4S(> 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



foliage, together with the gentle rippling of the 



presented^ 

 1 saw it, a coup d\e'd, truly astonishing, 



far 

 in 

 In 



urn 



easier to be imagined than described, and evincing, 

 its whole arrangement, the most consummate taste, 

 an able review of Fitch and Hooker's correct and 

 elegant work, " Victoria Regia, or Illustrations of the 

 Royal Water Lily," which appears in the last number 

 of the Athen&um, an interesting connection between that 

 lovely plant and the Palace of Glass, in Hyde-park, is 

 alluded to, and it is suggested that, as a memorial of the 

 fact, and of a triumph of horticultural art, a space in 

 that building should be devoted to a tank, in which the 

 plant aptly and correctly described as " The Empress 

 of the Waters of the New World," might exhibit its 

 wonderful and beautiful structure. It is in furtherance 

 of this happy idea that I have ventured to address you, 

 and I verily believe that its adoption, on a sufficiently 

 large scale to admit the growth of the Victoria with that 

 of other charming aquatics, and thus afford the effective 

 contrast I have so faintly delineated, would meet with 



ersal approval. Nay, I would not despair of 

 including amongst the foremost of its admirers that 

 fine specimen of genuine old English feeling — the 

 honourable and gallant member for Lincoln himself. 

 B., Gloucester, July 29. 



Potato Crops at the Antipodes. — Though the Potato 

 disease appears to have been comparatively mild in its 

 character during the season of 1850, still, from the 

 Gardeners? Chronicle, and other papers recently received, 

 it appears to have existed, especially in Ireland and 

 Scotland, to an extent sufficient to have excited serious 

 fears for the safety of the crop. The same vague causes 

 were being suggested, the same innumerable remedies 

 propounded, denoting the same imperfect knowledge of 

 the origin and nature of the disease, which has charac- 

 terised its progress from the period of its first appear- 

 ance. On glancing over the numerous reports furnished, 

 it occurred to me that it might interest the readers of 

 the Chronicle to learn the state of the crop at the 

 Antipodes, especially, reaching you, as this will, at a 

 season when alternate hopes and fears pervade the mind 

 of everyone interested in the crop of 1851. Not only, 

 then, have the varieties of Potatoes long in cultivation 

 in New Zealand maintained, unimpaired, their primitive 

 vigour, but even those recently brought from Britain 

 have never shown the slightest symptoms of disease ; 

 for I had an opportunity of seeing most luxuriant crops, 

 produced from Potatoes brought by the pensioners seat 

 out by Government in 1847. The varieties were 

 English Reds, Scotch Pink Eyes, and Irish Cups, the 

 growth of 1846, a season in which everyone familiar 

 with these varieties knows there was not a single, full- 

 grown, sound Potato obtainable in the United Kingdom. 

 These must, therefore, have contained within them the 

 germs of disease, endured the vicissitudes of climate 

 peculiar to a New Zealand voyage, and were cut, 

 manured, and planted in a soil similar to that from 

 winch they came. At first they came forth weakly, but 

 they soon acquired vigour, and ultimately produced an 

 abundant crop, free from the slightest spot or blemish 

 indicative of parental debility. Wm. Wilson, Gardener^ 

 Aw.-klaad, New Zealand, April 7, 1851. 



Pi TreeBl ht. — Last summer two of my healthiest 

 Peach trees were suddenly attacked by a new species 

 of blight. The extreme branches of these two trees, 

 and only where they met each other, lost their leaves ; 

 the other parts of the trees remaining in perfect health.' 

 Towards the latter end of May, this year, the same 

 parts of these two trees were similarly affected, and the 

 blight extended to a young and very healthy tree which 

 I had planted between them. All these trees had nearly 

 recovered their vigour, and I particularly remarked 

 their flourishing condition on Saturday the 19th of July. 

 On the following Monday the three trees, in the same 

 parte, were smitten as if boiling water had been 

 •prinkled on them ; and in four different places of my 

 Peach wall I discovered the same appearance. The 

 leaves in the parts affected have now nearly all fallen 

 off m a perfectly green state, except where the spots 

 appear, and even the points of the branches are dead. 

