December 17, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
243 
money to plant Wellingtonias, and there are a good 
many other conifers of doubtful hardiness and utility. 
We were surprised to hear that the Corsican Fir 
had been lost in northern and central France, where 
we thought it was one of the hardiest, but we trust 
it will endure in Britain. We have a var.ety of 
precious trees if we take the trouble to find out the 
best. Beyond the common Pine, so often planted 
in England, and the Spruce, Scotch, and Silver Firs, 
there are some kinds that deserve to be more 
planted, such as the Weymouth Pine, the Riga Pine, 
the Calabrian Pine—if one could get it—the Crimean 
Fir, and the Cedar of Lebanon. This last, which is 
mostly put out in pleasure gardens by itself as a 
beautiful specimen, we think should be oftener 
planted in the natural and true way as a wood. By 
planting it entirely separate we get a fine specimen, 
and the tree develops large branches at the side, 
whereas in a wood it grows more erect and pine-like, 
and is, we think, quite as beautiful, developing a 
bold, but beautiful, plumy head. Planted in this 
way it is also lighter and more pointed in the head, 
and there is no danger from the snow, which so often 
destroys the tree when it is a spreading specimen on 
the lawn or near the house. One of the most beau¬ 
tiful things we know of is a wood of the Cedar of 
Lebanon ; that is to say, grown in the way it gene¬ 
rally congregates on the mountains, and the way all 
Pines grow. We have proved its hardiness for some 
generations in England, which cannot be said of 
many Pines .—The Field. 
_ m ■+■ r _ 
THE CHICAGO 
EXHIBITION. 
Mr. James Dredge, a member of the Royal British 
Commission fcr the World's Columbian Exposition 
of next year, in a paper r'ead on the gth inst. at a 
meeting of the Society of Arts, said with reference 
to the horticultural building :—The ground occupied 
by the horticultural building is nearly six acres. 
Its design is admirable, and on a scale harmonising 
with the rest of the exhibition. The great con¬ 
structive feature is the central dome, iSo ft. in 
diameter, and about 140 ft. in height. This dome 
occupies the centre, and is surrounded by a square 
court, roofed, and about 30 ft. in height. The main 
entrance to the building is in the centre of this 
court, and on each side within it is a wide circular 
staircase, lighted from a small dome that forms a 
conspicuous feature in the design. To the right and 
left of the central court run two galleries : one in the 
front is 69 ft. wide, and 272 ft. in length ; at the rear 
is a second gallery, which passes behind, but adjoins 
the central court, it is about 750 ft. long, and 50 ft. 
wide. The latter gallery will thus form a continuous 
series of glass houses, maintained at different 
temperatures for varying floricultural exhibits. 
A clear space, 89 ft. wide and 272 ft. long, separates 
the front and rear galleries on each side of the dome, 
and forms two large open courts that will be utilised 
for horticultural displays. Each court is inclosed 
at the outer end by a spacious wing 118 ft. wide and 
250 ft. long. Thus the whole building consists of 
the central dome and its surrounding covered court; 
of two spacious end wings, connected with the 
central court by a gallery in front and one at the 
rear, these galleries being spaced far enough apart 
to inclose two extensive open courts. 
A few words may be added about the constructive 
features. The dome is carried by a number of 
curved ribs, built of steel of very light dimensions, 
and of the same general character as has been 
already referred to. The foundations are of timber, 
similar to those of which a type has been already 
described. The ribs supporting the dome are not 
curved from the floor line, but rise vertically, like a 
great circle of stanchions within the inclosing court, 
as far as the level of the gallery running round the 
dome, 22 ft. above the floor ; above this the curving 
is commenced, and the ribs, converging almost in a 
semicircle, meet overhead against a ring to which 
they are riveted. The height of this ring above the 
floor is about 120 ft. There are twenty of these 
great ribs in all; they are connected together in 
various ways, besides the central ring at the top. 
