1841J 



THE GARDENERS* CHRONICLE. 



855 





I 









4 





... 



was placed, in a large flower-pot, a growing specimen of 

 a marked variety of Portugal Laurel, from Ormistoo, in 

 East Lothian ; and, alongside of ir, a branch of the com- 

 mon Portugal Laurel, for comparison. This Ormiston 

 variety is distinguished by beiog of a dense habit of 

 growth, having thick coriaceous leaves of a dark 

 green colour on the upper aide. On some tables were 

 arranged specimens of 178 sorts of Apples, and of 

 80 Pears, the produce of the Society's own garden. - 

 Dr. Neill, Secretary, read reports from Mr. J. M'Nab, 

 the Curator of the Society's Garden, regarding an econo- 

 mical cold pit for striking hard-wooded exotics, now to 

 be seen in full action in the grounds ; concerning newly- 

 introduced varieties of Strawberry, among which the 

 Deptford Pine received a high character, and the Bally- 

 fairy Seedling (of Scottish origin) was also recommended; 

 and regarding recently-introduced varietiesof Raspberries, 

 among which the Fastolff was preferred, the climate of 

 Scotland not having proved sufficiently good for the Vic- 

 toria, nor for the Black American Rispberry, sent by 

 Mr. Buist from Philadelphia. The Secretary also read 

 communications from Mr. R. P. Drummond, of Gwernant 

 Park, South Wales, on the Culture of the Pine-apple, and 

 on Growing Chinese Chrysanthemums to a very lar-e 

 size ; from Mr. J. Wallace, on the Management of the 

 Orange tribe at Duuemerle, where fourteen kinds are 

 cultivated for their fruit ; and from Mr. Martin, Biel 

 Mill, on the Utility of the Sweepings of a Drer-shed in 

 making up Cucumber-beds — Mr.M'Intosh,ofCatherine- 

 street, Edinburgh, presented a sample of his transparent 

 waterproof linen, proposed as a substitute for glass, which 

 after having been exposed to the atmospherical influences 

 for many months past, seemed still in a very perfect 



Miscellaneous. 



The Geological Society. -W e have great satisfaction 

 in announcing the appointment of the Rev. Mr. Ansted 

 as a successor to Rofessor Forbes in the important of- 

 fice of Librarian to this Society. Mr. A.'s late work on 

 Geology is a guarantee of his perfect fitness for the diffi- 

 cult task he has undertaken. We understand that the 

 Society has determined upon the publication of a 

 Quarterly Journal of Geology, of which Mr. A. will be 

 toe Editor. 



Sidney.— V^e extract from Simmonds's " Colonial 

 Magazine" for December, the following, being the 

 average quantity per acre of agricultural crops produced 

 annually in New South Wales during the last ten years, 

 •"-•—Wheat, 14 bushels; Maize, 17$ bushels; Barley, 



viz 



Council ; and W. Steele and G. A. Es'son, Esqrs., of 

 the Garden Committee. All the other oflice-bearers 

 were re-elected. Seventeen new members were enrolled. 



LINNEAN SOCIETY. 

