Nov. 10, 1855.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



74 



> 



^STnot have as many acres of Hops in plant to 

 produce the same quantity ? Then so many more 

 acres of land of th.3 best quality would be free for 

 Wheat or other crops. W. Masters, Exotic Nursery, 



Canterbury. 



Luminous Lycopodium, — They have at Kew a most 

 curious Lycopodium, lately come from Jamaica (not, I 

 believe, sent ou account of its property). It is a common 

 looking species of the Helveticum group ; green as 

 others by day, but as evening comes on gradually 

 appearing white to the eye — not pure white — but the 

 sickly white of a bleached plant, distinguishable at once 

 by this circumstance when it is too dark to see the form 

 or outline. Mr. Smith detected this property, which 

 can have nothing to do with the effect produced ou the 

 so-called Lycopodium caesium by the rays of light 

 making that plant iridescent, like shot-silk. IT. R. 



Double Blossomed Peach. — The fruiting of this Peach 



A tree of it in the gardens at 



is by no means unusual. 



Redleaf has this year produced upwards* of eight dozen \ to reach and 

 fine fruit, which ripened perfectly, and were 



complete. A. Crumb, Gardener to the Right Hon. L 

 Ducie, Tortworth Court, Gloucestershire. 



Management of Roses in Beds (see p. 727). — I have 

 not at this moment au opportunity of referring to what 

 I said respecting the autumn manuring of Roses ; but 

 as far as my recollection serves me 1 stated that careful 

 transplanting and highly manuring at this — the proper 

 season— are all that is requisite to produce or maintain 

 ^n abundant bloom. As re irds my reasons for re- 

 commending autumn for the purpose, one at least 

 must be evident, as it is the only time when manure 

 can be applied in that manner : another, and with me 

 a powerful one, is that the plants then transplanted 

 have already formed bundles of new strong healthy roots, 

 which make the most of the nutriment placed within 

 their reach. Where pegged down to cover the entire 

 soil and topdressing — the only method of manuring 

 available — I think the reasons for its autumn applica- 

 tion become apparent. As a manure it must have time 



benefit the roots ; as a mulching it 



Fowl 



Egg, Brown Beurev, Ilacou's Incooi parable, 

 Forelle or Trout Pear. Ducheste de Angoulerae, and a 

 small new Pear named u on Seedlin ' which closely 

 resembled the old Craawuiein shape and colour. It had 

 a white melting flesh, was very juicy, sweet, * 1 sugary, 

 and was altogether considered to be one of the b» fla- 

 voured Pears exhibited. The above were nearly all from 

 curved wire trellises, with which the borders along the 

 9idesof the principal walks at Frograore are furnished. 

 From the same garden also came 2 varieties of Seedling 

 Apples, many of them very promising sorts. Among them 

 were several fine -looking Golden Pippins, which, how- 

 ever, upon trial proved inferior to the old favourite Apple 

 of that name. Some of them, how* \ r, ought be worth 

 growing on account of their reputed hardiness and 1 

 bearing qualities, in both of which they were State to 



very 



certainly very juicy and eatable, but not such as would 



please a connoisseur in such matters. J. C. 



Vitality of Seeds. — Reading the memoranda of "C." 

 on the appearance of different species of plants under 

 different treatment of the ground, has brought to mind 

 a singular instance of the appearance of Charlock on 

 newly turned up soil which occurred to me many years 

 ago. I was deepening a pond in an old pasture, but 

 which was supplied by the drainage of adjoining arable 

 land. The soil which I took out was chiefly strong yellow 

 clay to the depth of perhaps 18 inches, and the bottom 

 was laid uppermost. Iu the ensuing summer the hill 

 of clay was covered with Charlock as thickly as Mustard 

 sown for the table. In what manner could these 

 seeds have been deposited at the depth of some inches 

 below the bottom of the pond, and retained their vitality ? 

 I am aware that the springing up of this weed on the 

 soil thrown out of $he bottom of ditches is an everyday 

 occurrence, but this instance appeared to me a very 

 remarkable one. J. G., Bury St. Edmunds. 



