THE GARDENERS^ CHRONICLE. 



37 



ator 



ih9 tetd, it if * u tftken place t0 8UC h an extent as to 



if impregoitio" sarC0 carp. It is to this abor- 



itsure the swelln^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ procesg 



tion tli«t many ^ _ far 8ucccsgful aB tQ stimu]ate the 



the 

 and 



° f ? P fflS«tayo ^c, and the fleshy walls of 

 ?* hot after a time the embryo ceases to grow, 

 th? skrcocarp withers. This is especially the case in 



fruit as is well known, at least practically, to 

 * m * I u i t ivator, whose fruit so frequently deceives his 

 e J*Z iust when it is undergoing the process of stoning. 

 Kn has studied the matter in the case of forced 



hemes From a very early stage of growth it cculd 

 Z nredicted certainly, in consequence of a change of 



eternal form, and sometimes a peculiar intensity of 

 lour what fruit would ultimately prove abortive. 

 S* shrivelling of the embryo takes place, however, 

 nreviouoly to the peculiar elongation of the fruit. This 

 lumens sometimes before the indication of cotyledons, 

 sometimes at the commencement of their formation, and 

 Bwnetimes when two-thirds of the embryonic sac are 

 occupied by the embryo. The sterility is by no means 

 due to deficient impregnation, but apparently to a 

 greater degree of heat than its growth requires, which 

 Emulates other parts at the expense of the embryo. 



jr. /.A 



directions for cultivation, u The plant being now dis- 

 tinctly visible, dig the intervals two spits deep ; increas- 

 ing the depth year after year till they come to 20 or 

 24 inches. Bring up at first only 4, or 5, or 6 inches, 

 according to the nature of the subsoil, whether tenacious 

 or loamy or light. To bring up more at the outset would 

 be a wasteful and injurious expense." (53.) 



In my own case, experience has combined with theory 

 and science in showing the extreme advantage, in pro- 

 ductiveness as well as outlay, of this accuracy of culti- 

 vation over the ordinary method of double- digging ; for, 

 10 years ago, a portion of my clay field, devoted to root 

 and green crops, was, by oversight, double dug two full 

 spits deep at the outset, and this has been the result : it 

 still remains heavy and impracticable, and does not ap- 

 pear likely to recover for years ; the clay clods, mingled 

 with the staple, come only partially under the influence 

 of the frost and wind and rain, and make me mourn 

 over the unintended disregard of my own rule. S. Smith, 

 Lois-Weedon, Jan. 16. [It is quite evident that the 

 term " double-digging" is understood by different per- 

 sons in different senses. We shall have a word to say 

 next week upon this point.] 



LOIS-WEEDON CULTIVATION. 

 I use the term " double-digging '* advisedly, because 

 it is really the only compound word that will suit my 

 case. For what is my practice ? At the outset I 

 plough the whole field early in autumn an inch deeper 

 tban the staple, harrow, and roll, and harrow again — 

 pulverising and preparing it, in short, as for Barley. I 

 then get in my Wheat, leaving yard- wide fallow 

 intervals between the rows. When the Wheat is up 

 I begin to dig, which is done thus : — At the end of the 

 interval I first throw out on the headland about 3 feet 

 of soil to the entire depth I intend to go the first year, 

 a&d, supposing the staple to be 6 inches, and the 4 inches 

 of subsoil to be clay, this depth altogether will be 

 10 inches. The spadesman now, with a shallow spit, 

 casts the 6 inches of staple to the bottom of the trench 

 of this yard length of interval ; and then, with another 



Spit still shallower, throws the 4 inches of the subsoil 

 ghtly on the top, and so on all over the field. This 

 process is clearly accomplished at two diggings ; and so, 

 as I think, may strictly be called w double-digging." 

 * My object in thus keeping the pure subsoil separate 

 and unmingled on the surface, which no single digging 

 to the same depth could do so effectually, is to enable 

 the atmosphere during winter to have its full and un- 

 obstructed influence on the clay ; and when this effect 

 has been, produced, as it will be found to be in spring, 

 these important results will have ensued :— The clay 

 vrill have crumbled down to dust, a portion of its known 

 mineral constituents will have been rendered soluble, 

 and it will be brought into a condition to receive and 

 retain the organic elements of fertility contained in the 

 atmosphere. It is only after this that the horse-hoe in 

 the summer well mixes the now pulverised clay with a 

 portion f the staple below, and fits the land for the 

 following crop. 



