iiSiiiilli m THE FLORAL WORLD GARDEN GUIDE YOLUME YL < p.LW vo;- \ x^ O Y A 11 \ C \^f?DE^ LONDON: GROOM BRIDGE AND SONS, 5, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1863. INDEX. About bedding, 126 Acbiraines, culture of, 67 ; propagation by cuttings, 69 ; selection of, 11, 70 Adversaria — Spring flowers, 79 Agrostis colorata, fol. var. (hardy grass), 194) Aira ccespitosa, fol. var. (grass), 194 ^juga reptans, fol. var., 193 Alocasia Lovvii, 216 ; zebrina, 11 Alyssum saxatile, fol. yar., 193 Amalgamated jVIetropolitan Chrysanthemum Society, 266 Anemone flowered chrysan- themums, 268 Annuals, selection of for all purposes, 33 ; of tall growih, 3-1; with orna- mental foliage, 34. Antennaria maigaritacea, 64; culture of, 77 ; method of planting, 79 An outbreak of vermin, 111 Apple trees, moving them in November, 18 Arabis alpina, fol. var., 193; A. lucida, fol. var., 193 ; A. procurrens, fol. var., 193 Architectural fountain for main walk of garden, 261 Argyllshire, climate of, 137 Artemisea maritima,glacialis, and pinnata, 193 ; A. vul- garis, ful. var. 193 Arum dracunculus, 274 Arundo phragmites, fol. var., A. donax versicolor, and A. maui'itanicj, fol. var., 195 Atriplex hortensis rubra, seed of, 186 Aucuba japonica picturata,ll August, seeds to sow, 185 Autumnal roses, 152 Azalea, the, 91 ; cultivation of hardy, 92; propagation. 93 ; desirable species nnd varieties, 93 ; amoena, 137 Banks and braes, 96 Bank to be turfed, 41 Barren wahiut, 42 Bedders. foliage, SO ; new, 81 ; planting out, 209 Bedding, about, 126, 101; annuals, 81 ; geraniums, 198 ; plants, 248 Begonia fuchsoides, 112 Begonias and coleus, 281 Bellis perennis, fol. var., 193 Birmingham rose show, 190 Blanching endive, 276 Bottom -heat from spent hops, 27 Brixton Hill Chrysanthe- mum Society, 267 Broecolisall the year,! 85,234 Bulbs in windows, 251 Bulbs, on spring, 274, 282 Bushes and pyramids, 51 Calamagrostis arundinacea, fol. var. (grass), 195 Calceolaria ericoides, 11 Calendar for the mouth : Ja- nuary, 1 3 ; February, 37 March, 59; April, 84 May, 106; June, 133 July, 160; August, ISO September, 207 ; October, 227 ; November, 256 ; De- cember, 276 Camellia, the, 1 ; various species of, 1 ; house, 2 ; winter treatment of, 3 ; blooming, 3 ; soil for, 4 ; culture of the, 46 ; inarch- ing, 47; selection of, old and new, 48 ; best of the last few years, 49 Campanula p^ramidalis, cul- ture of, 247 Candytufts for magic ring, 7 Cassia eorymbosa, 280 Catalogues of roses, 273 proposed classificai ion, 274 Caterpillars, and other pests, 162 Centaurea candidissima, 193; C. Ragusina, 193 ; C. ar- geutea, dealbata, gymno- carpa, and nigra, 193 Chaumontel pear failing, 280 Chelidonium majus, 193 China roses, autumnal bloom- ers, 153 Christine versus Helen Lind- say, 185 Christmas rose, 79 Chrysanthemums, exhibi- tions of, 266 ; Amalga- mated Metropolitan So- ciety's show, 266 ; Stoke Newiugton, 267 ; South Essex, 267 ; Brixton Hill, 267; Teuiple Gardens, 268; Salter's wiuter garden,269 ; favourite varieties of the season, 268 ; new, 269 Clerodendroa Thomsoniae, 12, 215 Clianthus, red spider on, 90 ; in Scotland, 113 ; culture of, 255 ; the most beau- tiful species, 236 ; summer and winter cultm-e, 237 ; management for blooming, 238 ; enemies, 238 Climate of Argyllshire, 137 ; of Frome, 137 ; of Tor- quay, 31 ; flowers gathered from the open groimd, Dec. 24, 1862, and Jan. 9, 1863, 32 Climbers for greenhouse, 234 Clipped furze for protecting bulbs, 282 Clumps, plants suitable for, 193 Coccolabia platyclada, 217 Cocoa-nut dust, 113 Coleus in greenhouse, 281 Collecting ferns, 257 Coltsfoot, variegated, 85 Compliments of season, 260 Convallaria majalis, 193 Coronilla, culture of, 19 Cotoneaster for hedge, 161 1/ INDEX. Country flower show, 32 Crystal Palace flower show, 14'J, 217; rose show, 178 Cucumber failure, 162 Cucumbers, culture of, 54 ; fruiting bed for, 55 ; out of door, 57 ; in a green- house, 112 Cultivation of mignonette in pots, 221 Culture of the hydrangea, 43 ; camellia, 46 ; cucum- bers, melons, and gourds, 54 ; root crops, 63 ; gar- denia, 139 ; oxalis, 187 ; oyclamen, 211 ; cliauthus, 235 ; Campanula pyrami- dalis, 247 ; and forcing lily of the valley, 249 Currants, red, white, and black, 28 ; propagation of, 29 ; pruning, 29 ; as espa- liers, 30 ; standards, 31 ; selection of varieties, 31 Cutbush and Son's exhibition of spring flowers, 77 Cyclamen, culture of, 211 ; species of, 212 ; hardy and greenhouse, 213 ; seed- lings, 214 Cytisus, cultui'e of, 19 Dactylis glomerata, 195 Daisies, lawn foul with, 16 Death of Mr. II. Low, 226 Delphinium alopecuroides, 217 ; bicolor grandifl., 12 Desfontania spinosa, 17 Diplotaxis tenuifolia, 193 Diseased vines, 162 Doodia caudal a (fern), 17 Double primrose, 112 Dumbartonshire, gardening iu, 230 Edging for garden walks, 282 Edging plants, 130 Edgings to beds, plants suit- able for, 193 Elymus glaucus, 195 Endive, blanching, 276 Eranthis hyemalis, 79 Esjjalier trees, 34 Eugenias and myrtles, 22 ; E. ugni, 25 Euonymus radicans, fol. var., 12 Eurya angustifolia, 12 ; lati- folia variegata, 12 Evergreens, raising a stock of, 16 Exhibition flowei's, 113 Exmouth, fiuit-trees for garden at, 257 Extermination of plantains from a lawn, 258 Farfugium grande, 223 Feather-grass from seed, 186 Fern cases, 41 ; vermin m, 186 ; collecting, 257 Fern sliade, 17 Fernery in Highlands, 161 Ferns for growing under a shade, 17 ; in a vinery, 258 ; suitable for growing in cases, 41 ; English ever- green, suitable for War- dian case, 210 Festuca glauca (grass), 195 Ficus Cooperi, 12 Floricuhural journals, illus- trated, 74 Flower show, country, 32 Flower-pots, protecting ex- posed, 208 Flower shows of February and March, 74 ; March and April, 103 ; April and May, 123 ; May and June, 149 ; June and July, 176, 190 ; at Alexandra Park, ]91; of September, 217 Foliage bedders, 80 ; 130 Forcing flowers, 211; beans, 271 ; lily of valley, 249 Forcing-house, heating, 63 Fortune, how to make a, 259 Fountain, supplying a, 262 ; to increase tlie force of a, 263 ; planting a, 161 Fountains in gardens, 261 French beans, to force, 271 Frome, climate of, 137 Fruit culture — currants, 28 ; formation of bushes and pyramids, 51 ; strawberry, 71, 242 ; out-door grapes, 195 Fruit-trees on a lawn, 65 ; at Exmouth, 257 Fuchsia corymbillora fol. var., 195; globosa fol. var., maculata, und pumila, 195 Fuchsias dropping their blooms, 233 Fumigating case, how to make, 186 Funkia alba marginata fol. var., ovata fol. var., and iindulata fol. var., 194 Galeobdolon luteum, 194 Gardenia, culture of, 139 Gardenias, 140 Garden, new, 209 ; planting a new, 42 ; vermin, 234 Gardening in Dumbarton- shire, 230 Garland, a winter, 31 Gas-stove, 113 Genista, general treatment of, 19 ; li'om cuttings, 21 Genista, Cyfisus and Coro- nilla, 12, 21 Gentiana foliosa, 12 Geranium, Cloth of Gold, for shady window, 223 Geranium spot, 13S Geranium, bedding, 198 ; rose and salmon-coloured, 198 ; scarlet, 199 ; crim- son, 200 ; scarlet, 185 ; variegated, 129 Gesnera, gloxinia, and achi- mines, 67 ; selection of species and varieties, 70 Gladioli in August, 63 Glechomahederacea, 194 Gloxinia, culture of, 67 ; pro- pagation by cuttings, 69 ; selection of varieties, 70 Gnaphalium dioicum, 194; lanatum, 7 Gooseberry trees, renovating old, 281 Govirds, culture of, 54, 57 Grapes, out-door, 195 ; cracking, 208 Grasses, ornamental, 194 Greenhouse azaleas, propa- gation of, 94 Greenhouse, cucumbers in a, 112 ; vines in a, 113 ; ar- rangement of, 64; chmbers for, 234 Greenhouse rhododendrons, management of, 246 Heartsease, blue, 82 Heating forcing-house, 63 Hebechnium macrophyllum, 217 Hedcra helix elegantissima, H. h. maculata, H. h. fol. var., sulphurea, and E. h. argentea, 194 Hedge for division, 161 Helleborus niger, the Christ- mas rose, 79 Helen Lindsay rersus Chris- tine, 185 Herbaceous plants for ex- hibition, 65 Highlands, fernery in, 161 Hints on rose growing, 132 Hoes, Sigma's, 257 Hollyhock, the, 154, 205; planting for effect, 155; INDEX. cuttings, seed, and plant- ing out, 155 Hollyhocks for exhibition, , 205 ; best for g^irden de- coration, 203 Honej, simple method of taking, 185 Hops, spent, 27 Hyacinth, culture of, 216 ; in glasses, 20G ; in beds or borders, 206 Hybrid perpetual roses, autumnal bloomers, 153 Hydi'angea, culture of the, •13 ; species and varieties, 43 ; out of doors, 45 Impressions of leaves, IS Insects on French beans, 271 Eail, variegated, 63 Xitchen garden walks, edg- ing for, 282 Lapageria rosea, 82, 233 Lawn foul with daisies, 16 Lean-to, the, 118 Leaves, impressions of, 18 Lily of the valley, cultm-e and forcing of, 249 Lom'riria ant?.rctica (fern), 17 Lonicera reticulata aurea, 7 Magic ring, the, 4 Mammoth gourds, 58 Management of greenhouse rhododendrons, 246 Manettia cordata and M. bicolor, 201 Manure for roses, 233 Marrows, culture of, 57 Melica cerulea (grass), 195 Melons, culture of, 54 Mignonette in pots, 221 Mimulus, the, and its cul- ture, 115 ; hardy species, 115 ; cultiu-e of green- house species and varieties, 116 ; for bedding, 117 Mistletoe, propagation of, 59 Mowing machines, 185 Musgrave's stove, 90 Mutisia decurrens, 12 Myrtles and Eugenias, 22 Mystery of vine cidture, 271 Natural springs in gardens, 261 Nelumbium, the lotus, 10 I^ew and old scarlet gera- niums, 123 ; bedders, 81 ; chrysanthemums, 269 ; garden, planting a, 42, 209 ; plants, notes on, 215; roses, 164 ; rejected and accepted, 165 ; light and dark colours, 165 ; the most perfect, 167 ; ver- ( Protection of wall trees, 105 benas of 1863, 201 Next season, propagating for, 173 Noisette roses, autumnal bloomers, 153 Orange, Otaheite versus Man- darin, 231 Orders for seeds and plants, 114 Osmanthus ilicifolius varie- gatus aureus, 13 Otaheite, versus Mandariu orange, 231 Ourisia coccinea, 13 Out-door grapes, 195 ; posi- tion and soil, 196 ; pro- tection, 196 ; pruning and training, 197 ; insects, 197 Oxaliscorniculata rubra, 194; culture, 187 ; hardy spe- cies, 188 ; greenhouse 1»8 ; propagation of, 190 Pansies, selection of, 40 Papyrus antiquorum, the bulrush, of holy Writ, 8, 85 ; P. corymbosus, 10 Paxtonian rose house at Stoke Newington, 169 Pear, Chaumontel, 280 Peas, sowing, 65 Pear-tree, horizontal, 34 ; upi'ight, 35; fan trained, 36 Phalaris arundinaeea, 195 Phlebodiuin. sporodocarpum (fern), 17 Plantains, extermination of from a lawn, 258, 234 Plantago major, fol. rubes- cens, 194 Plant destroyers, 137 Polypodium cambricum, bar- ren, 41 Pompone chrysanthemums, favourite varieties of, 268 Pond in a garden, 263 ; sup- ply and waste, 265 Pottery, ornamental, 73 Preservation of bedding plants, 248 Primrose, double, 112 Primula praenitens (fimbriata flore-pleno) delicata, 13 Profitable gardening, 103 ; Chap, xxvi., culture of cucumbers, melons, and gourds, 54 Propagating for next season, 173 Propagation of mistletoe, 59 Protecting exposed flower pots, 208 Prunella vulgaris, fol. var., _ 194 ii'runing roses, 41 Pteris Habellata, var. crispa (fern), 17; scaberula wild in Scotland, 281 Pyramid fruit trees, 51 Quince stocks, 40, 64 Rhododendron ciliatum, 112 Rockeries, 97; plants suitable for, 193 Root crops, culture of, 63 Rooting roses in water, 258 Rofe catalogues, 273 ; fence 209 ; gossip, No. 1, 23 No. 2, 49; No. 3, 131 No. 4, 152 ; No. 5, 238 No. 6, 273 ; growing, hints on, 132 ; Solfaterre, treat- ment o^ 17 ; symmetry the first ■ element of per- fection, 49 ; illustrations of various forms, 50 ; Pax- tonian house at Stoke New- ington, 169 ; show at the '^ Crystal Palace, 178 ; show at Biiniingham, 190 ; shows from an amateur point of view, 238 Roses, 90, 233 ; the novelties for 1863, 131 ; autumnal bloomers, 152 ; in 1863, 163 ; new, 164 : rejected, 164 ; accepted, 1G5 ; light and dark colours, 165 ; old, rejected, 166 ; the most perfect, new and old, 167 ; tea, in towns, 168 ; propagation of, 208 ; in the north of London, 224 ; two dozen, 232 ; manure for, 233 ; rooting in water, 258 ; defects in novelties, 26 ; table of colours, 27 ; pruning, 41; on protecting tender, 10 Royal Botanic Society flower show, MarL'h 28", 103; April 11, 101. ; Anril 25, 124; June 3, lol'; June 24, 177 Royal Horticultural Society, first sprmg show, 74 ; se- condspringshow,75; April 15, 123 ; May 27, 150 ; June 17, 176'; July 1, 177 ; Sept. 9, 219 Rustic waterworks for rustic scenes,262 Rutagraveolensfol.var., 1£4 Sagina procumbens, 5 VI INDEX. Salter's winter garden, £G9 Sarmienta repens, 159 Scarlet geraniums, 185 ; new and old, 128 Scolopeudriinis, 143 Scolopendrium Tulgare, and other varieties, 143 Sedum fabarium, 24S Seeds to be sown in August, 185 Selaginella apoda for grow- ing under a shade, 17 Selection of annuals for all purposes, 33 Sempervirens rose Grevillea on south wall, 210 Serissa foetida var. fol. aureo- marginatis, 216 Shady border, plants for a, 66 Shadj window, plants for a, 223 X, Shi'ubs, variegated, 195 Sigma's hoes, 258 Silene pendula, 281 South Essex Chrysanthe- mum Society, 267 Sowing peas, 65 Squashes and marrows, 57 Spent hops, 27 Spergula pilifera, 5 j sagi- noides, 5, 185 Spring bulbs, 274 ; flower3,79 Stachys lanata, 191 Stamford Horticultural Show, 178 Stoke Kewington Chrysan- themum Society, 267 Strawberry, the, 242; cul- ture of the, 71 ; planting, 72 J plantation, 71 Tagetes signata pumila, 82 Tea roses in towns, 168 Temple Gardens, chrysan- themums at the, 268 Thymus vulgaris fol. var., 194 Tiflany failure, 89 ; house, 41 Tilia Eui'opffia fol. argcnteis, 160 ; T. parvifolia fol. var. 160 Tomata de Laye, 66 Torquay, climate of, 31 Towns, tea-roses in, 168 Traininj fruit-trees, 34; ho- rizontal training, 34 ; up- right training, 35 ; fan training, 36 Training plants to a wall, new met hod of, 83 Trees and shrubs, varie- gated, 195 Trees, espalier, 34 ; planting out a view under, 258 ; ]3lanting under, 186 Tiifoliutn rubrum pictum, 194 Tropaeolums, 210 Tulips, planting after, 162 Turfing a bank, 41 Tussilago farfara var., varie- gated coltsfoot, 85 Two dozen roses, 232 Variegated coltsfoot, 85 ; ge- ranium, 129 ; kail, 63 ; trees and shrubs, 195 ; plants, 210; selection of hardy, 192 Verbenas, 113 ; of 1863, 201 Vermin, an outbreak of. 111 ; giirden, 231 ; in fern cases, 186 Vertinica incana, 194 View under trees, planting cait a, 258 Village in dismay, 111 Vinca major fol. elegantis- sima, 194 ; V. m. reticu- lata, 194 ; V. minor fol. Tar. argentea, and V. m. fol. aurea, 194 Vine border, materials for, 270 ; culrm-e, the great mystery of, 270 Vinery, ferns in a, 258 Vines, diseased, 162 ; in a greenhouse, 1].3 ; in pots, 281 Viola arborea, 215 Virginian creepers, soil for, 282 Walks, edging for kitchen garden, 282 Wahiufc, barren, 42 Wall trees, protection, 105 Waltoniau case for propa- gating, 173 Wardian case, English ferns suitable for, 210 Water scenes, 261 Window flowers, 251, 232 Winter aconite, 79 ; • arland, a, 31 ; climate of Torquay, 31 Work for the Month — Janu- ary, 14 ; February, 38 ; March, 69; April, 85; Mav, 106; June, 134; July, 156 ; Augu-t, 181 ; September, 202; October, 227 ; November, 252 ; De- cember, 277 INDEX OF ENGRAVINGS. Clerodendron Thomsonia?, 215 Engenui ugni, 25 Pan training, 36 Grou]) of seolopendriums, 146 Helleborus niger, 80 Horizontally-trained pear-tree, 3i Inarching camellias, 47, 48 Interior of rose-house, 171 Method of protecting wall trees, 105 Method of pruning currant trees, 30 Oxalis corniculata rubra, 189 Oxalis eli'gans and O. deppti, 188 Papyrus antiquorum, 8 Pastonian rose-house at Stoke Newingtou, 169 Pruning, illustration, 63 Pyi-amid fruit-trees, 52, 53 Eockery, 98 Eoses, forms of, 50 Scolopendrium vuliTare ramo-mavginatuni, 147 Sedum fabarium, 249 Seiissa foetida var. foliis aiu-eo-marginatis, 217 Tagetes signata pumila, 82 The lean-to, oui side view, 119; interior, 122 The magic-ring, 6 Upright-trained pear-tree, 35 Viola arborea var. braudyana, 216 Water scene, 264 THE te! THE CAMELLIA. Jaktjaey, 1863. HE Camellia is the most generally useful of all the greenhouse plants we possess, and shoxild, therefore, befirst thought of in selecting stock for a plant-house, and especially one that is to be used for purposes of pleasure. It is glory of the conservatoiy, a noble object at all seasons, and unequalled for its brilliancy andgrandeur when in flower. Happily it is most easily cultivated ; and though specimen plants are not to be obtained with- out considerable outlay, small plants are cheap, and an assiduous cultivator may, in the course of a few years, possess himself of a collection of handsome specimens by beginning with small nursery stock, and waiting patiently till they "grow into money," which they are sure to do if favoured with a moderate amount of care. Botanically considered, the camellia is an interesting plant, because of its relation to the true Theas, fi'om which is obtained the tea of commerce — the camellia being a mem jer of the natural order of Theads, otherwise classed as Ternstromiacece. There are about a dozen species of camellia in cultivation ; the principal are C. euryoides, a small shrub with white flowers ; Kisii, a shrub which attains the proportions of a tree, and with white flowers ; maliflora, the apple-flowered camellia, with pink blossoms ; oliefera, a tree with white flowers, and from the seed of which the Chinese extract a table-oil; reticulata, a small shrub with red flowers ; sasanqua, a small shi'ub, of which there are several varieties, produciug white and red blossoms; and lastly, Japonica, from which nearly all the showy varieties so highly prized as decorative plants have been derived. Camellia Japonica was inti'oduced to this country in 1 "oO. It is a native of China and Japan, where it is mostly found in damp shady w^oods. In common with manj^ other plants from those countries, it is quite hardj- in this country, and previous to the winter of 1860-1 there were many VOL. VI. — NO. I. U 2 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. fine beds and borders of camellias in private gardens and nurseries about London and the southern counties, but that terrible winter destroyed thousands of open-air camellias, and so injured those that escaped destruc- tion that it will probably be many years before we shall again see such displays of camellias in beds as we have seen in times past. "We remember, in the spring of 1 860, that in reply to a correspondent in this work, we said, " Out-door camellias are subject to too many risks to be recommended to the notice of amateurs generally;" and we were immediately invited by Messrs. Milne, of Vauxhall (the nursery is now being laid out for buUding purposes), to see some beds of camellias there, which were gtand features of the establishment ; but the very next winter cut them off, and their death was like a prelude to the extinction of the nursery itself, which, for time out of mind, had been the home of the camellia. These facts are instructive. If, in ordinary seasons, the camellia wUl live out of doors, every amateur who can afford it the protection of glass may grow it to perfection with little or no fire-heat. Planted against a north wall camellias make a magnificent appearance, but their blooms are fre- quently destroj'ed by those cruel frosts that are so common in tins country in the early spring, and it is impossible to retard the blooming of the camellia beyond a certain time, as when the season has sufficiently ad- vanced to set the sap moving, the first effect is the expansion of the flowers, and if then caught by frost the flowers melt to a pulp and fall to pieces. "We have named these few facts as affording to the beginner in flori- culture some idea of the constitution of the plant, and we shall now pro- ceed to state the points that are to be kept in view in the cultivation of the camellia, reserving what is necessary to be said as to its propagation for a future occasion. CAMt;LLiA House. — N'ow and then we come across an ancient green- house, with high side- walls, rafters of unusual breadth, broad sash-bars, heavy plates, and very small glass with wide laps, and those laps so filled with dirt that what with the bad glass and the large proportion of wood- work, there is not much more than half the amount of light admitted which we obtain in a modem structm'e. If there are — as there most likely will be — a lot of old camellias in such a house, we shall be pretty sure to find them in marvellous health. One of the ugliest, darkest, and most dilapidated houses we ever saw was that of the late Mr. Mackie at Stoke Newington, who had some of the noblest specimens of double white camellias in the country, and which Mr. Bird secui'ed when the stock was sold. Those plants were annually loaded with blooms in such profusion as to look like huge pyramids of snow, and the sale of the flowers was understood to produce their proprietor a good income without entailing a farthing expense beyond the rent of the ground on which the houses stood. We cannot wish to see greenhouses built in the old style in these days, but if a house is expressly for camellias, it need not be so fully lighted as for quick-growiag, soft-wooded plants ; and those who grow camellias in houses that admit of full daylight, must adopt some effectual method of screening them from the sun from the 1st of March to the 1st of Sep- tember. Hartley's rough plate will be found invaluable for the top lights of a house in which camellias are to be grown, as this excludes sunshine, yet admits the ordinary daylight without interruption. As a rule a lean-to is preferable to a span-house for camellias, and if there is no method THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 3 of shading adopted in the original plan of the structure, the roof must be furnished with a roller blind, or tiffany must be put up in loose bag-like folds, thus — Or the inelegant plan of smearing the glass with size and whitening must be adopted. This last is a rough and ready way of shading which costs nothing beyond the time of preparing it, and is very effectual. The camellia house need not be very freely ventilated ; during the early period of the year they do not want much air, and though they can scarcely have too much during summer and autumn, ventilators and doors may then be left open night and day, or the plants may be set outside to ripen the wood and perfect the blossom buds. Old greenhouses that are dark and defective in ventilation, and therefore unsuitable for such plants as erica and epacris, etc., may be made good use of for the culture of camellias. Though we have remarked above that camellias may be grown in unheated structures, it is far preferable to heat the house with hot- water pipes or a tank, so as to be able to raise the temperature to 60° during the severest frost, as we sometimes have the coldest weather of the whole year just as the first batch of camellias is coming into bloom, and in any case there should be the means of keeping out frost, which is never a benefit to the plants, though they can bear half a dozen degrees with impunity if the wood is ripe. We ourselves lost a house full of camellias on the night of the 24th and 25th of December, 1860 (who wiU ever forget that night), in a lean-to where, owing to the festive character of the season, the fire had been neglected, and the plants were suddenly subjected to 12'^ of frost, which caused the stems to split from head to foot, as if operated upon with a penknife. "We shall never again, we trust, expose valuable plants to such a risk, and the mention of the fact may be a useful warning to others, to be at all times prepared for the worst possibilities. "Winter Tbeatiient of Camellias. — We prefer to keep camellias under glass the whole year round, and are very much inclined to pronounce vigorously against putting them out of doors at all. But if it were imperative to keep them always under glass, many persons having but limited glass room would have to give them up altogether, and the plan of removing them to the open air is a very good compromise between the best and worst methods of treatment. Take them in doors the last week in September. If the house is still otherwise occupied put them in pits or frames, so that in some way or other there is glass over them. AU they need for some time is to be kept regularly watered, never wet and never dry, safe from frost, but not to be stimulated by heat till it is required to push them into bloom. Bloojiixg the Cajiellia. — The first thing we consider necessary is to clean the foliage. However clean it may appear, we prefer to set a lad to work to sponge every leaf with tepid water ; it is astonishing how ex- quisitely bright and green the leaves look after the process. As they are washed set them aside and remove a little of the top soil in the pots, not more than an inch, and supply its place with two inches of rotten dung and leaf-mould well chopped over. Eemove the plants into a house where 4 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. they -will have a temperature of 45" by night and 55" by day. After they have been there a week, raise the temperature to 50' by night and 60° to 65° by day, and make it a rulo never to flower a camellia in a higher temperature than 65°. As the flowers open remove them to a house a few degrees cooler, or lower the temperature of the house they are in about 5^, which will prolong their beauty and prevent them growing too soon, for they cannot grow and blocm properly at one and the same time. Camellias should be bloomed in batches, and, if needful, they may be had in bloom by means of a succession of plants every day througliout the year. But this is not desirable, as they only produce really fine flowers during the season between November and April. The selection of plants for summer is a matter of some importance where camellias are grown to any extent, as those that have been forced a month earlier than the usual time one season may be forced six weeks earlier the next season, and so on, the plants being prepared to start upon the application of the proper stimulus, through having finished their gi"owth and gone to rest early the season previous. Those to force next year should be got into growth as early as possible, so as to be put out of doors early in Juno ; they may then be brought in again at the end of August, be at once started for bloom and followed by succession plants, so as to keep up the displaj' from November to the end of April. Soil for Camellias. — Silky yellow loam, full of fibre, one part ; leaf- monld, half a part ; fibry peat, or bog, half a part ; silvor-sand, quarter of a part. They will grow in peat alone, but are short lived. The top spit from a loamy pasture laid up twelve months and then mixed with a third part of leaf-mould is a good compost. THE MAGIC EINa. The oltject of this paper is to fix upon the minds of our readers an important principle of taste in gardening. The mere statement of that principle need not occupy more than a page or so ; but it might then be read and forgotten, and no good purpose would be served. But by calling attention once more to my magic ring, I may be able to fix that principle in the reader's mind, and the gardners of the land may hereafter be all the better for it. Past issues of the Floral Woeld will show that the old lawn plant, Spergula pilifera, after nestling among the mountains since the day of creation, found its way at last to Mr. Mongredien's garden at Forest Hill, where that magician of gardners, Mr. A. Summers, made such wonderful pile velvet of it, that in 1859 Messrs. Henderson, of St. John's Wood, " brought it out " as a substitute for Turkey carpets, and in a very dull time the Floral "World was aroused with a new idea. These pages will also show that the writer of this at once took the wonderful plant in hand, and mastered all the secrets of its growth and uses for the benefit of horticulture generally and the amusement of himself in par- ticular. The readers of this work were informed of its behaviour in seed- pans, in store-pots, on the ground after being planted out too early, and after being planted again, when it grev\'" and flourished, and made the fii'st of the lawns after Mr. Mongredien's, in the garden of a " weed by the THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 5 ■wall " at Stoke Newington. It was further reported that this specimen of spergula turf had been visited and criticised by various gardeners and nurserymen, from Mr. Veitcla, at the top of the scale, to many worthy men at the bottom, whose judgment was no less equal to the task of deciding upon it than the horticultural grandees who had gone before. At that juncture many requests were forwarded to the writer to admit the public generally, and especially the readers of the Floral Wokld ; but a cold and ungracious reply was given that it could not be done, and no one regretted that more than the cold and ungracious party whose avocations and cii'cumstances did not allow of indulging in sucli a levee. But in the summer of 18G2 a photographer was set to work in the garden at Newington, and the result was a series of pictures of some objects of interest. It had been resolved to sweep away the spergula ; no, not sweep it away, but remove it to another spot. Not because it had failed, but for the sake of change, and for no other reason. It would not pay an experi- mental cultivator, whose first object is to obtain useful knowledge by the cultivation of plants, to devote an important space at the head of the garden, to spergula after four years' trial had proved, in the words of Messrs. Henderson's original announcement, that " it forms an unbroken level of velvet-like surface, remaining uninjured in severe drought or intense cold, and its fertility in blossom during the month of July (and thence to October) is equally beautiful, being at that period studded over with myriads of low, compact, salver-shaped, snow-white blossoms," etc., etc., etc. So the spergula was removed, and appropriated to cover the sides of a bank on which are planted some choice conifers — the very same conifers that have been reported in these pages, as having been grown in pots for winter furnishing, and which, having become too lai'ge for the purpose, were turned cut of pots to grow into trees on the bank, where, as required of them, they are doing their duty. But it was thought the readers of the rLOK.\.L World might be allowed to peep at that spergula lawn, which was in the form of a circle inclosing a bed of rhododendron species; and as tlie photograph was available for the pur- pose of presenting a picture to folks who now associate the writer and his labours with '-auld lang syne " at tlieir own firesides, the picture was engraved, and, presto ! here it is. This, then, is the magic ring. Spergula produced it by an incantation ; and it has been the most interesting of all the subjects dealt with by the present possessor, and it has furnished material for the fullest accounts of spefgulas and their uses which have hitherto appeared in the horti- cultural papers. It is but right to say, in the first place, that though Spergula pilifcra proved such a decided success on that circle, its near relative, S. saginoides, has proved far better. There are three of these turfing plants here on banks, namely, the two first -mentioned and Sagina procumhens. They are &11 good ; the last is ugly when in bloom, but beautiful at all other times ; but sagina, like spergula, is least particular about soil of any, and grows so rapidly that it may be trusted almost anywhere except on a bed of clay, to make a lawn in one season. Another point to be mentioned is that a raised platform, such as the magic ring, is the proper place to grow it on, and by a parity of circumstances the banks on which they are now placed to clothe the sloping sides are covered from top to bottom with the most beautiful verdure. So if there is a raised space in a garden 0 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. needing to be covered with the most refined verdure, plant it with Sper- gula saginoides, and keep it well rolled and weeded, and there will soon 08 a turf fit for the feet of a fairy. Previous to 1859 the spot occupied by the magic ring was a steep slope of grass continued from the lawn below, and with a circular bed planted sometimes with roses, sometimes with fuchsias, and once with pampas grasses, which made a display in autumn worth a journey to see. When the spergula was started the thought occurred, why not make on that spot a grand feature ? A circle was raai-ked out for a peat-bed, and round that another circle of loam on a dead level so as to fall over by a sort of ramp on the grass at the lower side. The result was the efi'ect repre- sented in the picture. The spergula and the rhododendrons competed with each other and grew out of bounds, and for the sake of a change the first was removed in July last, and the circle planted with 240 Tom Thumb geraniums in a ring of seventy feet circumference. This present winter the rHododendi-ons were taken up and se\en Luge plantb appro- priated to the border in the forecourt on the other side of the house ; the bed was raised a foot higher by means of more Wanstead peat, and the outer circle to the same level by means of the loam taken out to make a peat-bed for the rhododendrons in the forecourt. The remammg rhodo- dendrons were planted in the bed and filled it well, and the outside of the ring was faced all round with the largest burrs from the brick kiln, forming a massive ring eighteen inches above the level, so that^ii photo- graphed now the picture would be " Hyperion to the satyr already presented. What is to be done with it now ? In the first place a stock of the new Silver -edged Ivy has been secured, and is in course of propa- gation to be planted next the burrs all round to make a ghttermg boundary line or silver ring, and which will be a lovely sight winter and summer. This new ivy is to be had generaUy an the trade, Mr. baiter THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 7 has a bed of it in his chrysanthemum house now ; the plants secured for this ring were had from Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co., of Exeter. Now, supposing a selection of bedders are wanted there will be no diffi- culty in finding them, and the writer would if pressed for time be content to sow one of those charming new dark candytiifU which Messrs. Carter have introduced lately, or the crimson candytuft sent out three years ago by Messrs. Henderson, and follow the candytuft with verbenas put out in full bloom, or Cramoisle roses turned out of pots, or Imperial Crimson Nosegay geraniums, or Goleus Yerschaffelti with Golden Chain geranium in Vandyke compartments. Eut the idea is to make the circle grand with foliage plants only, such as Lonicera reticulata aurea for a broad ring, and with Gnaplialiimi lanatum for a silver ring inside next the rhododendrons. This would be at its best in autumn, when the Lonicera acquires a deep fiery crimson hue. But these are speculations, and we are never to forget the distinction between what has been done and what may be done : the Past teaches, the Future only appeals to the imagination. It was said just now that in this affair there was a principle involved. That principle can be explained in a word. The magic ring is the most decisive feature which the plan and size of the garden admits of. Half a dozen beds there, however beautifully kept, would have no grandeur about them, but this fine sweej), simple and severe as the true circle always is, gives a satisfaction to the eye, and proves at once that its possessor has a horror of trifling. In every garden there should be at least one disfmct feature, as bold and as simple and as elegant as possible, and when that principle is viewed aright it will be the deathblow of the little intricacies that make some gardens like the dress of a harlequin with too many colours, and all out of place. Nothing like bold expressive forms ; the eye loves to roam with freedom in reading out an idea, and if there be any one method of appropriating the ground immediately under the drawing-room better than another, it is without question the plan of a great circle raised above the level, and filled with plants worthy of such a position. If the reader will call to mind what he has seen of well-planned gardens, great and small, it will be seen that all the separate and inde- pendent objects of interest are made subservient to some one leading idea. It is so at "Versailles, at Shrubland, Hampton Court, Kew, Sydenham, and Kensington. When we recall the scenes at Sydenham we think first of the terrace and next of the temples. In our remembrances of Kew that little geometric plot in front of the palm-house sparkles in the scene like a central Pleiad ; it is the point you are aiming at, as you walk on admiring and questioning, and when you arrive at it you feel that you have accomplished something, and the feeling is akin to that of the traveller who at last pitches his tent at the foot of the chief of the Pyramids. So my magic ring is like Moses' serpent, which swallowed up the magicians' serpents — it swallows up all the other curves that lead to it and from it, and the glitter of its edging of silver-edged ivy interlacing among the dark blocks that support the soil is a satisfactory object from any point of view. Make such a circle, raise it eighteen inches, plant it all round with Irish ivy, and what a grand effect it will have if kept gay and bright with suitable occupants ! The true circle is the source of all the lines of beauty, and it affords a proper opportunity for a vast breadth of one colour, and that gives a dignified air to the garden, and by the simplest rule of art fills the mind with an agreeable subject for contemplation ; such, at least, is the suggestion of the Magic Ring. Shielex HtsBEED. PAPYEXJS ANTIQUOEUM. There are several reasons wliicli ia- duce us to think that a page or two may be profltibly devoted to a gossip upon this plant. In the first place it is a most graceful and elegant object, far removed from the civilization of the present day. By it, too, one of the prophecies of Scripture has been wonderfully fulfilled. Let us speak first of the plant ,^^/i^ and not half so much cultivated as it deserves to be; and in the second place it has played a by no means in- conspicuous part in the history of the world in the remote ages which are so itself. Our sketch will give a very good idea of the appearance which it presents. The wand-like triangular stems support a globular head of finely divided, forking, long, green. THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 9 filaments, among which, the little, in- conspicuous, sedj^e-lilce spikes of flowers ara produced. The stems, which are from four to six feet high, are not ria^id, so as to stand perfectly erect, or half the beauty of tlie plant would be lost ; but they droop grace- fuUy, and bend before every breath of the summer zephyr. The plant grows naturally by the sides of rivers, with its roots immersed in the water ; we have alre'^dy said iU stems are triangular, and one traveller asserts that these stems always present one of their angles to the course of the stream, as if to break the force with which the water would strike upon the plant if one side of the triangle were presented to it. This may, or may mt, be true, we have never seen it growing in a state of nature, and therefore cannot affirm that it is true, nor can we deny it. These stems are thrown up by the creeping rhizome which spreads along the sur- face of the soil, and like all plants having a similar habit of growth it may readily be increased by division. Under cultivation it requires a stove- heat, but during the summer months might be removed to a conservatory without the slightest fear of its being injured. In the neighbourhood of Berlin we have seen it planted out of doors in summer, and a most beauti- ful object it male; but it is somewhat doubtful if the heat of our summers would be sufficient to allow of the same practice being carried out iu England. "We can easily fancy that where the conservatory is furnished with one or more vases kept gay with flowering plants, nothing could be found so suitable for the centre plant of such a vase as Papyrus antiquorum. It would make quite an original fea- ture. Its culture is as simple as it is possible to conceive that of any plant. It should be potted in a compost of rough loam and peat, with a litde dung or leaf-mould, well rotted, mixed with it. In summer it cannot be kept too moist, it may even stand in a pan of water, and when the pot is full of roots a little weak liquid manure is very beneficial, as we can, from experience bear witness. During winter it need not be kept more moist than ordinary stove plants. It is at least sixty years ago since this plant first found a home iu our gardens, but it is not common for all that ; its great beauty and elegance have been over- looked, and probably there are not half a dozen nurserymen in the country who could supply it. Those who have once seen it well grown must have been charmed by it ; it requires only to be kn )wn to he appreciated. When we recollect how long it has been in the country without having become generally cultivated, we must also keep in mind that it is only within the last five or six years that plants liave been grown for the sake of their fqliage, or for their graceful habit ; showy flowers were the only things cared for before that time. Papyrus antiquorum was formerly verv common in Egypt, by the banks of the Nile, it is in fact the '■' bullrush," so often mentioned in Holy Writ ; it also occurs under thenameofthepaper- reed. The following extract concern- ing this plant is from a work entitled " Letters from t!ie East," by Mr. W. A. Bloomfield, a botanist of no mean repute, who died while on his way home fromEgvpt and the Holy Land. The extract shows that the denuncia- tions against Egypt, made by Isaiah, have been fulfilled even to the minutest detail. The author says, " The Lotus flower and Papyrus have both dis- appeared from the rivers and marshes of Egypt; the rumour of the Papyrus still liDgering in the vicinity of Lake Menzalet, proving, it seems, a mistake, another species having been con- founded with the true Papyrus of antiquity, which is P. antiquorum {Cyperus Papyrus oiJAnnsiVLi). Poor Egypt ! How has she been shorn of alt her boasted splendours, even to her very garlands of Lotus flowers ; and how literally have the words of the Prophet been fulfilled in the single and apparently unimportant, as iu so many more remarkable and weighty instances ! '• And they shall turn the rivers far away ; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up : the reeds and flags shall wither. The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every 10 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more." (Isaiah, xix. 6, 7.) In like manner the Lotus {Nelum Hum) once so celebrated, and so con- stantly represented in Egyptian paint- ings, and popular as an architectural ornament, has quite disappeared from the Nile. Papyrus antiquorum is a native of Syria, Calabria, Sicily, Egypt, and Abyssinia. Its name in Syria is " Babeer " whence iu all probability we, and most of the European lan- guages obtain our name for paper; the white pulpy stems of this plant being manufactured into the Papyrus scrolls upon which all the learnmg of the Egyptians as well as that of the Greeks and Romans, was written. I can find no description of the manner in which the Papyrus was prepared for this purpose, but I am inclined to think that the stems were peeled and then cut into thin longitudinal slices which were laid crosswise upon each other, and then beaten until they made a substance not much unlike paper. The stems of this plant are also twisted into ropes ; and another species of the same genus (P. corym- hosus) is employed, according to Lindley, for making the mats so much used in India for covering the floors of rooms, and which are also much esteemed in Europe. Bruce speaks of Papyrus being used for making boats ; I think tliat bundles of the stems are more likely to be used as floats, but no modern traveller that I am aware of has confirmed this state- ment. Specimens of the Papyrus may be seen at Kewand the Crystal Palace. ON PEOTECTING TENDER EOSES. " Feost is a fatal enemy to roses, but damp is a much more fataller," was once remarked to me by a jobbing gardener, and the man's double com- parative was more sound in fact than in grammar. There is no doubt that where frost stay its thousands, damp slays its tens of thousands, particu- larly among young plants on their own roots during the cold spring months. The worst of it is that it is difficult to know what protection to employ against these enemies, as what is effectual in the one case, too often produces the opposite evil. During my experience in the climate north and east of London, I have found none of the modes usually advocated satis- factory in their efiect. Sawdust, cinder-ashes, moss, or hay, round the roots of the dwarfs, hold the wet, and almost invariably produce mil- dew ; and haybands or fern round the heads of tender standards, as cer- tainly generate a premature growth, which is cut ofi', when the protection is removed, by the cold early winds, to the ruin of the first blossoms, and often to the detriment of the plant for the whole season. After a good deal of pondering over the matter, I have determined to adopt the follow- ing plan, which I promulgate for the benefit of brother rose-growers, who I hope, will participate in the experi- ment, and make known the result. I propose obtaining some conical caps, in shape like a grocer's sugar- bag, of various sizes, of that common rush material of which fish baskets are made. These are intended to be put over the heads of standards, and removed when the weather requires it, even tying them close round the stocks if necessary. They will not cost more than a penny apiece. I should use them in the same way to the dwarfs, placing in addition a few inches of charcoal dust round the collars of the roots. These caps will be taken ofl" when the condition of the atmosphere permits, affording the 'plants all the bracing advantages of exposure to favourable atmospheric conditions with protection from cold, winds and frosts. As soon as the season admits, the coverings will be entirely removed, and the charcoal will be stirred in, to the manifest im- provement of the borders. With re- THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 11 spect to a bed of Teas and Bour- bons, I propose affixing at short dis- tances, round the sides, some stout square posts of vrood, from which hoops of strong cane will stretch across. A thickness or two of tanned netting will be thrown over, and this, with the charcoal mulching, will, I think, effectually exclude the most in- clement frosts. I am by no means cer- tain that calceolarias, geraniums and the like subjects, could not be pre- served during ordinary winters in a similar manner, assisted by a warm mulching of old dung or cocoa-nut refuse, to help start them in the spring. If so, what immense saving of time and trouble in wintering such stock, and with that view it is worth making the experiment. This, how- ever, is only an idea for the conside- ration of others. [It would not answer.] With respect to roses I am more and more determined to limit the number of sorts. The real scientific florist remarks, "I have so many of such a (favourite) sort," not, " I have so many sorts.'' I have now experi- mented upon about 200 varieties, and if I had not the plants in my posses- sion, I should reduce them to one- third in number, perhaps fewer. Mr. Hibberd justly remarks that S. de la Reine d'Angleterre is not a perpetual in the neighbourhood of London, and this is true of many other H.P.'s in unfavourable situations ; besides several very beautiful kinds of loose character and colour, though growing and blooming freely ; in uncongenial climates, reverting, I think, to the varieties from which they were oriqi- nally raised. Would not this idea open an interesting field for investi- gation ? I am disposed to beheve that not a few of the novelties sent out by the French raisers are really mere sports, and not veritable seedlings. [That would be nothing against them.] For instance, Oriflamme de St. Louis, and Triomphe d'Amiens, are surely only sports from our favourite the General ; and Gloire de Chatillon (1862) from Mad. Masson ; i»Iad. Campbell is certainly a sport from La Eeine. All these may be seen at times growing respectively, side by side, in the same plants. Mad. Ge- raud will also come B. Prevost, and I have seen Pauline Lanzezeur very like to Jules Margottiu, though less robust iu growth. I throw out these suggestions with some diffidence, bei'jg at all times open to correction by more skilful and practised growers than myself. W. D. Peioe, Homerton, Nov. 6th. USEFUL NOVELTIES. SELECTED FEOM THE LIST OF NEW PLAJJTS IN THE " GAEDEN OEACLE," 1863. AcHiMENES Mauve Queen. — A fine and showy large-flowered variety, flowers three inches across, of a mauve-purple, somewhat redder about the eye, and thickly spotted below the eye with crimson dots on yellow ground. Flowers larger than those of longiflora major, more richly marked about the eye, and of remarkable substance, rendering it a most de- sirable addition to this family. — Mr. A. Parsons. Alocasia zebeina. — A fine Arad from the Philippine Islands, intro- duced by Mr. J. G. Veitch. A stout- growing plant of bold habit, thick green broadly sagittate erect leaves, on stout erect stalks, mottled and banded with dark green on a pale green ground, curious and handsome. — Messrs. Veitch. AUCUBA JAPONICAPICTUEATA, Cor- nacea?. — A very handsome variety, with the leaves marked by a large irregular yellowish central blotch, the rest of the surface being green. — Mr. Standish. Calceolaeia eeicoides. — A re- markably distinct-looking species from Chili, quite resembling a heath in its general features. From the root pro- ceed numerous vigorous shoots a couple of feet in height, and quite erect ; these are furnished with email 12 THE FLORAL WOELD AJv'D GAEDEN atJIDE. aemiterete leaves, clothed vrith short stiff pubescence, and produce along their whole length numerous short branchlets of an inch and a-half long. Upper part of stems freely furnished with flowers vshich form a kind of compound raceme. Flowers of a lemon-yellow, narrow oblong, almost squared off at the end, having an open elongated mouth, but folded back, the lower lip against the upper, so as to close the opening. — Messrs. reitch and Son. Clekodendron Thomsojjije, Ver- benacese. — A hothouse climber, of rather slender habit and moderate growth, bearing oblong ovate ac-ute leaves, and cymose panicles of re- markably handsome flowers, consist- ing of a large white inflated flve- angled calyx, with the crimson-scarlet corolla just protruding from the points of its segments. Lately introduced from Old Calabar.— Messrs. Jackson and Sou, Kingston. Delphinium bicoloe geawdi- FLORUM. — Ashowy variety, with large flowers, in which the sepals are of a dark blue, and the petals creamy- white, contrasting strongly with the darker colour surrounding them. — Messrs. Downj^, Laird, and Laing. EUONYMUS KADICA^-S FOL. VARTE- GATis, Celastracea}.— A pretty little shrub received from Japan, of neat habit, with small ovate leaves of a bright green, blotched and margined with silvery white, and perfectly hardy in this country. Its dwarf habit will render it useful for forming edgings to beds, and covering banks and rockwork.— Messrs. Veitch and Son. _ EtrB\'A ANGTJsTiFOLiA, Tcrnstro- miacese.— Provisionally so named. A compact bush, with narrow or lanceo- late acuminate leave:?, broadest above the centre, and having an irreguhir edge of cream colour. A distinct plant of ornamental character, and supposed to be hardy. — Mr. Standish. EUEYA LATIFOLIA VARIEGATA. — A Japanese shrub of good and compact habit, and remarkable for the great beauty of its fine variegated foliage. It has acuminate leaves of a dark green colour, finely edged and blotched with white, and flashed with fiery orange-red. One of the moat ornamental shrubs of recent intro- duction. Sent from Japan by Mr. J. G. Veitch. — Messrs. Veitch and Son. FicT'S CooPEEi (Veitch), Mora- cete. — A distinct and beautiful foliaged greenhouse plant, brought from iSew South Wales by Sir Daniel Cooper, after whom it is appropriately named. It is of free and vigorous growth, M-ith large dark green glossy leaves, and the veins, which are prominent, are of a deep crimson colour. A most desirable addition to the class of orna- mental foliaged plants, and it will prove of equal utility for room or conservatory decoration with the well- knownFicus elastica. — Messrs. Veitch and Son. Genista Eveeestiana, Fabacea;. ' — A close-habited free-growing plant, with smallish leaves, the leaflets of which are short, obovate, and blunt- ended. Flowers produced in long spikes, very sweet-scented, and of a rich orange-yellow, quite distinct from, and much superior to, that of other Genistas in cultivation. A seed- ling from G. fragrans. This Genista merits a j)lace in every greenhouse and conservatory. — Mr. C. Everest, Heading. Gentiana foltosa, Gentianaceffi. — A prettv herbaceous plant from the Andes of Picliiuchia, raised from seeds collected by Dr. Jameson, and closely rpsembling G. rupicola. It has an erect stem about a foot high, with acutely oblong-ovate leaves, and a few largish lilac somewhat bell- shaped flowers. Dr. Jaraijson stated that it was a truly Andine species, growing in the region of the Culcitia and Fox- tailed Lupines, and not confined to Pichinchia (where he had gathered it at an elevation of 15,000 feet), but occurring on all the high summits at the region of perpetual snow. — Isaac Anderson Henry, Esq., Edinburgh. MuTisiA decoeeens, Asteracese. — A hardy climbing evergreen, from Chili, which withstood the winter of 1860-61 at Exeter. Leaves oblong- lanceolate, entire, terminating at the apex in a tendril, and at the base in a leafy wing, which is continued some distance down the stem. The flowers THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 13 are produced at the ends of tlie branches, and consist of spreading rays of broad strap-shaped florets of an intense oranjre colour ; the disk of a pale yellow colour. — Messrs. Veitch and Son. OSMANTHUS ILICIFOLIirS VARIE- GATUS AUREUS. — A dwarf evergreen shrub, with flat spiny-edged leaves of a dark green colour, very prettily margined in an irregular manner with pale or yellowish green. Promises to be a very ornamental shrub. — Mr. Standish. OuEisiA cocciNEA. — A dwarf, hardy perennial of great beauty, in- troduced from Chili. Leaves radical, stalked, cordate, bicrenate, somewhat like those of a Miteila ; the flowers grow on an erect stem about a foot in height, this stem terminating in a ra- ceme of opposite drooping tubular two-lipped scarlet flowers, an inch and a half long, and streaked on the face of the limb with crimson. — Messrs. Veitch and Son. Primula pe^nitens (fimbriata FLORE-PLENo) DELICATA, Primulacca). — A fine double Chinese Primrose, obtainable fi'om seeds. Of vigorous habit, with bold full double flowers, measuring nearly a couple of inches across, fringed, white, changing to a delicate blush. Smith, Dulwich. JANUARY, 18G3.— 31 Days. Phases of the Moon. — Full, 5th, 3h. 32m. morn. ; Last Quarter, 13th, OIi. 6m. morn. ; New, 19th, 4h. 2m. after. ; First Quarter, 2Gth, 4h. 54m. after. Weather near London, 18G3. THE COTJKTHr. D Sun rises. Sun sets. Moon. , jMoon rises. 1 sets. Rain. M BASOIIETBB. Mx. Min. THEKMOMSTEH. Ml. Mu. Me. rhe Garden and the Field. u. m. 1. m. Aft. Morn. 1 8 9 3 59 1 18 4 53 30-35. ..30-27 39. ..30.. .34-5 •01 Aconite fl. 2 8 9 i 0 2 1 5 51 30-36. ..30 25 45. ..29. ..37-0 •00 Christmas rose fl. 3 8 8 4 1 2 51 6 41 30-07... 29-74 43. ..27. ..35-0 •00 Lauristinus 11. 4 8 8 4 2 3 48 7 22 2983. .,29-74 45. ..23. ..35-5 ■00 Rosemary fl. 5 8 8 t 3 4 51' 7 58 29-83. ..29-67 50. ..21. ..355 -00 China rose fl. 6 8 8 4 5 5 57 8 26 3005... 30 04 48. ..30. ..39-0 •00 Winter furze fl. 7 8 7 i 6 7 4. 8 49 3006... 29-89 52. ..27. ..39-5 •16 Polyanthus fl. 8 8 7 4 7 8 12; 9 10 29-72. ..29-61 50. ..27. ..38-5 -14 Stinking hellebore fl. i) 8 0 4 8 9 20; 9 30 29-69. ..29-56 54... 43... 48-5 •OS Primrose fl. [foot fl. 10 8 6 4 10 10 32' 9 48 29-71. ..29-57 51. ..40. ..45-5 •02 Winter- leaved colts- 11 8 5 4 11 11 4510 7 29-57... 29-27 49. ..30. ..39-5 -04 Poa trivialis fl. 12 8 4 4 13 Morn. 10 29 29-71... 29-49 49. ..27. ..38-0 •01 Wliite deadnettle fl. 13 8 4 4 14 0 5910 51 29-69... 29-59 51. ..35. ..43-0 •12 Mezerion fl. 14 8 3 4 16 2 1611 22 29-72. ..23-48 44. ..31. ..37-5 -03 Wild heartsease fl. 15 8 2 4 17 1 3 34 After. 29-94... 29-87 43. ..25. ..34-0 -00 Fm-ze fl. 16 8 1 4 19 4 43' 0 52 30-03. ..29-97 41. ..20. ..30-5 •00 Crocus fl. 17 8 0 4 20 5 53, 1 57 30-00... 29-99 35. ..19. ..27-0 -00 Ivy sheds its leaves 18 7 59 1. 22 6 47, 3 14 3097. ..29-96 36. ..17. ..26-5 -00 Red deadnettle Q. 19 7 5S 1 21 7 27: 4 3& 29-90.. 29-76 29... 24... 28-5 •00 Creeping crowfoot fl. 20 7 57 1. 25 8 16:; 29-69. ..29-53 32. ..27. ..29-5 -00 Changeable flowered 21 7 58 4 27 8 26 7 27 29-48... 29-43 40. ..29. ..34-5 -06 hydrangea fl. 22 7 55 i 29 8 50' 8 47 29-51. ..29-37 53. ..28. ..40-5 -05 Groundsel fl. 23 7 54 1 3t 9 1010 S 29-62.. .2933 1 50. ..38. ..44-0 -09 Houe.vsucklefoliates[n. 24 7 53 4 32 9 3211 19 29-48.. .2941 56... 40... 480 •03 Roundhead'd cyclamen 25 7 51 i 31 9 53 Morn 29-98... 29-56 48. ..19. ..33-5 •22 Hazel cat kins appear 26 7 50 t 3( 10 16 0 29 3019. ..3017 53... 30... 44-5 -00 Hepatica fl. 27 7 4;. t 3: 10 45 1 3L 3018... 3002 49. ..31. ..40-0 •00 Winter aconite fl. 26 S7 47 1 3!: 11 18 2 4^ 29-80.. .29-73 53... 40... 46-5 •06 Pilewortfl. 2£ ),7 4f 1. 41 11 59 3 4L 2.3-76. .29-62 54. ..45. ..49-5 -08 Bearsfoot fl. 3C ) 7 4Z 4 4L After. 4 3C 29-65... 29-59 54... 44... 49-0 -32 Spring snow flake fl. 3] 7 4; ■i 4 1 1 40 5 2L 29-74... 29-68 55. ..48. ..51-5 •02 Daisy 11. [''Snowdrop fl. 14 THE GAEDEN GUIDE EOE JANUAEY. Kitchen Garden. — There ought not to be now a single square yard of unoc- cupied ground that has not been deeply dug since the last crop was taken off. Deep stirring and successive frostings of the soil are immensely beneficial, and there will never be much success in the culture of edibles where there is any fear of hard work in winter. The out-door work of this month must be regulated by the weather. When the ground is not fit to be trodden on, get together all the clippings of hedges, prunings of trees, etc., etc., for charring, and keep the produce under cover to use as needful ; it is a most valuable top- dressing for peas and other early crops, both to stimulate growth and prevent at- tacks of slugs. During frost wheelout dung, ready to dig in at the first opportunity. Sow, during fine dry weather,'. Dillistone's Early and Sangster's No. 1 peas, Jfiiza- gan, Long-pod, and Beck's Gem beans, Horn carrot, and Hollow-crowned parsnips. We have found of late years that parsnips sown at the end of January make very heavy crops, and are rarely hurt by frosts, and, if they do liappen to be cut off by frost, there is still time to sow again, and the loss of the seed is a very trifling matter compared with the chance of a heavier crop. Flower Garden. — We cannot advise the planting of evergreen shrubs at this season, though we confess to doing it our- selves and seeing it done by everybody else. It would be much better for the trees to be content now_ with marking the places where they are to go by stakes, and leaving them untouched till April, when the shift will distress them less and they will commence to make new roots imme- diately. This plan allows of the planting of deciduoub trees and the finisliing of all the rough work in laying out a shrubbery, and it may even be carried so far as to the making of the holes for tlie evergreens, laying the stuff taken out in heaps beside them to get completely pulverized for fill- ing in. Every cultivator of flowers should secure now a good si;pply of turf from a loamy pasture, and of bog peat, or silky yellow loam in which the common brake grows plentifully. These should be stacked upon high ridges like walls, so that the frost will penetrate the whole mass, and the grass will rot quickly. Manure, roughly spread among choice shrubs, will assist in protecting their roots from frost. In spring the manure can be levelled and all rough stuff raked off. This is a good time to make banks and rockeries, as, dur- ing frost, the wheeling can be done without harm to the walks. Greenhouse. — Hard-wooded plants must have fire-heat during frosty weather, but it must be given with caution, and must not rise above 40' at niglit and 50"" by day. Hang strips of worsted netting over the ventilators, to break the force of cold winds : this will allow more air to be given. Soft-wooded plants may be set going pretty freely, but be very careful not to have too high a temperature, which is most exhaustive to the plants. Examine all the old stakes used as supports to plants in pots, and, if decaying, remove them. The appearance of fungus on the part buried in the soil soon leads to the de- struction of the plant, by contact of the white threads with the roots. Train and tie out whatever requires it ; revise tallies and labels; keep down green-fly, by fumi- gating; and complete all odd jobs, so as to have no hindrances to spring work, when this month is over. Thermometer, 45' on an average, varying from 35' by night to 50' by day. Stove.— Be careful to keep down the temperature in general collections, and give air whenever the sun causes the ther- mometer to rise above the average. Plants that need pruning and repotting should be cut over, and left to start, before their roots are disturbed. Thermometer, 55^ at night, 65' by day. Cold Frames and Pits. — Do not be in haste to remove protecting materials after a long frost. Let the plants recover them- selves in the dark, and should bright sun follow suddenly upon severe weather, add some loose straw, to prevent the warmth reaching the stock too suddenly. Remove all dead leaves, and give plenty of air in. mild weather. Fruit Garden. — Pruning oucht to have been done and the ground cleared long ago. If not, set about it at once, for, in the hurry of the general spring work, the buds may swell before the knife has finished its work, which is injurious. Trees on east walls had better be unnailed till the end of February, to keep them back. Manure between tlie rows of currants, gooseberries, and raspberries. Vinery. — Cover outside borders with a dry material. Set the first house at work at 45' to 50\ and increase the heat a little when the buds have fairly opened. In THE FLOKAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 15 late houses, paint the stems with a mix- ture of soap, sulphur, and soot, and give walls, rafters, and trellises, a general clean- ing, before the vines begin to work. PiNEBT. — Great care must be taken at this time of year to prevent injury by damp and sudden fluctuations of temperature. As we have now little sun, the general stock must be kept quiet by a moderate temperature. Young suckers potted off in the autumn will require a steady bottom- heat and air at all favourable opportunities. Day temperature for plants swelling fruit 75' to 80', night 65'. Shift to fruiting- pots all the strong succession plants. Florists' Flowers : Cimrai'ias. — These will damp off at the collar, or lose their foliage, if any accident occurs to touch them with frost or excess of mois- ture. This is the critical moment for them. Keep down mildew by the use of sulphur and admission of air. Remove decayed leaves, and tie out large speci- mens. Those showing flower may be put on a warm shelf; but the cineraria dis- likes heat as much as it does frost. Dahlias. — Now is a good time to get the ground ready, where these are to be planted out, by deep digging and ridging up, to have it sweet and pulverized when they are planted out in May. Pelargoniums. — Many will probably want repotting, which must be attended to. Select the plants intended for special purposes of exhibition or decoration, and give them plenty of room near the glass, and a temperature of 50' at night and 60' by day. Water with great care, and give air whenever the temperature outside is not lower than 32'. Those for summer blooming will do best at an average of 45', but young plants that are not over strono- should have a warm place. Hollyhochs. — Seed sown now, and placed in a moderate heat, will produce plants that will flower this year. There is only one caution necessary, and that is to beware of forcing them along too fast. We have known many instances of the plants perishing when about to open their blooms through too much stove heat in the first period of their growth. Shift from the seed-pans as soon as large enough to handle, and use a light rich soil. Auriculas. — Water very sparingly, keep the foliage dry, riimove dead leaves, and guai-d against cold cutting winds. Give air at every favourable opportunity. Carnations and Picotees.— Keep them as hardy as possible, by taking oflf tiie lights whenever the weather permits. Much moisture would now do much mis- chief, but they must not get dust-dry. Turn up a few plants occasionally, and see if aphis has attacked them. Calceolarias. — Herbaceous kinds that are pretty forward should be repotted, and have a little extra warmth. Shrubby ones will require stopping, but will do better in the ordinary temperature of the house. Green-fly is sure to appear now, and must be checked in good time. Camellias. — As they come into flower, treat them liberally. Keep the foliage clean with the syringe, or sponge dipped in tepid water. Keep them from fire-heat as much as possible. Azaleas treat the same, but give a little heat to those wanted early in bloom. Eemembor that sudden changes of temperature, exposure to dry heat, or too copious supplies of cold hard water, will cause the bloom-buds to drop. Force gently, and proportion the supplies of water to the condition of the plants. All hard-leaved plants, such as camellias, oranges, etc., should have their leaves sponged with tepid water. Orchid House. — Prepare for potting as the season advances, and have all ne- cessary material in plenty, and in a clean state. Chopped sphagnum, soaked in boil- ing water and put aside where no insects can get to it, fibry peat in blocks, crocks broken to three or four sizes, of which that nearly of the smallness of dust will not be the least useful, and good charcoal from which the dust has been sifted. When the plants are to be shifted, immerse them in tepid water one day previous, so as to wet the ball thoroughly. After repotting, fix the plants finnly to prevent rocking over, and place them in the warmest end of the house to encourage growth at once. The repotting should take place just as they are about to grow. The general collection must be kept in plump condition by sprinkling the floor of the house fre- quently, and at the same time allowing a slight rise of temperature. The syringe should be very sparingly used this month, but as the month advances there will be an increase of light, and a general tendency to growth will become evident. Brassias, Cycnoches, Coelogynes, Miltonias, So- phronites, and Coryanthes are now be- ginning to grow, and may be shifted if needful. This is a good time to increase by division of the pseudo-bulbs any large specimens that are quite at rest. Dendro- biums are* increased by cutting the old bulbs from the plant when they are at rest or just starting into growth, each piece being removed v,'ith a few roots attached, in the same way as an auricula offset. Old flowering bulbs, cut off without roots and laid on sohagnum in a warm and 16 THE FLORAL WORLD A:7D GARDEN GUIDE, i shady part of the house, will in time throw out roots, and may then be potted. After pottinr; keep warm and shaded, and give very little water Tintil growth has fairly commenced. Cattleyas for specimen culture should now be operated upon to produce " back breaks." The process consists in cutting the plant in two be- tween the bulbs, that is to say, there is to be an incision made, but not to separate the parts cut. After making the cut, let them remain in the same place, be careful that no water lodges in the cut, but supply plenty of atmospheric moisture with a rise of the temoerature. This will secure the formation of several flowering bulbs the next season. Orchids that may he in bloom in January. — Angrecura eburneum, eburneum super- bum, and eburneum virens ; Arpiio- phvlkim spicatum; Barkeria elegans, and Skinneri; Bletia Shepherdii ; Brassavola Digbyana; Bui'lingtonia amoena; Cahinthe vestita rubra oculata; Cattleya Warsce- wiczii dclicata; Ccelogyne Gardneriana, and media ; Cymbidium giganteura and Mastersii ; Cypripedium insigne, insigne Manlei, and purpuratum ; JJendrobium album and chrysotoxum. Orchids newly received are not to be pushed into growth too quickly. Epi- phytes should be attached to their blocks at once, and hehmg head doivnwards. When they begin to grow, reverse them. TO COIIEE Catalogues. — • " Catalogues of British Ferns, by Stansheld and Sons, Vale Nurseries, Todmorden," is full and ac- curate, and contains many of the rarest in cultivation, as well as the better known and cheapest kinds. Messrs. Staiisfield announce the publication of a general fern list for 1863, to comprise stove, greenhouse, and hardv ferns. — " Carey Tyso, Wallingford, IJerks, De- scriptive Catalogue of Flower Roots, Plants," etc., is specially rich in ane- mones, ranunculuses, carnations, and picotees, and for the first two is the fullest list published. — "Thomas Rivers and Son, Sawbridgeworth, Catalogue of Fruit Trees," newly arranged in classes, and in every page scraps of original in- formation, which gives quite a new in- terest to the perusal of a catalogue. — " Catalogue of Strawberries," also re- arranged so as to allow of the classifi- cation of the varieties as early, dessert, culinary, and aiitumnal. Books Received. — " The Miniature Fruit Garden, by Tliomas Rivers, Sawbridge- nortli. Eleventli edition. Longmans." This charming little book has been much improved and added to, though it seemed as near perfection as possible previously. No amateur fruit grower should be without it. Mr. Rivers has improved the plan of the "ground vineries, '^ and has incorporated in the work some useful notes on the cuhure of pears and apples in town gardens. — ''Rambles in Search of Wild Flowers, and how to Distinguish them. By Margaret Plues. Published at 162, Fleet Street." An inti resting gossipy hook which the young botanist will find invaluable. It is, perhaps, rather too gossipy, but it is, nevertheless, full of information, accurate, and libe- rally illustrated with coloured pictures. SPONDENTS. We take note, also, that it has a good index, by which a work of this sort is doubled in value. — "Tiie Garden Oracle, for 1863," has been reprinted, and the new issue is now ready. — The volume of the Floual World for 1862 is now ready, bound in cloth, price 6?. Com- plete sets may be had in cloth fir 30s., in numbers, 20*. As the stock is limited persons desirous to complete their sets should order them of their booksellers at once. Raising a Stock of Evebgkeens. — Brix- tvnian. — It is not long since Mr. How- lett wrote on the propagation of ever- green shrubs, and if you look for an article entitled " Always be Sticking in Something," you will see that the subject iias had some attention besides the notices in the monthly calendar of work. It will be quite a mistake to set a Wal- tonian case to work at this time of the year to get up a stock of shrubs. We do sometimes pi-opagate Portugal laurel, lauristinus, and euonymus in heat in spring, but we should never recom- mend amateurs to go to work that way. The season to put in cuttings of these things is from the middle of July to the end of August, and the open ground is then the best hot-bed for them. Your proposal to propagate chrysanthemums from old flower-stems in the way vines are done, is almost as untenable as that respecting the evergreens. Just do them in the usual way, and you will have no trouble and be sure of good plants. Lawn Foul -with Daisies. — B.M. — We know of a lawn which, some years ago, was like j'-ours, one mass of daisies. The proprietor made it a rule to take out one with a spud every morning all the year round, and leave a pinch of grass THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 17 seed in its place, and that lawn is now perfection. We have seen attempts made ■with daisy rakes, the use of super- phosphate of lime, and other manners and methods, and upon the whole there were about as many failures as successes. The fact is, it all depends on how the work is done. We set a lad to work every spring to t.ake up the plant by the roots, wherever a daisy makes its ap- pearance, and all he has to do is to look about him for the white flowers, and •work accordingly. To get rid of daisies is a merely mechanical operation ; but as it is seldom done effectually, because the daisies tire people out, we nmst fall back on an infallible method of extir- pation, whicli may appear formidable, but is really very simple, and easily ac- complished. Get a labourer to strip off the whole of the turf and stack it up as material for potting ; then let him dig the ground over and lay on a surfacing of tine soil to make good the thickness removed with the turf. This to be done now, and the ground left rough. In March liave the ground levelled, rolled fine, and sown tJiick with a mixture of finest lawn grasses, as described in the Flokal Would, vol. i., page 60. If the seed is good there will be a close, fine turf the same season. If any difficulty about getting the seed good and properly mixed for the purpose, send to Messrs. Sutton, of Reading, for it. Tell them the extent of the lawn and the nature of the soil, and you will have a lawn fit for a lady's foot. Rose Solfaterre. — C, Monhstown. — This is a vigorous-growing noisette, producing an abundance of its fine yellow flowers in a warm position. As a standard, it should be grown strong, and have an- nual dressings of manure, and the pru- ning should consist in simply shortening in all extra long straggling shoots, and cutting clean away any that are mis- placed. If we found this rose to bloom poorly in any particular spot, we should give up growing it as a standard, and give it a place on' a hot wall. In any case, the position for it should be shel- tered and warm. Perhaps the regular use of quicklime sprinkled among the plants may assist in preserving your larkspurs against slugs. Febn Shade. — I have an ordinary glass, twelve inches wide, with shade to fit, in which I h.ave been trying to grow the maiden-hair fern, Adiantum caplllus veneris; but it makes no growth, and I begin to think it is not the right kind of fern for this sort of case. Will you tell me of some ferns suitable, and how many I ought to put in, the best soil for them, and whether I should keep the case in a room with a fire? May I purchase and plant the ferns now ? My case looks very ugly, with a shade two feet high and a fern inside two inches high. I have Lycopodium round it, but it grows coarse. I am much obliged for the advice about my peach-trees in last number. Do you advise nailing and pruning now. — La~ vender Hill. [Undoubtedly you want something more imposing than maiden- hair for a shade two feet high. Our recent papers on ferns will, we should think, suggest many you would like to grow. We could recommend hun- dreds for that purpose, but we must, of course, only name a few. Well, then, we should advise you to place in the centre a plant of Fhlehodmm sporodo- carpum, which is a strong-growing poly- pody with noble glaucous fronds; or, instead of this, use Ptcris Jithellata var. crispn, a fern with light lively green fronds. For a few smaller ferns, take Lomaria antarctica, Doodia caudata, and Ilumata psdata. If you want anything more to fill up, put in inch pieces of iSelaginella apodu. The soil to be turfy loam and turfy peat, equal parts chopped up together to the size of walnuts with all the dust, and one-fourth part of silver-sand added. You may plant at once. The ordinary warmth of a sit- ting-room will do for all these, but the more warmth the better, so you can place the fern-case wherever it may be most convenient and agreeable. Peach- trees newly planted may be pruned and nailed at once. In cold, exposed dis- tricts, we advise unnailing till the be- ginning of March, in order to keep the trees quiet. If you want to grow Adiantum capillus veneris, get a nine- inch Pascall's fern-pot and glass from Messrs. Hooper & Co., Covent Garden. Fill it half full of broken flower-pots, then fill up with lumps of peat and chopped moss, and on the top of the soil lay a nnmber of pieces of any tott stone; even hearthstone will do if there is any difficulty about getting a bit of soft sandstone to break up. In this plane the fern and it will soon begin to creep over the little blocks of stone and take a new lease of its life. Keep it warm and damp, and give air when the rODm is cool, and when there is no dust flying' Desfonxania ^pinosa,- — I have had a plant of this four years, and it has never flowered. Is it hardy enough to be put out in the open ground in this X8 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. neighbourhood, and if so, what aspect l and soil will suit it? Shall I keep my plant in the gcreenhouse, and how shall I throw it into bloom?— .5. P., Bath. \ [We really do not know whether it will , live outof'doors at Bath. We have planted it out thre ^ times in an experimental peat- bed at Sto.'ce Newington, and each time lost it in February or March. But it is so nearly hardy that we really think it would grow vigorously, and survi've the severest winter in the climate of Bath. But we do not advise you to put out your one plant; no, keep that in the greenhouse, shift to larger and larger pots as required, and loait patiently till it blooms, which it will do when old enough. When in bloom it is a beautiful object. If planted out of doors it should be in gritty peat, and in a damp and shady situation. The dry east winds of March always tried our experimental plants much more than the damp, which at this time of year is fatal to so many other subjects,] Impbessions or Leaves. — S. II. Whitwell. — Take a piece of planed deal board and cover it with wash-leather; then prociu-e a wooden roller, six or eight inches long, such as linendrapers use for rolling silk upon, and cover that also with wash- leiithcr ; then a box of printing-ink and a " dabber " will complete the apparatus. A soft india-rubber ball may be used for the dabber, or one may be manufactui-ed of leather with a handle. Place the leaf to be copied upon a clean card or sheel of paper, with the veined side uppermost ; dab a little of the ink ovit 0:1 a smooth slate, and then apply it evenly over the veinings and edges of the leaf; place a sheet of damp paper upon the printing-board and lay the leaf upon it with the prepared side down- wards; cover with a sheet of blotting- paper anc! press the roller backwai'ds and forwards upon it. The result will be a correct re^iresentation, and you will be able to use the same leaf for several impressions. Vakiou.s. — R. E. — Du Breuil is right, and your interpretation is rights and the fruit spurs in front will ripen perfectly if they are secured early in the season. We have followed that system of prun- ing and training for fitteen years, and never found any objection to it through the non -ripening of the spurs; in fact, they ripen better than if tied in. We doubt if Mr. Wardle lias any existence; the translation ;^is a good one, and the translator need not have resorted to what appears to us a mere trick. — Rota. — Wait till April, and then have the )ilants in pots. Keep them a week in a frame after receiving them, and then plant. — A. B. — No risk at all in moving apple trees in November with their leaves on. The Doctor says there is, and there we differ. We have moved entire plantations of pears and apples in the middle of November, when they were full of fresh green leaves, and we always thought them the better for it. Certainly they bore well the next season. Of course it would not do to let them lay about, as some people do, with the atmo- sphere exhausting tlieir roots. — A. S. F. — In the Floral Woeld of May and July, 1858, and January, 1862, are full instructions on the preparation of anato- mized loaves. We saw nothing at the Exhibition of a novel kind in this w.ay. — Prior. — Thanks for many favours. Undoubtedly the rose described at p. 237 as " Madame Eugene Yerdier " should be Mademoiselle Ewjenie Terdier, and we shall be obliged if our readers will cor- rect their copies. Such an error as this, though obvious when seen by its viola- lation of gender, m.iy easily pass in reading the proof if the printer has misread the original pothooks. We be- gin to fear we shall never attain perfec- tion. Due de Cazes and others we shall have somewhat to say about hereafter. We have not yet gone through our list of roses. W^e happen to be cutting blooms of teas now every day, in spite of the frost, and without the aid of heat. — J. JF.—B, Yorkshire Greening, F, Blenheim Orange, H, Gaff, I, Franklin's Golden Pippin, J, Fearn's Pippin, L' Bishop's Thumb. Many of the other^ are local varieties of cider apples, which have never been described or registered. Late Lettees. — T. E. P. — We do not know what has become of Mr, West. The plant is a Solanum, but we cannot say which from a leaf. For papers on striking rose-cuttings see Floral Woeld, 1860, p. 153.— T. 5.