638 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONIC 



_ quantity of it. I strictly followed the adver'iser's 

 directions as to quantity, and the Potato seta were planted 

 directly on being token out of the preparation. They 

 consisted of five kinds :— Farmers' Glory, York Re- 

 gents, F.ukes, Ash-leaved Kidneys, and Early Golden 

 Ball. The three tot were entirely destroyed ; not 30 

 gets vegetated. Of the Farmers' Glory about one- third 

 came up, and about one-half of the York Regents ; but 

 both pushed weakly and late. They were got up at the 

 usua time, when about one-third of the Farmers' were 

 diseased, and at least two-thirds of the Regents. This 

 remedy, therefore, said to be the result of 14 years' 

 experiments, is not only utterly worthless for the pur- 

 poses for which it was sold, but has inflicted on me a 

 serious loss ; and no doubt from some subsequent in- 

 struction sent to purchasers, the same thing has hap- 

 pened with others. I hope that persons who have used 

 it will inform us of its results with them; it is really 

 too bad to advertise such things. We had some waste 

 land or common near this town inclosed and allotted to 

 the freeholders about four years ago, used as common 

 pasture ; but a great part of it was grown over wiih 

 Gorse and Fern, and had been so from time imme- 

 morial. A large number being small allotments were 

 principally planted with Potatoes ; that year the dis- 

 ease was very bad amongst Potatoes all round the town, 



valley 85 monster trees in an area of 50 acres. The 

 " Big Tree" (not the largest tree in the grove, but the 

 largest perfect tree) is 95 feet in circumference at the 

 base or buttress, and 18 feet in diameter where the tree 

 springs fairly 20 feet from the ground ; it measured 

 after it was cut down 300 feet in length. The stump 

 was considered to be about 3000 years old. It took five 

 men 25 days to fell the tree (which was done by boring), 

 and three weeks to strip off the bark for a height of 

 22 feet. The average thickness of the bark was 

 15 inches ; some of it 2 feet 1 inch. On the upper 

 trail the first tree of note is the " Miner's Cabin;' it is 

 about 80 feet in circumference, and nearly 200 feet 

 high. It tapers up regularly, some 40 feet from the 

 extreme base to the top of the cabin, or hollow, called 

 the Miner's Cabin. It is open in front about 17 feet. 

 The u Three Sisters" are a group evidently grown from 

 the same roots. They are about 300 feet high, and 

 together measure 92 feet in circumference. They are 

 perfect trees, and the most beautiful group in the grove. 

 It is 200 feet to the first limb of the centre tree. The 

 "Pioneer's Cabin" is 150 feet high where the top is 

 broken off. It has a small opening through the top. 

 The (i Old Bachelor " is an awful forlorn-looking tree ; 

 having many rents in its bark, and the roughest bark of 

 any tree in the grove. It is nearly 300 feet high, and 

 about 60 feet in circumference. The " Hermit" stands 



Lamg, 



blooms of Defiance, Duke, Kingfe'n? pJhl Iff?** 

 Queen of Eogbnd, 1^ 



Aragena, Dupont del'Eure,"and Tw^oTmi 1 ? T..?^ 11 ^ 

 For the finest powered Chry^tl^ui^S^ 

 was gamed by Mr. Lamg, with Annie Salter P ?, Z * 

 prize for Anemone-flowered Chrysanthemums wa< Q i 

 gained by Mr. Laing, whose varieties were M^ 

 Goderean, Gluck, Fleur de Marie, Astre du ifr 

 Madonna, and Marguerite d'Anjou. Of Pom 

 Chrysanthemums Mr. Laing sent Cedo Nulli • ^ 

 Reid, gr. to W. Wilson, Esq., Sacramento. In J£i 

 Celery three prizes were awarded: the 1st to Mr T 

 Goodall ; the 2d to Mr. Currier, for Manchester- mJiu 



lo 



but on the common there was scarcely one diseased. I 

 may here observe that the land near the town is a light entirely by itself, is 300 feet high, and 75 feet in circum- 

 sandy soil, and that the common is of the same nature, | ference. It is exceedingly straight, regular, and symme- 

 with one exception. Three years ago I planted about trical. "Hercules" or "Empire State" is 300 feet 



2 acres of the common, and when the Potatoes were got 

 up there was scarcely one diseased, whilst the very 

 same kind of Potato planted on some other land of 

 mine not half a mile distant was nearly half diseased. 

