032 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Sept. 22, 1855. 



but witip/ut however citing an}' decisive experiments in 

 support of their opinions. 



u Lightning produces on animated bodies struck by it 

 considerable mechanical effects, which for the most part 

 huve gome manifest relation to the portions of metal 

 disseminated in the clothing of the sufferer. Sometimes 

 the marks left by the lightning are merely superficial, 

 being entirely confined o the skin ; under other cir- 

 cumstances the very hones are broken. A case has 

 even been reported in which the skull of a man struck 

 by lightning appeared as if it had been crushed by a 

 heavy bruising instrument. It is not uncommon for 

 the clothes of the person struck to take fire. 



" It has been said on the authority of Hunter, but 

 without pufiicicnt proof, that the blood of a man or of an 

 animal struck by lightning does not coagulate in the 

 body, and that the muscles never acquire the rigidity of 

 an ordinary corpse ; but this assertion is shown to be 

 incorrect by authentic anatomical examinations and 



diwecti' B made by Schulics of Luii<!s!mt. Jt has also 

 !»een said that in this kind of death putrefaction mani- 

 fests itseh sooner than usual. 



M When it happens tliat the person struck to death 

 by lightning had about him a knife, needles, or anything 

 made of steel, the powerful magnetism which is at the 

 same time imparted to those objects is perhaps the 

 most evident proof which a surgeon or magistrate could 

 receive ot the nature of the fatal accident 



" Instances have been c I in which strokes of lisht- 



nuijr, 



not sufficiently strong to cause death, had 

 occasioned deafness, or had produced amaurosis, with 

 dilatation of the pupil and loss of its power of contrac- 

 tion, in some cases the deafness or the amaurosis very 

 soon disappear ; in other instances they have lasted 

 several days, or for several weeks. 



u The most frequent result of strokes of lightning of 

 moderate intensity is partial paralysis, more or less 

 persistent, of the legs or arms. 



u Mr. Edward Uobin attributes death occasioned by 

 lightning to a kind of asphyxiation, or a sort of 

 sudden disappearance of atmospheric oxygen. He 

 thinks he finds a confirmation of his theory in observa- 

 tions made by an Italian physician, from which it would 

 follow that in the body of a person whose death has 

 been occasioned by lightning, putrefaction is, compara- 

 tively speaking, but little active." 



With curious ami useful matter like this the volume 

 before us is filled to overflowing. Let us add that it is 

 well translated, and that no library can be even tolerably 

 complete without it. 



Miscellaneous. 



The late Mr\ L i ><:re nce's Plants. — The sale of these 

 commenced on Tuesday last, and will finish to-day. 

 What kind of prices they realised may be gleaned from 

 the following : Orchio-. — A splendid specimen of Sac- 

 colabium guttatum fetched 31Z. 10.*.; S. retusum, 12/. ; 

 Cattleya labiata, 11/. ; Phalaenopsis amabilis, 211. 6s. ; 

 P. grandiflom, two fine plants, 17/. and 14/. 10s. ; Den- 

 drobium anosmum, 1*2/. ; D. Devonianum, 10/.; Vanda 

 sua vis, 22/. ]s. ; Aerides Larpentre, 14/. ; A. maculo- 

 sura, 13/. 10o\ ; Odontoglossum citrosmum, 12/. ; Cypri- 

 pedium Lowi, 8/. 8a. ; C. caudatum, 61. 6s. ; C. barba- 

 tum, 51. as. ; Angrtccnm eburneum, 51. 15s. ; Epiden- 

 drom macrochilum album, 61. 10s. ; Coryanthes macran- 

 tha, 6/. 5s. ; Trichopiiia tortilis, 8/. ; T. coccinea, 3J. 3s. ; 

 Phaius Wa!iiehi,o7. 10s.; Calanthe veratrifolia, 4/. ; I .sella 

 purpurata, 51. 15s. ; Clnsis bractescens, 51. 10s. ; other 

 Jots, of which there were in all about 330, fetched from 

 1/. Is. to 4/. per lot. Stove and Greenhouse Plants. 

