23< 



THE GARDEN US' CHRONICLE. 



[April 



the above calculation, 



«»« ** boiler, woul.1 ; tioned, by an ^^^^ 



*ve wed 100 V *j**r durin - these six ye: i, then I extremely interfiling. 

 mat say that their practical experience has Wailed up, the placenta we 



them but li tl- in forming a correct judgment in thi 

 iuttfi e. 1 It we not th* means of proving to Messrs. 

 Weeks the correctness of the above statement otherwise 

 than I entries of payments, and coal merchants' tickets 

 of deliv< es ; but if what I have shown is not suhVient 

 to convince them of their error, it may he possible for 

 them, on making a proper official application at the 



(Be of the Commissi* >i era of her Majesty't Royal 

 Parks, Palaces, and Public Buildings, in Whi 11 

 Place, to be allowed to see the whole of the receipted 

 bids ; or a more ready way would be to see the official 

 printed estimates for this garden, which are laid annu- 

 ally before Parliament, for in the«e estimates Messrs. 

 Week Had the sum set down for fuel for the year 



nded March, . 849, to be for the Palm-house 3' '., and 



or the rest of the -ar !en 400J. ; in the following five 



ars b h s vices nre united in one sum, ?te»1MM>J. 



'Die expen are above given, when compared with 



the estimates of the corresponding years, shows that 



ir first and original estimate for the Palm house has 



Dot I n exceeded during the .six years. 



It is to be regretted that U« . Weeks should, after 

 their Ck years' practical experience," have made such 



a statement - for it is to the family of Weelii that horti- 

 ouUm are ii d for many early improvements in 



heating by hot- water ;— 1 say early, but I ateo hope 

 recent, especially in regard to the boiler they have 



* h rtised. I have no doubt but that it has merits 

 above its predecessors, and if so it will soon become 

 known and appreciated by the public, even without the 



<ctra ordinary statement of its power and econ >i»v as 



given in the advertisement. Such statements are often 

 a;»t to make- the cautious public think that they are too 



.d to he true J nevertheless I will Venture to assure 



Messrs. Weeks that if occasion arises for boilers 

 in this garden, the merits of their new boiler will 



b fully Inquired into ; but I candidly tell them that the 

 experience I have had of boilers has made me very in- 

 cr ulous as to the economy of this or that boiler, both 

 a.s regards the consumption of fuel and in not requiring 

 t be looked at for 12 or 16 hours ! Most boilers come 

 up to tlu mark on these two points doting the summer 

 half-yerir, but in the winter halt they fall much below 

 par. Another point Messrs. Weeks take credit for, is 

 having the whole of the In <es of their nursery 

 heated by one boiler. I intended to have given my 

 reasons for differing from them on this point, but as the 

 subject has b n fully entered into by Mr. A} res in the 

 Ckrmirle of last Saturday, I therefore do not deem it 

 necessary to do so ; his views entirely coincide with my 

 owti, and I can bear testimony to the consequence* of 

 he alarming words—" Please, sir, the boiler has burst," 

 or I had it often, u The boiler of Number — is leaking, 



and h put out the fire." There is another paragraph 

 in Messrs. Weeks' article id the " Cotta.ee Gardener" 

 that I will briefly notice; speaking of the extent of th 



rface of their houses exposed to the act i an of cold, 

 they say, " if we take the !e m< urement of eur 



tached houses and compare tl m with the K«w Palin- 



Ivouse, it will be found our detached houses rr ure 



about twl as mu h. M I will ask, d- b this le the 



brick walls as well as the glass, or glass only ! I must 



confessl am somewhat sceptical as regards the correctness 



of this statement, not yet having forgotten my country's 



proverb that ** it taks tnony wees to h -\U a muckle." 



The KeW Palm-house ie free to the public ; any one 



may measure and make his own calculations — not so 



with Messrs. Weeks' establishment, for having a due 



respect t - politeness, I could not think of deliberately 



entering their premises with measuring tape in hand 



without their sanction or invitation. /. Si/iith, Royal 



B'Aanic Garden, Kew, April 23. 



were seen springing evidently from 

 the wails, but perfectly united in the centre and 

 lowing a fascicle of vessels marking the position of the 

 axis with which they were confluent A gen e 

 motion of the dissecting knife easily separated one of the 

 piacentxe from the wa.is, as did the mere act of drying; 

 but the other was so firmly incorporated that it could 

 not be separated without actual violence. Ihere was in 

 •act no real solution of continuity. A ration higher 

 up exhibited the placental as perfectly marginal without 

 the slightest tendency to meet in the centre, though the 

 axis wis prolonged and presented sections of two carpels, 

 within which were three more, disposed spirally, and 

 all of them terminated with a short linear style. In 

 this case, of course, there were no free st'gmatic cords. 