 Last year I planted about 3 acres on the common ; the 

 York Regents had a few diseasd, the Farmers' Glory 

 none, but on my other land there were many dis- 

 eased ; and the same facts hold good both as regards 

 the common and the other land around the town which 



was planted by others. I must mention, however, a 

 trifling exception. A gentleman who has a piece of land 

 of several acres adjoining mine manured it excessively 



high and 170 feet in circumference. It is the largest 

 standing tree in the grove, and would make 725,000 

 feet of lumber. It, like many of the other large trees, 

 is imperfect, being burned on the side of the trunk. 

 The " Husband and Wile" are about 250 feet high, and 

 each 60 feet in circumference. The u Family Group" 

 consists of 26 trees, the father and mother and 24 

 children. The" Father," from appearances, was blown 



It measures 110 feet in cir- 



down many ytars ago. 



enmference, and the supposed height, while standing, 



was 450 feet. The remaining length is 300 feet where 



it is broken off by falling against another large tree. 



for Potatoes last year, and there was a considerable quan- It is 40 feet in circumference. It is hollow the entire 



tity diseased, bur in no proportion to the crop of sound length, and large enough to allow a person to ride into 



ones, whilst, as I have already observed, mine, which were it on horseback. Near its base it contains a never- 

 also mo ■< rately mamiied with farm- yard dung, were all failing spring of water ; nearly lialf of the trunk is 



embedded in the earth, and measures at its roots 22 feet 

 in diameter above the ground. The "Mother" is a 

 stately old woman, 91 feet in circumference and 327 

 feet high. It is the second largest tree in the grove. 

 The 24 children are all of age, and large enough to 

 speak for themselves. They are of average height, 

 some standing near the Mother, yet the majority are 

 near the Father. They are all in a real family group. 

 The " Mother and Son" are together 93 feet in circum- 

 ference. The Mother is 325 feet high ; the Son 300. 

 The " Siamese Twins, and their Guardian." — The Twins 

 have one trunk, but the bodies separate at a height of 

 40 feet. They are 300 feet high. The Guardian 

 stands by their side, is 80 feet in circumference, 

 and 325 feet high. The « Old Maid H stands single 

 in her grief ; her head, unlike any other tree in 

 the grove, is entirely bare, and slightly bowing. 

 Her height is 260 feet ; circumference 60 feet. u Adie 

 and Mary " are named after two young ladies who 

 made the first "buggy" drive to the grove. The 

 trees are nearly 300 feet in height, and 65 in circum- 

 ference, and are very handsome. There are other trees 

 named, as " Uncle Tom's Cabin," " The Order of Cali- 

 fornia," * Pennsylvania," &c. At the grove is an excel- 

 lent inn, with good accommodation. Several acres 

 have been cleared, and as the ground is very rich, and 

 the place is much resorted to, the proprietor has every 

 chance of making money rapidly. At the end of the 

 dining-room is the stump of the great tree ; it has been 

 planed, and a floor having been raised to its level, forms 

 a dark centre of 25 feet in diameter. Upon this floor 

 the guests often dance. In this upland region the air is 

 very fine, aud the water most pure and cold, and, after 



d 



sound. Part of the common was a wet bog, but is now 

 drained. It is still, however, by no means dry. I 

 planted above half an acre of this late in the spring ; 

 when got ftp there was not a single Potato diseased, 

 and they were the finest crop I had ; whilst the very 

 same sort planted on my other ground had about one- 

 third d.seased. I must observe that the tops of all the 

 Potatoes oo the common showed the disease every year, 

 but were longer in dying down. Now, the inference I 

 draw from these- facts is, that there must be something 

 in the ground which serves to counteract the effects of 

 the disease to an extent that renders it almost harmless, 

 but what is it ? Corn does not at present succeed on this 

 ground. Is the effect on the Potatoes the result of some 

 acid ? 



3d to Mr. Allan, Craig Park, for Cole's Superb Dwarf 

 White Celery the 1st prize was awarded to Mr. Goodall ■ 

 the 2d to Mr. Thomson, Woodburn, for Goodall's White- 

 and the 3d to Mr. Ferrier,Eskbank, for Seymour's Whit* 

 For Onions two prizes were awarded : the 1st to Mr. Kin*' 

 for Blood Red and Portugal ; and the 2d to Mr. Hen* 

 derson, Alderston, for Strasburg and Globe. In Broc- 

 coli three prizes were awarded: the first to Mr. Gordon* 

 Niddrie, for Snow's Early White ; the 2d to Mr. Logan* 

 St. Roques, for Addison's Early Improved ; and the ' 

 to Mr. Calder, for the same variety. The prize of two 

 guineas, offered by Messrs. P. Lawson & Son, for the 

 best collection of Pears, brought five competitors. The 

 prize was gained by Mr. Anderson, Oxenford Castle 

 with a collection consisting of Catillac, Duchesse d' Angou- 

 leme, Marie Louise, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Uve iale's 

