314 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER, AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 17, 1858. 
Bat if the blade-like appendage be produced, we perceive at 
once that it is turned with its back from the flower-stem, and 
towards the first leaf. If, then, we suppose that this young 
bud stands in the axil of the first leaf, its position is very 
peculiar, for then the first leaf of the bud stands before the 
parent leaf; whereas, for the most part, in Monocotyledons, 
and also in Dicotyledons, it stands before the axis, and al¬ 
ternates with the parent leaf. Such a position is the more 
surprising in the Snowdrop, since the lateral bulb has quite 
the normal position with respect to its parent leaf. It appears, 
however, that a border, though extremely small, proceeds 
from the lowest lateral margin of the upper leaf which en¬ 
circles the bud, indicating that the bud cannot belong to the 
axil of the lower leaf; indeed, the upper leaf often encircles 
the bud with the lowest portion of its margin, though only 
slightly. On the whole, then, we come to the conclusion that 
the first leaf of the bud must be regarded as next in suc¬ 
cession to the upper leaf (g), with which it alternates ; that 
the bud is terminal; and that the peduncle is in the axil of 
the upper leaf (g). 
If we now examine further the structure of the bulb, we 
find that the upper portion of the sheath (e) of this year’s 
plant dies and disappears, while the lower remains as a re¬ 
servoir of nutriment. It then becomes the outer coat of the 
bulb (a), closed all round, and showing a scar, above and 
from whose axil the lateral bulb is developed. The first leaf 
loses only its lamina, and becomes the sheathing scale (b), 
which has a scar at one point only of its upper margin; the 
blade of the second leaf likewise perishes, but its base remains, 
and forms the fleshy scale (c). The corresponding parts of 
the former year’s bulb are entirely exhausted, and are re¬ 
duced to dry skins. 
The composition of the Snowdrop bulb is, so far, quite 
simple, that at the time of flowering only the basal parts of 
the last year’s growth are fresh, but those of the former year 
completely perished. In this respect it is like the bulb of 
Ornithogalum umbellatum. It, however, deviates remarkably 
from this and the other Liliacete and Irideso, which have been 
described in the position of the main bud and other points. 
Sterile plants have also generally two leaves, which are con¬ 
tained in a sheath. The second leaf has also a closed sheath 
in which the young bud is enclosed, whose first leaf alternates 
with the second leaf. 
The spatlie, out of which the blossom bursts, is originally 
formed of two leaves, which, however, at length become 
confluent. 
{To be continued.) 
HYDRAULIC RAMS. 
The dry weather and harsh winds which the gardener has 
had to contend with this season, has rendered it absolutely 
necessary that water should be copiously and regularly applied 
to certain plants and crops, which, if left without such artifi¬ 
cial aid, would die under the combined effects of solar in¬ 
fluences, and an atmosphere possessing an unusual amount of 
dryness. Nor is this requisite confined to the gardening world j 
domestics have severely felt the want of an abundance of that 
water commonly denominated soft, and which is rich in all 
chemical ingredients essential to the well-being of vegetable 
life. This want, in some instances, has been removed by the 
construction and use of that useful of all hydraulic inventions, 
<be ram, which, when properly fixed and superintended, will 
respond to every demand, if a supply is at hand to work its 
simple but ingenious machinery. 
As many may be induced to provide against a repe¬ 
tition of such. extremes of drought, as was experienced 
in some localities this season, I think a few hints on the 
fundamental principles to be observed in the process and 
modus operandi of fixing, may be acceptable to those who 
wish to dispense with the services of a professional civil 
engineer; such a personage not being required where the 
gardener has, among his other acquirements, obtained a know¬ 
ledge of the rudiments of hydrodynamics. Of all these engines, 
none can equal the power and regularity of the improved 
U 1 ‘H-die lam of Roe; not as a thing absolutely now r , but as an 
txtiemely useful auxiliary to that vitally essential adjunct to 
every establishment, a good supply of water. The immense 
i 
expenditure of both time and money, in the laborious opera¬ 
tion of pumping and drawing water is incalculable ; in many 
places too, where, at a short distance, a large volume of the 
fluid is running to w r aste without affording to the possessor 
the slightest benefit. In such places, or wherever a fall of a 
few feet can be obtained from the head of water, and the 
means of providing for the escape of the water, a ram of this 
description will afford a constant supply without the least ! 
manual assistance. 
