THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



823 



Ti^^htaili^struck trees which I have examined, 

 !h electric fluid proceeded from the top to the root, 

 f Tlowin" the grain of the wood, and cutting out the bark 

 9° or 3 inches all the way, as if it had been scooped out 

 •*h a 'sauce." The following papers were read:— 1. 

 mice of a new British Viola. By C. C. Babington, M. A. 

 £ 0n tfo Fuchsia, considered morphologically. ^ By the 

 T?ev Dr. M c Cosh, Brechin. 3. On Monstrosities of the 

 Dandelion and common Clover observed near Twin. By 

 Charles Murchison, M.D. 4. On, the Flora of Bonn, 

 the [Rhine. By G. S. Blackie, Esq. The author 

 noticed some of the objects of interest in a botanical 

 point of view, in the neighbourhood of Bonn, including 

 the Botanic Garden, and the Museum of Natural 

 History at Poppelsdorf, remarking particularly upon 

 the geological collection, containing many interesting 

 specimens^ some of which were from brown coal pits at 

 Friesdorf, three miles distant. " The stratum at Friesdorf 

 is in fact a forest buried at an exceedingly remote 

 period, and now converted into brown coal. The trunks 

 of trees lie in beds of clay and sand, and are found in 

 various stages from the perfect fossil tree in which the 

 form and structure are plainly visible, to this coal. The 

 layers of coal alternate with layers of aluminous earth 

 which furnishes materials for a large alum work, on 

 the same hill. This coal also yields the pigment known 

 by the name of Burnt Umber or Cologne earth. At 

 Putzberg, near Friesdorf, trunks of trees 10 and 12 feet 

 in diameter have been frequently found. 3 ' The author 

 then proceeded to remark :— " Bonn possesses a salu- 

 brious climate, severe winter, early spring, and very 

 warm summer. It stands near the head of that immense 

 plain which extends from the seven mountains to 

 Rotterdam. There are no very high hills in the 

 neighbourhood except the Drachenfels and its six 

 brothers, eight or nine miles up the river, though between 

 Bonn and these seven mountains the country is gra- 

 dually rising, and below Bonn there is hardly a hillock. 

