April 27, 1901. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
553 
Plants with Souls.—Some of the most advanced 
theories in botany are looked at doubtfully by many, 
but Professor L. Errera, of the University of Brus¬ 
sels, heads all for being doubtful. He proclaims 
that Lilacs have embryonic souls, with rudiments of 
memory, germs of habits and preception, aad the 
outlines of every other essential requisite of soul life. 
No doubt the learned professor has made the matter 
quite clear to himself, but we are afraid it will be a 
long time before it is universally believed. 
New Zealand Yeronicas.—An interesting feature 
about the Veronicas of New Zealand is the wide 
difference of structure and habit shown by those 
growing on the mountains and those growing on the 
plains. The latter grow to a large size and have 
large flat leaves, but those found 5,000 ft. up the 
mountains are entirely different and do not look like 
the same family of plants. They are dwarf and com¬ 
pact with very small leaves. The only reason that 
can be given, says the Rev Prof. G. Henslow, for 
this remarkable diversity, is that like the Alpines and 
other plants growing at high aliitudes, they have 
adapted themselves to the climatic conditions. 
Plants of the High Andes.—At a meeting of the 
Linnean Society of London, on April 4th, a paper 
was read by Messrs. W. B. Hemsley, F.L.S., and H. 
H. Pearson, F.L S., on a small collection of dried 
plants made by Sir Martin Conway in the Bolivian 
Andes in 1898-99. This collection contained but 
forty-six species, but these were of special interest 
from the great height at which they were found, i e. 
between 18,000 ft. and 18,700 ft. above sea-level. 
The highest Andine plants on record were stated to 
be Malvastrum flabellatum, Wedd , and a grass, 
Deyeuxia glacialis, Wedd. 
Rubber-trees of Tropical South America.—At a 
meeting of the Linnean Society of London, on 
April 4th, Mr. W. B. Hemsley, F.R S , exhibited 
specimens of Sapium and Hevea (Euphorbiaceae) 
and Castilloa (Artocarpaceae), with a view to clear 
up certain questions concerning the Rubber-trees, by 
examining a large series of plants and seeds for¬ 
warded by Mr. Jenman, Government Botanist in 
British Guiana. The genus Hevea included ten or 
a dozen described species inhabiting eastern tropical 
South America, but none in the West Indies. Hevea 
brasiliensis, the source of the true Para rubber, was 
not very different from Hevea guianensis, which is 
restricted to French Guirna, the differences between 
them being shown in the figures given of the floral 
structure and seeds in Hooker’s leones Plantarum, 
plates 2570-2577. It was formerly supposed that 
two species of Hevea might be distinguished in 
British Guiana, one (Hevea pauciflora) having thin 
leaves and a ba'ry ovary, the other thick coriaceous 
leaves and a glabrous ovary ; but after examining a 
large number of specimens, Mr. Hemsley had come 
to the conclusion that the differences were not 
constant, and that all the specimens exhibited might 
belong to one species, and merely represented in¬ 
dividual variation. The exhibition demonstrated 
the difficulty of determining species of Hevea from 
imperfect specimens, and especially from seeds alone. 
A discussion followed in which Mr. F. N. Williams, 
the Rev. F. C. Smith, and the chairman took 
part. 
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Hardening Jiscellany. 
PRUNUS TRILOBA FLORE PLENO. 
Of all the Piunus family there are none to excel 
this variety when well grown. It makes a grand 
show in the spring, being literally covered with its 
double rosette-shaped blooms, which are of a deli¬ 
cate pink colour It is perfectly hardy, and can be 
grown as a standard in the pleasure grounds, where 
it is a great acquisition, as it comes into bloom so 
early, when the other trees are still in their winter 
sleep. It is like many others of the Plum family, it 
will thrive in any ordinary soil. It does well as a 
standard, but the effect is nothing compared with 
those when the trees are trained against a south 
wall There is a fine specimen grown in this 
manner in Kew Gardens, and during the flowering 
season it is no small attraction to camera fiends, 
both amateur and professional. It has been figured 
in many horticultural papers both in this country 
and in many others. 
