1844.] 





to the roots of various Grasses.— Mr. Sauuders exhibited' 

 a Dragon-fly, which had been caught at sea, off ihe coast 

 of Africa, 600 miles from land. The question of the 

 possibility of the insect flying so far from land was dis- 

 cussed by the President, Messrs. Spence, Marshall, and 

 Yarrell, and the conclusion arrived at was, that 



this insect had driven from the shore by the winds. 



Mr. Saunders stated he had often seen Dragon-flies at 

 sea, above 100 miles from the land. — Mr. Westwood ex- 

 hibited two rare insects from the collection at the British 

 Museum, the one a Grasshopper (Megalonyx en&ifcr), 

 from Sumatra, remarkable for the length of its ovipositor ; 

 the other a species of Moth, belonging to the genus' 

 Coronis, remarkable for its gay plumage and the form of 

 its wings, and forming a link between the two great 

 families of Lepidoptera.— Drawings were exhibited from 

 Captain Boys, of India, of a species of Cimex, with its 

 larva, which was covered with spines. It was found on 

 the leaves of the Ocymum gratissimum. A species of 

 Coleoptera, approaching the form of Ips, was exhibited 

 also from Captain Boys — A paper was read from W. 

 Stephenson, Esq., Surgeon, on the Entomology of New 

 Zealand. The Coleoptera are exceedingly abundant, and 

 their larvse assist much in the destruction of the hard 

 wood of the numerous forest trees. ^No Buprestidee had 

 been observed. The larva of a Hepialus was found ex- 

 ceedingly destructive in gardens. An account was given 

 of a formidable insect, allied to Gryllus, which lived 

 chiefly in decayed trees, and was carnivorous, and which 

 inflicted severe wounds upon those who interfered 

 with it. 



THE G ARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



not allow a work which does so much credit to our rG owen F*n 



country to fall to the ground for want of support ; and ' wfceride^t 



would also recommend it to the ladies as an elegant' " -- re,ldent ' 



appendage to the greenhouse and drawing-room. * I 



should be remembered that no country possesses a 



collection of figures of its native plants? making even 



nearly the same approach to perfection as is done for 



Britain by the English Botany and its Supplement. 



The Supplement was advertised in the early lumbers of 



this Journal for 1844.— C. C. B. 



815 



At Nelson ; President, \V. Fox, Esq. ; 



n u r* ' 5/ Du PP a > Es( l- '> Treaiurer, A. Mac- 

 Donald Esq ; Committee, Messrs. J. S. Tytler, Kerr, 

 Redwood Dillan, Elliott. Cautley, Domett, Macshane 

 A. Saunders, Brewer, Bell ; Secretary, Mr. Cautlev.-I 

 id., May 4. 1 have paid every attention in my power 



COUNTRY SHOWS. 



Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society, Nov "7 —This 

 was the annual Show, which was better attended than We re- 

 member to have seen it upon any former occasion. The Chry- 

 santhemums were very creditable, and presented many beau- 

 tiful varieties, including Grand Napoleon, Vesta, Empress, De- 



Sfof e ii • q " C ' SV, 6 ™' and several others ' Mr - Bell exhibited 

 the following :- Chrysanthemums, 32 varieties: Marechal de 



FnTV*i" emn * um s "°bate, Malvina, mirabile, Bijou, insigne, 

 Loms-Pmlippe, Mane Antoinette, Conqueror, Madame Pompa- 

 dour Theresa Lux urie, Hero, Unique, Vesta, sulphnrea, In- 

 curved Pink, Memnon, Casimir Perrier, Ivanhoc, Empress. 

