228 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 12, 1885. 
GARDENING MISCELLANY. 
The Orchid Growers’ Manual. —We note -with 
pleasure the appearance of a new edition, remodelled, 
revised, and greatly enlarged, of this very useful publi¬ 
cation, which we shall notice more fully in an early 
number. In the meantime we may add for the benefit 
of those who do not know the work, that Mr. B. S. 
Williams, of Holloway, is the author and publisher. 
Manchester Horticultural Improvement Society- —It 
will be seen from a report of the last meeting of this 
society, published in another column, that Mr. William 
Swan, of Fallowfield, having obtained a situation in 
another part of Lancashire, has resigned the secretary¬ 
ship, which he has so ably held since the formation of 
the society, and is succeeded by Mr. W. B. Upjohn, 
the able gardener at Worsley Hall, Manchester. 
Potato Culture in Jersey.— The report presented to 
the last annual meeting of the Royal Jersey Agricul¬ 
tural Society stated that upwards of 300 acres of 
additional land in the island had been devoted to 
Potato cultivation this year. With a rental of £11 per 
acre, and heavy expenses for securing early crops, this 
might suddenly prove an extremely disastrous specula¬ 
tion. 
M r. George Lane, senior partner of the firm of Messrs. 
G. & J. Lane, Nurserymen of St. Mary’s Cray, Kent, 
died on November 30th, aged 75 years. 
Scottish Horticultural Association. —At the meeting 
held on December 1st, Mr. F. W. Burbidge, F.L.S., 
Trinity College Botanic Garden, Dublin, was elected 
an Honorary Life Member of the Association, and it 
was further agreed that his paper on ‘ ‘ Orchids Abroad 
and at Home,” a portion of which appears in another 
column, be printed in extenso in the Transactions of the 
Association. 
Produce of Large Palmate Potato. —A Potato much 
resembling a hand in form was sent to the scientific 
committee in November, 1884. It weighed 15 ozs. 
On being planted the produce in 1885 was 8 lbs., or 
more than 800 per cent. Such a result would seem to 
corroborate those at Chiswick—namely, that whole sets 
usually give a much greater produce than those which 
have been cut, the former presumably supplying more 
nourishment, and, therefore, greater vigour on com¬ 
mencement of growth. 
Lambeth Amateur Chrysanthemum Society. —This 
flourishing society of amateurs held their eleventh an¬ 
nual dinner at the Bridge House Hotel, London Bridge, 
on the 4th inst., when no less than seventy-four 
members and friends sat down. The chair was occu¬ 
pied by Mr. Alfred Pocoek, one of the patrons of the 
society, who was supported by Mr. Seymour Keay, Mr. 
Wm. Holmes, and Mr. Ballantine of the National Chy- 
santhemum Society, and numerous other lovers of the 
autumn queen. The vice-chairs were occupied by Mr. 
Harman Payne and Mr. Ivison. The toast of The 
Society was proposed in a few well chosen words by 
Mr. Wm. Earley, and was responded to by the enthusias¬ 
tic Hon. Secretary, Mr. Geo. S. Addison, who reported 
upon the progress of the society. Other toasts were 
The Officers and Committee, responded to by Mr. Fill, 
“ The Honorary Members,” “ The Visitors,” and 
“ The Judges.” A very pleasant evening was spent. 
The Potato experiments at Chiswick. —At the meet¬ 
ing of the scientific committee on Tuesday, Dr. Masters 
observed that through the absence of Peronospora, as 
in 1884, the object of the experiment failed ; but the 
general results of produce under the different methods 
of treatment corroborated those of last year. He sum¬ 
marised them as follows:—1, earthing up produces acrop 
of more uniform size and superior quality, even if less 
quantity; 2, that bending the haulms occasions a 
diminished yield ; 3, that a larger aggregate produce is 
derived from planting whole tubers than from the em¬ 
ployment of cut sets. It was suggested that the sub¬ 
committee should continue the experiment next year, 
but with fewer rows, and confine the observations to 
testing the Jensenian method of moulding should the 
disease occur. 