 Dec. 17.— R. Brown, Esq., in the chair. A paper 

 was read from Mr. Hogg, containing criticisms on a 

 recent work by M. Laurent, of Toulon, on the Hydra 

 and Sponges of fresh waters. This work, which had 

 been presented to the Society by the author, was one of 

 the most complete on the subject, and was illustrated by 

 numerous coloured engravings of the varous species of 

 animals on which it treated. Mr. Hogg stated that the 

 author of this work had not acknowledged certain ob- 

 servations which he had made on the locomotive power 

 of the germinules of the SpongilU fluviatilis, (the River 

 Sponge,) and which were published in the Transactions 

 of the Linnean Society for 1838. In the same paper he 

 had pointed out the close resemblance between the 

 movements of the Bporules of the Ectospema cla- 

 vata of Unger. M. Laurent had noticed both 

 these facts, but had not mentioned that they were 

 the discovery of the author. The author then went 

 into several details, in order to prove, in opposition 

 to D:. Grant, and other distinguished comparative ana- 

 tomist and naturalists, that the sponges ought rather to 

 be considered plants than animals. — Dr. Laukester exhi- 

 bited a specimen of a fungus, apparently the Agaricus 

 inornatus, from the external membrane of the pileus of 

 which, a second pileus, with its gills uppermost, was de- 

 veloped. T e second pileus was immediaely over the 

 stipes, and seemed to result from an extension of the 

 growth of that organ, carrying up with it through the ex- 

 ternal membrane of the first pileus the internal or gill- 

 producing membrane. — A specimen of the flowtrs, fruit, 

 and inner bark of the Lag«tta lintearia, or Lac<-bark 

 tree, brought from Jamaica by Mr. Wilson, was pre- 

 sented by Sir W. J. Hooker. The leaves of this plant 

 almost always fall off in drying, except they are gathered 

 when young.— Mr. Robert Heward presented five spe- 

 cies of Isoetes, from Algeria, two of which were terres- 

 trial, and the whole had been characteiised by Bory de St. 

 Viucent. 



SOCIETY OF ARTS. 

 Dec. 11.— A paper was read on the Hjdraulic'Ram, 

 by Mr. Roe, a model and diagram accompanying the 

 communication. The machine consists of a rectangular 

 body, at one end of which is the supply-pipe from a 

 reservoir of water collected from a running stream. At 

 the top of the body, at one end, is a circular pulse-valve 

 —at the bottom end, a spherical air-chamber having a 

 circular neck, into which is inserted a p ; pe leading into 

 the cistern to be supplied with water. The action is hs 

 follows : — The water enfering the body of the ram with a 

 pressure in proportion to the area of the supply-;upe and 

 fall, closes the pulse-valve, and immediately enters the 

 air-chamber through a valve in its neck. The air in the 

 chamber being compressed, causes the neck-va've to be 

 closed, and thus liberates the pulse-valve. When the 

 air in the chamber is suffic ently compressed, some of the 

 water therefrom is forced into the pipe leading to the 

 cistern. The same action is continued as lonz as the 



I5J bushels; Oats, 13£ bushels; Rye, 13^ bushels; Millet, 



4 g- bushels ; Potatoes, 2£ tons ; Tobacco, 7 cwt. ; and 

 Hay, li ton. 



Mr. Linden's Plants.— .We understand that this enter- 

 prising traveller, who has just returned from Cuba with 

 a large quantity of valuable plants, which have been sent 

 to B ussels, intends to offer them for sale in the ensuing 

 •pring. The plants in question were partly collected in 

 that, island, and partly in the unfrequented regions of 

 Merida and Cauca. 



Tara Palms.— There is a system in some parts of 

 India, of planting these in the trunks of decayed Peepul 

 trees. The fi'st which I saw I supposed had* been sown 

 there by accident ; but I soon found that the practice 

 was frequent, and that the Peepul thus treated had gene- 

 rally the greater part of its branches and all the top cut 

 away, to favour the intruding plant, which stands as if it 

 were in a rude flower-pot. The hollow part of the t.ee 

 must, I suppose, be previously filled with earth. A very 

 excellent fence is thus obtained for the young Tara-plant ; 

 Out I conclude that they are not Hindoos who thus man-' 

 gle and violate the sacred tree of Sis &.— Bishop Hcbers 

 Indian Journal. 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS 



For the ensuing Week. 



I.— HOTHOUSE. CONSERVATORIES, kc. 



The usual mode of inducing shy-blooming plan's to produce 

 flowers is to cramp them in small pots. We have no sue. con- 

 trol, however, over Orchidaceous plants, for, if we attempt to 

 confine their roots, we disarrange their economy, and endanger 

 the existence of the more delicate species; but as most of them 

 w II exist in a dormant state for many months, if moisture is 

 withheld from their roots, we can thus compel thern to alter 

 their natural time of growth to suit our own seasons. Spring 

 and autumn growth should, therefore, be discouraged by these 

 means, with all the shy-blooming kinds. The experiment should 

 commence now by keeping them as cool and dry as they can 

 bear for two months, and in spring by increasing the heat as 

 tne season advances, but stil withholding water till early in 

 the summer, and then giving it only when their buds are ready 

 to start. (To be continued.) 