 Adventurer, Defiance, Grand Napoleon, Phillis, Colonel 

 Combes, perspieuum, Marchioness de xMontebello, Achmet 

 Bey, Surprise, and Phidias. Ericas: Linnreoides, hyemalis, 

 caffra, arbuscula, and pyramidalis. Miscellaneous Plants: 

 ipacris grand, flora, Ardisiacr en ulata, Gesnera longiflora, Les- 

 cnenaultiaformosa, Cactus truncatus, Cypripedium insigne, and 

 Ipomopvs picta. Mkmbkrs' VLOWXRa-ChrysantAemum*. best 

 24 : Rev. J. Burroughes-Marshal Maison, Beauty, Vesta 

 Golden Lotus, pulcherrimum, Empress, Defiance, Tasselied 

 Yellow, Princess Marie, Chancellor, formosum, Marie, Duke, 

 Uust.rl ellow, Minerva, Mai vina, sul^hureum, Luxurie, perspi- 

 n UU f!'o T w SelKd Lllac * lucidu ™» elegans, and Starry Purple. 



rl'n nf V Mr - S ^° rt ' ^V t0 ■?" N - Rurr °»ghes, Esq.iLuxurie, 

 Campestroni, Chancellor, Peter, Duke, Minerva, Achmet Bey 



Beauty, formosum, Ducde Calineau, Memnon, Tasselied Yel- 

 low, Louis-Philippe, Marshal Maison, Two-coloured incurved 

 Defiance, Hero, and Cluster Yellow. Best 12: Rev. J. Bur- 

 roughes-Duchcss de Montebello, Vesta, Duke, Tasselied Yel- 

 low, pulcherrimum, Cluster Yellow, Defiance, Flechier, Golden 

 i^otus, Marie, lorrnosum, and Sultana. Primula sinensis, best col- 

 lection : Mr. Spence, gr. to Sir W. B. Proctor, Bart. Ges- 

 nera zebrina, collection of: Mr. Emms. Lemon tree, $c , in 

 fruit: Mr. Emms. Combretum purpurevm : Colonel Petre. 

 FRviX8.--JGrape8 : 1, Muscat, W. Gale, gr.to H. N. Burroughes, 

 Esq., M.P ; 2, Hambuigh, Mr. Rippingale, gr. to G. Morse, 

 Esq ; 3, Muscat, Rev. G. Lucas. Extra, Hamburgh, Mr. 

 Aldborough, gr. to Mrs. Kelt. Grapes, outdoor: 1, Musca- 

 dine, Mr. Spence; 2, Mr. Column. Plums: Imperatrice, Mr. 

 Short, gr. to J. Sttacey, Esq. White Currants: Mr. Short. 

 RB& Vurntnts': Mr. Snort. Cranberries: Mr. Short. Apples- 

 Golden Harvey, Mr. Short. Pears, dessert: 1, Marie Louise, 

 Mr. J. Cann; 2, Crassane, Mr. Warner, gr. to W. Robinson, 

 ■fc-sq^ ; 3, Black Worcester, Mr. J. Wighton, gr. to Lord Stafford. 

 Medlars • Nottingham, Mr. Gale. Pears, baking : 1, Uvedale 

 St. Germain, Rev. G. Lucas ; 2, Catillac, Mr. Short. Walnuts, 

 thin, shelled: Mr. Scarlett. Vkgktables.— Celery : 1, Craw. 

 ehay's S-did Red, C. K. Tompson, Esq.; 2, White, Mr. Short. 

 wrofs; Aitringham, Mr. Gale. Parsnips: Hollow Crown, 

 Mr. Gale. Lettuces: 1, Brown Cos, Mr. Jacobs, gr. to Mrs. 

 kcott ; 2, Texler Cabbage, J. Kitson, Esq. Peas : Shilling's 

 i^any Grotto, Rev. J. Burroughes. Potatoes: Cambridge Kid- 

 ney, H. S. Patteson, Esq. Red Cabbage: Colonel Petre. Sea- 

 kaJe: x\lr. Short. Horse Radish : Mr. J. Potter. Broccoli : 

 White Cape, Mr. Short.— Norwich Mercury. 



A History of British Crustacea. By Thomas Bell 



F.R.S., &c. Parti. Van Voorst. 