The Traditional Origin of the Walnut Tree as given 
by Folkard is interesting: it is in substance as 
follows :--Carya, the youngest of the three daughters 
of Dion, King of Laconia, received, in common with 
her sisters, the gift of prophecy from Apollo as a reward 
for the hospitality the god had received from her father. 
The god stipulated that they should never abuse the 
gift, nor by its power endeavour to penetrate mysteries 
which it was improper for their sex to fathom. Thus 
stipulation was violated when Bacchus declared his love 
for the youngest daughter Carya. The elder sisters 
being jealous, endeavoured to prevent Bacchus from 
meeting Carya, and he in revenge turned them into 
stones and transformed the object of his love into the 
Walnut tree, the fruit of which was considered by the 
ancients to promote the powers of love. 
- ~>X<- - 
IRISES. 
One can pick up a good many wrinkles at times from 
the correspondence which comes in ones way ; and 
questions are sometimes asked which lead to useful and 
instructive information, which it is desirable may be 
given for the benefit of others. Thus, a gentlemen 
who had been making a new long bed of Narcissus, 
was desirous of varying it with clumps of Irises. 
Something like twenty clumps were wanted, and we 
were asked to recommend a selection such as would be 
likely to flower well, and would be handsome, but to. 
contain an interesting variety of sorts. 
In reply he was recommended a few good varieties of 
I. Germanica, and the same of I. Sibirica, especially 
the pure white form alba, and also Orientalis, a lovely 
plant allied to the Siberica group, the flowers larger 
than any of the forms of I. Siberica, and of a rich 
velvety blue ; it is one of rthe [most beautiful of the 
group, thoroughly hardy, -will grow freely in any soil, 
and produces an abundance of flowers. Perhaps if any 
Iris may be said to be useful for cutting purposes, it is 
this one. I. Siberica forms a very distinct group of 
Iris, distinguishable at a glance by their long grassy 
foliage, 2 ft. or 3 ft. in length, forming dense erect 
tufts, and numerous slender hollow stems, bearing an 
abundance of flowers of various shades. They are quite 
hardy, and very free growing in any ordinary soil, and 
also useful for cutting. I. Germanica includes all the 
broad-leaved Irises, which generally pass under the above 
name, but which in reality belong to several other 
groups. Here in the group we get varieties of pallida, 
negleeta, squallens, amoena, variegata, aphylla, and 
Germanica, all resembling each other in foliage and 
habit, but totally distinct in flower; but when taken 
as a whole, they form a group unparalleled in beauty ; 
nothing in the way of hardy flowers can compete with 
them ; indeed they may be said to almost rival the 
Orchids from the tropics. Every shade of colour may 
be found among them, and as they will thrive in almost 
any soil or situation without any care whatever, they 
must be considered necessary in every garden. The 
golden-yellow aurea, which is comprised in this group, 
should be singled out for special pwaise. 
Then there are certain species and varieties that are 
likewise deserving a place in a select collection, viz. :— 
Aurea, a robust growing form, deep golden-yellow, 
with fringed flowers; Cuprea, with curious copper- 
coloured flowers on stems 2 ft. high, one that does best 
in a damp situation ; Ensata var. Oxpetala is an 
ornamental species from Turkestan, resembling I. 
Siberica in growth, pale blue and lilac ; Fieberi is a 
very rare species, growing about a foot high, and 
having deep brownish purple flowers ; Graminealatifolia 
is of dwarf growing form also ; the flowers blue, white, 
and purple ; Humilis has purple flowers handsomely 
reticulated with white ; Longipetala is a very handsome 
Californian species, the falls of great length, white 
reticulated with blue, the other parts lavender—one of 
the most distinct; and there is a dwaif variety of this, 
pale blue in colour, very fine flowering and pretty. 
