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I
6^BI
atiulli Sttptrtum l.iiitac{
THE GIFT OF
FRANCIS SKINNER
/
\
THE
Maxui attb ^omolap^i:
A PICTORIAL MONTHLY MAGAZINE
OF
FLOWERS, FRUITS, AND GENERAL HORTICUIJURE.
GONDUCTBD BY
ROBERT HOGG, LL.D., P.L.S. ; THOMAS MOORE, F.L.S. ;
iVND WILLIAM PAUL, F.R.H.S.
1870.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED AT THE "JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE" OFFICE, v^ 171 FLEET STREET.
MDCCCLXX.
LIST OF COLOURED FIGURES.
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THE
FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST.
ROSE PRINCESS CHRISTIAN.
WITH AN ILLUBTBATION.
PeINOESS CHEISTL&N EOSE, tlie subject of the accompanying plate, has been so frequently before the public that we need do no more, in this place, than describe the colour of the flowers, and the character of the plant. The colour ranges from deep salmon to rosy peach, according to the age of the blossoms, and holds on clear and bright to the last. There is a peculiar and beautiful gloss on the face of the petals which the pencil of the artist cannot portray, and which gives it distinctness. The flowers are rery large, double enough, globular in the bud state, and finely cupped when expanded ; and it gives forth these flowers continuously and abundantly from June to November. The growth is robust, the constitution hardy, and the foliage and habit distinct and of a pleasing character.
This promises to be a good exhibition rose when taken in a young state, and a grand rose for the garden at all times. Mr. William Paul, of Waltham Cross, is the introducer of this novelty, which, we learn, will be distributed from his nurseries in May next. Three First-Glass Certificates have been awarded to the Princess Christian during the year 1869 — one by the Boyal Horticultural Society, one by the Boyal Botanic Society, and one at the Crystal Palace Bose Show. — ^M.
THE GARDEN MENTOR.
ANUABY — ^the beginning of another span of time — ^affords an opportunity, which should be seized upon, for planning out or revising the garden features of the coming year. In the series of papers which I propose giving under the above heading, it wUl be almost impossible to avoid the repetition of instructions that have appeared under the head of ^' Seasonable Hints," but it is hoped that some additional practical items of a useful nature will also be found.
Kitchen GABDBN.-^After the fine, open, dry autumn we have had, the work 3bd sebibs.— m, b
2 TRS FLOBIBT AND P0M0L0OI8T. CJ^^^ABT,
here should be in a forward state ; but if from any cans 3 it is not so, no time should be lost in bringing up all arrears. A covering of snow, and a few Tieek's f rosti would now prove to be very seasonable. It would do little or no harm, and would do an immense deal of good, by giving things a salutaxy check. All vacant ground ought ere this to have been turned up by rough digging, trench- ing, or ridging, so that the frost and air may act on it. All plans and arrange- ments for the ensuing season should be considered and decided on. When this is done, and everything sketched out, every operation can then be proceeded with in proper order. Lettuces and Cauliflowers in frames should be picked over, Seakale
and Rhubarb covered for forcing, and some Mint put in a hot-bed to force.
Sow : Peas and Beans for second crop, in open weather, when the soil is dry ; Radishes and Early Horn Carrots on warm border; also a row of Parsley; Mustard and Oress in a hotbed ; also Melons and Gaonmbers in a hotbsd.
FoBGiNO-HousBB. — ^Air-giving and firing are very important matters to be attended to at all seasons of the year, but particularly so at the present time. Young cultivators sometimes make sad mistakes in firing and giving air ; gener- ally they are inclined to fire hard at night, and to neglect it during the day, keeping the houses closed to get up the temperature, never thinking of giving air untU forced to do so by a sudden burst of sunshine. I need hardly say how wrong such practice is. A safe night temperature should be maintained in all forcing-houses, but a very high one is as injurious as a very low one. Firing should be applied early in the morning and forenoon, so as to enable the culti- vator to give as much air as the state of the weather will permit. Vines : Those in the early house wUl now be in bloom or coming into bloom, and must, there- fore, receive great attention ; a steady night temperature of 60" must be main- tained ; this will be sufficiently high on cold nights, but on mild nights 65° would be better. On clear days, 70° should be the minimum from fire-heat, but 10° more from sunshine will be beneficial. Late ripened Grapes hanging on Vines should now be all cut, and stored away in bottles on the French system, so that the vines may be pruned at once. — Peaches : Abtmdance of air should be given in the day, and a little fire-heat ; except in very cold weather, very little fire-heat should be given at night ; the inside borders should be well watered. — Figs : These do admirably well in pots and tubs, and there is this advantage in thus growing them, that they can be moved from one house to another at pleasure ; they should have plenty of water, and be kept well syringed. — Cherries : These also do well in pots and tubs ; they do best in a little bottom-heat, otherwise they are apt to fall off in stoning ; they like plenty of air at all times. — Straw- berries : These should be kept near the glass, be carefully watered, and especially when in flower, should have plenty of air ; a little bottom-heat to start the plants in is an advantage. Introduce a fresh batch of plants once a fortnight.
Habdt Fbuit Gabdbn. — Operations here will depend on the state of the weather. In the absence of frost, fruit-trees of all kinds may be planted, the ground, of course, having been previously properly prepared. One uniform mode of
1870.] THE QABDEN MBNTOB. 8
plftntioig in all sitoafcions, and under all ciroomstanoes, is not to be recommended. In gardens where the soil is of a stiff, heavy nature, and ^e subsoil a strong retentiye clay, it b advisable to plant the fruit-trees on mounds a little elevated above the surrounding soil ; but where the soil is of a light, porous nature, resting on a gravelly subsoil, it is advisable to plant on a level with the surrounding soil, luid in some places in hollows a little below the natural leveL Long experience has taught me the advantage of attending to these matters, trivial as Uiey may appear to some. It is also advisable to mix plenty of good rotten dung in light soils, resting on hungry, porous subsoils.
Flowbb QASDMS.-^Fiant Houua: As we generally have more or less frost during this month, care must be taken to exclude it by making gentle fires at night. A night temperature of 40° will be a safe one for hard-wooded green- house plants, as most of timn will now be in a state of rest ; but Cinerarias^ Primulas, Felarganiums, &c., will be benefited by a night temperature of from ^y to 50°. Hardwooded plants should be watered oarefoUy, but softwooded plants, in a free-growing state, will requise a more liberal supply. Take every advan- tage of favourable weather to give some air. In frosty weather, soil should be got ready, crocks broken, pots cleaned, and sticks and labels prepared, so as to be in readiness to commence potting next month.
Pits and ^rame«.>— -These should be kept well covered up in frosty weather, but the coverings should be removed during the day-time when the glass is not frozen, as the more light the plants get, the better they stand the confinement. When kept dry and well covered in severe weather, it is surprising in what good condition even very tender plants can be safely wintered in these structures. I have more than once kept a quantity of seedling Cinerarias in a frame during a severe winter, by keeping them as dry as possible, without allowing the plants to suffer, and covering well up at night. Bedding Plants must be looked over frequently. Where there is a Vinery at work, the potting-off of Pelargoniums for bedding should be commenced at once ; when potted, they should be placed in the Vinery, and they wUl soon begin to root and grow freely.
Out'Doore^^ll the weather be very severe, very little can be done in tha open ground. When there are alterations in hand, advantage should be taken of favourable weather to push them on. Coverings should ere this have been applied to everything requiring protection from frost. Bulbs should be frequently looked over, to see that rats and mice do not get at them. To be well in advance with the work, everything that can possibly be done now should be attended to, as by and by every day will bring an increase of work. In favourable weather Trees and Shrubs of all kinds may be planted in the pleasure-grounds. Care should be taken to Hft large valuable specimens with good balls, and to injure the fibres as little as possible. Conifers like a dry situation, rather elevated and exposed to the sun and air, but sheltered from strong winds. Many a valuable specimen has been lost by being planted in a snug, sheltered, confined spot, for in such positions
B 2
4 THE FL0BI8T AND POMOLOOIST. [JAVUAST.
the trees grow on late in the season, the wood rarely gets matured eyen in fine seasons, and nerer in bad ones, and the consequence is, that the first seyere frost after an nnfayonrable season kills the tree to the ground. — ^M. Saul, Stourton.
A FEW HINTS TO FRUTT-RAISERS.
HE eztensiye and yaried collections of Fruits of different kinds that we posses? in our gardens, already giyes us a yery satisfactory and sufficient choice, as far as quality is concerned ; but there is yet ample scope for those who- can afford to deyote themselyes to the agreeable task of improying, by the- arts of cultiyation and hybridization, the fruits we justly prize. And although the productiye power, as regards the deyelopment of yarieties from seed, of eyeiy tree and plant seems illimitable, yet possessing already, as we do, so many good apples, pears, plums, strawberries, &c., we haye less reason to seek to amplify the- already extended lists of these fruits, than to secure properties and peculiarities that are confined to a comparatiyely few indiyiduals in each section.
What would be a great boon, and what it is most desirable we should seek to obtain in cultiyated fruits, is the increase of those kinds of which a few example? exist as guides and types of what we may hope to attain. For example, amongst all the fruits we grow, we haye one or more that possesses, with a prolific habit,. a constitutional strength and yigour so happily united with its character of pro- ductiyeness, that while the great majority of sorts of fruits are exhausted by heayy crops, and require a year's rest to restore their fruiting powers, these fortunately- constituted trees continue to produce crops year after year. Dmyer^a Victoria Plum is a ready example of a tree possessing great and unfailing fruiting powers as a wall fruit. I haye neyer known an instance of failure in this yariety, and it seems equally at home in any aspect. Herefordshire Pearmain Apple^ or a pear- main resembling it, has for fifteen years proyed, like the plum aboye named,, unfailingly productiye ; and this year, which has proyed a bad one for apples generally, my fayourite produced its usual crop. Frogmore Prolific is another apple that has neyer yet failed ; and I think Mr. Powell, of Frogmore, confirmed the fayourable opinion I expressed of this apple, from its habit of giying an annual crop, by telling me that his experience coincided with my own. He also cited Eosemary Russet, Scarlet Busset, and Pomona^ as being reliable as annual croppers. I am unable to instance a Pear that may be cited as an example of the habit of fruitfulness possessed by the apples named aboye. I haye neyer known Beurreda Ranee to fail entirely ; but the Pear that neyer fails has, I opine, yet to be obtaiaed. I think the May Duke may be instanced amongst Cherries ; and Keens* Seedling may illustrate a prolific habit in Strawberries. These suggestiye remarks will» perhaps, be understood from the few examples I haye giyen.
There is one property common to a few yarieties of Pears which, if possessed by any new kinds, would make them doubly yaluable. It is one of the recom* mendations of the old Crassam that it remains sound and fit for use after attaining
liTO.] NEW PLANTS OP 1869. 5
maturity and ripeness ; Orph$ltne (TEnghein also remains ripe without rotting for a long time. Marie Lotiise is a delightful pear, but it has almost to be watched, for it is ripe in one hour and rotten in the next. Could we obtain a Marie Louise with the amiable peculiarity of waiting a little longer to be eaten, what a gain it would be to gardeners ! — ^WhiLIAH iNaBAii ^ Belvoir,
NEW PLANTS OF 1869.
'HE record of Novelties for the year that is past is by no means a scanty one. Some of the subjects which it includes we have from time to time referred to, but we propose in this place to note a few words collectively concerning those New Plants which, in our judgment, are, for our gardens, the most important acquisitions of the year.
Among Palms, those princes of the vegetable world, Welfia regia, from the Amazon country, recommends itself as a handsome plant, with deeply bilobed leaves ; while Plectocomia elongata, from Java, with the stalks whitened and studded with tufted pale-coloured spines, and Martinezia Lindeniana^ from Tropical America, a palm of a very distinct character, its short, broad leaves being jagged at the margins, and its glaucous leaf-stalks being furnished with long, slender spines, are other welcome additions to the bilobed group. Seaforthia Vetfckii, from Australia, is a novel pinnate species in the way of 8. elegans. Then Veitchia Johannis^ from the South Sea Islands, with truncate leaflets ; Onco^ sperma Van Iloutteanum^ from the Seychelles, with dark, needle-shaped spines on the reddish stalks ; Ptifchospernux AlexandrcB^ from Tropical Australia, with quite smooth leaf-stalks — all these having bold arching foliage ; and Calamus ciliaris, from Java, with its neat short leaves, formed of narrow, closely-set pinnae, are other examples of elegant species furnished with pinnate foliage. Of a distinct t5rpe is Thrinax havanensis^ from the West Indies, which furnishes a very hand- some slender-growing palmate-leaved species, strikingly adapted for decorative uses. Ferns have received some important additions. Amongst the stove species, the finest by far is Davallia pallida alias Mooreana^ a large decompound pale-green species, from Borneo, remarkable for its small oblique segments, and its bulging sori. Acrophorvs (or Davallia) hemiptera forms a charming small pinnate basket fern, with creeping rhizomes, and comes also from Borneo ; while amongst new gold ferns we have G^ftrmogramma Laucheana gigantea, a deep golden, broad pinnuled Belgian variety, of great beauty and interest. Greenhouse ferns are represented by Adianttmi Capillus-veneris magnificum^ a variety with very large crispy and incised pinnules, rivalling in beauty the exquisite A. farleyense ; another variety of the same species, undulatum^ is interesting from its crispy appearance ; and A, excisum Leyi^ also a garden variety, forms a condensed cristate mass. Aiplt' nium fernandezianum^ introduced from Montevideo, is a pretty dwarf pinnate proliferous species ; Fteris semUata cristata magnijica^ an English seedL'ng, is a grandly crested form of an elegant species, common in the typical form, and re-
6 THE FLOBIST AND POMOLOOIST. [Jamuabt,
markably free-growing ; and Todea inUnnedia is a New Zealand film-fern, con- necting the two species already known in cultivation, — saperba and hymenophyl- loides. Of hardy ferns we may specially mention Strutkiopteria orientalis^ from Japan, a bold species of distinct character, with dimorphous fronds ; while of British yarieties, Aih^fHum FiUx-fcemina ElizabethcB^ with dwarf fronds, having dilated rachides ; and A. F-f, kaUotht-ix^ a fiingy plant with remarkably finely- cut divisions, may be noted as particularly distinct and desirable.
From the lists of new Hardy Trees and Shrubs, we select the following as the most desirable subjects : — Acer rujinerve aHho^Umhatum^ a noble Japanese Maple, also known as A, japofdcum argenteuin^ with broad palmate leaves, margined and mottled with white ; Liriodendron tulipiferum aureo-pictum^ a Belgian variety^ having its leaves blotched in the centre with yellow ; and Querais striata j{q>(mica^ with firm ovate-lanceolate leaves, variegated with greenish-yellow. Oonifers have yielded two charmingly elegant forms of Cupressus Lawsoniana, namely, pendtda alba and aUxhspica ; the first is entirely of a silvery or glaucous hue, and most elegantly drooping ; the second, also a very ornamental plant, has silvery whitish twigs, but is not pendulous like the former. Thuja gigantea (Lobbii) aureo-varie' gata^ with patches of the young twigs of a clear yellow, \& a most beautiful varie- gated Oonifer of garden origin ; and from the French gardens we get Pinua Strobus umhraculifera, described as a densely-branched, bushy, ornamental plant,*mth shorter and more crowded leaves than in the type. Passing to Ornamental Shrubs, we find that Yucca argospatha^ a fine species, allied to Y. Treculeana, has flowered -at G-renoble, and is remarkable for the satiny-white undulated bracts of its inflor- escence. Cotoneoiter congeita and C, prostrata are two species introduced by Mr. Saunders, both North Indian, and desirable as dense-growing dwarf shrubs, the former, evergreen, with globose berries ; the latter, sub-evergreen, with roundish- turbinate berries. Oarrya Tkurelii^ grown in the garden of the Pans Museum, and noted as a hybrid between G. eUiptica and G. Fadyenii, is said to be hardy, or nearly so ; while from the French gardens we also get Prurna LaiurocerasuB macrophylla^ the Versailles Laurel, remarkable for its vigour, and for the size of its leaves, which frequently measure 10 in. in length.
The group of out-door Perennials has yielded us several choice acquisitions. We have gained, for instance, LUium Maximowiczii^ a Japanese slender-giowing Idly, with drooping scarlet flowers, spotted with black-purple ; and CcUockortus wiifloruSj a lovely little half-hardy plant, with pale pink flowers, coming from Santa Cruz — ^these amongst bulbs. Clematis cethusifolia is a pretty sub-shrubby climber, of dwarfish growth, with tubular bell-sh2^>ed yeUowish-white flowers. Acanthus longifolius, a Dalmatian species, is a fine herbaceous plant, with large pnnatiparted leaves, rosy flowers, and whitish spiny bracts, veined with green. Hoteia japomca variegata, from Japan, resembles the type in all respects, but having red-stalked leaves, with the leaflets marked by a golden reticulated varie- gation. Iris stiflosa^ a slender Algerian plant, with large violet-coloured flowers.
1870.] MEW PLANTS OF 1869.
marked with yellow bands, is a welcome addition to a favourite family. Pyt'ethrum Tchihatchewiiy from Asia Minor, may be recorded rather for its utility than its beauty ; it is a prostrate plant, with finely cut leayes, adapted for clothing with the freshest yerdure lawns and banks which may be exposed to exceptional drought.
From these we pass on to Bock Plants, and here we have some true gems to ghronicle, such as Iberidella rotuncUfoUa, of densely tufted habit, with rosy-lilac yellow-eyed flowers, from the Alps ; DicaUhua negUetua, also from the Alps, two or three inches high, growing in tufts, with great bright rosy flowers ; Lychnis Laff(uc<p, from the Pyrenees, forming hemispherical masses of rosy-pink blossoms, like those of a Bilene ; Primula pedemontana, of the Swiss Alps, auricula*like in habit, with large rosy-purple flowers ; Androsace pubescens, another denizen of the Alps, forming a mat of green leaves, overlaid with pure white flowers ; and finally, Nertera depre$8a, a densely tufted Antarctic mountain herb, incon- spicuous while in bloom, but exceedingly ornamental when studded with its globose orange-coloured fruits, of the size of small peas.
New Greenhouse Plants are more numerous, and we must pass over many having more or lass interest attaching to them. Passiflora Munroi, a garden hybrid, is a fine creeper, with thiee-lobed leaves, ai^d violet-coloured flowers, having the coronal ray purple barred with white. Tetranihera Uiw/sii, from the French gardens, is a laurel, with oblong, slightly undulated leaves, elegantly variegated with yellow, greenish yellow, and deep green, while the petioles are of an intense red. The AtxUia Sieholdii aureo-margineUa furnishes a well- marked and distinct yellow variegated form of a fine Japanese evergreen shrub. TozicophlcBa spectabilis, a Natal apocynaceous plant, remarkable for its first- aight resemblance to an Ixora, is an evergreen shrub, producing terminal dose heads of white flowers, and might probably be grown into a handsome specimen. Maekai/a Mia is a very pretty, sl^ider-growing South African acan- thad, producing a profusion of campanulate flowers of a pale lilac colour, trans- versely pencilled in the throat with delicate purple lines. Salvia involucrata J}e8chaiiyi>8iana, remarkable for its dose, ovate, spike-like heads of inflated- tubed, bright rose-coloured flowers, has been found in the French gardens, and would probably be a good decorative plant. CordyUne indivisa latifoUa is a very broad-leaved fonn of this finest of all Cordylines. Phoftnium tenax VeitcManum vari€g€Uum is an degant golden-striped variety of the smaller-growing form of broad-leaved New Zealand flax. Pelargonium hispidum is a handsome, free-flower- ing species, quite distinct from the usual cultivated types, with palmatifid leaves, and lazge purple flowers havii^^ two broad upper and three narrow lower petals, and is one of many which are weU worth tsking up by the breeder. Ogmnotkrix latifolia, an elegant Montevidean tall-growing perennial grass, perhaps requiring protection in winter, but otherwise quite adapted for the open garden, grows 9-10 ft. high, and has elegant catkin-like nodding flower-spikes. We can only mention Enc^halctrtus grandis and plumosus^ and Macrozamia excelsa and Dmni^
8 THE PL0BI8T AND P0M0L00I8T. [January,
80?u as being fine South African Gycads ; and pass on to Greenhouse Succulents, amongst which we find Agave Regelii, A, De Smetiana, A, Besteriana kifstrix, A, pectinata, A, Leguayana^ A, hon-ida, and A, Nissoni, all occurring as mode- rate-sized manageable species, the last having the green leaves marked with a deep yellow line up the centre. Cotyledon fulgena is a handsome Mexican species, belonging to Echeveria (which modem botanists permit Cotyledon to swallow up), and produces a panicle of nodding racemes of bright coral-red flowers, yeUow at the base. Finally, in Stapelia hystrix we have a remarkable South African plant, with star-shaped sulphur-coloured flowers, marked with transverse purple bars, and studded with awl-shaped processes tipped with purple. We must reserve the Orchids and Stove plants for a subsequent page. — M.
DAHLIA IMPERIALIS.
^HEN Dr. Begel, in 1863, figured the Dahlia impenaUs, which had just then been introduced from Mexico by Boezl, he remarked that he had read Boezl's description with a somewhat incredulous smile, — such as might be indulged in by the reader when looking on his own figure of the plant, representing th^ white bell-shaped lily-like blossoms, with a p3nramidal hundred-flowered candelabrum-like inflorescence. Boezl indicated in this new Dahlia a sensational plant, bearing on a pyramidally-branched stem from 150 to 200 large nodding flowers like those of yuccas or gigantic lilies, and noted it as the most beautiful and valuable of his introductions. A quantity of the roots received at the Botanic Garden of Zurich, in May, 1862, were planted in the open ground ; the plants soon reached 5 ft. to 6 ft. in height, but the flowers were late in forming. The stately growth, and large doubly or almost triply pinnate leaves, it was observed, made it at least as beautiful a leaf-plant as the most effective of the Wigandias, Solanums, and Nicotianas, so highly prized, while, as soon as it unfolded its flower panicles, it was seen to far surpass the most ornamental of them all. Since that time, the plant has spread over the Oontinental gardens, but was little known in England till 1868, when Mr. Bateman brought home roots from Cannes, where, about the beginning of November, he met with it in great beauty. It is naturally a late-flowering plant, and thus in our climate is useless for out-door purposes ; but it forms a grand and novel subject for the conservatory during the autumn season, requiring, however, a temperature somewhat above that of an ordinary greenhouse to secure the development of its flowers.
