776 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



— — 



Miscellaneous- 



$tr. Rucker's Orchids. — Botanists and horticulturists 

 are alike interested in the conservation of the rarest and 

 finest collection of Orchideous plants that has ever been 

 amassed by any one individual. The palm for such an 

 assortment has been universally awarded to S. Rucker, 

 Esq., of West Hill, Wandsworth, where the collection is 

 in all its integrity. Circumstances have happened, as 

 the public is but too well aware, which require that these 

 splendid specimens should find another possessor ; but 

 we must bo allowed to express a most earnest hope that 

 <hey will not be dispersed, but that some one among the 

 noblemen and private gentlemen of fortune, of whom 

 many have been distinguished by their love of science 

 and of horticultural pursuits in this country, will j[be in- 

 clined to purchase it, and preserve it entire. Hooker's 

 Journal of Botany 



Luminous Mosses. — About two years since, Dr. Milde 



observed in the Orchis-house, at the Breslau Gardens, 



that the infant fronds or prothallus of some Ferns, which 



.happened to stand in a dark place, emitted an emerald 



green light exactly as the Cotyledonoids of Schistostega 



osmundacea in the cavities of rocks. The same appearance 



presented itself in a fissure constantly moistened with 



the spray of a waterfall in the course of last July. The 



light proceeded from globular bodies. The place on 



examination proved to be thickly clothed with Mnium 



punctatum, almost every leaf of which was covered with 



a large drop of water, which produced exactly the same 



effect as the spawn of Schistostega. Meyer says rightly, 



that this species must be erased from the list of 



luminous plants, for the peculiar refraction and reflection 



"which is produced by the drops of water on the leaves 



of the Mnium is equally effected by the swollen cells of 



the Cotyledonoids of the Schistostega, and has nothing 



to do with a development of light from the substance of 



the plant itself. Botanische Zeitung, 1851, p. 630 



FLOWER GAUDEN AND SHRUBBERIES. 



Let perfect neatness prevail in this department also, 

 to compensate for the absence of more brilliant attrac- 

 tions. Remove all the fallen leaves, and let the snrface 

 of the soil in the borders and clumps be forked over, or 

 made clean with the rake. The walks should be put 

 into perfect order, and, if necessary, receive a slight J 

 sprinkling of clean fine gravel. It is not, however, a J 

 good time during frosty weather to lay down gravel, 

 unless it is very clean, and free from clay ; and even 

 then, it is only in extreme cases that we would recommend 

 it. Let the drains and grids be examined and cleaned ; 

 and if in very rainy weather the water lies on any parts 

 of the walks, let the defect be remedied by introducing a 

 new drain, or by filling up the low places with new 

 gravel ; nothing interferes so much with the enjoyable- 

 ness of any place, at this season, as damp dirty walls. 

 If the turf is wet in any part of the pleasure ground, the 

 winter season during mild weather is an excellent time 

 for remedying it, by cutting drains wherever they are 

 required. In doing this, keep the drains at the greatest 

 possible distance from trees, to prevent them being choked 

 up by the roots ; but in parts where the proximity of 

 trees is unavoidable, let the drains be filled with broken 

 rubble to within 12 or 15 inches of the surface, that a 

 passage may be secured for the water, even if the roots 

 do enter the drains. In filling the drains up with soil, 

 let it be well rammed in, to prevent any after sinking of 

 the surface. 



FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



After severe weather, beds containing Pinks and 

 Pansies should be carefully examined, those which have 

 been late planted particularly, as the frost will often 

 raise them nearly out of the ground. The latter would 1 



"==!-»S.T2rSS»: 



your proposition, and admire th* ^Tl readiI J acctl. 



