



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



87 



1 ri5^Tdifficu]ty, and flower the second year, perhaps 

 tome one may take the subject up, and be enabled, at no 

 distant period, to obtain varieties of this charming little 

 plant bv cross impregnation, as well as of many other 

 plants on which much care has been bestowed, but with- 

 out half the claim to the merit of this little .spring 

 favourite. George Wood, Rochford, Feb. 3. 



j9^ # One of your correspondents, a short time since, 



related an incident which occurred to a friend of his, 

 who on removing some bees to a new locality, found 

 them destroyed by the attacks of other bees, and asks, 

 u Whether 'it might be the * natives ' excited by the 

 dread of famine which perpetrated the mischief ? ?> On 

 reading it I was strongly reminded of some informa- 

 tion I received some 30 or 40 years since from an old 

 gentleman in Buckinghamshire, who had kept bees for 

 many years, and had the best and firmest honey I ever 

 remember to have met with. The old gentleman attri- 

 buted the superior quality of his honey to the honey 

 dew yielded by some very fine Lime trees in the neigh- 

 bourhood, with which the inmates of his apiary made 

 free. But apropos to the robber-bees : on one occasion 

 I found some of his bees drowned in a tub that stood 



adjacent to the hive ; and on enquiring into the cause 

 of the catastrophe, was informed that an accident had 

 occurred to the queen bee belonging to one of the hives, the agents required for successful culture. In 



and that he had destroyed all the bees belonging to it, 

 Bince those which survived would turn robber-bees, and 

 in that way do serious mischief. W., Lancashire. 



Grape Scissors. — I have frequently seen fine- pointed 

 scissors recommended for thinning Grapes. Now I 

 beg to state that any person (however careful, or steady 

 handed and well up in practice) may often regret having 

 pierced or punctured a prime looking berry when he 

 wished to pass the finer points of his scissors past it to 

 sever the one he wanted away. I have used for two 

 years a pair of scissors one blade of which is probe 

 pointed, the other as fine as can be desired ; and can 

 with comparative ease and speed introduce it to the 

 centre of a bunch of Grapes without fear of wounding a 

 berry — then open the blades — grasp and cut the 

 objectionable berry off as close as required. In my 

 operations in thinning Grapes, my curve-bladed scissors 

 with one probe-pointed have saved me a deal of time, 

 which to me, and every one else, is a point worthy of 

 great consideration. Samuel Simnnerton, MarJcet-Drayton, 

 /Salop. 



Begonia Fuchsioides. — This plant rarely flowers well 

 until the second year of its growth. Encourage it to 

 attain the size required the first season, but never cut 

 it, rest it like other Begonias, and when you start it for 

 flowering, top-dress it, but do not repot ; give tepid 

 water copiously, but if over done the leaves will turn 

 yellow. It likes a temperature of 70° by day, aud 60° 

 by night. Under this treatment it will put forth short- 

 jointed flowering branches abundantly. I have had a 

 plant of it in bloom here for these last two months, and 

 another is resting in a cold house for late spring flower- 

 ing. W. Culverwell, Thorp Perrow. 



Marled Gardening.— Mr. Cuthill states that the 

 general crop of Cabbage is sown between the 25th Aug. 

 and the 1st Sept., but it will be found that this crop is 

 sown from the M to the 8th of Aug. He also mentions 

 that Cauliflowers are sown about the 20th Sept., but they 

 are always sown between the 21st and 28 th Aug. As re- 

 gards the sort of Celery now in use, he says, * there is 

 no solid Celery grown now, as there was 20 years ago ;" 

 but if he will walk over to Deptford I will show him 20 

 acres, at the commencement of any season, of such 

 Celery as could not be produced 20 years ago. I have 

 some even at this advanced season, as solid as ever he 

 saw it /. M., Market Gardener, Deptford. 



Longevity of the Skylark— Mr. Kidd states, in re- 

 ference to the sky-lark, that he has had them in full 

 Bong for 14 years. As a proof of their longevity, even 

 when confined in the narrow limits of a small prison- 

 house, I may state that Mr. A. Fry, of Capel, near Ton- 

 bridge, has one which has been in full song for 20 years, 

 and, to all appearance, it is as hale and hearty as when 

 first immured in his wire cage, proving that they are 

 undoubtedly happy in their confinement ; and they amply 

 repay any pains and care that may be bestowed upon 

 them. George Fry, Manor-House, Lee. 