BOTRYCHIUM MATRICARIAEFOLIUM. 
Dr. Underwood, of America, in his latest edition of 
" Native Ferns," intimates the non-existence of this 
species in the United States. He states this in the 
face of the fact that all the leading authorities 
recognise the identity of the European and American 
plants. His position has now been made indefensible, 
as some specimens of the European B. matricariae- 
folium have been sent from Berlin and prove identical 
with Wood's B. neglectum. The Fern Bulletin is 
quite correct when it says there is a disposition to 
recognise mere geographical differences, and the mere 
fact of two plants being found growing in widely 
separated sections of country, is not a good reason 
for considering them distinct species. At a meeting 
of the Linnean Society on June 15th, 1899, Mr. W. 
Whitwell, F.L.S., exhibited the only known British 
specimen of B. matricariaefolium, gathered by Mr. 
A. Braun in July, 1887, on the seashore of Stevenston, 
Ayrshire. 
PLATYCERIUMS. 
It is strange seeing how easily they are grown that 
these interesting Stag’s-born Ferns are not more 
generally cultivated, as there are few plants better 
suited to impart a rustic gracefulness to the stove or 
warm fernery. They are best propagated by division 
as the seedlings are very slow growing, and it is not 
until the plants attain a large size that they are of 
any service. They do best when fastened on blocks 
of wood. When they are fastened on only enough 
peat should be put behind them to retain sufficient 
moisture until they get hold. In their native habitat 
they grow on tree trunks and are surrounded by an 
atmosphere that is laden with moisture; these con¬ 
ditions must be supplied to them when under culti¬ 
vation if they are to be grown well. Two of the 
best species are Piatycerium alcicorne and P. 
Willinckii. Owing to the drospiog habit of the 
fertile fronds the latter variety should be grown in an 
Orchid basket. 
CHEMISTRY FOR THE GARDEN. 
XIII.— Manures. 
Experience has taught the tillers of the soil that by 
cropping, in the course of time, it becomes exhausted, 
and that if no compensation is made for what it has 
lost in the operation, little or no produce will be 
derived therefrom. To avoid therefore symptoms of 
sterility becoming apparent recourse is made to 
regular manuring, and this is usually done with a 
view to restore as near as possible the constituents 
equivalent to those the crops have assimilated during 
the period of their growth. At one time when there 
was no reliable scientific principles to guide the tiller 
of the soil in this matter, his work was necessarily a 
process of groping in the dark. The result too, 
necessarily was one full of the game of chance. 
Know jour soil, kaow your crop, and manure, are 
considerations which invariably never entered into 
the calculations of those bygone tillers of the soil. 
Happily nowadays mostly everyone who in any 
measure has the least pretentions to a knowledge of 
land tillage, has also some idea of what kind of 
manure suits best for a certain crop, in a certain soil. 
It will be acknowledged that this is a move in the 
right directior, and that it is as it ought to be. The 
manuring of the soil if it is not so already, ought to be 
a science, and it is in this light it must be regarded, 
if the most shou'd be made of the land. The mere 
addition of manure to the soil, because we think it 
requires manure, may be quite wrong, simply because 
we may be adding ingredients which are ia abund¬ 
ance there already. It may, however, do good, but 
it would also do good were the superabundant 
ingredient absent, and probably help to diminish the 
cash account which is of prime importance. 
At one time in medicine infusion of Cinchona was 
our only means of deriving the beneficial properties 
of that plant, but now we have the valuable property 
isolated in the form of quinine, and we are conse¬ 
quently saved the horror of imbibiog quarts of 
useless, not to say nauseous matter to attain the 
desired result. All the extractive matters, tannic, 
gallic, and malic acids had to be swallowed to get 
the advantage of the one necessary dose of quinine. 
The case of manuring the soil is in some respects 
analogous. 