Subterranean Irrigation. — If Mr. Wilkins or any 

 other person will look into M'Intosh's ** Practical Gar- 

 dener," for 1827 or 1828, I forget which, they will find 

 this method of manuring recommended for the cultiva- 

 tion of Celery, and from that date I have followed it 

 myself in various ways and with various liquids. I grew 

 Grapes by it for six years at the late Archibald Corbett's, 

 Esq., at VValthamstow, in 1842, and I made new Vine 

 borders upon the same system at Thos. Moxon's, Esq., 

 at Low Leyton, but I do not know whether that gentle- 

 man carried the plan out, as I left shortly after, and am 

 now working a house on the same principle, which has 

 been so worked for the last eight years. Now I cannot 

 help thinking that these remarks, added to the 

 evidence you have furnished, are sufficient to prove 

 that this mode of manuring has lie tie novelty about it, 

 and that Mr. Wilkins has no right to tax the public 

 for a system that is neither new nor his own. 

 Wm. Havers, Gardener, 29, A delaide Road, Hampstead. 

 The Potato referred to in your account of my ex- 

 periments whose produce was 101 Potatoes weighing 

 24 lbs. first originated in 1853, from one set grown on 

 this new system, and then produced 9 lbs. In 1854 

 one Potato from the same stock on the same system 

 yielded 15 lbs. This year, 1855, one set from the same 

 Stock on the same improved system in only 8 inches of 

 earth produced the 101 Potatoes just mentioned. 



have the advantage of the old Guidon Pippin. No 152 

 was much approved of; it is a Binall flat Apple, not 

 unlike the Downtou Nonpareil, with a pale yellow bkin, 

 thickly over-spread with thiu flakes of soft russet and 

 brown specks on the sunny side. Its flesh was fine- 

 grained, hreaking, sugary and rich, and the tree which 

 produced this fruit is said to be hardy ami very prolific. 

 Shilling's Seedling, of which some specin were pre- 



sent, was reported not to be so good as the Kibston. 

 Examph were exhibited of Benin- Clairgeau, which 

 proved better flavoured than the sp< eimen of this 

 handsome Pear furnished by Mr. Wells, of Redleaf, 

 but still they weiv reported to be too flat and watery for 

 this to rank as a first-class Pear. A well grown speci- 

 men of the Sabine Pear, a little known variety, was 

 shown by Mr. Ingram, of Bel voir Caste, wh e it is 

 reported to be a very useful kind. Mr. Riven showed 

 some Pears, anieqg which were Laure de Glymes, 

 rather coarse sort, musky and not melting ; Colmar 

 Navez, stated by Dr. Van Mons to be one of the finest 

 of all Pears, but, in this instance, watery and pos- 

 drainage to the surrounding surface; consequently sessed of little richness ; and a striped St. i rmainfrom 

 during the rainy season they are little better adapted under glass ; also a Pavie de Poinpone, which in France 



does much to keep the soil kindly by preventing 

 it from being bleached or sodden by the rains of 

 winter, and as a protector it will greatly tend to 

 keep the more tender sorts in good .health, by 

 sheltering the junction of the stock and Rose, and for 

 this the 2 or 3 inches recommended will be ample, pro- 

 vided they have been budded or grafted (which suits 

 some sorts better), as they assuredly ought to be, close 

 to the ground; and, lastly, the said manure after con- 

 ferring all these benefits will have become less unsightly 

 as the season for appearances becomes of more import- 

 ance. I may add that to insure success under any cir- 

 cumstances perfect drainage is indispensable ; therefore 

 if the beds are the usual pits dug out of gross or other 

 consolidated ground, manuring in autumn or any other 

 season may be dispensed with ; this case being 



altogether hopeless, as the said pits or beds act as 



the surrounding surface ; consequently 





for the culture of permanent plants than so many ponds 

 would be. J. M., Folkestone. 



Shell Rain in the Isle of Wight.— In replying to 

 the queries of u C. D" (see p. 726), I cannot perhaps 

 do better than take them separately in the order in 

 which they stand: — L "Were any of the shells living ? M 

 Yes, many that came under my observation were alive. 

