U6 



THE GARDENERS 



CHRONICLE 



What is 



in its constitution, 

 can account for the 



~ "" — t- \, TTTliiat th* action was in ' of this winter. . 



possibly a solution of sulphate of iron might be 



as the garden Balaam. 



someway 



SiTdisteJfS lot the tissues did not produce 

 Su v as g te aUy supposed, was sufficiently shown 

 bTthe'wefl-known fact that the same degree of cod 

 Kled very differently on different plants placed m 



p.inal circumstances. . , 



\lr Moore did not consider the reasons given by 



Dr. Steele for objecting to the generally received 

 opinion on this subject to have been happily con- 

 ceived, inasmuch as animals which are natives of 

 warm countries are more subject to be destroyed Lby 

 cold than those which are natives of colder regions 

 Nature provides both plants and animals with tissues 

 LtuJ i resisting the rigours of the climates they 



estined to live in. He had therefore, no 

 but that the action was of a mechanical 

 nature and caused by the rupturing of the walls ol 

 Te tender cells, which he believed was the opinion 

 of the most distinguished botanists both in tins 

 country and on the continent of Europe IU as a 

 very common occurrence to see the bark of plants 

 that had been injured by frost part from the wood. 

 Now, every vegetable physiologist knew that a layer 



1 » |^J ^^ 



effect, or at any rate would be worth the trial " ' J 



Imwpvp.r do not lonff remain in th\* cf«#^ tm 



erably w ^ 



Thiam 



and while the neighbouring cells 



incr 



nothing. 



ml 



fi 



were 

 doubt 



tatingly we answer 



It may be asked, what is this < specific vitality? 

 TotktVe have no reply to give, except that we 



do not know. * €i . 



It is an axiom in animal physiology, that the 

 general effect of cold on living bodies is a dimm n ion 

 Sactivity, which terminates, if the cold be 

 intense, and its application continue d in d ah 

 (Pereira.) Hence it is to be inferred that allli mn 

 1SZ whatsoever must finally perish beneath the in- 

 fluence of cold, provided it is severe enough and pro- 

 Wd enough But living things have each their 

 separate consUtutional vitality, the power of which in 

 resisting cold differs between species and species, 01 

 variety and variety, and even between individual and 

 ShfrS. Itisa y peculiarity derived from the great 

 source of all things ; a reality ; inexplicable but indis- 

 putable ! like light, and heat, and electricity. We see 

 it manifested among plants between the yellow and 

 the spider Ophrys, and the Tea Rose and the China 



;rrotrruS^T/Se- xuur'b^enlhe ^'r s '^g animals W«« the as, and the 



wo5 in? bark of all exogenous trees, called cam- zebra ; the Negro and the Esquimaux, the terrier and 

 bium, out of which young cells were being formed, 

 which had very long and slender walls at first, ana 

 it was known to be the congelation of that substance, 

 and rupture of the tender cells, which causes bark 

 to part from the wood. The chairman also had 

 frequently rmiarked, when Pelargoniums are de- 

 stroyed by frost, that the wood separates from the 

 bark, and he believed the effect of frost on p ants 

 to be a mechanical action which ruptured then- 

 tissues, and not a sudden shock. 



This is so interesting a question that we just 

 venture to occupy a brief space with a remark or two 

 which we hope may help to throw some light upon it. 



That the action of frost is purely mechanical is an 

 old doctrine which has met with general assent. It 

 has beeu held that when a plant is frozen the fluids 

 contained in its cells expand, and rupture the tissue, 

 thus producing disorganisation. That this is to 

 some extent true is, we believe, indisputable ; some 

 observers have reported that they have seen proofs 

 of such an action. It has been therefore suggested 



that the fluids contained in different species of 

 plants mav themselves act differently in the pre- 

 sence of cold ; just as oil of turpentine requires a 

 temperature of 14° io freeze, while oil of bergamot 

 freezes at 23°, and Olive oil at 36°. But although 

 this may be true to a limited extent, yet it by no 

 means explains the phenomenon in question. The 

 plant x, for instance, perishes from frost, while 

 another, identical with it in nature, lives with im- 

 punity within 2 yards of it, both having been 

 exposed to the same temperature. In this case the 

 fluids of the two will be chemically the same, and 

 yet the results are opposite. Again, the Long-leaved 

 Pine (P. longifolia) is quite tender, while the 

 Gerard Pine, exceedingly like it, is hardy ; in this 

 case there is no ground for supposing that the fluids 

 contained in these species are different. In fact, 

 except that all plants suffer from cold in proportion 

 to the quantity of water they contain, we have no 

 kind of evidence to show that the quality of their 

 fluids has any material influence upon their power 

 of resisting cold; for it is by no means true, as 

 some too hastily assert, that resinous trees, like 

 Conifers, are rendered hardy by the resin they con- 

 tain ; the Norfolk Island Pine and the Malay 

 Dammar are tender, although both are resinous. 



It must be also remembered that plants are killed 

 by cold although their cells are perfectly empty , in 

 which case we need not say that the expansive 

 force of frozen fluid would have nothing to operate 



upon. 