 The strange part of the story is, that the blight begin- 

 ning at the top of a high wall, extends quite to the 

 ground in one or two instances, not reaching in width 

 above a foot and a half, the branches on either side 

 remaining as healthy as before; but every leaf, almost 

 Without exception, is affected in the course of the blight 

 I send you two or three leaves, and will only state 

 further that this is now the third time, I have seen 

 exactly similar spots on the leaves, and that in a day or 

 two after the appearance, most of the leaves fall off 

 Some of the shoots attacked are nearly, if not quite, 

 three feet long, of the year's growth, and no trees can 

 be more free from either aphis or red spider. I have 

 seen the Peach trees in a garden five miles from this 

 place, suffering from the same blight. I oi lit to add 

 that a few of the infected leaves, both last year and 

 this spring, remained on the trees, the brown spot in a 

 day or two drying up, and leaving a hole in its place. 

 /. P. L., Wootton Petitory, Northampton, Jwly 28 

 [Thin curious case is unattended by a trace of mildew! 

 The midribs become brown and dead, and some of the 

 lateral veins are in the same condition, while here and 

 there circular spots also die and become bvown all the 

 rest of the leaf remaining fresh and healthy. The veins 

 proceeding from the brown spots to the midrib are 

 Sightly discoloured All this leads to the inference 

 that tb njury is produced by something absorbed by the 

 roots, and carried along in the venous system of the 

 tousle. Such appearances might be produced bv noison 



alternate 



end showed the appearance of tu ,*•**«■ 

 spadix. This specimen 'a i " ld ^3^ 

 Neill, Cannonmills £^L *? *• *£> 

 Antirrhinum mains ^A' * A 



by five IM*J!^ 



*trosity of white Jsgit^S J^W^ 



composed of several united, and^* J 



Is it possible that these trees have been poisoned, either 

 accidentally or intentionally.] 



Tall-growing Fuclmas. — I am so pleased with the 

 beauty of Fuchsia corallina, covering a wall nearly 10 

 feet high, that I wish to learn, through the medium of 

 the Clironide, if any of the new large flowering light 

 varieties are likely to attain the same altitude on a 

 south wall in a mild part of Devonshire. Corallina is, 

 I believe, a cross from Radieans, and, therefore, most 

 robust in its habit, which the pale ones generally are 

 not ; as there may, however, be exceptions, will any 

 reader kindly give me the names of three or four of the ^_ 



newest light varieties, which are likely to suit my pur- Botany, King's College, Aberdee^*-^^ ^^i * 

 pose, I am also anxious to have the experience of some " A fow daw «.«„ „n_-_ . > ^ whith k. _ * 



florist as to the capabilities of the scarlet Crassula 

 (Kalosanthes coccinea) as a bedding plant for the 

 garden— is it really effective as regards abundance of 

 flowers and duration in producing them ? A Devonian. 



The Nightingale. — I must be allowed to doubt the 

 correctness of the information given to your corre- 

 spondent " Northwood " as to the nightingale having 

 been heard at Torquay. I have made every inquiry, 

 and can find nobody who can corroborate the statement. 

 I cannot help thinking that the ladies were deceived by 

 the notes of the nightlark, which, I believe, is the wood- 

 lark of the eastern counties, which sings most charm- 

 ingly the whole night through, scarcely inferior indeed 

 to the mellow nightingale. The latter, I believe, is 

 I never heard in either Dorsetshire or Somersetshire ; 



assuredly not in Devon or Cornwall ; but, then, partly 

 to compensate us for our loss, our blackbirds and 

 thrushes sing more joyously, and earlier and later, than 

 in other parts, from the absence of cold weather. Nor 

 have I ever heard the nightlark sing here as he does in 

 the far west. Our missel thrush (in Cornish vernacular, 

 holm-screech) pours forth its enlivening notes almost 

 in mid-winter. I cannot pretend to account for the 

 absence of the nightingale (though I may pity its taste) 

 any more than I can the absence from Cornwall of the 

 Mistletoe, though it grows sparingly on the borders of 

 Devon and Cornwall ; near Launceston (in Tetcott 

 parish), Cowslips are nearly equally rare, though I 

 have found them in the parishes of St. Breoke and St. 

 Minver, and adjoining country ; but, then, our Prim- 

 roses make ample amends, inasmuch that our hedges 

 are in early spring one sheet of delicate yellow, gaily 

 enlivened by Dog Violets, Orchis mascula, the Star of 

 the Woods, the Wood Sorrel, and Wood Anemone. 

 These, with the top growth of the white flowers of the 

 Blackthorn and the golden Furze, complete a floral 

 group worth going a journey to see, while the foliage 

 of the abundant Ferns fills in the spaces in place of the 

 yet unborn foliage. Chynoiveth, Corniuall. 