 Amherstia nobilis, 10/. 10s. ; Dipladeniacrassinoda (two 

 plants), 2/. 2s. ; Stephauotis floribunda, 21. 2s. ; Alla- 

 manda grandiflora, 2/. 10s.; Ixora coccinea, 2/. ; Cur- 

 cuma Roscoeana, 2/. 8s. ; Pimelea spectabilis, hi. 

 Hedaroma tulipiferum, 3/. 7s. ; Gompholobium poly- 

 raorphum, 3/. ; Chorozema Henchmanni, l\L 5s. ; Ade- 

 nandra fragrans, 4/. 15s • Leschenaultia biloba, 21. 12s.; 

 other lots from 10s. to 30s. per lot. Azaleas, — A. Perry- 

 ana, a very fine plant, 1 11. ; Juliana, 5/. ; Glory of Sunning 

 Hill, 3/. ; Exqnisita, a good plant, 61. ; maculata 

 (semi-double), 4/. 4s. ; vesta, 3/. ; other lots from 10s. 

 to 20s. per lot. Cape Heaths, with the] exception of a 

 handsome E. Cavendishi, for which 4/. was Ipaid, 

 fetched from 10s. to 1/. Is. per plant. From the 

 above it will ^be seen that the highest prices by far 

 were frealised for*the Orchids, and that the stove and 

 greenhouse plants went comparatively cheap. Should 

 the remainder of the sale to-day produce anything of 

 importance it will be given next week. 



-__*r ' — — — —— ■mm— i^M^«i^— — ^— 



Calendar of Operations . 



[For the ensuing week.) 



y 



careful management to prevent their being injured by 

 damp, and they must not be overwatered at the root, as 

 stove plants are soon injured in a low temperature if 

 kept too wet at the root. Give air freely on bright 

 days, but if the house contains many stove plants it will 

 be "advisable to shut up rather early in the afternoon, so 

 as to retain a little warmth for the night ; and in the 

 event of wet cloudy weather setting in, it will probably 

 be found necessary to use a little tire-heat, to dispel 

 damp and preserve the blossoms of tender things, and 

 this should be seen to before handsome specimens get 

 disfigured or ruined for the season ; for these in bloom 

 are not over plentiful about most places at this 

 season of the year, and are therefore worth caring for. 

 Keep everything in this h.use as clean and neat as 

 possible, removing decaying flowers and leaves, &c, 

 immediately they are perceived, and examine pot 

 specimens frequently, particularly such as may not 

 occupy the most suitable places, turning them partly 

 round in order to expose all their sides equally to light 

 and air. 



FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



PiNEMES. — A rather dry state of the soil about the 

 roots and also of the atmosphere is essential during the 

 ripening of the fruit where high flavour is the object, 

 therefore be careful not to over- water plants on which 

 the fruit is approaching maturity, and it will be advisable 

 to use slight fires on dull days, so as to allow of giving 

 sufficient air to prevent a stagnant state of the atmo- 

 sphere, for fruit of prime quality cannot be expected 

 from plants growing in sodden soil or a damp unhealthy 

 atmosphere. Endeavour to afford growing stock a 

 steady bottom-heat of about 85°, and keep it well 

 supplied with manure-water at the root, but avoid getting 

 the soil too wet. As fire-heat will now be necessary to 

 a considerably larger extent than has been the case 

 during the summer, care must be exercised to secure a 

 properly moist state of the atmosphere, keeping the 

 evaporating pans or troughs regularly supplied with 

 water, and moistening the floors &c. frequently, as any 

 sudden change from a moist to a dry state of the atmo- 

 sphere would be most injurious to growing stock, and 

 also to plants swelling their fruit. Be as sparing of 

 fire-heat, however, as circumstances will allow, and 

 shut up early on the afternoons of bright days, so as to 

 husband the sun's influences as much as possible. 

