, applied over the bushes 

 from the rose of a watering-pot.— Hovey's Magazine of 

 Horticulture. 



Monstrous Grape .—There has been lately produced 

 at Mover, in Devonshire, one of the seats of the Duke of 

 Somerset, a berry of a Black Hamburgh Grape, which 

 measured 5 inches in circumference. It was much flat- 

 tened, and even depressed, at the stalk and opposite end, 

 and, being furrowed, presented somewhat the appearance 

 of a Tomato. It contained 10 seeds apparently perfect. 



New Variety of Grapes — M.Lenoir, a recent French 

 writer on Vines says, that "a seedling Vine raised by 

 M. Van Mons, at Brussels, produces fruit as large as a 

 Green-gage Plum, which, at the latest, ripens in the first 

 fortnight of August, and never fails. Its qualities are 

 no less remarkable, as it is both solid and sweet."— 

 Journal of Science and Art, vol. xxvii. p. 229. 



devilla suaveolens was also twining here in " Nature's 



careless grace," and expanding numerous clusters of 



snow-white blossoms. Along with these was Bignonia 



asmmoides, which is one of our prettiest autumn- flower- 



SSirt u ; and in the same collection, turned out 

 io the bed, was a large specimen of Cestrum auran- 

 dcum, producing fine panicles of showy orange 

 wo.' . T hls vaIu abIe addition to the conservatory 

 Guat C ° n i Uted by Mr ' Skinner » who sent it from 

 men ofrf a y if. ar or two ag0 ; and< finall y- a 8 P eci - 



bed w tted y c hium Gardnerianum, planted out in the 

 Drominlf bearin S a spike of rich yellow flowers with 

 broueht m ? stamens ' The lat * warm summer has 

 usual anT 1 ? the autumn Pears int ° use earlier than 

 fruit-room a ? <l uantit y of fine fruit is already in the 

 wall and fm i sam P les of Beurre Diel, both from the 

 fr om standi **' arC cxceedin 8 1 J r handsome. Those 

 summer s . are not so large, owing to the late dry 

 unusually 1 pecimens of Beurre Ranee from the wall are 



6 inches in 7 s * &nd fine * We measured one which was 

 in circumf 8 without the stalk, and fully 10} inches 



was maaW nCe ' The floor of the fruit-room, which 

 Perfectly .« COncrete in the fir s* instance, although it 

 b ecom e vpr the P ur P 08e a s regards dryness, had 



Portland J Uneven - Ifc uas now been overlaid with 



of sharp aaT nt T mixed ™ th three or four P arts 

 ce mentwas k has been done a week; and the 



and of the **\ comm S exceedingly hard on the surface, 

 mu ch sloJL ?u , of Portla «d stone, although it sets 



Royal b\,* the other cements. 

 T *Tcrov>°" mc . Garden f Kew, Sept. 25.— The two 

 bl osso m L ' ^ tlo u ned Previously, p. 540, are now in 

 8tove - Sevpr!? S r at part of them which is within the 

 S? 0w «dapas«l I* of the Pauide, which have been 



I her e is onU 5 e - th u 0agh the roof ' are 8ti11 onl y in bud - 

 t* (and hLi inches di fference in the heieht of the 



18 35 ft. 6 in from M! 1 ^ yet done Sowing) J the tallest 



1D - ir01 ^ groun^tojhetop of the panicle. 



Societ V from Mr FnrT ^^ the Horticultural 



Ir ' F ° rtune ' dat *d M ay io. He was at 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS 



For the ensuing Week. 



I.— HOTHOUSE, CONSERVATORIES, Sic. 

 It rray be useful for many to know that one of the finest 

 winter stove plants, Gesnera zebrina, has yielded to a green- 

 house treatment all the year round. It was allowed, for want 

 of better convenience, to start of its own accord, which it did 

 early in summer. The cold this time last year put a stop to its 



gr -? w £' , lt llved in the greenhouse through last winter along 

 with Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, &c, without any injury to its 

 foliage ; it began to grow again in spring, and flowered for a long 

 time last summer. As this plant is a general favourite in draw- 

 ing-rooms, &c, for which its tubers and succulent foliage make 

 a provision for hard usage, a few of them might be thus treated 

 in every place where such plants are in demand ; and not only 

 so, but the experiment opens a field which may extend farther 

 than many of us are aware of. There is no variation in the 

 treatment of the stove worth noticing this week. 



