1844.J 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



767 





"l 





in flower in the gardens, and other half-hardy plants 

 remain blooming in the open ground. — Cartmel, near 

 Lancaster. 



The Grey Wagtail. — This bird has found its way here 

 again this autumn. I saw the species in the village as 

 early as Sept. 1 1 ; but we had not the favour of a visit 

 until the 9th of this month, on the morning of which 

 day I heard the well-remembered tapping at the window so 

 much frequented last year. If this bird be our old acquaint- 

 ance (as I am inclined to believe) he has certainly come in 

 much better condition than when he arrived last autumn. 

 I now see him in company with another of his kind ; but 

 only one appears at the window, and that much seldomer 

 than before. — S. Warn ford. 



Recipe for drying Pears for Dessert. — Pare the Pears 

 and leave the stalks on; cover them with water; and either 

 boil in a brass kettle, or stew in earthenware, until they 

 are tender; then lay them upon old dishes, and put them 

 in a slow oven to dry; turn them frequently, that all parts 

 may dry equally ; when done put them in paper bags, 

 and hang them in a dry place, or keep them in tin canis- 

 ters or boxes. Reserve the water in which the fruit is 

 boiled, and by constantly using this for the succeeding 

 operation, a syrup is obtained, which gives a gloss to the 

 fruit, as if sugar was used. I never use sugar for them. 

 — A. W. 



White Beet.— Is the White Beet, or the Chard , the 

 true Mangel Kohl of Switzerland and Germany, the leaves 

 of which are so much used in the place of Spinach ? What 

 was- distributed as White Beet by the Horticultural 

 Society, did not, I conceive, produce leaves so fine as 

 that which is grown in Switzerland. This may possibly 

 be owing to the leaves not growing so luxuriantly as that 

 cultivated abroad. I observed some of these from 

 3 to 4 feet in length — liquid manure being very 

 plentifully applied. — Dodman. 



Lettuce-leaved Spinach. — I may observe, that the 

 Spinach, the seed of which was distributed by the Horticul- 

 tural Society, under the name of Lettuce-leaved, proved 

 excellent, tender, and high flavoured, and stood last winter 

 well, though the leaves appeared far more tender and 

 succulent than the common winter sort. I found trans- 

 planting a portion of the plants, when too thick or too 

 forward, a good plan, and produced a good late crop 

 for the spring, just before the first spring crop came into 

 use. — Dodman. 



Whitney's Composition. — I have had several boxes 



made in the shape of a small garden-light box, some 3 



feet, and some 2 feet 6 inches square, about 6 or 



8 inches at the back, and 4 inches in the front ; 



these I covered with thin calico, and varnished it over 



with Whitney's preparation. They have answered 



admirably for cuttings, and my gardener finds them an 



admirable and economical substitute for hand-glasses ; 



any old packing-case, cut into two diagonals, makes a 



pair of useful frames. The muslin I found too thin, as 



I could not 'apply sufficient of the mixture to exclude 



the rain. — Dodman. 



MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 

 Nov. 13.— T. Bell, Esq., in the chair. A Paper was 

 read by Mr. Busk, on the Echinococcus, a form of 

 Cystic Entozoa. After giving a slight sketch of the his- 

 tory of researches on the Entozoa, the author proceeded 

 to describe the Echinococcus. This Entozoon is deve- 

 loped in a fibrinous cyst, which is found in the liver, 

 lungs, and other viscera of human beings, and other 

 classes of the Mammalia. The cyst in which the Echino- 

 coccus is contained has its internal parietes covered 

 with rounded granular masses. On examining these 

 masses, they are found to consist of a number of glo- 

 bular bodies, seated on a common receptacle, of a 

 branched form, and covered with a delicate membrane. 

