340 



THE GARDENERS* CHRONICLE. 



ther north, where the island is much narrower, the 

 westerly storms sweep over the whole land with 

 redoubled fury, in spite of the ridge of high land 

 (narrow and broken, however) which runs north and 

 wrnth through the counties from Derbyshire to 

 Northumberland. 



The climate of Scotland is a subject by itself ; 

 lying so far north of both England and Ireland, 

 it has less affinity to, or dependance on, that of the 

 continent ; and the variations of weather seem to 

 depend upon the play of a different set of winds 

 from those which affect England at any given time. 

 Hence it has been sometimes asserted to be milder 



than that of England. The strongly marked features 

 of the country, both geographical and topographical, 

 make the climate of Scotland so dependent on local | large and urgent— so 



in general, and showing how far they 



trate the peculiarities of that of the British Isles. S. 



It will be seen by our advertising columns, that 

 the anniversary dinner of the Gardeners' Benevo- 

 lent Institution takes place on Monday, the 9th of 

 June, under the presidency of Mr. Paxton, whose 

 name will, doubtless, have the effect of inducing a 

 large attendance. Let us hope that the charity will 

 benefit considerably on the occasion. 



This institution has, as it deserves to have, our 

 warmest support ; and so long as its management is 

 confided to persons such as those who constitute 

 the committee, there is every hope of its success. 



the charity are so 



The claims, however, upon 



much, 



indeed, beyond the 



causes, that it need not be further alluded to in means as yet at the command of the committee, 



connection with that of England. It is equally 

 unnecessary to pursue the inquiry into the different 

 climates of Europe in this place, although a subject 

 of deep interest in itself, as well as in contrast to 

 our own. 



In addition to the foregoing observations, it is 

 important to point out that in the climate of the 

 whole of our south and west coasts, two distinct 

 physical principles seem to be at work : viz., the 

 increase of temperature towards the westward, and 

 the direct and peculiar influence of the sea air. The 

 first of these principles is simply due to the effect 

 of geographical position with regard to the prevalent 

 winds, the gulf stream, &c. ; the second, more 

 obscure, seems to proceed from some chemical 

 operation connected with oceanic exhalations, whose 

 subtle and intangible powers can, in our present 

 knowledge of atmospheric chemistry, only be appre- 

 ciated by their effects. 



The first of these principles has been sufficiently 

 explained, but the second requires some elucidation. 

 The first is limited to the western districts, in their 

 full extent ; the second seems perceptible, though 

 within a very narrow line, along the entire southern 



to the bleak shores of Dover 



that we must once more appeal to the higher classes 

 of the community for aid to an institution founded 

 for the support of deserving men, who have largely 

 contributed to their pleasure, an£ worn out their 

 strength in their service. The remuneration of a 

 very large number of gardeners is such as to render 

 it almost impossible for those having families to 

 bring up and educate to make an adequate provision 

 for old age, or for the infirmities to which we are all 

 liable, but to which gardeners are peculiarly exposed, 

 from the nature of their calling. 



Let us hope, too, that gardeners themselves, if in 

 a position to afford a guinea a year, will at once 

 subscribe to the charity. Should they be so fortu- 

 nate as never to require the aid of this institution, 

 they will have so much the more to be thankful for. 

 They must also remember, that if by necessity they 

 should be compelled to fall back upon the Society 

 for assistance, priority of subscription will now 

 give them a claim above those who do not subscribe. 

 This is clearly stated in the 6th rule of the charity, 

 and is so obviously just, that we have always felt 

 surprised that it should not have been a fundamental 

 regulation from the very beginning. 



coast, even to the bleak shores of Dover and 

 Brighton. 