At a height of 22 ft. above the floor, and again at 
37 ft., a series of light girders connects each rib 
around the circle. Between the upper row of these 
girders and the crown of the dome, ten rings of pur¬ 
lins, made of angle-iron and lattice like the ribs, 
only lighter and not so deep, are riveted to the ribs. 
Thus the whole surface of the dome is divided into 
panels, and every panel is braced by diagonal tie- 
roads. 
Midway between each pair of ribs, a secondary 
rafter, curved to the same form as the ribs, is riveted 
to the purlin, thus further dividing the panels and 
affording means for attaching the minor framing and 
sash bars. The front gallery is wholly of wood and 
glass. The roof trusses are peculiar in consisting of 
eighteen boards 12 in. wide by 1 in. thick, bent into 
a circular form and lightly braced. The span is 
69 ft., and the height to centre is 38 ft. These 
trusses are placed about 25 ft. apart. The rear 
gallery, which is much narrower than the front one, 
is covered with a light pitched roof, and the con¬ 
struction of the wings calls for no particular notice. 
These wings are not intended for the display of 
plants in growth, so much as for horticultural and 
other exhibitions. Glass does not, therefore, enter 
so largely into the contraction of these wings as in 
those of the other parts of the building. 
- -*• - 
DOUBLE CHINESE 
PRIMULAS. 
Whilst I do not for one moment dispute the fact 
that the old double white Primula is by far the most 
widely grown, I do not admit that it is the best of its 
kind. Doubtless it is easily cultivated, and because 
of that is so much more commonly grown than 
others, but as compared with White Lady and 
Marchioness of Exeter, it is not in it for a moment. 
I have seen good plants of these from time to time, 
and “ W. D." could, I know, give very glowing 
accounts of the noble plants of these and other 
doubles shown and grown at or about Birmingham. 
Here in southern districts we have never attained 
to the fine character and dimensions Birmingham 
Primulas, both single and double, have reached, 
but still some good ones are seen at times. When 
at the Leatherhead Chrysanthemum Show last 
month, I was particularly struck with a table of very 
fine double Primulas, a special class separate from 
the singles, which seem to be grown in that neigh¬ 
bourhood exceedingly well. 
White Lady was the chief variety as the purest 
white, but Marchioness of Exeter was the finest 
bloom, some ijin. or over, and first-rate gathered 
and wired for buttonholes or bouquets. Annie 
Hillier, pink, and The Baron, carmine, were also 
excellent. The best plants were carrying from fifty 
to sixty fully expanded blooms on some eight or nine 
trusses, with many others to follow. The plants 
were about 7 in. to 8 in. in height, and 18 in. across ; 
they were also restricted to 6-in. pots. This will 
show that, if understood, it is very easy to grow 
these finer sorts of double Primulas, and if on a 
show table the old double white is not in it for a 
moment with the sorts mentioned, it also shows 
that the others are far the best for all ordinary 
decorative purposes. Whilst the old double figures 
in bouquets effectively only when full trusses are 
employed, the fine blooms of White Lady, etc., are 
most attractive wired separately. Why, except that 
there is a special class for doubles at the local show, 
these double Primulas should be so well done at 
Leatherhead, I do not know.— A. D. 
* 
Winter Cucumbers. 
T hose who are far enough from the London fogs to be 
able to grow Cucumbers through the winter must be 
very careful with them at this season. The growths 
must be kept thin so as to give plenty of light 
between each, and all the fruits must be cut off the 
plants the day they are large enough for use, as at 
this season they are a great strain on the plants. 
Those who do not require the Cucumbers at this 
time, but only keep the autumn plants to supply a 
few very early in the spring, will do well to keep all 
the flowers picked off until the days begin to 
lengthen. Be careful with the water, but do not 
allow them to get too dry or the minimum tempera¬ 
ture to fall below 65°, with a rise of io° in the day ; 
and keep up a good bottom heat. Keep a sharp 
watch for insects, and fumigate if necessary. Sow 
some seeds about New Year’s Day to supply plants 
to follow those which have been fruiting through the 
winter.—G. H. S. 
(Meanings fcrnn ll)i\ ^Dorltr 
af Scter K2. 