 The globular bodies are the Echinococci. EmcIi is at- 

 tached to a pedicel, and the whole are united to a common 

 trunk. When separated from the trunk, they appear 

 like polygastric animalcules. Each globular body con- 

 tains several transparent cells, like the stomachs of Po- 

 lygastria. The head, or jaws, consisting of a row of 

 hooked tentacles, Js retracted within the cavity of the 

 body ; but during decomposition, this apparatus becomes 

 exserted, thus having led to the different characters given 

 to this animal. The Paper was illustrated by drawings 

 and diagrams. — The President announced that arrange- 

 nients had been made for facilitating the use, by the 

 Members, of the splendid microscopes of the Society. 

 I he rooms were open every Wednesday from 10 to 4, and 

 members would be allowed the use of the microscopes 

 under the superintendence of Mr. Lennard. It was 

 also announced that the second Part of the first Volume 

 of the Transactions of the Society was ready for distri- 

 bution gratis, among the members who were not in 

 arrear with their subscriptions. 



SOCIETY OF ARTS. 

 ■Zvou.6to.-T. Hoblyx, Esq., V.f., in the Chair, 

 j^r- J- L. Goldsmid, Bart., Dr. Major, G. Buck, and K. 

 Hunt, Esqrs., and Dr. Cronin, were elected members. 



Kov. 13to.—R. Twining, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 



A Paper on British and Foreign Honey, by Mr. Mil- 



on," was read by the Secretary. Various specimens of 



oney from Athens, Minorca, Portugal, Narbonne, and 



th n } P arts of England auc j Scotland, were placed on 



Jne table ; also the produce of bees kept in glass hives 



°7 gentlemen in the Temple and the Regent's Park ; a 



Q g»ecomb in particular is worthy of notice, as having 



_ e en taken from a newly-invented hive so constructed as 



and^? r ' Milton is Ml exten8 " L-alcr in bees, nlso bee-hives 

 Keepe?" e> '' aS weU as thc Autllor of " The Practical See- 



to direct bees in the disposition of their work, which, 

 however, in the present instance, is not perfect, for 

 some of the cells instead of being regular are irregular 

 hexagons ; the author of the Paper, however, has no 

 doubt of ultimate success. A detailed account is given 

 of the structure of the honey-bee, of the mechanical con- 

 struction of the comb, of the flowers best suited to pro- 

 duce honey of the finest flavour, of the best seasons of 

 the year for taking the honey, of its medicinal qualities 

 for various diseases, of the quality of honey produced in 

 different parts of England under different systems of 

 management, of the encouragement given to cottagers to 

 keep bees by a gentleman in the vicinity of the West- 

 moreland lakes, and, lastly, of the great profit to be 

 derived from bee-keeping. 



The following is a List op the Samples of Hoxbt 



exhibited 0-v this occasion: — 



English Honey.— l. Oxfordshire Honev, weight 2/ lbs.: 

 2. Repent's-park Honey, weight 16 lbs., collected by the bet 

 of S. Hodgson, Esq. (the glass was put on the 27th May, 1844. 

 and taken off filled July 31st) j 9. Regent's- park Honey, weight 

 14 lbs., was filled by a swarm from the above, No. 2 ; 4. Honey, 

 Maida-hill, weight 20 lbs., was collected by the bees of C. J. 

 Monkhousc, Esq. (glass put on the 2d of June, 1844, taken off 

 July 20th); 5. Honey from Hackney, bees belonging to 

 A. Smart, Esq., weight 14 lbs., June and July, filled by the 

 bees in 35 days j 6. Honey from Mill-hill, Hendun, bees be- 

 lmging to thc Rev. B. Nicols, weight 21 lbs. (the straw hive 

 from which this cap was taken now weighs 40 lbs; 7. Honey 

 from Fulham, worked by the bees in a flower-pot; 8. Honey 

 from a Baxter hive, worked by bees at Chertsey; a comb of 

 Honey, worked in a frame by bees belonging to the Rev. J. B. 

 Gray, of Wembly- park, near Harrow; the bar-and-frame In. 

 was invented by VV. A. Munn, Esq., and construe: ul to 

 direct the bees in their building of comb, and do without a 

 guide-comb; Honey from Northumberland is slightly flavoured 

 with Heath; Honey from Saffron Walden, Essex, equal to 

 any ; English Heath Honey, from East Hampstead, near Bag- 

 shot j Comb Honey in the plate, from Scotland; Comb Hon 

 in the plate, from Fulham. 