 Many of the smaller heights, if not covered by vineyards, 

 are clothed with forests of short stunted trees, and inha- 

 bited by deer, roe, and even, though very rarely, by the 

 wild boar. The soil of the country is in general rich, 

 though in many places very stony ; the whole country 

 has been formed by volcanic agency, and consists of 

 lava, trachyte, and basalt, and one or two of the hills 

 are plainly extinct volcanoes, more especially that of 

 Rodeberg, which is opposite the seveu mountains. This 

 is one of the largest extinct volcanoes on the Rhine. It 

 has a circular crater about a quarter of an English mile 

 in diameter, and 100 feet deep, and great quantities of 

 tufa and scorise are found in an^ around it. The country 

 is under a high state of cultivation, and the hills are 

 drained and cultivated to their summits. Many of the 

 fields yield two crops in the year. One great want is the 

 entire absence of pasture ; for all animals are fed at home, 

 and never put out to graze. The appearance of the 

 country, on this account chiefly, is curious to an English 

 eye, as, instead of fine large fields, they have small 

 patches of different crops, of one or two acres in extent, 

 growing side by side without hedge, fence, or tree, 

 giving a patchwork appearance to the whole, which does 

 not at all add to the picturesque character of the 

 scenery, and, indeed, after the fine trees and hedge-rows 

 of oWEngland, makes the country look plain, lnese 

 small crops, however, have this advantage, that as in 

 that country there are mostly small farmers, one crop 

 failing they have one or two more to rely on. 1 he chief 

 plants cultivated near Bonn, are Rye, Wheat Oats Bar- 

 ley, Potatoes, Cabbage (near the towns and villages, chiefly 

 for saner kraut), rich Grasses and Clover for the cattle, 

 Ervum Lens, the Hop (Hamulus Lupulus), Valemnella 

 olitoria, Brassica oleracea, Rapa and Napus, Buckwheat, 

 Hemp and Flax rarely, the Vine ; and among cultivated 

 trees Robinia pseud-Acacia, brought from North Ame- 

 rica, and .Esculus Hippocastanum, introduced first at 

 Vienna from the East Indies in 1575, are most univer- 

 sal. It is astonishing to remark the perseverance and 

 diligence with which the Vine is cultivated. On the 

 almost perpendicular banks of the Rhine between 

 Mayence and Coblence, or nearer Bonn, .the 

 heights of the valley of the Ahr are cu Unrated to then 

 summits, soil being carried up the rocks by means of 

 ladders and placed in baskets tixed on ledges of the 

 rock, and then dyked round, lest the wind and ram 

 should carry off the plants. In this Ahr valley there 

 are hills higher than Arthur's Seat, cultivated to their 

 peaks in this way, a specimen of industry, rivalling even 

 that of the sands of Holland. The Vine is not properly 

 a native of this country, having come from the southern 

 parts of Europe, but it has in some places escaped from 

 cultivation and appears wild, and is even held to be so 

 by some authors. Further up the Rhine, towards 

 Mayence and Frankfort, the climate is warmer, and on 

 account of the absence of heights the cultivation of the 

 Vine almost ceases, while Tobacco and Indian Maize are 

 grown in abundance. Though much Tobacco is grown on 

 this part of the Rhine, the greater part of that smoked m 

 Germany comes from Holland, where the rich damp soil 

 is very favourable to it, though it soon exhausts a soil. 

 5. Microscopic Observations on a Unci of Paper made 

 from Vrrjdable Tissue. By John Mathews, Esq. Mr. 

 M. stated that he had examined the specimen oi paper 

 presented at last meeting of the Society, and iounc! 

 that it exhibited beautiful cells with stomata. It was, 

 therefore, the cuticle of a plant, and from the quad- 

 rangular stomata he was disposed to think that it was 

 allied to Agave.— Office-bearers were elected for the 

 ensuing year ; six gentlemen, chosen Fellows ; and 

 Mr. J. B. Davies, entered as an Associate. 



Notices; of $oofe& 



A Popular History of British Ferns and the Allied 

 Plants. By Thomas Moore, F.L.S. Square ] 5rao. 

 Reeve and Benham ; pp. 354, with 20 coloured plates 

 of 48 species. 

 Among the works which a taste for the study of British 

 Ferns has produced, this stands at the head, beyond all 

 comparison. Excellent as were Mr. Newman's wood- 

 cuts, and clever as his letter-press, yet even that beau- 

 tiful volume belongs to a less popular order of publica- 

 tion. In the work before us the plates have been drawn 

 on stone by Mr. Fitch, who is now without a rival 



among 



i 



steep 



English botanical draughtsmen. Mr. Moore 

 very properly dedicates his book to Mr. N. B. Ward, 



w whose^ invention," as he truly says, "of close glazed 



cases has extended the cultivation of Ferns to the 



parlour, the window-sill, and the city court-yard," and 



we have no doubt will lead to a still greater extension 



of the taste. We wonder indeed that these beautiful 



objects, cultivable with such an inconsiderable amount 



of either care or skill, should still be so seldom 



seen, either in the open garden or in glass houses. 



Assuredly no race excels them in delicacy of 



texture, or grace of outline or beauty of colour. 



The exotic kinds being more varied than other 



most especially merit the attention of those who have heat 



and glass at command. In Orchid houses they produce 



the most charming effect, entirely destroying by theif 



infinitely diversified forms and way of growth, tin 



monotony of foliage proper to the whole order of 



epiphytes. It is to moisture, shade, and protection from 



winds that the finest of these plants trust for their 



existence, and to those conditions only. < ►Id sandstone 



quarries, the north face of damp cliffs, loose stone walla 



supporting a considerable depth of earth, through 



which water percolates, the borders of waterfalls, are 



their favourite resorts ; and. all that the gardea»r 



has to do is to provide an imitation of these natural 



conditions. This is so much more easily done under 



glass than in the open air, that we entertain no t 



about cold Fern houses becoming in time as • nimon as 



greenhouses. Mr. Moore's book has however more of 



a practical than of a speculative turn, and I fore v 



will ourselves offer a suggestion for tb construction of 



a very cheap and suitable place, in which they may be 



easily cultivated without even a gardener. Throw a 



span roof over a ditch through which water is usually 



flowing. Make the south roof of weathei warding, n 



the north roof of glass ; break up the sides of the ditch 



as deep as circumstances will permit for the reception 



of burs or fragments of stone, among which the J? 



are to be planted, and the thing is done. ter, damp 



air, shade, shelter, a re all provided without further care. 