 1 his is the first part of another work of the series on 

 British Zoology, published by Mr. Van Voorst. WVhad 

 feared that the interest in natural history was too Tittle 

 to allow of the publication of any works in this series 

 upon the invertebrate animals of Great Britain. We are 

 however glad to find that Mr. Van Voorst is disposed 

 to extend his design to the whole animal kingdom. The 

 present work embraces the Crustacea, bv Professor Bell 

 whose knowledge of this subject is well" known to natu- 

 ralists, and will be a guarantee for the successful issue of 

 the work. The description of each species is accom- 

 panied with a wood engraving, and an account is given 

 of its habits, uses, and other interesting information. In 

 the present Part also, there are several vignettes, the sub- 

 jects of which are selected with much good taste. We 

 hope these works will meet with such encouragement as 

 will induce the publisher to give the remainder of the 

 British Fauna in the same manner, as we believe one 

 great reason why zoology is not pursued with equal 

 interest to its sister science, botany, is the want of works 

 giving accurate descriptions of our native animals. Iu 

 the point of « getting up" the work promises to be 

 worthy the series of which it forms a part. 



The Naturalists 1 Pocket Almanac (Van Voorst), 

 is a poor affair, and unworthy its publisher. The idea of 

 it is good ; the execution bad. The plan of the book is 

 to combine with a common Almanac monthly notices, 

 Zoological and Botanical, to which the observer may add 

 memoranda of his own upon interleaved paper. If these 

 notes were copious and well selected, they would be in- 

 teresting and useful ; but their value depends essentiall? 

 upon their copiousness. A few petty details are pro- 

 ductive of no advantage to the reader. In the trifle 

 before us they are meagre in the extreme. For example, 

 the writer has not a word to say about the plants that 

 flower in March, April, and June— the three months of 

 the year most interesting to the accurate observer ; and 

 in May the most important fact that he announces is that 

 the Lily of the Valley is in flower. Near the end is a 

 meagre list of the periods at which a few common plants 

 have been observed to flower for Jour \ears ; but the 

 list is far too short, and not all contrasted with the 

 remarks of other observers elsewhere. In short, the 

 Almanac seems intended for the special information of 

 those who live in Epping Forest or its neighbourhood. 

 The Entomological information is more copious and 

 useful, as far as it goes ; but it has the great fault of 

 admitting a nomenclature so unusual in this country, 

 'hat our best Entomologists are sometimes puzzled to 

 know what the insects are to which the names belong. 

 Almanacs are for popular purposes, and, to have any sort 

 of utility, must be written in common language. Neither 

 can we compliment the author upon his accuracy. There 

 is no such Secretary of the Horticultural Society as 

 Dr. Anderson ; there is no such English plant as 

 Whitehorn. 



to your recommendations. Trotter, the gardener, has am- 

 ple employment in private gardens ; he told me to-dav, 

 that he had seven days' work to perform in six working 

 days in the week My garden has progressed very much 

 lately. \\ e had nearly 100 fine ripe Peaches, and are 

 now eating some tolerable Grapes. I believe I have 

 four hives of Bees, but some have been deserted. I 

 think the bees see no occasion for laying up a store for 

 the winter, as there are flowers all the winter ; but they 

 swarm too often, sometimes four or five times in a 

 season.— Col. Wakefield. {Private Letter, July 5, 18-14 ) 

 Botanic Garden, Calcutta.— Dr. Wallich has been di- 

 rected to carry out all the changes in this establishment 

 advocated by Mr. Griffith, who has quitted his charge of 

 the garden and returned to Malacca ; but I regret to say 

 that little has been done since Dr. W.'s return. Indeed 

 the last time I was in the garden all the new ground ar- 

 ranged by Mr. Griffith was overrun with weeds ! The 

 Agricultural Society of Calcutta has determined to at- 

 tempt the introduction of all the valuable fruits of all 

 tropical countries, for dispersion in India, and Sir 



L Peel giv^saprize gratuitously for fruit and flower 

 exhibitions. 



The Black Indigo.— We learn, by a letter from Mr. 

 Griffith, that this substance, mentioned at p. S79, 1813, 

 is procured from some species of Uiospyrus, a plant of 

 the order of Ebonies, and known for the blackness and 

 hardness of the wood, and acerbity and astringeocy of 

 the immature fruit. Mr. A. Robertson is said to be 

 engaged on an analysis of the fruit, and in the mean- 

 time agrees that, in consequence of the general character 

 for astringency of the family, it is probable that the black 

 dye is not in itself a black dye. This is likewise sug- 

 gested by the published analysis of the dye stuffs, in 

 which iron was found. This species of Diospyrus Mr. 

