THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



309 



_ . train, travelled leisurely on- 



-***Xv, lling; through the prettiest of pretty 

 •^^Iand8»pc f anddell,withmurmurin-rivii. 



-iaiSS musically along on every side, 

 •^feelings, we all know, are indescribable : 



These 



the heart 



refresh 



^J- nf the villag 



l«S 



me 



^/•^rdttn* some two miles, I descended near the 

 hfm traveum^ ^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ 



Bcxley and Footscray. I then took the main 

 thTri-ht, and found myself speedily at the en- 

 rL Ullage of Welling. My escort all the way 

 ^ _ bv nightingales, blackcaps, robins, sky- 

 ifchrfiroats, and pettychaps. Here I was met,m 

 k V*e founder of the feast, the owner of the man- 

 «fco asking mv name, or indeed pronouncing it 

 *_- WforW face « looked" it), at once conducted r 

 2fc !tbe blandest of smiles and unmistakeable cordiality, 



•^fk^thus minute in my description, for two 

 1 "^ ■* i the imagination of my readers 



Z~fo directed to the beauty of the spot where 

 breed in the open air, and in a state of perfect 

 Lmtm . d^ other is, with a view to indicate the pre- 

 Cfcc*# in quo of Mr. Wollaston's picturesque abode, 

 A my visitor, curious as myself, ask permission of 

 **t gentleman to take a peep at his little world of living 

 waders. On entering Mr. Wollaston's mansion, I was 

 Urnck by the extensive and charming view from the 

 window. Seated, or rather embosomed in its own 



canaries constantly in his garden and irubberies, then 

 can be no practical difficulty in our doing the same 

 thing. These birds are now quite * hardy," and might 

 easily be trained to live anywhere. As to their beauty, 

 when trotting along upon the Grass, or flitting across 

 the lawn, or mounting upwards to a tree,— the sight is 

 charming beyond all conception. 



One word more. From certain minute and interested 

 remarks I made, while at Welling, I am so impressed 

 with the novelty, as well as " prettiness n and practica- 

 bility of peopling our gardens with these birds of 

 variegated plumage, that I shall turn my serious atten- 

 tion to the subject. Mr. Wollaston has originated an 

 excellent idea, and fully perfected the « principle " of it. 

 I shall take out a patent for an * improvement " on the 

 same, and hope to introduce quite a new era in the 

 u decoration " of our suburban gardens. In this matter, 

 I feel sure my new friend will most readily assist me. I 

 read it in his generous countenance, and consider my 

 wishes as already complied with. William Kidd. New- 

 road. Hammersmith. 



{rounds 

 fffdant 



the whole 



lo the very margin ot a J 



being (me spa ws domain, with no single interruption to 



tbe unbounded prospect. .',«..'. 



Immediately cont ,-uous to the dwelling-house is an 

 mple shrubbcrv, beautifully laid out on every side, and 

 comprising dwarf and tall trees of nearly every kind. 

 To the left, immediately beyond the flower-garden, and 

 shady corner, is a sheet of water ; the trees over- 

 buying hich, cause the whole to have a very pic- 

 turesque effect. Let me add, briefly, that this romantic 

 not is u peopled" by canaries of all hues, flying about 

 is the full enjoyment of uncontrolled liberty, building 

 their nests in every imaginable enticing spot, and feed- 

 ing their young ones immediately under your eye ; using 

 all the familiarity of welcome guests, which they really 

 ire. To describe the effect produced by this pretty, 

 this unusual sight, were impossible. The forms of the 

 lirds, their square and forked tails, peculiarity of flight, 

 and other hitherto unrecognised habits, were alike 

 remarkable ; indeed the scene altogether is far beyond 

 the power of my pen to describe. 



Nor are the garden, park, and shrubberies tenanted by 

 canaries only. There are, in addition, the usual number 

 of nightingales, blackbirds, thrushes, robins, and other 

 tribes— -all domesticated here. Such a union of happy 

 Trices was scarcely ever before listened to. The musical 

 powers of the canary, heard in an open field, park, 

 wood, or garden, are as novel as they are beautiful, 

 •hen thus free, this bird is heard to perfection ; for he, 

 ike every other bird in confinement, feels under some 

 degree of restraint, and si; ^ 



cage, as from any other motive. Not so, when at liberty. 

