The Scientific Notebooks of German Orchidologist Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Kränzlin

466 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [October 8, 1881.

Forestry.

GROWING OUR OWN TIMBER.—It is at all times desirable, but specially so at present, to grow sufficient wood upon every extensive estate for all its requirements. If the cost of importing beef from America is such as to render the undertaking almost profitless, how much greater must be the loss in importing wood. The carriage of wood upon land is such that it can only be conveyed a very short distance without consuming the profit, hence the desirability of finding for it a local market. Carriage by sea is undoubtedly much cheaper than by road or rail, and so long as the freightage is low prices will not materially advance on account of carriage. The tide may, however, and probably will soon turn, not only from low to high freightage, but on account of diminished supplies from abroad, where the forests are melting like summer snows.

It is therefore strongly recommended that all landed proprietors grow as much wood and timber upon their respective properties as is required for thorough maintenance of the estates, including fencing, waterworks, fuel, buildings, &c. The question may very properly be asked, why we pay foreign nations large sums of money for wood, a great part of which might be kept, or rather circulated, at home. From a report by the Board of Trade for the year ending December 31, 1873, I find the following statement, amongst others, of great significance and intereste to proprietors of woodlands, namely, £18,654,982, the money paid by this country to foreign countries for the article wood alone. That was probably an exceptional return; but even with ample allowance there is still a broad margin worthy of the attention of those interested in the growing and disposal of wood. We cannot grow all kinds of wood and timber in this country more than we can all kinds of grain, but there are some kinds which can be grown at home vastly superior in many respects to what are grown abroad, such, for example, as the Scots Pine, Larch, and some kinds of hard woods. If any one is at all sceptical in regard of this I would advise them to visit the Pine forests of Deeside, Strathspey, and some of the woody districts in Ross-shire and Inverness-shire, such as Novar, Balnagowan, Beaufort, and many others, where both natural and planted timber trees can be seen in all their splendour and magnificence. Or where the Larch is wished to be seen in perfection, a visit to the woods and forests of Blair, in Athole, on the Tay; on the banks of the Don, at Monymusk; at Ballingdalloch, on the Spey; and Novar, Balnagowan, &c., in Ross-shire. If at these favoured places the trees, as such, are pleasant to the eye and gladdening to the heart of any admirer of sylvan grandeur and magnificence, it is equally certain that in point of quality and utility they will be found unsurpassable, if not unequalled in the known world. The justly celebrated Scots Pine of the Dee and Spey side districts have proved their durability again and again by endurance as fence and gate-posts, in which positions— the most trying possible—they have been and are still known as standing from forty to fifty years. Of Larch, again, I have in my possession some samples in excellent condition after having stood as fence-posts over thirty-five years.

There are, no doubt, well-defined and limited conditions under which any species of tree grows to perfection, and the Larch and Scots Pine are no exceptions. The first condition is to plant the trees only upon such ground as is suitable to them. The second condition is to thin them, so that at any stage of growth the trees may grow with a freedom and vigour adapted to their nature, consititution, and habit; and the third condition is to cut them at the proper stage of ripeness, and at the proper season of the year. Beyond proper planting, which includes selection of the soil, situation, &c., the next most important thing to attend to is the thinning of the trees. It is much to be deplored that vast areas of plantations are rendered less than half as valuaable [valuable] as they would otherwise be for want of timely thinning. In a large plantation of Scots Pine (over 1500 acres, and fifty years old) I had once an excellent opportunity of observing the effects of thinning in all its forms, and may state the value of the trees thus:—Part not thinned at all, trees valued at 3d. each. Part thinned when something over twenty years old, worth 6d. each. Part thinned once and sparingly when young, say twelve to fifteen years old, worth 1s. each. And part thinned once at proper age, say twelve years planted at proper distances, 4s. each. Now if we look at the value of the acre at fifty years old, at the above rates, we find it stands thus:—

[4 columned table]

1500 small trees, drawn up like poles, at 3d. each	£18	15	0
1000 small and branchless trees, at 6d. each ..	25	0	0
800 fine clean pole-like trees, at 1s. each ..	40	0	0
300 fine clean and fair-sized trees, at 4s. each .	60	0	0

It is not to be inferred that all the plantation would have been worth £60 at fifty years old, even if properly thinned, but it may be concluded that it would have been worth £80 per acre at 100 years growth, or even more, including the whole area, which implies that some of it would have been probably over one-third more money value than above represented. The soil was thin and poor, but such as produces fine quality of wood when at maturity at, say, 100 to 120 years. C. Y. Michie, Cullen House, Cullen, Banffshire, Oct. 3.

FLORISTS FLOWERS

AURICULAS.—The plants require to be frequently looked over to remove decayed leaves—the fanciers would say every second day, we are glad if we can look over ours every ten days. Some of the varieties have a tendency to throw out too many offsets from the base of the plant, which very much weakens it. If the principal object is to obtain stock these must be allowed to grow large enough before they are taken off; but if the object be to have fine trusses next spring, remove all but two with the finger and thumb. We have usually removed the plants at this time from their summer quarters behind a north wall to a more open position in the garden; but they look all right where they are, and the more cool position may possibly prevent many of them from throwing up autumn bloom. Do not give much water; just sufficient to keep the plants from flagging.

CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES.

No time should be lost now in seeing that all the plants are potted for the winter. We have finished ours, and they already show that they are established. We merely place the plants in cold frames, and keep the lights rather close for a week, but not quite closed either night or day. The plants that have but few roots are better to have the aid of a gentle hotbed just to start them into growth.

CARNATIONS PERPETUAL FLOWERING.

These will now be useful, as the earliest plants will, with the aid of a warm greenhouse, be in flower. Some years ago I saw a grand lot of plants in flower during the months of October. They had been potted in 12 or 15 inch pots, and were two years old. I do not recommend this system; better results can be obtained by putting in the cuttings in January, carefully attending to the plants afterwards, and they flower well in 8 and 9 inch pots. Keep them near the glass, and free from insect pests. Greenfly is sure to get on them at this season, but it can easily be destroyed by fumigating.

DAHLIAS.

The flowers of these will be very useful for cutting now and up to the time of frost. The smaller flowered Pompons, and the single varieties with small flowers, are the most useful for indoor decoration. A pure white single variety with small flowers is yet a desideratum. The large-flowered sort with several reputed aliases is certainly very handsome, but the flowers would be more graceful if they were half the size they are. When frost does cut the plants down it is best to throw a spadeful of earth to the stems until it is convenient to dig them up.

HOLLYHOCKS.

Seedlings and spring propogated plants may yet be producing blooms. Mark the best seedlings to grow again another season. Attend to saving seeds as soon as they are sufficiently ripe, else they speedily rot if the weather is unfavourable. Attend to potting the plants propagated from eyes, & c., during the summer months. About the end of the month the choice named varieties should be taken up, and if there is convenience to store them in a cool-house during the winter they may be potted. They also do well if planted closely together in some light soil in a cold frame. The plants require plenty of air during the winter, but to be protected from wet.

GLADIOLI.

Except a few late spikes from small seedling corms, or from offsets of named varieties, the bloom is over for the season. It will be necessary to look over the plants every day where seeds are ripening, and as soon as the pods open at the top they must be picked off and laid out in a dry room until they are quite dry, when they may be put into paper bags, and be stored away in a dry place in the pods until it is time to sow them in the spring. The young seedling corms that have been produced from spring-sown seeds must now be carefully separated from the soil, and be stored in paper also; a little dry sandy soil should be mixed with them.

PINKS.

These should be planted out in the beds, which ought to have been previously prepared for them; see to it without any delay if it has not already been done. The beds ought to be levelled carefully, and the plants to be put out 9 inches apart. Preparations ought to have been made to pot up all the plants that are intended for forcing of the white and purple ground varieties. If any spare soil has been left over from potting the Carnations this answers admirably for them.

ROSES.

Those who intend to purchase any plants should see to it at once. The best plants are sold out early, and it is not possible to have a good bloom next season if second-rate plants are obtained late, and planted so late that they do not become established before severe frosts set in. If it is intended to form new beds or quarters for Roses, the ground should be prepared at once. The Rose, above all things, likes a rich deep soil; and I find that the plants will succeed perfectly, even in light soil and indifferent situations, if the ground is trenched 2 feet deep, and plenty of good manure mixed with it. When the Roses are planted it is very desirable to put a spadeful of good loam around the roots of each; a barrow-load will do nine or ten plants. Some good plants ought also to be selected for potting; and this should be done as soon as the Roses will bear lifting from the open ground. A word of caution may be dropped here— Do not allow them to remain out of the ground a moment longer than may be necessary. If they have to be dug up in the garden at home they will suffer but little from exposure to the roots. It is when they have to be sent a considerable distance that they receive injury. Of course they should be unpacked as soon as they come home, and if they cannot be potted at once let the roots be immediately covered with soil.

TULIPS.

Let the ground be trenched up as soon as it can be cleared of the autumn flowers. We have had a grand display of Asters on the bed where our Tulips bloomed; they are nearly over, and as soon as they can be cleared off the bed must be trenched about 2 feet deep, and again be well enriched with manure. Some good turfy loam ought to be prepared to place on the surface; and in this the roots should be planted about the first or second week in November. J. Douglas.

Garden Operations. HARDY FRUIT GARDEN.

Any wall trees that require to have their roots lifted this autumn will be the better for being attended to at once. All established trees that do not form fruitful growths, and those that, although previously fruitful, are becoming gross in habit, should be operated upon; also all young trees that have been planted two or three years, and have grown freely and almost filled their allotted spaces, will be greatly assisted by careful lifting. If the situtation is cold and the subsoil of a heavy description it may be necessary to elevate the trees somewhat above the level of the general surface of the borders; and where this is the case, the trees to be acted upon must first be unnailed, and then have the branches slung in bundles loosely to the wall. Where it is not necessary to lift the boles of the trees, but where the roots only are to be brought nearer to the surface, a commencement may be made by marking out a semicircle from the stem, taking for the radius the half of that of the branches of a fan-trained tree, and, of course, for other forms of training in proportion. A trench must then be taken out to such a depth as to insure that all