814 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



with 



greater quantity of fluid than the roots wmW 

 transmit to if, on account of the leaves being in a warmer 

 medium than the roots. See Dr. Lindley's "Theory of 

 Horticulture," pages 50 and 85. But the disease origi- 

 nates from more causes than one, viz.:— -The principal 

 cause is the roots of Vines being in a medium much colder 

 than that of the leaves and branches, produced either by an 

 excess of water in the soil occupied by the roots, which 

 prevents its being heated by solar influence until 

 this water is evaporated— the effect of which is to 

 lower the amount of warmth in the soil ; or from 

 the border being shaded, by plants or otherwise. 

 From the plants not being preserved in a sufficiently 

 healthy state to decompose, or assimilate, the whole of 

 the aqueous matter taken up by the roots, to mature 

 their wood perfectly, and to be able to store up in the 

 interior of the plants a sufficient amount of secreted 

 matter to le able to meet the demand of the quantity of 

 fruit left on them to ripen. Over excitement. I3y 

 this is meant a too high night temperature ; and also a 



high temperature in dull weather, when the leaves are 

 unable to perform their functions in the absence of solar 

 light, at the same time being exposed to a too high 

 degree of rut-heat ; and at no time does this treatment 

 act more deleteriously than when Grapes are undergoing 

 the ripening process. One of the first gardeners in 

 Bngland says, that notwithstanding the many conjec- 

 tures and conflicting opinions respecting shanking, its un- 

 doubted cause is at the roots, originating from a cold or 

 retentive soil, or from imperfect drainage, or from the 

 Vines having been planted too deep. To one or other of 

 the above Vaults, every case of shanking I have ex- 

 perienced was attributable. I have a large house having 

 a thoroughly drained and shallow border, in which there 

 is no thanking ; while Vines planted in an old border, 

 and having their roots deep, are shanked at the 

 extremities of the branches. The whole of the Vines 

 are ex-, cd to the same temperature, and the same in- 

 ternal treatment.— G. G. Watson, Vicarage, Norton. 



Gardeners' Benevolent Society.— \ am afraid the re- 

 marks of Mr. Whiting, relative to this Society, are too 

 true; and theie is another item in the management which 

 appears to be wrong, and one which I know is doing the 

 Society considerable injury. I allude to the extravagant 

 charge of fifteen shillings each for the Annual Dinner, 

 a sum considerably higher than the majority of gardeners 

 can afford for one night's entertainment. Last January 

 I had engaged to meet several friends at the dinner, five 

 of which would have joined the Society, but when the 

 price of the Tickets was announced, they declined the 

 invitation. I wrote to the Chairman (Mr. Noble), stating 

 the fact, and giving my reasons for not attending, and 

 solicited him to read the letter to the company, but he 

 declined lo do so. A few days afterwards I received a 

 note from hit* stating that he did not conceive my letter 

 related to '.he meeting, and that "he did not see how a 

 dinner, with in unlimited quantity of wine, could be got up 

 for lesi than 15*." An unlimited quantity of wine ! What, 

 in the name of conscience, do gardeners want with an 

 unlimited quantity of wine? If wine-bibbers like to 

 drink their half-dozen bottles, let them pay for it ; but 

 do not tax the man who would be satisfied with one 

 pint, because his neighbour likes to drink ten pints. 

 A member of the Committee told me if the dinner-tickets 

 were lower, gentlemen would not attend, and therefore 

 the Society would lose their donations. This may be all 

 ▼ery true, but 1 do not believe it. Am I to suppose a gen- 

 tleman disposed to contribute to the funds of the Society 

 would absent himself from the dinner, merely because 

 the price was not such as to exclude gardeners ? No : 

 that benevolent spirit which prompts them to contribute 

 towards the support of the poor and indigent of our class 

 would forbid that they should refuse to meet the hale 

 and hearty for so noble a purpose. If, however, the 

 Committee think otherwise, let them provide two tables, 

 one for the patrons, and the other for the patronised ; 

 bat, at any rate, let the " poor gardener" have a chance 

 of dining without expending the whole of his week's 

 earnings. I throw these hints out for the consideration 

 of the Committee, believing that they are more likely to 

 be influenced by a public notice than by any private 

 recommendation. — William P. Ayres, Brooklands. 

 [Why have a dinner at all ? It would be much wiser in 

 those who can afford to throw away their money upon a 

 bad tavern dinner to give that money to the charity. 