All the experience that 40 years' acquaintance 

 with such phenomena has given us leads to one, 

 and only one, conclusion, which is that the power of 

 resisting frost is the consequence of specific vitality 



and of nothing else. 



That a low temperature, or frost, acts differently 

 upon different plants very nearly allied to each other 

 is notorious; and this even where they are mere 

 varieties of each other. The China Rose, for 

 instance, resists any amount of English cold ; the 

 variety called the Tea-scented perishes, or suffers 

 severely, in every ordinary winter. The pay- 

 flowered Senecios of the Canaries, known in gardens 

 under the name of Cinerarias, shrink from the mere 

 approach of frost, and perish upon its first arrival; 

 yet the Ragworts, and Mugworts, and Groundsels, 

 all equally Senecios, can bear a Russian winter. Iii 

 like manner Oaks, Chewrots, Conifers, exhibit similar 

 differences in their power of resisting frost. 



It is impossible, upon any other principle, to 

 account for the facts that surround us. For ex- 

 example, Genista setneusis has survived all the cold 



the Italian greyhound. t 



And we make this avowal of ignorance in the lull 

 conviction that it is the only way of meeting such 

 inquiries. Men may speculate about first causes, 

 and attempt to explain the inexplicable, but they 

 only waste their own time and fatigue the patience 



of their readers. 



It is by attempting to explain every phenomenon 

 of life by the known laws of chemistry, electricity, 

 and similar agencies, that we plunge into a labyrinth 

 of perplexity — 



" And find no end, in wandering mazes lost." 



But the moment we admit the presence everywhere 

 among all plants of a vital principle, and thus 

 recognise a direct analogy between plants 

 animals, the principle of life in the two kingdoms 

 being identical, but differently manifested then we 

 tread on the firm ground consolidated by ^ the 

 march of ages, and find in the experience of animal 

 physiology the elucidation of what is obscure in 

 that'of vegetables. It is true that we then abandon 

 the pursuit of first causes, and confess the vanity of 

 that curiosity which nothing can satisfy; but we 

 exchange rationalism for materialism, and we learn 

 how to apply experience to daily uses. 



Much of this reasoning is taken from the new 

 edition of the " Theory of Horticulture," to which 

 those are referred who seek for further information. 



however, do not long remain in this state. 

 which were at first indefinite 

 defined 



retain «.»* ■»*«»• *»««• fe »^a», *,i^ D c gi-auuauy contra* 

 and wither till the leaf is full of deep pits, the substance 

 of which is at last dead and completely dry. N ^ 

 celium is found about them, though when submitted to 

 pressure in order to their preservation in the herbaria 

 these spots are peculiarly liable to generate moilj. 

 while the parts which were full of chlorophyll exhibit 

 this tendency in a far less degree. As contraction tike* 

 place certain granular points appear, but these are merely 

 cells filled with abundant raphides and have notiuM 

 specially to do with the disease. On examination nij 

 the microscope the cuticular cells of the upper surfa* 

 appear unaltered ; their cytoblasts to the last are quite 

 as full and perfect as in those parts which are sound 

 but several layers beneath the cuticular stratum exhil 

 a multitude of folds both vertical and horizontal, which 

 are singular only for their regular parallelism, as far 

 at least as we have observed, and it is owing to ttti 

 probably that the surface of the spots is so even ud 

 free from distortion. The walls meanwhile are alaott 

 colourless, and their death takes place with no other 

 effect than the gradual evanescence of all their fluid 

 contents. As I have had no opportunity of examinaj 

 the growing plant I am not able to say what proporti«i 

 the pale spots on the leavt s in an early stage of tl* 

 disease bear to those which may exist at last, but fr 



I should conceive that the 

 those Darts which 



what takes place in drying 

 disease is not confined to 



and 



We understand that the Cattleyas from Brazil, 

 advertised for sale by Mr. Stevens on Monday, are 

 fine specimens of fine plants just imported. What 

 is called C. Leopoldi in the sale catalogue is a very 

 striking variety of C. guttata. 



parts which were 

 affected on the first development of the leaf, but that 

 parts which were once rich in chlorophyll are Halle 

 to contract the disease, and wither equally with tbon 

 in which it had never been perfectly developed. I ban 

 already suggested one remedy, and in similar casei I 

 should feel inclined to try the effect of creating a steaa 

 from liquid manure poured upon the hot pipe, a p 

 which produces sometimes a very vigorous vegetal 

 but which requires caution, as I have seen instances a 

 which a stream of air from highly heated manure hai 

 been injurious to Pines. If the affection be stnetly 

 constitutional, little assistance from this or from * 

 other measure can be expected, but in our ignorance tf 

 the limits between constitutional and accidental matoHKt 

 it is well to try every scheme which reason or expewKt 

 mav suggest. Though at present my attention tabj» 

 especially directed to the malady in one caseonly, 1 beta* 

 that it is not unfrequent,and Orchids are of ten so Yah** 

 as to make the preservation of well-grown irimdtth a 

 matter of considerable importance. They grow jnur 

 such very different circumstances that it is altn«»* 

 possible that all the epiphytous species should thrive ■ m 

 the warm damp shaded houses which are so fjgJJ 

 to so many of the species.f Some, so fai J from deljhuj 

 in the shade, grow only in spots exposed to the tuug 

 as is the case with our own Liparis Lowe n and JW 

 paludosa, which make an approach to these epgjt* 

 As regards, however, the particular »P^ n J25 

 there Is no reason to believe that »t has^ny pjcjj 

 habits which would make it more 



treatment than a thousand others. 



impatient ol 

 The figure rqa* 



New Plants. 