Jj 1 the third and fourth years (the other moiety of the 

 field having gone through a similar process the second 

 year) an inch more of the subsoil is brought to the 

 surface ; and so on year after year till a depth be 

 attuned by inch degrees, of 20 or 24 inches, « beyond 

 wuch it is neither needful nor convenient to go." The 

 pnnciple of the practice being that no more of the sub- 

 soil be brought to light than can be wholly pulverised 

 ■wore it be mixed with the staple, it is evident that, 

 £ uie end, after many years of gradual deepening, and 

 repeated stirrings throughout each year, the entire depth 



oSi* a t U 8pitS WlH have become friable as garden 

 cut f i therefore eas y an( i inexpensive to dig, the 

 J*l J half acre amounting on an average to the 



stated sum of 30.. or thereabouts. 



J-nis explanation, which I very willingly give in reply 

 yw courteous correspondent, is not an after thought, 



c »tt the samp o*o*««, j. _ .i , ., , , c 



e of my 

 prolixity I have not 



DamnM ?T 8tatement runs through the whol 

 ££pniet, though in order to avoid nrolixitv I 1 



before 



earners. 



s to ask 



been JT1 5° dee P l y into detail 5 and if an y one lias 

 aBnuS* y the term " double-digging," which I have 

 AS + ° ^ own case > J* is not owing, I humbly 



pmo/2 ° 2 7 4 o wa 5 n , fc % w t°s r x m i y part l m at 



thisnoint > AJ > 5 * (last edition), I have spoken on 

 " In dWi l equaI decisi on if not with equal cl 

 hiinselW- interva,8 i d *<* V the operator L •- ..... 



fo thorou >M 8 Up on 'y 8 ° much of the sabsoil as could 

 i&g croD • f pulverised and mellowed for the succeed- 



J^tsomuh Clay ° nly a few inches 5 of any subsoil, 

 monnWf n Wou!d lose its rawness during the twelve 

 - *" ,aIlow ? " ( 10.) « I have just sent in m- — *- 



(1\ \ « * — _*^l'ow intervals two shallow spits 



' ' kfr? r ***** year > till ^he staple has become* two 



A field T h • ^ ^ e comme ncement of my trenching 

 <* 6 inchp* g Up onl y 80 much of the subsoil, say 4, 5, 



P^pared f ' * 8 ° an ^ e P enetra * ed D y tne atmosphe 

 ^ntitv v° r U8 r ^ tne one year's fallow, increasi 



ere and 



increasing the 



^en to tt* V vxv } "^ have just sent in my spades 

 <Jee D • /of? eh the fa,,ow intervals two shal 



f 6 mches, as c 

 P^Pared f or U8€ 



S%^af 



in thia wlv^ ^ nd wnen a11 na ^ once been lo °sened 

 ^ted mav ^ u . become 1] g n t, the calculations I have 

 means of th i ' he colJ8 i d ered correct/' (29.) " By 

 **»!* ar m i e P- 8tirri ng up-lifting fork, in lieu of the 

 |re ^6 ua level plough, I bring up these mineral 



<kco 



m posed 



«>y 



by inch 

 summer 



&**$ Heet^ y ^ 



fai 



to be disintegrated and 

 fallow, exposing them 

 till I reach the limited 



VEGETATION AND CLIMATES OF FOREIGN 



COUNTRIES. 



Under this head it is proposed to collect facts and 

 information which will doubtless be interesting to many 

 of our readers ; for most persons who trace the progress 

 of vegetation in our own country are also fond of com- 

 paring it with that of other lands. A correspondent, 

 resident at Nice, will supply us with observations from 

 that quarter during the present season, and we shall add 

 from other places such as may offer to us. 



Nice, Jan. \2th 3 1855. — The situation of Nice is on 

 the southern coast of Europe, in the front of a large 

 bay of the blue Mediterranean, and surrounded by a 

 triple chain of mountains which afford considerable 

 shelter from the cold winds of winter. The climate is, 

 consequently, very favourable to vegetation, the average 

 temperature being about 10 Q higher than that of London. 