— The Coleus may do with you in a hot season, but we do not promise success. — //'. R. ^The apple trees have lost their surface roots by cropping under them, quite a common occurrence. Plant a few apple bushes at once in a quarter by them- selves. We do not undertake to plant beds, but we will suggest a collection of large leaved Berberis for centre, small leaved Berberis outside, and outside ring of Cramoisie roses. Or selection of Hollies, Griselinia, Cotoneaster, and Ber- beris Darwinii, and outside circle of General Jacqueminot roses. THE SAHDEIi GOIDEa CULTURE OF CYTISIJS. Febeitaet, 1863. YTISUS, genista, and coronilla are conspicuous ele- ='ments in the garland of the spring, and iu the green- house and conservatory are invaluable for their bold and brilliant racemes of golden flowers, which contrast with admirable effect when grouped with camellias, cinerarias, primulas, and azaleas, amongst which they shed a delightful perfume. They all bear patiently some amount of ill-treatment, being very nearly hardy, not par- ticular, even when blooming, about being in the best places, and may be grown to perfection in houses heated only sufficient to keep out frost. They are also, for the most part, very accommodating in habit of growth, and may be lormed into dense bushes, or standards, or with a little care to train out the young growth, and tie it down during the summer, may be formed into half- weeping trees. Yery many of the most desirable hardy kinds will grow in any soil, and almost any position. We see the common laburnum growing freely, and flowering well in the London squares, and the smaller kinds of broom are quite at home on poor chalky or sandy soils, and are charming objects on the fronts of rockeries. The greenhouse kinds are rather more particular, and are well worth the little extra care they require to elevate them horticulturally above the condition of mere weeds. It is as to the management of these that we purpose to offer a few obser- vations. General Treatment. — All the stove and greenhouse species of genista and cytisus require a soil composed of peat, one part; leaf-mould, one part ; and turfy loam, one part. When it is required to get up large specimens quickly, the soil may be peat, leaf^ loam, and rotten dung, equal parts, with an addition of sand to render it porous. Frequent shifts are not required, nor do any of them need much pot-room. We have had specimens of Cytisus Atleeana three feet high and two feet across m seven-inch pots, and very handsome specimens may be grown in five- VOL. VI. NO. II. c 20 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. incli pots. In potting, great care should be taken to secure good drainage, as, if well potted in the first instance, they may remain in the same pots two or three years. They should be hrmly potted with the soil in tough fibry lumps over the crocks, and the finer parts of the compost used to fill in round the ball. Potting may be performed at any season, except when the plants are in flower, but the best time to shift is immediately after flowering is over, and when new growth is about to commence. If the plants need a shift, then turn them out of the pots, lay them on the potting-board, and remove with a pointed stick some of the old soil from the outside and top of the ball, but so as to avoid damaging the roots, which are generally found to form a close solid mass, with a few bundles of fibres running down among the crocks. Having removed some of the exhausted soil, they may be replaced in the same pots if the pots are not altogether disproportionate to the size of the plants. In this case lay over the crocks some lumps of turfy loam about the size of walnuts. Place the plant in the pot, and fill in round the sides with a mixture of turf, dung rotted to powder, and silver-sand, equal parts, and over the surface of the ball spread an inch or so of the same mixture. After potting, keep warm and shaded for a fortnight, and then place in an airy part of the greenhouse. If shifted into larger pots they should never be more than one size larger, as there is nothing gained by overpotting. We have ourselves, indeed, more frequently had to shift specimen cytisuses into larger pots, not because the roots required more room, but because the plants had made such large heads that it became next to impossible to keep them on their feet, and they were put into larger sizes to prevent them falling about at the slightest touch, or breath of wind. When not taken out of their pots, they should always be refreshed with a top-dressing after the bloom is over in the spring. After the middle of May all this class of plants may be turned out into cold pits, or on beds of coal-ashes ia a shady and sheltered place. It is not well to plunge them, because they are sure to root through the pots, but it is well also to guard against too much action of the sun on the pots, which M'ill burn the roots, and endanger the next season's bloom. As the new growth advances, r.ip it in frequently; this will promote a dense bushy habit. Any branches that grow in an unsightly manner should be cut clean back in May or June, and if there is a large stock of plants, their heads may be clipped into shape with a pair of shears to save the time of separate stopping. There should be no stopping after the first week in August, and the plants should then be placed where they will have full sunshine except at mid- day, and, after a few weeks, may be placed whei'e the sun will shine fully on them, Avhich will promote the ripening of the wood, and the setting of the bloom for next season. Throughout the whole of the growing season they must be liberally watered overhead, and at the root. Seedltkg Genistas. — All these seed freely, and the seedling plants come generally true to their parents, even in the case of peculiar varieties. The amateur cultivator will find it an agreeable recreation to raise seed- ling stock of the choicer kinds of cytisus and genista, and there will al- ways be the incentive of an expectation of something novel and valuable ; for though they are so little apt to vary from the original type, there will be found many variations of habit and vigour in a batch of seedlings. The seed should be gathered before it is dead ripe, for fear of loss by the sjion- taneous opening of the pods, and be kept in the pods till the following THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 21 February, when it should be sown in a mixture of peat and leaf-mould, and placed on a gentle hot-bed. If early sowing is not convenient, wait till the end of April, then sow in shallow pans, cover the seed with the sixteenth of an inch of soil, lay a square of glass over each, and place them on a back shelf of a warm greenhouse or in a frame, and in three weeks there will be plenty of small plants. The seedlings from the early sowing will be potted in thumbs singly in May ; the soil to be peat and leaf-mould and silver-sand, equal parts. In July they will require a shift to sixty- sized pots, and the soil is then to be peat, leaf, and turfy loam, equal parts. They will require a little care as to watering from the first, because of the tendency of peat to dry quickly, and from the 1st of August to the Ist of October they may be put out of doors on a sunny border, or in a frame with the lights off night and day to harden them for the vvdnter. When housed for the winter, the majority will be handsome plants of from four to twelve inches in height, and some will show such a naturally bushy habit as to require no stopping or training. Seedlings raised by sun-heat in May will only need one shift, and as they will be less forward by win- ter time than those from seed so^vn in Januarj', it will be advisable to prick them all out into shallow boxes, which will secure them from risk of drought, and lessen very much the trouble of keeping them. The next year, in xipril, they may be potted into sixty-sized pots in the mixture recommended for specimen plants. GrExisTAS FKOM CaxTiNGs flowcr mucli earlier than those from seed, and for market growers cuttings are always to be preferred. The cuttings should be taken from the end of April till the end of May ; short young side-shoots of two inches length are the best. These stripped of their lower leaves and dibbled into a pan of sUver-sand, covered with a bell-glass, and placed on a gentle heat of fermenting tan or hops wiU be well rooted in about four weeks, and will then require to be dealt with in the manner described for seedlings. It is a waste of time to put in ripe shoots of the previous year, or indeed any hard and mature wood, for cuttings. Standards. — The robust-growing kinds, such as Ct/iisus Atleeana and Everestiana make handsome standards, if Avell managed. Select plants from the cutting pans which show extra vigour, and in potting use from the first a fifth part of very rotten dung with the peat and loam otherwise recommended. At the first potting insert a straight stick in each pot, and train the leader to it. The leader must not be stopped, but all side-branches must be nipped in rather close, and those nearest the bottom be cut clean away, a few at a time, as the leader advances. If the side-shoots are cut away too fast, the stem will be weak and slender, so a moderate amount of side-growth must be allowed for the sake of strengthening the stem, and these shoots are to be successively removed from the base of the stem upwards, as others are thrown out above them, to maintain a vigorous growth. When the stem is as high as desired — say from two to three feet — nip out the point of the leader, and form the head by carefully stop- ping and training as the growth advances. Seedling plants will always produce a fail' proportion of vigorous growers, which may be grown to clean stems, and used as stocks to graft choicer varieties upon to form the head. BoTATficAL DisTiJfCXioNS. — Genista, Cytisus, and Coronilla are im- portant families of the order LEGUMixosiE. In Don's " Dichlamydeous Plants," Genista forms the 59th section of the order, and the characters 22 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. are — Calyx bilabiate, upper lip bipartite, lower one tridentate or five-lobed, the three lower lobes nearly joined to the apex; yexillum oblong-oval; carina oblong, straight, not always containing the genitals ; stamens monadelphous. Gytisus forms the 60th sub-family of the order. The characters which distinguish it from Genista are — Upper lip usually entire ; vexillum ovate, large ; carina, obtuse, inclosing the genitals. Coronilla forms the 135th section of the order in Don's arrangement. The charac- ters are — Calyx campanulate, five-toothed, the two superior teeth approxi- mate and joined together higher up than the rest; claws of petals usually longer than the calyx ; carina acute ; stamens diadelphous ; legume nearly terete, slender, at length separating into oblong, seeded joints. One character by which Coronilla may be readily distinguished from its associated genera is the production of the flowers in heads or umbels at the tops of the peduncles, and from this it takes its name, from the resem- blance of the flowers to a corona or crown. We shall give next month a selection of species and varieties. MYETLES AND EXIGENIAS. The prettiest example of the use of the common myrtle is to be seen in the Alhambra Court at the Crystal Palace. There is a marble floor, a marble fountain, Moorish surroundings of colour and design, and a close- clipped hedge of myrtles all round the impluvium (if that is the right name), so that when the fountain splashes in the sunshine it will sprinkle the myrtles, and briag out all their delicious odour to perfume the air of the apartment. Just such a hedge as that might be made a feature of in any private garden in any part of this tight little island, on the same plan precisely as we keep up a row or bed of geraniums. I was reminded of this some time since by the inquiry of a correspondent who asked about the formation of a myrtle hedge, and I then remembered that though I never bad a myrtle hedge, so to speak, I had had something very near akin to it, namely, a row of short bushy myrtles to form the front line of a mass of evergreens all planted on the ribbon system. Why such a thing is desirable is because the myrtle is one of the most beautiful ever- greens we possess when well grown, but a wretched thing when badly treated. There is a south of Europe, if not a tropical look about it, and if brushed by the outer boundary of a crinoline, as it may happen to be when on the margin of a terrace walk, the leaves emit the most delightful fragrance. During hot weather in autumn, the odour of the myrtle, ■when the leaves are bruised, is the most reclierclie combination of the flowery and the spicy of all the garden odours at our command, and it alwayscalls to mind that line inCowper's lines "To his Mother's Picture" — " Where spices breathe and fragrant roses smile." Eor these and other reasons the common myrtle, Mijrtus communis, is a very desirable subject to grow in quantity for neat, close marginal lines of dark rich green, and the best of all evergreens for a front line of a carriage drive, or approach where flowers are not used plentifully. It so happens that I have a few plants left of the row of myrtles in which I once delighted. They are in the form of thick stumps like broom handles, a foot high, beset all over with short twiggy branches so as to form round mop-headed shrubs. Those that are wanting to make the original lot THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 23 com])lete Tvcre killed off root and branch by a severe winter, and it is because of that accident that I have remarked above that a myrtle hedge must be managed in the same way as a stock of geraniums, or any other and tender bedding plants. In October they should be taken up,"and either planted out in a bed of loam in a cold pit, or potted separately, and placed in a pit or greenhouse. This would be the only safe and certain method of keeping them for ever. To keep them for a few years more or less, they may be left in their places, and in such a season as this would not only take no harm, but look beautiful, and be doing good, for the annual lifting is not altogether beneficial to them. But there is a way of hitting a medium course. Plant out your little myrtles when two or three years old. Plant them early in May in strong loam, abundantly manured. In the month of June immediately following, put in a lot of cuttings, and grow on a stock of young plants, and keep these plants in pots as a reserve, and if there comes a severe winter, and the hedge or ribbon line is cut off, you wait for spring, plant out the reserve, and again raise a fresh stock. This will be delightful practice, so any one who wishes for a myrtle-hedge may take courage, and enter upon the task with no fear of being involved in a complexity of troubles. The main reason why so many scrubby, leggy, and shrivelled myrtles are to be seen is because it is very seldom they get food enough. Order in large myrtles from a nursery, and what yellow-leaved, lanky, poverty- struck plants you get. That must be borne with because the trade are compelled to keep these things in as small pots as possible. But plant them out in a deep yellow loam with abundance of rotten dung worked in previously, and give them manure-water once a week from the end of May till the end of July, and what bouncing plants they soon become, the foliage dark and as glossy as if varnished, and the bare stems abun- dantly clothed with leafy twigs ; and if they are in a hot position — as they ought to be — they will flower abundantly, and, perhaps, grow to the dimensions of trees if allowed before they are hurt to the extent of a leaf by any severities of weather. For a hot wall a few large myrtles are every whit as useful as the best of roses, pomegranates, or even magnolias, and the best way to train them is to allow of the free growth of breast- wood, so that they will present bow fronts. The only difference to be observed in the nature of Eugenias and myrtles is that the former require a soil less rich and more peaty than the myrtle, though we are very much disposed to think that the less peat the better, and in our own practice we have rarely used peat except for the first potting of newly-struck cuttings. That Eugenias have made very little way hitherto is owing to the fact that when the fruit was first exhibited, people were told they might grow it in the same way as black currants, and from the cottage-garden gather the most delicious luxuries that were ever tasted by man. The twenty or more species of Eugenia in our stoves and greenhouses have thus for many years had a cloud upon them. I tried fairly enough what could be done with them out of doors, but with such ill-luck that I felt very much inclined to proscribe the genus, and know it no more. The two winters of 1857 and 1858 passed over a plantation of Eugenia ugni, and left them imscathed. In the spring of 1859 I planted a row under the west wall of a greenhouse. This was in addition to a row planted in the spring of 1857 in a very sheltered sunny spot. 24 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. The winter of the same year swept away about half the plants from the wall of the greenhouse, and the winter of 1860 swept away all that remained of both the plantations, and this determined me that Eugenia had not altered her constitution for the benefit of English fruit-eaters, and, like every other plant and animal on the face of the globe, had certain, fixed capabilities that none of the skill of the acclimatizer could ever hope to modify to any extent that might be useful. Yet the Eugenias and the myrtles, and that most fragrant of spicy stove-plants, Caryophyllm aroma- ticus, the flower-buds of which are as good as cloves, and often used in lieu thereof, are all worth growing, because of their beauty and fragrance, and the uses to which the fruits of some may be put. In Italy the flower- buds and berries of the common myrtle are eaten for pepper. The French distil from myrtle flowers one of the most valuable of perfumes, the well- known Eau d'Ange, and now there is a better use found for Eugenia berries, that to make insipid tarts or useless conserves. For these reasons it is desirable, not only to grow them, but to collect the species and give them special attention, not as hardy shrubs that may be treated like currant- trees, but to plant under south walls in the south of England, to enjoy the shelter of the orchard-house in the midland counties, and about London, and in the north to have regular greenhouse and stove treatment, and their beauty to be thought more of than their utility. Eeaders of this year's " Garden Oracle" will have observed a note on "Hybrid Eugenias," in which there is a remark on the new varieties raised by J. A. Henry, Esq., the best of which is a large-berried variety, called Eugenia hybridus. I tasted the berries of all the plants sent by Mr. Henry to the International Fruit and (xourd Show of the Horti- cultural Society, and they were as insipid as the dishes of E. ti(jni and apicidata which I used to bring in-doors, and put upon the table with the air of a man who had made a discovery, and added to the number of gus- tatory enjoyments. We always voted the Eugenias to be about as good as the berries of fuchsias, and no better. But it is the old story of use and abuse; the real use of Eugenia berries is to furnish a flavouring for ices, and probably Eugenia ices will yet play an important part in fashionable confectionery. It is, therefore, only right that Eugenia should be returned among the fruit-trees, but it is a downright shame for the trade to cata- logue it as "hardy," which is done by Mr. Elvers, Mr. Cranston, Messrs. Lane, and others. The new hybrid Eugenia of Mr. Henry, which will be sent out by Messrs. Veitch, is one of the most beautiful plants imaginable. "When covered with fruit, it is as showy as an Ardisia, and if any of our gar- dener friends are in distress about dwarf ti'ecs for the dinner-table, let them secure plants of this new Eugenia, and grow them as standards, and they may be used again and again during the autumn, without taking any harm by an occasional confinement in a warm room with gaslight. To amateurs generallj- we strongly recommend the culture of Eugenias, both for their use and beauty, and their eminent adaptability to be used for any purpose to which myrtles are applied. To propagate them is easy enough ; short cut- tings of half-ripe shoots dibbled into sand, and covered with a bell-glass, soon root over a gentle bottom-heat, and in the height of summer may be rooted without the aid of artificial heat. Pot them in peat only to begin with, and shift as they require it into a mixture of equal parts, peat, leaf, yeUow loam, silver-sand, and dung thoroughly rotted. Let them grow as THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 25 they please for a couple of years, and tliea begin to form them into com- pact bushes, with a short length of clear stem ; or, if intended for standards, nip in the side growth, and by degrees remove it, beginning at the bottom, and so cutting it away iipwards, always reserving enough to keep the plant in vigorous health. Yfhen the plants have attained to a fair size, they may bo kept in the same pots for several years in succession, by turning them out in March, removing some of the old soil, and then re- potting in the same pots •with rich, turfy compost. While in full growth, they can scarcely have too much water, both overhead and at the roots ; if the pots are well drained, and to insure a good colour to the fruits, keep the roots rather dry as soon as it begins to change colour, and place the plants in the full sun in an airy greenhouse. The following are desira- ble species and varieties: — Eugenia apiculata, five feet, greenhouse ; E.buxifolia, five feet, greenhouse ; E. balsam- ica, fifteen feet, stove; E. fra- grans, ten feet, stove ; E. flo- ribunda, five feet, stove ; E. hybrida,five feet,greenhouse; E. ugui, three feet, green- house. Myrtus buxifolia, seven feet, stove ; M. mespiloides, fifty feet, stove ; M. communis, nine feet, nearly hardy ; M. communis fiore-pleno, double- flowered, greenhouse ; Communis variegata, variegated leaves, greenhouse ; M. teuuifolia, five feet, greenhouse. KTJ&EHIA. ITGIII. EOSE GOSSIP.— No. I. Almost every individual has some hobby which may be looked upon as a beneficent dispensation of Providence to provide a relief for the overwrought brain or jaded spirits, and to restore their elasticity for encountering the responsibdities of everyday life. A hobby is, in fact, a sort of mental tonic, which, indulged in moderation, braces up the mind to sustain the vicissitudes of fortune, and to pursue serious duties with cheerfulness and earnestness of purpose. Among the most wholesome and unselfish of these relaxations, a passion for flowers is certainly not the least. Unlike the virtuoso, who prizes his " large brass Otho," his '■ Teniers," or " editio 26 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. princips," more on account of his ex- clusive possession than their rarity or beauty, the floral enthusiast delififhts in shai'ing liis pleasures with kindred spirits, and in bestowing the produce of his enterprise upon admirini^ friends. I must confess that, at pre- sent, my hobby is the Eose. I grow the flower with untiring interest while the weather permits, and when the season is past, I delight to speculate and talk about various matters con- nected with it. This must be my excuse for sometimes bestriding my Pegasus for a gentle canter into the realms of gossipdom, and marking down a few memoranda by the way. I find that, contrary to expecta- tion, we are to receive this season a large number of new continental importations — to be met withal by a few formidable rivals of native birth. Let us hope this will open an era of triumph for our English raisers, and render us independent of the annual heap of rubbish we are compelled to receive, for the chance of a scanty few turning out useful and valuable acqui- sitions. It must be admitted, how- ever, that last year was unusually prolific in genuine additions to esta- blished favourites, that is, if some dozen or so do not belie the promise they have already given. It is, how- ever, necessary to protest against the introduction of so many clouded and uncertain coloured varieties. At least half last season's flowers are of such a character — a character that if encou- raged, will do away with one of the most important properties of the rose ; viz., distinctness and intensity of hue, and which will by no means be com- pensated for by dingy reds, chocolate crimsons, or dirty pinks and whites. Whatever other good qualities such flowers may exhibit, let the real well- wisher to the progress of the rose set his face resolutely against the pur- chase of them, and with the absence of demand they will soon disappear from cultivation. Another mai-ked defect in too many novelties is a deficiency in the habit of continuous blooming. They are rude summer roses under a diffe- rent name. In this desirable point there can be no doubt that numerous older favourites excel many of recent date. An autumnal show, on a similar scale to the great July exhibitions, might do something to counteract this, besides having another excellent effect in eliminating a valuable class for garden decoration in those kinds which were free bloomers in the au- tumn— the class after all most suitable for general amateurs. It is amusing to get hold of some of the French raisers' lists of new roses, and to peruse the marvellous descriptions given of their flowers. " Illumined with fire and violet," "saturated (cuisse de nymphe) flesh?" " rose virginale," etc., ai'e word paint- ing with a vengeance. Sure such tints were never seen save under a Gallic sky or in the imaginative vision of a French florist with a new rose " to place in commerce" upon the pockets of perfidious Albion. This suggests another phase of the subject, namely, the want of uniformity in colour, a description that pervades our cata- logues. I think these discrepancies must be traced to a lack of definite canons of colour among rose-growers, which it would be well should no longer exist. Take Jules Margottin, for in- stance, whieh is variously described as follows : — Bright cerise, vivid crim- son, brilliant rose, cherry, bright glossy pink, bright carmine, bright crimson rose, and cherry red. Now what is the difference between these tints ? Which is the true colour, and what idea is the amateur to form of that by such descriptions as the above .^ Again, Due de Gazes, Abd-el-Kader, Admiral Gravina, Dr. Bretonnean, Souvenir de Comte Cavour, Appert, Arago, Princess Matthilde, Triomphe de Lyon, Louis XIV., are all described as dark crimson, or deep velvety crim- son, although of such very dissimilar colours. Instances like these might be multiplied to an indefinite extent. Such things puzzle and confuse ama- teurs, cause miscalculation and disap- pointment, and greatly tend to check the taste for cultivating the most beau- tiful and refined of garden favourites. An authoritative and definite code of " colour," as applied to flowers, generally recognized and understood, THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 27 is certainly a j^reat desideratum. I do not tiiink a more effectual method to attain it could be devised than that a committee of some of our most emi- nent rosarians should take the matter in hand during the great rose shows, where such opportunities for compa- rison and criticism are afforded. Let them decide once for all the precise colour and shades of colour of leading kinds, and let these colours be reduced to a diagram, to be printed in chromo, and piiblished for the information and benetit, and to be within the reach of amateurs, and they will deserve well of their rose-loving countrymen. By way of suggestion I append a table of colours in their respective shades. Some such arrangement, tinted in after due study by an able artist, would, I think, exhaust almost every colour of existing varieties, as well as meet the result of the produce of the most skilful and successful hybridization : — Dark. Meduim. Light. Purple Crim. purple Violet Plum or cla- Maroon Red ret Crimson Light Crim- Carmiue son Crimson Scarlet Cherry (ce- scarlet rise) Deep rose Rose Blush Lavender Lilac Peach Orange Yellow Primrose or straw Copper Salmon Buff Flesh Tinted white Pure white "W. D. Pbiob. Homerton, Jan. 3. SPENT HOPS. Having a few moments of leisure, I tbink I may usefully employ them in the interests of Floriculture by jottiag down a few remarks that may serve to redeem hops from the aspersions that have been cast upon them, both as fermenting material for assisting numerous plants in their growth with bottom-heat, striking cuttings, etc., and as a fertiliser that may be em- ployed to advantage for potting, etc., after it has become unfit for the pur- pose of furnishing bottom-heat. As it regards the first particular, the heat they generate is not nearly 80 durable as that furnished by " bark" or "stable-dung," but on the other hand a very thin layer of them will supply a considerable amount of warmth, so that if the cultivator has a batch of any plants or newly- struck cuttings that only require the assist- ance of two or three weeks' gentle warmth to set them going for the sea- son, a layer of six or nine inches of closely -packed hops would be ample for the purpose ; besides, they are much pleasanter to finger in the pro- cess of plunging than either tan or dung. And whether the quantity employed is large or small, an admix- ture of new hops to the amount of one-third of the quantity, well forked up and incorporated with the old, will revive the heat when it begins to de- cline. It has frequently been urged to their disparagement that they gene- rate fungus in the process of fermen- tation to an extent that causes the destruction of large quantities of the plants that are grown in them. As far as my experience has gone, they are not at all apt to surpass in this troublesome propensity either of the other subjects usually employed for the production of bottom-heat. In- deed, I do not recollect to have seen, this fungus more than once or twice. It spreads very rapidly after making its appearance, but it is instantly de- stroyed by taking the pots out of the place affected, and either mixing up with it a handful of common salt, or taking the batch entirely out, and introducing a forkful or two of fresh hops. Besides being one of the most use- ful subjects for the production of bottom-heat, there is scarcely any soft-wooded plant that will not root freely into them, even when in a com- paratively fresh state, and when they have rotted into mould. At the end of a year from the time they are 28 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. taken from the brewliouse, a first-rate material is produced for mixing with loam, or aaj'^ other soil that may be used for striking or potting on soft- wooded plants. Some of the best fuchsias I ever saw, either for vigorous growth or size, and richness of blos- som, were some grown by myself in the summer of 1861, ia equal parts, two-year-old rotted hops, and two- year-old road sand from a macadam- ized road. They are also very useful as a mulching material in the summer season for beds of asters, or similar things that delight in moisture, and in a medium into which they can pro- trude abundance of roots. Stamford Hill. W. Chitty. PETJIT CULTUEE. BED, WHITE, AND BLACK CUEEANTS. These useful fruits require so little care to insure an abundant produc- tion, that they are too frequently denied care altogether, and in conse- quence become unsightly, and give but a poor return for the ground they occupy. Yet to grow them well is of the very first importance, no less to the prince than the peasant, for not only are they the most wholesome and generally useful of all summer fruits, but in the form of preserves and jellies invaluable for winter use, either for the purposes of the cook or the wants of the sick-chamber. It is one of the joys of summer time to in- hale from the lower regions the frag- rance of the simmering jam when large supplies of the black and coral coloured fruits have been gathered and sent within doors, and when the store of apples and pears is getting low, how welcome are those savoury jam-pots that have been long hidden in the store clipboard, and which trip out of it at the festive season as if they belonged of right to the machinery of pantomime. Show me your currant bushes, and I will say at once if you are anything of a gardener. If these are not good examples of culture, I do not expect to see anything creditable, and I will never believe that a cottager is worthy of the gift of a dozen apple bushes unless I see first that he can grow currants to perfection. But there is no difficulty, and the whole subject may be dispatched in a few words. Soil AND Aspect. — Red and white currants require to be grown in full exposure to sunshine, and in cold climates are the better for some shel- ter from north and east winds. In. the shade they do not ripen their wood properly, and the fruit lacks flavour. But the black currant thrives in moderate shade, and in making plantations of bush fruits the sunniest positions should be given to the first, and damp, shady positions, generally ill adapted for fruit culture, will serve admirably for black currants. Any tolerably good loamy soU. will serve for the culture of these fruits ; but for red and white currants the soil should be moderately well drained. For black cui'rants the drainage is of less consequence, though even these come to little good in places that are often water-logged. Drainage is, therefore, essential to all. On chalk and sand the black cur- rant produces small berries, unless abundantly manured, but moderate manuring will suffice for red and white currants on such soils, but to counteract the effects of drought, liberal mulchings of half rotten dung or grass, more or less, should be used during the summer, which will also tend to eni'ich the surface soil, and keep the trees in full vigour. Old garden soils intended to be planted with these fruits should first be trenched full two spits deep, and be well manured, and if the cultivator has command of plenty of oyster- shells, or old plaster, or any broken building refuse of a calcareous nature, it may be plentifully used to mix with the top spit, as these fruits are aU partial to a moderate amount of the salts of lime in the soil. On cold THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 29 clays tliese fruits get infested witli I moss, and make muck watery spray, so that it is only vrUen t;vo hot seasons follow consecutively that they make a good return of fruit. But the cold- est clay may be improved by draining, and tempering its stubbornness by dressings of sand and dung, and by one way or another there is no reason why any garden in the kingdom should lack these essentials to the dessert. Propagation. — We strongly ob- ject to the use of layers and suckers, as lazy methods which produce bad plants. There is nothing easier in horticultural practice than striking cuttings of currant trees. Choose straight, plump, hard young shoots ; cut them off near to the old wood ; remove all the buds from the base and for six inches upwards, so as to pre- vent the growth of suckers and branches near the ground ; cut away a few inches from the top, so as to insiare growth at top from a strong bud. When prepared, the cuttings should be a foot long, and but five or sis buds at the top onlj", none at the bottom. Plant these cuttings firmly in rows eighteen inches apart, the cuttings nine inches apart in the rows, any time fi'om November to the end of February. We have put them in in April, and had them root well, but delays are dangerous ; they ought always to be in their places by the end of January at least. Let them grow as they like the first year, and in tlie autumn prune back all the branches to five eyes each. The next autumn prune back again, so as to retain three or four well-placed main shoots, which will form the skeleton of the future tree. Plant them out two and a-half feet apart, in rows five feet asunder, in well manured soil, and the nest autumn prune for bear- ing. The autumn following every ether tree must be taken ou.t ; this will leave them five feet apart every way, which is none too much room. In this final planting, throw out all ugly and irregular bushes, and replace them with the best of those removed to make room. Prcning Hed and White Cue- ba:sts. — This is easy enough. It con- sists in simply cutting away com- pletely all ill-placed shoots that cross the head, and cutting back all other young wood to two or three eyes from the growth of the preceding year. The fruit-buds are formed in clusters on the old wood, and at the base of the small slender side-shoots which arise on the main branches. In case of blanks and gaps in the head of the tree, a shoot arising lower down may often be turned to account to fill it up, hence it is as well at the first pruning to leave a few surplus shoots below the forks of those intended to form the head, and these can be kept stopped back so as to be available in case of need, as wherever there is a bud on' the base of a shoot, strong shoots will always be formed in the growing season. But when a well- formed head is secured, all the shoots below it may be cut clean away, so as to leave a foot to eighteen inches of clear stem. During summer it is as necessary to practise the pinching system of pruning with red and white currants as with pears, apples, and plums The gain is immense in the formation of fruit-buds and the furnishing of the j'oung tree, but when they get to a good size, they bear so abundantly that there is nothing gained by sum- mer pinching. From the first any brancli that starts up in the centre should be cut back to within three or four buds of the base, to be removed altogether if needful at the autumn pruning. At the beginning of July, all the small shoots that grow out from among the fruit-buds should be cut back to within three or four inches of the base, and all the well-placed shocts are to be stopped by nipping out the point. Prtming the Ulaclc Currant is a more simple matter still, for it may almost be said that the black currant should not be pruned at all. All that is needful with these is to go over them once in the winter, and cut away to the base all ill-placed shoots, and'to shortenback those that threaten to monopolize the sap, and for the rest let the trees grow as they please. Still the grower should have an eye to their general shape and contour, and as far as is possible without using the 30 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. knife severely, promote the growth of the trees in the form of diffuse pyra- mids, as that admits air most freely amongst the foliage, and allows of a large extent of bearing wood. A Quicker Method of Baising Currant-trees. — Young wood of the preceding summer undoubtedly makes the best trees, but where it is an ob- ject to get them into bearing quickly, chosen that each rod had on It a head ready formed. They were prepared with disbudded stems, fifteen inches long, and three or four shoots placed atequal distances, and were all planted in November in a piece of rich sandy loam. They were not allowed to bear the first season, though they would have done so, for they were of course loaded with fruit-buds. But the A. Clusters of Fruit-buds. B. Pruning the young shoots. wood of two or three, or even four, years old may be used. We have now a fine plantation of red currants that were all struck from rods as thick as a carpenter's pencil. They were selected from some old bushes that had to be destroyed, because they had not been pruned for ten years, and had become so infested with bearbine that it was impossible to restore them to decency, though, in spite of their wretched appearance, they bore tre- mendously. The cuttings were so second season they bore well, and made a vigorous growth, and there was a saving as to their bearing capa- biUties of two years. Currants as Espaliers. — Black currants serve very well to train to wires or fences, and make a good fence to divide the kitchen from the flower garden, as they retain their leaves till very late in the season, and may be allowed to grow rather thick, without injuring their fruitfulness. Eed and white currants do not serve THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 31 so well for fences and wires because of their going out of leaf very early, and being at all times unattractive, except when loaded with fruit. But on a sunny wall or paling they ripen very earlj^ and require only the re- moval of breastwood and the pruning already described for the formation of fruit-buds. These are quite un- suited for any fanciful modes of train- ing, and it is waste of time to attempt to do anything more with them than form compact heads, open in the centre, on clean stems, free of suckers. Standards. — Black currants are not adapted to form standards, but red and white standard currants make very interesting objects for the fruit garden, and in places closely walled in the standard form is the best to insure fruitfulness. To grow them, select straight strong cuttings, and leave only three buds at the top of each. Put a straight stake to each, and as the top shoot advances, tie it loosely to the stake, to prevent it taking the semicircular form common to the summer shoots of the currant- tree. When the top shoot lias got the lead, cut back the other shoots to within three inches of the stem, and allow the leader to go iip to four or five feet, and then nip out the top bud. The next autumn cut away all side-branches, close to the stem. Tiie following spring the main stem will throw out shoots in abundance ; nip them all back except the three best placed, and at pretty nearly ec[ual distances apart at the top. Keep nipping back the side-shoots all the season, but allow the three or four chosen to form the head grow their full length. The next autumn cut away all the side-branches, and shorten back the branches of the head to four eyes each. After this, prune as advised before, and never allow any shoots on the stem. Standards will re'^uire to be secu -ely staked to prevent damage by wind. Selection of Varieties. For Gardens exposed to the East, and for Cold Clai/ Soils. — Ogden's Black, a very hardy black currant, bearing fine berries; Red Dutch, red ; La Fertile, very prolific ; White Dutch. For Gardens favourably situated, and toitli good Loamy Soils. — Black Naples, the finest black currant ; Cherry, the largest red, very early ; La Hative, very early and fine, red ; Knight's Large Red, large bunches and fine berries ; Victoria, a fine late red, useful to grow on north walls, to keep netted for use in autumn; Transparent White, long bunches, amber-coloured berries ; White Dutch, excellent and well known. The only way to secure currants from the depredations of birds is to cover the trees with cheap netting. This is better than abusing or killing the birds. It is certain they do de- vastate the crop if allowed ; but we want their services in other ways to keep down the vermin, so killing is bad practice. A WINTER GAELAND.— CLIMATE OF TOEQUAT. We have frequently published stray notes on the climate of the south-west of England, and from correspondents there have occasionally received re- markable evidences of the compara- tive immunity from cold enjoyed by the counties of Dorset. Devon, and Cornwall, where the full influence of the gulf stream is felt, and the whole breadth of the island at' its widest part is interposed to break the force and temper the keenness of the east winds so prevalent during the early months of the year. But we never had such agreeable evidences of the favourable circumstances under which horticulture may be pursued in Devon as we have had this year. On Christ- mas morning we received from our esteemed correspondent, A. B. Shep- pard, Esq., of Torquay, a large box of most beautiful flowers, all gathered in the open air from one of the hills of Torquay on the day previous. We shall cheerfully forgive any reader who doubts the accuracy of the list, for to Londoners and those farther north it will, we are sure, look more 32 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. like fiction than truth. However, true it is that the three separate boxes of flowers came to us as fresh as if just gathered from our own garden, a few with enough weather stains to prove that they were genuine outdoor specimens. So the flowers themselves told the whole story, and the kindness of the friend who furnished our break- fast table on Christmas morning with a true summer garland had a fit ex- pression in the freshness of the gift, for the roses, violets, and coltsfoots filled the room with their delicious fra- grance, and made us reflect upon the cheapness of happiness for those who have some true love for things that gratify only the sense of beauty, and that put to sliame every sordid thought. But here is the list: — Florvers cfathered from ilie open ground at Torquay, Dec. 24, 1862. — Ageratum mexicanum, Alyssum sax- atile, Arabis alpina, Arbutus unedo. Auricula, Aubretia purpurea, Berberis Darwinii, fine racemes of vividly- coloured orange blossoms ; Centran- thus coccineus, Coronilla glauca, com- mon coltsfoot, Chrysanthemums, Ge- neral Canrobert, in fine condition, Christine and two others ; Daphne coUina, Escallonia floribunda, and another Escallonia with rosy flowers, which we do not know ; Erica her- bacea, Garryaelliptica, Gazania spleu- dens, as fresh as in August ; geranium Commander, and two others, these a little weather-stained, not by cold, but wet ; Gentiana acaulis, Helle- borus niger, common heartsease. Lo- belia speciosa, Jasminum nudiflorum, Lauristinus, Linum flavum. Marigold, a charming double flower of a variety we are not acquainted with ; Mignon- ette, Polyanthus, Sweet scabious, Sweetwilliara, Roses, several, all teas, and Gloii-e de Dijon in most perfect condition. Stocks single and double, quite fresh and fragrant, E-hodanthe Manglesii, Tritoma glauca, Ulex eu- ropeus fl. pL, verbenas of several kinds in rather poor condition, Veronica Andersonii, Vinca minor, violets in profusion, variegated dead-nettle. On the 10th of January we received a second box, the contents of which were as follows : — ■ Flowers (fathered from the open ground at Torquay, Jan. 9, 1863. — Auriculas, Anemone hortensis, Bellis perennis, Coronilla glauca, Daphne coUina, Erica herbaeea, Cistusalbidus, Escallonia Monte-Videvensis, Hellc- borus niger, Hepaticas of sorts, Phlox, Polyanthus, Lynaria cymbalaria, Jasminum nudiflorum, Lauristinus, Pansy, Roses of five kinds, all teas, scarlet Geranium, Stocks single and double, Wallflower double yellow ; common Primrose and double red primrose, Violets in profusion, deli- ciously fragrant. We have yet a third gift to ac- knowledge. On the 16th of January came a bright little bouquet of Snow- drops, Violets, and Crocuses, Hepati- cas, Aiiriculas, Polyanthuses^ and Ber- beris Darwinii. We should like to write an essay on these flowers. We would invoke all the muses to celebrate the gift, and crown with a chaplet of amaranths the brow of the giver. But it is not every wish that can be gratified. All we can do now is to wish health, happi- ness, and long life to our generous correspondent, Mr. A. B. Sheppard, of Torquay. COUNTEY ELOWER SHOW. " S. R." writes to ask what subjects it would be prudent to include in the schedule of a small exhibition of a Cottage Garden Society, where the exhibitors are mostly amateurs of small means, and some not even pos- sessed of as much glass as a cucumber frame. The show is to be held in September in a small country town. Our reply must be brief. In the first place we should give prominence to useful subjects, but not to the exclu- sion of the ornamental. Gourds and . cucumbers should take the lead to make the show interesting to visitors, and to stimulate the growers. We would have several prizes for gourds, both edible and ornamental, and a special prize for the best collection of both. Potatoes, onions, broccoli and cabbage, celery, and turnips, parsnips, carrots, mangolds, to be dealt with THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 33 liberally, and the potatoes to be sliowa in baskets of three, six, nine, and twelve sorts, to be correctly named. Also one or t^-o prizes for best seed- line; potatoes, and, if possible, special prize for the best crop of potatoes, quantity and quality combined, and a single rod to be computed on the ground of each competitor. Small and few prizes for peas, beans, car- doons, kale, sprouts, beet, lettuce, tomatoes, yams. Among flowers, fuchsias, geraniums, roses, pansies, hollyhocks, asters, balsams to take the lead. Among fruits, apples, pears, plums, and apricots to take the lead. A few others, such as melons and peaches, may be entered, though not likely to be shown, but the mention of such things in a schedule is good for cottagers, provided they are somewhat within the scope of a working man's practice. Special prizes for best collections of hardy border flowers, best collec- tions of wild flowers, grasses, and hardy ferns. These are always to be encouraged at cottage garden shows, and a few shillings will suffice to drive the children mad with joy in hunting up wild flowers and grasses. Also one or two prizes for best boxes or cups of honey taken by depriving only; two or three prizes for bouquets; a few prizes for flowers grown by children. Money prizes must be offered to some extent, but we should advise that a preference be given as far as possible to articles of use and ornament that are likely to remain for years in possession of the winners as souvenirs of the show. Such, for instance, as beehives, hydropults, ornamental pots and vases, books, garden-tools, handlights, etc. If there is to be any festivity, let it be a good tea and cheerful addresses, and let the children come in thousands. A SELECTION OF ANNUALS EOE ALL PUEP0SE3. Those marked H. H. are Half Hardy. ANNUALS FOB MASSES. White. — Candytuft, Helychrisum macranthum, Venus's Navel-wort, Alyssura maritimum. Campanula Lorei alba, Clarkia alba, Clintonia pulchella alba, CoUinsia bartisisefolia alba and bicolor candidissima, Convolvulus minor alba. Datura fastuosa alba, Escholtzia alba. Silver Hawkweed, White Lai'kspurs, Lobelia erinus alba, Mesembryanthemum crystalli- num (H. H.), Nemophila insignis alba. Phlox Druramondii alba (H.H.), Portulacca alba (H. H.), Schizanthus priesti, Zinnia elegans, Virginian stock. Yellow. — Escholtzia crocea, Lupi- nus luteus, French Marigold, (Eno- thera Drummondi nana. Chrysanthe- mum tricolor, Cheiranthus Marshalli, Coreopsis Drummondi, Calendula hy- brida. Datura flava plena. Erysimum Petrowskianum, G-aillardia bicolor (H. H.), Yellow Hawkweed, Hely- chrisum capitatum, Madia elegans, Martiuia lutea (H. H.), Nasturtium trimaculata (dwarf.) Red and Crimson. — Amaranthus caudatus, Nasturtium " Tom Thumb," Lobbianum (H. H.) Triomphe de Gand (H. H.), Saponaria calabrica (pink), Salpiglossis atrosanguinea, Ca- landrina discolor, Clarkia pulchella, Godetia bifrons, Alonsoa Warscewiczi, Calliopsis atrosanguinea, Iberis ker- mesina, Centranthus macrosiphon, Clintonia atrocinerea, Dianthus hy- bridus atropurpurens, Limnanthes rosea, Malope grandiflora. Zinnia ele- gans, coccinea, and kermesina. Lilac and Blue. — Nemophila in- signis, maculata,and coelestis, Lupinus nanus, Abronia umbellata, Ageratum Mexicanum, Anagallis Indica, Brow- allia grandiflora, Iberis lilacina and umbellata, Clarkia elegans, Clintonia elegans and pulchella, Commelina coelestis. Convolvulus minor, Godetia Wiidenovi, Ipomea nil (trailing), Lobe- lia erinus and speciosa, Veronica Sy- riaca. SWEET-SCENTED ANNTTALS. Yellow Lupin, Mignonette, Ce- rinthe auriculata, Hibiscus Africanus, Sweet Pea, Martynia fragrans, Sweet Scabious, ten-week and German stocks, Sweet Sultan. 34 THE FLORAL WORLD AND aARDEX H-UIDE. ANNUALS OF TALL GROWTH FOE THE SHKUBBERY. Californian Sunflower, Giant Prince's Feather, Malope grandiflora, Love-lies-bleeding, Argemone grandi- flora, Cannabis gigantea, Centaurea cyanus major, Clienopodium atripli- cifolium, Convolvulus major, Hele- nium Douglasi, Iporaopsis elegana, Loasa Herberti, Lnpinus mutabilis and Cruiksbanki, Nicotiana glauca, E-icinus Africanus (H. H.) ANNUALS WITH ORNAMENTAL FOLIACB. Atriplex hortcnsis rubra, Amaran- tbus melancholicus ruber, rich red, Ricinus communis (H. H.). Brazilian and crimson-topped Beet, Cannas, va- rious (may be planted out and kept over winter if taken up before frost), Clienopodium atriplicil'oliura (uurplej, Milk-tliistle, Perilia nankinens-is (pur- ple), Venus's jVavel-wort, common Garden Beet. ESPALIER TEEES. Espalier trees are rarely to be seen so well trained as they are represented in diagrams. In spite of the utmost care robber shoots will break out where not wanted, and sometimes get far ahead without detection. In other cases breaks cannot be got with such regularity as to furnish the tree throughout with the uniformity of a drawing made with rule and com- passes. But as an early habit of fruitfulness may be certainly pro- moted by good training, and as all the errors of the cultivator even for years past are revealed on the first HOEIZOHTALLT-TBAIWED PEAE-TKEE glance at a lot of espaliers, it is im- portant to give some special atten- tion to this department of practice. Espaliers are used to cover walls and fences, and to form boundary lines to walks. When the trees are received from the nurseries their general out- lines are already formed, and tlie cul- tivator will have to prune and train in such a way as to get the trees re- gularly furnished without crowding and without allowing breast-wood to spoil the plan. Volumes hive been written, and may be written again, to illustrate the various modes of train- ing, and after all the cultivator will have to learn much by observation and practice, and must expect to make a few mis- takes even with the best of books to guide him. Our in- tention now is to offer a few obser- vations of a general kind for the guid- ance of a few corre- spondents who ask for advice before it is too late to plant trees this season. The simplest of all trellises for the boundary walks of a kitchen garden is one formed of oak posts and galvan- ized wires. The distances between the wires and posts must vary with circumstances. In our own garden we have a trellis for pears and apples, which consists THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 35 of oak uprights six feet apart and a li'jjht upright deal lath to give support to the wires midway be- tween each two posts. The wires are twelve inches apart, and the tree^ are all trained horizontally. We have never seen any evil results from the use of metal, and do not scruple to recommend it. But light laths can hi used by those who prefer wood, and the metal can be improved by painting it. For these espaliex's the best forms for apple, pear, and plum tree'^ are the horizontal and the up- right, mode of training. But there is a marked difFereuce in the behaviour of trees trained on various methods. Trees allowed to grow naturally up- right grow witli much more vigour th:ni \\h.e\ fan or horizontally trained, and they are longer in coming into bearing. There is no quicker method of uisuring a fruitful habit in espaliers tlian by horizontal training, as in the annexed sketch. When received from the nursery such a tree will perhaps have a strong leader and one or two side- branches. The leader should be cut back to within two or three buds of the topmost side branch, and each of the side branches should be cut back to about half their length. The top bud of the leader will in the next season start away and make considerable growth, and the cul- tivator now has two distinct objects in view, namely, to cause the development of side-branches at regu- lar distances for tying in. and to promote the formation of fruit spurs on all the wood of previous seasons. Wherever shoots break in positions suitable to train in to tlie wires, tie them loosely as they grow, that they may have a proper direction from the first, and do not stop them at all. All other buds that break where not wanted, and threaten to form strong shoots, should be pinched in to three leaves from the base, and if they push again pinch in the secondary growth two leaves from the base, and most of them will form fruit-buds and produce frnit the next year. Gross shoots that get ahead unnoticed on the breast of the tree or on the side-branches should as soon as discovered be first pinched. In the course of a fortnight about a third of their length should be cut away, and towards the end of the season they should be reduced to about three buds at the base, one or two of which will originate blos- som buds. At the end of the season cut back the leader again to within about three buds of the topmost late- ral branch, and the next growth will probably soon reach the top of the trellis, at which point take out the top-bud and allow the side-buds to push and furnish the top rail. In upright training the trees will exhibit greater vigour of growth. There shouldbe retained, to commence with, a leader and two side-branches as nearly opposite each other as pos- sible. Choose a plump bud placed at the upper side of each side of these branches, at the di^ance of ten or tjpright-teained peab-teee. ' twelve inches from the leader, and cut the side-branch back to bud next beyond that bud. The last bud will push on, and is to be trained horizontally, the next will push up- wards, and is to be trained to form the first upright next the central rod. This central rod at the first pruning is to be cut back about half its length. All through the season strong growths C 2 36 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. out of place are to be cut away to •within one bud of the base, and when this bud pushes pinch it in, and it may be induced to form a fruit spur. The next autumn choose again two buds on each side, one to lead on, the other to furnish the next upright rod on each side of the former two. Re- peat this the next year, and every year cut back the growth of the year at least half its length, or if the shoots are very gross cut back two- thirds. The result will be a regularly proportioned tree as in the sketch, and a regular disposition of fruit spurs. Espaliers of this kind should be trained to upright rails or wires. Fan training is best adapted for walls, and the peach, apricot, plum, and cherry thrive by this system, which admits of a perpetual system of renewal of bearing wood in any peach, nectarine, and apricot (with the exception of the Moor Park) bear on ripe shoots of the previous year, and to keep up a succession of shoots for bearing is the main object when the outline of the tree has been formed. The Moor Park apricot bears on spurs two or three years old, and in vigorous trees the main stem and the principal branches will gene- rally be found to be furnished with these in abundance. In training to walls it is the best plan to attach laths or wires, and the latter are the neatest and the cheapest, and to tie instead of nailing. This saves the wall from damage, brings the trees under more perfect control, and to some extent prevents the in- jury arising from vermin. In cloth- ing high walls with trees, it is a good plan to plant standards and dwarfs TAir TKAINING. part of the tree. Supposing a young tree intended for this kind of training tO/be planted, the leader would re- quire to be cut back quite two-thirds of its length, that is to say, two- thirds of its length should be re- moved, and the side-branches need only be moderately shortened tore- move any weak and immature points of the shoots. These side-branches will probably form fruiting wood the first season, and bear the next year, and the leader will throw out a series of branches lor training in the fan form at regular distances. The alternately, the latter to be trained right and left in the spaces left open between the stems of the standards. The free use of the knife in the first instance, is of the utmost importance, as if the trees are trained with a view to length only, they soon become bare and unsightly on the lower parts of all the main branches. A word of advice on the subject of pruning may be useful to the in- experienced. From the appearance trees sometimes present in private gardens, one might suppose them to be pruned with a knife and fork. The THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 37 knife should be used decisively, and when the wood is too stout for the knife, a fine saw should be used in- stead, and the sawn surface should be smoothed over with the knife, and the edge of the bark be neatly bevelled oflF all round. Here are three figures, three modes of using the knife in pruning. Fig. A is a good cut, and will heal perfectly by the formation of a ring of bark, which in time will close over the top of the wood, and the bud left will prosper. Fig. B is cut too far above the bud, and the internod left ; that is, the wood left above the bud will die, and will, if left alone, send a wedge of dead wood down behind the bud. Fig. C is a slivering cut ; the bud left will pro- bably grow for a time, and perish be- fore the season is out. FEBRUARY, 1863.— 28 Days. Phases of the Moon. — Full, 3rd, lOh. 25m. after. ; Last Quarter, 11th, lOh. 46m. morn. ; New, 18th, 3h. 6m. morn. ; Fii-st Quarter, 25th, Oh. 34m. after. 1 Weather near London, 1862. THE COUNTRY. D Sun rises. Sun sets. Moon Moon rises, sets. Rain. M BABOMETSB. Mx. Min. THBBMOMETEE. Mx. Mn. Me. The Garden and the Field. h. m. h. m. Aft. ' Morn. 1 7 42 4 46 2 41 5 58 29-96. ..29-81 54.. .44. ..49-0 •00 Cornelian cherry fl. 2 7 40 4 48 3 46 6 30 3008... 30 01 53. ..44.. .48-5 •00 Spring bulbocodium 3 7 38 4 50 4 54 6 55 30-12. ..30-10 55. ..41. ..48-0 -00 Spurge laurel fl. 4 7 37 4 52 6 3 7 16 30-18. ..30-10 55. ..42. ..48-5 -00 Elder foliates 5 7 35 4 54 7 11 7 36 3001... 29-94 55, ..39. ..47-5 -00 Field speedwell fl. 6 7 34 4 55 8 23 7 56 29-94... 29-92 50. ..29. ..39-5 -00 Japan quince fl. 7 7 32 4 57 9 33 8 15 30-29... 3006 39. ..20. ..29-5 •00 Butcher's broom, fl. 8 7 30 4 59 10 48; 8 35 30-55. ..30-52 35. ..18.. .26-5 •00 Strawberry cinquefoilfl. 9 7 28 5 1 Morn. 8 58 30-53. ..30-51 40... 30... 35-0 •00 White alyssum fl. 10 7 26 5 3 0 3 9 24 30-48... 30-31 45. ..18. ..310 •00 Crocus fl. 11 7 25 5 5 1 1710 0 30-23. ..30-08 44. ..30.. .37-0 -01 Primrose fl. 12 7 23 5 6 2 3110 44 30-02... 29-97 48.. .31. ..39-5 •00 Yew fl. 13 7 21 5 8 3 3811 40 30-04... 3000 39. ..33. ..36-0 ■00 Stinking bear'sfoot fl. 14 7 19 5 10 4 35 After. 30-05... 30-03 44... 34... 39-0 •00 Whitlow grass fl. 15 7 17 5 12 5 19 2 8 30-10... 3003 45. ..30.. .37-5 •06 Groundsel fl. 16 7 15 5 14 5 57 3 31 29-96. ..29-68 45. ..33. ..39-0 •14 Henbit-deadnettle fl. 17 7 13 5 15 6 27, 4 55 29-47. ..29-37 48. ..38. ..430 •02 Coltsfoot fl. 18 7 11 5 17 6 50 6 18 29-36... 29 -27 53. ..39. ..46-0 •09 Spring crocus fl. 19 7 9 5 19 7 14 7 37 29-54... 29-42 55... 44... 49-5 •06 Barren strawberiy fl. 20 7 7 5 21 7 34 8 53 29-64... 29-47 58. ..29.. .43-5 •00 Cotton grass fl. 21 7 5 5 23 7 5710 8 29-91... 29-78 58. ..39. ..48-5 •00 Daisy fl. 22 7 3 5 25 8 20 11 21 29-82... 29-66 56. ..40. ..48-0 •01 Lesser periwinkle fl. 23 7 1 5 26 8 47 Mora. 30-10... 30-04 51. ..34.. .42-5 •00 Mouse-ear fl. 24 6 59 5 28 9 19 0 28 30-12. ..29-96 41. ..35. ..380 •00 Brittle willow fl. 25 6 57 5 30 9 57 1 31 30-16... 30-03 41. ..32. ..36-5 •00 Sweet-scented violet fl. 26 6 55 5 32 10 4 2 27 30-31... 30-28 36... 34... 35-0 •00 Alder fl. 27 6 53 5 34 11 3 3 26 30-20... 3004 37. ..32.. .34-5 •00 Creeping crowfoot fl. 28 6 51 5 35 After. 3 55 3003. ..29-93 44...34...39-0 •00 Spot-leaved hellebore fl. 38 THE GAEDEjS" guide EOE FEBRIJAET. Kitchen Garden. — There should be no delay in getting ready every inch of ground intended for summer crops. We shall pro- bably have an early spring, and it will be "well to risk a little more than usual in early sowings of crops, that come in quick, as in the event of late frosts protective measures may be resorted to, and the loss of seed is not a great matter compared ■with the pi'obability of extra early j)ro- duce. Get all plots requiring manure ready at once, as it is much better to have the ground prepared in advance, that the manure may be more completely incor- porated with the soil, than to sow or plant immediately after manuring. Ground for peas, beans, onions, cauliflowers, and broc- coli must be liberally manured and deeply Stirred. Mark out the soil for onions into four-feet bedj, and raise the beds six inches above the general level, and leave the surface rough. At sowing time the surface will be nicely pulverized through exposure to the air, and the seed can be sown clean and rolled in firm, which is not always possible where the ground is in a pasty condition, or has been but recently made ready. Choose for potatoes gi-ound on which cabbage, or broccoli, or celery has been gi-own, and which for those crops was well manured last year. Make up sloping borders under warm walls and fences for early lettuce, radish, onion, horn carrot, and to prick out cauliflower and broccoli from seed-pans, etc. On dry soils plant tiie potatoes as soon as possible; sets should be of moderate size, and with short stubby, hard sprouts upon them ; when the sprouts are long and white_ it is scarcely reasonable to expect a sound and plentiful production. On wet soils it will be best to defer planting the main crop till next month. To raise a few early potatoes, the simplest method is to make up a slight hot- bed, and cover it with old lights, or canvas on hoops, or even hurdles or mats will do, as by the time the haulm appears, tlie sea- son will be sufBciently advanced to allow of taking off the covering by day, putting it on at night, however, to keep safe from frost. If there is plent^^ of charred re- fuse, use it liberally in making up the bed, and cover the sets with some of it reserved for the purpose. The main crop of pota- toes should be planted at greater distances between the rows than is usually allowed; two feet apart and nine inches between the sets should be the least distance for mo- derate growers, and three feet apart and a foot or more between the sets for robust growers. When growers complain that their potatoes have "run all to haulm," it may always be understood that they are planted about twice as thick as thej' ought to be. Soio in the open quarters, peas, beans, parsnips, spinach, leeks. Sow on warm slopfs, radish, hardy lettuce, cabbage, parsley. Soiv in heat to ti'ansplant, Spanish and Portugal onions, cos and cabbage let- tuce, celery, tomatoes, capsicums, melon, cu- cumber, cauliflower, sweet basil, sweet mar- joram. Plant potatoes, garlic, shalot, chives, onions for seed. Flower Garden. — Deciduous trees remaining to be planted should be got in without delay. Fork over mixed borders where it can be done Avithout fear of damaging poeonies, bulbs, etc.; but if these are not tallied it will be best to leave the borders alone till the plants are visible above ground. Lay on a good mulch of half-rotten dung in quarters devoted to roses, or cover the surface with a mixture of guano and wood-ashes. Old planta- tions of Americans will be benefited now by dressing the surface with very rotten cow-dung, but they must never be dug be- tween. Edgings, rockeries, walks, lawns, peat-beds, and roseries may all be made or planted this month, and the sooner the better. On all these subjects abundant information may be found bj' reference to indices of former volumes. Part and plant herbaceous plants. Plant ranunculuses and anemones. Soio hardy annuals in pans to get them forward for planting out. Californian an- nuals, such as Clarkias, Godetias, Escholt- zias, Viscarias, Nemophilas, Candytufts, etc., may be sown in the borders where they are to bloom. In another page will be found a list of annuals for all purposes. Greenhouse. — Fire-heat may be used more liberally now, as there is more light and many early subjects are advancing into bloom. Put cinerarias, primulas, and other soft-wooded, early-blooming plants, as near the glass as possible, and where they can be freely ventilated on tine days. Give plenty of water to everything that is growing freely. Hard-wooded plants that have been kept dry all winter, will pro- bably need to be plunged to the rim of tlie pot in a vessel of tepid water, to soften the ball of earth, and allow water to pass THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN QUIDE. 59 through freely. When this is not Jone in spring, it often happens that having once got dry the water never afterwards wets the roots properly, but runs away down the sides of the pots, and after languishing some time, the plants die altogether. Get all stove plants frona cutting-pans and boxes potted off. Start old plants of bed- ders to get cuttings, and put in cuttings as soon as tl ey can be taken, to have the bedders forward in time to plant out strong. With the rise of the thermometer there ■will be an increase of grcen-hy, and plants with soft leaves will be attacked first. Look to the under sides of the leaves of cinerarias, calceolarias, pelargoniums, etc., and if any fly, jrat tbe plants together in a box and fumigate, or till the house with smoke, and syringe next day. In private collections, fumigatingrhouses ought never to be needful. A plant here and there may he affected, but from single plants the fly can be easily removed witii a soft brush, or hy dipping in weak tobacco water. All hard-wooded plants coming into leaf to be freely syringed. Temperature 45' at night, 55° to 60" by day. Bottom ^ heat for cut- tings, 60' to 70 \ Cold Frame. — Remove all dead leaves. Keep the shelves or plunging material mo- derately dry, give air as often as possible. Tender plants that have been wintered in cold frames must have very little water at present; they may be growing in conse- quence of the mildness of the weather, yet as frosts may visit us, much moisture at the root will render them miffy, and losses may occur. But nothing should be allowed to get dust dry, it is most injurious. Ferns and calceolarias may have water freely if well drained. ViNEur,— Where the vines are break- ing promote a moist state of the atmo- sphere, this is favourable to a healthy leaf growth, and on that will chiefly depend the quantity and quality of the produce. Vines coming into bloom to be kept rather dry. Vines not yet started may be greatly assisted by making up a bed of ferment- ing dung in the middle of the house ; the warm vapour from this will be very bene- ficial. If the vine border is at aU dry, give it a good soaking with tepid water. See that all bearing rods are] neatly trained; if any pruning neglected, attend to it at once. Vines bleeding through being pruued too late may be stopped by cutting raw pota- toes to fit tight over the wound. Flokists' Flowers : Auriculas, — Water gradually as they show signs of growth, and top-dress the pots with well- decayed cow-dung. Give plenty of air, and beware of damp. As auriculas are forward this season, they will require extra care in the event of late frosts. Carnations and Picotees. — Put out the whole stock of carnations, picotees, and pinks in the first warm shower we have, and defer watering them as long as will be safe to do so, in order that they may derive full benefit from the rain. Keep the plants hardy, and make ready for repotting. Turn over the compost intended for them, and make careful search for wire-worm. Cinerarias will now want regular at" tention to preserve a healthy foliage, as well as secure a good bloom. Drought will do them much harm, but they must have plenty of air, after being watered, to get ttieir leaves dry before night. Green- fly will nov/ infest them unless kept in chock. Put the forv/ardest in the house for blooming, Camellias are now coming into bloom, and need occasional doses of weak liquid manure, and fx'equently syringing of the foliage. It would be well to go over the whole stock, and sponge every leaf with tepid water, which will give the plants a bright and beautiful appearance, and very much promote their health. A hundred may be sponged in the course of a morn- ing, when the weather does not allow of out-door work ; the sponge will remove soot and dust more effectually than the syringe. Plants done blooming must be kept warm, and enjoy a moist air. Camel- lias in bloom keep at 45' by night, and 55' to 60' by day, and with plenty of water. Plants for Jate flowering keep only just safe from frost. Fuchsias. — Start the plants into growth, and when well broken repot. Cuttings struck now will -make good plants this season. Uollyhochs may bo increased from cut- tings in a gentle heat, and seeds of choice kinds may be sown with others in a warm pit, or V/altonian case. Get the stations ready for those to be planted out this spring. Dig deep, and manure well with rotted cow-dung. Tulips. — Protect from heavy rains and severe frosts, but never leave the coverings on one hour more than needful, for they never bloom well if made tender. When the foliage shows regularly over the bed, stir the surface between the rows with a small three-tined fork. Pelargoniums ought now to be growing freely, and on warm bright days should be watered so as to soak the ball and bring every rootlet into action. Use heat enough to allow of air being on all day. In bright weather sprinkle the floor of the house to create a humid atmosphere. 40 TO COIIRESPONDENTS. Catalogues Received. — " A Catalogue of Stove, Gieenliouse, Hardy, Exotic, and Britisli Ferns. A. Stansfield and Sons, Vale Nurseries, Todmorden." — "W.Wood and Hon's Catalogue of Seeds, with an Appendix comprising Eoses, Fruit-trees, etc., Woodlands Nursery, Maresfield, near Uckfield, Sussex." — " Sutton and Sons, Royal Berkshire Seed Establish- ment, Reading. Spring Catalogue and Amateur's Guide for 1863." It comprises lists of kitchen and garden seeds and roots, flower-seeds, and plants, and agri- cultural seeds. It is one of the hest known of tlie trade catalogues, and one of the first in which cultural directions were combined with prices and descrip- tions.— " Barr and Sugden, King Street, Covent Garden, Guide to the Kitchen Garden," a compact, explicit, and trust- worthy guide to the culture of edible crops. — "B. S. W^illiams, Paradise Nur- sery, Seven Sisters Road, HoUoway." A bulky list, comprising eighty pages of close print, containing a good list of novelties, and a list of bulbs for spring planting. — " Butler and M'Culloch, Co- vent Garden, London, W.C., Spring Catalogue, 1863, of Choice Flower, Shrub, Tree, and Vegetable Seeds." A well-arranged list, extending to a hun- dred pages, and is in every detail satis- factory.— " W. Thompson, Tavern Street, Ipswich, Descriptive Catalogue of An- nual, Biennial, and Perennial Flower Seeds from Continental and English Growers." Mr. Thompson is well known as the author of the '■ Gardening Book of Annuals," and one of the best authori- ties on herbaceous plants. — " Plymouth Seed, Agricultural Implement, and Ma- nure Company, Price Current of Kitchen Garden, Flower, and Farm Seeds." A good list of all the useful subjects required this sea.son. — "W. Cut- bush and Son, Nurseries, Highgate, London, N., Catalogue of Vegetable, Flower, and Farm Seeds." It is a cata- logue of more than average merit, and the varieties enumerated show that Messrs. Cutbush have laboured hard to include all proved advancements in the several classes. — "T. Illman, Strood, Kent, Catalogue of Stove, Greenhouse, Hardy Exotic and British Ferns," being a priced list of 872 species and varieties, and a good list of Selagiuellas. Quince Stocks. — IF. il/.— Cuttings of ripe shoots of the thickness of a common lead pencil and four inches long, make the best plants for stocks. They may be put in now in precisely the same way as currant stocks. We have had them root v/ell when put in as late as April, but of course the earlier the better. Various. — Yoimg Waltoyiian. — See p. 248 of the volume for 1861. — Constant Sub- scriber may move the Portugal laurels in April ; the woi-k must be done with care and plenty of hands, so that there need be no harm done for lack of lifting power. If constantly wetted overhead all the summer, they will recover in a year, hut are sure to look poor for at least one season. We had the golden balm from Messrs. E. G. Henderson, of St. John's Wood. We know that Mr. Salter, of Hammersmith, has it. — Cor- rection, Jan. No., p. 11, second column, lines 5 and 6, read, " beautiful kinds lose character." — yl. F.3I. — Along the front a stone shelf, 2 ft. 6 in. high at back, a rising stage, with shelves of inch deal, bottom shelf to be level with the front shelf. At back you might h:;ve a brick pit of ten feet to contain tan, or any other fermenting material. Your letter came too late, or would have bad a fuller reply. Selection of Passies. — A. H. Turner. — The following are 48 superb varieties, which, when well grown, cannot be beaten. Se(fs : Charles Watson, Alex. M'Nab, Admiral Dundas, A. M'Keith, Black Prince, Eclat, General Vernon, Imperial Prince, Ladyburn Beauty, Maid of Bath, Miss Carnegie, Mr. J. Graham, Mr. J. White, Nepaulese Chief, Othello, Rev. H. Dombrain, Rev. J. Dix, Royal Purple, Titan. Yellow Grounds: Blink- bonny, Count Cavour, Dr. Stewart, Duchess of Wellington, Duke of Cam- bridge, Francis Low, General Young, Hugh Miller, Isa Craig, Lord Clyde, Lord Cardigan, Mrs. Downie, Jlrs Hope, President, Prince of Wales, Richard Headl}^. While Grounds: Countess of Rosslyn, Duchess of Hamilton, Duchess of Kent, Fair Maid, Great Northern, Mary Lamb, Jlrs. Baston, Mrs. Laird, Nymph, Royal Standard, Seraph, Una. Tlje best in your list are, Miss Talbot, Blinkbonny, Dr. Fleming, Purple King, Duchess of Wellington, James Peddie, THE FLORAL WORLD A:N'D GARDEN GUIDE. 41 La ly Jane, Sir CiHii Campbell, Rev. J. Dix, Maiy Limb, Mrs. Djvuie, Liiy Machesoii, Seraph, Dachess of Ilauilcon, Mr. J. Wiitj, Perfection, Cn'iis, Mrs. Laird, Alex. \LSah, Gem, Fair Maid. Throw out all tiie others. You can easily correct the spelling of the names in your own li^t by obtaining the cata- logue of Messrs. Dowaie and L lird, Forest Hill, or some other growers of pansies. We cannot afford space for such corrections, which would be of no use tj anv bat yourself. TiFFAxr House. — Alpha. — The plants for a tiffany-house should be of kinds usually CO isidered hardy, but wiiich are worth shelter from tne horrible east winds wiiich usually prevail in this country in spring. Roses, Escallouias, Myrtles, Eu^jenias, Aspidistra lurida var., Farfug:ura grande, Hydrangeas, shrubby Veronicas, Azalea amcena, and a few others that require a little shelter. Silckim Rhododendrons, perhaps, Des- fontainea spinosa, perhaps, Metrosideros, Statice Fortune!. The hardiest climbers to train up the rafters, and to intercept very little light, are, Passiflora cerulea, Calampelis scabra, Hibbertia volubilis, Lonieera Japonica, Rhyncospermum jasminoldes. We wish you to boar in mind that we have frequently warned our readers not to trust to tiffany to protect any tender, soft-wooded plants during severe frost. If you want a gay garden under canvas keep to things that are nearly hardy, and to make a ' few festoons overhead, trust rather to quick-growing climbers, such as cobeas, convolvuluses, lophospermum, etc., etc. Fer.v Cases. — M. S. — AH the ferns you name are suitable to grow in a glass case. The foUowmg among those you name are the most tender :— Phlebodium spo- rodocarpum, Hymenolepis spicata, Anei- mia coUina, Cheilanthes farinosa, but easy to manage if you keep the bottom- heat steady by regularly supplying the tank, and plant them all at the hottest end. The following are a few degrees hardier : — Asplenium polymorphum, Lomaria attenuata, Pteris cretica, Todea pellucida, Doodia caudata, Adiantum assimile, Asplenium septentrionale, Sco- lopendrium vulgare multifidum, Allo- sorus crispus. You have made a very interesting selection. You had better wait till the end of March before order- ing the first four, or they may miss the move from the nursery stove in the event of cold weather. Give Plumbago capensis a shift in April, use good fuchsia compost. la June place it out of doors, and if it has plenty of water it will fljvver abundantly. * Por.YPODiUM CAMBRicuM. — "Mr. Hibberd has pronounced P. ca nbricum as not fertile. I send a fern whic:i I suppose to be cambricum. It was found near Dublin ; it is a fertile .soeoimen, and there are many sucli in the same spot, whlcli is nearwater.'' — Dublin Sabscriber. [L'lie fern sent is P. Hibei-aicum. It is no easy matter to uiaintai i a negative proposition, but as we have never seen a fertile specimen of cambricum, andhavo never heard of the finding of one, we must still consider barrenness one of its cliaracteristics.] Pkuning Roses. — B.H. 3f. — Your neigh- bour, who is a successful rose-grower, and wlio never prunes till April, is the pro- per example for you t) follow. The Flokal World has alw.iys advised late pruning of all the autumnal bloomers of high merit, because it is so dangerous in tills climate to have the lower buds pushing befoi-e the spring frosts are pretty well over. Cabbage and moss, and most other summer roses may be pruned earlier than the perpetuals ; we always prune the cabbnge and common moss during winter, at the same time as bush fruits, but being exposed to the north, we rarely prune perpetuals till April, or near it. But it depends very much upon what part of England you write from; we cannot discover bv your letter. If you date from the south-west you may prune directly ; if farther north than Derby, wait tilt the second week in March ; if farther north than York, wait till the second week in April. The following are good to plant, under trees, in a good soil and southern exposure; Anna Alexieflf, Madame Vidot, La Reine, Baronne I'revost, General Jacqueminot, Lord Raglan, Jules Mar- gottin, Queen of Bourbons, Geant des Batailles, and any of the perpetual Chinas. These are all we can name among the few roses to grow well in the partial shade of trees, and these we have proved to be suitable ; one part of our rosery being very much snaded. In the worst parts of a shaded rosery you must be content with maiden's blush, common cabbage, and common ciiina, which grow well and bloom anywhere. Bank to be Turfed.—^. F. M. — Sper- gulapilifera and Spergula saginoides are admirable for turfing banks, but we could not recommend them to be used under the shade of trees. They are both so hardy that the matter of climate is of no consequence. Probably Sagina pro- 42 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. cumbens would nnswer your purpose ; it makes a benntiful turf for slopes!, and is not particiilar as to soil. Plantixo a new Gaiidex.— I am building a new parsoniige house at this place, which is just about to be covered in. I shall have a garden of upwards of three roods of land. I am anxious, of course, to plant trees of different sorts, the best suited to the soil, which is rich, silty warp. I shall have good walls for peaclies, etc. As I am a subscriber to your Fi.oK.u. World, may I beg the favour of your advice as to wiiat sorts of fruit trees will suit this northern climate — the north of Lincolnshire — on the banks of the Trent, and almost on the borders of Yorkshire ; and whether bushes or pyramids will answer best for apples, penrs, plums, and cherries, and wbt'ther a quince stock, as recommended by Mr. Elvers, in his book, or otherwise. — TF". li. A., Bmvtry, Yorkshire. [As we presume, your garden is yet unmade, let us first of all say to you, before you think of planting, prepare by thoi-ougli drainage for the permanent well-doing of your fruit trees. If you have an out- let sufficiently deep, insert the drain- pipes at a depth of three feet, and a dis- tance of ten or twelve feet from drain to drain ; over the pipes lay six inches of stones the size of an egg, broken tiles, chalk, or any similar materiul, through which the water will percolate freely. Tiie drainage once well done, is done for a lifetime. If an outfall for the drain- age cannot be secured at three feet, a depth of two feet will answer very well. If your situa'ion is much exposed to vio- , lent winds, it will be bettor that you should plant chiefly dwarf pyramids, as the wind has but little power to shake the fruit from such trees; but if you are not so exposed, you may plant a fair proportion of standards, as these will make a feature in your garden, besides producing, in the course of a few years, large quantities of fruit. But for an immediate supply, as well as permanent utility, plant as much ground as you can spare with well-prepared pj-ramids from the nursery. Procure apples on para- , dise stocks, pears on quince, plums on sloes, and if you are careful in your se- lection of plants, and have them well planted, you may reap a considerable crop from them in the forthcoming summer of 1863. Before we give you a list of fruits that will succeed to satis- faction from the south of Cornwall to "John O'Groat's house," let us say to you that the value of your garden will be enhanced ten-fold by the erection of a small orchard-house, where you would always be sure of a crop of fruit, let the weather be what it might when the plants are blooming. Say a house sixty feet long, and sixteen feet wide in the clear, span-roofed, would give eighty plants at three feet apart, thus — D n c C B L D J n A D c c twenty plants on each side, and forty plants in the middle bed, A, in two rows, and you might, if you please, have eighty varieties of pears, plums, apricots, peaches, and nectarines, which would be a perennial source of gratification and profit. Tliere is not the slightest occasion for a heating apparatus, only secure thorough ventilation. Apples — Hawthornden, Dutch Codlin, Eibston Pippin, Fearu's Pippin, King of the Pippins, Blenheim Orange, Margill, Court Pendu Plat, and Red Quarren- den (early). Ptars, placed in the order of their ripening, Buerre Diel, Hacon's Incomparable, Forelle, Cliaumontel, Passe Colmar, Easter Buerre, and Buerre Ilance Peaches— Noblesse, Vio- lette Hative, Barringtou, Chancellor. Nectarines — Elruge, Violette Hative. Plums — Greengage, Eeiue Claude de Bavay, Jefferson, Denyer's Victoria, Eeine Claude Violette (purple gage), Dunmore, Coe's Golden Drop, Coe's Fine Late Eed. Apricots — Moor Park. Cher- ries— Kentish, Late Duke (let these ^be pyramids). Mon-ello for thewall.] Barren Walnut. — A Subscriber frora the First has a walnut tree thirty years old which has never borne fruit. Can any- thing be done to induce it to be once fruitful ? [The w^alnut is long coining into a fruiting condition. While in a young state it grows vigorously for many years, when once it has taken good hold of the soil, and it is not until this exu- berant growth is somewhat exhausted, and a moderate growth succeeds, that the tree begins to bear. Bearing maj' be accelerated by "ringing," that is, by taking a ring of bark from all around the stem of the tree two inches in width, filling up the hoUov/ so made with cow- dung and loam. But it is safest to let the tree take its own course, and grow itself into bearing condition.] THP] eAUBEi^ aumE. March, 1863. CULTURE OF THE HYDEANGEA. ^^M ys^ TTEKTION cannot be claimed for a few instructions y^r ^^ ^^^ culture of the hydrangea on the ground that ^ it is a general favourite. There are many enthu- siastic horticulturists who care yery little for it, and we have met with some whom we could not charge with a dis- , taste for gardening who entertained for it a positive dislike. I But it has its merits, and the writer is one of those who enter- tain a very high opinion of its value for decorative purposes. With us, indeed, it has long been a leading subject for the }/°3/ formation of large garden groups, and for terrace and promenade ^ ^embellishment, its cheerful and characteristic foliage being as acceptable to the eye as its huge and long-enduring heads of rosy bloom. Botanically considered, Hydrangea is not a particularly interesting genus. It gives its name to the order Hydrangeacece, which is placed by Lindlej' between Saxifragaceae and Cunoniacea? and near Philadelphacea3 and Caprifoliacese. Thunberg classed it with Viburnum, to which it has strong outward resemblances. The species of hydrangea are all inhabit- ants of the temperate parts of Asia and America, about half of them being natives of China and Japan. It will be easily understood, there- fore, that many of the species are hardy, and that none require a stove temperature ; this is a great advantage for those amateurs who admire the noble proportions and cheerful colouring of fine specimens. The hydrangea was first observed in the gardens of Canton by Loureiro, who, mistaking it for a primrose, named it Primula mutabilis. Commerson, the Erench traveller, afterwards met with it, and named it Hortensia, in com- pliment to Madame Hortense Lepeaute. It was left to Smith to give its present name, Hydrangea, and to preserve Commerson's appellation by converting it into hortensis (of gardens), and thus we have Hydrangea hortensis, the species in common cultivation, and to which reference is always made when the hydrangea is named in a collective sense. Species and Yaeieties. — The noblest of the race is //. arhorescens, a VOL. VI. NO. in. D 44 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. thoroughly hardy shrub, native of Yirginia, introduced in 1736. This has white flowers ; there is a variety of it called discolor, white and green, but of no peculiar value, the normal form is the best. II. cordata, with white flowers, is another useful hardy species from America. H. hetero- malla, from Nepaul, has white flowers, and forms a fine bush ; U. liortensis is the well-known garden hydrangea, respecting which alone avc shall speak in detail presently, II. nivea and nivea glabella from Carolina, are fine hardy shrubs, with viburnum -like flower-heads. II. quercifolium, the oak-leaved hydrangea from Florida, is nearly hardy in this country, and with some shelter in the winter may be planted out and treated as the rest. Among the greenhouse species, H. Thunlergii claims pre-eminence as the only one which is turned to any useful purpose. From the leaves of this the Japanese prepare a tea which is in the highest esteem, and is called Ama-tsja, or " tea of heaven." H. Belzonil, from Japan, is described as producing blue flowers ; they are in reality bluish blush. H. Japonica is also described as blue, and here we find the small central flowers to be of a pale pink, tinged with blue, and the expanded flowers on the outside of the cymes pure white, with a pinkish centre. II. Japonica cerulea approaches more nearly to a blue colour. H. stellata, pink, is interesting, and as easily managed as the rest. These are all that are worth naming, though we might add a few trivial varieties, which, during the last twenty j^ears have had names and characters given them, but have never attained to a creditable position. There are, in fact, but two species commonly cultivated, H. liortensis, the well-known nearly hardy plant, the most truly ornamental of all, and H. Japonica, which is both beautiful and curious, and well worth a place in every greenhouse. CiTLTTTRE. — We will first explain our own mode of procedure, which is very simple and successful ; by it we have handsome plants, with huge heads of bloom from the beginning quite to the close of the summer season, and these we group as pot plants about the walks, near garden- seats, and to decorate approaches. In May a number of cuttings are taken from the lov.'er parts of the stems of strong plants. We prefer young shoots with four or five joints, not more than five, and perhaps preferable with only three. The strongest wood may be used, and will be sure to root, but small young cuttings make the best plants. The cuttings have the two lowest leaves removed, and are potted singly in thumb pots in a mixture of leaf-mould and peat, with a very little sand. These are all placed on a moist bottom-heat of not more than 60^ either over a propagating tank, in a frame over a dung-bed, or in a propagating case. They require to be kept moderately moist, and will bear to be closely confined until they form roots. Never having seen a case of damping-oft", though we have struck thousands of cuttings, and in various ways, it does not seem needful to warn the cultivator on this head. However, let air be given moderately after the lapse of a week, and thenceforward increase the supply, so that by the time the pots are filled with roots, the plants will be hard and thrifty. When propagated on a large scale they may be dibbled into wet sand, placed over a tank or dung-bed, but we prefer to pot Ihem singly at first, as it is a decided gain in the end. When the thumb-pots are full of roots shift to GO -sized pots, using a compost of peat, leaf, and loam from rotted turves, equal parts of each, keep them in the greenhouse, or warm pit, water frequently overhead, and at the root; give plenty of air, and keep the plants near the glass. When these pots THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GDIDE. 