Royal South London Fforicnfavral Society. — At the last 

 exhibition of this Society, there was an extra prize offered 

 ior wild flowery by W. P. Iliff, Esq. ; and as a competitor for 

 the award, I be^ to claim a few lines in your journal, as I, with 

 many others, do not consider that I was fairly dealt by in 

 the matter, for the opinion was very general that I ought to 

 have had the medal. I would venture to augpest, that in tuture, 

 the donor, who appears to be also the judge, should state more 

 explicitly what it is he means by the best collection. It is a 

 prize given by a Floricubural Society, and any r< ;nable man 

 would argue, that it was given with the view of bringing into 

 notice wiJd flowers, worthy of cultivation ; and with such a 

 view, I exhibited a collection, and it was acknowledged that 

 there was not a fJower in it that was not worthy of being culti- 

 vated. I trust there may be some better arrangement lor the 

 future. J. PoweU, Queen's Road, Bermondsey. 



The trees 



other flowers in the raceme'. aJS « 

 inflorescence, partly definite and I ^*.*^2 

 letter was read from Mr W Ti Nj a *^f 

 botany, King's College, Aberd Z , ^J? 



A few days ago, walking along C2?>^ 

 •rules above Aberdeen, I ^ 8 J»J N 

 Pruuus spinosa (common Sloe) cove^!"?** •* 

 some fruit of a bright red ooSTTJS* ^W 

 Capsicum. The S& trees ^*Jfe*'£l 

 and are of that half-cultivated vanwll , ** * 

 hei g ht of 20 or 30 feet, is **$?£*«* 



♦i a- > '! I 08 * 1 * ^SW «>«»g the ££> 



the distance of about 100 yard,, allV^* « 



strange monstrosity. On examining the IT" 

 more closely they proved to be ttrpdflL!* 

 their usual tardy progress into a druT JftS 

 mg into a pseudo-legume. On cutting thVm"!> 

 exposed usually one, sometimes two JZ^T 4 ' 

 attached to a sutural plaeenta. "TW. ** 

 enough ; but imagine my surprise wW i * * 1 

 several trees of Prunus Padus, a little &*? * I 

 covered with long clusters of bright green Z* 

 of a similar kind. We well know that the aZI!J < 

 very prone to eccentricity with regard to uZTU 

 and to see one tree in that condition would not 

 me, but why all the individuals of Prum» 



that neighbourhood should have gone wtoblS a. I 

 cially why the other species should lave joutdi2 

 am at a loss to conjecture." Specimens of tfcZ 

 strosities in both sp«ies were exhibited, aid ««,- 

 sented to the Museum at the Botanic Gwk.-S 

 Balfour suggested that these teratological m mm I 

 might be caused by the attacks of inserts, mc 

 pointed out the connection between Roraceeaj iZ 

 minosee, two orders which are chiefly dbtiocab! '% I 

 the position of the odd sepal.— A Paper was ml. «* 

 the Plant Morphologically considered," by the Iw.fc I 

 M-'Cosh, Brechin. In this paper the author 

 to show that the plant consists of three hono^il pa 

 the root and its sub-divisions, the stem and in band* 

 and the leaf, with its veins. Be dwelt in »n op* 

 manner on the venation of the leaf, which he 



Sbotittits* 



National Floricultural, July 31.— Mr. Marnock 

 in the chair. Not the least interesting part of the 

 exhibition on this occasion, was a box of beautiful 

 Seedling Roses from Messrs Paul. 

 Victoria, a large 



Of these, Queen 

 and very fine Hybrid Perpetual, 

 with the colour of the Celestial Rose, received a first 

 class certificate. A similar award was also made to a 

 climbling Perpetual named Robert Burns. This had 

 the colour of Client-dole', and being a profuse bloomer 

 must have a very striking effect, more especially on a 

 pillar some 12 feet high, which it was stated to be capable 

 of covering. The other sorts consisted of Prince Albert, 

 a free flowering Bourbon with a good colour, and 

 Washington Irving, a medium-sized neat rosy-lilac 

 Hybrid Perpetual. Mr. Turner, of Slough, was awarded 

 certificates for Victoria Regina, a heavy rose-edged 

 Picotee, and for Duke of Rutland, a heavy purple- 

 edged variety. These are both pleasing 

 which cannot fail to become favourites, 

 flake Carnation, called Lady Pollock, from 

 Wood and Ingram, was recommended to 

 again, as was also Mr. Fellowes' Picotee, 

 Mr. Turner's Carnation General Monk, and 

 Ophelia, were comment I. A neat, small 

 lark Fuchsia called Nonsuch, from the same° raiser, 

 was awarded a certificate for its excellent habit. Mr! 