 Nothing can possibly be more absurd than the English 

 practice of persuading people to pay a guinea for a 

 dinner, in order to obtain another guinea for the charity 

 after dinner.] 



Brewing. — I cannot agree with '• Sandfordenstone," 



that good beer can be made without boiling the wort ; it 



may answer for present use, but it is far from being 



wholesome or clear. In order to make good pellucid 



beer, take one barrel and a quarter of liquid from six 



bushels of malt ; steep the Hops in boiling water for 



three hours, then throw it into the boiler with the whole 



of the wort, and boil gently for two hours (with the cover 



on, or it will waste and lose its strength); then take it 



off the fire, and put it into coolers ; when cold enough 



add yeast; in 16 or 18 hours afterwards turn it into casks, 



and keep filling them up well for a few days. I often 



brewed the above quantity three times a week during 



summer, and occasionally omitted boiling it properly, 



and consequently I had it thick and poor. — A Farmer's 



Daughter. 



Hints for Nurserymen.— 1 wish to call the attention 

 of nurserymen to the following suggestion, because I 

 think that some plan resembling that which I am now 

 about to propose might, if adopted, be profitable alike to 

 both buyer and seller. What I would recommend then 



is, that some of our nurserymen would now and then 

 publish a short list of ornamental plants, with prices, 

 subjoining an enticing little P.S. to this effect,— that all 

 purchasers (say) to the amount of 21s., selecting their 

 plants from the above list, and paying ready money for 

 the same, should be entitled, as a bonus, to additional 



plants to the value of to be selected either from the 



same, or from a second list of plants, which might fairly 

 consist of such articles only as the owner had a super- 

 fluity of. — Screw. 



Chrysanthemums.— The cause of these flowering so 



late in the season is owing to their growth not being 

 accelerated early enough. Let firm cuttings be put in, 

 in October or November ; this will cause the plants to 

 develop flower-buds a month earlier in the succeeding 

 autumn. Put cuttings singly into small pots, and keep 

 them in these until March ; then shift them into pots, 

 larger and larger as they advance in growth. Place 

 them in a moderate hotbed, and keep them growing in 

 the frame until May; when about 1 foot high, stop 

 them, which will cause every bud to push. Retain five 

 or six shoots, and rub all the others off as they appear. 

 Place them on a sunny border, about a foot apart every 

 way, and never allow them to want water in the hot 

 weather. Keep on shifting, using loam and dung, until 

 they are in 24-sixed pots. When they begin to show 

 flower-buds, stimulate them by using guano or other 

 liquid manure, which will make them produce flowers 

 early. This is of great consequence, if they are wanted 

 to bloom out of doors. To have them in perfection, when 

 In flower, remove them to an airy greenhouse, as no plant 

 suffers so much from confinement, where they speedily 

 lose the leaves, and run up to naked, unsightly stems, 

 destitute of foliage. By attending to these directions, 

 fine dwarf-plants will be produced, clothed with rich dark- 

 green leaves and large flowers.— J. R. 



Chrysanthemums.— With respect to "C. P. s Chry- 

 santhemums (p. 752). I think he will find that his border 

 is too rich for such varieties. Ail the light kinds are ob- 

 tained by getting rid of colour, to which the plants, when 

 grown too luxuriantly, have a tendency "to return.— 



Corylus. 



Miscellaneous.— Caledonia, in reference to the para- 

 graph by M J. R.," p. 765, observes that the Almond 

 (Amygdalus communis) bears profusely, and ripens its 

 fruit at the distance of 700 miles north from London. 

 The Mulberry, too, he says, matures good crops of fine 

 fruit at the same distance from the metropolis. 



Societies. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 Dec. 3.— R. W. Barchard, Esq. in the Chair. At 