 The inference from this example is precisely the same 

 with that which was derived from a Carnation, of which 

 an account was formerly published (Oavd, Chron. 1850, 

 p. 6 1 2), that the placentation in Caryophyliacese is essen- 

 tially marginal, and the apparently central placentation 

 anses merely from an early solution of continuity 

 between the placentae and the walls on which they were 

 originally developed. I have had many opportunities 

 of re examining the Carnation, for all the plants raised 

 from the original plant exhibit the same peculiarity of 

 producing a number of ovules transformed into carpel- 

 lary leaves, and I had the pleasure during the present 

 autumn of showing growing specimens to Dr. Hooker 

 and Dr. Thomson. I do not deny altogether the possi- 

 bility of central placentation, but it is very probable that 

 many of the supposed cases will be resolved into parietal, 

 lu the Foxglove the two confluent carpellary leaves, 

 of which you gave a figure, "produced a placenta on the 

 line of juncture; but in the present case the placenta 

 was confined to the outer margin of each as exhibited 

 in the woodcut. One figure represents two fertile 

 placentce with their stigmatic cords. In the one the 

 axis is terminated by three central, in the other by four 



growing 



i lc « „* ...*> —,.,^ „«j, x^i-uoneue will f, 



till the time when there is plenty to be hai 

 rs, when the plants maybe thrown away. I f-^JJ 



Treated m tiie above way, Mignonette^wiiTV 

 freely 

 ot doors, *t..^m w..v |^.».»..v_, mmvj i/w iiiuunu away 



from seed every season. The litue* ex 

 trouble required is amply compensated by the nS 

 compact form of the heads of the young plants. 



Amateurs will soon find that there is a great til 

 ference in the habit of individual plants of Xli^nq^^ 

 when growing for standards. Some of the heada^a 

 assume a neat compact form, with fine broad Han 

 while others will be of an opposite character. g2 

 should be saved from the plants having the beat hafe 

 for next season's growth. 



I have little doubt that the common Mignonette w n ' 

 be superseded, so far as the growth of standards ii 

 concerned, by the new variety, named grandiflora. it 

 appears to be a very robust grower, with fine hrmi 

 foliage, and will consequently require less time i 

 forming a standard. Alpha, 





oblique and very irregular carpellary leaves. Both of 

 these ovaries were more or less decayed. The left-hand 

 figure presents a single carpel of the second, with a 

 distorted ovule near the base. The two right-hand 

 figures represent the sections described above, of which 

 the upper is the more highly magnified ; and the 

 remaining figure shows two confluent carpellary leaves, 

 with an ovule at the outer edge, situated just at the 

 point where the suture with the other carpellary leaf 

 ceases. M. J. £ m 



MONSTROUS SWEET WILLIAM. 



A PEW weeks since yon published some remarks on 

 a singular state of the common Foxglove, in which th 

 calyx leaves were multiplied at the expense of the inner 

 whorls of the flower, while in a few cases only anything 

 as produced in the shape of carpels. It was shown 

 that parietal and axile placentation occurred in the same 

 capsule, while the axis was prolonged beyond the pla- 

 centae and bore at its apex a second whorl of carpellary 

 leaves within the first. I have lately had an opportu- 

 nity of examining a state of the common Sweet William 

 in an exactly similar condition. Unhappily, from the 

 advanced season of the year, a very few only of the 

 ovaries which had been developed were in a fit condition 

 to yield any certain information ; but notwithstandin 

 this inconvenience, results have been obtained which 

 seem of sufficient importance to lay before your 

 readers. 



TREE MIGNONETTE. 

 Common Mignonette is so well known that it is super- 

 fluous to say a word about it. It is to the culture of it 



as standards for the winter decoration of the conserva- 

 tory and greenhouse that I would now direct attention. 



I generally sow in 4-inch pots, about the end of 

 March or beginning of April, according to the number 

 of standards required. The soil I use is maiden loam 

 and leaf-mould iu equal quantities, with a little well 

 rotted manure and sand added. I drain and fill the 

 pots in the usual way, but do not press the soil too 

 firmly ; I smooth the surface, and put a pinch of seed in 

 the centre of each pot. I cover thinly with fine sifted 

 soil ; water gently ; and remove the pots to the stove, 

 or, if that is not available, to a hot-bed, and the plants 

 soon make their appearance. As soon as they have 

 grown a little, I pud all out but three of the strongest 

 near the centre of the pot. After all danger of their 

 dumping oft' has in a great measure passed, I remove 

 the two weakest, and tie the other to a neat stake. 