No doubt very many more ingredients are forced 
upon the soil (the plant’s stomach) than the crop 
requires. The result is not immediately injurious, 
for nature has providentially prepared for such 
breaches of her laws, both in soils and animals. 
Each has a certain recuperative power for throwing 
off any redundant matter which may have entered 
iDto their organisation. The soil gets rid of much of 
its burden through its natural arteries, the drains, and 
it finds its way ultimately into that great cesspool 
which knows no corruption, viz., the sea. True, 
some soils do not so readily part with manurial 
ingredients which have not been necessary, and 
therefore not utilised by a crop, during the season of 
winter and consequent floods, but the greater part 
of soils we fear are of a nature that the retention of 
manurial ingredients in a soluble form is an impos¬ 
sibility. 
In the case of farmyard manure or dung, as it is 
commonly called, the above noted dangers are not 
likely to occur. This form of manure is not in a 
highly concentrated state at any time, and should 
the salts not used up by a crop be washed out of the 
soil during winter, the soil is more than compensated 
for such an event by the way it is enriched in humus. 
There appears to be some ground for believing that 
it is on this account that the general results got from 
this form of manure are more reliable and constant 
under all conditions than those derived from any 
other. The amount of undecayed substances which 
enters the soil in the form of dung is the means of 
setting in motion a great chemical process, which 
may be regarded, to all intent and purposes, as a 
laboratory for the preparation of plant food.— 
Oxygen. 
(To be continued.) 
--i--- 
COLUMBINES. 
Few plants are more showy than the hybrids given 
us during the past few years, and though chiefly 
grown for the herbaceous border, they are none the 
less admired ia the cool house during the end of 
April and the two first weeks in May. Their colours 
are of the brightest and vie with the showiest Orchid 
for the time being. To have such plants now, seed 
must forthwith be sown in sandy soil, lightly covered, 
placing in a temperature of 55^ at night, shaded 
until through the soil, when remove to a cool frame, 
due attention being paid to watering and pricking off, 
which should be done as soon as fit to handle, in 
cutting boxes 3 in. to 4 in. apart, and again shading 
for a few days. Before crowding takes place plant 
out in an open position 9 in. as under, water in if the 
soil is dry, and keep the flat hoe going amongst them 
a few times during summer. A few may flower 
towards autumn, but the majority not until early 
summer next year. Pot up as many as may be 
required, in the month of November, using loam, 
leaf soil, a little soot, and sand enough to keep the 
compost porous. Plunge the pots 1 in. above the rim 
in coal ashes. This keeps slugs at bay. Cover with 
a frame but air daily unless the weather is severe, or 
they may be potted up in February from the open 
ground. —E xper knee. 
PEOPLE WE HAVE MET. 
Mr. Alexander James Monro. 
On several previous occasions we have referred to 
Mr. A. J. Monro in connection with the Nurserymen, 
Market Gardeners' and General Hailstorm Insur¬ 
ance Corporation, Ltd., founded a few years ago, 
but already a well established and thriving Insti¬ 
tution, thus demonstrating its utility and the great 
need for it by the florist and market garden industry 
in this country. 
Mr. A. J. Monro is a son of the late Mr. John 
Monro, of Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, and a brother 
of Mr. George Monro, of Covent Garden, whose 
portrait we gave on a previous occasion. The sub¬ 
ject of our present sketch is the general manager and 
secretary of the Hailstorm Insurance Corporation, 
Ltd., and by his ability and energy has already made 
himself felt in the management of its affairs. He 
came to London thirteen years ago, but ihe Insur¬ 
ance Corporation, with which he is now connected, 
was only instituted six years ago. Previous to that, 
in the way of glass insurance, there were only two 
companies in existence which charged £1 per cent., 
and which reserved the right to replace the glass 
after accidents, at their own convenience, thereby 
often causing much delay, consequently much 
damage to contents of houses. 
In 1889 Mr. Monro took up an agency with one of 
these societies and after a deal of pressure obtained 
a reduction in the rate from 20s. to 16s. per cent., 
