24 



THE GARDENERS 5 CHRONICLE, 



[Jan. 11, 



of delegates who select the members ol the State Board 

 of Agriculture. The Floral Hall was a large tent, 

 ornamented with evergreens, and. decorated with green- 

 house plants, floral designs, and displays of flowers- 

 Bome of which were from the most distant parts of the 

 State." Mr. M'Intosh, one of the largest cantributor-- 

 of Roses, Phloxes, and Dahlias, &c, was from Cleve- 

 land—and he carried off some of the premiums too. 

 The display of fruits was large, and occupied the tables 

 around the entire circuit of the immense tent. Tht 

 Apples, especially, were in great profusion, and from 

 many distant points. Among them all, however, none 

 were more admired than those of F. G. Carey, of thifi 

 county, well known as the Principal of Farmer's 

 College, and equally well known as the contributor o' 

 fine fruits at our Horticultural Hall. Grapes^ were 

 rery abundant, both those from open culture in the 

 Tinevards, and also from glass Vineries. John E 

 Mottier was a liberal contributor of the former, having 

 piles of Grapes on his tables ; many visitors from this 

 part of the State were astonished to see such fine well- 

 ripened specimens, as those brought by Mr. Carpenter 

 from Kelly's Island, in the extreme north, where it hid 

 been supposed the climate was too inhospitable for Vine 

 culture. If Mr. Carpenter's experiments continue to 

 succeed as well as they promise, this island will become 

 an important region for fruit. A few years ago, when 

 taking refuge under the lee of its forests, during a storm 

 on Lake Erie, the passengers went ashore, and we were 

 satisfied with a few black Raspberries— the only fruit 

 product then to be found on the island. Cincinnati 

 Horticultural Review. 



Gigantic Pomk Tree. — Prof. Goppert has described a 

 trunk, or rather the lower end of a trunk, of Pinites 

 protolarix, '^discovered in lfi49 in the brown coal of 

 Laasan in Silesia. It was found in a nearly perpen- 

 dicular position, and measured more than 32 feet in 

 circumference. Sixteen vast roots ran out almost at 

 right angles from the base of the trunk, of which about 

 4 feet stood up perfect in form, but stripped of bark. 

 Unfortunately the interior of the stem was almost 

 entirely filled with structureless brown coal, so that only 

 two cross sections could be obtained from the outer 

 parts, one 16 inches, the other 3 feet G inches broad. 

 In the first section Prof. Goppert counted 700, in the 

 second 1300 rings of wood, so that for the half-diameter 

 of h\ feet, at least 2200, but probably 2500 rings must 

 have existed. Since there is no reason to believe that 

 the rings were more frequently formed in earlier ages 

 than the annual rings are now, this tree would appear 

 to have been from 2200 to 2500 years old ; a conclusion 

 which acquires especial interest from the fact that this 

 observation gives the first certain foundation for a 

 chronology of the ancient world. Botanical Gazette. 

 [We should be very sorry to build any theory upon 

 such evidence as this, for reasons which English physio- 

 logists Viill understand.] , 



when 

 early 



for during a tour we 





.Calendar of Operations. 



(For the ensuing week) 



PLANT DEPARTMENT. 



General Plant House.- 



-E ran them urns, Euphorbias 

 Poinsettias, and many other woody plants which look 

 unsightly after they have done flowering, may be cut 

 down, and placed in any situation not too cold or damp, 

 where they can be kept nearly dormant until spring. 

 Gesneras, and similar habited plants, must be kept near 

 the light, even after their flowers are over, otherwise 

 they will be much weakened ; and while their foliage 

 continues green and healthy, give sufficient water to 

 moisten the contents of the pot. Bring forward succes- 

 sions of the above winter flowering plants for supplying 

 the d awing-room. The Phaius, Epiphyllum truncatum, 

 and varieties, Francisceas, &c, will now be advancing 

 towards a flowering state, and should be assisted by 

 being placed as fully in the light as possible. The 

 autumn-struck Gloxinias and some of the older bulbs 

 which were dried off early last summer, will now be 

 coming forward. A few Hyacinths should be put into 

 a frame, heated slightly, at first. They delight in dung 

 heat, and the finest blooms are always obtained in pits 

 or frames heated with dung linings, and the plants 



J lunged in leaves or tan. Cuttings of any useful winter 

 owering stove plants put in now, will be in a fine state 

 for flowering next winter. Where space is limited, it 

 is in many cases found necessary to do away with the 

 old plants as they cease flowering ; first taking a suffi- 

 cient number of cuttings to secure a succession. 



FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



Where extensive forcing is carried on, it is indispens- 

 able that a good stock of soil and leaves be provided, 

 and laid up carefully in as dry a place as possible. 

 Leaves, if collected when dry, and thatched over, will 

 not ferment until required for use, and their heating 

 property is thus economised. It is but seldom that 

 shedding can be had for a large stock of tftese ; but there 

 are always some means at hand of keeping them dry, if 

 only by covering them with Fern. A sufficient quan- 

 tity of tan should also be laid into a shed ; and thus, by 

 having all things ready at hand, there will be the greater 

 chance of success in the various operations carried on 

 in the houses and pits, at this critical and busy season. 

 Peach- Hocse. — In the early house, where the buds are 

 now swelling, a temperature of about 50° by night, with 

 arise of from 5° to 10° by day, will be required, accord- 

 ing to the clearness of the weather. Give air daily, and 

 sprinkle the trees frequently during clear weather. 

 Strawberries should now be taken into the forcing- 



pits once a fortnight. The pots should be plunged in 

 leaves, and the plants kept about. 1 foot from the glass, 

 with a temperature of 45° to 50°, which will be sufficient 

 top-heat for some time, after they are first brought into 

 the pit. Give air at all times, except during very cold 

 weather, and sprinkle slightly with the syringe, 

 bright days occur. Melons. — Some seed of an 

 kind should now be sown. 



FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Active preparations should now be made for propagat- 

 ing, by getting pits, frames, soil, and pots ready. In 

 taking cuttings of bedding plants, it is worth while to 

 bestow extra attention on the naming and distinguishing 

 of the different kinds. It is very tantalising to find the 

 harmonious arrangement of your colours destroyed for 

 want of a little more care on the part of your propa- 

 gator. When the weather permits, let any alterations 

 in the ground which have been decided upon, be perse- 

 vered in with all possible despatch, keeping always in 

 mind that success depends upon the careful manner in 

 which every operation is performed. These remarks 

 more particularly apply to the formation of the ground, 

 the preparation of the soil, and the taking up and re- 

 planting of choice shrubs. If not done already, cuttings 

 should be put in immediately of many hardy shrubs, as 

 the Jasmine, flowering Currant, Honeysuckle, &c. 

 Look sharp after the beds of Crocus and other spring- 

 flowering bulbs, as mice are very apt to attack them. 

 We use the common figure 4 trap, baited with anything 

 that mice are fond of, and find it answer the desired end. 



FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



The mildness of the season is telling on stocks of 

 Polyanthuses and Auriculas ; 



have made during the past week, we find that many 

 have bloomed prematurely; amongst named varieties, 

 this is to be regretted ; with seedlings, amateurs are 

 so anxious to ascertain the properties of their eleves, 

 that it is rather desired, than otherwise ; but no de- 

 cisive step should be taken with them at this season, 

 unless they are radically bad — in that case, they may 

 be pulled up. In connection with these flowers, the 

 necessary compost should be now attended to, the more 

 simple the better ; we are no advocates for sugar baker's 

 scum, night-soil, &c, &c, which entered into the 

 nostrum, of Emmerton, and others of his day. Well 

 sweetened vegetable mould, with clean river sand, 

 should enter largely into the compost ; this, with loam 

 taken from an old pasture field, well turned in frosty 

 weather, to mellow, and free from insects and their 

 larvte, is the best to get together in quantity for these 

 flowers of anything we know. If stimulants must be 

 given, let it be done in the way of top dressings or 

 liquid manure ; but by all means, if the amateur wishes 

 to escape cankered roots, with certain loss, let him 

 grow his plants in the compost above alluded to. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Cucumbers. — If you have no other convenience for 

 growing Cucumbers, materials should now be prepared 

 for making up a bed for them. Let the litter be mixed 

 with leaves, and the mass turned frequently, to allow the 

 rank steam to pass off before the bed is finally made up. 