 this Meeting, among Plants, perhaps the greatest novelty 

 was a small specimen of a stove plant from Messrs. Hen- 

 derson, of Pine-apple-place, named Hesemasandra au- 

 rantiaca, but appearing to be an Aphelandra of some 

 sort, with most beautiful orange and yellow blossoms. It 

 was said to have been received from the Continent about 

 two years ago, from Mr. Makoy; this was probably the 

 first time of its flowering in this country. If, as is pro- 

 bable, it can be grown to the same size, and brought to 

 the same state of perfection to which A. cristata often is, 

 it will prove an exceedingly valuable addition to our 

 autumn-flowering stove plants. A large Silver Medal was 

 awarded for it. — From Mr. Plant, gr. to J. H. Schroder, 

 Esq., was a handsome plant of the old Phaius grandi- 

 folius, in fine bloom ; also Zygopetalum rostratum, 

 Brassia Wrayoe, and a good plant of Dendrobium Pie- 

 rardii. A Banksian Medal was awarded for the tco 

 last-named plants. — Messrs Veitch and Son, of Exeter, 

 sent two new sorts of Tropseolum; one, a yellow flowering 

 variety, was not named; the other, a scarlet, was named 

 Lobbianum, in honour of their collector, Mr. Lobb, who 

 sent it from Peru ; it had on it one fully-expanded 

 bloom, of a very brilliant scarlet, and, judging from its 

 numerous flower-buds, it has every appearance of being 

 a free bloomer. A Banksian Medal was awarded for it. 

 — From Mr. Gaines, of Battersea, was a plant of Cyno- 

 glossum coelestinum, and two seedling Corrseas, one 

 with rose-coloured blossoms, the other with pale-green 

 flowers. — From Mrs. Wray, of Oakfield, was a cut spe- 

 cimen of the scarce Epidendrum rhizophorum, a species 

 resembling E. elongatum, and remarkable for its gay 

 bright orange blossoms. — Mr. Stanley, gr. to H. Berens, 

 Esq., sent a good specimen of the old Cymbidium 

 sinense, which, being very fragrant, is exceedingly suit- 

 able for placing in sitting-rooms. — From Mr. Tant, gr. 

 to E. Johnston, Esq., was a box containing 14 beautiful 

 cut blooms of Chrysanthemums. — Mr. Hamp, gr. to 

 J. Thome, Esq., sent a cut specimen of Habrothamnus 

 elegans, or purpureus, with pale violet blossoms. — Of 

 Fruit, there were two Pine-apples from Mr. Sheeres.gr. 

 at Bohun Lodge, East Barnet ; one, an Envilie, weighed 

 Gibs., and measured 18J- inches in circumference, and 

 1 foot in length; the number of pips in height was 15. 

 The other was a Queen, weighing 4 lbs. loz. and measur- 

 ing 16 inches in circumference and 8 J inches in length; 

 the number of pips in height was 9. These were both 

 handsome fruit. — G. Crawshay, Esq., of Colney Hatch, 

 showed fine bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes in 

 excellent condition, the berries being qui e plump, with 

 a firm juicy flesh. They had been grown, as has been 

 formerly mentioned, without the aid of fire-heat, except 

 about this time of the year, when slight fires are put on 

 through the day, solely for the purpose of drying up 

 damp, which it is well known would soon destroy ripe 

 Grapes at this season. Air is, however, given both at 

 back and front of the house while the fire is in operation, 



[ and when the house is shut up at night the fire is with- 



[Dec. 7. 



drawn. Mr Crawshay stated that he has now 400 

 bunches in a vinery of the ordinary size, in equally good 

 condition with those exhibited. — From J. Moorman, 

 Esq., was a collection of Pears, consisting of fine speci- 

 mens of Marie Louise, in excellent condition ; Eyewood ; 

 Van Mons Leon Le Clerc, a Flemish variety of modern 

 introduction; and Beurre Diel, the latter very fine. 

 — Good specimens of Apples and Pears were also shown 



by Mr. Errington, gr. to Sir P. G. Egerton, Bart., M.P 



Mr.Cockburn, gr. to the Earl of Mansfield, Kenwood, sent 

 fine large roots of Oxalis Deppei. This, although not 

 equal to the Potato, is a very useful variety of vegetable, 

 ranking with Jerusalem Artichokes, Scorzonera, and such 

 like plants. Notwithstanding the unfavourable season 

 we have had for tap-roots, such as this is, those ex- 

 hibited were excellent specimens, and showed to what 

 perfection the root may be brought when properly culti- 

 vated Among miscellaneous objejts were two Slate 



Pots, from Mr. Beck, of Isleworth, who has in this in- 

 stance improved these excellent contrivances, by putting 

 a rim similar to that of the common garden-pot, round 

 the top, by which they not only look neater, but may be 

 lifted with much greater ease. — From the garden of the 

 Society was a collection of Chrysanthemums which, 

 although well-grown plants, were not in fine bloom, owing 

 to their having been placed in the conservatory too early ; 

 and not having been sufficiently exposed to light there, the 

 plants grew rapidly after they were introduced into the 

 house, became drawn, and were consequently unable to 

 fully expand their flowers. Four of the plants exhibited, 

 had been watered with Putter's concentrated liquid guano, 

 which was given to them at three different times, viz. on 

 the 1st of August, on the 27th of the same month, and on 

 the 10th of September : it was applied to them in the water 

 with which they were watered, at the rate of4 table-spoonfuls 

 to 3 gallons of water. Other four plants in the same 

 group were watered with guano-water at the period above 

 mentioned ; the liquid was mixed at the rate of 2 oz. 

