•*— 18~> 



THE GARDENKUS' CHRONICLE. 



4 37 



that 



^rh in ■ptstnbefr. 

 rTjlre is little wind, thev occasi 



** 



^fc in October. After this, they are no more 



season that the " agitation" commences 



It 



the caged-birds left behind ; of which, as promised 



hereafter. 



wo old her© remark, that several observant corre- 



in the English catalogues, there are many in the lie 

 which are not grown in this country, several being 

 imported from the Isle of Bourbon mid other French 

 settlements, or obtained from the foreign collectors. Of 

 the two collections at the Jardin des Plantes and at the 



anxious 



wpi this bird discoursing 

 ^_«i » I unhesitatingly answ 



of her nest of its callow brood, by the ruthless 

 heartless robber : — 



Hark ! How the nightingale laments 

 Her roin'd care, —too delicately framed 

 To brook tr e bar»h confinement of the cage ! 

 Oft when, returning with her loaded bill. 

 The astoni&b'd mother find* a racant nest, 

 Bj to* bard band of unrelenting clowns 

 Robb'd,— to tbe ground her vain provision falls ! 

 Her visions ruffle, and, low drooping, scarce 

 Ob £e* r th* summer to the Poplar shade ; 

 Where, all abandoned to despair, she sings 

 UsT sorrows through the night ; and on tbe bough 

 goJt iittiog, *tlU t at every dying fall, 

 Tsaas np again her lamentable strain 

 Of winding woe ; till, wide around, the woods 

 Sigh to her song, and with her toail resound ! n 



Tho» sings our sweet poet — Thomson. Too well do I 

 too often, alas ! have I verified the truth of his 

 akgant poetic sketch. 

 Little more now remains to be said. When you feed 



Cr branchers and nestlings on German paste, remem- 

 slways to rub in with it hard-boiled yolk of egg, a 

 little bruised Hemp-seed, and some sponge-cake. Be 

 careful not to use a Sterry's" German paste, but that 

 which is made with honey instead of treacle ; the latter 

 being far too gross for their digestion. If ever you have 

 occMton to handle your birds, hold them securely, but 

 sroid all undue pressure ; and never keep them longer 

 in your warm hand than is absolutely necessary. Their 

 structure is curiously delicate, and the machinery of 

 their body is very easily destroyed. 



One word more. I take it for granted that you wish 

 your nightingales to sing by candle light. To ensure 

 this, let them, from September until the following spring, 

 bang in one particular spot in the room where you sit. 

 When they become used to this, they will feel quite at 

 home and happy. To change their position, would 

 perhaps unsettle them for months to come ! So singular 

 are the fancies, and so peculiar are the habits of this 

 truly extraordinary bird. 



Some people aver that the song of the nightingale is 

 not the same by day as it is by night. The fact is, it is 

 listened to under distinctly different feelings. There can 

 be no doubt that it is more effective by night, because 

 all nature is in a state of repose, and our minds are under 

 different influences. The strain, however, is virtually 

 the same, and every note is a volume. It is not often 

 that one meets with a kindred spirit in the appreciation 

 of this bird's song. We want a few more Izaak Waltons 

 amongst us. Methinks I see the good old Izaak, rod in 

 htod, setting out at early dawn for the river's brink, 



Philomel the while enchanting him with his morning 

 hymn :— . 



" Tbe itars were out — the sky wag full of them, 

 Dotted with worlds. The land was all asleep." 



1 Lord ! n exclaimed he, raising his eyes aloft in the fulness 

 of his overflowing heart — " What music hast thou pro- 

 vided for the saints in heaven, when thou givest bad men 

 such music on earth I* William Kidd, New Road, 



Bammt rsmxth. 



Luxembourg, the first appeared to be cultivated with 

 most care, but the collection at the latter garden was 

 the largest ; though it does not appear that much atten- 

 tion is bestowed on their cultivation. At the Jardin des 

 Plantes there was one marked Centrosia rosea coming 

 into flower, said to be handsome, and several others, the 

 names of which I do not find in the ordinary catalogues 

 of the English nurserymen. Dodman. 



ORCHIDS FOR THE MILLION. 



