ing, and the use of liquid manure as
before recommended, must be persisted
in, avoiding, however, excess. The
plants require to be kept decidedly moist
at the root while in the flowering state,
rather more so, indeed, than at any
other period; and if the potting and soil
be right, and the drainage complete,
little harm will ensue from a liberal use
of water; still, any great extreme, either
of drought or wet, will be fatal to the
bud. Syringing must be entirely dis-
pensed with, and in lieu thereof a de-
posit of dew should take place every
afternoon at three or four o'clock.
"Rest Period. — The temperature at
this period should be from 50° to 55° by
day, and from 45° to 50° by night. No-
thing is necessary in addition to a lower
temperature, but syringing, steaming
and regular watering, with a moderate
circulation of air." — Gard. Chron.
An interesting work republished at
Boston with notes and additions, entitled
" Monograph of the Camellia," is
worthy a place on the shelf of every
admirer of this splendid plant.
C A M E R .\ R 1 A . Three species.
Stove evergreen shrubs or trees. Cut-
tings. Loam and peat.
CAMOMILE or CHAMOMILE. (An-
themis nohilis.)
Varieties. — There are two varieties,
the common single and the double
flowering.
Soil and Situation. — They require a
poor dry soil, otherwise they grow very
luxuriant, and become not only less
capable of withstanding severe winters,
but also less powerful in their medicinal
qualities. They will grow in any situa-
tion almost, but the more open the
better.
Time and Mode of Propagation. — It is
generally propagated by parting the
roots and by oflsets, which may be
planted from the close of P^ebruary until
the end of May; the earlier, however,
it is performed the better. This is the
most favourable season, but it may be
practised in the autumn. It is also
raised from seed, the proper time of
sowing which is in any of the early
spring months, but as parting the roots
gives much less trouble it is generally
pursued, but after a lapse of several
years raise fresh plants, the old ones
CAM
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CAN
often declining in production after such
lapse of time.
Cultivation. — They should not be
planted nearer to each other than
eighteen inches, as that also gives an
opportunity to employ the hoe. Water
house herbaceous perennials. Cuttings
or division. Light loam and peat.
CANDLEBERRY MYRTLE. Myr-
tica.
CANDOLLEA. Four species. Green-
house evergreen shrubs. Cuttings.
must be given moderately at the time of I Loam, peat and sand.
planting, if dry weather. If raised from
seed they recjnire no further cultivation
than to be kept free from weeds in the
seed-bed ; and when three or four
inches high, to be thinned to about six
inches apart, and may remain thus until
the following spring, then to be thinned
and remain, or to be removed to the
above-mentioned distance apart. A
CANDY TUFT. Iheris.
CANELLA. Two species. Stove
evergreen trees. Ripe leafy Cuttings.
Loam, peat and sand.
CANKER. This disease is accompa-
nied by different symptoms, according
to the species of the tree which it in-
fects. In some of those whose true sap
contains a considerable quantity of free
very small bed will supply the largest acid, as in the genus Pyrus, it is rarely
family
Gathering
accompanied by any discharge. To this
-In July, the flowers are ' dry form of the disease it would be well
generally in perfection for gathering ; ^ to confine the term canker, and to give
the period for performing it, however
must be governed by the flowers them-
selves, as the best time is when they
are just ojiened. Particular care must
be taken to dry them thoroughly before
they are stored, otherwise they will not
keep. Ifseed be required, the only at-
tention necessary is to leave some of the
first opening flowers ungathered ; the
seed will ripen early in September,
when it may be dried and rubbed out.
CAMPANULA. One hundred and
thirty-nine species, and many varieties.
Chiefly hardy herbaceous perennials;
some green-house or hardy annuals, bi-
ennials, and evergreen shrubs.
Dr. Lindley, writing of their propa-
gation, says : — '•' Either sow the seeds,
or pot cuttings' from the old roots, in
leaf mould and sandy peat; as soon
as they are strong enough, pot them
oif in sixty-sized pots regularly, shift-
ing them into larger sizes as the
plants require them; when they have
gained a little strength, give them a
rich loamy soil, well incorporated with
a small proportion of bone dust, and at
intervals supply them liberally with
manure water.'' — Card. Chron.
CAMPELIA zanonia. Stove herba-
ceous perennial. Seeds. Rich soil.