 During my stay, I examined everything ; I pried into 

 all the nests, and counted the eggs. Also took a peep 

 at the young callow nestlings, in the trees; some of them 

 only recently clad with the shell of the egg. Then I 

 whistled to the sitting mothers, and industrious papas, 

 busily engaged in search of food for their offspring. 

 This, and all other convenient luxuries, are placed in a 

 large cage at the lower end of the lawn, with a private 

 &>or of entrance and exit, made so as to open or close 

 tf a minute's notice. This is an admirable contrivance. 

 In the greenhouse, on one side of the dwelling house, 

 » large, deep, and comparatively-narrow cage, fitted up 

 vith perches, &c, is erected, close to the side window. 

 At the top, outside, is a small opening, like the entrance 

 to a bee-hive, but of course larger. Immediately oppo- 

 site, and parallel with this, the branch or stem of a tree 

 ktt been trained from the wall. This acts as a perch. 

 The roaming birds, when they wish to enter, alight here, 

 ind go in and out ad libitum. It was built for their use, 

 in case of any sudden inclement weather coming on ; 

 and is now and then used by the birds as a temporary 

 resort under such circumstances. Young and tender 

 nestlings or invalids, too, find this a convenient domicile ; 

 parents coming in to and tending them with all the 

 affection so peculiarly their own. 



Mr. Wollaston is a man of method withal. His birds 

 represent the alphabet. Thus, we have Mr. and Mrs. 

 A., Mr. and Mrs. B., &c. &c. We also find a note in 

 the « Book of Family Annals," that Mr. A. was bred in 

 a Magnolia; Mrs. B. in a Larch ; Miss D. in Ja Wistaria ; 

 and Master F. in the lofty Plum tree, &c. We observe, 

 too, entered in the same note-book, ages, birthdays, and 

 ther memorable days in the calendar. 

 Then we have stratagems, and plans innumerable, 

 Artistic, and admirable, for the capture of any bird at 

 ^"; He enters. His departure is prevented by an 

 invisible string, closing his place of entrance ! A long 

 ftek, mysteriously and suddenly introduced, causes 

 ™* to escape from the top of the large cage into a 

 **tow store-cage annexed ; beyond which is yet another 

 •wre-cage-— all communicating. The doors are then 

 *U magically closed. Unseen pulleys let the cages de- 

 **nd; and what would occupy a novice a whole week, 

 * here prettily accomplished in two short minutes. 

 n », and very much more ; which space forbids me to 

 *jfcr upon. The object of this chapter is to show, 

 ***** w Mr. Wollaston has for three whole vears keot 



Home Correspondence. 



Deodars. — Doubting the correctness of the conclusion 

 arrived at by " An Old Sawyer" as regards the stunt- 

 edness of some Deodars, and having had considerable 

 experience in the management of Conifers myself, I 

 beg to offer the following remarks. As Deodars, either 

 in* the shape of single specimens or groups, are well 

 calculated to enrich our landscapes, every means of 

 producing plants speedily deserve to be fully made 

 known. I have found the Deodar, raised from cuttings 

 and grafts, to grow equally] vigorous and symmetrical 

 with seedlings. In cultivating this plant, I have derived 

 great advantage from inarching it upon the Spruce Fir, 

 5 and 6 feet high from the ground, and when this is 

 performed upon strong healthy stocks the growth is 

 very rapid. I have some trees which were worked in 

 this way seven years ago, now 15 feet high, and 12 feet in 

 diameter of bVanches, the latter nearly reaching the 

 ground. I have also found it to succeed equally well on 

 the Silver Fir,T>ut not so satisfactorily on the Scotch and 

 Larch Firs ; it will live on the latter for a year or two, 

 butj it soon becomes sickly and dies off, unless it is 

 worked very low, and tongued as soon as the union is safe, 

 so as to induce the Deodar to root from the graft, which 

 it will do readily ; and under such circumstances the plant 

 will grow vigorously. 1 have seen numerous instances 

 of young branches at the top of these trees forming 

 themselves into leaders, and sometimes very long 

 branches will assume that character, clearly showing 

 that a branch possesses the capability of adapting itself 

 to the position ; and whoever will examine plantations of 

 Conifers will find other kinds doing the same thing, 

 fact, I frequently find them possessing this tendency 

 rather too much, and therefore, I am oftentimes obliged 

 to cut oif or tie down rival leaders, in order to preserve 

 a handsome form of tree. As regards " dormancy " in 

 the leaders of Deodars and other Pinuses too, I find it 

 frequently to occur in them at about 3 or 4 feet high,' 