Naturally this Dahlia grows to a great height — 12 ft. to 20 ft., before develop- ing its flowers, and this was felt to be an objectionable characteristic. Grown in a light orchard-house through the summer, and removed in autumn to a stove to perfect the flowers, the plants cultivated at Chiswick, where our figure was made, reached the height just indicated, but having long bare stems below. Mr. Alfred Salter, of the Versailles Nursery, Hammersmith, has, however, hit upon a satisf ac-^ tory mode of counteracting this tendency. He took grafts of the succulent stem&
DAHLIA ISIPXfilAIJa.
in the month of IklAj, and united them by herbaceons graEtin);;, each to a tuber of one of the dwarfest lUipatuui dahlias. The planta thus formed hare, during the past autumn, blossomed with him at a height of 8 ft. or 9 ft., forming a pyranud of perfect symmetry, with the large and much divided leaves spreading out on tJl
10 THE FZiOBIBT AND POXOLOGIST. [JANUAAT.
sides at the base, while the stem was freely branched in the upp?r half, where it was furnished with numberless flowers. Treated in this way, Dahlia iinperialis becomes a thoroughly distinct and remarkably handsome decorative plant for late autumn in-door purposes. The plants go on developing in an ordinary greenhouse until chilly weather comes on, and then it is that a mild heat is necessary to secure the opening of the blossoms, which, as above described, are drooping, with the florets somewhat converging, which seems to give the flower-heads a lily-like aspect. Two varieties have been observed, one with the flowers entirely white, the other with a red spot at the base of each ray floret.^-M.
I
THE PEARS AT TORTWORTH COURT.
Y subject may be fitly introduced by the remark that the experience gained in any given locality is not sufficient to enable us to determine with certainty the real merits of the different varieties of our hardy fruits. There are many contingencies that arise to vary the results of our inves- tigations, and they may help to enable us to account for much diversity as to quality. There are to be considered, for example, the situation of the garden, the amount of shelter, the phjrsical character and mineral constituents of the soil, and the mode of training and pruning, all of which exercise an abiding influence.
Much of late years has been written in favour of the Quince as a stock for the Pear ; but from what I can learn, the excitement in its favour is abating, and experience is giving us an insight into its true value. I cannot help thinking that the discussion was mixed up with a great deal that was useless, and frequently altogether beside the mark. All our Pears are worked on the Pear stock, and I am thankful to say that such is the case, for otherwise I fear that our supply would not equal the demand. Our kitchen garden is situated 300 feet above the sea level, and is only slightly protected, being exposed to the severe hurricanes from the British Channel. With these prefatory observations, I proceed with my descriptive and annotated list, which I shall continue as opportunity offers : —
Alexandre Lambrtf.-^TJndeT the majority of circumstanoes, tbe qaality of this variety cannot be conaidered to rank higher than third-rate ; hence it is undeserving of a place even in an extensive collection. Judging from appearance, it would be pronounced first-class, but it x» the very reverse of this, being gritty and dry-fleshed. Admirably adapted for the market^ ■where appearance is more frequently valued than quality. This is a hardy kind, and a profuse bearer, the fruit weighing about 4 oz., and beginning to ripen about the 20th of October.
Bmrr€ tT Amanita. — There can be no doubt of this variety being one of our best autumn pears — ^possibly the very best, as it possesses all the qualities that can be desired, gushing with juice, and rich in sugar. It begins to ripen about the 10th of September, and weighs from 10 oz. to 12 oz. The habit is vigorous, and it is a great bearer. The Beurre d'Amanlis panachSe has no distinguishing character, beyond thatef the fruit being striped with yellow.
Beurr€ de Ranee, — This is a pear of varying qualities, and exceedingly uncertain as to flavour ; in some seasons it is delicious, and at other times insipid. When grown as an open standard, the fruit rarely, if ever, shows its true character, unless it may be in some favoured locality. In the majority of cases it ought to be trained on a south wall, where it not only produces fruit of greater size, but brings out fully its valuable properties. Weighs 8 ox begins to ripen towards tbe end of December, and goes on progressively till the middle of February.
1870.] THE PBABS AT TOBTWOBTH COTTBT. 11
Beurr€ Giffard. — ^Where early pears are Talaed, this delicious variety should not be omitted. It begins to ripen during the second week in August, and continues in use for about ten or fourteen days. The usual weight is 3 oz. Probably it may be a little inferior to Fondante do Gneme, but I think there is room for a difference of opinion. As both ripen at the same time, there can be no harm done whicheyer is selected.
BeurT€ Gouhault. — Like the preceding, this variety cannot be too strongly recommended. It bears freely in exposed situations, is juicy, and contains a large amount of sugar. Among the many kinds that come into use at the same time, it has few, if any, equals. The usual time of ripening is about the 2bth September, and it weighs from 8 oz. to 4 oz.
Beurr^ Bretonneau. — This is really a worthless variety, for, whether grown as a standard or trained against a wall, it never ripens. I have kept it till the end of July without its show- ing any signs of maturation. It is somewhat singular that nurserymen should still retain it in their catalogues, and describe it as an excellent late kind.
Beurri Sterckmans. — Unless during our warmest summers, this excellent pear never shows its real qualities, when grown as a standard ; it deserves, and ought to have, the protection of a wall. The flesh is crisp, juicy, and sugary. It is very productive, weighs from 9 oz. to 10 oz., begins to ripen during the first week in December, and continues in use about a month.
Beurr€ Duhcutme. — This pear ranks amongst our very best variotieB. There may be several of equal merit, but it has few superiors. It is crisp and juicy, very sugary, begins to ripen about the middle of November, and weighs 6 oz.
Batrred6 Wetteren, — The highest recommendation this pear possesses is its handsome appearance ; it ripens about the middle of October, and weighs from 9 oz. to 10 oz. Ab so many first-class pears are in season at the same time, it is unworthy of cultivation.
Batrr^ ctAremberff, — ^We have here a variety that claims special attention, the fruit being melting and juicy, and very sugary, combined with an. agreeable acid ; it begins to ripen at the middle of November, weighs from 6 oz. to 7 oz., and keeps in condition till the end of December. When confined to a wet situation, the fruit is apt to be small and covered with black spots, accompanied by canker.
Beurr^ Winter. — Beyond being a large showy pear, weighing from 11 oz. to 12 oz., this haa nothing to recommend it. I have heard it spoken of in more complimentary terms, but have not been able to discover any merits that would induce me to continue its cultivation.
Beurri Bote — When* grown as a standard, the flesh of this pear is crisp, and only half melting ; trained against a wall, the quality Is all that the most fastidious can possibly desire. A large handsome fruit, weighing 1 1 oz., and ooming into use during the first week in November.
Beurr^DieL — I have never found this pear, when grown as a standard, to possess more than a second-rate quality. When grown against a waU, the case is very different, as the flesh then becomes melting, juicy, and sugary. This variety ranks amongst our largest dessert pears, weighiog from 14 oz. to 15 oz. ; it begins to ripen during the first week in November.
Beurr€ Oris dHtver, — About fifteen years ago this variety was brought into notice, and described as a real acquisition, while a more worthless kind does not exist ; it is quite as bad as Beurrd Bretonnoau, and may therefore be expelled from British gardens. I do not say so without experience. I have trained it against a south wall for a number of years, planted in a well prepared border, and have kept the fruit till the end of June, and then it was as hard as when picked from the tree.
Beurr€ Langelier. — I have still retained this kind in our collection, although at best only third-rate. It is not only deficient of sugar, but possesses a disagreeable acid. Weighs about 8 oz.
Beurri Leon h Ckrc. — This can hardly be called a first-class fruit, although the flesh is melting, juicy, and to some extent buttery. Though deficient in sugar, and often soapy, yet during very warm summers the quality is all that can be desired. The usual weight is from 8 oz. to 9 oz. ; it begins to ripen about the 17th of October, and continues to keep a succes- sion for two weeks. Occasionally it will be found very useful in filling up the gap between other varieties.
Beurri Derouineau.-^XJndeT the most favourable conditions this variety possesses only a third-rate quality. It weighs from 6 oz. to 7 oz., is a handsome fruit, and readily attracts attention, but the flesh is £-y and coarse ; begins to ripen about the 6th of October.
Beurre Superjin, — However snail the space, no collection of pears should be without this variety ; it has a handsome appearance^ and weighs from 8 oz. to 9 oz. In the truest sense of the word this is a melting pear, guiding with juice, sugary, buttery, and fine-grained, these
12 THE FL0BI8T AND POMOLOOIST. [JAUUAKT,
^IiMlttiefl being to eombioad m to produce a delieions flayonr ; it ripens in th3 middle of Ootober, nd eostionee in use to the middle of Xoyember.
Bewrr/, Brown. — ^Tbie Tftriety boars freely as a standard when planted in a warm sitnation, bat the quality is only second-rate. When grown against a sonth wall the flayonr is delicious, BMltiDg, sogary, and buttery, combined with an agreeable acid ; it weighs from 8 oz. to 9 oz., and begins to ripen nsnally abont the 20th of October.
Batrre, Efuter. — This is one of our most nneortain pears, whether as regards the flaTonr, or the time of ripening. In some seasons it comes into use as early as the end of November, and in others not till the middle of January, or beginning of February, while very many of the fruit oceasionally never soften at all, and those that do ripen are frequently so insipid as to be unfit for dessert. When grown under the protection of a wall these defects rarely appear. The qoality then, with some few exceptions, is melting, juicy, and sugary. The usual weight at- tained is from 8 oz. to 9 oz., and I have frequently known a single fruit to exceed these weights.
— Alexaitdeb Cbaxb, Torttvo7-th.
PERPETUAL-FLOWERING OR TREE CARNATIONS.
HESE beautiful and most useful plants may be increased by cuttings or by layers. The simplest way of getting up a stock of them is to place the old plants in a gentle heat, at once, and then early in February to take off the cuttings, put them in around the edges of 3-in. pots, in equal parts of loam, leaf*mould, and sand, water well, and plunge in a gentle bottom-heat not too damp. When they are rooted, pot them off singly in d-in. pots in a mixture of loam, coarse sand, and rotten dung, and keep them in a close space until well established, after which harden them off gradually, and place them in a cold frame. In April, if the weather permits, plant them out on a piece of open ground, which has been well dressed with soot, dung, and lime, and trenched from 2 ft. to 3 ft. deep. Place a 4-ft. stick to each plant, which is to be regularly tied up, so that the winds and rains do not break it. By the middle of Beptember it will be in a fit state to transfer to a 6-in. or 7-in. pot.
After potting, the plants must have a good watering, and for about a fortnight should be placed in a shady place, being aUo syringed overhead twice a day in bright weather. When they are again established, place them in the sun on a bed of ashes, or on boards, but as soon as the autumn rains come on, get them under cover, giving them plenty of air. They should then commence flowering, and continue all through the winter and spring months, if assisted with a little fire heat and with liquid manure, which latter, when they are well established and the pots get full of roots, they may have once a week. They delight in being plunged in sweet dung, so as to keep the roots cool, and will root through the bottom of the pot, and over the top. Occasionally dissolve 1 oz. of carbonate of ammonia in a gallon of water, and water with this solution. If the plants are in a healthy state, the feathery roots may be seen on the surface in the course of a few days, after each application of the ammonia.
The plants must never be allowed to get root-bound, which is the point where many good growers have failed with them. They must be kept shifted on, as soon as the pots get filled with roots, and should be placed for the winter in a dry, light, airy house, where they can get all the sun possible, without being
1^70.] PA3SITL0BA MAGBOGABPA. 13
exposed to draughts. If they get over-wet, they will suffer from mildew and canker. In case mildew appDars, sulphur should be applied, while for green-fly they should be promptly washed with soft soap and water.
Every person who has a greenhouse should grow a few of the varieties, for they are very baautiful, and may be had in flower all the year. I add the names of a dozen of tho bast I know : — Bride (not Hodge's), a fine serrulated white flower, very sweet and free ; Covent Garden Scarlet, the finest of all where it does well, but it is subject to canker; Dragon, scarlet, good habit and free ; Boule de Feu, a fine scarlet variety ; Prince of Orange (Perkins'), a very pro- mising yellow variety, free ; Jean Bart^ a compact-growing scarlet ; Oscar, yellow ; Beauty, scarlet flake ; Duke of Wellington, scarlet bizarre ; Henshaw*3 Scarlet^ in the way of La Grenadier ; Lee*8 Scarlet, a free serrulated variety ; Atinie, I can testify that these are all good. — ^W. Howabd, Balham,
PASSIFLORA MACROCARPA.
|IJBING the past spring, I planted, in a brick box at the end of a pine stove, a young plant of Passiflora macrocarpa. The fruit which I send you is one of five now (November 22) maturing upon the plant. It weighs 4 lb. 12 oz., and girths lengthwise 20 in., and round the middle 19 in. My object in sending this fruit is to ascertain whether the P. macrocm^pa is really worth growing as a dessert fruit. A short time ago, I sent one to the family ; and this was reported to be not at all good, and quite unlike the fruit of the Passifhra edulis. — ^Wm. Milleb, Combe Abbey Gardens.
[The fruit above referred to somewhat resembled a large, bulged, and some- what angular vegetable marrow. It was rather over-ripe, and had in consequence burst during transit, showing an apparent tendency to split into valves. The colour was a deep yellow ; the flesh was thick, white, almost tasteless, while the juice and the pulpy matter surrounding the seeds were pleasantly acidulous, so that the fruit might be converted into an agreeable conserve or compote, for which it seems better adapted than for eating in the raw state. We abstract the following additional particulars from Dr. Masters' account of the plant :— -
"In hftbit and general appearanoe Pastijhra macroearpa if almost identical with P. quadrangularis ; eo that in the early stages of growth it is impossible to distingoish the two, bat in the adult state the leaves of P. macrocarpa are of a more rounded outline, and usually somewhat smaller than those of P. quadrangularis ; while the stipules are mnoh larger, and taper at the base into a broad stalk. P. macrocarpa has, moreover, rounder, larger, more serrated bracts ; a shorter, shallower calyx tube ; violet (not pink) petals, which do not exceed the sepals ; outer coronal rays which considerably exceed the petals^ and the succeed- ing coronal rays filamentous, while in P. quculrangularia they are shorter and tooth-like. The ovary in P. macrocarpa is oblong or obovoid, not ovoid, and the fruit is much larger, oblong, obtuse, depressed at both ends, and longitudinally sulcate ; while that of the true P. quadran- gularis is ovoid, and of the size of a swan's egg.
"This Passion-flower was discovered by M. Wallis, on the banks of the Rio Negro, between Manaos and Barcellos, about 1864, and was also found by Dr. Spruce in Peru. At that time M. WsUis wrote, that the species acquired unusual dimensions, and that the fruits, which were highly esteemed in the country, attained a weight of 8 lb. Respecting the former habitat, Dr. Spruce remarks : — * If M. Linden's collector sent from the Rio Negro a large-fruited
14 THE FLOBZST AND POMOLOOZST. [Janujlrt,
PwBiflora, I should say it hsd certainly been raised there from seeds brought from Pern. No sach Pasfllflora, either wild er oultivated, was known in that region in my time ; bat since steamers haye ran np to the very roots of the Aodos, I learn that the Brazilians haye got from Pern the Banbonage, or Panama-hat Plant {Carludovica, ^.)^ and many others. In the lower eastern Andes a large-fruited Passiflora is commonly cultiyated nndor tho name of ' Tambo/ and the Same specios is still more largely grown on the western side of the Andes, in what is called the * coast region * of Pera. At Qaayaqail, what seems the same kind is called ' Badea,' but it may be distinct from the *Tambo/ These Passifloras have a frnit 9, or eyen 12, inches long, yery like that of the common Papaw, bat blnnter at each end, and ▼ery mach heayier, balk for bulk. There is a yariety with longitudinally suloate fruit. Not only are the seeds, enyeloped in sweet macilage, eaten, as they are in the common Qranadillaa, bat the thick flesh is also oaten, after the manner of Melons and Papaws, to both of which its flay our slightly assimilates it, althoagh it used to remind me more of a soft sourish-sweet apple. In Peru the ' Tumbo ' is commonly trained oyer a horizontal trellis- work, raised high enough to allow of a man walking under it erect» bat sometimes much higher, and only accessible by means of a ladder. The finest plants and the best-tasted fruits I hare seen were grown on the riyer Ohira, in lat. 5° south. The priest of Amotape — a small yillage on that rlyer — ^had a plant that mu^t haye coyered 50 square yards. I hare several times reposed in my hammock under its shade, and regaled on its fruit. That was in 1803.*
"We have thus the testimony of Spruce and WaUis that the fruit of P. macrocarpa is highly esteemed in tropical South America. As grown in this country, it is more watery and less perfumed than that of P, quculrcuigidaris. It is surprising that, commonly as P. quadrangularU is grown, its fruit is so seldom seen on the dessert-table in the form of a conserve or jam. We know of few confections of that nature of a richer flavour, and warmly recommend growers of P. quadrangularis or P. macrocarpa to avail themselves of the fruit. The follow- ing directions to the cook may be serviceable :— Out the ripe fruit into shoes, crush the pulp surrounding the seeds with a spoon, so as to extract the juice, then remove the seeds, boil the sUces till tender, and pass them through a sieve ; mix the juice with the pulp, and add white sugar in the proportion of half a pound to a pound of pulp, or thereabouts, and boil down to a proper consistence. A compote would be still better." — ^Ed.]
THE NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS OF 1869. LOOMING, as these fine autumnal flowers do, at a season of the year when there are few opportunities for their being exhibited, there is, naturally enough, some difficulty in compiling a complete list of novelties, — as, if one would know anything of them, they must be sought after. However, having regard to the fact that the main of the new varieties And their way into the hands of Messrs. Salter and Son, Versailles Nursery, Hammersmith, for distri- bution, what they have to offer may be taken as representing the cream of the new flowers of the year. The major part of these I had an opportunity of seeing when in bloom, and can therefore speak confidently as to their merits.
Of the ordinary large-flowered, or Ohinese Ohrysanthemums, the Messrs* Salter have a batch of eleven new varieties, as follows i-^Beautt/ of Stoke, flowers of great size and flnely incurved ; colour, full amber yellow, with a tint of red thrown over it as the flowers age, gradually deepening till they fade ; full, and of good substance, with broad massive florets. Duke of Edinburgh, rosy lilac, with
1870.] THE NEW CHBT8ANTHEMUU8 OP 1869. 15
pale centre when fully incurred, a flower of remarkably fine quality, and of great size, evidently destined to play an important part on the exhibition-table in the time to come. Olohosa, Indian red, of a dark hue, with broad stout florets, formed into finely incurved flowers ; the habit is unusually dwarf, and the growth compact. Mcarginatat one of the anemone-flowered class, the guard-petals blush at the base, with an edging of deep rose ; the centre rose, but fading to white when the flowers become fully developed, while the rose in the margin of the guard-petals becomes more distinct; a fine addition. Jf(ey^^e«r, pale rosy chocolate, lighter towards the centre ; the flowers of me<Hum size, and the florets remarkably broad, finely incurved when fully developed. Misa Hope, a very beautiful incurved flower of a delicate lilsu; tint, with white centre, paling to white as the flowers age ; it is likely to be i| great favourite. Mrs. Wreford Major, deep rose, a reflexed flower of good quality, and promising to be very useful for pot cultivation, from its compact, bushy growth. Norma, one of the half-open petaled varieties, of an ivory-white colour, with stout stiff florets, dwarf, compact habit, and likely to be Tery useful as a pot plant. Ondine, a flower of some novelty of character, the base of the florets cream, tipped with rosy lilac ; the blooms are finely in* curved, distinct, and full. Princess Louise, another of the anemone-flowered type, the colour a delicate rosy blush, with high close centre, and, like Marginata, a good addition to this class. VirginaUs, equally fine as an anemone-fiowered kind ; colour white, centre close and high ; somewhat late in blooming.
It would seem that this season brings no addition to the Pompon class. Evidently the small-flowered Ohrysaathemums are not so much regarded by raiseni as those of the large-flowered type.
Of the Japanese kinds, Messrs. Salter have produced some fine new flowers, showing that the improvement of these curious flowers is being most successfully prosecuted, and that from the time that Mr. Fortune introduced them from Japan, up to the present moment, our florists have not been unmindful of the peculiar functions they discharge in relation to plants. Of the new varieties a few are of the ribbon style, and it is curious to observe that in the case of nearly all these flowers, they come with an outside ring of quilled florets of a tubular shape, with about an inch of the top flattened out. The new kinds comprise :^- Aurora, one of the curiously twisted ribbon flowers, though only partially curled ; colour bright orange, ^q and distinct. Chang, another of the twisted and curled ribbon flowers ; colour red, with yellow at the back of the florets, which are very broad, forming large flower-heads. Emperor of China, with the florets in the form of slender quills, the centre of the flower dashed with reddish orange, and pale buff tips ; the outer florets blush, those on the exterior of the flower not so much quilled. Qiant, a most extraordinary flower, and a decided novelty ; colour a pale lilac, with the florets of a quilled form; the diameter of this flower reaches fully one foot, and I am informed that while expanding, the florets lengthened fully aa inch each day. Gold Thread, golden amber ;
'
16 THE FL0BI8T AND POMOLOOI8T. [JancIAT,
resembling a mMs of golden thread-like florets, or long quills ; rery oarioos and noToL Colonel Hemery, the blossoms form a Bemi->globalar mass of straight, stiff, long, narrow, strap-shaped florets, and being of a deep golden yellow, they are exceedingly showy. Oloriosa, with fine large flowers, formed of long, loose florets in the shape of a flattish head ; colour yellow, slightly tinted with red in some stages, bat eventoally becoming almost entirely yellow. Helen McOregar, rich deep chestnut red, the flower heads rery full and fringe-like. La Chinoise, chestnut red, with yellow tips, and producing large flower-heads ; a yery decided improvement on similar flowers of the same character. Mandarin, very fine, the colour canary-yellow ; a great advance in point of colour in this section, the hue being as deep as that in Jardin des Plantes, and the broad, ribbon-like florets curiously twisted ; rery fine. Meg Merrilies, pure white, with sulphur in the eentre, the fiorets tube-shaped at the base, but flat at the ends, and much jagged, and so forming large characteristic heads. Negro, rery dark maroon, of a deep and yet bright hue of colour ; rery showy and distinct ; one of the curled and twisted, narrow-petaled type. Rob Roy, rery distinct as to colour, the tubular portion of the florets being of a dull purplish red, and the flattened, expanded parts, which show the inner surface, of a pale amber or buff. Sol, clear, wax- like yellow, with long, straight, strap-like petals, showy and noyel. The SuUan, a rery fine fiower, which received a first-dass certificate from the Floral Committee on November 16 th ; a ribbon flower of a bright rosy lilac hue, rery laige and full, and a great acquisition as a decorative plant. Viceroy of Egypt, bright rosy Ulac, with broad ribbon-like fiorets, distinct and good.
To rightly appreciate the value of these Japanese Ohrysanthemums as decorative agents, they should be seen when the flowers are fully developed, and at their best. Those who look upon them when the flowers are yet opening are apt to think lightly of them, and condemn them in consequence. The fact that many of them bloom later than the large-flowered varieties is not among the least of the claims they have on popular patronage. — Quo.