Of Railway Literature the supply ** kept U P b y Mr : 

 Murray and Messrs. Longman, without a symptom of 

 deterioration. If it is continued, we shall have the most 

 remarkable Cabinet Library in any language, unri- 

 valled in price and quality. Mr. Murray has furnished 



The Road, by Nimrod, and Th TV % by the satn clever 



author, both volumes embellished with capital wooden*; 

 and a small edition of James's Fables of Jk >, with 

 Tenniel's clever illustrations. In the same period we 

 have from Messrs. Longman's Mada t P r*s Vvgag* 

 Round the World, Eoihen, and 3facaufatfs Essay on tfu 

 Life of Addison and Horace Watpok.sSl well known and 

 very interesting works, of standard reputation. Reading- 

 rooms, with limited funds, would do well to keep an eye 

 upon this class of publications, which cannot fail to 

 raise the standard of fe eling am ong the lower classes. 



The Family Ec omisf, for 1851 (Groombridge), is full 

 of useful information. A shilling cannot be better 

 spent than in its purchase. Another work, from the 

 same publishers, called Rural Ecoiwsiy fm rattans 

 Farmers and Gardeners, compiled from the writings of 

 Martin Doyle and others, also deserves c nmendation 

 as a useful addition to the eettoger'ft little library. It is 

 just the book for small prizes in country schools, or for a 

 new «^«^'a nrAepnt, to voiuiff deserving labourers. 



!>anson with other \ u ntd r mend it even 



or a collection of six or t ive, either ior exhit 

 or for d< native effect. Its pox r of resisting the 

 effect of damp is greater than that of many others. 

 Superb Clustered Yellow is, without doubt, the best and 

 brightest of the class ; Annie Salter is next, then Queen 

 of Yellows. Marshal de Crique does not appear in 

 your list at all ; yet, what variety . in its wa as eupix- 

 seded it I In colour, habit, number and fragrance 

 of blooms, what can surpass u I 1 say fragrance, for.Jt 

 is sweet as a Violet. 1 have another v. ejjr, known 

 in Norfolk as Freestone's Queen Victoria. I imagine 

 it is little known, as its name lias not figured in an 

 I have seen ; its colour is light peach blossom,' he 

 petals are very broad, flowers medium-sized, but rather 

 too thin for some purpose*. In habit it is dwarf (1 j to 



18 inchest, and it r mires no fiunnnrt from stick*. It 



[iiires no suj >rt from eucU 

 in any eolh l ; in colour 



by L 



t 



nformed 



i 



*V V 



I 



is worthy of a place in any collection ; in colour it is 

 distinct from am thing I have seen ; I have km n it 

 for 10 or 12 years ; it is admired by all who have seen 

 it. Perhaps it may be cultivated under some other 

 name ; and if so, I shall feel obliged 

 of it. William J 'try, Gardener to 

 Chilton House, Thame, Oxford. 



NOTICES OF HOOKS FOR DECKMHIR. 



The Midland Florist (a double number), is u> usual 

 full of good florituhiiral and ordinary gardening in- 

 formation. The s add ran Id hi* readers is in all 



respects admirable. 



/•'**'# Fi isi (now Turner's), contains some capital 



articles, and is altogether a u* number. 



Floiicuknral Cabinet (doul umber). The illustra- 

 tions areM>r. Horner" Tulip ai tbtec Gloxinia*. 

 "Orion" brings his u Progress of the 1 mi to a 



close, and 11 deserves ti;« Win] mmtsof Uieeonduc r. 



The C Une*%* Magazine Botany It 1 a* out 

 that weannuuneed the discontinuance of this pcriodidel 

 a month too aeon. We have now before us the ac- 

 knowledged concluding number, which, * we\ , waafe 

 die two coloui i plates, and the index promised on fee 



1st of .January. 



In Paxton's Flow* Garden is P«ntet*«en a*ure**v a 



California azure or blue perennial of considerable 

 merit; Wrightii is stated in be deep rich roee. Th« 

 number is.beaut i fully illustrated, and in every way " well 



got up." . 



Birmingham Magazine. This contains * *1 



practical matter. We hope to see Fucbe* K.nf 

 Charming,* at an early date. We know the telle of the 

 Birmingham men in theee ma re. /. E. 



CD*YiAHTHEMt>MG \ Render. Applj i Mr. Ifi , Chilton -home, 



Th'toit. Oxt«T«l. */ A ... _ . _ - ^ .*-,- 



Pane. Dahlias: JSremtta. Tea will nod anaasw«r to joar 



nti ution at Dane 5 ■»•" **»© current jear* roiamr. J. 

