4! 



1851. J 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



693 



Tied 



and 



are rosy pink or bluish, dotted with deep 



remain long in perfection. It succeed* beet on a bam 



y obtaining it — tl said burden being 

 the hill, uiider rect ordeti from a superior, by 



I sturdy porters. Herein is a high order of block of wood suspended near the glass, where it can 



j^tincu" But we shall have again occasion to speak of have plenty of light, in the growing season ; afterwards 



the ant. I merely cite this particular case, to show that " ' 



Kftture implants in all animals an intelligible code of 



known to themselves, and to themselves only, 

 I, by observation, convince myself that this 



that it 



» 



V r can 



Bfttural gift, or talent, indicates reason — seeing 



-fSS but one great end, viz., the happiness an 

 ritv of the colony. As with the ant, so is it with 

 &&? other animal of the lower order. There is no 

 expansion of intellect. Their <; talent * is given them 

 at their birth, and is taken away at their death. They 

 fc?t done what their ancestors did before them, and no 



So that, if we admit the fact of animals possessed 

 of brain, being also gifted with " thought," we yet find 

 that it is always limited. Nature intended it should be 

 a, as we hope to he able to prove. 



Speaking of rational and irrational creatures, South e y 

 fftnarks— " Auimals go rightly, according to the ends of 

 titir creation, when they are left to themselves. They 

 follow their instinct, and are safe. But it is otherwise 

 with man. The ways of life are a labyrinth for him. 

 His infancy does not stand more in need of a mother's 

 are, than his moral and intellectual faculties require to be 

 nursed and fostered ; and when these are left to starve for 

 vmt of nutriment, how infinitely more deplorable is his 

 condition than that of the beasts which perish !" It is 

 indeedso ! Should any person urge against this, that me 

 birds are taught to repeat words, and connect sentences, 

 and thereby show powers of " reasoning," 1 would reply, 

 that these birds are naturally endowed— born with this 

 inherent talent of imitation, or mimicry. Hence their 

 •o-called " excellence ;" but as for understanding what 

 they utter, beyond the instinctive sagacity of their 

 nature, that is totally out of the question. 



U these, our premises, be correct, aud we be acknow- 

 ledged to have drawn our deductions logically,— we 

 hope to be able to " complete the case " we have taken 

 in hand. It is one of intense interest ; and as we are 

 aware that it has become a matter of public curiosity, 

 we shall pursue the inquiry with all fairness. To under- 

 stand these things properly, wemust useamicroscopic eye 

 and soar aloft for the « why and because " of the thin 

 which we want to know. What we daily witness in the 

 animal and vegetable worlds, are ordinations of supreme 

 intelligence, given for wise and good purposes ; but, to 

 ase the words of an elegant writer, "we are blind, 

 beyond thought, as to secondary causes. Admiration, 

 that pure source of intellectual pleasure, is almost alone 

 permitted to us." If we attempt to proceed beyond 

 this, we are generally lost in the mystery with which 

 the divine Architect has thought fit to surround his 



works. For my own part, the more interesting dis- 

 coveries I make, the more distressingly do I feel the 

 extent of my own ignorance. We only " begin" to grow 

 wiae, when we have begun to grow old, — aud even then, 

 fAat is our wisdom ! 



€ire me the great, grand heart, as large as it was made to be, 

 That take* in God, and heaven, and earth, like a deep and 

 glorious sea ; 



Thit sees the stamp of Beauty broad and wide on everything, 

 lad loves that beauty everywhere— and owns God at its 

 Bruno. 



If 



wrong 



we keep close to this spring, we shall hardly go 

 ; whilst tracing the river in its various windings. 



At every turn/there lies before us a whole world of living 



wonders ! William Kidd. 



This beautiful Orchid 



ORCHIDS FOR THE MILLION.— No. XXII. 



-By B. S. Williams, *r. to C. B. Warner. Esq., Hoddesdon. 



{Conducted from page 677.) 



Climate Cool. — Plants Grown in Baskets, 



with Moss and Peat. 



Odontoglossum grande This magnificent Orchid 



comes from Guatemala. The flowers are large, 

 motded, and striped with brown and yellow, the lip is 

 white, edged with light purple ; they remain long in 

 perfection. It will do on a block, or in a pot ; but it 

 succeeds best in a basket, with moss, peat, and pots- 

 herds, and should be grown in a fully-exposed part of 

 the house, where it can have a little air. 



