Oct. 27, 1855.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



709 









"""^Tbriglit green, entire or hiibsinuate and slightly wavy, 

 smooth, punctulate with transparent dots which indicate 

 the apices of the free included veinlets. The fronds taper 

 belo* into the sparingly scaly stipes, which is lateral 

 aad articulated on a slender creeping rhizome. The 

 sori form a single row of round dots near the costa on 

 the upper part of the frond. This Fern was sent to us 

 gome years since by Mr. Henderson, of Wentworth. It 

 4a no doubt, a native of China, agreeing as it does with 

 specimens (No. 18) collected by Mr. Fortune during 

 his second journey in that country. It succeeds very 

 well in a greenhouse, and equally well in the stove. 



f7. Davallta tenuifolia, Swartz, Synopsis Filicum, 



133,350; Hooker, Sp. Fil. i., 186. 



Fronds erect or arching, ovate-lanceolate, elongate, smooth, sub- 

 coriaceous, bi- or tripinnate, with the rachis compressed or 

 winded; ultimate segments crowded, linear, wedge-shaped, 

 truncate, bifid or slightly erose; sori terminal across the truu 

 cated apices of the segments, short oblong, single or in pairs. 



This plant, common in all dried collections, and there 

 rather remarkable for its stiffness combined with 

 elegant cutting, is in the cultivated state one of the most 

 graceful of Ferns, its long finely divided fronds assu- 

 ming the pendent position which best displays the 

 elegant maimer in which it is divided. The colour 

 is a bright cheerful green, and the fronds grow 

 2 feet long ; their pinnse are ovate-lanceolate, twice 

 cut into distinct divisions, and the second of these 





mulated there towards liquidating the debts of the 



Corporation. 



The history of the Society clearly Bhows that it was 

 in its most flourishing state in the year 1821, at which 

 time its operations were confined to the encouragement 

 of horticulture by rewards, and the publication of its 

 transactions, to exhibitions in London, to the distribu- 

 tion of seeds, &c, obtained from its correspondents, 

 and to the maintenance of a small and unexpensive 

 garden. The subsequent enlargement of the Society's 

 undertakings, successful as they have been for a time, 

 have ultimately proved beyond its resources : but the 



such cases 1 have sometimes found a minute black para- 

 site, and an extensive deposit of dark-coloured fungal 

 cells beneath the cuticle. I do not, however, consider 

 the fungus as necessarily connected with the decay, but 

 rather as an aftergrowth when decomposition has already 

 taken place. M. J. B. 



SUBTERRANEAN IRRIGATION. 



Permit me to furnish you with a short account of 



lecture which was delivered on Monday last in the 



Town Hall of Reading, bv Mr. Wilkin*, relative to his 



Council hope, and confidently expect, that by reverting peculiar system of subsoil irrigation, which promises, or 



to the system of 1821 the Society may be restored to rather has already produced, snch astonishing results. 





its former prosperity ; and by restricting themselves to 

 the encouragement of its original objects, its utility and 

 popularity may be maintained undiminished. 



The Council are now engaged in a careful considera- 

 tion of the manner in which these great changes can be 

 best effected, as well as of the alterations>hich may \ e 

 consequently necessary in the rate of subscription of the 

 Fellows. Immediately after their plans shall have been 

 matured, they will be submitted to the sanction of a 

 general meeting. In the meantime, in order not to lose 

 the present season, the Council have ordered an 

 immediate sale of stove plants— the continued cultiva- 

 tion of which even through the ensuing winter would 

 cause a needless increase to the Society's debt — and of 

 some other portions of the Corporation property, such 

 as herbaria, &c, which can be disposed of without 

 detriment to the efficiency of the Society. 



Signed by order of the Council, 



John Lindley, Vice Secretary. 



It will be seen by an announcement in another 

 column that this decision is about to be carried into im- 

 mediate effect, and that the 7th of November will wit- 

 ness the sale of some of the finest plants in Europe. 



No.XCIII. 



again deeply separated into wedge-shaped segments ; 

 the entire frond is made up of a multitude of these 

 narrow wedge-shaped segments, which have a truncated 

 apex, across^which, at the back, the short transversely 

 oblong sori are borne ; these apices are in general 

 slightly notched. When present the sori are seated 

 within little hollow cup-shaped involucres at the points 

 of the segments. This very ornamental Fern was intro- 

 duced from Java by the Messrs. Rollissonsin 1851, and 

 is still rare in gardens. It is an evergreen species re- 

 quiring stove heat. T. M. 



VEGETABLE PATHOLOGY. 

 ~~§74. Caries {Decay).-— Though the vascular tissue is 

 peculiarly subject to that incipient decomposition of its 

 lining membrane, or even of the walls themselves, 

 which under aggravating conditions leads to general 

 decay, the cellular tissue is sometimes affected in a 

 similar manner, while the vessels are wholly or nearly 

 intact. One of the most curious instances is that atiec- 



* 





HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 

 The following circular has just been issued by the 



Council : — 



21, Regent Street, October 23. 



