offensive, or to show that any flue or fire was connected with I remain, Sir, &c. the structure. Wollaton Gardens, Dec. 1826. JOHN HAYTHORN. ART. XII. Experiments on the Growth of the Foliage of Bulbiferous Plants. By ANTHONY TODD THOMSON, M.D. F.L.S. &c. Dear Sir, ONE advantage of the Gardener's Magazine, highly important to the labouring gardener, is the opportunity which it affords of communicating to him facts connected with vegetable physiology, which his time and his opportunities of obtaining information, prevent him from acquiring through books; but which, if they were known to him, he might prosecute with advantage, without any interruption to his ordinary occupations. The following observations upon the growth of the foliage of bulbiferous plants, I send to you, at this time, because this class of plants is, now, in such a state that any gardener may verify their accuracy. In my published Lectures on Botany, I have pointed out the impropriety of regarding bulbs as roots; and have there stated, that they are merely appendages of roots, and sometimes of stems. From the manner in which a bulb vegetates, it may be correctly regarded, also, as the centre of the plant which is produced from it. The leaves rise, and are perfected at the apex, the increments of growth being added at the base, or next to the bulb; while, in the roots or radicles, the additions are made at the points, as in all other plants, a fact which was first noticed by Du Hamel. Thus, if a thread be passed through the radicle of a Narcissus, for example, it will remain at the same distance from the bottom of the bulb, although the radicle elongate to twenty times its original length: but, if a thread be passed, in the same manner, through the leaf of the plant, it is carried upwards as the leaf elongates. To determine the manner in which the increments of growth are deposited in the leaf, the following experiment was made upon a Narcissus growing in a water glass. On the 14th of February, 1823, a silk thread was passed through one of the leaves of a Narcíssus, one inch from its apex; another thread was also passed four inches below the former. The portion of the leaf beneath the last thread and the bulb was two inches. The growth of the plant produced the following changes in the length of each of the abovementioned divisions. From this experiment it appears that, in eight days, the leaf had increased nothing within an inch of the point; that it had increased one third of an inch only within six inches of the point; and that, between this point and the bulb, the increase was three inches and half an inch; demonstrating that the whole of the increments of growth had been deposited at the base of the leaf, whilst the apex remained unchanged and was carried upwards. It was still, however, necessary to ascertain, whether the apex of the leaf possessed any influence in affecting the growth of the base? and whether the sap, which produced the increase, was first raised to the point of the leaf? To answer these queries, I made the following experiment. I took a Jonquil which, on the 20th of March, had four leaves, each eight inches long. I cut off one leaf, a, at the height of two inches from its base; another, b, at four inches from its base; a third, c, at six inches from its base; and left the fourth entire. Through the middle of the remaining portion of b, that is, two inches above its base, I passed a silk thread; through c I passed, also, two silk threads, one at two inches from its base, and the other two inches above the former, so as to divide the portion of the leaf into three equal divisions; and in the same manner divided d, the entire leaf, into four equal divisions, one of which necessarily constituted two inches of apex. The result of the growth of the leaves, at the end of three weeks, was the following:a had elongated half an inch only, and had become greener at the base. b had elongated three-fourths of an inch, and was, also, greener at the base. c had elongated two inches and a half, and was scarcely altered in colour at the base. d had elongated three inches and three fourths of an inch, and remained natural, or unaltered in respect of colour at the base. The inference which I draw from this experiment is, that the sap must be raised to the apex of the leaf, in order to undergo that change which is necessary to render it, on descending, fit to be assimilated into the substance of the bulb; and that it is from this altered sap, that the increase to the leaves is derived: or, in other words, that the apex of the leaf in bulbiferous plants performs the same function as the entire leaf in trees and shrubs. I remain, Dear Sir, yours faithfully, 3. Hinde Street, Manchester Square, March, 12. 