CAMPHOR TREE. Cinnamomum
camphor a.
. CAMPION. Cucubatus.
CAMPYLANTHUS saholoides.
Green-house evergreen shrub. Cuttings.
Sandy loam and peat.
CANADA ONION. See Onion.
CANARINA. Two species. Green-
it the scientific name of gangra^na sicca.
In other trees, whose sap is character-
ized by abounding in astringent or mu-
cilaginous constituents, it is usually at-
tended by a sanious discharge. In such
instances it might strictly be designated
ulcer, or gangraina saniosa. This dis-
ease has a considerable resemblance to
the tendency to ossification, which ap-
pears in most aged animals, arising from
their marked appetency to secrete the
calcareous saline compoundsthatchiefly
constitute their skeletons. The conse-
quence is, an enlargement of the joints,
and ossification of the circulatory ves-
sels and other parts, phenomena very
analogous to those attending the canker-
ing of trees. As in animals, this tend-
ency is generally throughout their sys-
tem, but as is observed by Mr. Knight,
" like the mortification in the limbs of
elderly people, it may be determined
as to its point of attack by the irritabi-
lity of that part of the system."
This disease commences with an en-
largement of the vessels of the bark of
a branch or of the stem. This swelling
invariably attends the disease when it
attacks the apple tree. In the pear the
enlargement is less, yet it is always
present. In the elm and the oak some-
times no swelling occurs; and in the
peach I do not recollect to have seen
any. I have never observed the disease
in the cherry-tree, nor in any of the
pine tribe. The swelling is soon com-
municated to the wood, which if laid
open to view on its first appearance by
the removal of the bark, exhibits no
marks of disease bevond the mere un-
CAN
119
CAN
natural enlargement. In the course of| about the canker of an elm, that 500
a few years, less in number in propor- pounds weight of its wood must have
tion to the advanced age of the tree,! been destroyed. There is no doubt
and the unfavourable circumstances un- that such a discharge is deeply injuri-
der which it is vegetating, the swelling ous to the tree ; but the above learned
is greatly increased in size, and the i chemist appears to have largely erred,
alburnum has become extensively dead ; for he calculated from a knowledge of
the superincumbent bark cracks, rises the amount of the saline constituenta
in discoloured scales, and decays even
more rapidly than the wood beneath.
If the caries is upon a moderately-sized
branch, the decay soon completely en-
circles it, extending through the whole
alburnum and bark. The circulation of
n the healthy sap, whereas in the dis-
eased state these are much and unna-
turally increased. I once was of opi-
nion that the disease does not arise
from a general diseased state of the
tree, but that it is brought on by some
the sap being thus entirely prevented, , bruise or injury, exasperated by an un-
all the parts above the disease of ne- healthy sap consequent to an unfavour-
cessity perish. In the apple and the able soil, situation, and culture; but
pear, the disease is accompanied by more extensive and more accurate ex-
scarcely any discharge ; but in the elm ] aminations convince me, that the dis-
this is very abundant. The only che- , ease is in the tree's system ; that its
mists who have examined these morbid ' juices are vitiated, and that disease will
products, are Sir H. Davy and Vauque- continue to break out independent of
lin ; the former's observations being : any external injury so long as these
confined to the fact, that he often found {juices continue peccant and unaltered,
carbonate of lime on the edges of the This conclusion will be justified, I
canker in apple trees.
think, by the preceding facts, as well
Vauquelin has examined the sanies as by those distributed through the fol-
discharged from the canker of an elm j lowing pages.
with much more precision. He found j The disease is not strictly confined to
this li(iuor nearly as transparent as ' any particular period of the tree's age.