Foreign Honey.— I. Minorca Honey, small jar, just as im- 

 ported; 2. Minorca, opened for the purpose of tasting; 3. 

 Narbonne Honey; 3*. Normandy Honey; 4. Italian Honey; 

 5. Portugal Honey, imported in jars, very similar to those from 

 Athens; 6, Honey from Hymettus, in antique jars, one speci- 

 men; Cuba Honey is imported in large quantities, sells at 

 very low price, and serves to keep all the inferior qualities of 

 Honey at a low remunerating price; Jamaica Honey set firm- 

 Jamaica Honey not set, has been imported to England 10 

 months; Seville Honey, rather of the Jessamine flavour; Por- 

 tugal Honey, flavour of the Wild Raspberry, Honey from 

 Devonshire— it partakes of the flavour of the Portugal Laurel, 

 which is much cultivated in that part where the Honey came 

 from ; in all there were 26 various specimens. 



The Second Paper was on the Grenier Mobile, or 

 revolving granary, the invention of M. Vallery, a French 

 Engineer, by Thos. Birmingham. The object of this 

 machine, a model of which was placed before the meet- 

 ing, is to prevent fermentation and decomposition, which 

 so frequently take place in Corn stored in the ordinary 

 granary, as also to get rid of those troublesome and de- 

 structive insects, the weevil, mite, curculis, and moth. 

 The revolving granary consists of a large wooden cylin- 

 der, the size of which is regulated by the quantity of 

 Corn to be stored ; the interior is lined with wire gauze 

 for the admission of air, and has eight radial compart- 

 ments for storing the Corn ; the axis on which the gra- 

 nary revolves is hollow, and acts as a ventilating tube by 

 means of a fan working at one end ; one end of the cy- 

 linder is furnished with a circular rack, into which works 

 a pinion attached to a handle, by which motion is given 

 to the machine. Neither mildew nor rust can be formed ; 

 the weevils and other insects are destroyed, the Corn is 

 sifted and kept free from dust and dirt, all <1 image from 

 rats and other vermin is prevented. It undergoes no 

 injury, as in being turned over by the shovel the quality 

 of the grain is found to be materially improved, even if 

 gathered under unfavourable circumstances of the wea- 

 ther. It has been successfully introduced into ditferent 

 parts of France. 



CAlLENDAK OF OPERATION 



For thc ensuing Week. 



lUtuctus. 



Agricultural Chemistry. By G. Cox. London,I844. 12mo. 

 The object of this little book is to enable practical 

 men to establish or refute the opinions of others ; or, in 

 other words, to make chemists of farmers, and teach them 

 how to analyse soils and plants. Farmers have no time 

 to perform chemical analyses, and even if they had, their 

 analyses would be of very little use to them ; for without 

 much practice it is impossible to perform minute chemical 

 inquiries, so as to obtain trustworthy results. The book 

 is rather carelessly written, containing a numberof strange 

 statements and questionable facts, which we fear are 

 more likely to mislead than to instruct. It is published 

 as a companion to a portable laboratory, or test-chest, 

 sold by the author. 





Miscellaneous. 



Dignity of Labour. — I have faith in labour, and I see 

 the goodness of God in placing us in a world where 

 labour alone can keep us alive. I would not change, if 

 I could, our subjection to physical laws, our exposure to 

 hunger and cold, and the necessity of constant conflicts 

 with the material world- I would not, if I could, so 

 temper the elements that they should infuse into us only 

 grateful sensations, that they should make vegetation so 

 exuberant as to anticipate every want, and the minerals so 

 ductile as to offer no resistance to our strength or skill. 

 Such a world would make a contemptible race. Man 

 owes his growth, his energy, chiefly to that striving of 

 the will, that conflict with difficulty, which we call effort. 