Odontoglossum citrosmum. — 

 comes from Mexico ; it flowers in May, June, and July ; 

 «e blossoms are white, stained with rosy crimson, and 

 «ey remain four or five weeks in perfection. It will 

 *> on a block, with moss, but it likes a basket, with 

 Jphagnum moss, peat, and potsherds, suspended from 

 "te roof; too much moisture, even in the growing 



™J*° n > does not suit ' lt > and after ** lia s made its 

 Powth it should be kept rather dry. 



If/carte cruenta, is a good species, which flowers from 

 February to April, and conies from Guatemala. The 



ossoms are a deep yellow or orange, with a dark 

 ^imson mark in the centre ; they remain long in per- 



th°i 9 an ^ are very fra s rant - This P lant does weU in 



_/Jpet w 'th moss and peat and potsherds ; it likes a 

 ?«oa supply of water in the growing season, afterwards 



* jay be kept rather dry. 



]n\% ama ^icolor, comes from Guatemala; it flowers 

 Y II a y ana " June. The blossoms are a dull greenish 

 th Tu' *' le Pp^ 8 having three violet-coloured streaks, 

 £-V|, 1,um is vvlj ite, with a dark purple blotch in the 

 k^lle ; they remain long in perfection. This grows 



Potsl U1 i a basket fi,led witn sphagnum and peat and 

 **_ jjerda ; it requires a good supply of water in the 



* «*rog season ; afterwards it should be kept rather dry. 



umate Cool. — Plants on Blocks, without Moss. 

 10*1 a V " ^ctabi/is.— A beautiful Orchid, from Guate- 

 *"S which flowers in June and July. The blossoms 



it should be kept rather dry and cool. 



Barlccria Skinncri major. — This fine variety come 

 from Guatemala, and flowers from October to March. 

 It is a difficult phut to cultivate ; the best way to grow 

 it is on a bare block of wood suspended near the glass, 

 where it can have plenty of light and not too much heat. 

 It likes a good supply of water when growing, afterwards 

 it should be kept rather dry. It will continue flowering 

 for three or four months. 



Baric ria SkinnerL — This lovel species comes from 

 Guatemala It should hare the same treatment as the 

 former, and, like it, it will remain flowering for three or 

 four months. 



Cattlcva citrina. — A fine Orchid from Oaxaca, which 

 flowers in May, June, and July, and remains long in 



perfection ; the blossoms are a deep brilliant yellow 



colour. This plant is best grown on a Mock of wood, 

 with the leaves growing downwards, and it succeeds 

 in a cool, airy part of the house. It likes a good supply 

 of water when growing ; afterwards it should be kept 

 rather dry. 



Green hoi e Climate. 



Dcndrol'nun speciosum* — Prom New Holland, flowers 

 from February to March, 1 1 is best grown in a pot, with 

 fibrous peat and good drainage ; during the grown 

 season it should have plenty of water, it afterwar 

 it should be kept dry. If this plant is kept in a hot 

 place, it will not flower. 



Cyi ipedium insigne, conies from Sylhet ; it flowers 

 from January to March. 1 1 best grown in a pot, with 

 loam and leaf-mould and good drainage ; it likes plenty 

 of water while growing, and keeps six weeks in fl<> r. 



Calanthc hicolor, a neat Japan Orchid, which flowers 



in April and May. It does best in a pot, with loam 

 and leaf-mould and good drainage ; when rest, i 

 should be kept rather cool and dry. Its flowers remain 

 long in perfection and are very fragrant. 



IV 1 fla pa tula, flowers in June and July. This thrive ■ 

 best in a pot, with loam and leaf-mould, with good 

 drainage, and plenty of water when growing ; when at 

 rest, it should have but little water ; its flowers remain 

 long in perfection. 



i 



Home Correspondence. 



