616 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONIC 



vrheu it is most wanted ; this evil involves a continual 

 turning and renewal of the linings. In constructing a 

 frame, in which fermenting material is to be employed 

 as the heating medium, the front wall-plate should never 

 be more than 12 or 15 inches above the level of the 

 path ; as by this means it is kept warm with a smaller 

 quantity of fermenting material, and, at the same time, 

 it gives the facility of covering the trenches with wooden 

 shutters, suspended on hinges from the outside wall by 

 one edge, and resting by the other on the wall of the 

 trench. These shutters should be fixed with just suffi- 

 cient incline to carry off the wet, and they should be 

 jnade strong enough to serve as a gangway. 



FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



The work of this department, though entirely of a 

 routine character, must be strictly attended to at this 

 season, as neglect or untidiness never shows more 

 strikingly than when the flowers which attracted atten- 

 tion in summer have disappeared. Remove annuals 

 and other herbaceous half-hardy plants as soon as they 

 show signs of approaching decay, and let others of more 

 hardy constitution be divested of their decaying flowers 

 and flower stems. Beds for Hyacinths, Tulips, and 

 other early spring-flowering bulbs, should be prepared 

 and planted immediately. They grow and flower in the 

 greatest perfection when planted in a light sandy loam, 

 which has received a liberal dressing of thoroughly de- 

 composed manure ; but which should be carefully kept 

 from coming in contact with the bulbs, by placing a little 

 sand round them at the time of planting. As the roots 

 of these bulbs descend deeply into the ground, a good 

 stratum of rich manure should be trenched in about 12 

 or 1 r > inches below the surface. In planting Crocus or 

 other bulbs which are liable to be attacked by mice in 

 winter, a little chopped Furze should be placed around 

 them. If the beds where Crocuses are intended to be 

 planted are still full of gay flowering plants, it will be 

 better to plant the Crocuses in a spare bed in the reserve 

 garden, in light sandy soil, where they will root freely, 

 and be ready to remove with nice balls of soil when the 

 summer occupants of the flower-beds are cleared away. 

 Those bulbs left in the soil all the year round commence 

 rooting in July, which is the cause of their flowering so 



much better than those which are planted late in the 

 season. 



FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



It will sometimes occur, especially in fine autumns, 

 that Auriculas will put up premature heads of flowers. 

 We have known valuable varieties ruined by these 

 trusses being plucked out inconsiderately ; the result has 

 been that the lower part of the stem has decayed, com- 

 municating its rottenness to the heart of the plant, and 

 thus causing its destruction. The better way is to pull 

 the pips off only. See directly to the offsets of Tulips, 

 and let them be got in without delay. Gather Carnation 

 and Picotee seed when the pods have turned brown ; 

 place the pods six or seven together, with a portion of 

 the stalk attached ; tie in a small bunch, and insert them 

 in a little silver or other light paper bag ; tie the mouth of 

 the bag round the stems, and hang up in an airy place 

 till you wish to rub the seed out for sowing. Dahlias, 

 &c, as last week. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Pay particular attention to young crops, by stimu- 

 • lating their growth where necessary, and guarding them 

 from the attacks of insects, by sprinkling a little soot 

 and lime round them. As a general preventive, which 

 is always better than a cure, it is a good plan to work a 

 dressing of soot into the ground, in company with animal 

 or vegetable manure, when the operations of digging, 

 forking, or trenching, are going on. In cleaning the 

 , ground, use the fork as much as possible, in preference 

 to the hoe and rake ; nothing can be of greater benefit 

 ■ to crops at this season than affording the sun and air 

 every facility for penetrating and permeating the soil. 

 Continue the use of strong liquid manure to such crops 

 as can profit by it ; and especially Asparagus, to com- 

 pensate, in some measure, for the present draught upon 

 its energies by the seeds. Winter Spinach should be 

 thinned out to a distance of 8 to 12 inches apart in the 

 rows ; and Parsley should have plenty of space to form 

 hue broad leaves. In both cases, the ground should be 

 well forked between the plants. Sow plenty of Nor- 

 !S- y A ™™n Cress, to stand the winter. If the 



ot October, it will keep sound till March ; and as it does 

 L ln£T T* f ^ b6ing eanhed > ! ^ ^ ■ to defeat 



as long as the plants are safe from frost. Where hav- 

 bands are used for binding round them, they should be 

 pjegri m wet weather, when the m n i^Vvl 



State of the Weather at Chiswick, during the U«t 26 year*, for the 



ensuing week, ending Oct. 4, 1851. 



Sept. 

 and Oct. 



