59S 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Sept. 8, 1855. 



to London. 



It must appear that this otter is pre- 

 but having more than 100 acres of Hops, 





sumptuous w 



and those principally Goldings, my apology must be 



that I am anxious to prove the truth of my assertion. 



Charles Leney, Watcringbury \ Kent, Sept. 8. Allow 



me to offer a few remarks on the controverted question 

 whether or not the application of sulphur to Hops in 

 their growing state occasions a bad flavour in beer 

 brewed from them. It is admitted by those opposed to 

 the use of sulphur, that there are only two ways in which 

 this evil can be produced : one is that the sulphur com- 

 bines with the oxygen given out by the plants, producing 

 a deleterious gas ; the other is, as stated in the Hop 

 merchants' circular, that the sulphur is u actually incor- 

 porated into the plant during its growth." Now, with 

 regard to the first supposition, if it were possible that 

 sulphur could unite with oxygen without the aid 

 of heat, the same gas would he produced as that 

 to which Hops are exposed in the oast-house, though 

 in much less quantity, yet the larger doses have 

 never been accused of injuring the quality. As to 

 the statement put forth by the Hop merchants and 

 factors that the sulphur is actually incorporated into the 

 plant during its growth, it is well known that no food, 

 physic, or poisons, can ^be absorbed by the leaves, nor 

 even by the roots of plants but such as are in a state of 

 solution. I would therefore request the Hop dealers t 

 try whether they can dissolve sulphur in water ; further- 

 more, to bring it more under the treatment it would 

 receive if mixed with Hops in brewing, I would ask 

 them to boil it in water, and when perfectly cool try 

 whether nose or palate can discover that bad flavour 

 which sulphur is said to impart to beer. But they 

 say — * It has been practically ascertained that Hops 

 treated with sulphur impart so obnoxious a smell and 

 flavour to beer as to render it unsaleable." If this 

 has been " ascertained beyond all question/' let them 



forth their proofs, and if they are sound, there is 

 an end of all controversy ; till then I remain Dubius, 

 Tunbridge Wells. 



Yeast. — Allow me to inform your correspondent 

 Lucy Grey (see p. 584) that a small teacup-full of 

 yeast is sufficient for 4 lbs. o( flour, and that the best 

 way is to mix the flour the evening before baking with 

 a quart of warm water in the usual manner — 

 then stir in the teacup-full of yeast. In reply to 

 notice, p. 590 (Barm), when the stock of barm is nearly 

 exhausted use a teacup-full in the manufacture of 

 another quantity. C. Clifton, Sept. 6. 



Everlasting Pea. — Has the Everlasting Pea (as it is 

 commonly called) ever been tried as a food plant ? In 

 gardens it comes up year after year with undiminished 

 vigour, throwing up its flowering stems from 7 to 9 

 feet high. Why should it not be grown in the same 

 way as Lucerne ? Its deep roots make it independent 

 of drought. The flavour is very agreeable (like that of 

 green Peas), and there can be no fear of its perfect whole- 

 someness. I believe it would bear several cuttings, and 

 yield an immense weight of highly nutritious produce. 

 Have any of your enterprising readers cultivated it ? 

 If not, I commend it to them as well worthy of a 



trial. ; 



of Vegetation 

 -To both the 



name for a warm one, is iavourable to precocious de- 

 velopment of leaf and branch ; and that, too, before the 

 root has gathered strength to support the demands 

 upon it ; and if the former once take precedence of 

 the latter, in a plant growing in the open ground, 

 the order of things can never be reversed. A plant 

 existing under such conditions can never be otherwise 

 than deficient in natural vigour. The constitutions of all 

 ordinary plants resemble each other in this particular ; 

 if you place the bulb of a Hyacinth in a situation where 

 its leaves and flower-stems are advanced before roots 

 are made, you lose half the real beauty of the plant, and 

 so of every other. G. W. L, 



Page and Co ,'s Blight Composition.- 

 with mealy bug I was led to try this composition, but I 

 find that it will not kill it, and to my vexation I dis- 

 covered that it burned the young tender leaves of such 

 plants as Dipladenia cras^inoda, Gardenia Fortuni, &c. 

 Nor is this all ; the smell was so offensive that no lady 

 or gentleman could go into the house where it had been 

 used for at least a week afterwards. W. H. Good, 



Being troubled 



bring 



Greenland*, Henley-on-Thames. 