our devoting « the very *£ week M * 8t ? *at E* 





Canaries: W M. The .haWtwhih . * handa ^TiIX?* 

 picking out their feathers ^ s^not e S ° f *£• **&Z 

 however, just received from a youn^uiW^/ "• »X 

 posed remedy for this evil practice . ffi? Berk * l "*£ 

 case of the poor parrot, t P *U$ **$"? ***«. 8 

 since, has no doubt suggested the kind I1a ed a ^rtuii 

 " I cured a canary of mine," remark the * '^ *R 

 suspending in his cage a piece of^S^J* ^J. ^ 

 dipped m sugar and water. He immediate h ' prerio ^ 

 at it ; and finding it palateable, he never af £*?*? P«*3 

 to his own feathers. I allowed the pack fh -1^ resort 3 

 ■ome weeki in his cage. I may add thatX ? t0 rem *fc 

 effect a cure had proved ineffeeiuaU*—!?**. i: y oth *raUemMu 

 premature to publish the list now, iS^^ * »*« 

 prove accurate. The precise order mu*2 n ? mi * ht ** 

 circumstances. We will, however btar » pend * rettl J °* 

 mind, and furnish all particulars at thl "W^on in 

 John C. Your black-cap has been blindedK° Per sea,on - 

 kept in an equable temperature, then* h;l* y . co,d » W not 

 blind in the v,-inter.-Edwin J. No • vo„n* hi a ,n J ari ^lj go 

 tive, soon lose their original note, unle.. T ' ^- ng imit ** 

 room.-Emily. Sponge-cake is preterab£ m k P ? a qui * 

 days old, all the better. -James J? Tryone'^^ If < w ° 

 will not eat garden worms, and meal. Worm I • ' a,,y ' The 7 



Arabella. Select six, nearly uniform in lh! /nV^^? 6 ' 

 nfth a >™<Tht-«+ i.*/i !>«♦ *u~ 1% , iU n,e » and with h#a, 



of the brightest red. Put them all i n one e'J* , « h h '*** 

 front only. They will twitter merrily. and fil*?*** , at thi 

 will not exceed 2s. You can tame them vert M .nl W ^° le *** 

 Ample directions were given in the firitl6 .No i • b^h "1 £ 



-„k;-„«. ;. ncn.. g ..;i. .' w ,i:.;.:w. r, Uil0 ?'» nut the whole 



Calendar of Operations. 



(For the ensxdna week.) 



PLANT DEPARTMENT. 



As the season is approaching when every proprietor 

 looks to home for enjoyment, let the gardener make it 

 his particular business to contribute, as far as lies in 

 his power, to the gratification and pleasure of his em- 

 ployers and their friends. The plant houses and their 

 occupants will be of the first importance at . this dull 

 season ; and, to be appreciated, they should be arranged 

 in such a manner as to display themselves to the best 

 advantage. Great care should be taken of plants now 

 in flower, in order to preserve them in that state as 

 long as possible ; due attention should also be paid to 



be benefited by having hoops placed over them, on which 

 mata should be stretched during frost. If this precau- 

 tion is not observed, small boughs of Spruce Firs may 

 be inserted round the bed, and small twigs placed on 

 each side, to prevent the plants being broken off by 

 rough winds. In exposed gardens rabbits or hares will 

 oftentimes commit serious damage ; we have found an 

 occasional handful of soot scattered over the soil a pre- 

 ventive, as well as having a beneficial effect on the plants 

 themselves. Air, air, air, as much as possible, to Auri- 

 culas, Polyanthuses, Carnations, and Pansies, kept in 

 frames ; they will require very little water now, but 

 when absolutely necessary, let it be given in the morn- 

 ing- Take every opportunity during wet weather of 

 repairing handglasses, painting flower-pegs, casting leaden 

 layer-pegs, &c. Look at Dahlia roots, and remove any 

 that may be decaying. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 





To prevent any difficulty in digging up Celery or 

 Cardoons, when the ground is frozen very hard, let a 



in everything ; for, if this point be attended to, it will 

 compensate in a great measure for the absence of a more 

 extensive floral display. Hybrid Rhododendrons, and 

 Chinese Azaleas, will now be coming in, to assist with 

 the ^Camellias, early Epacrises, Indian Daphnes, and 

 numerous other good things, in producing a rich display 

 of flowers. A few more of the above should now be 

 put into a mild heat. 



FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



Miseries— Care should be taken during the next few 

 weeks to limit the application of exciting influences, 



couple of weeks, be always under protection, either by 

 means of loose litter, Fern, or thatched hurdles, or 

 some other convenient material which will exclude 

 frost. These coverings should be put on while the 

 ground is in an uncongealed state, as it would otherwise 

 do harm rather than good, by preventing the sun and 

 air from acting upon the soil in case of a change of 

 weather. It must however be understood that the 

 portion which is covered up is not to be left untouched 

 till the arrival of frosty weather, but used in the regular 

 rotation ; and as the covering is taken off the part for 



an 



yet healthy plants, with short sturdy leaves, while the 

 roots are revelling in the rich compost, which they will 



SIT * -° f Ven thr0U S h the winter months, if the 

 bottom heat is kept at 80" to 85°. This end is not, 



however, to be obtained through starving the plants by 



*lnn Q T ate SUpp, y of water and soil » b "t by affording 



along with a proportionate quantity of these requisites 



a free c.rculat,on of air at all times. If this point, in 



«£S 1 ' f d lf a healtfa y r °°t-action be secured, the 

 plants th ou gh small, will be filled with highly-elaborVted 



win ™ >' f \ natural consequence, will produce large, 

 Srbe d ii, igh,y ' fl - a r Ured fruit - Vm ER r ES .-ff 



"SJtes .°i ijtk grea f c r ion at this dui1 



day to allow tlT?J , ake advan *&ge of every fine 

 than Tw Ti • u ^P eratu re to rise 15° or 20° hirfier 



Sw n ^ IV?* d f DS the n! S ht - Where 

 three tinSV^S W ^ ^ ^ m ^ be s >™8 ed 

 which th? *^ y --" ne - Clea - r Weather ' with 



exuberant foliage, C^^S^^SE = *TS.2 L^"-*?«M i&**~k 



crops as Parsley, Spinach, Sorrel, &c, can be pro- 

 tected they will be found very convenient, when the 

 ground is covered with snow. Some Horseradish, 

 Jerusalem Artichokes, Parsnips, &c, should be got up 

 and laid in moist soil for present use. It is a practice 

 with many, on the approach of severe weather, to take 

 up a quantity of Celery and Cardoons, and remove them 

 m-doors ; but we never take up more than two or 

 three days' supply, as we have invariably observed great 

 waste to result from the opposite practice ; besides 

 which, the quali ty of the vegetable is d eteriorated. 



State of the West her Dear Londoa.Tor tbe *een - ill 



ai obierred at the Horticultural Garden, Cblewick. 



water of 



^^TSSTJ-^r^C^^r^ 



Nov. 

 and Dec. 



be used 10° to IS 



warmer. 



s^n.trin^tne aff ^ eXP l Cted ^ «*-5 

 iCZ^T? ,J n the ^ternoons should be avoided 



o---, 



as 



otherwise the water becomes congealed about the'lans 

 'S£ 2»S tor trr 33 breakiD " them > a " d thefron? 



Pomon the ^ftTC^lR; 



«g material over & ro^ff t **" ' ^ \™ ent - 

 »oderate warmth, not exceeding %' if th 



« sufficient; but, at the same time it In n^ 



n v P«m; n ^ t u.x.-x .!.._ .™> lt should be 



Friday., 28 

 Satur. .. 29 

 Sunday . 30 

 Monday ] 

 fuei. .. a 



Wed. 



c 



M 



■r 



m 



d 



S 

 a 



8 

 9 



Baeombtsk. 



TiatPUHATUBl. 



Thuri... 4 



3 10! 



Average.... 

 Not. 



U 



Max. 



30.073 

 30.170 



30.247 

 30.257 



30.267 

 30.235 

 30.245 



Min. 



29.990 

 30.158 

 30.162 

 30.245 

 30.237 

 30. 1 S7 

 30.234 



Of the Air. Of the Earth. 



I 



Max. Min. Mean 





44 

 39 

 II 

 39 

 41 



39 

 43 



1 foot 1 2 feet 

 deep. deep. 



Wind. 



inbjcct is neceisarilj indiritible.~£mma. Ma n V t b^ *Z IT 

 the kind interest you hare shown in the matter oUhelv 

 bird, and for the Tamable information Ton ha™ mrliui 

 nected therewith. You will see thatWw^ bS 

 occasion to avail ourseWes of your good offices. Sometimi 

 the heat of a room, or an improper mode of feeding a canarV 

 will induce to these bad habits. In the summer season i 

 frequent change of scent— such as allowing them the ran** 

 of a Urge room, «fcc., <fcc, will divert them from their mil. 

 practices ; but at this season, jour proposed plan is undeniabl? 

 good.— A rabelia. Almost immediately after Christmas. Your 

 patience must tarry yet a little longer. If these birds ftiddafo 

 cease singing in the autumn, they seldom resume song till 

 after the new year has come in,— Jane L. Our advice is asked 

 •' too late." Cramp has paralysed your little friend, and b? 

 putting his head behind his wing he gives you timely notice 

 that you must immediately part. At this season, all who 

 really love their birds should show their good sense, and keep 

 them from cold and draughts.— Alpha. Read carefully the 

 " treatises" Nos. 17 to 23.— 22 T. Full particulars, inad- 

 missible here, about feeding your robins, and teaching your 

 birds to t u draw water," will be forwarded you by post.— 

 Chatteris* We fear our letter, sent last week, has miscarried. 