1827. ART. XIII. On the Culture of Orchideous Plants. By A. X. Sir, THE native orchidea will thrive tolerably well under the following treatment: Choose a spot on a north border, or north side of a hedge, which is sheltered from the sun in the middle of the day, and as much protected from cutting frost winds in spring as possible. Take out the soil to the depth of twelve inches; lay three inches of brick-bats at the bottom of the excavation; cover them with thin turf, and fill up the remaining space with a compost of one half melon loam, one fourth of peat, and one fourth of sand. Plant the roots about three inches deep, surrounding the bulb with an inch of sand, which will prevent them from perishing in wet weather, by absorbing the moisture during the time they are in a dormant state. Put a light covering of furze or fern over the bed in March and April to shelter them from cutting frost winds. At this season they frequently get cut off even in their native places of growth by the severity of the weather. The species that will succeed treated in this way are, Habenária bifólia; O'rchis Mório, máscula, latifólia, maculáta; Gymnadenia conópsea; Hermínium Monórchis; Listéra ováta; Epipactis latifólia, and palustris. The following species are more tender, and, to ensure their preservation for years, they ought to be potted in the same compost as directed for the bed above described, with plenty of drainage at the bottom of the pots, and also sand around their bulbs. When their flower-stalks decay place the pots close under a south wall or hedge where little rain can get to them, or lay the pots on their sides to prevent their getting over wet. In autumn they ought to be placed in a cold frame facing the east or west, but not the south, where they may remain till April. Shift them every spring, clearing away all or nearly all the mould and sand from their roots. Those that require this treatment are, O'rchis pyramidális, ustuláta, militáris, fúsca, hircína; Habenária víridis; A ́ceras anthropóphora; Ophrys muscífera, apífera, aranífera; and Spiránthes spirális. The Epipactis pállens, ensifólia; and Neóttia, Nídus avis, will seldom be preserved above one season under any treatment that I am acquainted with. Spiránthes spirális, although supposed by some persons not to flower in the same spot again for years, will be found, when treated as above, to flower regularly every year, and to increase faster than most of the other species. If you think the above worthy of your notice, I will, perhaps, at some future period, give you more minute details of each species as to treatment. Your obedient servant, October 23. 1826. A. X. ART. XIV. Observations on Water as regards Ornamental Scenery. By RICHARD MORRIS, Esq. F. L. S. Surveyor and Landscape Gardener. Or the many ornaments employed to embellish landscape scenery, and of those which relate more especially to landscape gardening, water contributes in an eminent degree to add the beautiful, the picturesque, or the grand. It is on the due appropriation of the forms of water, that a very important branch of the duties of the landscape gardener depend. The neglect which this branch of the art has suffered is attributable as much to the incompetency of the designer and executer of improvements, as to the difficulty of obtaining the required element, and the many specimens of bad taste in the disposal and arrangement of water has contributed materially to that neglect; for it is a well-judged and correct decision, that where ability in this branch of the art is wanted, it is better to submit to the privation, than to be continually disgusted by viewing a misapplication of that which, had it been judiciously disposed, would have formed one of the most essential ornaments of the landscape. If proofs were required of the value of water in landscape scenery, it would be necessary only to refer to those lovely scenes of nature, where the smooth unrippled lake, reflecting all the harmonious tints surrounding it, adds beauty to the scenery; where the winding river, with its variously formed banks, enlivens the meadow and the valleywhere the purling stream or rivulet trickling down its pebbly bed, and breaking the silence, adds solemnity to the wood, or where the bold impetuous cataract, dashing its waters over huge masses of rock, enriches so much the grandeur of the scene, already stupendous, that it becomes almost terrific. Such scenes as these must be viewed with admiration by all possessed of taste, and must be desirable on the domain of every lover of the beautiful and the picturesque. A lake (fig. 76.) is very appropriate and ornamental in some situations, but as it requires extent in width and length, a unity of character is necessary in the surrounding scenery, that it may not appear to occupy too much space, nor be unappropriated; its boundaries should be much diversified in form, no distinguishable character of outline should be observable; the little intricacies occasioned by outlets and projections will be interesting, and productive of a pleasing effect, which in some places would wear the appearance of continuing where perhaps no water existed, thus producing a justifiable deception. A river winding through a valley (fig. 77.), or on an exWhere a tended plain, gives a lively interest to the scenery. supply of water affords the opportunity for producing an artificial river, great care is requisite while directing its course, |