" Calico " Potato exempt from Disease. — At p. 565 of 

 your Number of August 25th, I find communications 

 from several of your correspondents on the subject of 

 the Potato disease, which is stated to have set ill with 

 severity in parts of Kent and Hants. It may be useful 

 to such correspondents to know that there is a kind of 

 Potato which has never been attacked by what is termed 

 the Potato disease, and which is believed not to be liable 

 to it. This Potato is called " the Calico," and is exten- 

 sively cultivated in the township of Cornwallis, in 

 King's County, Nova Scotia. It has this peculiarity — 

 that the tubers and the tops grow simultaneously in this 

 species, whereas in all other varieties the growth of 

 tops precedes the formation of the tubers. So remark- 

 able has been the exemption from disease of this sort of 

 Potato, that many farmers of the township of Corn- 

 wallis, who were poor men a few years ago, are now in 

 prosperous circumstances, the very general failure of 

 the Potato crop for several consecutive years in various 

 parts of the United States having caused a ready sale 

 at high prices for their produce. F. 



Planting.—! prefer to plant both evergreen and 

 deciduous trees from the beginning of April to the 

 beginning of July ; my preference is founded upon ex- 

 tensive practice. Having, nolens volens, to move a 

 great number of large bushes and trees one year, I 

 commenced early in autumn and was not able to finish 

 before midsummer. The trees moved correctly re- 

 corded what was best for them. Those transplanted in 

 early autumn did pretty well ; but as we gradually 

 descended the scale of time to March, so did the ap- 



etty brown, 



pearance of the trees vary frcm green to 

 and wan death-looking yellow, indicating as much as 

 anything could do the months best suited for their re- 

 moval, February and March being the worst. Those 

 moved in April began to show that sap, life, and vigour 

 had entered every spray, and they were not much hurt 

 by the shift ; those transplanted in May felt removal 

 still less, and those in June never * looked over their 

 shoulder." Since then I have planted many trees and 

 shrubs of various dimensions, but have always found 

 that the nearer midsummer the planting took place the 

 better the success. I will here, by way of example, 

 state what I did this season, leaving to others 

 to prove by argument what they consider the best 

 season for such operations. I planted between 

 the 1st of April and the middle of July 

 the following : 150,000 one-year old seedling Larch, of 

 which I lost hardly any ; 20,000 Birch, without loss ; 

 20,000 Beech, of which very few died; 10,000 Alder, 

 without any. deaths; 100,000 Hazel and 30,000 Oak, 

 with similar result, although they were not planted 

 until the middle of June, when they had made from 6* 

 to 9 inches of young growth. To the above must be 

 added 80,000 Quick, of which none died ; 12,000 Fruit 

 Tree Stocks, of which not more than 60 died ; 2000 

 I have long entertained this opinion, Fruit Trees, of which not one died ; 5000 Turkey Oak, 



without loss; 2,000 Roses, of which about 100 died; 

 the latter were in full leaf when moved. Besides these 

 there were 5000 shrubs and trees, of various deci- 

 duous kinds; these were not begun to be transplanted 

 until the middle of May, and finished the last week in 

 June, yet none died ; the last planted are now the 

 finest, the first planted the worst. Of 200,000 three- 

 year old Spruce, all lived ; I finished planting them the 

 first week in July, and they are now beautiful healthy 

 plants. Of 10,000 Spruce, from 2 to 4 feet high, all 

 are alive and healthy. Of 20,000 Silver Firs, from 6 

 inches to 18 inches high, all grew ; 3000 ditto, from 3 

 to 9 feet in height, were moved in June, when they 

 had grown from 6 to 9 inches, yet not one died. 

 Of 30,000 common Laurel from 1 foot to 3 feet high not 

 one died, planted in the middle of June ; 20,000 Hollies 

 all grew, in fact this is the only safe time to move them. 