 I repot as the plants require it, and remove the lateral 

 buds as soon as they make their appearance in the axils 

 of the leaves, at the same time preserving the leaves on 

 the stem carefully. The flower will soon make its 

 appearance on the top of the stem ; I remove it at once, 

 and allow the highest lateral hud to grow to form the 

 next leader to be tied to the stake as soon as possible ; 

 I remove the lateral buds as before, and so on till the 

 tern is the desired height. 



When the stem is of the height required, I cut off the 

 top, and allow four or five of the highest lateral buds to 



SIR W. J. HOOKER'S REPORT ON KEW 



GARDENS. 



Royal Gardens, Kew, 31st December, ISSt 

 In presenting my Report on the Royal Gardens of Kew f 

 year now closed, I need not dwell much on the Boiani -trfe* 

 as distinguished from the Pleasure Ground or Arbore 

 progress has been detailed in former Reports. The arranges* 

 of walks, lawns, clumps, and ornamental flower beii-. ia, soto* 

 regards general features, complete. 



In novelties, rarities, and especially In useful plants, tp Iht* 

 received as many additions as in any former year, and cyily 

 numerous have been our donations to foreign garden* mi 

 colonies. The former circumstance (our augmented eoliee 

 when taken in conjunction with the constantly increasing 



f the plants, compels me to entreat for more acconrraodwk* * 

 our greenhouse plants frcm temperate climates, and especiiHy 

 those of a large size, such as scarce tender Pines, and Austa- 



lian trees and shrubs. 



Nothing has occurred to lessen the number of visitors, or At 



in* est siiown by the public in the Gardens and ( lecttoot. As 

 in former years, I submit a statement of the number of v 

 ainmallv, "commencing with the first year of admission to ifc 

 Gardens, viz.-l841, 9174; 1842, 11,400; 1843, 13.4 

 lfi.114; 1845, 28,139; 1846, 46.573; 1847, 64,282; 1848,! 

 1849, 137,865 ; 1S50, 179,627 ; 1851 (the year of the Great Zitit 

 UonV 327,900; 1852,231,210; 1853,331,210; 1854.339,164. 



It will thus be perceived that the numbers are steadily ni 

 constantly increasing. The great superiority in the year 181 

 must be considered due to the influx of people to the i 

 caused by the Great Exhibition, and that ot 1863 to thi 

 admission. In the same proportion has increased th< imberrf 

 individuals who come for study and instruction, especially irtfet 

 To various Government Schools of Art and L> ga we a* 

 tinually send abundant supplies for the use of their pupils it 



London. . , 



The Pleasure Ground adjacent to the Garden, and 

 during the Inst four years as an arboretum, devoted tnaUmj 

 of foreign trees and shrubs that will bear our climate, wl 

 keeping up its ornamental character, has its growing attr*c 

 The rough ground, bordering on the grand walk, or ? i v: 

 has, during 1854, been levelled and formed into lawn, im" 

 planting is finished ; and a large proportion of the trees ■■ 

 shrubs have been named, in conspicuous letters on iron tune* 

 with the genus and species in Latin and English, the n*: 

 the author who first described it, and the native c-rnfrj 

 rendering this collection of hardy trees and shrubs inm*«w«7 



available for the 



The Museum of 



and is a source of usefulness as well as gratification to oir™ 



chants and commercial men, as well as to otitic 1*^™' S 

 a day passes hut applicants come for information about tn 

 woods, oils, fibres, gums, resins, drugs, and dye-stufl^or w 

 the stores and greenhouses contain the living sources, a 

 Museum the products, all authentically named. | 

 A new feature in connexion with the Royal Gar ens 



to be noticed. # , ;0flB . 



