THE GARDENERS 1 CHR'GNICLE, 



215 



u-.w«»^rt«i tot the'lK-taclinium and a Banksian 

 **?\ *-rtZTHv»ciiithB —Mr. E. G. Henderson, of the 

 St£i rl" X , St. John's Wood, sent an 

 ?' m idling Rhododendrons, a crimson and 



kind : and a 



light k 



If 



wk* 



well grown plant of Dielytra 

 L^bilis. tor wnich a Banksian Medal was 

 **\aL\ The same Fumewort, evidently grown in 

 £he*L and more highly coloured, was exhibited 

 llTciark, nurseryman, Brixton-hill ; but by far 

 •te Sest specimen of this Dielytra was produced by 

 £ SJk gr. to the Duke of Devonshire at Chi* 

 II* House. The latter was, however, unfortunately 



ed from receiving any prize, on account of its 

 .rrivinz too late, it being especially required that all 

 f of exhibition shall be in the room two clear 

 i-ars before the time of meeting, The same thing hap- 

 !*med ^ re gard to a Java Rhododendron from Messrs. 

 ESbko, which also came too late to fall under the 

 Lglyenition of the judges.— From Messrs. Lane, of 

 Q-K Berkhampstead, came a single white seedling 

 Camellia a specimen of the sweet Trichopil (Tricho- 

 niliA eoavis), and four large boxes of cut Roses, 

 fosh and beautiful as just gathered from their Rose 



the Cochlearia acaulis, a very interesting little plant at 

 this season of the year. The following cuttings were 

 distributed among Fellows : Powis Castle, Forme de 

 Delices, Broom Park, Pears ; and the Early Harvest 

 Apple. 





house. They consisted of Hybrid Pmj» >l : Baronne 

 Hallez, crimson ; Baronne Prevost, blush, large and 

 beautiful ; Caroline de Sausal, blush ; Chateaubriand, 

 delicate pink ; Comte de Montalivet, rosy crimson ; 

 Corset, bright pink ; Dr. Arnal, deep crimson ; 

 Dttchease de Gallieria, Bhaded pink ; Duchesse de 

 Praslra, blush, with pink centre ; Duchess of Suther- 

 d glossy blush ; Edward Jesse, lilac crimson ; Gen. 

 Cavftignac, rosy pink; Ge'ant des Batailles, vermilion ; 

 General Negrier, rosy blush ; George Lecamus, rosy 

 blush ; La Belle Amerique, shaded pink ; Lady Alice 

 Peel, roay crimson ; Louise Aimee, pink, light edge ; 

 Louis Buonaparte, bright rose ; Madame Guillot, rosy 

 crimson ; Madame Laffay, crimson ; Madame Trudeaux, 

 brilliant carmine ; Marquise Boccella, pale pink ; Miss 

 Pepin, deliaate pink ; Mrs. Elliot, crimson ; Poly be, 

 rosy purple ; Princess Beljioso, rose ; Queen, brilliant 

 rose : Regulata, pink ; Reine des Fleurs, pink ; Reine 

 Matbilde, light pink ; Robin Hood, lilac rosy pink ; 

 SWtmie, bright pink ; Standard of Marengo, crimson 

 lake ; William Jesse, crimson, tinged with lilac ; Comte 

 Robrinsk; beautiful crimson. Bourbon: Armosa, rosy 

 blttrii ; Augustine Marget, delicate bright rose ; Ber- 

 nardin de St. Pierre, brilliant carmine; Dupetit Thouars, 

 rich carmine ; Emilie Courtier, bright reddish crimson ; 

 Le Grenadier, bright lake ; Madame Angelina, salmon 

 yellow ; Queen, delicate salmon ; Speeiosa, shaded 

 rose. Ch ina : Abbe Mioland, fine crimson red ; Fabvier, 

 striped crimson ; Miellez, lemon white ; Mrs Bosan- 

 quet, creamy white. Tea: Belle Allemande, cream, 

 shaded blush ; Comte de Paris, cream ; Devoniensis, 

 creamy white, buff centre ; Goubault, salmon-shaded 

 rose ; Madame Bravy, creamy white, salmon centre ; 

 Niphctos, pale lemon ; Smith's Yellow, pale straw ; 