 I could multiply instances of large numbers having suc- 

 ceeded when moved at this season, suffice that during 

 the last 3 years I have moved upwards of 100,^00, all 

 of which grew; they average 2 to 5 feet, the largest of 

 them had not been moved during 6 years, not since 

 they were 6 inches high; some of them were when moved 

 6 feet high. 3000 Yews of all bizes to 6 feet; many of 

 these were planted in a hedge, the middle of last year's 

 July, during 3 or 4 intensely hot days, all but one grew; 

 many hundreds of Portugal Laurel were moved at 

 midsummer, all did well. 3000 Laure9tinus moved in 

 June did well. 1000 Laurestinus moved in October 



2000 Evergreen Oaks, 4 to 7 



3000 



Wm. Marshall, Ely. 

 Some Observations on the Progress 

 during the Past Spring and Summer. 

 physiologist and the gardener the past spring and 

 summer have afforded much valuable information. The 

 unusually cold and backward spring seemed to threaten 

 destruction, or at least considerable damage, to advancing 

 vegetation. General opinion placed the season nearly 

 a month later than usual, so far as it affected the 

 growth of plants ; yet who can recollect a summer 

 when the crops throughout the country looked more 

 luxuriant than in the past one, or an autumn which 

 gave a more abundant harvest than the present ? To 

 the cause, therefore, of this rapid change in the appear- 

 ance of the crops I now intend to direct attention ; and 

 I shall set out with the dogma that a late spring must 

 always be highly beneficial to the progress of vegetation 

 in this country. 



and the observations of successive years only confirm 

 me in it. I do not mean to infer that a late spring has 

 not its peculiar evils, and that some plants are not occa- 

 sionally injured by it ; what I contend for is that the 

 Staple crops of the country are always more abundant, 

 and are never prejudicially late in arriving at maturity, 

 from being retarded in the early periods of their growth ; 

 in fact that they are benefited rather than injured by 

 what we are pleased to call a late spring. This I con- 

 ceive is easily accounted for upon the recognised prin- 

 ciples of horticulture. Everybody knows that a plant, 

 to push luxuriantly in its brandies and to ripen an 

 abundant crop of fruit, must of necessity be strong and 

 active at root ; and, moreover, that such root action 

 should not only keep pace with, but precede the develop- 

 ment of its shoots. Now this is precisely what a iate spring 

 does. It must be recollected that we invariably have very 

 early in the year, and before the proper spring season be- 

 gins, a series of sunny days. The earth during this period 

 absorbs heat to a large amount; this favours root action; 

 succeeding tiiis precocious spring weather we get a 

 second edition of winter, of more or less duration ; if of 

 long continuance, we experience what in common 



small ditto, moved in June this year, all U Tec j. 

 and I could go on to show that hundreds, nay thousands* 

 of Arbor-vitse, Red Cedars, Deodars, Cedars of Lebanon" 

 Pinuses, Cryptomerias, Junipers, &c, have been moved 

 by me, and transplanted (many of them apparently 

 hopeless cases) with hardly a failure. Surely I have 

 now given examples enough — examples which can be 

 seen daily by any one who may favour me with a call 

 to warrant me in advocating late spring and early 

 summer as a good time for transplanting trees ; in fact 

 when I have a fear of losing a tree by transplanting, I 

 defer the operation until May or June. I may here 

 offer one precaution which I have found requisite — viz. 

 whenever a plant has made a start to grow, then is the 

 time to move it ; and never to move plants, as a general 

 rule, after they have grown beyond 3 or 4 inches. To 

 this rule Coniferse, generally speaking, form an excep- 

 tion ; many of them will not hurt if they have grown a 

 foot. John Scott, Merriott Nurseries, Crewkerne, Somerset^ 

 [We should very much like to have the remarks 

 of JJMr. Scott's neighbours upon the experiments here 

 described.] 