In the annual report made by the Council at the last 

 anniversary, the attention of the Fellows was directed 

 to the very serious fact that, during the previous three 

 years, the income of the Society had been unequal to 

 its expenditure, and that as much as 1250Z. had been 

 added to the debt during the year 1854-5. At the same 

 time a hope was expressed that the causes which 

 brought about so large a deficiency would prove 

 temporary. 



The Council have now, however, with very great 

 regret, to report that this hope has proved fallacious, 

 and that the debt will have been found to be again con- 

 siderably increased before the close of the present year, 

 if the present establishments of the Society are main- 

 tained in their integrity. 



It has been annually shown by the printed reports 

 that the principal source of income, since the year 1833, 

 from which the garden has been maintained, was the 

 Exhibitions there, the net produce of which was as 

 much as 3024Z. in the year 1844. This fund has been 

 gradually diminishing. In 1853 it was 1715Z., in 1854 

 only 455£, and in the present year, instead of yielding 

 any increase, the exhibitions have been productive of a 

 loss estimated at about 300J. 



After giving this subject the best consideration m 

 their power, and consulting Fellows upon whose judg- 

 ment they are disposed to rely, the Council have 

 arrived at the conclusion that the garden exhibitions 

 *ifl not be profitable in future. The distance of the 

 situation from the metropolis deters visitors from re- 

 pairing to Chiswick as formerly, when no similar meet- 

 ings were held in places of more ready access. Nor 

 <*& it be doubted, that the proximity of the great 

 Government garden at Kew, accessible as it is by rail- 

 way and water, aud with whose attractions it is hopeless 

 *o contend, annually renders the Society's garden 

 •f greatly diminished interest. Uuder these circum- 

 stances the Council have no alternative but to reduce 

 the latter establishment within very narrow limit;*, if 

 °ot to relinquish it altogether ; and, at the same time, 

 to realise some at least of the valuable property accu- 



tion of Apples, especially of Ribbtone Pippins, though not 

 confined to that variety, for I have observed and studied 

 it in the Golden Reinette, Golden Harvey, and some 

 other kinds, which is commonly attributed to the attack 

 of worms, insomuch that they are called worm eaten, 

 an 4 in some cases present on a section an appearance 

 not unlike that of an Oak Apple. I have, however, 

 frequently hunted, with high and low microscopic 

 powers, for some insect growth without ever being 

 able to find a trace of any parasite ; nor is there the 

 slightest indication of mycelium. The affected fruit is 

 generally slightly mottled in the first stages of the 

 disease with pale brown, depressed, irregular, uneven 

 spots ; but these are not always very manifest, and 

 many of the diseased specks are quite independent of 

 the cuticle. In a later staize the surface assumes a 

 darker hue, and exhibits evident symptoms of approach- 

 ing decay, and the affection is then scarcely distinguish- 

 able externally from that form of common rottenness to 

 which the name of tacked is vulgarly given. A section 

 exhibits a multitude of little reddish brown patches, 

 some of them penetrating deeply into the substance of 

 the fruit, and of a paler or deeper tint, according to the 

 degree in which the individual cells are detached from 

 each other. A common lens exhibits little masses of 

 loose discoloured tissue with darker lines, which are 

 due to the commissures of diseased cells, and are not, 

 as might at first be supposed, minute vessels. Higher 

 powers bring no marked phenomena to light. The cells, 

 in consequence of their shrunk and withered condition, 



' ' abundant folds, which must be 



from fungal threads ; the 



prod 



at Cavers-ham was exhibited. The lecturer, apparently 

 a confident and energetic man, elucidated in an able 

 manner the many advantages to be derived from his 

 peculiar system of cultivation ; and indeed his dUcourFe 

 was not based on theory alone, for a comparison between 

 his crops and others grown in the ordinary manner was 

 most surprising and conclusive. I need not however 

 enumerate the many and extraordinary examples (as there 

 exhibited) of the superiority of his productions com pared 

 with those cultivated in the usual manner, as this will 

 no doubt be more fully dwelt upon by more competent 

 men, tuffice it to say that all the articles exhibited 

 (which had been previously taken from the garden in 

 the presence of both scientific and practical men) were 

 doubly [and in several cases trebly superior to those 

 produced by the ordinary system of cultivation. 



I cannot omit mentioning, however, one example in 

 the shape of a single Potato which had been grown the 

 previous year on this system, and which being planted 

 this season on the same plan produced the astonishing 

 number of 101 Potatoes weighing 24 lbs., all of them 

 perfectly free from disease or the slightest symptom of 

 deterioration. Now this is a truly interesting tact, for if 

 we reflect on thesubject.as the lecturer stated, we willfind 

 that seven such roots of Potatoes would fill an ordinary 

 sack. Mr. Wilkins dwelt at some length on this circum- 

 stance, it being his opinion that Potatoes grown on this 

 system are not only doubly productive, but that they 

 contain a far greater proportion of vegetable and repro- 

 ductive matter than those cultivated in the ordinary 

 manner, and the theory is certainly borne out in the 

 case of the single Potato grown in the experimental 



garden above alluded to. 