 Vicomtesse de Cazes, golden yellow. No tte : A fleur 

 Variable, rosy salmon ; Cloth of Gold, yellow ; Jeanne 

 d'Arc,lemon white ; Mrs. Siddons, fine yellow. A Banksian 

 Medal was awarded for the Roses. — Mrs. Lawrence ex- 

 hibited a fine specimen of Enkianthus reticulatus, two 

 species of Boron ia, the beautiful violet-blossomed Mirbelia 

 floribunda, Phaius Wallichii, Maxillaria Harrisonii, an 

 Oncidium resembling sarcodes, and a new and very 

 curious Epidendrum, bearing a long, drooping, green 

 flower, which terminated in a broad rich orange- doured 

 fleshy lip, vieing in brilliancy with the E. vitellinum 

 itself. It was stated that it would probably produce 

 flowers in clusters, and if so, it must be const red a 

 great acquisition. A Knightian Medal was awarded for 

 this, and a Banksian Medal for the other plants. — Messrs. 

 foddiges sent a handsome pale rose coloured Rhodo- 

 dendron, raised from Nepaul seeds ; and Mr. Myatt, of 

 Deptibrd, showed two nicely-flowered Cyclamens. — A 

 box containing 15 Easter Beurre Pears, packed in tin 

 buried in salt, was received from Mr. Daniel 

 Curtis, of Boston, United States. Seven of these cases 

 were opened, in which were found three fruit good, and 

 four spoiled. These Pears were stated to have been 

 ripened by a method peculiar to Mr. Curtis, the nature 

 of which was not explained. They were, for the most 

 part, melting, sweet, and perfectly ripe, a condition 

 which this Pear attains with difficulty with us in 

 England. The mode in which they were packed is new, 

 and when it is considered that the fruit must have been 

 pute ripe when put into the boxes, it may be pro- 

 nounced to be successful ; but as each tin box contained 

 only one fruit, it will be evident that it is too expensive 

 for adoption on a large scale. A Knightian Medal was 

 awarded.— Mr. Rust.gr. to W. Everett, "Esq., sent from a 

 Polmaise House B. Hamburgh Grapes, which received a 

 Certificate of Merit, <n account of their being the first that 

 have been exhibited to the Soci y this season .- 



"i&SPj gr. to J. Barchard, Esq., sent Keens' Seedling 



» • ■ m M _ -— _ 



Linnban, April 1.— Dr. N. Wallich, Vice-President, 

 in the chair. A collection of 200 species of Ferns from 

 Java was presented by M. de Vriese. A continuation 

 of Dr. Frederic Buchanan's commentary on the Hortus 

 Malabaricus of Van Rhede, was read by the Secretary. 

 The plants which formed the subject of criticism were 

 various species of Leguminosae, more especially those 

 known as sensitive plants. With reference to the 

 iEschynomene lagenaria of Roxburgh, the author had 

 some difficulty in accounting for the trivial name, unless 

 it was that the plant was sometimes cut up and made 

 into bundles and placed under the arm by fishermen in 

 swimming, in the same way in which the emptied gourds 

 of the Cucumis lagenaria were employed. He objected, 

 also, to the specific name of Crotalaria verrucosa, as no 

 appearance was seen on this plant to justify this 

 appellation. After the reading of the paper, Dr. 

 Lankester enquired if there was any probability of 

 this valuable commentary being published, as it had 

 now been in the hands of the Society above 20 

 years. — Dr. Wallich pointed out the value of the criti- 

 cisms of Dr. Buchanan, and referred to the subject 

 of misnaming •species. Roxburgh found Thunbergia 

 odorata amongst a number of sweet-swelling plants, and 

 so named it, whilst in reality it had no smell at all. 

 — Mr. H. Cuming defended Roxburgh's name for the 

 iEschynomene, as it probably referred to the fact of the 

 use made of the soft tissue of the plant to cork bottles. 

 It was suggested that probably the Hon. East India 

 Company would assist the Linnean Society to publish 

 Dr. Buchanan's commentary. — Mr. Kennedy exhibited 

 a block of indurated sandstone, from the Cape of Good 

 Hope, with very deep and perfect impressions of a fossil 

 plant, belonging probably to the family of Ferns, and 

 allied to the Lycopodia. 



Messrs. Hartley, foreseeing this in 1H46*, invented a de- 

 scription of cheap rough plate, with which the section of 

 roof is glazed, the size of the squares being 62 inches 

 long, and 1 8 inches wide. This glass is one-eighth of an 

 inch thick, or 30 oz. to the foot (the glass in the Crystal 

 Palace is 1 6 oz. sheet, or one-sixteenth of an inch thick) 

 and, per pound, is the cheapest description of glass 

 manufactured, being sufficiently strong to resist any 

 hailstorm. Sunderland Herald. 



We have now on the table 



Garden Memoranda. 



Messrs. Knight and Perry's, King's Roap. 