NEW PEAS.
[NE of the most important of our esculents is the Pea ; and without any dis- paragement of certain good old favourite sorts, it may fairly be stated that during the last few years, commencing with the labours of the late Dr. Maclean, a wonderful improvement in the quality of the garden varieties has taken place. Some of Maclean's sorts, such as Little Gem, Advancer, Premier &c. have proved to be grand acquisitions, and are not even yet surpassed in their respec- tive classes ; but improvements of this kind are stimulative, and since the advent of those just named, other novelties, bearing high characters on good authority, and for which horticulturists are indebted to Mr. Laxton, of Stamford have made their appearance.
Subsequently to the production of these later novelties, the Messrs. Carter
HEW PEAB.
have taken up the nutmg of New Peas, utd one of their first reaolts repre- Bented in the annexed figure, is that which ii caUed Tkt Cook's Favourite Pea, or
Hundredfold. This waa ohtaioed by croeaing Lazton's Prolific with Ne Plus Ultra. It is described as a prolific late rarieiy, abont 14 daye later than Snpreme, aa growing about i ft. high, and aa prodaoiug abundantly its remarkably fine poda.
18 THE FL0BI8T AND POMOLOOIBT. [JUfUART,
which are slightly curred, of the deep colour of Ne Plus Ultra, and carrying a fine bloom. When cooked, the peas are of excellent quality, and of a dark green colour, the ripe seed being of a pale olive-green. This sort is noted by the Gardeners* Chronicle reporter, from personal inspection, aa likely to become popular both for marketing and garden use. It is to be let out for the first time this season, and we believe is in the hands of the Messrs. Garter and Co., and Messrs. Hurst and Son. To the former of these gentlemen we are indebted for our woodcut representation. — ^M.
THE LADY'S SLIPPEES.— Chapter I.
HE species comprising the orchidaceous genus Cypripedium are universal favourites with plant-growers on account of their neat habit, and the pleasing combination of colours in their flowers, while the very peculiar calceiform lip, whence the genus is popularly known by the name of Lady's Slipper, forms an exceedingly interesting portion of their structure.
Cypripediums differ from the majority of ornamental orchids in not having pseudobulbs. They are all of dwarf compact habit, and remarkably handsome when in flower ; while, in addition to their floral beauty, many of them have variegated leaves of a remarkably ornamental character, whidi renders them attractive even when destitute of blossoms. The spedes are found in the East Indies and in the Eastern Islands, in South America, in North America, and in Europe. The European and North American species are deciduous, and remain dormant during the winter months, whilst the Indian and South American species are eveigreen. These have been divided by some botanists into two geneeay under the respective names of Cypripedium and Selmupedium, but others regard the differences between the two groups as insufficient to warrant the separation, and in the few remarks here offered I shall adopt the latter view, and treat of them all as Cypripediums.
The ease with which these plants may be grown, combined with the little space they require, and the long time their flowers retain thdr full beauty, are considerations which specially recommend them to the notice of amateurs who have but little stove accommodation. Even those who do not grow a collection of orchids should introduce some few of these plants into their mixed collections, for I may add that Cypripediums succeed better when grown with a miscellaneous collection of plants, than perhaps any other genus of their order. Those of them which are natives of Moulmein and the Indian Islands require an abundance of heat and a moist atmosphere, in order to induce vigorous growth such as may enable them to fully develop their beauties ; they should, therefore, be grown in the East Indian orchid-house, or in a stove with other plants requiring a similar temperature. Those, on the other hand, which come from the more northern parts of the Indian mainland, and also the South American kinds, will thrive in a much cooler house ; indeed, some of them succeed adxnirably in a close green-
1970. J AERATED VINE BOBDBBS. 19
house. The European and North American kinds can be grown in the green- house, or better in a cool moist pit. Under these three heads, then, I shall offer a few remarks, which, I trust, may be of service to those who ahready possess some of these plants, and may induce others who have hitherto refrained from growing them through fear of mishaps, to add them without delay to their col- lections, since the peculiar beauties of colour and form which they present will give a fresh charm to the stove and green-house.
The soil for their successful culture should be peat and chopped sphagnum moss, to which may be added a little good leaf-mould and silver sand. In the case of the European and North American species, a farther small proportion of good turfy loam will be a great advantage. The pots should be well drained, and the plants should not be set above the rim of the pots, as is done in the case of most other orchids, but they should be planted slightly below the rim, as in potting ordinary stove or greenhouse plants. In the growing season the atmosphere should be moist, and an abundant supply of water must be administered to the roots ; even dtuing the winter months they enjoy a liberal supply of that element, which, however, should never be applied to their roots at a lower tem- perature than that of the atmosphere in which they are growing.
Cypripediuma^ as before remarked, have no pseudobulbs, and consequently have no means of subsistence if water is withheld from them for any length of time. If subjected to such treatment they will soon shrivel up, and to recover them from this conditioii, if indeed they escape with their life, will be found to be a work of extreme difficulty. At the very least, their beauty wiU be destroyed for a considerable time.— B. 8. Williaiis, Victoria Nursery^ HoUoway,
AERATED VINE BORDERS.
HE success of the Chrapes shown by Mr. Johnston at the International Fruit 8how in Edinburgh in September last, and grown in aerated borders, will make some of the unbelievers begin to think that there is something in the system after all. When Mr. Fowler, of Castle Kennedy, commenced to grow and to show his fine Grapes from aerated borders, I stated in an article in a contemporary that I believed he was on the right track for success, for I had proved that the system was a sound one. In forming the new Kitchen Garden here the principal range of vineries was necessarily placed in a very low situation, and the subsoil was a strong red day. One of the vineries, a very large one, was ioT growing Muscats pincipally, and I had the borders aerated, by placing two rows of 4-in. pipes in a chamber outside the border, connecting it by air drains at every 4 ft. with the incdde space where the flow and return pipes were placed. The Muscat and other Grapes planted in this vinery were 12-year old vines brought from the old gardens ; and the air-heated border was made on purpose to give them a better start in rooting than they could have had in an unheated border. These visies bore a good crop the second year after planting, and for the
20 THE FLOBIST AND POMOLOGIST. [JASUAftV,
last eight yean have never failed in producing a full crop. Both in this year and last the Muscats were particularly well coloured in September, although forcing was not commenced before the beginning of March. The Golden Hamburgh and Chxwse Guillaume have likewise in this vinery produced some of the finest-coloured grapes I have ever seen of these varieties. Had young vines been planted in this house, when the border was first made, I have no doubt but that some first-rate show grapes could have been cut from them ; as it is, fair-sized show branches have been obtained from them every year.
Some doubts have been expressed by grape growers as to vineries with aerated borders keeping up the vigorous habit of the Vines for any length of time ; but if they fail to do so, this can only occur through mismanagement. The system must be a sound one, and especially commends itself to growers of grapes in situations which are low and damp, and where the subsoil is bad. For very early grape forcing, bottom heating must be beneficial, by keeping up a due reci- procity of temperature between the roots and branches. No doubt firat-rate show grapes are grown on vine borders where no extra expense has been incurred in respect to drainage or heating, but this can only be done in exceptionally favourable situations.
The great secret in growing first-rate show grapes, and of keeping up a reputa- tion for growing such, is te have always a house of young vines ready to take the place of others on the wane, which generally begins from the sixth to the eighth year after planting. The grandest branches for weight and size of berries are produced from young vines in the third or fourth year after planting, and which have never been allowed to bear any bunches till those particular years. Another way te obtain large bunches and berries, is to cut down a vigorous old or young vine, to aUow it to make one rod only, and not to stop it till it reaches the top of the rafter. This rod must be pruned at the best and plumpest eye, and will produce an enormous bunch on the top, or two or three if wanted, for show. This was the phin that Speechly adopted to produced his 19i-lb. bunch of the Syrian grape. We see some particular grape-growers shine for a few years in showing good grapes, but unless they renew their borders and vines frequently, so as to keep up a succession, they soon sink into the general ruck of cultivators. — ^WiLUAM TiLLBEY, WclbecL
THE TUBEROSE.
HIS deHciously fragrant plant, although it has been for very many years cultivated in our gardens, is not so extensively grown as it deserves to be ; indeed, I may say that it is not even so well known as it should be, and its culture is, perhaps, even less understood. Having had some little
experience in the culture of this delightful fiower, I propose to offer a few brief
remarks respecting it.
Tuberoses are imported annually, much after the fashion of Dutoh bulbs.
1870.] THE AMATEUB'S PAGE. 21
They generally aniye in this country during the months of February and March. In selecting the roots, the largest and firmest, and those with few offsets, should be chosen, — indeed, the fewer offsets the better. In order to have a succession of them in flower, it is requisite to start them into growth at different intervals. To accomplish this successfully, all the bulbs, even those that are to flower in the open air, should be started in pots. The first batch is potted into 6-in. pots as soon as it arrives, and others are potted at intervals during the months of April and May, in very rich soil, previously prepared for the puipose. Before potting, remove all loose skin, offsets, &c., and be careful, in potting, not to cover the entire bulb with soil, otherwise it will be very liable to decay. After potting, place them in a gentle hot-bed, water very sparingly, and keep them pretty close xmtil the flower-stem begins to appear, when it is requisite to give air more liberally, in order to prevent the plants from getting weakly and drawn. These attentions, together with a plentiful supply of light, are the most essential points in their culture, for if they become weak and drawn they will produce but few blossoms, while if they are grown sturdily they will flowor freely.
As the plants advance in growth, water more liberally, using at times a little stimulant ; give abundance of air, and constantly keep them neatly tied up, other- wise they will soon grow crooked and deformed. When sufficiently advanced in growth, remove them to the stove, greenhouse, or any other suitable place where there is plenty of light. Here they may remain until their blossoms expand, when they may be removed to the drawing-room or conservatory, and when set amongst other exotics they will, by their beauty, add their quota to the gay furnishing of the house, and shed abroad their fragrant odours every morning and evening, when the house is closed, in a way that can only be conceived by those whose good fortune it is to grow them well.
Those grown for the open air should be all potted and started into growth in a gentle hot-bed, and transplanted out when secure from frost. I find they succeed much better by this method than by planting out in the open air in a dormant state, for, although I have seen them succeed tolerably well by that method in some seasons, yet on the other hand, I have seen many failures. No doubt in the south they will succeed very well planted out in the open borders in a dormant state, but by practising the method I adopt success is rendered certain. — ^Edwabd Bennett, Osberton,
THE AMATEUR'S PAGE.
'HE extreme beauty of the choicer Chn/santhemums^ their variety, and the great perfection which has characterized their growth and bloom during the past season, will, no doubt, have considerably raised them in the estimation of many growers, particularly of amateurs, who may be led to ask by what means so fine a growth and such a grand autumnal display may be secured. I propose to show that there are no mysteries whatever connected with
22 THE FLORIST AND POMOIiOOIST. [Jaiujabt,
the matter ; that the means required are very few, and the cnltnie very simple ; and that anyone having a glass-covered brick pit, commonly called a oold-pit, or even a common garden frame, may pass them through all their earlier stages as successfully as he who has evety possible convenience— with this difference, that the cultivator with the more limited means most take time by the f(»elock.
From twenty-four to thirty good sorts will afford the amateur abundance of variety as to colour, and a great amount of interest and pleasure in cultivating and watching their development during the varioujs stages of growth. If he has any friends who could supply him with cuttings from old caat-away plants, early in the season, say, towards the end of April, at the latest, he would commence under very favourable auspices ; but even if he has to resort to the growers for sale, the acquisition of such a collection will not be a ruinoua affair. I wiU hereafter supply a short list of good sorts which I have proved, all of which, I believe, may be obtained for about sixpence each by the first week in May. Newer varieties will, no doubt, be desired in after seasons.
The earlier in May that the plants are procured the better will be the chances of after success, and the amateur should be very particular in asking for spring-struck cutting plants, for, as a general rule, they will in his hands be more manageable than older autumn-struck plants. The latter sometimes run lanky, and become hard-wooded at the base, and require a more complicated system of culture than a tyro may, perhaps, be master of, in order to grow them into dwarf stocky plants. For this reason, I recommend the spring-struck cuttings, as being more easily managed by beginners, who would also do well to explain their desires to the nurseiyman, and ask him for well-rooted plants.
In describing, however simply, the necessary cultural operations, we cannot avoid the occasional use of technical gardening terms ; still such is the profusion of horticultural literature, and so greatly has the love of flowers been developed thereby, that I presume there are now few amateurs fond of flowers who have not become familiar with those of more frequent recurrence when describing the manipulation of pot plants. When, therefore, I advise that after the plants are received from the nursery, they should be turned out of the pots, and the state of the roots examined, I do not wish it to be understood that the amateur is to take these instructions literally, by shaking them out in any fashion and roughly dis- lodging the drainage and soU from the roots, but in the orthodox manner, by placing the palm of the hand over the surface of the pot, allowing the st«m to pass between the fingers, gently inverting the pot upon the hand, and giving the lim a slight tap on the edge of the potting stand, when it will be found that the pot will lift off from the soil, and leave the latter in a compact and solid state. Then, if plenty of roots are to be seen around the outsides of the baU of earth, the plants are ready for a shift into larger pots ; but if few or no roots are to be seen, the pot is to be replaced, and the plants put into the pit or frame for a week or ten days longer, supplying them with plenty of ventilation, but slightly shading them from bright sun during the midday hours. — John Cox, Eedleaf,
1870.] OABD15N GOSSIP. 23
GARDEN GOSSIP.
|LB£ADY the note of preparation for the Floral Campaign of 1^70 is sounded. The Boyal Horticcdtural Society of London has issued its prize schedule for the year, and from it we learn that a series of combined Ploral and Fruit Committee-meetings, and exhibitions more or less com«
prebonsive, -will take place on the following days, namely, Jannary 19, Febmary 16, Mnx>b 2, 16», April 6, 20* May 4«, 18, June 1, 15* July €• Anguflt 3, 17* September 7, 21, Oetober 6, November 2, December 7,— theee at Kensington, tbose marked with an aaterisk
being important eshibitiona ; and on Jnly 19 to 22, the Great ProTincial Show at Oxford.
The Royal Botanic Society has annomioed two Spring Shows on March 80-1, and April 27-8,
and three great Summer Shows on May 25-6, June 22-d, and Jnly 6-7. ^The Royal
Caledonian Hortionltmral Society has fixed a Hyacinth Show for March 29-30, and a
Summer Show (Roses) for July 18. The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland announces
a Hyacinth Show on March 24. The Manchester Ghrand National Horticultural Exhibition
is to take place as usual in Whitsun week, opening on June 8, and closing on June 9.
(e hare in the Macadamia temifolia^ of Moreton Bay, a new Edible
Fruit. The plant is proteaceous, and . an evergreen shrub, or rather tree., with temately whorled, oblong-lanceolate, spiny-margined, Brexia-like leaves, and a
racemose inflorescence. The fruit is a kind of drupe, with a fleshy exterior, encircling a hard shell like that of a walnut, within which is a sweet kernel, the flavour of which has been compared to that of almonds. Young plants haTC been recently exhibited from the Wellington Road Nursery.
fl/HEBE is a fine specimen of the Ginkgo, Salisburia adiantifoUa, at
Whitfield, in Herefordshire, the residence of the Bev. A. Olive, which measures 7 ft. 2 in. in girth at 5 ft. from the ground, is 50 ft. 6 in. in height, and has a
diametric spread of foliage of 40 ft. It' is supposed to have been planted about 1776. At Messrs. Outbush's nursery, Highgate, is a vigorous and beautifully aymmetrioal tree, also about 50 ft. in height One of the largest trees is said to be growing in the garden at Hassop Hall, Bakewell, Derbyshire. Probably the oldest and highest Maidenhair tree in England is that in the grounds of Lord Ravensworth, Walham Green, which is 70 ft. high, and was planted in 1767.
2[notheb new Grape, Melville's Perfumed Muscat, has been raised by Mr.
Melville, Dalmeny Park. It is said to be a good deal Hke the White Muscat of Alexandria, both in bunch and berry, but more golden in colour when fully ripe,
and sharper, richer, and more perfumed in flavour ; very thin-skinned, tender-fleshed, and dissolving in the mouth. Its most striking peculiarity ia the delicate agreeable perfume which it possesses. It is said to have sprung from Snow's Muscat Hamburgh, alias Black Muscat of Alexandria.
^ONB of the perennial species of Candytuft are, according to Mr, G^
Maw, so ornamental as that which takes its name from the Bock of Gibraltar, Iberis gihraltarica. Plants procured and sent home last April were abnost con- tinuously in flower up to November ; and one specimen in the open border, which had been frozen hard three weeks previously, was on November 19 covered with delicate lilac flowers, the corymbs and individual flowers twice the size of those of Iherii $empervir€n$. It differs from all the other species in being a continuous bloomer, the lateral shoots outgrowing and hiding the old flowers as thoy decay.
2(ocoBDiNO to the observations of Br. Bull, the English Elm^ in ordinary
Herefordshire soil, grows more rapidly than that most vigorous-growing of all
the varieties of the Wych Elm, the Chichester Ehn — a tree that in suitable soil
will often make shoots of from 6 ft» to 10 ft. long in a single year. The experiment, he says, has been made. ** Some say that the English Elm won't grow well, but the fact is, ^ey ire
24 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGI8T. IJJLKV
sent oat gntftad on tho MotmUin, or Wjch Elm. So long as the tree U planted in the rich loamy toil ao prevalent in nnnerles, the advantfige ia nndeniable, — a larger tree ia grown ia « shorter time, and eqnaUj good; bat remoTo it to the ordinary 8ti£F olay loam of Herefordshirv, and the Wyeh Elm will not thrire. The eoncloalon ia eTident : plant English Elms on their own hardy rooti."
â– She Everhearitig Andine Stratcherry^ from the highlands of Mexico, is
doubtless, obserres Dr. Spruce, one of those yarieties of Fragaria vesca coznmoiilj'
cultirated throughout the Andes within the tropics, where the perpetual spring
of that fareared region has had ihe effect of rendering the Strawberryperennially froitf ni, and many of the deoidaoai-Ieared treea of Europe erergreen. In the iSaoatorial Andes the proTlnce of Ambato ia famed for ita Strawberries, which equal in size and flaroar aome of our best rarieties, and are to be seen exposed for sale in the market-place of Ambato erery day in the year. They are oaltivated at an altitude of from 7,000 ft to 9,500 ft. abore the sea, where the mean temperature of the year ranges between 59*^ and 67** ; but the best are grown a little way out of Ambato, as yon go towards Guayaquil, on the slopes of Ghiachi (lat 1^^ S.> at near 9,000 feet, and in a mean temperature of 60** ; where, howe? er, the thermometer does aometlmes descend, perhaps half-a-dozen times in the year, to the freezing point in the earljr morning, scarcely ever on two successive days.
St is not usual to grow Shallots from seed, but the practice is veiy sac*
cessfullj followed by Mr. Trigg, of Hayling. His plan is to plant out the ofifsets
in the usual manner, and allow them to seed, which they do the second year. The
seed is sown in good rich soil, at the same time as Onion seed, and the crop is such that fire fair average specimens weigh 1 lb. 7 oz. They at first look like Onions, but when they begin to divide into offsets the peculiar difference between the two is readily distinguished.
rHBK at Nagarote, in his Nicaraguan travels, Dr. Seemann measured
a famous Genisaro tree, Pitkecolobium Sofnan, of which the villagers are justly proud, since they had the public spirit — the rarest of virtues in a Spanish
American — ^to refuse an offer made for it of 200 dollars. The tree is but 90 ft high, but some of the lower branches, which are quite horizontal, are 92 ft. long and 5 ft. in diameter. The atom, 4 ft. above the base, is 21 ft. in circumference, and the crown of the tree describes a circle of 348 ft. A whole regiment of soldiers might seek repose in its shade.
â– JThe pulpy portion of the Fruit of the Yew tree is generally believed
to be harmless, while the kernel or seed is regarded as poisonous. M. Clos, of
Toulouse, who has recently investigated the subject, has come to the conclasioQ
that the Yew berries, including the kernels, are perfectly harmless.
iW^. W. H. Pebby, who has been for nearly fifty years the faithful
assistant of the Messrs. Bivers, of the Sawbridgeworth Nurseries, died on the 20th of November, at the age of 59. Mr. Perry, who has for many years act«d as a
judge at the Metropolitan Rose Shows, was generally esteemed for his sound judgment^ integrity, and unobtrusiveness.
fRn. W. Barnes, of the Camden Nursery, Oamberwell, died on the
22nd of December last^ from an attack of bronchitis^ in the 61st year of his age. His name is famous in the annals of gardening, as being that of one of the
foremost of exhibition plant-growers ; while as one of the famous Kentish gardeners of » quarter of a century ago, Barnes of Bromley bore an important share in making our Metro-
Sditan Ezhibitiona what they now are as displays of horticultural skiU. Some years since^ r. Barnes commenced business as a nurseryman at Oamberwell, where he mode Azaleas one of his specialities. Both as a censor, and as a member of the Floral Oommittee, he waa highly respected for the manly and straightforward expression of his opinions, and his Golleagaes will all sincerely regret to lose hia companionship^ and the benefit of his excellent and well-maturod judgment.
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1870.] ONGIDITTH YAXLOOBUK WXT. BOOSBBZL— THS OABBEN IfENTOB. 25
ONCEDIUM VARICOSUM vab. EOGERSH.
WITH AK ILLUBTBATION.
^EW species of tlie grand genus OncicUum h&ve yet been met with of a more sliowy and ornamental character than that which we now %ure, from a fine specimen which bloomed last autamn in the collection of the Messrs. Yeitch and Sons, of Chelsea. The flowers indeed are quite equal in size and beauty to those of 0, MarshalUcumm and 0. pectorcUe, while in* brilliancy of colour they far surpass those of O. macrcttUhum. The plant was introduced into this country by Dr. Eogers, of East Giinstead, after whom it has been named ; and was exhibited by him for the £rst time when just going out of flower in November, 18G8. Both 0. varicoium and the variety under notice, are naUves of Brazil, the latter differing from the former chiefly in the larger size of its flowers, and in the fewer crests developed on the disk. It is one of the more ornamental of its race, and all the more valuable for its habit of flowenng during the late autumnal months.