 Kasy, pleasant work does not make robust minds, does 

 not give men such a consciousness of their powers, does 

 not train to endurance, to perseverance, to steady force 

 of will— that force without which all other acquisitions 

 avail nothing. — Charming. 



I.— HOTHOUSE, CONSERVATORIES, &c. 

 Amatecrs who manage their own plants, are often at a Ic 

 to know how dry cr how moist a house should be when either 

 state is recommended by gardeners or in Calendars and the 

 thing: can hardly be explained without the use of a hydrometer. 

 In a general way we say, keep all plant-houses dry in % r; 



but this only means the opposite of our summer treatme ' , and 

 not real dryness, for no plant-house, except, perhaps f r suc- 

 culents, could be quite dry for any length of time without 

 injuring some plants. In clear fro weather, v n strong 

 fires are necessary, the plants in this house will he much 

 benefited by a slight syringing early in the day ; but during this 

 month this is seldom done, and for the next six weeks stove- 

 plants need less water at the roots than at any other seasoi\. 

 Those who grow Clerodendrons, Justicias, Viucas, and other 

 soft-wooded stove-plants for the purpose of decoratin >om 

 and conservatories will find Cuphea Melvilla a good add a 

 to them; like some Pelargoniums it flowers at any tin r>e- 

 tween M and Christmas, according to the time at which it is 

 pruned; it s>on makes a large specimen ; prune it clo and 

 treat it like Eranthemum pulchellum.— 1). JB. 



II.— FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Out-door Department. 

 The subject of the winter decoration of the Flower-irarden 

 was so fully discussed in this Paper at page 707, 1.- iat 



it is not necessary for me to do more at this t an r r the 



reader to it, where he will find list! of plants, and ever) 1 ecea 

 sary information. An arrangement of thi git en a n 



lighly interesting ap ranee through ull months of 



winter, and the only o 1 that can be urged a it is, 



\ where bulbs arc cultivated, I p cannot be manured so 

 conveniently as if the beds were unoccupied. This, however, 

 might be Obviated by growing both the shrubs and bu in 

 pots; but it is very quest* i>!e whether the latter could be so 

 well grown as if plan in the open soil. Keep the ad 



as neat and clean as possible ; and roll the walks ard ( as 



frequently as the weather will admit of vour doing so.— ir. l\A. 



III.— 1LORISIV FLOWERS. 

 Auriculas will still require well looking after j all dl r 



yellow leaves must be gently »ed off, taking cart- not to 



wound the stem : the top soil must be fri tently moved, . if 

 there should be any appearance of bad drain aust 



be carefully turned out, keeping the ball re, and more 



broken pot added. During weather the lights of the 



frames must be kept on, but tilted behind, and a free circulation 

 of air amongst the pots mu>t be insured by r ng the frame a 

 few inches from the ground. Should auturnnalbloomsbe thrown 

 up, pull eff the pips as soon as formed ; when they happen to 

 be heart blooms, it is better to let the stems remain. 1 .— 



This is certainly rather an awkward time lor bulb-, ai • e- 

 cially those which were at all ciseased when planted. Beds 

 ought to be well rounded in the middle, to allow the free • pe 

 of all superfluous moisture and the drenching rains, w 1 we 

 have lately id so much of. Carnationt. — We know of a few 

 extra fine seedlings, which will t we doubt not, prove u gems of 

 the first water.'' Several have been exhibited; and in class- 

 showing (which we hold to be the most legitimate waj v~ 

 tng the merits of a eeedltng flo* , they have b ' n such 

 varieties as Ely's Jolly Dragoon; H niton'* Patriarch, Ely's Lady 

 Ely, &c, aud that too when the last named flowers were in a 

 line state. We certainly shall not be surprised at many of our 

 favourites being completely eclipsed n eason , for nowever 

 cautious we ought to be iu giving an opinion on flowers only 

 once seen, still, from the splendid blooms which have come 

 under our notice, we are led to judge most favourably of them. 

 Carnations in frames will require all thc air and exposure pos- 

 sible this damp weather, avoiding continuous wet ; should any 

 plants appear mildewed, or the leaves become spotted; thc dis- 

 eased parts should be immediately remove,;, and the plants be 

 placed away from the general stock, in a frame to themselves. 