This solitary instance of extraordinary fecundity is, 

 however, scarcely sufficient to convince us that we may 

 rely with confidence upon a repetition of the like abund- 

 ance (although Mr. Wilkins is very sanguine in the 

 matter) from a crop of these Potatoes in the coming 

 year. I hope however that his anticipations on this 

 important subject may be realised. His explanations 

 were attentively listened to by a very respectable 

 audience,and the lecturer, together with his productions, 

 met with frequent and well merited rounds of applause. 



He also exhibited some elegant patterns of cande- 

 labra and vases for the cultivation of choice plants either 

 in the parlour or drawing-room, adapted for holding 

 liquid manure, without the slightest smell or incon- 

 venience arising therefrom. 



The lecturer also purposed to form a fund with the 

 proceeds of his system to educate orphans of soldiers 

 killed in the present war ! Altogether he seems 

 actuated by no pecuniary consideration, but appears to 

 be prompted solely by a spirit of philanthropy to interest 

 himself in the welfare of his countrymen. 



That immense advantages may be derived from his 

 particular mode of culture no one who has seen his 

 produce can possibly doubt ; let me therefore conclude 

 by wishing him success, and in the hope that he may 

 live to see the full realisation of his projects, let me bid 

 him " Go ou and prosper." J. H. C., Strath jieldsayc. 



are traversed by 

 carefully distinguished 



Home Correspondence. 



Management of Roses in Beds.— Mr. Rivers in his 



w"alls'themselve 3 D are here and there deeply discoloured, ! new catalogue now before me recommends dwarf Roses 

 AelS^mevBxiBke, of the same broVn ulmic tinge, forming beds or groups to be transplanted and Inghly 

 tutSeware^ globes which betray manured annually, and after som e expe ^^ J ^ 



no dtaoToJItiS and assume a beautiful violet tinge on convinced that this is the only method by winch free 

 Zl^^ot^Si The cells which border on | growth and an abundant bloom can ^mamjame^^lt 



the patches are on the cc 



single cell were affected. 



section to that of a Potat 



Potato-murrain is very striking, but I can vouch for the generally 



.!«!. cell were effected. The reeembtace of euch , | Roee, (onto. ». a r "gj*^ » „ lhe clikure 



^aVtne disease was known long before that of the like the J Jj^^ *£ &?# fc, threat 



Potatoes ever made its appearance in England. The ^^.^J^^^to reach of all, surely 



malady seems to be essentially constitutional, being much ev,l being so s "ipleand wUta ^^ ^ 



more common in some varieties than others, but it is we may «P?»£ «£„ \f a d opt Lh treatment, 1 may 



certainly more frequent in nngenialseasous,characten 3 ed guidance ""^^^ the £ oL . or chttng e of site is 



by much wet and little suns»hine. j re P ea . t th t careful taking up, well manuring, 



375. This affection it should be observed is totally "^'S^i thi9 the pSJper season is all 



distinct from ordinary cases of decay, which depend and care j ^ JccteJ md that have t^,, 



upon a variety of causes, as external injur.es and the tha * » req • f experience some 



consequent admission of the spores of parasitic fungi, stationary tor a nu / ^ J: u , 



or from the attacks of such fungi as c ~ :i * « v, " ,h ,lf 



up the cuticle and admit the weather to the exposed tissues 



beneath. It is distinct too from all cases of Wetting, 



which takes place occasionally in Apples and other 



fruits which are not in general subject to the affection. 



Like so many other similar maladies it commences 



simultaneously at a number of points, without however, 



our being able to ascertain why those should be more 



unable to resist disease than others. It is, too, P«fecUy 



distinct from a peculiar form ? f d< ^ n ^™ n ™ \ 2orresponden."s, who de.aded their experiences 



becomes gradually hard and of a deep Drown or ( v ,, . . v , Mt . but now be does nt 



the invariable result. W here pegging aown uie snoots, 

 so as to cover the entire bed or borders, is practised 

 (and an admirable practice it is) this treatment will not 

 apply but 2 or 3 indies of good rotten manure over the 

 entire' bed in autumu will answer the same purpose for 

 many years. J. M., Folkestone. 



Diotcorea £atatas.-Oav gardener has managed to 

 grow larger specimens of this Yam than other ot your 



fruit becomes gradually nara anu »n » «-»r ™ j p ■ - Satur j av i^t ; but now 



black tint, without any lesion of the outward surface. In | Paper ot baturaay las , 



