4 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTIGULTURF  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  6,  1898. 
Surface  roots  will  in  many  instances  send  down  tap  roots.  Perhaps 
the  best  specimen  I  ever  saw  in  that  way  was  last  year  on  the  river 
Murray  at  Deniliquin  in  N.S.  Wales.  There  was  a  Ped  Gum  tree  on 
the  bank  that  could  not  be  less  than  30  tons  in  weight.  The  floods 
had  evidently  washed  the  soil  away  from  the  base  of  the  tree,  and 
roots  had  started  under  the  leading  surface  roots  some  8,  10,  or  12  feet 
away.  Kach  root  had  gone  straight  into  the  earth,  and  each  one  may 
now  be  called  a  tap  root.  There  were  seven  or  eight  in  number,  and 
each  one  standing  out  of  the  ground  6  or  8  feet  high,  dividing  the 
weight  of  the  whole  tree  between  them.  This  is  another  instance  of 
the  way  Nature  adapts  herself  to  circumstances,  and  shows  that 
wherever  the  strength  is  required  endeavours  to  provide  for  it. 
Trees  in  Open  Spaces. 
Anyone  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  go  into  the  open  fields  or 
paddocks  and  examine  large  trees  that  are  dotted  here  and  there,  they 
will  find  the  most  exposed  trees  have  a  tendency  to  form  large  spreading 
branches  before  the  tree  is  any  great  height,  and  that  the  trunk  near 
the  base  is  of  an  irregular  outline,  many  of  the  surface  roots  near  the 
trunk  being  of  an  oval  shape,  caused  by  the  exeessive  strain  placed 
upon  them  in  windy  weather.  In  many  cases  they  remain  as  stays 
or  buttresses,  and  extend  for  some  distance  up  the  trunk ;  but  where 
trees  are  growing  closely  together  in  the  foi'ests,  and  shelter  each  other, 
they  have  no  occasion  to  provide  for  rough  winds.  The  trunk  is  more 
of  a  uniform  size,  and  the  amount  of  roots  in  proportion  to  the  top 
would  probably  not  be  half  as  much  as  would  be  required  for  an 
exposed  tree. 
Artificial  Supports  for  Trees. 
No  doubt  there  is  something  required  in  the  way  of  supports  for 
trees  that  are  grown  artificially  that  will  reduce  the  excessive  growth 
at  the  top,  and  increase  the  growth  of  the  stems.  It  should  be 
constructed  in  such  a  way  that  a  tree  may  be  secured  from  to 
5  inches  in  diameter,  and  still  allow  the  tree  to  move — say  6  inches 
each  way — without  chafing  the  bark.  It  would  reduce  endless  tying, 
thinning,  and  pruning,  but  would  require  to  be  neat,  cheap,  and 
strone.  —  Thos.  Pockett,  Curator  PuhUc  Cardens,  Malvern, 
Australia. 
EARLY  STRUGGLES  FOR  KNOWLEDGE. 
{Continued  from  page  594,  last  rol.) 
Still  keeping  in  view  the  object  of  mastering  our  own  language,  I 
bought  Dr.  Ilugh  Blair’s  “  Lectures  on  Ilhetoric  and  Belles  Lettres,” 
an  admirable  work  of  great  interest,  and  this  led  to  a  long  course  of 
reading,  in  which  the  chief  works  were  Addison’s  Spectator,  Johnson’s 
Ilamb'er,  Macaulay’s  Essays,  Poscoe’s  Translation  of  Sismondi’s 
Literature  of  South  Europe,  Goldsmith’.s,  Pope’s,  Shakespeare’s,  Words 
worth’s,  and  Longfellow’s  works,  with  a  considerable  share  of  fiction 
derived  from  the  productions  of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Charles  Dickens, 
Tliackeray,  Lord  Lytton,  and  others. 
History  also  furnished  abundant  reading,  for  besides  acquiring  a 
general  idea  of  ancient  history,  especially  as  regards  Greece  and  Rome, 
which  I  obtained  from  Keightley’s  boo'is,  and  Plutarch’s  Lives,  I 
bought  at  different  times  several  works  on  British  history.  The 
lion.  Alex.  F.  Ty tier’s  Elements  of  General  History  and  a  History  of 
British  Commerce  were  two  books  I  found  of  much  interest,  but  the 
greatest  satisfaction  was  derived  from  the  history  of  particular  epochs, 
especially  in  connection  with'  the  Spani.sh  Conquests  in  America. 