It is in consequence of this chemical influence of 

 proximity to the sea that, independent of tempera- 

 ture, certain plants can be better grown and flowered 

 there than inland, even under glass ; while others, 

 especially Alpines and Ferns, seldom succeed well 

 near the sea. Thus, also, some plants seem to 

 change their nature when growing within the sea- 

 breeze, as Stocks, Wallflowers, Senecio elegans, &c, 

 which become succulent and brittle as a Mesem- 

 bryanthemum. This chemical influence probably 

 acts both directly by its salts and moisture, and indi- 

 rectly through them, so as to modify the tempera- 

 ture and prevent exsiccation in weather apparently 

 dry. Hence, in such situations, the constant but 

 slow vegetation ; hence the tardy ripening of fruits, | 

 though excellent in quality when ripened. 



The inland districts, however, alternate with the 

 coasts in some of their advantages. The same wind 

 that drives a rolling fog in from sea, till it stops at 

 the first hills, will often give a fine bright day inland ; 

 while a November fog inland is often a perfect 

 summer's day on the coast. 



Let any one, in an ordinary winter, cross the 

 country diagonally from some central point of the 

 midland counties, towards the west or south-west 

 coasts. Starting from the plateau of Warwickshire or 

 Leicestershire, and leaving the country as far as 

 Birmingham covered with snow, a sensible decrease 

 of cold will be felt on descending into the vale of 

 the Severn. The Malvern hills will have the ap- 

 pearance of Alps, but on passing them the hills of 

 Herefordshire will be seen only capped with snow 

 as m that county and in Monmouthshire the difference 

 of climate begins to tell. Proceeding further 

 towards Wales, the mountains, though higher, will 

 probably show less snow, and at last on the hills 

 near the Severn sea, there will be none at all. 



i T ? wn iW ]^ e from the south-midland 

 plateau of Wilts and Berks. A similar falling off of 



^i\^\°. f T ter wiU be m ^ if est ; snow covering 

 all Wiltshire, decreasing in Gloucester and Somerset 

 reappearing on the hills only of Dorset and Devon' 

 and expiring on Dartmoor. 



But in a rigorous winter, the case is, in appear- 

 ance, reversed; there is then more snow in the 

 western counties than in the midland or east. 

 Then their habitually suspended moisture is, owing 

 to an unusually low temperature, and to the nature 

 of the country, precipitated in squalls and drifts of 

 snow of great depth, and is altogether a worse 

 visitation to the inhabitants than when spread as a 

 carpet over the rest of England. In return, it 

 seldom lasts long m the south and west. 



ORCHIDS FOR THE MILLION.— No. III. 



By T. Williams, Gardener toC. B. Warner, Esq., Hoddesdon. 



On the Cultivation of Tropical Orchids — Among 

 Orchids some are termed terrestrial, by reason of their 

 growing in earth ; such as the plants of the genera Phaius, 

 Calanthe, Bletia, Cyrtopodium, Cypripedium, &c.-— all 

 derive nourishment from the ground. Epiphytes, the 

 other grea^t class, inhabit trees, from which, however, 

 they derive little or no nourishment. These are by far 

 the most numerous and most interesting. They are 

 found adhering to the arms of living trees, whilst some of 

 them delight in very elevated situations upon high trees. 

 Others, again, grow upon low trees, some on rocks and 

 mountains, some on trees overhanging a river, and some 

 near dripping rocks. The latter, of course, require 

 a particularly damp atmosphere to grow in ; others are 

 found in woods, where scarcely any sun can penetrate ; 

 these like a shady moist atmosphere, whilst those in 

 more elevated situations do not need so much shade as 

 the last. A knowledge of the different habitats of the 

 various species is essential to the careful grower, so 

 that he may, as far as his means permit, imitate their 

 natural mode of growth ; and it is, perhaps, to some 

 inattention to this point that the want of success in the 

 culture of some of the Orchidaceous plants, by even the 

 most successful of our cultivators, is to be attributed. 



Mode op Potting and the Materials to be used. 