124. Vanba helvola. Blame Rumphia iv., p. 49. 

 m *Folia Orchidacca, no. 14, p. 6 ( Vanda). 

 We have received this rare plant from Mr. W. Pass, 

 gardener at the Fence, near Macclesfield, who informs 

 us that it is much shorter in the leaves, and has a 

 dwarf er habit than any state of V. tricolor. We have 

 not seen more than a couple of flowers, which by no 

 means justify the reputation which the species has 

 hitherto enjoyed. Dr. Blume calls it a magnificent 

 species, with wine red flowers shading into pale purple 

 and a brighter purple lip. What we have seen were of 

 a dirty straw colour, tinged with a brownish violet 

 over the upper half of the sepals and petals, while the 

 triangular lip, although less yellow, was but little 

 brighter or deeper in colour than the other parts. 

 Perhaps more air and sun will hereafter improve their 

 appearance. 



sents a horizontal and vertical slice, the 



first o 



fwbiA* 



ho ffllte» 



hexagoi 



the left hand shows the P^^ "!^ hexagonal c* 

 with their cytoblasts, and the pi icate i ^ d j 

 beneath them l while the second shows i , + 



beneath them ; wnne uie »c^ -■; w hichsuc 

 four layers, all more or less phcate, W» 



cuticle. M . /. B. 



5**: 



• A ditterent anecuuu, *"-"",- gaccolaDiuu* *~ 

 features occurring on AeridesodorB^ £ in ***•£# 



will be noticed hereafter. ?^e fariy s »fc .^ ^d nl^r 

 similar, but the cells contain chloropnyi g 



assume a deep brown tint. 

 t The following passage jw» ^yjSac tbev 



**4 





VEGETABLE PATHOLOGY.— No. LXXI. 

 309. 4. Chlorosis of Orchios.— The very curious 

 affection, of which a notice is now given, was kindly 

 forwarded to me by Dr. Lindley without note or 

 comment, except that the plant on which it was 

 developed grew in a warm moist house, and rather 

 dark. I have no further information from which 

 the probable causes may be conjectured, nor can I 

 assert whether it should be considered as purely 

 constitutional or accidental. I must content myself, 

 therefore, with describing what I have seen. It 

 is the thick fleshy leaves of Phalsenopsis amabilis on 

 which it appears. The general aspect of the leaves is 

 at first only very slightly affected ; the green is full 

 and of a healthy tint, but here and there pale ill- 

 defined spots are observed, which might be hoped, in 

 process of time, to assume their proper hue. But this 

 is not the case ; the cells of which they are composed 

 are almost destitute of chlorophyll, or contain only a few 

 grains reduced in size, and are probably of themselves 

 j incapable of performing their functions. In this stage 



t The following passage irom " v tiN r the vUWL lf f* 



Vol. ii., p. 321, will ^}^^i'x^^^ X ^^A »*Z 

 Oak woods are passed in which V and ^ g . 



fusion, waving its panicles of azure no t e na n 



^..infill Orr.hid is at present attracnuBb n pom ^g 



The 



*f* 



dry ffE*S 



•i. b « F ^w, - — ~ — rf , native * 



totally at variance with >«£*,„*. 



thought necessary for it in f , < S o0 to *vw •-;,,,, uw'^L 



which it inhabits are ^yated 30W g0 tbat the >•£ 



smalt, gnarled, and very ;sp«i ingly ^ t0 mo, SffcWj 

 L'rowB on their limbs is fc«y»£ branches ^ tta ^ t * 

 There is no Moss or Lichen on .m* ™ e t *7t3*J* 



whose roots sprawl over th dry ^> - s0 during w m £ 

 on the whole, humid and extreme y ^ air, » n * d >, *J. 

 there is no damp heat of stagnation ^^ ^ 

 ing season the temperature range are dry ° ,„„ tf»S 



milch sunshine, and both « an£ ^ ""JSSV^ 

 In July and August, during Her •^.^t.»e*»S# 



higher, but in winter it falls ™ «o° summer's b «» ITtV >t* 

 thl ground. Now this win £<^ s ' wn t free ^ , e ^J 

 drought, and, above all, , tuw u tin" e^ijr 



and the winds of ^ heaven are w Jt , , under rf £ ^ 

 posing our orchids to in bnguw hide(E g^pi.***^ 



at elevations above 4000 



with VaiHUcmrulea w »le th^ ™° indium. •■»» 'ygb 

 Cymbidium, nolbophylliu. , f ? c M iasi a, and » 



7000 