Conservatory.— The general treatment of this house also will 

 be uniform lor some time to come. There are two varieties of 

 Bignonia jasminoides in cultivation, one of which is a very shy 

 bloomer and ought to be discarded ; the other is the finest of our 

 hardy greenhouse climbers— a peerless beauty as Deronian calls 

 it. Cuttings of the latter, struck any time before the end of 

 October— and they root as free as willows-will blossom all 

 through next summer in very small pots. At the risk of being 

 thought tiresome I shall once more notice the lovely Mande villa 

 suaveolens : it has been in flower here all this autumn against 

 a wall in the open air, and looks more healthy than plants of it 

 m-doors; this climber is one of the best to train as a specimen 

 over a wire trellis ; and as it requires to be pruned closely 

 every year, after flowering, it may be kept in a dry shed along 

 with Fuchsias, Myrtles, &c., through the winter, and either 

 forced in spring, or allowed to break of its own accord in May • 

 long shoots ot it, two or three years old, will root as freely as a 

 Grape Vine, without tongueing, and thus a large specimen may 

 be got from an old plant in one season. If the shoots will allow 

 put two or three coils in the pot, as Mr. Mearns would do with 



a Vine shoot, and you will have more roots to sustain the spe- 

 cimen. • 



Pits, Frames, 8fC.—lt is now time to put young Gardenias, 

 ceriums, and Orange trees into their winter quarters. A cold 

 pit, from which the frost can be excluded, is the best place for 

 them : as they are always kept in the smallest pots into which 

 their roots can be got, and force best when thus under-ootted. 

 it otten happens that their roots perish during winter « to prevent 

 this, it is a good plan to turn them out of the pots now, and 

 plunge the balls in a thin layer of light earth during their rest; 

 but as Gardenias will flourish in peat only, they should be 

 plunged in it. Besides these, there are scores of half-hardy deli- 

 cate plants, which will keep better in the same way through the 

 winter than in pots, as their roots are thus in a uniform state • 

 and if damp appears at auy time, a little dry compost scattered 

 over the surface will prevent it. A slight hotbed of half-spent 

 dung is a good place to begin to force China and Perpetual 

 Roses about the beginning of October; the lights may be left off 

 all day at first, unless it rains.— D.B. 



II.— FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Out-door Department. 

 Those who have tender greenhouse shrubs, such as Heaths, 

 Leschenaultias, &c, planted out in beds, must now begin to 

 think of getting them housed for the winter. It is surprising 

 how fast plants grow when planted out, but it requires great 

 care and attention in their management after they are taken up, 

 or they are very liable to damp off during the dark months of 

 winter. Some plants of Leschenaultia planted out in June last, 

 at which time they were very small, are now strong slants 

 which will require number 12 sized pots when they are taken 

 up. In removing them, the ball of earth must be so much 

 reduced in size as to admit of an inch or two of turfy soil being 

 placed all round it when potted. This is essentially necessary, 

 and a secret upon which their future success in a great measure 

 depends ; for the plants being provided with fresh and healthy 

 soil to work into, they sustain little or no check after the 

 removal. After they are potted, place them in a close frame on a 

 north aspect ; sprinkle the plants lightly every morning, and 

 keep the frame close during the middle of the day, but they may 

 have plenty of air during the night. When they have recovered 

 the check, place them in a sunny situation, to harden the tissue 

 of the plant, but do not permit them to flag, or the foliage will 

 become brown and rushy. 