 — When the season of rest is over, many kinds will 

 require repotting, but I have not confined my practice 

 to that time only ; no season can be dermined on abso- 

 lutely as the proper one for this operation. The months 

 of February and March are the best time to pot some 

 of them, that is, after the resting season. Those that 

 do not need potting should be top-dressed with good 

 fibrous peat, removing the old soil from the top without 

 breaking the root of the plants. This also affords the 

 means of getting rid of many insects which harbour in 

 the old soil. The pots should be thoroughly cleansed 

 from the mould, moss, and dirt, too often seen covering 

 those in which Orchids are growing. Previously to pot- 

 ting the plants, they should not receive any water for 

 four or five days. Some, however, should be potted at 

 a period somewhat later, viz., just as they begin to grow. 

 All the species of the genera Phaius, Calanthe, Dendro- 

 bium, Stanhopea, Cyrtopodium, Brassia, Miltonia, 

 Sobralia, Bletia, Oncidium, and many others, require 

 this treatment. Lselias, Cattleyas, Saccolabiums, 

 Aerides, Vandas, and similar plants, should be potted 

 just before the commencement of their growing season 

 The chief point to be attended to in all potting is that 

 the pots be well drained ; the best material for drainage 

 is potsherds or charcoal. | Before potting, be particular 

 to have the pots perfectly clean inside and out, and the 

 broken potsherds should be washed ; after this is done 

 select a pot according to the size of the plant • do not 

 give them too much pot room. Some plants will' require 

 shifting once a year ; others it will not be necessary to 



nor is the , \ °l tener than . ™ ce ' m two or ^ree years ; but if a 



accompanying cold so severe. Short frosts even P becomes sickly or soddened with wet, the best 



when sharp, are one of the advantages of the T ay to bnng lt into a health y sta te is to turn it out of 



western climate. the P ot ° r basket, and wash the roots carefully with some 



A future opportunity may occur for pointing out f c ; eaa / at€r ^ c " ttiD f off wdi of the fibres as are dead ; 



*>me of the characteristics of the climate of eL^ k • ***P°\ it, not gmng it mU ch water till the plant 



ui tue cnmate ol Europe j begins to make fresh roots. The best pots are those in 





ordinary 



not^u my opinion, so gooI^S ^£ 





In potting large plants there should ^ l_ 

 put in the bottom of the lar* e on . J? * *** 

 potsherds or charcoal broken" ud im' n the ? fiIl »fi 

 2 inches square, for large plants -smirS^ 

 not have pieces so large ; then intrrui,, p ^ to *■* 

 within 3 & 4 inches o°f the 4^3tej2*3 

 ft layer of moss to prevent the peat fromX** 

 drainage, and to let the water p^ ff nl^f*?*. 

 of great importance, and if it i 8 not \ tt ^f. "*» 

 water will become stagnant, and the soil «m to * 

 is fatal to the growth of the nlant v\l _ ?• *** 



Plant. The grand 



be observed in the successful culture of ol??^ 

 well as of other plants, is good draina^S* 





that it is hopeless to keep the plants" 1™^* 

 healthy condition. The best material for * l 

 the different kinds of epiphytes in is 2,^^*5 

 fibrous peat and sphagnum moss ; after this a l/°* 

 moss is applied, then fill up with peat. This ah Mil 

 broken into lumps about the size of a hen' 

 always use broken potsherds or charcoal mix?-* 

 the peat The plant should be elevated above fa * 

 of the pot 2 or 3 inches, taking care to have all 1 

 pseudo-bulbs above the soil ; then put some peat on a! 

 top of the roots so as to cover them, employing »w 

 small pegs to keep the soil firmly on the pot. J£ 

 the plants are potted I fix a stick in the centre tffc 

 plant, to keep it firm. In shifting I carefully ju! 

 off all the old soil I can without injuring the roota TS 

 careful not to give too much water at first ; bat ife 

 the plants begin to make more root, they may J^ . 

 good supply. The best material for those in btsfejg % 

 sphagnum moss and broken potsherds. The buktt 

 should suit the size of the plant ; but do not have it too 

 large, for it will not last more than two or three van. 

 at which time, probably, the plant will require shifS 

 into a larger one. There should be placed a hw5 

 moss at the bottom of the basket, then a few pofc. 

 herds, then fill up with moss and potsherds mixed 

 Take the plants carefully out of the old basket, with* 

 breaking the roots, shake off all old moss, place the 

 plant on the new material, about level with the top d 



the basket; put a stick in the centre,to keep it firm, ani 

 finish by giving a gentle watering. 