 Griffith suspects to be unpublished. 



Florists' Flowers. — We understand that the North 

 Country growers intend holding several Exhibitions at 

 Mr. Wood's, of the Coppice, near Nottingham, during 

 the coming sunyner, which are to be open to the growers 

 of the United Kingdom, and of which advertisements 

 will appear early in January next. The first will be of 

 Tulips and Pansies ; the former of which will be exhi- 

 bited iu stands of Gs or 12s ; and the latter in stands 

 of 12s or 24s. There will also be prizes for the best 

 pans of Breeder Tulips. The second Show will consist 

 of Carnations and Picotees, and from the impetus given 

 to the cultivation of these beautiful flowers (by the Ex- 

 hibition of last season), in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of Nottingham, a spiiited competition is expected. 



Hebiefos. 



Soiverhy's Supplement to English Botany. Second 



Series. 

 We wish to call the attention of the readers of the 

 Gardeners' Chronicle to this very beautiful work, which 

 is now publishing at intervals of two months, as it seems 

 highly probable that many of them, who take an interest 

 m botanical pursuits, — and what possessor of a garden 

 ought not to do so?— are ignorant of its existence. Of 

 the present series six Numbers have now been published, 

 each containing /our plates of new or recently discovered 

 dative plants, executed in the very highest style of art, 

 and also most accurate in the delineation of the several 

 parts requisite for scientific study. Each plate is accom- 

 panied by one, two, or more pages of letter-press, giving 

 'he generic and specific characters, synonyms, and a 

 detailed description of the plant ; together with, when 

 requisite, observations on its peculiarities, and critical 

 remarks concerning it. The literary part of the work is 

 j n al1 cas es prepared by some botanist of note who has 

 turned his attention to that part of the subject to which 

 the respective plants belong, and his initials are appended 

 to each article. 



Iroui the large number of copies of the original 



^nglish Botany, which have been sold, it is manifest 



hat very many persons must possess that work who have 



not as yet rendered it complete by obtaining the Supple- 



er >t ; for if suc h had not been the case it would not 



flow have to be stated that the sale of that Supplement 



s so small (considerably under 100 copies) as not to pay 



* expenses, even when (as is the case) the artist, 



ngraver, colourer, publisher, and proprietor, are the 



me P er *on. We trust that the lovers of botany will 



Miscellaneous. 



Shanghae Trefoil (Medicago denticulata). — A fine 

 broad-leaved variety of this plant was found by Mr. 

 Fortune to be much used by the Chinese in the winter 

 months as a vegetable. Afterwards they manure the 

 rice-grounds with it — indeed it is often sown expressly 

 for that purpose. It is, however, hardly to be expected 

 that it should answer that purpose in England. We 

 understand that the Horticultural Society have received 

 a few seeds of the variety. 



Defence of Speculation. — One would think that in 

 thinking there were something wicked or else unwise ; 

 everybody feels or fancies a necessity of disclaiming it. 

 " I am not given to speculation" — " I am no friend to 

 theories." Speculation — theory — what is it but thinking? 

 Can a man disclaim speculation — can he disclaim theory, 

 withoutdisclaimingthought? If they do not mean thought, 

 they mean nothing ; for unless it be a little more thoug! I 

 than ordinary, theory, speculation, mean nothing. — Ben* 

 thamiaria. 



New Zealand. — We have just heard of a valuable 

 case of plants received by a gentleman in this settlement, 

 by the Theresa, which were packed in wet Moss without 

 any soil at the roots, and soldered in tin. This mode of 

 packing answers remarkably well, as every tree appears 

 to be alive and healthy. Fruit trees may be thus obtained 

 from England at considerably less cost than we Lave 

 been accustomed to pay for them from the surrounding 

 Colonies, besides the advantage of insuring the best de- 

 scriptions. — Nelson Examiner, April 27, 1814. A 



Meeting of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society 

 was held, C. B. Brewer, Esq., the Provincial Judge, in 

 the Chair. It was moved by Mr. F. D. Bell, seconded 

 by Mr. J. S. Tytler— That the cordial thanks of the So- 

 ciety be presented to James Robert Gowen, Esq., for the 

 interest he has manifested in its proceedings, and for his 

 kind exertions in procuring donations of plants and seeds 

 for this settlement. The following gentlemen were 

 elected ©ficarf for the ensuing year -.—Patron, J. R. 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS 



For the ensuing Week. 