Bulbs. — Many of the early kinds of Tulips and Narcissus 



are now beginning to grow ; and therefore, to keep them out of 



the ground any longer will injure them. As, however, it 



impossible to plant them permanently until the autumn 



plants are removed from the beds, it will be found a good plan 



and sand, and to cover them several inches deep with old tan or 

 leaf-mould. In this situation they will make root, and may be 

 removed to their proper situations with the soil adhering to 

 their roots as soon as the beds are readv for their reception. 

 The same observations apply to all kinds of bulbs or tuberous- 

 rooted plants that are desired for early spring decoration, as, for 

 instance, Anemones, Crocuses, Snowdrops, Hyacinths, Jon- 

 quils, Crown Imperials, &c. &c— W. P. A. 



III.— FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 

 Continue, every favourable opportunity, to pot off Carnation 

 layers : let the grass or leaves be dry, for when wet with either 

 rain or dew, the soil, which will sometimes get in the axils of 

 the leaves (however carefully they may be handled) is difficult 

 to be removed, and if not, will prove detrimental to the plant 

 during winter. The layers must be put in a close frame for a 

 few days till they have again struck root. Tulips.— Seedling 

 bulbs when very small are best in the ground, and small offsets 

 of choice sorts had also better be planted. Auriculas.— Any 

 offsets which may not have been ready earlier in the season 

 must now be removed, planting carefully round the side of a 

 quart pot; water to settle the soil to the roots, and place in a 

 situation free from drip or heavy rain. Pansies.— Continue to 

 make the beds for next year's blooming, and propagate by slips 

 all that it is desirable to increase. Polyanthuses.— Seedlings 

 may still be pricked out to get established before winter. Com- 

 post heaps should be turned, and all insects carefully picked; a 

 small quantity of quick -lime will prove beneficial to the decayed 

 turf intended for Tulips.— J. F. W. 



IV.-PINERIES, VINERIES, &c. 

 Pinery.— Ripening fruit should be kept in a dry, warm atmo- 

 sphere, to give it flavour. The swelling fruit should have a 

 warm, moist atmosphere ; when water is required it should be 

 given more sparingly, since evaporation goes on much slower 

 at this season, and the soil, receiving more water than the 

 plant can take up, becomes soured, causing the fruit to ripen 

 without flavour. It is proper after this season to let crowns 

 and suckers, after being trimmed, lay upon the kerb of one of 

 the pits to dry, for a day or two before planting. Endeavour to 

 keep the linings (where in use) dry, as rain causes the heat to 

 decline suddenly, and consequently causes much labour in 

 turning and renewing. 



Finery.— The Grapes for winter use demand constant atten- 

 tion, to prevent their being injured by damp. As early in the 

 morning as convenient, let a slight fire be made; and as soon 

 as it begins to tell upon the thermometer, open the top venti- 

 lators, to let the damp pass off. Towards evening the heat in 

 the flues or pipes will have declined, and the house may be 

 closed, to keep out the damp night air. If the Grapes are 

 covered with paper bags, the bags should be removed occa- 

 sionally, to examine the berries, as, if one berry begins to decay, 

 it will soon infect the who e bunch, if not removed. Where 

 means have not been taken to protect the outside borders from 

 wet, no time should now be lost, particularly with the borders 

 of those houses intended to be forced. Dry Fern is an excellent 

 material for keeping borders dry and warm. It must be laid 

 on thickly, in layers, beginning at the front of the border. The 

 whole should be covered with a thin layer of good straw, and 

 fastened down with ropes and pins, as a thatcher would fasten 

 the thatch of his stacks. 



Peach-house.— \i the directions already given for the early 

 house have been followed, nothing more will be required than 

 to keep the trees as cool as possible. The second house will 

 soon be ready to be put in the same state of order as the first, 

 and from the time that all preparations are completed in these 

 houses, they may be made exceedingly useful for keeping plants 

 of various kinds in, till the forcing commences. Care should, 

 however, be taken not to bring into them any plant that is not 

 perfectly free from insects. 



