760 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



to 8. 



these 



there— it hav nig almost lost its uu-^y character ; whilst 

 <r r ain and all other plants of a nitrogenous kind have 

 increased in quality in a corresponding ratio. Iliattliis 

 change is referable to some cause is beyond doubt ; and 

 -we think that its demonstration is both simple and easy. 

 On the operation of combustion and respiration, we need 

 not dilate— it being well determined that, for jpvery 27 

 parts of carbon converted into carbonic acid, 73 parts of 

 oxygen are abstracted from the atmosphere ; whilst 

 hydrogen combines with oxygen in the proportion of 1 



Coals, wood, and turf or peat— the principal 

 articles of combustion— contain a considerable propor- 

 tion of hydrogen ; bat in order to simplify the question, 

 although our argument will damage thereby, 

 materials will be considered as composed of carbon only 

 —any estimate, in fact, that may be formed of the 

 amount of ammonia generated being little more than 

 approximati ve,and must unquestionably fall very far short 

 at the actual quantity. Of the amount of fuel con- 

 sumed before the Potato disease made its appearance 

 we have not by us any statistical account ; but it may be 

 observed that NewcometVs engine was introduced in the 

 year 1705 ; and with the improvements that have been 

 male on it, including those by Watt, continued in use 

 only as a land engine until 1807, when Fulton practically 

 applied the steam engine to the propulsion of a boat ; 

 and from that period steam vessels have progressively 

 increased in number : and with their increase steam has 



been applied to the locomotive and other purposes, con- 

 sequent on the rapid improvements towards civilisation 

 that have been developed within these few years ; whilst 

 furnaces of all kinds have kept pace with the appliances 

 of steam. That the Potato disease has increased in 

 virulence with the increased consumption of fuel is un- 

 questionable. We will, therefore, endeavour to trace 

 ■what are the conditions necessary to the production of 

 this epidemic. The following statement, on the authority 

 of Professor Ansted, will give an approximative esti- 

 mate of the amount of coal raised, and therefore con- 

 sumed in the world ; and to it is added the respective 

 coal-fields 



• • • 



British Islands 



France 



Belgium 



Spain 



Prussia 



United States 



British North America 



• • » 



• - ■ 



, . . 



• • ♦ 



• # • 



- . • 





• . • 



. . • 



• ■ • 



■ •• 



• • * 



• > * 



Tons. 



Square Miles. 



32,000,000 ... 



... 12,000 



4 150.000 ... 



... 2,000 



5,000,000 ... 



520 



5-HOOO ... 



... 4,000 



;,5o»,ooo ... 



... 1,200 



4,000,000 ... 



... 113,000 



* • • 



... 18,000 



Total 



• • • 



• • • 



49,200,000 



Or about 50,ou0,000,to which is to be added wood, peat, 

 and other combustible materials, also the carbon con- 

 sumed in respiration, which certainly may be taken at 

 10,000,000 more, making a gross total of 60,000,000 

 tons; 60x73— 4380^27=162,000,000 tons of oxygen 

 abstracted from the atmosphere ; and if to this be added 

 the 6*0,000,000 tons of fuel, or carbon, it will give 

 182,000,000 tons of carbonic acid generated. Now, it 

 is self-evident that for every volume of oxygen abstracted 

 from the atmosphere, there must be four volumes of 

 nitrogen liberated; and although it is of rather less 

 specific gravity than oxygen, its weight may be assumed 

 at four tim 162, or 648,000,000 ; and as this gas com- 

 bines with hydrogen in the proportion of 5 to 1, we shall 

 have a general annual increase in the amount of 

 ammonia generated in the formation of snow, and 

 brought down to the earth, of no less a weight than 

 77*, 000,000 tons. That rain and snow-water invariably 

 contain ammonia is unquestionable ; and although our 

 principles were communicated to the editors of the 

 « Philosophical Magazine » so far back as 1844, in the 

 Journal for October, 1851, will be seen an article ex- 

 tracted from the Comptes Rendus, expressive of surprise 

 that in hailstones, analysed by the writer, should be 

 found ammonia and black matter, analogous to the 

 carbon of the vegetable kingdom. 