 Those already advancing must be carefully attended to 

 at this dull season. By a proper arrangement of the 

 ventilators, a constant circulation of air should be 

 secured, and where pipes or flues are used the portion 

 of fresh air which is admitted from the outside^should, 

 if possible, be made to pass over their warm surface 

 before it comes in contact with the plants. Upon a 

 proper attention to this point, the health of the foliage, 

 and the setting of the fruit, very much depend. A high 

 night temperature and a scalding evaporation is very 

 injurious. Root-house. — Take advantage of wet weather 

 to examine and remove any decayed or decaying roots, 

 and adopt efficient measures for keeping out the frost. 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



Short fruitful shoots of choice fruit trees for grafting 

 should be secured, and laid in under a north wall. Long 

 scions are not so good as those about 4 inches in length, 

 which may be often found on a spur. In selecting these 

 make choice only of those varieties which have been 

 proved by experience to be well adapted to the locality. 

 There are many varieties which do admirably in one 

 county, but are worthless in another. In purchasing 

 new kinds, the above reason makes it advisable not to 

 procure too many plants of any one variety till its 

 applicability to the soil and situation has been tested. 

 By procuring root-pruned plants on Quince stocks, this 

 may be easily managed in a couple of seasons. Plant- 

 ing of fruit trees should be proceeded with. It is well 

 to be at some little pains in preparing the ground for 

 the reception of Pears and other choice fruits. If the 

 soil be deep and retentive, a stratum of ashes or some 

 similar substance snould be laid within 9 inches of the 



Jan. 



3— Hazy; raia; overcast. 



4— Hazy; overcast; fine; clear. 



5—Fioe; exceedingly tine; clw. 



6— Dense to% ; hazy ; fine ; cloudy. 



7— Foggy ; cloudy and very fine ; overcast. 



3— Fii.e; exceedingly fine; heavy rain in the evening; clear 



niisht. 

 9- Fine; very fine; clear; frosty; ram. 



Mean temperature of the week 2£ de«. above the average. 



at 



State of the Weather at Chiswlck during the last 25 years, for the 



ensuing week, ending Jan. 13, 1351. 



Jan. 



Sunday 12 



Mon. 



Tues 



Wed. 



Thurs. 



Friday 



Satur. 



13 

 14 

 15 



16 



17 



18 



4? +■ 



x ** 2" 

 *- £ G 



III 



40.5 



29.8 



42.0 



3-.S 



41.6 



30A 



40.4 



28.9 



40.6 



30.8 



41. S 



30.7 



41.7 



31.8 



Pa\ 



a. it 



2£ 



35.2 

 37-4 

 36 

 34.6 



357 

 26 2 



36J 



No. of 

 Years in 

 which it 



Rained. 



11 

 14 

 13 



8 

 12 



3 

 11 



Greatest 

 Quantity 

 of Kain. 



0.76 In. 



0.29 



0.80 



0.54 



0.34 



0.23 



0.55 



Prevailing Winds. 



The highest temperature during the above period occurred on the 13th, 

 1^23 15th, 1834, and 14th, 1349— therm. 56 de*.; and the lowest on the 14th, 

 1833-therui. 4 deg. 



surface, to check the downward tendency of the roots. 

 Loam from an old pasture, without manure, forms the 

 best soil for the healthy and fruitful development of the 

 Pear tree. 



State of the Weather near London, for the week ending Jan. 9 # 1851, 

 as observed at the Horticultural Garden, Chiswick. 



Friday., 

 Satur. .. 

 Sunday . 

 Monday 

 Tues. .. 



Wed. .. 

 Than .. 



3 



4 

 5 

 6 



7 



B 



I 



Barombtbr. 



TBMriRATURM. 



Average. . , . 



1 



2 

 3 

 4 

 o 



7 



Max. Min. 



Of the Air. 



Max. I Min, I Mean 





Of the Earth Whl(L 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Birds :LJW. We regret to see that by an error of the printer 

 the " widow bird" is called the Whydafc, not the Whydah. 



