April 12, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
507 
have the proportion of plants to a particular area care¬ 
fully considered. It is a well-known fact, that as 
vapour is constantly given off by plants, rain is more 
abundant in those regions which are well covered with 
forests than in those which are comparatively free from 
them. Taking these facts into consideration, it is 
found that the climate of a district may be entirely 
changed by clearing it too much of plants. 
From these facts we gather that plants, through their 
leaves, play an important part in regulating the amount 
of moisture contained in the atmosphere, but there yet 
remains another important function for which they are 
responsible—namely, the purifying of the air and ren¬ 
dering it fit for supporting animal life. We all know 
that the purity or otherwise of the atmosphere is deter¬ 
mined by the amount of oxygen present (of course, 
there are other gases), and we also know that if several 
people are confined in a small room that the air of that 
room becomes vitiated, and in course of time it is 
necessary to open the windows to admit fresh air. 
Why is this ? Simply because these human beings have 
gradually taken up the oxygen and breathed out 
carbon dioxide, which is a poisonous and consequently 
injurious gas; and its effects may be noticed in 
churches and chapels at evening service, the preacher 
being blamed for the sleepy effects produced. 
In the vegetable kingdom just the contrary is the 
case; the green leaves of a healthy plant when exposed to 
light inhale this carbon dioxide, and in the presence of 
light split up this gas into its component parts—namely, 
carbon and oxygen, retaining the carbon, which, with 
water, forms starch and gives off the pure oxygen 
which is so essential to our health. This giving off of 
oxygen by green leaves may easily be seen by placing 
freshly gathered leaves in water and exposing the 
whole to the sun’s rays. At night it seems that the 
reverse is the case, but the quantity of carbon dioxide 
evolved is so small in proportion to the amount of 
oxygen in the daytime that it is harmless. 
Viewing these facts we also see what an important 
office in nature this regulation of gases given off by 
leaves is, and I would here say that this is the only 
known process by which oxygen gas (without which it 
would be impossible for you and I to live) is again 
restored to us in a free condition. On this same 
principle plants purify the water in which they grow, 
and render it habitable by fishes and animals. This 
then is the cause why fish soon die in water in which 
no plants are grown, there being nothing present to 
destroy the noxious gases and other substances given 
off by the janimals in their respiration and other 
processes; hence in nature we always find plants 
existing with animal life in the water, so that the 
injurious influences caused by the latter are counteracted. 
One frequently hears objections raised against 
growing plants in rooms where there is little venti¬ 
lation, the idea evidently arising from the fact that 
plants when not exposed to strong light have just the 
opposite effect to that we have just noticed; but as 
already stated, the amount of injurious gas exhaled by 
those plants is so very small that it would require 
many thousands of plants to vitiate the air of a room 
to anything like the extent that a single animal does. 
(To be continued.) 
-- 
THE CHINESE SACRED LILY. 
The correspondence which has already accumulated on 
this interesting subject distinctly points to the fact that 
gardening is essentially an “empirical art,” otherwise 
how comes it about that success in plant culture is very 
often attained by quite contrary practice ? Lovers of 
vegetable products are ever active, ever experimenting 
with their particular favourites, testing their capa¬ 
bilities in this or that direction, striking out new lines 
of conduct, and thus it happens that totally opposite 
methods sometimes result in similar successes. No 
doubt this is largely due to the varying circumstances 
under which the operations' are performed. It seems 
that the Sacred Lily forms no exception to this rule, as 
different cultivators recommend diverse details, ac¬ 
cording to the facts presented. But this symbolical 
flower of the Chinese exhibits other peculiarities, as it 
is not quite certain as to the origin or nomenclature of 
the plant in question. 
Mr. Murphy, whose contributions are always inter¬ 
esting, says the plant is not a “Lily,” nor Narcissus 
Tazetta var. Grand Monarque, but a distinct form. 
“K. D.” inclines to the belief that it is a form of 
Grand Monarque, and instances reasons for coming to 
that conclusion. 1 ‘ When doctors differ who shall 
decide?” Mr. Baker, of Kew, calls it Narcissus 
chinensis, and I think appropriately, for the specimens 
on view there, about three weeks ago, quite justify the 
adoption of a distinct name. The plants were so 
vigorous and floriferous, and excited so much admira¬ 
tion, that I was perforce obliged to considerably 
modify my previously formed opinions respecting it. 