Conservatory —F<*t the last three months great expectations 

 were entertained by many cuitiratTs, that a new race of beau- 

 tiful Aehimenes would be originated to decorate the conserva- 

 tory lare in the autumn, by crossing \. picta, which seeds 

 freely, with the pollen of hirsuta and pedunculata, which appear 

 to nave the nearest affinity i but in many cases the experiment 

 ha- railed. This may, however, be owing to the laten; sa of the 

 season when the experiments were begun; therefore it must 

 be resumed earlier next season. We all know of Mr. Knight's 

 experiment in seeding Potatoes that refused to do so by ordinary 

 cultivation. The same process may be tried with this family; 

 it is to prevent them forrr ing underground tubers, and thus to 

 compel the energy of the plant to expend itse If in the formation 

 of seeds. At this season, when forced flowers are introduced, 

 no air should be given to this house, not even in the finest 

 weather that we experience at Christmas.— Z>. B. 



II.— FLOWER-GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Out door Department. 

 In reply to "M. D.," p. 813, I would say that calendarial 

 notices must necessarily be general, and therefore, their appli- 

 cation must depend upon the persons for whom they are written. 

 Far be it from my wish that " M. D." should leave the leaves, 

 so as they would be a nuisance to his employer. These things 

 must, however, be left to the common sense of readers. In reply 

 t > the question, "What would have been the result of plants 

 planted in such a way (with the holes filled with fresh leaves), 

 after a summer like the past?" I would answer that in the 

 case of plants so planted twelve months back, some of them 

 6 feet in height and as much in diameter, they have grown 

 splendidly, and are now beautifully studded with flower budsj 

 they required bu; little water, though planted on sand, as the 

 leaves absorbed it from the earth by capillary attraction ; and 

 as for being blown out of the ground, they never moved an inch 

 from the position in which they wrre first placed, though they 

 were exposed to the four winds of heaven, as single specimens 

 upon a lawn. The weather during the last fortnight has been 

 very trying for tender plants in the open air, but the wood being 

 well ripened, they have not suffered so much here from 20° of 

 frost as they did last stason/rom 7°- Last year theflower-buds 

 of Magnolia conspicua were killed here in November; at the 

 present time they are as sound as can be desired ; Fabiana im 

 bricata is dead, but Ceanothus divaricatus, freely exposed in a 

 pot, is uninjured. Keep the lawn and walks as tidj as possible, 

 aul roll them whenever they are dry. 



Pits and Frames.— Keep the plants in these structures as hardy 

 as possible, by fully exposing them in mild weather, hut do not 

 irive them any more water than is absolutely necessary. Re- 

 move all decayed or decaying leaves, and keep th^ atmosphere 

 as healthy as possible.— W. P. A. 



III.— FLORISTS* FLOWERS. 

 Carnations. — After the very severe frost we have had, the 

 cultivators of these flowers will be able to appreciate the advice 

 we ha/e so earnestly endeavoured to inculcate — that of the 

 paramount necessity of potting layers off early, so that they 

 may be enabled to withstand frosts like the one we have just 

 experienced, without the frame-lights being constantly closed. 

 As soon as the weather will permit, the stock of layers should 

 be looked over, and carefully cleaned. Give air day and night 

 under the frames, and in fine weather remove the lights alto 



n 



ram is supplied with water from the head. The son of 



ine celebrated Montgolfier introduced a small valve into gether. They do not require much water at this season, espe- 

 the neck of the air vessel, to supply it with fresh air J ciallyifthe soil in which they are wintered is of a close texture, 

 hut flip outk^_ ;„ ^*. ^ j *« *i ~* ;► ;« «.,„««„„ Auricula*.— Take care that these plants get no drip, and that the 



Out the author is not prepared to Bay that lHs success- cvering. whether glass or prepared calico, is perfectly water. 



tight. Attend to the routine laid down in previous Calen- 

 dars. Pansies.— Those wintered in soil of too rich a nature 

 have suffe ed most. These, with late planted one*, have sus- 

 tained a severe check. Pansies, in order to stand the severity 

 of the weather, with little or no covering, ought not to be of 





ial in practice. By this machine, with a 10 ft. fall, a 

 column of water, 150 ft. high, may be raised at the rate 

 of 5 quarts per minute — thus giving one part raised to 1 1 

 wasted. There are many situations where small streams, 

 now running to waste, might be rendered available for 

 the supply of houses with water, at a very 6mail cost. 