Books: R A. Obtain the Catalogue of British Plants published 

 by the Botanical Society. — ff. Kaulfuss' " Enumeratio 

 Filicum •* Hooker's " Genera and Species of Ferns" (very in, 

 complete), published by Pamplin ; Pres), Tentamen Pterido- 

 graphi®, and the supplement. Fee Memoires sur la Famille 

 des Fougeres.— Juvenile Entomologist. You will find the two 

 little volumes of British Moths and Butterflies in Jardine's 

 '•Naturalist's Library," with coloured plates, sufficient at 

 present, By-and-bye you will want Westwood and Hum, 

 phrey's ff British Butterflies and their Transformations," and 

 " British Moth* and their Transformations." W. 



Carrots : G L ff. Then we should be greatly obliged if you 

 would ask your friend to send it to Mr, Moore, of GUasnevin, 

 with a request that he would have the kindness to report to 



us respecting it. 

 Dahlias: AlpJub. The following will possibly suit you:— 

 Princess Radziwill, Beeswing, Shylock, Berryer, Captain 

 Warner, Toison d'Or, Marchioness of Cornwaliis, Miss Vyse, 

 Beauty of Hastings, Standard of Perfection, Yellow Standard, 



and Nonpareil.* *■_#-* 



Diseases : W D ff. Unless your Odontoglot is suffering from 

 damp and cold combined, we have no idea what ails it. You 

 cannot have two better aquatics than Nymphsea caerulea and 

 rubra. We should plant them in the mud of the tank. 

 Fruit Tkees.— Your situation being exposed to tbe south-west 

 sea breezes, your better plan will be to make a thick planta- 

 tion so as to shelter as much as possible the fruit trees which 

 you intend to plant, from the influence of those winds. The 

 following kinds may be planted, with the recommendation to 

 watch any that do not appear to grow kindly, and graft them 

 with such as are seen to be the most thriving. Pears, m 

 many instances, are known to succeed well near the sea, and 

 of these you may plant the following varieties :— Marie Louise, 

 Passe Colmar, Beurre Die], Glout Moreeau, Winter Nelis, 

 Knight's Monarch, Althorp Crassane, Broom Park, Eyewood, 

 Forelle, Thompson's, Ne plus Meuris, Easter BeurrS, Beurre 

 Ranee. Apples .-—Golden Reinette, Court of Wick, Wormsley 

 Pippin, Kerry Pippin, Pearson's Plate, Cockle Pippin, King 

 of the Pippins, Blenheim Pippin, Reinette du Canada, Scarlet 

 Nonpareil, Boston Russet, Court-pendu Plat ; and tor kitchen, 

 u«e, DumeJow's Seedling, Alfriston, Bedfordshire Foundling, 

 Mere de Menage. Plums; —Green-gage, Purple-gage, Den- 

 yer's Victoria. Washington, Jefferson, Early Orleans, toes 

 Golden Drop. Cherries .-—May Duke, Elton, Downton, 

 Knight's Early Black, Kentish, Bigarreau, Morello. For a 

 wail with a south-eastern aspect, the following Apricots ana 

 Nectarines, as you prefer them to Peaches, will be suitable. 

 Apricots :— Moorpark, Royal, Large Early, Turkey. Necta- 

 rines:— EIruge, Violette Hative, BaJgowan, Stanwick, Your 

 soil is of too dry a nature for the Quince Stock. H 



Insects: W S. The insects in your hothouse are one ot tne 

 small species ot spring-tailed insects (Poduudae). We do not 

 consider them injurious to healthy plants. IF. 



Lead: Rev W M R. Next week. . f 



Leaf Mould : Sub. The most effectual way of clearing it oi 

 wireworms is to soak it with boiling water.J . 



Names of Fruits : C B. As far as we can judge from tne 

 figure, and the particulars which you state, your Pear is tne 



Passe Colmar II c . 