Prescott’s  Histories  of  the  Conquests  of  Mexico  and  Peru  I  found 
most  fascinating,  and  I  have  re-read  them  several  times,  for  in  their 
way  they  are  unrivalled,  flhe  same  author’s  Reign  of  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella  was  a  favourite,  as  were  Guizot’s  General  History  of  Civilisa¬ 
tion  in  Europe,  Alison’s  Philosophy  and  H'story  of  Civilisation, 
Humphrey’s  Manual  of  British  India,  and  Burney’s  British  Neptune 
(the  history  of  the  Royal  Navy). 
_Of  others,  partaking  of  the  nature  of  biography,  Washington 
Irving’s  Life  of  Mahomet  and  the  Successors  of  Mahomet,  with 
Smollett’s  translation  of  Voltaire’s  History  of  Charles  XIL  of 
Sweden  and  Peter  the  Great  of  Russia,  may  be  taken  as  examples  of 
classical  works  that  well  repaid  for  close  reading.  No  general 
biography  influenced  me  like  George  L.  Craik’s  Pursuit  of  Knowledge 
Under  DifSculties,  of  which  the  two  volumes  contain  abundant 
information  of  the  kind  calculated  to  encourage  any  youth  who  is 
anxious  to  improve  himself.  The  books  named  are  only  those  which 
had  the  greatest  effect  on  my  mind,  they  do  not  represent  a  tithe  of 
what  I  actually  read  in  the  period,  and  the  omnivorous  character  of 
my  appetite  may  be  judged  from  the  range  of  subjects  covered, 
extending  from  Fenelon’s  Adventures  of  Telemachus  and  Voltaire’s 
l\Iicromegas  to  Locke’s  Essay  on  the  Human  Understanding,  Addison’s 
Evidences  of  Christianity,  Dr.  Paley’s  Natural  Theology,  Pascal’s 
Provincial  Letters  and  the  Letters  of  Junius.  Some  close  study  was 
given  to  logic  as  embodied  in  the  works  of  Drs.  Wliateley  and  Watts, 
and  such  methodical  habits  of  thought,  study,  and  w'ork  as  I 
have  formed  have  been  due  in  a  great  measure  to  this  portion  of  my 
reading. 
Geography  engaged  much  of  my  attention,  and  I  had  a  great 
partiality  for  map  drawing.  In  my  book  hunts  I  bought  several 
Atlases  of  Ancient  and  Modern  Geography,  and  I  had  one  find  which 
was  invaluable  to  me — namely,  A  System  of  Universal  Geography 
founded  on  the  works  of  Malte-Brun  and  Balbi,  which  in  a  thousand 
pages  of  closely  printed  matter  contained  quite  a  cyclopaedia  of 
instruction,  amply  sufficient  to  satisfy  my  appetite  for  the  time. 
Numerous  volumes  of  travels  were  read,  such  as  Ca])tain  Cook’s 
Voyages,  Washington  Irving's  IJfe  of  Columbus,  and  the  Voyages  of 
the  Companions  to  Columbus,  but  two  works  stand  out  prominently 
amongst  them  all — namely,  Charles  Darwin’s  Naturalist’s  Voyage  in 
the  Beigle  and  Dr.  Joseph  Hooker’s  Himalayan  Journals,  which  must 
be  classed  amongst  the  most  interesting  and  instructive  books  of  the 
kind  in  the  English  language.  Besides  these  I  spent  many  an 
agreeable  hour  over  Hugh  Low’s  Sarawak,  Seeman’s  “  Mission  to 
Viti,”  Fortune’s  Residence  Amongst  the  Chinese,  Ellis’s  Visits  to 
Madagascar,  Frobel’s  Travels  in  South  America,  Bowring’s  Visit  to  the 
Phillipine  Islands,  and  Backhouse’s  Visit  to  Mauritius  and  South 
Africa. 
It  should  be  mentioned  here  that  arithmetic  was  a  favourite  study, 
and  wns  pursued  concurrently  with  other  subjects.  I  bought  a 
manual  issued  to  the  schools  in  Ireland  entitled  The  Theory  and 
Practice  of  Arithmetic,  which  for  simplicity  and  thoroughness  I  have 
never  seen  surpassed.  Certainly  it  enabled  me  to  wade  through  all 
the  principal  ru'es  without  any  serious  difficulties,  and  I  passed  from 
that  to  a  study  of  book-keeping,  of  which  a  knowledge  must  be  useful 
to  every  man  at  some  period  of  his  life. 