So7nc Remarks on the Breed, / and Prescrvatum of 



Fresh Water Fish. — The preservation of certain kinds of 



fish from the unscrupulous depredations of unprincipled 

 or ignorant people, is deemed of sufficient importance for 

 legislative interference and enactment. Regarded as a 

 valuable 'article of food, and no unimportant adjunct to 

 the delicacies of the table, the propriety of precautionary 

 measures for the protection of the most esteem* d 

 varieties of the finny tribe is sufficiently evident Hut 

 this obviously judicious protection, extended by inter- 

 dicting the destruction of fish during the spawning 

 season, is only efficacious in a limited degn , as th< 

 rapidly diminishing supply, of what is technically called 

 "red* fish," in the London market attests. Inde- 

 pendently of the edible value of fish, the question is 

 inter, sting to a vast number of followers of the "gentle 

 art." Can nothing be done even to restore the ancient 

 supply, or at least to check the tendency to decrease, 

 evidenced a in the diminished returns from several of our 

 famous rivers. The art of man has brought various wild 

 creatures to subjection. How great the advantages 

 accruing to us from the domestication of the common 

 fowl ! And how fortunate that the animal kingdom 

 has afforded nature so tractable, and obedient. Seeing 

 that the denizens of the airland the earth, have mul 

 tiplied under our care and tending, why should not a 

 proportionate degree of attention be paid to the ex- 

 tension of the creatures of the waters? It cannot he 

 said that they are utterly wild, and intractable ; every 

 one has heard or seen instances of tame fish— we have 

 witnessed trout obey the familiar call summoning them 

 to ! ,be fed. At Versailles the carp pursue the visitor 

 round the margin of the pond, with the greed of pigs, 

 for the customary morsel of biscuit ; and not far distant 

 from the place from which I write, may be' seen perch 

 which freely approach, and take the proffered worm 

 from the hand that holds it. Arguing by analogy, we 

 submit that we may advantageously Hnterpose our pro- 

 tective power, and exercise an important influence in 

 the preservation and increase of the finny tribe. The 

 fecundity of fish equals that of many insects, whose ex- 

 traordinary powers in that respect are 80 familiar 

 to us. If the tenth part of the spawn usually 

 deposited, by a trout for instance, attained its due 

 development, and [a tenth again of the young fry 

 escaped the destructive inroad of ferocious enemies, 

 we should have little cause to lament the scarcity 

 of this favourite fish. The instinctive care of the 

 parent fish would ensure security for the spawn by 

 depositing it in places less frequented by its common 

 enemies ; but it rarely happens that this precau n is 

 adequate to its entire preservation ; the spawn is preyed 

 upon by water fowl, rapacious fish, and aquatic insects, 

 and often entirely destroyed by polluted waters drained 

 into the river from highly cultivated districts ; the law 

 of might is the law within the water, young fish are 

 preyed upon without compunction by the stronger ; 

 hence we find voung fish from the first moment of 



then that h>n not exenij from thai t quiUtbie amn 

 mentoi Natui which ptx^ les for tl lamtcaanee of 



rv kind of eature in due proportion, I v permit 

 Mructivc influences to ch k anv uodu* m crease! 

 it mu then be an object of primary importance to 

 remove what fish we desire to preserve out of the 

 reach of those influences. I am thus led to present 

 the first practical exposition of my views. 1 have 

 spoken of tame h. 1 do not maintain that their tame, 

 ness is altogether essential; but tlw advantage of a little 

 familiarity would be to render them more manageable. 

 The first proceeding towards the object in view is, to 

 secure the separation of the fish we desire to protect from 



its enemies. To do this we must possess a piece of water 



artificially separat 1 from the source of its supply, but 



with an adaptation of sluices, SO that a suitabh luantity 



of water may be secured, and an < \ prevented. For 



preserving trout, I do in tee why twry important 



stream should not be provided with a blooding stew of 



this dt ription. This stew, as I may call it. n 



branch diverted from* e main stream, or a Mream 



lowing from a spring ; it should have three divisions, 



each divi >n provided with a sluice i and so 



gratings. 1 should keep the brooding leh in No, 2 



division from August until Januar or i lil it might 



fairly be pr umed that the depositions of the sj wn 



had taken place; I should then di -e them into >. 1 



livision ; Mos. 2 and I would then r« main for the Voung 



fry. 1 liese breeding fish should be r« | \y fed, a I 



familiarised as much as possible. The advai igo of 



sluice gates must be ob\ as ; the water in any one 



ompartment can be let off, and am filth or vermin 



likely to interfere with the fish d< -: roved ; tin bottom 



of the st i< am should be composed of sand and gravel 



the spawn would be destroyed hy mud. I am aware of 



the plan of collecting spawn artificially impregnated ia 



boxes ; but as t > able and practical articles have just 



apfieared in the Chron /r, fully describing th »ursc to 

 be pursued, I have no occasion to intrude my remarks 

 on the subject. Jt has been said that " in the multitude 

 of coun there is wisdom." I trust that others may 

 be induced to giro their vieWl and experience on this 

 interesting ami important subject; and on the result I 

 hope that the disciples of the " quaint old cruel cox- 

 coml/'may count their gains bj t dozen, where now 

 they number them by the brace. IF. / UatjUbA. 