The improved ram of Mr. Roe’s invention is composed 
of a square box,—say fourteen inches long, and three inches 
and a half square,—one end of which is attached to a pipe 
leading from the head of water, at the other end being 1 
a valve, called a pulse-valve. On the top, at about the centre j 
of this box, an air-vessel is fixed. Between the square box and 
the air-vessel, there is a valve, as w r ell as another in the neck 
of the air-vessel, for supplying it with fresh air. The ram being 
ready for action, the water descends, being let down through 
the pipe, which causes the pulse-valve to close. The sudden 
close of the latter causes the water to retreat back again for a 
short space, which again permits the opening of the pulse- 
valve, by the pressure of the atmosphere upon it; the water 
returning causes it again to close; it again retreats, and this 
constant motion causes the action of the ram. At each pulsa¬ 
tion a small portion of water is admitted into the air-vessel, 
where the air, being compressed by admission of the water, 
drives the latter up through a small pipe attached to the air- 
vessel, to a height of one hundred, a hundred and fifty, or even 
three hundred feet, according to the fall which can be obtained. 
In laying this ram, experience has proved that the pipe sup¬ 
plying the ram from the filtering chamber should be four 
inches diameter of bore, while that which gives the supply 
from the ram should not exceed one inch and a half, nor 
under one inch diameter of bore. The former pipe slioidd be 
composed of the best hardened lead, or combination of such 
metals as lead, zinc, &c. ; the latter pipe may be of the same 
material, or lead; and for economic purposes, a gutta percha 
pipe, cased hi cement where it passes through a distance of 
ground ; and by no means, as is too often the case, should iron 
pipes be used. Corrosion and many other evils have with 
them destructive effects. To give an idea of the power of this 
improved engine, we may state, that with a fall of twelve feet, 
water can be raised fully one hundred and fifty feet ; in fact, a 
supply of water can be obtained at the top of England’s loftiest 
castles, with the trifling fall of six feet. 
It seems that the principal object in the improvements 
effected of late years has been to simplify the construction of 
the machine, so that in the event of an accident any ordinary 
workman may repair it on the spot. But in repairing, as in 
laying the ram, great care and precision are necessary, j 
Anyone having a knowledge of the principles of hydraulics, 
and can reason with the fixed laws of the same, will find the I 
laying of an hydraulic ram, of whatever patent, no difficult j 
task. Ill success in the matter will only arise, as it too often | 
does, by trusting too many of the small but important items to j 
ignorant and disinertested workmen.— J. Ransley Tantgn, 
Gardener to II, O. Nether cole : Nsq. t JF.II.S ., Moulton j 
Grange, 
.PLANTS IN THE KALAHARI DESERT- 
CENTRAL AFRICA. 
(Continued from page 233.) 
The Makololo cultivate a large extent of land around their 
villages. Those of them who are real Basutos still retain the 
habits of that tribe, and may be seen going out with their 
wives with their hoes hi hand ; a state of things never wit¬ 
nessed at Kolobeng, or among any other Bechuana or Caflre 
tribe. The great chief Moshesli affords an example to his 
people annually, by not only taking the hoc in hand, but 
working hard with it on certain public occasions. 
The Makalaka cultivate the lloleus sorghum , or Dura, as 
the principal grain, with Maize, two kind of Beans, Ground¬ 
nuts (Arachis hgpogoea ), Pumpkins, Water Melons, and 
Cucumbers. They depend for success entirely upon rain. 
Those who live in the Barotse valley cultivate in addition the 
Sugar-cane, Sweet Potato, and Manioc {Jatropha manihot). 
The climate there, how r ever, is warmer than at Liny anti, and 