 St. Germain, Spring Beurre, Gan&el's Bergamot 

 Autumn Bergamot, Colmar d'Aremberg, Beiiissime 5 

 d'Hiver, Beurre Diel, Colmar, Flemish Beauty, Easter 

 Beurre, Beurre d* A rem berg, Swan's Egg, Crassane 

 Leon le Clerc, Merveille d'Ete, Moorfowl Egg, PreceL 

 Beurre de Capiaumont, Rouse Lench, Urbaniste Glou 

 Morceau, Geudesheim, Napoleon, Winter Nelis, Devices 

 de Hardenpont, and Colmar Dore\ Among produc- 

 tions contributed for exhibition only, were tubers of the 

 new Chinese Yam (Dioscorea Batatas) ; a bunch of the 

 Champion Black Hamburgh Grape, and one of the 

 common B. Hamburgh from the same house, showing 

 the superiority of the former, and its freedom from 

 shanking, even when long kept ; a seedling Grape, and 

 a head of Grange's Improved Broccoli. The exhibi- 

 tion was also enhanced by numerous specimens of 

 fruits, roots of Dioscorea Batatas, and other produc- 

 tions from the Society's garden. 



Notices! of Books;. 



We have a remark that the ground is sour ; and 

 may it not be owing to this sourness that the disease 

 is counteracted ] Perhaps some of your chemical 

 readers can furnish some information on the point, and 

 suggest the means of trying some experiments, as it is 

 now evident that if other parts have been visited by 

 the disease this year as badly as this neighbourhood, we 

 have not yet got rid of this mysterious malady. 

 Unquirer. [In the bog lands of Ireland there never was 

 much disease ] 



TJw Cucumber Disease, brought forward by Mr. Ayres 

 some weeks ago, seems to have been lost sight of, 

 owing to the diversity of opinion existing between him 

 and others regarding the good and bad qualities of cer- 

 tain sorts of Cucumbers. This digression from the 

 most important part of the discussion is to be regretted 

 because anything tending to give us in>ight into the 

 mysteries of this direful distemper is much to be 

 desired. I quit, agree with Mr. Ayres about the disease 

 being non-constitutional, and that great care should be 

 taken in preparing soil for the growth of Cucumbers 



in the Regent's Park , 



In The Handbook to the Marine Aquarium (12mo, 

 Van Voorsr), Mr. Gosse, whose familiarity with marine 

 animals and their habits has already gained him a wide- 

 spread reputation, reveals the secrets of the success 

 which has attended his important experiments in re- 

 ducing the most obscure inhabitants of the sea to the 

 dominion of man. With what skill this has been done 

 is well known to those who visit the Zoological Garden 



those who do not visit it we 

 heartily recommend to turn their steps that way. 

 Although we can hardly suppose that residents in in- 

 land places will encounter the difficulty and expense of 

 maintaining a marine aquarium, yet we can believe 

 that the long line of our seaboard will produce hun- 

 dreds of admirers as well as diligent students of oceanic 

 life, to whom the practical instructions contained in 

 the work before us will be most welcome. We must 

 find room for Mr. Gosse's account of his own 

 operations : — 



suffering from the excessive heat at Murphy's and 



™<>*k;.V *~ *r • j • i ~ii ', M lower down among the southern gold regions, you most 



one-third of peat mixed with good loam, adding but a reluctantly descend. ~ * g '* 



little dung, is the most suitable compost for the growth 

 of healthy plants aud good fruit. Mr. A. asserts that 

 in his case the cause of disease rested in the soil. 



conclusion, I fear, he will find untenable. 



This 



. My opinion 



is, that as in the case of the Potato disease, it is caused 



by atmospheric influence, as may be observed by the 

 spot on the leaf of the Cucumber plant previous to the 

 fruit becoming deformed. Information, therefore, as to 

 the best mode of treating the plants affected will 

 be conducive o f much good. For the last two years 

 some of the Cucumber plants grown by me have been 

 more or less at. eked. This year two plants of Syon 

 Mouse were put into a two-light box ; both plants grew 

 and set well, but disease attacked one of them The 

 fruit became deformed, and ceased to swell ; of course 

 the crop was lost. The other in the same soil, and the 

 same b t of Cucumber, swelled its fruit perfectly Thi^ 

 in my case shows that the cause of the malady was not 

 in the god. It — - J 



The wild fruits were not ripe, but 

 in the season there are, I was told, Strawberries, Plums, 

 and other fruits in great abundance, very good of their 

 kind. There is fine food for cattle, and these regions, 

 when subdued, will not be the least valuable of Cali- 

 fornia, Thomas Hanister. 