c . . ~ „ — That such an amount 



of accumulating matter, to which should be added the 

 increase of ammonia of putrefaction, should induce a 

 putrefactive disease in a non-nitrogenous plant, under 

 particular conditions, may readily be conceived ; and it 

 is out reasonable to assume that the amount of moisture 



hat passes through a plant should be in proportion to 

 the evaporating influence in the atmosphere. In 1846 

 and 184/, when the evaporating influence was great, and 

 W l^l Was , ne S ative > the Potato disease prevailed ; 

 S r i !ll a Simi . Ur amount of ev aporation in 1849, and 



Srife iK^ l t0tal,J ' Reared. If, then our 



iSSt^SJ^^ the ^™onia being all that 



of bloom, should be subjected to a cooler and drier 

 treatment, until the proper season returns for their new 

 growth ; taking care that they are not allowed to become 

 altogether dry — or loss of roots and death will be the 

 consequence; If a stock of young plants has been 

 reared, many of the older ones may be discarded, thus 

 making room for others which it is more desirable to 

 preserve. Let every exertion be made not only to keep 

 in check, but also to eradicate insects, especially the 

 i( mealy bug," and those of the scale family. They 

 breed more or less all the year round, but more slowly 

 at this season than during spring and summer. If, 

 therefore, vigorous and persevering endeavours are 

 made to destroy them, by examining the plants, if 

 possible once a week, their numbers will be so much 

 reduced in the spring, that sufficient time may be spared, 

 even in that busy season, to cure effectually this worst 

 of all garden nuisances. The best of all tools and 

 materials for this purpose are the sponge and syringe, 

 with hot water (110° to 130°) and soft soap. Let every 

 tie be unfastened, as these are their favourite hiding- 

 places during winter ; and where wire trellises are used, 

 they should also be thoroughly washed with hot water. 



FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



Peach-house. — Those who intend to have Peaches in 

 their first house ready by the middle of May, should 

 commence forcing immediately. If the greater part of 

 the roots are in the outside border, it should be covered 

 with dry litter, Fern, or tree leaves, which in their turn 

 should be kept in their places, and nearly concealed by 

 a slight sprinkling of earth. The interior temperature 

 should be very moderate at first, commencing at 40° as 

 night temperature and increasing very gradually until 

 the season is fairly turned ; the day temperature may 

 rise 10 q by fire-heat, and 15° to 20° by sun-heat. 

 Unless the weather is very damp, a slight syringing may 

 be Jgiven every day with tepid water ; and when the 

 weather turns out very fine, the operation may be 

 repeated. It must, however, be distinctly understood 

 that these syringings must not be construed into delug- 

 ings, but that the water is to fall on the plants like fine 

 dew. The early Peach-house, or a pit under similar | 

 treatment, will be excellently adapted for starting Straw- 

 berries to produce a very early crop ; but the latter 

 should, if possible, be plunged into a bed of leaves or 

 some other material, to give a gentle bottom heat ; and 

 if such can be introduced into the Peach-house, the 

 warmth and moisture therefrom will be beneficial 

 to the Peaches also. A pit, however, is preferred 

 for the Strawberries, as they can there have the mild 

 bottom heat, and still be near the g'as3. Fig-house. 

 Let the shoots be untied, and if any pruning is neces- 

 sary, it should be performed at the same time ; but if 

 proper attention has been paid to stopping the shoots 

 during summer, very little pruning with the knife will 

 be required ; in fact it will be confined to removing a 

 few shoots where they are too crowded to admit of their 

 being properly trained. The shoots should be cleaned 

 and washed over with sulphur and soft-soap, taking 

 care not to injure the buds when performing these 

 operations. The walls, woodwork, and glass, should 

 be thoroughly cleaned ; and any necessary painting, 

 colouring, or other repairs, done forthwith. 



FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



The flower garden being now cleared of all its 

 ummer occupants, the beds neatly forked up, and the 

 turf, &c, put in order, let the walks have their share of 

 attention, raising any low places, to give them an 

 uniform shape, and to throw off the wet into the side 

 drains. When they are dry, let the roller be frequently 

 passed over them, as by making the surface of a well- 

 formed walk firm, the wet will pass off more freely, and 

 it will consequently be in less danger of injury by the 

 frost. The enjoyment of a garden during winter 

 depends so much upon the state of the walks, as regards 

 smoothness and dryness, that too^much attention can 

 scarcely be paid to them. 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



Whenever the state of the weather will permit of the 



soil being worked, it is a great advantage to fork the 



ground about the fruit bushes lightly over, and at the 



same time to work in some well-rotted manure amongst 

 the roots : 



-Cloudy 



c.ear; frosty. 



-3-Prosty; etear and fioe ; clfiudy; 

 -4— Densely rlonH«rl . /.l*.. j^j r •? I 



ly clouded; clouaed 



ram 



9* v T J wuul ' cu i uiouaeu and fin* ■ f Mm . . 



Nov. 

 and Dec. 



' 2r~Overcaat ; h*zy ; fi ne . 



Mean temperature of the week, 6 de*. below th, . 

 State of the Weather at ~C^ii3i^ t ^X r ^ 



PreTaui^>- 



Sunday 3C 



Mon. l 



Tuea. 2 



Wed. li 



Thura. 4 



Friday 5 



Satur. 6 



43.2 



48.8 

 48.1 

 47.6 

 47.0 

 47-3 

 40 6 



36.8 

 37.1 

 36.4 

 36.2 



3V2 

 34.8 

 37.0 



40.0 

 43.0 



43.3 



41.9 

 41.S 

 41.1 



41,8 



No of 



¥ear8 in 



which it 



Rained. 



0.3! in. 



0.25 



0.51 



0.17 



0.28 

 0.12 



0,14 



The highest temperature during the above h«i„j ' " '« •■ 



183* -therm. 58 dag. j andjtha lowest on the ? Strand l\^ml ° B " t ** 



Notices to Correspondents 



Back Numbers: J L. You can have the nnmx/ 

 remit 12 postage stamps. "umoers ; p j eaw ^ 



Begonia cinnabarina : M B. will thank some 

 spondents to inform him how to manaee \hu p 0ur Corr «- 

 to make it flower. He has had a plant I eg0Qf *» •<> u 

 months, and it has neither blossomed nnrL™** 1 * ei * ht 

 He adds, that several of his neighbours have h g H°" n * eIJ » 

 same length of time without any better c ,™ 0a<1 lt for tin 

 tried it in the Pine stove and inth L**T"< H « »u 

 being sandy loam and peat. greenuouse, the foil 



Birds : E. If it 



the plants after _._ ^•pmroie it sir*. 



desirable to try the effect produced on your birds h u 

 smoke arising from the tobacco paper. If, ou ^: i 7 th J 

 second experiments, no ill consequences result t 

 occasionally do as you suggest ; but we frauklv tell. J?**/ 

 you can avoid the necessity, do so. The birds L 1 1 * * 





Kirs iif°L; p,ot °\ grmn " wh(ch he - ^* he 



pondS half \t? e \l° U : n l u UberS ; wh '^t in the corres. 

 SX wS? w mth ° U the C * hh *&, he had not as 



plan 4h singSaTS^ Y? S^ ^ tried the 

 Jomma? * UCCess ' F ' Coxworthy, in the Minina 



the same operation buries the leaves, and 

 gives to the whole a neat and orderly appearance. The 

 requisite pruning, staking, and tying should be first 

 performed, to prevent the necessity of treading upon 

 the ground, after it has been forked. If the Raspberry 

 canes were not thinned in the autumn, they should now 

 be reduced to four of the strongest on each stool, re- 

 jecting any which may have been deteriorated, by 

 producing fruit in autumn ; and, as a matter of 

 course, entirely removing all the old canes. The stakes 

 should then be examined, and renewed, if necessary, 

 fixing them perfectly upright in straight lines, and 

 cutting them to one uniform height, that the whole 

 may bear evidence of good workmanship. When fork- 

 I ing in the top-dressings, a little pains should be taken 

 to destroy the embryo suckers which are visible on any 

 of the roots. J 



(%%« 'Options. 