The habit of the plant resembles that of 0, hifoUum, The pseudobulbs are cf a long ovate form, and somewhat compressed and ribbed ; they support a pair of ligulate-lanceolate acute leaves, while from their base proceeds an ample branched nodding panicle of large yellow flowers. The sepals and petals are quite small, pale greenish-yellow, marked with brown bars. The lip is large, much crested at the base, where it is mottled with reddish brown ; it is famished with rounded basal lobes, and has a large reniform middle lobe, which is upwards of 2 in. across, divided into four lobules, and of the purest and brightest yellow. The panicles attain about a couple of feet in length, are much branched, and bear sometimes as many as 170 flowers. Like 0. varicoaum itself, this is one of the finest Oncids we have in cultivation. In gardens it bears the name of Onddium Eogersii^ but Professor Beichenbach is, no doubt, quite correct in referring it to 0. varicomm, the f our-lobed front portion of the lip affording an unmistakable characteristic.
Being a native of Brazil, it should be cultivated in the Cattleya house ; it grows freely when suspended in a basket near the roof ; and sphagnum, peat, and charcoal form a suitable compost for it. — ^M.
THE GARDEN MENTOE.
? I^EBBUABY is often subject to much rain, and snow, and to storms. When
GJlc^ weather of this description prevails, the ground is generally too wet for
working, and out-door operations should be suspended until it is in a fit
state ; but all kinds of in-door work should be prosecuted vigorously.
£iTOHXV Gabbbk. — If manuring, digging, trenching, and ridging have been
attended to in favourable weather during the autamn, the ground will now be in
a good state for cropping. A good deep soil, of such texture that it can ba
3bd bsbies.—- in. o
26 THE FL0BI8T AMD POMOLOOIST. [TMBmAMT,
worked without difficulty at any season of the year, is of great consequence in a- kitchen garden, as then good vegetables can be easily grown with ordinary attention and labour ; but when the soil is either yery light and shallow, or of a strong retentiye nature, great attention and labour are required at all seasons to obtain good crops. Strong retentive soils should be improved by the admixture of Band, ashes, and such substances as will alter their mechanical condition, while light, shallow soils should be improved by the addition, in winter, of clay and other substances to the surface, and by trenching deeper every time the soil is turned. The improvement of bad soils is a slow and tedious task, but it should be perse- vered in, otherwise the production of good vegetables can only be accomplished by the greatest care, anxiety, and labour. A few early Potatos may now be planted on a warm border or at the foot of a south wall. Lettuces^ out of frames, may also be planted on warm, sheltered borders. Cauliflowers in frames may be planted under hand-glasses ; cauliflower plants that were put into small pots in the autumn and have been kept in frames, should now be shifted into 32 or 24- sized pots, using a compost of loam and rotten dung ; if put back into the frame and encouraged to grow, they will make grand plants for putting out in a warm border next month, and will head nearly as soon as those planted out under hand- glaisses. I find this an excellent plan in our northern climate. Jerusalem Arii'- chokes may be planted in some out-of-the-way place. Horse-radish should be planted on a piece of trenched ground, in rows about 20 inches apart. Chrlie and Shallots may be planted, in rows 10 inches apart, and about 6 inches in the row. The Seakale and Rhubarb that were covered last month should be looked over, and additional covering put on if required ; some more plants should be covered for successional crops; fresh plantations may now be made. AH vacancies among Cabbages should be fiUed up, and the ground between the rows stirred ; a fresh plantation may also be made. A little soil should be drawn up to the early crops of Peas and Beans, Cucumbers and Melons sown last month should be potted off singly and returned to the hot-bed.
iSbt0 : Peas and beans twice during the month — ^the first of early sorts, and the second of second- early sorts, for sncoessional crops ; Round Spinach, Turnips, and Early Horn Carrot at the end of the month ; Radishes and Lettuces on a warm border ; a row or two of Parsley ; some Savoys and Brussels Sprouts, — it is necessary both to sow and to plant these out early, in order to have them fine and in good time in the autumn.
FoBCJiNO Houses. — Pines : K these have a nice steady bottom-heat of from 80*^ to 85°, and a night temperature — the fruiting plants of from 65° to 70°, and the succession plants of from 60° to 65°, with an increase of 8° or 10^ during the day by sun-heat — they will go on very safely through this month, A little air should be given whenever the state of the weather permits, and the fruiting plants should have water whenever they require it. — Vines: As soon as the grapes in the early house are set, thinning should be commenced without delay, before the berries drop down ; it is a bad practice to allow the berries to drop down and to swell to the size of small peas before thinning is commenced.
1670.] THB OABDSN MENTOB. 27
A night temperatare of about 65°, flactuatmg 2° or 3° above and below accord- ing to the weather, with an increase daring the day of 12° or 15° by stm-heat, mnat be maintained. Inside borders most be well watered when they require it. Stop and tie down shoots in the second house as they require it. Qive air freely whenever the weather will permit. Prepare a late house for starting in rotation. — Peaches : When the fruit is all set the trees should be syringed night and morning ; timely attention should be given to thinning the fruit, also to the disbudding and tjong down of the shoots. The temperature should now be raised to about 60° at night, at which it should be maintained until after the stoning of the fruit, and to from 65° to 70° by day, with an increase of 8° or 10° by sun-heat ; air should be admitted freely at every favourable opportunity. In the second house attend to previous directions. — Figs : These should be kept well watered ; a moist atmosphere, and a temperature of about 60°, with an increase by sun-heat, should be maintained. When the young shoots have grown five or six joints, the terminal bud should be pinched out to stop the growth, and to facilitate the formation of the second crop. — Cherries : When the fruit is set, the trees should be 83rringed overhead every fine morning. Water carefully with tepid water. — Strawberries : When a sufficient number of the best blooms have set, all the rest should be picked off, and the plants should be removed to a warmer house where they can be kept dose and moist, whilst swelling off the fruit ; give them liquid manure two or three times a week until they begin to colour, when water should be withheld, and air freely admitted. Advance sue- cessional batches in aU stages.
Habdy Fruit Gasdbn. — ^When the planting of any Fruit-trees has yet to be done, it should be proceeded with without delay. If good plants can be obtained and they are carefully planted, are well mulched, and are watered in dry weather during the spring, they may do very well ; but as the autumn is without any doubt the best time for planting, it should be done then if possible. The pruning, dressing, and nailing-in of wall trees should now be proceeded with. As the fruit crops in many places were light last year, we shall in all probability have heavy crops this season ; at present, most kinds of trees are full of buds, and promise well. Protecting materials should be got ready to hand to be appHed to Apricots^ Peaches, and Nectarines as soon as the buds begin to open. Baspherries should be pruned and tied, and have a good dressing of manure. The pruning of Gooseberry and Currant bushes should be completed forthwith.
FiiOWEB Gabden. — Plant Houses : Pelargoniums of all kinds will now require attention ; all plants requiring larger pots should be shifted, and the smaU leaves in the centre of the plants removed to admit the free circulation of air ; the plants should be kept well tied out. The Pelargonium tent at Leeds last June was well worth going a long distance to see. A few of the more forward Cinerarias should now be removed to a warmer house, they will then soon come into fiower, and will be very useful for bouquets and other ornamental purposes.
0 2
28 THB FLORIST AND POMOLOOIBT. [FlBEU^T,
Old plants of Fuchsia now started in heat will ioon break, they should then be shook oat, potted into smaller pots, and plunged in a gentle bottom heat ; when they have made some fresh roots they should be shifted into larger pots and replunged, and they will again soon require another shift, which should be a liberal one. By stopping the shoots and picking ofiP all the early flowers, large- sized plants are easily grown, and for a variety of decorative purposes during the summer these prove to be very usefuL Hard-wooded Plants should have air freely admitted in favourable weather, but cold cutting winds must be care- fully guarded against ; a night temperature of 40** is sufficient in frosty weather. Towards the end of the month the general potting of the young specimens may bo commenced ; all pots should be clean and well drained. Avoid overpotting, which is a bad practice.
Pits and Frames, — These should be well looked to dming the month to keep out damp and frosfc. Bedding plants of all kinds in store-pans should now be pott-ed ofiF, and put into a little heat. A gentle hot-bed should be got ready for cuttings of Lobelia^ Verbena^ Petunia^ Pentstemon^ Salvia^ Fuchsia^ &c. ; these, if put in at any time before the end of next month, will soon root, and make good plants before bedding-out time.
Out'Doors. — ^It is desirable that the laying of Turf, the forming or regravel- ling of walks, and all other alterations intended to be made, should be completed with as little delay as possible, so as not to interfere with the other work. The coverings of dung, leaves, or tan that were placed over the beds of hardy Bulbs should now be removed, and the soil between the bulbs stirred. All the more hardy Roses may now be pruned, but the tenderer sorts should be left until next month. The beds of Aiibrietias^ Alyssums^ Arabises^f and other spring flowering plants should be looked over, and all vacancies filled up. — ^M, Saul, Stourton,
TREE MIGNONETTE.
S a winter decorative plant, for baskets, in the house and the conservatory, this is a special favourite here, not only on account of its graceful appear- ance when grown in a tree-like form, on stems 2 ft. high, with heads from 2 ft. to 3 ft. through, but also on account of the fragrance it diffuses around. Indeed, our plants are the admiration of all who see them.
To have the plants in bloom by November, the seed should be sown by the middle of March. We use 8-in. pots, thoroughly cleaned and well drained, with a thin layer of moss over the crocks. The soil should be rather free, and put through a half-inch sieve. The pots are nearly filled, the soil gently pressed down, and a few seeds placed in the centre of each, covering them over with soil to about the thickness of the seeds. We give a good watering, and place the pots near the glass in a temperature of 60** ; if the surface is shaded until the plants make their appearance, so much the better. At this stage of their existence, the young seedlings don't relish being often watered.
1870.] CHOBOZEHA ItAWBEKGBANUK. 29
As soon as the plants are large enougli to show wluoli is the strongest, we take all the others away, and put a small stick to the one left, and to this it is tied 9a it grows, m order to keep it from breaking at the neck. When abont 6 in. liigh, it will require another shift into a 6-in. pot, observing the same care as before in regard to drainage at this and all futare pottings ; the soil, moreover, should be only chopped, and some leaf •mould, a good sprinkling of sand, and a little saoot should be well intermixed throughout the mass. A little of the soot sprinkled over the moss on the top of the drainage, will be beneficial in keeping -worms from getting into the pots during the summer.
We find 11-in. pots large enough for making fine heads. The leading stem should not be stopped until it has reached the height required, and then the six top •side shoots will be found to make a fine head if properly attended to, in rogard "to pinching and tying down to a small trellis made of wire, of the shape of on vimbreUa. In pinching out the side shoots, a psur of grape scissors will be found best, as they do not injure the stem leaves, which must be taken great care of all through. By growing in a temperature of 60°, near the glass, giving manure- water twice a week after they have filled the last pots with roots, and daily ^yringiog overhead, they will by the month of November amply repay all the labour bestowed upon them.
The same treatment applies to pjrramids, only none of the side shoots must be pinched away. We have at present (December 28) plants which, when staked* will be S ft. high, and as much through. — A. Hehdbsbon, Thoresb^.
m
CHOEOZEMA LAWRENOEANUM.
OST of the species of Cbarozema are of easy culture, and, if they aze IL well managed, but few plants make a greater di^lay of blossoms in the spring months. The contrast afforded by the showy red flowers and dark green, glossy foliage of C, Lawrenceaanm renders it a very attractive phint when weU bloomed ; but any of the species or varieties wiU do equally well vnder the treatment I am about to recommend, excepting perhaps C. Htndrmatmi, ^which is of a more delicate constitution.
A young healthy plant should hare a shift at the beginning of February. If well rooted, a pot two siies larger than the one from which it is taken may be used, but plenty of crooks, with a layer of rough, flbry peat over them, for drainage, must be provided. The soil diould consist of five parts of good fibroas peat, to one part of loam, and to this must be added sufficient silver sand to ensure that the water wiU pass freely through when applied in watering. The plants should be potted firmly, and placed in a light airy situatian in the greenhouse, near ihe glass. The roots must be kept in a healthy state as to moisture, by giving ^ater only when necessary, but in doing this, thoroughly soak the baU of earth, Jor if efficient dxaiuage has been provided, there will be but litMe duDget of over- vratering a healthy plant. By the middle of July, if all has gone well, another
30 THE FL0BI8T AND POMOLOGIBT. [Fbbeuaby
sliif fc will be required. The soil is to be used in the same proportion as above recommended^ and the plants treated in every way as previously directed, until the middle of August, when it should be placed in the open air, well exposed to the 'sun, for about six weeks, after which it should again be returned ta the greenhouse, and treated as before. One shift in the season will be all that will be required, after the first year, and this should be given as soon as the blooming period is over. — Eesby Chilman, Somerley Gardens*
MOTHS AND CATERPILLARS.
ABDENE&S 6fd fiec^Bsanly entomologists, even though their knowledge of
insect life may not, in many cases, be at all of a scientific character, since
they have always a too thorough practical acquaintance with the insect
world, as illustrated by its depredations — under which category the habits
of the moths or rather their larvss gain for them a prominent position. We hail,
therefore, with much pleasure the appearance of an authoritative work on the
subject,* by one of the most painstaking and practical of British entomologists, a
work which is so fully and beautifully illustrated that by its use there can be
littie or no difficulty in identifying the British insects of the moth family, by
their portraits. Such a work as this, popular in style, sound in its teachings,
prepared with the most scrupulous exactitude, and as we have' said, most
oharmingly illustrated, is exactly adapted to meet the wants of the gardening
community, to whom it may be most heartily and confidently recommended.
The subject is one of considerable scope, and in dealing with it, the author,
Mr. Newman, takes up the insects, in order, by their several families, giving of
each a fauniliar description, in which the characteiistics both of the moth and
the caterpillar are noted, and its habits and pasturage are pointed out. The
engravings which accompany these descriptions are literally studies of the several
insects, and are perfect marvels of art in regard to the effect brought out by
mere black and white figures. 8ome two or three of these engravings we are
enabled to subjoin, through the courtesy of the publisher, and we cannot,
therefore, give a better notion of the high quality of the book than by quoting
the passages which refer to them. Here is the account of the Goat Moth : —
" So called from the caterpillar having a very pungent disagreeable smell, like that of a he- goat. Fore-wings rich brown, beantlhilly yaried and mottled, the darker markings being dis- persed in waved lines, placed transversely to the rays ; hind-wings pale dingy brown, having markings something like those on the fore-wings, but loss distinct ; antenne slightly fringed throughout in both sexes, dark brown ; head also dark brown, with a nearly white ring round the neck ; thorax dark brown in front, shaded to whitish-grey in tiie middle, and having a rather narrow blaok band behind ; body brown and grey in idtemate rings. Caterpillar, flesh- coloured, with a black head and broad dull red stripe down the back. Feeds on the solid wood of willows, elms, oaks, lilacs, and other trees, living for four years. It has caused the death of many valuable elms ; and a small beetle (JScolyha destructor) breeding abundantly in tibe bark of the dying trees, the injury has been erroneously attributed to this beetle, and not to the true
* An lUuttraM Jfoimxa HUiory of BrUUk Motht, with liftMxt Jtgwru fnm natwrt ttf wh tptetu, Bj Edward Newman, F.L.S., F2.S. London: W. Tweedle, 887 Strand. Large 8ro, pp. 406, with upwards of
TOOflgOTM,
UOTHS AND CATEBFILLABB.
euiae, which feeding and cuiTing â–¡â–¡ its work of deTistution out ol sight, has twopftd the notice of snperflcial obBcrvora. Before chuigiiig to a. ahrywliB it spins a veiy large tongh cocoon, eompoeed of silk mixed with fragments of gnawed wood, Thig cBteipiQar ia ttie OMmit of Fliny and ttie Boinan eiHcuniB. The ecientific name is Cdmiui tiyniptrda.
The Qoat Moth belongs to the ZeozeridK, a family of Kocturni. That which we now torn to u one of the Hoctaa group, and ia called the Uarvel-da-Jour. The account of this beantifol moth ia aa follows :—
" The pelin are pointed at the tips ; the antannn limple, bnt lather atoiiler in the male ; the lare-wings are pale gnen, onuimented with block and whits markinga, the black markings often forming something liks a median band ; the discoidal spots am distinct, and always white, with green centres bonnded by bUuk ; the hiod-wingB are smoky black, with a darker discoidal spot, a lighter median transierse line, and a broad marginal while line ; the fringe is mnoke-colonr, with six white spots ; the head and thorax hsie the same coloor aa the fore- wingi ; the body is smoke-eolonr, slightly paler at the base.
" The head of the caterpillar ia shining and of a greenish-grey colour, with a black cross resembltng the letter X on the face, tbe body stent, cylindrica), and of a gTeenish-grBy, some- timea tiagid with red ; the donal area is dark and iotetmpled by a series of lozenge-shajxtd
markings of tlie same pale grej-green, which is the general ground oolonr ; there is a pale (rtripo in the region of the spirades, bounded above by a somewhat darker stripe. It feeds on tho oak (tiuercui Aii6ur), and is full-fed in June, when it deecends the trunk, and entering the earth oonstmcts an earthen coooon a oonsideTsblo depth beneath the surface, and therein changes to a chrysalis, of which Mr. Greene says, < It occurs in tho utmost profnsion. I have taken as many as twenty at one time. This will be one of the first cbrysaUds found by the beginner ; nothing can be easier ; merely turn np the earth and break it, and they will tumble out of their btjttlo cocoons in plenty.'
" This extremely beautifa] moth appears on the wing in October, and ia very common in England and Scotland, alio in the counties of Dublin and Wicklow in Inland. The scientiflo name Is AgricpU Aprilina,''
In this pleasant and familiar style the reader iriU gather particnlara of many a garden rars^er, and hj means of the fignres may recognize his enemies, and so
32 THIS FLOBIST AKD POUOLOOIST. [FBBauAET,
to some extent perhaps be helped to mitigate the plague. Among others, he 'vnH learn about the Winter Moth, with its apterous female, whose lannss is espeoiaUy destructive to plum trees ; the Currant Moth, the caterpillar of which feeds on the gooseberry and black currant ; the handsome Tiger Moth, whose larvsB have a taste which is ubiquitous, and an appetite described as voracious ; the Leopard Moth, whose caterpillar bores up the stems of fruit trees, as apples, pears, &c. ; the Antler, notorious for the injury it does in grass lands ; the Vapourer, whose dainty teeth lately attacked the Pelargoniums at Hardwicke ; the Cabbage Moth, the Turnip Moth, vdth many others, for which we refer to the book itself, which forms a handsome volume, well printed, elegantly bound, and fit to ornament any drawing-room table. It would have been a convenience had Mr. Newman given us a brief synopsis of the classification adopted, and made his adjective names less prominent in the index ; but these are small blemishes in a work of such jgeneral excellence. — M.
OAENATIONS AND PICOTEES.
|FTEB many years of neglect^ these charming flowers have <^ late considerably revived in public estimati<»i, and now they are cultivated largely by private growers for cut flowezs as well as for exhibition. To the show sorts have now to be added what are called Tree or Perpetual- blooming Carnations ; and since the rage for button-hole bouquets, i.e., choice ifiowers for gentlemen's coats, these latter have been very much grown, as they force easily ; and if not to be compared in beauty or in quality with the ohaste show varieties, are, at least, bright and pleasing, and have the same delicate and justly-prized perfume.
There is still another class to be added, viz., the Cloves, which are of many shades, from pure white, to rose, scarlet, crimson, purple, maroon, &c. These produce only one head of bloom in the season, like ordinary Carnations and Picotees ; but they are generally robust growers, and succeed with ordinary culture, making excellent border plants, while for furnishing cut flowers they are most valuable.
Though the Tree Carnations will force more easily than Cloves, Carnations, or Picotees, yet these latter, if they are grown in medium-sized pots, and are well established in them, can be brought into bloom much earlier than is generally supposed : that is, if they are grown in a well-ventilated pit or small greenhouse, with gentle heat at firsts which may be increased as the season advances.
As regards the choice or exhibition varieties of Carnations and Picotees, those we now possess are as silk compared with cotton by the side of flowers that held a foremost place twenty-five years since ; but there have been no opportunities for placing them before^ the public, since the London shows are generally over before they bloom. From the admiration excited by those shown at the Boyal Hor- ticultural Society's Show at Manchester, it is easy to conjecture what would be
mo.}
THE CAUSE OF FAILUBB IN THE FBUTT CBOP OF 1869.
33
the result if similar collectionB were placed before the pabHc more frequently ; and as the Boyal Horticultural Society go to Oxford — a city that is a nest of old florists — ^in July next, at what is usually the height of the Carnation and Picotee bloom, it may be fadrly anticipated that we* shall there see, to some extent at least, a reyival of olden times.
The culture of these plants has been so f uUy and plainly given in former Yolumes of the Flobist, that it is unnecessary to repeat it here. There is very little difference made as regards their treatment at the present day, though perhaps they are not quite so much nursed as formerly. Subjoined is a list of the best yariedes in their different classes. — Obasleb Tubnbb, Slough,
Show Cabitaiions.
Scarht Bizarret, Dreadnought. Lord Rancliffe. WimamPHt
Orimaon Bizarr€$. Anthony Dennia. Colonel North. Eccentric Jack.
The Lamplighter.
Pink ffPurph Bizarre. Falconbridge.
BoseFlaket, Flora's Garland. King John Rose oi Stapleford.
Scarlet Fhkes. Annihilator. Oradley Pet. William Oowper,
Jhtrple Flakes, Dr. Foster. Earl of Stamford. Florence Nightingale. True Blue.
Tbkb Gabnaxcoxs. Admiration. Beauty. Bonle de Fen. Bride. Brilliant. Hector.
Henshaw's Scarlet. Lee*B Scarlet.
Oscar. Rembrandt. The Dragon. Valiant.
CiiOTB Cabnatiohs.
Bride.
Qaribaldi.
Glory.
Prijocess Alices
Queen of Whites.
Snowflake.
True Old Grimson.
Show Picoxbbs.
RidrEdgtd.
Colonel Clerk.
Exhibition.
Forester.
Lord Yalentia. Miss Turner. Mrs. R. Hole.
Purph-Edged, GhAymede. Jessie. Lady Elcho. Admiration. Nimrod. Picco.
Rose and Scarlet-
Edged. Lucy.
Miss SewelL Miss Williama. Miss Wood. Mrs. Fisher. Mia. Rollings.
THE CAUSE OF FAILUKE IN THE FRUIT CROP OF 1869.
HE very general failure of the diEerent Fruit Crops througlioat ike United Kingdom and several parts of the Contiaent, has called forth the opinions of many distinguished horticulturists as to the cause of so extensive a mishap, with a view to ascertain whether and in what respect our treatment has been defective. After such a season as that of 1868, which apparently ripened and matured the wood and fruit-buds to perfection, such unloo]£ed-for deficiencies are certainly the more vexing, and leave some knotty questions to be settled.