Those plants that require wood to grow upon should 

 have moss attached to the blocks, if by experience they 

 are found to require it ; some, however, do better on 

 bare blocks, but tlien they need more moisture, as they 

 are then entirely dependent on what is obtained from 

 the atmosphere. In fastening them firmly on the block 

 have some copper nails and drive them into the kW 

 then with copper wire secure the plants firmly to the 

 wood. As soon as they make fresh roots they wi 

 cling to the block, and the wire may be taken away. 



The Material for Terrestrial Orchids.-T1i« 

 require a stronger compost than the epiphytal km& 

 They should be potted just when they begin to pot, 

 after the resting season ; they do not need so nnek 

 drainage as Epiphytes. The compost I use for thems 

 turfy loam chopped into pieces about the size of i Wal- 

 nut, leaf-mould, and a little rotten cow-dung ; these j* 

 all mixed well together. The plants require a go* 

 sized pot ; put about 2 inches of drainage at the boW, 

 on that a layer of moss, then some of then* 

 peat, and finish with the compost above-mentioned; plw 

 the plant 1 inch below the rim of the pot ; watff 

 sparingly at first, but when the plants are about 6 mem 

 high they may have a good supply. 



No. XVI. 



Ii*» 



NOTES OF A TRAVELLER. 



Tub Glycine sinensis, and where « ^ 

 wild.— In the end of May, when the Uverw 

 Mail" puts these notes into your hands, tne 

 Glycine, or Wistaria chinensis, will be in full WW* 

 Chiswick, and in many other English g ardenS V . „* 

 introduced, as your readers know, to m *Pf" 

 Canton-that of a Chinese merchant named UnWj 

 but it is not indigenous to the south of« fc- 

 rarely seen in perfection there. Indeed, the nap 

 of its being perfectly hardy in England S ho»s* 

 that it has a more northern origin. ^ ^ 



Before the last war with China, foreigners ^e ^ 

 fined to narrow limits about Canton and aww* ^ 

 they had no means of knowing »7 tnm ^ tes & 

 hardy plants of the north, which tfiey ^em 

 with in gardens, and introduced to h ur ope. ^ , 



ever, we can prosecute our botanical rese ^ ^ 

 country which is nearly a thousand *"*'£. fe m 

 northeast, and at many other P^^Jg ^ * 

 that line of coast. The island of Koo m » ^ 

 example, near Amoy, was taken by -oui «W ^ 

 the war, and occupied by them for ^^J * 

 ing to treaty, until a portion of the ranso ^ 



paid. It seemed to have been a place _ * 



many of the mandarins and P«**J^J an d p^ 

 peaceful times, and boasted of its *" & e s ** 



fish ponds. When I first saw 2«g£e «*£ 

 mostly in a ruinous condition, and ^e eg w - 



the fatal effects of war. Many beautiim p ^ ^ 



tinued to grow and sc 



ever, still continued to g TOW ,T^7he *&*?* 

 the ruined walls. Captain Hall, of W ^ fofl dJ 



who was stationed there for some ^'.^g out * JJ 

 botany, and took great pleasure ^ in f nunbleft 

 all the plants which he wetwi* in mor ning ^ 

 have good news for you," said he, o ^ ^m 

 I met him ; "come with ™ .*« d J l ic h 1 ** ** 

 most beautiful plant on the island, wi 