Missouriensis, a fine species bearing pale blue flowers 
on slender stems; a very early flowering form. 
Ochroleuca, a noble species, growing from 3 ft. to 4 ft. 
in height, bearing large white and yellow flowers. 
Rutheniea, a very pretty and distinct species, with 
narrow deep green foliage, and of a very close and 
compact habit, bearing handsome purplish blue flowers. 
Stylosa, a lovely winter-flowering species, bearing 
beautiful light blue flowers with yellow blotches. 
Versicolor, reddish lilac and bright rosy purple, very 
distinct; and Virginica, purple, distinct, and very 
pretty. 
The bed to be planted is under a wall facing to the 
west, and the soil a deep loam, rather heavy, but 
deeply drained. It is just possible this position may 
prove too dry in summer for some of them, therefore 
the moisture-loving species should be placed in a posi¬ 
tion most favourable to their well-being.— E. TV. 
-— -zm*- - 
THE INFLUENCE OF LIGHT ON 
PLANTS. 
At the meeting of the Linnean Society, on Thursday, 
December 3rd, the Rev. G. Henslow read a paper upon 
the transpiration of plants as affected by the different 
coloured rays of the solar spectrum, in which the results 
of some interesting experiments were detailed. Mr 
Henslow has for some time been engaged in the investi¬ 
gation of this matter, and as he intends continuing his 
experiments, a further communication, giving fuller 
particulars, will be anxiously looked for by many 
persons. It appears that the principal object was to 
ascertain if AViesner’s conclusions that the rays absorbed 
by the chlorophyll had the greatest effect upon tran¬ 
spiration, and not the brightest rays of the spectrum, 
as other authors had believed. It should be premised 
that the moisture lost by growing plants is partly due 
to evaporation and partly to transpiration, the latter 
being considered a vital function not merely dependent 
upon heat and a dry atmosphere as the former does 
The view which AViesner adopted was that when the 
chlorophyll in a plant absorbs light this is transformed 
into heat, and by increasing the temperature of the 
plant tissues causes the formation of vapour, that may 
even be given off when the surrounding atmosphere is 
charged with moisture. Mr. Henslow’s experiments 
generally corroborated this opinion ; plants under red, 
blue, violet, and white glass transferred the greatest 
quantity of moisture iii a given time, those under green 
and yellow glass giving off the least in the same time. 
The whole subject is a very interesting one, and it 
is important also to the practical cultivator, for the 
causes which influence transpiration also greatly affect 
the general well-being of the plant. Few fully recog¬ 
nise the fact that the life of a plant is mainly dependant 
upon light at some period, for though growth may take 
place in its absence, this is simply the result of previous 
assimilation or elaboration under the influence of light. 
It is only in light that the green colouring matter— 
the Chlorophyll—of leaves or stems can decompose the 
carbonic acid in the atmosphere, and by appropriating 
the carbon, store up starch and other compounds to 
assist in the future development. AVe have many 
instances of growth in darkness, as in such forced 
vegetables as Sea Kale, Rhubarb, &e. and in the 
germination of seeds ; but in all these cases it is evident 
that the growth is simply the result of an operation in 
the stores of food previously provided, and then 
utilisation, in the development of stems and leaves, and 
sometimes even of flowers, fruits, and seeds. All 
gardeners recognise the importance of a good season of 
growth for all fruit trees, plants, or vegetables that are 
to be submitted to the operation of forcing, but few, 
perhaps, are aware of the simple facts upon which it 
depends. It also shows how greatly plants must be 
exhausted in this process, which is conducted at a time 
when not only is the period during which they ate 
exposed to light each day greatly diminished, but the 
intensity of the light is also considerably weakened, 
and in consequence the plants have little opportunity 
of assimilating fresh food supplies to sustain the rapid 
growth they are compelled to make. Thus, both before 