I liave read with much interest, as they have appeared, the various remarks relating to this subject in the different gardening publications, and I observe that the prevailing opinion is that the nonrfrnctification of the blossoms was owing to unfavourable weather at the commencement of the year, and during the flowering period. This may, to a certain extent, be correct ; but with the use of orohaxd, peach, and apricot houses, the trees being under glass, and the buds so perfectly developed, the state of the weather outside should not have occasioned so general a failure. It is by no means uncommon in the early forcing of peach houses, in
I
34 THS 7L0BZ8T AND POMOLOOI8T. [FSBEUAET,
tlus nortlieni part of Britain, to have nnfayoorable weather daring tlie whole flowering period ; nevertlieless, good crops are generallj obtained. I therefore oondade that the assumed nnfayoorableness of the weather daring the early stages of growth, coald not have been the sole caose of the failure. I am much rather inclined to beliere that it was owing to the excessive dryness of the soil at the roots, and the entire absence of dew in the previous summer, which prevented the proper secretions from being stored up in the embryo fruit-buds, which, although to all appearance unusually full and perfect, were in reality not so, since they lacked stored-up enei^ — such energy as a barren tree may generally be seen to possess, while it is wanting in one carrying an over-abundant crop of fruit. Where liberal waterings were not resorted to, the trees had a hard struggle to supply both fruit and foliage through so long a drought, and all the more so where a vegetable crop covered the surface of the border.
The Apple crop here, as in most other places, has been a failure, the exceptions being those sorts that bore little or no fruit the previous season : this fact furnish- ing another proof of the effects of stored-up energy in the buds in promoting the powers of fruition. These strong and well-stored buds seemed to escape the ravages of caterpillars, which so generally attacked the weaker ones, that at the time of flowering very few perfect blossoms were to be seen, most of them having two or three petals deficient.
Both Peaches and Apricots set their fruit well, and bore good crops. Much of this success I attribute to two liberal waterings given to the roots duxii^ the dry period of 1868. The peach- wall border is never cropped, and has a drainage of 18 in. depth of stones aU over, the soil being not more than 20 in. deep. The roots are coaxed as near the surface as possible by forking in, about 4 in. deep, good layers of weU-rotted dung every second or third year. The Apricot border is cropped generally with kidney beans and ashleaf kidney potatos alternately. The roots are here also near the surface, the trees having been all root-lifted, and encouraged upwards, by baring the roots and applying good coats of manure. The vegetable crop showed exactly, during the diy weather, how far the tree roots extended. This gave me the first hint that both trees and vegetables required watering, and immediately a thorough soaking was given, followed by another about three weeks afterwards. The same was also done in the case of other waU trees, where the borders were otherwise cropped.
I find, upon examining my note-book, that the first expanded flower of Apricot on the open wall in 1869 was seen on February 12, being ten days earHer than in any former year registered. We seldom use any other covering than old herring nets put on double. The crop gathered this season was between 400 and 600 dozen. I had the crop reduced, however, much below the average because some of the trees had been recenUy root-lifted, and had not fully regained their vigour the previous season.— J. Wbbbtbe, Gordon Castle.
1870.1 AQXTATIGS.^-OHAPTEB I. 95
AQUATICS.— Chapter I.
.;,S^ATEiE Plants, usually termed Aquatics, are particularly interesting,
IXJ wjietlier viewed as a grand natural and comprehensive group, or taken individually. This wiU be all the more apparent when their various peculiarities, and also their adaptation for ornamenting our stoves, conservatories, lakes, or ponds are closely observed. While some few cultivators, amateurs and others, give their partial attention to a very limited number, the greater portion are passed by unheeded, and thus our gardens are deprived of some of their most attractive ornaments. Some of these Water Plants need only an area of a few inches for their accommodation, while others occupy a considerable space when perfectly developed. I propose to point out, under their respective heads, the requirements of each, including stove, greenhouse, and hardy kinds, and to add cultural notes and remarks on the curious habits of some quaint members of this extraordinary family.
The above remarks apply also in part to what I shall here term " Amphi- bious Plants," — ^plants suitable for fringing the margins of ponds, lakes, pools, or meres. I am not aware that these plants have hitherto been treated of, as a fleparate group, but they are very effective when judiciously placed, and might be termed sub-aquatic or swamp plants, though the term I have selected is the most expressive. This latter group may serve to remind us vividly of the autumnal rustling of hosts of swallows among our own native reeds at eventide. Anon we are on the banks of the Nile amongst the tall and stately stems of the papyrus, lotus, and bullrush, the favourite resort of the ibis, the pelican, and the widgeon.
Take, for instance, the Aponogeton distachyon^ a plant that has existed in our gardens since 1788, in which year it was received from the Gape, and which is sufficiently attractive to merit a place in every garden, as the following remarks will show : — ^The flowers are produced on a forked spike, about three inches in length, and are of snowy whiteness, having the appearance of imbricated scales of shell-like consistency, with a tuft of jet black anthers at the base of each, and exhaling copiously the delicious perfume of the hawthorn. While the flowers rise just above the surface of the water, the leaves, which are from 6-in. to 15-in. long, by 1-in. wide, lie flat upon the surface, and are of a bright glossy green. The root-stock is an oblong tuber, two inches long, of a reddish-brown colour.
This Aponogeton^ which is very nearly allied to the Ouvirandra fenestralis^ of Madagascar, is not very frequently met with, notwithstanding its many recom« mendations. As to culture, it would be difficult to place it where it would not flourish, if it were only put into the water. It has been observed in the month of January almost covering a large pond with a profusion of its lovely blossoms, and when thus planted no frost will kill it. When the water is shaded by large trees it flowers just as well. It also thrives beautifully when planted in con- servatory or greenhouse tanks, and appears quite at home there. When grown
36 THB FLOBm AXD POMQLOGIST. 4 {VwamnAMTr
in the stoye, it bloomy in the same prof asion, only the foliage and flowers are lai^er. The flowering season generallj lasts from January till April, when it lemainB dormant for a short time, and then leeommences to grow, and continoea to flower till the end of the sommer.
For compost use good pore yellow loam. It can be grown in pots, where it is not couTenient to plant ifc oat. For Tery small gardens it may be grown in an earthenware pan or tab sunk in the ground to the level of the grass, with the turf slightly raised for a foot or so rocmd the margin ; thus placed, it has a par- ticularly neat appearance, as nothing is seen but the plant and the water in which it grows.
The Aponogeton nunumtackyan is a natiTC of the East Indies, and producea pink flowers, but requires a stoya ; in general habit it resembles the last, but the leaves are smaller, and the flower-spike is undirided. It is well worth cultiyating.
The A. anguitifoUum^ sent from the Gape in 1788, and producing white flowers, appears to be lost to the country. A, crispunij of Oeylon, has also dis* appeared ; it has white flowers, and must not be confounded with the Patamogeion erispwn of our ponds and riyers. The Cape A.juneeum, formerly in the collection o£ the Messrs. Knight and Perry, of Ohelsea, does not now appear to be in cultiya* tion in this country. Those who haye correspondents in Oeylon, or at the Gape, would do well to try to reintroduce the three laet-named species.— 'W. BuoKXiBr^ Tooting.
NEW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
OOD Fruits and good Vegetahlse are folly as important as good fiowere— if not indeed more so ; hence we are not disposed to join in the chorus of complaint which is often heard as to the oyerwhelming supply of noyelties^ or supposed noyalties, by which, it is affirmed, the unwary are not infre- quently taken in and mulcted. Good old tilings are not indeed to be lightly cast aside ; they should be held firmly till something better is safe in hand, but in these progressiye days there is and must be a striying eyerywhere for improye- ment, and it is the efforts thus made towards progression — ^not always, it may be true, crowned with success— which giye us the flood of noyeltiee complained of. From amongst these, howeyer, it is indeed odd if some real gain is not annually secured, — a mere gradation it may be in most cases, as to size, quality, or pro- dnctiyeness, but here and there showing that an entirely new yein has been struck. The past year has not been so prolific of noyelties in the way of Fruits, as some of its predecessors. This may in some degree be accounted for by the uncon* genial nature of the luring of 1869, which had a most disastrous effect upon frnit crops generally.
Oommencing with the Grape, the king of fndts, we have to welcome, as a SEtandaid lake white Grape, Mr. W. Thomaon's WhiU Laefy Doume's, a yariety poBMnng all the good quaHtiea of its bbwk parent, the well-known Lady Downe'a
1870.] KBW FBTTTTS AKD YmGfETASLEB. 87
Seedling. Mr. Pearson, of Ohilwell, may also be complimented on his success in hybridizing the scented Strawberry Grape with our better-flavoured European Tarieties— an important preliminary step, though the hybrids obtained are not large either in bunch or berry, since they possess the true Strawberry scent of the parent, and are very pleasantly flavoured, especially one which is now called M. de Lesseps, Then we have, from Mr. Melville, of Dalmeny Park, another scented grape, called the Perfumed Muscat, which in appearance somewhat resembles a small Muscat of Alexandria, and is very pleasantly flavoured. A curious sport from the Citronelle, with striped berries, resembling, in the peculiarity of its colouring and marking, the old Aleppo or variegated Ohasselas, has been seen at one of the E^unngton meetings.
New Melons are generally plentiful, but there are few more flnely-flavoured or more distinct than Mr. Gilbert's Burghleff Crreenrflesked has proved itself to be ; while the new Italian variety, Triompke de Ntce^ is also of fine quality.
Among Stone Fruits, We have acquired — of Apricots, Golden Drop, a small very oarly sort ; and New Large Early, a very decided improvement on the old form. Peaches jrield a good useful variety in Large Early Mignonne^ ripening about a wedk earlier than the Early Grosse Mignonne ; aud of Nectarines^ Lord Napier is an early sort, of first-rate quality, raised from a stone of the Early Albert Peach. These all; come from Mr. Bivers' establishment. Of Plums we have a valuable addition, aaan early dessert fruit, in Dry's Seedling^ a large, roundish-oval, reddish- purple variety, very pleasantly flavoured.
Dessert Applet have yidded little novelty. To Mr. Lawrence, of Chatteris, we owe a very pleasing addition to winter dessert fruit in Mrs. Wardy one of the most sprightly-flavoured, pleasant, and beautiful little Apples yet introduced, having the appearanoe of a Court of Wick, with the colour of the Scarlet Non- pareil, from, which it was raised. Of this we have given a wood-cut. We may also notice, as a pretty ornamental sort, rivalling the Pomme d' Api in beauty, and of good quality into the bargain, an accidentally-crossed seedling of the Bed Siberian Crab, raised by Mr. Jenniugs, and to be called the Fairy Apple. This we hope to figure next month. In Pears^ though many varieties have been brought forward, all have fallen short in point of flavour, for which, perhaps, the season is mainly to blame.
Small Fruits have furnished McLaren* s Prelific Raspberry, a double-bearing, large red variety, producing enormous crops on the young shoots ; its chief merit thus being its lateness. Black Currants have given us in Lee's Prolific Black a sort larger and better than the Black Naples, and one which possesses the merit of hanging flrmly on the bushes for a long time after getting ripe. Finally, to wind up with a honne^bouche^ we gain in Strawberries, the Ascot Pine^apple ci Messra. Standish and Co., a very highly-flavoured early sort, having all the chainioffcerisiics of La Oonstante, but being much earlier.
In the Vegetafaile department im{MM>vemen.t has hitherto been mainly effected
88 THE FL0SI8T AND POMOIiOGIBT. [Fibruakt,
by careful Belection of the general stock ; bat now the hand of the hybridizer is upon them, and, in Peaa especially, a great revolation has been effected. In Messrs. Garter's Cook* 8 Favourite^ of which we gave a figore at p. 17, we hare one promising addition. In PotcUoSj Mr. Fenn*s Rector of Woodstock^ an early round variety of first-class excellence, is a sterling acquisition ; and Mr. Turner's Beaconsfield Kidney is a large and beautiful, dear-skinned tuber, of fine quality. The American yarieties, of which so much was expected, have proved of but little value. In Salad roots, Messrs Veitch and Sons' Chelsea Beet has rarely been sur- passed for uniformity of growth and sweetness of flavour. In Lettuces^ the SugarloafiB an improved variety of the Brown, or Bath Cos. In Oueumbers, the winner of the past year's race was Blue Chwn, a long, handsome, black-spined variety, of fine quality and prolific habit, now in Mr. Turner's hands.^»B.
GOODYERA DAWSONIANA.
[OW that this beautiful-leaved gem has fiowered, we are enabled to give it its proper station amongst the Goodyercu, It was temporarily named AncectocMlus Dawsomanus by Professor Beichenbaoh while in leaf only, but I have no doubt that when he sees the flowers he will correct the nomenclature. No Ancectochiltu yet in cultivation, not even the beautiful A. Lowii^ can outrival this beauteous-leaved plant ; and when to beauty of foliage is added the grace and enchantment of a hyaointh-hke spike of flowers, white as snow, one can well understand how captivating such a plant must be to all who have plant stoves. Another decided advantage it possesses is its easy way of grow- ing under ordinary cultivation. As a rule, each Ancectochilue has a little artificial atmosphere for itself enclosed by a bell-glass, but this thrives far better without any coddling of the kind. Its fine foliage becomes of an intenser hue of dark velvety brown, or to keep to more precise terms of description, dark umber^brown, when left exposed to the ordinary run of a stove atmosphere, and as a consequence the texture of the leaf is much firmer, and less liable to get injured either by in- ferior cultivation, or what is attended often with fatal effects, a continuance of dark days. The principal lines of venation are singularly beautiful, being as sharp and prominent as if struck with a line dipped in a mixture of crimson and gold, while the inferior venation lines radiate in all directions from the centre line. It seems to get along well under the ordinary food treatment given to Indian orchids. Sphagnum and sand, with a lump or two of fibry peat intermixed, answer admirably as a compost for it.
The inflorescence consists of a stout spike, rearing its head considerably in advance of the foliage. Strong phmts will throw up spikes from a foot to fifteen inches in height. Its pedicels are white and hairy, with brownish ovate sheaths, and the individual fiowers are pure white in every part, with the exception of the extremity of the column, which is yeUow. The singular characteristic of the flower IB that the dorsal sepal and two petals are connate, and being bo connected, form
1870.] THB AKATEim'S PAOB. 39
a sort of hood over the coltunn. Tho two inferior sepals^ as if intended by Nature to correct the outline, are arched backwards and upwards, and at first look as if they were the ordinary petals. The labellum is spathulate, rolled up in a retroise man- ner, and set in an angular direction from the centre ; the column takes the pecu- liarity of being in the opposite angular direction from the line of the labellum. It might almost, looking at cognate species, be considered a morphological curiosity, with these parts arranged in almost mathematical precision. As it is, all the parts of the flower seem to be, to use a popular phrase, at sixes and sevens with one another. It is sure to become even more popular than it now iB.-^AXBB Andebsoit, Meadow Bank,
THE AMATEUR'S PAGE.
ESUMING my remarks on the Chtysanthemum (see p. 21), I advise that when the young plants are pretty well rooted, and a short time before they are shifted into larger pots, they should have their first stopping, because upon attention to this operation depends the chance of obtaining dwarf plants with healthy foliage down to the pots. The reason is, that if left unstopped they will run up with long naked stems, having a bunch of foliage and flowers at the top,— -beautiful enough in themselves certainly, but ill calcu- lated for use as decorative plants for the amateur's purposes. Pinching-back or stopping becomes then an imperative necessity. The amateur, therefore, on receiving his cutting plants, should ascertain if they have had their first stopping, and if not, it should be done at once, in order to induce the lower buds to break. When these buds are to be perceived, and the roots are well forward, the plants will be in the best possible condition for shifting into larger pots. To make this operation of pinching-back still plainer to the tyro, I would observe, that supposing the plants to be from 5 in. to 6 in. long, with good foliage, it will be safe to reduce them one-half, or so as to leave a short stem with four good leaves upon it, as near the surface of the pot as possible. That will be a good start. It is here that we find the advantage of soft-wooded spring cuttings, in preference to the harder wood of the autumn, for if the latter were headed back so closely there would be no foliage ; and they would be longer in breaking, which, if their use is unavoidable, implies the necessity for commencing with them earlier in the season.
The pots required will be those of 5-in., 6-ia., and 8-in. diameter ; these are quite large enough for any amateur's purposes. The first shift from the cutting pot should be into a 5-in. pot. The operation of shifting is very simple ; let the new pot be well drained by placing a hollow-sided crock over the drainage-hole, then a little handful of smaller broken crocks over it, and over that a little moss ; turn the plant out of the pot by inverting it on the left hand as before described, and after carefully removing the crocks, calculate how deep it will go into the new pot, into which place sufficient soil, so that when the 1)all is placed
40 THX FLORIST AND POMOLOOI8T. [Fcbbuabt,
thereon the snrf ace will be level with* or latiier above, the rim of the pot ; put in soil around the sides of the ball, and placing both thumbs on the surface of the ball, lift the pot, and give it some smart blows on the bench ; this and the pressure of the thumbs will consolidate the soil, and leave room for water at the surface. Let the plants be then returned to the frame, and gently watered, but not drenched. They should have the glass drawn over them at night, and iu bad weather, but free exposure should be permitted in fine weather during the day. From early in June they should have free exposure day and night.
From the end of May until the end ol the first week in Jidy^ the plants will require almost daily attention to pinching-back the strongest shoots as they start into free growth. As a rule, it will be safe to let them grow about three inches, and then take one inch off the top. After the first week in July, pinching-back must cease altogether, otherwise there will be no bloom.
Early in June the plants should be sufficiently rooted to be ready for a shift into 6-in. pots, previous to which a level piece of ground should be selected iu-a sheltered situation, but open to the sun, and covered with a good layer of finely- sifted coal-ashes, pressed down with the foot, and raked leveL Having performed the operation of shifting, as before recommended, place the pots quite level, about 6 in. apart, on the coal ashes. Daily attention to watering will now be the principal care, and this should never be neglected, because the tendency of dryness at the root is to harden the lower part of the stem, and cause all the lower leaves to fall off. Should mildew appear on the leaves, as is often the case in moist seasons, it may be kept down by timely dustings with sulphur. In a month's time, or say after the final stopping in the first week of July, the plants should be ready for the final shift into 8-in. pots, in which they must be left to bloom. — John Cox, Redleaf,
PANSIES FOR SPRING BEDDING.
F all the members of the British Flora, thwe is not one that has been improved upon to a greater extent, nor one that is more prone to improve yet further, than the Pansy — Viola tricolor. The Pansy contains all the necessary qualifications to render it emphatically a useful plant. It is hardy, and will succeed in almost every situation ; it is free in growth, and easily obtained and propagated ; and it produces its flowers in innumerable quantities at a season of the year when they are most appreciated. This flower therefore should occupy a prominent position in every garden, more especially where spring bedding is carried on.
The Pansy, too, is exceedingly valuable, on account of its great diversity of colours^ almost all of which are duly represented by some of its members. It is true there are no reds or crimsons yet ; but the time may soon come when every ahade of colour required for extensive spring bedding will be found in this charm- ing flower. At present we are only oompelled to call in other families to fiU up
1870.] AOATE HOBBIDA. 41
the yaeamcy caused by tlie alxieaoe of red or crimson. We kare, however, in it a great variety of colour, suflScient to form very pvetty designs, without the assistanoe of any other plant; and a garden well laid out with blue, purple, yellow, and white pansies would have a most charming appearance during the early months of the year. I shall now mention the best and most distinct of the bedding varieties, selecting those which will be sure to give satisfaction.
Among the blues we have Imperial Blue^ and Trentham or Cliveden Blue^ the former producing fine bold flowers veiy freely, of a deep gentian-blue colour, the latter quite a light blue, but Hie freest to flower of all the bedding varieties. It is, in fact, never out of flower ; even at the present time (January), it is a mass of colour, but in February, March, April, and May it may be seen in perfection.
Among the Yellows we have several to select from, viz., Trtntham^ or Cliveden Yellow, Sunset, and Cloth of Chid; but as I am to recommend only the best, the first-named must be ^liscarded, though I do not l&e turning off old friends. Sunset is a very fine deep sulphur-coloured flower, of good form and great substance, and flowen freely, but not so early nor so freely as Oloth of Gold, which in my estimatfiaDKL is the best yellow pansy ever raised. It is a fine bold flower, of a bright Asqp yellow colour, with a jet black centre, and is exceedingly conspicuous when in blocuL
Among the Puxples, l3ie Trentham^ or Cliveden Purple, supersedes aU others by its early-floweril^ caplkbilities, its free growth, and the long continuance of its flowers ; these are reiy Isrge, of great substance, and of a rich velvety purple.
The Trentham White and Cfreat Eastern represent the beet of the white bedders. The flrSt-iunned I prefer, although the flowers are not so laige as those of the latter, for the habit is better, and more in unison with that of those previously mentioned. The flowers are of a delicate, creamy-white colour, very freely produced, and it continues in bloom a long time. The latter produces very large flowers in great profusion, but is not so pure in colour as the Trentham or Cliveden White. — ^A. L P., Tottenham.
^'
AGAVE HORRIDA.
*E haH with much satisfaction the signs of a revival of the taste for suc- culent plants in general, and for such striking groups as those of Aloe and Agave in particular. Many of these latter, to which we would now more especially refer, are amongst the flnest objects which can be desired for decorative gardening, being well adapted for prominent positions in greenhouse conservatories during the winter, and for terrace gardens during the summer ; whilst a succulent house, in which a collection of such objects can be grown, becomes a paradise for the plant lover.
Amongst those of recent aequisition, the Ag(W4 horrida, i£nd its vasriety teemor^ may be noted as objeois of interest for ihoee who may desire to oomnMnce the fonoation of a collection of pUmtes grmses^ or may widi to inoreaee oii« already
THE FLOBIBT AMD POHOIiOOIBT.
in ezutence. The figures, which we are enabled to introdnoe through the ooutteay of Mr. lAnrentiaa, of Lupzig, and which have been prepared from drawings by Mr. I^tieme, of that tnty, conTsy a better idea of thdr charaoters than
anj word-painting conld do ; but we may add that A. hori-ida itself (fig. 1) is a dwarf, stemless species, with broad oval-lanceolate, somewhat conoave, leaves, which grow rosette-like, and are about 4 in. long, and from 1} in. to 2 in. broad at the widest part, of a lively and tender green, tennioating each in a long, stont,
AOAYE BOBBIDA.
dark, chestmnt-coloDi^d spiny point, and armed along tlie deep maroon-brown margina with large Emd somewhat inegnlar, hooked, dark-coloured thorns. The variety lavtor (fig. 2) has lather loi^^r and natrower leareB, of a pale green, with
fewer and more slender marginal thoma, the margins, thorns, and terminal epines being, moreover, chestnut-coloured, changing to a silver grey. Both are free growerB, and are decided acquisitions amongst plant* of this character.
