September 5.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Q 4 rf 
0-1 i 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
M W 
SEPTEMBER 5—11, 1850. 
Weather near London 
Sun 
Sun 
Moon 
Moon’s 
Clock 
Day of 
D D 
in 1849. 
Rises. 
Sets. 
R.&S. 
Age. 
bef. Sun. 
\ ear. 
sTa 
Old Bartholomew. 
T. 
77°— 52°. 
E. 
Fine. 
20 a. 5 
37 a. 6 
3 57 
29 
i 
23 
248 
a f 
'Gossamer floats. 
T. 
75°—48°. 
N.E. 
Fine. 
22 
35 
sets. 
© 
1 
42 
249 
7|S 
Enurchus. Red-under-wing Moth seen. 
T. 
C7°— 45°. 
K. 
Fine. 
23 
33 
7 a.28 
1 
2 
2 
250 
8 Sdn 
1 15 Sun. aft. Trinity. Nativity B. V. M. 
T. 
(i5°—39°. 
N.E. 
Fine. 
25 
30 
7 54 
2 
2 
22 
251 
9 M 
I Dog Rose casts leaves. 
T. 
70°—49°. 
N.E. 
Fine. 
27 
28 
8 18 
3 
2 
43 
252 
10 To 
Yew berries ripe. 
'Scotch Fir leaves fall. 
T. 
70 °—51°. 
s. 
Rain. 
28 
26 
8 46 
4 
3 
3 
253 
11 w 
T. 
68°—42°. 
S.W. 
Rain. 
30 
24 
Q 16 
5 
3 
24 
254 
It is not asserting more than ran be justified when we say, that mere I 
practice can advance the cultivation of plants to no greater perfection j 
than it has attained at present. This was the opinion, also, of the last j 
President of the Horticultural Society, Mr. Knight ; for when writing to j 
us some twenty years since he gave as his opinion—“ Physiological know- J 
ledge can alone now direct the gardener to improvement, for he possesses i 
all that mere practice is likely to give.” If we look hack over the im- | 
proved modes of cultivation—if we trace to their origin the changes in j 
the times and details of our gardening practices—we shall find in every 
instance that each beneficial alteration took its rise from the stronger light 
gradually diffused over the cultivation of plants bv chemistry and phy- ; 
siology- sciences which reveal the changes going on in, and the structure 
of, the organs and vessels of all organised bodies. In these fields of < 
science are rich harvests yet to be reaped ; for notwithstanding the golden I 
returns that have been thence gathered, yet richer, incalculably richer, i 
products remain to reward the future husbandmen of these sciences ; and j 
we may still use the words of the Christian philosopher, Dr. Stephen 
11ai.es, when he said, “ We must be content in this our infant state of 
knowledge, while we know in part only, to imitate children, who, for 
want of better skill and more proper materials, amuse themselves with 
slight buildings. Yet the farther advances wc make in the knowledge of 
nature the more probable and the nearer to truth will our conjectures 
approach—so that succeeding generations, having the advantage of their 
own observations and those of preceding generations, may then make 
considerable advances—when man// shall run to and fro, and knowledge 
shall hr increased (Dan. xii. 4).” Dr. Hales saw as clearly as any man 
that it is by such experimental researches—by the “ asking questions of 
nature”—alone can progress he made in the cultivation of plants; and 
he bowed implicitly to the forcible observation, that “ All the real know- j 
ledge we have of nature is purely experimental, insomuch that we may 
lay this down as the first fundamental rule in physics—it is not within the 
compass of the human understanding to assign a purely speculative 
reason for any one phenomenon of nature.” 
If we were asked to select the object in this world most deserving and, 
indeed, most commanding veneration, we should place our finger upon 
one not rarely blessing our land—the pastor of a rural district sedulous 
in his care of the spiritual welfare of his Hock, and occupying his leisure 
by employing his acquired knowledge for the benefit of the world at 
large. Such a man was Dr. Hales. Early in life he accepted the living 
of Tedington, near Hampton Court—accepted it lor the purpose of ful¬ 
filling its duties ; and, therefore, loving and loved by those over whom he 
presided, he firmly rejected all offers that tempted him to leave the spot 
where he knew he was being useful. Hearing that he was nominated to a 
Canonry of Windsor, lie hastened to the Princess of Wales, and obtained 
her promise that the nomination should he cancelled. “ My circum¬ 
stances, ” he said, “ are such as entirely satisfy me, and a better income 
would only he a greater incumbrance.” Natural philosophy—that study 
so consonant with and so condusive to quiet virtuous happiness—was his 
favourite amusement, even in early youth. A student of Cambridge, and 
with Ray’s “ Catalogue of Cambridge Plants” in his pocket, lie searched 
the Gogmagog Hills and the hogs of Cherryhunt Moor, in its vicinity, in 
pursuit of their vegetable rarities. Insects also obtained a portion of his 
study, and “ he contrived a curious instrument for catching such as could 
fly.” Chemistry, geology, astronomy, were also familiar to him ; nor were 
these acquirements merely flowers of the study, but were so cultivated 
by him as to be fruitful of benefits to his fellow men. His ventilators 
extirpated the “ gaol fever ” from our prisons, for in Newgate alone by 
their use the deaths were reduced to two annually, whereas previously 
they varied between r>0 and 100. But we must proceed to notice the 
work which especially entitles him to our notice here— Vegetable Staticks, 
or an account of some statical experiments on the sap in vegetables. 
This was published in 1727, and soon passed through several editions. 