The influence of Light on the Weather 
Plant. —When this plant (Abrus precatorius) has 
been kept in darkness for some time, the leaflets 
drop down perpendicularly with their backs to one 
another, assuming that attitude which is popularly 
termed sleep. They are sensitive to light and the 
absence of the latter causes this downward move¬ 
ment. One fairly bright autumn day after having 
kept the plant for some time in darkness it was 
brought out and placed in a window exposed to the 
sun. This was at 1.40 p.m. when most of the leaf¬ 
lets were perpendicular and closed. At 2 8 p m. the 
leaflets had risen from the perpendicular to an 
angle of 35 0 and to 40° in the case of a leaf on the 
sunny side. At 2.15 p.m. they had arisen to an angle 
of 55 0 , and at 2.20 p.m. to 70°; at 2.25 p.m. they 
had risen to 8o° and at 2.30 p.m. they were quite 
horizontal, having thus performed a movement 
through an angle of 90 9 in 50 minutes. Quite young 
leaves are very tardy in their movements if they 
respond to the influence of sunlight at all, but those 
that are fully developed respond readily, and after 
becoming horizontal they twist in such a way as to 
follow the sun as it passes from the south towards 
the west. The leaflets on the side of the petiole 
next the sun sink downwards while those on the 
opposite side rise up above the horizonal; in both 
cases this is done with the object of placing the 
upper surface of the leaf as nearly as possible per¬ 
pendicular to the rays of the sun This continued 
till past 3.40 p.m., but at 4 p.m. the leaflets began to 
drop downwards rather quickly, especially on the 
shaded side of the plant. The reason of this was be¬ 
cause the sun was getting very much obscured and 
darkenedjny clouds. The temperature in the window 
at this time was 72 0 , so that the falling of the leaves 
could not be ascribed to a low temperature, but to 
the waning light.— J. F. 
Circulation of Protoplasm.— Teachers and 
instructors in botany, when speaking of the move¬ 
ments of protoplasm, refer their students to certain 
plants mentioned in books, where they may see the 
movements in question for themselves. The hairs 
on the filaments of Tradescantia are nearly always 
referred to. Nine times out of ten there is a great 
difficulty in getting flowers of a Tradescantia when 
wanted. Pansies are more commonly cultivated, and 
specimens for study could easily be obtained at any 
time from early spring till late in autumn, and 
sometimes even in winter. At the base of the two 
lateral or middle petals is a brush of papillae or hairs, 
which may conveniently be termed eyebrows. Being 
transparent their contents can easily be studied in the 
live state by picking them off with a needle or small 
knife, and placing them under the microscope. A 
youngish flower should be selected for the purpose. 
The protoplasm may be seen forming bridles from 
the side walls to a central nucleus, and along these 
bridles or strands the protoplasm keeps streaming 
rapidly in various directions, as may be seen by the 
small bodies carried along in the currents. The 
protoplasm in a young cell is very active, forming 
numerous, slender, longitudinal, oblique, or transverse 
streams, ever shifting their course, anon amalga¬ 
mating and forming as it were flood tides, sometimes 
suddenly altering their course ; or a current from 
another quarter runs into the first, and the whole 
stream runs off in different directions. Sometimes the 
small bodies in the protoplasm form an orbicular 
mass and roll along the cell in a body ; anon the 
mass becomes elongated, or assumes different shapes 
and runs off in an opposite direction or in two 
different directions. At other times streams of 
protoplasm coalesce or run into one another, forming 
an eddy or whirlpool, and again form strong currents 
running along the cell in the direction of its length. 
All these movements have a strong resemblance to 
the circulation of the blood corpuscles in a tadpole. 
The great size of the cell and its transparency 
enables the movements to be easily seen. Only a 
small portion of it, however, can be seen at any one 
time under a high power.— J. F. 
- - 
The Farmer and Country Gentleman’s Almanac for 
1893, published by the Fanner and Stockbreeder (325, 
Strand), is a capital sixpenny worth of useful infor¬ 
mation on all subjects of interest to those connected 
with agriculture. 