water, sometimes slightly coloured, at i I have repeatedly noticed it in some of
other times a blackish-brown, but al- | our lately introduced varieties that have
ways tasting acrid and saline. From ] not been grafted more than five or six
this liquor a soft matter insoluble in years ; and a writer in the Gardener's
water is deposited upon the sides of the [ Magazine, vol. v., p. 3, states, that the
ulcer. The bark over which the trans- | trees in his orchard, though "only of
parent sanies flows, attains the appear- four years' growth, are sadly troubled
ance of chalk, becoming white, friable. With the canker." Although young
crystalline, alkaline, and effervescent trees are liable to this disease, yet their
with acids. A magnifier exhibits the old age is the period of existence most
crystals in the forms of rhomboids and • obnoxious to its attacks. It must be
four-sided prisms. When the liquid is remembered that that is not conse-
dark-coloured, the bark a[)pears black- quently a young tree which is lately
ish, and seems as if coated with varnish, grafted. If the tree from which the
It sometimes is discharged in such scion was taken be an old variety, it is
quantities as to hang from the bark like only the multiplication of an aged in-
stalactites. The matter of which these j dividual. The scion may for a few
are composed is alkaline soluble in years exhibit signs of increased vigour,
water, and with acids effervesces. The ' owing to the extra stimulus of the more
analysis of this dark slimy matter shows abundant supply of healthy sap supplied
it to be compounded of carbonate of by the stock ; but the vessels of the
potass and ulmin, a product peculiar to ' scion will, after the lapse of that period,
the elm. The white matter deposited gradually become as decrepid as the
round the canker was composed of
Vegetable matter .... 605
Carbonate of potass . . . 342
Carbonate of lime .... 50
Carbonate of magnesia . . 3
parent tree. The unanimous experi-
ence of naturalists agrees in testifying
that every organized creature has its
limit of existence. In plants it varies
from the scanty period of a few months
Vauquelin calculated from the quantity to the long expanse of as many centu-
of this white matter that was found ries ; but of all the days are numbered ;
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CAN
and although the gardener's, like the '' they sustain, however young and vigor-
physician's skill, may retard the onward I ous they were when first planted.
pace of death, he will not be perma- How inductive of this disease is a wet
iiently delayed. In the last periods ofi retentive subsoil, if the roots penetrate
life they show every sym[)tom that ac-
companies organization in its old age,
not only a cessation of growth, but a
decay of former development, a languid
circulation and diseased organs.
The canker, as already observed,
attends especially the old age of some
fruit trees, and of these the apple is
most remarkably a sufferer. " I do not
mean," says Mr. Knight, " to assert
that there ever was a time when an
apple-tree did not canker on unfavoura-
ble soils, or that highly cultivated va-
rieties were not more subject to the
disease than others, where the soil did
Tiot suit them. But I assert from my
own experience and observation within
the last twenty years, that this disease
becomes progressively more fatal to
each variety, as the age of that variety
beyond a certain period increases ; that
if an old worn-out orchard be planted
with fruit trees, the varieties of the
apple, which I have found in the cata-
logues of the middle of the seventeenth
century, are unproductive of fruit, and
in a state of debility and decay."
Among the individuals particularly
liable to be infected, are those which
have been marked by an excessively
vigorous growth in their early years. I
had one in my garden at Great Totham,
which for the first twelve years of its
existence was remarkable lor the un-
naturally large size and abundance of
its annual shoots. It then became
grievously affected by canker, which a^t
length destroyed it.
Trees injudiciously pruned or grow-
ing upon an ungenial soil, are more
frequently attacked than those advanc-
ing under contrary circumstances. The
it, appears from the statement of Mr.
VVatts, gardener to R. G. Russell, Esq.,
of Chequers Court, in Buckinghamshire.
— A border beneath a south wall had a
soil three feet and a half in depth, ap-
parently of the most fertile staple, twice
re-made under the direction of the late
j Mr. Lee, of the Vineyard, Hammer-
smith. In this the trees, peaches and
^ nectarines, flourish for the next three
or four years after they are planted, but
1 are then rapidly destroyed by the
I canker and gum. The subsoil is a stiff
sour clay, nearly approaching to a brick
earth ; and the disease occurs as soon
as it is reached by the roots of the tree.
But this is certainly not a conclusion
warranted by the premises, because the
acridity of the sap, whatever may be its
source, would be likely to injure and
corrode, in the first instance, those parts
where the vessels are most weak and
tender; now these, past dispute, are in
the branches. Moreover, we generally
see the youngest branches the earliest
sufferers.
Pruning has a powerful influence in
preventing the occurrence of the canker.