 V ies that have made lopg and straggling shoots, may now be 

 cut closely, leaving a joint above the ground, and hoops should 

 be placed over the choicest b , that j rotcction 1 en 

 in the event of sudden frost, which, at t ! n, is apt to 

 occur after excessive rain.— J. F. IV. 



IV.-?LVERIES, VINERIES, Sec. 



Pineries. — Tank-heating has made the winter mans icnt of 

 Pines so simple and free from risk, that till I recollecr that 

 many still grow their Pines with the heat produced by ferment- 

 ing mater; U ne, I fancy that all that is necessar 1 be said 

 about Pines for the next two months might be put into a very 

 few lines, and thus the almost unavoidable repetition t ha 

 to be made in this part of the Calendar is prevented. The Pines 

 in houses heated b; or flues can be kept in that state 



of moderate growth which is found to be most suitable lor :hem 

 during winter, without their Buffering from the effects or thc 

 present damp and cloudy weather; as during the clay a slight 

 addition to the heat can be made, so as to allow air to be given 

 for a short time about mid-d but In pits, without other means 

 of heating than dung and Leaves, it will be necessary to keep 

 the heat up a little higher in mild weather, in order to be pre- 

 pared for any suddeu depn )ii of the external temperature, and 

 to be "enabled to give air daily lor a short time at the top lights. 

 This will prevent the plants from drawing, and keep atmo- 

 sphere sweet. Ue careful not to give much water, which is 

 injurious to the roots at this season. 



Vinrries.— Vines in pots or boxes started in the beginning of 

 October should now be showing. Let the temperature be S7 

 or 60° by night, and 75° by day, with fire-heat, and from 30° to 

 85° with sun-heat. Syringe twice a day. Vineries which are 

 expected to produce ripe iruit by the end of Apr:. -., uld he 

 closed now j and if it is convenient to have a ridge of hall leaves 

 ami half stable litter alon 4 the middle of thc house, a will be 

 the most genial means or exciting the buds. Keep a temperature 

 of from 50° to 55° when the weather is mild, and some degrees 

 lower when the weather is cold. 



Peach- Houses.— Get the late-house put into the same state of 

 repair and order as the others. Where it happens that fresh 

 trees have been planted in the house that was forced I last 

 season, and the trees in the second house are in good condition, 

 it will be well to change the order of succession, 1 vs to give 

 the newly-planted trees as much time to make roots as possible. 

 To have Peaches in April. -tart those in pots and boxes now, and 

 if they can have a slight bottom-heat the buds will swell more 

 freely and uniformly. Let the temperature at night be about 

 50 in mild weather; when fire is necessary, 45° will he sufficient. 

 Syringe often, to soften the scales of the buds.— G. F. 



V.— HARDY FRUIT AND KITCHEN-GARDEX. 

 Canker— Few things are more annoying than thi , visitation, 

 to those who delight to see their trees" healthy, and producing 

 good-flavoured fruit. As this is the season for planting, or pre- 

 paring for It, coi crable attention should be given to 1 pro- 

 curing of hardy as well as good sorts in all cases where the 

 situation is not the most favourable. In addition to examining 

 the lists of kinds suited to different localities, so often given iu 

 answer to correspondents, the planter should take the tr ,le 

 of ascertaining what sorts thrive best in circumstances similar 

 to his own. Canker owes its origin chiefly to these sources : — 

 Planting too deep— the result or which is, that the ots are 

 supplied with more nourishment, ?uch as it is, than the heat 

 an untight of the place can duly elaborate, as to give ripe- 

 d firmness of texture to the young wood ; or ir >m the 

 roots getting into an unfavourable soil— that furnishes the trees 

 with vitiated juices ; or from the climate 01 the situation being 

 too cold, or the season too damp aud sunless to \ ait the 

 healthy action of the plant. Suras young trees that I planted 

 very carefully 00 hillocks suffered considerably last season. 



