Mar 18, 1895.] 
THE 
GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
615 
PE iS 
time they are gathered from the parent plant, the 
mode of preservation, and the influences they may 
have been exposed to durin rvati 
Sowerby, who has, at the garden of the Royal Bo- 
tanie Society, in . 15 rr with 
a variety of seeds of ¥ s ages, and produced in 
is cil in the Journal of the Dovel Bas Botanic Society 
for 1885. A handful of fruits of Aucuba, eked from 
in a pot uly, 1882; two plants appeared above 
ground in 2 1833, fourteen in 1885, and two 
more in Fe 3 pe be found 
ary, t 
that the pa Sa of ripening aft 
the 75 Ft ge when buried in 
rapid pace, may account for 
throughout +t rranean on, suddenly 
appear at various spo the Canary Islands, 
where it was 8 unknown. It is probable, 
experiments to dete 
of seeds in sea-water, the results of w 
published in this Journal, do not seem i. hats 
re recent investigators; but 
germinating. 
6. of the power of seeds to 
e power of water, it may not be unin- 
teresting to ie that it ie a well-known fact that 
nts to make its 
John Lubbock, the only Palm which is common to 
both hemispheres. The seeds of the Cocoa- nut are, 
of course, well protected against mishaps by the 
of ert husks, and can float easily on 
s of the common Dack-weed, 
the water all 
took part. In the Report for 
page ero summary of the results of 
the . from 1841 to 1857 inclusive. In 
forty-three years, though it would appear in general 
that the seeds of 2 plants retain their 
vitality ſor a here tim 
We are unaware that any experiments are being 
carried on a the present time on this Bee grea | 
subject; certainly the British Association droppe 
the matter after the year 1 
Da Candolle in 1846, experimenting with seeds 
about 15 years old, obtained results which go to Eaa 
that the — orders, Malvacem and Leguminos 
excel all the orders examined in the duration of the 
faculty of ae Comparing these —— with 
those obtained by the British Association investiga- 
the longest period t species of 
B 
eside 
the Leguminosæ, the seeds of species of the follow- 
ing orders retained their vitality after a period of 
twenty 2 Tiliacee Rhamnacew, and Myrtacem 
R- turning for a moment to the statements hentioned 
above, as to the powers of different seeds of resist- 
ing external influences, we find that cereal grains 
Fie. 87.—VIEW IN THE CONSERVATORY, ROYAL GARDENS, 
LAEKEN, BRUSSELS. 
have been proved by Edwards and Colin to — 
short exposure o F. in water, as well as a dry 
cold of 70° below the freezing point; while — Mii 
in a paper published in the Ayn. of Nat. Hist, 
st series, viii, 317, s that seeds of Elder 
rmi after being twice boiled in making wine, 
being present during . 
and remaining for twenty months in the dregs 
cask, H. C. F. 
— — — 
IA 
BELGIUM. 
THE ROYAL CONSERVATORIES AT 
LAEKEN. 
miri former years, pies R, King Leopold II. 
pen to the certain days in 
‘April hia Tas, conse re aeons This year 
various societies and institutions availed themselves 
mA the privilege, I visited the houses, accompanied 
y Mr. Henry 
Wilke skilled management a high * of excel- 
ence is maintained, I noted the plant of Brownes 
macrophylla, which has bloomed several times; an 
— aurantiaca with twenty-four flower stems, and 
than 250 blooms; Odontoglossum crispum 
with three fine racemes; another specimen with 
“a Karas plant of the same popular 
Orchid with a branching raceme bearing about a 
hundred bloome, Dendrobium x Leechianum has 
a large and very dark lip. The Cattleyas and Lælia 
are famous among Orchid-lovers, and deservedly = 
for never were there more healthy 
lants, One specimen of Cattleya Moste 
seventy-three buds, and 150 
house ie in fine order, and promises plenty of bloom. 
and I admired Saintpaulia ionantha, 
interesting series of hybride of Anthurium Andre- 
anum, among which are 
e a summerhouse 
wi 
Trianæi measuring more t 
seventy-three flowers, A charming effect was here 
rodaced by many fine specimens of Euphorbia 
j: A which have been flowering since 
vy interesting operation, already mentioned in 
these pages, and of which I can now tell the resulte, 
is the transplantation of the great Palms from the 
winter-garden, ese Palms were raised on moun¢a 
from 3 feet to nearly 5 feet in height; it became neces- 
A were 
Sabal 
—— required the united N of a dozen 
i 20 to 
308 c 
— replace ed 
edt 
men; its weight was estim at from 
230 (1 kilo, = 221b.), Four ' 
tralis were ; house into the 
large winter-garden ; to place tbem 
on pro spelter, and to bend them that i 
might be moved from one spot to the other. T 
required much care ; at the end of 
killed ; the Ilex 
The Caucasian Rhododendrons, all 
ties, stood the cold better, Rhododen- 
dron ce Camille de Rohan should, Mr. meme 
says, — excluded from cultivation. C. 
fairly well. 
VINE TENDRILS, Erc. 
GarpexeERs when engaged i in nit and euere 
E 
— 
lateral growths, I allude principally to young kur- 
deners, and those who hold the position of foremen. 
In some gardens the foreman has almost 
responsibility thrown upon his ae — con- 
dition of the glasshouses, includi the vineries. It 
eee eee ieie a good | raining for ie 
duties as tead- gardener, most young 
gardeners hope to coer me day. Sometimes the 
young gardener, owing to pe natural 
circu is) pas into a position 
the details of the 
eund that it made no difference to the growth 