15 are full of roots, sliift to tv/o sizes larger, that is into pots of six inches diameter, the compost for this shift to be strong turfy loam, full of fibre ; turfy peat, all the dust and fine black powdery part removed, rotten dung and leaf-mould, equal parts, no sand. For the drainage of these pots we use only one large oyster-shell, placed over the hole in the pot, hollow side downwards. The plants are shifted into these pots without breaking the balls of earth formed in the 60's, and are at once placed on a bed of coal ashes, or a hard pavement in a shady place out of doors, or plunged to the rim in a bed of cocoa-nut refuse. They have abundance of water, and before the end of October they have attained to an immense size, and have ripened plenty of hard flowering wood for the next season. We neither stop nor tie, but allow the branches to fall over as they please, which gives the plants a graceful contour, far preferable to that produced by any kind of training. The plants are housed at the end of October. A cold pit suffices for their protection, and they have a little water occasionally, and are kept clean as they lose their leaves. In case of severe weather a little care must be taken to prevent them being severely frosted. From this point the cultivator may proceed either to force a few at a time, or allow them to bloom naturally as the season advances. The first thing to do is to cut them back to about six eyes from the bottom to each well-placed ripe shoot, removing any weak inside shoots that might crowd the head without improving the plant. 'Sex.t give them a shift to pots seven and a half inches in diameter, with the same soil as the last, and with a mulch of rotten dung an inch thick on the top. Ordinary green- house temperature will set them going very early in spring, and the blooms will show immediately. Provide some neat green stakes, slender but strong, eighteen inches in length, and tie every shoot as soon as the bloom is visible loosely to a stake, as when the flowers are fully expanded, their weight when wet with a shower will sometimes cause them to fall over and break the stems. All they need after this is abundance of water. They can scarcely have too much at the root, or be too often sprinkled overhead. When the roots begin to run upon the surface, assist them with liquid manure, rather strong, once a- week, and by this time the blossoms will be expanding and colouring, and after acquiring their proper cha- racter, will continue in perfection a longer period than those of any other plant in our gardens. These plants are not to be shifted again tiU the next spring ; then they are to be cut back to about eight buds from the base, and shifted into 10-inch pots, and they will make enormous specimens. The next year they may be shifted to 1 5-inch pots, and after that it is not advisable to increase their bulk any further. A few cuttings to furnish small useful plants should be put in every year in April or May ; or if there is no convenience to strike by bottom-heat, they may be rooted under bell-glasses without heat in June, but it is best to strike them not later than the first week in May to insure the formation of ripe wood for blooming the next year. For ordinary purposes the most useful are yearling plants, which, when they have bloomed once, are to be destroyed. To force them is a mere matter of temperature, and they take a moist heat from Christmas onwards as kindly as any greenhouse plants in the catalogue. Hydeangeas out of Dooks. — As the hydrangea is so nearly hardy, there is little difficulty in growing it in the open air in the s;)uthern 46 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. counties. Planted in a good border, and slightly protected in ^vinter, it becomes a magnificent object; the border should be deep, and consist of chiefly rotted tui-f and dung. During %Adnter the best protection is a mat well stutfed with straw. To insure a fine bloom and a free growth, the plant should be watered from the end of April to the end of August abundantly ; it in fact can scarcely matter how much water is given. A writer in the "English Cyclopa:;dia" says he has known it receive as much as 100 gallons daily with visible benefit. CULTURE OF THE CAMELLIA. In the paper on Camellia Culture, which we published in the Januaiy number, we gave directions for the management of the plants in their various stages Of growth to bloom to an extent commensurate with the wants of the majority of amateur cultivators. "\Ve have now a few remarks to offer on the modes of propagation usually resorted to in nursery and private practice. Camellias thom Cuttings. — This mode of propagating is not recom- mended, for camellias grafted or inarched on seedling stocks are preferable to plants on their own roots. The best time to take cuttings is when the young shoots of the season are just getting ripe. Then cut off the young shoots at the fourth joint from the top, that is, to have cuttings four joints long. With a sharp knife trim away the wood of the internode by a horizontal cut close below the lowest joint, and from that and the next joint above remove the leaves. Fill some large shallow pans with silver- sand, and dibble in the cuttings prettj^ close together all over, and place over them a bell-glass. They should be kept just damp enough to preserve them in a fresh state ; if at any time very wet, the cuttings will perish, and so long as moisture condenses on the glass, the sand may be allowed to get nearly dry before it will be needful to give water again. Let them have air every day for a few minutes, during which time the glass can be dried. If there is any probability of the sun shining on them, cover the bell-glass with paper, or smear it all over outside with a thin wash of clay and water. For at least four weeks they should be kept thus in a cool place, and with very little moisture. They will by that time have formed the necessary " callus," and may be removed to a mild hot-bed, where they will have a bottom-heat of about 65% or from 60' to 70 ' and not more. They will require more moisture now, and frequent dewing of the leaves, but care must be taken not to rot them hj excess of moisture. When rooted, put them off in pure peat, with a fifth part of silver-sand added, and shut up warm till they have made a good start, then lower the temperature and give air, and as soon as hardened treat as old plants. Seedlings. — Camellia seeds are now sold at a low price, and all the leading seedsmen supply seed of named varieties as well as seeds of common single camellias for stocks. It is very seldom, however, that good seedlings are raised in this country; most of those sent out as English seedlings are in reality raised on the Continent, and sent here to be named and sold. However, the dealers offer seeds guaranteed to produce a fair proportion of double flowers, and the amateur who chooses to make a ventui'e in raising seedlings may turn his labour to account even if, when the plants flower, none of them are worth perpetuating. The seedlings THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 47 "will make good stocks to p;raft or inarch others upon, and when seeds are purchased expressly to raise stocks for working, preference should be given to seeds of the single red, which makes the best stock, and of which the seed is cheapest in the first instance. The seeds should be purchased early in the summer, so as to have it as newly ripened as possible, and it should be sown as soon as received. Fill the sced-paus half full of broken crocks, and fill up with a mixture of peat and leaf-mould equal parts, and one half part of silver-sand. Cover the seeds an inch deep, and pack away the seed-paas in a pit, in a bed of cocoa-nut refuse, which win maintain an equable temperature, and prevent extreme dryness of the seeds, if they happen at any time to be forgotten. All they require is to be kept moderately moist and never wet, and to have no artificial heat whatever. They require two years to germinate, and rarely blossom in less than four years, generally in five ; and the best way to get an early bloom is to let them grow as they please, aad never to stop or cut them. Some good varieties may be expected even when seeds of single camellias only are sown, and as when five years old they are still good stocks, there can be no harm in allowing all the seedlings to bloom before working any. As it is not difficult to ripen a few pods of seed in this country when the plants are only slightly forced, the cultivator should aim at a distinct effect by hybridizing ; and there is no subject easier to operate upon than the camellia. Choose the varieties to be crossed, so as to have the best -possible form in the flower which is to give the seed, and the best possible colour in that which is to furnish the pollen. As soon as the mother flower opens, cut away Avith a pair of scissors the stamens before the anthers burst ; and when the stigma begins to show a glistening appear- ance, dust the pollen of the pollen-flower upon it. The safest plan is to dust as soon as pollen can be got, whether the stigma appears to be perfect or not, and to dust again several times. Among the many dustings one may take effect, and a pod of really valuable seed may bo secured. Inarchixg. — This is the sim- plest method of propagation, and requires the least amount of prac- tice to insure success. This may be performed during summer or autumn, after the wood is ripe, or early in spring before the plants begin to grow. We prefer the spring, because there is then a long season of natural heat to perfect the union, and the scions may be sooner cut from the parent plants. Place side by side the two plants that are to be operated on, namely, the stock and the double variety from which the scion is to be taken. The stock is not to be headed until after the graft has grown, and both stock and scion . "~~ should be in a state of vigorous health. Select on the named variety a branch that may be easily drawn aside and bound to the stock, and THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. mark where they can be made to meet easily without straining either. Pare away with a sharp knife about two inches length of bark on both stock and graft where they meet, and sufficiently deep into the wood of each, so as to bring the edges of the bark of each into close contact, but beware of cuttiog too deeply into the wood. Make a small tongue up- wards in the scion, and downwards in the stock, as in side grafting ; fit the parts together, and tie with bass. There need be no claying or waxing, for if the operation is performed in a house suit- ably warm and moist, junction will soon take place. The appearance of the plants operated upon will be as in the subjoined cut ; of course one bushy plant of a chosen variety may be sur- rounded with stocks, and supply scions for them all by a little management. In about nine weeks from the time of the operation the scions may be separated from the parent plants, and the bass removed. In cases where the plants cannot be brought into contact, the scions must be cut off the plant to be propagated of considerable length. The inarching is to be perfonned in precisely the same manner as first described, and the end of the scion must be inserted in a phial of water suspended to some part of the stock, as in the subjoined diagram. As propagation by budding is usually and best performed in July, we will defer our observations on that subject for the present, but it is right to remark that grafting should be performed in spring, and the side graft is the best. When the grafts are put on and clayed, the plants should be laid on their sides on a bed of moist fermenting material, and kept shaded till the grafts begin to grow, then they may be placed on their feet, and the ties should be loosened. A SELECTION OP CAMELLIAS, OLD AND NEW. Six Cheap and Indispensable Varieties. — Double Whites — Chand- lerii, red and white ; Corallina, dark red ; Hendersonii, pink ; Ochroleuca, cream ; Donckelaari, rose mottled. Twelve Che.\p Yameties to add to the Abo at:. — Aitoni, red, single, showy ; Althseflora, red, large, like a double hollyhock ; Candidissima, white ; Chandleri elegans, flesli ; Conspicua, red, very showy ; Double Striped (or variegata), crimson, mottled white ; Imbricata, carmine, waxy, occasionally mottled ; Poeoniflora, large, pink, paeony-shaped ; Splendens, scarlet, fine habit and free bloomer ; Tricolor, rosy flesh, with scarlet markings ; Targioni, white, striped with carmine ; Yiolacea superba, purplish red ; Woodsii, light rose, lasts a long time. Twenty-eight Fine Old and Cheap Kinds. — JVhite — Alba plena; Candidissima ; Candor ; Fimbriata. Yelhwish White. — Montironi ; Ochroleuca. Striped and Blotched. — Adelina Benvenuti, white, blotched with rose ; Albertus, carnation, striped ; Alexina, blush, delicately marked rose ; THE FLORAL WOELD AND aAEDEX GUIDE. 49 Countess of Ellesmere, creamy "white, delicately striped; Countess of Orkney, wliite, striped carmine ; De la Reine, snow white, mottled and white rose ; Jubilee, blush white, rosy pink stripes ; Teutonia, rosy pink, shaded and striped white ; sometimes pure white. Rose and Scarlet. — Amalia Melzi, shaded rose, centre petals edged with white ; Archiducea Giovanni, scarlet, rose centre, striped white ; Com- mander-in-Chief, deep rose ; Drysdali, red, with carnation stripe ; Hen- dersoni, shaded rose, imbricated ; Marchioness of Exeter, clear rose ; Mariette Massanii, deep rose, light centre ; Saccio (also known as Halfida, Saccio nova, Alphedi, Rosea nova, and Augustina superba), pale rose, exquisite shape ; Storyi, rosy pink. Carmine and Crimson. — Bennyi di Boul, crimson striped and tipped; Chandleri, crimson red, mottled white ; Colletti, deep red, white blotches ; Corallina, crimson red ; Maria Morren, carmine, veined and shaded ; Ma- thotiana, crimson, extra large and handsome j Optima, rosy crimson, shaded white ; truly magnificent. Any of the above may be had at from 2s. 6^. to 3.s. &d. each, and, as they are all of first-rate quality, a mistake cannot be made if only one, and any one, be selected from each class. Those which follow range from 5s. to 15s. each. The Best of the La.st "Few Years. — Souvenir d'Emilie Defresnes, vivid carmine, with stripes of blush ; Pearl, imbricated, snowy white ; Punicea (1861, Milne), large, rich crimson, bright, substantial ; Amcena (1861, Milne), double carnation striped; Augusta Delfosse, velvety carmine, hexagonal; Bella di Pontcdcra, brilliant rose, striped white; Cup of Beauty (1860), pure white, delicately streaked with pink; Princess Frederick William (1860), carnation striped ; Queen of Beauties (1862), imbricated, petals shell-like, delicate blush; Etoile Polaire (1862, Henderson), carmine scarlet, white stripes ; Countess of Derby (1862), white, striped with deep rose, extra fine substance ; Leopold I. (1862), rose, veined with crimson. ROSE GOSSIP— jN'o. II. Stmmetsy of form is undoubtedly the first element of perfection in a rose, for, without it, a variety must be considered only second-rate, what- ever other good c[ualities it may pos- sess. Yet how few, even amongst established favourites, will bear criti- cal examination on this point, in which novelties in particular are apt to fail ; 80 that to secure real advances in this primary qualification it is de- sirable that no ilower should obtain recognition at the exhibitions, or a position in the lists, unless perfectly double and symmetrical. One of the chief features that determines the formation of a rose is its centre. This ought to be high and full, whatever the style of flower in other respects ; yet I do not knon^ one any characteristic of per- fect beauty more ignored in nine out of ten varieties that come out year after year. Looseness and flimsiness appear to be the rule, and not the exception. It is to be hoped that, as our English growers appear to have taken up the enterprise of raising seedlings in earnest, that they will not be betrayed into following the example of their continental brethren, by circulating new kinds of inferior merit. Descriptions of " form," also, ap- pear to be as lax and unsatisfactory as those of " colour," upon which I have previously animadverted. •' Capped," for example, is a term 50 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. applied indiscriminately to varieties as round as a ball, or as flat as a saucer. This may sometimes arise from the stage of growth selected for allotting their configuration, whereas the true formation of any given flower should be determined only when it is fully open, and its character conse- quently completely developed. When we find such kinds as Madame Knorr, Vainquer de Solferino, Boule d'Or, Chabrilland, Jules Margottin, and others, all described as " cupped," it is manifest how inappropriately and indefinitely terms are too frequently applied. Among the growers' cata- logues, however, must be excepted those of Messrs. Wood, Fraser, and Cranston, in which will be found most praiseworthy attempts at detailed de- scriptions and of individual flowers. The leading contours of roses may be comprised under the following heads : Globular, reflexed, expanded, cupped, and half cupped or tazza- shaped ; which forms will result from the centre, the face, the profile, and the size, shape, and depth of petal. 1st, The globular. The old roses Duchess of Sutherlandor La Beine may stand for its type, which is almost invariably double, and well formed, the centres being full of small leaf- lets, the exterior petals sometimes folded over at the points with great elegance and regularity, as in Cha- brilland and Senateur Vaisse. A variety of this form sometimes arises from the whole of the petals being incurved, as in the new roses Madame Pierson and Robert Fortune. The petals are large, and profile deep. 2nd, The reflexed. Type, Jules Margottin. The cen- tre in this variety is very high, from which the petals turn over, ] increasing in size to the outer row ; they are sometimes imbri- cated, as in Madame Vidot ; profile deep. 3rd, The expanded. Baronne Pre- vost may be considered as the repre- sentative of this section, under which Fig. 1. a great number of sorts might be arranged, and which is in reality merely amodifica- tion of the above, being larger in diameter, flatter at the centre, and with a much shal- lower profile. 4th, The cupped. Maria Portemer, though smallish, or Vainquer de Solfe- rino, both full flow- ers, will perhaps serve as a type of this style of flower. Here the centre is not always full. The face is flat, and the outer petals large, holding up, as interior ; profile deep. 5th, The half cupped. LordEaglan or Souvenir de laMalmaison will serve as a type for this class, which is more expanded than the last named, usually fuller in centre and larger in diameter, though it is in these two classes that defi- ciencies in double- ness most frequently occur. This remark, however, does not apply to the Bourbons, which for the most part have excellent centres. The face is flattish, and the profile somewhat shallow. Under this head such flowers as Eveque de Nismes must be reckoned. I am disposed to believe that most of our existing favourites might be classified under one or other of the foregoing divisions ; perhaps con- sideration might suggest one or two others. I am not aware of any voy dark varieties that belong to the first, and but few to the second. With depth of colour, size and doubleness seem to decrease ; and it would ap- pear we must wait and long for the colour of Prince Noir, combined with the size and symmetry of Chabrilland. It is worthy of remark, likewise, that (ew of the dark varieties succeed well in the neighbourhood of London. They appear to have a decided an- tipathy to smoke, and to require a favourable rose climate to develop in Fig. 5. THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. perfection their undeniable attrac- tions. Perhaps some of these remarks may be deemed heretical by many rosarians ; still I think it will scarcely be denied that more accurate descrip- tions both as to " form" and " colour" are desirable, if they can be attained, although at the expense of violence to current opinions, and by a little trouble. We should aim at perfec- tion, even in our amusements, and accurate delinitions tend to promote correct judgment, and improve the taste — elements of progress in every pursuit, and important aids to excel- lence in the light and fascinating recreation of floriculture, as well as in more serious subjects of study. W. D. Prior. Homerton, Feb., 1SG3. FEUIT CULTUEE.- -FORMATION OF BUSHES AND PTEAMIDS. TnBRE is perhaps no department of fruit culture more perplexing to amateurs than the formation of bushes or pyramids from maiden trees, as these are sent out from the nurseries. Of late years there has been so much said about them, that the cultivation of miniature fruit trees has become a distinct hobby ; and as the Floral World has had its share in rendering bush fruits popular, it is but fair we should do our part towards aiding the amateur in the routine of training and prun- ing needful for dwarfing the trees, and rendering them prematurely fruitful. This is not the time or place to discuss the comparative merits of the dwarfing system. It suffices for the present that there are two great objects accomplished in checking the natural tendency of the trees to become trees : first, early fruitfulness, so that instead of plant- ing for posterity, we plant for our- selves, and taste the fruit of our labours at once ; and, secondly, that the bush form is so favourable to economizing space, that a consider- able variety of fruits may be grown on an area which would accommodate but one or two of the old-fashioned standard trees. The system of pruning followed in the formation of bush and pyra- mid fruits very nearly dispenses with the use of the knife altogether. But so much has been said in favour of finger-and-thumb pruning that it might fairly be supposed that the knife had become obsolete among fruit growers. Such a supposition would be erroneous. It may be fairly conjectured that there is not a bush or tree in the British islands worth}' of severe criticism which has been formed by finger-and-thumb pruning only ; nevertheless, as the knife is chiefly used to remedy the defects of pinchmg, we are bound to assign to the pinching system the importance which is its due. The cultivator needs to consider from the first what is to be the permanent form of the tree which he has taken under his care. In determining upon this foi'm he will have to be guided somewhat by the nature of the variety. Thus, among pears some varieties form pyramids with scarcely any training or pruning, others form difi'ase bushes on quince stocks, or robust and strong groaning trees on pear stocks. So with apples, plums, and in fact fruits of every class, varieties differ ; and it would be a folly to compel them all to submit to precisely the same modes of treatment. For bush fruits that are to be grown in the smallest pos- sible compass the style of training known as en q^uenouille, or distaff*, is undoubtedly the best. In this case the object is to obtain a clean stem, densely clothed from tip to toe with fruit spurs, and by thus bringing the tree into a habit of early fruitfulness to prevent robust growth, and render the pruning a quite nominal aff'air. Suppose we begin with a maiden ap- ple tree just received from the nursery. It will have an appearance similar to the tree represented in Fig. 1. If this is left unpruned, each of the three side-shoots and the leader will grow from their terminal buds, and there will probably be few or none 52 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. of the dormant buds on the stem started. Bat as the stem is to be clothed, we must cut back the leader and the side-branches, as marked in the diagram ; the knife in each case to be passed through close over a plump bud. That ter- minal bud will start first and with most vigour when the growth com- mences in spring, and if allowed to have its own way, may in each case cause a lengthening of the shoot, and a conse- quent continuance of the nakedness of the remaining portion of the stem. But by leaving the top bud of the leader to grow as it pleases, and pinching in the growth of the side- ehoots as soon as three leaders are fully developed on each, we compel the tree to push out shoots from dormant buds on the stem, through the necessity laid upon it to find an outlet for the sap. By pinching in these shoots above the third or fourth leaf, and pinching in the secondary shoots in the same way, as soon as they have perfected three or four leaves each, the tree is induced to form fruit-spurs at the base of some of the pinched-in shoots, and if these can be well ripened before winter, there will be a fair chance of fruit the succeeding summer. If the pinching has really not been neg- lected, the tree at the end of the season will present some such appearance as in Fig. 2, and the only prun- ing it will require will be to cut back the leader about one- fourth of the whole heiglit of the tree. The nest season the top bud of the 7 ^1^ Fig. 2. leader wUl agam grow vigorousl}^ and new side-shoots will be thrown out above those previously pinched in. All wood-huch are to be pinched as before, at the third or fourth joint from the bud, but never till three or four leaves are fully de- veloped ; then nip out the point, leaving the three or four joints only. Three or four pinchings at intervals from the end of May till the end of July will suifice to keep the M ^ growth as regular as %^S!'^ if mathematically ar- ranged beforehand ; and if care be taken ^^mv never to pinch too late, ^ H^' 1,^ but rather to leave neg- "^^-tA'^-^ lected shoots to ripen at their full length after the end of July, the tree will have some such appearance -%% as in Fig. 3 ; and as it will now be a regular distafi", we quit it, trusting it will bear as it ought, an abun- dance of fruit. Between the rigid distaff as thus described and the graceful pyra- mid, there are many in- ^,,gg;~^ ..-, termediate forms, such ■■■-'2^^}2^"D GARDEN GUIDE. are starved in the seedling state is lamentable, and it is against this practice we would wage war most anxiously, A luxurious growth is essential from the first, and this should be insured by using a turfy compost, plenty of water, occasional stopping to prevent the plants from getting unmanageable by their size, and regular shifts up to seven-inch pots, if room can be afforded, so that thev may be put out late, and suffer no check by ungenial weather. Then for the further management, plenty of liquid manure alternating with plain waterings, and where size of fruit is an object, only one or two should be allowed to come to matu- rity. The summer of 1862 was very unfavourable to the growth of mar- rows, and in our district there was a general complaint of failure. We had two plantations, one away from home, on a piece of land rented as supplementary to the home garden, and another which had our daily at- tention. The plants for both were of the same batch, and there was no difference in their strength when put out. Those on the land away from home were ridged out on beds with two feet of rotten dung and a foot depth of soil ; those at home were in a range of open brick pits, and the beds made in the same way. In these the plants were turned out, one in the centre of each compartment, eight j feet by nine feet (the breadth of two j lights) at the end of April, when i the weather was like June. The I plants were sheltered with a small | box-frame, four feet by two feet, from i which the lights were removed all j day. They made a free growth, and by the time they had grown so large that the frames had to be removed, they were showing fruit abundantly, and we cut fruit from them the second week in June, when the plants in the other plantation were looking starved, and were evidently not worth the ground they occupied. We had enormous crops from our home plantation, but the other gave very few marrows worth cutting. Our home crop afforded a lesson to many gardeners of the district, and ! we name it here as a lesson for our readers, that what is worth doing is j in this case worth doing well. In the I selection of gourds many of the most ' ornamental are also most useful. I For size, the mammoth gourds claim pre-eminence, and it is on re- cord that a weight of 250 lbs. avoir- dupois has been attained on the Con- tinent, but we cannot hope for such results. The large Yellow Mammoth is a very handsome gourd, and it re- quires only a moderate amount of skill to grow a few fruits to the weight of 80 or 90 lbs. The Citron- elle, or Citron Gourd, is a valuable one for winter use, as when ripe a fine preserve may be made of the flesh. It is a variety of the hard- fleshed water-melon, and the fruits average from three to five pounds in weight. It requires a little more care in cultivation than most other gourds in the early part of the season, as, being of a tender consti- tution, it is apt to suffer from damp and cold if planted out too early ; but after the middle of June its growth is vigorous, and it requires no more care than ridge cucumbers. When ripe it does not change colour or become soft, and it keeps well. Another very useful gourd is the Hubbard Table Squash, which ave- rages seven pounds in weight, and yields a large crop, if allowed plenty of room to ramble over a mound of dung covered with eighteen inches of turfy loam. When ripe, the flesh is of a deep orange colour, and it may be used as a vegetable in soups, or for pies or preserves. For general usefulness the common pumpkin, white marrow, and custard marrow, are the most useful of all esculent gourds. The fruitfulness of the cus- tard gourd, when fairly dealt with, is amazing, and nothing can equal it on the table either for beauty or flavour. But it is not so early as the common green pumpkin and common white marrow, and a few plants of each should be grown, as the marrows take the lead in the early part of the season, and the custards come into full bearing when the others are be- ginning to decline. 5'.) PROPAGATION OV MISTLETOE. Some of your readers may be glad to learn how easily Mistletoe can be grown. For several years I had tried all the approved plans. All these I had found to fail, when I heard of a neighbouring working gardener, said to be skilled in the propagation of the parasite. I engaged his ser- vices, and at the beginning of last ivlarch I wrapped myself up and went with him for the purpose of witness- ing his modus operandi, which con- sisted in squeezing the seed and pulp out of the skin of the mistletoe berry, etc., and applying it to the bark of various apple-trees, where it adhered by its own vicous nature, and it has, in the very great majority of cases, indeed, in nearly all, vege- tated successfully ; to use my opera- tor's own words, it should be " stuck on where the bark is most slick," and March he considers the best month for the operation. On a Siberian crab, he placed four seeds, and they have all grown, having now the appearance of diminutive snails with the tips of their horns inserted into the bark. Deus. MAECH, 1863—31 Days. Phases of the Moon. — Full, 5th, 2h. 46iu. after. ; Last Quarter, 12th, 6h. 55m. after. ; New, 19th, 2h. 37in. after. ; First Quarter, 27th, 8h. 58m. morn. Sun rises. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16l6 176 186 196 206 216 226 235 24 = 25 26 27 28 5 295 305 315 Sun seta. 48 46 44 42 40 37 35 33 31 28 26 24 22 19 17 15 13 IC 8 6 4 1 59 57 54 52 50 4716 45 43 41 Moon Moon rises, i sets. Aft. ; Mom 7 21 8 34 9 52 11 7 53 Morn. 8 0 22 4 51 5 15, 5 36| 5 58| 6 22, 6 47 7 17| 7 53, 8 36 9 25 10 21 11 22 After. 1 33 2 42 30 57 20 42 2 21 6 42 7 4 7 31 4 8 44 9 35 10 38 11 53 After 2 30 3 52 5 11 6 28 7 44 8 58 10 9 11 15 Morn. 0 14 1 Weather near London, 1862. BABOMKTBB. Ml. Min. 29-95. 29-59. 29-28. 29-79. 29-90. 29-50. 29-39. 29-63. 29-55. 29-96. 29-83. 29-70. 29-99. 30-11. 3010. 29-95. 29-75. 29-76. 29-61. 29-42. 29-68. 29-98. 29-82. 29-54. 29-47. 29-50. 29-39. 29-18. 29-24. 29-32. 29-62. .29-78 .29 50 .29-22 .29-55 .29-41 .29-45 .29-56 .29-54 .29-39 THEEMOMBTEE. Mx. Mn. Me. .29-65 .29-64 .29-91 .30-08 .3001 .29-81 .29-73 .29-67 .29-49 .29-32 .29-37 .29-92 .29-52 .29-45 .29-44 .29-37 .29-24 .29-11 .29-19 .29-29 .29-48 43.. 37.. 49.. 47.. 45.. 58.. 60.. 61.. 54 .29. ..36-0 .15. .26-0 .14. ..31-5 .14. ..30-5 .33. ..39 5 .45. ..51-5 .45. ..52-5 .41. ..50-0 ..36. .29-88; 59. ..51. ,45-0 ,55-0 55.. 58.. 54.. 49.. 49.. 46.. 45.. 49.. 53.. 39.. 43.. 44.. 44.. 65.. 63.. 56.. 60.. 51.. 51.. 59.. 60.. .37. ..460 .35. ..46-5 .38... 460 .38... 43-5 .39. ..44-0 .38.. .42-0 .35. ..40-0 .25... .370 .35. ..44-0 .30. ..34-5 .32. ..37-5 .31. .37-5 .34. ..39-0 .39... 52-0 .46... 35-5 .40... 48-0 .43... 41-5 .39. ..45-0 .38... 44-5 .41. ..50-0 .34... 47-0 THE COUNTEr. RainiThe Garden and the Field. 00 ilvy-leaved speedwell fi. 00 [Lungwort fl. 00 i Mistletoe fl. 00 j Pile wort fl. 00 I Ash fl. 09 .Shepherd's purse, fl. 01 'star of Bethlehem fl. 02 Violet fl. 15 Muskwood crowfoot fl, 24 [Apricot and peach fl. 04 \ Gooseberry foliates 06 iDafi"odilfl. 02 |T(vo-leaved squill fl. 00 Ground ivy fl. 00 I Laurel fl. 46 ! Common stitch wort fl. 21 Poplars fl. 00 Dog-tooth violet fl. 02 Lilac foliates fl. -11 jBlack-currant foliates 07 jElmfl. sweet briar ditto 14 , Marsh marigold fl. 42 1 Spurge laurel fl. 02 'Hawthorn foliates 08 jSnowflake fl. 10 Periwinkle fl. 18 Gooseberry fl. 00 Privet foliates 00 Hazel foliates 13 Common almond fl. 08 Horse-chesnut foliates — ~2. 60 THE GAEDEN GUIDE FOE MAECLI. KiTCiiEM Garden. — Get manure on to the plots that are to be sown or planted this month and next, and dig the ground over deeplj-, and leave rough. Level down tiie ridges of ground prepared last month, so as to be ready to sow and plant as soon as weather permits. Plant the main crop of potatoes where the ground is well drained at once, but on damp soils wait till next month. _ It is not safe to manure for pota- toes, but charred rubbish, old mortar, and other dry materials may be used to lighten the soil and nourish the crop. For main crops choose a plot that was well manured last year ; for early sorts, that are to come up before the autumn-rains set in, manure may be dug into the trenches. Potatoes are best planted in trenches, and covered loosely with soil ; dibbling is apt to cause rotting by the holes getting tilled with water. Horseradish may be planted in any spare comer, but the ground should be dug deeply, and the roots will come iiner if the subsoil is well manured. The crowns should be planted fifteen inches deep and six inches apart every way, and the holes filled with tine coal- ashes, or the sets put in as the trenching proceeds. Any part of the root will do as wall as the crowns, if cut into inch pieces. Mark out onion-beds, and let the soil be liberally manured. Get ready for all successional summer crops, so as to have the ground firm and well sweetened in time to receive them. Soiv turnip, long-radish, main crop of parsnips, horn-carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, savoys, brocoli, main crop of onions, peas for succession, lettuce of all kinds, round spinach, parsley, and small salads. Selections for the Kitchen Gar- den.— The following are the very best in their several classes ; there are many others as good as some of those named, and in no case is it recommended to discard favourite local varieties. These lists are offered as guides both for improving the selections of experienced cultivators, and to assist the inexperienced to select from the multitu- dinous enumerations of thetrade catalogues. Early peas : Dillistone's Early, Carter's Champion, Daniel O'Houke. Second early Peas : Advancer, Champion of Paris, Dickson's Favourite. 3I/iiii crops : Prize- taker, Veitch's Perfection, Hair's Dwarf Mammoth, Auvergne Marrow. Ln/e : Knight's Dwarf, British Queen, Ne Plus Ultra. Early potatoes : Sutton's Racehorse, Daintree's Earliest (new and fine). Walnut- leaf, Handsworth Early. Main crop: Hud- son's Early May,Soden's Early Oxford Improved Early Siiaw, Dalmahoy, riour-» ball. Fifty-fold. Eirly beans: Dwarf Fan, Miizagon. Main crop: Lone; Pod, John- son's Wonderful. Finest for size and flower Taylor's Windsor, Green Windsor. Earh/ C'Mnye: Carter's Early, Early Champion, Shilling's Queen, Rosette Colewort. Main crop: Wheeler's Imperial, Enfield Market, Large Imperial, King of tlie Cabbages. Parsnip: Hollow Crowned and Sutton's Student, the last named is a new variety raised by Professor Buckman, it produces clean symmetrical roots admirably suited for exhibition, and is the best flavoured of all Carrot : Early Horn and short French Horn for shallow soils, and to sow early; James's Scarlet and Long Surrey for main crop and handsome i-oots ; selected Altringham for allotment lands, excellent for the table, makes enormous roots, but is not handsome. Cress: Australian Golden, exquisite flavour, and a good substitute for watercress, tripled curled; and Perennial American. Cucumbers : Rilleman, Carter's Champion, Lynch's Star of the West, Mar- tin's Long Gun, Mill's Jewess. LeeJc : London Flag, Musselburgh. Cos lettuce: London, Brighton, Carter's Giant White, Hardy Green, Florence. Cabbage lettuce : Hammersmith, Malta, Neapolitan, Wheeler's Tom Thumb. Melon: Carter's Excelsior, Bousie's Incomparable, Turner's Gem. Onion : Deptford, White Glove, James's Keeping, Strasburg, Tripoli, Silver Skin. Cucumbers and Melons. — Keep np the heat by linings if necessary ; give air on fine mornings, but beware of chilling the plants. If the weather is frosty, with bright sunshine, shade the pit with netting to prevent scorching ; thin the fruits if they set too freely. Sow cucumbers and melons for succession, and sow also cucitmbers for ridging out. Melons and Cucumbers in the forcing pit to be kept carefully trained about twelve inches from the glass, to be regularly stopped, and at a temperature of 70" by day and 60' by night. Sow now for plants to bed out in frames and pits, and for suc- cession in the early forcing-house. Flower Gauden. — Lightly fork the j borders, so as not to injure the roots of 1 herbaceous plants, and make the surface i moderately tine, to give a neat appearance. i Sow hardy annuals in the borders, and put j a tally to each patch ; as soon as large I enough to handle, thin the patches, and ' plant out the thinnings wherever required ; ! or pot them for blooming in the windows. THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. Gl Put stakes to "rscwly-planted roses and otlier trees, and mulch beds of roses to protect their roots from dry bleak winds. Orchid-house.— Many of the subjects in this house will now be coming into growth, but must not for that reason be stimuhited too suddenly by any undue rise of temperature. There are very few that will require more than a temperature of 65' as ,a maximum, and 55' minimum, and the amateur cultivator is advised to keep to this moderate range as mucli safer than liigher temperature at this time of year; but as the month advances the midday temperature may be allowed to li-e to 70'. Growing plants will want water, and this will be best administered by dipping, so as to thoroughly wet the roots, and without suffering a drop of water to lodge among the leaves or bulbs. Those that want a .shift, to have it as soon as they show signs of being really on the move. All that are suitable to grov/- on logs or in baskets should be so planted, as far preferable to pots. Aerides, Vandas, Saccolabiums, Phaloenopsis, and Zygopetiilums, need now the warmest end of the house as they are in ft-ee growth. Care must be taken not to wet their young shoots. Cyrtopo- diums, Barkerias, Cycnoches, Phajus albus, and Wallichiana to be watered with very great care, and with due regard to their condition as to growth, as while they are quite at rest they must be kept rather dry. On bright days water the floor of the liouse freely-. In neglected houses there is at this time of year much injury caused by rot and spot. In the case of the first, cut away the part affected, and fill up the wound with silver-sand or sulphur. Spot is the result of a sappy condition of the plants, and where there is much of it, the onlj' safe course is to increase the tempera- ture and encourage a vigorous growth as early as possible, and the plants will out- grow it. It is invariably the result of ex- cessive mois'ttire in winter, or of cold draughts or of steam, followed by a low temperature. The month of March is the best time for a general repotting of plants that require a shift and propagating by dividing the pseudo-bulbs. By a decisive cut with a sharp knife between the pseudo-bulbs, dendrobiums may be multiplied with the greatest certainty, in much the same way as taking offsets from auriculas, the cuttings being prefer- able if they have each a few roots attached. These are to be potted and placed in a uhady part of the house, and to have extra warmth and very little water till they begin to grow. Old flowering bulbs, of D. nobile, pulcbellum, etc., may be cut aw.iy, even if without roots, and if laid on damp moss in a close part of the house will soon emit roots, and may then be potted. At the beginning of the month is the best time to repot anaectochilis ; and as these have no fleshy bulbs, great care must be taken as to watering, or they may rot away at the collar. But beware of keep- ing ansectochili too dry from this time to the end of September. Plants in a thriv- ing condition will require plenty of water and always a little air as they are coming into active growth for the season. The soil for them should be chopped .sphagnum two pai-ts, and with one part of fibrous peat and silver-sand. Orcldds that nuiy he in bloom in February. — Bnrkeria elegans, and Skinneri; Bletia Shepherdii ; Brassavola Digbyana, and glauca; Burlingtonia amcsna; Calanthe vestita rubra oculata; Coslogyne media, ci'istat.T,, and Gardneriana ; Ej)idendrum vitellinum ; Grammatophyllum speciosum; Lffitia Maryanii, and peduncularis ; Lep- totes bicolor ; Lycaste Depoeii, Skinneri, Skinneri alba, Skinneri delicatissima ; Miltouia cuueatum, and Karwinskii ; Odon- toglossum maculatum, membranacea, pulchellum ; Eossii triumphans ; Oncidium Barkerii, bicallosum, Cavendishii, incur- vum, unguiculatum ; Phajus grandifolius ; Schomburgkia crispa; Sophrouites cernua and violacea ; Zygopelatum Mackayi ; Cattleya .Walkeriana ; Cymbidium ebur- neum, giganteum, and iViastersii, Cypri- pedium biflora, insigne, insigne Maulei, purpuratum; Dendrobium albitm, monili- forme, nobile, nobile intermedium, nobile pendulum, and pulchellum purpureum. Orchids that may be in bloom in March. — Dendrobium nobile, pulchellum, macro- phyllum, densiflorum, Farmeri, Pierardi latifolium, aggregatura majus, anosmum, Cambridgeanum, fimbriatum oculatum, lit- nifiorum, nobile intermedium, nobile pen- duhim; Bletia patula; Brassavola glauca; Cattleya amethystoglossa, MossiiB, Skin- neii ; Ccelogyne cristata ; Cymbidium eburueum, cypripedium biflora, caudatum, caudatum roseum, hirsutissimum ; Epiden- dron aurantiacum, crassifolium, Hamburg- anum; Lycaste cruenta, Deppei; Oncidium sarcodes, sessile ; Phajus Wallichii, Phalajuopsis amabilis, grandiflora ; Sacco- labium miniatum ; Trichopilia suavis ; Vanda cristata. Gkeenhouse. — To keep the conserva- tory gay, put roses, rhododendrons, azaleas, and early pelargoniums into a moderate warmth, to bring them into bloom. Give plenty of water and liquid manure to plants coming into bloom, especially Ame- G-2 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEIs' GUIDE. ricans,camellias,pclargonlums, and acacias. Plants done blooming should be tended ■vvith care to secure a healthy growth of new wood, and be cnt in if required before tliey spend their strength at the ends of flowering shoots. Give plenty of air, and increase the heat in all plant-houses. Use the syringe freely, to keep a clean foliage ; repot any plants that want more root-i"oom ; see to the training of greenhouse and con- servatory climbers before they get into too free a growth to be handled conveniently. Aurkulafi. — These will require frequent watering and plenty of air, but must be sheltered from cutting winds. Weak liquid manure will strengthen the trusses. Green- fly will appear as the plants make their new growth, and must be promptly met by means of tobacco-smoke. Polyanthuses the same treatment. Azaleas. — Take up and pot such as are ■wanted for furnishing, and put into a moist heat of 55' by night, and 65' by day. Use turfy peat and silver-sand, and press the soil firmly into the pots round the old balls. Give plenty of water, and train out into good shapes. Calceolarias may be struck in any quantity for blooming this season ; a very slight heat is sufficient. Use young tender shoots, and root them in sandy peat. Specimen -plants for early blooming will come on nicely along with Americans and other plants that like moisture ; but they must be in the coolest and airiest part of the house, for much heat is an injury to them. Give liquid manure once a-week. Cinerarias must have plenty of light and air, and all superfluous shoots and in- jured leaves should be cut clean away. A cool shelf near the glass is the best place for them ; and they must be watched that green-fl}' does not take complete possession of their succulent foliage. Carnafions and Ficotees. — Clean up the plants, and wash the outsides of the pots. Make ready for potting in the second week of the month, and search tiie com- post well for vermin, or much mischief may ensue. Dahlias should be got to work without delay. Divide the old roots, one eye to each piece, and pot in light rich loam, and plunge the pots in a warm pit on the tank of a propagating-house. Those started last month may be propagated by cut- tings, if stock runs short ; the cuttings must be taken under a joint, and rooted in thumbs filled with poor sandy loam, to be shifted into rich light soil as soon as rooted. Hollifhocks not yet planted out must be hardened by free exposure to the air. but protected from severe fi-osts and storms. Those already hardened should be planted without delay, and stakes placed for them at once, as driving the stake down hereafter will do injury to the roots. Tulips must be kept hardy by free ex- posure, but severe frosts, especially after rain, will do them much harm. Protect, therefore, as occasion may require, but be careful not to retain the coverings one hour after a change of weather has ren- dered them unnecessary. Pelargoniums must be stopped where the growth i.« irregular, and tied out to good shapes for blooming. Give more heat and more water as the days lengthen; plenty of light, and manure-water once a- week. The .syringe and the fumigator must both be kept in action to keep vermin in check. Scarce kinds of pelargoniums may now be propagated fi-om pieces of the roots put into small pots, leaving the top just visible ; they must be in a moist heat, and shaded till they show shoots. Fruit Gardex. — Mulch raspberries with four inches of half-rotten dung, the ground between them must never be dug, not even with a fork. Trees nev?ly planted to be securely staked, and in dry soils it will be as well to mulch their roots. Finish pruning and nailing, have ready calico, netting, or whatever else is used for pro- tecting wall trees, which will be in bloom early this year. Lay down plenty of rot- ten dung between strawberries. All kinds of fruit-trees and fruit-bushes may yet be planted though it is full late. Stove. — Cut down plants that have flowered ; and put in cuttings in a good heat. Newly-potted plants must be care- fully watered, to guard against soddening the roots. Plant out achimenes in shallow pans. Pansies. — Shift those intended for blooming in pots ; stir the soil between plants in beds, and carefully tread in any that the frost has lifted. New beds may be planted in the first week of this month. Forcing. — A temperature of 50' night, and 60' day, will bring on roses, daphnes, lilacs, weigelias, kalmias, azaleas, double plum, almond, and peach, and other of the showy spring flowers, with very little trouble. Keep a moist air, and beware of crowding. Strawberries under glass will require liquid manure, plenty of air, and to be kept near the glass. Thin the fruit and blossoms as soon as a moderate number are set on each plant. ViNEET.— Discontinue syringing as the vines come into flower, and slightly in- THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 63 crease the temperature, and give air only when the weather is mild. As soon as the fruit is set, throw water on the paths, to make a moist air, and use the syringe freely. Tie in the shoots before they get unmanageable, and stop laterals at the first eye beyond the bunch. Rods saved from the prunings may be put in heat to strike ; hardy kinds will strike in the open air in precisely the same way as currant canes. TO CORRESPONDEXTS. Cpltukk of Root Crops. — Please tell me what is the best stimulant for carrots and parsnips ? — B. H. [Salt is largely i\sed in the field-culture of these roots, but the best way to insure a fine crop is to manure the bottom of the trench, and have no manure at all in the top spit. Then by deep hoeing of the soil between the rows until the leaves meet and cover the ground, the spring showers will have their proper effect. The best soil to choose for these roots is a poor, sandy loam, trench it deep, manure the second spit, sow parsnips on the 1st of March, and carrots on the 10th.] Variegated Kail. — A lady correspondent, dating from Norwood, has sent us some specimens of garnishing kail, in order to call attention to its merits for winter decoration. These specimens are cer- tainly most beautiful, and worthy of a place in the epergne or drawing-room vase, or to group in winter bouquets. They comprise shades of cream, pure white, delicate green, and rosj- flesh all on the same leaf, which is elegantly crimped and curled like the best milli- ner's frilling. Other specimens are deep crimson, lively orange red, several shades of purple, and one leaf is a richer maroon red than purple orach. Heating Forcing House. — J. R. — The heat from your pipes is nearly all thrown away. Tour gardener would have placed them much better. But why don't you make hot water tanks of your pits. Your striking and cucumber growing, or whatever else you wish to do, will be much more eff'ectually done by such an arrangement. Take the tan out of the pit, fill up to within a foot and a-half of the top with rough gravel, or any other hard material, on that place a paving of common Yorkshire stone in pieces the width of the pit. let the joints and sides be well cemented. Cement the wall five or six inches from the stone, so as to make the whole water- tight ; then make a division by a brick on edge throughout the entire length of the pit, to cause flow and return of the water, and cover the whole with thin slates well cemented at the joints to keep out steam. This will leave you ten or eleven inches of space in which to place mould for your cucumbers, or cocoa-nut fibre, or other plunging mate- rial in which to strike your cuttings. Do not fix your tank to the outside wall, but leave a space wide enough to take a pipe all round, which will be found use- ful in raising the temperature of the house, and drying up excessive moisture. Fit the pipe with a stop valve. Gladioli in Bloom in August. — /. H. — Brenchleyensis, very showy, Adonis, Aglaea, Courant fulgens, Don Juan, Goliath, Fanny Rouquet, Aristotle, Madame Condere, Hebe, Mathilde de Landevoisin, Jane Eyre. Catalogues Received. — "Alexaader Laing, Beverly, Yorkshire, Select Cata- logue of Home and Continental Seeds." " Garden, Agricultural, and Flower Seed Catalogue." Two copious lists, adapted for customers to fill in the quantities re- quired.— "E. G. Henderson and Son, Wellington Road, St. John's "Wood, Catalogue of Flower Seeds, and of Agri- cultural and Vegetable Seeds." This substantial trade list has always been held in the highest estimation, and is this year fully as interesting and valu- able as ever. — " James and John Eraser, Lea Bridge Nurseries, Essex, Catalogue of Stove and Greenhouse Plants, Roses Fruit-trees, Conifers, and Miscellaneous Evergreen, and Deciduous Shrubs " A fair reflection of the resources of thi.-i spirited firm. — "Hooper and Co., Central Avenue, Covent Garden, Spring Cata- logue of Flower, Shrub, and Tree Seeds." A first-rate business and botanical list of eighty-six pages, the descriptions full and accurate, and the native country and other particulars given throughout. — "Charles Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough, Catalogue of Seeds for Kitchen Garden, Flower Garden, and Farm." Very carefully arranged, so as to in- clude only the cream of old and new varieties. — " Catalogue of Fruit Trees, Roses, Conifers, etc." Like the former restricted to those of universal merit. — G4 THE FLOEAL WORLD AXD GAKDEX GUIDE. " Barr and SujrJcn, King Street, Covent Garden, Ulu-itrated Guide to the Flower Garden." A first-rate catalogue of 112 pages, admirably arranged, containing excellent descriptions and good illustra- tions of many of the plants, with the quantity of each name, that the reader may know "What's lonqr, what's sliort, each accent where to place." This will h'i Cound of no small service. — " William Wood and Sons, WoodlandsNur- sery, Maresfield, near Uckiield, Surrey, (Jatalogue of Roses." A very useful and large list, with good cultural notes and descriptions.— '• F. and A. Dickson and Sons, Chester, Catalogue of Vegetable and Flower Seeds." A full, well-ar- ranged, and interesting list. — " A. St.inafield and Sons, Vale A'^urseries, Todraorden. Catalogue, No. 6, of Stove, Greenhouse, and Hardy Fems." The numbers extend to 830, and include a i'iw interesting novelties. — " Downie, Laird, and Lang, Stanstead Park, Forest , Hill. Catalogue of Florists' Flowers, including Pansies, Dahlias, Hollyhocks, Carnations, Antirrhinums, Fuchsias, Chrysanthemums, etc., new and old." — " Smith, and Simons, Argyle Arcade, ', Glasgow, Cultural Guide and Descrip- tive Seed Catalogue." Very well got up, with valuable hints upon the culti- vation of kitchen garden crops, prepara- tion of the soil, management of hotbeds, etc. — " Pridham and Sanders, College Ground^, Nortli 'End, and Sion Nursery, AVhite Horse Road, Croydon. A small, but compact list of the best sorts, in- valuable to the amateur and cottage gardener. Quince Stocks. — W. M. — Your note did not reach us in time for reply last month, although you appear by the date of it to have written in good time. We have always found the propagation of the quince such an easy matter, that it has never occurred to us to offer remarks upon it. The simplest way is to treat them much the same as currant-trees. In November prepare cuttings of young ripe wood about six joints to each, the two lowest buds to be removed, and in- sert these in rows in good garden mould, the rows to be eighteen inches apart, and the cuttings six inches apart. Keep the ground clean all the next sum- mer, and in the November following take them up and transplant them into rows two feet apart, and the plants one foot apart, and the following spring they can be grafted. Last year we put in a lot of quince cuttings on the shady side of a wall in April, and all but a few of the weakest rooted ; so late planting is not fatal to success, tliough it is not ad- vised. Seedling stocks liave more vigour than tiiose from cuttings; sow in antumn at tlie same distances as cuttings are planted. They will come up freely the following spring, and a few may show in their leaves the promise of a good habit of fruiting. Antenxaria maegaiutacea. — Several correspondents have written to inquire where to obtain this plant. We are un- able to reply. We have referred to several trade catalogues for it, but in vain. As we have a large stock of it, we shall be glad to do as we have done on fonner occasions, wlien plants have beeu recommended, which were not ob- tainable through the usual channels, that is, we will give a kvr roots to any who apply for them. Correspondents wishing for plants are requested to send real names and addresses, with six postage stamps, with every application. We will have a quantity taken up and packed in chip boxes. Twelve stamps will frank enough for any one to get up a stock of five or six yards this season. This notice will probably clear off om- stock in a few weeks. Arkangement of Grkenhouse. — A'o Name. — We do not know what you propose growing in your greenhouse, but we presume ordinary greenhouse plants, and vines on the roof. Your house having so sharp a pitch, is first- rate for the ripening of grapes. Along the entire length of the front erect a shelf of wood, slate, or stone— stone is preferable to any otiier material, as there is always a very grateful moisture retained by it from the watering of the plants standing upon it ; let the shelf be two ft. sixinchesinheight,this will make it six inches from the glass in the front. This shelf will be found very useful for THE FLORAL WORLD AXD GARDEN GUIDE. Go such tilings as Tom Thumb and other geraniums, calceolarias, primulas, and a number of things that like to be near the glass. It would also be a first-rate position in which to bring on a few strawberries in pots, if desired. If the usual inhabitants of the greenhouse are cultivated, the back of the house would [_be best occupied with a rising stags of / / ^ B A D A, Door ; B, Shelf; C, Stage ; D, Pit. •wood, the shelves to he inch yellow deal and'the supoorts two-inch quartering, the bottom shelf to be on a level with the front shelf, so that the light may plaj- freely upon the plants that stand upon it. It would be an acquisition to devote a portion of the space at the back, say ten feet, to a brick pit, to contain tan or other fermenting material, in which specimen fuchsias, vines in pots, or any other plants, might be plunged. Set of Beds, Herbaceous Pl.vxts for Exhibition, etc. — Lobelia. — No. 1 on your planting violates a rule which we liold to very sternly, and to obviate the juxtaposition of yellow and red, we should plant the bed thu-s : — Cineraria maritima, PerilLa, or Amaranthus me- lancholicus ruber, calceolaria, and cen- tre line of Punch, repeating again on the other side. This throws out the ageratum. No. 2, use blue lobelia in- stead of the anagallis, and the effect ■will be richer. No. 3, Stachys lanata will make a better front line to Tom Thumb than to Calceolaria aurea ; say stachys, Tom Thumb, Calceolaria aurea and ageratum for the centre, and the same the other side repeated. In this bed a scarlet or yellow centre will be objectionable, as it will draw the eye away fi-ora the other two beds, and we would put scarlet and orange in juxta- position for the sake of a sober centre line of ageratam. But your planting is good according to prevailing fashions, though not precisely such as we should adopt. The plant you inclose is Gaza- nia splendens. The following are twelve fTood herbaceous plants for exhibition, all blooming abont the same time : — Alstraemeria pelegrina, Statice pube- rula, Statice pseudo-armeria. Campa- nula nobile alba, Campanula rotundi- folia alba, (Enothera Fraseri, ^nothera speciosa, CEnothera macrocarpa, Ascle- pias tuberosa, Erigeron pliiladelphicum, Lotus corniculata pleno, Melitta melis- sophylla. Sowing Peas. — How am I to sow peas ? You say in your second volume, p. 154, " stretch the line, and sow regularlv," etc. Now, should there b3 but one line of peas in the drill, or should the seed be sown the whole breadth of the drill ? — T. Holroijd. [Some peas, such as Early Warwick, Emperor, Auvergne, and others of similar habit, should be sonn thickly, but evenly, in the drill, thus : — If sown in a single line,'the crop would amount to nothing. Others, such as Scimetar, Veitch's Perfection, British Queen, and all the strong-growing marrows, should be sown in double rows in the drill, an inch apart, thus : — These are of branching habit, and need more room than the early peas. The more you dig and manure, the more peas you will get. "We remind our readers generally that when the land is ready for sowing, a dressincr of the sur- face with unslacked lime does wonders for them.] Fruit Trees on a L^wn. — I have just planted some pyramidal fruit-trees on my lawn, will it be right to lay the turf close up to their stems? Witli regard to protect- ing them, I don't want to drive heavy stakes in the grass, I thought of four strips of deal about one nnd a quarter inch square, and seven feet long, put together, and meeting at the top, thus, ^. with tif- fany over them. Will this answer ? — J. I)., Clapton. [If the soil is properly prepared, and the trees properly plan ted, turfing close to them will do tliem no harm. We have in these pages objected to turfing close to trees intendecl to ^rou- large, and especially to turfing close to standard roses, because turfing tends to starve them. But as a little starving favours a fruitful hnbir, the roots of your trees may be turfed over. If they are merely planted in holes in soil not pre- G6 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GCIDE. viously prepared, you had best leave the soil open round them in a circle two feet wide. The object of protecting ■ trees on lawns is much more to keep the blossoms dry than warm, and any plan that will keep intact during a gale, and insure shelter from rain, will serve the purpose. Take care the material used does not anywhere touch the trees, or chafe against them. Shady Border. — A portion of my garden never gets any sun except late in the evening. What can I grow in such a position ?— r. P., Peterborough. [Many good things will suit your shiided border. AH the members of the genera Aconi- tum. Delphinium, and Ilelianthus will \ thrive in it. The common Chi-istmas ' rose will do well if the soil is good. Hollyhocks the same, but you must not have expensive kinds. Papaver brac- teatum and Armenlacum will be quite at home there, and all the Phloxes are available if the situation is airy. Poly- anthus and primroses plant plentifully. Double daisies will do if taken up and replanted every September. A fine display may be made in autumn by turning out a number of fuchsias. Lastly, British ferns will enjoy the shade, and you may, if you like, appropriate the border wholly to them. Thus you see a border need not be shabby for lack of sun.] ToMATA DE Laye. — A. B. S. informs us that he has found it difficult to ripen the fruit of this upright-growing tomato, and wishes to know if any of our oth(;r readers have had the like experience. We have seen it ripen well in the open air, and believe it to be in no way pecu- liar in this respect. We have often ad- vised the cutting of the stems with the green fruit on them, and placing them on a back shelf in a sunny greenhouse, when they are stubborn, or the season is far advanced before they ripen. Various. — J/. B. G. — The only way to in- sure bloom on Banksian roses is to en- courage the small tw iggy branches ; if these are shortened, a profusion of strong ' shoots will be produced, and tlie object of the cultivator will be defeated. You might try the shortening of the spurs on a few selected rods, so as to get bunches next season close to the stem, but we cannot hold out any fair prospect of success. Your aspect is not at all suited for Banksias ; tliey require even in the best climates a soutli wall. — Arator. — One object was to get rid of the clay, another was to use as much of the clay as possible. We are so situated that any scheme for working off a little clay is worth our attention, and we keep always a heap of pulverized clay to add to composts ; roses especially are always sure to have some of it in the mixture they are potted in. The trench was about six feet wide, and afforded space for five rows of potatoes. It was filled up to within two feet of tlie level with clay, and to about two feet above the level with vegetable refuse. Thus there was a bed of four feet depth above the clay, so the six inches of clay on the top amounted to only a ninth part of the whole bulk. — A. B. — Iron stakes should be regularly painted, and the ends that are thrust into the earth should be made hot, and then dipped into a boiling mix- ture of pitch and tar. Pitch alone is too brittle, and chips off. Our plan is to have a good fire made in an extem- porized furnace of loose bricks. On this the pot is placed, and the stakes are made hot by putting their ends into the fire at an opening in front between the bricks. A ity^ at a time are drawn out and dipped. If oil is used the iron should be red-hot, and that is not an easy matter. Your third query caimot be answered briefly. Sow Gloxinia seed in March, and get up the seedlings in peaty compost, and next month we will consider the case. — K. M. I. — Good 22 oz.; large squares and small laps. — G. W. P. — We have gii'en the name and address of the original maker of the Waltonian case more than a dozen times. We cannot repeat it, for we do not know what has become of him, whether he is alive or dead. It is a pity some manu- facturer does not take up this subject. There might be a fortune made in it.^ — Promising Pupil. — Your bunch of Clian- thus puniceus, flowering now in the open air at Gloucester, is a good set-ofi' against the Devonshire folk, who lord it over tis so grandly with their Italian climate and soft breezes, moist with the vapour of the gulf stream. It is some- thing new to liear of Maurandyas standing out two winters in succession, and now "quite green on an east wall." Your white flower is Arabis alpina, there is a green sprig without flowers, that is, Iberis sempervirens. Propagate them both from cuttings or rooted ofishoots after they have done blooming. Aspa- ragus beds should be dressed with salt every three weeks from the beginning of May to the end of August ; half-a- peck may be used to every rod of ground. — Six Years' Subscriber. — We imagine we know it, but we must not risk a guess till we learn at what season of the year you saw the plant in bloom. THE SABDEil SyiDEa April, 1863. GESIs^ERA, GLOXINIA, AND ACHIMENES. E were about to open this paper with a few words of appropriate eulogium on the exquisite beauty of these flowers, when those celebrated lines from King John occurred to us : — " To gild refined gold, to paint the lilj, To throw a perfume on the violet, To smooth the ice, or add another hue Unto the rainbow, or with taper light To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, Is wasteful and ridiculous excess." ^ We will, therefore, withhold our hand from any attempt to picture the beauties of these charming plants, and so gain the space that mio-ht be wasted in supertluous praises for practical directions for their culture. We the more gladly seize the present opportunity of treating upon this subject, because it is quite time that these flowers were popu- larized, instead of being — as they have been so long — exclusively enjoyed by the possessors of stoves and the usual costly appliances for high culture. Let it be fully understood that the possessor of a greenhouse, or even of a frame, may send his dozen or more Achimenes, Gesneras, or Gloxinias to a flower-show, and the culture of these plants will be extended inde- finitely, and the Elokal World will have added to the number of its successes, and secured afresh the thanks of its myriad supporters. There is positively no difficulty whatever in growing any of these three favour- ites of the stove by what we are accustomed to call " makeshift" methods, and the best way, perhaps, to prepare the novice for the venture will be to describe briefly the routine followed for their culture in the stove. Stove T]!,e.\.tmext or Gesxera. and Gloxinia. — 'The bulbs are potted singly in successional batches from the end of November to the end of March, but the most important batches are those put in in January and February, as these come into bloom when their flowers are most needed, VOL. VI. NO. IV. E 68 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. both for house decoration and exhibition. In pottinjr, the bulbs are merely pressed on the surface of the soil. The compost used is a mixture of equal parts fibrous loam, .turf)' peat, and leaf-mould, with about a half part of silver-sand. The bulbs are potted firm, and have little or no water till growth has commenced. They are put in a moist bottom-heat of 60^ to 70', and. as they make free growth are liberally supplied with water. As fast as they fill the pots with roots, they are shifted on, and may be flowered in 5-inch or 7 -inch pots, accordinu to the means at command and the wish of the cultivator. Very nice plants may be bloomed in 48-sized pots, but as Gesnera cmnaharina and zehrina are remarkably beautiful both in foliage and flower, we prefer to flower them in nothing less than 52 size, and to grow a iew specimens to fill 24-sized pots. The best place for ihem in tl;e stove is ihe bark-bed, where, owing to the moist atmosphere, the foliage acquires its full beauty. If they must be placed in a comparatively dry position in the stove they may be occasionally syringed until the flowers show colour, but it is not good practice to syringe any woolly-leaved plants, and should always be done with caution. As they go out of bloom they are to have less water, and the supply to be lessened so that by the time the tof s are dead the bottoms will be dry. They are left in the pots where n( ither frost nor moisture can reach them, until the time arrives for potting them again. The proper temperature in which to rest them is 50^, but if they are quite dry, a temperature of 40° will not harm them. GuEENnousE AND Trame Cultuee. — Seeing that a temperature of 60^ is sufficient to start the bulbs, there is no reason why a stock of the very best should not be grown in a common frame or pit with dung-heat. It is as eas}' a task as growing a few cucumber.-^, and there is not an amateur in the country but might have his annual show of Achimenes, Gesneras, and Gloxinias." The matter of first importance for the beginner in this work is to wait till the middle or end of March, so as to be sure of sun- heat to help out the growth. About the middle of March make up a good dung-bed, and soil it over with six inches of cocoa-nut dust. When the heat is steadj- at 70', lay down three inches of peat broken small, but not sifted, and on this press the bulbs in rows across the bed, four inches apart ; shut close, and give no water. The light must be pushed down every morning, and the heat regulated by giving air, if needful, to jDrevent it rising above 75°; if it is at 60' the first thing in the morning, it will be right at all other hours. When a few leaves have pushed, sprinkle in the afternoon and shut-up, and by the time the plants have made shoots three inches long, prepare another bed, or get material ready to line or remake the first bed. We have used grass mowings as linings next the brick wall in pits constructed on the plan frequently reconimended in these pages, and found it a very cheap and efi^ectu d method of raising the temperature at any time. The object of preparing to increase the tem- perature is to allow of the potting, which should be done now, and when the plants are potted they should he replaced, and liave a temperature not less than 75'' to give them a j?ood start. Take them out with a trowel carefullj', and they will lift with fine balls of roots. Be careful not to chill or exhaust them in the process, and lift only a few at a time so as to have them quickly potted and replaced. This method of starting them in the bed produces very strong plants from the first, but it is rather more troubleBQme than putting them separately in small pots and plunging to THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 69' the ritn, and if other subjects are placed in the same bed, the potting will be the most convenient method for the beginner. When replaced in the bed, and linings supplied, soak the bed with water, without wetting the leaves of the plants, and soak the soil in the pots with tepid water, and shut up and shade. The compost for potting should be the same as before, peat, leaf, loam, and S-md ; but, where cocoa-nut dust is used, the peat may be dispensed with, and the compost maj^ be half turfy loam to oue and a half cocoa nut, with a tuft of the fibrous part of the cocoa waste for drainage, and only one crock over the hole in the pot. As the flower-stems rise, give air carefully and water plentifully, and as soon as the flowers begin to show colour remove them to the greenhouse or conservatory, and they will bloom to perfection. When the bloom is over, place them on a warm pavement out of doors, and water moderately, giving less and less to encourage them to go to rest, and, when the stems are nearly dead, lay all the pots on their sides on the top shelf of a lean-to house, where the autumn sun will thoroughly roast them. By the first of October they ought to be well ripened, and should be put away where they will have an average temperature of 45'. As those who are likely to grow them in this way have usually no better place to keep them than a closet in- doors, it is best to remove them early for fear of injury by damp, and a place anywhere in the top rooms of a dwelling-house will be the best place for them till spring returns again, Seedlings. — Pine collections may bo raised from seed, and the seed sent out by the trade is generally good. Seedlings may be raised in a dung-bed as easily as in the stove. Sow it any time in March, and till the fifteenth of April. Shallow seed-pans should be filled with first a layer of cocoa-nut dust, and the remainder peat, broken fine and mixed with a fourth part silver sand. Sow thin, and cover the seed with a dusting of peat powder, and cover with squares of glass. Place the pans in a heat of 70', and, when the seedlings have each two good leaves, transplant them singly into thumb pots in the same mixture as recom- mended for flowering plants, but with fine sandy compost to fill in next the roots, lleplace them in the bed, and, when they fill the pots with roots, shift to 60-sized pots, and in these let them remain for the season and till the next spring, taking care to ripen them off well in the autumn. These will not fiower till the second year. By sowing in February, and growing them on with great care in a steady moist heat of 70', some will flower the first season. Propagatiox by Cuttings. — These plants readily increase by leaves and cuttings, but leaves are used only when some scarce variety is required to be increased in great quantities, and we must defer the consideration of that method till next month. Tuberous-rooted varieties muj be easily increased by division of the tubers. To grow them from cuttings, take the cuttings off at the second joint from the top, dibble them into a mixture of half peat and half sand in shallow pans, cover with bell- glasses, and place paper over the glasses or smear the glasses with wet clay, and place the pans on a moist heat of 70'. Keep them moderately moist, and, when rooted, pot them off in small pots in one of the mixtures already recommended. After potting, plunge to the rim in a warm bed and keep shaded till they begin to grow again. Then let them have full sun, water frequently, and sprinkle the leaves lightly, but ne 70 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. this when the sun shines on them. These will require for the last shift of the season pots not more than five inches across at the rim. AcHiMENEs are grown in the same way as Gesneras and Gloxinias, but, as the tubers are very small, several are potted together. It is best to give these their first start in peat in the pots in which they have been wintered, giving very little water till they begin to grow. When the tubers have made shoots an inch and a half or two inches long, shake them out and pot them in six-inch pots, six tubers in a pot in equal parts loam and leaf-mould with a little silver sand, or in half turfy loam and half cocoa-nut dust, partially rotted and well mixed together. Large shallow baskets may be filled with them for suspending from the roof of the house, and those who have only a cool greenhouse should place these baskets in a frame over a brisk dung-heat till the plants are strong; then let the heat decline, and transfer the baskets to their places in the house, where the sun-heat will bo sufficient to flower them admirably. They will require a little shade during mid-day hours in blight hot weather, and must have plenty of Avater till they are out of bloom. When grown in pits and frames, the pots in wdiich they are should be stood upon empty pots inverted, and the bed should be always kept moist. Give air regularly, and close early in the afternoon. A Selection of Species and Vakieties. — Twelve desirable Species and Varieties of Achimenes. — Atrosanguinea, dark crimson, blooms in August, eighteen inches; Candida, white, July, eighteen inches ; Cupreata, cop- pery scarlet, August, twelve inches ; Escherii, purple and crimson, June, twelve inches ; Floribunda elegans, purple and crimson, October ; Gloxi- niseflora, bufl^', spotted, December; Grandiflora, pale crimson, October, greenhouse, herbaceous ; Intermedia, scarlet, August, twelve inches : Jaureguice, white, carmine eye, October ; Liepmanni, pale crimson, July, eighteen inches ; Longiflora, violet, August, greenhouse, herbaceous ; Mul- tiflora, violet, October, twelve inches. Twelve Achimenes for Exhibition. — Ambroise Verschaffelt, white, with radiating crimson eye ; Belmontiensis, reddish violet, dotted with crimson ; Carl Woolfurth, large crimson ; Estelle, rosy purple, white blotch on lower lip ; Prancois Cardinaux, rosy purple ; Carminata splcndens, carmine, rose eye, spotted orange; Longitlora major, violet blue; Margarita;, pure white ; Meteor, rosy scarlet, flushed with purple ; lleticulata, veined all over, profuse flowerer, very interesting ; Sir Trehern Thomas, rich crimson ; Mauve Queen, flowers larger than those of Longiflora major, colour mauve purple, redder about the eye, thickly spotted below the eye with crimson dots on a yellow ground. Ta-elve best Gesrieras. — Cinnabarina, splendid foliage ; Elongata Ar- noldii, Doncklaeri, Gioxinia)flora, Markii, Miellenzi, Pyramidalis,Ilefulgens, Velutina ; Zebrina splendidissima, fine foliage ; Purpurea (purple) . Twelve droopimf-flowered Gloxinias. — Acme, blue lobes, edged and prettily marked with white, violet throat ; Asprcmonte, broad clear rose lobes, pure white throat, spotted at the base ; Beauty, bright blue lobes, encircled with purple, white throat ; Flora, rose lobes, shaded with violet crimson and marked with white, pure white throat ; Illuminator, beautiful deep crimson, the lobes broadlj^ margined with bright red ; Lauretta, blue, marbled with white, very distinct and attractive ; Matchless, lobes rose, shaded with violet crimson, white mouth, the tube prettily striped and spotted with rose ; Optima, deep rose, encircled with violet, white throat, THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 71 veiy distinct ; Princess Beatrice, porcelain blue, each, lobe spotted with violet, pure white throat ; Queen of Portugal, rose, rich violet mouth, the base of the throat white, spotted with crimson ; Sanspareil, pure white, each lobe spotted with crimson, and the throat encircled with violet crimson, very delicate and pretty ; Virginie, blush, under lobes bright crimson, violet throat. Twelve erect-fiowering Gloxinias (these are very u'jeful for bouquets). — Anonyma, blue lobes, margined with lavender, white mouth and throat, spotted at the base ; Beauty, pink lobes, pure white mouth and throat ; Brilliant, bright crimson, the lobes margined with rose, rich violet throat; Celestial, rose lobes, throat encircled with deep violet, base of the tube white, spotted with brown ; Cupid, light blue lobes, with white marking, pure white throat ; Fairy, white tube and lobes, the mouth peculiarly encircled with violet crimson ; Tavourite, bright rose, shaded with crimson, throat encircled with violet, white tube ; Model, pink, shaded with violet. Avhite tube ; Peeress, rich purple, the lobes margined with blue, base of the throat white, spotted with brown ; Princess Alexandra, white lobes, margined with porcelain blue ; Rosalind, soft violet pink, with immensely broad lobes, the mouth encircled with violet, white tube and throat ; Serena, soft rose, half of each lobe encircled with white, tube and throat white. FRUIT CULTURE— THE STRAWBERRY. There is scarcely a cottage garden in the country but has its plot of straw- berries, and there is no fruit on which professional gardeners bestosv more care for the production of early sup- plies, and for purposes of exhibition. The immense number of named varie- ties, and the annual additions of new varieties to the lists, proves how great an interest is taken in the improve- ment of this favourite fruit, and also how much the varieties differ as to their relative merits according to the circumstances under which they are cultivated. As we have never yet made this fruit the subject of a trea- tise in these pages, we purpose to go over some old ground, and to broach a few new topics in connection with strawberry culture, continuing the subject from mouth to month until sufficient for the present has been said. We shall deal with, the simplest mat- ters first, to prepare the way for mat- ters more complex, and what is per- haps of more importance, to furnish the less experienced of our readers with directions for the improvement of their practice in this department of fruit culture. Stkawberky Plantation. — A deep, heavy loam, inclining to clay, well drained, sloping to the south, abundantly manured and in a breezy open country, will make a good straw- berry plantation. But people want strawberries where there is no such combination of favourable circum- stances. Thin sandy soils may be improved by the addition of clay and manure. The soil from the bottom of a pond or ditch is the best dressing tu be had in a sand or chalk country to improve the texture of the plot for a plantation, and it should be dugin to the depth of two feet if there is that depth, of soil to work upon, and at the bottom of the trench should be laid six inches of half rotten dung, i'his will be mellow before the roots of the plants reach it, and when they do get hold it will keep them hearty during seasons of drought, which are very distressing to strawberries planted on sand or chalk. On very stiff clays it is a folly to expect straw- berries unless the ground is well drained ; but with perfect drainage, clay soils laying open to the sun wiU produce the finest strawberries, and THE PLOKAL WORLD AND GAEDEN aUIDE. continue long in bearing. But greasy clays may be improved by liberal dressings every autumn with the ashes of charred rubbish, and in spring with half-rotten dung. Strawberries may be obtained in good seasons in tolerable abundance from almost any kind of soil or situation, but the pre- cariousness of the crop, and its in- feriority both in quantity and quality when placed under unfavourable circumstances, are sufEcient reasons for tbe exercise of discretion and spirit in the culture, for when liberally treated there is no plant in our gar- dens that makes a better average re- turn on outlay than the strawberry. Therefore, it is, we advise the grower never to plant under trees, to dig and manure without stint, and to lose no reasonable opportunity of improving the plantations. Planting.