Turning  to  science  subjects,  a  long  chapter  could  be  written  upon 
my  struggles,  but  I  must  not  tax  the  patience  of  the  Editor  and  readers 
too  severely.  Apart  from  the  numerous  works  read,  for  I  bought  all 
my  narrow  means  would  permit,  and  studied  them  diligently,  I  had 
the  opportunity  of  attending  many  lectures  by  eminent  authorities, 
including  Professors  Huxley,  Tyndall,  and  Guthrie,  with  others, 
though  this  necessitated  an  eight-miles  walk  every  time.  I  derived 
great  benefit  from  this  instruction.  Notes  were  taken  at  each  lecture, 
and  written  out  fully  afterwards,  any  difficulties  being  the  subject  for 
research,  and  this  is  one  of  the  matters  I  have  always  followed  out 
consistently ;  I  could  never  rest  satisfied  until  a  difficulty  was  over¬ 
come,  and  no  efforts  were  spared  in  this  direction.  Geology,  physical 
geography,  statics,  dynamics,  chemistry,  and  meteorology  were  in  turn 
the  sulijects  of  my  earnest  attention. 
Beyond  this  I  was  attracted  by  astronomy,  and  investigated  this 
wonderful  science  as  far  as  time  and  means  would  permit.  For  a  few 
shillings  I  procured  a  second-hand  pair  of  globes,  terrestrial  and 
celestial,  and  sufficient  progress  was  made  to  work  out  most  of  the 
problems  given  in  introductory  text  books,  such  as  “Keith  on  the 
Globes.’’  fl'his,  however,  I  was  compelled  to  give  up  entirely,  though 
most  of  the  subjects  named  in  this  section,  but  especially  chemistry 
and  meteorology,  occupied  much  attention  later  in  my  career,  and  still 
form  favourite  studies.  In  reference  to  the  eaidier  books  read  on 
scientific  subjects,  I  do  not  remember  one  that  influenced  me  so  much 
as  Michael  Faraday’s  Lectures  on  Physical  Science,  of  which  I  was 
lucky  enough  to  secure  an  edition  prepared  by  Wm.  Crookes. 
My  daily  work  in  the  course  of  the  seven  years  named  as  the 
period  of  initiatory  study  covered  the  whole  range  of  gardening — 
i.e.,  outdoor  cultivation  for  vegetables,  fruit  trees,  hardy  plants,  and 
ornamental  trees,  including  the  operations  of  digging,  trenching, 
planting,  pruning,  grafting,  budding,  and  seed-sowing.  Lender  glass 
it  included  the  cultivation  of  Vines,  Cucumbers,  Melons,  Peaches, 
greenhouse  plants  (especially  Heaths  and  hardwooded  plants),  stove 
plants,  with  Orchids  and  Ferns.  Then,  too,  I  had  some  special  oppor¬ 
tunities  for  learning  which  do  not  fall  in  the  way  of  every  youth  ;  I 
had  to  assist  in  laying  out  some  new  gardens  and  in  the  erection  of 
glass  houses,  the  former  giving  an  inclination  in  the  direction  of  land¬ 
scape  gardening,  and  the  latter  led  to  the  careful  study  of  hot-water 
heating.  In  all  this  I  had  the  advantage  of  a  master’s  aid,  one  who 
loved  his  calling  and  who  never  tired  of  teaching  and  training  those 
eager  to  learn.  He  gave  me  the  benefit  of  his  life’s  experience,  and  as 
he  had  commenced  with  a  first-class  education  preparing  him  for  a 
higher  station  in  life  he  had,  through  a  career  of  over  thirty  years, 
brought  a  trained  intellect  to  bear  upon  his  work  which  was  evident 
in  everything  he  undertook. — A  Working  Student. 
(To  be  continued.) 
A  Park  for  Vbntnor. — The  trustees  of  the  estate  of  Mrs.  Evans, 
the  owner  of  Lofty  Downrise,  above  Ventnor,  one  spot  of  which  is 
the  highest  point  of  land  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  have  intimated  that 
it  is  Mrs.  Evans’s  intention  to  make  the  town  a  present  of  the  Downs 
for  the  use  and  recreation  of  the  publih  for  ever.  The  Downs  comprise 
several  hundred  acres,  and  the  summit  commands  a  wide  range  of  view 
over  the  whole  island  and  parts  of  Hampshire  and  Sussex. — (“  Times.”) 