44 THE FLOSIST AND POMOLOOIST. [FlBBUAmr.
We leam from Mr. Lasraxtiiu, who cnltiTates for sale an extensiye collaction of Agaves and allied plants, that be acqtiired, in the antnmn of 1868, the stock of these two forms of Agave horrida from Mr. Besserer, by whom th«y had been discovered in, and introdaced from, Mexico, a country which has furnished us with many fine species of this most beautiful and interesting genus. The name of Agave horrida has, we understand, been confirmed by (General Jaoobi, the learned monographer of this interesting family. — ^M.
NEW PLANTS OF 1869. pNTINUING our brief enumeration of the Kew Phints of 1869, we next ^ come to the group of Stove Plants, of which it must be said that their name is legion. We commence with those of climbing habit, amongst which occur two Nicaraguan species of vine of a very ornamental character, namely, ViUe jaoalensis^ with cordate velvety green leaves, and oompound cymes of bright scarlet flowers ; and F. chontalensis, with trifoliolato brigktgieen leaves, and a great profusion of scarlet flowers. Cohceapenduliflora^fToai the noontains of Garao- cas, is a slender graceful climber, with the edge of the ballHithaped eorollas divided into five long strap-shaped wavy lobes. Passiflora LaumomaiM^ a garden hybrid, has ovate-oblong leaves, and handsome reddish flowers, with this corona white at the base, and banded with purple above. Of shrubby habit, wse have Chdoya Bplendida^ from Columbia, a noble plant, with large pinnate leaves, ladaccording to M. Linden, pure white fragrant flowers as large as lilies, arranged in a vidnster thyrse. Posoquera muWflora^ from Brazil, is another magnificent sfarub, with broad leathery leaves, and large white fragrant flowers, having a slender t«be iear inches long. Delostotna dentatumj from Ecuador, Is a bignoniaoeous shidk, «Ml large foliage, and erect racemes of large sub-campanulate blush-white tox-^Wwj like flowers. Codiceum (or Croton) variegatum Hookerianum is a shrub of remsdcable beauty, with the larg?, smooth, elliptic dark-green leaves marked along the centre rib with a vandyked band of deep yellow ; it comes from Erromango. Turning to soft-wooded subjects, Begonia Sedeni, a garden hybrid, with some of the blood of 6. boliviensLS, and bearing a profusion of rich carmine-crimson flowers, is one of the most showy of its race, and a most decided acquisition. FittorUa giganUa resembles the old Fittonia (Qymnostachyum) Verschaffeltii, in form and mark- ing, but is altogether of larger growth ; it is an Ecuador species. Drymonia turialvjB^ from Ecuador, is of erect habit, with tetragonal stems, robust buUate glistening leaves, shaded with reddish brown, and tubular pale-yellow axillary flowers. Eranthemum Andersoni, alias elegans, an Indian plant, introduced by way of Trinidad, is a remarkably florif erous ornamental acanthad, its white flowers, with crimson-spotted lower lip, being produced for a long time in succession from the same spikes, Bertolonia or MomUma priwulafiora, from Ecuador, is % charming dwarf herb, with lustrous dark-green leaves, nestling in the open centre of which come a profusion of xosy-pink flowers on short jedundos, P^^romia
1870.] KBW TLLST6 OF 1869. 4S
wgjfrea vcariegata is a Belgian yarieiy, vexaaTkable for its wbite-iaargiiied leaves ;
and P. Versohaffeltii, from Brazil, lias the ovate-oordate leaves marked by longi-
tadinal silvery crystalline glittering bands. Pandanus Veiichii is a vigorons-
giovring Soutb-Sea Islands plant, with the broad leaves handsomely striped with
white. DraccBfUi magmfica^ obtained from the Solomon Isles, is one of the finest
of aU the Draossnas, the habit being bold, the leaves remarkably broad, oblong,
and erect, and the oolotxr a beantifol soft bronzy-red, margined with rosy-red.
D, excelsa, from the Sonth-Sea Isles, another fine decorative plant, is something
of the^ same character as regards colours, but has longer and more spreading
leaves. Heliconia densiflora^ grown in the gardens of the Paris Moseum, and
introduced from Guiana, bears fine ooral-red bracts, supporting orange-yellow
flowers ; while H, glauca, also South American, has tern-green leaves^ yiellowish
spathes, and green flowers with the rachis and pedicels red. Maranta virginalis
major and M. princeps are two grand additions to this fine genus, the first with
large roundish, the second with oblong leaves, both beautifully variegated.
Chdwinia gigas, from the Nicaiaguan mountains, is the largest arad known ; it
has a single decompound leaf, on a mottled stalk 10 ft. high, and an erect dark
brownish-red convolute spathe about 2 ft. long, on a peduncle B ft. high. Dieffen"
bachia nebulosa, a handsome English hybrid arad, of stocky habit, has the dark
green leaves clouded with yellowish-green in the centre, and sparingly spotted
with white. Alocasia Sedeni, another fine English arad, is furnished with large
glossy olive-green leaves, marked with white ribs ; A, hyhrida seems to closely
resemble this ; while A, LiervcdUi, from the Philippines, has very large leaves of
a dear bright green. PJuxdraaasaa CarmioU, from Oosta Bica, and Griffinia
dryades, from Brazil, are two fine stove amaryllids, the former with drooping
bright red flowers, tipped with green, the latter with 10-13 large blue-lilac
flowers, elevated on a tall, stout scape, both welcome additions to our collections
of stove bulbs.
Last, but not least, come the Orchids. Here we find numerous accessions to our lists, including many choice sabjects. In the Malaxeous division come Dendrobium crassinode^ from Arracan, remarkable for its knotty stems, and its large white yeUow-disked flowers tipped with rose-colour ; and D, Jamesianum ' and D. cariniferum^ both Indian, both in the way of D. infundibulum, with large white flowers, marked on the lip with cinnabar-red, and both of the nigro-hirsute group, but distinguished, the first by certain asperities on the lip, the second by the keeled sepals. To these must be added, JRestrepia antenmfera, a diminutive plant, but quite a gem, the curioas flowers being a rich tawny brown, thickly marked with small deep purple dots, and the petals narrow and antemus-like. In the Epidendreous group we find Epidendrum eyringotkyrmim^ a Perurian species, with tall reed-like stems, and terminal panicles of ntmierous rosy-purple white- lipped flowers ; E, conspicuum, from Brazil, bearing large white and rose flowers, in which the lip is deep amaranth edged with white ; and LcsUa purpurata eUbc^
46 THE rLOBIST AND POHOLOaiST. CFnEUAftT,
a yaiiety with pore white sepalfl and petals, and faintly-tinted pale rose-coloored lip. The Vandeona diTision is mote eztennye. There is Vanda Denisonianoy from Bur- mah, welcome as a handsome white-flowered Vanda ; Saccolabiumbigihhum^ a curioue little plant, with btmches of small waxy-looking yellow flowers of great beauty when closely examined ; Aeridea japonicvm^ from Japan, remarkable as a greenhouse species, with racemes of neat white purple-lipped flowers ; and Cymbidium tigrinum, from Moulmein, a pretty dwarf species, with large oliye-green flowers, haying the white lip marked by transyerse bands of purple. Seyeral fine Oncids haye made their appearance, €,g,, Oncidium Rogersii, a splendid yariety of the Brazdlian 0. yaricosum, with panicles of extremely showy flowers, haying a dear yellow reniform lobate lip (see plate) ; 0. Bplendidum, from Guatemala, also a showy-flowered species, with a large, obreniform, bright-yellow lip, narrowed to a broadish claw-like form at the base ; 0. euxanthinum, another Brazilian plant, in the way of Bogersii, but smaller, and haying the bilobed lip smooth at the edge, and of remaurkable sub- stance ; and 0. Jusctxtum, from Peru, with the flowers purple, tipped with white, the large oblong-flabellate lip orange-coloured bordered with purple on the disk. Odontoglosaum Alexandroe Warneri is a yery beautiful and distinct yariety of that exceptionally flne species ; it has rosy-stained sepals, with a few large deep bronzy spots, large white fringed petals, and a white lip yellow towards the base, and spotted in the middle portion. 0. triumpharu Mai'shaUii is also a most charming Odontoglot, the sepals and petals being thickly blotched with cinnamon brown, the petals toothed, and the lip white with a frilled yellow crest and brown tip. In Brassia Lawrencecma longissiina we haye a magniflcent Oosta Bica plant, with deep tawny orange sepals Tin. long, marked with a few large purple spots, the lanceolate pale yellow lip of which is spotted near the base. Miltonia virginalts, from Brazil, may be compared to a pure white M. spectabilis, but with a large radiate blotch of rich yiolet at the base of the lip ; whUe M. Eegnellii purpurea is a beautiful dark yiolet-lipped yariety of that species. Pescatorea (Zygopetalum) WdUisii, an inhabitant of Central America, comes to enrich our stores with its creamy-white purple-lipped flowers, in which the front lobe of the lip is of a deeper purple, and the white ruff is conspicuous towards the base. Mormodea uncia alias Oreenii, a remarkably handsome acquisi- tion, has the large racemose flowers yellow, thickly spotted with deep red, and the fringed front lobe of the lip is of a purple-lilac colour. The Vanilla group giyes us the Vanilla Phalcenopsis, of Madagascar, a beautiful leafless scandent epiphyte, with large blush-white flowers, haying a deep orange trumpet-shaped lip, rosy on the outside. Finally, among the Lady's Slippers, we haye to enumerate as noyelties Cypripedium pardimim, niveum, and Farishii^ all of Indian origin, the flrst related to yenustum, the second to concolor, and the third to glanduliferum — ^three yery distinct and strikingly beautiful species, worthy a place in the choicest orchid collection. — ^M.
1670.] GARDEN GOSSIP. 47
GARDEN GOSSIP.
HE best mode of Transporting Frttit trees to onr distant Colonies is pretty clearly indicated in the following extract from the annual report of the Horticnltoral Society of Victoria for 1869. The Society receiyed from
Chiswick Garden, in April, 1868, some cuttings of froit trees, taken in
October, 1867. " There being no stocks in a condition for grafting when the cuttings were received (April), the scions were preserved until the following Augast, when they were grafted.** A period of more than nine months thus elapsed from the £ne they were cnt from the trees ; nevertheless, 66 Apples, 72 Pears, 24 Figs, 6 Vines, and 8 Hums were saved of this, consignment. The experiment proves oonclnsively that in the form of cuttings aU fruit trees may be transported with the certainty of success and in a very simple and inexpensive manner, inasmuch as a case of 4 cubic feet capacity will contain some thousands of cuttings, and such a case may be hermetically sealed, amd stowed away like ordinary merchandise during the voyage.
— ~ Q^HB schedule of the Mcmckester National Horticultural Exhibition^
which is to open on the 3rd of June next, offers special prizes, amounting to up«
wards of £130 under 14 classes, the highest prize heing the citizens' prize, £30,
for 16 stove and greenhouse plants. The other part of the schedule extends to 78 classes, with £900 allotted as prizes. We are glad to see that groups of misceUaneous plants, 30 for ama- teurs and 50 for nurserymen, are invited ; and trust that with the large miscellaneous classes introduced in other exhibitions something may be done towards reinstating that variety which formerly was one of the crowning elements of great flower-shows.
SIhokost the Trees and Shrubs which have been recently observed to do
well by the seaside, notably on the Kentish coast, occur — ^Austrian Pines ; Euony^
mus japonicus, which is in some cases covered with fruits ; Evergreen Oaks, Com- mon Bays ; Veronica Andertoni, in bloom ; Lavatera arborta ; Tamarisk, and Gk>r86, these all being green and fresh as if there were no such things as *' nor'-easters" or *' sou'-westers.** Atriplex Halimua is commonly planted on the Dorset coast.
Though Plant-houses may be fumigated by means of the flower-pot
and embers, yet Fumigators are far more convenient. Drechsler's Patent Fumigator^ recently brought out, consists of an iron cylinder, enclosing a strong
wire basket, made to revolve by means of cog-wheels placed underneath, and turned by a handle projected from the side. The smoke is earned ofiP and delivered into the house through a square horizontal chimney of considerable size. This Fnmigator, which is worked easily, may be set in operation by simply igniting a piece of paper with a lucifer match ; and it may be used without subjecting the operator to be '< smoked," like the insects he is bent on destroying, for, by putting the chimney through an apertture made in the wall of the house, the operator may stand outside while the machine is pouring forth into the interior its narcotic smoke-clouds. In the case of frames and pits, the clumney may be introduced under the front port of the sash. We have had the appara^tus in use, and believe it may be recommended with safety.
— 5t would appear from the recent observations of Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys that PlatU Life is absent from the Ocean^ with the exception of a comparatively narrow fringe, known as the littoral and laminarian zones, which girds the coasts,
and of tho Sargasso tract in the Ghilf of Mexico. No trace of any vegetable organism could be detected at a greater depth than 16 fathoms, though animal organisms of aU kinds and sizes, living and dead, were everywhere abundant^ from the surface to the bottom. The usual theory, he observed, that all animals ultimately depend for their nourishmont on vegetable life, seems not to be applicable to the main ocean, and consequently not to one-half of the earth's surface.
— iPtB. TiLLBBY has recently drawn deserved attention to the Black Monukka Orqpe, an old variety not very well known, which he regards as the
48 THB FXiOUBT JJTD POXOLOGIBT. [FbikVABT,
bonne'bauche of all the race hitherto raised; its seedless, long narrow berries are
crisp, joioy, and refroahing, with a sweet agreeable flaroiir, and may be eaten, skins and all, with the greatdst gusto. It is likewise one of tiis very best black Grapes for using in jeDies, its very long, snu^-shonldered bunches yielding an immense supply when clipped off in small clusters for that purpose.
QThe use of Sublimed Sulphur^ as a means of checking Vine Mildew,
is sufficiently familiar. According, however, to the obserrations of M. Mar^
flowers of sulphur, when cast on the soil of vineyards, is also effectual for the
iuune purpose, becoming oonrertod into sulphuric acid, which then combines with the lime in the soil to make sulpha^ of lime. Whe^iber tiie chemical change takes place merely from the direct action of the oxygen of the atmoa|)tere, or from the sulphuretted hydrogen emanating from the manure in contact with the snAplMr, does not appear certain, but it is found that its effects are very b3nofioial in tiie repression of the Vine mildew. It would clearly be a great gain, both to Vine-growers and Hop-growers, if the parasite ooidd be thus arrested, and it would be well worth the attention of our more intelligent cultivators if they would make experimonts with the viow to dotermine this point.
SThe Pentstemon has lately undergone considerable improvement at the
huids of the florist, and the Continental novelties have proved remarkably good.
The following may be taken as some of the best : — ^Richard Llanour, lilac-purple,
beautifully pencilled throat; George Bruant, white, suffused with lilac; Surpasse Victor Hugo, scarlet, with conspicuous white throat ; Pauline Dumont, pale rosy lilac throat, beauti- fully pencilled ; Indispensable, rose, rich ciimson pencilled throat ; Bone Villageois, dark red, throat white, faintly penciUod ; Grinchu, purplish lilac, white pencilled throat, large, and very distinct ; L^on la Prevoste, crimson ; Grande Oondu, deep crimson, conspicuous white throat ; Josephine Dumont, a lighter-shaded crimson, with a richly-marked throat; and Richard Gu,tterman, scarlet, very showy, and one of the best. Some varieties are remarkable for their dwarfness of growth, and compact free-flowering habit, and of this very pretty and useful class the following are amongst the host : — Emile Chate, crimson, pencilled throat ; Moli^re, of a pale lilac tint, with deeper-marked throat ; ApoHon, scarlet, white throat, largo and fine ; Duo Job, rosy red, deep crimson throat ; Maria Hoed, pale lUac, pure white throat ; and Henry Rerson, rosy scarlet, with white, faintly-lined throat.
®HB conditions under which Disa grandifiora grows on the summit of
Table Mountain have been described by the late Dr. Harvey in these terms : — This summit is very frequently enveloped in mist, especially at the season when
the Disa blooms. It is very cold also, and the mist comes accompanied with a strong cold south-cast wind. After this succeeds the scorching sun of lat. dS^ The plant only grows along the steep, boggy, spongy margins of a stream, which has water in it at all seasons, but which in winter must be so swollen as to cover the plant The nuu^n is completely clothed with the Disa, but immediately beyond is a mai^in of Restias, which, bending over, afford con- siderable shade to the roots and foliage, leaving the flower-stalks room to peep out at the sun.
;^B. John Sladden, surgeon, of Ash, near Sandwich, died on January
3rd, in his 58th year, after a painful illness. He was not only a keen florist, but a most estimable man ; and also occupied a prominent position as a raiser of new flowers, the Gladiolus being one of his special favourites. As an occasional contri- butor to our pages, we owe this brief record as a tribute of respect to his memory.
— ~ fn». John Bbowk, for many years gardener to the late Lord Herbert of Lea, at Wilton House, died on December 23rd, at Newton, Bromley, Kent, in his 71st year. When, owing to impaired health, he retired, in 1860, an annuity of £100 was settled upon him for Hfe.
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1S70.] THB TAIBY AFPLB. 49
THE FAIRY APPLE.
WITH AH ILLUSTBATIOK.
NOTWITHSTANDING the efforts which the late Mr. Thonuu Andrew Enight made to cross existing varieties of the cnltiyated Apple with the Siberian Grab, they all tailed to produce a result which has been of any real benefit. Mr. Knight's object in thus crossing these individuals was, as he states^ ''to obtain such fruits as yegetate very early in spring by introducing the farina of the Siberian Grab into the blossom of a rich and early Apple ; and by transferring in the same manner the farina of the Apple to the blossom of the Siberian Grab." At the time Mr. Enight wrote this, the trees so produced had not yet borne fruit, but he obeeryes, ^' the leaf and habit of many of the plants that I haye thus obtained possess much of the character of the Apple, whilst they yegetate as early in the spring as the apple of Siberia, and appear to possess an equal power of bearing cold." But what was the result of these carefully performed experiments ? From this crossing we got the Siberian Bitter-Sweet, which, Mr. Enight himself says, '^is wholly worthless, except for the press," Ihat is, for cider-making. Then the Siberitfti Haryey has a juice so " intensely sweet,*' that it, too, can only be used, mixed with other apples, for cider. Both of these were raised from the fruit of the Siberian Grab, fertihzed with the Golden Haryey, one of our best dessert apples. Another called Foxley was alscK raised from the Siberian Grab, but the male parent was the famed Goldei». Pippin. Yet the Foxley is a worthless little apple, not so large as some goose^ berries, and fit only for cider.
It is interesting to watch these struggles between philosophy and nature.. PhUoeophy says, " I will," and nature replies, " You won't." But when left to- herself. Nature fashions an object without the philosopher's aid, excelling in merit all that he had dreamed of. Here we haye such an instance in the little Faibt Apflb, of which our illustration is a faithful representation. This, too, was raised from the fruit of the Siberian Grab, but without any human aid. What is its parentage and how it was produced no one knows ; but there it is, a haphazard foundling, destined and worthy to take its place among the worthiest of its kind«
Whether for its beauty or its excellence as a dessert fruit, the Faibt Applb cannot fail to become popular and valuable. In colour, size, and form it rivals the Pomme d'Api or Lady Apple, so much vaunted, and which makes th» fruiterers' windows and our desserts gay during the dreary months of winter. For this purpose, the Faibt will command the attention of all growers of dessert fmit in large establishments, and for commercial purposes ; for not only does it com- mend itself by its great beauty, but its flavour is similar and not inferior to that of the Old Golden Pippin, its flesh being of a fine deep yellow, with a rich and briskly-flavoured juice.
The fruit is produced in clusters of from three to five, much in the same way
3bd bebies.-— in. d
50 THE FLOBIST AND POSCOLOGIST. [MxsCH,
as clusters of Cherries. They are l^in. wide, and about l^in. high, rather flat- tened at both ends, consequently inclining to the oblate form, and very even and regular in the outline. The skin is smooth and shining, covered with bright liToly crimson, shaded with streaks of a deeper tinge, and on the unexposed side it is lemon-yellow. The eye is closed, set prominently, almost level with the surface, and surrounded with plaits ; stalk sometimes loss tiian ^ in. long, and frequently straight, slender, and as much as an inch or more, inserted in a small, shallow cavity, which is ruasety. Flesh of a fine deep yellow, firm, crisp, very juicy, vrith a rich brisk flavour, and fine delicate aioma when eaten with the skin on.
The fruit comes into use in December, and lasts till well on in the season. It is now (February) in perfection, and has the appearance as if it would last for some weeks on into ApriL
This desirable acquisition was raised by Mr. Jennings in. his nursery at Shipston-on-Stour, from seed of the Scarlet Siberian Grab or Cherry Apple. The seed was sown with no intention of raising new varieties of fruit, but for stocks on which to graft the ordinary varieties of apples. One of these showing signs of fruit, Mr. Jennings grafted it upon • free apple stock, and from one of the trees 80 produced the fruit now figured was obtained.
The parent tree from which the seed was taken is growing in an orchard •consisting of such varieties as Bibston Pippin, Wyken Pippin, Blenheim Pippin, Margil, Hanwell Souring, and Pearmain. That which is in closest proximity to it is Margil, and it is not improbable that this was the male parent. The tree is of moderate vigour, with an erect habit of growth, and is hardy and pro- lific. The young wood is moderately stout, of a dull purple colour ; and the leaves downy, elliptical ovate, evenly serrated, with a stalk half-an-inch long.
Another and not an unimportant recommendation of the Fmbt Apple ib that it makes a delicious preserve.— B. Hooa.
EAELY PEAS FOR FOECING.
jAVINQ for the last two or three seasons tried the early dwarf marrow Peas for growing in pots, and for forcing in pits, I find that they are better adapted for these purposes than the tall early sorts, such as Bingleader, Taber's Perfection, and others. They are not so early by a week or ten days, but make up for this by their better^filled pods, size of peas, and flavour. This year, in addition to Turner's Little Oem^ I am trying MuUum in Parvo, and the new dwarf Alpha, They were all sown in the beginning of January as a second crop, and I am now able to state something about their style of growth. Little Oem and Multum in Parvo are much alike in appearance and height, but Alpha is taller and more spindling in its habit than the others. The sparrows and mice must be debarred from tasting a morsel of this new sort, for every pea, if counted, would come to something, at the present price of SOs. per quart.
1870.] THB GABDEN ICEKTOB. 51
I find, in growing these dwarf marrow peas in pots, that a rather strong loamy soil snits them best. The pots must be rather deep, and half filled with pieces of turf, only using one piece of crock or oyster-«hell on the hole in the bottom for drainage. Low pits, slightly heated with hot-water pipes or flues, suit these dwarf varieties well, and fine dishes of large, weU-flavoured peas can be had at the end of April or beginning of May, if the first crop is sown in October or November. — ^William Tilleey, Welbech
THE GAEDEN ^lENTOR.