I remember a standard russet apple-
tree of not more than twenty years'
growth, with a redundancy of ill-ar-
ranged branches, that was excessively
attacked by this disease. I had two of
its three main branches, and the laterals
of that remaining, carefully thinned ;
all the infected parts being at the same
time removed. The result was a total
cure. The branches were annually re-
guhited, and for six years the disease
never re-appeared. At the end of that
time the tree had to be removed, as the
ground it stood upon was required for
oldest trees are always the first attack- another purpose. John Williams, Esq.,
ed of those similarly cultivated. The I of Pitmaston, from long experience
golden pippin, the oldest existing varie- concludes, that the golden pippin and
ty of the apple, is more frequently and ' other apples may be preserved from
more seriously attacked than any other. I this disease, by pruning away every
The soil has a very considerable influ- year that part of each shoot which is
ence in inducing the disease. If the , not perlectly ripened. By pursuing this
subsoil be a ferruginous gravel, or if it I method for six years, he brought a
is not well drained, and the soil be alu- i dwarf golden pippin tree to be as vigor-
niinous, and effective means are not | ous and as free from canker as any new
adopted to free it of superabundant variety.
moisture, the canker, under any one of j All these facts unite in assuring us
these circumstances, is almost certain that the canker arises from the tree's
to make its appearance amongst the trees i weakness, from a deficiency in its vital
CAN
121
CAN
energy, and consequent inability to I applied. It must be only a tree of very
imbibe and elaborate the nourisliment I weak vital powers, such as is the golden
necessary to sustain its Irame in vigour,
and much less to supply the healthy
development of new parts. It matters
not whether its energy be broken down
pippin, that will bear the general cut-
ting of the annual shoots Tis pursued by
Mr. Williams ; a new vigorous variety
would exhaust itselfthe following year
by an unnatural rapiility of growth, by | in the production of fresh wood. No
a disproporlioned excfss of branches thing beyond a general rule for the
over the mass of roots, by old age, or j pruning can be laid down, and it
by the disorganiz:ition of the roots in an | amounts to no more than the direction
u'ngenial soil ; they render the tree in- j to keep a considerable vacancy between
capable of e.\tracting sufficient nourish- j every branch, both above and beneath
nient from the soil, consequently inca- j it, and especially to provide that not
pable of developing a sufficient foliage ;! even two twigs shall chafe against
and therefore unable to digest and ela- [ each other. The greater the intensity
borate even the scanty sap that is sup- i of light, and the freer the circulation of
plied to them. The reason of the sap ! air amongst the foliage of the tree, the
becoming unnaturally saline, appears to ] better the chance for its healthy vege-
be, that in proportion as the vigour of tation. If the disease being in a jruit
any vegetable declines, it loses the tree be a consequence of old age, it is
power of selecting by its roots the I probably a premature senility induced
nourishment congenial to its nature. ; by injudicious management, for very
An ungenial soil would have a debili- j few of our varieties are of an age that
tating influence upon the roots, in a , insure to them decrepitude. I have
proportionate though less violent de-1 never yet known a tree, unless it was
gree than a corrosive poison ; and as i in the last stage of decay, that could
these conse(iuently would absorb solu- not be recovered by giving it more air
ble bodies more 'freely, and without and light, by careful heading in pruning,
that discrimination so absolutely ncccs- improvement of the soil, and cleansing
sary for a healthy vegetation, so the j the bark
other most essential organs of nutrition,
the leaves of the weakened plants,
would promote and accelerate the dis-
ease. These, reduced in number and
size, do not properly elaborate the sap ;
and I have always found that under
such circumstances these stunted or-
gans exhale the aqueous policies of
the sap very abundantly, wmlst their
power of absorption is greatly rcduceil.
The sap thus deficient in quantity and
increased in acridity seems to corrode
and atl'ect the vascular system of the
tree in the manner already described.
These facts afford us most important
guides in attaining the desired objects,
the prevention and cure of the disease.
If super-luxuriance threaten its intro-
duction, the best remedy is for the cul-
tivator to remove one of the main roots
of the tree, and to be particularly care-
ful not to add any fertile addition to the
soil within tlieir range. On the con-
trary, it will he well, if the continued
exuberant growth shows the necessity,
for the staple of the soil to be reduced
in fertility, by the admixture of one less
If the soil by its ungenial character
induces the disease, the obvious and
only remedy is its amelioration ; and if
the subsoil is the cause of the mischief,
the roots must be prevented striking
into it. In all cases it is the best prac-
tice to remove the tap root. Many
orchardists pave beneath each tree with
tiles and broken bricks. If the trees
are planted shallow, as they ought to
be, and the surface kept duly fertile,
there is not much danger of the roots
striking into the worse pasturage of the
subsoil. On this point the experience
of Mr. \V. Nichol, the gardener at
Newick-place in Sussex, agrees with
my own. He says, that the canker
may be avoided in most instances, by
paying proper attention to the soil in
which the tree is planted. Canker, he
thinks, will seldom occur if the surface
soil is good, for in that case the roots
will never descend into the prejudicial
subsoil, but spread out their radicles
near the surface, where they find food
most abundant. If this is not kept up,
the roots descend into the obnoxious
fertile, or even of drift sand. If there i substratum, and the disease assuredly
be an excess of branches, the saw and follows.