It is the first work giving correct views of vegetable physiology, and is 
yet a standard authority relative to the motion of the sap, the force with 
which it ascends, the progress and mode of a plant’s growth, and the 
amount of air and moisture it imbibes and perspires—the whole applied 
by the author so as to he “of use to those who are curious in the culture 
and improvement of gardening.” The honesty and simplicity of his 
character is apparent even in his preface ; for instead of leaving it to he 
inferred that liis genius led him to the experiment he pursued, he avows— 
“ by mere accident I hit upon it, while 1 was endeavouring by several 
ways to stop the bleeding of an old stem of a vine cut too near the 
bleeding season, which I feared might kill it.” There an; but few epochs 
in the life of such a searcher after truth but those usually marking life’s 
boundaries in an epitaph, and Dr. Hales’ is not an exception. Ilis brief 
monumental memorial stands thus in the vestry of Tedington church, and 
within its tower, which he built at his own expense :—“ Here is interred 
the body of Stephen Hales, J>.!)., Clerk of the Closet to the Princess 
of Wales, and Minister of this parish for 51 years. He died on the 4th 
of January, 17 (> 1 . in the eighty-fourth year of his age,” being born on the 
7th of September, lfi77* We need append no more than this, translated 
from an additional epitaph by the friend of moral excellence, Dr. Jortin : 
“ Candour, sweet inmate of the generous breast; 
Virtue, sound morals, truth, religious zeal; 
A hand most prompt to succour the distrest, 
A head inventive for the public weal; 
These gifts were thine; the court’s, the senate’s voice, 
Applauds the long career thou well hast trod ; 
A nation’s panegyric crowns their choice, 
And but anticipates the praise of God.” 
Meteorology or the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during 
the last twenty-three years, the average highest and lowest temperatures 
of these days are 69 . 2 ° and 48.8°, respectively. The greatest heat, 83°, 
occurred on the 5th in 1848; and the extreme cold, 31°, on the. 6 th in 
1847. There were 82 fine days, and 79 on which rain fell, during the 
period. 
Insects. — Recently we had 
brought to our notice a heap of 
wheat which had been entirely 
destroyed, owing to neglect in pro- 
RANGE OF BAROMETER—RAIN IN INCHES. 
! Sept. 
1841. 
1842. 
1843. 
1844. 
1845. 
1846. 
1847. 
1848. 
1849. 
B. 
r 29.823 
30.196 
30.388 
39.926 
30.140 
30.136 
2Q.878 
29-835 
30.100 
\ 29.753 
30.036 
30.312 
29.801 
30.103 
30.0f)4 
29-849 
29 754 
30.076 
B. 
0.04 
— 
— 
*0.03 
0.01 
— 
0.01 
0.10 
— 
6 
B. 
r 29.725 
30.025 
30.292 
29.934 
30.149 
29.954 
29.924 
29-984 
30.122 
l 29.704 
29 942 
30.251 
29.837 
30.131 
29.898 
29.845 
29.791 
30.054 
R. 
— 
— 
— 
— 
0.04 
0.01 
0.01 
— 
7 
B. 
r 29.734 
29.886 
30.270 
29.913 
30.137 
29.909 
29-981 
30.055 
30.181 
129.582 
29.427 
30.246 
29.894 
30.122 
29.859 
29.870 
30.036 
30.131 
1 
B. 
0.17 
0.55 
— 
0.01 
— 
0.03 
0.10 
— 
— 
8 
B. 
/ 29.951 
29.616 
30.267 
26.873 
30.115 
29.985 
29-977 
30.085 
30.158 
129.717 
29.396 
30.193 
29.759 
30.09S 
29.901 
29.807 
29-804 
30.092 
R. 
— 
0.64 
— 
0.28 
— 
— 
0.08 
— 
— 
B. 
r 30.019 
29.527 
30.183 
29.747 
30.102 
30.072 
30.099 
29.919 
29.884 
9 
129.959 
29.427 
30.086 
29.717 
30.002 
29.999 
30.053 
29-829 
29.640 
R. 
— 
0.06 
— 
0.24 
— 
— 
— 
— 
29.466 
1 10 
B. 
t 30.002 
29.577 
30.022 
29.954 
30.085 
30.304 
30.123 
29.710 
\ 29-9*5 
29-385 
29.956 
29 .H 20 
29.971 
30.262 
30.085 
29.594 
29.255 
j 
R. 
— 
0.07 
— 
0.01 
— 
— 
0.33 
0.18 
B. 
f 30.052 
29.083 
30.075 
30.014 
30.038 
30.372 
30.122 
30.228 
29.164 
V 29.976 
29.655 
29.942 
294)95 
29.966 
30.353 
30.010 
29.937 
29 .ll 1 
! 
R. 
““ 
— 
_ 
~ 
0.32 
porly turning and airing, by the Wheat Weevil, or Corn Chafer (Cnlandra 
granaria , or Currulio, or Ithynchophorus grunarius). To our readers a 
few particulars relative to this pest may not be unacceptable. The whole 
of its body and limbs are a dull red or tile colour; and its thorax is so 
unusually elongated as to equal in length the rest of the body. The 
thorax is pitted all over with minute indentations, and the wing cases arc 
furrowed. The female employs her long beak to bore a hole into each 
grain of corn before she deposits in it an egg. In its beetle form, as well 
as in its grub state, it feeds upon the flour of the corn. The extent 
of this weevil’s ravages is no longer a subject for surprise when wc 
know that a single pair of them may originate 6000 descendants in one 
year. 
No. CL, Vol. IV 