too gross a habit. Look over seedling-beds, as the roots of 

 many will be thrown out by the frost; these must be carefully 

 re-planted. Tulips will now each succeeding week be getting he done in the kitchen-garden. In light dry soils, however, a 



nearer to the surface; ?ome slight protection will be necessary 

 where they are grown for exhibition, in order to prevent all 

 possibility of injury to the embryo bloom. Hoops over the 

 beds, on which mats may be thrown, will be sufficient. Where 

 the roots are i»( t of so much consequence a few leaves will prove 

 equally efficacious. Pinks may be shel ered with small pieces 

 oi Spruce Fir-boughs stuck round the beds. In snowy weather 

 rabbits and hares devour them with avidity where they happen 

 to be exposed tothur depredations. Continue to turn over, and 

 make composts at every opportunity.— J. F. W 



IV.— PINERIES, VLVERIES, &c. 

 Ptnenes.— Where a supply of Pines is require I throughout 

 the year, it is sometimes necessary at this season to subject 

 me of the fruiting plants to a high temperature to start them 

 into fruit. If a few oi those most likely to fruit soon can be 

 put into a house or pit by themselves, where a temperature of 

 from 65° to "0° cau be maintained by night, and ;j by day, 

 with about 85° ot bottom-heat, it will bring on the fruit. The 

 other plants can then be kept at a moderate temperature til 

 the end of January ; this will prolong the succession of fruit, 

 and be much better than subjecting many plants to a high tem- 

 pt ra'ure at this dull season. 



Vineries.— By the time the "shows" appear, 1 t the temperature 

 by fire- heat range from 5p° to 6o°. Look to the bending now. 



r any long shoots of la-t year, in order that e buds may all 



break. Keep the atmosphere as moist a* p e. 



Peach-houses. -Attend to the directions given in former 

 Calendars. 



Cherries —In seme gardens portable glass cases, of a steep 



'tch are employed for forcing Cherries tratnt-d on hot walls. 



i his is a ixc en t mode of forcing for arl >esteep 



pitch of the roof enables it to transmit the rays of the sun 



more directly at t \\.— G F. 



V.-HARDV PRUI1 AND KITCHEN (JARDEN 



F t tree Bordtt*.— At there is con rmtively not much of 

 importance to attend to at th s serson, a good opp rtunity is 

 afforded for renovating old border , or forming new ones. The 

 ftrst thing to be attended to, after removing unfavourable soil, 

 is to render the border dry bj forming a drain in ut, th.*top 

 r the drain being deeper than the 1 omofth* rder, giving 

 that bottom a good declination fr«n hack to front, mid then 

 rendering it imp* rvums to the root* of trees by any or the me- 

 thods previou referred to, of which we would prefer grout- 

 ing with lime and gravel as the be^i and cheap The forming 

 or this hard bottom might be dispensed with in lavourab e cir- 

 comst iiices, particularly if thete wm no necessity for cropping 

 •he borders, as thvn, bj mule .ing the surface, the roots would 

 be enc uraperi to rise to the top. From i| to % feet would be 



pth enough of good soil, where healthy fruitful trees, in op. 

 position t i mere Luxuriance, was the object, giving the greater 

 depth to Pears, Plums, Vines, &c, and the lesser depth to 

 Pc Hches and Nectarines. The next thing is th, staining- a 



od supply of baeel~eoloared loam, if it can be procured, which 

 wnl answer admirably of itself for Apples and Pears ; for 

 Plum-, if kept somewhat adhesive; for Cherries, if sand or 

 r ad drift is. added for the tenderer sorts j for Peaches and 

 Nectarines with the addition of about one ■ if road drift 



or sandy matter, and a little leaf mould, if the soil is naturally 



adhesive* and for Apricots, with less ^and than for Peaches, 



and 0( a greater depth. PorFi^s, it will be a sable to restrain 

 I he extension of the roots, »o keep the tree growing from one 

 si em instead of suckers, and to supply necessary nourishment 

 byi chin*;. For Vines, the same soil will suit well, but it 

 he incorporated with calcareous matter, such as lune- 

 rubbis , &c, and well i ured w t •, h okenand bruised bones. 