 Where young stock is grown in dung-pits care must be 

 exercised after this season not to get the plants weakly 

 through keeping too close and warm, giving air freely 

 on every favourable opportunity, and sufficient command 

 of warmth should be secured from the linings to allow 

 of giving a little air at night and on cloudy days. 

 Vineries. — Use gentle fires when the weather is damp 

 in houses where the fruit is ripe ; but only just suf- 

 ficient to keep the atmosphere dry, and look over the 

 bunches, frequently removing any tainted berries im- 

 mediately they can be perceived, for these if left iu the 

 bunches communicate the malady to others, and cause 

 it to spread much faster than would otherwise be the 



It is still a too common practice to expose the 

 Vines to the weather immediately the fruit is cut, and 

 some persons deem this practice essential to the ripen- 

 ing of the wood. When the weather happens to be 

 warm and dry, such treatment may answer very well, 

 but to expose Vines in wet, cloudy weather, when the 

 object is the ripening of the wood, is sure to result in 

 disappointment ; therefore, where the wood is not 

 properly ripened, keep the atmosphere dry and mode- 

 rately warm, and use sufficient fire-heat to allow of 

 giving air freely both day and night. Use brisk fires in 

 houses where the fruit is not yet ripe, giving air freely, 



the foliage from insects, 

 particularly where the fruit has to be kept for 

 any length of time after it is ripe. Peaches. — As 

 the trees will now be freely exposed to the air day 

 and night, very little attention will be required here for 

 the present. The foliage should, however, be kept clear 

 of red spider, by an occasional washing with the engine 

 where necessary, so as to preserve it in health until it 

 has performed its functions and decays naturally. If 

 any trees have to be removed from the open wall to 

 here, this may be done immediately the present crop of 

 fruit is gathered, as the removal if very carefully effected 

 and the tree properly attended to afterwards will not 

 prevent the wood ripening, and there will be plenty of 

 time for the trees to make fresh roots and get suffi- 

 ciently established to carry a crop of fruit next season 

 if not forced too early. 



FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



If previous directions have been attended to, the 

 propagation of next season's M bedding stock " will by 

 this time be well advanced, and where, from the pres- 

 sure of other work or other causes, this is not the case, 

 every possible dispatch must be used while the weather 

 is favourable for . such work. 



and be careful to guard 



soon obtained, but plants treated in this way are neces- 

 sarily so soft and tender that it is almost impossible to 

 carry them over the winter without serious los?. There* 

 fore avoid keeping such things too warm after th 

 season, and if they are placed in bottom heat give air 

 freely at night, and whenever it can be done without the 

 cuttings flagging, so as to prevent weakly growth. 



HARDY FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Where wasps are troublesome means must be taken 

 to preserve ripe fruit from their depredations, and 

 Plums and Apricots had better. he netted up, as wasps 

 if at all numerous, soon do serious damage to these. 

 Also look frequently over any varieties of Pears ripen- 

 ing, and gather those that are fit, for if allowed to hang 

 after they are ripe the wasps are sure to find them, and 

 will attack the fruit before it is fit for gathering, so that 

 the crop will probably be spoiled unless it can be netted 

 up. Where Currants are covered with mats, which, by 

 the bye, are very inferior to close nets for this purpose, 

 and much more expensive, the trees should be 



fine dry days, so as to 

 to the 



Where cuttings of V 



tLANT DEPARTMENT. 



Conservatory, &c. — Last week's directions as to the 

 housing or protecting of tender plants should be attended 

 to at once ; for although such things as Camellias, 

 Acacias, Cvtisus, &c, may be exposed to a few degrees 

 of frost, and, if not over potted, to heavy falls of rain 

 without much danger of their being injured, there is ! they were to be potted off before winter, and we have 

 considerable risk in having plants exposed too late in frequently found late cuttings managed in this way to 