— It depends so much on the state of the plants whether it is well or ill to plant at this or that season, that no definite rule can be laid down. We wish to be distinctly understood on this point. We have planted strawberries in every month of the whole year without accident of any kind. Well rooted plants can always be lifted with good balls when they are simply to be moved to another part of the same garden, and plants in pots can always be turned out without brealcing the balls, even if loaded with fruit, without injury. But when the plants are taken up in nur- series ; much of the soil shaken from the roots ; the plants then packed for transit ; perhaps exposed in a London seedman's Avindow before being sold — there will be so much exhaustion that the plants must have time to recover before they can fruit satisfactorily. Therefore, those who plant stock supplied from a dis- tance had best plant in August or September ; if the plantation is made in spring, February is a good time to plant, as the plants have still time to make roots before fruiting, but if ob- tained in puts they may be put out at any time, but best from the beginning of February to the end of March, or from the end of August to the end of October. Plant at distances suited to the habit of the variety. Such as British Queen, Nonpareil, Goliath, require to be two and ahalf feet be- tween the plants, and the rows three feet apart. Varieties less robust in habit, such as Black Prince, Welling- ton, Comte de Paris, etc., one foot to eighteen inches between the plants, and two feet from row to row. All the varieties will bear well at less distances, but the distances we give will pay the best in the end, fur the rows can be stirred and manured con- veniently, and the free cir<-ulation of air amonj^st the plants will give the fruit its full size, colour, and flavour. We see everynhere crowded planta- tions, and we never ask about the re- sult, knowing that the possessors of these plots have really no clear idea of what strawberry plants should produce with good culture. Plant firm, water liberally if the weather is dry, and continue till rain comes. If possible plant when there is a pro- bability of rain following, and in any case of planting durinji hot, sunny weather, cover the plants with large inverted pots from ten to five every day, and always leave them uncovered at night. Dispense with the shading as soon as possible, and if possible remove the pots during cloudy or showery weather. Summer Cultuee. — With all the ■ wonders of liquid manure, there is no crop on which it produces a more marked effect to the profit of the cultivator than the strawberry. It should not only be used while the fruit is swelling and till it begins to colour, but after the fruit is all gathered, to swell up the crowns for next year's crop. Manure water should be given twice a-week, and the best is made by stirring fresh sheep's dung in soft water, and using the liquid quite clean. Clear soot water is of great value where the soil is tbin and sandy, and on old garden soils, sulphate of ammonia, half an ounce to every gallon of water, may be used with great advantage. It is of great importance to keep the ground clear of weeds, and frequent hoeing between the rows v» ill be very bene- ficial, especially where watering can- not be regularly practised, as the absorption of dews and light thowera THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 73 by the loosened soil, will greatly help the plants during drouglit. But the cultiviicor must never injure the roots, or dig the soil at all near the plants. Another help against drought is a general mulching of the ground. Mr. Cuthill has a very summary method ot' mulching and manuring. Early in the spring, before the crowns have l)egun to move, he covers the whole ot the ground, plants and all, •with half rotten dung four inches deep. The crowns soon push through, the old leaves perish, and surface roots are formed in the dung, and the crop is heavy and clean. There are two cheap and clean materials avail- able for surfacing, old tan and cocoa- nut -waste. Tiiese keep the fruit clean, prevent exhaustion by drought, and discourage the depredations of snails and slugs. Nest to these ma- terials, the next best is long dung, with plenty of stravv in it, or straw alone ; short grass from mowing suits admirably as to keeping the roots cool and moist, but slugs and snails are so fond of it, that there is often more harm than good by its use. When the crop is off the ground, the spaces between the rows should be lightly forked over and manured with sheep, pigeon, or rabbit dung, but no string manure should ever be placed very near the plants. It mat- ters not how rank the manure is, if it is forked in not nearer to the stools than nine inches. This manure dress- ing is of great importance, because, after the gathering of the fruit, the plants have to repair their wasted energies, and grow their fruit germs for the next year. Lastly, on this subject, remove all runners except such as are wanted for increase of stock, and those the strongest and ear- liest runners. At the end of the fourth gathering, destroy the plants and begin again. Of course the thoughtful cultivator will plant new runners annuallj'-, so as to have new plants always coming into bearing, so as to clear off the whole plantation piece by piece in the course of four years, after which the old stools are of no value. In case of frost, when the plants are in bloom, a little clean straw shaken lightly over them will be a great help ; better still, stretch hexagon netting over the beds on short stakes, the netting to be fifteen to eighteen inches from the ground, and on no account anywhere to touch the plants. OENAiNIENTAL POTTEET. Wb have for some time past been employing some new examples of or- namental pottery for the decoration -of our windows and entrance-halls, etc. First in the series, we received in the autumn from JMessrs. Barr & Sugden, of 12, Eing Street, Covent Garden, a queer-looking production, called the " Eustic Kobin." This is ■made in a hard ware, in imitation of a block of gnai'led oak, and consists of a hollow water-tight receptacle fitted with a perforated lid. It came to us well filled with hyacinths, cro- ■cuses, and snowdrops; the flowers and leaves rising through the per- forations of the lid, and the bulbs •requiring only occasional supplies of water. -This has proved one of the beat ornaments of the kind we have ever had in use. The bulbs have bloomed in it superbly. We have great pleasure in recommending it with other wares of similar character sent out by the same house. The " rustic robin " will be useful at all seasons ; when the bulbs are re- moved it may be filled with cut flowers, grasses, anything, in fact, that can be kept alive for a time in water. Some articles of quite another character have been sent us by Messrs. Hooper, of the Central Avenue, Covent Garden. These are ru-tic pots and flower-stands very tastefully designed and coloured in imitation of walnut, oak, ash, maple, and other woods. These are not all good alike ; some that ought to re- ceive 48 sized pots will only take 60's, owing to the thickness of the sides, and this additional and un- necessary thickness makes them very 74 THE FLORAL WOULD AND GARDEN GUIDE. heavy. Still, among these there are some very useful and bea\itiful pro- ductions, such as semicircular flower- boxes witli perforated lids,baskets and boxes for suspending, and pot 8 suitable to receive plants for the side-board, dining- table, or wherever the appear- ance of a common flower-pot would be objectionable. People who wish to have their windows and tables made attrac- tive with plants in elegant receptacles CHunot do better than make acquaint- ance with these forms of imitative pottery by visiting the houses named. ILLUSTEATED ELOEICULTUEAL JOUENALS. OuE favourite botanical work is Verschaffelt's " L'lllustration Horti- cole," issued by Verschafielt, of Ghent, and obtainable in England for a subscri, ti m of 14.s. 6d. a-year. It is published monthly, and is richly illustrated with coloured figures of new plants, accompanied with de- scriptions, which occasionally evince considerable botanical and horticul- tural knowledge. The editor is M. Lemaire, an enthusiastic cultivator, who possesses the happy art of blend- ing the elegancies of erudition with sound practical information. Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son, of Welling- ton Nursery, St. John's-wood, have for some time past published a superb quarterly work, called " The Illus- trated Bouquet," of which we have Part XV. before us. This is a truly magnificent work, chiefly devoted to figures and descriptions of new flowers. The present issue contains plates of Imantophyllum miniatum. Primula preniteus filicifolia rubra, the new Strawberry Titien, and Eeineckia carnea variegata. This work is in small folio, and is published at 7*. 6d. each number. Either of these works is adapted for the draw- ing-room table, and as we are fre- quently asked to recommend serials with coloured figures, we have much pleasure in namin g these two as among the best of the class. FLOWER SHOWS OF FEBRUARY AND JFARCH. EOYAL HOKTICULTUBAL SoCIETY, Febboary 25th. — This was the first show of the season, and was essen- tially a small one, but quite satisfac- tory as to the quality of the contri- butions. There was just enough competition in hyacinths to give them an interest, and to bring out by re- markable contrast the qualities of those shown by Messrs. Cutbush and Mr. W. Paul, who fairly distanced all other competitors. The hyacinths, crocuses, and tulips were arranged on one side the room, forming a bank of flowers marvellously fresh and fra- grant, and on the other side were placed the miscellaneous collections of spring flowers, novelties, and speci- men furnishing plants. At the end of the compartment, Mr. William Paul set up a semicircular stand of hyacinths, on which were upwards of a hundred plants, admirably grouped and containing many superb spikes of flower. Messrs. Cutbush took the lead in Class 1 for twelve hyacinths, ac- cording to custom ; tiiiirs was a truly magnificent collection, so arranged that every spike set ofl" the colours of its neighbours, and so beautifully even that they appeared as if formed from the same model, although they were of very difl^erent habit and colour. Mr. W. Paul of Waltham Cross was second. The prizes offered by Messrs. Cutbush served to bring to the show several good collections from amateurs, the best of which was that by Mr. A. Carr. Messrs. Cutbush were again first in the class for a collection of twelve pots of tulips; these, for the style in which they were exhibited, the size and colour of the blooms, all expanded to the very point of perfection, and the ample and healthy foliage, were decidedly the best collection of flowers at the show ; and formed per- haps the finest lot of tulips ever exhi- bited. Mr. W. Young, gardener to E. Barclay, Esq., Highgate, toot first prize for twelve pots of tulips grown THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 70 by amateurs ; the plants were nicely bloomed, and the foliage in good con- dition. A lovely bank of crocuses was put up by Messrs. Cutbush, planted out in the greenest of moss, and artis- tically grouped to show off the various shades of colour. Mr. Blogg took first position for pot cro- cuses, and well deserved it. In the class for the best eighteen forced flowers, Messrs. Veitch stood first, with a charming collection ; in the centre was a huge pot of Lily of the Valley, behind it Amaryllis deli- cata, behind that again E-hododendron Amazon, with a fine head of rosy purple blossoms, and at the b:ick of the stage, a potted tree of Wistaria sinensis, with five bunches of blos- soms. On either side of the Lily of the Valley, Azalea pelargoniflora, a charming mass of large rosy blossoms, Azalea Etandre de Flandres, snow ^hite with rosy stripes; hyacinths. Grand Vainquer, and Charles Dickens. Azaleas rubens, mutabilis, with small whitish and creamy blossoms, and Taylor's Ked ; Citrus aurantium, llho- dodendron fragrans, a lovely blush with rosy edges ; Syringa persica, Amygdalis persica rubra, a glowing mass of red peach blossom ; Eibes sanguinea alba, and Andromeda fiori- bunda. Second in this class were Messrs. Cutbush and Sons, of High- gate. Messrs. Veitch obtained first prize for six pots of Lily of the Valley, smothered with bloom, but poor iu foliage. Mr, Salter came second with a like number of plants of the varie- gated leaved variety, poor in bloom, but marvellously beautiful in foliage, forming more attractive objects than the winning plants. Primulas were shown in plenty, but generally grouped with but little regard to efi'ect. In this class the amateurs beat the nurserymen by sheer good culture; Mr. G. Taylor, gardener to C. A. Hanbury, Esq., bearing off the first prize with plants which were perfect models, and all of the same shape and size. The class for the best miscel- laneous collection of plants in flower, was well filled ; Messrs. Cutbush took two equal first prizes for fifty hyacinths and fifty tulips ; and Mr. W. Paul an equal first for fifty hyacinths. Miscellaneous and Novelties. — Tlie most interesting of these was a collection of small hollies in pots from Mr. W. Paul, sufficiently aged to show their permanent characters. A few seedling Cinerarias attracted some attention as being very promis- ing, among which was one from Mr. Tillery, of Weibeck, called Purity, a paper white ; the equal to which it would be diflicidt to find. The choicest oi the novelties were those submitted to the Floral Committee. The most important was Messrs. Low's plant of Limatodes rosea alba, the only white variety of this highly prized orchid yet exhibited. Mr. Day sent a fine plant of Cypripe- dium Dayanum, which obtained a first class certificate ; Mr. Bull ob- tained first class certificates for Yucca lineata lutea and Trichomanea anceps ; and a second class certificate for Ansectochilus argyrea. Messrs. Veitch sent a pan of a new variegated leaved Hibiscus, called rosea sinensis fol. var., which will prove a perfect gem for culture under bell-glasses. Mrs. Stodart, of Pimiico, exhibited samples of rice paper flowers, which are the best of the class ever yet pro- duced. Maech ISth, Second Sprino Show. — There was a very brilliant display of flowers of various kinds, although the number of camellias and azaleas was by no means large. The greatest subject of interest was the competition for hyacinths, in which Mr. W. Paul, of Waltham Cross, has at length come off' conqueror, after a continued perseverance of some years. The judges must have had no easy task to award in this case, as the flowers were so nearly equal. In the class for eighteen hyacinths, the com- petition was closest, and the opinions of the visitors seemed to differ as to the respective merits of the two col- lections. In the elass for IGO hya- cinths, Mr. Paul was again first, and also with six new varieties. ' Camellias. — Messrs. Veitch and Son, of Chelsea and Exeter Nurseries, 76 THE PLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. took the lead in all the classes in which they exiiibitcd, and that de- servedly, as their plants were all very far superior to those of the other exhibitors. In the class for six camellias, Messrs. Veitch showed well-shaped, nicely flowered plants of Madame Lebois, Fimbriata, Comte de Paris, Bella di Firenze, Teutonea rosea, and Alba plena. Mr. John Hally, of Blackheath, was second. In Class 3, for four camellias in flower, Messrs. Veitch exhibited Amelia Benucio, Alexina, Alba plena, and Triomphe deLoddi. Class 4, one camellia, specimen plant. The first prize was awarded to Messrs. Veitch for a superb specimen of Princess Bacciocchi, which for symmetry of form and shape of the flowers was extremely beautiful. Mr. Salter, of Hammersmith, was second with a very fine pyramid plant of Chand- ler's elegans. Besides these, Messrs. Veitch exhibited six fine plants, which were not for competition, and obtained a special prize for three specimen plants of Valtevaredo, General Layfayette, and Countess of Orkney, the latter of which was a very lovely object. The number of rliododendrons present was very few, and conse- quently there was but little competi- tion for the prizes. Messrs. Veitch were first with a specimen plant of Smitheii superba, about seven feet across, and covered with bright crim- son blossoms. Mr. "VV. Young was second, with Blandianum. Tulips. — Mr. Cutbusli still car- ries all before him here, his plants being all exquisitely grown, with fine healthy foliage, flowers perfect in shape, with brilliant colours. In the class for twenty-four p^ts of tulips, the kinds shown by Mr. Cutbush were Vermilion brilliant, Ducd'Arem- berg, Thomas Moore. Grand Due, Cramoisie, Rouge Louisante. Second, Mr. W. Paul. Mr. Cutbush was again first in the class for eighteen pots of tulips, with Mr. Paul as se- cond. Mr. A. Carr, gardener to B. Moakes, Esq., of Highgate, was first among the amateurs, with Mr. W. Young as second. The miscellaneous collections of plants in flower were numerous and good. Four boxes of cut roses from iVlr. "Wm. Paul, of Walthara Cross, obtained a first prize. These were very charming, and contained some remarkably beautiful specimens of Amare Desportes, Eugene Lebrun, Souvenir d'un Ami, Goubault, Mrs. Bosanquet, Emile Dulac, Louise Odier, Madame Van Houtte. Gloire de Dijon, Triomphe d' Amiens, Domi- nique Daran, Enfant de Lyon, Charles Leiebvre, Duchess d'Orleans, Presi- dent, Etienne Lecroisuier, etc. A second prize was an arded to Messrs. Paul and ISon, ofthe Old Nurseries, Cheshunt. Three of the finest tree migno- nettes ever produced, were exhibited by Mr. John Richards, gardener to Lord Londesborough, and obtained an extra prize ; they stood about five feet high — the plants were ofthe same shape as standard roses and covered with blossom. A special prize was also awarded to Messrs. Cutbush for a collection of twelve amaryllis, the finest lot we have ever seen. For miscellaneous plants in flower, Messrs. Veitch obtained a first prize, and Messrs. J. and C. Lee a second, for a collection 'almost as good, and two extra prizes were given for col- lections of new and rare plants ; one to Messrs. F. and A. Smith, and the other to Mr. Bull. The novelties exhibited were not numerous, but were generally very good. Special certificates were granted to Messrs. F, and A. Smith for a collection of eleven double primulas, which were well shaped and remarkably good, with fine foli- age and large beautiful flowers of a pale purple ; and to Mr. Standish for aplantot AucubaJaponicamas.andf., v\ ith a profusion of small cruciform flowers of a dirty brown colour, and small, oval, spiked leaves. First class certificate for Skimmia Japonicavera, shown by Mr. Standish, of Bagshot ; also for Pandanus elegantissimum, shown by Mr. Bull. Commendation for Camellia iNapoleon III., from Messrs. J. and C. Lee. Special certi- ficate for Azalea, Flag of Truce, shown by Messrs. F. and A. Smith. This is appropriately named, as it THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 11 presents an unbroken surface of large, beautifully white blossoms. Messks. Cutbush and Soxs' Ex- hibition OF Spring Flowers. — Diirinii: the last few weeks Messrs. Cutbush and Sons' establishment at Hii^hgate has been besieged by the great numbers of visitors who were anxious to obtain a view of their ex- cellent disphiy of flowers. Great public shows at Kensington, Regent's Park, Crystal Palace, and elsewiiere, have their several merits ; they dazzle the senses, and quicken that sense of enjoyment which is peculiar to sight- seeing where there are great crowds. But in a well got up nursery show- there is enjoyment of another sort ; if we see less as to quantity, we see with much greater advantage for the improvinij of our notions and for put- ting to the proof the respective claims of varieties and modes of culture. Messrs. Cutbush mariHge, very happily, to combine the elegancies of drawing-room entertainment with a real le.-son of inestimable value to the praeticals. for they illustrate the best styles of grouping as well as of grow- ing the flowers, and every year bring forward some novelties which have, at least, tliis value, that nobody else possesses them. The hyacinth house was for a fortnight, as bright as the Alhanibra, and the colours of the pyramids of bloom as skilfully har- moQ'zed for genenil effect, as in the best works of the best days of arabesque. The roof of the house wa^ clouded with the thinnest of tifi'any, the front lights were quite darkened with green baize, and the floor comfortably matted, so that there was not a shadow of the com- monplace to mar the exquisite picture produced by myriads of the best spHng flowers. At the extreme end was a stage of amaryllis, unequalled for rarity, quality, and growth in the three kiuifdoms. On the flat trellis, next the side-liglits, were staged the hyacinths, neatly tallied, the pots dret'sed with green moss, and the perfume of the flowers putting it quite out of our minds that the east winds were piping, and that as yet there was not a leaf to be seen upon, the trees. A great stage running up on the other side of the roof, was systematically furnished with plants it) bloom. Tiie front line consisting of double primroses, the next of migno- nette, then fairy roses in full bloom, then a row all round of Cyclamen per- sicum, smothered with their lovely blooms, and five tiers to follow of tulips, rytisus, azaleas, camellias, and acacias, all packed so close that the pots were invisible, and the mass formed a rich bank of foliage and flowers. Visitors will still find plenty worth seeing at Highgate JS^ursery. ANTENNAEIA MAEGAEITACEA. By this time my stock of Anten- naria has gone to as many distant parts as the seed of the blue hearts- ease, and I hope it will be found as useful as that very common but very beautiful plant for ribbon lines and masf^es. The mention of the blue heartsease reminds me that a few correspondents have asked about the best way to manage it, and so having disposea of the Antennaria, the other must have a i^-^ words. Antennaria margaritacea is neither a new nor a rare plant. It is in fact a British weed, the value of which for garden decoration is derived from the sil- very character of its foliage.* Like Cerastium tomentosum, it depends entirely on how it is used, whether it makes a good efi'ect or no effect at all. To do it justice it will suffice to say that it makes a denser line of glittering silver than even Cineraria maritima, but for that purpose it must be planted thick, and be nipped back all the season to prevent it rising above the height needful for its place in a bed or ribbon. To use it, therefore, there must be as much skill as with a bedder of any other kind; in fact, the training and the nipping are the processes which de- termine more than aught else the perfection of masses of all kinds. 78 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. But to keep or to propagate this plant requires no skill at all, so for people who can f;et notliing to grow — we do cccasionallj' Ik ar of such — this is a treasure of priceless value. Any soil and any position will suit it. A 8unny position and a sandy loam suit it best of any, and it makes a good j second, third, or iourlh row, for it | grows if left to itself to a height from I two to tljree feet, and therefore can ' be kept to any less height than that i by the constant use of finger and i thumb. As many of the corres- j pondents who have received small parcels of the plant wish to know how to increase it rapidly, 1 will en- deavour to sketch out a process in a few words. Whatever has been done with them no matter ; if they are in the border take them up and pot them in five-inch pots, using sandy loam, plenty of drainage, and cram- ming as many roots into the pot as it will hold. If there is only one pot- ful the diligent cultivator may soon make a thousand plants. Place the pot in a warm greenhouse, and keep it shaded for a week, sprinkle the tops frequently, and keep the roots moderately moist. As soou as the growing shoots are pushing freely, place the pot in the full sun. When the shoots are two inches long cut them off close to the soil, remove the lower leaves so as to leave an inch of stem clear. Dibble these cuttings into a pan half full of leaf-mould, and filled up over that with sand. Sprinkle and cover with a bell-glass. Place this pan anywhere in a heat of 60^ and the cuttings will be rooted in a fortnight, by m hich time having; given air by tilting the glass, and at last re- moved the glass altogether, the cut- tings will be firm and growing freely. Observe here that though this plant grows well, it makes very iew and very poor roots, and it is not ad- visable to disturb those roots, and besides the potting-ofF is simply a waste of labour. But we have now come, say, to the third week in April. Now cut off the tops of all the rooted cuttings within one or two joints of the soil in the pans, and do the same with the shoots that have risen, from the original roots in the pot. This time you will be able to fill two pans with cuttings, and the process just described is to be repeated. A close frame without bottom-heat will do now to insure quick rooting, but if there is a dung- bed at work, or room anywhere over a tank, let these have bottom-heat; there is nothing like it when stock is needed in a hurry. When tiie plants in the first cutting- pan have begun to shoot again, place the pan out of doors on a bed of coal ashes, or in a frame without any pro- tecting light, and give it enough water to keep the plants alive, and take no further notice of it. But when the old plants in the pot have started shake them out, and cut the roots into as many separate pieces as possible, reserving as much fibre as possible to each. Pot these in thumb pots in sandy loam, and shut them up in a frame for a week, giving them of course a sprinkle daily. At the end of a week give air freely, and in another week set them out also. Now you will have the last lot of cuttings rooted, and these may be strength- ened by giving air freely, and their destination must be out of doors with the others. By this time all the world— that is in this latitude — will be busy bed- ding-out. You may now saiely de- termine on a line of Antennaria as many feet lout; as you have plants. Suppose you have but 100. Then if you wish for a substantial line of 100 feet long j ou cau have it. Tliis is the way to go to work. As soon as the ground is marked out, plant one row a foot apart. Plant firm, water well, and shade. If pots are plentiful put an empty pot over every plant for a week. It will stand still for a fortnight, and then begin to grow. As suon as the shoots are four inches high, cut them all back to two inches, and dibble in all the cuttings between those already planted ; this will make the whole six inches apart. Put pots over these for a week, and then remove thtm. From that time forward nip back as often as pos- sible, and dibble in all the cuttings in the ribbon, they will all root, and as by this time empty pots will be a nuisance, choose showery weather for THE FLORAL WOULD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 79 the work, and there will be no losses. By the time the geraniums, verbenas, and other flowering bedders are in full bloom, the Autennaria will be thick and silvery, and will continue so till frost cuts it down. It may remain in the ground all the winter, and the next season will come on early and strong. As a single line of 100 feet will be very thin, the pos- sessor of 100 plants to begin with ought to be content with a row of fifty feet. A line less than a foot wide we consider weak. In a really good ribbon the third or fourth row ought to be at least fifteen inches wide, and better if eighteen inches. To do this on the dibbling system the lateral spreading of the plants must be made the most of. As this does not spread much, but is of up- right growth and has small leaves, the planting should be within three inches of the boundary each way. Suppose we mark out the line a foot wide, thus — * * * * * *S: * = 4f. ^ 4{. ^ ^ ^*-JFt^^ww^4? To fill this quickly plant along the centre, and again three inches distant from the centre each way, and then as cuttings come to hand plant in the same lines to thicken the mass, and the side-growths will quite fill the twelve feet width. A circle of fifty feet for a third row in a bed would require a very large bed, larger in fact than most people would care to be troubled with ; so every- body who has received a packet may use it for one composite bed with very little trouble. Those who do not care to make cuttings, and who are content to wait till next season for a stock of the plant, are advised to leave their roots where they are, whether in the ground or in pots, till the end of this month, then let them be taken up in showery weather and divided, and planted separately in the borders or reserve ground, and there let them grow as they please, and leave them alone. In March next year take up and divide again, and so on till there is enough to turn it to account for bedding purposes. This is a long story to tell about a plant of such humble pretensions, but whoever chooses to take it in hand and follow the advice here given, will gain practical experience of some value, and which may be put to other purposes in time to come. S. H. ADYERSAEIA. Speing Flowees. — The Floral WoELD has always advocated the plentiful culture of phmts suited to keep up the gaiety of the garden, from the first day of spring sunshine till the rains and frosts of autumn make rambling more of a pain than a pleasure ; and then we have always said there ought to be something worth seeing from the windows in beds of conifers, hollies, rhododen- drons, and other shrubs with varie- gated leaves or scarlet berries. Now, how does the case stand with our readers ? Have they plants of Au- brietias, double daisies, yellow and white Alyssums, and that prettiest of all the spring flowers, the ever- green Iberis ? Bat there is no need even to be without flowers in the open ground any day the whole year througJi. The winter aconite, JEran- this liyemaUs, has often been recom- mended in these pages, but I never saw how splendid an effect it pro- duces when grown on a large scale till February last, when, on visiting- Messrs. Frazer's nursery, Lea-bridge Road, I found myself on the Field of the Cloth of Gold, for the aconites literally carpeted the beds with their pale yellow blossoms, and the sun- shine gave them two additional shades of yellow, 80 that they glowed al- most as brightly as calceolarias, and the blossoms lay flat on the soil and had the help of its dark contrast. The Christmas Hose, Selleborus nicjer, was blooming at the same time in the greatest profusion, though 80 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. planted in tlie full sun, wliicli is not so good for it as the shade. This is just the time for people who wish for flowers next winter to obtain stock of this hellebore, and also to part the plants they have. The cut will show the form of the root and how easy it is to pass a knife through it in several places, so as to separate pieces with buds and fibres, which have all to be planted in a shady place in sandy loam and left to take care of themselves. Now, also, the HELIEBOKUS NIGES. enthusiastic gardener should provide himself with stock of the showiest of the fancy pansies ; Beaton's *' Good gracious," Trentham Blue, and Magpie to be of the number. These all bloom on strong stools left out all winter, just at that critical season when the bedders are bloom- less and the ordinary lun of spring flowers are over. Double primroses and hepaticas should be grown in plenty ; all they want is a fat loam and lo be divided as soon as out of bloom, and may be moved about to decorate the borders when wanted and to grow strong again in the re- serve ground for the next season. Foliage Bidders. — Last year's experiences proved that Coleus Vers- chaflelti may be u.-ed as a bedder with the greatest certamty of success. There is no other way for people who are not so deep in gardening as to be ready at any moment to turn traders, and compete with the nurserymen, to get up a stock of this glorious plant than to buy a few now and put them in a stove or warm greenhouse, and make cuttings of the tops and side-shoots. We see that Messrs. Carter advertise them at from six to twelve shillings a dozen, so there is no longer the objection of dearness to its plentiful use, and any one handy at propagating could get up a stock of a thousand from a (evr to begin with. They strike in a dung heat of 70^ in ten days, and any- body can manage them after that, remembering that they like warmth, a rich soil, and plenty of water* The new Amaranthus melancholicus can be got up in any quantity by sowing seed now and treating it just the same as love-lies-bleeding. This also can be topped and struck wholesale, but it must never be starved, or it will run into bloom, and then it ceases to grow freely. Perillasand purple Orachs our readers know all about from past advices. Chenopodium atriplicis, which we have so often recommended for its exquisite carmine colouring, will not work in with any of the Ibregoing, that is, not to satisfy our eye. It must be used by itself, and makes a fine bed either nipped back or allowed to run into flower. A band of golden mint round it is about the best edaicg it can have. We have had from Barr and Sugden, with other novelties, seed of Urtica nivea, which produces a fine silvery foliage. This grows three feet high, and will tell for the centres of beds where foliage forms predominate, and will be especially valuable where a nondescript bed of liicinus, Cauna, and other large- leaved plants are to be grouped. But a still better centre will be Helianthus argophyllus striatiflorus fl. pi., which we liave had from the same house. But it must be a large bed for such a plant as this, and one a little out of the way of the geo- metric garden, as in a niche of the woodland walks and shrubbi-ries, for it grows four feet high and makes a THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 81 fine silvery foliaj^e and huge yellow I flowers. I must name one more i favourite in tliis catetrory, and that is Eellis perennls aucubiajfolia, that is, the variegated-leaved daisy, of ■which I have now a fine stock fit for a front line, and there is not a lovelier plant in any garden. You may part and plant, part and plant, at any time, but best in autumn. and, if the soil is poor, every leaf will come true, a rich gold ground colour netted all over with green veins. New Bedders. — The lead among the novelties tiiia season will be taken by Lobelia speciosa Paxtoniana, which made such a figure last year at the Crystal Palace. This is marked with pale blue on a creamv-white ground, and has extra large flowei-a. When ■well done, it is most brilliant, and makes a fine bluish-gray edging to any bed of strong colours. The next most popular novelty will be Carter's rosy purple Lobelia speciosa Kerrae- sina, which is a tremendous bloomer, and of the beat habit for growth of any Lobelia yet introduced to our gardens. IN'either of these are to be had from seeds, and, being seminal varieties, might never come true from seed again, but that remains to be seen. But who will do justice to the species and varieties of Arctotis ? Here certainlv is a new and untried material for front lines of silver and gay flowers combined ; just the thing ■we have been wanting all through this progress in bedding and edging and composite colouring. Let our readers be up to the mark in time, and plant out at the end of May in a reserve plot all the kinds of Arc- totis that can be got, and in June sow as many as can be had from seeds, and make a fair trial of them with a view to future propagation. Bedding Annuals. — I found it quite a mistake last year to do with- out my masses of crimson and purple candytuft, and so have sown largely of seed from Carter, Barr and Sugden, and E. G. Henderson, expecting, of course, that all the varieties bearing the same name from each house, will be the same when in flower. I shall get an early bloom by getting them forward in pans, then pushed out into boxes, and, finally, planted singly four inches apart, and that ■will be very close for such plants as mine are in the generous way I treat them. Then the moment their glory begins to wane away they will all go to the muck pit and be succeeded bv bal- sams, asters, acroclinium, and I hope some good masses of the new and beautiful Ehodanthe maculata, the best of all the everlastings, and worth as goDd culture as can be bestowed upon it. But there is no end of good annuals for a constant succession to the very end of the season, and to keep the garden gay by such means will be good practice — better in most cases than with the ordinary round of bedders, because there must be successive sowings, prickings out, planting, destroying, and so forth, so that those who go in this track will never lack work. Pour years ago the FiiOSAL WoELD recommended a dwarf form of Marigold, which was much used at Kew. There were yellow, sulphur, brown, and crimson varieties ; but their general fault was a tendency to run up too high. Now this is overcome, and we have a race that may be relied upon to keep dwarf to the end, and to make my- riads of blooms in a sunny position. This is Tagetes signata pumila, for a picture of which we are indebted to Messrs. Henderson and Son, of St. John's Wood. What shall we say of Portulaccas, or Schizanthuses, or Clintonia pul- chella, or Dianthus Heddewegii, or Eucharidium grandiflorum, or the new double blue Jacobea, ■which comes true from seed; or the Tom Thumb nasturtiums, which are sent out now in half a dozen distinct varieties — creamy white, orange scar- let, yellow, crimson, etc. — except that they off'er cheap materials for gor- geous colouring to people who cannot keep large stocks of geraniums and verbenas, and who cannot afford to buy all they want to fill their capa- cious beds, and who, therefore, must bear ■with dinginess, unless they take to annuals in earnest or go back to the good old style of Lupins, Sweet Williams, herbaceous Veronicas, and 82 THE FLOKAL WOEI.D AXD GAEDEX GUIDE. Delptinums and Sunflowers — all such good things in their way, that the pity- is that some people neglect them in order to make more beds than they can fill properly or plant with skill. '.~ Bluk Heartsease. — Those who wish to use this for a front line should have sown a month ago. But sup- posing that was not done, sow now in till they are pot bound, then plant out four inches apart, and leave them to take care of themselves. They ■will soon be one mass of bloom. If any show yellow blossoms root them out and destroy them, and fill up the gaps with reserve plants. When they get inconveniently tall, cut them back close to the ground, and they will TA.GETES SIGMATA CUUILA. pans and place in a frame or green- house. As soon as large enough to handle prick out in other pans or boxes in rich light soil, and keep under glass till the plants are tufty, then put them in thumb pots, and be careful to pot firm. Shut up for a week, then place them out of doors start directly and bloom again. "When you are going away from home for a fortnight is the time to cut down any ribbon-lines that have grown out of bounds. You thus escape seeing them at their worst, and by the time you return "Richard is himself again." Shieley Hibbebd. LAPAGEEIA EOSEA. A. F. writes as follows : — " Will you please be good enough to inform me in your Floral World next month, if possible, how I am to treat my Lapageria rosea ? I had a seedling about a year ago, and it is scarcely any bigger now than it was then, and locks very spindly. I have now put it in a forcing pit. Will this be too hot for it? I use the pit for cucum- bers, etc." We have received more letters on the subject of this Lapageria than upon any other plant during the whole course of our experience. This proves that the best of climbers is appreciated for its beauty, and, at the same time, that the proper method of its culture is as yet but little under- stood. Our correspondent A. F. is not the only cultivator who has seen this plant die by inches ; there have been thousands sold, of which there are not hundreds living, and not dozens in a flourishing andfiowering state. How THE PLOEAL WORLD AND aARDEN GUIDE. 83 18 it ? The reply is of a very definite kind, and it is this: Lapagerias from cuttings never live ; Lapagerias from layers cannot always be depended on ; but Lapagerias from seed are as sure to grow as Virginian creepers, give them but the proper soil and suitable conditions. This brings us to the second point. In a pot, Lapa- geria is like an eagle caged : it must pine and die — its doom is upon it. A. F. will soon kill his plant by keep- ing it in a pot in a cucumber bed ; the sooner it is removed from that stewpan the better. The only way to be safe is to plant it out in a capa- cious bed of peat raised above the level. If we could choose all our conditions, we would train the plant up a back wall with a west aspect, in a roomy airy house heated by hot water — just enough to keep frost out. The bed should go right across the house, and be of any length, from ten to twenty feet or more. It should be three feet wide, two feet deep, and be kept up with a brick wall in front. In any case, the plant ought to have a depth of eighteen inches of peat, and a surface of border equal to twelve square feet, which will allow for six feet of length and two feet of width, and in less than that bulk of earth we should not expect to make much of it. Supposing the bed to be two feet deep, there may be six inches of hard rubble at the bottom, and the rest filled up with peat of a gritty nature — such is that from Wimbledon or Shirley ; but a greasy peat of a strong character would require a fifth part of its bulk of small pebbles added, say clean shingle of the size of hazel-nuts and less. Now with this bed there is another help wanted, and that is a run of ivater. At one end of the bed there should be a sup- ply pipe with a tap, and at the other end an outlet, which may also be a pipe and tap, or a drain to cany the water away under the floor of the house. All the summer long the supply pipe should dribble, to keep the bed sod- dened with water — say from May to the end of July ; the outlet must be kept open to prevent overflow, and to relieve the soddened state of the soil. Merely soaking the bed with a water- can every day will not do near so well, but it will be the best substi- tute for a run of water where the latter is not possible or convenient. As to temperature, the plant requires much the same treatment as a Cape heath — to be kept airy at all times, protected from frost, but to taste as little artificial heat as possible. Of course, if it is not possible to have a run of water, there must be plenty of water supplied by hand labour, or by a hose. The " hydropult" comes in admirably for such work as this if there is a cistern near at hand to draw from. It need scarcely be remarked that the front of the bed may be used as a stage for pot plants, provided they are stood on empty pots inverted, both to keep the plants from rooting through into the damp peat, and to prevent the peat getting pasty and sour, which it is sure to do if the at- mosphere is excluded by covering the bed with pots. But the best way to treat the surface will be to plant it all over with two-inch lengths of Ziycopodimn denticulatum, six inches apart ; these will meet, and form a dense carpeting of most delightful verdure, and do no harm to the roots of the Lapageria. As to training and pruning, we apprehend the culti- vators of this beautiful climber will find no difficulty. If any of our readers who have grown this climber successfully have any hints to oflTer either in modification or amplifica- tion of our views, we shall be very glad to hear from them. A NEW METHOD OE TEAININa PLANTS TO A WALL. The season of crushed fingers and cracked knuckles in nailing cut trees is anything but a delectable period to look forward to, whether the gar- dener be professional or amateur, so that, perhaps, the method I adopt to reduce the disagreeables of the job 1 to a minimum may not be unaccept- E 2 8i THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN aUIDE. able to the readers of the Flobal WoKLD. My field of operations is confiaed to a fevr yards of feace, on which I cultivate a few choice climb- ing roses ; nevertheless, the plan is capable of the most extensive appli- cation. Having fixed upon suitable posi- tions, by bringing the branches of the plant to be trained against the wall or fence, I drive in tenter hooks accordingly, their size being regulated by the substance of the branches. I next take some vulcanized India- rubber bands (those about the dia- meter of a shilling are the best), and placing one round the branch, loop it back to the tenter hook. This is not only much neater and cleaner than the usual nail and shred, but is much more quickly executed ; and when the tree wants unnailing, it is done in a moment, and the bands, being taken care of in a dry place, and being, moreover, waterproof, will last for several seasons. I generally choose them pretty stout. Their cost is about Is. per 100. Many other advantages attending this method of training might be pointed out, but space is valuable, and verbmn sap, etc. Somerton. W. D. Paioii. APEIL, 1863—30 Days. Phases op thb Moon. — Full, 4th, 41i. 9m. morn. ; Last Quarter, 11th, Ih. 23m. morn. ; New, 18th, 3b. 5m. morn. ; First Quarter, 26th, 4h. 8m. morn. Weather near London, 1862. THE COUNTBr. D Sun risea. Sun 3et3. Moon rises. Moon sets. M BAROMETER. Mx. Min. THKEJIOMETER. Mx. Mn. Me. Rain The Garden and the Field. 1. m \\. m Aft. Morn _ 1 5 38 6 30 3 50 4 5 29-81.... 29-77 58. ..48. ..53-0 •02 Grround ivy fl. 2 5 36 fi 32 5 2' 4 25 29-64. ..2950 57. ..56. ..56-5 -2i Holly fl. 3 5 34 (7 33 6 17 4 45 29-79. ..29-53 63. ..35. ..49-0 ■00 Larch fl. 4 5 32 6 35 7 35 5 8 3004... 29-98 60. ..38. ..490 -00 Crown imperial fl. 5 5 29 6 37 8 52 5 33 30-05. ..2988 55. ..47. ..51 5 •04 Boxfl. 6 5 27 6 38 10 6] 6 5 29-94... 29-86 56. ..46. ..51-0 •12 Blackthorn fl. 7 5 25 6 40 11 20; 6 44 30-18. ..3009 53.. .42. ..47-5 •01 Common laurel fl. 8 5 23 6 41 Morn. 7 32 30-23. ..30-09 48. ..38. ..43-0 -69 Oxlip fl. 9 5 20 6 43 0 23 8 33 3005... 29-93 51. ..39. ..45-0 •73 Sycamore fl. 10 5 18 6 45 1 13 9 43 30-00... 29-90 56. ..39. ..42-5 •00 Pear fl. 11 5 16 6 46 1 5410 59 3017... 3008 45. ..27. ..36-0 •00 Lime foliates 12 5 14 6 48 2 28 After. 30-25. ..30-14 46. ..21. ..33-5 •00 Dog violet. 13 5 12 6 50 2 55 1 36 30-14... 29-85 46... 20... 330 •00 Whitlow grass fl. 14 5 9 6 52 3 19 2 55 30-18. ..29-87 48. ..25. ..36-5 •00 Cherry fl. 15 5 7 6 53 3 40, 4 10 30-09. ..29-90 50. ..20. ..350 •00 Lady's-smock fl. 16 5 5 6 55 4 1 5 25 30-14. ..29-82 53. ..42. ..47-0 -02 Red-rattle fl. 17 5 3 6 57 4 24 6 38 29-82... 29-79 59. ..35. ..47-0 ■00 Golden saxifrage fl. 18 5 1 6 58 4 49! 7 51 29-87. ..29-78 57. ..45. ..51-0 •01 Plum fl. 19 4 59 7 0 5 16 8 58 29-81. ..29-79 59. ..48. ..53-5 •00 Fumitory fl. 20 4 57 7 2 5 5010 1 29-95. ..29-92 61... 38... 49-5 •00 Apple fl. 21 4 54 7 3 6 3010 57 29-95. ..29-95 64. ..37. ..50-5 -00 Hawthorn fl. 22 4 52 7 5 7 1711 44 29-73. ..29-54 60. ..42. ..51-0 •11 Hornbeam fl. 23 4 50 7 6 8 10 Morn. 29-85. ..29-63 61. ..39. ..50-0 •01 Beech foliates 24 4 48 7 8 9 10! 0 24 29-99... 29-86 69. ..37. ..53-0 •05 Butter-burr fl. 25 4 46 7 10 10 12 0 56 29-86. ..29-83 76.. .43. ..59-5 -12 Harebell fl. 26 4 44 7 11 11 17 1 22 29-87... 29 85 67. ..35. ..51-0 -04 Strawberry fl. 27 4 42 7 13 After 1 46 3003... 30-01 70.. .31. ..50-5 •00 Sauce alone fl. 28 4 40 7 15 1 32 2 7 30-12. ..3002 74.. .32. ..53-0 ■00 Ash foliates, Beech fl. 29 4 38 7 16 2 43 2 27 30-25... 30-03 69, ..34.. .51-5 •00 Crab fl. 30 4 36 7 18 3 54 2 47 30-08... 29-92 74. ..43, ..58-5 •03 Lilac fl. 85 PAPTRIJS ANTIQUORIJM. SiNCB the article on Papyrus anti- quorum was written, one of the last new boots of travel lias fallen into the hands of the writer, and he finds that boats made of bundles of reeds are still in use in Peru and Bolivia. This primitive kind of boat is called a " Bal>'a." At page 107 of " Mark- ham's Travels in Peru and India" will be found a woodcut, w hich will give a very i!Ood idea of the manner in which these boats are constructed. They are bound together in bundles, and then fastened longitudinally, so that a boat capable of carrying some four or five persons is thus formed. The sail is made of reeds fastened together in small parallel bundles in the same way. These boats are commonly used in Lake Titicaca and in the rivers of Peru. M. de Castelnau says that these boats exactly resemble those represented on the tomb of Rameses III. at Thebes. This is jiuother of those curious links con- necting the new world with the old. YAEIEGATED COLTSFOOT {Tussilago farfara var.) This is a superb plant for people ginal colour ; but a chalky or peaty who have but small means of pre- soil will be most likely to keep it serving variegated bedders. The true. It spreads rapidly, and may be leaf is blotched with a yellowish divided every season for increase ; cream colour, with a very small pro- and for a front line or for a solid bed portion of green. The variety shows it is exquisitely beautiful. no tendency to sport back to its ori- THE GAEDEN GUIDE EOE APEIL. The month of April is one wliich gene- rally tests severely the cultural capa- bilities of the gardener, as well as Lis ways and means. The weather may be summer one day, and winter the next ; and inexperienced hands may easily be led astray by the temptations of warm showers and sunshine, to regret, after- wards, the havoc caused by sudden frosis, storms, and even snow and hail. In tlie general work of the garden, many of the directions — especially as to sowing — given last mcinth, apply to this, and moie par- ticularly to those who hve in exposed dis- tricts. We write for a London climate, and our directions are based on the genw- ral practice of gardening in and about Middlesex, Surrey, and Heitfordsliire Those wlio live far south, in the almost Italian climate of Devonsiiire, will ofien have things up at the time we are in- structing tiiem to sow ; while residents on the bleak Northumberland coast, or in the eastern parts of Scotland, will always be a fortnight, sometimes a month, be- hind us. Kitchen Garden. — Successional sow^- ings may be made of all leading kitchen crops, and where the work ot the last month lias been delayed, seeds got in early will not be much behind those sown last month. Sow Windsor, longpod, and John- son's wonderful Beans ; mairow, Auvergne, and dwarf mammoth Peas, and a few rows of the earliest sorts, to come in before the late peas are ready. In small gardens the dwarf kinds are always to be preferred. Sowinga should also be made of horn Cariot, Savoy, Brussels' sprouts, Scotch kale, Broccoli, Cauliflowers, and Cabbages, for autumn use ; a succession of such things being preferable to a glut all at once for the private grower. Among cab- bages, Atkins's Matchless, Shilling's Queen, early York, and West Ham, are good sorts to sow now, but the main crop of cabbages should be up by this time, and must be hoed between when the ground is in a fit state. Beet should be sown in tha second week in ground deeply dug, but not manured ; the main crop of Celery should be sown on a rich warm border, the surface to be made light and fine ; sow thin, and merely dust the seed over. Sow also Onions, Lettuce, Eadish, t^mall Salad, Sea-kale, and Asparajius ; the two last in I rills, one foot apart, and one inch deep for asparagus, and two inches for sea-kale. Another moile of raising sea- kale plants is to sov in four-feet beds, 86 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. the seed to be in patches of eight inclies diameter, and two feet apart, and about eight seeds in ench, the plants to be thinned to three pLints in each jjatch ; the ground should be rich, well drained, and deep. Beds may also be formed now by planting roots, but the best plantations are those raised on the spot from sefids. Those who purpose raisingseedlingrhubaib plants should sow about the middle of the month in shallow drills, eighteen inches apart, dropphig the seeds in patches, six inches from each other. Potatoes not yet planted should he got in v/ithout delay, and towards the end of the month scarlet runners and French beans may be sown ; the runners slmuld have a warm dry posi- tion until the first of May, when they may be sown in almost any soil or situation without risk ; hut, like most other things, yield the best crops on ground well dug and manured. The main crop of carrots should be got in about the fifteenth of the month, and there is still time tor a crop of parsnips, but they must be sown di- rectly. Slips of kitchen herbs may be put in any time this month, and will root quicker if planted in a rather dry sandy border. Flower Gj^den. — Seeds of hardy an- nuals and perennials are to be sown early, and towards the end of the month the more tender kinds may he safely com- mitted to the ground : but very small seeds of choice things had better not be sown till next month, as lieavy rains may wash them down into the soil, and they may be lost. Perennials may be planted out, and old stools of phlox, chry- santhemum, sweet William, etc , may be parted. Dahlia roots may also be planted, and if the shoots appear before night-frosts are over, they may be protected by flower- pots inverted over tliem, and the holes stopped with pieces of tile. Wliere early beds of dabliMS are required, this plan may be adopted in the putting out of young plants, and if well hardened first, the beds may be filled about the middle of the month, and inverted pots, litter, or netting, used to protect them during fits of cold wind or frost. Bo.x edgings sliould be clipped, and ivy may be cut in and trimmed, and fresh plantations made cf last year's roots. Cutting- of ivy may also be taken and planted n a sandy border, only partially expose^ to the snn. The cuttings should be short-j inted, and trimmed of the lower leaves. Tigrida bulls may be planted two incnes deep. A light netting, or some similar protection will be found useful now as a protection to tulip beds, and if the foliage gets frozen, water them with cold water before the sun gets on them. Walks should be turned and i-olled, and grass plots dre-sed, so as to give an air of neritness and order to the whole of the ground. Greenhouse asd Pit. — If bedding- stock is still in request, cuttings should be struck in a brisk heat, even as high as 90^ ; they will bear much more heat now than they would a month ago. China roses may be propngated in pots by taking off young shoots close to the old wood when four inches long, and plunging in a moderate heat. General collections should only have a moderate heat, and a strong healthy growth should be promoted by giving plenty of air, with a view to put- ting out the fires for the season. ]\Iany specimen-plants will want liberal shifts, and all subjects not immediately required in flower should be regularly and fre- quently stopped to induce bushy growth and form good heads. Water and liquid manure must be more freely given, and vigilant efforts must be made to keep down green-fly and thrips. Many of the less tender things may be removed to cold pits, to increase the room for other things that want continued protection to make fine plan's. Young stuff from the pro- pagating house should be potted as fast as rooted, and kept close till started afresh, and then be gradually inured to air and light, so as to be strong by the middle of Maj-. All tropical plants required for summer blooming in the house should be got on without delay, and a quick growth promoted so as to allow them as long a season as possible for blooming, and ripening their buds for next season. Average temperature this month 55' by night, 60' to 65' by day. Where desirable, the house may be shut up with sun-heat to render fire unnecessary. Stove. — Vines in bloom must be kept close, and with a little extra fire-heat to prevent injur}- from damp setting on the berries ; melons should be encouraged to make quick growth until established, and then kept cooler to encourage the produc- tion of fiiritful wood ; but do not stop tlie main shoots till they have extended as far as the space allov.'ed them, and then they VI ay he stopped to promote the growth of ; icerals. Pines will want shade on bright days, and air as often as possible, but the atmosphere about them must be kept moist, and the roots well soaked whenever the s^oil about them is dry. Ked spider will now be getting active, and must be kept down. Keep also a good look-out for green-fly, especially among young stock. Average temperature for pines, THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. «7 70° at ni.elit, 80' by day ; for general col- lections, 65^ by nipiit, 75' by day. Annuals oi' nil kinds may be sown now in the open air ; the hardy sorts will be Tip in from ten days to three weeks, the tender kinds in a month or six weeks. It is often a convenience to sow all kinds at once, in accordance with a general plan, and it may be done in April. Of course, asters, balsams, etc., rarely come to much good by this oif-hand method. Auriculas to be shaded as the bloom progresses, and have shelter at night by means of mats. Give plenty of water and plenty of air. Thin the pips in good time to the standard number, whatever that may be. There seems to be a tendency to a general concurrence of growers in favour of ^Ve pips fur exhibition trusses; that is the number required by several of the leading schedules this season. It is certainly a more reasonable arrangement than three, whicli was the rule at the Royal Botanic last year. Beans to be dressed with soot or wood ashes, and hoed up quite to the lowest leaves. Sow for succession, they like a rich, retentive soil. Bedding Plants to be got into cold frames, if quite bushy, and tit for summer work. Totmg stock to be kept growing, and seedlings to be potted off either singly or in little groups, as soon as large enough to handle. Geranittms, calceolarias, etc., removed to pits, should be plunged either in spent tan or coal-ashes, which will keep their roots warm and moist, and obviate frequent watering. Cabbage and Caidijlower. — Sow the dwarf sorts of cabbage to follow peas, and fill up anywhere as plots become vacant. Continue planting cauliflowers from frames, but give them the shelter of mats if the nights are frosty. Thej- must have rich soil, be frequently hoed up, and watered in diy weather. Chrifsanthemums for general purposes to be now propagated. Suckers are as good as cuttings ; and there need be no disputes about their relative values. They do not reqttire much heat to start them, and nothing better than a gentle hot-bed on the old-fashioned plan. In the Wal- tonian they are sure to mildew if kept very damp and close, so give air and rather dry heat. Old stools may be planted out in the borders. Cucumbers. — Sow for ridging out, and get the plants forward in pots, Tliey turn out better when singly, in sixty or forty- eight pots ; tliey should have no check. Shift those already forward. Splash ■water about t\ie beds of fruiting plants, and close early, so as to give the plants a good steaming, which they will enjoy. ' HoUyh'clcs planted now from store pots will bloom to perfection, and have no check from frost. Put a couple of spade- fuls of rotten dung in each hole, plant firm, tally and stake at once ; cover each plant with an inverted flower-pot for a week, and then remove it. Give plenty of water and liquid manure as required. Hgacinths must have abundance of water while in bloom, and for some time after ; as long, indeed, as the foliage con- tinues green and growing. After it begins to get discoloured, dry them off gradually, and lav the pots on their sides, where they will have morninsr and evening sun to ripen the bulbs. For management to keep the bulbs for further use, see last year's volitme, p. 72. Violets planted now from young run- ners of Russian and the double flowering kinds will make fine plants. For their managoment, see vol iii. p. UO, and vol. iv. p. 56. Seedling plants generally bloom most profusely, and in most of the seed catalogues the best kinds are entered. Wall Trees must have protection from the cutting east winds, and the protection should be of a kind easily removed, so that the trees have free air upon them night and day, weather permitting, and be covered with the least possible trouble if the wind shifts to east or north. It will generally be found that those who exclaim against protecting have been in the habit of shut- ting the trees up as if they weremuffled bells. Orchard House.— H' this is crammed full of all sorts of things in pots, which is too often the case at this time of year, make a general clearance, for this system of making too much of the glass leads to mismanagement, and one common result is keeping the trees too close in order to help more delicate subjects. Trees must have air and plenty of it. Let the wind whistle among the bloom and it will set fi eely. Give plenty of water at the roots of the trees. Azaleas done flowering must be kept rather close, and in a moist atmosphere to favour a quick growth, as it is important to get the new wood well ripened when the growth is completed. Those that are cramped at the roots must be repotted in good peat and silky losim. Artificial peat is wholly unfit for such plants in pots. Cnlceokirias coming into bloom must have plenty of water and free ventilation. Syrinae the lower leaves and branches, but wet the blossoms as little as possible. Camellias done blooming treat the same as advised for azaleas. Those coming into THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. bloom must have occasional strengtliening with liquid manure. Lanky plants will be improved by removing the top buds before they expand, to throw vigour into the lower branches. Cinerarias are very fine this season, and some good seedlings have made their ap- pearance. It is a good time for beginners to purchase sorts in bloom to propagate for stock. Green-fly will annoy the plants, unless kept down witli gentle smok- ings. Dung, three parts rotten, and mel- low hazel-loam should be chopped over and laid up at once for potting the next lot, so as to be sweet and friable when wanted. Conservatory should now be very gay with bulbs, camellias, and forced decidu- ous shrubs and trees. Look out at once for the summer supply. Cannas are now fashionable for their fine tropical-looking foliage, and some new varieties of Ricinus will be much used to lielp the foliage effects of Caladinms, etc. Datura Wrightii is a charming Convolvulus-like herbaceous plant for a warm house, and delightfully scented. Sow seed now in a brisk heat. Treat the same as balsam. We have some plants that have flowered five years in succession and have now large fleshy roots. It is therefore a mistake to call it an annual. Dahlias for show ought now to be strong in 60-pots, and kept growing slowly. Cuttings put in now will make good plants. For large specimens, use old plants, to be started now at the bottom of a vinery or a cool part of a pine-pit. Dandelion, grown in Pascall's seakale- pots in a gentle dung-heat, forms an ele- gant and acceptable salad. Strong plants may be forced the same as seakale and asparagus, and must be thoroughly blanched, to prevent bitterness. Any old plants in places about the garden may be blanched where they are by turning a pot over them and stopping the hole with a piece of tile. Forcing must be continued with lettuce, mint, asparagus, and potatoes. Many of the complaints of failure which reach us are attributable to high night tempera- tures. All sources of heat that are under full control, such as hot water and flues, admit of being reduced or increased, as required, and the temperature should always fall from five to ten degrees at night in heated structures of a^/ kinds. Kidney Beans. — Sow a small lot of Newington Wonder or Fulmsrs forcing beans on a warm border at once, and in ten days make another sowing. Sow Negro or Speckled Dun the third week, and Eunners the last week of the month. Pelargoniums to be encouraged to grow freely by the use of the syringe and regular tying out. Fumigate as soon as fly ap- pears, or much mischief may ensue. Plants showing for bloom to have weak manure or soot-water at every other watering. Orchid House. — An increase of heat and moisture will now be required for Orchids of all kinds, in both Indian and Mexican houses, but water must not be applied directly to any until growth has fairly commenced. Specimens of Cattleya, Galanthe, Ph.ijus, Saccolabium, Stanliopea, Zygopetalum, Brassia, Dendrobium, and Sobralia will require frequently syringing about their pots and blocks as the plants advance ; in fact the cultivator must now encourage luxuriant growth as early as possible, in order to get the bulbs well ripened in the autumn. Shading must be put up, not later than the second week of ilie month, but a better plan is to have good roller blmds, so as to shade at will, if only fur an hour or two, vvhoi there is a hot sun with an east wind. Growers of Ana^ctochilus usually place them ou bottom-heat, and keep very close at this time of year, which is the very opposite of good practice. Bottom-heat causes too quick a growth which results in weakness, and want of ventilation adds to the mis- chief, and the two evils are frequently combined for the destruction of collections for which large sums of money have been paid. Ordinary stove temperature is all they require. Let the bell-glasses be always slightly tilted up ; this will render necessary more frequent watering at the root, which the plants will enjoy from the present time to the end of September. Any not newly repotted this season should be repotted without delay, in a mixture of equal parts of sphagnum, chopped fine, and flbry peat with one-half part of sharp silver sand. In potting, raise the collar a little above the soil, and finish with a sprinkling of washed silver sand on the surface. Orchids thai may be in bloom in April. — Arpliophyllum giganteum ; Bletia cam- panulata, and patula ; Burlingtonia Candida and fragrans : Cattleya amethys- toglossa, Mossiee, and Skinneri ; Chysis bractescens ; Coryanthes speciosa ; Cypri- pedium caudatum, caudatura roseum, hirsutissimum, and villosum ; Dendro- bium aggregatum m.^jus, anosmum, Cam- bridgeanum, crepidatum, Dalhousianum, densiriorum, densiflorum album, Faimerii, fimbriatum, fimbriatum oculatum, litui- florum, nobile, nubile internieuium, iiobile pendulum, Pierardii latifolium, primu- THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 89 linum, Epidendrum aurantiacum, bicor- iiutum, crassifolium, Hanburyanum, ma- crocliiluni, and macrochilutn rosenm ; Leptotes serrulata ; Lycaste cruenta, and Deppii ; Odontoglossum Pescatorei ; Oncidium ampliatum mnjus, sarcodes, sessile, sphacelaturn majus ; Phajus Wallichii ; Saccolibium miniatuin ; Tricopilia suavis ; Vanda cristata, and Lowii. TO CORRESPONDENTS. A Tiffany Failure. — I fear I am ano- ther victim to " Tiffany ;" I liave lately erectedatiffany house, infuU faithin what writers in your periodical have stated as to its powers of resistance to frost, and I have been deceived. I used Shaw's No. 4 (treble strength) tiifany, and on two nights during the recent frosts the ther- mometer suspended inside the house has registered 4^ of frost. I have indeed carefully compared the temperature of the inside with that of the outside, and the' result is that I find that tiffany ■will resist only 2" of frost. This re- sult is so much at variance with what S.W. states in Floral World (Vol. iii. p. 80), that I should be exceedingly obliged to that gentleman if he would let me into his secret. If his experience is correct, tiffany answers fully ; but if mine, it is useless for the purpose of protecting from frost. My house is con- structed after Mr. Standish's plan, as described in Floral World, Vol. iii., p. 98. — Victim. [This correspondent sends real name and address. We know ' of about sixty tiffany-houses, and they all give satisfaction ; but they are in every case used for subjects that require very little shelter, such as bush fruits, roses, tulips, etc., and it is the protec- . tion from sudden changes, bleak winds, sleet, and rain, at this time of year, •which is most needed by such plants ; a little dry frost does not hurt them. Foreseeing that more would be expected of tiffany than it was capable of per- forming, we several times warned our readers never to trust soft- wooded green- house plants to the protection of tif- fany. Reference to Mr. Standish's de- scription will show that he only recom- mends it for hardy trees and shrubs which it is desirable to shelter during early spring, when a very slight shelter, say to keep out 2" of frost, may make all the difference between a good crop of fruit and no crop at all. The bare measurement of difference in degrees of temperature is not a sufficient evidence of the value of tiffany, of which we ourselves Lave as high an opinion as ever. But people expect too much of it.] Catalogues Received. — " W. T. Gidney, East Dereham, Norfolk, Catalogue of Horticultural Tools and Implements." A full illustrated and descriptive list of many useful tools, embracing every re- quisite for the garden and greenhouse. — " J. R. Bates, North Street, Brighton, Catalogue of Flower Seeds." A very useful selection, printed on a large sheet, which is of a size not suitable for preservation. — " Francis and Aithur Dickson, and Sons, Upton Nurseries, and 106, Eastgate Street, Chester, Catalogue of Vegetable and Flower Seeds." A very excellent selection of seeds, and has also a good variety of ornamental pottery, garden implements, etc. — " A. Stansfield and Sons, Vale Nurseries, Todinorden, Catalogue of Stove, Green- house, Hardy Exotic, andBritish Ferns." Embraces all the good known sorts, besides a number of novelties with ex- cellent descriptions. — " William Bull, King's Road, Chelsea, List of New, Beautiful, and Rare Plants for 1863." A short summary of the novelties Mr. Bull is prepared to send out this season, consisting chiefly of florists' flowers and bedding plants. " T. Green, Smithfield Works, Leeds, and at 2, Victoria Street, Holborn Hill, Prospectus of Patent Garden Rollers and Silent Mowing Machines." Mr. Green still keeps the leading place so ably won. — "John Morse, Nurseries, Dursley, Gloucester- shire, Catalogue of Cuttings for Spring, 1863." Mr. Morse supplies cuttings, grafts, leaves, etc., through the post, at a cheap rate, to enable amateurs to stock their gardens and greenhouses at a great saving on the cost of plant?, and give them amusing practice at the same time. — ^"W. H. Treen, Victoria Nursery, Rugby, Listsof Verbenas and Fuchsias," wliicli include all the newest of each, and are all carefully described. It is a most valuable list, and very seasonable. — " William Dean, Bradford Nursery, Shipley, Yorkshire, Catalogue of En- glish and Fancy Pansies." A copious 90 THE FLOKAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. list of the very best varieties, botli new and old, embracing a wide variety of colours and fantastic irinrkiiigs.— " John Salter, F.R.II.S., William Street, Ham- mersmith Turnpike, near London, De- scriptive Catalogue of English and Foreign Novelties." A closely-printed catalogue of thiity-five pages, contain- ing an immense number of varieties of chrysanthemums, dahlias, pceonits, phlox, fuchsias, iris, hai-dy variegated plants, etc. — "Alexander Shanks and Son, Dens Iran Works, Arbroath, and 27, Leadenball Street, E.G., Prospectus of Patent Lawn Mowe s." The ma- chines produced by Messrs. Shanks and Son are noted the wliole world over lor their substantial qualities and extreme simplicity of construction. — " Wheeler and Sons, Gloucester, Little Book, or Select Seed List." A small quarto of fifty pages, with descriptive notes of every kind of grads in cultivation, and some useful remarks upon the diseases of turnips. — "Sutton and Sons, Eoyal Berkshire Seed Establislmient, Reading, Farm i'eed List for 1863." A first-rate list, with valuable hints on the cultiva- tion of furze and lupins, and excellent directions for laying down land to per- manent pastuie. — " Jose; h Courcha, Esmond Road, Grove Road, Victoria Park, Descriptive Cq,talogue of Dahlias, etc.," being a very full list of the best varieties of every description of florists' flowers and bedding and miscellaneous plants.-— " William ' Paul, F.R.H.S., Nurseries and Seed Warehouse, Wal- tham Cross, N., Spring Catalogue of New Roses, Hollyliocks, Gladioli, Pelargoniums, Phloxes, etc." Mr. Paul has long stood at the head of the rose- growing profession, and seems likely to maintain that honourable position. Tne list is very rich in new kinds, which are accurately described. Clianthus. — Musgeave's Stove. — Is there any means of getting rid of red spider on the clianthus ? tobacco smoke has no effect. I have tried one of Mus- grave's slow combustion stoves, and find it perfect as far as regulating the heat is concerned, but I would advise the makers to have moi-e openings for the escape of the steam, for in the stove I have it is merely nominal ; and when the weather is cold enough to require much heat from the stove, it is too dic- ing and scorching lor the plants. I must try if I can have some more open- ings made before next winter, or else contrive some vessels of \?ater to stand on the edge of the stove. — S.H. [Quick growth is the veiy way to keep red spider away from clianthus ; if you can- not grow tlie plant quick it will be eaten up. We have heard so many good accounts of Musgrave's stove that \ we feel it our duty to give the above as we received it. The house in which we tried one of these stoves is naturally damp, so we never noticed any drying effect. But a large seed pan filled with water and placed on the stove would be a certain remedy.] Ro.srs. — E. IJ. W. — You have evidently been but a short time a reader of the Floral Wokld. All these points about standard roses have been treated in the most ample manner. It is certainly too late to plaut standards in the ordinary way, but if extra care is taken they may be planted any time tliis month, and the earlier the better. It is not long since we told how standards were planted in July, and never " missed the move." If you plant now let them be hard primed, and keep liberally watered all the summer. The following are twelve of the most useful and cheap kinds ;— Jules ar gottin, Geant des Batailles, Madame Vidot, Mrs. Elliott, General Jacqueminot, Caroline Sansal, Lord Raglan, Opliirie, Prince Leon, Devoniensis, Madame Domage, Aimee Yibert. Various. — A. F. il. is advised to read the papers on Rose culture in the Floral WoBiD of 1861—62. The whole sub- ject of rose culture has had special at- tention in these pages, and it is rather trving to us to have inquiries arrive at the end of March as to the proper time of year to transplant roses. "Sou had best leave them alone now, and lift them next November. Wallflowers must not be pruned at all, because you would prune the bloom away. Seedling gera- niums may now be cut back to the third bud irom the root, so as to allow three shoots to rise to form the head of the plant. The crange leaf has no doubt been injured by the paint. It is well, however, that we should advise you to see that the roots are properly drained. — General Arbuclcle is advised to use salt as a top-dressing, in the proportion of five bush.ls to the rood. Salt benefits all root crops, especially carrots, parsnips, and potatoes. — Julia Roincke. — Your shrub is Jasminum nu- diflorum, one of the most beautiful hardy shrubs we possess for early bloom- ing. It will thrive in any soil and any situation. — A. F. — See article on the subject. THE 6AHDEII eUiSE. Mat, 1863. THE AZALEA. HE great family of Ericas — Ericacece — is usually divided into two great groups. The first of these comijrises in one section the true Heaths, and Gypsocallis, the moor heath, and ^ in another section the Andromeda, Arbutus, Pernettya, Dabfeeia, and other allied genera. In the second group we have Ehododendron, Azalea, Kalmia, Menziesia, Leiophyllum, and Ledum; mostly shrubs of stately- habit and valued for their handsome foliage and magni- ficent flowers. The majority of the Azaleas have usually been classed under the generic name of Rhododendron, and hence in Don's ''Dichlamydeous Plants," and in Sweet's "Hortus Britannicus," there is but one plant named under the generic name Azalea, and that is A. procumbens, a trailing shrub, native of Britain (but scarce) and IS'orth America, and which was formerly known as Loiseleuria procumbens. As tlie term " American plants " is applied indiscriminately to all the Ericaceous shrubs com- monly cultivated in peat-beds in this country, it is worth remarking that but a small proportion have been introduced from America, and those the least valued of the whole. Thus, among the plants now classed as azaleas, China has supplied us with A. indicum, the most prized of all ; A. amsena, obtusa, Danielsiana, crispiflora, ovata, and sinensis are also from China. The oriental species are all less hardy than the American kinds, but they are mostly of great interest, and unsurpassed for beauty among our hardy flowering shrubs. It is usually stated in horticultural books that all the hardy azaleas are deciduous, and all the tender kinds ever- green. This is nearly, but not quite true. Azalea squamata, bearing rosy crimson flowers, is deciduous, and requires greenhouse culture; on the other hand, A. amsena, flowering profusely in April, is evergreen, and quite hardy. A. obtusa, which is equal to amtena in beauty, perhaps u tritie more showy, is, we believe, also quite as hardy ; but of that point wo cannot speak with certainty, having no plants of it out during the winter of 1860-fiI, when ama>na in our collection passed through the trial with VOL. Vr. NO. V. I 92 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. only a trifling amount of injury. The show azaleas are for the most part varieties of A. indica. The hardy garden azaleas, including those called "Ghent Azaleas," are mostly vai'ieties of A. calendulacea, nudiflora, speciosa, and viscosa, all natives of North America. Cultivation of Hakdy Azaleas. — From the name azaleos, dry, it may be inferred that the hardy azaleas prefer a dry position. Such is, indeed, the case ; hence we never find them doing well in swampy positions, or on the margins of lakes, where the more robust species and varieties of rhododendron usually gi'ow most luxuriantly, and flower well. But the azalea is not so particular as to position to prevent its being associated with any and every class of Ericaceous shrubs in the same bed, provided the soil used is a gritty peat containing plenty of fibre. A west aspect is the best for hardy azaleas, as they are then less liable to injury at the time of ex- panding their blossoms, and in case of long drought, are less apt to suffer than they would be in a south exposure. At Stoke Newington we have grown in a north-west aspect all the hardy species, and most of their varieties, in the same bed with Kalmias, Ehododendron species and hybrids. Ledums, Vaceiniums, Pernettyas, Ericas, Gaultherias, Menziesias, Andro- medas, etc., and their growth has been luxuriant and in every sense satis- factory. As a matter of taste, the deciduous azaleas do not group well ■with rhododendrono on account of their miserable appearance all the winter, and in arranging an ornamental ground we should never place groups of azaleas very near the drawing-room windows, but rather in beds by them- selves at some distance, keeping the kalmias and rhododendrons for the foreground, on account of their fine appearance in the winter. As to their cultivation for decorative purposes in the flower garden, it is scarcely needful to say more than that they should be planted in two feet depth of peat, or bog earth containing plenty of fibre and siliceous grit, and be left to take care of themselves. Generally speaking, they require neither arti- ficial watering nor sheltering, but if there happen long periods of drj- weather, when the plants are growing, that is, from the middle of April to the end of June, water should be given plentifully. But this labour may be obviated by covering the beds with green moss, which will arrest evaporation from the soil. Old beds in which the plants have grown very large, may be benefited by top-dressing with rotten cow-dung ; this should merely be laid on in winter, and the beds should never be dug or disturbed except for replanting. The best time to form a plantation is the month of October ; but they may be planted any time from October to March, if taken up with good balls, and the roots kept moist by proper jDacking. In exposed situations the blooms are sometimes injured by late spring frosts. This may be prevented by covering with hoops and mats, but generally such protection is not needed, for the deciduous kinds are among the most hardy shrubs we possess. In forming plantations of azaleas, it is best to raise the beds above the general level, especially on wet clay soils. The method we generally fol- low when laying out new gardens, if the soil happens to be naturally damp, is first to carry a few extra drains to the spot selected ; and then to lay down on the surface without making any excavation, two or three feet depth of good turfy peat and silky yellow loam in equal proportions, and well chopped up and incorporated. This forms a mound, which is banked round with the soil of the place, and for this purpose clay answers ad- mirably ; on the outer slope of the inclosing bank we lay grass tui-f or THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 93 spergula to form a greea glacis. If there is a large bulk of soil, the roots are kept sufficieatly moist, aud there is no fear of the loss of plants in wet seasons through rotting at the collar, which is a calamity to which azaleas are occasionally subject. As in some districts peat is an expensive article, it is right to add that if the situation is damp, one foot depth of soil is sufficient. If peat is altogether unattainable, a good soil may be formed by slicing the turf from an old loamy pasture, and laying it up twelve months. This mixed with one-third sharp sand will suit them ad- mirably. "We have lately planted a large collection of rhododendrons and azaleas on a property consisting of a tenacious clay without carting in a particle of peat. We found in one part of the ground a spongy soil, con- sisting chiefly of huge hummocks of moss, carex, and calluna, the surface was sliced off and conveyed to the beds direct, and after being chopped over and improved by the addition of a fourth part sand, the shrubs were planted, and will do as well as in peat. But common garden loams are quite unfit for the jJiirpose, and calcareous matters are poison to the whole family. Propagation. — Layers made in the month of March will be fit for removal in the same month, the second season after the layers were made. The layers must be notched or twisted, and be pegged down very securely. It is best to surround them with a bunch of dead moss, into which they the more readily throw their first roots ; seedlings may be raised in any quantity, for the plants produce abundance of seed. Old beds will, indeed, be found to produce numerous seedlings from self-sown seeds, and these usually come pretty true to the species from which they originated. The hybridization of the azalea has been pursued in a most vigorous manner, and the result is seen in the numerous beautiful varieties enumerated in the catalogues. The rhododendron and azalea readily breed together, and there are several useful intermediate forms. In crossing, the pollen is chosen from flowers of good colour, and those selected to bear seed are preferred for their good forms. The flower chosen for seed should be watched, so that the anthers may be removed before they burst, and should then be covered with gauze to prevent the intrusion of insects. Gather the pollen from the sii-e with a dry camel's hair pencil, and introduce it to the stigmas during the hours of midday, when the air is dry and the sky bright. When the seed is ripe store it in the pods ; sow in April, and place in a cold frame and grow the seedlings in pans for twelve months ; and then plant out in beds six inches apart, and there leave them till they flower. Those only that are as good or better than what we already possess should be kept. The remainder should be destroyed. Those who have had practice in propagating ericas and camellias may suc- ceed in raising hardy azaleas from firm shoots of the current year's growth, but the process is slow and uncertain. Desirable Species and Varieties. — A. pontiea, formerly catalogued as Hhododendron luteum, is the yellow-flowering species of the Levant, and one of the most gorgeous flowering shrubs of our gardens. There are of this species numerous varieties with bronze, orange, and white flowers ; the last named are the least effective for out-door use. A. calendulacea, the marigold like azalea of IS^orth America, is also very desirable for ornamental purposes, and invaluable for the fronts of shrubberies and for beds. Of this species there are some fine varieties with golden, fiame, and reddish yellow flowers. A. nudijiora has been more prolific than any 94 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. in the production of varieties, and amongst them are many "white, blush, red, lilac, and purple flowers, of which, generally speaking, the "whites are the least valuable. A. speciosum is a showy species, and its varieties are all good ; they are mostly red, orange, and scarlet. A. viscosa fur- nishes the best of the hardy "whites in A. v. odoratum, which is sweet scented. From these four species innumerable intermediate hybrid forms have been produced, and the varieties kno-wn as Ghent Azaleas take their name from the district where the raising of hybrids was first practised. A. arhorescens is a magnificent species, growing to a height of ten feet, and flowering in June. A. nitida, hispida, ledifolium, and glauca, all pro- duce white flowers, and all are good ; the last is a very pretty shrub for the wilderness or peat border. Lastly, A. atnwna is unquestionably the most elegant and useful of all the smaller shrubs adapted for the peat-bed. It grows in the form of a close round bush, rarely more than eighteen inches high, covered winter and summer with small dark green glossy leaves, and in April blooms profusely, the colour being a rich rosy crimson. This forms a superb mai'ginal line for a clump or bed of American plants, and is thoroughly hardy. It is also invaluable for the conservatory. A. ohtusa is a good companion to it, and in some respects superior for culture under glass. CuLTTTiiE or Azalea Indica. — The culture of these resembles, in many points, that of the hardy kinds just described; but, as the plants are not hardy, they need the protection of glass and the aid of a moderate amount of heat during winter and early spring. The soil for specimen plants should be tough fibry peat three parts, sharp sand one part, silky yellow loam one part. This should be chopped up to the size of the fist, and in potting the roughest parts should be used to place over the crocks, and to fill in after the finer parts of the mixture have been placed next the roots all round. The pots should be well drained, and should always be so placed that superfluous water will drain away qu.ickly, for stagnation at the root will be hurtful. Supposing we begin with plants well covered with bloom buds, we should secure them a temperature averaging 50", that is, ranging from 45° at night to 60° by day, "with plenty of water at the root. As soon as the colour shows well at the points of the buds, give them ordinary greenhouse temperature with plenty of air, and the bloom will last a long time. They must have plenty of water. As soon as the bloom is over, place them again in a temperature ranging from 50° to 60^, syringe frequently, and maintain the atmosphere in a moist condition. As soon as their growth is completed and they begin to knot for bloom, give them air freely and discontinue syringing. After ten or twelve days of this treatment remove them from the house and place them under a wall facing north till the end of October, and then house them for the season. They may be brought into bloom as required by taking them into a warm house in successive batches. Propagation of Greenhouse Azaleas. — "When raised from seed sow in shallow pans, in peat, in February, and place in a gentle heat. As soon as the seedlings have three leaves each, prick them out four inches apart, in shallow boxes ; and in these let them remain till the next spring. Then pot them singly in sixty sized pots, in turfy peat, with one-fourth sand added ; place in a moist bottom-heat, and grow them on, shifting as they require it, till they flower. To propagate from cuttings, choose young tops, in a soft condition; and after removing the lower leaves, dibble THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 95 them into shallow pans, filled to within an inch of the rim with rotten cocoa-nut fibre, and over that an inch of sand. Place over them bell- glasses, and keep moist, warm, and shaded. When rooted, remove the bell-glasses, and keep them in the greenhouse till the wood is somewhat hardened, then pot singly, and grow on by regular shifting as required. The choice varieties are generally grafted, and A. phoenicia is the stock usually employed. Side or saddle grafting are the best modes, and the best time is early in the spring, as they can be helped with a moist bottom-heat, and have before them a long growing ^season after the junction has been efiected. A SELECTIOX OF AZALEAS. Best TwENTY-ForK Old Varieties. — Admiration (Ivery), white, with large flakes of carmine, fine form. Barclayana (Ivery), white, striped and flaked with rosy purple ; one of the best. Beauty of Reigate (Ivery), white, deeply spotted with carmine, splendid form. Chelsonii (Knight and Perry), shaded orange scarlet, free bloomer. Crispiflora (Standish and Noble), rich rosy lake, very distinct ; a tine late variety. Criterion (Ivery), splendid large salmon pink, edged with white; one of the finest and most distinct in cultivation. Distinction (Ivery), rich salmon, mar- gined with white, upper petals spotted with crimson ; great substance. Due de Nassau (ilardner), rosy purple. Flower of the Day (Ivery). Gem (Ivery), very deep rich salmon, splendid form and substance; one of the very best. Holfordiana, rich rosy purple, large and fine. Iveryana (Ivery), fine large white, striped with rose ; one of the very best. Juliana (Knight and Perry), orange scarlet, deeply spotted, fine form; one of the best when well grown. Magnificans (Ivery), large white, fine shape. Miltonii (Frost), rosy lilac, fine form, large. Model, bright rose, fine. Perryana (Knight and Pei-ry), orange scarlet, fine form; one of the best. Eosy Circle (Ivery), deep rose, fine form and substance, a perpetual kind ; one of the very best. Sir Charles JSTapier (Kinghorn), pink, large and fine. Stanleyana (Davies), rose scarlet, fine form. Standard of Perfec- tion (Epps), rose, fine form. Trotteriana, brilliant reddish purple; one of the best. Yariegata, salmon pink, with white margin, distinct and fine. Variegata superba (Ivery), an improved Variegata. Best OF 1861. — Flag of Truce (Todman), white, semi-double, large. Alha delecta (Verschaffelt), white, streaked with purple. Dieudonni Spae (F. Spae), salmon ground, margined white, upper petals spotted dark crimson, large. Duo d'Aremherg (Verschaffelt), centre carmine, petals blotched and mar^ned with white. Lord Elgin (Todman), deep bright rose, spotted on upper petals, very showy. Madame Amhroise Versclwffelt, violet rose, bordered with white, flaked and striped with rich carmine, upper petals spotted with maroon and crimson. Best of \%Q>2.