Suv day 28 

 Mon. 29 



Toe«. 30 



Wed. 1 



Thun. 2 

 Friday 3 



Satur. 4 



State of the ^ewhtr near London, for the week ending Sept 25. 1S6L 



as obaened at the Horticultural Garden, Chia wick. h 



Sept. 



Baeom 



iTia. 



TaxraaATuai 



Friday.. 



fcatur. .. 



Sunday . 



Monday 

 Tuea. 



Wed. 



xhnra. , , 



• . 



■ • 



Aterage 

 Sept 



• t » 



30.063 

 30.0*» 

 30.026 

 30.055 



30.1 14 

 30.118 

 29.815 



Of the Air. | Of the Earth 



Wind. 



Mean 





30 025 

 30.020 



29.1*03 



30.005 

 30.106 

 89.939 

 29.647 



1 foot 2 teet 

 deep. deep. 



i 



30.036 ! 29.962 



— 



.00 



N.B. 



.00 



N.K. 



.00 



IV. E. 



.1 



N.E. 



.08 



N'.E. 



00 



S.W. 



.06 



19-Fine; cloudy; clear at ni^hr. 

 »-Cioudy and fine; vrry fine; clear. 



- 1— Urerca.it; very fine ; overeat'* 



*a ' S ! u C w t; exp eemn«ly fine; clear it nisrht 



23-Sli,ht fosr; exceedingly fine, with hot sun. oftmit 



ESS&i overe »»'.fo«gy; "in at night ' *"** 



-?-Sl«shtly overca*t j ram ; cloudy. * 



.14 





8* 



Q 3 



44.4 



54.5 



45.6 



55 



44.3 



54 3 



46.2 



54.9 



46.0 



55 , 



45.0 



)4.1 



43-0 



53.3 



No. of 

 Years in 

 which it 



Rained. 



11 

 14 

 12 

 12 

 14 

 14 

 II 





Prevailini 



i Winds 



a 



Greatest 







Quantity 

 of Bain. 



• 



2; 



• 

 * 



ri 



a 



• 



-»? 



• 



> 



• 







Zi 





'Jj 





w 





Z 



0.80 in. 



1 



3 



a 



ll 8 



i 



4 



2 



0.3 i 



1 



2 3 2 5 



8 



2 



2 



0.33 



2 



2 



3 1 



5 6 7 



— 



0.53 



2 3, 2 



2 6 6 3 



1 



0.43 



2 4 1 



— 



6 6 



4 



2 



1.01 1 3 1 



1 



7 8 



2 



- 



36 1 



— 



5 



2 



— 



5 



9 



1 



1 



The highest temperature during the above period occurred on the 2yth, 

 1832— therm. 79 def . ; and the lowest on the 3d, 1836— therm. 29 deg. 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Asphalte Walks : Lumbricus. See p. 501 of the current year's 



volume.} 

 Birds— The Mocking Bird: CWH. As you so frankly ask 

 our opinion or this bird, and whether we advise you to adopt 

 one in your family, we at once say "No!" Mr, Clifford 

 reports the value of such a one as he can recommend, at 51. For 

 this princely sum, you may have fine song birds in every room 

 of your house. If, however, you. prefer unceasing noi-e and 

 perpetual uproar to harmony and melody, you can yourself 

 give the casting vote. For ourselves, we hold all these foreign 

 screeching animals in the most perfect abhorrence ; and 

 would gladly sacrifice 20 even of the most costly (if we bad 

 them) of the trib^, in exchange for a single canary. Mais cha- 

 eunason gout. W. AT— The Bullfinch : H B. We are much 

 indebted to you for writing so long, so full, and so interesting 

 an account of the tricks, manners, habits, and peculiarities 

 of your little winged friend. As you have authenticated the 

 anecdotes, we shall avail ourselves her. after, whilst annotat- 

 ing on " the bullfinch," of the information so kindly given. 

 The reason of his avoiding the palm of your hand, and 

 refusing to sit on your finger, is his innate timidity. You 

 must overcome this by gentleness, and by never attempting 

 suddenly to catch him. Confidence will spring up, by and 

 by, between you ; and you must not abuse it. All is pro- 

 gressing well. Discontinue the u>e of the bath, henceforward. 