Names of Plants: If J. Both Polystichum aculeatum. ff.— 

 Erzeroum. 95, Scrophularia vernalis ; 34, S. laciniata? : 1*<j 

 S. ScorodonU ? ; 125, S. lucida ■ 547, S. nodosa ; 441, Solanum 

 persicum.— H T Thompson. We see now that it is Magno.ia 

 pumila.— J F. 1, Blechnum Corcovadense, Radd. ; 2, Ptens 

 crenata, Sw. ; 7, Adiantum pubescens, Schk. ; 4, Cyrtonuum 

 falcatum, Presl. ; 5, Notholsena lendigera, J. Sm. ; 6, AoUan- 

 tum cuneatum, L. et F. ; 7, Platyloma rotundifolia, J. Sm.; 

 8, 9, Adiantum Capillus-veneris, L. (the tropical formsj; 

 10, Asplenium flabellifolium, Br. ; 11, A. eompressum, £«?.; 

 12, Polystichum capense ? J. Sm.; 13, Pbymatodes scandens, 

 J.Sm.; 14, Adiantum assimile, Sw. ; 15, Poly podium pecu- 

 natum; 16, 17, Sitolobum punctilobum, J. Sm. ; 18, Bleca- 

 num australe, L.; 19, B. h astatum, Kaulf. ; 2v, Diplazium 

 Sbepherdi, Presl. S.—EP, We never name Mosses. 

 Timber: CMS. Saw.cut timber placed under a roof will be- 

 come more quickly seasoned than if exposed to the weather 

 without shelter. Your Pomegranate has not summer heat 

 enough; a glass roof would give it more, and therefore 

 should promote its flowering. 

 Ranunculuses : Z. The following are firet class sorts: Capu.- 

 v.tor, Talisman, Pleaser, Alexis, Paragon, Glenelg, GetOt 

 Flaminius, Herald, Sir John de Grasme, Creon, Aspirant, 

 Dr. Channing, Queen, Mrs. Cowan, Exhibitor, Festus, ana 



Coronation.* . tf(| 



Roses : 3 R ff. Fortune's yellow belongs to none of the ciassra 



* you mention. J Jfh 



Ventilation : A Country Subscriber. We have no experience wiuj 

 Louvre boarding £it may be a good plan. It is, however, 

 no use to provide for ingress of cold air below unless ye 

 provide for its ample egress above. The problem of ven - 

 lating hothouses well lias never yet been solved. One gre 

 point is to take care that the air is warmed upon entering w 

 house, and that there is plenty of it, . v 



Vines : The Royal Muscadine will succeed against the v** 



wall of a Vinery. 1) 



oodwork : J W. r . 



applied hot ; if it does not dry fast enough you may -- . tf 



it a little pit< h. Coal tar is also a good material^ ^ "Jj*^ 



smell is against it. 



wan oi a vinery. u - ^ 



Woodwork : J W. There is nothing better than Stockholm »J 



1 foot 1 2 feet 



^ 



I 



« 



29.949 

 29.846 

 39.564 

 29.581 

 29.560 

 29.-16 

 3G.G3S 



29.831 



29.643 

 29.iI2 

 29.520 



29.447 

 29.491 | 

 29.781 



4r, 



47 



47 

 45 



47 

 49 



45 



29.72) 29/04 46.5 



35 



24 

 31 



27 



27 

 23 



40.5 

 43.0 

 38.5 

 38.0 



37-0 

 38.0 



34.0 





I 



29 4 ' 38.0 



deep. 



45 



44| 



44 



42 



42 



42 



41 



deep. 



44 



44J 



44* 



44 



43 



43 



4,'J 



429 i 43.7 



N.E. 



S. 



W. 



S.E. 

 S.8. 

 S.W. 

 S.W. 



M 

 .02 

 .00 

 .00 

 .02 

 .08 



.07 



'# 



» 



The dealers in these articles will supp J 



you with tar brushes. nl&nt 



Misc: MJ. Dielytra spectabilis is a hardy herbaceous pi» 

 For the treatment of Fuchsia spectabilis, see p. 75» ox 

 last vo\.%— Torquay. If your Apricots are standards, as wp^ 

 sumethey are, they should receive no pruning D Jp°J? voU r 

 moving the dead wood. The best time for cutting bacK J 

 Daphne, is just alter it has done flowering. % 



As usual, many communications have been received 

 late, and others are unavoidably detained till the °? c ^L c e 

 inquiries can be made. We must also beg for the iodu g 6 

 of those numerous correspondents, the insertion oi w 

 interesting contributions is still delayed. 



* * 