What is Ozone ? — This is a question that has been fre- 

 quently asked within the last few years, but seldom 

 have we met with persons capable of answering it, or of 

 giving us any information as to what is really meant 

 by the word. Without attempting to give a learned 

 disquisition on the subject, it will perhaps answer every 

 useful purpose if we bear in mind the definition that 

 was given of ozone some two or three years ago in the 

 Gardeners 9 Chronicle by a facetious writer, who called 

 it "the smell of electricity." Nor is this definition 

 inappropriate when we consider that the recently dis- 

 covered agent is only a variable condition of oxygen, 

 having a peculiar odour, by which its presence or 

 absence in the atmosphere may be detected. The 

 researches of chemists inform us that where there is 

 much ozone respiration is impeded, and it proves fatal 

 to small animals. Its chemical effects are most remark- 

 able. It has a power similar to that of chlorine of 

 bleaching vegetable colours, and produces the highest 

 possible oxidation of most metals. From a communi- 

 cation lately made to the Royal Society by Dr. Andrews,, 

 Professor of Chemistry in Belfast, we learn that two 

 substances have been thought to be confounded under the 

 name of ozone, one a compound body, the other an 

 allotropic variety of oxygen ; but the result of his 

 numerous experiments confirms the fact that ozone is 

 formed by the action of the electrical spark on pure 

 and dry oxygen, and that its properties, even when 

 derived from different sources, are in every respect the 

 same. Thus ozone, however prepared, is destroyed, or 

 rather converted into ordinary oxygen, by exposure to 

 a temperature of about 237 p C. It is not absorbed by 

 water, but when sufficiently diluted with other gases, is 

 destroyed by agitation with a large quantity of water ; 

 and, contrary to the common statements, it is also 

 destroyed by being agitated with lime-water and baryta- 

 water, provided a sufficient quantity of those solutions 

 be used. From the whole investigation Dr. Andrews 

 draws the conclusion that ozone, from whatever source 

 derived, is one and the same substance, and is not a 

 compound body, but oxygen in an altered or allotropic 

 condition. W. B. B. 



Transplanting Machines — which is the best? — At 

 page 582, a correspondent directs attention to a mode 

 of determining this point, which (if practicable) cer- 

 tainly possesses some claim to the consideration of 

 noblemen and landed proprietors who may be desirous 

 of improving the scenery around their domains or 

 mansions ; but the practice of transplanting large trees 

 applies more especially to laying out new places, when 

 the object of the proprietor is to produce an immediate 

 as well as the most picturesque effect which the extent, 

 situation, and local circumstances of the place will admit 

 of. The most striking effect of this kind, I believe ever 

 produced in this country, is at the Right Hon. E. Strutt's, 

 Kingston Hail, where some hundreds of large trees, 

 varying in height from 15 feet to 40 feet, have been 

 transplanted, and some trees of the latter height 

 have been conveyed a distance of 15 miles ; among 

 these are now to be seen growing luxuriantly some fine 

 specimens of Yew and Cedar of Lebanon. The machine 

 employed for the purpose is somewhat similar to Mr. 

 Barron's, but considerably improved, which the nature 

 and the circumstances of the work required ; at the 

 same time it is but justice to Mr. Barron • to say" that 

 to him belongs the merit of the invention of the original- 

 Any person who wishes to form a correct idea of the 

 merits of this machine, will do well to pay a visit to 

 this establishment If they happen to see the large 

 vinery there when in full bearing (as I have), where 

 upwards of 25 cwt. weight of Grapes are annually; pro- 

 will be well repaid for their visit. T. C"> 



experience 

 language is termed a late spring, and all progress in 

 vegetation above ground is checked, or kept at bay alto- 

 gether ; not so, however, the root, that is progressing 

 and gathering strength for the coming demands upon its 

 energy ; and in proportion to its strength and healthy 

 action so will be the progress of the branch when the 



conditions favourable for its development are present, were very nearly killed 

 On the other hand, an early spring, which is only another feet, all moved in summer, only one died 



duced, they will be well repaid 



Tadcaster. t . 



Transplanting Large Trees at Chinnertbury Parle.— You sa id . ifl 

 a paragraph in connection with my letter in the &*ra**"* 

 Chronicle of the 25th ult., that you did not know what 1 cow 

 plained of— true; but it appears some of your corresponded^ 



were in the secret. Your report of the large trees tonspianw 

 at Gunnersbury Park would have remained unnoticed by me u 

 for the unfair way (unintentionally on your part I dare «W. 

 which I was made to figure in the notice. No doubt a c®"*** 

 meed of praise was intended for the person who bad cona ^ d 

 the operations you mentioned so successfully. Now, nota w 

 was said about any of the trees having been transplanted ^ f 



my system, or by my machinery, except one with a _ - f ^ t 

 Was not this a "mistake?" [Our reporter did not know tnax 

 more than one tree had been so moved. The statement; 



interests are concerned, in tne unromcte 01 is* "»*•» XZf the 

 Forsyth says— " Mr. Barron is mistaken in stating tn « 

 major part of the trees here were moved under his direction, w ***- 