 The food you administer is quite proper ; and the Plantain is 

 unobjectionable, so long as he will eat it. Disabuse your 

 mind of the idea that you can teach him to ' , Bing.*" If 

 you were to purchase 20 instruments, and try them all, it 

 would be labour thrown away. These matters are conducted 

 in Germany ; not in England. We shall explain all about it, 

 in a very few weeks. In conclusion, be sparing of your hemp 

 seed, and keep your bird warm in winter. W. /£".— The Grey 

 Linnet : Eliza C. A hopeless case. The poor little creator* 

 should be killed immediately. W. AT. — The Hlackbird : 

 Amelia R. Nestling birds are not the bes% though the) are 

 oftentimes (he tamest. A bat-folded blackbird, who has the 

 true wild note, is far preferable to the other, who sings what 

 is technically termed •rubbish." W. AT.— The Goldfinch: 

 Jane W. Take a pair of long, sharp scissors, and carefully, 

 but resolutely, cut the projecting part of the be*k, until the 

 lower and upper portions are equal. There will be no inflic- 

 tionof pain whatever. W. K — Thb Missel Thrdsh : Anne T. 

 This is a very handsome bird truly ; but we recommend 

 in preference the M song thrush." It is smaller, but its notes 

 are far more sweotly-musical. IF. AT.— -The Greenfinch : 

 E Z. Not worth the cost of his food. Be u generous " to come 

 ♦'friend," and beg their acceptance of him! IF. A".— The 

 Redpole : Susanna. A merry, lively, and pretty little fellow 

 in a cage ; but of no rateable value. W. AT.— The Nightin- 

 gale, <fcc. : J H. The address you require is, "24, Great St. 

 Andrew-street, Hoiborn." You may Bafelymake your wants 

 known, and may rely on being well used." If you purchase 

 one or both the birds mentioned in your note, be *>ure and 

 read carefully the "Treatise*" we have penned, as to their 

 care and management. W.K.— The Black-cap : J CEwan. 

 You need entertain no fear about the well-being of your 

 little friend. Whether he resides with you in Lancashire or 

 at the M Land's-end," it is all the same to him ; M provided 

 always." as the lawyers say, he is kindly treated, and con. 

 sidered "one ot the family." Follow our instructions fully 

 and you cannot go wrong. W. K.—Mis$ B. Thanks for your 

 note. We are over-paid by the kind manner in which you 

 express your gratitude fur the little service rendered. We 

 mark and admire your good sense in not feeling offended at 

 the rule laid down for our general guidance hereafter 

 W. 1ST.— Virginian Nightingale : H T. We are obliged by 

 your favour, and shall anxiously await the promised in for 

 mation. Your request, meantime, Bhall be complied with" 

 W. A^.— The Canary : Amanda. Your case is a try in* one • 



and your excess of grief, natural to so sensitive a disuotl' 

 tion. As a skilful surgeon uses the knife unsparingly when 

 circumstances demand it, jou, too, must take equally prornot 

 measures. Burn the cage instantly, and procure anew 011c 

 Sulphur, unguents, tobacco-water, and trie like, are totall'u 

 useless, as we have stated times out of number. Where 

 these blood-sucking vermin abound, nothing short of anni 

 hilation can work a radical cure. If you have faith to credit 

 this, and will act at once as we adviae, your "pet" will be 

 restored to 30U— not otherwise. When in his new habitation 

 examine his little person carefully and minutely • rout the 

 enemy from their lurking places with the back of a fine 

 needle : and before letting him settle down, give him for an 

 hour or two, the free rauge of your sitting-room : also the 

 use of the bath. This done, we shall expect 10 hear of 

 another addition to our H libt of cures." W. K. 

 Books : Rural Dean. You will not find any book that contains 

 many hgures of florist's flowers. The periodical called 

 « Beck's Floris: " has good figures of *ome of the novelties 

 in this way, and it will probably meet your wants In 

 general the representations of these things are more r'*1mi 

 lated to mislead than to instruct. caicu- 



Clianthus poniceus : W S. It has no common nam 

 may call it the scarlet Clianth if you please. 



Filberts: W 3. In order to keep these for a considerable 

 time, they should be throughly dried, packed in dry casks or 

 new flower-pots, with a slight sprinkling of salt, to pi event 

 mouldiness, and then placed in a dry cool situation The 

 husks should be allowed to remain on them t 



Fruit Room : A Subscriber. Winter fruit keeps much better in 

 the dark than if exposed to the light, because li K ht produces 

 evaporation and consequently shrivelling, besides inducing 

 chemical changes whicn end in decay. It staou.d be rVntl 

 lated. so far as to keep it sweet and to carry off the dampness 

 produced by the natural sweating of fruit, and for this n 

 pose your air-openings ought to suffice. p 



Fkdit Trees: JAM. Your old Teach* trees mav havo h 

 allowed to overbear themselves ; and this with thL j«- n 

 done to the fo.i.ge b, insects, muy ha„ „ndTrSd then Z? 