Ik-invigorating old Forc*t-trees. — Some Ashes that 

 were considered old trees more than GO years ago, were, 

 as if by accident, made the subject of an experiment. 

 About 20 years ago, when some alterations were making, 

 these trees stood somewhat in the way ; and as they 

 appeared to be in an unhealthy state, with a great num- 

 ber of dead branches upon them, sentence of removal 

 was nearly pronounced against them. However, they 

 * er e allowed to remain. To make up a bank where 

 shrubs were to be planted, a considerable quantity of 

 peat was used, and the roots of the Ash-trees got a good 

 covering of the peat put upon them. It was no wonder 

 tnat the old trees made little progress the older they 



Inn a f °° d ' m the soil in which the roots were > 

 appeared to be nearly exhausted, and the trees were 



uymg, branch by branch, and the rate at which they 

 W ^V**™*' w °nW have soon made them all fit for 



m» ™??i i • th f peat > alt hough a coarse kind of food, 

 was quickly seized upon by the Ash roots, and, to all 



prance, made as welcome as a supply of provisions 

 jo a starving garrison r rA • ■ J - - 

 nbres were found in cli 

 Better that was within their reach. The trees soon 



fibw* «L f S *T. son **te* a long siege ; for the young 

 hbwe were found in clusters amon. the vLtolkm a£»J 



among the partially decayed 



t£v^i a difl ? ent ^Pect, a more healthy appearance ; 

 Hate J ! , , as 4 lt w f e > rescued from death of a lingering 



*£'£ oT? d L ^^ mt ° Ufe Md *■"» The * 

 * was of dark green, and remained lon-er on the 



trees, the shoots were stronger, and the layers of albur- 

 num or sap-wood increased in thickness, although the 

 ground above the roots of the Ash-trees has been for 

 many years covered with healthy evergreens ; the Ash- 

 trees still continue to thrive, although the evergreens 

 must deprive them of a considerable part of the food 

 which they ought to have, and also of the sunlight, for 

 the ground is doubly cropped, which is too often the case 

 in different departments of cultivation, as well as in the 

 growing of timber-trees. From the cases I have seen 

 from time to time, of decaying forest-trees becoming 

 healthy, when proper food was put within the reach of 

 their roots, I would be inclined to think that the decrease 

 of the diameter of the trunk, after a certain age, of cer- 

 tain species of trees, is the result of starvation in some 

 shape or another; for, as some one remarks, u a very large 

 proportion of plants appear to be capable of an almost 

 indefinite period of existence, if it were not for accidents 

 and disease, independent of old age." And there is 

 much ground for believing that many accidents and 

 diseases would be prevented, if the natural wants 

 of our forest-trees were better understood, a know- 

 ledge of the food they required, of the benefit of 

 sunlight, of the functions the leaves performed ; in 

 short, a knowledge of vegetable physiology, and of 



[We 



many parts of our country, we meet with a solitary 

 tree, commonly an Ash, or it may be an Elm, or a fine 

 specimen of a Scotch Fir, growing far apart from other 

 trees, and we often wonder how they came there, or 

 were allowed to remain. Sometimes there is a small 

 clump of trees, some of them fine specimens of their 

 kind, others in the last stage of existence, bearing the 

 marks of the buffetings of many storms, and, it may be, 

 a short allowance of provisions. Old age and poverty 

 are ill to bear in the vegetable kingdom, even when they 

 assail the monarchs of the woods, as well as in the 

 animal ; they make the strong bend before them. Neglect, 

 and the destroying hands of admiring pilgrims, have 

 wrought the destruction of many a noble plant, and 

 nothing remains for the gratification of future genera- 

 tions, but the spot on which they grew. If our trees 

 could speak, many of them would cry out, " Gentle 

 woodman, spare the tree." When inquiry is made 

 respecting these old weather-beaten trees, of a bygone 

 age, we commonly learn that once on a time a cathouse 

 stood near by, or, it may be, an old farm-steading, and 

 the trees grew near the garden, and they are all that 

 remains to mark the spot where numbers of the human 

 family w r ere born, lived, and died. It may be a long 

 time before much manure can be spared for growing 

 forest-trees ; and there are some kinds to which it would 

 do more harm than good, if it were applied, such as the 

 Pine and Fir trees ; but much is thrown away, or 

 allowed to waste. If applied to the purpose of arbori- 

 culture, there would be both pleasure and profit derived 

 from the application. Many a tree may be seen grow- 

 ing in soils naturally poor, and unfitted to carry heavy 

 timber, without assistance ; and trees, considered by 

 many to be in the last stage of existence, may be made 

 to renew their growth ; for, give a tree room to grow, 

 and food to live upon, and vegetable physiologists will 

 not be able to tell how long it should live, or how large 

 it should grow. Peter Mackenzie, West Piean, Stirling. 