By B. S. Williams ?r to C. B. Wabneb. Esq . Hoddesdon. 



(This will be continued in our next Number.) 



FOREIGN GARDEN GLEANINGS. 



(Pabisj 



Being in Paris for a few days at Easter, I was 

 anxious to see any collections of Orchidaceous plants 

 which were accessible ; a friend procured for us per- 

 cussion to see the collection of M. Pescatore, at the 

 Chateau de la Celle St. Cloud, near St. Germains, and 

 which you have more than once noticed in the Gardeners 9 

 Chronicle* We were very kindly received by the proprie- 

 tor, who, with Mr. Luddeman, the director, showed us 

 the plants. The collection is very large. In the printed 

 Catalogue, the number of species and varieties enume- 

 rated is 783 ; and in the interleaved copy there are 

 dearly 200 more added. As far as I was able to judge, 

 the plants were well grown, and the collection in general 

 appeared very healthy and remarkably free from insects. 

 Perhaps the use of a more fibrous peat (like that which 

 *oost growers in this country procure from Messrs. 

 Veitch, of Exeter), would be found beneficial ; and I 

 ttoak that the plants grown in the collection of Mr. 

 Hucker, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Hanbury have the 

 •Ppearance of being exposed to more air and light than 

 those of M. Pescatore. There were several plants in 

 Jower, amongst others a magnificent specimen of 

 J^endrobium fimbriatum (purchased of Mr. Cox), Chysis 

 hractescenB, Arpophyllum giganteum or spicatum ; Odon- 

 toglossum naevium, (the two last obtained from Messrs. 

 Hollisson, and very beautiful), &c. I observed, both in 

 this collection and in those of the Jardin des Plantes 

 *°d of the gardens of the Luxembourg, many of the 

 P*ats had seed-pods, the flowers having been artificially 

 impregnated. I did not, however, learn whether the 

 ^utjvators had been successful in raising plants from 

 ^d ; I only saw one house, at M. Pescatore's ; either 

 there was another, which we did not see, or he stated 

 »«8 intention of building a second house ; but as we had 

 *rnved late and hungry, and had to return to Paris 

 *p dinner, we had only time for a very cursory inspec- 

 tion of this vast collection. * 



la addition to almost every plant which is to be found 



Home Correspondence. 



Cheltenham Horticultural Show, — On perusing your 

 Paper of the 5th instant, I see a letter from Mr. William 

 Davidson, one of the judges at the Cheltenham Horti- 

 cultural Show, held on the 11th June last. Though 

 perfectly right in the main, yet, from being a stranger 

 to the place, he has fallen into one or two errors, which, 

 with your permission, I will try to rectify. The article 

 he refers to, in the " Cottage Gardener," cannot apply 

 to any shows held under the management of the Chel- 

 tenham Horticultural Society, as has, I think, been 

 clearly shown in a letter to that journal of July 3d ; but 

 as there appears to ; be a great deal "of confusion and 

 misunderstanding relative to the Cheltenham shows, I 

 will, if possible, put them in their true light. Tli 

 Cheltenham Horticultural Society has been established 

 for many years, and held its five or six meetings 

 annually, which were mostly of a local character, and 

 seldom heard of beyond the county. Last year, how- 

 ever, some of the leading inhabitants of the town formed 

 a committee, and raised a subscription, as a means to 

 revive the amusements and attraction of Cheltenham 

 as a watering-place, &c, and one way in which 

 they disposed of part of the money so collected* was, 

 in giving 200Z. in prizes for a Grand Monster Show 

 or Horticultural Fete, to be held at the Old Wells, 

 on the 20th of June in that year. This fete took 

 place, and proved highly successful, and the lessees 

 of the Spa (encouraged by their former profits) (lis 

 year advertised a similar one, which they held on their 

 own account as a private speculation, and which took 

 place on the 19th of June last. The Committee of the 

 Horticultural Society had nothing to do with either of (he 

 fetes, though attempts were made to unite them, but 

 from circumstances that I need not enter into without 

 success. Some of the members of the Society, seeing 

 that if good prizes were offered, that a far superior 

 exhibition might in future be calculated upon, took the 

 matter in hand, and made considerable alterations in the 

 rules of the Society, reducing the number of shows to 

 three instead of five or six, and removing many of the 

 restrictions that existed under the old rules, and by great 

 exertion considerably increased — nearly doubled' — the 

 number of their subscribers, by which means they were 

 enabled to advertise a schedule amounting to about 150/. 

 for the three shows. The first, held under the new manage- 

 ment on the 8th of May, proved eminently successful, and 

 gave great satisfaction. Upwards of 901. was taken by the 

 sale of tickets for that day only (nearly four times the 

 amount ever taken before), and the collection of Orchids, 

 stove, and greenhouse plants was most satisfactory. 