^jT'! 'ABCH, according to the old proverb, "comes in as a lion, and goes out like a lamb/* The weather for some years past has generally been cold and boisterous during the greater part of the month, and very unfavour- able for out-door work. With March the winter closes, and spring commences, bringing with it its many cares, anxieties, and labours. Every interval of fine weather should be made the most of in pushing forward out-door opera- tions ; there must be no deferring until to-morrow what can be done to-day.
KiTOHBN Gabdbn. — If the soil has been thrown up during the winter as directed, it will now be in a nice pulverized state, fit for the reception of the early crops, and advantage must be taken of dry weather to get in the seeds. One of the principal conditions on which success depends is the state of the eoil, which at this season of the year can hardly be too dry. Seeds should never be sown when the soil is very wet, as they are then liable to rot, especially if ■covered deeply. It is much better to wait until the soil is in a dry mellow state, as the young plants come up much stronger, and grow away more vigorously after- warda. The planting of the Early Fotatos should be commenced at the begin- ning of the month, and towards the end all the main crops should be got in. When the weather is mild, the Cauliflow&i' plants in pots should be planted on a dry, warm, sheltered border ; draw a little dry soil around them, and keep them well watered in dry weather ; they will head early in June. Cauliflowera and Lettuces in frames should be planted in the the open ground ; these will come in after the others. Globe Artichokes should now have their spring dressing ; the suckers should be thinned out, and a good dressing of dung should be dug in around the plants ; while a row of the best suckers should be planted to succeed the general crop. Feas, as they advance in growth, should be earthed up, and rodded. Tripoli Onions from the August sowing should be planted in rows. Asparagus beds shoxdd be lightly forked over, raked, and the edges trimmed. In dry weather the hoe should be run between the rows of Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Lettuces, and all growing crops. If not already done. Horse-radish, Jerusalem Artichokes, Wiubarb, Seakale^ Garlic, and Shallots may be planted. Sage, Mint^ Thyme, Tarragon^ and other Herbs may now be planted, and propagated by slips and divisions of the roots.
Sow: Peas and Beazui twice durlDg the month for Bumxnor crops ; the main crop of Onions
o 2
52 THB FLORIST AND POHOLOaiST. [Uabch,
OB early in the month as poeidble ; the soil, if dry and not rery heayy, can hardly be made too firm, by treading, for these. Carrots and Parsnips for main crops towards the end ; Round Spinach and Tomips for succession ; Asparagus towards the end of the month ; Sayoys, Brussels Sprouts, and Broccoli at the beginning of the month ; Paisley a good breadth ; Radishes twice during the month ; Oauliflowers and Lottuces about the middle of the month ; Mustard and Gresa in a gentle hot-bed. Celery, Tomato, and Capsicums in hot-bed ; Sweet Marjonun, Sweet Basil, and other herbs in a gentle hot-bed. All vegetables are best sown in drills ; grown in this way, they are generally larger and finer, and it facilitates the labour of thinning and. hoeing the crops.
Foaonco-HouBBS. — Pines: Where the bottom-heat is supplied by tan or
leayes, it will now require looking to. Bofficient fresh material shonld be added
to the beds to carry the plants now showing fruit, as well as those about to show,
through the season ; those swelling off their fruit should haye more water given.
them. Plants showing fruit and in flower will require attention in maintaining-
a dry warm atmosphere, and in ^ring air daily, if possible. The succession plants
will require shifting, which should be done as carefully and expeditiously as
possible, so as to prevent any injurious consequences to the plants ; after potting-,
they should be kept rather close for a week or two, until they begin to root into-
the fresh soil, when air may be admitted more freely. Pines will grow in a great
variety of soil, but they dislike sandy or chalky soils ; I have grown them for
several years in a sort of peat we get in the park here, and they root in it freely,
and grow away vigorously. Vines : Maintain a steady night temperature in th&
early house whilst the stoning is going on. Attend to the thinning, stoppings
and t3ring-down of the shoots in the succession-houses, and to the thinning of ther
berries as soon as possible after they are nicely set. Muscats should have a night
temperature of TO"* whilst they are in flower. Peaches : Attend to the tpng*
down of the shoots as they advance in growth ; look carefully over the trees, and
if too many fruit are still left on, remove some, leaving a few more than sufficient
for a crop until after stoning, as some may drop off then ; water inside bordersi
freely, and give abundance of air as early in the day as the weather will permit;.
Attend to disbudding and the thinning of the fruit in the succession-houses ;:
syringe daily, and maintain a moist atmosphere. Figs : Those in pots and tub»
will now require to be watered liberally, and occasionally they should have some
liquid manure ; syringe over-head on fine days. Cherries : These will require- careful'
management whilst stoning ; keep a steady night temperature of from 55° to 60° j:
see that there is a gentle bottom-heat, and give air freely if the weather permits^
Cucumbers and Melons: 1£ grown on dung-beds, attend to the linings, so as to
keep up a proper heat ; earth up, stop shots, peg down, and water as they require
it. When grown in pits heated with hot water, there is much less labour and
trouble in growing them. Sow for successional crop.
Habdt Fbutt Gaebek. — ^AU pruning and nailing should now be completed
with as Kttle delay as possible. As soon as the blossoms begin to expand, but
not before, apply protection to Apricots^ Peaches, and Nectarines, Good strong
canvas is as cheap and efficient for temporary protection as the generality of
materials recommended for this purpose ; it should be so fitted that it can be
187a] SELECT AUBIOULAS. 53
easily put on at nights and remoyed during the day. There is a good promise of bloom this season, and if well protected, there is nothing to preyent us from haying good crops.
Flowbb Gabden. — Plant Houses : Soft-'wooded Plants should now be encouraged to make free growth Shift Fuchsias as they require it, syringing them oyer-head on fine days, and keeping a moist, growing atmosphere ; see remarks last month. The specimen Pelargoniums will now need a good deal of attention ; train and tie out the shoots as they adyance, and water freely ; fumigate with tobacco-paper for green-fly. Hard-wooded Plants such as Camellias and Azaleas should be well supplied with water ; large plants of Acacia, Pimelea^ Eriostemon^ &c., coming into bloom should be carefully and promptly watered ; yentilate freely wheneyer the weather permits. Proceed with the potting of all young growing plants, using a suitable compost, with clean and well-drained pots. Newly-potted plants require watering with care ; indeed, it is best not to water them for seyeral days after potting, and then to do it effectually. They should be kept rather close, especially if the weather be cold, for a few weeks after potting, until they begin to grow, when air should be admitted more freely.
Pits and ^rame5. —-Push forward with all the despatch possible the potting'
of Bedding Plants of all kinds from the store pots. Outtings of Verbenas^ Lobelias^
&c., put in last month, shoxdd be potted off as soon as rooted, and the frames filled
immediately with more cuttings of these or other plants that will be wanted at
" bedding time."
Sow: In bottom-heat, Ginonuriafl and Primulas for autumn flowering ; Petunias, Cyclamens, Cannas, Geloaias, Humea elegans, Tropsaolums, Balsams, Zinnias, and seeds of all kinds of tender plants.
Out'Dooi's. — ^All the hardy JRoses should be pruned at the beginning and the
tender ones towards the end of the month. As a number of spring-flowering
plants will now be coming into bloom, look frequently oyer rock-work and spring
gardens, and maintain the greatest order and neatness. Sweep and roll walks
and lawns weekly, or oftener if necessary. Towards the end of the month prune
and dress hardy trees and shrubs ; dress and dig borders ; see that all newly
planted trees are properly secured to stakes, and if not already done, mulch the
roots with rotten dung or leayes. — ^M. Saul, Stourton.
SELECT AURICULAS.
NE of the finest collections of Auriculas within a moderate distance of London is, no doubt, that of Mr. Turner, of Slough; and judging from the plants brought to the metropolitan exhibition, we may fairly award to Mr. Turner also a first place amongst the culdyators of these quaint but attractiye florists' flowers. Mr. Turner has yery obligingly furnished us with the annexed brief list, indicating the yery choicest of the cultiyated yarieties, old and new ; and his position as a grower and judge of these flowers, together with his
5-4 THE FIiOBIBT AND POHOLOGIST. L Makch.
amivalled means of obserration, miiat give a special value to saoh informatioii from such a source : —
Green-Edged Varieties, Apollo.
Greneral Hayelock. General NelL Lord Palmerston. Xiycttl^ltB.
Geo. Lightbody. Miss Giddings. Richard Headly. Sophia.
Wkiie-Edged Vcarietles, Ootmtess of Dozunore. Fair JIaid.
Robert Boms. Smiling Beauty.
Self-coloured Varieties, Blaekbiid. Choerfulness. Mrs. Stnrrock. Webster.
Alpine Varieties, BriUia&t. Bmtus. Edwin.
King of GrimB(Hi8. IViarion. Masterpiece.
LADY'S SLIPPEES.-Chapter II.
jN my concluding remarks upon this genus at page 19, 1 said that Oypnpe' diums have no pseudobulbs, and therefore cannot long withstand drought. This applies most forcibly to the tropical kinds, for the North American Y Q^d European species lose their leaves during the winter, and are somewhat tuberous-rooted. These latter are seldom seen in cultivation, or at least far less frequently than they should be.
I have a great partiality for Cypripediums^ and certainly do not think the deciduous kinds are eclipsed by their tropical relatives, if even these denizens of sunny climes can take rank as their equab. Indeed, Hook upon many of them as real floral gems. Now, although these terrestrial kinds are extremely handsome when grown in pots in the ordinary way, yet in order to display their elegance and beauty to the greatest advantage, they should be planted out in a properly pre- pared frame. My idea respecting a suitable frame is this : — ^Take out the soil to the depth of 18 in. or 2 ft., then £11 in some six inches of broken brick-rubbish, and upon this put the good soil, which should be sandy loam and fibrous peat, in about equal parts, adding to it a little silver sand. The soil should be made firm with the back of a spade, and the whole well watered to render it solid, and to prevent after settlement. In this bed the plants should be placed at intervals of about twelve inches, the best time for planting being the spring, just as they begin to grow. The principal attentions they require after planting are, to supply a proper share of water and plenty of air, and to avoid exposure to heavy rains and rough winds. To render the pit or frame more interesting or attractive, some creeping plants, such as Selaginellas^ should be grown upon the surface, or indeed many dwarf Alpine plants might be planted between the Cypripediums^ with great advantage to their health, and an increase to the enjoyment of the culti- vator. If it should be preferred to devote the frame specially to the Orchidaeeoe^ there are many other genera of terrestrial habit possessing great beauty, and which would thrive under the same treatment, as would also our own native species.
1870. 1 FL0WEB8. 55
Tms kind of gardening I am very desiroos of seeing extended, because I am quite sure a vast amount of real enjoyment is to be derived from it, and by just ibat class of plant-lovers whose garden-ground does not give tbem sufficient space to erect plant-houses, or whose means will not permit them to indulge in such a luxury — and a collection of beautiful plants, be it ever so small, is undoubtedly A luxury of the highest degree to persons of refined tast^.
Having strayed, however, somewhat from my Slippers, I must return to offer a few concluding remarks, before commencing a description of those at present in cultivation. After the plants are established, and the season advances, be sure ihey do not suffer from want of water. Take the sashes off the frame during the nights to allow them the full benefit of the dews, which all plants enjoy so much, and give them an occasional light syringing to prevent them from being colonized l>y red-spiders — ^remarkably enterprising emigrants, who are always on the look- out to gain a new settlement where a rich pasturage may be found. As Autumn ap- proaches, and when the floral beauties of the CtfpripecUwm have passed away, and the leaves give evidence that their mission is over, water must be gradually withheld, but never so far as to allow the soil to get dry. During Winter, if the frost is very severe, the soil may be covered with a layer some few inches in thickness of ashes, cocoa-nut refuse, or any such material, to prevent its penetrating to the roots ; but be careful not to keep it there sufficiently long to draw the plants up, and cause them to have long, weak stems.
I shall next proceed to give a short description of each species, at the same time noting any peculiaritieB of its culture. — ^B. S. Williams, Victoria Nursery^
■" "■■■■■■■■II —
FLOWERS.*
*^ CoNsmsa ihb liouns or xbb field even SoLoafON, or aix ms glort, was not
ABIUTED LQEE ONE OV ZHESB.**
^ITH what emotion glo-^^a the inmost soul
contemplation of the mighty power Of thofle twin-eister children of the
mind. Painting and Poetry, this on the page, TThat on the canvas, tracing wondrons scenes Of hmnan life and Nature's beanteonsness. Sabsorvient both to Qenius, -within bonnds IVliich even G^enins may, not overleap I
The limner's pencil and the poet's pen
Alike are impotent to designate
The loveliness of flowers, those "stars of
earth," That sparkle on her ever-]oyons bosom, like jewels in the girdle of a queen. Tot who but feels their beauty, whether it be Of fonn or colour, odour exquisite,
Or infinite variety ? While some
Uprear their lofty heads in gaudy pride,
As if self-conscious of their glowing charms,
Others, meek emblems of humility,
Scarce xise above the ground whereon they
grow, To woo the matin sun. The Violet thus Blooms unassuming on the grassy bank. Scattering her per^me wide, herself unseen. Close by, her sister Pbimbose, herald meet Of coming Spring, peeps mildly forth and smiles Upon the travellers journey, far admired By botanist and poet, and by all Who, with the lowliest of created things, As with the most exalted, love to hold Deep converse and communion mystical, — Who worship Nature in her holiest fanes. And seek, amid the creatures of their Gbd, The glorious and the beautif uL From out
* These lines were written some years since l^ our valoed correspondent, the late Ur. John fffi^^iffn whose recent death wae recorded at page 48.
56
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST.
[ Mabch,
The ice-bound earth, see how the Showdbop
bares Her hardy bosom to the frosts of heaven, Not long to pine in solitude I Impelled By pleasing rivalry, the emulons Crocus, In cloth-of-gold or purple vest bedight^ Steps gaily forth, and boldly challenges Old Winter to the combat. He, secure In rugged veteran strength, looks grimly down, Contemptuous, on the stripling, as, of yore, The pagan giant smiled, with proud disdain, On Israers shepherd-champion. But Uie
"man Of war " confronts an agile foe, who seises The veil of Spring, and with a dexterous oast Involves the hoary tyrant in its folds, And half obsourea the terrora of hii foniL
Soon as tke wreath^ snow dissolves away, Death-smitten by the dart of vernal sun, The liberal earth again unlocks her casket, And scatters widely, with xmsparing hand, Her treasures hoarded troll and thriftily, — Qemi dt atlrpAssifig lustfe. Shrinking now, Abashed to meet the rapturous gaze of light, The Lilt of the Vale, clothed like a bride, Peeps from her lowly bower, ficarce recognized Amid its circling verdure, waiting there The morning splendour and the dews of eve. Quail not, thou timid one, nor shun the gliince That joys to dwoU upon tiioe I Virtue knows No fear ; and pure unspotted Innocence May stand erect throughout the sultry hour. Despite the burden and the heat of day.
Nor loss your beauty, unpretending flowers, ** Wee, modest, crimson-tipped," that deck the
meads With infinite profusion, whispering low Of gales all softness and of hours all sun ! Humble although ye be, yet are ye dear To every heart : in every ear your name, Lisped by the prattling tongue of infancy, Soundeth " familiar as a household word." Ay, little children love you well ; and that Which doth attract their love must ever be A richly cherished object. Poets too— Whose souls are oftentimes more near akin To those of children than the world doth
dream — Have marked your simple graces, nor withheld The tribute of their numbers. Even so Your fame approaches to the pinnacle Of immortality ; for ye did prompt One of the sweetest of those deathless songs Warbled by Caledonia's peasant bard.
But though, amid these ornaments of earth, Each boasts its separate charm, none may
presume To rival the attractions of the Rose. Magnificence and grace ineffable Pervade her form ; therewith she mingles bues
Of every shade denoting life and love And healthful animation ; — ^from the pure Transparent white abiding on the brow Of thoughtful maiden— to the delicate blush Su£Fusing her pale cheek, enkindled there From that mysterious Qtaao which permeates The subtle spirit, — to the ruddier tinge, Charged from the liquid fount of very life,
Incessant mantling on her Rowing lips,
Or to the more intensely crimson dye Of the warm current ever gushing on Through the deep channels of her throbbing
heart Nor to the eye alone cemmends herself The Queen of Flowers. The concentrated
odours
Of all hdr Bubjeei ra^ combined in on^ Impalpable, amalgamated essenoe. Would fail to match the fragranoa sha exhales With boundless prodipdity, while yet Her store deoreasetfa nenror. la itb»' dimes* Of the delicious East» wiiere the fair Rose Receives no stinted homage, bards have striven^ To grace her beauties witii am. added charm : Thxu bav9 they feigned her as the ohosem
bride Of the mdlodlotLS iTigbtingale, who chantff His Berohade, not for the listening stars, But for her ear alone. From such conceits Roves Fancy to traditions of old time- Fantastic, yet poetic— of the change Of youths and nymphs to trees and flowers,
aU bearing Some semblance of their pre-existing state Implanted on their forms; — the work of gods„ Themselves derived from superstitious men, In nations much enlightened, save in that Wherein consists true learning. Fair are ye» Lilies and Roses I Every flower that grows Bears in itself peculiar loveliness : Would ye were all undying I Bootless wish T And impotent as bootless : for ye pass So quickly from our vision, that ye are Fit types and emblems of mortality ! *
Ye bud, ye bloom, are lovely in your prima As transient in your being, but so soon Ye droop, and fall, and perish, that the sun Can scarce mature your beauty, ere ye lapse Among the things that have been, leaving still Young blossoms, your successors, which will
fade E'en as yourselves have faded. So doth mair Walk in life's garden for a passing hour. Then find his home beneath the soil he trod,. Mouldering and soon forgotten : and his sons Liive in his stead. So individual man Is mortal and corruptible ; each one Bows to the grave, and feels the primal oursa On his own spirit. As himself hath known Sin and transgression, so he knows the power Of that dread sentence, "Thou shalt surely
die." Thus fall the sons of earth ; but 'tis not thua
1«70,]
THJB BONDEIiET PSAB.
Oi
Id their coHectiTe being. Since the first Of linman kind was fashioned has that race Been liTing and increasing ; yea, throughout Time and Eternity shall man remain Unceasing and inmiortaL Like the flower Bom in the field, so passeth he away, Xioaying the scene for others. like the flower,
He dies and is forgotten, and the place
Of his lone dwelling hears his name no more.
Ekch fills his sevenl station in the world,
As Wisdom has directed; but herein
Trace we no parallel, — though both ** go hence,'
One but departs, the other dies for CTer.
J. S.
THE KONDELET PEAR.
jEBE ifl an old Pear, yeiy little known and almost neglected, which, in all that constitates a good Pear, is far in adyance of nine-tentha of the varieties whose names we find continually or repeatedly coming before the public. The past year, 1869, cannot be said to have been at all a propitious one for fruits. Pears especially were remarkably deficient as regards flarour.
Kondelet, however, proved remarkably fine, and was voted by many competent judges, on tasting it in the fruit-room here, in comparison with about fifty other varieties in use at the same time, as by far the richest and most pleasantly flavoured.
The fruit is rather below medium size. Form roundish. Skin greenish- yellow, covered in great part with a fine, thin coat of russet, becoming somewhat darker, and slightly speckled here and there, on the side next the sun, with occasional tinges of crimson. Eye small, like that of the Winter Nelis, and frequently wanting. Stalk short. Flesh very tender, buttery, and melting, with a fine briskly-sweet flavour, and having a strong musky perfume.
It is extremely delicious, and worthy of the most extended cultivation. It comes in season at the end of November, and lasts for some time. It is a variety
58 THE ITiOfilST AKD POUOLOOIST. [MabCK,
exceedingly well adapted for growing as a pyramid tree on tHe qnince stock, and also succeeds well aa an open standard. The tree is hardy and a good bearer. — B»
ROSES AND ROSE-CULTtTRE.
Chapter L — On Some.
lOM a practical point of view, all soUs may be arranged nnder the follow- ing heads : — (1), Clayey, which includes the yarious kinds of loam ; (2), Peaty ; (3), Sandy or Gravelly ; (4), Chalky ; (5), Bocky.
1. Clayey soOs vary from sandy loam, which contains 60 to 80 per cent, of sand, to strong clay, which may contain a like proportion of the clayey element. Then there are the intermediate soils, firiable loam and strong loam* The latter is perhaps that best naturally adapted for Bose-culture. In all such soils, but especially in strong loams, is it most desirable that as a preliminary step la cultivation perfect drainage should be secured. Strong or heavy soils ar& naturally the most retentive of water, and without thorough drainage we can at best but hope for imperfect success. Where a garden is of such soil, it is ad-^ visable, if possible, to drain the whole at least 8 ft. deep. Tiles or pipes are best for the purpose, although good strong bushes, if covered with straw before restoring the soil, are efficacious enough for some years.
Let us, then, suppose the beds in which we are about to plant our roses have been cleared and drained. Next we proceed to trench the ground to the depth of 2 ft., mixing in during the operation a good portion of rich manure and sand^ or old mortar. In heavy soils it is important that this be done when the soil works well, and it is well to throw the top spit in ridges, that it may become^ mellowed by the action of air, frost, and sunshine. Just before planting, th& ridges may be levelled down ; and at planting time, each plant should have a spadeful of manure in a thoroughly decomposed state mixed with the soil imme* diately surrounding it. In very strong soils it is probably best to prepare the soil in autumn, leaving it as light and rough as possible throughout the winter^ and delaying the planting until March. Lime, old mortar, sand, charcoal, bones,, peat, and any decayed vegetable matter are excellent additions to the necessary stable manure for roses in strong soUs.
2. Peaty or moory are less common than loamy soils, but if well drained^ they are not so unsuitable for roses as some would have us believe. I have seen vigorous, healthy plants, and beautiful flowers produced on such ; indeed, for the Tea-scented, Chinese, and Bourbon roses, a portion of peat soil is an advantage. Bat peat soils are often vret, when they must be drained ; they may also be very sandy, when a good proportion of day, marl, or strong loam should be introdueed,. and well mixed with the soil in the act of trenching.
8. Sand and Gravel are perhaps the worst soils with which the Eose cultiva- tor has to deal, on account of their too great porosity and aridity. Not only do SQoh soils possess too largely the power of absorbing the sun's rays, but dew^
1870.] BOSE8 AKD BOSE-€ULTt7RE. 59
rain, and water pass from them with sucli rapidity, that the plants haye not sufficient time to avail themselves of these somx^es of nourishment. A feeble growth, followed by attacks from all sorts of enemies— aphis, spider, mildew-^is usually the result. Abundance of cow-dung as manure, with copious wateiings and syringings in spring and summer, are the best palliatives ; but in extreme cases it is better to remove the soil wholly to the depth of 2 ft., refilling the beds with a good rose soil, composed of loam and manure.