How to ' p a £ all Kitchen Qai /. — 1 have 



adopt. <i the following plan, which I strongly recommend. 

 At the beginning of the season 1 had my garden cleared 

 straight through, and 1 marked it out to be planted, 

 1st, with a row of Cabbage pants, 2d, a row of Pot* 



tors; 8d, a row ol Peas; then plants, PotatOta, and P« as 



alternately through the garden. I found very great 



advantage in this plan, having an immense j I, 

 especially in Potatoes; and having tin ground r* y, 1 



was enabled to put in the rotation <-r<^^ without trouble. 



I propose next spring to follow the same plan, except 

 that 1 shall plant, 1st, Peas; 2d, plants; 3d, Potatoes; 

 by so doing J shall not of course have the crops again 

 in the san i e spot o f grou n d . Vectis. 



Tcrtwtrial kids. — I sone time since inquired of 

 your correspondents as to their experience in growing 

 the more showy Orchids of the south of Europe, and 

 what are the best kinds, and where to be procured. I 

 have been disappointed at not finding any one willing or 

 able to afford information on this subject. 1 have a 

 small collection (made in Portugal by Dr. Wel witch) 

 which I have potted and kept in a cool hous . and most 

 of which arc beginning to grow ; i -uspect these should 

 have been kept cooler or more dry, as I suppose the 

 early spring is the proper time for their growth. Dodman. 

 Preparation of Land for an tord.— I shall feel 

 obliged by a few words of advice on the following 

 point. For orchards of dwarf fruit trees, should the 



round be single or double dug! I am going to plant a 

 large • t: nt of land with d rf Apple, Pear and Plum 

 trees of choice kinds ; and while they are young, to grow 

 Gooseberries and Currants between the rows. 1 wish 

 to do everything that is requisite for their successful 

 cultivation, but not to expend money on unnecessary or 

 even doubtful operations. The soil consists of 2 or 3 

 feet of strong brown loam resting on blue lias clay, both 

 of which pulverise \ery freely on exjnisure to the air. 

 The ground is l>eing drained with pipes 4 feet deep at 10 

 or 12 yard*- apart, which answer extremely well ; and 

 up to the present time 1 have acted on the advice of 

 experienced friends, and double dug it, at an expense of 

 nearly 6/. per acre, which process I should have continued 

 had not some other gardening friends also of great prac- 

 tical experience, told me that they not only thought it 

 unnecessary, but even injurious. As far as I at present 

 understand the question, the advantages of double dig- 

 ging are these : — 1st, a greater depth of loosened soil, in 

 which the roots may freely extend themselves to procure 

 nourishment, and in dry seasons a more abundant «*p- 

 ply of moisture ; 2<Uy, more efficient and quicker drainage 

 of the soil, w ith greater admission of air to the roots ; 

 and thirdly, the mingling together of the top and under 

 soils. Against these, and in favour of sinj: digging, it 

 is said:— "1st, it is not desirable that the roots should 

 penetrate far into the ground, but be kept as near the 

 surface as possible, except in very dry soils, which this 

 is not. In illustration of this, the old practice of paving 

 under trees is adduced; 2dly, that for purposes of 

 drainage, deep digging is not necessary, as is proved by 

 the successful results of draining land under ordinary 

 farm culture : 3dly, that if the roots may without 





existence endowed with all characteristic instinct, that . rv » , ~y, *T" " i va niaffe be allowed to 



of self-preservation especially; but neitl r their smaH injury or even with . *on* ^ tf /S* ilKM 

 size nor number a sufficient for their safetj : hut a! nenetrate to a trreater depth than a single spit, u neea 



small proportion in ordinary cases reach maturity. Seeing 



penetrate to a greater depth _ _ 



not, and probably would not be till some years hence, 



i 