 And it may be interesting to add, that a lady connected 

 with the establishment at Osborne having collected a 

 number of the shells, placed them upon a Cabbage leaf, 

 over which she inverted a large tumbler glass; the tiny 

 creatures soon gave unmistakable signs of their vitality 

 by their voracity. 2. * Over how wide an area did they 

 fall ? " I cannot tell the exact space over which they 

 fell. I may state, however, that it extended at least 

 over 400 square yards of surface. 3. " During how long 

 a time are they believed to have fallen ? " To this 

 question I can give no satisfactory answer. I was not 

 on the spot at the time when they fell. Nor was I 

 acquainted with so singular and interesting a fact as a 

 shower of shells until my attention was drawn to it by 

 Miss Skerrett, of her Majesty's household, some time 

 after. Owing to what 1 gleaned from that lady I 

 became concerned to know more about them, but 

 the answers to my inquiries were so vague and 

 unsatisfactory as to be of no particular value. 

 4. il At what hour and on what day !" I cannot learn 

 from any source the hour they are supposed to have 

 fallen. They were observed as early as 8 or 9 o'clock 



Another singular fact is that where I put solid manure in the morning. The day, to the best of my recollection, 



or road sweepings (where the fly had rested), even was Oct. 1st— Monday ; unfortunately I made 



under sand, I found the grub worm, but no grub 



where sand only and liquid manure were used. I have 



seen to-day some exceedingly good drain tiles for my 



purpose made of road sweepings, and the patentee says 



he will provide a cheap concrete for any extent of land, 



which will guarantee my system to answer. My 



flower arrangement I am sure you will be pleased with. 



I have flowers growing in schedaliers (qy. chandeliers) 



standards, and other contrivances, supplied with the most 5. 



is said to reach 1 lb. in weight, and to be good eaten in 

 autumn with wine and sugar. From Mr. Ward, of 

 Reading, came fine specimens of Louise Bonne of Jersey, 

 Marie Louise, and other Pears, from pyramids in strong 

 loam on a cold Bubsoil. Mr. Spencer produced hand- 

 some examples of Black Prince and smooth Cayenne 

 Pine Apples, two very fine bunches of "Muscat of 

 Alexandria Grapes, and a seedling called the Bo wood 

 Muscat, apparently a very fine variety, which was said 

 to be a free setter, but in this instance unripe, and 

 therefore no correct opinion of its merits could be 

 formed. Its berries are Pear-shaped, and remarkable 

 for their size, and the bunches appeared to be shorter 

 and wider in the shoulders than those of the common 

 Muscat. From Mr. Turner, of Streatham, came an 

 extremely handsome bunch of Black Bai barossa Grapes, 

 weighing 4 lbs. 12£ oz. The berries were quite black 

 and covered with a fine bloom. Mr. Taylor (from Mrs. 

 Webbers), stated that he has hid this Grape in per- 

 fection as late as the 28th of April, and that its true 

 flavour is not acquired before the beginning of January. 

 Its merits as a late Grape, therefore, require nocomment. 

 Of other fruits, chiefly Pears and Apples, collections of 

 which were exhibited by Messrs. Paul, Whiting, De 

 Jonghe, McEwen, Thoyts, Wintle, and Dr. Davies, 

 we may have something to say hereafter, many of them 

 net being at present in a state to admit of their true 

 characters being correctly determined. Twelve new 

 members were elected. 



was \JCl. ISl — iviouuay ; uuiuhuuowi^ a **jc*^»^ HO 



memorandum thereof. There had been very heavy 

 storms flying about for several days. The storm, 

 however, which in all probability took up, hurled for- 

 ward, and so unceremoniously scattered the numerous 



over the court-yard and along the pave- 



Osborne, was doubtless the 



the 



filthy liquid, but from which no offensive smell can be 

 discovered even in a drawing-room. I intend to take 

 U P my Mangel Wurzel roots, &c, on Wednesday 

 next, Nov. 14, at 10 minutes past one o'clock, p.m., and 

 I hope that many of your readers and others will 

 attend to see weight against weight, or the new and old 

 systems compared. Edward Wilkins, Experimental Gar- 

 dens, Reading. 



Heywood House Pits.— Your Truro correspondent 

 (see p. 725) is mistaken in supposing that the rearrange- 

 ment of these pits originated from a design of Mr. 

 Glendinning ; the fact is, the alteration arose from 

 continual vexation and disappointment, nor was I aware 

 until I read "C.V* communication that Mr. Glen- 

 dinning had furnished a plan of the kind for the 

 Gardeners' Chronicle. The pits under consideration, in 

 their original state, were designed by Mr. Mills, given 

 to me, and heated by Burbidge and Healy, and I can 

 now say, after much experience, that the fundamental 

 principles were violated, which precluded the possibility 

 of the arrangement accomplishing a tithe part of what 

 w as affirmed it would effect ; they were, in fact, per- 

 fectly useless for Cucumber cultivation during winter. 