— Souvenir dii Prime Albert (Verschaffelt), deep salmon rose, with broad white margin, semi-double, distinct and splendid as to flowering, but not well formed. Bride of Ahydos (W. Barnes), white, flaked with rose, most beautiful in clearness of colour and delicacy of marking, but somewhat deficient in form. This will probably prove a most valuable variety for the amateur, on account of its comparative hardiness, free blooming, and vigorous habit ; though on the exhibition table we doubt if it will ever attain a leading position. 96 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. AUaderensis (J. and C Lee), a hardy garden hybrid, with rich orange yellow flowers, and a free robust habit ; will be invaluable for peat-beds. The above are all we can enumerate as really good among the azaleas brought before the public for the first time during the past season. Mr. Todman and Messrs. Kinghorn have several promising seedlings ; the best among them is Todman's Lord Canning, a pretty rose-coloured variety ; which seems likely to improve, and will perhaps yet prove to be first-rate. BANKS AND BRAES. I strpposE there will be no demur on the part of the reader to my assertion of the doctrine that every garden should somewhere have a hillock, a raised bank, or a dell. It must depend very much on the size and situation of the place how much space may be devoted to elevations and depressions, but in some way or other art should come to the aid of nature, and a continuous dead level should be proclaimed a monstrosity. If the " land o' Burns" had been like Salisbury Plain, we might have missed that sweetest of good Robert's ditties — "Ye banks and braes o' bonny Doon," and perhaps have never heard of Burns at all, for mountains make poets, as they nourish blue gentian flowers and snowy saxifrages in their cool clefts, and wild thyme and heather on their sunny foreheads. We don't want mountains in gardens, but we must have hills and hollows, walks that lead down, down, among mossy patches and between walls of rock and sprawling cistuses and cotoneasters and tassellings of fern ; and up again to round knolls of ivy, and again higher to clumps of juniper and tussock grass and fringes of violet and primrose, with a bowery nook somewhere for rest and a good view of the open country, to make excuse for halting. I can bring Lord Bacon into court as a witness for hillocks, and Robert Burns shall plead for lovers' retreats ; and, if needful, the authority of Shenstone shall be added for embellishing these ups and downs with "winding waters" and flowery knolls. In the great days of the pic- turesque, the lovers of molehills and creeping thorns committed the very common mistake of overdoing a good thing, and it was thought the acme of perfection of taste in gardening to pile up rockeries near the drawing- room windows, and debar entrance to the doorway by means of prostrated trees, and rivulets of water, and blocks of stone raw from the quarry. English gardening has now come to such a healthy state, that it is no longer needful to insist that all wild scenes should be removed to a distance from the dressed grounds, and that this principle should always rule in laying out a place — that %ve go to the rockery and wilderness, they must not come to us. So, of necessity, if there is to be a bowery nook, as there ought to be, a place of repose both for the eye and the mind, it should be the natural terminus of the walks that lead to it, and the eye and the mind should alike be prepared for it by a gradual transition Irom archi- tectural terraces, elaborate and highly colourad flower-beds, across smooth lawns, through belts of shrub and among clumps of deciduous trees, the scene everywhere becoming less formal than the point we started from, till we are prepared to meet nature in undress, or rather in the semblance of THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 97 undress, and suffer us to brush our faces and our hearts with fern-fronds, tufts of towering grass, plumes of humea, and filagree knots of meadow- sweet. To place the banks and braes where they will not offend is not all that is needful ; they must be located where they are likely to be useful ; in fact, everything in a garden, even to an individual blade of grass, should have its place and its purpose. K'ow suppose my friend comes to see the garden ; or, better still, comes to see me (for I don't like people who merely comes to see the garden), of course he takes a peep at new geraniums, fuchsias, rhododendrons, and lobelias, but it is not likely we can talk in earnest either about these, or anything else, in the burning sun and with our poor feet on hard gravel. No, I coax him away over the soft turf to the roses, then among the bushes, and next among the brakes, and so downhill to the banks and braes, and there in a shady arbour we take our rest, and perhaps fumigate the beech leaves overhead with the exhalations of a leaf that does not come to perfection in this climate. Tou can really talk when you are shut in between shelves of rock and slopes of heather, and tumble down precipices smothered with fern, and that is one use of banks and braes in gardens. But suppose you are alone, tasting the sweets of solitude; then where else would you go to enjoy the song of the thrush at three a.m., or that of the nightingale before the turn of midnight, or to peep into a robin's nest, and exchange courtesies with Kahgahgee, the king of ravens. There is another use of green retreats and mossy dells, to make one happy in communion with nature, and see — " The horizontal sun Hjeave his broad shoulder o'er the edge of the world," when the rosy dawn has awakened all the voices of the grove, and the first slanting beams of sunshine have to fight their way through bars of amber and glittering dewdrops. It is true that it is amidst the works of art that we thus enjoy our reveries, but it is art shaping its works to the model of nature, and selecting things grotesque with a full regard for all accompaniments and accessories. No doubt many other uses may be thought of, but there is, at least, one more worth naming, and that is the service of such nooks for the cultivation of plants that like to bask in the full sunshine, or hide in the cool shadows, or nestle close in clefts and hollows where there is a trickle of water or a bed of moist peat, or a cushion of moss to keep them company, as in the days when they dwelt with the wild bee, and heard the tinkle of the sheep bells on banks of yellow tormentil and bosky thyme. My present garden is so small that it is beyond all my hope to carry out my own A'iews on the disposition and forms of rockeries, but I have some banks and braes inclosing my quiet retreat ; and here is a picture of the entrance to what is commonly called a "summer-house" in my garden, and which is one of the prettiest and most comfortable structures of the kind I have ever seen, even in the paradise of a great duke. My summer- house is all of woods— that is to say, woods in their natural colours, yew posts, gnarled apple-tree pediment, oak wainscoat, yew blocks for seats, supported on oak pillars, and of course not a particle of paint used any- where. The front has two wings of hazel rod lattice, and one of these is just visible in the picture to indicate that the path leads somewhere. The picture is from a photograph taken last summer, and is another instalment 98 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. of the series promised to those readers who wish to see my garden, and who thoroughly understand that it is impossible for me either to invite them or to receive them if they come uninvited. I know what Paul says (Heb. xiii. 2), but my garden is my outdoor sanctum, and I keep on the doors of all my sanctums a permanent inscription, " Shut up in a brown study." Now, how are these rockeries made, and what shall we grow on them? Perhaps, as I have introduced the reader once more to my garden, I cannot do better than say how my small rockeries are constructed. In the first place there is a plot of ground aftbrding a suitable site. We must partly plant out that site, for the whole rockery ought not to be seen from a distance, or it betrays its strictly artificial character, and such a thing ought not to be measured and criticised from a distance, and, in fact, ought not to be visible at all from dressed grounds, for it cannot harmonize with architectural lines and perfect flower-beds. Well, we plant it out with clumps of the choicest shrubs and trees, such as purple-leaved nut, and berberry, weeping and variegated lime, holly, white-leaved maple, Siberian birch, American willow, and other subjects that fit appropriately to either wild or polished scenes. Then we mark out the boundaries and proportions of the rockeries, and as much as possible without descending to severe formality, give the preference to semicircles and ellipses, so as to get bold sweeps and connecting blocks, which may be made to jut out and divide one portion from another. Then it is mere labourer's work to wheel in a mass of clay or loam, or any stuff that may be had in bulk on the premises, but best of all, clay, because almost any tree or shrub afterwards planted on the heights will root in clay and prosper, and the material holds moisture a long time. Now you have your banks in the rough ; some are higher than others, so as to be seen as the eye roams over the summits of those lower down ; and there is one way through to some interesting spot or entertaining object, and another way out to the lawns or shrubberies, or water scenes ; and where the rockeries are vast enough, •water can be introduced with delightful eff'ect. But I am dealing with THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 99 the matter in a small way, I have ray elevations and I face them wliere they are irregular with large blocks of gray sandstone or the burrs from the brick-kiln, but of one material only, whatever that may be, in each separate section, so that each of the scenes is distinct in itself. If a straight line is anywhere needful, as in the present instance it is with me, I make amends for that by constructing a rough wall of tree stems. These are laid horizontally, and kept in their places with stout uprights driven down in front; and in the picture part of such a wall is shown on the left hand, where we turn the corner from the straight walk into the nook. Carry these facings of stone or dead trees eighteen inches higher than the present level of the bank of cla}^, and then throw on a bed of peat, and you may grow on that bank almost anything that will really live out of doors in this country. As for British ferns, which ought to have predominance among the permanent stock of such a planta- tion, the best thing I can say for them is that for the most part they will grow in any soil. I have great old plants of common Lastrea, Lady Fern, Blechnum, Brake, Polypody, Royal Osmund, and others as good, growing in clay alone, and all the aid they get is a daily sprinkling by means of the hydropult during the months of April, May, and June ; this they rejoice in, and make large glittering green feathers delightful to behold. For special purposes special means must be employed. It is on such banks we can best display Pampas grasses, huge-leaved Cannas, the common Caladium, and the many curious plants with ornamental foliage that are lost in the borders, and of little use in beds. I never saw any- thing in my life that pleased me more than the grouping on the bank here figured as we had it last summer. Some blocks and logs were taken out from the front here and there, and the spaces filled up with leaf- mould. In those spaces we planted all the saxifrages we could lay hands on, and they were beautiful. Among them we had hypnoides, Icelandica, oppositifolia, pyramidalis, pulchella, etc. In other similar openings tufts of spergula and sagina were inserted. Between the stones tufts of varie- gated-leaved thyme, sheep's fescue grass, the lovely variegated rue, variegated Helix arborea, and other such plants of small growth and striking characters. Up the slope of the bank the ferns were aided by the contrast of cannas in abundance, aU of which flowered profusely, and their magnificent foliage made the scene luxurious. But amongst these, towards the front, there were mixed all sorts of interesting plants, such as old stumps of Cineraria maritima planted in a mixture of broken chalk, charred rubbish, and leaf-mould, large plants of lleteor fuchsia for the sake of its leaves only, and further back Chenopo- dium atriplicis, and our now famous foliage bedder, the purple orach, allowed to grow to its full height, and make trees as tall as myself. If you can imagine what these colours were, relieved on every hand by the true green of Lady Ferns, Lastreas, and Osmundas, you will understand that a rockery need not be a weedery, or a mere refuge for the destitute. It would astonish some of our readers if I were to give a list of all the plants I have used for this sort of work, and with good effect too. For instance, I once wanted to get rid of along seedling mountain ash till they were strong enough to plant out in their places, and I scattered them over a huge extent of banks I had just then been carrying out for a gentleman to whom I was acting as adviser in general. They did look pretty mixed with the ferns and fancy plants, and they were actually 100 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND aARDEN GUIDE. thought to bo choice exotics, till I let the secret out myself. But cannas are not the only plants of gorgeous aspect we can use in this way. Last summer I put out begonias and caladiums, Coleus Blumei and Vers- chaffelti, and, in fact, any stove or greenhouse plant, however valuable, that is really capable of withstanding the vicissitudes of an average season, the only requisite being suitability for the pm-pose ; and gene- rally a striking foliage settles that point. My banks are helped out by means of knolls and butts. There is nothing more effective among rustic-work than a huge butt well placed and planted. On each side of the doorway of my wigwam are clumps of lady fern, which delight in the shade, and beyond these we have huge butts formed of sections of the bark of an oak ; these are fitted together so as to form the semblance of a tree cut down but hollow, and they are ap- propriated to pampas gi'asses, which are thus lifted high up and fall over all round with tenfold the grace they have when planted on the level. On some of the old trees we have trailing ringlets of wall linaria, tormentil, periwinkle, stonecrop, Sedum denticulatum, mesembryanthemum and por- tulacca, and ^odds and ends of tropa^olum, arctotis, gazania, and other flowering plants that liave something of a Avild look about them, and that tell better dangling from top knots, or peeping round corners, than when stiffly set out in beds like a party arranged for a quadrille which never begins. That, in fact, is just what is wanted for a set of bedders — they ought to dance; then we should have the poetry of motion as well as of colour, and we could invite friends to see our vegetable chromatropes. As for grasses they come in anywhere, in sun and shade, damp and dry, and harmonize with anything in these scenes. Among my favourites for banks, I must name common canary (steal a pinch of seed out of Dick's cage, and tell him he shall have a slice of apple in exchange), tussack, Festiica ovina,' rubra, and glauca, Aira caespitosa, Stipa pennata, Briza geniculata, Eranthis Bavenna^, Lagurus ovatus, Panicum Italicum, and a few of the commonest species of carex, of which we can always find roots among the peat and in the rhododendron beds. I am well aware that to make the best of banks and braes requires some experience and taste, but the principal thing is to begin well. Once get your curves, sweeps, breaks, openings, and walls of greenery and rocker}' nicely disposed, and it is simple work enough to plant them. The robuster species of British ferns and grasses will thrive almost anywhere and anyhoAV, but the shady parts should be chosen for all the choice ferns, damp places for Lady fern and Osmunda. For Saxifrages you must have a north aspect and a good depth of turfy peat ; it is a moist air they need most, a hot sun and a dry soil are death to them. For the succulents choose the hottest and driest position, and if you want a carpet of moss choose a cool, damp, shady nook ; take out the soil a foot deep, and fill in ■with sour peat or a mixture of whatever comes out of pots in shifting plants ; the old sour leaf-mould, and other exhausted stuff of a sandy kind in which plants have grown, is the best of all soils to encourage mosses and liverworts in a damp place. Thus, you see, nothing need be wasted in a garden. It is a wonderful help to all such scenes to play the engine upon them once a day at least, better twice, from the middle of April till the end of June, or, in fact, the whole of the season, except in rainy weather. It not only promotes luxuriant growth, and keeps the foliage looking like new w^ax-work, but by moistening bark, logs, rocks, and soil. THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 101 promotes a growth of mosses, liverworts, lichens, and fungi everywhere, and brings Dame Nature into our closest proximity, so that we can better understand the pictures of the poets and sympathize with those who talk of "bearded oaks and hemlocks," with a proper zest and enthusiasm, and that is something gained among the enjoyments of life. I tremble now to think that I have only touched this subject after all ; I have fo)-gotten my lovely ivies, of all shapes and colours ; my double primroses ; procumbent yews, that grow down as flat as ivy left to trail on the ground ; my spiky specimens of Juniperus Phoenicia, with their spar- kling cones ; my golden yews, and my grand background of conifers, with Pinus monticolor, ^nobilis, J^ordmanniana, cembra, Austriaca, excelsa, Picea pinsapo, Abies, Khutrow, and a whole lot of them ; but as they are all doomed to depart, for they have grown too big for me, they will excuse my brevity, and for other matters I hope the gentle reader will be equally indulgent till an opportunity comes again to gossip on these subjects. Shieley Hibberd. BEDDING AND BEDDEES. OrK summary of the recent exhibition wdl show which way the wind blows in ornamental gardening. Literally it has been blowing from the wrong quarter lately, and a hot sun and an east wind have made the tops of the roses shrivel, and there are plenty of those leaf-rolling caterpillars, collec- tively known as " blight," amongst them ; but the metaphorical wind is from another quarter of the hea- vens : it must be due south, consider- ing the march of colour, for we are going towards the tropics, and taking our own climate with us, for the aurora is left far behind as weak and flashy, and nothing less than sunshine and Tyrian dye will suit us now. If we do not see something better than calceolaria and scarlet geranium in the viUa gardens this season it will not be our fault, and wherever we do see it we shall knock at the door and leave a prospectus of the Floeal Woelc, as the only cure for a mortal disease in the constitution of decorative horticul- ture. The demand for Antennariamar- garitacea tells us that there must be as great a lack of silver coin here as in the dis-United States, where arealdol- las is worth a yard",of wall paper, and a silver cent almost as great a rarity as the Koh-i-noor. You may depend upon it that we cannot overdo it in the use of plants which produce a de- sirable effect by means of their leaves only, because then we have in the bed or line one uniform colour, instead of dottings of red, white, or blue on a ground of green. Take a distant view of a bed of geraniums, and as you see the flowers oi masse, the effect is de- cided and satisfactory ; you are in fact delighted, and so you go closer, and it is like being at a conjuror's elbow, and you no longer enjoy the delusion. Now you see the scarlet broken into splashes, and the green of the leaves spoils it. The combination of the green and scarlet produces on the retina a sort of neutral brown. If you do not believe it, mix red and green together with water-colours, and report to us on the result. But pluck a thousand trusses of scarlet geranium, and stick them in close to- gether in a bed of dark soil, and you see at once how one colour on a dark ground satisfies the eye, whereas two colours, and those complementaries, cause dissatisfaction when both are seen without partiality to either. ' It follows (and if it does not appear I to follow, we can prove the point by ; other arguments) that a plantation of flowers set out parterre fashion, should be viewed as nearly as possible j in a horizontal line, or at an angle j just low enough to take in the view I of the furthest of the colours. Now 102 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. to plan out your geometric garden consider lirst the several points from which it may be viewed, also reason- ably, one angle and one of those points should be the drawing-room windows. From one of these points make your plan on this principle, that the colours in front are to contrast harmoniously with those next in the rear, and so on to the further side of the whole is to be a composition at which a true artist will clap his hands with delight. Hundreds of garden plans pass through my hands every year, and I have one uniform way of judging them. I take a box of water colours, and draw on a slip of paper the predominant colours m stripes, each in the proportion it has on the plan, and if tbey do not harmonize on the paper they will not on the ground, and this I have proved again and again in practice. When I go to Kew or Sydenham, or where else, I make a plan in pencil on a page of my note-book. Not that I really want it, for I have a tremendous memory, but to make sure in case of a nice point arising out of some matter I did not trouble at the time to lix on the wheel of my sensorium. When I get home I paint out the pattern, and I invariably find that what I thought good on the ground will be good on the paper. It ought to be so, for orange and violet look well side by side m a flat mosaic, in a lady's bonnet or dress, in a bouquet, and in a scheme of bedding. Well, you set out your colour, and you find that for your centre you want a neutral tint, to prevent the eye being drawn that way, and to prevent the scheme shrinking, for it will shrink almost to nothing, with strong colours in the centre. Now try again with the colours ; make mere daubs of red, blue, yellow, crimson, etc., etc., close together or meeting closely. What a mess it will be. But take some strong grays, blues, whites, and ambers, and with these paint sharp lines between the strong colours to separate them. Presto! how the scene is changed. If two colours come side by side that do not very well harmonize the divisional line makes them tolerable. Put amber on your purples, whites on your blues and scarlets, blue on your orange, gray anywhere. By the way, gray is a good relief to any strong colour, so gray edgings come in generally, and are wonderful for geraniums. Now you see how necessary it is to colour your ground as the Moors coloured their pavements. Pale green will light up any combination of deep, rich colours, such as purples, crim- sons, and scarlets, and you have that always at hand in grass turf. But you say, " Why then find fault with the green leaves of Tom Thumb when a mass is closely inspected ? " For this reason, that the scarlet fi^owers are sprinkled on the green. But when a mass of scarlet lias a green boundary, the green is pure green and green alone ; if it is even dotted with daisies, you ought to be ashamed of it. But go on with the colouring. Tear up the paper on which you made the daubs for illus- trating the use of edgings, and paint another. Put in the centre a patch of creamy white, and suppose that to be Flower of the Day geranium. Eound that put patches of lavender, cerise, and flesh ; these are your semi-tones ; and you cau do them in ageratum, geranium, heliotrope, and verbena. Edge these with halt' tones opposed to the half tones of the mass. Now surround them witJi patches of orange, purple, scarlet, and crimson, in the order named, all round, and edge these with blue and silver, and the deed is done. From whatever point you view the group it will be harmonious. You can do all these in calceolaria, geranium, verbena, and petunia, and the edging will require cerastium, lobelia, Stachys lanata, Gnaphalium lanatum, and Anten- naria. As easy done as said. You only want plenty of plants, and cou- rage to use them in sufficient quan- tity, and if you can't do that, level the beds down, and sow grass seeds, and make up your mind that bedding must be bedding, and not patching ; and, at the same time, remember that the Flobal World is no enemy of bedding, but a decided enemy of bad bedding, as a degradation of gardenesque. S. H. THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 103 PROFITABLE GARDENING.* This is a reprint of the papers which have appeared under this general heading in the Flokal World, but with additions and illustrations. Our friends have fre- quently suggested to us the desirability of a repubhcatiou in the form of a volume of those papers, and their wish is now gratified, and they can have the book for 3*. 6d. It will be found a very complete manual for the kitchen and fruit garden, as it embodies the results of much experi- mental as well as ordinary routine cul- ture of all our most useful fruits and vege- tables. It is selling so fast that we are already satisfied we did right in conceding to the wishes of good frieuds, and we leave it for the readers to determine what are its merits and defects. FLOWER SHOWS OF MARCH AND APRIL. Royal Botanic Sociktt, March 28tli. — The tent appropriated to the exhibitors wa8 admirably filled ; on one side was a bank of specimen plants, and on the other the great collection of hyacinths, tulips, cut roses, and small plants in flower. At the head of the tent Messrs. Standish and Veitch united the two depart- ments by means of a bank of no- velties, which carried the visitors to the plants one way and to the flowers another. This collection of novelties comprised subjects that have been many times exhibited, yet they are all novelties still, and the greater part of them are undoubtedly destined to make some marked effect upon the aspect of English gardens in time to come. The most striking plant in Mr. Standish's lot was Retinospora pisifera, the margin of the tufts of leaves being of a rich yellow colour, and looking as if each separate bundle of twigs terminated in gold fringe. The variegated form of the umbrella pine, Sciadopitys verticillata varie- gata, cannot be judged in a small state ; no doubt if the variegation is permanent, a great tree of this pine, on a lawn or knoll in a park, will be one of the most remarkable objects yet seen in an English landscape. Another of the really useful things from the same noted grower, was Eleagnus Japonicus variegatus, a charming shrub. The green-leaved Aucuba Japonica was shown, in both the male and female form, by Mr. Standish and others. Among the more showy of the novelties, Messrs. Veitch made a good effect with a huge plant of Maranta vittata, the large leaves regularly cross-barred with silver lines ; but better still was a plant of the charming Rhododen- dron Jasminiflorum, with its large creamy, jasmine-like blossoms, the most beautiful of all the small- flowered rhododendrons. Mr. Bull sent a nice lot of plants, the rarest and best of which was Gleichenia flabellulata, with very strap-shaped lax-looking fronds, so densely produced that the plant looked as solid as a ball, showing as much of good culture as the merit of the species. The collections of amaryllis from Messrs. Cutbush and E. G. Henderson, were very fine. Those from Messrs. Cutbush were beginning to look the worse for wear, having already done duty upon several occasions. Among those from Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Co. was a batch of unnamed seedlings, several of which were exceedingly good, with cerise and rose-coloured flowers, be- sides two magnificent scarlets, de- serving to be placed as the standards of excellence at this juncture in the progress of the amaryllis. The smaller subjects consisted chiefly of cinerarias and cyclamens. Mr. Holland, gardener to R. W. Peake, Esq., obtaining a silver medal for the best twelve Cyclamen Per- sicum ; these comprised the white • " Profitable Gardening : a Practical Guide to the Culture of Vegetables, Fruits, and other useful out-door Garden Products ; intended for the use of Amateurs, Gentlemen's Gardeners, Allottees, and Growers for Market." By Shirley Hibberd, F.R.H.S. Loadou : Groombridge and Sons, Paternoster Row. 104 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEX GUIDE. and rose coloured varieties, and like all Mr. Holland's plants, showed an abundant and healthy foliage. There were two very excellent collections of a hundred hyacinths, exhibited respec- tively by Messrs. Cutbiish of High- gate, and Mr. W. Paul of Waltham Cross. Each of these firms had also fifty pots of tulips, which were rather full blown. Cut roses were shown in abun- dance, and were marvellously fragrant and very beautiful, attracting a large share of the admiration of the visitors; eight boxes were from Messrs. Paul and Son, Cheshunt, and five boxes from Mr. W. Paul, Waltham Cross. The principal novelties exhibited by Messrs. Arthur Henderson and Co. were Arisema ringens, the flower of which is of a rather lighter green than the leaves, with an under lip of very dark purple ; Dracsena Can- najfolia, a magnificent specimen ; Pandanus elegantissima, and a new Tropffiolum Ball of Fire, a very daz- zling crimson, hairy and short jointed, and a most abundant bloomer. EoYAL Botanic Societt, April 11th. — The principal attractions at this show were the azaleas, but hyacinths were still in pretty good condition, and there was a liberal exhibition of amaryllis and of fine foliage plants. Cinerarias were very scarce. Among the cut flowers there was as fine a display of roses as any usually seen in Jxme and July, and in this department the Messrs. Paul had it all to themselves. The small tent in which the exhibition was held was very tastefully arranged with a grand bank of plants on one side, and on the opposite side collections of small plants and cut flowers, and at the end the specimen azaleas with their huge fronts of glowing colour. Mr. Turner made the grandest show in azaleas, with a set of six large pyramids, all perfect in outline and even masses of brilliant bloom. The varieties were Iveryana, Rosy Circle, Prince Jerome, Admiration, Holfordii, and Criterion. Besides these, Mr. Cross, gardener to Sir P. H. Goldsmidt, put up a grand half dozen pyramids, in the very best style of training. Messrs. Ivery, of Dork- ing, sent smaller plants, but as regards quality they were certainly the best azaleas there ; the blooms were larger and the plants remarkablj^ symmetri- cal, and finished off" in a most artistic style. Some beautifully grown small plants came from Mr. Cutbush, of Barnet ; Mr. G. Taylor, gardener to C. H. Hanbury, Esq., also sent a nice half dozen, but the plants were not well matched. Among the new azaleas were many of great merit, Messrs. Smith, of Dulwich. sent a basketful of flowers of Flag of Truce ; this is unquestionably a most de- sirable variety, the flowers large and well formed, and of the most pearly whiteness. Mr. Bull showed a pro- mising young seedling called Pandora, the flowers of which were well formed and substantial, and of a vivid car- mine rose colour ; also Alexander II., like Iveryana ; Due de Nassau, large semi-double, intense lively rose. Mr. Chilman, gardener to Mrs. Smith, sent Princess of Wales, a finely shaped flower of average size, the colour pale rose, top petal warm rose. Mr. Turner sent a superb white azalea called Louise Yon Baden ; also President, vivid salmon-red, remark- ably symmetrical, and fine substance ; Perfection, intense rose ; Duke of Cambridge, salmon rose. Mr. A. Todman showed Prince of Orange, Kinghornii, and Dr. Livingstone. There was not much of a novel character among the collections of stove and greenhouse plants, very good collections being exhibited by Slessrs. J. and C. Lee, A. Henderson and Co., F. and A. Smith, of Dul- wich, and Mr. Williams, of Holloway. Among the miscellaneous flowers the first in importance were the col- lections of roses from the two great nurseries of Messrs. Paul and Son, and Mr. W. Paul. Imagine plants and flowers equal to about a sixth part of the first Is^ational Rose Show, contributed by two growers in the month of April, and it will give some idea of the scale on which roses are grown at the nurseries. Here, too, were all the best of what we call autumnal roses in their very best state of substance and colour, show- ing very careful and very gentle THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 105 forcing, and the beneficial efiect that 1 way of the splendid weather we have 1 had this spriag. Mr. W. Paul put up a row of twelve nice plants, very various in size and shape, but as the large plants were in the centre, and the smaller at either end, graduating; from the centre each way, this group had a very complete appearance, and was one of the best in the show. A fine cineraria called the E-ev. S. H. Widdrington, was exhibited by Messrs. S. Perkins, of Coventry ; it is a rich purple with a narrow white ring. The same firm also exhibited their new Verbena Lord Leigh, in fine condition ; this is unquestionably a grand scarlet, and will probably run a close race with Foxhunter this season ; every grower of verbenas must have it. There was a basket of Zonale Geraniums from Mr. Bull, and among them many fine trusses of scarlet, white, rose, cerise, flesh, aud crimson. Messrs. E. G-. Henderson and Son, St. John's Wood, sent some of the best of the tricolor-leaved geraniums, the best of which were the Countess, Sunset, Little Beauty (quite a gem), Mrs. Pollock, and Sir W. Wallace. Hyacinths were shown in plenty, and were generally good, the principal exhibitors being Messrs. Cutbush, Highgate ; Mr. Noble, gar- dener to J. L. Latham, Esq. ; Mr. G. Fox, gardener to il. Gibbs, Esq. ; Mr. A. Carr, gardener to B. Noakes, Esq. ; and Mr. Taylor, gardener to C. A. Hanbury, Esq. Messrs. A. Hender- son and Co. seat a new epacris called Viscountess HiU, the flowers in large spikes, and the colour a peculiar shade of salmon crimson, quite a novelty. There were a few good new rhodo- dendrons. Messrs. E. G. Henderson had Rhododendron Veitchii, a charm- insf flower like a Lilium. Mr. Parker, of Tootina:, sent Countess of Hadding- ton, blush white, the flowers trumpet- shaped, aud resembling in form those of Datura Wrightii. M r. Bull taught the practicals a new lesson in the use of Bourgainvillea spectabilis, by send- ing three plants in forty-eight sized pots, the plants trained round their willow wands, brought to a point at the top and moderately well covered with blossoms. There were cut ca- mellias from Messrs. J. and C. Lee and Messrs. A. Henderson. We must not omit to mention a set of double Alpine primulas, and a set of British ferns from Messrs. Ivery, of Dorking, and a very charming lot of the latter from Miss Clarkson. PROTECTION OF WALL TREES. As the frosts of this spring are likely to do more than their usual amount of damage in consequence of the forward state of vegetation, I wish to recommend to those among your readers whose walls are not coped, and who cannot a3"ord to glaze them, a method of protecting their fruit trees, which is very simple and economical, and I find perfectly efficacious. Take narrow strips of wood about an inch wide and two feet long ; nail one end of the strip j(?r7wZy to the top of the wall, as in the figure, at about one yard interval ; then cut old car- peting or matting into strips, and lay it upon the strips of wood, securing it well to them, here and there, to keep it out of the way of the tree. A narrow stair carpet answers perfectly, or if too wide it can be cut in half, and there are such things to be found in most houses. I have seenthe same thing done with branches of fir-tree by a clever Scotch gardener ; but in some houses old stair carpets may be more accessible than fir-branches. Of course, the narroioer it is the better, so '■•'^^* that it answers the purpose, in order xija that the fruit tree may not be too much shaded. March 21, O. M. H. 106 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. MAT, 1863.— 31 Days. Phases of the Moox. — Full, 3rd, 2h. 52m. after. ; Last Quarter, 10th, 7h.. 16m. mom. ; New, 17tli, 4h. 49m. after. ; Fii-st Quarter, 2Dth, 8h. 47m. after. j Weather near London. 1862. THE COUNTET. D Sun rises. Sun sets. Moon 1 Moon rises. ' sets. i 1 ,, Sain. M BABOMETBB. Mx. Min. THEBMOMBTEB. Mx. Mn. Me. The Garden and the Field. 1 h. m. 4 35 h. m. 7 20 Aft. ! Morn. 5 9 3 8 29-91. ..29-90 79. ..50. ..64-5 -02 Oak and vine foliate 2 4 33 7 21 6 28 3 32 3016... 3008 65. ..35. ..50-0 -00 Common quaking fl. 3 4 31 7 23 7 46 4 1 30-15. ..29-80 59... 45. ..52-0 -00 Horse cheanut fl. 4 4 29 7 24 9 2 4 39 29-78... 29-67 78. ..50.. .64-0 •12 Great plaintain fl. 5 4 27 7 26 10 12 5 24 29-93... 29-92 79. ..52. ..65-5 •00 Honeysuckle fl. 6 4 25 7 28 11 9 6 22 30-04... 29-89 84. ..52. ..68-0 -46 Toad flax fl. 7 4 24 7 29 11 54 7 31 29-92... 29-73 61... 44... 52-5 -80 Mountain-ash fl. 8 4 22 7 31 Morn.: 8 49 29-89... 29-78 65. ..43. ..540 -60 Laburnum fl. 9 4 20 7 32 0 3110 6 29-64... 29-48 64... 44... 54-0 •31 Walnut fl. 10 4 IS 7 34 0 5911 27 29-63.. .29-58 65. ..40.. .52-5 •10 Wild mustard fl. ' 11 4 17 7 S6 1 22iAfter. 29-69. ..29-59 62. ..43. ..52-5 -04 White lily fl. 12 4 15 7 37 1 45i 2 0 29-87... 29-57 61. ..39. ..50-0 •00 Red clover fl. 13 4 14 7 39 2 6, 3 13 29-86... 29-84 61. ..33. ..470 •00 Black vetch fl. 14 4 12 7 40 2 28' 4 26 29-87. ..29-85 57... 42... 49-5 -13 Columbine fl. 15 4 11 7 42 2 51 5 36 29-89... 29-76 60. ..46. ..530 •46 Lily of the valley fl. 16 4 9 7 43 3 17^ 6 46 29-91. ..29-81 67. ..40. ..53-5 •00 Sweet vernal grass fl. 17 4 8 7 45 3 48 7 51 30-10.. .3004 76. ..41. ..58-5 •00 Fleawort fl. 18 4 6 7 46 4 26' 8 49 3011. ..30-01 80. ..42. ..61-0 -00 Peony fl. 19 4 5 7 47 5 llj 9 39 30-05. ..29-88 80... 40... 60-0 -00 Soft brome-grass fl. 20 4 4 7 49 6 210 21 29-77... 29-61 70. ..41. ..55-5 -00 Monkshood fl. 21 4 2 7 50 6 5910 55 29-65. ..29-53 63... 35... 49-0 -18 Mulberry fohates 22 4 1 7 52 8 111 24 29-75... 29-49 65. ..47. ..56-0 -02 White clover fl. 23 4 0 7 53 9 511 48 29-76. ..29-73 66.. .47. ..56-5 •04 Serb Bennett fl. 24 3 59 7 54 10 10 Morn. 29-93... 20-89 69... 40... 54-5 •00 Meadow orchids fl. 25 3 58 7 56 11 16 0 10 30-05... 29-92 67...33...500 -00 Mignonette fl. 26 3 56 7 57 After.: 0 31 3011... 30-00 72. ..48. ..60-0 -01 Common sorrel fl. , 27 3 55 7 58 1 33 0 49 29-90... 29-83 66. ..52. ..590 -09 Ox-eye daisv fl. 28 3 54 7 59 2 47 1 10 29-86. ..29-83 72. ..52. ..62-0 -01 Herb Robert fl. 29 3 53 8 1 4 3 1 33 29-87... 29-64 73. ..54.. .63-5 -00 Ragged Robin fl. 30 3 52 8 2 5 20; 1 58 29-67... 29-42 68. .,52. ..60-0 •15 Foxglove fl. 31 ^ 52 8 3 6 37 2 31 29-94... 29-82 76. ..43. ..59-5 •02 Figvrort fl. THE GAEDEN GUIDE EOE MAT. Kitchen Garden. — High culture should be aimed at now with all vegetable crops, frequent stirrings between the rows with the hoe to keep down weeds, and abundant supplies of water and liquid manure. It is hardly possible to give too much water, and in exposed situations and on thin soils grass mowings should be used as a mulch to keep the ground moist, but should be examined occasionally to guard against it becoming a harbottr for slugs. Put sticks to rows of peas as soon as they require it ; well bank up those that are forward. Thin parsnips and carrots to eight inches apart, sindgoon transplanting from seed-beds as fast as the plants are large enough to handle, leaving the smallest to get stronger before moving them. Choose showery weather, if possible, for transplanting, or else give shade for a few day.s, and gentle watering. Flat-hoe po- tatoes, and draw but little earth to their stems ; the old method of moulding them up has proved to be of no benefit at all, rather an injury, as the heat of the sun cannot h.ave too ready an access to the roots. Thin out celery, and make up small beds for the plants on very rich, hard ground. Trenches should now be made for celery, and six inches of rotten dung forked into the bottom of each. A dull or showery day should be chosen to put out the plants, and plenty of water given during dry weather. Look to seed-beds, and trans- THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 107 plant; well hoe and clear the ground as may be necessary. The use of liquid manure and frequent stirring of the ground between growing crops will hasten and im- prove the growth of all things. Soto beans and peas for succession, savoy for late crop ; cabbage, broccoli, kale, beet-root, kidney-beans, both runners and dwarfs, lettuces, spinach, turnips, cu- cumbers, and marrows may now be sown in the open ground for a late supply. Flower Garden. — We would advise those who have not had much experience in bedding, to defer the putting out of their stock till towards the end of the month. There is nothing gained by the attempt to save a week, for we frequently have bitter nights, and north-east winds, even till the last week of May. The middle of the month is the earliest time at which we would put out bedding stock anywhere near London, or in the Midland Counties; farther north we would wait till another fifteen days, but in the south they are always in advance of us Londoners. Successional sowings should be made of all hardy an- nuals that may be required to succeed those sown in March, and tender kinds, such as asters, zinneas, etc., may now be sown in the open ground. This is a good time to sow hardy and half-hardy perennials of all kinds, to get strong plants for Avinter, either to remain out, or have the protection of a frame, or to take up and pot for early blooming in the greenhouse. Lovers of the ChineseprimulashouM sownowforthe next spring. Late planted roses should have plenty of water, and the surface mulched, and similar treatment given to hollyhocks and chrysanthemums put out last month. Carnations and picotees should be staked without delaj', and their shoots thinned. Part and plant polyanthuses and primroses that have done blooming, and give them a rich loam and a shady aspect. Where it is intended to have new gravel, it would be advisable to defer it till the beds are filled, and the whole garden acquiring its full summer gaiety, a coating of fresh gravel then will add much to its fresh and bright appearance. Roll and mow grass turf fre- quently, to promote a fine close growth. Any watering of plants in the open ground should be done in the morning now, as the nights are often very cold. Gheenhodse. — Hard-wooded plants will want plenty of air, and specimen plants in flower must have shade. Allow nothing to form seeiJ, unless seed be specially de- sired. Cut back all kinds of shrubs that are out of shape, and keep them rather close afterwards, to get good breaks, so as to bring them into decent shape, and get the wood well ripened for next year's bloom. Where plants are crowded, many may be removed to frames, so as to allow of a freer circulation of air. Shift, stop, and tie out all soft-wooded plants that are advancing in growth ; but if required to bloom shortly, they must not be disturbed, merely kept in shape, and have plenty of water and free ventilation. Continue to strike bedding stock lor late blooming. Fuchsias, geraniums, verbenas, and petunias make beautiful specimens for pot blooming in the autumn, if struck now and kept regularly stopped till July. They should not have a high temperature, fuchsias especially, which like shade and moisture. Cinerarias done blooming should be cut down and planted in rich soil, in a cold frame, to fur- nish offsets for potting. Camellias and azaleas that have made their young shoots should have a little more ventilation to pre- pare them to go in the open airnext month to ripen their wood. All growing plants, and especially hard- wooded ones, must be regu- larly stopped, and have plenty of air, to insure a sturdy short-jointed growth, and tiffany, or the canvas called " strainer," put up inside the house, where moderate shading may be necessary. Pelargoniums out of bloom to be cut in and allowed to break before repotting them, and the sy- ringe and fumigator kept in use, as may be necessary, to destroy red spider and green- fly. Fire-heat should be dispensed with as much as possible, preparatory to clearing and cleaning out the house. Stove. — Pines must be shaded on bright days, and the soil about tliem kept regu- larly moist, and liquid manure used fre- quently. Suckers should be removed as soon as they make their appearance, except so far as they may be required for stock. Queens never produce good fruit unless the suckers are removed early. Young pines, for winter fruiting, should be in a rather light soil, to prevent excess of moisture from stagnating about them. Vines that have their roots in inside borders should be liberally supplied with water, and the shoots should be tied in, in good time. Vines in pots will require frequent supplies of liquid manure, and stopping of laterals must be attended to, to regulate the growth. Ked spider must be kept in check by the use of sulphur, and the best method of using it is to paint the pipes with a mix- ture of sulphur, lime, soot, and water. Go over the bunches occasionally, and thin them regularly, to promoie their beauty and the size of the berries. Melons just planted must be kept close and warm till the roots get to work, and then a short- joiuted growth should be encouraged by F 2 108 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. moderate ventilation and abundance of light. Stove climbers now wane plenty of room, and liberal culture ; the syringe will do womJers to keep down vermin. Average temperature for pines 75' at night, 85° to !)0' by day ; for general collections, 65' to 70' at night, and 75' to 85' by day. Annuals are held in light estimation because people do not really cultivate them. Thin out the patches and top the branch- ing kinds, and they will bloom so vigor- ously as to be altogether unlike the crowded spindling things on which people vent their abuse. Quick flowering annuals sown in shady places at the end of the month or early in June, will come into flower for succession to those that are ex- hausted, and prove of great service. Bedding Plants to be kept growing till of sufficient size for hardening off, and fresh cuttings put in of those of which the stocks are short. Sorts that are in a fit state for turning out to be carefully har- dened first, as any severe and sudden check will put them back tremendously. Place them in cold pits first and shade from mid- day sun, and cover up at night. By de- grees, let them have full exposure, and to he left uncovered night and day before turn- ing out. Plants purchased from nurseries generally require careful hardening, owing to their having been pushed rather fast. In selecting at nurseries, prefer plants from open frames if you can get them. If ilahlias are turned out early, they must be protected at night with inverted flower- pots with the holes stopped, and by bell- glasses during the day, should the weather he wet and cold. The 15th is quite early enough to begin to turn out dahlias. Put the stakes to them at once. Take cuttings of everything that is wanted to bloom late in the season, and for next year's stock. Verbenas and petunias struck now in a brisk heat will bloom well at the end of July. Ridge Cucumbers and Marrows. — Mar- rows, cucumbers, and melons may still be sown ; the latter require the most heat, and cannot be well fruited unless they can enjoy a temperature of 70' to 80', and five more degrees of bottom-heat. Pumpkins and gourds of all kinds, as well as Stock- wood, Southgate, and short prickly cucum- bers, may be grown to great perfection in the open air, by starting the seeds in a gentle heat, and when the plants have formed their rough leaves turning them out on a bed of dung or loam v/ell enriched, and giving them the protection of hand-glasses for the first fortnight. Those who have no hand-glasses, should protect them every night till June, by turning over each plant a flower-pot with the hole stopped. Ridge cucumbers bear well and give little trouble; the simplest way of growing them is to cut a trench three feet wide and two feet deep, and fill this with any littery rubbish in a fermenting state ; long, half-fermented dung is, of course, the best. Soil it over nine inches deep with the stuff that was taken out, and then sow in patches of three seeds, eighteen inches apart. Pots or hand-glasses shonld be put over each patch of seed, till they come up, when they should have air by degrees, and protection against night frosts, and to be thinned to the strongest plant in each patch, as soon as they have made their rough leaves. Cu- cumbers and gourds should not be stopped, but allowed to ramble as they will, either on the ground or a rough trellis. They should have abundance of maniiro water in dry weather, and the fruit cut as fust as it is ready, as, if one is left to ripen, tha vines cease to be prolific. Auriculas. — Pick off the seed-vessels as fast as the plants go out of flower, but do not cut down the flower-stalk. When done blooming, place the pot on a pave- ment of tiles out of doors, and let them have air and showers. But very heavy showers must be kept off by means of a spare light or a few boards, to be removed as soon as the storm is over. Any infested with fly, smoke well before turning out. Camellias. — Keep very moist and syringe the foliage frequently. Warmth and shade are essential to the free growth they should now make preparatory to being turned out to ripen their wood. Cinerarias. — These are now in their full beauty, and should have shade during mid- day hours. Give plenty of water, with liquid manure, once or twice a week. As they go out of bloom, cut down and remove to a shady place, and eartli up with sandy soil to promote the formation of roots by the suckers. Take these off when rooted, and pot singly and place in frames, and shade for a week. £eef of the first sowing to be thinned to one foot apart as soon as large enough. From the 7th to the 14th is early enough to sow for a crop of moderate-sized roots to store for winter. Broccoli. — Sow the second week, both early and late sorts, not forgetting Snow's Winter White and Lee's New Sprouting. Ca2}sicums and Tomatoes may be turned out on warm borders towards the end of the month, but there will be nothing gained by over haste. Tomatoes planted against hot walls should be covered every night till the first week in June. Caulijlotvers. — Give manure water to the THE FLORAL WORLD AUD GARDEN GUIDE. 109 forwardest to prodnce large heads. Sow for tlie autumn supply. Celery. — In pricking out, choose a hard bottom for the bed, on which lay four inches of rotten dung, and two inches of light rich soil. Handle the plants ten- derly, water lightly and regularly, and keep the lights over till they look brisk and growing. They will life from such a bed with vigorous roots, and at the first plant- ing out, choose the forwardest plants and let the others remain for the next set of trenches. Chrysanthemums make nice plants for ordinai-y purposes from May cuttings, and better witliout than with bottom-lieat. Cucumbers hiFrames will require plentj' of air and a brisk bottom-heat. Ee-line the beds where necessary. Train and thin the shoots. After lining, give pl&nty of water round the insides of the frames. Sow or strike cuttings for succession. Ridge cucumbers to be planted out under hand- lights or trenches two and a-half feet wide, and one foot deep, filled with dung twice round to a foot above the level. The dung should not be soiled over for a few dayg after making the bed. Cuttings of all the bedders should be taken as ftr as they can be spared, either by bushy plants, or to stop leaders of those that ought to be bushy. Always allow the plants cut from to break before dis- turbing them at the root, as one check is 8ufBcient at a time. Hardy spring flower- ing plants may be piopagated from cut- tings as soon as they have flowered, and a stock of Alyssum, Arabis, double Wales, etc., got lap very quickly and with less trouble than by sowing seeds. Dahlias should never go out till quite strong, unless to be protected every night with inverted flower-pots, each pot to he covered with a mat. Dahlias should be potted in rich stuff, to insure strong plants, before planting out, and be gradually har- dened. Cuttings put in now will root in a few days, so tliat sorts of which the stock is small may soon be secured. Edgings newly formed to be watered in dry weather. Saxifraga Icelandica makes a beautiful bright green edging for^a close line. Fuchsias for exhibition to have frequent and regular attention, the growth to be symmetrical, plants never to lack moisture ; not much sun. Bedding fuchsias are best from cuttings of the season, the old stools to be thrown away. Make the beds deep and rich with plenty of old dung and good leaf-mould. Geraniums struck now will make fine plants to bloom from July to November. Cuttings of geraniums should now he in- serted singly in thumb pots, so as to be ready for shifting to GO's without injury to the roots as soon as large enough. Potatoes. — Hoe between the rows as soon as the plants appear, and hoe fre- quently irrespective of weeds and moulding up. If planted deep enough in the first in- stance, we consider further moulding an injury to them. Fruit Gahdev. — Plums and pears, and indeed all bush and pyramid fruits, will want pinciiing in to the third or fourth leaf from the base. Where large crops of fruit are set, thin severely, but not all at once, as the more fruit the poorer will its quality be. Give strawberries plenty of water. If raspberries have not been mulched give them at once a top-dressing of half- rotten dung. Do not dig it in. Hyacinths to be kept green until they have completed their growth. If care- lessly turned out from pots and glasses, the hot sun and dry winds will all but kill them. They really want kindness, and it is best to turn them out with great care in a bed of rich sandy soil in a frame, and keep them rather close until the foliage be- gins to turn yellow ; then expose them to the full sun to encourage ripening, hut do not touch the bulbs for at least a fortnight after the leaves have quite perished. By that time the bulbs will be ripe, and may he cleaned and stored away. Orchid House. — In the Indian and Mexican houses abundant moisture and a liberal temperature may he allowed. By far the greater number of the most valued species derive their chief subsistence from the atmosphere, hence frequent sprinkling of the paths and stages should be prac- tised. Where there are large plants need- ing abundance of atmospheric moisture, the walls and tables near them should be drenched frequently, and the tanks should be kept full. This treatment will be most needed by Saccolabiums, Vandas, Phalse- nopsis, Dendrobiums, and Aerides, which make little progress unless liberally treated. Manage, however, to get the houses rather dry once a day, by means of ventilation, so as, by shutting up and watering, to imitate the natural deposition of dew of the jungles, from which these plants come. When syringing, use a very fine rose to cause the water to fall in a shower. Plants on blocks must be dipped twice a day. Plants recently potted must be kept alive chiefly by means of atmo- spheric moisture, until established, when they may have clipping and syringing as required. In any case of accident to a plant, cut away at once any bruised leaves. 110 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. Plants newly received from abroad, place in damp mois in a warm place until they be- gin to grow, then pot or block them, and give very liitle water until tbey have taken to tbeir stations. These should always Lave the warmest part of tlie house and plenty of atmospheric moisture. Plants in flower to be kept cool, and in a. dry atmosphere. To prepare them for removal to dwelling-room, where they are al- ways welcome, remove them first to the cool end of the stove, and let them };o nearly dry, having only enough water to keep the ro 'ts moderately moist. Water should never be thrown upon the blooms of orcliids, and as far as possible bees and other insects should not be allowed access to them, as in case of the blossoms being fertilized they soon wither. Temperature of Indian house 65" to 70'' by night, 75' to 85' by day. During sunny days the tem- perature may be allowed to rise to l'0\ tf the air is saturated with moisture, without harm. We must repeat the advice given last month, to use shading, which may now be kept up for the season. Orchids that may be in bloom in May. — Aerides Fieldingii, odoratum comutum, virens, virens grandiflora, virens super- bum ; Arphophyllum giganteum ; Brassia maculator major, verrucosa, Wrayse ; Bur- lingtonia fragrans ; Calanthe veratrifoiia ; Cattleya amethystoglossa, Mossise, citrina, Editbiana, intermedia violacea, lobata, quadricolor, Skinneri ; Chysis bractescens, Limminghii ; Coryanthes macranthus spe- ciosa ; Cypripedium caudatum, caudatum roseum, hirsutissimum, villosum ; Den- drobium crepidatum, Dalhousianum, den- siflorum, densiflorum album, Devonianum, Falconerii, Farrnerii, fimbriatum, longi- cornum mnjus, transparens, tortile; Epiden- druin aurautiacum, bicornutum, cinna- barinum, crassifolium, Hanburyanum, ma- crochilum, macrochilum roseum ; Lalia grandis, purpurata, purpurata var. Wil- liamsii, Schilleriaiia,superbiens, xanthina ; Leptotes serrulata ; Odontoglossum amplia- tum majus, bifolium, phymatochilum, ses- sile, sphacelatum majus ; Phajus Wallichii; Saccolabium ampuUaceum, curvilblium, guttatum, prsemorsum, retusum ; Schom- burgkia tibicina ; Trichopilia coccinea, crispa ; Vanda cristata, Lowii. TO CORRESPONDENTS. Exhibitions during May. —Messrs. E. G. Henderson, of Wellington Road, St. John's Wood, invite the public to inspect a grand show of early tulips, now in full bloom. We have seen the beds, and can assure our readers it will repay not only Londoners to pay a visit, but thcise who invest the cost of railway fare for a visit will have no reason to regret it, for it is probably the best exhibition of the kind in the country, and comprises all the best varieties known both of single and double tulips, and of the most valuable of true species, such as persicura, etc. On the 5tli there will be an exhibition of sculpture at the Eoyal Horticultural Gardens, South Kensington ; 21st, Royal Oxfordshire ; 23rd, Crystal Palace, flowers and fruit ; 27th, Royal Horti- cultural, first great show ; 27th, Lin- coln ; 30th, Northern Counties Tulip Society, and exhibition of Pansies, Mechanics' Institute, Manchester. Catalogues Received. — " Toole and Co., Westmoreland Street, Westmoreland Buildings, and 1 and 2, College Stn et, Dublin, Spring Catalogue and Ama- teur's Guide." This book contains an almanack, interleaved with plain paper for memoranda, which will make it useful. — " Peter Lawson and Son, Edin- burgh and London ; London house, 28, King Street, Cheapside, List of Agri- cultural Seeds." Contains everj'thing likely to be required by the farmer. — " John Dobson and Sons, Woodlands Nursery, Isleworth, and London Road, Hounslow, Descriptive List of New Pelar- goniums, Cinerarias, Verbenas, Fuchsias, etc." A good list, with a number of tine new varieties, which would prove a desirable addition to the garden and greenhouse. — " George Rawlins, 21, Globe Road, Bethnal Green, Descriptive Catalogue of Dahlias." On this sheet there are 181 varieties, which will prove sufficient for everj'body. — " William Holmes, Nursery, Well Street, Hackney, N.E., Descriptive Catalogue of Chrys- anthemums, Dahlias, Fuchsias, Verbe- nas, Geraniums, etc." Besides containing unexceptionable lists of the above plants, there are excellent directions for growing the chrysanthemum for exhibition. — " B. J. Edwards, 222, Strand, near Tem- ple Bar, London, Spring Catalogue of Choice Flower and Vegetable Seeds." A substantial list of requisites for the Kitchen and Flower Garden. — " Timothy Brigden, F.R.H.S., 52, King William Street, City, Catalogue of Garden Seeds." Amateurs may be here spared the trouble of making their own selections, by choosing from a number of various-priced col- THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. Ill lections, adapted for different sized par- dens. — " Henry N. Bransby, Corn Mar- ket and High Street, Alton, Spring Catalogue of Select Vegetable and Flower Seeds." A small list of good sorts. — "Insecticide Vicat, prospectus." This powder is the best thing of the kind known for destroying insects. We have often used it with invariable success. "Luxcombe, Pince and Co., Exeter Nur- sery, Exeter, Descriptive Catalogue of Eoses, Soft-wooded, Bedding, and other Plants." There are here some very beau- tiful novelties, likely to become great favourites. — " Alexander Shanks and Son, Dens Iron Works, Arbroath, and 27, Leadenhall Street, London, E.G., Illustrated Catalogue of Iron Horticul- tural Buildings, Lawn Mowing Machines, and other Garden Manufactures." Will •well repay the attention of those who contemplate building. — " George Walker Dixon, 48a, Moorgate Street, London, E.C., Catalogue of Seeds." A good catalogue, both for the garden and farm.—" Frederick Boshell, 86, High Street, Borough, S.E., Descriptive Cata- logue of Dahlias." Contains all the good old varieties, with a great many new ones. A Village in Dismay. — Noticing the courteous replies to inquiring corre- spondents, in your valued periodical, as one of its many attractive features, I beg for the first time to trouble you with a query, the solution of which, for our benefit, ■will confer a very large amount of happiness to my little circle, who are now perplexed, discomfited, and dis- mayed. Know, then, that to a keen love of the pleasure of gardening, the perusal of your varied works added the desire to unfold and develop the natural taste for its more practical enjoyment ; and fortune having favoured me in the happy possession of one of the most pic- turesque and romantic spots within five miles of the Bank, I am desirous that every feature in it should be religiously cared for and preserved. Now, sir, next to the gloriously open and beautiful view •which the spot commands, I was (upon taking possession of this place) more struck with the extraordinary loveliness of a full-grown, exquisitely-shaped, crab-tree, standing in the very centre of the grounds, than with anytljing else beside or around. Every year during its liistory (forty years old), even up to 1862, it was one glowing mass of the most gorgeous blossom. Every twig and branch, up to the extreme points, •was covered, presenting a sight which no man living could reveal, and whick the entire village turned out to see and ad- mire. You will, I am sure, judge of the deep feelings of dismay and sorrow which presses upon us this year, wlien I inform you that tiot one-iicentieih of this beautiful tree has any blossom at all. We are all thunderstiuck. The gardener can't account for it, and upon my sug- gesting it may arise from the immense mass of wood and branch which thickly cross and recross in the tree, he says, " But it has been so ever since I have known it, and it never failed before. If I was to begin to cut, 1 should never know when to leave off." Now, sir, if that tree was yours, what would yon do "with it ? I only -^vant it as an orna- ment ; the fruit is worth nothing, Yours ever. The First lizihscriber. [We can well understand the dismay of the village that your fine tree has not bloomed this year, but your dismay must be almost killing. Our advice is simply that you leave the tree alone. The reason it has not bloomed is that the wood was not well ripened last year. It is in the same case as the rhododendrons, which are every- where tlowerless, through not ripening their growth well last year. Don't at- tempt to prane it.] An Odtbbeak of Veemin. — I have a small terrace border (about fifty yards long) which was laid out last year, and in which I planted a line of roses, also a few phloxes and delphiniums. Some insect first ate out the buds from the roses, and even barked the wood for some two inches on each side of the buds, and this it repeated whenever any new buds appeared. When these were all de- stroyed, it attacked the phloxes and del- phiniums, eating into the young shoots and leaf-stalks, andnever allowing them to get three inches above the ground. In November last I put in other roses, and I find they are likely to share the fate of the last. Can you enlighten me a little as to who my enemy might be, and how I am to get rid of him ? I have tried a great number of insect-killing substances without the slightest eflect. The border is at the bottom of a piece of ground, which has been lately improved, and which was previously a plantation of old firs. — /. H. S. [The common rose-grub mostly eats out the bud, and destroys the bloom, but the barking must be done by the common ^nnil or slug, as they are very apt to do this, and their depredations being committed at night, is the reason you have not been able to discover them. They are, more- 112 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. especially fond of delpViiniums and phloxes. If you should liave occiision again to replant your border, trench two feet deep, digging in a good quantity of rotten dung, and a large dresbing of unslacked lime, and you will not be an- noyed with such pests for some time to come. To prevent the devastations of aphides, paint every part of the tree, stem and twigs, with strong tobacco- water in January. In pruning your roses cut off every dead snag, however small, as it is in the pith of these .snags the eggs of those giubs are deposited, whicli hatching ju^t as the leaves are developing, make such sad havoc among the queen of flowers.] Double Primbose. — Have you ever seen such a primrose, single or double, as the one I incloseabloomof ? Ifouudtliepbnt growing wild. As you may see, it is a true crimson — different from the doub e one usually sold as crimson, which is really a deep fiery red. Can you inform me how to set about getting a double one from this ? I suppose all the dou- bles have been produced in cultivation from singles found wild like this. — A. B. [The primrose is somewhat darker than the generality of dark piimroses, and is indeed a beauty. Some five or six years since we recollect meeting with some very dark ones in an embowered nook at I5romley, near Guildford, but not of so rich a maroon as inclosed seems to have been. It is quite worth keeping, and if any flower with six or more segments to the corolla should be discovered, mark such flowers, as they will be the most likely to yield multiple or double flowers. If more than one flower possessing the above characteristics should be dis- covered, resort to an interchange of pollen between such flowers, and there will be a still greater chance of double flowers. By continuing to sow the seed of any improved variety that may be raised, you may probably in the course of years succeed in raising a perfect double flower. In ail processes of this sort it is necessary to bear in mind the adage : — " If at first you rlou't succeed. Try, try, try again." Begonia Fuchsoides. — Subscriber.— It is scarcely possible to succeed to satisfac- tion with Begonia Fuchsoides in a green- house. In an intermediate house it may do pretty well, but we will just say how we used to manage it years ago, and we certainly never saw it so fine as we used to have it. Cuttings were put in in April, and grown on liberally all the summer in the stove, and kept them moving all the next winter, and the fol- lowing spring until June, when if they had gone on well they were in twelve pots, and tine pyramids six feet high, well furnished with branches from the pot upward. The first week in June they were set in a corner where they Avcre sheltered from the sun and wind on the south and west by a nine foot wall, and from the north and east by a thick shrubbery. Here they remained till the first week in August, when they were set in the greenhouse with gloxi- nias, achimenes, cockcombs, and other things. In this situation they began to show flower immediately, and before the end of the month they were one mass of bloom, and so remained until the be- ginning or middle of October, when they were thrown away, as others were coniing on for the next season. Our plants wei-e the admiration of every one who saw them. We attributed their abundant flowering to the partial rest they obtained the two months they were out of doors, and the sudden excitement caused by being placed in a large, airy greenhouse, under the grateful shade of vines, which partially covered the roof. We used to treat in the same way very successfully several members of the lovely genus ^schynanthus. Khododendron Cihatum, etc. — Sub- scriber.— We have had but one letter of yours, that dated April 2. Khododen- dron ciliatum is quite hardy, and will grow freely and flower well in a peat- bed in a north aspect, We have had plants of it out six years in a north aspect, and the winter of 1860 did it no harm. It is now in bloom. Messrs. Fraser, of Lea Bridge Road, have a fine form of it called Rliododendron ciliatum hybridum, the colour of dauricum, with large blossoms, and blooms in February. It will do in a room without a fire ; in fact, it hates fire in room or greenhouse. Give it plenty of water till it has formed a close point at the end of every shoot, then less 'and set it out of doors to har- den. We did not get your letter of March 9, so send another cutting of the plant. CUOUMBEES IX A GREENHOUSE, ETC. I^ew Hand. — To grow cucumbers in a green- house use a mixture of turfy loam, leaf- mould, androtten dung,equal parts ; make up a good bed and plant init. Train thea plants a foot from the glass, and stop at every joint above the fruit ; that is, where yousee fruit rub off the point'of the shoot, leaving only one leaf beyond the THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN aUIDE. 113 fruit. You had better refer to past volumes for management of calceolarias, cinerarias, etc., because, to reply to your queries, would require a treatise, and it is not long since we traated of those subjects. Any box that will hold a bushel of soil will grow a cucumber plant. We have grown cucumbers and melons in a greenhouse to perfection in 15-inch pots. For list of roses see past issues. Your grass will improve after we have had some rain. Roll and mow, and it will soon come right. There is no good melon very hardy ; those worth eating require the usual treatment of melons. We can recommend for beginners Boule de Siam and Cantaloupe. Messrs. Carter recommend as very good, and as hardy as ridge cucumbers, a melon called Achapesnorricher. The primula can be had of any respectable nurseryman. We object, as a rule, to mention names. Vines in Greenhouse. — New Suhscriher. — Grapes will grow in a house of any pitch. A sharp pitch is best for early grapes, and a low one suits for late grapes. Train one foot from the glass. Bring in the stem wherever it is conve- nient to do so. The grand thing is to have the roots in a good sunny border. One vine will do for a house of six yards in length, but in the present day most gardeners would prefer to plant three to save time. The plants you name would thrive in the same manner, as the vines will be leafless when light is valuable. "Sanders on the Vine," and " Cuthill on the Cucumber." No good book on the other subject named. Verbenas. — T.L — Snowflake for white, Foxhunter for scarlet, Purple King or Andre for purple or blue. Yon cannot do better than red, white, and blue. Exhibition Flowers. — T. S. Thornton. — You don't say how many you want of each. Of Fuchsias, take Clio, Madame Corneillison, Sir Colin Campbell, British Sailor, GeneralWilliam^^Venus de Medici, and Meteor for a centre-piece. Of Roses, Jules Margottin, Prince Leon, Madame Vidot, Triomphe de Beaux Artes, Ma- dame Domage, and William Griffith. Geraniums (? of what clas.s), take Bril- U liant, Bijou, Alma, Attraction, Mrs. Pollock, Sunset. Phlox, Mrs. Milford, Alba perfecta, Argus, Countess of Home, General Brea, Mrs. Winfield, Admiral Lyons. You should invest a shilling in the " Garden Oracle." You would have a complete summary of the best of the show flowers of all classes. If you can- not get what you want, apply to some of the dealers who advertise iu this work. Coco\ Nut Dust. — M. S. — This is fit for use the same day as received ; the longer it rots the better it is, because more solid, but it matters not how new it is. We have numbers of tropical ferns planted in it when quite new, and they are pictures of health and vigour. It is as good as peat for American plants, will prevent calceolarias dying off, and improve any soil, whether light or heavy, but is invaluable to temper the consistence of a tough clay. Botany. — Ulmits.~-The best work is "Lindley's Vegetable Kingdom," pub- lished at (we think) two guineas. "Beut- le3-'s Manual," published by Churchill at 12?. 6d., is a good book, though in many things defective. " Hogg's Vege- table Kingdom" is rubbish. Pardon us for saying that one of the children's books, published by the Society for Pro- moting Christian Knowledge, is a good preparation for a work of greater pre- tensions. CuAB Stock Root. — A. J5.