12 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Jaly 7, 1870. 



not been able to notice any to leave these flowers in this way ; 

 for as soon as the anther cells burst the whole stamen falls 

 from itB filament-like pedicel, and either drops at once on the 

 pistils of other flowers, or scatters its pollen grains by the force 

 of the fall. 



This Euphorbia also furnishes another contribution to the 

 theory of sex which I have advanced. The plan on which the 

 male and female organs are formed is evidently a common one ; 

 and the only reason why some flower heads have a pistil in the 

 centre, and others are wholly staminate, is, that there is greater 

 axial vigour when the female flower is formed. Whenever the 

 common peduncle (below the scarlet involucre) is weak, a pistil 

 never appears in that head of flowers. A few which seem 

 strong neither have them, but the great majority of the strong 

 peduncles are those which bear the female blossoms. Another 

 interesting fact is, that the number of male flowers is less in 

 those heads which also bear a female, than in those which are 

 wholly staminate. This seems to add to the point I made in 

 my paper on Ambrosia, that after the flowers have been par- 

 tially formed in embryo, and before the sex has been finaDy 

 determined, the female flower, being primordially the stronger, 

 has the power of absorbing the males, or their partially formed 

 elements, into its system. It is certainly remarkable that in 

 both these instances the number of male flowers should de- 

 crease in proportion to the existence or vigour of the central 

 female one. 



The male and female flowers of Euphorbia fulgens are formed 

 much alike. The female occupies the centre, and seems really 

 but a prolongation of the main stem, on the top of which is an 

 articulation from which the ovarium springs. The capsule 

 readily falls from this articulation when mature. From the 

 base of the female central peduncle spring weaker peduncles, ! 

 colourless, appearing indeed almost like filaments, articulated at 

 about the same height as the female, only above the point 

 bearing a short filament and anther — the caduceous part before 

 referred to. No one can fail to see the correspondence of plan 

 in these different parts, and I think that nothing but the 

 favourable position in the direct line of axial vigour made the 

 central flower a female one. 



Cases occasionally occur in which a tolerably strong head of 

 wholly male flowers will develope the central axis into a pedicel 

 almost as long and vigorous as those which bear female flowers. 

 But the flow of vital force — if I am correct in using this term — 

 not being quite sufficient, the final goal of natural perfection in 

 the female form was not reached. These cases do not occur 

 often, but are well worth looking for, as they show so clearly 

 the dividing line between the forces which govern the male or 

 female sex. — Thomas Meehan. — (Proceedings of Academy of 

 Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The Soiree given by the Duke of Bucclecch, President 

 of the Royal Horticultural Society, will take place at 

 South Kensington on Wednesday next, July 13th, and not on 

 the 30th, as stated in our last number. 



The following arrangements have been made for the 



Oxfoed Meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society : — 



" Contemporaneously with the Society's Provincial Show, which is 

 to take place in the grounds of the Observatory at Oxford, it is intended 

 to hold a general meeting of the Society. At this meeting an oppor- 

 tunity will be afforded for the election of new Fellows ; and the most 

 remarkable novelties exhibited will be made the subject of comment. 

 This general meeting will be held on "Wednesday, July 20th, the chair 

 to be taken at one o'clock. 



"Additional meetings will be held on July 20th and 21st for the 

 reading and discussion of papers on subjects of horticultural interest, 

 after the manner of a congress. The gardeners of the United Kingdom, 

 as well as other persons interested in horticultural pursuits, are invited 

 to attend, and to take part in these discussions. Ten minutes will be 

 allowed to each speaker. At these meetings the chair will be taken 

 punctually at 2 p.m. Those who have the intention of speaking upon 

 any of the subjects to be brought forward, are requested to communicate 

 with the Society's Floral Director, Mr. Thomas Moore, of the Chelsea 

 Botanic Garden, who has been good enough to undertake the organisa- 

 tion of these meetings. 



" On Friday, Jnly 22nd, the special prizes will be distributed by the 

 Lord Henry Gordon Lennox, M.P. 



"JSouth Kensington, London, TV., June 29£7t." 



programme of the congress meetings. 



Wednesday, July 20th.— W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., F.R.S., in the 

 chair. 



1. Dr. Voelcker, F.R.S., member of the Society's Scientific Com- 

 mittee, will give a short lecture on " The Principles of Manuring." 