PLANT 



'£®*in? week) - " 



Besides the usual ripening of 'J- *,- 

 *ud other bulbous and tulK^™? 8 ' Acfemema, 



many other stove plants whichTon l S U,, f' ther ^ are 

 pooler temperature during the seaZ of jftf'fr^ & 

 this head will be included ClerodenE, 1 » * . L nder 

 similar species, AUamanda, ApheSS vTn ' ^ 

 various others which have done floweS ZT'w\ d 



*> the late autumn and winter nowe^ian fc ^ 



State of the We*'her near London, for the week endinir Not 2 

 a* observed at the Horticultural Garden, Cliia wick. * 



i% 



1831, 



< 



Not. 



BAROaiJCT**. 



> 





?' 



38 



Friday.. 



Situr. .. 22 M 

 Sunday. 23 ft 

 Monday 24 l 

 Tuea. .. 21 



Wed. .. 26 

 Thura... 27 



3 

 4 



■• 



Max. 



29.930 

 3U.M9 

 30.133 

 29.493 



29.738 



8.899 





Min. 



2'. 16 



29.998 



29. 



29.452 



29.4*9 



29.^119 

 ».7S8 



TaMFSBATUKB. 



Of the air. JOftbe Earth 



Min. M*an \ t<K *l* &** 



4G 





45 





45 



?,'2 



V, 





46 





36 



28 



42 



2P 



Wind. 



a 



i 



- 



Arerw 



- - 



29.333 29.713 43J 27 3 



be indispensably ^, m t 

 the manner you propose, .. fam '* lt « 



be affected would be the love-birds. At this season no? ? 

 sel should be supplied about once a week. The Wfc shon?*! 

 be altogether discontinued. Your aviary and consma! 



tory being in such close proximity, is unfortunate .a* 



Try Millet seed.— Anne T. Boiled milk is far preferab^ 

 at all time?, to the u*e of saffron.— Maria T, It ia •£ 

 tirely brought on by an exposure to cold. If you realfr 

 must have an open cage, drop a silk handkerchief, "forpityi 

 sake," over the poor little sufferer at bed-time.-tfeoi™, The 

 average is four years.— Fright. Let the cat be killed at once, 

 by all means. ' Lite for life/ in such a case as you describe! 

 is u sound doctrine." — Alicia. It is simply weak, from tin 

 tedious process of moulting. Be patient till Christmai^ 

 John. From 12 to 17,— occasionally H ^Alexander. Ayoois 

 bird, hatched during the present year, is worth 5$, When 

 two years old, he is worth 105. Of course, some of this tribe 

 are better than others. You must exercise good judgment m 

 your selection.— Sarah iV. No birds are more sagacious and 

 none more readily tamed. Offer him something tempting, 

 from your own fair hand, and his good sense will noubtlets 

 prompt him to accelerate what you so much desire.- Stepta, 

 They are pretty creatures truly, but the burden of their song 

 induces greatly to melancholy.— J C E. Want of apace 



prevents our prefixing and repeating the names of tie several 

 birds about which we are consulted. As you are a regular 

 subscriber, totj can suffer no individual loss.— J T, Your 

 favour is received, and shall have attention.— J F, whose 

 letter referring to the " Instinct " of a particular bird hag just 

 reached us, has our very best thanks. The matter as well 

 as the manner of the communication are not lost upon us. 

 We shall know how and when to avail ourselves of our 

 valued friend's kind hint. Will he be so kind as to wri ea-ain, 

 enclosing «' facts" and M authorities \»—JJ. Your humanity 

 equals your good sense. To "slit the tongue" of this poor 

 inoffensive bird would, indeed, be, as you say, both cruel 

 and unlawful. Besides, the operation, if performed, would 

 be quite useless. It is high time such "vulgar errors were 



exploded I W.K. ' ' .. 



