



aft 



1865.1 



THE GARDENER 



CHRONICLE 



It 



i^imd on fixing two points on the scale; viz., 

 alt to which the mercury rises when the lnstru- 

 is plunged in boiling water, and that to which 

 B ds when placed in melting ice. The space 

 these points is not, however, divided by 

 ^i^, into the same number of equal parts/' 

 bring 180 according to Fahrenheit, 80 Keau- 

 md 1M according to Celsius, or the Centi- 

 Mile scale. "The first point to be determined is the 

 CLf-point of water, which is the same under all 

 *^^ and every variety of barometric pressure, 



K rided the water is free from salts of every kind. 

 , thermometer tube— not the bulb only —is plunged 

 kto writing ice'' [it would have been more explicit 

 to hive said the bulb and likewise the tube of the ther- 

 mometer are plunged into melting ice], " and a mark is 

 _£ e tcro s8 the glass of the tube at the point to which 

 the mercury sinks or withdraws towards the bulb : this 



It 



Connellys The last two are too compltaSdfoTj^^ 



Darnells, on the contrary, - • - F ua 





use. i^anieii's, on me contrary, is comparatively 

 simple, and might be usefully employed in horticultural 

 practice. 



We have at p. 227 of the work an account of the 

 recently discovered principle in the atmosphere called 

 ozone, the nature of which is not however perfectly 

 understood. It has been found that it combines 

 energetically with deleterious gases, and neutralises 

 their effects. Schbubein, who discovered it, has proved 

 by experiment that air containing 



.!»*-# bounds, and is a ve v wuamennu 



plant tor common purposes. 



In the Rose house the different varieties will soon be 

 covered with flowers ; Fortune's yellow, a climbing sort 

 is already y< ry showy, and some of the other kindi 

 are beginning to expand their flowers. 



u±q of ozone can dis- 



ct 540 times its volume of air produced from highly 

 nd meat ; that is to say, such a foetid atmosphere 



the wro-point of every scale except Fahrenheit's. 



is a remarkable fact that this zero-point is not 



permanent ; when thermometers have been made for 



time a very perceptible difference is found between 



which the mercury descends and the 



hence the 



the point to 



original zero of the scale ; hence the necessity of 

 determining it anew from time to time, and apply- 

 jag the difference as an index correction. Mr. 

 8beepfthanks, who did not desist from his labours 

 in the etrocture of the thermometers used in connexion 

 with the experiments to determine the length of the 

 national standard yard, till he felt assured of being 

 able to reach the second decimal of a degree, used ice 

 fcond in tubs of rain-water, in which the thermometer 

 placed horizontally, and the intersection of the 

 mercurial column with the tube was read off by a 

 fWtical telescope carrying a wire moved by a micrometer 

 eoew ; he obtained identical results when he made use 

 ef newly fallen snow ; and he recommends the deter- 

 mination of the zero to be performed in winter when 

 the air around is but little above the freezing point, and 

 the ice or snow melts but slowly." 



We would direct especial attention to the preceding 

 paragraph ; for, although it may be true that gardeners 

 do not require instruments of such extreme nicety as 

 those adjusted by the gentleman above mentioned for a 

 particular purpose, and although, on the contrary, 

 tolerably good common instruments answer their 

 purpose, yet we know that common thermometers are 

 more especially liable to vary from the truth, even if 

 wey were originally in accordance with it ; it therefore 

 •ecomes necessary that they should be occasionally 

 examined; and anv one who cfonnsu** ™n A* *ui* :.. *ul 

 waypoio 



for most 



infec 



puti __ _ ___ 



may be completely purified by a quantity of ozone equal 

 r° 52TO00 of its volume. " Now, in bad localities, it 

 is evident that we may expect the test to show 



tt • u 0r n ° ozoue > while, as Faraday found at 

 Brighton, the pure air from the ocean abounds 

 with it Schonbein met with it in abundance during 

 a storm on the Jura, and could even recognise 

 its smell ; so that the purification of the air by storms 

 would seem now to be philosophically proved. The 

 electric discharge, of which thunder and lightning are 

 the sensible indications, produces in large quantities this 

 valuable disinfecting agent." What effects its presence 

 in greater or less quantity in the atmosphere, or its 

 total absence, may have on animal and vegetable life 

 remains to be ascertained. From an excellent abstract 

 of results of a meteorological table, kept at Uckfield, 

 Sussex, by C, Leeson Prince, Esq., with which we have 

 been favoured by that gentleman, it appears that in the 

 unhealthy month of last August, the mean amount of 

 ozone was comparatively small. 