 Chelsea. — Since we last visited this establishment the 

 principal entrance has been greatly altered and im- 

 proved in appearance, as well as rendered in all respects 

 more commodious. A new glass house has been 

 erected in the Nursery for the cultivation of the Royal 

 Water-Lily and other stove aquatics. The roof con- 

 sists of two wide spans placed on brick walls, and sup- 

 ported in the middle by small iron columns. The tank 

 is 3 feet deep and upwards of 30 feet square. It is made 

 of slate beautifully fitted together, and as yet perfectly 

 water-tight. Indeed, judging from its present appearance, 

 no danger of its ever leaking need be apprehended. The 

 large plant having been lost in removing it from the 

 old aquarium, a young Victoria Regia has been placed 

 in the centre of the tank, and has progressed favourably, 

 considering the time it has been planted. In the same 

 t ik the blue Nymphcea (N. cserulea) was growing and 

 flowering most luxuriantly ; and when six or seven of its 

 charming blossoms are all open at a time, as was the 

 case in the present instance, few plants are more inte- 

 resting or striking. Indeed no amateur who has the 

 convenience of an open cistern in his stove, should be 

 without this truly delightful aquatic. But desirable as 

 low-growing water plants are, their beauty is very 

 mi i enhanced by the skilful introduction of a few 

 Nelumbiums, Caladiums, and other taller growing kinds, 

 whose large and handsome leaves rising out of the water 



reak the uniformity and flatness of appearance which 

 would otherwise prevail, and give the whole much 



dditional interest. These have been planted in the 

 tank in question, and are growing with great vigour, 

 a remark that equally applies to all the plants it con- 

 tained. This may be attributed to the slight motion 

 which the water receives from the constant overturning 

 of a small pail or bucket, which is filled from a pipe 

 rising about 2 feet above the water, and toother circum- 

 stances being favourable to a healthy development. 

 The shelves are fitted up with pans for the growth of 

 the smaller kinds of water plants. 



An Antiquated Homy comb. 



before us a substance calculated to excite the curiosity 



of naturalists. It is a portion of a honeycomb. A large 



log of Honduras mahogany was cut in the premises of 



Mr. Vance, of Russell-street ; and in it, near the centre, 



was found this honeycomb. The log was two feet 



square ; no perceptible hole could be found in any part 



of it, connecting with the place where the comb was 



imbedded. The honeycomb is very brown, with a 



smoke-dried look ; some of the cells are quite perfect, 



and we noticed in one part the head and the whig of 



a small bee. We shall not attempt to speculate on the 



immense number of years that comb may have lain in the 



heart of the tree. How it got there we leave naturalists 



to conjecture. Northern Whig. 



Thf, Chinese Primula. — At a Beason when all nature 

 appears dull and almost inanimate, this beautiful plant 

 makes our greenhouses lively and attractive ; and much 

 as has been said respecting its culture, no mode of treat- 

 ment which 1 have seen advocated appears to me to 

 possess advantages like that which I have been in the 

 habit of pursuing. I sow the seed in a gentle heat in 

 the beginning of April. As soon as the plants are up 

 and sufficiently large to handle, I prick them out under 

 handglasses at the bottom of a west wall, and shade 

 them for a few hours during the day while the sun is 

 powerful, giving them now and then a sprinkle with a 

 fine-rosed watering-pot, and keeping them close. When 

 they begin to grow, the glasses are removed at night, as 

 the dew of the morning greatly strengthens them, and 

 it is astonishing how fast they advance in growth. When 

 sufficiently large, I pot them into 4-inch pots, and place 

 them in a close frame until they have become established 

 a little, after which the lights are drawn off every night 

 in fine weather, and air is given in the daytime by 

 tilting the lights at the back, shading the plants lightly 

 during the hottest part of the day. When the pots have 

 become filled with roots, I repot into 6-inch pots, in 

 which they are flowered. When they come into blos- 

 som, the most fimbriated and best-coloured ones are 

 carefully selected and marked. After they have done 

 blooming, and rested for a short period, the greater 

 portion of the soil is removed from the roots, which are 

 cut pretty close in ; at the same time the stems of the 

 plants are cleared of old leaf-stalks, and everything is 

 made clean and neat. They are then repotted in the 

 following compost ; equal parts turfy loam and peat, 

 with a portion of well-decomposed cow-dung, and silver 

 sand in it. The compost is used in a rough state, with 

 broken crocks below it for drainage ; and the pots 

 employed vary from six to eight inches in width, accord- 

 ing to the strength and size of the plants. After potting 

 they are placed in a close frame and treated exactly as 

 recommended above. In this way I have grown splendid 



and some have done better the third year than 



plants 



the second, but I have never tried them for a longer 



By following the same plan every year, fine 



Florist* 



period. 



every year 

 plants and good sorts are secured. Beck's 

 Fraitist, and Garden Miscellany for March. 