 ■equeutly UDproducuve. But jour next set of trees K r"w 

 vigorous y ; and ot course the branches would form so rnanv 

 naked stems, almost to their extremities, unless the?bad 

 been cut back to where shoots were required m ft,rni.h Jt 

 lower part of the tree. It appear, that the,. £.«?».. * 

 away with ; but recollect, th.tfh, next "ouVf.n^m ben." 

 in .he same manner, if not prevented bv juSJ. ' nrunh.* 



S.«t L fT 11, i °°. th " \ re likelv tobecomeoeer.lux" 

 riant, must have their tops cut back to a lateral, and nail or 



.££? e ** ♦I° Ur r S0 " *' doubtl «". naturally good and 

 •trong; and, therefore, with regard to all , our fruit trees 



cw£n 8t - U8e the Ut T St "* Uan< *> in •«!» an" frequJn lv 



checking in summer the strungest shoots, commencing with 



e. You 





upper iijvj-l. iiuc Knowing 



walls, wecannof state what sortiYi?, e , n J a ' d *Mat w 

 Gidnet's Hoe : We have had m ^ to of? ? 5" ^^*^ 

 a good one, but the tool h^&JE£& 

 shank ha, no sufficient »'ren«h . J£3 ^'v i 



fmprovl t0 U8 ' U ° Dly fit f - tflfi" ?S. 



eating drug, used only by" eastern VaZn^' ^ « ^ 

 Pharmaceutical Societv. w w« ^„. I0n8 - Pfc * ! ^ 



Also look in the 



where jou will see what Hemp""ii"like 

 cannot be prepared from Hem 



Enq 



Society, where you m*V «.?! qail, *fc 

 Indian depHr r me y nt\?rL d ^-»l 



10 Icdia 



Heat.no: H 8 W. There is noting ^ ^5 ^ "^ 



are all you want. fi Luea P 



as fl* 



Hothouses : C R W. Why not apply to the firm • . 

 road, as you have been advised ? Yn» „!. J? V^Ofl. 



Insects : M C W. TheTnsTci which Zn^J£jj± 

 the true wire worm. Pull op carefully eZf?"*** 

 as it droops, and search for ann kill the worm *??!"+ 

 in the bed some slices of Turnip, whOT^*N 

 every mornirg, the insects prewiring this to trufS** 

 -C M. The Beech bark should be scoured with ifSt* 

 and thick soapsuds mixed with lime ui ^£* 

 larr» which are now bein ? hatched by thSuM 

 attack the young shoo s of t , ie tree. Thanks fi^JwV' 

 nam leav.s. W.-R V K Your Oats art inf/L^fc 

 Aphis Avense, an in-ect allied to the green tlvof n!?* 

 They injure the grain by sucking out its juces r ft 

 larva which has gnawed your Carrots is thatVi*/*! 

 smaller species of swift m »ths (most probab'? T2 

 fusous), which are in general underground tecdTS 

 against which nothing bat vigilance and tramrflfcS 

 Turnips or Potatoes will prevail. W.-MA $FThE 

 austriaca is attacked by the caterpillars of the faun! 

 (Lophvrus Pini or Frutetorum). The branchei JS 

 should be beaten sharp y with a thick stick,awto3 

 bein^ placed under the tree to catch the caterpillm. jS 

 should be done at once, or they will change to paoie la S 

 moss and dry leaves a', the root of the frees, which wfc B 

 such case to be removed and burnt. If.— A K, TteSi 

 leaves appear to be attacked by some species of SJ 

 The Celery leaves are infested with the miniugta 

 of a two- winged fly (Tephri.is onopordinh), tutftn 

 seem to have been infested by an Apbi^. The ltfenf 

 leaves should be cut off and burnt. W. 



Kew : English. In our opinion, your complaint in, ipi fa 

 whole, unreasonable. Why eld you Dot provide ywiriKitt 

 the guide when you first entered the garden! YoushooMbi 

 known that a p'ace like Kew, of such intricacy and ot, 

 requires a map as much as a t«wn. Write to &H 

 Hooker, make your suggestions, and we will answer fob 

 attending to such of them as are reasonable. 



Monstbods Pears: C Hew son. They are very curiow thjL 

 We will take an opportunity of teferring to th^m bereate. 



