108 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Novembee 20, 1860. 
plant of P. stemmaria treated in this way and liung over an 
open expansion-box, so as to be often moist with the steam 
rising irom it, has grown enormously this summer. Platy- 
ceriums are seldom raised from spores, and, when they are thus 
raised, are extremely liable to damp off. As soon as they can be 
handled they should be attached with a morsel of sphagnum to 
a piece of cork and hung against the wall. The stem of a dead 
tree Eern may sometimes be found in large gardens, and I have 
found this suits admirably instead of cork or bark, if cut into 
transverse sections of about an inch in thickness. 
P- alcicorne , the well-known Elk’s-horn Eern, was introduced 
from Australia, and is said to be also a native of some of the 
islands of the Malayan Archipelago. It succeeds in a cool 
greenhouse, where the temperature' of a frosty night falls below 
40°, even better than in a stove. 
P. stemmaria, is found in many places along the west side of 
Africa; scarcely a tree can be seen about Eern an do Po which 
has not one or more plants of it attached to its stem. It was 
first imported by Mr. Loddige in 1839. It may, like the last, 
be propagated freely by division, which is not the ease with either 
of the other species. 
P. grande. —This was introduced from Moreton Bay by Mr. 
Bidwill. Allan Cunningham found it growing plentifully on 
the trunks of Araucaria Cunninghamii, in the forest near Bris¬ 
bane river. Its native habitat would seem to be the warmer 
parts of Australia and some places in the East Indies. 
P. hi for me and P. Wallichii are natives of Moulmein and other 
parts of India. Eine plants of these were imported a few 
years ago by Mr. Yeitch; and Mr. Low has more recently 
received some enormous plants of both kinds. The fertile 
fronds of both of them are six or seven feet long, or even 
more when full grown, and repeatedly divided in a dichotomous 
manner.— Kabl. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Ebuit Committee. —A meeting of this Committee was held 
on Tuesday, Nov. 13. Mr. Rivers in the chair. 
A very large collection of Apples was forwarded by C. W. 
Strickland, Esq., Chairman of the Yorkshire Local Committee, 
illustrative of the fruits cultivated in the East Riding. Mr. 
Reid of Sydenham, exhibited a seedling Apple, which was very 
similar to Golden Noble in appearance; and Mr. Richard Webb, 
of Reading, also exhibited a seedling dessert Apple, but neither 
of them was considered an improvement on existing varieties. 
A very large, flattened, and angular kitchen Apple, was received 
from J. B. Clegg, Esq., of Congleton, which was considered a 
valuable sort. A large collection of Grapes from the large vinery 
at the Garden was exhibited. They were principally late-hanging 
kinds ; but the only one worthy of notice was Morocco Pine—a 
hybrid between Black Prince and Black Morocco: it was very 
excellent. A collection of the new Belgian Pears was also brought 
from the Garden, of which Baronne de Mello, Marechai de la 
Cour, and Comte de Lainy were the only varieties of merit. 
Many of the others in good seasons are of first-rate quality, but 
the late cold summer was unfavourable to their ripening. Mr. 
McLaren, of Cardington, sent a dish of Beurre Bose Pears, but 
they were not up to their flavour this season ; and Mr. Stanley 
sent a very fine dish of Marie Louise. 
Mr. Ogle, of Erridge Castle, Tonbridge Wells, sent four hand¬ 
some Pine Apples—two of Black Jamaica and two of Enville, 
weighing nearly 9 lbs. in the aggregate. They were grown on 
plants whioh had not been removed for eleven years; and a 
Certificate of Commendation for meritorious culture was awarded 
them. The mode of culture will be given in the Society’s Journal. 
Mr. Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, exhibited branches of his two 
autumn-bearing Raspberries, October Red and October Yellow, 
both completely laden with a profusion of fine, large, juicy, and 
well-flavoured fruit. Mr. Turner, of Slough, sent enormous speci¬ 
mens of Leeks, called Henry’s Leek, raised at Broom House, 
Dunse, N.B., the white of which measured 10 inches long and 
6| inches in circumference. Messrs. Lee, of Hammersmith, 
exhibited specimens of their monstrous Cob Nut, a large and 
excellent variety. 
DR. DRESSER’S INTRODUCTORY LECTURE 
ON BOTANY. 