Figs.— The trees that are still bearing should have slight 

 waterings, to assist them to perfect their fruit ; but trees having 

 no fruit likely to come to perfection, and whose leaves are 

 fading, should bo kept dry and cool, to induce a state of early 

 rest. Plants in pots should not be kept growing longer, or they 

 will not be in a fit state for forcing early. 



Melons.— Give scarcely any water after this. Continue to 

 maintain a warm, dry atmosphere, to give flavour to the fruit. 

 — G. F. 



V.-HARDY FRUIT AND KITCHEN-GARDEN. 

 Cucumbers.— To prolong the season of fine crisp Cucumbers 

 the plants must be kept clean and healthy by giving them 

 plenty of top and bottom heat. This can be easily effected in 

 frames, if the bed has been perforated with pipes; but the dis- 

 advantage of frames, when contrasted with good close pits, is, 

 that in the one case great care must be taken to prevent any 

 rank steam from the dung entering from the lining, while in the 

 other there can be no danger in using the fermenting material 

 as fresh as you can get it. The chief difficulty is the securing 

 abundance of it. If that can be obtained, and you have some 

 nice strong plants in pots, a fresh bed might now be made, to 

 produce in the earlier months of winter; but without abun- 

 dance of fermenting material it would be folly to attempt it. 

 Those who grow them in hot-water pits will now have their 

 winter plants in good order. Manure.— Take every opportunity 

 of converting all refuse vegetable substances, clearings of roads, 

 cleanings of sheds, 8te., into rich dressing for the garden, by 

 watering with the liquid that distils from Melon- grounds, dung- 

 hills, &c. I have tried a number of the new manures upon a 

 small scale, and though useful as auxiliaries, I find that there is 

 nothing preferable to old hot-bed dung, and the decomposing 

 heap of those substances that can be collected in a garden, tor the 

 production of good, medium-sized, high-flavoured vegetables. 

 Weak solutions of guano, superphosphate of lime, Sec, fre- 

 quently repeated, were found very serviceable to strong 

 growing plants in pots, Cucumbers in boxes, Sec, but the same 

 apparent benefit was not the consequence of their application to 

 crops in the open garden : though it is right to state that Cauli- 

 flower was considerably improved, especially by guano, and that 

 Celery was rendered of a deeper green colour by the application 

 of nitrate of soda; but, in size and flavour was not anything 

 superior to that grown in the usual manner. However concen- 

 trated the strength of these new manures, it must be evident 

 that whatever their chemical influence, they can affect the 

 mechanical texture of the soil but little, and hence, so far as 

 rendering loose soils more retentive, and stiff soils more open, 

 the old (now attempted to be discarded) system of manuring 

 must ever maintain a great superiority. It is true, a similar 

 mechanical effect might be produced by a proper application of 

 lime, chalk, marl, or in extreme cases, of clay or sand ; but 

 these operations cost both trouble and expense. It is a pleasant 

 thing for a gardener to get rid of all his dung-pits and rubbishy- 

 looking linings, but he will act wisely if he makes the most of 

 an old assistant before he is well supplied with a new one, as, 

 however anxious he may be to follow in the wake of new 

 improvements, he may find that when he has rendered himself 

 deficient in muck, there may be no striking desire manifested 

 for spending good gold on guano, Sec, nor yet in furnishing 

 him with the means of producing early vegetables without the 

 assistance of fermenting matter. Routine.— Tie up Lettuces 

 and Endive, earth up Celery, and gather fruit in fine weather. 

 Encourage the ripening of the wood of Peach-trees, &c, by ex- 

 posure and shortening the shoots. Remove everything offen- 

 sive in the way of decaying Bean-stalks, Pea-haulm, run Let- 

 tuces and Endive, and weeds, wherever they appear. Give 

 everything a fresh and neat appearance, by frequently stirring 

 the soil, and by sweeping and roiling the walks.— R. F. 



VI.— ARBORICULTURE. 

 Old Woods.— -Now is the time to fix upon what trees should 

 be taken out, and what sort ould be planted to improve the 



to place them upon an inch or two of finely-sifted leaf-mould t scenery and enhance the value of Old Woods. 