 owing to some cause, the nature of which I have never 

 been rightly able to discover ; but I am inclined to 

 attribute the evil to some peculiar influence acting upon 

 the vitality of the plant, causing an early development of 

 the leader-bud, before our late spring frosts are over ; and 

 when the leader-bud is in that delicate state, the slightest 

 frost either totally destroys it, or injures it to that ex- 

 tent that it is unable to push during the following 

 summer, and sometimes not even in the succeeding one. 

 During this time the stem of the plant greatly enlarges, 

 apparently concentrating its energies in order to form 

 a new leader ; which, in course of time, bursts forth 

 with extraordinary vigour ; and, if not again injured, 

 soon overtakes its more fortunate brethren, and nothing 

 is lost in the end. I would advise those who have 

 Deodars, or other Conifers, in this stunted condition, to 

 shorten the side branches, as I have found this practice 

 to greatly accelerate the pushing of a new leader. One 

 of the stronger branches may also be tied up to an 

 upright stake ; this will shortly become as handsome a 

 leader as could be desired ; but, at the same time, the 

 tree should have a good surface dressing of stable 

 manure. It is the form which the branch takes that 

 alters its character from the leader, and not any differ- 

 ence in its organisation ; both are capable of the same 

 change or variation, and if you vary their form you 

 alter their character — i. e., a leader will become truly a 

 branch, if tied down ; and a branch will as easily be- 

 come a leader, if tied up. Adscriptus Coniferis. 



Botanical Names. — I think that the endeavour to 

 Anglicise the Latin names of plants is a mistake, and is 

 palpable enough in reading your report of the Horti- 

 cultural Society's Exhibition, viz., in the list there come, 

 " The Baxter Leschenault, the Java Ixora, the Cels 

 Hovea." Now these words do not convey to one's 

 mind such a clear idea of the meaning of the names as 

 would L. Baxteri, I. Javanensis, * Hovea Celsi, from 

 which it is apparent at once that the first and last 

 plants take their names from their discoverer or some 

 botanical worthy, the one in the middle from its native 

 country. Then afterward there occurs * the noble Den- 

 drobe, the lovely Phalsenopsis." Now, one unacquainted 

 with the plants would not be aware that these two 

 adjectives are the distinctive names of the particular 

 Dendrobe and Phalsenopsis, but would take them to be 

 merely the expression of your reporter's admiration of 

 the plants. It would be otherwise if they were called, 

 as of old, D. nobile, P. amabilis. So also, if I found 

 a new Heath and called it " Erica Loudoni," most neonle 



would know after whom I named it; otherwise, n caned 

 the Loudon E., some might think it was the production 

 of Loudon Hill. I must say I admire the Latin as the 

 neatest nomenclature. G. B. T. 



Coppice Woods. — A parson who is alive to the advan- 

 tages accruing from a judicious management of coppices, 

 cannot travel 10 miles in any direction without having 

 to lament the mis< ibly neglected state of such woods, 

 from the time the copses are cut down to the time they 

 are in a fit state for the next fall ; there is no care be- 

 stowed on them, they are left to nature, every shoot is 

 permitted to grow, producing little else than brushwood. 