 In pi ference toh<>t*be<; -r <<ther manure, as being moic lasting 

 in their effects, snd because the latter, when buried deep, be- 

 comes effete for all useful purposes, by bein^ placed beyond the 

 decomposing influence ofatmo ph^iic agency. The add n 

 ol brickbits and 1 *rg k - lumps of porout sandstone interspersed 

 in the border, so as to keep it open, will be an advantage. 



Celery and other Vegetables —Ho* that the frost has left us, 

 loo* over a-. d remove alt parts that have been much affected, 

 which will not o* ly preserve what is left from rotting, but free 

 me garden from an unpleasant nui arce. Owing to the change 

 coming so graduaMy, and being unaccompanied by sunshine, 

 vegetables have suffered le>s than we might have expected. 

 Hand Lights Th now in general i mos' gardens, con- 



sis' of cast-iron 'rames with moveable tops. They are certainly 

 very useful for almost numSerless purposes. The great draw- 

 bark to the more 'r< quent use of them is, their fir^t expense. 

 an —till more troublesome expense for repairs; as, independent 

 r all regulations to the c ntrary, the appearance they often 

 present would indicate that there must be some strong at- 

 traction between their sides and the tool, or foot of the work- 

 man. To li-ssen these sources of anno; ance, the bottom part 

 of the frame mig t consist of wood i r sine, withou* much im- 

 pairing its general efficiency; or, better still, small wooden 

 boxes might be subs ituted, having a sliding saeb, glazed with 

 small squares, such as may be seen at Mr. Week ** auu other 

 builders, and which, so *ar as I recoil ct, # were recommended 

 by Mr. Forsyth some years ago. Coy Iiu wn; and Charring 

 Refuse.— This will also be found a favourable - pportunity, in 

 the case of very adhesive soils, for burning the mos" retentive 

 part Of it i using for this purpose the pruning* of bushes, trees, 

 and any other rubbish. The scattering of the burned pat 

 will greatly ameliorate the working of the soil; or, if it be 

 deemed preferable, such prunings, along with Cabbage stems, 

 old tan, sawdu t, &c. may be charred, and t'.en the produce 

 will be a useful top-dressing for Onions and other crops. 

 Routine kS in former Calendar.—/?. F. 



VI. -ARBORICULTURE. 

 Old Woods. — Continue, when the weather is frosty, to fell 

 trees whose bark is of no value. Oak trees with tne bark on 

 may also be felled now when extreme durability is desired, 

 e winter months being the most suitable time for the opera- 

 tion ; frosty weather is best isr clearing tne woods of timber 

 and spray. Cut away Briers, Thorns, rze, and other inju- 

 rious stuff from young maiden plants springing up iu brakes or 

 thickets of undergrowth, and train them in the way they 

 should grow. 



Oepp ce. — See last week's Calendar. 



Young Plantations. — The thinning out of Larch and other 



Firs, and clearing away the produce, may be proceeded with. 



Tu« present :s fine weather for such o ttions, whi h can be 



>i e now much more expeditiously tttau when there is snow 



on the ground. 



Hedge row -In weather like the present, plash, cut, and fell 

 useless and injurious trees. Reduce overgrown hedges into 

 u rower c mipass, and scour out ditches. 



Nwm r*.— Operations in this department are nearly at 



a sUnd-still while the pn it frohtv'weAtuer lasts.*- W. B. 



VIL-COTTAGERS' GARDENS, 

 r the cottager wishes to have a dish of Seakale towards the 

 beginning or middle of February, now is the time to make pre- 

 paration for obtaining it. If a small quantity of leaves can be 

 llected f r the purport of mixing with a little stable dung or 

 other litter, which will cause a gentle fermentation to take 

 place, there will be little difficulty in effecting this < bject. Let 

 the roots be covered with tolerably large flowerpots; any 

 old partly broken pots or other materi.il that will keep the 

 manure off the tender shoots are suitable for the purpose. On 

 these shake a sufficient depth of fermenting material to raise a 

 heat of from 50° to 6()~. The heat may be less, hut should not 

 exceed 60°, or the stems wiil he weakly and drawn. In the 

 same manner Rhubarb may also be produced catly ; but in the 

 ca^eof the cottager pos^c ig a warm, dark room or cellar, 

 where potted roots can be placed. Rhubarb may be produced 

 with greater certainty, and with less trouble. At this 

 ason, under the constantly varying weAther, little can 





