175 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY - GENTLEMAN, December 25, 1860. 
The subject is one beset with difficulties, but difficulty is very 
distinct from impossibility; and the importance of the research 
is a stimulus to exertion. Human knowledge being acquired by 
observation and experience—by conversing with the things about 
ns—that is, by noticing them attentively, and recording and 
reflecting upon the facts they reveal—every gardener should do 
this, especially whenever he finds his crops diseased. He should 
record from what soil he obtained his seed ; how and in what 
weather it was committed to the ground; the subsequent culture 
of the crop; the crops which preceded it; the thermometrical 
and hygrometrical registries of the seasons through which it has 
grown; the treatment of the soil; its drainage; the manures 
employed ; the waterings ; the pruning; and any other mis¬ 
cellaneous observations his own common sense may dictate. 
If this were done, vegetable medicine would soon advance more 
in one year towards that state of reasoned knowledge, which 
alone deserves the name of science, than it has done during the 
last century. 
As observations multiply, chemistry and physiology will con¬ 
tribute and apply their improved stores of information, and if 
but few specifics for the diseases of plants resulted, yet we are 
quite satisfied that the causes of diseases will be more accurately 
ascertained : and every one is aware that to know the cause of 
an evil is the most important step towards the prevention of its 
occurrence. 
It is a very important preliminary to the study of the diseases 
of plants that the nature of these be understood ; for our igno¬ 
rance of, or inattention to, the nature of these organised creatures, 
is one of the causes from whence arises the little progress made 
in this branch of natural philosophy. 
Its students ought fully to understand that this part of the 
creation, even the commonest weed, is so highly organised—so 
exhibiting intimations of the functions, circulations, and secre¬ 
tions more highly developed in the superior animals, that it is 
not possible to point out whei'e animal life terminates, and 
where vegetable life begins: the zoophytes connect the two 
kingdoms. It is absolutely necessary, we think, for this to be 
understood and felt by those who enter upon the investigation of 
vegetable diseases, because we have a strong opinion that these, 
in very many instances, are caused by the plants which they 
infect being treated as if they were totally insentiate matter— 
scarcely more susceptible of injury at some periods of their 
growth than the soil from whence they partly derive their 
sustenance. 
To determine the question whether plants possess a degree of 
sensation is not so easy as the cursory inquirer may believe; and 
Mr. Tupper is much nearer to truth when observing that it 
is as difficult to ascertain the nature of vegetable existence as to 
determine what constitutes the living principle in animals. 
Dr. Darwin, by the aid of imaginary beings similar to the 
Dryads and other minor deities of the heathen mythology, raised 
plants to a position in the order of Nature superior even to that 
to which animals are entitled. Other philosophers, adopting a 
totally antagonistic opinion, estimate vegetables as bodies, only 
somewhat more organised than crystals; but like these entirely 
and uncontrolledly subject to chemical and mechanical changes. 
Each of the foregoing extreme opinions, we think, similarly 
erroneous. The gradation from reason to instinct, from instinct to 
inanimation, might easily be shown to be as gradual as are the 
transitions of light in our climate from the noontide to the mid¬ 
night of a summer’s day. But we must confine our attention to 
that section of creation commencing from the close of the animal 
classes in the zoophyte, and terminating where inorganic matter 
commences in the crystal, and the details here given must be 
directed specially to demonstrate how closely it approaches, how 
indistinctly it is divided from, the former. 
Let us first consider the comparative composition of animals 
and plants as revealed by the researches of the chemist, and it 
must be somewhat startling even to the most sceptical to find 
that their constitutents are identical. Carbon, hydrogen, 
oxygen, azote, sulphur, phosphorus, acids, alkalies, earths and 
metals are the components of both. 
Azote was considered as a constituent, marking, by its pre¬ 
sence, animal from vegetable matters ; but this distinction is 
now admitted to fail; for although in the former it is usually 
most abundant, yet later researches show it to be present in all 
seeds, it is abundant in vegetable gluten, and pervades the whole 
frame of the Tobacco plant, yet is absent from Borne animal 
substances. 