Nine-inch pans were used, and these were filled with 
small stones and water ; in these pans three large bulbs 
were placed, the stones acting as supports to the latter. 
They were subjected to gentle excitement, and in a very 
short time the plants were a marvel of beauty, one of 
the bulbs producing eighteen growths. The gardener 
stated that they had been grown on under the cool 
system, and certainly, if such remarkable results can 
be obtained in so short a period, quite out-distancing 
all other Narcissi in rapidity of blooming, they are 
entitled not only to a distinctive epithet, but to a wide 
and extended cultivation.— C. B. 0, Acton. 
-- 
PROPOSED HALL OF HORTI¬ 
CULTURE. 
You have doubtless heard of the proposal to build a 
great central hall of horticulture, in some prominent 
position in London, similar to the magnificent buildings 
which theSociete d’Horticulture de France possesses in 
Paris. The effect of these central buildings on the 
whole horticultural trade of France has, I am told, 
been very marked, not only in the neighbourhood of 
Paris, but throughout the whole country, and we 
anticipate that a no less marked benefit would accrue 
to the whole horticultural interest of Great Britain if 
we possessed a similar central institution. It would 
promote, encourage, and stimulate an increased love 
and knowledge of gardening from one end of our 
country to the other, and produce everywhere an in¬ 
creased demand for all horticultural subjects, thus 
greatly enhancing the transactions and emoluments of 
the trade. 
The promotion of such a scheme is, however, a 
matter demanding a far greater outlay of money in 
London than was required by our neighbours in Paris, 
the comparative value of land in the two capitals being 
almost beyond calculation. All the more necessary is 
it, therefore, that all horticulturists, both professional 
and amateur, should join cordially together in pro¬ 
moting the scheme. 
For these two reasons—(1) the impetus which it 
would give to gardening everywhere, and (2) the 
absolute necessity of friendly co-operation—the trustees 
of the new buildings—Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., 
M.P., Baron Henry Schroder, and E. A. Hambro, 
Esq., have desired me to call a meeting of the whole 
horticultural trade of the kingdom, to be held at 
117, Victoria Street, S.W., on Tuesday, April 22nd, 
at 1.30 p.m. punctually, to consider in what way the 
trade can best help on the movement.— IV. Wilks, 
Secretary, Royal Horticultural Society. 
-- 
THE BERBERIS. 
Of this genus there are several species, all shrubs, 
found chiefly in the temperate parts of Europe, Asia 
and America. One of the most beautiful in this 
interesting group of hardy shrubs is B. stenophylla, 
and a more charming flowering shrub it is difficult to 
imagine. It is said to be a hybrid, but I do not know 
its actual parentage. I have a plant of it against a 
wall in a fore-court garden on a north aspect, and the 
flowers are being plentifully produced in small pendu¬ 
lous racemes, springing from each of the leafy tufts, 
very numerous indeed, and when fully expanded, of a 
bright yellow colour. Sunless as is the position of this 
plant, it yet blooms with amazing freedom, and is an 
object of great admiration to passers by. No weather, 
however severe, appears to harm the plants, or to affect 
its floriferousness. 
B. Dulcis, introduced from the Straits of Magellan in 
1828, is also a very pretty early-flowering shrub, quite 
hardy and worthy a place in any garden. It is earlier 
to bloom than B. stenophylla, but I prefer the latter 
for general decorative purposes ; and while some seem 
disposed to doubt the thorough hardihood of B. edulis, 
there can be no possible reason, I think, to doubt that 
of B. stenophylla. Then there is B. Darwinii, which 
came from Patagonia in 1847, the latest of the three in 
the order of flowering, but a supremely useful and 
beautiful shrub, flowering in racemes, the blossoms 
yellow tinged with red, freely produced and highly 
ornamental, and apparently not fastidious as to soil. 