 Owing to the mildness of its winters a considerable 

 number of English, as well as natives of other countries, 

 resort there. Upwards of 000 families have arrived 

 for this season, including 220 English, 216 French, 

 20 German, 15 American, and 24 Russian. It is nearly 

 1000 miles from London, but may be easily reached in 

 five days. The railway from Paris to Marseilles is 

 expected to be opened throughout next month, and will 

 then offer still greater facility. 



Very little frost is seen at Nice in ordinary seasons. 

 This year there has been some in the valleys. In 



posed places Heliotropes, Tomatoes, and young 

 Potatoes have been cut, but Peas (the pods of which are 

 still sold in the markets) look well, and many are in full 

 flower. Alpine Strawberries are also purchaseable, 

 5 oz. for 4d., grown in the vicinity. Greenhouses are 

 quite rare, even with nurserymen, and very poor 

 erections they are, hardly excluding the wind, with 

 seldom any provision for artificial warmth. The 

 gardens are certainly not well kept, and their general 

 condition would not be tolerated in England. In fact, 

 Nature seems to have done so much that the cultivators 

 are careless in doing the rest. Cauliflowers are be- 

 coming plentiful, those of a very large size are about 

 6d. each ; smaller ones, 2d. The Oranges, of which 

 there is a good crop, are now getting ripe, their golden 

 colour contrasting well with the deep green shade of the 

 foliage. They are sold at Id. to 2d. per dozen, or about 

 4 francs per 1000. The weather for the last month has 

 been splendidly fine, only a few drops of rain since the 

 10th of December — like the befct of our May weather in 

 England. The sun has great power ; the thermometer 

 exposed to its rays often exceeds 120°. Potatoes are 

 rather dearer than in England ; and so is bread. 



The principal flowers now used in the bouquets (all 

 grown in the open air) are Roses, of various sorts, and 

 very numerous ; Ageratum mexicanum ; a kind of large 

 Candytuft called aspique ; Violets, Acacia, Mignonette, 



&c. 



The wild flowers in bloom are : — Erica multiflora 

 (very abundant and pretty), Coronilla, Mignonette, 

 Valerian, Anemones of various colours, Rosemary, 

 Narcissus, and Mountain Pinks. In the valleys are 

 also various sorts of Cistus, Arbutus. Bay, Box, Phyllirea, 

 Privet, and much Myrtle. The American Aloe 

 flourishes, and several have flower-stalks 20 feet high. 



State of the Thermometer in the Shade at Nice. 



*or contJr*' be y° nd w '»ch it is neither need- 

 c °nvement to go." (4 9.) And, finally, in the 



January 



V 



n 

 Jt 

 n 

 it 

 ii 

 if 



ft 



1 



2* 

 3 

 4 

 5 



6 

 7 

 8 

 9 

 10 



11 



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• • . 



• • . 



• • ' 



7 A-M. 1 



12 r.M. j 



43 



55 



63 



66 



43 



62 



41 



63 



44 



57 



41 



67 



40 



59 



41 



53 



40 



57 



42 



55 



41 



56 



41 



49 

 44 

 44 

 44 

 43 

 43 

 42 

 42 

 41 

 46 



E. O. 



CULTURE OF THE PEAR TREE. 



Although the subject to which I have directed atten- 

 tion for the last eight months may be interesting to those 

 who are more immediately engaged in the cultivation of 

 Pear trees, yet it may not be so to many of your 



I, however, feel it necessary to reply to certain 

 objections made to my remarks by my friend Mr. 

 Rivers, not with the view of convincing him of his error 



• With a hot wind from the Morth. 



readers ; 



or changing his ideas, for 1 know that to be impossible 

 but to place the question at issue in its right position. 

 Without further apology, I shall therefore come at 

 once to the point. 



Is it true or is it not that for many years the crop of 

 Pears, in a great number of gardens in England, has 

 been defective ? Is it true, or not, that in general the 

 trees cultivated in the open ground, whether as Pyra- 

 mids, Quenouilles, or Standards, have been much 

 neglected as regards pruning, thinning, and clearing from 

 insects ? 