 Whereas, if the shoots on each stool were singled out, 

 properly thinned, and judiciously pruned, their growth 

 would be greatly accelerated, and the value of the crop 

 much enhanced. All the kinds of wood applicable for 

 hoops, hurdles, and wattling purposes, would be fit for 

 use in half the time that neglected copses require ; and 

 all the larger growing sorts, used for Hop-poles, and other 

 purposes, would be in a proper state for being cut down 

 one-third sooner than the time allowed between the 

 times of cutting, under the present neglected mode of 

 culture. The old routine practice goes on from one 

 generation to another ; no new or more profitable modes 

 of applying' t the produce of coppice-wood are ever thought 

 of. Although the way of manufacturing pyrol igneous 

 acid has been known more than 30 years, yet, strange 

 to say, few or none of the woodland proprietors have 

 availed themselves of that knowledge. One ton of wood 

 produces 80 gallons of the condensed liquor. The acid 

 i? used by bleachers and calico printers, for making white 

 lead and the sugar of lead, as well as by chemists, for 

 making a superior transparent domestic vinegar. Pyro- 

 ligneous acid is the most powerful antiseptic known ; all 

 sorts of wood, excepting those of the Pine or Fir tribes, 

 answer the purpose. Spray or brushwood may be used, 

 or billets of size fit for charcoal, round or square, not 

 more than three inches in diameter. The charcoal 

 produced is of the best quality, fit for every chemical or 

 domestic purpose. It may be proved that no crop will 

 pay better for good culture than a crop of wood. /. D. 



European Orchids. — Little attention appears to have 

 been bestowed on the cultivation of the terrestrial 



Orchidaceous plants of Sicily and other parts of the 

 south of Europe, Algiers, &c, many of which are very 

 curious, and some are very beautiful. I saw two large 

 pots of one in flower at Mr. Hanbury's at the Poles, 

 Herts, O. unicornu, I believe ; and at the gardens of the 

 Luxembourg I saw three or four kinds in flower, which 

 were handsome, one or two marked Algiers. Have any of 

 your correspondents any experience in the cultivation 

 of these plants \ What are the best kinds to grow for 

 ornament, and from whence are they to be procured ? — 

 I presume at Palermo some may be obtained, and I 

 j U n believe at Florence, also, some of the more showy may 

 be found. Dodman. 



The Cuckoo.— One of your correspondents has lately 

 favoured us with some remarks about the cuckoo, so 

 similar^ to what was current in the time of Aristotle, 

 that the coincidence is rather remarkable. I happened 

 to stumble on the passage a few days ago, and send you 

 a translation, if you think it worth noticing. It is taken 

 from the sixth chapter of his sixth book of Natural 

 History : — " The cuckoo is said by some to change from 

 a hawk, because, about the time of the cuckoo's appear- 

 ance, that kind of hawk which it resembles disappears ; 

 but scarcely any hawk is to be seen except for a very 

 few days after the cuckoo has begun to sing. The cuckoo 

 is seen for a short time in summer, but disappears in 

 winter. The hawk has talons on its feet, the cuckoo has 

 not, neither is a cuckoo's head like that of a hawk ; 

 but iu both these respects it rather resembles the dove, 

 and is like the hawk only in colour — the markings, how- 

 ever, of the hawk are somewhat like lines, those of the 

 cuckoo like spots. In size and flight it very much 

 resembles the smallest hawk, which is seldom to be seen 

 at the same time with the cuckoo. But when both have 

 been seen together, the hawk has been seen to eat the 

 cuckoo, though birds of the same kind never act so to 

 one another." — Aristotle, Uepl Zu&v. Z. G. [We are 

 unable to discover to what former communication our 

 correspondent refers.] 



Covering Wall Trees in Spring. — A few weeks ago, 

 some of your correspondents strongly advised the 

 covering of trees, especially Apricots, &c, with mats, 

 canvas, or other covering, consequently I purchased a 

 quantity of canvas at 3d. per yard— I mention the 

 price, to show that it was light canvas ; with this 

 material I covered many of my trees, placing some 

 branches of the Yew and Fir, to prevent the blossoms 

 being knocked off by the vibration of the canvas if 

 disturbed by the wind. I had a very good show of 

 blossoms when covered ; and last week we uncovered 

 them, but none of the flowers have set, not upon an 

 average two to a tree. The Plums we did not cover 



the Pears that were covered have 



have set ; 



set. I name this for the benefit of your correspondents ; 

 and if convenient, I should like to hear of the probable 

 cause of this total failure on the Peach and Apricot. 

 A Constant Reader ', Teddington. — I endeavoured to 

 screen my Pears, Apricots, &c, this spring, but not 

 having apparatus for raising and lowering the screens at 

 pleasure, I fear I have only made the blossoms blind, 

 though the canvas I had was open in texture, and I kept 

 it well away from the wall, so as to admit the air to circu- 

 late . I wish to know whether cotton netting of J or £ inch 

 mesh would be liable to the same objection, or whether 

 even inch meshed woollen netting would preserve the 

 trees ; and further, whether dipping such netting in a 

 solution of corrosive sublimate would add much to it* 