4. Chalk is not a bad subsoil for roses. One of the oldest rose gardens in Hertfordshire, that of Dane End, near Munden, in which the rose has for many years been most successfully cultivated, has a subsoil of chalk, the chalk in some instances lising within a few inches of the surface! There should not, however, be less than 18 in. of a good rose soil, if resting on chalk ; and this, if not naturally existing, should be secured artificially, as in the preceding instance.
5. Bocky soils are so various in their nature, that it is difficult to offer any precise or definite rules for their management. Some rocky soils are so soft and yielding, and so rich in the inorganic constituents necessary for the growth of plants, that when they become disintegrated and enriched by animal or vegetable manures, they possess rare powers of fertility. In such^ roses grow and bloom with remarkable vigour and beauty. Other rocky soils are hard and unyielding, and require a long course of labour before they can be brought into a suitable state for the delicate operations of gardening, among which we must class the cultivation of the finer varieties of roses. The rocky soUs I have had to deal with have generally been like the gravelly and sandy soils in one particular,*-too dry in spring and summer ; and this may be in great part remedied here as there, by the addition of cool f ertiliKers and copious supplies of water.
As before stated, we prefer for the general purposes of Bose-enlture a strong, deep, well-drained loam, on a subsoil of chalk, clay, or gravel ; but if the surface soil be 2 ft. in depth, whether naturally or artificially, we care little what the subsoil may be. Let it, however, be borne in mind that the nature of the subsoil should regulate the system of cultivation. If dealing with soils or subsoils that are light and porous, a top-dressing of cow-dung is beneficial in spring and summer, and copious waterings should be given in dry weather. In heavy soils, it is equally serviceable to keep the surface constantly loose, for which purpose the Vernon hoe will be found an excellent tool.
One thing we should not overlook as practical cultivators, and that is the relation between climate and soil. For instance, roses will thrive better in a loose, porous soil, if the climate be moist and showers frequent, than in situations where but little rain falls, or in exposed places, where the plants are subjected to the drying action of strong winds. Heavy soils, again, which are most retentive of moisture, may be deteriorated by an excessive rainfall, the remedy for which exists in thorough drainage, and the constant loosening of the surface to favour evaporation. — ^William Paul, PomVs Nurseriei^ Waltham CroaSy N,
60 THZ FLOBIBT AND POHOLOaiST. [ UUCH,
THE AMATEUR GARDENER'S CALENDAR.
^STHE iaaue of ft new edition of Mrs. Loodon'H Amateur Gardener's Calendar' 'i^J affords an opportunity to point out to Amateurs tlie importance of wliat
Wmay bo called the negative side of garden instruction. If it is desirable, as it undoubtedly is, that the uniiiitiated should be advised as to the operations vhich they ought from day to day to perform, in order that they may achieve auoceaa in their efforts at gardening, it is no lesa important that they should be taught that there are certain things which they ought not to do, since by some such act — correct, it, may be, in itself, bnt misapplied as to time and ciroumatanoeB — they may cause great inconvenience, if not irreparable mischief. Such considerations aa these appear to have preeetited themselves to the mind of the authoress in planning this very oseful volome, and hence we find a series of directions as to things not to be done in each particular month, — operations vhich a thoughtless or ouinformed person woold be very likely to set aboat, if not warned against the consequences of doing so. This portion of the l>ook was originally written by the late Mr, H. G. Ogle, and the whole text has now been revised and adapted to the present state of garden knowledge by Mr. Bobinson.
Being a Oalendar, the book is primarily divided into a series of chapters corresponding with the months of the year, and each of these is broken up into four subdivisions : — (1), General Observations and Directions ; (2), Things Not to be Done ; (3), Principal Operations ; (4), Garden Enemies. This latter division is nicely illustrated, and as a sample of the woodcuts we introduce, through the oonrtesy of the publisher, an excellent representation of the Wlieworm, that dire
^ §
plague of the florist which, by devouring the roots of his pet plants, brings about their destruction. This troublesome grub is the larva of a small kind of beetle belonging to the Elattr family, and which is represented of the natural size at fig. d in the annexed engraving, fig. e showing it aa it appears when highly minified. When disturbed, the grub creeps quickly, with a sliding kind of motion, its tail being bent on one side as shown at fig. a. There are two other
• Tht Amatrur OardBin-'i adrndar; Mug o l/aUlilg OtlUk <u
i>ri(tad»u,<fi<i lordn (ii BKAnuAlA. Bj Mn.LoDdon: nvlKd-.
UBDMioiu IllutnHotu. London : F. 'Wonu Mid Co. Ciowa 8t[>, p|
itoi>ri(tad»u,<fi<i lordn (ii BKAnuAlA. Bj Mn.LoDdon: nvlKd ud f dll«d by W. Bobtuon, F.
1S70.I THE AHATEUB OABDEHEB'S ^ALBNDAE. 61
kinds of grubs allied to the wireworm frequently met with, bat these (shomi at figs. ^ and g) differ in the tenmnal section of the body, vhich in the tme wire* vorm in fomiahed on the under-side wiUi a lai^ fleshy retractile tnbeicle (fig. h) which it osM as a seventh leg when needful The usder-nde of the head is shown at c. The perfect insects are not injurious, but the larra aie dreaded by eultl- ratoTs. " These receire their popular name of Wirewonn from their Tery hard external integoment and long cylindrical form. Mr. Uechi holds that salt and water will destroy these pests : — " I have-some land subject to this pest, but for several years having naed salt, I have prevented their ravages. ' Oh, but," say or write many farmers to me, ' I have placed Wlreworms in salt, and they continued as lively as grigs, and, therefore, it is clear that salt will not kill them I' My reply has been, ' Did yoa put water with the salt I' This soon changed their opinion." Amongst the modem to]nc« introducod by Ur. Bobinson, and which embrace cordon truning, orchard houses, ground vineries, and snch-hke things, which had not been heard of when the book was first published, one of the most useful for small gardens, is perhaps that relating to the employment of the French Cloche or Bell-glass, represented in Uie accompanying woodcuts. Il is an article as yet but little known here, but it is one of great and varied utility. It may be used for winter-salad culture, for raimng seedlings, for striking cuttdngs, or even for keeping clean and hvsh during winter each small-growing sabjeets as parsley. It is simply a large cheap bell^laes, and by its aid the French gardener is enabled to excel all others in the growth of winter and spring salads. Each bell-glass is about 16 in. high, and the same in diameter at the base, and it may be bought at from lOd. to Is., according to the quantity purchased. Bearing on the otility
of these clocha or bell-glasses, it has been recently observed by It Schlosing, in the Compta Seadiu, that the power of absorbing mineral ingredients in solution from the soil is diminished, by cultivating plants under gloss in such a way as to diminish the amount of evaporation from their surface. A tobacco plant so grown absorbed 17 percent, of mineral matter,iusteadof 20percent., asit would do under ordinary circumstances. The production of vegetable acids was found to be diminished by one-half, that of resin and cellulose to a less extent, while the nitrogenous ingredients were not materially decreased. Starch was present to the extent of 30 per cent., instead of to 100th per cent. only. Thus when
62 THE FLOBIST AltS POUOLOQIBT. [UUCB,
evftpoistioii IB redntsed in Euncnmt, a poriioQ of the stctrcli remtunB utmeed, and consaquentlj acenmnlates in tlie plant. Aasoming U. Sofaloung's oonclnsiona to be correct, and that the two staple food ingredients, the nitrogenous and the starchy matters, can he angmented by limiting evaporation, the importance of bell-ghisB cnltnre becomes obrioni.
Wa tnm from this to refer, on oeconnt of its seasonableness, to one other matter which has attracted ottr notice, in turning over the nicely printed pages of the book, and that is, the protection of the blossoms of waU-treei, for which pnrpoee we And a wide temporary coping reoom- mended as the best proteetiott th&t can be adopted. This temporary shelter is to be made of bitnmen- ized felt or tarpaulin, nailed to light wooden frames of 6 ft. or 8 ft. long, and 2 ft. or more in width, which frames are to be sapported by galvanised iron brackets fixed at the top of the wall a I inches below the pennanoit coping. Such a mode of protection, unlecs in very cold and exposed sitnaiaons, woald do away with the neoeseity for using onrtains, c^ otiier close coverings, which too often do S8 much harm as good.
The Amateuf Gardener't Calendar in iia new dress is a book that may be honestiy recommended to those to whom it is addressed, as Ekely to afford them ready and weloonie imtrtietiffli.— ~S£.
THE ART OF FORCING FRUIT AND FLOWERS.— I.
fQlA^E have no very precise data as to the origin of the art of Forcing in this ii^J conntiy, bat wa may snrmise, on tolerably good authority, that our earliest ideas or lessons thereapon reached ns from Holland. The first insight into this art gained by the Dutch was, it is said, bronght abont in this way :~-Aii old Dutch gardener, having a good crop upon some new Persian fmit-treeg (Feadies) which he was growing, formed the idea of placing lights or "sashes" against some of them daring a somewhat inclement season, and with sndi resnlta ae will readily be sormiaed, for iJie froit thns assisted ripened better and earlier than others not ho aided.
The advantages which in theee days we possess, and which science haa afforded us, namely, pellucid glass (as compared with which the talc of olden times was mde indeed), hot-water apparatus, and sinentifio modes of ventilation, place the modem British gardener in a far more advantageous pocdtion than the Dutch could have enjoyed, noted as they were for the success which attended their earliest efforts in this direction. Thfar for«ng operations were, as is well known, carried on mainly by the aid of fermentable materials, and required an amoaut of watchfulness and applioatlon, snch as would, in these days of incessant calls upon our time and attention, be sufSoient to dannt the best of ua.
1870.] ISB GLADIOLUS IN 1869. 63
The first leal BritiBli patron of the Dutch mode of forcing was Mr. Laboa- chere, of Hylands Park, Essex. These gardens are still held bj a patron of gardening, Arthnr Pryor, Esq., brother of my estimable employer ; bat modem applianoes haye long since taken the place of the olden system.
There is one fact in connection vnth the Dutch practice which I must not here pass over, inasmuch as it leads us to look at matters in a more practical man* ner than our present routine methods— of which I find no fault— permit. They were.wont in the early autumn to take a thriving Peach-tree up by the root, to remove it to the forcing-pit, and there fndt it well, and to retom it to a place beside the wall, to make room for others. So they oontiDued, year after year, never, in fact, fruiting the same tree for two years in succession. In fact, by cazef ully separating the roots, after they had performed their summer <^ce, from the SOU. which surrounded them, they knew that they had as good a tree to all intents and purposes, as if tons of the old, exhaosted soil had been removed with it. They did not, as we too frequeniiy do, consider the soil in which the rooto are imbedded, as part or portion of the tree itself ; but, more justly, they looked upon the roots as osgaas capable of performing their functions quite as well in a fxesh and suitable soil, as in the old. But, be it remembered, they exhumed every root and rootlet by removing the soil with the utmost oare; not, as is too frequently the case now^-dsys, by a dig here, and a dig there, in disregard of them ally finial^i»g by a strong puU at the main stom. I would eamestly impress this simple fact upon ^e minds of all young gardeners, namely, that — ^provided only the necessary care be given at the taking'*up process — a moderate-sized cul* tivated deciduous plant may be removed with perfect impunity to the extent even of at once forcing it into growth, and flowering it, and fruiting it some months before its natiual season*
Here let me pause, to refer to the fact that many gardeners, in advertising, speak of being e£Eicient in both late and early forcing. When we consider that to force signifies to hasten the maturity of fruits, flowers, &c, this expression, lat$ forcing, grates upon the ear. — ^Willeam Earley, DigsweU, Wdwyn,
THE GLADIOLUS IN 1869.
VISIT just paid to my bulb-room reminds me that my report on the Gladiolus is still unfomished for the year just ended ; and my experience as a practical cultivator tells me that, to be of use for the guidance of florists for 1870, the sooner it is before the public the better. The year 1869 was, on the whole, unsatisfaotoiy for the Gladiolus, I planted the bulk of my stock in the second week of February, and all before the end of the month, in fresh loam enriched with a moderate supply of old cow-dung, and made friable by the addition of some river-aand — the soil they seem to like best. Too heavy manuring I have found injurious, as it tends greatly to increase the pro- pensity in the bulbs to rot and melt away. They showed above-ground in due
64 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOOIBT. [MIXCB,
time, and then for nearly two montlu had to contend with bitter east winds, and ahnost nightly frosts ; and though I cannot say I lost a single bnlb outright in the early season, the evidence of the struggle for life was plain to the most care- less observer, in the stunted growth, and pale, sickly foliage of the entire stock. About the middle of June things began to mend, and thenceforward a rapid growth took place, but the main bloom was later than usual, and there was a marked deficiency in the rich vigorous appearance of foliage and brilliancy of spike, which a good grower is fairly entitled to expect as the reward oL his labours. I planted all my stock about 8 in. deep, and top-dressed them in June and July. I watered gently every day (as soon as the real summer weather set in), from the end of June to the middle of August.
My note-book tells me also that a large proportion of my stock did not bloom at all, being marked late — ^that is to say, that the check in the early summer was too much for them, and that all they were able to accomplish was a growth of about 2 ft., but no bloom. In those late cases the bulb has almost invariablj come up sound, which is a consolation to a certain extent.
The novelties of the past season have in several instances proved decided acquisitions, and the following, from our greatest producer, M. Souohet, seem likely to hold a leading position for some years to come. I give them as I meet them in my note-book, not neciiessarily in the order of merit :^»
Thomoi MtUiven ***. — Purple shade of crimaon, shaded with rose ; good spike, and good snbstanoe ; better than Homire^ also a new flower, and rather similar.
Monsieur Legouvi ****. — ^BriUiant ponoean, white throat, faint lilao blotch ; large solid flower ; very like an old fayonrite of mine, Marshal Vaillant, but flner in aU respects, and, what is of great importance, fully a month earlier.
Madame Desportes. — ^White, lightly feathered with rosy lilac, blotch of same shade ; large flower, and splendid spike.
ArauB ****. — ^Rich poncean, feathered with a darker shade of the same, pale straw throat ; £ne spike.
Schiller. — Splendid pale straw, rich bright velvety crimson throat ; very fine spike, qnite distinct, and a great genL This note was taken on Angnst 25, and as a matter for amnwing comparison, I next give a description taken on SeptemlMr 27 of another spike of the same Tariety in a neighbouring bed : — ^Blush, pale straw throat, with rich blotch of bright velvety crimson, heavy rose feathers, grand spike. The lapse of a month made aU the difference ; but the two spikes were so unlike that, could it have been possible to bring them together, they might hare been shown side by side as two separate varieties.
Racine ****. — ^Bright rosy crimson, shaded with white ; splendid spike. Bttffon ***. — Bright crimson and rose shaded, striped with white and crimson flakes. Madame Dombrain, — Splendid soft rose, bright rosy crimson throat and feathers, good spike and good shape ; one of the very best.
Vtrgile ••••. — ^Rich glowing ponceau, crimson blotch, good spike.
Marie Stuart *^*. — ^Whitish blush, rosy crimson throat and feathers, grand spike. A second spike from the same bulb, soft white, faintly tinged with lovely pale pink on throat and feathers ; both different, but grand in either state.
Of seedlings, a few fine things have been shown in Dublin ; one splendid flower, shown by Captain Nicholson, of Glemnore, near Drogheda, one of our most successful exhibitors for the past two years, was named Olenmore, after his own place. It was a most brilliant flower, good at all points, and reminding one
1870.] BLUE HTDBAKOEAS. 65
Teiy much of two of the best rarieties John Standiah has ever prodnced — ^Ehisign and Oarminata. I also fortunately had two of my best seedlings for the year in bloom at show-time; both are distinct, and quite np to the right standard. Oliver Ooldsmith, warm blush, shaded rosy crimson feathers, throat tinged with bronze ; yery large flower, splendid shape, fine spike. Had this flower been sent oat by M. Souchet, I would haye said at once that it had come from the same strain of seed as Madame Dombrain and Thomas Moore. The second I haye called Earl Spencer^ after onr present most popular Viceroy : rich orange scarlet, shaded ; throat white, with crimson blotch, feathered with yery dark claret-brown, — a seedling, I think, from Meyerbeer. Those two haye been proyed for two years, and may, I think, be fairly relied on. If my judgment was as crude to-day as it was some eight or ten years ago, I should probably be calling public atten- tion to some 40 or 50, in place of two new yarieties of my own ; but I am not unmindful of the adyice of a yeteran and kindly critic to young authors : — " Bum more, and print less.*'
In the taking up and saying of Gladiolua bulbs, the lateness of the season causes great difficulty, as it is scarcely possible to get them out of the ground in detail where there is a large stock. I adopted the plan last season of taking all mine up in one day, as I do my Tulips. I placed them at once in their boxes in one of two new conseryatories which I had just built, kept up a smart heat for about 12 days, and then remoyed them, yell sayed and in good order, to the fruit and bulb room for the winter. They are now in fine condition, that is, all that came out of the ground healthy, — ^for the number of shriyeled-up, leathery, dead bulbs was quite as large as usual, and the cause of this mortality remains still unex- plained. While speaking of taking up, it may be weU to state that where a spike is cut while in full bloom, there the chance of the loss of the bulb seems to be greatly increased. This is, I suppose, only natural, as the sudden shock of beheading must be seyerely felt, but it is an important consideration for ex* hibitors. This is a matter I haye carefully noted, and I should like to know what growers generally think about it. — J. F. Lombard, Dvblin,
BLUE HYDRANGEAS,
LUE Hydrcmgeaa haye lately engaged some attention in the Flobibt ; and as I haye for many years been in the habit of producing them of that beau- tiful colour, a hint on the subject may be acceptable to ^* Quo " and others^ who, if they should liye within a moderate distance of St. Alban's, Herts., will find no difficulty whateyer ia the matter, as at Golney Heath (a few miles from St. Alban's), there is, or used to be, abundance of loam and bog earth, either of which, used separately, would grow Hydrangeas wth most beautiful blue flowers, without any more trouble than the usual potting. I once liyed in that neigh- bourhood for about thirty years, so that I had ample time to proye the qualities of the soil ; but, haying left, and gone something like 100 miles another way, I could no longer grow them with any other than pink flowers.
66 THE FL0BI8T AND POMOLOOIST. [MJLBCH,
The most bsautifol spacimon I erer saw was a plant of Hydrangea j<xpomca about 4 ft. high, which I grew and exhibited at the Boyal Botanic Garden, in London. It occurred to me that, if I oould obtain a small quantity of the soil, I might still carry on the production of these blue plants, and I requested a friend to send me some. Ho accordingly started me off about a bushel, in a bag, haying placed a phint with blue flowers on it, in the bag, and filled the soil in among the branches. This was a novel way of packing a plant in flower, but it arrired safely, only a little dirty. I was rery much pleased with my parcel, and, having 8om? pink-flowered plants, I set about turning them blue, in the f crowing manner : — ^I took them out of their pots (they were in full growth), and got away all the soil I could, without very much disturbing the roots. I then potted them in the new soil, and well puddled it in, so as to prevent them from flagging. They were kept close and warm for some time, till they recovered from the effects of this treatment, and were then left to finish their growth and go to rest in the usual way. The next year they were started, I think, some time in February, and in the course of the summer they were the most admired objects of a wedding decoration. I kept some of the soil for future use, but got disappointed, as the next year it had lost its power so far that the colour was very pale indeed, and the third year I do not think we oould distinguish them at all, except that the flowers were exceedingly flne as to size, and the plants in vigorous health* This failure I attributed to the soil having been so long dug up, that it had lost the properties which had formerly effected the change. If I am wrong in this supposition, perhaps some reader will kindly set me right.
What I have stated about Golney Heath is, of course, no secret thereabouts. The moat successful cultivator I am acquainted with, is Mr. Thrower, gardener ai High Canons, near Bamet. He used to grow Hydrangeas with blue flowers in abundance, and, I have no doubt, would be exceedingly happy to answer any enquiries about their culture. — Jabpbb Stahdstzll.
THE LILY OF THE VALLEY.
HIS truly British plant, though one of the humblest members of our sylvan flora, holds notwithstanding a proud position in the category of odoriferous flowers, from the grateful perfume exhaled by its tiny blossoms. Some sweet-scented flowers that I might name, are so heavily charged with perfume, that their odour is cloying and oppressive ; but it is not 80 with tho Lily of the YaUey, for its fragrance is admitted by the best judges to be superior in delicacy to that of any other flower which we possess, whether native or exotic. Let it therefore stand to the honour of Britain, that among all sweet-smelling flowers which she has imported, nothing has yet turned up more grateful than this lovely gem, which we may proudly call our own.
On making acquaintance with this plant, we find it has, deeply nestled in the bosom of its broad green leaves, naked spikes of pure white blossoms like silver
137.\] THE ULT OP THE VALLEY. 67
bells, each bell beautifully vandjked with aix points. I have generally found it growing wild not far from running water, as an undergrowth, with the arms and foliage of some venerable oak as a parasol over its head, literally a Lily in the Valley, with rocks and hills piled around ; and if the heart of oak had a tongue, or if these big stones and crags could speak, they would tell us that this plant was never intended by nature to do battle with the sun and wind single-handed. The great service which the Lily of the Valley renders to horticulture is as a forced flower. Everybody knows the flower, for we see it in the button-hole of the gentleman's dress-coat, and in the bouquet of the bride adorned for her husband ; and it is so easily forwarded, being a spring flower, that it is to be had in January, and right on till it flowers naturally in May. I need not speak of its ordinary culture, if culture of any kind it ever gets, but I will ask the gentla reader to turn to Nature's page, and see how this plant behaves itself in its native habitat, and, for the reasons already given, to take that lesson. I have stated that the plant is a native of Britain, but I will go into particulars, and select * central locality, and ask the excursionist to take the Midland Bailway train to Gromford Bridge, near Matlock Bath, in Derbyshire, and in that truly picturesqna dell he will And the Lily of the Valley luxuriating. If he chances to be there in May, he may see children with bunches of its lovely blossoms offering them to the visitors and invalids for a few coppers. As he looks up to the rocks, piled mountains high around him, he will sea that shelter, shade, and moisture are ingredients in the landscape where the Lily of the Valley is located by nature ; but the chief ingredients are the vegetable mould from the decayed leaves, and the moisture ; and when under artificial culture, if it is neglected and allowed to get once thoroughly dry during its growing season, that hard surface drying will be quite sujQ&cient to ruin a season's blooming. As the plant skims the surface and does not feed deeply, it is essential to its well-being that very rich food should be put in its way, such as heavy drenchings with manure water, to imitate as far as possible the wet vegetable mould of its native vales. Li the woods near Sheffield, north and south of that town, the common Squill may be seen in bloom by the acre ; and it throws all spring flower-gardening into the shade when one sees a flower-bed of lovely blue, a furlong or more in width, and half a mile long, lighted up by the descending rays of the evening sun. And when we pry into the mystery of its support, it all turns on