In all continental and Government botanic gamin*-, 

 sidered indispensable that an Herbarium and Botanic 

 should be appended to them, for the benefit ~7*r 



garden itself, but of students and of all who d «• Vr^p* 

 on the properties and commercial value, and on i* 

 names of the plants which are employed in trade, m ^ 



medicine, manufactures, and domestic economy. * c r^ tlil |2 

 largest garden can never be sufficiently spacious to _ ^ ^ 

 the known serviceable plants in a living state r e™ 

 could be procured. But a well-preserved bCT ^""™ vrf ii 

 should, contain dried flowering species of every koo» A^ 



the world. Again, in the Library we have J ^ ire ^|yc«i* 1 ' 

 tions, and historical notices of all plants ready «> r J*": w 

 tion. Thus an Herbarium and Library are esse «"?*'>: 

 parcel of a Botanic Garden, and when combined wit" 

 leave nothing to be desired. , i-^ $(■* 



Till 1853 our Garden was utterly de-^tute of tne . {|0 

 appendages. During that year and the one new e. ^.^ 

 been my duty to report the presentation of two v ainjj * 



and Herbaria. One was the gift of Sfta ^J» fie !2'* 

 longed to her deceased brother, Dr. Br r 7 mheI<1 '^ nt ha»,W* 

 Wight : the other was bestowed on us by George ™_ ^ 

 of London. Both were presented under cond.tmn^ 

 honld be available, under proper restriction 



Election oi naray trees ana snruw ««- 



instruction of nurserymen, planters, *c ^^ 

 »f Practical or Economic Botany has y ^ 





Exactly as in the Foxglove, in advanced ovaries, 

 there was not only the ordinary column studded 



th ovules arranged evidently on three confluent 

 placentce, the tips or stigmatic cords of which were 

 free and naked, but the axis was crowned by one or 

 more whorls of carpellary leaves, either so confluent 

 *9 to iorm a distinct capsule, or perfectly free to 

 the very base, and exhibiting one or sometimes two 

 ovules attached by \ unci to the edge. A single 

 flower was obtained a few days later, in which the 

 petals though small wets tolerably developed and per- 

 fectly fresh, as also were the ovary and stigmas. The 

 carpellary leaves of this were disunited above, arid only 

 two in number, with the addition of the rudiments of a 

 third, indicated chiefly, as iu the Foxglove above men- 



for public use, and are accommodated ami co"^"^ ' t » 

 within the precincts of the Garden This import ^ 

 ment was effected in the early part of the year ^ ^g— 

 benefits of it have already been e xpener ^ ' ati <*i sjs» 

 students, and persons of all grades who desire i«^ M reJJ 

 economic and other plants throughout Europe. - ^ f^ 

 to reside at Kew for months at a time, witn u ■ ^w 

 study in the herbarium, library, and museum 



living plants in the Gardens. « A «*«tir coatn 



I must mention among the more iraportan ^ 6n ^ 



in India 

 a set of 



by the order or tne late wunam *""" a'V^ptiHre t** ,,, I7^* w 

 by William Attwell Smith, Esq.; and jjj«^^ 28y«^JSi 

 spondence of the late Dr. Wall.ck *JW ^ ^ g*»-^ 



(be 



** 



grow. As soon as they have pushed a little I pinch * "JJ*J me , ntl ™ am ^f ^^^dircdlecrton f^'w^ 



them; leaving only ^ two buds on each ; I allow them to u^wa^ 



start a little, and then remove the plants to a cool green- ' ' " ' - " A - -' ^ lafH brotbe ' * " -rf ^ 



house, where they get plenty of air ; I continue to pinch 



regularly as the plants grow, till the heads are the 



desired size (which will be about the end of September 



or the middle of October,, when they will require their 



final shift, Uftidg 8 or 9-inuh pots according to the Bize 



of the plants. I procure some iron wire for supports, 



or neat wooden stakes. After being inserted into the 



pots they must stand *J or 3 inches above the bead oi 



the plant, to allow all the laterals forming the bead to 



be suspended from them with small pieces of bast. If 



they are not tied up carefully they will, as they grow, 



droop down and break, as Mignonette is a plant of 



inteudence of the Gardens at Calcutta, 

 bequeathed to the Gardens. O ^vr.owledp ""Vi***** 



Lastly, the country appreciates and ncKu^^^wr^ 

 it has received from this establishment . tne ^ 



(on two occasions exceeding 10,m*djv)»™ vX ; ee . 



good conduct their thorough e^W^^tade W* ^-* 

 manufacturers, travellers, we may e^" 1 kinds f pl«n' 

 stily to the me by their gifts of all Km 



straggling habit 



objects, and books to" the library. . ¥ we have 



To onr own colonies our I ks sh ow tw a ^ m 



«rtensivelv, by the dispersion of « J m & ***** 



t climates suited to their growth, wnereve 

 I reach. Par'.iamentary Paper 140, 1. 