On the 19th ult. Dr. Dresser gave the introductory lecture on 
botany at the Polytechnic Institution, when he introduced the 
subject by calling attention to the fact that persons are generally 
interested in those things which administer to their comfort and 
well-being; and this being the case, persons should be deeply 
interested in the vegetable kingdom, as it furnishes wood, which 
aids us in the construction of our dwellings and of articles of 
ease and comfort; fibres—Cotton from which we fabricate calico 
and “prints;” Elax, which is wrought into linen; and Hemp, 
which is spun into cordage; food—thus we have Wheat and 
Oats, and Barley and Indian Corn, and Rice; and Peas, Beans, 
Kidney Beans, Potatoes, Artichokes, Turnips, Carrots, Parsnips, 
Leet, Cabbage, Spinach, Onions, and Leeks; Endive, Lettuce, 
Mustard, Cress, Radishes, Celery ; Rhubai’b; Gooseberry, Cur¬ 
rant (Red, A\ liite, and Black), Strawberry, Raspberry, Apple, 
Pear, Quince, Cherry, Peach, Plum, Apricot, Grape, Eig, Date, 
Pomegranate, Olive, Tamarind, Orange, Shadock, Lemon, Lime, 
Citron ; Brazil nuts, Cashew nuts, Earth nuts, Almonds, Cocoa 
nuts, Hazel nuts (nine varieties), Walnuts, Chestnuts ; Cinnamon, 
Cloves, Nutmeg, Mace, Pimento, Pepper, Capsicum, Ginger, 
Mustard, Coriander, Anise, Angelica ; Tea, of which about one 
hundred and forty millions of pounds were received into this 
kingdom from China alone in the year 1856; Coffee, and Cocoa. 
Erom the vegetable kingdom we also derive perfumes, resins, 
drugs, and dyes; from Wheat we procure flour, bran, starch, 
semolina, manacroup, maccaroni, and vermicella; from Potatoes 
an arrowroot, a sugar, a gum, and starch. We have liquorice, 
sago, sugar, oils, and a thousand things besides, furnished by the 
vegetable kingdom. 
_ R was next insisted that it is the duty and privilege of man to 
view creation with intelligence. In connection with this pro¬ 
position it was observed that rain falls from the skies, some of 
which soaks into the earth, and another portion cf which trickles 
over the surface, and by the union of drop with drop produces 
streams and rivers. That which passes over the surface washes 
away decaying vegetable and animal matter, whilst that which 
sinks into the soil is destined to feed the roots of plants with 
moisture. The rain which sinks into the earth descends for a 
given time only, for its downward progress is ultimately arrested 
by the capillary attracting power of the soil. 
If a lump of sugar is placed in a spoonful of tea, the fluid is 
conducted upwards through the interstices of the mass, and 
when a drop of ink falls upon blotting-paper it is drawn into 
the pores of the paper; both of these results being due to the 
power of capillary attraction. 
The water which sinks for a while into the earth by virtue of 
the law of gravitation, is ultimately, though slowly and re¬ 
gularly, conducted upwards towards the surface of the soil by 
the agency of capillary force; and it is by this means that the 
roots of plants are ever supplied with liquid food, while there is 
a necessity for rain at intervals only. 
This is one of the provisions made for supplying plants with 
moisture ; and when we contemplate the fact that all the food of 
plants, the matter of which they are formed, is taken into the 
organic system either in a liquid or in a gaseous condition, the 
necessity for a constant supply of watery fluid will be the better 
understood ; and the quantity of water which plants evaporate or 
give off during life in order that the fluid matter taken up by the 
roots may become of the consistency requisite for organisation, 
will also aid us in forming a just conception of the necessity to 
plants of a supply of moisture. 
An ordinary-sized Sunflower (3£ feet high) exhales or gives 
out 20 ozs. of water in the day of twelve hours, and an ordinary- 
sized Cabbage gives out 19 ozs. in the same period : hence, an 
acre of Cabbages in which the rows are 18 inches apart, and the 
Cabbages, in each row are likewise 18 inches from one another, 
gives out better than 10 tons and 4 cwt. of water in the twelve 
hours, or a field of ten acres similarly planted exhales better 
than 102 tons in the same period. 
Not only do plants give out large volumes of water, but a con¬ 
siderable quantity of liquid matter exists in the fabric of the 
plant; thus, of 100 lbs. of Potatoes, 75 lbs. are water; of 
100 lbs. of Carrots, 86 lbs. are water; of 100 lbs. of Turnips, 
87 lbs. are water ; and of 100 lbs. of Cabbage, 92 lbs. are 
water (consolatory thought when purchasing vegetables, “I 
will take them dry if you please ”). 
When contemplating these facts it is seen to be necessary that 
plants should be supplied with moisture, and any mechanism 
devised for accomplishing this agency is not to be wondered at. 
We have noticed one provision for continuously supplying 
plants with water in the capillary power of the soil, but other 
agencies are also at work for securing this end. 
If small plants grow in sandy and barren soil, they either 