— Any hard wooded tree may be made to root near the surface by notching and surround- ing the notches with cocoa dust, or moss, or leaf-mould. Serve the suckers that way, and they will root well this season. You will never get them away in the roots without such help. If you bank them out of the perpendicular, they will root quicker. Tongue them if you like, but notches will do. Gas Stove. — J- W. — A gas stove will heat your conservatory satisfactorily if the flame is outside 'the house, as for in- stance in a shed adjoining. We do not know either of those you name, but we know that those made by Trotman, New Road, Hammersmitri, and Piiillips, Snow Hill, answer admirably. If the boiler is of sufficient capacity, and the pipes ditto, there can be no risk about it ; in fact, heating with hot water is as easy as boiling a kettle for tea. Clianthus in Scotland. — We have here, in the Highlands of Dumbartonshire, a clianthus against the house, which has stood out four years, and blossoms beau- tifully ; it is now covered with branches of bloom, and has only had a mat over it one night during the last winter. I have another climbing over the span- drilsofthe conservatory, thirty feet high, and now in profuse blossom. I send this as a set-ofl" to your notes on winter gardening in Devonshire. — F. Fkim/nj, Helenshirgh. [And a good set-ofl" too. We should like to hear from the Rev. F. Flemyng about other choice things 114 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. growing out of doors in the heights of Dumbarton. J To EVEBTBODY IM GENERAL, AND NoDODT IN PAaTicoLAB. — We receive a great many orders for seeds and plants, none of which are ever executed, for the simple reason that we do not sell plants or seeds. We are also frequently requested to give tlie names of dealers who can supply certain articles. These requests we can- not comply with, because it would be unfair to name A if B, C, and D, and all the rest of the alphabet, can also supply the same things at the same price, and equally good. If we were to name dealers, we should soon be at the seat of war, for we should sit on a hornet's nest instead of filling with proper dignity our editorial chair. We do name dealers sometimes, but only for special reasons, as when B or C have a plant that will grow up a chimney or down a water- spout, or twine round the heart of a fair maiden in the form of a true lover's knot, then it is fair to give publicity to the name of the happy possessor. But to make an end of difficulties of this kind, we are willing to view estates and advise on planning and planting and im- proving them ; but we do not seek en- gagements of the kind, having all our irons in the fire, poker, tongs, and all, and our fingers smeared with chalk for fear of burning them. We never did sell plants, and never will, while we are re- sponsible before the public for opinions concerning them. Our only customer for ofFcastings of the garden is the muck- pit. We do not even give away any- thing that can be bought ; so, when we offer our friends a pinch of seed or a bunch of cuttings, it is of something otherwise unattainable, aud therefore of priceless value. Various. — A. B. — Your shrub is Kerna JaponicH, one of the most useful of hardy plants for walls. At Stoke New- ington it has been in bloom since the end of March. — M. M. T., Ballymogen. — No. 1, a seedling Lastrea filix mas. ; 2, apparently an attenuated frond of Athyrium filix foemina. The other is Selaginella denticulata. — No signature. — The blue flower is Plumbago Lar- pentas, on which you will find cultural notes in former volumes ; it is nearly or quite iiardy, and may be turned out for the summer. We have had it out on rockeries several winters in suc- cession near London, where it dies down, and comes up again in spring. In Devon and Cornwall it is green all winter. It is most beautiful when it acquires some size. The fern is Poly- podiura vulgare, quite hardy. Mimulus cupreus requires the same treatment as the hardier kinds of mimulus, a moist soil and shady position. Arctotis gran- diflora is unfortunately rather tender. Plant it out in the sunniest spot you have, and take up in October and treat the same as a verbena. Cuttings should be struck in August for the next sea- son's bloom. — A. B. — Chalk may be made into lime by heating it red hot. — Planting a Bank. — W. R. For so limited a space you cannot do better than have a selection of hollies. Go to a nursery and pick them out as they please you by their looks. Now is a good time to plant them. For the bank, purple-leaved Berberis vulgaris, Vene- tian sumach, common sumach, silver birch, aspen, Weigelia rosea, Acer ne- gundo, purple beech, American willow, cut-leaved alder, holly-leaved oak, com- mon daphne, quince, Black Jack oak, Persian lilac, laburnum, variegated- leaved lime and sycamore, snowy Mes- pilus, liquidambar, arbor vita, juniper, aucuba, Spergula pilifera will be fine on the slope. On the wall, Morello cherry, Jefferson's plum, and Thompson's pear. — W. W. C— We do not know any of those you name, but we will look at the catalogues, and, if possible, reply next month. New Books. — The Rose Garden, by Wil- liam Paul. — This is a reprint with im- provements, but without coloured pic- tures, and published at a reduced price, of Mr. Paul's admirable work on roses. Lovers of the " Queen of Flowers'' will of necessity add this to their libraries, if they do not possess it already, and we heartily recommend it. — The Gar- dener's Annual for 1863, edited by the Eev. S. R. Hole. — This new venture will doubtless take a good place among horticultural year books. It has come to us late in the season for annuals, but better late than never, for it is good of its kind, and elegantly got up. The papers on trees by Mr. Rivers, on roses by the editor, Japanese plants by Mr. m Standish, and the lists of select flowers are well worth the price of the whole book. We had put in type Mr. Paul's paper on hollyhocks, but were compelled to omit it for want of room. It shall appear next month. THE June, 1863. THE MIMULTJS AND ITS CULTURE. HE ■well-known monkey-flower is entitled to much more attention than is usually be- stowed upon it by amateur florists, both as a useful decorative plant and as a good subject for exhibition. It has been declining in popularity of late years, owing probably to the increased attention paid to what are called "bedding plants," -which absorb so much of the money and time of the pre- sent race of gardeners. But it has a suffi- cient number of admirers to entitle it to be called a garden favourite, and is highly prized by nurserymen who grovv' for market, as from its rapidity of growth and profusion of bloom, it makes a good return iipon outlay. The name is said to be from "Mimo," an ape, bestowed upon it because of the ringent or gaping mouth of the flower. The merest novice in botany will, at the first glance, discover that the Mimulus belongs to the natural order Scrophidariacem, or Eigworts, in which are grouped the pentstemon, cal- ceolaria, antirrhinum, and other flowers similarly constructed. There are many useful species, and a few good varieties which it will be desirable to enumerate, and in naming them we shall add a few words on culture. Hardy Species. — M. rivularis is the best of these. It makes a bril- liant display of golden yellow flowers during June and July. Once planted on damp loam it will spread to a larger patch every year, and acquu-e a most important character in the decoration of the garden. At the foot of a rockery or in the common border, it is quite at home. As it dies down in autumn, the ground where it is planted should not be dis- turbed. Glahratus, yellow ; guttatus, spotted ; ringens, blue ; and propingruans, yellow, are all useful for the border and damp parts of rockeries. M. moachatus, the "musk mimulu?," is very hardy as an annual, usually VOL. VI. — NO. VI. G IIG THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. appearing plentifully in places where it was planted out the previous year from self-sown seeds. But in mild winters the roots also survive and throw up shoots in spring. The best way to grow musk is as a frame plant. The soil should be light and rich, and the pots in which the plants have grown should be put aside, so as to be safe from frost, and kept moist till next spring. Then as soon as they begin to sprout, divide them and pot separate small pieces in fresh soil, in small pots, and place on a gentle bottom-heat, or in a warm corner of the greenhouse. They will soon fill the pots with roots, and must never be shifted. By liberal culture musk may be grown to a height of three or four feet, and be one mass of bloom the whole season. It maj' be trained upright by means of a few light stakes put round the pot, and connected with strands of bass all round, or if planted in a basket, may be allowed to hang down in fes- toons. The great secret of growing fine specimens is to use a rich soil, shade moderately, and give abundance of water. CiTiTTJUE OF Greenhouse Species and Yaeieties. — They may all be treated as annuals if sown early on a moderate hot-bed, and as soon as up pricked out in rich light soil, and grown on in good greenhouse tempera- ture. For a good bloom the same season, the latest time for sowing is the last week in February. As soon as the seedlings have made a good start after being potted singly in thumbs, give them rather more water than would be safe to the generality of plants in so young a state, and shift on as fast as they fill the pots with roots. When they are in 48-sized pots, place a saucer under each, and let that saucer be always full of water. They will drink it up and thirst for more, and grow with great luxuriance and make fine flowers. They will need shading when in bloom, and plenty of air, in fact, they may be treated nearly the same as herbaceous calceo- larias from first to last, but must have more water. As the stems are very soft, and the flowers heavy, they must be neatly staked before they get imtidy. As it is advisable to render the supports as nearly as possible in- visible, neat jiainted sticks should be used. We have been accustomed to use lengths of No. 1 iron wire, painted a light green, for this purpose, and foiind them preferable to wood. When the plants are in bloom, any of superior excellence should be marked with tallies to propagate from. During August and September, take cuttings of three joints each, place half a dozen of these round a 48 pot in a compost of half leaf-mould and half loam, with an addition of silver sand, sufficient to render the mix- ture light and friable. Plunge these pots in a gentle heat and keep close till rooted, which will be in about fifteen days, then pot singly in 60-sized pots, and in these pots winter them. When grown in quantity they are usually wintered in the cutting pots, and have a shift at the end of Feb- ruary or early in March, into 32-sized pots well drained and filled with a mixture of leaf-mould, turfy loam, and rotten dung equal parts. At the end of April or early in May these may be again shifted in pots of 12-size, in which to bloom. They will requii-e abundance of water, and may have saucers to keep the roots constantly in action. Any required extra fine for exhibition, should have liquid manure once a week, but without this help the plants will flower finely if grown as otherwise directed. Of course the cultivator may shift on seedlings to the same size pots as plants from cuttings, but generally it is best to flower seedlings in 48-size, and grow into specimens only selected varieties known to be worth extra culture. THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 117 Propertiks and Hybridizixg. — The attention, of the cultivator should be chiefly directed to the form of the flower ; in habit and colour it can scarcely be improved. Flowers that collapse are not worth growing, however fine their colours, except it be to furnish pollen for hybridizing flowers of good shape. The broader the segments and the smoother the edges, the higher will the flower rank in the eye of the florist, and de- servedly so. In selecting varieties to propagate from cuttings, or to pro- duce seed, give the preference to those that exhibit an expanded flat surface with small spaces between the petals. As regards colours, these should be bright and decided ; the markings sharp on clear grounds ; yel- low is the most common hue, and white the most rare. In every endeavour to improve the mimulus, the hybridizer should select for the seedling- flowers those that have thick broad petals, and that most nearly approach a circular outline, and for pollen, flowers that are the most brilliantly and regularly coloured ; if the pollen flower is also well formed there is the greater chance of a pod of seed worth saving. Greenhouse Species and Varieties. — M. cardinalis is the parent of the best show varieties we possess. The original species grows to a height of two feet, and produces fine scarlet flowers. Seedlings vary to all the shades of rose, ruby, maroon, pink, and crimson, and if crossed with roseiis, Smithii, and variegatus, some very showy strains may be secured. Cardinalis is a native of California, and was introduced in 1835. M. roseiis has small flowers of regular shape, with yellow throat and bright rose petals, it is one of the most beautiful in cultivation. Mr. Douglas sent seeds of this to England from North California in 1831, and it was first flowered in the gardens of the Horticultural Society. This is strictly a perennial, and is not so easily cultivated as most others of the genus. The best method of treatment is to keep it constantly in the frame or greenhouse, potted in turfy loam three parts, sandy peat one part, and leaf- mould one part, and the pot always in a pan of water except during cold winter weather. It is easily increased by cuttings and occasionally ripens seeds. M. variegatiis is a native of Chili, introduced by the Messrs. Loddiges. This is described in some works as white and rose, but this is not correct. The throat is a jjale canary, and the segments of the flower are deeply tipped with rosy purple, the remaining parts being a rich gold yellow. This species seeds freely, and is not at all difficult to cultivate. M. glutinosus is now a rare plant. It is the most shrubby of all, and well worth recovering tor crossing with good varieties of weak habit. Smithii is a fine hybrid raised some years ago by Mr. George Smith from rivularis as the male parent and variegatus as the female. The flower is large, the ground colour orange yellow, at the tip of each petal is a large brownish, crimson blotch, and there are small spots of the same around the throat. Twelve Finest Exliibition Varieties (Downie, Laird, and Lang). — Alexander Haig, light lemon, dark maroon margin ; Danecroft Beauty, white with crimson blotches ; Distinctus, lemon, deep crimson margin ; Grand Sultan, pure white throat, black margin ; Lydia, bright yellow and crimson; Magniflora, white and cherry; Mrs. Dickson, yellow, crimson blotches ; Mrs. E. Lockart, white and maroon; Raphael, pure gold margin and deep claret ; Spotted Gem, gold and maroon ; Sultan, yellow and purple ; Symmetry, straw, spotted with cherry red. MtMULUs FOR Bedding. — All the hybrids are adapted for bedding, and, as a matter of course, the dwarfest are most easily managed. On 118 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. hot diy soils they are useless ; the foliage loses its proper colour, and the l)lants are eaten up with red spider; but on a cool, moist loam and in damp places, where many kinds of beddcrs would he unhappy, the mimulus is quite at home. When any selected hybrids are grown for bedding, they may be -kept in their cutting pots till May, and then be turned out and' sheltered from the sun, and kept well watered till rooted ; generally the colours come much finer out of doors than imder glass, this is especially the case with rmdaris, which is a charming plant for a mass, but unfor- tunately fugacious. Good beds may be made of seedling plants from Feb- ruary sowings, but there will be no uniformity of colouring. Florihmdus, parviflorus, and moschatus make better clumps when grown in moist and shady beds of peat, but the last named should be i;sed rather for its odour than its colour; for however profusely it may flower, it is by no means effective in a mass. It is otherwise with M. cupreus, which is one of the finest bedding plants we possess. It is perfectly hardy and can be grown from either seeds or cuttings, and requires precisely the same treatment as Lobelia speciosa. It grows four to six inches high, and produces a per- fect blaze of fiery flowers. A damp shady bed suits it best. THE LEAN-TO. Wnr.N I came to my present garden, I found myself the happy pos- sessor of numerous ready-made rustic scenes. Amongst the number was a ditch, and an old hedge of plum and privet forming the lower boundary, where on sunny days I used to see the robins and the thrushes splash about and play at washing-day, and I could any time dip in a hand-net, and take up a gathering of larvae of Culcx pipiens, Libel- hth'dce, 8tratiomys, Corethra, Phryganca, and other such people entangled in ropes of Confervas, like antetypcs of Leotard, and quite as lively. It was in every way a most beautiful ditch, as dirty, dark, and dangerous as need be, and the haunt of all sorts of curious plants and animals. It has always been my habit, whenever I took my walks abi'oad, to search out all the ponds and ditches, in the hope of finding something rare, and here I found myself with a ditch all to myself, for the third time in my life, and this the best ditch of any. Of course you will understand that the fall of the groimd was towards that ditch, and that its presence was a sort of necessary nuisance to drain the groimd, so it was called '■^ piciKresqne cum. xdilc^' and marked down in the garden map accordingly. But how restless is the spirit of man. I had not made fifty dips into the lucky bag, that is, into the dirty water, before I began to think it wouldn't pay to keep a ditch on the premises any more than it would answer the old woman whom Daniel O'Connell tormented, to harbour a polygon. We wanted glass, and we wanted more growing-room, and we wanted water. The ditcii always offered plenty of the last, but, ugh ! if I couldn't drink it, how could the plants ? Ditch-water may do for roses and chrysan- themums at the root, but to wash their heads was a business of fetch and carry, so here goes, down with the hedge, and make a glorious bonfire of plum and privet. Dig a well at one end, and with the stuff taken out, fill up the ditch, and next put up a boarded fence to mark the boundary. There happened to be close by one of those open pear trellises recom- THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 113 mended years ago by llr. Rivers, and capital thinp;s those pear trellises are for those who have room for thein. But for me, who would grow a thousand fuchsias, geraniums, and what not every year in the space occu- pied by one trained pear, the trellis was a sheer waste of ground, and so away went the pears from horizontal to perpendicular, to fill an upright open wire trellis next the back walk, and there was a gain thereby of the ten feet lights. So here was a greenhouse almost ready made. Eut to lean those lights against such a brown paper fence as we had would have been ridiculous ; the north-easters would have shot through the crevices caused bj' sunshine, and have struck down the plants like so many jioisoned arrows. So a lot of cheap second-hand floor boards were purchased, and with these the fence was lined with a two inch space between, and that space was filled with sawdust. Here, then, we have as good as a brick wall, and three coats of paint will make all sound and sweet. jVext this wall take out a trench, and throw the stuff fur ward to form a solid bed. Some more old floor-boards and lengths of quartering make a sound wall on the side of the bank to keep up the stuff, and a bottom of broken bricks rammed ia, and with a thin crust of coal- ashes over, will do for the present as a walk. The carpenter makes ready in a trice the right number of studs, and plates, and shutters. Good carpenters are real magicians — pi-ettiest trade under the sun, gardening only excepted — and in very little more time than it has taken me to write thus much, the house was up, and here, as an additional instalment of photographs from my garden, is a view of it : — You see the ventilation is very simple ; there are hanging shutters all along the front, lift-up lights at both ends of the roof, and no lift-up in the centre, because it was found that to cut those lights would spoil them, they were not so substantially made as the others. The last act in the ckaina was to pave the walk with Yorkshire tiles, and spread over the bed a surface of coal-ashes, and put up a few shelves on the back wall and further end for pots. Now, I must remind the reader that pictures often fail to show the real excellence of the object figured, and generally in scenery they fall far short of the beauty of the reality. In this case there is an exaggera- ration comparing the picture with the fact. The picture gives the house a very stately appearance, and, though it is truthful to a hair, yet this house is a low, mean, and almost unsightly structure, for it lies in a hole, and as you go down the garden, you see over the roof into the meadows beyond, 120 THE FLOEAL WORLD AIsD G-ARDEN GUIDE. and if you -were fastidious about architectural ^lass, you would not ^i\e rao a ten-pound note for that hoi:se as it is. Why figure it, then ? Well, I must repeat that the figure is correct, though the house looks better on paper than on the ground, and next I must say that this is the most extraordinary house I ever knew for plants to grow in. I often think of Jerrold's description of the fertility of America, that if you plant a nail over night, it's a spike next morning, and here I might almost fling in at the doorway an inch piece of a plant, and expect next day to find that that inch had potted itself, and grown during the night to specimen size, training included, and would flower before dinner-time the same day. You see the house is where the ditch u«ed to be, and the walk is not much above the average level of the water in that ditch. A well close beside the door of the house takes the water now, and from that well we pump with one of Dray's liquid manure pumps as much water as we require at that end of the garden, and occasionally have a foot depth of water in the house in winter-time after heavy rains. Then it faces full south, and the boarded wall reflects a great heat, so that by regulating the ventilation judiciously, it can be made as hot as an oven anj' day from mid-spring to mid-autumn, and it is the sunshine, the heat, and the damp combined that makes it such a place for jjlants to grow in. Now that you have an idea of the house, I must tell 3'ou how it has been heated during five years past. In the view of the interior you see in the centre one of Musgrave's slow combustion stoves. It was put there in the first instance as a makeshift, to gain time to fix a furnace and hot-water pipes. Some delay occurred, and the stove answered so well that I thought I had best let well alone, and there it remains. The stove stands on the floor. To the smoke outlet is fitted a chimney of 4-inch glazed drain pipes, and this chimney terminates in a mushroom top, which mushroom top is attached to a short length of iron pipe, just of the proper size to drop into the top of the drain-pipe flue, and carry the mushroom with it into its place. It would be a very long story to tell how the house has been used. Dr. Lindley heard of it some years ago, and sent his factotum to take a survey ; it was then choking with bedding-plants, and the factotum hap- pened to call when the ground was covered with snow, and I rather think the roof was so covered with snow that I had to light a candle to enable the commissioner to see the sort of place he had come into. Let me gather a few items, the value of which the reader must appraise for him- self. In the winter of 1859, Justicia carnea — four fine plants — wintered close bei^ide the stove, and flowered tolerably well. In the same winter, the artillery plant, Filca allitrichoides, wintered safely, and with it gera- niums Mangiesi, Bijou, Lady Plymouth, Flower of the Day, Dandy, and Golden Chain. I omit the mention of common scarlets, because they can be wintered in any good pit. Any time since the house was bixilt it would keep Layiianas, Hcliotro'pes, Cujiheas, Troijosolums, variegated Veronica Andersoni. Of course all less touchy objects are as comfortable there as need be. During that desperate winter of 1860-61, the damp did more mischief than the frost, and on Christmas night, when the thermometer registered here about 20" of frost, the fire went out through neglect, and a great many plants Avere killed. But in that winter the losses were not so numerous as in many better built and more pretentious houses, and, generally speaking, the soft- wooded plants sufi'ered least. THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 121 But all things considered, this is not a good structure for ordinary greenhouse plants in winter, because of the damp, nor is Musgrave's stove the best apparatus for heating it, because with a fire in a house there must be a certain amount of dust. I should have carried four-inch hot water pipes aJl round if the stove had never been placed there ; but once placed it has remained, and has paid its cost in usefulness every winter since. The proper use of a house of low pitch and in a damp situation like this is for keeping and growing any kinds of plants that are nearly hardy, and for economizing sun-heat during the summer months. Thus when the borders are cleared in autumn, the plants are packed away here as close as can be in sand or coal-ashes on the front bed, and after one watering they want no more till they are taken out in spring to be cut in and potted. By that time the heat of the sun is sufficient to give them a good start, and with a good dung-bed at work close by, an immense amount of stock can be got up in a brief period of time. Hydrangeas, Fuchsias, Oenotheras, Lobelias, Gazanias, and whatever will endure damp and need only moderate protection from frost, can be as well kept and grown here as in the best greenhouse in the land. For instance, specimen fuchsias and small fuchsias for plunging in beds all the summer are now (May 20) showing bloom. They were all repotted at the end of March, and shading was then put up to prevent scorching. So with hydrangeas potted this spring into ten-inch pots ; these show on an average a dozen heads of bloom each, and by the time the blooms are fully expanded they will measure three feet across. As soon as these and the specimen fuchsias begin to expand their blooms, which will be in a few days from this time, they will be taken to a house we call " the corner shop," which is, in fact, the show-house, and there they will be gay all the season. I •only name these as indications of what may bo done in such a house, but I will give one more instance. Last summer my windows were gay with Queen Geraniums, which were the admiration of everybody, from about the first week in June till the end of the season. Those geraniums were all from cuttings put in on the 26th of April that year, and so quickly did they acquire a state of maturity, that I would not risk a record of the feat, except for the fact that the beauty of the plants was a matter of public notoriety, for all the front windows were filled with them, and there are several witnesses to the making of the cuttings on the date just given. It happened thus. On the 26th of April, 1862, I turned out all my Queens, which were huge, bushy plants, crammed into six-inch pots, and planted them in a circle round a bed of rhododendrons. In planting them a great heap of prunings accumulated, for they required cutting into shape to make them uniform. The stoutest and straightest of these prunings were picked out and potted in 60-sized pots, and put on a back shelf of the lean-to. There they had a sprinkle night and morning, and all day were in the full sun, so that the pots got so hot it was scarcely safe to touch them with the hand. In a fortnight they had filled the pots with roots, and were shifted into 48 size with one crock only, and the stuff rammed in hard. That is the way to grow a large plant in a small pot, and have no more shifting all the season. They were returned to the back shelf, and in another fortnight were nearly as bushy and bloomy as the plants they were cut from, Now this only brings us to the 24th of May, and about that date I took my penknife and took out the points of all the shoots that were as long as I needed 322 THE TLOKAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. them. Tliis mode of stopping -svas adopted to save all tlie trusses that Avere pushing at tlie tops of the shoots, and at the same time promote a bushy growth below. Another week on the back shelf only brings us to the ist of June,, and the plants were then such as one would jump at for six shillings per dozen. I must now make a note on the growth of melons. In 1859 the melon pknts were got forward in a dung frame, and were placed in a corner of the house as soon as they were established in 48-size pots. At the end of May the house was cleared, and the plants were shifted at once into fifteen-inch pots, well drained, and tbe soil a mixture of turf, clay, and a little rotten dung, rammed in hard. These pots were stood on the border, two under each light, and the ventilation regulated so as to economize sun-heat, and yet keep the plants sufficiently aired. As soon as the vines began to push beyond the edges of the pots, the pots were banked up with soil, so as to form mounds. This v*'as delayed as long as possible, to get as much sun-heat as possible on the large potf, and by the — — '■ri'f vrp£jT.S^ time the earthing up took place the sun-heat had increased so as to be sufficient to warm the mounds through. The crop of melons that year was all that could be desired, botb in quantity and quality, and as the fruit were all set early, it ripened to perfection, and the flavour of the raoscatellos was delicious. When the mounds were cleared away they were found to be full of roots which had worked through the bottoms of the pots, and so into the soil of the borders. In 1860 this method of growing melons was a downright failure ; there w-as no sun-heat, and the crop consisted of a few green fruits that were given to somebody's pigs, and the pigs refused to eat them ; therefore for the future the soil will be taken out about a foot deep, and well worked dung will be put in its place and carried nearly up to the under surface of the glass, and on this fermenting material the melons will be planted. By the time they are fruiting the bed will have sunk, and the appearance of the house will be as shown in the view of the interior. I can make space for only one more note on the use of this lean-to. THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 123 It is the best house I have ever yet had iu which to grow an early crop of strawbeiTies without fire-heat. There cannot be a simpler method than mine of growing a crop of fine fruit, and having it on the table by the time the out-door plantations are first showing bloom. The moment runners are visible, I go over the ground with a trowel and a barrowful of rotten dung. I choose the plumpest and forwardest of the runners, scoop out from under them a trowelful of soil, and replace with a trowelful of the rotten dung, and either peg them down, or fix them with a stone. They immediately make a ball of roots in the dung. They are then cut off" and carried away without breaking a fibre. A lot of seven-inch pots are prepared thus- — plenty of drainage, soil to consist of turfy loam, the top crumbs of a bank of clay and rotten dung, and bricks broken to the size of walnuts, equal parts. This mixture is rammed in as hard as a barn floor. A depression is made in the middle to receive the plant, which is filled in with leaf-mould, and pressed firm. They are then placed in a frame, watered, and shut close. After a few days they have air, and in about ten days after potting the lights are taken off. They have plenty of water, and that is all the attention they get. Some time in JN'ovember or December, according to the state of the weather, they are taken into the house and placed on the front bed, with a large saucer, bottom upwards, under each to prevent the entrance of worms to the pots. They start early, and as soon as they begin to show bloom the saucers are turned over and filled with fresh dung, which is kept always wet. The dung is changed twice while the fruit is swelling, and as these saucers are kept filled with water there is no occasion to use liquid manure, which might do harm in this case, because it requires a long reach of the arm to water the plants next the front shutters, and the liquid manure would be splashed upon the leaves and fruit. But by filling the pans with dung the plants can all be watered overhead with a rose on a long spout, and this process fills the pans and occasions the least amount of ti'ouble. It would pay any connoisseur in strawberries to put up a house of this kind expressly for an early crop of unforced fruit, for fire- heat tells against their flavour considerably, but it matters not how early we get them by sun-heat, because the source of heat is also the source of colour and flavour. This house never looked prettier than it did in the spring of 1859, when the bed was covered with strawberries in seven-inch pots, comprising about fifty of the best varieties, many of which were from runners of the previous year, kindly presented to me by my excellent friend J. S. Hodgkinson, Esq., of Sydenham, and another gen- tleman who is an old correspondent of the Floral AVorld. Shirley Hibberd. FLOWER SHOWS OE APEIL AND MAT. Royal Horticultural Society, | chief feature on the occasion, even April 15th. — The plants exhibited at the roses becoming quite a secondary the third spring show were very good; consideration. The very best lot of the arcade next the International Ex- azaleas was a collection of twenty-four hibition building was all a-blaze with a from Mr. Charles Turner, of the fine display of azaleas, which were Royal Nurseries, Slough ; some of mostly well grown and remarkably full these were arranged upon a semi-cir- of bloom. Of course these formed the cular stand at the end of the room, 124 THE FLORAL WOELD AIS^D GARDEN GUIDE. and formed a surprisingly beautiful trophy. In the centre was Iveryana ; next it, on either side, Holfordi and Prince Jerome ; behind waa a fine large plant of Sinensis ; at the sides Standard of Perfection and Vesta; while the front line was formed by Criterion, Gem, Perfection (FrO'^t's), Hoi Leopold, and Rosy Circle. These were unfortunately excluded from competition throuijh a mistake in the size of the pots. Messrs. Veitch were first in the nurserymen's classes, ob- taining first prize in Class 1, for nine azaleas, and in Class 3 for six plants. They were all beautifal specimens, grown in pyramid form, and were a mass of bloom. Messrs. J. Ivery and Son were second in Class 3, Mr. Todman, gardener to H. Hudson, Esq., of Clapham Common, was first in Class 2 for nine azaleas. All his plants were extremely well grown, although not so quite so large as those sent by the nurserymen. The number of roses present was not large. The best were those of Mr. Turner, who took first prize in Class 4, for six pot roses, which were very charming specimens, with beau- tiful glossy foliage, and from six to twelve fine blooms on each plant; they were General Jacqueminot, Victor Verdier, Souvenir d'un Ami, Souvenir de la Malmaison, Baronne Pi'evost, and Coupe de Hebe. Mr. W. Paul was second, and Messrs. Paul and Son third ; however, in the class for four pots of roses, Messrs. Paul and Son were first with Victor Verdier, Souvenir d'un Ami, General Jacque- minot, and Belle de Bourg la Reine. The cinerarias were tine and in good condition ; Mr. H. Lamb, gar- dener to Captain Cahill, taking first prize for six plants, Mr. P. Lamb being second, and Mr. Turner third. The finest collection of miscel- laneous plants were those of Messrs. Veitch and Son, J, and C. Lee, and Mr. Bull, wlio were each awarded a first prize. The novelties were numerous, and generally very good. First class cer- tificates were awarded to Messrs. Veitch and Son for Cheilanthes Bor- sigiana, which is a very minute golden fern, quite a gem in its way ; to Mr. Wm. Paul for a new magnolia called Lenne, a truly remarkable object, the leafless branches bearing huge mauve coloured flowers, looking something like unexpanded tulips of large size ; to Messrs. Veitch for Alocasia ze- brina, a great beauty, of upright habit, with very large leaves, the leaf- stalks being of a light semi-trans- parent green, beautifully mottled with dark opaque green ; to Mr. Charles Turner for Azalea Louise van Baden, a large flower, and of such a dazzling white, that it must soon become popular; to Mr. Ball for Greenovia, in a five-inch pot, with thick, fleshy, succulent leaves and stem, and a large head of small yellow flowers. Second class certifisates were awarded to Messrs. Veitch and Son for Azalea Madame VerschafFelt, light blush, with dark crimson spots on the upper petals ; to Mr. Turner for Auri- cula Ensign, this has a light green edge, and a white eye surrounded by a dark purple band ; to Messrs. Ivery and Sou for Azalea Beauty of Dorking, white splashed with red. Commendation was given to Mr. Standish for Kerria Japonica varie- gata ; to Mr. Turner for Auricula Supreme, a fancy pansy, Feu de Joie, and one called Exquisite; to Mr. Bull for Anthurium, sp. S. America; and to Messrs. Veitch and Son for Val- divia Gayana, a small plant with dark green leaves and spikes of crimson flowers. Mr. Bull obtained a special cer- tificate for three young flowering plants of Bougainvillea speciosa in pots. Royal Botanic Society, Apeil 25th. — Azaleas. — The principal exhi- bitors were Messrs. Turner and H. Lane and Son, and the winning varie- ties were Barclay ana, Stanleyana, Chelsoni, Model, Gem, Criterion, Holfordi, Conspicua purpurea. Lane's Glory of Berkhampstead, Variegata, Pra3stantissima, and Heine des Bei- ges. Roses. — These were the best of the season exhibited up to this time, and formed the chief attraction. They were put up in lots of sixes by Messrs. Wm. Paul, Paul and Son, C. Turner, and H. Lane and Son, and THE FLOEAL WORLD AND G-ARDEN GUIDE. 125 tlie following were in splendid condi- tion— Emperor de Maroc, Madame Boll, Anna Alexieff, Souvenir d'un Ami, Paul E-ioaut, Charles Lawson, Madame de St. Joseph, Juno, Sou- venir de la Eeine d'Angleterre, Ma- dame Willermoz, and Madame Cam- baceres. The Cinerarias shown by Messrs. H. Lamb, J. Smith, and C. Turner were particularly fine, and a marked improvement upon those of former shows. The best were Adam Bede, Lady Seymour, Modestum, Duke of Cambridge, Queen Victoria, Brides- maid, Boy in Blue, Decorator, Mr. Dickens, Miss Bosa, Lizzie, Prairie Flower, Slough Bival, Reynolds' Hole, Mrs. Franklin, Great Western, and Miss Burdett Coutts. Auriculas were shown in large numbers, and were mostly very fine, the principal exhibitor was Mr. C. Turner, of Slough, who sent a splendid lot of sixty. The exhibi- tors next in rank were Messrs. Cut- bush and Son, J. James, F. Potts, and the Rev. H. H. Dombrain. The finest specimens were Meteor Flag, Duke of Cambridge, Lovely Ann, Maggie Lauder, Lancashire Hero, Crucifix, Apollo, Conqueror of Eu- rope, Conspicua, Prince of Wales, Morning Star, Union, and Unique. Foliage and Flotoerinc/ Plants were put up in lot<< of six by Messrs. J. and C. Lee, B. S. Williams, A. Henderson and Co., and Mr. G. Smith, gardener to the Duke of Nor- thumberland. The best specimens of good culture were Chorozema varium elegans, Bhopala magnifica, Alocasia metallica, Cordyline indivisa, Gene- tyllis tulipifera, Kennedya inophylla floribunda, Cyanophyllum magnifi- cum, Threophrasta imperialis, Glei- chenia flabellata, Vanda suavis, Jaca- randa filicifolia, Dracaena ferrea, and Aphelexiomac purpurea. The novelties were but few. Rho- dodendron Veitchii, a very large white flower with wrinkled petals, from Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Son ; Auricula, the Rev. J. G. Jeanes, bright green edge, white eye, and surrounded by a black ring, from Mr. J, Hol- land. Royal Botanic Society, May 13th. — This was the first great show and was every way successful, both as the first fete of the season and as ex- emplifying the present state of horti- cultural science. The azaleas were the principal attraction, and were generally in perfect condition. Messrs. Veitch, Turner, Eraser, and Clark were the chief nurserymen exhibitors, while Messrs. Cross, Page, Kaile, and Green were foremost among the ama- teurs. The winning plants were Iveryana, Juliana, Magnificana, Bar- clayana, Exquisita, Feutoni, Arborea purpurea, Criterion, Gem, Optima, Empress Eugenie, Stanleyana, Late- ritia alba supreme, Louise Margottin, Carminata, Minerva, Violacea su- perba, Chelsoni, Glory of Sunning Hill, The Bride, Mrs. Fry, Brough- toni, Juliana, and Beauty of Reigate. Felargoniums. — Mr. Turner came first with show varieties, Messrs. J. and J. Eraser ranking next, after which were Mr. Bailey and Mr. Weir. The successful plants were Sunset, Aerial, Virginie, Rose Celestial, Lila- cina. Picnic, Empress Eugenie, Fairest of the Fair, Candidate, Beadsman, Sir Colin Campbell, Desdemona, Pi- zarro, Governor-General, Mr. Mar- nock, Osiris,Leviathan,Peaeock, Etna, Scarlet Floribunda, Lady Canning, The Bell, and Ariel. In the fancy varieties, Messrs. Turner, Eraser, Weir, Bailey, and Lamb showed the best collections, and the names of the plants were Rio des Fantasies, Ara- bella Goddard, Acme, JN'egrc, Delica- tum, Clemanthe, Queen of the Valley, Modestum, Carminatum, Celestial, Clara Novello, Lady Hugh Campbell, Emily Witcher, Madame Sontag, and Delicatissima. Calceolarias. — These were very beautiful and consisted of new varie- ties, shown by Mr. J. James and Messrs. Dobson, of Isleworth. Those of Mr. James were Duke of Cam- bridge, dark crimson maroon self; Miss Walker, gold ground with brown spots; Prince of Wales, rich red, spotted like a Queen strawberry; Miss Smith, a curious bufl' ground, covered with deep red lines, extra good; Mr. Smith, crimson ground, and gold spots ; and Brilliant, gor- geous scarlety crimson. 12G THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. Hoses. — A grand display was made by Messrs. Wm. Paul, Francis, Lane and Son, and Terry. Tliey were pot plants, generally trained pyramid fashion, and were Madame St. Joseph, Paul Ricaut, Paul Perras, Senateur Vaisse, Charles Lawson, Coupe d'Hebe, Lord Raglan, Triomphe de Paris, Souvenir d'un Ami, Compte de Nanteuil, Gen. Jacqueminot, La Eeine, Madame Willermoz, Madame Hector Jacquin, Jules Margottin, Baronnc Prevost, Blairii, and Chene- dole. Orchids were shown in consider- able^numbers, and filled a long bank down one side of the tent. The best lot was a superb collection of twenty from Mr. G. Baker, gardener to A. Basset, Esq., Stamford Hill, which, contained the best Cattleya Mossiaj in the show, witli healthy foliage and flue blooms ; Oncidium crispum, Sac- colabium curvifolium, retusutn, and ampuUaceum ; Oncidium crispum and ampliatum majus ; Dendrobium pri- muliuura, and Dalhousiaua ; Cypripe- diutn Lowii, Barbatum superbens, Calanthe veratrifolia, Vanda insignis, iErides odorata, and others. Mr. BuUen, gardener to A. Turner, Esq., Leicester, also showed a beautiful set of twenty, and the other exhibitors were Messrs. Peed, WooUey, Page, Wheeler, Smith, Green, and Wig- gins. ABOUT BEDDING. A GOOD deal has been said in the Floral World on the subject of keeping gardens always gay, or, at all events, always sightly, and the toughest part of that matter has been to deal with the period between the blooming of the first spring flowers, and the general eruption of fiery co- lours in the beds appropriated to ge- raniums, verbenas, etc., etc. I should not dwell so much on my own practice in these papers did I not observe that of all the records of my own move- ments they create more interest than any articles of the treatise type, how- ever carefully done or adapted to the season and the fashion. Therefore I shall begin by tolling you that, as in 1862, I put out all my stock of gera- niums on the 26th of April, and they did remarkable well ; in 1863 I waited tin the 14th of May, and should not have turned them out so early as that except they were all as hard as iron, having never tasted fire-heat all through the past mild winter. Per- haps this may meet the eye of some who have not yet began ; if so, I wish to assure them that tliey have lost nothing by delay, for the sharp east winds which have prevailed during the latter part of May have taken all the colour out of the leaves of nursery plants, and would have taken the colour out of the bloom too, had they had any to be injured. There is nothing gained as to efiect by bedding out early ; generally speaking, there is much gained by waiting ; the ground gets warm, and the plants get strong, and when put out with care, they begin to bloom at once, instead of turning yellow for a fortnight, and requiring another fort- night to recover from the shock. Of course there are exceptions to allrules, and in some warm sheltered places, people may do almost anything ex- cept put the plants upside down, and all will come right. JSFow, as to this seasonal hiatus, so commonly observed in private gar- dens, I must tell you I know nothing of it. When my windows were cleared of what we call " spring llowers," such as hyacinths, crocusses, doroni- cums, pansies, and other things that carry the season forward nearly to the brink of summer, they were all filled with that charming, hardy, yel- low ilowering shrub Alyssum saxatile, which made a splendid bloom, the plants being in 4S-size pots, and all from seed sown at the end of June last year. These made an end of their course before the end of May, but just in time to make room for common China and hybrid perpetual roses in pots, which had been brought into bloom without heat in a comfortable THE FLOEAL WOELD AND OAEDEN GUIDE. 12 7 house for the purpose. When these are beginning to look seedy they will all be removed, and we shall have rows of Christine geraniums at all the vpindows, and there will be flowers enough for some months to come. Now, just the same succession may be made in beds and borders, and I am setting an example that way by grow- ing all sorts of things in quantities in pots. Having two plots of ground away from home, I can send off the plants as soon as they are seedy, have them repotted, plunged, and kept growing for the next season with very little trouble, keeping up the changes as needful at any time, and in any way that seasons and circumstances require. You know that in my forecourt is a stone jardinet of Ilansome's, that is now and has been for some time as fine a bed as may be seen at any time of year in the best kept garden in the land. It was stocked in less than an hour, and can be unstocked in twenty minutes, and when the plants are taken out, there wUl be no hurry or bother about potting them, because they are potted already, and only a few of them will need a shift this sea- son. In the centre a fine shrub of blue veronica, four feet high, in a ten-inch pot ; it is full of bloom, and has been out all winter ; on each side, one way, a pair of large plants of Cytisus Atleeana in full bloom, and the other way, large plants of Die- lytra spectabilis. This makes a showy central clump to begin with. Then, to follow all round, there are three tall plants of Purple Nose- gay, Hubens, and Heidii geranium, smaller plants of Dielytra, large plants of Farfugium grande. Four plants of Yeratrum album, with their noble tropical-looking foliage, and between several large plants of Hotteia Ja- ponica (commonly known as Spirea Japonica), smothered with spikes of snow-white, around these again small plants of Imperial Crimson geranium, and to finish off" all round ferns and seedling CupressusLawsoniana. They are packed so close, and the large- leaved plants 80 placed, that not a single pot can be discerned except by stooping and looking for them. The reader will call this blowing hot and cold with the same breath, but it is not so. Though geraniums make this mixed clump very gay, they are not bedded but in the pots they wintered in, and you know how strong and early they bloom when they have had no shift in autumn or spring. All these geraniums were from cuttings last June. The cuttings were potted separately in thumb-pots, and put under glass ; when rooted, they were shifted to 60 size, in strong turfy loam, then to 48 size, and thus they got rather pot-bound before winter, and now show as much flower as leaf. In July next they will be first pruned for cuttings, and next be shaken out and repotted, and next spring they will bloom again very early and most profusely. In a very short time the weather will be warm enough for fuchsias in bloom to be put out without danger, then the bed will be changed and filled as close as it will pack with potted fuchsias, but if they were put out now, they would immediately drop their blooms and be more shabby in the middle of June than they were in the middle of Feb- ruary. But suppose I could not have spared these plants to put out at such a risk, then I should have filled the bed with a large centre of Alyssum saxatile and a broad ring outside of Aubrietia purpurea, and this last has bloomed this season more profusely than I ever saw it before ; some of the old clumps have been one mass of rosy purple for six weeks past, and it has for companion Iberis sempervi- rens and Iberis corresefolia, the two best early white flowering hardy plants known. The last is tallied cornifolia in some catalogues, which is a mistake. Among the good old scarlet gera- niums there is one called Attraction, which is rarely seen, and still moi'e rarely talked about. It has been many times recommended in these pages, and is mentioned now to give it another chance of popularity, as exactly ten times more valuable than Tom Thumb, and in some respects superior to Crystal Palace scarlet. I have put out the last batch of Tom Thumb I shall ever make room for ; 128 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. otlier people may do as tliey please, but after this present season Tom and I part for ever, and my choice for a dwarf scarlet will be between Crystal Palace and Attraction. The first of these is so like Tom in colour and habit, that it needs no desci-iption, but it surpasses our good old friend Tom in longer continuance of bloom, and a more even bloom the whole season through. But Attraction be- longs to the class of scarlets which come near to the florists' standard of properties, and has all the freeness of a true bedder ; it is of dwarf habit, has^plain green leaves, short joints, and begins to bloom well from cut- tings immediately it has struck root. I particularly noticed a bed of this at the Crystal Palace last year, and marked it down then as the best of all the scarlets for a bed or front row, but I do not now pledge myself that it is the best, because it is impossible to use the term without adding con- ditions, and one condition essential to Attraction is a dry, sandy soil and a sunny position. I must now tell you that I have planted out for trial a large collection of new geraniums, of which many are now in bloom and already showing their qualities fairly. I have plants of all the same kinds in pots, so as to compare them on both systems to the end of the season. First among them, as we have just been speaking of scarlets, I must name Carter's Spread Eagle, raised by Mr. Beaton. This is of the nosegay race, but with very broad petals ; that is, broad for nosegays, which are un- popular, because of their windmill character. Spread Eagle will be one of the most liery geraniums known, and in a poor soil and hot position will make a subject to talk about. The colour is deep orange scarlet, habit dwarf, and the trusses come at nearly every joint, so that when it has made a fair start it is not an agreeable object to look at for any length of time in the full sun. Mer- rimac, also raised by Beaton and sent out by Carter, is of similar habit also, with broad petals, but the colour is glowing crimson, and it may be considered an improved Imperial Crimson, which is about as high praise as need be bestowed upon it to insure for it tlie popularity it de- serves. I have had six large trusses open at once, on plants scarcely four inches high. Miss Parfit, from the same breeder and the same dealer, is nearly of the same colour as Mer- rimac, say dazzling scarlet-crimson with a faint white eye. The leaf of this is a dull green slightly zoned, and it grows dwarf and compact. Last in this series is Lord Palmerston, which was bedded out at South Ken- sington last year. This produces large trusses of deep crimson, and I should recommend it for its intrinsic beauty ; but I have some doubts about its wearing qualities, and shall withhold any further expression of opinion respecting it for the present. Now a plant each of all these four can be had for half a sovereign, and the purchaser can, if he pleases, pro- pagate from June to September, and have a tolerably sized house full for use next year, and by that time know exactly what to do with them and what they will do for themselves. Next in this comparison of scarlets Beaton's Improved Eubens is a capital thing, in a quite new shade of colour. The peculiar salmon scarlet of Rubens has had two washes of a deeper tone of red laid on, the petals have been stretched a trifle wider, and are one film stouter in substance, and for Berlin wool shading this will be in- valuable. It is, in fact, a softened scarlet, the form of the flower as nearly perfect as in any bedder we have, and it stands sun and rain with impunity. So far for new scarlets, now for old ones again. The race among amateurs who bed out hundreds is all in the zonale section, but among the great artists who bed thousands the race is among the nosegays. The narrow petals of the nosegays stop their progress to popularity, yet when skilfully used there is no class of bedders to equal them for abundance of bloom, clear fresh solid colouring, and powers of endurance. See Mrs. Vernon, or Fothergilli, or Carmine Nosegay used with calceolarias and variegated geraniums at such places TEE FLOEAL WORLD AND aARDEN GUIDE. 129 as Kew, Crystal Palace, or Hampton Court, and liovr worthy are they to be admired as far surpassing any, even the best effects of the common scarlets. The fact is it needs courage to use them more than skill, and the masters of the art have acquired courage by long and patient school- ing, which few amateurs have had. Our readers ought to secure the following as invaluable : — Imperial Crimson, Stella, llival Nosegay, Car- minatum Improved, and those just named above. Suppose you do not want to bed any of them, they will still be fine things for pot culture, to fill boxes and vases, or to plant about on banks and in tree roots, or to put in the reserve ground for cut flowers. All the nosegays require a fresh, poor, sandy soil, and full sun, and every old plant is worth six young ones. Christine has acquired nearly as great a fame as Tom Thumb, and it is the best of all the old rose-coloured geraniums for ordinary purposes. At Kensington last year they put it aside for Rose Queen, and on some soils Lucea rosea is a more manage- able kind in the same colour. Chris- tine has these excellences, that it never grows rank, always keeps breaking from the bottom, so as to be compact and bushy, and blooms during as long a period without exhaultion as any geranium known. But it has its faults, all of them trifling but one, and that one must be named as a great fault. It is a tremendous seeder. From one plant which stood in a cir- cular window, and was the admiration of the whole village last year, I picked as much seed as would pretty well plant all the gardens of the village with seedlings were they put to that purpose ; but it is no joke to keep the seeds off" a bed, and in a large place kept in first-rate order, a good bed of Christine would need very nearly the whole time of one man to attend to it. No wonder the breeders have kept this defect in mind in proving their seedlings of this lovely bedder. Among the hun- dreds of good seedlinjjs of Christine there are two now competing for the special favour of the putilic. Messrs. Carter send out one raised by Mr. Beaton, and called Helen Lindsay. This produces large trusses and large flowers, has the same dull green mollis sort of leaf of the parent, the flowers are clear warm rose colour, and they produce very few seeds. Messrs. E. G. Henderson offer an- other called Alexander, raised by M. Bibouillard, which is said to beat Christine and Helen Lindsay. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and I am eating both, and endeavour- ing to make up my mind which is best. But it is too early yet. I have them in bloom side by side in pots, and in the open ground, and they^are both better than Christine in a small state ; what they will be the season through and which will win the race remains to be seen. When we turn to the variegated geraniums, we encounter the tricolor race as the crowning glory of the class. Anybody who can manage Golden Chain can manage Mrs. Pol- lock, and as it has come down from a guinea to three half-crowns a plant, it may be classed with poor men's bedders because it is just the right sort of practice for a genuine garden enthusiast to get up a stock of such a gem as this. Messrs. E. Gr. Hender- son have embarked in tricolors to an enormous extent, and have whole houses full, and filling again from the propagators as fast as customers sw^eep the strong plants away. Mrs. Milford goes at a fourth the price of Mrs. Pollock, and is certainly some shades less attractive, for, all things consi- dered, Mrs. Pollock shows the grand- est foliage of any geranium known, and in a well-kept bed is like a bedded rainbow. Getting away from these by an intermediate passage, are our readers generally acquainted with Lady of Loretto, a shy bloomer of the Cerise Unique strain, and with the most lively, neat, and tasteful zoned leaf of all except the genuine tri- colors. Next we come to the Gold Leaf race, and here our original ver- dict has been verified in all the good gardens, and Cloth of Gold has eclipsed that charming, but sometmes troublesome variety, Golden Chain, which none will bed now but such as are so used to it, and so prej udiced in mo THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. its favour that real Australian gold in j nuggets would not -win them away from it. We can do without Golden Fleece and Gold Leaf, but Cloth of Gold in a bed on its own merits, edged with Blue Lobelia, is about as rich and perfect a thing as can be imagined. We can generally trust pretty safely to the index of trade for an index of merit. The good things sell in greatest quantity, and no amount of puffing will long serve to keep a bad or middling good article in de- mand. But with one noted varie- gated geranium the degree of the demand is not in strict agreement with its merits. Flower of the Day sells more largely than any of the creamy or silver-leaved geraniums, and yet it is now one of the worst. The reason of the large sale is the fame it has, but while its fame was culminating, a host of better things were in progress, and former pages of this work testify of the value of Alma. Annie, Countess of Warwick, and Bijou, and now, taking all points into consideration. Bijou is certainly the best for all general purposes, and for use on a large scale. Beside Bijou, the foliage of Flower of the Day has quite a dull and dirty look, and as to flowers. Bijou is equal to [ any of the good, plain-leaved scarlets, 1 as Alma is also, and both are good j growers. One great advantage in I Bijou beside the sparkling whiteness j of the edge, is that the leaves are concave, so that the green part is hidden by the white, and in a mass it has a most chaste and silvery look. Of course Lady Plymouth, Dandy, Manglesii, Mountain of Light, and Mountain of Snow will keep their places and be used for edgings more and more largely every year, the first three being the best. This last item brings us naturally to edging plants, and let me tell you first that the new silver-edged ivy makes the most solid glittering edge conceivable, and is good all the win- ter, as hardy as the green ivy of the woods, and always true in a firm, loamy soil, or on chalk or sand, or anywhere except in ground rank with manure. The most fashionable of the silvery edgings is Gnaphalium lana- tum, a woolly leaved composite plant requiring rather careful protection all the winter, and to be pegged down and nipped back all the summer, for when put out it grows most vigo- rously. Stachys lanata is a poor man's plant, as hardy as chickweed, and the colour a clear gray ; it makes a fine edge to geraniums, and does not need to be taken up for the winter. Cerastium Biebersteinii is consider- ably more effective than C. tomento- sum, and may be managed the same way with Golden Balm and Variegated Mint for instantaneous bedding on the plan described in the " Garden Oracle" for 1863, and which every- body should read before they conclude their purchases of plants, with the view of saving at least twenty-five per cent, of their money. Cineraria maritima makes a fine silvery edging if from seeds. As we have got among these "foliage" plants once more, I shall add, to wind up, that one of the most valuable plants ever seen or heard of for amateurs who are not made of money is the Golden Balm just re- ferred to. The leaves are consider- ably larger than those of the common variegated mint, and instead of being variously blotched, edged, or wholly white or wholly green, as in that plant, those of the Golden Balm are richly and uniformly painted a deep orange yellow with a narrow stripe of deep green up the centre. Seen in a mass it is so fine that if I were to use the word " gorgeous " I should scarcely exaggerate. It appears to be scarce, I have never seen it anywhere but in my own garden, and I have now only just enough to keep in case of needing a quantity at any time, as I may do this season. It has this further good quality, that if left in the ground where originally planted it comes up the next year amazingly strong and as true as from cuttings, which is not the case with the famous variegated mint. I would match it against Golden Chain any day for effect, and I advise every reader of this to begin boring the nurserymen for it till it is as freely distributed as the variegated mint. S. H. 131 EOSE GOSSIP.— ::o. III. THE NOVELTIES FOB 1863. "Estnati^raJiominumnovitatisavida," •which may be read as to us florists, f/reedy after tlie novelties. It is not surprising, therefore, that a rose en- thusiast ghould seize the earliest op- portunity of obtaining a glimpse at some of the forthcoming candidates for honours in the rose lists, and that he should desire to make known the result of his researches to his brother rosarians. The Lea Bridge lioad ITurseries (Messrs. J. and J. Eraser) are the nearest point where I can make sure of seeing the elite of the novelties, and, as the Messrs. Erasers are always early with their plants, I can generally depend upon seeing some in bloom. On one of my visits I was fortu- nate enough to meet with Mr. John Eraser, and enjoy an interesting dis- cussion upon matters connected with rose lore. I saw hosts of fine young plants just ready to send out, in addi- tion to those specimens of older fa- vourites kept for propagating purposes, and many of both kinds in bloom. I give the following as most striking, and, to save space, must refer the reader to the catalogues for detailed descriptions : — H.P.'s Alfred de Hougemont ; Due d'Anjou ; Deuil de Prince Albert, one of the dark sorts, with a twiggy habit, I think ; Jean Goujon. Mr. Eraser agi'eed with me in considering this a most promising kind, and I noticed in a whole batch of plants, that almost every shoot had a bud upon it. Le Ehone, likely to be good, put as a bedder ; Le Baron Hothschild, fine colour ; B. Louise Margottin, delicate and lovely, fine habit, and an acquisition in a line of colour much required. H.P.'s Presi- dent Lincoln and Madame Valem- bourg are pretty perhaps, and the new yellow teas not much at present. Teas, however, seldom show much promise the first season or two ; they are usually thin, and not very double. It would be out of place to dilate upon older favourites, but I must just remark that I noticed a goodly stock of such in the frames ; well-hardened plants, and just the stuff to turn out in beds. There is one advantageous feature in the mode of culture of these plants : they are grown in loam from thebeenning. Too many nurserymen send oi;t their young stock in peat, and suc'i-like soils. The consequence is that when they are transferred to the garden where the soil is stiffer, they i;enerally stand still the first season, and damp off in the following spring, the roots not being tough enough to deal with the adjacent groiind. This remark will furnish a hint to amateurs to make the soil somewhat light and free for young plants during their first season, till they hsve become well established. Th( name of "Paul" is synony- mous with successful rose-growing, and my next trip in search of novelties was to Waltbam Cross and Cheshunt. Of these two celebrated nurseries it may be said that the rose is to be found at both in all its native glory, and that a treat is to be enjoyed by rose lovers, from the time the forcing house develops the exotic beauty of its tenants, till the open quarters are denuded by the exigencies of business, or by the autumn winds and frosts. ■ Erom the period of my visit I must have seen some of the blooms and plants which played so conspicuous a part at the Koyal Botanic show on Saturday last, at which I see both the firms gained prizes. I took Mr. Wm. Paul's new nur- sery at Waltham Cross the first, and inspected several houses filled with plants of every size, sort, and grade in novelty and merit. In one house I counted some three hundred plants, chiefly standards, and many of them in bloom. My business, however, is not with these, but with the untried neophytes for a place in pubhc fa- vour. Of these Mr. Wm. Paul has a very long list ; and I saw in flower H.P.'s Princess Alice, Grandiflora, Alfred de Eougemont, Due d'Anjou, Jean Goujon, Madame C. Boy, La 132 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. Esmeralda, President Lincoln, Com- tesse de Courcy, and Madame Wm. Paul. I have placed this last because it struck my fancy as a rose of special pretensions in its line of colour, viz., purple crimson with fiery centre, being larger and better shaped, higher in. tbe centre, and of greater sub- stance than that style of flow'er usually is. Of other kinds wortliy of special remark, new if not the newest, I must first note Beauty of Waltham, which appears as much at home in the forcing house as out of doors ; blooming plentifully, and like Senateur Vaisse, keeping its character there, which is not tlie case witli every rose. I remarked also some tremendous blooms of T. President ; Olivier Delhouime, Maurice Ber- nardin, and Madame Daran, were also large and good. I next proceeded to the " Old Nurseries " at Cheshunt, which are prettily situate in a rural country. Here I was politely received by Mr. Paul, sen., who committed me to the charge of his son, who appears to have inherited the family enthusiasm for rose culture, and who kindly intro- duced me to the notabilities of the domain. I saw in flower most of the varieties I have already named, and in addition H.P.'s, Maria Alexan- drina, and T. Belle de Bordeaux. (Query, is this really a tea ?) There were also some very fine plants in bloom of B.'s Catherine Guillot, and Modele de Perfeciion, and H.P.'s Alex. Dumas, F. Lacharme, Madame J. Daran. Madame Butin, E, Lebrun, Notre Dame de Fouvrieres, and John Hopper. " Our Lady " struck me as being one of the prettiest and most distinct of last year's introductions ; and some of the plants were the best grown and most compact specimen plants I have ever seen ; noD too large, but bushy and full, and requiring no forest of timber to sustain them in a presentable shape. In a house de- voted to large specimens planted out, was a plant of Isabella (xrey, full of buds and clusters of buds, which will be a picture when open, and a little triumph of cultivation, as this variety is verj' difficult to " do." Elize Sauvage, another shy beauty, was also in fine trim. " Lord Clyde " was not in flower, at which 1 was rather disappointed ; but the habit appears to be fiue, aud Messrs. Paul seem to consider that it will make a good garden rose. As to which of the novelties to recommend, it would be too hazardous and premature as yet to venture upon a prediction ; and I should ad- vise amateurs to do as I have done, — see and judge for themselves. A holiday in the countrj' air, and a floral treat at the journey's end, will do them good, and increase their love for the beautiful as developed in flowers. Roses, like other beauties, are often capricious, and do not, at all times and under all circumstances, think proper to display themselves in their true characters. It is impos- sible, therefore, to venture more than, a conjecture upon new varieties. Subject to this reservation, the fol- lowing among those I have already- seen appear most likely to repay speculation. H.P.'s Jean Goujon, Madame W. Paul, Alfred de Eouge- mont. Due d'Anjou, Le Khone, Lf Baron Eothschild, and B. Louise Margottin. Certainly if a rose be- haves itself well under such adverse conditions as attend its first appear- ance here, it is not likely to dege- nerate when it has become acclima- tized, and recovered from the effects of distant removal and hard propa- gation. W. D. Prior. Jlomerton, N.E., April 10. HINTS ON EOSE GROWING. The land, if not dry, should be well- drained and trenched one and a half foot deep, and made rich with a good dressing of well-decomposed stable or cow-dung, the upper graft from a pasture mixed with a well-decomposed manure makes an excellent compost for roses ; a good shovelful or two each, when planting, will be found of great service. Mr. Elvers justly ob- THE FLOEAL WOKLD AND GAKDEN GUIDE. 133 serves that Hybrid Perpetual and Bourbon Eoses bloom much more abundantly in autumn if they are re- moved annually in November, parti- cularly on poor soils ; they can be planted in the same places, giving each plant a shovelful of rotten ma- nure, mixing it well Avith the soil in planting. Liquid manure, in the growing season, is of great benefit, particularly in dry and poor soils. Guano, mixed with soap-suds or pond- water, makes an excellent liquid for roses, taking care not to make it too strong (a quarter of a pound to a gallon of water), pouring it round the plant, a foot from the stem ; this may be repeated three or four times through the summer. On cold clayey lands I have found soot to be a most excellent thing for roses, after the plants are pruned and the land dug (a handfvJ or two thrown over the plant) ; it is a most excellent manure, and a preventive against the early at- tack of the green-lly. — Harrison, of Darlington's Catalogue of Roses. JUI^E, 1863.— 30 Days. Phases or the Moox. — Full, 1st, llh. 30m, after. ; Last Quarter, 8th, Hi. 52m. after. ; New, 16tli, 7h. 36m. morn. ; First Quarter, 24th, lOh. 31m. morn. j Weatlier near London, 1862. THE COUKTEy. d' Sun Sun sets. Moon '• Moon rists. 1 sets. Mi rises. 1 BABOMETBR. Mx. Min. THEBMOMETEB. Mx. Mn. Me. Rain. The Garden and the Field. h, m. 113 51 h. m. 8 4 Aft. Morn. 7 52! 3 12 29-99... 29-87 76. ..40., ,58-0 -00 Bogbean fl. 213 50 8 5 8 56l 4 4 3003... 29-98 79. ..52. ..65-5 •00 Elder fl. 3'3 49 8 6 9 47^ 5 10 3009. ,.29-09 69. ..41. ..55-0 •02 Eye grass fl. ^ 4! 3 49 8 7 10 29' 6 29 30-15. ..29-94 72. ..44.. .58-0 •00 Bee orchis fl. 5i3 48 8 8 11 2 7 49 29-80. ..2961 65. ..50.. .57-5 ■28 Pmk fl. 6] 3 47 8 9 11 28' 9 11 29-63. ..29-51 67. ..55. ..61-0 •03 Sainfoin fl. V,3 47 8 10 11 5010 31 29-78... 29-66 71. ..48. ..69-5 •06 Portugal laurel fl. 8:3 46 8 11 Morn. 11 48 29-93... 29-81 71. ..36. ..53-5 •00 Dog-rose fl. 9 3 46 8 12 0 12 After. 29-96... 29-93 68. ..34. ..51-0 •03 Mallow fl. 10[3 45 8 13 0 33 2 17 29-94... 29-68 69. ..44. ..56-5 •04 Eough-stalked meadow 11 '3 45 8 13 0 56! 3 27 29-39. ..29-32 70. ..47. ..58-5 •20 grass fl. 12'3 45 8 14 1 21! 4 37 29-43.. 29-14 65... 44... 54-5 •50 Floatiug meadow grass 13 3 45 8 15 1 50 5 42 29-57... 29-52 70. ..43. ..56-5 •06 Woody Nightshade fl. 14 3 44 8 15 2 26, 6 42 29-63. ..29-54 62. ..40.. .51-0 •48 Henbane fl. 153 44 8 16 3 7 7 34 29-78. ..29-68 68. ,.45. ..56-5 •20 Field scabious fl. 163 44 8 16 3 56 8 20 29 -97... 29 -92 73. ..40.. .56-5 •08 Corn-cockle fl. 17 '3 44 8 17 4 5i: 8 5S 3001. ..29-86 71. ..47. ..59-0 •12 Piper's Buglossfl. 18'3 44 8 17 5 53! 9 28 30-01... 29-86 65. ..41. ..53-0 •03 Bladder-nut fl. 19!3 44 8 18 6 55| 9 53 30-08. ..29-91 00... 44... 55-0 •05 Club-rush fl. 20 3 44 8 18 7 5910 16 29-90... 29-81 61. ..44.. .52-5 •00 Foxglove fl. 2113 44 8 18 9 410 36 29-82. ..29-65 62. ..49. ..55-5 ■00 Majweed fl. 22 3 45 8 19 10 1110 56 29-71. ..29-67 78.. .41. ..59-5 •06 Water-plaintain fl. 233 45 8 19 11 1811 14 29-85... 29-74 77. ..42.. .59-5 •00 Lady's slipper fl. 24 3 45 8 19 After.! 11 35 29-93... 29-90 72. ..41. ..56-5 •00 St. John's Wort fl. 25'3 45 8 19 1 3911 58 30-13. ..30-06 68.. .40.. .54-0 •00 Privet fl. 26 3 46 8 19 2 55 Morn. 30-05... 29-94 73... 47... 600 •02 Broom-rape fl. 27;3 46 8 19 4 9 0 26 29-80... 29 69 64.. .39. ..51-5 •00 Orchis species fl. 283 47 8 19 5 26 1 3 29-91.. .29-83 67... 34. ..50-5 •07 Yarrow fl. 29:3 47 8 19 6 35 1 49 29-99.. .29-90 72. ..50. ..61-0 •02 Lady's Bedstraw fl. 30 3 48 8 18 7 34 2 47 29-92. ..29-88 71. ..40.. .55-5 •OC Pimpernel fl. 134 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE, London Scenes and Loxdon Peo- ple, by "Aleph," is the title of a new work, by a contributor to the City Press, on the curiosities of London city. It is the most entertaining topographical work ■we have ever yet met with, and is in great part the result of personal observations and experiences, the author being an old liahitui; of the Cjty. The chapters on the City trees, the Guildhall pigeons, and other touches of rurality that still linger in the heart of London, are most admirably written, and the book, as a whole, is rich in anecdote, description, and criticism, illus- trative of the relations of town and coun- try, as brought together in the capital of the empire. THE GAEDEN GUIDE EOE MAY. KiTCHKN Garden. — The ground will be now, for the most part, covered, and every- thing in full growth. The hoe must never be idle; weeds grow faster than the crops, and exhaust the soil rapidly, and, if al- lowed to seed, make the mischief worse. Next to keeping down weeds, the most important operation is that of watering. Plants lately put out should not be drenched to excess, or the chill will check them more than a drought would, and it is better to trust to moderate watering and shade com- bined, than to keep the soil soddened about plants that have barely taken root. Cucum- bers, gourds, tomatoes, and capsicums may be put out ; the soil should be rich ; and, for tomatoes, a sunny aspect must be chosen. Manure-water should be freely used to all crops in full growth, and espe- ciall}' to strawberries, but there should be two or three waterings with plain water to one with liquid manure. Suw beet, early horn carrots, scarlet runners, and French beans, turnips, lettuces, radishes, cabbages, spinach, endive, cauliflower, and peas and beans. All salad plants should have a shady position, or they may run to seed. In sowing peas and beans, it is best to depend on the earliest sorts, at this time of year, as they are soon off the grormd, but Knight's Marrow and Bedman's Imperial are g od peas to sow- now for late supply. Dress asparagus and seakale beds with one pound of salt to every square yard, and give asparagus beds strong doses of liquid manure from horsedung. Flower Gakden. — Newly-made lawns require a little special care at this season. If tlie grass is thin it must not be mown and swept in the usual way, for the roots of young grass suffer from the effects of a hot sun when there is not a close bottom to preserve moisture. It is a good plan to mow early, and leave the mowings till the evening, then sweep and clear up, and the grass will have twenty-four hours from the morning before the sun comes on it again, or, reckoning from the day before the mowing, thirty-six hours, which will ma- terially assist in promoting a thickening of the bottom. Where walks look dingy, a turning with a fork and a good rolling is often as effectual a reviver as a supply of new gravel, but if the old gravel is of trifling depth or a bad coloitr, a new coating will complete the beauty of the garden, and give it a necessary finish. Carnations, picotees, and pinks may now be propagated by pipings on the north side of a fence, or in pots, half filled with sandy loam. The old plan of striking them iu heat and in exciting composts is quite exploded as a fallacy. Eanunculuses will want water frequently ; they cannot endure drought, and beds of valuable kinds must be placed in the same way as tulips, with netting or canvas. Pansies strike readily from short side-shoots ; the old hollow stems will strike also, but never make good plants ; the new" growth is that to be depended on. Dahlias not staked . should be attended to forthwith ; indeed, the stakes should be put in at the time of planting, so as to avoid damage to the roots when thej' have begun to grow. Perennials should be sown for next season's blooming, so as to get strong plants. Sow thin in nursery beds, and prick out the plants in rows as soon as they make rough leaves. If left crowded together they grow spindled, and never make strong plants. Gbeenhouse. — To prolong the beauty of the plants in flower, put up a shading of tiffany or Daythorn's hexagon net ; the latter will also be useful to exclude bees and wasps, for flowers on which bees have settled perish sooner than those they have no access to, owing to their disturbing the pollen, and causing a formation of seed- pods. A method of prolonging the bloom of flowers, and, in the ojjiuion of some, increasing their beauty, is, to get some dis- THE FLOEAL WOELD AJSD GAEDEN GUIDE. 135 solved gum arable, and a camel's-hair brush. The brush is dipped in, and the centre of everv flower tonclied with the gum, where it forms a bright bead, and prevents the distribution of the pollen. Of course, the flowers should be touched soon afttr they open, or Nature may have accomplished her end before the preventive is brought into operation. It is important to keep the first blooms on specimen aza- leas, pelargoniums, etc., in this way, so as to get the wiiole plant covered by the time the later blossoms open. Pelargoniums done blooming should be cut in and allowed to break before repotting. They should be kept rather dry, so as to break slowly, and ■when potted into small pots, put in a cold frame, and kept close, till they begin to make fresh root, when they must have plenty of light and air. Cinerarias done blooming may be propagated by side- shoots and suckers ; if the plants are turned out on a border, and heaped round the collar with sandy loam, they will throw out suckers, which may afterwards be slipped oS" with a portion of root attached. The time is now arriving for clearing out the house, and give it any necessary clear- ing and repairs, and cold frames should be provided in good time to receive those plants that are not to be turned out of their pots for the summer. Stove. — Liberal waterings must now be given, and abundance of air, especially among hard-wooded plants. Pines, same treatment as last month. New Holland plants should be encouraged to grow, and liberal shifts given as required. Auriculas will want occasional fumi- gating, keep them in a cool place, on a hard bottom, and pour water amongst them on the ground surface to cause a moist air. An old light may be rested on pots over them during storms, otherwise let them have the benefit of all showers. Asters may now be turned out in the places where they are to bloom; make the ground rich, and choose showery weather. If the place is infested with snails, plant a few small lettuces behind the back row, which may be pulled up as soon as the asters are well rooted. Those to flower in pots to have a good shift and cold frame. Azaleas not yet done growing, keep moist and shaded, but beware not to push the growth too far, as unless they are well ripened and rested, there will be few flower- buds formed. There is not much danger of that, however, just yet, except with those forced early. Plants that are leggy are likely to throw out shoots along the stems if laid on their sides. Apricots to be thinned, young shoots nailed in, caterpillars destroyed, and water- engino used smartly, if any sign of fly, which rarely troubles them. Americans newly planted must have abundance of water, overhead as well as at the root. Remove by carefully snapping out with finger and thumb the deadblooms of rho- dodendrons and azaleas, to prevent seeding, Aimuals of quick growth, sown now, will bloom late for succession. Nemophilas never make a better effect than from sow- ings in June, in moist, shady places. Asters and balsams to be planted out during moist, dull weather. Asparagus not to be cut after the 15th, then to be cleaned over and allowed to grow. Begonias planted out in open ground not to have a drop of water on their leaves, and to be handled with great care. Shelter from wind is greatly needed. Celery to be got into trenches as fast as the ground can he made ready, by the re- moval of other crops. Take up each with a ball, and do not injure a single leaf. Hoe over those that are established in trenches, to break the surface that has been hardened by watering. Cinerarias m.ay now be earthed up, to promote the rooting of the sucker.-^. Throw away all seedlings of inferior quality, and propagate only the best. They require a cool, shady place while making suckers, which are to be removed as soon as rooted. Sow seed for next year, and pot off rooted cuttings. Camellias may be got out in a shady place, on a bed of tiles or coal-ashes, and kept frequently watered. If kept in the house, there must be air on night and day. This hot weather will ripen the wood to perfection for next year. Dahlias planted out, to be staked before the roots extend. Plant out all that are in pots at once ; they will do better in the ground now than with any more nursing. The shoots of dahlias may be bent down so as to render very short stakes sufiicient. Fuchsias, keep well shaded, well wa- tered, well ventilated, and with a cool, moist bottom. Plants from spring cuttings will be useful in five and six-inch pots, to keep the hoiises gay in company with bal- sams and other summer flowers. Fruit. — Search among raspberries every morning for snails, which take shel- ter on the stakes and among the side- shoots. If large fruit are required, thin the blooms at once, and give liquid manure. Stone-fruits look well this season, and no blight yet, but it may come suddenly, and must be prepared for. Disbud and nail in. Pot trees to have plenty of water, and, if weakly in their new growth, pretty strong 13G THE FLOEAL WORLD AXD GAEDEN GUIDE. doses of liquid manure at intervals of at leiist a week each. Pincb, regulate, and where fruit shows thick, thin it out. Geraniums propagated now will flower in the autumn ; sorts of which a large stock is required for next year, should be cut at as soon as establislied in the rescn'e yround. In bedding out use a trowel, and clcse in neatly, as the plants will not thrive with haid cakes of soil about them. AVhere the soil is very rich, and geraniums are found to grow too rank for flov/ering freely, merely raising the beds to render them dry, will do much to insure a gay bloom. Road sand from gravel roads is the best of all soil lor Tom Tliumbs and other ordinary scarlets. Geraniums in beds, avoid watering if possible, alter the first dose to settle the earth about them, Tliey will root deeper and do better in the end. Pot plants want plenty of water, and if leggy, pinch out the tops and give a shift, and plenty of side-shoots and blooms will follow to the end of the season. Melktroj.is make rnpid growth on hot- walls, and are very useful to fill up blanks. Petunias may be used the- same way, to run up to five or six feet. Eich soil and plenty of water aie requisite if such a fi'ee growth is required. Herhaceuus Plnnts may now be propa- gated from cuttings as they go out of bloom. Alyssums, wallflowers, perennial iberis, etc., are easily propagated, and the borders may be richly furnibhed with them by a little timely trouble. Vines to be frequently syringed, and every appearance of vermin to be dealt with promptly. Train in as soon as the shoots can be handled, that there may be no after-twisting and injuring. A dry air and dry border will promote the spread of red spider, but moisture is death to this pest. Give muscats plenty of heat. HoUyhoclcs. — Stake at once, and tie in as soon as the stems are tall enough, and frequently look at the ties to see they do not cut their swelling stems. Heavy manuring in the first instance is preferable to watering with liquid manure, but in poor soils liquid manure may be used abun- dantly. Pansies. — Take cuttings of the best, look over seedlings and root out and de- stroy all inferior ones. Sovr again for autumn bloom. Pelargoniums. — Shade the house, plenty of water, stake and tie as needftil, keep a sharp eye after vermin. Plants out of blcom keep cool and dry out of doors. Tulips. — Remove the shading, and let them have the benefit of rains and dews. Oechid House. — All orchids from the eastern parts of the world will now require abundance of water. Advantage may be taken of sun-heat to lessen the expenditure of fucd, but tliere must be some ventilation. Orchids on blocks and in baskets require to be well soaked occasionally, and for this work the new " Orchid Bath," manufac- tured by Warner and Sons, is a most useful apparatus. Cymbidium eburneum and C. giganteum will probably require repotting now, and in so doing strong j)lants may be increased by dividing the bulbs. They require plenty of pot-room, good drainage, and tibry peat in lumps. Many of the Van- das are now in their full beauty, and must be kept cool to prolong the bloom. As soon as they have done blooming repot them. Stnnliopeas pushing their flower- buds through their baskets now, are occa- sionally injured by ccmtact with the m.ate- rial ( f wiiicli the baskets are made, and an occasional examination will be ueces- sarj' to prevent this. These will grow in either the Indian or Mexican house if ma- naged with care. They require shallow baskets, with plenty of openmgs so that the flowers may find their way through, plenty of water while growing, and alter the growth is completed, a long period of rest during which they should be kept only moderately moist. Prepare flowering plants for the conservatory by taking them first to a vinery, or any structure of a temperature intermediate between the orchid-house and the conservatory. Tem- perature of Indian house 70" to 75' by night, IS' to 85' by day. Mexican house 65' to 70' by night, 70' to 80' by day. Orchids that may he in hloom in June. — Acineta Humboldtii ; Aerides crispum, crispnm Lindleyanum, crispum pallidum, crispum Warneri, Fieldiugii, Larpenta', maculosum, maculosum Schiajderi, M'Mor- landi, nobile, odoratum, odoratum cor- nutum, roseum, Veitchii, virens, virens supeibum ; Angra;cumcaudatum ; Anguloa Clowesiiunillora, virginalis ; Arpophyllum cardinale ; Barkeriamelanocaulon, specta- bilis ; Bolbophyllum Henshalli ; Brassia Lanceana, Lawrenceana, maculata major, verrucosa, verrucosa superba, Wraya^ ; Broughtonia sanguinea ; Calanthe furcata, Dominii, masuca, veratrifolia ; Cattleya Aclandiie, amabilis, citrina, Edithiana, in- termedia violacea, labiata picta, Lemon- iana M'Morlandii, Mossia>, quadricolor, Schilleriana, superba, Wagneri, Walker- iana ; Chysis Limminghii; Ccelogjue Lowii ; Coryanthes macrantha, macula- ta ; Cycnoches harbatum, chlorochi- lum, ventricosum ; Cypripedium Lowii; Dendrobium calceolarea, cretaceura, Devo- nianiun, Falconerii, longicornum majus, THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 137 transparens, tortile ; Dendrocliilum fi'i- fonne, Epidendriim alatuia majtis, cinna- bariiium, crassifolium, verrucosum, macu- latum gi-audiflorum ; Galeandra Bauerii ; Huntleya meleagris ; Lfelia Brysiana, elejrans Dayii, elegans Warneri, flava, grandis, purpurata, purpurata Williamsii ; Odaiitoglossuui citrosinum, !iastilabium,n£e- viiim ; Oiicidium ampliatura inajus, bifo- lium, divaricatLTm, loiigipes, luriJum gut- tatum, pbymatochiluin, pulchellnm, pu'- vinatuni, pulvinatum majus ; Peristeria cerina ; Pbalwnopsis graudiflora, amii- bilis ; Saccolabiutn ampullaceiim, cur- vifolium, guttatum, giittatuni giganteum, prfcmorsutn, retusum, Wigbtianuni ; Schom- burgkia tibicinu; Sobralia macrantlia splen- di-iis ; Tiichopilia coccluea, crispa ; Vanda cristata, Roxburghii, terres ; Waritea cyauea, tricolor. TO CORRESPONDENTS. Climate of Ahgyllshike. — In the May number of tlie Floral World, under the head '' Clianthus, in Scotland," a correspondent notices that he has a plant of it in bloom in open-air. I, too, have a beautiful plant wlilcli has stood several ■winters, and is now very full of bloum. It may be interesting to your readers to learn that many delicate plants thrive well ill the lliglilands during winter, amongst|whichI havegrowingagainst the walls of my house — Escallonia rubra, in bloom ; Clematis aznreagrandiilora, hun- dreds of blooms just ready to burst; Wisteria sinensis, showing for bloom; also large plants of " Azalea indica alba," full of bloom, ready to open, and other choice varieties. The arbutus does well here, and the myrtle blooms. I have about two dozen varieties of ferns in an unprotected fernery, some of tliem of a tender character, and bare stood several winters. [We should like to have the names of them.] The past winter has been unusually mild, in proof of which I find many of the bedding-out-plants of last year are in perfect condition, amongst which are several varieties of salvias, cinerarias, lobelias, ciipheas, scarlet geraniums, fuchsias, etc. If you consi- der the information worthy of notice in the Flor.\l World, you are at liberty to use it in any manner you may find convenient.