It is worthy of remark that a larger proportion of 
the known species of Berberis are natives of that barren 
and inhospitable land which, on either side, coasts 
the Straits of Magellan. In that region of cloud and 
wind the flora is very poor in number of species 
generally, but wealthy beyond all other localities in 
species of the Berberis. This singular fact cannot arise 
out of climatic influences alone, as the species of 
Berberis indigenous to that region thrive vigorously 
when transplanted into England ; nor can it be owing to 
local hybridisation, as the species are all sufficiently 
distinct. 
The common Barberry, B. vulgaris, is so ornamental 
a hardy shrub, whether in flower or when bearing 
berries, as to well deserve a place in the garden. The 
pendent clusters of yellow flowers appear in May, each 
bunch guarded by a three-pronged thorn. The stamens 
are curiously sensitive ; if they are touched lightly at 
the base with a straw or a pin they contract, and the 
anther bends forward and strikes against the stigma. 
This strange sensitiveness is a provision of nature, 
securing that if any insects walk round the flower, each 
anther touches the stigma, the collision probably causing 
the valves to open, and. thus discharging the fertilising 
pollen. This shrub is liable to a tiny fungus which 
appears in clusters like an orange blot on the leaves. 
In former days it was thought the Berberry blight 
gave rise to smut and bimb, the destructive diseases of 
corn, and farmers would not suffer the Berberry to be 
in their hedgerows. There has, however, been no 
connection traced between these two, and it is possible 
to point to fields and districts where rust is common 
on wheat, and yet there is no Berberry near ; while in 
other spots close under a Berberry hedge this disease of 
wheat has scarcely been heard of. The berries of the 
common Berberry make an excellent preserve, and 
when merely kept in salt, they form a pretty garnish 
for savoury dishes.— E. W. 
—-->s:<-- 
SPRING FLOWER GARDENING. 
In his paper on this subject, read at the Drill Hall 
on Tuesday, Mr. Ingram, of Belvoir, said that in 
spite of what was often said about the climate of this 
country, little real change had taken place in regard to 
the spring flowers and plants. The habit of growth 
implanted in them still continued, and if in his lengthy 
experience he had to complain of anything, it was that 
these plants exhibited too great a trustfulness in the 
fickleness of our seasons, as some of them had done 
during jthe present year. He had often seen them 
covered with snow and yet they had remained unin¬ 
jured through the most bitter trials. Amongst those 
which made the most early appearance the Christmas 
Itose might fairly claim a foremost place ; and, although 
some Hellebores were winter-blooming, still they be¬ 
longed to spring by the duration of the flower. The 
Snowdrop, although it bloomed in winter, also belonged 
to spring, and although it was so common it would 
never lose its interest, as indicating by its appearance 
that winter was passing away. Dealing with Anemones, 
Mr. Ingram instanced the Anemone blanda as the 
earliest of the family, with its large blue flowers ap¬ 
pearing simultaneously with those of the Crocus and 
the Snowdrop. Saxifrages, too, beautiful alpine, plants, 
had found a not uncongenial home in their gardens. 
One of the most beautiful border plants was that 
brought to us in recent years, and found in the 
mountain region near Smyrna. It was a species of 
Chionodoxa, and was known to the natives as “The 
Glory of the Snow.” This scarcely waited for the snow 
to disappear before it burst into bloom. He had no 
doubt it would find its way into their gardens. It had 
been thought that it would be difficult to establish in 
England, but no modern plant was so quick in 
naturalising itself, and there was nothing to prevent it 
spreading far and wide over the country, with its white 
and blue star-like flowers. 
There was nothing that popularised gardening more 
than to be able to achieve success with small means. 
One looked with keener interest on flowers when one 
knew they were equal to those of a duke, and in his 
own neighbourhood every cottage had its show of 
spring flowers, including even the newer varieties 
which had been introduced at Belvoir itself. No plant 
was hailed with more satisfaction than the Yiolet, and 
it was unnecessary for him to dilate upon it. Its 
effective disposal was, however, worthy of consideration, 
and he had found it most profitable to plant it under 
the shade of trees. The Primula, too, deserved mention. 
From the yellow Primrose of the woods to the splendid 
varieties which came from the Alps, Japan, and the 
Himalayas, there was a long range, and he noted with 
interest that in that hall there was a specimen which 
had a blue flower. Hepatica was also a very desirable 
spring plant, with its simpleness of form and beauty, 