 After several alterations the diffusion of heat has been 

 rendered more satisfactory, principally through the 

 admission of ; external air at the lowest level, which 

 Produced circulation, and an increase of warmth. 

 The improved plan has been published, and attracted 

 the attention of Mr. Phillpotts, who was then just begin- 

 m ng his experiments, and 1 cannot but express the 

 Pleasure I feel in knowing that his success has been so 



little shells 



ment of the palace at 



one which broke over here early in tne morning 



of the above-named day, as early as 5 or 6 o'clock. 



* Did only one kind of shell fall \ * The specimens 



I have are all identical. A friend of mine, however, 

 told me to-day there were two kinds of shells, of the 

 truth of which I have had as yet no ocular demonstra- 



I am sorry I cannot give » C. D." more definite 



ticn. 



I mav 



information regarding the shells at present ; 

 learn something more respecting them when the Court 

 returns to Osborne. The foregoing statements I hope 

 will prove so far satisfactory to ■ C. D." as to induce 

 him to venture a probability as to the locality iu which 

 the storm might have found them. If " C. D." would 

 like a few of the little Zua shells, I shall be happy to 

 forward some to his address, if sent. I have no living 

 shells. C. Winchester, Osborne. 



tilled 



^octeties* 



British Pomological, Nov. 5.— W. Stephens, Esq., 

 in the chair, succeeded by Mr. Osborn, of Fulhanr. 

 The fruits brought together on this occasion 

 chiefly of Apples and Pears, of which there was a large 

 display, a few Pine Apples, Grapes, and Plums, *rom 

 the Royal Gardens at Frogmore was a collection of 

 ripe Pears, which were sent ,to show what varieties are 

 now in use there. Among them were line specimen 

 of Marie Louise, Beurre Diel, Glou Morceau, Knight s 

 Monarch, very fine from a south wall, and quite ripe ; 

 Van Mons Leon le Gere, well grown, but not very high 

 flavoured ; Beurr< Bosc, B. Capiaumont, a variety 

 which some call « a Pear for the people ; Comte de 

 Lamy ; Seckle large and highly coloured ; the old Moor 



#otircs of Books. 



An Elementary Atlas of Histoiy and Geography from the 

 commencement of the Christian Era to the prttent time. 

 By the Rev. J. S. Brewer. The maps compiled by 

 E. Weller, F.R.G.S. 8vo, Longmaus. 



This is a valuable addition to the materials now appli- 

 cable to educational purposes, and one that was much 

 needed. Not that it in any way supersedes Spruner's 

 admirable Atlas antiques on which it is founded, but it 

 is better suited to young readers, and more convenient 

 for purposes of study. It begins by representing the 

 nations and limits of the Roman century in the fourth 

 century, by a map copied from Spruner„and it proceeds 

 to illustrate in fifteen other maps Roman Britain, the 

 migration of the Barbarians, Saxon England, Europe in 

 the 9th century, the 10th, the 12th the 14th, 15th, 

 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, during the French revolu- 

 tion, &c. &c. . . , . . 

 The fault of the book is that it does not include Asia 



antiqua. We could also have wished for a better 

 arrangement of colours in marking the limits of conn- 

 tries Green and blue for instance should never be in 

 contact, for they resemble each other too nearly even 

 by daylMit, and by candlelight are un distinguishable 

 We should prefer in all cases hard black boundary 

 lines to any possible combination of colour. 



Stanford'* Map of the Roads between Odessa, Klcho- 

 taieff,and Simferopol, (4,s\), is a most welcome publica- 

 tion. Embracing, as it does, the present great scene of 

 naval and military operations it is indispensable to those 

 who would understand the movements of the troops and 

 navy of the allies. It includes the whole of the Crimea 

 west of the Tchad r Dagh mountain, namely Simpheropol, 

 Eupatoria, Perekop, AteMri, Kherson, Nicholaieflf«s far 



~ ~ , together with all the soundings 

 along the whole coast line. To this are added plans of 

 Odessa itself, and Nicholaieff on a large scale. Ihe 



westward as Ode 