 of guano to 3 gallons of water ; and, finally, seven 

 other plants received manure-water once a week, from 

 the 1st of August until the middle of October. In 

 other respects, the whole received exactly the same 

 treatment as regards soil, &c. ; they all grew very much 

 alike; indeed, so little difference existed among the 

 plants in general, that it was almost impossible to have 

 said which was the best among them.— Of fruit from the 

 gardens there were, among Apples, Tower of Glammis— 

 a sound keeping, excellent kitchen Apple; Padley's 

 Pippin, resembling the Golden Harvey, very hardy and 

 exceedingly useful for all purposes of the table ; Beach- 

 amwell; Dutch Mignonne ; Reinette du Canada; and 

 Pomme Roy ale : the later being a sort of Russet, is a 

 good keeper— Among Pears were Broom Park, a hardy 

 variety, raised by Mr. Knight, which has proved to be- 

 good when grown as a standard ; Passe Colmar ; Glout 

 Morceau; Beurre d'Aremberg ; Knight's Monarch, 

 which maintains its good character ; and Winter JNelis, 

 a variety which should have a place in every collection, 

 on account of its excellence. Many Pears, generally 

 good, are not always so in all seasons but this variety is 

 invariably excellent. Fluctuations of the season do not 

 affect its quality, which is a consideration worth atten- 

 tion by Pear-growers. 



LINNEAN SOCIETY. . 



Dec. 3.— Edward Forster, Esq., in the Chair. A 

 species of Triton caught at Putney was exhibi ted L-Mr. 

 Hogg presented to the museum a new form o r a Cheno 

 podiaceous plant.- A Paper was read from M r. Mam, 

 A.L.S., on Vegetable Physiology, in which the author 

 endeavoured Estate his own views in opposition to Ao.e 



generally received by vegetable P^ 1010 *"^, "* d^Sd 

 Lined that there was no proof of the "*™*'£™™ 

 notion of the descent of the ^sap ; thar he t»»™y« 

 nourished by, but not formed or developed out of 

 elements of the sap ; that the tissues of he tree w «e 

 finitely extensible, and formed by a vital ^proce^ out 

 the cambium, which he called the indusium ^or vUal me 

 brane, and which was the only true source of aU eg 



able tissue. The cambium ^^jC^noi 'the 

 any other agent, but by itself. The true tun 

 leaves is to draw up the sap into the tree, w 

 effect by the transpiration of the fluid part of V 



through their tissues 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY- 

 Dec. 2—Geo. Newport, Esq., President, w 

 chair.-Mr. Des Vigne. exhibited a .pecim n **• 

 Coccinella linemta, of Fabricius, now known a .* va_ , 

 of C. ocellata, which was taken in G««t Bnttm. 

 Pelerin exhibited the torse, supposed to be or p 

 of Hepialus, from New Zealand, from wh.ch P« tru ui . 

 fungus 5 or 6 inches in Jength.-Mr. Bond also 

 bited a specimen of the larv* of the Drinker 

 *hich was covered with a plant of '»S^ «*£ the Silk- 

 closely resembling the Muscard.ne.wh.ch attacKS 

 worm -Mr. Weaver exhibited the cases of the W 

 taria vibicipinella, which were of a *°™J™^yU. 

 and in form resembled the shell of ■*»«*£ , 

 Westerman exhibited a new specie, of Cw.ro - 



Guinea—Mr. Westwood also "'""'^""^ibited 

 new species of the same genus.— Mr. B«n ' <« ■ ^ 



collection of insects from New Holland cons.st.ng^^ 

 cipall, of Hymenoptera and Neuropte « u-Mr. 



from 

 two 



I 



brought down to the Society some Ur « ' "pongee 

 taken from the crop of a pheasant, and ^°^ tht 

 to a specie, of Tipula. The l.rv* were alive wo ^ 

 bird was opened ; and, on being counted, , M«* er fiCt , .» 

 Mr. Spence pointed out the importance of 'thw 

 he tone of the species of Tipula were very destruc 