the pruning knife must be gradually! It remains for me to detail the course
CAN
122
CAN
of treatment that I have always found t the disease. Mr. Forsyth, formerly
successful in effecting a cure in any j gardener at Kensington Palace, made a
variety, not decrepid from age, if the j considerable sensation at the close of
caniier has not spread to the roots.
the last and at the commencement of
Having completely headed down, if the present century, by the wonderful
the canker is generally prevalent, or
duly thinned the branches, entirely re-
moved every small One that is in the
least degree diseased, and cut away
the decayed parts of the larger, so as
not to leave a single speck of the de-
cayed wood, I cover over the surface of
each wound with a mixture while in a
melted state, of eijual parts tar and
rosin, applying it with a brush imme-
diately after the amputation has been
performed, taking care to select a dry
effects produced upon trees, as he as-
serted, by the following composition,
used as a plaster over the wounds from
which the decayed or cankered parts
had been cut out : — One bushel of fresh
cow-dung ; half a bushel of lime rub-
bish, that from ceilings of rooms is
preferable, or powdered chalk ; half a
bushel of wood-ashes ; one-sixteenth of
a bushel of sand ; the three last to be
sifted fine. The whole to be mixed
and beaten together until they form a
day. I prefer this to any composition fine plaster.
with a basis of cow-dung and clay, be- [ Mr. Forsyth received a parlimentary
cause the latter is always more or less grant of money for his discovery ; but
absorbent of moisture, and is liable to this, as Mr. Knight observes, " affords
injury by rain and frost, causing alter- | a much better proof that he was paid
nations of moisture and dryness to the I for an important discovery, than that he
wounds, that promote decay rather than ; made one."
their healing, by the formation of new [ It has been very ingeniously sug-
wood and bark. The resinous plaster | gested, that if a destruction of the bark
seldom or never requires renewal. Mr. i by external violence, and consequently
Forsyth, the arch-advocate of earthy j likely to terminate in canker, has oc-
and alkaline plasters, finding that they i curred, it would be a good plan to in-
promoted decay, if applied to the
wounds of autumn-pruned trees, re-
commends this important act of culti-
vation to be postponed to the spring.
Such a procrastination is always liable
to defer the pruning until bleeding is
the consequence. If a resinous plaster
be employed, it excludes the wet, and
obviates the objection to autumnal
pruning. Mr. Forsyth's treatment of
the trunks and branches of trees,
namely, scraping from them all the
scaly dry exuvia of the bark, is to be
adopted in every instance. He recom-
mends them to be brushed over with a
thin liquid compound of fresh cow-dung,
soap-suds, and urine, but I very much
prefer a brine of common salt; each
acts as a gentle stimulus, which is their
chief cause of benefit, and the latter is
more efficacious, destroying insects, and
does not, like the other, obstruct the
perspiratory vessels of the tree. The
brine is advantageously rubbed in with
a scrubbing or large painter's brush.
Some persons recommend a liquid
wash, containing, as prominent ingre-
dients, quick-lime and wood-ashes,
which, as the disease arises from an
over-alkalescent state of the sap, can-
not but prove injurious, and aggravate
sert, as in budding, a piece of living
bark, exactly corresponding to the ex-
cision, from a less valuable tree.
In conclusion, I would enforce upon
the orchardist's attention the import-
ance of obtaining his grafts or buds
from trees not affected by the disease,
because apparently it is hereditary ;
and, altlujugh after-culture may eradi-
cate the malady, it is always far better
to avoid the infection, than to have to
employ a specific. Having noticed the
gangrene as it appears in various forms
upon our trees, we may now turn to a
few of the many instances where it oc-
curs to our fruits and flowers, liir it is
not too much to say that scarcely a
cultivated plant is within our enclo-