 I.— HOTHOUSE, CONSERVATORIES, &c. 



The highest night temperature in the stove for this month 

 should not exceed 6o J , which may be maintained as long 

 a the weather keeps open ; should the weather, however, sud- 

 denly change to hard frost, do not strive to keep op this tempe- 

 rature by strong fires; 50° is high enough in very severe weather, 

 and strong fires will be needed even to keep up that heat, .*o 

 that in many cases water must be sprinkled over the p*ihs, 

 pipes, &C, to prevent the highly-dried air from injuring the 

 plants. Strong stove climbers that do not bloxsorn. freely should 

 now be ro t-pruoed by cutting off some of their largest roots 

 near the surface, or if they are to be taken up next spring and 

 tried in boxes, this is a go time to begin to prepare them, not 

 however, by cutting their roots, but by tracing one hall of them 

 to their extremities, ami then placing them near the surface 

 with some light comp< st thrown in amongst them ; by the end 

 of January these roots will have formed a fre>h set of young 

 fibres, and then the other half of the roots may be served atter 

 the same manner, but leaving the plant in the same place till 

 later iu the spring; this is a safe mode of treating plants that 

 are to be removed from the borders of any of the huuses, or for 

 checking their luxuriance. 



Conservatory.— Euphorbia jacqniniflora is an excellent con- 

 servatory plant while it is in blossom, but at other times it must 

 have the stove treatment. Last season, about this time, I pruned 

 some large plants of it, to see if by a littie forcing in spring 

 I could get them to flower early ttii* winter, but the experiment 

 failed in some measure ; as soon as these plaits began growing 

 in spring, they also flowered on the young growth, but not »a- 

 ti-r..ctonly, and now they are not more forward than others 

 that flowered last Christmas, and that were pruned in January ; 

 these are now just beginningto flower, and by the middle of the 

 month will be fully out: in another season or two this treat- 

 ment, with the same plants, will bring them into blossom by 

 the Rcf-t week in December, and thus one of the best winter- 

 flowering plants we possess may be had for the rooms or the 

 conservatory for four months. The older the plants are, if they 

 are kept in health, the earlier they can be brought in to blossom, 

 as they do not grow so 'rrdy ; to get plants in this state, pieces 

 of the oldest roots should be made into cuttings at potting time, 

 as Mr. Threlkeld has shown in a former Number. 



Greenhouse, Pits, tyc— Such a season as this proves how use- 

 ful temporary structures are for protecting greenhouse plants 

 late iu the autumn ; the general plan is to cram all the pits and 

 houses on the first appearance of frost in October, whereas 

 almost all the plants of this division might yet be partially in. 

 the open air, aod be much benefited by the treatment. For some 

 flamiiiea ot piants— Pelargoniums, for instance— that are worked 

 much out of season, contrivances of this sort are particularly 

 useful. To have fine specimens of Pelargoniums in blossom in 

 August and September, October is the be?-t tune to cut down 

 the plants, and from that time till after Christmas they should 

 be as much exposed in the open air as rain and irust will permit 

 them ; they will only be coming into leaf again, and after two 

 rnnntns' protection in the greenhouse, &c. they may again be 

 turned out into temporary pits to keep them back, and as the 

 warm weather cornea they may be placed uuuer a north wall, 

 Bic.—D. B. 



IH.-FLOR1STS' FLOWERS. 

 The Florist may now fake breath. Hi- Tulips are all safely 

 in the ground and in a growing state, and comparatively speak- 

 ing out of harm's \ . He may now occasionally "overhaul" 

 his collection by looking through his book, when his favourite 

 flowers will lecur with all their beauties to his fervent imagi- 

 nation j we need not enlarge on his feelings, for those only who 