Names or Fruits : Rudolf 4, New Rock Pippin; 5, 11, Sorie 

 Crofton ; 21, Golden Pippin ; 14, 45, Rvmer; $S,MtWCi»: 

 44, Bedfordshire Foundling; 42, Shropshire Darawi. la 

 two Pear* are small and imperfect; 31 B, is probabh Barf 

 de Oapiaumont. The remainder of the Apples re ja* 

 green.||— J A. The Early Uarvest Apple.H 



Names of Plants : L R. 1, Not determinable; \ ?jm 

 arbutUolia; 3, Rosa bracteata ; 4, Looks like i aaal d 

 Pomegranate; 5, Leyces'eria formosa.— C A. 1, 2, S, sad S, 

 Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum; 4, Lastrea diiattta; 5, A* 

 plenium Filix-foernina ; 6, Polystichum lobatum; '.?•*£ 

 atum. 8.—D H B. 2 and 3, Polystichum aculeataa; 4, Cyv 

 topteris angUbtata ; 5, too small— send it iofractifaUwa; 

 6, Asplenium viride; 7, A. Filix.fcemina .S-LB. U joi 

 will send your address we will cummnnica e wtflna 

 respecting the Fern in question. S.-B ITG. hm ™* 1 

 Propagate it by grafting on the Horse- Chestnut; or Dew, 

 by seeds.-/?. You will find that the Oak in que 

 been named at p. 488.-^ J T. Polystichum lobitMtwj 

 common, and quite distinct from any form of w" 

 dilatata. S.-C A, Your weed from the bottom of tj 

 Thames is not a plant at all, but a fresh-water •£■£■■ 

 a most atrocious odour. - T D. Apparently KM*m 

 cordifoiiu- : but we really cannot give names wp^ 

 unless the senders will take some little P*« ■£ 

 them, so that they will arrive in an examuia^ tjm 

 A Lady of Devonshire. Marchantia polymorpha frofflt 

 place, creeping among Moss.-F W. Vib^^jj 



liana in a starveu state ; pen^ya « «* ^ 



Its seed has accidentally dropped into me m # - 

 Chysis aurea.->4 Lover of Plants. IndetermmaD.e.f— 

 being packed in cotton wool ; we don't recogniae ». 

 Partridges : Micklewell. Much obliged ; 4. ^g^ 



Potatoes: F Sommer. The Kelso Eclipse is a ^^d 



kind ; but it is dark purple, like the old Abe** H 

 these have been so universally ohgbted^re > 



that they are rarely cultivated, notw l l ^m to**' 

 lence. In 1845 workmen would not dig tnem 



the crop. ^ . , i._ m m&' 



Roses : Temple. The branches are attacked Dyj f|diir 



for which there is now no reuiedy. i^ariyin ^ ^^^ 

 with flower of sulphur mixed with wawWP^j, 

 ficial. It will go off, but reappear ^/^y*** 

 autumn. It is tiot very important.-^^ a^fe*" 

 are suffering from what will one W>*: h ,to&!f* 

 your>elf-old age. They will be succeeaed Dj 

 leaves when next spring returns. ^ nn}raA bf ^WfE 

 Silver Firs: JW R Y< 



young shoots, where he constructs » K-^jtfr 

 (he tender tissue. You may see the end. ^ \ 

 the dead pieces are broken off. It }**"? tre e. 

 destroy him if he once takes possession or ^^ 

 course is to watch the branches in tn *Z t Z\>&*** 



w to 



wherever the tips become brown or 1 B "? "'{&#*& tg§ 

 and born them. In that way the i^ff^ ^Wj 

 Tree Roses : Eliza G. There is no i reas o n ^ mi* P 

 should be unfit tor planting, provided they beads are < 

 growth this year, and provided *»«<> r 1 ; tfiat^^Lt 

 cultivated kinds. But if you mean to saj ;> iQser tedJj; 

 tine wild stocks, having "dormant Dw ™w*> 

 the branches, then we advise 30U not w f ^ fflf ir 

 dormant shall have been roused idw s^^V 

 You will see by this answer that w f ar 



understand your question certainly. ^ ^ 



not to 



Misc.: L L. It is not uncommon for w« Septe mW 

 have a double blow, in June or July e pres ent 





J Welch. The grjj« Cha0C e, j 

 < hatsworth is constructed of wood. - n 





green-flesbed Melon. 



; * The* other q^Trfa* 

 minnhaoi, furnished the glass. 1« T0 . ■ o°« it 

 u„able to aoswer.-S S. The seeds w n^ «£% 

 is growing. The .eedifngs «' ^i. flo "* r c ,nnot ij« **S 

 if y«u treat them wall. r ** Ma „derit :.*• ^ 



questions.— A Country Subscriber 



comnrnn enough, but will not irui ^ 

 air. You must have patience wi-« ^ q[t 



its roota and give it p enty of sun au 



Swf& 