 ^" R ..tTlU5Ss>: "Crito'' a-ki. - Wait Sw!t«M 



fi£^™. % i££** varies, AnUrrbinuma, and 

 iimii«r iubject*. *ro iiuwtlj tent •«** in lf> 1 i-- „ 



Limit**: A R. No b< tu r time thmo the nm< i lh . t l !T?IL 

 may be known by refer-nce to our weekly column! . « U not 



for u* to nay nn»t e. J. h. , , ,, 



Li.T«nd Cat' L«»o««M-c.M«rf from Meim. A. P.ul *n4 Sod. 

 -Tim hare been received from MeMM. Wood and CurtU. 



P.oJL: U *. lAenorih. Mr. B.rn.ri I (B.njard ) Hf*- 

 edirod ro-,6 ; Alfred (Dodwell), heavy « IW'e _J ' [»•»• 



Rojal (W\ mer), h«r, ed^ed red. f . w. : ««£'"»,• 

 Princes. Alice, .nd Conrad. We nercr r,co.mend dealer.. 



RM^'kukTzuw.- Tli© critique eiren in your fmTour %W% "" 

 tne rl, w we have ever «ak,n. We h»v. n ... know that 



S TPr , 7nSe..lm.- «■ wn oat on th.** fs /Pj F "'^ 



tHTrenS on 'v taken .. intended, b..t that |, .,niriethm been 

 r n .!tu*d"/ the P ro,^r .»th..«la. «tj * «"» " 



w„ul d than- M be a pitv to dUW. b tba ktodl yt » of I 

 at.hi.j.i tnre, when all pro«i.e.ao fairly. J.L. 

 Tclit.: JC. Yo'ieballqoicklvhw. Jf* ^^^ 



Uisr • Rota WilJinK t« «ivejou tha benefit ol our ".„ 



"In flor«".«bject/i annual flower .tad. are out of our pro- 



rince. J. K. 



line 



FLORICULTURE. 



The Chrysanthemum.— It is stated in your 

 p. 790, that Nonpareil is light coloured ; now 

 this first-rate variety direct from Mr. Bell, 



list, at 



1 had 



*f the 



Ralads 

 the name of 



14 Kalendarinm 



Miscellaneoui. 



at our old school of garden l.l.ratuic 



marks quite an I poch. H«8 



Evelyn 



multitude of Mmilar pr 



referred to as a n* I 



t 



from which it was first let 



Bracondale ^ur8ery, - 



out, and with me it is a peculiar skade of purple cer- 

 tainly not light. [It is considered about London to be 

 cSctly clarified.] It isl.eautifu incurred, but the 

 rZTu Ze rather sharp pointed. It nercr shows an 

 IT S I constler it to he one of the best in cultivation 

 £ regards colour and form, at least it is so under my 

 Ty£L of management ; therefore the number of times 

 exhibited at the London shows compared with that of 

 olr varieties, is no criterion of its merits ; tn fact so 

 high does it stand in my estimation, that is on^d 



Xu ,'and stze of blooms, the t^ l,m widt which hey 



expand (rarely producing a ^« «» "^ 

 which render it second to none ;and I think I am , not sm 

 guU in this opinion, b.v it waa the ^™»™«*£ 

 have seen my plants during tins and ^ oU f ^^ 

 Queen of Yellows I co. der md.spe. ^Ue to a good 



collection. Its colour is peculiar and JjmeM 



me the blooms are very ^l^SS^^^Z 

 up J and although in your list it is placed low, in com 



may even yet be , 



« plant Fotatoes in your worst ground » *•»* - 

 obliged to come to after all. It is now tb fa**n to 

 re Sato Sm long forgotten seed-drawen , many of 

 his plants that had been ahelved for £*xa, as Chojd 

 ,*«_-!. -«,i ot.otv»,.t a *.re being made to render 



; more popular, is Oraohe and l^^^g 

 salad. Purslane, we ho V r>, will follow '"***". 



Corn 



revivals ; in 



spring soups _,.___ 



Germany it is still in great 



Ourselves, long hsMed in art «^P 1 *; 



meed, found in nun tne 



is 



«" »rck. Sow Stir..t» >» H*. ""H"-. '™f «"J. "* 



SI 



nliooM waft the beginning 



of a 



senes oTrl u SSk^MU - y long to ^ 

 SrjS-SJ of the - Complex g^^?^-* 



e be- 

 ilueed 





p^den to any purpoRe,' 



are 



that a more vanod anu ar^u, • ^. 

 1 -200 year, back than now, and that «or 

 fvancLnt in this Hn ift .to revive old 



oould be serve 

 and distinct, and with | only mode of advane«ent „-- ^ ; . ^ a 



fashions. 



rtrfi 



We 





- 