If we follow the above-named chemical bodies through their 
combinations we shall find that the similarity between animals 
and plants still obtains, being equally numerous and intricate 
in each. 
Of the acids there are contained in 
Animals. 
1. Sulphuric, 
2. Phosphoric, 
3. Muriatic, 
4. Carbonic, 
5. Benzoic, 
6. Oxalic, 
7. Acetic, 
8. Malic, 
Vegetables. 
1. Sulphuric, 
2. Phosphoric, 
3. Muriatic, 
4. Carbonic, 
5. Benzoic, 
6. Oxalic, 
7. Acetic, 
8. Malic, 
besides others still more numerous, peculiar to each. 
Of the earths and alkalies, lime, magnesia, silica, soda, and 
potass are found in both classes; and of the metals, iron and 
manganese are their conjoint constituents. If we follow the two 
orders of organised creatures through their more compound 
constituents we shall find the close analogy still continues; for 
they contain in common sugar, mucus, jelly, colouring matters, 
gluten,* fibrin, oils, resins, and extractives.—J. 
{To be continued .) 
LISTS OF SELECTED CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
I have very much pleasure in forwarding your Christmas- 
box. May it meet your every wish and expectation. 
I have made some additions, so that you will please consider 
I have also included a New-Year’s gift.—W. Holmes, Framplon 
Park Nursery , Hackney. 
TWELVE LATE-BLOOMING- LARGE VARIETIES. 
Orion, white, yellowish base. Perfection, blush white. 
Chrysippe, rosy purple. Eole, rosy white. King, creamy white. 
L’Ernir, red. Nonpareil, rosy lilac. Plutus, golden yellow. 
Racine, yellow, gold tipped. Cassy, orange. Madame Andre, 
pinky white. 
TWELVE BEST VARIETIES POR POT SPECIMENS, OR POE 
DECORATIVE PURPOSES. 
Alcabrade, orange. Chevalier Dumage, yellow. Defiance, 
white. Vesuvius, crimson.. Mount Etna, red. Prince Albert, 
crimson. Plutus, yellow. Pilot, rose. Dr. McLean, rose. Yesta, 
white. Auguste Mie, red, tipped gold. Annie Salter, yellow. 
TWELVE BEST INCURVED VARIETIES. 
Novelty, white. Beauty, blush. Cassandra, white, rosy 
tip. Yellow Formosum, yellow. Nonpareil, rosy lilac. Pio 
Nono, red, tipped gold. Plutus, yellow. Queen of England, 
blush. Themis, rosy pink. Yesta, French -white. Miss Kate, 
lilac. Dupont de l’Eure, carmine. 
TWELVE BEST POMPONES POR SPECIMEN PLANTS, AND FOR 
GENERAL DECORATIVE PURPOSES. 
Bob, chestnut brown. Drin Drin, yellow. Andromeda, 
creamy white. Cedo Nulli, white. Canrobert, yellow. La 
Vogue, yellow and orange. Helene, purplisli-rose. L’Escar- 
boucle, yellow. Sainte Thais, chestnut. Nelly, creamy white. 
Mrs. Dix, white, purple tip. Duruflet, rosy lilac. 
WATERING PEACH AND YINE-BORDERS IN 
A COLD HOUSE. 
In my vinery, which is not heated, I have an inside border 
for my Vines ; and on the back wall I have a Peach and a 
Nectarine. What I wish you to tell me is, Should I keep my 
Peach and Nectarine-border dry during the winter months and 
not water them at all, and am I doing right by withholding water 
from my Vine-border inside ? The outside border of my Vines 
I have covered to the depth of a foot or more with the leaves of 
forest trees that grow in another part of my garden.—A Regular 
Subscriber. 
[The border for the Peach trees should not be dry, neither 
should it be soaked; but if you allow it to become very dry, it 
is very likely that the buds will drop in the spring, and thus 
you will be disappointed. Do not delay a day in giving a little 
water if the soil is very dry. Under the circumstances it would 
be best to draw aside some of the surface soil and then water, 
* The gluten of plants is the albumen of animals. 