benas and such like things have yet to be put in they 

 should be inserted rather thinly in deep pans or shallow 

 pots, in which they can be wintered, as they will be got 

 established sooner in this way than would be the case if 



winter fully as well as stronger plants ; and, except 

 plants intended to furnish cuttings in spring, it 

 is very immaterial how small bedding plants are 

 before winter, vrovided they are well rooted with- 



autumn, and this should be avoided if possible : but 



such things as Heaths, Chorozemas, and, indeed, the 



majority of our best greenhouse plants, cannot with any 



safety be left fully exposed to the chances of the weather 



alter this season ; and where proper accommodation out having been 



cannot be found for these in the houses, ioine efficient sphere to render 



shelter from heavy rains and frost ought to be provided 



at once. Where valuable stove plants have to be kept 



in the conservatory while in bloom, these will require and frequently in frames on dung teis, where size is 



got up in a close warm atmo- 



them sappy and tender. Many 



parties, through anxiety to secure large ptants, keep 



bedding out stock close and moist until late in autumn, 



air, in order 



more expensive, 



uncovered* occasionally on 

 expose the fruits thoroughly 

 to prevent their being injured by damp, &e. 

 Trim and dress Strawberry plantations, and be 

 careful to injure the leaves of the plants as little 

 as possible, and avoid deep digging between the row* 

 which is of no farther use than to injure the roots, 

 the Strawberry rather prefers a somewhat firm soil 





STATE OF THE WEATHE 

 For the week ending: Sept. 20, Ito 



tt AT CHISWICK, NEAR LONDON, 

 5, as observed at the Horticultural Uardtv*. 



Kri.laj H 

 Satur. 15 

 Sunday 16 



Mon.. 17 



Tues. IS 



Wed. 19 



Thurs. 20 



Average . 



3 

 4 

 5 



6 



7 



Babomktkr. 



Max. 



80X07 



30.09 i 



30.13 



30.0 i 6 

 29.952 

 30.04-2 



30.1 HO 



£9.926 



30.0-0 



29.9&1 



29 944 



29 Ml 



29.965 



30.112 



TSMPKRATURR. 



Oi the Air. 



Max. Min. 



Mean 



Of the Earth 

 1 toot 2 feet 



deep. deep. 



I 



Wind = 



51 



45 



49.5 



64 



4i 



54.5 



63 



54 



61.0 



62 



r w 



DO 



68£ 



6J 



54 



61 5 



68 



47 



57*5 



75 



44 



5*>.5 



30.0.4 29.990 65.7 49.1 57.4 



Sept. 1}— Constant rain; densely clouded and cold ; overcast. 



— IS— Uniformly overcast; fine; overcast. 



— 16— Overcast; cloudy; overcast at night. 



— 17— Ham; hazy; overcast. 



— IS — Hazy; overcast; cloudy; tine. 



— 19 — Uniformly overcast ; slight haze; fine. 



— 2 '— Vozzy, with heavy dew; very tine throughout. 

 Mean temperature ot the week \ deg. above the ayera^e. 



RECORD OF THE WEATHER AT CBiSWICK. 



During the last 29 years, for the ensuing week, ending Sept. 29,1*55. 



Sept 



Sunday 23 



Mou. 



Tues. 

 Vted. 



Tim. 

 Krid. 



Satnr 



2. 

 27 



is 

 2y 



95 A 



-SB** 



65.7 



65.4 



65 

 652 



64.9 

 6*.6 

 6U* 



III 



45.5 



45.7 



45.4 

 45 2 

 44.9 



44.2 

 44.9 



« 5" 



gs 



3h 



56.1 

 55. t> 

 55.6 

 55.2 



54.9 



54.4 



5 1.7 



No. of 

 Years in 

 which it 

 Rained. 



14 

 13 

 13 

 15 



17 



13 



18 



Greatest 



Quantity 

 of Rain. 



l.tl in. 



0.7* 



1.30 



0.7J 

 063 

 80 

 0.46 



Prevailing Wind-- 



z; 



2 

 2 





aa 



a 



1 



6 

 4 



4 



2 



I 

 3 







o 



1 6 a 5 ! 1 



1 4 8 M 



_ 2 410 ■»' 1 



oi 1 8 7 1 I 



4 2 4X61 



4 1 8 6 4 3 



3 2 & It' : 3 



The hticuest temperature dunn 

 1832— therm. 82 deg.; and the low 



ic the above period occurred oo the Stk, 

 e*t on the 27th, 1823— therm. 24 dej?. 