It is impossible to reply to these questions otherwise 

 than in the affirmative, and it has been with a view to 

 remedy the evil that my contributions have appeared in 

 your pages. Devoted to the culture of fruit trees in a 

 climate and situation analogous to those of various 

 localities in England, and having succeeded in their 

 culture by persevering in the application of certain 

 scientific principles, I have ventured to make my expe- 

 rience known in a series of articles in the pages of the 

 Gardeners 9 Chronicle, and your readers will have been the 

 best judges of their utility. In these, however, I cer- 

 tainly have had no intention of forcing my ideas upon 

 any one, but rather of inducing some to take them up 

 and put them into practice, offering, at the same time, to 

 exhibit the good results I have obtained from the system 

 I have pursued. 



Instead of resorting to all sorts of strange allegations, 

 to which it is needless to reply in detail, and which can 

 only tend to confirm persons in a bad system of culture, 

 would it not have been better to have made a fair trial 

 of the application of the principles I have laid down, 

 just by way of experiment! A careful trial made for 

 two or three years would have shown which of us (Mr. 

 Rivers or myself) is wrong ; or whether want of success 

 is to be exclusively attributed to difference of climate. 



The advantages of growing as pyramids certain varie- 

 ties adapted for standards have, I believe, been stated 

 in a previous article. I doubt, however, whether my 

 opponent knows them sufficiently to be able to judge of 

 their merits. It is not on paper, but in a quarter of 

 100 of these fruit trees, four or five years from the 

 graft, that, in the months of July and August, the utility 

 of the system can be successfully shown, and yet the 

 winds from the north sea or from the west are not less 

 violent in the neighbourhood of Brussels than in Here- 

 fordshire [Hertfordshire I] or in any other county in 



England. 



If I had not resorted to those standard trees for 

 grafting upon them the new sorts sent out, from 1 847 

 to 1851, by the successors of the late Van Mons, I 

 should have had to wait three or four years longer 

 before I could have seen the fruits and have ascertained 

 their qualities. I even doubt whether the young plants 

 sent out during the above-mentioned period, and sub- 

 jected to artificial cultivation, would have been able to 

 show for fruit last spring in the nurseries of Sawbridge- 



worth. 



I have not hitherto adverted to the advantages and 

 disadvantages of artificial cultivation, but I hope to 

 notice them at the proper time and place, after having 

 treated of that which is more substantial, durable, and 



of general application. 



I hope my opponent, Mr. Rivers, will not be in too 

 great haste to criticise our new pomological acquisitions, 

 which he only knows by name ! They are more im- 

 portant than he appears to imagine. Believe me they 

 are the results of efforts which have cost too much time 

 and money to be lightly judged of. I have tasted all 

 these fruits, either from'the seedlings on their fruiting 

 for the first or second time, or from my own trees or 

 those of my friends, and I hope next year to be able to 

 submit good specimens of them to the judgment of the 

 pomological committee, and thus be able to convince all 



as to their merits. 



English cultivators will not have to wait so long to 

 appreciate and possess these valuable varieties under 

 their right names as they did in the case of the Beurre 

 d'Hardenpont, Beurre Ranee, Marie Louise, and Beurre 

 Diel. It is very probable from their vigour and hardi- 

 ness that most of these new sorts will succeed perfectly 

 well in the climate and soil of England. It is also very 

 probable that, in point of delicacy and long keeping, a 

 iarge number of these varieties, of which the mean 

 period of ripening is not yet completely established, will 

 surpass all others at present in cultivation ; and that 

 this will be the case as long as they are not subjected 

 to the influence of artificial culture, and as long as in 

 propagating them the preference is given to scions taken 

 at the proper time from trees cultivated on tlie Pear 

 stock, and which themselves have been propagated from 

 trees continued from Pear stock to Pear stock. 



In conclusion, let me mention that the raisers of new 

 varieties of Pears are not responsible for changes which 

 may have been made in the names originally given them. 

 Such changes ought to be attributed either to ignorance 

 or fraud, and a prudent man ought only to deal with 

 persons whom he knows well, and who have a reputation 

 for honesty in business transactions. If then you will 

 purchase in the cheapest market and get deceived, you 

 have only yourself to blame. J. De Jonghe, Brussels, 



Jan, 1. 



SWAINSONIA GALEGIFOLIA. 



This is IT plant which is well worthy of a place in 

 every greenhouse, for, under proper treatment, it pro- 

 duces a profusion of pretty blossoms for some two or 

 three months in succession. 



It is easily propagated either by means of seed?, 

 which are produced in abundance, or by cuttings of 