Mr. 



strawberries ; and a seedling Strawberry very like the 

 Roseberry, was produced by Mr. Cooper, of Yeovil, 

 Somerset.— A "fruit gatherer" was exhibited by Mr. 

 ^evill, of Crutched Friars, and some very nice orna- 

 mental flower stands by Mr. E. G. Henderson, of the 

 ^Hington-road Nursery.— From the Garden of the 

 Society came the fine specimen of Epidendrum auran- 

 tucum, which was exhibited at a previous meeting, 

 ***xillaria Harrisoniae, Angelonia moschata, Cyrtoceras 

 J^nexum, the purple Gesnera, Boron ia tetr an dra, Erios- 

 tejaon e pidatum, three varieties of Epacris, two species 

 ot Cytisus, Franc cea Hopeana, Forsythia viridissima A a «a^ 

 v*g&m produced in excellent condition), the Gesnera- building 

 flowered Sa<m fS<vKHn t**mn+y-\AM*\^n. L-i™! very 



Miscellaneous. 



Model of a Grcmhodse, iff. 2 in. square, on the ridg 

 and furrow, flat-roofed principle — On the repeal of the 

 glass duties, Messrs. Hartley and Co. erected several of 

 these, with a view of showing how the materials of 

 gla and iron, or wood, could be best adapted for the 

 economical construction of conservatories. They put 

 up one in the gardens of the Horticultural Society of 

 London, in 1846, and sold several others, among the 

 rest one" to W. H. Walker, Esq., Newcastle. Mr. 

 Hartley was the first person to suggest the flat ridge 

 and valley roof for buildings of this kind, thereby doin 

 away with a lap-joint in the glass — a great desideratum 

 — for each ridge is glazed with one single square of 

 glass. He recommended the Royal Commissioners 

 twelve mouths ago, long before Mr. Paxton came forward 

 with his plan, to adopt the principle for the Crystal 

 Palace, offering, as we have heard, to furnish specimens 

 and estimates for the whole building. A section of a 





Sage (Salvia gesnerifl >ra)_ a kin 



ridge and valley roof was exhibited, the span being ten 

 feet ; thus giving in a building such as the Crystal 

 Palate multiples of ten, in place of eight feet, as in that 



This, however, with the h ii wages paid to 

 Frenchmen, who are employed to blow sheet-glas 



/; . . ca * e v 3aivla gesnerinora) _ a Kina very like j Frenchmen, who are employed to mow sueet-giass, 

 Wdinalis, two varieties of Cineraria, and a panful of * would add greatly to the cost, were sheet-glass employed. 



Calendar of Operations. 



(For the ensuing ek.) 



PLANT DEPARTMENT. 



Heaths and other hard-wooded greenhouse plants 

 should be potted as they require it. Generally speaking, 

 the most suitable time is after they have done flowering, 

 and commenced a new growth ; but the operation may 

 be performed with propriety at any season when the 

 roots are making progress, without being induced thereto 

 by unnatural excitement. Before potting, take care 

 that the old ball is sufficiently moist ; for if it is potted 

 in a dry state, it will be impossible afterwards to moisten 

 it properly, without souring and saturating the new soil* 

 The Epacris family is now so numerous, so beautiful, 

 and so valuable for winter flowering, that for country 

 establishments they outrival Heaths. Let them have 

 all possible attention in repotting, and let them be kept 

 rather close and moist, until they have commenced a 

 free growth. At this season we give these plants a 

 dght forcing ; and they amply repay us for their more 

 liberal treatment, by a splendid growth, and abundance 

 of « rly flowers. As soon as the flowering is over, the 

 future shape of the plants should be adjusted, by re- 

 moving a portion of the old flowering stems ; and, that 

 their energy may be devoted solely to the growth of the 

 plant, seeds should never be allowed to come to matu- 

 rity, unless they are very valuable. Let climbers, both 

 in pots and border -, have due attention with regard to 

 training, and retain no more shoots than the allotted 

 space will afford room for. A success :«>n of Aehi- 

 menes, intended to flow r er late in the autumn, shouM 

 now be placed in heat, and treated according to 

 the directions given in former Calendars. Some of 

 hose of former successions may be potted for sus- 

 pended baskets ; for which the A. ionginora and 

 cupreata are particularly adapted. Pans, or broad 

 Shallow pots, are preferable for their general cultivation ; 

 and, as they require an abundant supply of moisture 

 when they are in flower, let the drainage be very per- 

 fect, that they may be freely watered without stagnating 