— I am, sir, yours very re- spectfully, Sgor Blieiinn. [On refe- rence to the map it will be seen that the 56th parallel of north latitude runs through the centre of Argyllshiie, but being on the western coast it derives many climatal advantages from the gulf stream to counteract the low tempera- ture otherwise proper to a high latitude. " Sgor Bbeann " sends us his real name and address.] Clim..tk of Frome. — I should like to know the effect the frost the last three days in April and early in May had on the gardens in Dumbiirt"nshire, if Mr. Flemyng will kindly inform us. From Frome, in Somersetshire, a gardener writes, dated 1st May, "Ihope you have not suffered from last night's frost like we have liere. We have lost every- thing on STANDARD trees, pears, jilnms, cherries, apples, gooseberries, currants, and also blooms enough of strawberries to produce sacks of fruit if they had come to perfection. On the 4th of May I found in my next neighbours garden a bed of heliotrope a foot high, wliicii h:id been out all the winter without protec- tion except a little earth thrown over the stools. My tropceolums arc making fine shoots out of doors, having been out the winter. This fine weather has brought out hosts of grubs, etc., to attack every kind of leaf — A. B. «S'." [Your seedling auriculas aie tolerably good for border use, but only one, and. that the largest, worth keeping for pot culture. That, tjiough remarkable large and rather coarse, is nevertheless a good self] Azalea AMosNA, Plaxt Destkovees. — Can you tell me how to make "Azalea amocna" blow ? I have had one plant in the open border for several years which thrives well, but I never get more than three or four flower heads of one or two blooms upon it, and this year none at all. I have raised several young ones from layers, but in the greenhouse I suc- ceed but very little better in getting it to blossom. I am much troubled vvitli a little insect which destroys seed- ling plants by eating the outside of the stem just upon tlie surface of the mould. It is of a dark brown or black colour, and nimble and active in its mo- tions. It has destroyed pots of seedlings of portulace.a, anemone, and tl;is yeiir a box of mignonette after it had been 138 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GARDEN aUIDE. outside the greenhouse for nearly a week , the other plants -were destroyed in the fjreenhousc ; the insect I have never seen ow the plants, it runs about the soil, and being so nearly of the same colour is easily concealed by the particles of mouhl ; can you te'il me how to avoid its attack ? — L. M. [We have written so much about Azalea amcena that we supposed the subject to be exhausted. This is the first time we ever heard of any faihu-e in its cultivation. We must sup- pose it is in a soil quite unsuited to its character ; and L. M. should have added some particulars on that head. All it requires is a bed of turfy peat or bog two feet deep in a shady position, and to be left alone to lake care of itself If planted in common garden mould it can never do any good. We suspect the little black nimble insects are beetles, and probably quite harmless. The mis- chief is much more like the work of slugs and snails, and probably if L. M. will examine the plants with a candle at nioht, an army of small slugs will be found feasting on them. Whenever there is any mystery of this kind, cultivators should introduce lettuce plants for the vermin, and they will quit better things.] Gekanium Spot. — I have taken your valuable work for two years, and now venture for the first time to ask a ques- tion. I inclose some leaves, will you tell me what is the matter with them? — J. B. [The geranium leaves sent are horribly afflicted with "spot," the re- sult of imperfect drainage. When this affection breaks out it sometimes spreads to all the plants in a collection, and becomes incurable. It is invariably caused in the first instance by a water- logged condition of the roots, or sudden chills, with damp, caused by ill-regulated ventilation, or want of fire-heat when the plants are in a sappy condition. For the future use plenty of drainage, care- fully packed, so that the soil will not run down and prevent the escape of ■water. Place over the hole in the pot one large hollow crock, hollow side downwards, over that lay some smaller pieces, and then put in broken oyster shells enough to fill at least one-fom-th of the depth of tlie pot, you may fill one-third of the depth with advantiige. Let the soil be— s;nid\' loam, two parts, peat one part, leaf-mould one part, all in a rough cou'iition, well mixed, but not sifted. Attend to ventilation, keep the plants rather dry in cold weather, and keep the house dry all the winter through, and you will never see spot again.] Variou.s. T'. — Tour verbenas wanted bottom-heat to give them a start after potting. It is common enough for people who work v/ithout the aid of artificial heat to lose all tlieir plants in spring, through repotting them. In future, if you succeed so well in keeping your plants through the winter, leave them alone till quite the end of April or beginning of May ; indeed you might have left yours alone till time to plant them out" — T. Gt'Jlimore. — The flower is that of Amaryllis longi folia. Tlie leaf is of one of "the varieties of Lilium lancifolium, which has been subjected to unusually bad treatment to be infested with meally bug. for as a rule these liliums enjoy quite an immunit}- from vermin. Your plants have surely been coddled ; sponge the leaves with soap and water, then syringe, and as soon as the plants are toler:ibly dry from the operation, put tiiem out in a cold frame, on a bed of cocoa-nut dust. — Sjforza. — If you will try and write a short letter, and say on what particular subject out of the fifty or more enume- rated in your communication, we will give it our best attention. If your plants die before our next number ap- pears, you must not blame us f^T with- holding information, but yourself for sending a letter which consumed half an hour to read it, and was then unin- telligible. '1 here is no task we so much enjoy as attending to correspondence, hut long letters are like east winds, they chill the very marrow in one's bones. — J. F. — The tan catching fire does not seem to need explan?ition. The fogging off of the plants was owing to the bed being too damp and too cold ; whenever this begins raise the heat and sprinkle the bed with silver-sand or peat dust. Such a place ought to strike cuttings, and will when you get used to it. You had best resort to dung- heat, the cost is little. You cannot do much in garden- ing without manure. '1 he best book for you is theFLORAi- Wokld itself; if you jn'oc'.n-e the complete set of six volnmes, you will have plenty of advice on hot- beds, frames, etc. — JVewark. — The shrub is Euonymus Americanus — the blue flower a Pulmonaria, the yellow Doroni- cum calabricum. THE FLO! GABBEI^ GUIDE, CULTUEE OF GAEDENIA. July, 1863. HE Gardenias are known best under the general designation of Cape Jasmines, and are valued for their elegant, sweet-scented flowers, and their free, shrubby, substantial habit of growth. They are eminently adapted for conservatory and greenhouse decoration, and are held in the highest esteem among growers for market, who, in spring, can always make sure of good prices for any quantity of Gardenias in bloom. G. radicans is largely grown for market, and is sold at a cheap rate, owdng to the case with which it may be multiplied and got into bloom in a small state. G. citriodora is largely grown to supply "orange blossoms" for weddings in early spring, and in beauty and fragrance its blossoms surpass those of the orange. Notwithstanding that the Gardenia has so many good points to recommend it to the attention of amateur gardeners, it is not so often met with in mixed collections as it should be, through the prevalence of an opinion among gardeners that without the aid of good stoves it is impos- sible to grow any of the species. It has been our privilege on many occasions to show how some of the most liighly-prized stove-plants may be successfully managed in an ordinary greenhouse, and we shall now be able to place some of the best species of Gardenia within the reach of such of our readers as have nothing better than a greenhouse and a few frames for all their practice in the culture of tender plants. EoTANT AND UsES. — In the Natural system, the order Siibiacece is appropriated to the plants of the madder family, including the Cinchonas, Gardenias, Coffeas, Woodroofs, and other allied plants, the majority of which produce an astringent bitter principle variously used in medicine. The order is one of the most important in an economical point of view, as from its members we severally obtain Peruvian bark, coffee, ipecacuanha, yellow and scarlet dyes, and " simples," which have some repute with the herbalists. The order is nearly allied to Gompositw and CajyrifoUace^, VOL. VI. — >ro. vir. a 140 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. though, sufficiently distinct from both to occasion no perplexity to the botanist. The plants composing the order are mostly trees and shrubs, ■with entire, opposite leaves, hermaphrodite flowers, a tubular calyx, corolla monopetalous, inserted in the summit of the tube of the calyx in four or six divisions, the stamens alternating with the lobes of tbe corolla, ovary inferior, and the fruit a capsule or berry with two or many cells, and the cells one or many seeded. They are mostly tropical plants, but extend to the regions bordering on the tropics, and are there very abundant. The tribe Gardeniece comprises a considerable number of useful and beau- tiful trees and shrubs. The timber of a bard-wooded tree called Bur- cJiellia capensis, is much prized at the Cape, and locallj^ known as BilfFel- horn. Mussmida landia is used in the Mauritius as a substitute for Peru- vian bark ; Genipa marian(c in Surinam, and G. esculenta in Cochin China, are valued for their edible fruit ; G. Americana is cultivated in many parts of South America for its fruit, which is as large as an orange, and contains a rich vinous pulp. All the true Gardenias are applied to useful purposes in the countries where they are natives. G. Florida and G. radicans are grown as hedge plants in China and Japan, and the fruits are used both for dyeing and for medicinal purposes. Stove Gardenias. — When grown in the stove, damp and shade are very essential, and the most important matter of all is to give them a good start in spring. The proper soil for all the species is a mixture of equal parts loam from rotted turves, fibrous peat, and silver sand, well mixed and rather rough, the nodules of turf being the size of walnuts, and the finer and more sandy parts of the compost being used to fill in next the roots. They should be repotted annually after flowering, the old soil being in great part shaken away, and the plants returned to the same pots, or at least only one size larger, in the fresh compost, which must be pressed in firmly after repotting ; place them on a bed of fermenting dung, leaves, or tan, and supply plenty of water till they have completed their seasonal growth ; then remove them to a stage or slate platform, and let them go tolerably dry and have the help of sunshine to ripen the wood. Keep them tolerably dry and cool all winter, and in spring place on a moist heat, but the pots should not be plunged, and they will flower abundantly. Pruning should be performed immediately the bloom is over, but as a rule they do best without pruning, as they have naturally a neat shrubby habit. "VVe subjoin a list of the most valuable stove species. Armata, native of West Indies, forms a handsome spinous tree, ten or twelve feet high, white flowers in July, requires the stove, and needs special care only after repotting. Devoniana, native of Sierra Leone, forms a handsome shrub, six feet high, and produces white flowers in August. Requires the stove. Latifolia, native of the East Indies, produces lemon -coloured blossoms in May. This may be grown in a warm greenhouse by the method de- scribed below, but as a greenhouse plant will not bear any neglect or it may be lost. Lucida, also a native of the East Indies, has shining leaves, and pro- duces its white flowers in June. Nitida is a diminutive species from Sierra Leone. It attains a height of two and a half feet, and by occasional stopping may be made very dense and bushy. Its usual season of blooming is October, but by re- tarding it may be turned to good account for flowers in the depth of THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 141 "winter, as it needs warnith more than light to hring it into bloom. The flowers are white. Stanleyana, native of Sierra Leone. It is a very handsome shrub, and attains a height of six feet. Th:; flowers are white witii red spots, and are abundantly produced in June. Fortuni, native of Cnina, introduced by Fortune, is one of the noblest stove Grardenias, and indispensable to a good collection. As this may be managed without the aid of a stove, the culture will be more particularly described under the section of greenhouse treatment. Other useful stove species are campanulata, dumetoruai, fragrans, longistyla, melleifera, raontana. pavetta, and Sherbournise. Greexhouse Gardenias. — These must have similar treatment to the stove species, for if kept in the greenhouse with other plants the whole year round, and subjected to the ordinary treatment of such plants, they become infested with fly, and never bloom satisfactorily. It is absolutely necessaz-y to force them into bloom with a moist heat, and after blooming to prune them in if needful, and then promote new growth by the same process as vras used to bring them into bloom. Generally a frame placed on a sweet bed of fermenting diinfr, answers to perfection, the moist am- moniated atmosphere giving the foliage its proper freshness and beauty, and helping out the flowers freely. If potted properly in the first in- stance, they may be flowered twice without a shift, and after shifting must be forced into growth as described above for the stove species. When the growth is completed, with the aid of frame-heat, they may be removed to the greenhouse, and be fully exposed to light all the autumn and winter, and have plenty of air while the temperature is above 50^ during winter. They must be kept rather dry, or they may rot at the collar, and the temperature should never sink below 40°. In spring they must be again placed on a moist bottom-heat, and kept rather close to bring them into bloom. When in the forcing pit the pots should not be plunged. Sometimes when kept in a poor state in the greenhouse they become infested with fly; the remedy for this is first to cleanse them of fly by brushing the under sides of the leaves, and then to induce root action by a brisk moist heat, with frequent syringing. Plants that have been well treated in the early part of the season may, when their growth is completed, be put into a cool pit in June, and in July may be set out in the open air till September, and then be housed for the winter. Un- less required in bloom ver)^ early in the season, it is best to wait till February before putting them in heat to bloom, as they will then com- plete their growth by June, and occasion less trouble than if started earlier. All the greenhouse kinds are adapted for flowering in the stove. They are all propagated from cuttings of shoots half ripe, in sand under bell-glasses, on a moist bottom-heat of 70°. The majority strike readily, but there are a few very difficult to propagate. We subjoin a list of desirable greenhouse kinds, with remarks on culture where necessary, Araoena, native of China, grows four to five feet high, and forms a pretty shrub. Flowers white, having the lobes purple outside where exposed to the air. This is one of the hardiest. The season of flowering is July. It should be kept in a shady part of the greenhouse, and have plenty of water from May till August. Angustifolia is a small narrow-leaved snecies with white flowers ; 142 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. it is not in great repute, but it is wortli a place in a large col- lection. riorida is a native of China, and is largely cultivated in Japan and the East Indies. This is a fine shrub, growing to a height of six feet ; the flowers are white and very fragrant. There is a variety with double flowers nearly as large as a rose. This is one of the most desirable species, and worth all the care it requires to grow it successfully. It is, however, inferior to G. radicans, as it grows taller, is scarcely so profuse in bloom, and does not last so long. This is a diflicult species to propagate, and we shall therefore give special directions for its increase. Early in April the plants ought to be full of young shoots, from which cuttings may be taken. First prepare some five-inch pots by half filling them with potsherds and then filling to the rim with a mixture of equal parts of peat and silver sand, broken up and blended together with the laand. Press this firm, and make it moderately moist. Prepare the cuttings by taking ofi" the tips of the young half-ripe shoots an inch and a half long, cut them immediately below a joint and remove the lower leaves, then insert thera. Jirmli/ an inch deep and an inch apart, the outside row next the side of the pot, give them a sprinkle and place the pots on a sweet hot-bed and shut them up and shade. If kept moderately moist and shaded they will be well rooted in the course of three weeks, when they must have air by degrees for a week, and then be potted separately. Pot them in sixty-sized pots with plenty of drainage, and the soil equal parts of peat, turfy loam, and silver sand. Water them and place them again on a moist heat and shade for a week, by which time they will have begun to grow and may have more light, but must still be shaded at midday and have a little air. By the end of June they will be fine plants and will require a shift. Pot them in forty-eight sized pots, using peat and loam one part each, and a half part each of leaf and sand. The pots must be well drained and the j^lants must be potted ^/?«. Plunge them again in a brisk bottom- heat and shut close for a few days, then give light and air by degrees, and they will soon begin to show their flower-buds. The appearance of these will be the signal for removing them to the greenhouse, where they may remain in a temperature averaging 45^, till it is desired to bring them into flower. To bloom them proceed as before directed, placing them on a bed of fermenting material, syringe frequently and give no air. If they are not in full vigour help them with manure water, made by steeping sheep's dung in a tub, use this clear, weak, and warm. As soon as the flowers open remove to a warm greenhouse, where they will continue in bloom several weeks. After flowering prune, repot, and place again in heat. Padicans, native of Japan, growing two feet high, is invaluable for its free-flowering dwarf habit and the ease with which it may be propa- gated and flowered. It is grown by thousands for the market on the plan already described for the management of other species in a dung-bed, where it is as much at home as in the best stove. The best season to propagate this is October, and the process is the same as just described. One reason why this has become so popular as a market plant is, that cuttings struck in autumn, and then shifted into sixty-sized pots and pushed on in dung-heat the following spring, flower freely, and so bring a return in less than six months. The amateur will have no difficulty in growing this if the rules already laid down are carefully observed, the TKE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 143 plants being put in the frame in February, removed to tbe green- house when in bloom, then pruned and rejjotted and placed in heat again, and after gradually hardening put in a cool pit till the middle of Septem- ber, when it must be housed for the winter. Fortuni, native of China, makes a superb specimen ; the flowers are three inches across and the plant grows to a height of six feet, with a naturally pyramidal form and bushy habit, so as scarcely to require any pruning. This will not comply with ordinary hot-bed management, and when grown in the greenhouse a bed should be made for it the warmest end of the house, either by putting tan over a tank or pipes, or by intro- ducing well- worked fermenting dung. In foliage, flower, and fragrance it is one of the most beautiful shrubs we possess. It may be readily propagated from cuttings of the half-ripe wood when grown by the method already described. Unless this can have the warmest place and the help of bottom-heat in a good greenhouse it must not be admitted at all. In a moist stove it attains perfection, and it ought to be found in every stove where caladiums and begonias have a place, as the atmosphere which those plants require will suit this admirably. Citriodora is exquisitely fragrant, and the most prized of all as a substitute for orange blossoms. AVhen treated in the same way as described above for Florida and radicans it blooms profusely, and in a damp stove it is invaluable. SCOLOPEj^DEIUMS. If a lover of ferns were to ask for any particular family which would best pay to grow in quantity and variety, I should certainly say select Scolopendriums, because of their hardiness, their numerous beautiful and curious forms, and their generally evergreen habit. The common hart's- tongue, Scolopcndrium vulgare, is one of the most beautiful of all ferns, and especially valuable on banks and rockeries, to give relief, by its bi'oad, shining, and verdant fronds, to the finely-cut outlines of Lady ferns, Lastreas, and Aspleniums ; and when aged and strong, it has a true grandeur about it peculiar to itself. "What a pretty sight it is one gets by peeping underneath its leathery tufts in autumn, when the fronds are barred with spores in rich brown oblique lines ; and how charming it ^ is to see the fronds arise in spring like productions in waxwork, while the growth of the previous year is perhaps still green, as it is generally if ■we have had a mild winter. Scolopendrium vulgare, the common hart's- tongue, is the most distinct of all the British ferns, as Lastrea f. m. is the most elegant. It has this peculiar adaptability to garden uses that it will grow in any soil and any position, that if neglected it is always beautiful, and if treated with skill it always makes a liberal return ; and, by the way, it is astonishing to what a degree of luxuriance the common hart's- tongue will attain if really cultivated and made a pet of. When planted on a sloping bank of turfy loam or loamy clay in full shade, and regularly sprinkled all through the growing season, the fronds will attain a height of three feet and a breadth proportionate, and the huge crowns will have quite a .bird's-nest appearance in the midst of the surrounding fronds, as if inclosed in a basket. It is one of the ferns least able to endure the pernicious effects of town smoke, but it may 144 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. nevertheless be grown to perfection in the smokiest places, by giving it a daily washing by means of the syringe. But in any case the hart's- tongue should always be grown on shady damp slopes, where it can be drenched with water without ever becoming water-logged. "When grown in pots there should be for the same reason plenty of drainoge very care- fully packed, and it should be potted in friable loam, the more fibrous the better, but there need be no admixture of sand or charcoal ; for this fern loves to root in firm, nourishing material, and is never luxuriant when grown in a poor soil. There is no fern so easily increased as this. If left alone it forms distinct new crowns beside the original, which may be removed by means of the knife ; and if it is needful to propagate before the crown has so extended itself, the original crown may be cut in half without any fear of the loss of either. The best season for dividing is when the new fronds are just beginning to start in the spring. Then take up the plant with- out injuring the roots, or turn it carefully out of the pot, as the case may be. Lay it on the potting board, and insert a sharp strong knife between the rising fronds, go as to separate them fairly into two or more parts, with a good centre to each. Pass the knife downAvard towards the roots, but as soon as it has fairly cut through the caudex withdraw it, so as to avoid cutting the fibrous roots through, which would waste a large portion of them. Having really separated the caudex, disentangle the roots belonging to each portion with the hand, so as to save a good bundle to each division. As they interlace so freely, the passing of the knife through them v.'ould destroy the greater part, and render it difiicult to make good plants of the divided portions. It is best always to pot the divisions in as small pots as the roots can be got into without shortening them severely, and generally 60-sized pots suffice. In these put one-third drainage, and fill in round and amongst the roots with a mixture of peat and sand, or loam and sand, or clean leaf-mould. The crown should be raised slightly above the level of the soil in the pot, and on the surface of the soil silver-sand should be sprinkled. "Water these, and shut them up in a frame, and cover with shading. Some weeks will elapse before they begin to grow freely, during which time they must have very little water ; but the inside of the frame should be frequently sprinkled, to maintain a moist atmosphere about them. As soon as the Ironds begin to rise fi-eely, admit a little air and increase the supplies of water ; and when the roots begin to push through the bottoms of the pots, shift to 48 size, and use firm, turfy loam, or a mixture of loam and peat without sand, and place them anywhere in. the shade, where they can be abundantly supplied with water. To some of our readers who have forests of ferns that occasion no trouble at all, such directions as those just given for the increase of hart's- tongues may seem very superfluous. Eut when we have to deal with hart's-tongues worth a guinea apiece it is another matter, and the fern collector must be an adept in managing the commonest, and hnow all the ways of propagating such as may be had for nothing, in order to apply this knowledge to the increase of varieties of great value. This process of division is the simplest way of propagating hart's-tongues ; but it is of use only to a certain extent, and if we cannot divide we must resort to another and more difiicult method of increasing them, and that is hj cuttings. THE FLORAL WOELD AND aARDEN QUIDE. 1-15 Every fern grower should practise tKe propagation of these ferns from cuttings, in order to have at command the means of increasing the choicest of the varieties, as well as for the mastery of all the mysteries of pteridology, and so we will have a word upon that subject. "When a Scolopendrium has at its base a number of old brown fronds just green at the base, but dead at the tips, it is in the best condition to furnish cuttings. The only nice point in this operation is the way the cuttings are made. If you simply cut off the old frond with a portion of the stipes or stalk, you can never get a plant from it ; but if the stipes is taken away complete tvith a portion of the rind of the caudex attached, a very moderate amount of care will convert it into a plant. First select an old frond still green at the base. Next run the finger down, so as to remove the earth from that part of the caudex from where the stipes proceeds. !Now insert the knife just below the point where the stipes springs from and pass it gently upwards and out again above the base of the stipes, and you will have with the frond a portion of the caudex. Now with a pair of scissors clip off the frond within one inch of its base, so that you have attached to the stipes the cordate portion of the frond which is still green. Lay this prepared cutting on some wet moss, and proceed to make as many more like it as you can get. "When all are ready dibble them tenderly into a well-drained pan, filled up with a mixture of fine peat and sand, water them in, cover with a bell-glass, and place on bottom- heat of not less than 60' and never higher than 70\ They ought all to stand upright like any other kind of cuttings, and the base of the stipes with its attached scrap of caudex should be below the surface of the soil. In the course of time little crowns will appear, for there is really a dormant germ of a crown at the base of every stipes, just as at the base of the leaf stalk of an endogenous tree we have a bud that can be converted into a plant. "When these little crowns appear give a little air or they may rot ; supply water very moderately ; keep shaded, and as soon as one new frond is fairly open pot them all in thumbs with a mixture of one- third sand and two-thirds peat, and place them in a moist heat with shade, and they will soon be good plants. There is yet another way of propagating without resorting to spores, and that must also be done in early spring. "When the plants are just about to commence their spring growth take a knife with a sharp point, and if the variety is diminutive use instead a large pin. Carefally prick out the centre of the crown, and then wait the result. After this operation the plants should be kept warm and have water only moderately, for fear the crown should rot ; but they must never go dry. After a time the energies of the plant will be directed to the development of side crowns, and the business of the propagator will be to remove these, pot them carefully, and coax them into independent growth. But they must not be removed till they have acquired sufficient strength, and with slow growing varieties it is often necessary to wait till the next season before they can be divided, and then they will usually supply a number of good offsets. Now the reason why it is worth while to say so much about Scolo- pendriums is that our common British species has been more prolific of varieties than any other fern known. Mr. Sim of Foot's Cray catalogues thirty- nine varieties, Messrs. Ivery of Dorking thirty- three, Messrs. Stan- field and Sons of Yale Nurseries, Todmorden, near Kochdale, Lancashire, have eighty-five varieties. As with sports of other plants some of these 146 THE FLORAL WOELD AND aARDEN GUIDE. varieties of S. vulgare are more curious than beautiful ; but, as a rule, it is hard to find one that would not either delight us with its beauty or create more than a passing interest in its strange departure from the normal type. I can imagine no more agreeable task for a lover of ferns than collecting all these varieties in duplicate, one set in pots and another set planted out on a rockery in a shady greenhouse heated sufRcient to keep out frost in winter, and to give the collection a start in spring. Those who know the inner recesses of Messrs. Veitch's Nursery at Chelsea, will understand upon this hint what an exquisitely beautiful feature a collection of Scolopendriums would be planted out under glass, so that we could view at least a hundred distinct forms of vegetation, and know that all originated out of the common hart's-tongue of the hedge- rows, and we are still capable of producing yet other distinct forms by influences to some extent at the discretion and under the command of the cultivator. I happen to have a very good collection of these fanciful ferns, and I must say they afford to me and my friends more positive pleasure than any other of the beauties of the great fern family. It maj^ be that our fern-growing readers will like to learn which of the varieties are most to be desired for distinctness, and it is to help our friends in selecting that I have had the accompanying sketch made of a few of my own specimens. First of all I shall name for real beauty and a free growing habit Crispum, which is much like the normal form in its general outline, but more stiff and erect, and beautifully waved and crisped from top to bottom. This is of a more yellowish green than the species, and is always barren. This is seen in the group at figure 4. Next we will have Alcicorne (5) which Messrs. Stansfield appear to have exclusive possession of, if we are to be guided by catalogues. My THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 147 plant of this is one of the noblest I possess. Some of the fronds measure two and a half inches across, and they have two distinct forms, one not greatly different to the species ; another breaking at the summit into huge bifid or trifid segments or stags' horns. This is a very bold and striking variety, and of the very best habit for planting out on a bunk either under glass or in the open-air fernery. The fronds have a fresh green hue, and are all more or less fertile. Another of this class is called Foli/scupis undosmn, that is, with many cusps and wavy (1). Here the fronds all terminate in twisted horns, so beau- tifully as to appear crested, and in fact it might have been named cristatum with great propriety. This is smaller and neater, and more uniform than the last, and is quite a gem for pot culture. But the name Cristatum is better applied to 3, which makes a charming companion to polyscupis for pot culture. This cristatum grows nearly erect, the fronds are wavy, cor- date at the base, and at the summit spreading into broad semicircular fans. This is a gem iu its way, does not attain any great size, has a lovely green hue, and is always barren. Now, we come to the finest of all the crested scolopendriums, and the prettiest fern known for a pot specimen or to plant out on a shady bank. This is called Ramo-marginatum, and as you see by its portrait, it is a gem of gems, a paragon. This is of medium growth, though very vigorous, and it throws up such a number of its curious and elegant fronds that it soon forms a specimen arching over on all sides equally, and its characters are remarkably persistent and uniform. The usual type is a frond contracted through two-thirds of its length, and in this contracted portion crenulated j it then suddenly spreads into a broad semicircular fan, deeply notched and crisped, and the divisions so abundant that they overlap and add a tone of richness to the most cmious of all fern developments. Sometimes the fronds divide into two or three forks each, terminating in a fan; they are all barren, and the colour is a fresh lively green. Now we come to two which are nearly alike, but both desirable. Maryinata papillosum (2), is one of Stansfield's varieties. It is not a sti'ong grower, but it is very peculiar. The fronds are narrow, and nearly the same width throughout ; at the base they form a double crescent, the usual cordate form being exagge- result is a most unique outline. rated, and the beautiful and Prom the base to the summit they are crenulated so as to appear as if some embroidery work had been laid on, and this deception is aided by their remarkable thickness of texture. There is in fact a sort of double surface development owing to the constriction of the bases of the wavy edges ; the re - suit is that the frond appears to be covered with something be- tween freckles and pimples, and between the fingers it has a coria- ceous feel, and this leathery tex- tiire makes it robust and stiff, SCOLOPENDBIDM TULGABB BAMO-MAEGIirATCH. and characteristic. This variety is 148 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. moderately fruitful. Marginatum (7) is in all the catalogues, the fronds are scarcely an inch wide, uniform in width throughout, texture rough like the last, regularlj- crenulated, and underneath there is a skin-like line which breaks out into seed-bearing excrescences. It is very handsome, and makes a fine specimen cither in pot or planted out. MuUifidum is worth having, but less so than others we have named. The fronds are like the species, but their points expand into three forks, flat and spi'eading. This, however, varies much, and to see all that it is capable of you must plant it out and wait till it gets old, then it will often amuse you with its eccentricities. Grenulatum is a very fine variety of robust habit, and richly waved on the margin. Angustatum grows tall and erect, with nar- rowisli fronds elegantly waved throughout, and is very beautiful, though not very curious. Polysclddes introduces us to the class of diminutive Scolopcndriums. Here we have narrow, dark green fronds, deeply and irregularly notched. Prolifcrum is a diminutive of marginatum, growing less than two inches high, and the fronds often awl-shaped, or consisting of the rachis only, others slightly expanded, and bearing little plants ; this requires a \qvj damp, shady place, and best in the open air. Vivo-marginatum (6) is the most curious of all these diminutive kinds ; the tiny fronds are sometimes denticulate their whole length ; others divide at the summit into three or four horns, and they are all of a dark green hue ; it is quite a curiosity, and very interesting. If these are not enough for a selection, I shall add Cornutum, of which I have a fine plant, very dwarf, coriaceous, with crenate and undulated fronds, which terminate abruptly; this is diminutive, and the colour a very dark, bluish green. Laceratum is one of the grandest of all, the fronds broad and frilled their whole length, and at the summit spreading into a fine frilled fan, which sometimes assumes most elegant cycloid outlines. Take also Digitatum, which has the stipes branched, and the fronds ending in broad, flat fans of great size ; Fis&um, a large edition of polyschides, with deep marginal clefts, and very luxuriant in habit ; Macrosorum between marginatum and polyschides, slightly branching, and the colour a rich deep green ; Rugosu))i with pouched fronds and deejjly-cut margins, and with spines on the midrib ; Birnarginato midtijidum, with raised veins, forming pocket-like holes on the surface, and the point of each frond twice forked, and terminating in multifid fans ; and lastly Glomeratum, which grows for a short length like the species, then breaks out into a dense globular mass of divisions three or four inches in diameter, one of the most elegant and remarkable of the whole of this strange fiunily. • You will gather from these notes that we use these monsters for shady rockeries out of doors and rockeries under glass, as well as for pot speci- mens. But I must tell you that my better half, who is an inveterate fern fancier, has them planted in Pickard cases, and they seem to like the close atmosphere of those contrivances as much as any fern so managed. But the newest of all the contrivances for fern culture has recently been appropriated to the diminutive varieties. Messrs. Kosher, of Kingsland Iload Wharf, JST.E., are offering pretty pillars of porous clay, which are fitted with small shell-like projections for the reception of ferns, and in one of these we have a very pretty collection of the smaller kinds of Scolopendrium varieties under a large bell-glass, and they are doing remarkably well. These fern pillars have been exhibited at the Eegent's THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN auiDE. 149 Park and Kensington Shows, and have created quite a sensation among lady fern cultivators. We shall have to say something about them here- after, but for the present it is at least but just to our readers to name the matter, and bid them look out for an example at the flower-shows, for it is unquestionably the most elegant and effectual method ever yet devised for the culture of ferns in rooms under glass. Shieley Hibberd. PLOWER SHOWS OF MAT AND JUNE. Crystal Palace, May 23. — This show was in every respect excellent, and was visited by a great number of persons. The plants were arranged on stages upon either side the nave, and were judiciously placed, running almost the entire length of the build- ing. Orchids were exhibited in large numbers and fine bloom ; Mr. Baker, gardener to A. Basset, Esq., Stamford Hill, had a fine specimen of Deudro- bium maerophyllum giganteum, with three large spikes of bloom, which were supported by stakes stuck in a pot below ; also Anguloa Clowesii, ^Erides odoratum coronatum, with ten spikes of bloom, and Saccolabium retusum with six spikes. Mr. BuUen, gardener to A. Turner, Esq., Leices- ter, had iErides odorata major with nearly forty spikes of bloom, and nice specimens of Cabmthe veratrifolia, Cattleya mossiaj, iErides Lindleyana, and Anguloa Kuckerii ; Mr. Wiggins had beautifully-bloomed plants of Saccolabium guttatum, iErides cris- pum, iE. Larpenta;, Je. Fieldingii, iE. Schoderii, and Dendrobium deu- siflorum. Messrs. Jackson and Son had a very fine Phajus Wallichii and Cattleya mossias aurantia, besides Dendrobium Devonianum, Cypripe- dium barbatum superbum, Vanda suavis, and Lselia purpurata. Cacti. — A nice lot of six was from Mr. J. Green, they were well flowered and creditable ; Epiphy Ilium speciosa elegans, Jenkinsonii multi- flora, Speciosa coccinea, Greenii, rubra cerulea, and crenatum. Va- riegated Plants.— M.V. Chas. Hutt, gardener to Miss Burdett Coutts, had immense specimens of Cibotium Schiedei, Alocasia metallica, Maranta albo lineata, Ehopala de Jonghi, Litania borbonica, Pandanus Java- nicus variegatus, Croton variegata, Yucca variegata, and Difl'eubachia variegata. Messrs. J. and C. Lee, of Hammersmith, had beautiful speci- mens of Draca;na Australis, Theo- phrasta imperialis, Alocasia metallica, Pandanus utilis. Yucca aloifolia va- riegata, Cordyline iniiivisa, Cyathea Smithii, Dracaena E.umphii, Cibo- teum princeps, and Ananassa sativa variegata. Stove and Greenhouse Plants were shown in great numbers, and in such excellent condition that they left no- thing to be desired either in training or blooming. Mr. Peed, gardener to Mrs. Treadwell, Lower Norwood, was first with fifteen and eight plants ; the best were Chorozema rotundifolia, Erica Cavendishiana, Pimelia decus- sata, Epacris miniata splendens, Te- tratheca eriofefolia. Azalea Criterion, Chorozema Lawrenciana, Pimelia spectabilis, Ixora alba. Azalea Mur- ryana, Polygala acuminata ; Mr. J. Green showed excellent specimens of Stephanotis floribunda, Aphelexis ma- crantha rosea, Erancisca calycina, Hedaroma macrostegia, and Draco- phyllum gracilis. The other plants of note were Acrophyllum venosum, Aphelexis macrantha rosea, A. spec- tabilis grandiflora, Leschenaultia biloba major, L. intermedia, Polygala Dalmaisiana, Boronia serrulata, Ade- nandra fragrans. Erica Albertus su- perba, DiUwynia splendens, Adenan- dra uniflora, Boronia Drummondii, Hoya bella, Ehinchospermum jasmi- noides, and Aphelexis rupestris gran- diflora. Azaleas were the chief attraction, the finest coming from Mr. Charles Turner, of Slough, who took first 150 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. prizes for ten and six plants. Mr. Thomas Page was next. The principal varieties were Admiration, Extranea, Variegata, Sir C. Napier, Arborea purpurea, Magnificent, Gem, Glory of Sunning Hill, Alba magna, Juliana, Murryana, Mary, Criterion, Per- ryana. Optima, Iveryana, Chelsoni, Illustris nova, and Pra;stantissima. Pelargoniums. — The principal ex- hibitors were Messrs. Turner, Fraser, Bailey, and Shrimpton, the winning plants of the show varieties were Pea- cock, Lilacina, Etna, Empress Eu- genie, Beadsman, Eestus, Guillaume Severyns, Rose Celestial, Governor- General, Fairest of the Fair, Vestal, Sanspareil, Sir Colin Campbell, The Bride, Mr. Marnock, Desdemona, Monarch, Candidate, Bacchus, Lady Canning, and the Belle. The fancy varieties were E-oi des Fantasies, Deli- catum, Acme, Arabella Goddard, Lady Craven, Clemanthe. Clara No- vello, Cloth of Silver, Bridesmaid, and Queen of the Valley. Hoses. — The principal exhibitors were Messrs. Lane and Son, Wm. Paul, and Chas. Turner, who all ob- tained first prizes. The finest plants were, Louise Odier, Madame Willer- moz, Gen. Jacqueminot, Souvenir d'un Ami, Paul Ricaut, Chas. Lawson, Souvenir de Malmaison, Baronne Prevost, Paul Perras, Lselia, La- marque, Madame Chas. Wood, Presi- dent, La Eeine, Mad. Damaizin, Che- nedole, Louise Peronny, Comtesse Mole, Queen, Catherine Guillot, Dr. Brettoneau, Model of Perfection, and Bravy. Calceolarias. — Mr. J. James, gar- dener to W. J. Watson, Esq., had the finest collection ; they were seed- lings of his own raising : Maccaroni, Lord Clyde, Lord Elgin, Master Watson, Lord Clifden, Mr. Grove, Colonel Mussaly, Prince of Wales, Mr. Driver, Miss Smith, and Brilliant. Most of the novelties were from Mr. Bull. Alocasia maculata has a pretty variegated leaf, Caladium mi- rabile, C. cannsertia, C. Devonianum, Athyrium filix fcemina saggitatum. Mr. John Horwood had a seedling Bhotan rhododendron called Lady Cranworth ; it had white flowers, with a tint of pink. Tulips. — Messrs. Hunt, Turner, and Tomkins, showed excellent blooms of Bizarre 572, Purple Perfec- tion, Vestus, King, Caliph, Eichard Headley, Gem of Gems, Magnificent, Arlette, Magnum Bonum, Mr. Nor- m, Eomeo, Triomphe Eoyale, Vivid, Heroine, Garibaldi, Maid of Orleans, Anastasia, George Hay ward, Duchess of Sutherland, and Ma- donna. EoYAL HOETICULTTJEAL SoCIETT, May 27. — The first great show was held in the building for the Interna- tional Exhibition. The flowers were upon stages ranged down either side of the nave, after the manner of the Crystal Palace. Orchids were the chief attraction, and Mr. W. Milford, gardener to E. M'Morland, Esq., Haverstock Hill, obtained first prize for a lovely collection of twenty ; they were La;lia elegans, L. grandis, L.purpurata, Odontoglossumncevium, Lfelia brysiana, ^Erides larpentse. Mi. crispa, Epidendrum nigro roseum, Cypripedium villosum, Odontoglos- sum phalajnopsis, Dendrobium Far- meri, Vanda tricolor, Saccolabium curvifolium, Cattleya mossias, Phalse- nopsis grandiflora, and Cypripedium barbatum. Messrs. Veitch and Son were first for twelve ; they had the finest Phalajnopsis grandiflora, and beautiful specimens of Vanda tricolor, Calanthe veratrifolia, ^i-ides Field- ingii, Cypripedium barbatum super- bum, Odontoglossum peseatorei, and Cattleya mossiae. Azaleas. — These were in splendid condition. Mr. Chas. Turner was first, Messrs. Veitch second, and Messrs. Fraser third. The following were in great perfection : — Criterion, Extranei, Juliana, Glory of Sunning Hill, Chelsoni, Alba magna, Arborea purpurea, Iveryana, Murryana, Illus- tris nova, Exquisita, Triumphans, Trotteriana, Mrs. Fry, Broughtoni, Perfecta elegans, and Magnificent. Hoses. — Mr. William Paul was first, and Messrs. H. Lane and Son second ; the varieties were Souvenir d'un Ami, Gen. Jacqueminot, Louise Odier, Mad. Willermoz, Paul Perras, Auguste Mie, Homere, Senateur Vaisse, Baronne Prevost, Laelia, Triomphe de Beaux Arts, Comtesse THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 151 Mole, Louise Peronny, Paul Ricaut, Coupe d'Hebe, Chenedole, and Chas. Lawson. Stove and G-reenhoiise Plants were shown in great number. Mr. Peed made the finest display with fifteen beautiful plants ; the best of them were Ixora coccinea, Tetratheca eri- csefolia, Allamanda grandiflora, Pime- lia spectabilis, Erica Cavendishii, and Allamanda cathartica. Mr. H. Chil- man showed fine specimens of Acro- phyllum venosum, Franciscea confer- tiflora, Aphelexis spectabilis grandi- flora, and Polygala dalmaisiana. Mr. Ingram had excellent plants of Pime- lea Hendersonii, Statice braasieefolia, Steplianotis floribunda, and Aphelexis macrantha rosea. Messrs. Fraser had well-flowered plants of Cleroden- dron Kajmpferi, Leschenaultia inter- media, L. biloba major, Eriostemon buxifolium, Adenandra fragrans, and Boronia serrulata. Miscellaneous. — Mr. Bull had a nice collection, and Mr. J. Salter ob- tained a second prize for a very pretty collection of hardy variegated plants, among the most striking were Hedera helix var,, Tussilago farfara var., Pulmonaria Siberica, Hedera lati- folia, Symphora glomerata var., Hes- peris arabidsefolia, Acer negundo fol. var., Heraclium sphondylium var., Ajugareptans var., Convallaria angus- tafolia, Artemisia vulgaris var., Rud- beckia laciniata var., Plantago major rubra, Funkia undulata var., F. albo marginata, and Hedera canarensis var. Novelties. — Messrs. Low and Co. exhibited a new orchid in flower, Dendrobium parishii, flowers crimson purple. Messrs. Veitch showed a new orchid in flower, Phalajnopsis Lobbi, flowers medium size, white, lower lip purple. Mr. Henny, gar- dener to H. H. Gibbs, Esq., had Odontoglossum uro-Skinneri ; flowers upper part blotched with dark brown, lip blotched with pink. Messrs. Veitch had Abies firma, and a new species of spirea. Mr. Bull showed Dichaeisandra argenteo marginata, Justicia variegata, Chamseranthemum verbenaceum, Anaectochilus argyrons, A. Dayii, and the best specimen of Alocasia Lowii, Ferns. — Messrs. Ivery and Son had a charming collection of eighty varie- ties of hardy ferns ; they were awarded a first prize, which was well merited. Pelargoniums. — Mr. Charles Tur- ner was first, and Messrs. Fraser second with both the fancy and show varieties ; they were, Fancies, Cle- manthe, Cloth of Silver, Roi des Fan- tasies, Delicatum, Ellen Beck, Lady Craven, Bridesmaid, Clara Novello, Acme, Celestial, and Multiflora.— Skoios, Fairest of the Fair, Viola, Rose Celestial, Roseum, Empress Eugenie, Desdemona, Guillaume, Sunset, Can- didate, Lady Taunton, Picnic, Bac- chus, Carlos, Sir Colin Campbell, Etna, Mr. Marnock, Sanspareil, Sara- cen, Leviathan, Rose-leaf, Festus, and Ariel. Seatlis. — Mr. Peed was first, Mr. Page second, and Messrs. T. Jackson and Son third. The principal varie- ties were Erica ventricosa magnifica, Jasminiflora major, Depressa, Eximia superba, Ventricosa coccinea minor, Tricolor Wilsonii, Vasiflora, Florida, Queen Victoria, Cavendishi, Bergiana, and Tricolor dumosa. Royal Botanic Society, June 3rd. — This was a very fine display ; the show of fruit especially being very excellent. In addition to the usual attractions, was the excellent show of American plants by Mr. Waterer, which was a splendid exhi- bition of itself. The Orchids were plentiful and good, but were mostly the same varieties as those enumerated above, with the exception of lovely specimens of Trichopilia coccinea and T. crispa, which were from Mr. Baker. The Azaleas were past their best, the flowers of some being in a falling-ofi" condition. Pelargoniums were ex- cellent, the best being from Mr. Tur- ner and Messrs. Fraser, and the varieties were the same as those given above, which may be said also of the Roses. Variegated Plants. — Messrs. A. Henderson and Co. had a fine collec- tion of six ; they were Alocasia ma- chorhiza, Croton variegata aurea, Caladium chantini, Dracaena ferrea, Diffenbachia maculata, and Ananassa sativa aurea variegata. Calceolarias. — The fine seedlings exhibited by Mr. James, gardener to 15^ THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. W. F. Watson, Esq., Isleworth, have taken the first prize wherever they have been shown this season. Stove and Greenhouse were very- plentiful, but the only apparent dif- ference between them and those at Kensington the previous week, was that the AUamandas were in unusually fine bloom, and made brilliant objects. Stephanotis floribunda, Dracophyllum gracile, Everlastings, Kalosanthes ininiata, and K. coccinea superba were shown in excellent condition. Fuchsias were in lots of six, but were not so fine aa they will be in a few weeks. Miscellaneous and Novelties. — Messrs. T. Jackson had a beautifully- grown specimen of the Pitcher plant, Cephalotus foUicularis, and good ex- amples of the lattice plant, Ouviranda fcenestralis and O. bermeriana. The novelties were numerous. Mr. Ivery had a new British fern, Polystichum angulare. Mr. Bull had one which had not been before shown in London, Athyrium filix foemina coronatum. Messrs. Yeitch had Juniperis rigida, a Cryptomeria, and a pretty-looking Retinispora from Japan ; also Wood- wardia Japonica and Lastrea erytliro- sora, from the same country, of the hardy evergreen class, and decided acquisitions. Ferns. — A great number were shown. Messrs. A. Henderson and Co. had a beautiful lot of twelve exo- tics— Drynaria musfefolia, D. coro- nans, Angiopteris erecta, Cibotium Schiedei, Phlebodiura fulvinatum, Alsophylla Australis, Lastrea patens, Cyathea voconensis and Brainea in- signis. The British ferns were shown in groups of twelve, Messrs. Ivery and Son showing a lot which cannot be too highly praised. They were Lastrea filix mas. cristata, Athyrium filix fcemina plumosum, Osmunda re- galia cristata, Pseudathyrium flexile,' Adiantum capillis veneris, Asplenium fontanum, Woodsia ilvensis, Poly- stichum angulare imbricatum, Hy- menopliyllum Wilsonii, Blechnum apicant ramosum, Trichomanes radi- can3, and Scolopendrium sculptura- tum. ROSE GOSSIP.— No. IV. AUTTJMlSrAL BLOOMERS. In the desire to possess exhibition flowers and novelties, rosarians too often forget varieties more suitable for the usual run of amateurs, who have neither the space nor accessories at command for growing large collec- tions. Amateurs so circumstanced should make free and hardy growth, brilliancy of colour, and profusion and frequency of bloom, their pri- mary consideration ; and though some of our choicest kinds combine these qualities, such are the exception and not the rule ; while many others of equal merit as garden decorations, though inferior in properties for the " stand," are lost sight of. There are kinds also valuable from coming into flower at a time when the first efibrts of the perpetuals are over, and they are preparing for a second display, which too often, however, never i comes. These sorts must be looked for among the Bourbons and Noi- settes, deficient, perhaps, in size and symmetry, but nevertheless charming as denizens of the borders, afibrding the luxury of a fragrant bouquet when roses are really a treasure. The chrysanthemum has attained its popularity more from the period at which it comes into bloom than from its intrinsic beauty ; yet there are not a few roses which flower quite as late, and better withstand the influences of an unfavourable autumn. Any one visiting the nurseries in ISTovem- ber to select plants for lifting from the rose beds, can scarcely fail to remark some kinds full of flowers, or of buds which only require a few days of open weather to arrive at maturity. Such are the kinds for amateurs to select, and such, I be- THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GtJIDE. 153 lieve, are lost almost every year ; among the old sorts from nejrlect, among the novelties from want of a fair trial in consequence of a defi- ciency in mere exhibition qualifica- tions during their first seasoi. It is not such a brief process to thoroughly prove roses. Difiereut soils, situa- tions, atmospheres, and stocks are necessary to be tried. Many varieties require time and culture to become acclimatized here, or to recover from the severe checks attendant upon rapid propagation. The Duchess of Norfolk, still a most valuable rose, is one notable instance of this, which would have been lost but for the patient perseverance of Mr. W. "Wood. Some again by no means keep up to their apparent character as displayed on their first appearance. However, the influx of novelties is 80 great in this age of steam, that nurserymen have not time to experi- ment upon varieties that do not be- come famous in a single season. It has often struck me that it might not be a bad speculation to submit some of the rejected to a further test. Skilful cultivation might develop them into decided acquisitions. Whe- ther this is not sometimes done, and the kinds brought out again* under different names is, perhaps, a moot question. The following list of free and autumnal bloomers, irrespective of all other considerations, is selected as the result of my own experience and observation ; if in sufficient quantity, they will keep the beds and borders furnished throughout the season. In the first-named • section are some of the most general favour- ites grown. No number of such that space will allow is too many for the amateur to have, who wishes to revel in the fragrant beauties himself, or to bestow ever welcome bouquets upon visitors and friends. Among the H. P.'s, General Jacqueminot must take the lead for its persevering habits, and many of its offspring partake of that desirable qualification. Venture not, however, upon " Santhenay," which is un. doubtedly shy. Victor Verdier is scarcely second in flowering up to the last. Next follow Anna Alexieff, Madame de Cambaceres, Madame Domage, Chabrilland, Maria Porte- mer, Triomplie des Beaux Arts ; Vain- quer de Solferino, though much given to mildew, and Geant des Batailles, which needs a good situation to be worth anything at all. Of the Bour- bons, Queen, Souvenir de la Malmai- son, Apolline, Pierre de St. Cyr, and Dupetit Thouars, are the freest and latest ; and Gloire de Dijon, Devo- niensis, and Narcisse among the Teas. Gloire de Dijon requires somewhat peculiar management to develop its utmost capabilities. The shoots should be stopped at eighteen inches or two feet, when it will throw oud laterals, nearly every one of which will flower. Not quite so continuous as the aforementioned, but still to be depended upon for a series of bloom, are H. P.'s Jules Margottin, a superb rose ; Senateur Vaisse, another gem, superior to Jacqueminot as a flower, though not quite so continuous ; Marie Dauvesse, Mons. Montigny, Mons. Ravel, Therese Appert, Pseo- nia, Madame Eugene Verdier, scarcely appreciated ; Duchess of Norfolk, Pauline Lanzezeur, Madame Knorr, Pius IX., Madame Laffay, Baronne Halley, Baronne Prevost, Jean Bart. Bourbons — Catherine Guillot (Is this a Bourbon?), Justine, Le Llorifere, Prince Albert, Paul Joseph, George Peabody, Bouquet de Flore, Armosa, Paxton, Madame Desprez. Teas — Homere, Melanie Willermoz, Safra- no, Souvenir d'un Ami, Madame Da- maizin, Bougere, Goubault. All of these are tolerably hardy, that is for teas, but of course require some pro- tection during winter. Vicomtesse de Cazes is free, and of an excep- tional colour, but very tender. So- crate and Souvenir d'Elise are under trial. The noisettes are no great favour- ites with me. Fellenberg and Vi- comtesse d'Avesne are the freest. Ophirie the most peculiar. Triomphe de Eennes must have a good air; Aimee Vibert. Celine Forrestier, La- marque, and Jaune Desprez are the best. The latter would be valuable were it not so very tender. Most Chinas are, as a matter of 154 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. course, continuous in bloom ; it was from them, no doubt, that the habit was originally derived. Fabvier and Cramoisie Superieure are the best for beds ; Mrs. Bosanquet and Marjolin as specimen flowers. It is too early yet to pronounce upon the introductions of last year. I am noting the demeanour of some twenty of them. However, H. P. Henriette Dubus, though not a first- rate show flower, is a proper and frequent bloomer of good habit, worthy of trial for garden purposes ; and Monte Christo and Madame Clemence Joigneaux come early, and, with me, promise to be first rate town varieties. I have the same anticipation also with respect to Charles Lefebvre, Madame C. Wood, Notre Dame de Fourvrieres, and Vicomte Vigier. The worst of writing upon any special matter is, that a certain amount of repetition is unavoidable. Phraseology is limited, and certain words will recur in elucidating the subject. However, one must risk the charge of tautology in pursuit of the object for which these papers are written, viz., to popularize the most recJierclie ornament of our borders and parterres, in places and among those who at present are compelled to be satisfied with subjects of far inferior grade, such as mere bedding plants or annuals ; pretty enough in their places, but which ought not to form the summum honum of the en- thusiastic florist's tastes and aspira- tions. W. D. Peiob. Somerton, N.E., June 10. THE HOLLYHOCK. Et William Paul. From the " Gardeners' Manual" 1863. Can we dispense with the hollyhock ? The rose is a more general favourite, and in its varied states of standard, climber, and bnsh, a more available plant ; the dahlia is still the "queen of autumn ;" but for the odd nooks and corners in small gardens, and for planting in masses for distant effect in large gardens, there is no flower so suitable as the hollyhock. As to the height to which it grows, this cannot be fairly urged to its disadvantage; there are positions in almost every garden for which this feature renders it peculiarly adaptable. The best of our "bedding plants" are of lowly growth ; we must look down upon them to appreciate their beauty. But we cannot always be look- ing down, be the prospect ever so charm- ing. And there is a new feature of beauty in that garden where, on raising the bent head and downcast eye, we meet M'ith spikes of hollyhocks breaking the flatness of the general surface by streaks or lines of rich and varied colours rising high among the leafy trees. In many beautiful gardens that we have visited, we have been more than disconcerted by the abrupt transition from " bedding plants" to trees, moderated as this has sometimes been by raised baskets and pillars of summer clim- bers. Beautiful as are these latter, they are not sufficiently massive. The holly- hock, and, as far as we know, the holly- hock alone, effectively fills the vacuity. We know that it has been the fashion with some to decry this plant, calling it coarse, formal and weedj'. Admitting that there is some truth in this, may we be permitted to ask, is it not also bold, strik- ing, and effective, and are not these ele- ments worth combining, at some sacrifice, with the rich, the bright, the beautiful? Thus far of its value in garden scenery. But it has lately come to be considered as a florist's flower. The busy brain and hand of the cultivator have been engaged in its improvement; and those who re- member tlie hollyhock of twenty years ago cannot fail to mark how complete has been the success. Not only has it become even more useful and effective for garden decoration, but it has received a degree of elegance and symmetry from the hands of the cultivator that has fitted it to take a position in company with the most distin- guished of Flora's subjects. The hollyhock flowers naturally in Au- gust, but by a little management the bloom may be prolonged, and continue from July to November. Old plants that have bloomed the year before will bloom the second j'car in Jul3' and August. Cut- tings taken and rooted, or seed sown out of doors the previous summer, will bloom THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 155 in August and September. Seed sown in pans as soon as ripe, and wintered under glass, will bloom in October of the follow- ing year. By using these three sorts of plants, a succession of flowers may be kept up. If an early bloom only is required, old plants must be planted ; if a late bloom, young plants and seedlings. In planting for effect, we would always recommend planting three or more of tlie same sort close together in a group, choos- ing tlie clearest and most distinct colours, and those which produce the densest and broadest spikes. When growing for exhi- bition, the form of the flower is of course the primary point for consideration, and here it is usual to plant in lines three or four feet apart, that the culture of the plants may be more carefully and more conveniently attended to. There are some sorts which are alike suitable for exhibi- tion and garden decoration, but both ob- jects can scarcely be attained conjointly. But as to culture, the hollyhock is not particular in regard to soil, it will grow and flourish almost everywhere. The finest spikes we have yet seen were grown on a strong moist loam that had been deep trenched, richly manured, watered in dry weather, and well cultivated by fre- queut and deep hoeing. Cuttings of hollyhock, single eyes, taken in July and August, and placed round puts in a cold frame, will root in a month, and may be placed in single pots and stored in a cold frame through the ■winter, repotting into larger pots in Fe- bruary, and planting out in April. Seed should be saved from the best formed, the smoothest, and most double varieties only, and to insure a fair crop of seed it is necessary to pull the flowers from their stalks, so soon as the former begin to decay. There are two seasons at which the seed may be sown ; first, in July, in the open ground, the seedlings to be trans- planted or not, according to the conve- nience of the cultivator ; and, secondly, in October, in pans, to be potted into single pots in November, and kept under glass till planted out in April. If the seedlings sown in the open ground are to be transplanted before flowering, October is the best time, and nest to that April. In planting out, whether from the ground or pots, a showery day should be chosen, and alter planting the stems should be surrounded with a little stable manure. If the weather or soil be dry, water copi- ously till the flowering declines. The hollyhock, with its large surface of leaves and great perspiratory powers, consumes a great quantity of water, especially at that period of its growth, in June and July, when the leaves so rapidly increase in size. So soon as the spikes rise from the crown of the plants, stakes should be driven in at least two feet deep, and al- lowed to remain the same height above the ground, which is sufficient to hold any spike, and will not interfere with the flowers. One, two, or three spikes may be left to each plant, remembering, however, that the fewer the spikes the larger will be both spikes and flowers. Sometimes the flowers are so thick on the spike as to in- terfere with the expansion of the guard petals. In such cases thin out the flower buds when about the size of a nut. Tie up with strong bast from time to time as the spikes rise. Top the spikes at any given height ; in sheltered situations they may be allowed to rise to nine feet ; but where much exposed to wind, seven feet should be the maximum. Shading is ne- cessary, if growing for exhibition, espe- cially with the delicate-coloured varieties, which quickly soil if exposed to sun, wind, and rain. Fortunately this soiling is not sufficiently great to interfere with the effect of the spike in the garden, and as shading is troublesome and unsightly, it may well be dispensed with except where growing for exhibition. Some few years ago, the hollyhock suffered great depreciation from being at- tacked by a disease which baffled the skill of our best cultivators. Thousands of plants, both young, unbloomed seedlings and named sorts, suddenly decayed, often just as the first flowers were expanding, when it was impossible to refill their places. This, we believe, was attributable to the unwholesome plan, too generally adopted, of forcing the plant, causing it to grow out of season, and in a close unna- tural atmosphere, in order to obtain a more rapid and extensive increase by root- grafting. If we have rightly studied the vegetable kingdom, there are few plants that will bear this strain put upon them without suffering a diminution of vital power, not always quickly recovered, but often conveyed downwards to the oftspring, alike through cuttings and seeds. Certain it is, that by the discontinuance of this practice the disease gradually disappeared, as far as we know, and is now almost extinct. 15G THE GAEDEN GUIDE EOE JULY. "Work of the Season. — The long drought during April, May, and part of June, has bad a bad elfect on roses, which in many places look poor, and all bedding- plants that were put out early now look worse than tliose that were put out late. We sliall probably have plenty of rain this month, indeed July is a wet month usually. But as it is also a hot month, a few re- marks on watering may be useful. This matter of watering is one much less under- stood than it should be ; but the more it is understood the lighter becomes the labour. As a rule water should never be given, until the further withholding of it would be detrimental to the plants. Habitual watering does, in the majority of cases, more harm than good. Plants left to battle with drought, send their roots down deep in search of moisture, and when rain does come, they benefit more by it than those that have regular waterings all along. If the ground is dug deeply, and kept in good heart, plants that have once got established will bear drought for almost any length of time ; but things lately planted, and that have not had time to "get hold," must be kept supplied, or their beauty may vanish for half the season. Succulent vegetables, too, which ought to be kept growing quick, must have abundance ; and, of course, plants in pots must, of necessity, have sufficient. There are two important points to be attended to in giving water — one is to expose the water to the sun before using it, to render it soft and warm ; and the other is to give a thorough soaking at once, sufficient to keep the ground moist for a week. Sup- posing the supply to ba limited, but regular, the best way of economizing both water and time, is to take the garden, piece by piece, watering each piece thoroughly every evening, and then beginning again as at first. Surface sprinklings bring the roots to the surface in search of the moisture, which, when they 'reach it, is insufficient to nourish them ; but, on the contrai-y, causes exhaustion, by inducing the growth of fibres within reach of the burning rays of the sun. Plants in pots, in windows, and on gravel paths, are very much tried by the beating action of the sun, and to keep their roots cool, it is ad- visable to drop the pots into larger ones, and fill between the two with muss. Tliis is the proper way to use ornamental pots, and the dressing of moss may be made to hide the inside pot, which con- tains the plant by arranging it neatly over the surface of the soil. Kitchen Garden. — Where early crops are coming off, clear the ground and dig it over at once ; it is a folly to wait for the last handful of peas or beans. As soon as the rows cease to be profitable, destroy them, and clear the ground. Dig deep, that the heavy rains now to be expected may sink deep, and j)lant out Brussels sprouts, green coUards, kail, savoys, cab- bages, broccolis, etc. If the plants are crowded in the seed-bed, it is best to get them out at once. Have all ready, and in the evening put out as many rows as possible, and give a little water to every plant. Next morning lay a few boughs or mats over them, to shade off' the sun, and the next evening get out more, till the planting is finished. This is better than waiting for rain, which may be so heavy as to render the ground unfit to be troddea on, and, if succeeded immediately by heat, the plants will flag as much as if put out in dry weather, whereas, being already in the ground, the smallest shower benefits them. Seed-beds for winter-spinach should now be made up and well manured, and the seed got in without delay. In gather- ing French and runner-beans take all or none. If seed [is desired leave a row un- touched. Never take green pods and seeds from the same plants. Take up onions, shalots, and garlic, as they ripen, and store for winter. Give asparagus-beds plenty of liquid manure, and use the grass mow- ings from the lawn as mulchings, to pre- vent the soil from cracking. Earth up celery for early use, but the rows that are not forward must be kept open and well watered, as the plants grow very slowly after being earthed up, the object of the earthing being to blanch it only. Also jjlant out the main crop of celery as soon as tlie ground can be got ready. Cut down artichokes. Hoe between all growing crops, and especially between potatoes. Top runners, and keep them well staked, but very tall sticks are not at all necessary, as they are only the more liable to be blown over by gusts of wind. Sow the last succession of runners and French beans ; also lettuce, endive, Statholder and Mit- chell's cauliflower, radish, small salads, spinach, peas, and turnips. Land lying high and dry may be plantedwith liotatoes now, for use early next spring. Flower Garden. — Budding is the most important operation this month. After THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 157 heavy rains is the best time, and the opera- tion should be performed at dawn or after sunset ; but early morning is the best, as the sap then flows freely. The stocks should be vigorous, and if the weather con- tinue dry, and if the sap flows slowly, a drenching of liquid manure or plain water, for two or three nights in succession, will prepare them, without waiting for rain. Cuttings of all kinds may now be struck out of doors ; antirrhinums, phloxes, pent- stemons, alyssums, dielytras, etc., and cut- tings of laurels, aucubas, and other shrubs, must be struck in the shade ; but gera- nium cuttings should be struck in the full sun, and the sooner they are got in the better plants will they make to stand the winter. Where long ripe br.anches of ge- raniums can be spared, they are better than soft shoots ; and, if pinched for time, strike a lot of such ripe branches in five- inch pots, half-a-dozen in a pot, put all round, and they need not be potted sepa- rately till spring, when started for bed- ding out. Dahlias want special attention now as they come into bloom ; earwigs are very destructive to them, and must be trapped with bean-stalks, or a handful of hay may be stufl^ed into an empty flower- pot and put on a stake, and the vermin shaken out into salt and water every morning. Another lot of chrysanthemums should be struck this month, under hand- glasses, to make dwarf plants for the win- dow and greenhouse in autumn. The pompones are the best for this purpose and they may be stopped till the middle of August, to keep them dwarf and bushy. Train out dahlias neatly, but do not cut them severely, for the loss of foliage only weakens the plant. Put in cuttings of sjarlet geraniums in the full sun, either in a sandy border, or in pots half filled with crock's, to be potted singly, as soon as rooted. Get strong plants of chrysanthe- mums into their places in the borders, so that the heavj^ rains this month may establish them. Laj^er piuks, carnations, and picotees, and put pipings of the same into a gentle bottom-heat. Another lot of annuals may be sown early in the month, to keep up the gaiety of the borders. Bud roses during cool moist weather. Greenhou.se. — Shift all greenhouse plants required for late blooming, and grow them on to a good size before allow- ing them to blossom. Cinerarias for win- ter blooming must have good culture and shifts as required, and camellias may be shifted if necessary, but, if well potted in the first instance, they will flourish in the same pots for three seasons in succession, and to overpot them is to do them injury, from which they may never recover. Ericas generally require to be pruned and cleared of seed-pods and dead flowers. Put out all the ventricosas in the open air in a north aspect, and shelter with spare lights during heavy rain. All those with woolly leaves to be put in cold pits, and kept shaded at mid-day. Any not shifted in the spring cut in at once, and as soon as they break repot them. Repot Leschenaultias. Every kind of hard-wooded plants may be repotted now if out of bloom. Stove. — Achimenes and clerodendrons require weak liquid manure to keep them in full vigour and beauty ; shade at mid- day, and keep up a moist heat. Globe amaranths must have a moist heat of 75% and be near the glass. If not all potted, pot at once in 43 and 32 size, with fuchsia compost. Ixoras done blooming to be cut in close, and placed on a bark-bed to break afresh. See that the plants for winter blooming are doing well, and pay especial attention to Euphorbia jacquiniflora, and Poinsettia pulcherrima. Give air at every favourable opportunity, plants newly potted, to have very moderate supplies of water at the root, but to be aided with a moist, warm atmosphere. Pinery. — As pines colour, they should be kept moderately dry. Plants shy of fruit- ing should be kept dry for awhile, to cause a check, and then be liberally soaked, and kept warm and moist, and the new growth will result in the production of fruit. But to check them before they are well ma' tured may cause premature fniiting, and should not be done until the plants have had a long course of liberal culture. Young stock mtist be encouraged to grow strong, by allowing plenty of room in which to expand their leaves ; give plenty of water, and repot as necessary. Vinery. — In vineries great attention must be paid to keeping the foliage healthy to the last, as on this depends the matura- tion of the buds that are to fruit next sea- son. Keep up a moist atmosphere, and watch vigilantly against red spider. Vines heavily laden with fruit must have the assistance of strong manure water. Be careful not to cut away laterals too freely, as they are most useful in helping the maturation of the bunches ; be careful to keep the bunches shaded with a few leaves, by tying the laterals over where necessary. Bush Fruits. — Kee]) gooseberry and currant bushes open in the centre, and leave on the bush fruits only as much wood as will bear a fine crop next season. Cuttings of gooseberries and currants may be struck now in a moist, shady border, and 158 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN aUIDE. ifsafficientcaneswere not got in lastwinter, the deficiency may now be made c;ood, and a season be saved. Mulch raspberries witli half-rotten dung. Sfrmcberries. — Runners of strawberries struck in pots, may now be cut off, and the plants shifted into a size larger, or turned out into beds. Beds made now have the best chance of becoming strong before ■winter, to bear abundantly next year. Strawberry-beds now want special atten- tion. Strong-rooted runners should be taken off to form new plantations, and be pricked out into well-manured beds, pretty close together, to strengthen, preparatory to making new beds in September ; or they may be laid in small pots, with a stone or peg to fix them, and will root directly. After three years strav/berry-beds cease to pay, and should be broken up, and the ground trenched for winter crops. Slone Fruits. — Tie in and train as need- ful, and use the syringe to wall trees if the weather should be dry, and especially with east winds. Continue to bud stone fruit- trees, for orchard and pot culture. Thin out weak spray on all bush-fruits, and fore- right shoots on wall-fruits. Maiden trees intended to be trained should be stopped, to make them break into side-shoots, as a whole season's growth is thus saved. Azaleas to be prepared for ripening their wood by giving more air. Put out the earliest in a shady place. Camellias, treat the same as azaleas, and shift any that require it. Tlieir roots may be refreshed without giving larger pots by turning out the ball, removing some of the stuff from it, and making it up again with fresh compost. Pot firm. Carnations are gross in some places, through having such an excess of rain. Protect the flowers from wet. get on with piping and layering without loss of time. Cinerarias to be propagated from suckers, put in round the sides of pots in very sandy compost, and keep close for a week. Sow for seedling plants. Conservatory to have plenty of air night and day, and abundance of water for all growing plants, overhead as well as at the roots. Neglect of watering now will hereafter show sad results, especially among soft-wooded and liliaceous plants. Citcumhers, keep liberally watered, and train, and thin as necessary, to prevent crowding. They will take almost any quantity of liquid manure, if in a good state at the roots. Dalilias must be humoured as to dis- budding and tying, because every variety has its own particular style of growth. Disbud freely all soft-eyed varieties, but hard-eyed kinds allow to open all the blooms they make, till they come good. 'Evergreens and shrubs of the free growing kinds m.ay be propagated from this time to the end of August ; cuttings put in in a shady place will root imme- diately. Prepare now to plant evergi-eens, which move well from the end of July to the end of September, In new ground this is the best season to plant then, but in established gardens the places intended for them are generally occupied with sum- mer flowers. Pelarqninums newly cut down to be kept pretty dry till they break, then to be potted in small pots. Pelargoniums done blooming must be turned out, but with the pots plunged in tan or ashes, and the plants sheltered. After a week's exposure cut them in to the first or second eye at the bot- tom of each slioot, and place tliem in a cold pit, to make their new growth. They must now, for some time, be kept from growing rapidly, and have but little water. When they have broken well, they must be re- potted into the smallest pots their roots can be got into, and all the old soil must be shaken oft', and the roots moderately thinned. Pinks to be propagated from pipings, layers, or cuttings. The last is the sim- plest, most certain, and therefore the best method. Rhododendrons and other hardy Ame- ricans may be layered now. Beds of Ame- ricans much exposed to the sun will be benefited by being mulched with moss. Hedges of all kinds, except holly, should now be clipped in. Hedges of large- leaved trees, such as laurel, Aucuba, etc., ought to be cut back with the knife, as the shears will spoil their appearance for the whole season. Peas may be sown this month, for late supplies, and at this season it is as well to sow early as well as late sorts. Bedman's Imperial and Knight's Dwarf Marrow are good peas to sow the first week this month, for a supply very late in the season ; but Emperor, Sangster's Number One, Daniel O'Rourke, and other of the earliest sorts, often prove useful, and are soon cleared off the ground. The best way to grow peas now is in trenches. Take out the trench a depth of two feet, lay at the bottom six inches of rich, half-rotten dung, then fill up to within nine inches of the surface, and tread over. Then sow, and cover with two inches of mould, and bank up the sides of the trench, so that the peas will grow in a sunk alley of about six or eight inches depth. At each end of the alley, close it in with a spadeful of earth, so as to make THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 159 a trough of it. As soon as the peas are up, sprinkle them plentifully with soot or wood-ashes : stick directly, and then every evening in dry weather, you can fill the alley with water, alternating twice a-week with manure-water, and the crop will come wonderfully fine. This plan is the one we always adopt after the beginning of June, and we have for years had healthy rows of peas, and abundance of produce, when, elsewhere, the heat has turned them yellow b-fore their time, and the gathering has scarcely paid for the seed. The method is not so troublesome as it appears, for the filling the trench with water is hut a few minutes' work, and being sunk and closed at the ends, there is not a drop wasted. Orchid House. — Orchids that have finished their growth should now have such attention as is required to get the pseudo bulbs well ripened. Many of the large specimens will be found to require a spong- ing all over, and this had best be done at the first opportunity, and in the present lull of work there is a fair chance of its being done eflectually. More air should be given now among orchids, and to allow of a freer ventilation, put all the small and growing plants at one end of the house, where they can be kept close. Stanhopeas are about to commence their seasonal growth, which is a good time to repot them. As a rule, they do best in baskets, both because of their habit of growth and the downward direction of their flowers. They should have plenty of root- room, in shallow baskets filled with chop- ped moss, and after the shift to have very little water at the root till they grow freely, but liberal heat and atmospheric moisture. As soon as they begin to grow, water at the root freely, and keep them growing briskly till they have formed their pseudo bulbs, and then keep nearly dry till they show flower. A prolonged rest is most essential to their welfare. To get up good specimens, put them in large baskets, in which they ma}- continue several years without shifting. There need be no fire- heat in either liouse this month, unless we have a long period of dull, cold weather, in which case keep up the temperature by ar- tificial means ; but, as a rule, a judicious system of ventilating and shutting up will insure a proper temperature for Indians and Mexicans alike, and better than by the aid of fire-heat. Temperature of East India House, and for growing plants, 70" to 7-3' by night, 75' to 85' by day, with a rise to 90' with sun-heat. Mexican House, 65° to 70' by night, 70' to 85' by day. Orchids that may he in bloom in July. Aerides affine, odoratum, rdseum, crispum, crispum v. Lindleyanum, crispum v. palli- dum, crispum v. Warneri, Fieldingi, macu- losum, muculosum v. Schroderi, McMor- landi, nobile, odoratum, v. cornutum, quin- quivnlnerum, quinquivulnerum v. album, suavissimum, Veitchii ; Acineta Barkerii ; Angrecum caudatum ; Anguloa Clowesii, Clowesii macrantha, uniflora, virginalis ; Arpophyllum carilinale ; Barkeria melano- caulon, spectabilis ; Bolbophyllum Hen- shalli; Brassia Lanceana, Lawrenceana, Wrayii, Broughtonia sanguinea ; Calanthc Dominii, fiircata, masuca, veratrifolia ; Cattleya Aclandia;, amabilis, Candida, ci- trina, crispa, orispav. superba, Uarrisoniae, Harrisonite violacea, labiata picta, Lemo- niana, Mossite, McMorlandii, Schilleriana, superba, violacea, Wagnerii ; Ccelogyne Lowii ; Coryanthes macrantha, macrantha maculata ; Cycnoches barbatura, chloro- chilum, Loddigesii, ventricosum ; Cymbi- dium pendulum ; CypripeJium barbatum grandiflorum, Lowii ; Dcndrobium alba sanguineum, calceolaria, cretaceum, san- guinolentum ; Dendrocliilum filiforme, glumaceum, Epidendriim alatum majus, cinnabarinum, maculatum grandiflorum, Phoeniceum, verrucosum, vitellinum ma- jus ; Galeandra Bauerii, cristata, Hunt- leya, meleagris; Ltelia Brysiana, elegans v. Warneri, llava, purpurata ; Miltonia specta- bilis ; Mormodes citrinum, luxatum ; Odontoglossum citrosmiim, hastilabium, nrevium ; Oncidium divaricatum, longipes, luridum guttatum, pulchellura, pulvina- tum; Peristeria data, cerina ; Phajus albus ; PromenosaEoUisonii, stapelioides; Sacco- labium Blumei, furcatum, guttatum, gutta- tum giganteum; Sobralia liliastrum, ma- crantha, macrantha splendens ; Stanhopea aurea, Devon iensis, oculata, tigrlna, tigrina lutescens ; Vanda Batemanni, cristata, Roxburghii, teres ; Warrrea tricolor. USEFUL NOVELTIES. • Sabmienta eepens. — A dwarf | and numerous drooping tubular axil- trailing Chilian herb, su.itable for [ lary flowers, of a light scarlet, remind- growing in baskets. It has fleshy ing one of those of Mitraria coccinea. oblong convex leaves, about an inch long, and toothed towards the ajiex, SwAiNSONiA VIOLACEA (Lindley), Fabacese. — A handsome half-climbing 160 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. herbaceous plant, with something of the aspect of other Swainsonias, but larger. Stems slightly angular, smooth, furnished witli imparipinuate leaves, consisting of about eight pairs of ovate-lanceolate rather obtuse leaf- lets, and having broadly ovate cuspi- date ciliated veiny stipules. From the leaf axils come long spikes of large violet-mauve flowers an inch across, and composed of a spreading deep two-lobed standard, small cou- nivent wings, and a long spirally con- volute ascending pointed keel. Ile- ceived from the interior of Australia as a " new scarlet Clianthus." In the border of a cool greenhouse, of free vigorous growth. TiLIA EuKOP.EA FOL. ARGENTETS, Tiliacea;. — A Silver Lime tree, with boldly-marked variegated foliage, the leaf having a small irregular dark green disk, and a broad creamy-white border. TiLIA PARVIFOLTA F0LII3 VAEIE- GATis, Tiliacea). — An elegant Lime, with leaves broadly margined with creamy-white. JULY, 1863.