 Payne sent a mule Pink, which was commended for its 

 bright crimson colour and desirability as a border plant. 



as representing the mode in which the tree raagfa.i 

 well as the angles at which the branches we gmt4 

 In the case of woody plants he conceived (fair 

 petiole of the leaf may in such cases represent tiff talk 

 Thus the Beech, the Portugal Laurel, &a, wttdi fan 

 little or no petiole, send ofi* branches from north* m 

 while the Sycamore and Cherry, which hare titim] 

 petioles, have long unbranched trunk fie ttapj 

 that this did not apply, however, to herbaceous pi* 

 and he was not prepared to carry out his view sin fee 

 of Palms and other woody Monocotyledons, which hek { 

 not an opportunity of examining in a normal fltete. ft 

 angles, also, at which the veins are given ofiMvmiM 

 as representing generally the angles of the kaaii 

 As the paper will be given pretty fullj «• 

 early number of the Journal, it is needle* t» 

 into details here. The author iltartrated his «• 

 by numerous specimens. — Professor Balfour mil 

 prepared to enter into Dr. M'Cosh's vie*t # 

 although there were many plausible statement* 

 by him. Dr. M<C. did not appear to ^JJJ J 1 

 on the same principle throughout There c ***|[ 

 doubt that there were normal angles at which »»■ 

 and v< ins were given off, but it was not an e^ij* 

 to get what might be called typical forms. WW 

 that Dr. M'C.'s remarks would lead to an nn*g 

 -<• ±1 u: 4. ■u^.s^mm^m TTbmiinpr remarked »• 



Professor Fleming re: 



flowers, 



A rose 

 Messrs. 

 be seen 

 No. 51. 



Picotee 

 grow i n g 



of the subject. _ 



was ill qualified to offer any remarks on ar 



resting paper which had been read, beoai»M"2 

 been in the habit of restraining his tmpwm* $ 

 scientific inquiries. ™« ^^ to c 01 *"* 





This paper 



imaginative one- a hunting after resenjjj* 

 overlooking differences, so as to gire """^ 

 means to be depended upon. The leaves «w > . # 

 differing in form, structure, and fun u ctl0 ^' i J f j 

 stem and branches, and could not, JT23» 

 compared with them. The nerves oi W "T^ 



at the same angle, neither did m 



all diverge 



m 





bright crimson colour and desirability ;is a border plant of var| ath>n to fit it for its place . 



Mr. Smith, of Hornsey, contributed a rosy purple Ver- nature.— I'rofeesorGoodsir had lateneu 



bena, with a white eye. It was named Eliza Cook and P* 1 !* 1 " with rauch » ntere8 *» on tw ,° aC ?°T in'e 



was commended by the censors. Some Hnlk h™i™ L^ it appeared to him that ita author liau, 



These last were exposed to various ,afi " e " J* 

 the life of a tree, and in consequence «* e ^| S 

 the stem at various angles in the ai f^ m J^» 

 growth. It was, therefore, a dream ot tee ■« 

 to li..po to determine a typica angle o ^ 

 when the plant was endowed with a eons**"" 

 of variation to fit it for its pl&ee m J"^* 



i'rofessor Goodsir had tatenedto ^ 



ano 



, . , , Cook, and 



was commended by the censors. Some Hollvhocks were 

 exhibited by Mr. Chater and Mr. Laing ; but as they 

 were not shown on spikes, no correct opinion can be 

 ;ven ot their merits. Miscellaneous plants were com- 

 munieated by Messrs. Hendersons, named Picotees 

 and Carnations by Mr. Edwards; Petunias by Mr 

 Barnes, of Stowmnrket ; two shrubby Calceolarias, by 

 Mrs. Conway, of Brompton ; a „d striped Pansies, a 

 r-lilox, and other plant., by Mr. Salter,of Hammersmith. ir,un - ll ** mi S nt "* """"•«„ nhvBWgn" 18 Z* 



i»^.„.^. , .1? ~— reference to a plant, the specific !>">» n &&£ 



.IZt i 1 E w«w*fi«, Jnly 10.-I>r. Balfour as a ma«, appeared to him to dep«*l «l£ ^ 



exhibited specimens of tne following monstrosities : i ticular buik| form, and grouping of «* 



appeared to him that its autnor »--, •-, ^ 



to reach one of the objects he £» £>J 



ther attempt to investigate the lj*" " ^ jif* 



that precise or geometrical mrth " d -^ f ' rm «*«r^ 

 mately elevate natural history tothepiai fot*m* 



sciences ; and secondly, because a "^^ 

 admit all the conclusions at which its k« ^p* 

 arrived, lie yet believed the flfij& e #*£ 

 truth. If lie might be allowed to use 



fill* 