Our limits do not permit us to allude further to the 

 many subjects treated of in tiie work before us ; we 

 therefore recommend those engaged in meteorological 

 pursuits to the book itself, which will be found well 

 worth perusal. 



9CTBW. 



* . , v « w i'«»«MiAo, ouiiiuicxiuy exact 



purposes without the telescope and micrometer 



f anous Jvinds of maximum and minimum thermo- 

 njtew are described and illustrated. Of Sixe's Register 



SSST V £* ^Unfortunately this elegant 

 2™»ent can hardly be trusted for very nice observa- 



B JSirT? " t0 get ° Ut ° f 0rdeP ' Euther - 



te mTS * Thermometer, or rather thermometers, 

 f*«ffiS5 * a ™* an* minimum ones are 

 kXSi \ ng \ nde Peiident]y of each other, are, 



iJLT™:^^^ APP^ance, generally both 



We, 



**"*, pref Same -^ ° f box - wood or metal." 



"• gets 



^wSt^.! ther i but ^^^ x ed on the same scale, 

 ■*» 2L£ Pair e - 0ther (*Mw>ugh acting perfectly 



— if OB 



to have them separate, for this reason 



right without 



«*Kd lTT* w » an i. not uulikely, returns dis- 



Se !i HU ' nc - v - "**** ****** °«> *** »« 



U* b« I ^T S for future observations, both 

 ^"■n of .SM t0 t tlle ^tremities (die one of the 

 «*% incfinRfc ? ther of that of the mercury,) by 



8*t«ta» 

 Jttdiffi 



from the horizontal 



iey 



7 





rluf C ., ' For three J' eara t ,,e author 

 r inS!V- m0me - ter ° fthi8 ^ription 



»d 



, aiscov ered the very careful treatment 



- --., •ad*!,!?" 5 ®? P erience o f Rutherford's ther- 

 * **** of r?„; T- ' P erha PS they are the best for 



""•"ft? fn 8 ? rmg - The 8teel index ^ apt to 

 vl*** h* \Zl e mercur y- To prevent this, Mr. 

 *» K 7Z ed a 8ma " bit of enamel ^tween 

 2t eP4h « iastrumTn^°,L^ me J n ..? on t act 5 but 



5t» 



"e ncf*» '—-- v« vumc m conn 



should Th? bG u furni8h «d with this or not, 

 - a De drawn back- hv n «,«„.,„ 



g.°>ode oi 



tU B, 



et, so that 



A small 



11 be suffi- 







vo 



r ofeBi 0r PK r ir UI " -"-"^niometer, and 



TheS L V *> ^ Fe described *n the work 



' N * fr °m ttJpT^ 1 - their accurac y> which 



deir Principle of action to be 



er 



very 



S?? ^Ji^**!* 



««ta£^ i6n of g i m ° de8 0f re gi8tering observations, 

 S^^ns on fi ^ ments ' clitn »te, 

 J^ h dU" -. he "^rometric st 



&c. General 

 state of the air are 



SK 



•w 



meter «, wKTnf W i 1 ! 1 P ,ates . of different kind s 



e t\ 'hich have been invented for 



th 



* de*. 



Ascribed 



namely 



Garden Memoranda. 



Horticultural Society's Garden, Turnham Green. 