1 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Astragalus: Jlinna. Nothing can be more variable than the 



form of the pod in 

 this genus, or the 

 manner in which it 

 splits. The accom- 

 panying figure re- 

 presents that of a 

 species gathered at 

 Eupatoria by Cap- 

 tain George Elhot, 

 R.M., in which the 

 valves are sepa- 

 rating by their 

 dorsal (or cannal) 

 suture, quite through the spurious septum which is peculiar to 



this genus. . f _. 



Books ; 8 B. Mackintosh's work is excellent, but too mucn tor » 



beginner. You had better commence with Loudon & tne > c r* 

 pasdiaof Gardening, an old edition of which may o"®?? 

 picked up at second-hand book shops for a few suiinDg* 

 Abercrombie's Gardening is also a good old book for a yoirij 

 man to work by.— J" Brown. The third edition of the Vegeuow 

 Kingdom was published in 1853, and contains very numertiP 

 additions. . , ^ 



Names of Fruits: J J P. The Pear which accompaBtedtw 

 diseased Marie Louise appears on comparison to be * x *j* 

 like the Easter BeurrS, notwithstanding its coming to P e ™£ 

 tion so early. As far as our experience goes, the tim i 

 maturity of this variety extends over a wide range. M. J -~\^ 



Names of Plants : We have been so often obliged to relucf *?JJJ 

 decline naming heaps of dried or other plants, that we ve ui 

 to request our correspondents to recollect that we nev er ^j 

 or coubl have undertaken an unlimited duty of ,*™f ^hr 

 Young gardeners, to whom these remarks more especially »P£ /» 

 should bear in mind that, before applying to us for * S ®*~SLJ 

 they should exhaust their other means of gaining in J°"^L. 

 We cannot save them the trouble of examining and tniu'j ^ 

 for themselves ; nor would it be desirable if we could. f*i 

 can do is to help them— and that most willingly. It » ^ 

 requested that, in future, not more than four plants in»/ ^ 

 sent us at one time.— Creeper. Smilax sar^apanlla, ^- 

 wants more summer heat than we can give it, in or ^ r R ^Xw. 

 duce its flowers.- J B K L. Jaborosa longiflora. ^jp& 

 Is it not a proliferous monster of Plantago lanceolata • T" UoS 

 Humeaelegans.-ifu*. Apparently a morsel of Q™Z™*^ tm . 

 We are unable to recogu ise the other plant by your <* cs £"i_- in 

 — G W. The other is Hydrangea japonica, a plant na . / .^ 

 any good climate, but best treated as a greenhouse pi . 

 winter.- Cranmer. Your fungus is Uredo Kubigo ^vera, tue 

 rust ot Wheat. M. J. B.-Q. 1, Scutellaria splendens, *, 

 terminable.— 1*7 T S. Grewia asiatica. . r00 ts 



Peach Tree : D A. Red spider has attacked it because «£ 

 are kept dry. It has not touched the Vines because their rw 

 are in the open border. There is no doubt about it. ^ 



Tempehati- : T W. The hottest day this year was the ° 

 June, when the maximum temperature was fcb 4 ^u e d 



Vinegar Plant: A K. This is the spawn of a tangu » 

 Penicillium glaucum. It thrives in a weak ^™/ w ^ n f to 

 whicli it soon turns to vinegar. You may cut tne pi 

 pieces as often as you like. Every piece will grow-* utfl 



#*• As usual, many communications have been Tecex ]^: r%( . n i T \eA 

 *and others are unavoidably detained till the necessary W» 



can be made. We must al>o beg the ; i,d, ^ e u ,1 ^ t ^ e3t in« 

 numerous c- respondents, the insertion of whose intereau»* 



contributkns is still delayed. 