2. Mr. "William Ingram, gardener to his Grace the Duke of Rutland, 

 K.G., at Belvoir Castle, will give a short lecture on " The Dis- 

 tribution of Soils, and their Influence on Vegetation." 

 Thursday, July 21st. — Major Trevor Clarke in the chair. The 

 following papers will be read and discussed : — 



1. Professor Lawson, M.A., F.L.S., " A Short Account of some of 



the more Eminent Oxfordshire Botanists and Gardeners." 



2. Rev. S. Reynolds Hole, M.A., F.R.H.S. " Roses." 



3. Mr. William Paul, F.R.H.S. " On Colour in the Tree Scenery 



of our Gardens, Parks, and Landscapes." 

 i. Dr. Hogg, F.L.S., Pomological Director R.H.S. " On Judging 

 Fruits." 



5. Mr. Thomas Moore, F.L.S., Floral Director R.H.S. " On Judg- 



ing Plants and Flowers." 



6. Mr. Benjamin S. Williams, F.R.H.S. " On Pitcher Plants." 



Illustrated by living specimens. 

 We have to direct attention to a notice in our advertis- 

 ing columns of an important sale which is to take place at Mr. 

 Stevens's Rooms, King Street, Covent Garden to-morrow (July 

 8th) ; it is that of a valuable collection of stove and greenhouse 

 plants from the Royal Horticultural Society's Chiswick Garden, 

 whence they must be removed in consequence of the alterations 

 about to be made. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Endeavour to plant a good breadth of Celery forthwith. 

 What is called the Scotch plan of planting — viz., in beds from 

 4 to 6 feet in widtb, is that geuerally considered preferable. 

 These beds, which usually succeed crops of Peas, are trenched 

 two spits deep. The bottom spit has plenty of raw manure or 

 half-decayed leaves, and the top one old manure. The prin- 

 ciple points in growing very tender and crisp Celery, irrespec- 

 tive of size, is to sow it rather late, and grow it very quickly by 

 means of plenty of manure and moisture. Let a good planting 

 of Leeks be made directly, using as much manure as for 

 Celery. Shallots inclined to ripen should be raised slightly 

 with a Potato fork, in order to admit air to counteract mouldi- 

 ness. Let a good breadth of autumn Turnipsbe put in without 

 delay, choosing for the kitchen garden the Dutch or Stone. 



FP.UIT GARDEN. 



Birds at this season are troublesome, and it requires netting 

 in abundance to preserve fruit from their ravages. As the 

 fruit is gathered from the earlier Cherries remove the netting, 

 which may serve for protecting later crops. Look over Peaches 

 and Nectarines, and in tying-in the young wood see that the 

 fruit is not too thick. Naiiing-in the current year's wood, and 

 stopping such shoots as are not required for fruiting, are the 

 principal things now to be attended to in this department. It 

 may, however, be advisable to go over such trees as are over- 

 luxuriant, and stop about half the shoots, beginning, of course, 

 with the strongest ; for a general stopping at this time would 

 probably be of little further service than to induce the produc- 

 tion of a mass of useless spray, whereas stopping the stronger 

 shoots of trees which incline to grossness will divert the sap 

 into the weaker shoots, which will be strengthened, while the 

 buds on the shoots that have been stopped will become full 

 and plump without starting into growth. Should it be found 

 that the roots after stopping incline to start into growth, it will 

 be advisable, as soon as the fruit is gathered, to open a trench 

 at a moderate distance from the stem of the tree, cutting the 

 strongest roots. This may be of the greatest service in check- 

 ing growth, and will probably do more towards securing ripe 

 wood than anything else that could be adopted. Let the Straw- 

 berry plantation intended to stand for next season be trimmed 

 as soon as convenient, cutting off the runners, so as to afford 

 the leaves plenty of room. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



During the present continuance of bright weather, frequently 

 iximine shrubs transplanted this spring, especially on gravelly 

 soils, to see that they are not suffering from want of water. 

 Give a liberal soaking where necessary. Bedding plants must 

 also be duly attended to with water. As open ground and 

 shrubberies are much more frequented by company at this 

 season than at any other, pay more attention to keeping the 

 greatest neatness and order in every part where there are hands 

 to admit of it. Flowering shrubs as they go out of bloom 

 should have the dead leaves, &c, removed, and be slightly cut 

 back. For the same reasons remove the seed pods from Rho- 

 dodendrons and Tree Peonies. Such attention will be followed 

 by an increased growth of the plants, and there will be a 

 greater chance of their blooming every season. The most 