— Except in a few particular cases, such as that of the 

 Mexican Pines — apulcensis, macrophylla, Teocote, 

 Devoniana, Russelliana, and patula— which have either 

 been killed altogether, or suffered most severely, the 

 garden has now apparently quite recovered from the 

 effects of the extraordinary winter and spring we have 

 experienced. Many of the ornamental trees and shrubs 

 in the arboretum are now in full blossom. The different 

 kinds of Lilacs are at present in perfection, Horse 

 Chesnuts are blossoming profusely ; the various varieties 

 I of Pyrus, and some Cratseguses, are in full beauty, as 

 are also a few of the earlier Azaleas and Ilhododen 

 drons ; but the great mass of the latter, as well as 

 Laburnums and scarlet -flowering Thorns, are not yet in 

 flower, 



The large Glycine sinensis on the conservative wall 

 and the white variety of this charming wall plant in 

 another part of the garden are at present both in full 

 blossom. The latter appears to flower quite as pro- 

 fusely as the blue kind, with which it forms a good con- 

 trast. The freedom with which these plants are bloom- 

 ing this year may be attributed to their young wood 

 having got thoroughly ripened last autumn, which it 

 will be remembered was very warm and dry. 



The rocky banks of the American garden are now 

 gay with masses of Iberisgibraltarica, Alyssum saxatile, 

 Ajuga reptans, different kinds of Squills, Phlox 

 setacea, and Aubrietia deltoidea, &c, all of which are 

 in full bloom ; and these will be speedily followed by 

 Dianthus suavis and other plants of that" description, 

 which so eminently serve to keep such places gay in 

 spring and early summer. The double flowering bluish 

 lilac Rhododendron fastuosum is likewise now in flower 

 here ; but with the exception of this and Ledum 

 palustre, the great mass of the American plants will 

 not, as we have already stated, be at their best for some 

 time yet Other shrubs in flower here were Spiraeas 

 chamasdrifolia and prunifolia ; Ceanothus verrucosus, 

 which has wintered safely, while C. papillosus and 

 dentatus have been much cut up ; Berberis Darwini, 

 the common purple-leaved Berberry (B. vulgaris pur- 

 purea), and Lonicera punicea, a crimson-flowered shrub 

 of considerable beauty ; on a wall the white Atragene 

 alphm is at present very ornamental, as is also Clematis 

 montana, which flowers so profusely every year about 

 this time. • 



On a border outside the American garden, some 

 common purple flowering herbaceous Peeonies were in 

 bloom ; these are grown here for the purpose of fur- 

 nishing stocks for Moutans, for which they are well 

 adapted, the latter when grafted on them succeeding 

 perfectly, and making good plants. Of Moutans, Mr. 

 Fortune's fine kinds are now in flower, and extremely 

 handsome they are. The darkest among them is atro- 

 sanguinea, a deep crimson variety, and atropurpurea is 

 also a valuable dark purple kind. Versicolor is a large 

 showy changeable purple ; picta is a fine rosy salmon, 

 and salmonea and parviflora are also salmon-coloured 

 sorts. All these must be regarded as valuable introduc- 

 tions to English gardens. 



In the greenhouses, which are gay with Sehizanthus 

 violaceus raised from seeds sown last August, Calceolaria 

 angustifolia, rugosa, and Ajax, the last a showy yellow 

 kind with a large deep orange brown spot, fancy and Cape 

 Pelargoniums, Cytisus, and other shrubs, * remarked 

 the double yellow or rather buff Datura, quite a curio- 

 sity in its way, and the pretty double white flowered 

 Clematis Sieboldi, a free flowering species which can 



All of them 

 lTo?^- 6 ! 111 ^ sati8f *ctory growth and are literally 

 loaded with flower-buds. The bushes too are quite 

 clear both of aphides and mildew, the latter having a* 

 yet been prevented by dusting sulphur liberally over the 

 plants in winter and early spring. 



R™ he - great co ? servator y koth the red and white 

 Brugmansias are just in perfection ; the latter more 

 especially is one mass of large, sweet scented, trumpet- 

 shaped flowers Among numbers of other plants 

 likewise in blossom here we remarked a hybrid 

 Aqui egia, a cross between the Scarlet Califomian kind 

 and A. fragrans. It appeared to be a stronger grower 

 than either of its parents, from both of which it 

 (tittered in colour, being purple and yellow, and very 

 handsome. It will, therefore, doubtless be found a 

 good addition to this class of plants. 