 "We wrote on Saturday.— W J. The extent of your "list of 

 inquiries " renders it necessary for us to reply to you by post. 

 We will do so. — Sidmouth. See answer given to "J, C. E.,"w 

 last week's Paper. W. K* 



Cheap Sulphueatob : W S C. Any tinman can make the con- 

 trivance described at p. 643 out of an old pair of bellows. 



Farm : D CL, Yes ; a great many. 



Flowe* Gardens : WPP* We have notonewoTd to sayin 

 favour of hearts, diamonds, &c. Perhaps you might get 

 some hints from Loudon's " Villa and Suburban Gardener." 

 But it would be better to obtain a plan. We meant -Mr. 

 Kemp, of Birkenhead. 



Fbdit Trees : J 3 C. Manure should be applied with a sparing 

 hand, and only when soil is quite worn out. Stone fruit 

 should not have it at all. It is no doubt desirable that the 

 roots of all fruit trees should be kept near the surface.-^/ 

 SB, Perthshire. Fruit trees for an east aspect wall: In a 

 northern part of the country late Pears will not ripen well 

 on this aspect. You may plant May Duke, Knight's Earlf 

 Black and Elton Cherries; Jefferson and Orleans Plums; 

 and the Jargonelle, Williams' Bon Chretien, Suffolk Thorn, 

 and Broom Park Pears.H . 



Glass : R F. If possible, the laps should be the depth of tne 

 thickness of the glass. At all events, the shallower tfie 

 better, if the laps are to be open. If they are to be puttied, 

 then i-inch is about what will prevent the potty coming out 

 readily.— W NS B. Hartley's patent rough plate.; 



Grafting : R M. R*ad the articles on this subject wmen were 

 published in our columns last spring, t ,. ., 



Liquid Manure: FruUx. The gardener who *PP I,e Li ,q ° : 

 manure during hard frost, must be insane. But, su ™£^ 



are joking. Jfo man coold do that. W<l wd ™ n ^!Ttf 

 be given when planta are growing, or about to grow, a^ 

 possible, a little at a time, and often, Twomie* 



Na«8 orFBum : J F. 35, Black Achan j ,36 Orq Igjft 

 -JB Warren. The Pear is unqueitionably theCbaamon^ 



_C R P. The Pa»se Colmar ; yoa mU And it fjffi^ 

 Still higher degree of excellence i gro« ' ^J.^. », 

 wall, or as an espalier.y— W &. *% "*"'. « an . . n Blen- 

 King of the Pippins ; 30, probably Beauty of kent, u, 



heim Pippin ; 14, Northern Greening.U TYheYeria 



Names of Slams : 3 T. 1, Celsia arcturus; IJtLnr 



lurida; 8, Eicallonia rubra. 



21 



22 



20 



S3 



27 

 24 



33 



324 

 30.S 



29.5 



34.0 

 31.5 



39.0 





38 



384 



38 



3SA 



38 



38 



38 



40 



37 



39 



374 



38 



37* 



33§ 



253 



"tt.2 



37-7 



IV.W. 

 S.W. 

 N.B. 

 W. 

 N.W. 

 S.W. 

 S.W. 



Eneroum. 446, Pap*^ 



orientale ; 175, P. bybridum ; 153, P. •^• n ^ 'Trlftl 

 Glaucium luteum ; 143, Hypecoum P e "°X% a; Vft v - 

 lium arvense.-^rzeroum. 28, Viola K t*beJi ana, ^^^ 

 Pallasii, yellow; 645, V. Pallasil, purple.-^ * f f Detest- 

 lariafusca; 2, Scutellaria, perhaps cocciWt »* 

 able specimens detestably packed. t.-heen repeatedly 



Phillips's Firr Annihilator: B D. T^ 130 " V, h we m o,t 

 mentioned in our advertising columns, w * f tne current 

 besr to refer you. (See p. 254 of our volume ior 



beg 

 year.) 



ecially 



I 38.6 



e strength of daylight. 



Dec. 