 The second fete took place on the 12th of June, but 

 owing to the proprietors of the Old Wells having 

 arranged to have their fete on the 1 9th inst , seven days 

 afterwards, and offering 200/. in prizes, many of the 

 usual competitors of the Horticultural Shows held baclc 

 their best plants, or did not send them at all, in hopes of 

 gaining the larger amount of money the week following. 

 Hence, the reason why Mr. Davidson remarks, " in fact, 

 taking them altogether, I never saw a more indifferent 

 lot at any provincial exhibition, &c." The committee 

 of the Society have but one object in new, and that is 

 to raise the Society to the highest point, and to make 

 their shows (as stated in the letter above referred to 

 in the u Cottage Gardener ") to be m the first and most 

 attractive out of London." The strictures in that journal 

 evidently refer to the show held at the Old Well, in June, 

 1850. The above is a simple statement of facts, 

 and I defy contradiction ; and if you will favour me with 

 a space in your journal for the above somewhat long 

 (but unavoidably so) letter, I shall feel obliged. P.S. Mr. 

 Davidson has fallen into an unintentional error, when 

 he supposes that the Society pays carriage of the speci- 

 mens ; they wish, and, I think, do act with every libe- 

 rality, tyut the want of means prevent them from doing 

 the above. Yerax. 



Fleming's Tar Paint. — Having a quantity of iron 

 fencing, hurdles, &c, which require dressing with some 

 composition to prevent corrosion, and likewise to give 

 them a decent appearance, I was disposed previous to 

 the correspondence of " L. L.;' to adopt Mr. Fleming's 

 system of tarring, which is evidently advantageous both 

 for present and future economy when applied as Mr. F. 

 advises. But as the system has failed with " L. L." 

 from some unknown cause, the idea suggests itself 

 that it may also fail with me and others, except we can 

 benefit by his failure and take precautionary measures. 

 The evidence of other parties is now solicited to 

 confirm its merits— or vice versa ; and if " L. L." would 

 oblige by stating precisely the plan he followed, it 

 would assist materially in arriving at a fair conclusion, 

 as to the cause of failure, &c. I will otier the following 





• 



questions for his consideration ; which, 1 believe, un- 

 brace the more important details to be observed for 

 securing success in using the *tar." Was the iron 

 ru«ty when tarred ? perfectly dry ! the weather warm ? 

 and the tar boiling hot ! and were th proportions used 

 those which Mr. F. recommends, viz., two-thirds gas, 

 and one-third Stockholm-tar! Every one must duly 

 appreciate Mr. Fleming's zeal to economise labour, and 

 more especially those who have almost endless iron 

 fences, gravel-walks, and extensive gardens to manage. 

 IF. ft E^ Gloucester. 



Forcing Peaches. — In a letter we have received, 

 " J. M.." of Earleston Gardens, near Birmingham, offers 

 the following statements for the consideration of 

 " Curiosus," who criticised an article written on this sub- 

 ject by ■ J. M V some time ago. The latter is of opinion 

 that many of the golden rules handed down to us by our 

 forefathers cannot yet be well dispensed with, although 

 some of their practices have been much improved upon 

 by modern gardeners. m Jf m ML* asks "Curiosus," 

 what the consequence would be of giving water in mode- 

 rate or immoderate quantities to the vegetable kingdom, 

 say at any time, and he further enquires if the latter, 

 by way of experiment, never started his early Peach- 

 house at a given temperature, maintaining the same for 

 nearly three weeks until three-fourths of the buds had 

 dropped off, and then reduced the heat 10** in order to 

 save what remained of a crop. He considers that these 

 inquiries form the best answer to "Curiosus"' remarks. 