Among novelties we noticed a fine stock of Tecoma 

 velutma, which has been raised from seeds sent from 

 Guatemala by Mr. Skinner. It is said to be a handsome 

 yellow flowered shrub. Dolichos luteus has also been 

 raised plentifully from seeds, as has also the Bahama 

 Palmetto, which, however, is not likely to be as hardy as 

 the Chusan Palm. Statiees, Cobceas, and many other 

 recently imported seeds, have likewise germina d freely. 

 In the orchard house the different little trees in pots 

 are bearing full crops. Peaches, Nectarnes, Plums, 

 Cherries, and Figs are loaded with fruit, and even 

 Currants and Gooseberries are swelling abundantly, 

 and altogether this plan of fruit growing promises to be 

 satisfactory. 



In the Orchard, Pears and Apples, to all appearance, 

 will be a good crop this season, more especially on 

 standards, which have apparently suffered less than 

 dwarfs. Some of the blossoms of Cherries and Plums 

 have been injured ; but it is thought that there may still 

 be enough for the trees to carry. On walls Pears look 

 well, and so do Peaches and Nectarines ; the latter are 

 clean and very clear of aphides, which are kept in check 

 by powdering the parts affected with tobacco dust. It 

 is applied with a pair of bellows, on whose tube or 

 nozzle is fixed a little canister with a perforated bottom, 

 which allows the dust to pass into the nozzle, out of which 

 it is blown on the trees. This operation is performed 

 when the trees are wet, which causes the tobacco dust 

 to adhere to them. The latter is made of home-grown 

 Tobacco leaves dried, powdered, and sifted, and is found 

 to answer the purpose better than tobacco water. 



Potato Yams (Dioscorea) are now being planted out. 

 The stems are not supported on sticks ; but are allowed 

 to creep on the ground. In short they are managed 

 very much in the way in which ridge Cucumbers are 

 treated. 



FLORICULTURE. . 



Pompon Chrysanthemums. — I will say but little about 

 the cultivation of these, as the general culture of the 

 large-flowering kinds is equally applicable to this small 

 class ; a few cursory remarks are therefore all that are 

 necessary. About April select good suckers or cuttings 

 from the old plants, giving the preference to such as 

 appear stout and short- jointed ; put one in a pot, say a 

 3-inch one ; mix together a good rich soil, taking equal 

 proportions of loam, rotten dung, and leaf-mould, to 

 which may be added a sufficiency of rough sand to 

 make the whole porous. When potted, put them in a 

 house or frame, and keep them close for some time, say 

 three weeks, by which period most of them will be well 

 rooted ; then gradually harden them off, and about the 

 middle of May give a shift into larger pots, say 5-inch 

 ones ; after which place them in the open air, in a situation 

 sheltered from the easterly winds, and at a sufficient 

 distance from each other to admit of free circulation of 

 air. About the middle of June give thein their final 

 shift into 8- inch pots, using the same compost as before ; 

 they should then be plunged in an open border, where 

 they can receive the full influence of the sun, two-thirif 

 of the pot being buried, and placed at from 2 to 3 feet 

 apart each way, which allows plenty of room for 

 watering, tyeing, &c, and attention must now be 

 paid that a liberal supply of water be given as occasion 

 requires, for if the plants are allowed to get too dry, 

 besides receiving an unnatural check, they will lose a por- 

 tion of their foliage. Care must now be taken to con- 

 tinually top them, as the plants will grow very fast and 

 luxuriantly ; their first topping should take place when 

 about 4 inches high, and be repeated until July or 

 August. One great feature worthy of remark in the 

 Pompon varieties is, that they can be constantly topped 

 until a much later period than the large -flowering kinds, 

 without retarding or diminishing their blossoms; thus 



they are easily made into handsome and ornamental 

 specimens, and when covered with their innumerable 

 beautiful double Ranunculus-like flowers, they may be 

 truly said to be perfect little gems. Before the blos- 

 soms expand, the plants may be taken from the ground 

 and removed to the greenhouse, which will be of great 

 assistance to their development ; no check will be ex- 

 perienced by the removal, if plenty of water be given 

 them. I had nearly forgotten to mention one very 

 beautiful characteristic of these Lilliputians, winch is, that 

 they blossom much earlier than any of the other kinds, 

 thus obviating the great complaint against Chrysanthe- 

 mums when grown in the open borders ; namely, that 