Books; H M. If he understands botany he may use the book 



you mention, but not otherwise. He had better .tody 

 Lindley'e "School Botany" in the first instance.- Adder, 

 Moore on the " Melon and Cucumber." J o flnf * m hpr 

 Clematis : L X Y. Propagate it by layering in September 



in sand till February, and bow them then, as jouwuia 



Whitethorn haws. % .(.'■"* »»„«, rannim i 



FauiT trees : J M M. Coe's Golden Drop J urn requ> £ 

 southern exposure, in order to acquire fall pet lee ion. iarii« 

 Plums are better suited for a northern «pecU-^ <*• 

 You may shorten your newly-planted Apple and Pear tree* 

 little now, but certainly not in March. II .^ 



Insects: O S W, Gloucester. The small beetle fonnd'ewe 



of your Port-wine bottles is the <WPW!jp£c* 

 insect generally found in cellars and similar d«»P ^ 

 The grub was doubtless that of the W* »^* k , itt 

 W. fl„«, which is often rery destroctir , » ft w 

 wine cellars. We know no other remedy agji b« ™ ^ R 

 than to resin the whole of the exposed parts ot w u 



PF. 1, Blenheim «. -$ N ork 

 Reinette du Canada ,* . 



15, Easter Beurre. 



Names of Fruits : 



4, Cockle Pippin; 5, .. ¥m * ^ 



Beaufin; 14, Bedfordshire Foundling; %J^Y-* » ** 

 From some others the numbers ™f* ™™r\ Alfriston; 

 3, Comte de Lamy ; 41, Knight e Monarch , > ^^ 

 6, Trumping'ou or Eve Apple JI-j/<S ,f ah 

 Apple is very like the Kin^ of the PW**" t0 be a bit of 



Names of Plants : Enquirer, Cork. It *PF*j pi ec tran'hus 

 Tfucrium fruticoeum.-.S/ier?.. 1 ^ cer ^Vfteu old and in 



fruticosus, which only forma a ^ ood 7 *^ties of Veronica 

 a dry hot climate ; 2 is one of the maD V? rbu t a s magnifies- 

 Teucrium.--4 H. We know nothing ot a t K \ ltopw- 

 -J A. 2 is a colourless variety of Itf c »*" different from 

 bably anew Promemca ; at least it ^ . bad packing- 

 Pr. xamhlna, bvrt the specimen was raw witHoI] t cottoK 

 Flowers should be wrapped in tissue pep* , a bol 8lron g 

 wool, and enclosed in damp brown Py_ 4 5 Q D. I^* 13 

 enou s h to prevent their b*ing c ru8 ^ a :7 a nts as you na?« 

 gibraltarica. You may strike all such ip'an andl ^ 

 by puttini? cuttings under hand-glaeeesin^ * ^ gaTed dt 

 them till they are rooted. But much tx m ^ m ^ fazW* 

 going at once to a nurseryman.— £ M * 

 a nice hardy annual. . d i fiC nssion you ^ 



New Pine.afples : J S. We consider ^ lB frnite ^ and then 

 to raise premature. Wait till they 

 let us know what you think of their <lf{^ Le are M»2 



Plantations : A Sub. Grub up all the » ««£' between JJ 

 of the Firs as you can, and fill "P^Sed "H* ^g 

 with more Spruce and Scotch Firs, ]*£* i( the &*** 

 ters, Hollies, Yews, and common ^ fture 8 * hed| thb newp^ 

 is well thinned, and the woxmd***™™*^ firsf' 

 tation will sooA give shelter: by degree t^ Uo}M , f<* 



removed, if necessary, and * b V7?iThevforoia- crf !i«ilftr 

 and Laurele can be encouraged 1 tiir ^ itaWe ?«er- 



most 



ihClD 



Plunging Material: HI O. The ^^W^^d^ 



HI, uvc 



plunging pots of cuttings 



Asto the prof;-. 



ashes, or these mixed with sawdust. , ott j- 



for a planging bed, that a°P eB(i *™Z From » i0 ° 

 brisk heat or only moderate w» ' + $ t 



15 inches is deep enough for" **? ^. .boots eicep- "» 



Wistabia : A C 11. Leare^ antouc bed aM 

 unripe end, which .hould be cu * b *f ' Brofl d-street C.tJ.t 



Mtsc : a. 31 Great Winchester-street, uroa 