Rain which fell at Landue, near Launceston, Corn- 

 wall, in 1850 :" 



equally forward state. Does this not prove that some 

 kinds of Pears at all events could be forced so as to 

 ripen their fruit a month or two earlier than usual! 

 Would you kindly suggest some cheap moans of pro- 

 tecting the blossoms on the two trees above-mentioned, 

 which are trees of some considerable size, nr must we 

 give up all hopes of obtaining fruit from the present 

 show of bloom, and trust to a second pushing forth of 

 blossom-buds ; and in this case would not the best plan 

 be to strip off all the present flowers, so as not to waste 

 j the vital energies of the trees ! 0. 1., Edinburgh 

 should strip off the flowers.] 



The Shantung Cabbage. — A correspondent of mine at 

 Shanghae writes to me that he is sending me some seeds 

 of the Shantung Cabbage, which one of the French mis- 

 sionaries had procured in the north of China ; lie says 

 it somewhat resembles the Savoy in appearance, is of a 

 delicious flavour, and weighs 60 lbs. Do you know any- 

 thing of this Cabbage ! If so, will you be kind enough 

 to say when would be the best time to sow the seeds, so 

 that it would have the best chance of getting through the 

 winter without running to seed prematurely ; if it is as 

 good and large as he represents it to be, and if it will 

 grow to the same size in England, it may be an acqui- 

 sition to the country. T. G., Clifhcroc. [This has always 

 hitherto run to seed in this country, without foraiing a 

 heart. It is supposed that August is the right month 

 for sowing it in. The failures have been sown in 

 spring.] 



Dead Leaves. — I am rather out of season with my 

 question, but ever since the leaf-gathering of the autumn 

 I have been thinking whether any advantage could be 

 gained by keeping the leaves of different sorts of trees 

 by themselves — whether their 'respective qualities are 

 sufficiently different to make it worth while. We know 

 that the leaf of the Beech is particularly endowed with 

 antiseptic properties. The Oak seems to possess more 

 tannin than most others. I have the means of getting 

 leaves from groups of Ash, Horse Chestnut, Lime, Elm, 

 Oak, and Beech, almost without intermixture. If some 

 of your correspondents would say if their experience 

 has led to any conclusion on this subject, I should be 

 much obliged, and I think it might edify many. Jack, 



Castle Cany. 



Fruit Shot's. — The forthcoming exhibitions for 1851 



will, without doubt, call into existence many new com- 

 petitors, in consequence of the Exhibition for the world's 

 industry. To those intending to show black Grapes, 

 I would just hint that the Dutch or Wilmot's Black 

 Hamburgh is on his march to the great arena ; and if 

 you do not possess it, you may (unless you can depend 

 on something great) keep your Grapes at home until 

 they are shown separately. Strength of habit and large 

 berries are its chief characteristics ; I may add, its only 

 recommendation. The time Black Hamburgh has no 

 more chance with it than I with Hercules. Caustic. 



January 3.19 



February 4,88 



March 2.07 



April U,C3 



May 3.28 



June 2.15 



July 2.40 



Inches. Days. 



• t • 



• p « 



■ ■ • 



* • ■ 



*•• 



• • • 



Carried forward 29.00 



13 



14 



6 



18 



17 



9 



8 



81 



Brought forward 29.00 



August 2.89 



September 4.09 



October 3.01 



November 4.89 



December 6.06 



Inches. Days. 



87 



*i» 



#*» 



• • t 



• * • 



• » • 



49.94 



• •• 



10 

 IS 

 20 

 17 



174 



Ditto at St. Breoke, near Wadebridge, Cornwall : 



January 2.21 



February 2.85 



March 1.59 



April 4.29 



May 2.46 



June 1.67 



July 2.73 



Inches. Days. 



• • • 



• • # 



• i 



* m * 



* • • 



19 



18 

 9 



20 

 15 



11 



16 



]0S 



Brought forward 17,< v 



August 2.70 



September 3 00 



October 3.37 



November 4.68 



December... 4.11 



Inches. Days. 