Our London G<irdens. — I have sent you a specimen of 

 the black grub which infests the garden in Oxford- 

 square. I observed it last year ; tad during the present 

 season it has prevailed to such an extent, that many quart 

 measures have been gathered. It lives just below the 

 surface, and eats into tbe stems of plants near the roots. 

 Almost every Pink, Carnation, Sweet-william, White- 

 rocket, and Thrift (Sea Pink), has been destroyed, and I 

 believe a great portion of the annuals. The gardener 

 has been incessantly employed in collecting the grubs. 

 Can you tell me what it is ? and what is the most likely 

 mode of extirpation In another pot, I send some lumps 

 of rape-cake, which I placed round Pinks and Carnations; 

 in consequence of seeing the article on the destruction of 

 wire-worm, in the last Number of the Royal Agricul- 

 tural Journal, by J. M. H. Chamoek. The lumps, 

 within a week of being placed in the ground, appear to 

 become a nidus for the worm ; but 1 fear they only give 

 facilities for its increase. I have not perceived that any 

 of the worms show symptoms of disease or death ; on 

 the contrary each lump swarms with them and their 

 young. /. W. [The black grubs which infest the 

 squares of London at this season, in such great numbers 

 as to be a perfect pest, are the full-grown larvae of the 

 common daddy long-legs, Tipula oleracea. As they feed 

 upon the roots of growing vegetables only, they are not 

 attracted by the Rape-cake, the small insects in which 

 are not the young of the black grubs (which are not able 

 to reproduce their kind until they have arrived at the 

 winged state), but are the larva? of various small two- 

 winged flies and beetles. We know no better plan of 

 extirpating these insects than employing children to 

 catch and kill them in the winged state. W.] 



New Mode of Glazing. — Near the boiler-house, at the 

 Great Exhibition, is a greenhouse, contributed by Mr. 

 A. Kent, of Chichester, showing a contrivance by which 

 the glass is fixed by India rubber and screws, instead of 

 putty. The advantage of this invention consists in the 

 facility it affords for painting and repairs, by the easy 

 removal of the glass, which renders this kind of glazing 

 useful for any plant or other structure requiring full 

 or partial exposure during the summer months. The 

 house in question is worthy inspection by those inte- 

 rested in horticultural buildings. A Subscriber. 



Seeds (seep. 310). — I observe that one of your corre- 

 spondents has complained of having to pay 2d. per 

 paper for various seeds which he had bought at a shop 

 in or near Exeter, and that the man assured him that 

 they rarely made up such cheap packets. I should 

 think not, indeed. But your correspondent took the 

 seed home, and spent his valuable time weighing the 

 quantity, &c, and implied that he had got a very scanty 

 allowance for his paltry 2d. What would he have ? a 

 tradesman's time and paper and string and trouble and 

 seed, with a character for genuineness to depend upon 

 all for nothing t Does he consider what the produce of 

 that seed is, and how large a patch of beautiful flowers 

 he gets for his money ? Does he know that some seeds 

 are worth many guineas an ounce. I regret that your 

 quick eyesight allowed such a letter to pass without 

 comment. The value of seed of all sorts should never 

 be considered if you can have it pure and genuine, as 

 the increased value of the produce upon the original 

 outlay is so enormous — and of course the risk equally in 

 proportion. What with roguery and unfair competition 

 and the cheap mania, the seed; trade is bad enough, 

 without such worthless complaints as those of your cor- 

 respondent. Northwood. 



Kitchen Gardening. — The following are my ideas of a 

 kitchen garden as applicable to myself, and probably not 

 inapplicable to others. My kitchen garden is an old 

 exhausted one, surrounded by timber, not desirable to 

 dispense with, nor now economical in cultivation. 

 Admitting that it is expedient to form a new one, 

 although it may not altogether suit the pocket, I 

 castle-build to make a new one, and I lay down certain 

 premises for the formation of my structure. In these 

 days of easy communication, bought articles are often 

 the cheapest, therefore too large a garden is expensive ; 

 but many articles are not so well in perfection when pur- 

 chased for the tableas those grown on the premises. I will 