"If we attempt to collect and to keep marine 

 animals alone in sea-water, however pure it may have 

 been at first, it speedily becomes offensively fetid, the 

 creatures look sickly, and rapidly die off, and we are 

 glad to throw away the whole mass of corruption. 



« Why is this ? why should they die in our vessels 

 when they live so healthily in the little pools and basins 



For the very sam* 

 reason that we should quickly die in a room perfect y 

 air-tight. The blood of all animals requires to be per- 

 petually renewed by the addition to it of the elemem 

 called oxygen ; and when it cannot obtain this ltbeC °^. 

 unfit for the support of life. Terrestrial animals omwb 



of the rock, that are no larger? 



^omtiesu 



by the m > 



tm, way were not both plants attacked 



la 'b l David P. Cunni ham. 



some other 



m WeUtngloma pgantea.— The Mammoth Tree Grove 

 u situated i o wards the sources of the Stanislaus, and 



riYers, in the county of Calaveras, i n the 

 state of California, about 200 rnilw from Sau Francisco 



lne spot is borne -1530 feet above the level of that citv' 

 ana .400 feet above Murphy's, whence it is distant 

 Id miles, the road passing through a forest of the fines* 

 timber. The Mammoth Tree Grove contains in 



Caledonian Horticultural, 6th Dec. —Office-bearers 

 for the ensuing year were elected on this occasion. 

 Prizes for Dessert Pears were awarded as follows :_ 

 The set which otherwise would have been entitled to 

 preference (sent by Mr. Wyllie, Ninewar) was dis- 

 qualified from want of the proper declaration. The 



rize was accordingly awarded for the next in point of 

 merit to Mr. Morrison, gr. toR. Ainslie, Esq., the kinds 

 being Marie Lou.se, Easter Beurre, Bturre d'Arem 

 berg Gansel's Bergainof, Glou Morceau, and Naooleon : 



■* Mr. Lockhart, Liiffness, for Bezi de Qu.snois 



, Duchesne d Angoule.ne, Marie Louise, am! 

 Doyenne Gns. Dessert Apples: 1st, Mr. Morrison 

 with Blenheim Pippin, R.bston Pip ,in, and ScS 

 xXonparei. ; 2,., Mr. Calder, Seaeliffe, w^hCambusnet a, 

 Pippin, Ribston P,pp, n , and Old Nonpareil. Retarde 

 Grapes : 1st, Mr. Gavin. Hopetoun H Use, with Wh.te 

 ce; 2d Mr. Melville, D.lmeny Park, with Barb ar ^l 

 Chrysanthemums: the Silver Medal was awarded to Mr 



imals* 



tbe 





2d, 

 Cr 



this gaseous element from the air; aquatic anin 

 (that is, those which are strictly such) obtain it frojJ"J 

 water. But in either case it is principally P™^ 

 by living plants while under the action of light. 1 , > 

 we can furnish our captives with a perpetual J* 1 * 11 ^ 

 tory of oxygen, the main cause of their sudden . _ 

 is removed. Of course they have other required «* 

 but this is the most urgent, the indispensable. 



« In a state of nature, the rocks, the crannies, 

 pools, the sea-bottom are studded with i various i £ 



plants, 

 the 



which we call sea-weeds ; and the*e, 



roduce 



ana 



N 



i daily stimulus of sunlight, director indirect, p ^ 

 i throw off a vast quantity of oxygen, whicn, , jr ^ 

 action of the waves and currents, is diffused tnb^ ^ 

 parrs of the habitable sea, and maintains the ne 



its countless swarms of animals. -fieinisUy 



"In an aquarium we seek to imitate tins cu^. 

 of nature, \V<- collect the planrs as well ft8 tn ® rt j n 

 and, a little observation teaching us how t0 P ^ 0I1 a 

 the one to the other, we succeed in ^ ll,f * 1 tftb / e life. 

 small scale, the balance of animal and ve# arra0ge . 

 Other less important benefits result from « 1 ' an d 



belter- 



ment ; the creatures love retirement and s ^.^ 

 th.s they find in the umbrageous frond s J i* tu fla> 

 to roam and to play and to rest in the lea 



- 