• « • 



• % • 



35.66 



• • • 



108 

 21 

 13 

 17 

 22 

 18 



199 



Carried forward 17.80 



Ditto at Ham, near Plymouth : 



Inches. Days. 



January 3.38 



February 5.12 



March 1.15 



April 6.97 



lay 2.73 



June 2.3Y" 



July 3.19 



• tt 



• •• 



12 

 14 

 13 

 16 



8 

 10 



7 



Carried forward 24.91 



• •• 



SO 



Inches. 

 Brought forward 21.91 



August 2.82 



September ...... 5.16 



October 3.76 



November 5.02 



December 5 43 



Days. 



... 80 

 8 

 12 

 20 

 16 

 13 



• • » 



* • » 



• * • 



%•• 



I 



• i • 



Total 47.10 



Do. at Radstock* 

 near Bath 30.57 



» p » 



• • * 



149 

 150 



Ditto at Broadhembury, Honiton, Devon : 



Inches. 



January 1.44 



February 2.13 



March 59 



April 5.93 



May 2.39 



June 2.29 



July 2,39 



Inches. 



Brought forward 17. 16 j 



August 2-22 



eptember 2 92 



October 2.74 



November 3 52 



December 2,81 



* 



§>o titties* 



Linnean, Feb. 4. — R. Brown, Esq., in the Chair. 

 A letter was read from Mr. Hartmann, a Swede, on the 

 discovery of a manuscript of Linnreus, entitled " Iter 

 Dalecarlicum," in the Museum of the Linnean Society. 

 In this manuscript the details are given of a journey 

 made by Linnaeus through the province of Dalecarlia, in 

 the year 1734. Like the published journals of the 

 great botanist, this manuscript gives an account of the 

 physical geography, the agriculture, the economy of the 

 people, and the plants and animals of the province 

 through which he travelled. — A catalogue of recent land 

 and fresh- water mollusca found in the neighbourhood of 

 Nottingham, with notes and observations by J. E. Lowe, 

 Esq., was communicated by Dr. Lindley, and read by 

 the secretary. The President called attention to two 

 genera of plants, Kingia and Xanthorrhea, both natives 

 of Australia, remarkable for a structure adapted to 

 resist the action of fire, which was so unscrupulously 

 applied to them by the settlers of New Holland. In 

 Kingia, the leaves sent down between the true stem 

 and the bases of the petioles which formed the only 

 bark of the tree, a series of adventitious roots, which 

 closely covered the stem, and resisted to the greatest 



A 



further development of this structure was seen in the 



stems of certain Blood-worts, namely, Vellozia and 

 Barbacenia. The other genus, Xanthorrhea, was re- 

 markable for secreting a resinous matter at the base of 

 the leaf-stalks, which, remaining upon the stem, were 

 thus united together so as entirely to resist the action 

 of fire. Transverse and vertical sections of the stems 

 of various species of these plants, with drawings by 

 Ferdinand Bauer, were exhibited to illustrate the 

 President's remarks. Dr. Ilitf exhibited specimens of 

 mice, which had been found with an apparently fungous 

 growth covering their head and ears. 



extent the action of external destructive agents. 



r — — • 



Carried forward 17.16 



H. H. Treby. 



Mildness of the Season. 



31.37 



You may perhaps be inte- 



rested to hear that I saw on Friday last, the 31st 

 January, in an open garden at Morningside, a suburb j 

 of Edinburgh, a Pear tree with one of its blossoms 

 expanded, while the whole tree was bristling' wiih i 

 blossoms just ready to open. The tree is on** of Mr. , 

 Rivers' pyramidal " Marie Louise." Another pyramidal 

 tree of " Sucrd Vert," in the same garden, was in;an 



Garden Memoranda. 



Mr. Chapman's Fobctbtg Grounds, Vafxhali. 

 Mr. Chapman baa been long and deservedly celebrated 



as a general forcing market-gardener ; his place consists 

 of about an acre and a half, covered with glass erections 

 of all forms, both large and small. The north and east 

 boundary walls are co d with lean-to houses, with 

 the Tines planted along the back wall, and trained down 

 cowards the front. In some of the houses they run 

 both ways. The centre of the ground is occupied by 

 span-roofed houses, varying from 30 to 70 * * n 

 length, some run east and west, others south and north. 

 It is surprising to see the famous crops which are pro- 