30.220 ! 30.173 | 4 0.6 _ 



^IvnlrV^ 8 ^ "^dii^iyll^Tcloudy ; frost,. 



3^"^JI- V th i0 f ; fiD ? ; ver 7 ***** at night. 

 1 %°**y : i* X) 8e { °K 1 clear Rnd froety. 

 1— rrosty; fine; uniformly overcast, 

 2-Overeast; clear; tlijfht frost. 

 4-Overcast; hazy; cloudy at nighL 

 ' 4-Frosty ; fine ; orercast. 



Mean temperature of the week, 8g deg. below the average. 

 State of the Weather at Chi 



ensuing 



.00 



.00 



.00 

 .00 

 .00 

 .00 

 .00 



Rustic Vabis: Amateur. There is no book that tr DowniDg > 8 or 



t. If you have access to an J ' «* , in lD€10i { 

 Loudon's works, you may find such things ng« gsi bleto 



rr \* . .***. •.* that it is r> ^ hol] y 



on the subject. 



Seeds: P N. Your plan is the very worst that 



imagine, and is founded on . erroneous ^ 9 ^ d W ell^u| 



■A • _ % 



your mode of packing would soon 



exploded. The seeds you have sent ^V'Vr^off. Dry > 



rfi.oi.Wti/wn.iM soon finish thern^ 



seeds as well as you can, in the sun or dry ^» 

 loosely in canvas bags, and cause them 



put tbem 



cabin or between decks, where the air nw^ t ao t his, ^ 



h.°«?°rJ::r^ 



.hiswick, dunnjr the last To years, for the 

 week, ending: Dec. 13,1851. > lOTiaB 



dung, | 



a 

 the 



gently examined, that it does not fall ton i„. T^-"" 

 «old weather, or the check will ^^1^-'? low ^™ an S 



Dec. 





*e Grapes are sii h^T ""^ * ^ Where 

 ■ fc,ch « *» longer of any 



ne m at once all spurs on which WbS is h^^ 





»:-u 



Sunday 7 



Mon. 8 



Tnea. 9 



Wed. 10 



Thura. ll 



Friday 12 



Satur. 13 



47.2 

 43 JS 

 43.2 

 46.2 

 43.8 

 46. -J 



•»7.1 



9 *» 



• 



SSs 



5 a 



llfi 



as 



.; -.♦; 



! 4L9 



33.9 



:,a.9 



35.0 



40.1 



34 & 



40.3 



VLS 



393 



34.5 



40.4 



32.2 ! 



1 H9.7 



No. of 

 Yean } Q 



which it 

 Kained. 



Grftatest 

 Quantity 

 of Rain. 



Prevailing Winds. 



U 



13 



10 



s 



8 

 8 



8 



isEiti££!a^ 



0.14 in. 

 0.16 



0.03 



0.20 



0.62 



0.26 



0.13 



2 



1 



1 





<0 ' 'w 







I 



3 



t 2 4| 4 

 2 12 7 . 



\ I ! l • J 



3 2 15 7 4 

 ,3X3564 



1 3 2 1 7 S 2 



5 



4 

 3 



1 

 3 



3 

 1 



1 



*«■• 61 de,:, »d th. K3**£ ?^,t?^ h U e r «^^ 



about them during their vojage. — v r o m nieu "-- it 



bulky seeds, then put them in earth (l°an^ « it# Loam » 

 » stout wooden chest, or in kegs, if jou V^ geneiw 

 much better than sand. Such part of^ tnec » ^ - a ^e 

 must go below ; but seeds should never 1^ r 



hold, if it can be avoided. „ „,pntioned, %#*„< 



Walls : 3 J 3 H. When a south wall is **»*${ T uZnM?% 

 understand it to be the south aspect ot a w 



and west. 



north *& d 

 west. 

 the on 

 wanted agaio^ »" ---- the e a»« >„ 



Is that they are planted against a ™™}™ h * U Qtn ot*** 



A north wall "is understood to be the 

 a wall running in the same direction ore- -^ the 



trees are said'to be planted against an east w ,_ flflitf . 



north border is understood to be one at the bo 



facing the north ; and so of others. II ^ ^ ^ 



%* As usual, many communication b ^.^uhe oecj^ 

 late, and others ire unavoidably detained «u icdtt ^ 



inquiries can be made. We must •Iw^^ioa ot "^ 

 of those numerous correspondents, tnt 



interesting contributions ia •tilldelayea. 



1 