— 31 Days. Phases of the Moon. — FiUl, 1st, 61i. 4.6m. mom.; Last Quarter, 7th, lOli. 29in. after. ; New, 15th, lOh. 54m. after. ; Fu-st Quarter, 23rd, 9h. 32m. after. Full 30th, Ih. 23m. after. "Weather near London, 1862. 1 THE COUNTET. D Sun rises. Sun sets. Moon rises. Moon sets. 1 Rain. M BABOMBTEB. Mr. Min. THEBMOMETEE. Mx. Mn. Me. The Garden and the Field. 1 1. m. 3 49 I. m. 3 18 Aft. 8 22 Morn. 4 0 29-89. ..29-87 72. ..54. ..63-0 -00 Pimpernal 11. 2 3 49 8 18 8 59 5 22 29-80.. .29-78 70. ..43. ..56-5 -01 Lime-tree fl. 3 3 50 8 18 9 29 6 45 29-88. ..29-79 60. ..39. ..49-5 •29 Red pimponel 11. 4 3 51 8 17 9 54 8 9 29-86... 29-78 69. ..51. ..600 •00 Toad-flax fl. 5 3 51 8 17 10 18 9 31 29-65. ..29-54 74. ..52. ..63-0 -29 Oat fl. 6 3 52 8 16 10 40 10 49 29-72. ..29-38 72. ..53. ..62-5 •02 Reed mace or catstail fl. 7 3 53 8 16 11 2 After. 29 -78... 29-59 70... 49... 59-5 •31 St. John's wort fl. 8 3 54 8 15 11 26 1 18 30-03... 29-94 76. ..49. ..62-5 •00 Bladderwort fl. 9 3 55 8 14 11 54 2 29 29-89... 29-89 64. ..52. ..58-0 •20 Black liorehound fl. 10 3 56 8 14 Morn. 3 34 29-74.. .29-72 77. ..39. ..58-0 •18 Wild carrot fl. 11 3 57 8 13 0 27 4 36 29-87... 29-74 69. ..49. ..590 •38 Buckwheat 11. 12 3 58 8 12 1 6 5 31 29-45... 29-39 72. ..75. ..58-5 -05 Traveller's joy C. 13 3 59 8 11 1 52 6 18 29-81... 29-77 75. ..51. ..630 ■00 Everlasting pea fl. 14 4 0 8 10 2 45 6 59 29-82. ..29-74 75. ..45. ..600 •00 Wild basil fl. 15 4 2 8 9 3 42 7 32 29-77... 29-67 70... 48... 59-0 •10 Tree primrose fl. 16 4 3 8 8 4 45 7 59 29-74... 29 63 68... 42... 55-0 •01 White poppy fl. 17 4 4 8 7 5 50 8 22 29-86... 29-80 70. ..50.. .60-0 •03 Clown's allheal fl. 18 4 5 8 6 6 56, 8 44 29-95. ..29-87 75. ..45. ..60-0 •00 Cotton thistle fl. 19 4 6 8 5 8 11 9 3 29-98. ..29-94 72. ..45. ..58-5 •00 Spear thistle fl. 20 4 8 8 4 9 8 9 22 30-06... 3006 73. ..47. ..60-0 •00 Burdock fl. 21 4 9 8 3 10 15 y 41 30-17. ..30-19 72. ..36. ..54-0 •00 Gt. yellow loosestrife fl. 22 4 10 8 2 11 2510 3 30-19. ..29-99 71. ..49.. .600 •23 Sussex centuary fl. 23 4 12 8 1 After.' 10 28 29-90... 29-89 67. ..42. ..54-5 •03 Fleabane fl. 24 4 13 7 59 1 5010 5S 29-99... 29-89 74... 54... 640 •00 Virgin's bower fl. 25 4 15 7 58 3 311 40 30-04.. .30-98 81. ..41. ..61-0 •00 Pennyroyal fl. 26 4 16 7 57 4 15 Morn 3008. ..29-93 83... 46... 64-5 •00 Lady's mantle fl. 27 4 17 7 55 5 17, 0 2L 30-07... 29-92 77. ..37. ..57-0 •00 Wild teasel fl. 28 4 19 7 54 6 10, 1 33 30-10... 29-98 78. ..41. ..59-5 •00 Dwarf elder fl. 2£ 4 20 7 52 , 6 52, 2 5C 30-05... 29-99 79. ..50. ..64-5 -03 Wood sage fl. 3C 4 22 7 51 7 27| 4 IZ 30-06. ..30-02 78. ..41. ..59-5 -00 Fennel fl. 3li4 23 7 49 7 56 5 35 30-07... 29-98 74.. .42. ..58-0 •00 Common nightshade fl July is notable for great heat and frequent storms. We are this year about ten days in arrear of averages with all the seasonal changes ; in March the gales common to the commencement did not occur till the middle of the month, and in June we had the heavy rains which are generally characteristic of the month of May. We may, therefore, expect June weather till towards the 15th, and then much rain and occasional thunderstorms till the end of the month, with a close, sultry atmosphere. 161 THE FEENEEY IN THE HIGHLANDS. I WILLINGLY comply with your wish to be informed witli regard to the names of the ferns growing in my fernery, in the open garden, in the Highlands. They are — Adiantura capillus veneris, pedatum ; Allosorus crispus ; Asplenium adiantnm nigrum, trichomanes, viride, ruta-muraria; Athyrium filix foemina, var. multifidum, var. marinum ; Cystopteris alpina, fragilis, montana, rhsetica, augustata ; Lastrea thelypteris, oreopteris, dilatata, cristata, decurrens ; Osmunda regalis ; Ophioglos- sum vulgatum ; Onoclea sonsibilis ; Lo- maria spicant, alpina ; I'olypodium vul- gare, serratum, marginatum, cambricum, phegopteris, dryopteris, alpestre ; Poly- stichum aculeatum, lonchitis, augulare ; Scolopendrium vulgare ; two other scolo- pendriums, names lost ; Hymenophyllum Tunbridgense, unilaterale ; Trichomanes radicans. There are several others in the collec- tion, the names of which having become effaced, cannot be given. It is my inten- tion to add to my fernery a number of exotic ferns, as an experiment, and have no doubt many will thrive well. The result shall be communicated. Sgor-Bhea.um. N.B. — By inadvertence, in my commu- nication in May number, " Cinerarias^' was written: it shouldhavebeen"Crt/ceoferia*." TO CORRESPONDENTS. Catalogues Received. — " Grimmond, Laird, and Co., 15, Cannon Street West, London. Morton's Patent Silent Sun and Planet Lawn Mowers." A desirable acquisition. — " Pridham and Sanders, Sion Nursery, Thornton Heath, and Col- lege Grounds, North End, Croydon. Select List of Bedding and Border Plants." A good assortment of showy plants. — " Charles Turner, Royal Nur- series, Slough, and Salt Hill, near Eton and Windsor. Catalogue of Achimenes, Azaleas, Auriculas, Bedding Plants, etc." One of the best and fullest lists in the trade, and contains a charming lot of novelties. — " F. and A. Smith, Park Road, Dulwich. Retail Catalogue of New and Rare Plants." A substantial listwith afine lotof new plants. — "Henry May, The Hope Nurseries, near Bedale, Yorkshire. Spring Catalogue of Dahlias, Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, etc." A capital selection. — " Dillistone and Co., Stur- mer, Essex. Catalogue of Choice Plants." A neat and well filled catalogue. — "Ambrose Verschaffelt, , Horticulteur, Rue du Chaume, 50, A Gand, Belgique. Catalogue of Novelties for 1863." These are divided into three sections — plants suitable for cultivation in the stove, greenhouse, and open air. — " Deane and Company, 46, King William Street, E. C. Prospectus of Onin, Franc, and Co.'s Patent Sulphur Dredging Boxes, for the Dry Sulphuring of Vines, Fruit-trees, Espaliers, Hop and Potato Crops, Plants and Flowers.'' A very useful machina, which should be in the possession of every one who has a garden. Planting a Fodntain. — W. P. — Nothing better for the vicinity of a fountain than Pampas grass, Elymus glauca, Tritoma uviiria, hydrangeas, fuchsias, Lysimachia thyrsiflora, (Enothera Fraseri, Calla Ethiopica, Osmunda regalis, Athyrium filix foemina, Arundo donax, and other such plants of graceful habit and fond of moisture. You cannot have any- thing grand to flower in winter, but you may plant the banks with winter aconite, Cliristmas-rose, and primroses. In a sunny, dry position one or two Lauris- tinas would be useful for winter bloom. Hollies cannot be propagated by the superimposing process recommended for roses. Hedge for Division. — F. A. S.,Ardmore, — Cotoneaster makes a nice hedge if trained to a trellis of stakes, or a lattice of hazel rods, three or four feet high. You could obtain from a nursery plants of sufficient size to make an effect at once, and they can be removed now or any time in autumn, or spring. If you begin with small plants it will take live years to make a good fence. It can be managed with very little trouble. Cut- tings put in now in a shady place will be well rooted by next spring, but they grow slowly. If you are really anxious for this fence, and cannot use large plants, plant them when well-rooted eighteen inches apart in the line where they are to remain, and train to wires as they get up ; this will do away with the necessity of a trellis, and may be added to as the growth requires. Strong bushes we should plant three feet apart. Veronicas would make a fine hedge, and for these wires would do as well as stakes ; none so good as V. Andersoni, of which your purple flower is a speci- men. This would certainly answer, but must not be clipped, but cut back mo- derately with the knife. The pea hur- dles are fixed in their places by means of 162 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. wooden stakes, tliey simply rest on the ground. Tliis reply was written imme- diately after your letter arrived, and un- fortunately mislaid. AVe owe you a thousand apologies for the delay. It is our custom to be punctual, and we deeply regret any failing therein. Diseased Vines. — W.B., Castle Lodge. — Your vines are suffering from defective root action, the cause of disease in nine- tenths of the cases of vine failure sub- mitted to us. You do not say how tliey are planted, and therefore it is impossilile to advise you minutely. They are either in a damp border, or a border excessively fat with undecomposed manure, or where tliej- have not a sufficient amount of sun-heat. Planting after Tulips. — A. B. S. — Why grieve that you cnnnot plant your beds till the middle of June? All you need do is to get the plants shifted into 48- sized pots, and plunged out of doors after the middle of May till wanted. Then you can turn them out without any check, and in full bloom. So in autumn you need not take up your plants till the end of October, and you have then good time to plant the tulips. We should ', certainly prefer to plunge the plants in pots to using boxes : we once tried the box system, and was very soon sick of it, and, therefore, we cannot advise you to get into that trouble. Suppose you were to have some kind of cheap frame- work for inclosing those beds, and then fill them with potted plants for the sum- mer, on the system described at page 127 of last number. That system proves to be about a hundred times more grand than any system of bedding, and it has but one defect, and that is, that it uses an enormous quantity of plants, but that is an advantage to us, for we grow a vast many more ornamental subjects than we can ever display properly. But you have only to give your bedders ano- ther fortnight's growing, and you and they will be the better for it in tlie end. Caterpillars and other Pests. — IF. B. P. — There will be no injury by the splash- ing of soap or chloride of lime solution on the soil. If any effect is produced it will be to the benefit of the plants, but we doubt if you will get rid of cater- pillars by any method except hand- picking. The best remedy fur red spider is pure water alone, or the fumes of sul- phur. Red spider never attacks plants that are growing vigorously, and that h.ave plenty of water; in fact, moisture is certain death to this pest. Soda will, if strong, spoil the foliage ; if weak, not I harm the vermin ; stick to plain water or tobiicco-water, and you will do well. We find Louis XIV. a first-rate rose now, though it has hitherto been shy. But our plants are getting old, and show a free habit. The same with Eugene Appert, it is this season blooming su- perbly with us, though hitherto shy. We really cannot say if those you name will do with you. We should expect much of them. We find Cardinal Pa- trizzi grow and fiower as freely as any rose we have. Cucumber Failure. — W. Hill. — The vines that bore so well, and then produced distorted fruit, and got full of fly, were probably exhausted through being in a poor soil, or wanting water. When cucumbers play these pranks it is usually best to destroy them. Touch up the bed and plant again, but you might have cured yours by using good linings to the bed, slightly pruning back the vines, and giving them frequent sj'ringings with soft water and manure-water at the root. The leaves were scorched in fumi- gating by the tobacco taking fire. We cannot say what lias caused the violet to sport, for there is much mystery about the cause of sporting, but we can advise you to keep it and increase it if you can. Fuchsias for pyramids should be topped at tlie height you wish the pyramid to be, and all side-branches should be pinched in frequently. Fumigating should be done at night when the house is dry, and the plants syringed well next morning. Ask fewer questions next time you write. Various. — Subscriber. — Inquire at the sta- tioner's about India-rubber bands. — lt~ S. Hopkins. — We suppose your Narcissus are in a worn-out soil, and want di- viding, the soil manured and the bulbs planted further apait than they are now. J. A. — We do not know how many kinds of hepaticas and double primulas there are. We have "several shades of all the colours you name. The only way to get at tliem is to look out for them in bloom at nurseries, and there and then make sure of them by purchase. — CoinmeUna. — The leaves of the lime are covered with fungi. These Avill all disappear, and you will probably never see it again. But should another outbreak occur, let us know, and we will consider what had best be done ; at present we think yon have no reason to be alarmed. — Miss Price. — The seed of the heartsease was all distributed immediately after the notice appeared. It cannot be obtained of the trade. THE 6ABBEn eOiDE. ROSES IN 1863. Attgust, 1863. BE Eose suffered but little from tHe unfa- vourable weather which prevailed while the first blooms of the season were rising, and, in common with most other garden flowers, has made as good a display in 1863 as in any previous year in the memory of living culti- vators. But Ave must always take note of events in order to learn practical lessons, and we may derive from the experiences of this season, which has been remarkable for drought and heat, precisely the same conclusion as we arrived at in 1860, when we had incessant cold rains and sunless skies, and many of our favourite flowers scarcely bloomed at all. In 1860 roses were remarkable for fulness, thickness of petal, rich- ness of colour, and great size without coarseness. The foliage was then so green and ample, that the large-petalled and large-leaved kinds appeared to be competing with the camellia, and the magnificent bloom in the rosery greatly compensated for the lack of bloom everywhere else. In making oiir notes on the progress of the rose that year, we remarked that the abundance of moisture with which the heavens supplied them should afford a hint to cultivators that liberal supplies of water were essential to the production of a fine and continuous bloom. This season, the summer opened early and dry ; all through April and May we had much sun heat and little rain. During the whole of May, when the roses needed the help of moisture, both for their growth and to keep the vermin in check, there fell in London scarcely more than an inch of rain. The consequence was that the blooms began to colour some days earlier than usual, and where roses were left to fight it out with the elements they had a most unpromising appearance. A clump of the best of the perpetuals in our own garden had had not a drop of water either at the roots or over- head all the spring, and at the commencement of June they had such a melancholy look that we were compelled to have them smartly syringed and heavily watered, or run the risk of losing them altogether. They had scarcely a complete leaf from head to foot ; they were literally alive and TOL. VI. — NO. Tin. I IGl THE FLORAL WORLD AIS'D GARDEX GUIDE. filthy witli fly, and thrco-fourlhs of the expanding buds were spoilt by the ravages of maggot. So much for roses in a hot dr}- season, when neglected bv the cultivator. But the help afforded them was sufficient ; they were effectually cleansed by means of pure water alone, and the rain that came shortly afterwards sustained them in the vigorous start they had made, and suiHced for an abundant and a beautiful bloom. From the 5th to the 24th of Juno there fell in London about three inches of rain, and in many parts of the country as much as five inches, and to that we were indebted for the glorious displays of roses made subsequently at the Crystal Palace, the Iloyal Horticultural Society's Gardens, Stamford, and Birmingham, for from the 24th of June to the 21st of July not a drop of rain fell in any part of the countrj^ excepting only one or two storms of brief duration in Yorkshire and Norfolk. It was the general remark of rose growers at the beginning of June that the I'oses had not looked so poor for many years past. Many of them anticipated that the rose shows would be mockeries; j'et it has turned out quite otherwise, and though the first blooms were worthless, a fine display followed, and the rose has again maintained iier high position as the queen of flowers. The lesson of the season is, that roses love water, need water, and must have water, either from heaven or earth, or they become the prey of hosts of insect depreda- tors, and have little beautj' in either leaf or flower. Njiw llosEs.— The report of the Crystal Palace Rose Show (which appears iii the usual place) will furnish our readers with lists of the best exhibition varieties in the several classes. In reviewing the season we naturally inquire Avhat has it brought ua in the way of novelties? Not much certainly, nor do we desire to have very many new roses under con- sideration at one time. But a few have been added to the lists, and the varieties of 18GI and 1862 have been submitted to a farther test by being exhibited side by side with the best of those already established in ])ublic favour. Messrs. Paul and Sous, of Cheshunt, Mr. William Paul, of Waltham Cross, and Mr. Staudish, of Ascot, have shared between them the principal honours derivable from new roses this season. In looking over our notes we find that about eight-tenths of the best new roses of the past five years are high-coloured flowers, and a considerable pro}X)rtion owe their parentage, on one side at least, and geuerully the masculine, to General Jacqueminot, which is now quite surpassed by Lord Ilacaulay, President Lincoln, Alphonse Damaizin, and a few others. We have thrown out from our select list a considerable number of recently-ini reduced roses, as being either worthless, or not in advance of varieties -nhich have acquired fame for their general usefulness, or some special merits of form and colour. It may be as well perhaps to enumerate those which we consider as of little or no value among the new roses, and so we begin with Nkw Eosks Hejkcted. — Souvenir de Covite Carour (Moreau). There are two roses of this name. The other is a fine rose, and is entered in another paragraph as worthy of honour. This is a poor imitation of that moderattly good rose Colonel de Pougemont, colour lake, shading to lilac- rose, bad centre, petals loose, and the flower without character, or rather a decidedly bad character. Alba .Rosea, a tea rose, colour creamy-white, with rosy centre, small, thin, and loose. As we have an abundance of fine teas of the same colour, Ave cannot accept this until we see it shown in a much better state than it has been hitherto. Gloire de Chatillon, brilliant red shaded with violet, large and full, and every way a good rose. But Mar- THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 165 gottin's Souvenir de Comfe Cavour, presently to be described, is of the same make and colour, and, all points considered, the best of the two, and there- fore we include this in the list of the rejected. Robert Fortune, a very pretty flower, lilac-rose, and sweet-scented, but loose, thin, and has a con- fused centre. Madame Caillat, satiny- rose, nicely cupped, medium size, not very full. Turenne, bright lilac rose, deformed and flimsy. Souvenir de M. Rousseau, Itike, shading to lilac, lar^e, full, good, but inferior to many old varieties. Madame JErnest D)-eol, lilac rose, medium size, good, but no advance on better known varieties. jEinile Dulac, crimson, thin, worth- less. Jolin Cranstofi, crimson moss, of no value. Reinedes Tlolettes, &nc dark colour, but too thin and loose now that we have such dark roses as Yulcain and others like it to choose from. Celine Trouvais, glossy rose, large and full, but no advance. Peter Lawson, scarcely so good as Triomphe de Caen. IS'ew Eoses Accepted. — We are now almost afraid that we have accepted too many, yet it is hard to condijmn, or even treat coldly, varieties that pi'oduce really beautiful flowers, even when thej^ are not greatly diff'erent, or at all superior to other kiuds. But of this we are certain, that we have entered under this head none but first-class varieties, and among them are many of the most beautiful ever yet seen. We shall make two classes only, beginning with Light Colours. — Midam? Clemence J'oir/neaux, large rich rose, very fine, but not particularly distinct. Jean Goujon, clear red, double to the centre, and exquisitfly formed. This ia worth grouping with such roses as Jules Margottin, Madame Knorr, Madams Vidot, and Prince Leon, to make a clump of the five most perfect roses known. Professor Kocli, rosy cerise, shaded with crimson, cupped, globular, very beautiful. Dwohess d'AIencon, pure rose, immense shell-like petals, very large, exquisitely beautiful. Madame Enmin, a fine liourbou, like Souvenir dela Malmaison, but perhaps in no respect superior to that fine old rose. Reynold's Hole, pure rose, exquisitely formed, quite a gem. Madame Standish, clear pale pink, now well known as one of the be-t light roses. Marfjuerite Api^ert, colour of Souvenir de la Malmaison, flat, iaibricated, likely to be a first- rate rose, and certainly as good as Madame Emaiu. Madame Heyle, lilac-rose, cupped, medium size, fine. Ladi/ JEmihj Peel, blush, edged ■with purple, medium size, good form, a vigorous grower. Louise Darins, pure white, rather small, nicely formed, good, but we are afraid it is but a small advance on Dr. Henon. Gloire de Bordeaux, silvery white, under side of petals rose colour, large, full, substantial. This is a good tea rose, and is a seedling from Gloire de Dijon. Dakk Coluuus. — Praire de Terre Noire, velvety purple, large, full, substantial, a valuable acquisition, named after ^fr. Praire, of Terrenoire. Poupre d' Orleans, velvety purple, shading off to pucy-crimson, cupped, full, medium size. Madame G. JFood, purplish- red, not very difi'erent to the last, but larger, petals large and thick, the reverse of the petals whitish, a fine rose. Alphonse Damaizin, in the way of Eugene Appert, lively scarlety-crimson, a very striking rose, and first-rate in character. Souvenir de Comfe Carowr (Margottin), deep purplish-crimson, shading to nearly black, very full and large, and in many points like Lord Clyde, a good rose. Maurice Bernardin, deep lake (not vermilion, as described in the catalogues) , large, full, imbricated, a lovely rose, and indispensable. Beauty of Waltham, rosy-crimson, a ehade paler than we have been ea- customed to see it, perhaps owing to its having been too much shaded IC^G THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. nicely cupped, Rood substance, a first-class rose. Richard Smith, deep crimson shaded with violet, the same colour as Afargottin's Souvenir de Comto Cavour, but snialler, and otherwise not so good. Mareschal Vail- lant, glowing crimson-lake, small, full, very compact, and in every sense a lovely rose. Triomphe de Cam, centre scarlet-crimson, outside petals purplish-crimson, small, neat, cupi)ed, good. Lc Rhone, rich magenta- crimson (not Tcrmilion, as described in the catalogues), exquisitely formed, a brilliant variety for exhibition, and free enough for clumps and beds. Vulcain, deep purple, shading to black, medium size, better than Ecino des Violettes. Olivier Delhomme, purplish-red, like Bourbon Souchet, charming foliage. President Lincoln, a curious mixture of lake and lilac- crimson, good to the very core, imbricated, outer petals reflexing, in the way of Lord Kaglan, and equally desirable. l^ord Clyde, better than it has ever been shown before, though we always had to report well of it ; let the rosarian imagine a General Jacqueminot made to order, and he will have an idea of tlie colour and quality of Lord Clyde. Prince Camille de Rohan, deep maroon-crimson, rich and velvety, superb. Etienne Lecrosnier, amaranth shaded with slate, in the way of Triomphe de Caen, very small, but superb in form and substance, and very distinct. Jlonte Christo, brilliant purplish-crimson dashed with scarlet, very large, good centre. Charles Levcbvrc, purplish-red or magenta colour, a fine full fiower of great substance. Souvenir de Lady Eardley, purplish-crimson, thick velvety petals, but very flat, and with an unmistakable yelloM' eye. Due de Rohan, lilac-red, good. Christian Putner, rich pure crimson, full and sxibstantial, fine. Francois Lacharnie, carmine, globular, full, medium size. Conitesse dc Seguieur, velvety red shaded with violet, large, globular, full. Murillo, most elegantly cupped, the outer petals reflexing, colour dull crimson, very soft, deep, and refined, first-rate in every sense. Lord Macaulai/, velvety crimson, in every way an improvement en General Jacqueminot, which is as high praise as it needs to insure it popularity ; it is worthy of its name. La Brilliant, crimson, loose, desirable only for garden use, as it is on abundant bloomer, and very showy. Comte de Fal- loux, crimson, small. Grandidora, rich crimson, under side bright rose, large, full, flat, and reflexed, has the sweetness of a Provins, A'cry fine. Red Rover, fiery red, thick petals, lai'gc, but not sufficiently double, it is, however, very vigorou?, and makes a fine pillar rose. Rohusfa, rich lake, full and fine. Jlrs. Dombrain, pui-plish-crimson, large, flat, and open-eyed. Gregoire Rourdillon, dark pucy-crimson, flimsy. J. F. Lombard, rich deep crimson, velvety, cupped, small, neat and good. Alexander Bumas, blackish- crimson, velvety, large, and full, and perhaps the best dark, and the darkest of all hybrid pcrpetuals. Eclatante, deep glowing crimson, extra fine. Old Eoses Rejected. — It would be well if rosarians could agree to reject an old rose whenever a new rose of similar make and colour, but superior in some respects, made its claim for acceptance. It might sometimes be hard to part with an old friend, but why should we keep any rose which is not sui generis in some quality or other, when we have such hosts to choose from ? Let us endeavour to make a beginning by enumerating a few that are no longer wanted, and which, therefore, we recommend our readers neither to purchase nor propagate : — August Mie, uncertain, shy, quite surpassed. Colonel de Rougemont, too clumsy for the present day. Geant des Ratailles, flowers too small, plant much given to mildew, valuable on its own roots for clumps, but quite beaten in colour, THE FLORAL WORLD JlSD GARDEJT GUIDE. 167 hMtj and eontumanee. Bacchus, too shy to be tmsted. La Valhige, poor and pimping. I^ Ro'yal EpouXj shy. Z,om» Chair., sky. Madame Le^adide, shy. Madlh. Alice Leroy, a capital rose for free bloom, and pretty, but poor in qnality, and being of the pure roae-colonr claas, may be rejected, because in that class we have plenty of better flowers, MadUe. Auguste, very shy, MadJle. Loui-i Carique, tolerably good, but not worth perpetuating, Maxime, shy. Virginal, thin and shy. GeneralJaqueminot, the hybrid China of this name is a free bloom- ing purpLLsh-red rose, of no value whaterer. William Lohh, once popular as the '• blue moas rose," is a rampant grower, and, when cist, rery bexnti- ftil, but has no beauty in the rosery, and one or two specimens are snfBeient for the largest coileetion. Of Xoisettes strike out as worthless the follow- ing:— Claudia August in. Cornel ie, Caroline Marnie^se, and Triomphe J» Ifuehere. This wUl, we hope, suffice for the present. "We are a£raid fkub black list will have to be largely increased. Bat as this is the time to prop^tgate roses, we will add one more list of The Most Perfect Eoses, 2^£w ajtd Qto. — H. P., lighi : Alexandrine £elfiroy, peach; Baronne Prevost, pale rose; Anna Alexieff, pale rose — when disbudded and grown strong, exquisitely formed, when allowed to open all its buds, one of the most profuse bloomers known ; Belle de Bonxg la Seine, satiny rose ; Caroline de Sansal, clear flesh ; Duchess de Ma- genta, flesh, changing to white ; Duchess of Sutherland, pale rose ; La Seine, rosy pink ; Lselia, shaded rose ; Louise Darzins, white; Louise Peyronny, silvery rose; Madame Hector Jacqnin, lose-shaded lilac; Madame Knorr, pale rose deepening towards the centre to clear lake, ex- quisitely cupped, one of the loveliest roses known; Madame Eivers, elear flesh ; Madaoie Yidot, flesh, perfect in form ; Madlle. Bonnaire, white or pale rose ; Queen Victoria (Paul's), white, shaded with peach ; William. Griffith. Bourhmts, light : Acidalie, blush ; Comtesse de Barbantanne, fles^ ; Qoeen, buff rose, exquisite form, and very free ; Souvenir de Mal- maison, flesh, better under glass than in open air, but anywhere one of the grandc-st roses ; Alphonse Karr, rose, small, beaatifiEil, free. H. P., red and erims&n : Adolphe ^SToblet, brilliant red ; Alphonse Damaizin, blight red ; Beauty of Waltham, rocsy crimson ; Charles Lefevre, bright crimson ; Comte de ]N^anteuiJ, bright, rose with darker edges ; Crimson Peipetnal ; Due de Sohan, red, shaded with rermilion; Duke of Cambridge, dark red ; !Bofimt de Mont Carmel, crimson ; Eugene Apperl^ velvety crimson, bad centre wbea ^jTown poor, but superb when treated generously ; Francois Lachanne^ car- mine ; General Jacqueminot, requires liberal culture and didradding to obtain the best flowers, bat, with all its tsxdtSf indispensable ; Lord Maeaa- 1^, like the General, and better ; General Washmgton, rosy zed ; Jules Ibzgottin, cheny red, a perfect rose ; La Yille de St. Bema, rosy carmine ; Madame C. Caprelet, red, veined widi lilac ; Madame de Gamb^eres, rosy carmine, has a bad centre unless grown strong ; Madame Domage, bright roae colour, a grand rose, and whrai disbudded, one of the largest, when grown for show, the top bod of each shoot only should be left to expand ; Madame Furtado, rosy crimson ; Madame Laffiy, rosy crimson ; MadUe. Betsy Hal- man, carmine shaded cerise, most el^antly cupped; Ornament desJardina^ crimson; Prince Leon, crimson ; Bavel, crimson; SenateurYaisse, bright red; Triomphe de TExpoddon, reddish crimson ; Yainqueor de Solferino, daA. red ; Victor Yerdier, ro^ carmine ; WilUam. Jese, crimson, tinged villi lilac ; Lord Palmeraton, cherry red, exqmsite when well grown. .BjnwSwi, 1G8 THE FLOKAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. red and crimson: Aurore du Guide, crimson scarlet ; Dupctit Tliouars, crimson ; Justine, rosy carmine ; Prince Albert, scarlet crimson. M. P., dark: Abd-el-Kadcr, velvety purple ; Alexandre Dumas, the darkest rose knoAvn, and of p;ood form ; Archt vt que do Paris, velvety purjjle ; Chris- tian Putner, purple shaded crimson ; Comte de Beaufort, scarlet, dashed "with black ; Due de Cuzes, deep velvety purple ; Empereur de Maroc, vel- vety maroon, of good form, considering its colour; Francois Arago, velvety purple, small but exquisite; Lion des Combats, reddish violet ; Louis XIY., rich purplish blood, requires generous culture; Madame Charles Wood, reddish purple ; Madame Julie Daran, piirplish vei milion ; Madame Pauline Villot, crimson purple ; Lord Eaglan, jairplish crimson, wonderful foliage ; Mrs. Elliott, purplish red ; Pourpre d'Orleans, velvety l^urple ; Prince Camille de I\ohan, crimson maroon ; Souvenir de Montceau, crimson-shaded maroon ; Souvenir de Comte Cavour (Margottin), crimsou and black ; Triomphe de Caen, velvety purple ; Vulcain, purplish violet, shaded with black. Bov.rlon, dark : Comice de Seine et Marne, crimson and purple ; Comte de Moniijo, reddi^li purple; George Peabody, purple crimson ; Julie de Eontenelle, crimson puiple ; Yictor Emmanuel, purple and purplish maroon. TEA EOSES ITS TOWXS. The citizen readers of this work have been frequently advised to grow tea roses under glass. It fortunately happens to be a fact, that whatever plant is too delicately constituted to endure unhurt the smoke of towns, can be grown under glass to perfection. To use a comprehensive expres- sion, Londoners may grow anything under glass, provided they do not roast, bake, or boil the plants, contingencies likely enough when glass is put up without some forethought of the use to be made of it, or where greenhouses alread)' standing are suddenly appropriated to the culture of hardy plants. Yet it only needs proper management to grow the hardiest of plants in common greenhouses, as I have had proof this season, for my roasting lean-to has been filled with hardy and nearly hardy plants since the end of May, and there has not been a leaf scorched all through the tropical heat of June and July ; safetj- was secured by shading, plentiful ventilation, and the abundant use of water, and the result is, that I have been enabled to get up a stock of various subjects that were required in haste, and that with such parching weather would positively have made less progiTss out of dooK:, dujing such drought and heat. J have several times put it on record in the Fj.oeal AYokld that at Stoke Newington tea roses are not generally happy. Gloire de Dijon, and Devoniensis. Safrano, Kiphetos, and sometimi s Sombreuil and Narcisse, do pretty well out of doors ; but to have a cdleetion exposed to all weathers is rather a vexation than a pleasure. Peo})le who take notes in my garden tell me the air must be remarkably pure and the soil one of the best in England. It is true the air is the purest I know of at the same distance from Loudon, that is, three miles as the crow flies ; and the soil is a fat yellow loam I'esting on clay, and in some parts the clay is near the surface. But much of the beauty of vegetation here is simply the result of good culture. If I intend a plant to grow, and there is a reasonable probability of its growing, it wants for nothing requisite to its success. THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 169 and there is perhaps no garden similarly situated and of similar dimen- sions iu which there is a better selection of interesting and beautiful objects. But this is nothing more than sliould be, considering my respon- sibilities as an adviser and a doctrinaire, and there is a limit to my skill as to all other human efforts, for I cannot make much of tea roses ■without the help of glass. This time last year therefore I determined to make an end of the vexation of living iu the midst of flowers and having so few of these most beautiful of all the rose family, and the question of course arose, what sort of house should be built for them. In any case I said the house must be a span, and because of the limited space at dis- posal, it must be iu miniatui'e. I am not a freeholder, and therefore there was the additional necessity to have it legally portable, so that at any time it could be carried away and deposited unhurt wherever my lot might be next cast. As we are being fast built in, and have the promise of a railway to skirt the lower end of the garden, all my proceedings are shaped with a view some day to removal. I saw plainly that Sir Joseph Paxton's patent was the thing for me to patronize, and by means of two letters to Mr. Hereman, to settle the size and price of the house, all pre- liminaries were settled, and before the postman who took the second letter ordering the house to be supplied could have fairly rested from his journey, there stood at the front gate a waggon, piled to the height of the first-floor windows with bran span lights, all glazed and painted, with the doors, ventilators, bolts, screws, everything down to tenpenny nails, so that with the aid of a couple of carpenters the house was put up, in less time and with about a fiftieth part of the labour required to print this number of the Floral "World. ffliijirfijji PAXTONIAIf HOSE-HOUSE AT STOKE NEWINGIOJf. So much by way of history. The description may be similarly brief. The house is a span, with very sharp pitch, glass to the ground; the lights ride in the gutter, the gutter rides on wooden chairs, the chairs rest on concrete piers ; it is as substantial as a rock, and as portable as a bedstead. The lights bolt together at the ridge, as if fitted together by hinges, so that they can be drawn out at any time to make a house one-thirr wider and of alow pitch ; the ends are fixed under the styles of the roof sashes by means of small iron plates, the doors hang as other doors do, and the ridge is covered with a ridge-board, as in any other span-roofed house. The view of the structure will make all this plain, and serve also as a further instalment of pictures from my garden. 170 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAUDEN GUIDE. Now you may ask why this particular form of house in preference to any other. Let me therefore remark, that to grow roses under glass you need protection from frost and excessive wet in winter, this a glass house of any kind will . supply. But you need all the help possible from sun- heat in spring, for sun-heat to roses is as much superior to fire-heat as fire-heat is superior to no heat at all Avhen frost rages for weeks together. With such a steep pitch there is an immense gain of sun-heat in spi'ing, and this house is generally four degrees warmer than one of lower pitch ■would he from an early hour in the morning, from the beginning of March to the middle of May. Therefore the roses are greatly assisted to bloom early and strong. Eut during the summer there is need rather of coolness than heat ; certainly we do not want roses to be kppt in an oven from June to August, and it happens that when the sun gets high in the heavens a steep pitch catches less of his rays, and a low roof is preferable to collect sun-heat. So by the use of this form of house we get aid from the sun when we most need it, and when an increase of the natural tem- perature is no longer desirable, there is the least possible difterence between the temperature in the house and out of doors. But the value of this style of building is not merely in the angle of the lights, for a house of any other kind could be built to the same angle, and these Paxtonian houses can be made as flat as any others, and are . often so made for growing pines and other such things. 33ut there are two special advantages, and the first of these is the perfect system of ven- tilation. The ventilating shutters are in two divisions, the whole length of the lights, and admit air either from the ground to the roof, or from the ground half way up, or from the ridge half way down, at the will of the cultivator. Thus there can be kept up a continual circulation of top air, which is desirable on sunny days in spring, or of air the whole length, which is desirable day and night all the summer in the case of roses, and the ventilators of this h ouse have all been open day and night since the first week in June. I firmly believe that there is no system known equal to this for maintaining throughout the house a constantly moving atmosphere, the breeze plajing through the leaves without vio- lence, even when a gale is blowing, and still moving even when the air outside is at a dead calm. The heat of the sun striking on the glass and wood, causes all the air in the house to rise and escape at the edge of the ridge-board, this is the origin of the circulation when the air outside is still. The upward motion causes an inward flow of air at the bottom, and thus stagnation is impossible, and Phoebus himself works the wind- mill exactly at the rate needful, for the fiercer his heat the more rapid the escape of air at top and influx at bottom. Our rose-growing readers Avill fully appreciate the importance of all this. A stifling atmosphere is death to roses, no matter if teas or what else. But they want no artificial heat to produce a good bloom, if the cultivator ia content to wait till the sun brings them out naturally. Therefore this house is not heated in any way, and as an indication of what may be done without fire-heat, it will sufiice to say that many of the roses in the house were in full bloom in the first week of April this year, and by the second week in May they were all out or covered with expanding buds, and so they continued till the end of June, when they were resting from their exertions, and preparing for a fine bloom all the late summer and autumn. THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 171 The view of the interior will show that the roses are all planted out in the two side borders, and the way they are planted may be worth telling to those who are fond of tea roses, and have no prospect of growing them well in the open ground. In the first place, then, the house mea- sures 35 feet long, 16 feet wide, and is 12 feet high from the path to the ridge. It is therefore strictly a miniature rose-house. The borders are 80 inches wide, and are kept up by means of stout planks, neatly planed, and painted stone colour. The walk is sunk 15 inches below the top edges of the boards, and it consists of a mixture of fine gravel mixed with Portland cement, laid down on a bottom of hard stuff, and then watered and rolled while wet with a garden roller. It has the fresh colour of good gravel, and is as hard as a pavement. I should miss the mark alto- gether if I did not add that the borders are prepared with great care, for tea roses will not endure damp at the roots in winter, and they require a INTBRIOE OF EOSE-HOtlSil. light rich soil. First, then, along the centre of each border is laid a drain to carry superfluous water quite away. These drains communicate with the main drain which passes the house, and thus all stagnation of water in the soil is prevented. Over these drains is laid about six inches of broken brick and tile, and then eighteen inches of soil, consisting of thin slicings of turf from a loamy pasture previously laid up and the grass quite rotted, hotbed-dung, leaf-mould, the top pulverized crumbs from a bank of clay, and old plaster broken line, equal parts all through. It is full of nourishment, firm and yet light, and the roses root into it as they do in forest loam in pots ; that is, they make masses of fibre and no rambling fleshy roots. The cut will show that the roses are planted in three rows, the weak growers in the front, and the more robust kinds on the centre and back of the border. They are all on their owti roots, which is the best way for free growth, good flowers, and never to be plagued ■with suckers. They were all planted in August, 1862, and were all 1 72 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. small plants in 60 and 54- sized pots. Xow they are fine bushes, and several would have reached the top of tlie house this season if allowed to do so, or cnconragod witli the help of a few tics or v/ires. As to the bloom, it has generally been superb. Most of them bloomed well the last autumn, immediately after being planted out. Though I have remarked that the house is wholly devoted to teas, I must here say that is not strictly true. After the collection obtained for the house were planted, there was just I'oom left for a pair of roses at one end. There happened to be a pair of Souvenir do ilalmaison in full bloom in a part of the rosery which it was intended to alter, and as these would have to be moved some day or other, I put the fork under them on a bright day in August, and had them planted in the house in less than halfanho\ir, kept them sprinkled and shaded, and all the signs they gave of having been moved was the shaking off of a few yellow leaves a week after. They were shaded and frequently sprinkled, and they bloomed till Christ- mas, and were the fii'st to bloom again this spring-, and they bloomed so abundantly that they had to be most carefully tied up to lessen the strain upon the branches of the enormous trusses produced. Since the hot weather set in, these two Souvenirs have been touched with mildew, and they have been potted and their places supplied with teas. These are the only roses that have not succeeded to perfection in the house, but as it Avas erected for teas only, I cannot charge them with wilful misbe- haviour. As to the management, that consists principally of a daily syringing and a weekly watering at the roots. They have not tasted liquid manure yet, nor will they want it till next season. They are kept in order by the use of the knife and occasional pinching in, and the dead blooms are removed every day. There are ninety tea roses planted out in the borders, namely, forty- five on each side, in three rows of fifteen each. In the front lines, being weak growers, are Abrieote, Archimede, Auguste Vacher, Bride of Aby- dos, Canary (a lovely rose in bud), Clara Silvain, Due de Magenta, Elise Sauvage, JEnfant de Lyon, Josephine Malton, La Boule d'Or (a gem among tea roses), Louise de Savoy, Devoniensis (comes finer under glass than in the open air), Madame Blachet, Madame Falcot, Madame Hal- phin, Madame Bravy, Mad;ime Lartay, Madame Pauline Labonte, Madame "William, Mirabile, jS^ina, j^isida, President, Peine de Pays Bas, Souvenir de David, Yicomtesse de Cazes, Semelc. Centre and hack roivs, Adam, Amabilis, BeUe Chartronnaise, Belle de Bordeaux, Bougere, Buret, Comte de Paris, Comtesse Ouvaroff, Comtesse de Woronzoff, Delphine Gaudot, Eugene Desgaches, Gerard Desbois, Gloii-e de Bordeaux, Gloire de Dijon, Goubault, Homer, Madame Damaizin, Madame de St, Joseph, Madame Villermoz, Mareschal Bugeaud, Maiie de Medicis, Marquise Poucault, Moiret, jN'arcisse, JS^iphetos, Ophelia, Eegulus, Safrano, Socrates, Som- breuil, Souvenir d'Elise (the grandest of all tea roses, sometimes as large as a breakfast- cup, and petals as thick as cardboard), Souvenir d'un Ami, Triomphe de Guillot, Triomphe de Luxembourg. Some are repeated. In a larger house, I should take the vigorous growers up the rafters and allow them to form festoons. Several of the Noisettes would serve for the same purpose. Ophirie and Jaune Desprez would make magnifi- cent climbers under glass. If it were only possible to build a lean-to, then I should prefer the Paxtonian principle, and j)ut ^Noisettes and Banksians on the back wall. But I would make this a fixed rule — to THE FLOHAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 173 grow roses and roses only. There is nothing else that will properly mix ■with them when planted out, and the reader does not need to be told that when planted out they are much less trouble to manage than in pots, and they grow and bloom with considerably more vigour. SniELET HiBBEED. PEOPAGATII^G FOE NEXT SEAS02T. It often occurs to me that amateur gardeners put themselves to much unnecessary trouble to propagate in spring, because anything and every- thing can be got up nosv without the help of artificial heat ; and generally one autumn.struck plant is worth at least tliree of the best of those struck in spring. When we consider the hurry of spring work, the vast amount there is of it all at once, aud the evils that result from delays, add to this the labour of making up duug-beds, keeping Waltonians and tanks at work, and the chance of east winds and frosts to keep the houses full and check the growth of " young stuff," how many reasons there are for propagating yiow whatever is best increased at this time of year. It will be understood tliat though mine is a very small establishment, there is a considerable activity in the pro- pagating department all the year round. From the end of April to this present time, I have had an old Waltonian at work in my lean-to, and about every fourteen days it is cleared out, and refilled, so that in the course of the season, during which artificial heat may be dispensed with, say from May to September, five mouths, there are at least ten batches of rooted cuttings turned out. If all the cuttings are in four-inch pots, there will be thirty-two at each batch, or three hundred and twenty in all ; and if there are only five cuttings in a pot, the total of plants will be six- teen hundred. This, of com-se, is nothing wonderful; but although I have every needful convenience for propagating by any method, I prefer the old Waltonian, for its conveni- ence and cleanliness, and through its aid I am almost independent of the usual methods of propagating in spring. I am so satisfied that the plan I follow is the best possible for the majority of our readers, that I shall risk being prolix, in order to speak of this matter in detail. In the firtit place, then, the old Waltonian is the one from which the boiler was removed to furnish a sec- tional view of the interior (Flokal World, 1861, p. 248) ; therefore ifc is no longer capable of being heated, and is simply a box with gl^ss front and glass top. Amateur propagators have therefore only to provide them- selves with a wooden box of reason- able dimensions, say the same size as the Waltonian, which is thirty-four inches long and seventeen inches wide. Let this box be fifteen or eighteen inches deep. Fit it with some sort of frame to hold squares of glass for the top ; never mind glass at the sides, it is of no use there. Burn or bore in the bottom of the box a fnw large holes to carry off water ; and if with a little carpentry you can place the glass top or lights on ihe slope all the better. A smear of pitch inside and of paint outside will be further improvements ; but to make a beginning in propagating the box is all that is wanted, and it must be covered with close-fitting glass of some kind on the top. My old Waltonian is just such a box and nothing more ; it is covered with two large squares of glass in zinc frames j the old zinc tray is inside, but has no sand or cocoa-nut on it, as I find that useless, and so the pots stand on the zinc ; and if the zinc were not ready to hand, as a legacy from the days of Waltonian experiments, the pots would stand on the wood, as in the supposition box we are considering in imitation of it. The secret of suc- cess is to place the box in a hot green- house, and in the full sun, and at one end, where the least amount of air 174 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN OUIDE. is given. Mine stands at the further end of the house, across the end of the path, so that it occupies no room 80 to speak, and cannot be in the way. I have spoken of cuttings in four-inch pots, but my usual practice is to put the cuttings separately in thumb pots, so that they want no more shifting till they have filled those pots with roots ; and that is the plan I recom- mend all our readers to adopt in pro- pagating at this time of year. By this method fifty to sixty plants are produced at each turn of the case, and there is no difficulty about getting up a stock of a thousand or more of any one particular subject, if needful. In a case of this kind, heated by sun-heat only, fuchsias, heliotropes, verbenas, petunias, almost anj'thing in fact, except geraniums, can be rooted to perfection in about ten days. The cuttings are preferred rather small ; they are potted firm in a mixture of peat, silver-sand, or leaf-mould alone, or cocoa dust alone. When the case is filled, they are lightly sprinkled, and the glasses put on close. While the sun shines on the case the glass is covered M-ith a piece of calico or tifl'any, which is re- moved as soon as the danger of injury from sunshine is past. All the regular attention they have is to be loolced at daily. If not looked at, some might perish, though if left shut up for a week there would be very few losses, unless the case was either very wet or very dry. It is very seldom my cuttings get anything more than one light sprinkle of water after being put in till the time to take them oitt again. You may always know when cuttings are well rooted by the bright colour of the little leaves at the tip, and the signs of growth visible. They may then come out, and be put in a damp shady place. Close beside my case in the lean-to, one light is shaded with two thicknesses of tiffany, and there is a space of the border covered with cocoa-nut dust on which the little pots are placed, and where generally the young plants remain till they have nearly filled their pots •with roots. They are then hardened by placing them in a shady place out of doors, or on the floor of the house; anywhere in fact, except where they might be roasted. After a week of hardening, they are ready for a shift, and by tliat time there is an- other batch coming out of the case. Now, one use of such a case or box is that you are prepared at any moment to strike a cutting of any- thing. Let there be but one pot, or fifty in the box, it is all the same as to the certainty that, if done properly, roots will come in time. But now let us consider the doing of the same work on a larger scale. Bave you any small frames ? They are invalu- able, and, for summer propagating, far preferable to anything large. I have some very neat substantial little frames, four feet by two feet, a foot deep in front, and eighteen inches deep at back, which can in an instant be carried anywhere ; and they take one hundred cuttings each at a time, allowing as much room as cuttings of roses require, and they are the very best of all contrivances to strike rose cuttings in. You are of course aware that, at this time of year, a frame is a hothouse by day and a warm green- house by night. The best way to use these frames is to make up a raised bed of cocoa-nut dust or leaf-mould, or any light material in which cut- tings will root quickly. Tread it firm, put on the frames to form the three sides of a square, and dibble the cuttings into the soil of the frames, water them in, and keep pretty close and shaded till they root. People who want to multiply their roses, fuchsias, petunias, hardy evergreen shrubs, fanciful herbaceous plants, ivies, chrysanthemums, etc., etc., have only to go to work as soon as they have read this, and, instead of buying plants by dozens, they may produce them free of cost by hun- dreds and thousands. There is another way of using frames for propagating now. Get some glazed pans of from four inches to a foot in diameter, the larger the better. If pans are not to be had, use large pots, and take care to stop the holes with corks. Fill these pans or pots nearly full with a mixture of leaf-mould, peat broken to the size of hazel nuts, with all the dust, and THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 175 sliarp sand equal parts. If you cannot get peat, use in place of it moss chopped very small, or dry sandy stuff shaken out of old pots. (By the by, the stuff out of old pots should always be kept in a bin. It is invaluable, when sweetened, for growing variegated plants and other things which must be kept rather poor, and it can always be improved by adding a little fresh loam or rotted turf.) Having put in the soil, water plentifully, so that the water fills up the pots or pans to the rim above the soil. Now put in the cuttings, and be careful that they all stand up nicely with their leaves above the water. Put them in a box or frame in the full sun, and shut close. They will want no more water, and they will strike roots in about ten days, and by that time they must have air gradually, and, as soon as they begin to grow with vigour, harden them for a week and then pot them off. If they are such things as verbenas, etc., vrhich are to be kept in as small a space as possible all winter, pot them five or six together in fi^e-inch pots, with one-third of the pots tilled with drainage, and they will only want to be kept safe from frost all winter, and may either be potted and put on dung heat, or may be left till tiie end of April, and then be potted and put in the bos to get a start by the aid of sun-heat only. In remarking on the subjects that may be struck in boxes, I have made an exception in regard to geraniums. These are best struck in the full sun in an open border, and now is the time to get up a stock for next year. It is the delay in the propagating that makes a mockery of the bedding system in many places, where they have not been worth looking at till July. But save every old plant of geraniums ; the older they are the more hardy and the more abundant the bloom. I fancy there are some folks who think themselves clever in gardening who would stare to see my plants of Tom Thumb and Imperial Crimson in 48-sized pots, wiih a score of trusses all open at once, and another score bristlmg up to meet them, and this for months together ; the secret can be told in a word : they are old plants that have never been pruned. Every year, about the end of April, they are shaken out of their pots, all the soil removed from the roots, which are slightly but not severely cut in, and repotted in the same pots in a firm compost, consist- ing principally of loam from rotted turf, a little dung rotted to powder, and some grit obtained by sifting the sweepings of the gravel walks. Make a selection now of a dozen or two, or half a dozen, of the best- shaped Tom Thumb, Attraction, Im- perial Crimson, Lord Palmerston, Bijou, Queen of Queens, Dandy, Christine, Lady Middleton, and Cot- tage Maid, and treat them in this way, and you will have geraniums for your windows that will astonish everybody except those who happen to know how it is done. The knife ought never to touch them. If a shoot starts in such a way as to be likely to spoil the symmetry of the plants, nip it out with the thumb nail before it gets hard, and if any one takes the lead and threatens to grow briskly, prick out the eye with the point of a penknife or with a pin, and it will presently throw out side shoots and be as broad as it is long. A last word on propagating may be useful. Take half ripe shoots of roses, cut them into lengths of about four joints each, with a joint at the base, and the leaf removed from that joint. Select the youngest shoots of verbenas, petunias, and fuchsias ; those not showing bloom will be the best ; of these, cuttings with three joints and a joint at the base are the best. Any sort of cuttings will do of geraniums, but nearly ripe short cuttings are best ; and, if it is desired to multiply any kind as extensively as possible, one joint, with the leaf and bud attached, and a slice of the stem, will suffice, so that every sepa- rate bud will make a plant. When cut so small, it will be best to place them in pans in sand, and put them in a box or frame, and shade, keeping them only moderately moist. The same with roses : when struck from eyes, each separate eye must have the leaf with it, and the eyes must m: THE FLORAL WORLD AXD GARDT:!? GUIDE. be put in pans and be shut up. Old hands at propagating will probably prefer to use dung-heat, and save time thereby. Respecting this, the best of all ways in propagating, it is only needful to remark, for the in- formation of beginners, that such things as roses should not be put in heat immediately they are removed from the parent plants. Prepare the cuttings carefully, and dibble them into damp sand in a shady place, and there keep them fresh by occasional sprinkling. They -will require about twelve days to form a "callus," and when that is formed, they should be potted separately, and be put on a sweet moist bottom-heat. S. H. FLOWER SHOWS OF JUNE AND JULY. RoTAL HOETTCULTCTRAL SoCIETT, June 17th. — This show contained several points of great interest. On this occasion Sir \V. Dilke's prizes for dinner-table decorations were com- peted for, a large number entering the lists, the contributions being judged by ladies. Although so many subjects were exhibited, there were none to equal the original designs of Mr. March, and the winning designs were all modifications of his. Another point of great interest in this show was the Pelargoniums which were ex- hibited in such exti'aordinary fine condition by Mr. Nye, gardener to E. B. Foster, Esq., Clewer Manor, that they were the centre of attrac- tion ; the plant of that fine old variety Sanspareil, was a marvel of excellent culture, and the others were remark- ably fine — they were Rose Celestial, Desdemona, Viola, Etna, Ariel, Fairest of the Fair, Lord Clyde, and Perdita. Orchids were shown in great numbers, and were admirably done. Mr. W. Mil ford, gardener to E. McMorland, Esq., Haverstock Hill, was first with twenty, all of which were beautiful. He had a finely bloomed plant of Odontoglossum phalfenopsis, a Cattleya species of a beautiful pale rose colour ; besides good plants of Brassavola Digbyana, Barkeria melanocaulon, Cypripedium grandiflorura, C. villosum, Cattleya lobata, A^'anda Batemanii, Van da tri- color superba, and brides odorata. The other successful exhibitors were Mr. G. Baker, gardener to A. Bassett, Esq., Stamford Hill ; Mr. C. Penny, gardener to W. H. Gibbs, Esq., Regent's Park; Mr. J. Green, gar- dener to Sir E. Antrobus, Bart. ; Mr. S. Woolley, nurseryman, Ches- hunt ; Mr. F. Lovell, gardener to H. E. Gurney, Esq.; and Mr. J. Wiggins, gardener to W. Beck, Esq. Stove and Greenhouse Plants, and plants with fine foliage, were very numerous ; the Allamandas, Kalo- santhes, Epacris, Pimeleas, Ixoras, and few Azaleas, were in excellent bloom, and exhibited excellent train- ing. Mr. T. Whitebread, gardener to H. Collyer, Esq., was first with fifteen charming plants : Ixora java- nica, Rondeletia speciosa, Pleroma elegans. Erica Cavendishiana, Epacris miniata splendens, Ixora coccinea, Polygala Dalmasiana, Dipladenia crassinoda, Vinca alba rosea, Pimelia mirabilis, and Adenandra fragrans. Hoses in pots were principally shown by Messrs. AVm. Paul, Francis, and Terry. The finest plants were Paul Ricaut, Coupe d'Hebe, Juno, Mutabilis, Great Western, Paul Perras, L.tlia, Anna Alexieff", Caro- line de Sansal, Souvenir de la Reine d'Angleterre, Charles Lawson, Mad. Domage, Duke of Cambridge, La Reine, Mad. Willermoz, Mad Hec- tor Jacquin, Chenedole, and Vicom- tesse de Cazes. Messrs. Eraser, of Lea Bridge Road, had an unique stand of cut Paeonies, which were produced in su- perb style, and made a very charm- ing display. Mr. C. Turner, of Slough, had a stand of exeellent Pinks, three blooms each of Elcho, Titiens, Princess of Wales, and Car- dinal. Messrs. Low and Co., of Upper Clapton, obtained a first prize for a splendid specimen of Alocasia Lowii; this charming plant was THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE: 177 nearly tliree feet over, exhibiting the most vigorous health, the veins of the leaves staading out with great dis- tiactaess, and shining with a lustre almost equal to A. tnetallica. RoyaIj Botanic Society, June 24th. — This, the last show of the sea- son, was magnificent, and besides the flowers there was a splendid show of fruit, the grapes especially being fine, a single dish of three bundles of Black Prince weighing no less than 9 lbs. 7 ozs. Mr. Nye, of Clewer Manor, again exhibited his beautiful Pelargoniums, whichwere just as fresh as when sliowu before. Mr. Turner had six elesrant specimens of Viola, Modesty, Flora, Douglas, Bracelet, and Prince of Prussia. In the col- lections of twelve from nurserymen, Mr. Turner was first with live plants, and Messrs. Fraser were second. The fancy varieties were beautiful, Messrs. Turner and Fraser obtaining equal first prizes for Arabella Goddard, Cloth of Silver, Delicatum, Acme, Marionette, Bridesmaid, Lady Craven, Sarah Turner, Cheerfulness, Crystal Beauty, Musjid, Negro, Rosabella, Electra, and Mad. E,ougiere. Orchids were not so largely shown as at the previous show, but were generally fine and well-bloomed. Mr. G. Baker was first for twenty ; among his was a lovely little plant of Deix- drochilum filiforme, with ten long, gracefully - drooping spikes of its minute, delicate greenish - yellow flowers. Mr. Penny showed in his lot specimens of two new orchids, Dendrobium Parishii and Odonto- glossum uro-Skinneri, excellently well-bloomed. Stove and Greenhouse Flants. — Mr. Whitebread again came off first with sixteen immense specimens, but they were generally past their best, as stale blooms could be seen upon some of tliem. Cape Heaths. — Messrs. T. Jack- son and Sou, of Kingston, were first with ten nice plants, which were Ber- giana, Nobilis, Vent, superba, Tri. dumoso, CandoUea, Depressa, Perspi- cua ro^ea, Ferruginea major, Tri. im- pressa, and Vent. Bothsvelliana. Mr. B. Peed was first with eight plants, and Mr. H. Chdman with six. Fuchsias were in much finer con- dition than at the previous show, but there were not very many of tliem, and they were all put up in lots of six. Mr. E. Gardiner, gardener to J. Stutter, Esq., Oak Lodge, Clap- ham Park, was first witli nicely trained plants of Princess Imperial, Rose of Castile, Isa Craig, Mad. Cor- nelissen, Senator, and Fair Oriana. Roses. — A collection of eighty small pot roses on Manetti stocks was exhibited by Mr. Francis, of Hertford, for which a silver medal was awarded. They were a charming lot, remarkably dwarf and bushy, and covered with tine blooms. Ferns. — Fine healthy collections of British ferns were shown. Forty- six from Messrs. Ivery and Sou, Dor- king and Reigate ; forty-three from Mr. Lavey, gardener to E. A. De Grave, Esq.; and thirty-six from Miss Clarkson, 40, Avenue Koad,iSt. John's Wood. Royal HoETictrLTUBAL Society, •luLY 1st. — The last great show was a very interesting one, as with it was incorporated the Great National Rose Show ; but no prizes were ofiered for Pelargoniums, stove and greenhouse plants, orchids, ericas, etc., and con- sequently the greatest number of plants were destitute of flowers. The display of cut roses was large, a col- lection of forty-eight varieties from Mr. Hedge being gi'own to the ut- most point of perfection, and appear- ing bewitchini^ly lovely. The show of fruit was very good ; the pines were enormously large and heavy, and the melons, grapes, peaches, necta- rines, strawberries, figs, cherries, etc., were in extraordinary perfection. Roses. — Ninety-six cut blooms, distinct varieties : 1st, Mr. B. R. Cant, nurseryman, Colchester, with a fine lot, the most perfect being Aladlle. Bonnaire, Souvenir d'un Ami, Sena- teur Vaisse, Mrs. Rivers, Comtesse de Chabrillant, Madlle. Eugenie Verdier, Mad. Bravy, Chas. Lefebvre, Souve- nir d'Elise, and Duchess of Norfolk ; 2nd, Mes.-irs. Paul and Son ; 3rd, Mr. J. Mitchell, Maresfield, Sussex. For forty-eight varieties: 1st, J. T, Hedge, Esq., amateur. Reed Hall, Colchester. Twenty-four varieties: 1st, S. Dobree, 178 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. Esq., the Priory, "Wellington, Somer- Bet. Eighteen varieties : Ist, J. T. Hedge, Esq. Twelve tea- scented : Ist, J. T. Hedge, Esq., with Mad. Bravy, President, Enfant de Lyons, Souvenir d'un Ami, Mad. Sertot, Mad. Levair- ville, Moiret, Mad. Williams, La Boule d'Or, Reine Victoria, L'Enfant Trouve, and Bougere. Fuchsias were shown in lots of six, but there were not many of them, and they were chiefly the same as were shown at the Eoyal Botanic So- ciety the previous week. Orchard House Fruit Trees were extensively shown, and were, most of them, in great perfection. 1st, for six, Mr, D. Cattermole, gardener to J. Vickers, Esq., Tooting Common, with Downton Nectarine, Belle mag- nifique cherry, Hoxton Mignonne peach, Jefferson plum, "White Ischia tig, and Greengage plum, all of which were loaded with fruit. Messrs. H. Lane and Son, Great Berkhampstead, had a splendid collection of miscel- laneous fruits in pots, for which they were awarded a first prize ; among them were splendid examples of apples — Manx's Codlin and Haw- thornden ; cherries — May Duke, Bigarreau, Downton, Elton, and Kentish ; pears — Citron des Carmes, Beurre de Capiaumont, Beurre Diel, and Duchess d'Orleans ; plums — Eirke's and Early Favourite ; orange — Otaheita ; figs — Brown Turkey and Singleton ; and twelve pots of excel- lent strawberries, Oscar and Goliah. A good number of window boxes, tastefully filled with plants, were shown, the first prize being awarded to Mr. Geo. Macintosh, of Hammer- smith, for a series of ornamental boxes filled with stocks, geraniums, calceolarias, mignonette, verbenas, heliotrope, etc., in the most glorious confusion. Mr. Chas. Turner showed two new pinks — Eev. Geo. Jeanes, a monstrous flower, three inches over, petals full, lacing broad and even, and of a dark crimson colour ; Lord Her- bert, large sized flower, with broad even lacing of a reddish lilac colour. Cut Verbenas were shown in first- rate style, Mr. C. Turner being first with a stand of 24, all great beauties. They were, Nemesis, Prima Donna, Lord Leigh, Magnificans, Ariosto Im- proved, Annihilator, Madame Herman Steiger, Ruby King, Chacomb Gem, Garibaldi, Miss Labouchere, Le Grand Boule de Neige, II Trovatore, King of Verbenas, Black Prince, Pauline, Grand Eastern, Gcant des Batailles, Warrior, Lord Craven, Argus, and Mrs. Newton. Mr. W. Bull, of Chelsea, obtained commendation for a fine Ouviranda fenestralis, the lace-leaf plant, in flower. It is curious and interesting ; the stalk is thrown up above the foliage, and just above the surface of the water divides into two horn-like terminations, covered with minute blooms ; these are quite green at the base, and white at the points. Stamfoed Horticultueal Show. — This was held on July 8th, and was the best yet seen in this town. The show was laid out in five tents, the largest of which was 160 feet long ; the chief attraction was the roses, which were shown in very fine condition, equal, if not superior, to those exhibited at the Crystal Palace or South Kensington. These were principally contributed by Messrs. Paul and Son, W. Paul, B. R. Cant, William Draycott, Rev. S. R. Hole, and Ebenezer Hunt, Esq. Stove and greenhouse plants were shown in good condition, and so also were pelar- goniums, fuchsias, caladiums, bego- nias, achimenes, gloxinias, verbenas, ferns, etc. Ceystai. Palace Rose Show, June 27. — This is at all times a very important exhibition, and the show this year was in no way behind its predecessors. The flowers were cer- tainly not in so great perfection as we have seen them frequently before, and this may be accounted for by the sad havoc which was made among the roses by the thunder-storm which occurred on the day before ; but still there were a great number which were shown in perfection, and the effect of the storm was not much to be re- gretted, for it brought out those which are able to stand against rough wea- ther with comparative impunity. If this could be taken as a test of merit, then certainly Madame Rivers would stand high in general estimation, for THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN aUIDE. 179 on every stand where ifc was sliown it was of good form and size, and gene- rally exquisitely perfect. The num- ber of blooms shown was large, and many fine stands of new roses graced the transept tables, the merits of which the reader will find di-cussed in another page. The winner of the first prize in the class for 96 varieties was Mr. Mitchell, of Piltdown Nur- series, near Uckfield, Sussex, who has been a spirited exhibitor for many years. His flowers were marvellously fresh, and were grouped with con- siderable slnll ; 2nd, Mr. Charles Turner, of Slough ; 3rd, Messrs. Paul and Son, Cheshunt ; 4th, Mr. Cant, of Colchester; 5th, Mr. Cran- ston, of King's Acre, Hereford. In class 2, for 48 varieties, three trusses of each, Mr. Cant, of Colchester, was first with a superb lot. The varieties were, Mathurin Eegnier, Gregoire Bourdillon, Jules Margottin, Madame Willermoz, Souvenir d'un Ami, Oli- vier Delhomme, Eugene Appert, Comte de Paris, Baronne Prevost, Comte de Falloux, General Jacque- minot, Comtesse de Chabrillant, Pau- line Lanzezeur, Adam, Victor Ver- dier, Madame Bravy, Francois La- charme, Madame Vidot, Lord Kaglan, Wm. Griffith, Charles Lawson, Sou- venir de M. Houssean, Senateur Vaisse, Mrs. Elvers, Anna de Dies- bach, Duchess of Norfolk, Monte Christo, Bougere, Bubens, Duke of Cambridge, Lselia, Madame Boll, Victor Trouillard, Madame Knorr, Francois I., Madame Domage, Paul Eicaut, Modele de Perfection, Devoniensis, Empereur Napoleon, Triomphe de Lyon, Souvenir de Comte Cavour, and C. Lefebvre. Mr. Charles Turner, of Slough, was second, with General Jacqueminot, Comtesse de Chabrillant, Gloire de Dijon, La Ville de St. Denis, Madame Charles Wood, Baronne Prevost, Geant des Batailles, Madame Vidot, Eugene Appert, Sou- venir de Comte Cavour, Madame Bravy, Jules Margottin, Madame Guinnoisssau, Devoniensis, Alphonse Damaizin, Triomphe de Eennes, Anna Alexieflf, Catherine Guillot, Francois Arago, Victor Verdier, Louis XIV., Vicomte Vigier, Coupe d'Hebe, Ma- dame de Cambaceres, Souvenir d'un Ami, La Brillante, Duchess D'Or- leans, Madame Knorr, Jean Bart, Evequede Nimes, Madame C. Capre- let, Celine Forestier, Modele de Per- fection, Paul Eicaut, Lord Eaglan, MathurinEegnier,Narcisse,LaEeine, Senateur Vaisse, William Griffith, BulFon, La Fontaine. Messrs. Paul and Son, 3rd ; Mr. HoUaraby, 5th. No 4th prize awarded. In class 3^ for 24 blooms, three trusses of each, Mr. Francis, of Hertford, was 1st. Mr. W. H. Treen, of Eugby, was 1st with 24 varieties, one truss of each, and Mr. C. Turner was Ist in collections of 12. Amateur Collections of Cut Blooms. — As the amateurs are more circum- scribed in the means for growing roses than most of the nurserymen, it is in this department that the queen of flowers is put to the severest test, so that a good amateur stand is a fair index of tho best varieties in culti- vation. Mr. Hedge, of Colchester, occupied, as usual, the most distin- guished place, as he took 1st prize for 36 varieties, 1st for 24, 1st for 18, and 3rd for 12 ; Mr. Ingle, gar- dener to C. G. Eound, Esq., of Col- chester, was 2nd for 18, and the Eev. V. Knox Child, of Dunmow, came in 1st for 12. In these collections the following varieties were the best : — Hybrid Perpetuals : Comtesse de Chabrillant, Madame Vidot, Madame de Cambaceres, Leo X., Comtesse de Kergolay, Madame Boll, Madame Masson, Senateur Vaisse, Mrs. Eivera, John Hopper, La Eeine, L'Eafant Trouve, Lord Eaglan, Jules Mar- gottin, La Fontaine, William Griffith, Pauline Lanzezeur, Colonel de Eouge- mont, Anna AlexiefF, Prince Leon, Imperatrice Eugenie, Eugene Appert, Madame Furtado, Baronne Pre- vost, General Jacqueminot, Madame Knorr, Madame C. Caprelet, Victor Verdier, Triomphe de Lyon, Louis XIV., Madame Guinnoisseau, Tu- renne. Gallicas : — Letitia, Cynthia, Boula de Nanteuil, Napoleon. I£i/- brid Bourbon :— Coupe d'Hebe, Paul Eicaut, Charles Lawson, Souvenir de la Malmaison. Teas .-—Triomphe de Lyon, Gloire de Dijon, Adam, Sou- venir d'un Ami, Elise Sauvage, Ma- dame Bravy. i2 180 THE IXOHAL WORLD AlfD aARDEN GUIDE. JRoses in Pots. — The grandest spe- cimens in the show were those of Mr. W. Paul, who took Ist prize for 12 roses in large pots. They were much admired, as the flowers were very fresh and fragrant, the most remark- able being La Heine, Madame St. Joseph, Gloire de Dijon, Coupe d'Hebe, and Lselia, which last had enormous blooms of good form. Mr. W. Paul was also Ist in the class for 25 roses in eight-inch pots. Messrs. Paul and Son took an equal 1st, and Mr. Turner 2nd. Prizes were offered for the best arrangement of thirty trusses for table decoration, and seve- ral competed for them, the winners being, Mr. Turner, Mr. Hedge, and Mr. Cranwell. AXTGUST, 1863—31 Days. Phases of the Moo?r. — Last Quarter, 6th, lOh. 5m. mom. ; New, 14th, 2h. 3m. after.; First Quarter, 22nd, 6h. 20m. mom. ; Full 28th, 8h. 55m. after. 1 Weather near London, 1862. 1 THB COUKTKY. D Sun ris6s. Sun sets. Moon rises. Moon sets. M BAROMETBB. THEEMOMETEB JRain The Garden and the Pield — h, m 4 25 h. m. 7 48 Aft Morn. 7 4 Mx. Jlin. 30-00. ..29-97 Mx. Mn. Me. 82. ..45. ..63-5 1 8 lb -00 Flea bane fl. 2 4 26 7 46 8 44 8 26 2995. ..29-92 79. ..41. ..600 ■08 [Mugwort fl. 3 [4 28 7 44 9 7 9 44 30-05. ..29-99 81. ..40.. .60-5 •00 Sowtliistle fl. 4 4 29 7 43 9 3111 0 3000. ..2990 75. ..54.. .64-5 -00 Wormwood fl. 5 4 31 7 41 9 58iAfter. 29-66... 29-60 74... 47... 60-5 -00 Yellow succory fl. 6 4 32 7 39 10 29 1 24 29-75. ..29-67 71. ..50. ..60-5 -06 Honeyskle. berries ripe. 1 4 34 7 37 11 7 2 28 29-45. ..29-34 66. ..48. ..570 -18 Samtfoin fl. 8 4 35 7 36 11 50, 3 26 29-53... 29-47 68. ..50. ..59-0 -12 Purple melic grass fl. 9 4 37 7 34 Morn. 4 16 29-81. ..29-68 69. ..42. ..55-5 •00 Wild basil fl. 10 4 38 7 32 0 41 4 59 29-98. ..29-65 67. ..51. ..590 -00 Calamint fl. 11 4 40 7 30 1 36; 5 33 3908. ..3005 70.. .40.. 550 -00 Artichoke fl. 12 4 42 7 28 2 38, 6 4 30-12.. 30-02 74.. .45. ..59-5 -00 Michaelmas daisy fl. 13 4 43 7 26 3 42' 6 27 29-95. ..29-79 72.. .53. ..62 5 •34 Fiddle dock fl. 14 4 45 7 24 4 46! 6 49 29-76... 29-74 71. ..46.. .58-5 •12 Meadow safi'ron fl. 15 4 46 7 22 5 52| 7 9 29-77... 29-74 72. ..46. ..590 -37 Sea-holly fl. 16 4 48 7 20 6 59| 7 28 29-78. ..29-75 68.. .52.. .600 -80 Devil's-bit scabeus fl. 17 4 49 7 18 8 6 7 48 29-76. ..29-74 63. ..52. ..57-5 -31 Thistle-down floats. 18 4 51 7 16 9 16 8 10 29-89. ..29-87 74... 41... 57-5 -00 Milk thistle fl. 19 4 53 7 14 10 25! 8 34 29-94... 29-92 77. ..44.. .60-5 •00 Bracts of lime-tree fall. 20 4 54 7 12 After. 9 2 3003... 29-89 74. ..52. ..630 -00 Hawkweeds fl. 21 4 56 7 10 0 49: y 38 29-90... 29-82 78.. .53. ..65-5 -01 Lady's-tresses fl. 22 4 57 7 8 1 5810 23 29-93... 29-83 74. ..37. ..55-5 •00 Southernwood fl. 23 4 59 7 6 3 411 18 30-01. ..29-87 73. ..36. ..54-5 •00 Wild amaranth fl. 24 5 1 7 4 4 0 Morn. 30-22... 30-05 75. ..38. ..56-5 •00 Soapwort fl. 25 5 2 7 2 4 44 0 28 30-24... 29-97 76. ..45. ..60-5 •00 Hoary mullein fl. 26 5 4 7 0 5 22 1 45 29-90.. .29-85 77. ..44. ..60-5 -00 Small fumitory. 27 5 5 6 58 5 53 3 6 29-96... 29-82 78. ..41. ..59-5 •00 Beech turns yellow. 28 5 7 6 55 6 19 4 31 3012... 29-98 79... 41... 600 •00 Althsea frutexfl. 29 5 9 6 53 6 44; 5 55 3009... 29-90 70. ..38. ..54-0 •00 Dwarf furze fl. 30 5 10 6 51 7 8 7 17 30-07... 3002 74... 50... 620 •00 Bed bryony berries ripe. 315 12 6 491 7 32. 8 37 3003... 29-98 73. ..59. ..660 -00 Autumn gentian fl. Peobable Weather in Aitgust. — Generally dry and hot throughout; from 10th to 15th some storms. In the early part of the month wind westerly ; middle of the month, changeable ; end of the month, westerly. 181 THE GARDEN GUIDE FOE AUGUST. Kitchen Gabden. — Winter greens claim the first attention, and it is neces- sary to insure at once a good supply, and a variety. By tliis time, Scotch kale, Brn^sell's sprouts, broccolis, savoys, etc., ou3;ht to ba strong, and where tliey have be3n planted batween rows of peas, to stand the winter, should now be looked over, and every otli3r plant taken out, to mike fresh rows, if they are at all crowded. CabbaQ;es of most kinds may be sown in the second week of August, Shil- ling's Queen, Sprotborougli, West Ham, and red Dutch, ought to have a place in every garden. Sow also prickly spinach on slopes in rich soil, and plenty of hardy green Hammersmith, and black-seeded cos lettuce. Sow cauliflower from the 7th to the 20th to keep over winter in frames. The summer-sown endiv^e will now be strong enough to plant out on slopes, or raised bids. Give plenty of water, alternating with liquid manure, to celery, and do not earth it up until it is well grown, the earthing being only to blanch it for use. Give plenty of water to broccoli and cauliflower beds, and top scarlet-runners. In good open situa- tions, vegetable marrows, for a late supply, may still be planted. Use grass mow- ings to mulch the ground between crops that are likely to sufl^er from drought. Hoe between the rows of potatoes in dry weather, but do not draw the earth to the stems ; the admission of air and sun-heat to the roots will hasten the ripening of the tubers; the foliage, where it remains green, should be injured as little as possible. Those that are casting their haulm may be taken up. Earth up the earliest rows of celery; earth up leeks; thin out the rows of parsley, so as to get rid of every plant not well curled. Remove decayed leaves from cucumbers and gourds, to prevent the growth of moulds and fungi about them in damp weather, and take cuttings, or sow seed, for cucumbers to fruit during winter. Flower Garden.— Propagate bedding plants for stock ; of geraniums, ripe hard shoots make the best plants. Fuch- sias come best from the points of young growing shoots. Strike verbenas and petunias from the points of young shoots ; calceolarias should be struck in chopped moss or peat. Herbaceous plants may also be struck in quantities to keep over winter in frames, such as pansies, dielytras, double walls, double Canter- bury bells, double feverfew, and holly- hocks. Keep dahlias and hollyhocks well fastened, and put stakes to chry- santhemums before their heads get heavy, as a protection against storms. Pom- pones may still be struck for blooming in pots. Plant out pinks and carnations, in nursery beds, in well-manured loam. Give plenty of water to chrysanthemums, with occasional doses of strong liquid manure. Look over 3-our bins and heaps of compost with a view to replenish for autumn potting, as there will soon be a heavy demand for that purpose. Pansies may be sown, as may also most hardy annuals, to stand over winter for early blooming next spring ; the latter should be sown thick, on poor, dry, hard ground, to induce a stubby and hardy growth. Some seed should be saved for a second sowing in September, as, in the event of protracted warm weather, such as we had last year, some of the first sown may bloom this season. The sorts to sow now are calliopsis, Clarkia, collinsia, godetia, lark- spur, lupinus, nemophila, nolana, French poppy, and dwarf schizanthus. There is still time to raise a stock of hardy peren- nials for next season, but not a day should be lost in getting in the seed. The most useful are antirrhinums, del- phiniums, dianthus, geum, hollyhocks, Indian pink, lupinus, phlox, potentillas, silenes, sweet Williams, and wall-flowers. Those already up in seed beds should be looked over and transplanted, be- fore they get drawn through being crowded. Plants left for any length of time to spindle, are likely to perish in winter, and never can make such good specimens as those that have had plenty of room from the first. Continue to bud roses and fruit trees, choosing damp, dull weather — they take best just after heavy rain. In budding on the Manetti stock, enter the bud, just .above the collar, close to the ground, the proper mode of planting afterwards being to sink the I base of the bud below the surface, so that ] the rose will root as well as the stock. ! Pompone chrysanthemums may still be in- creased. Either the tops may be struck for pot blooming, or shoots of eight or ten inches in length, may be layered into five-inch pots, and removed when mode- rately well established. Dwarf plants of the pompone and lilliputian varieties are very useful for decorative purposes at the end of the season, and are adapted to purposes for which large bushy plaata 182 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. ■would not be so suitable. The large flowered kinds do not bear to be stopped so late as the poinpones. Greisniioi'se. — Pelargoniums that have been trained out and pruned shoiild be repotted as soon as they have broken rcguhirly. Put them into the smallest pots into which their roots can be got, so as to allow of u series of shifts till they are once more in their blooming-pots. Young plants and greenhouse shrubs should be well hardened now, before going to their quarters for the winter. Let ca- mellias and a/.:ileas have plenty of sun and little water. Summer-struck geraniums, achimenes, and fuchsias, may be got into bloom now, to keep up a display till Christmas. Shift all forward stock re- quired to bloom early. Cineraiias should now be strong, and must have no check ; see that they are kept clear of Ay, for they are very subject to it. A cold pit is the best place for them. Sow now for de- corating the house in early spring, Clarkia pulchella, Nemophila insignis, Erysimum Perofiskianum, OCnothera rosea, CoUinsia bicolor, Veronica syriaca, and Chinese primroses. Whatever needs potting pot at once. Late shifts result in deaths during winter. All plants winter best v/hen their pots are full of roots. Stove. — All specimen plants in free growth must have attention now to secure a perfect ripening of the wood before the season closes. Let everything have now as much sun as can be borne without in- jury, which is best done by removing the shading from part of the house, and there placing whatever is likely to bear the ex- posure. Use water freely on the paths and beds, to keep up a moist atmosphere, and give air at seasonable times liberally. Plants to be used for autumn and winter decoration ought now to be in a thriving condition ; if any want a shift, attend to it at once. Stop young plants of Euphor- bia, Aphelandra, Justicia, Poinsettia, Ixora, ^schynanthus, etc. As the month progresses, shut up earlier, and give less and less water to the roots of plants, and especially those which should be going to rest. If we have a period of dull, chilly ■weather, use fire-heat, for a chill will do more harm now than in a month or two Lence, when vegetation will be in a state of repose. Orchid Housk.— Orchids in full growth must have moisture and heat sufficient to maintain them in health, but the judicious cultivator will not often liave to light a fire this month. Those going to rest to be encouraged by removal to a cooler part of the hou»e, where they must hare less ' water, but be kept plump by frequently sprinkling the paths and stages. This is a good time to separate pscudo bulbs for increase of stock, and to pot on small plants to get them established before win- ter. Mr. Keane has described in a few words the best method of potting, lie says : — " Fill pots with pieces of turfy peat the size of walnuts, and peg them all together until they form a cone above the pot. On the summit phice your plant, which if, in fact, a piece cut off another plant, and with four pegs or wires make it fast. liCt the roots go where they please in the pot, or outside it. Orchids depend more (or sustenance upon tlie atmospliere and moisture than upon the soil." Or- cliids that have been a long time in the same pots need top-dressing witli fresh ma- terial. Shut up at four till the third week of the month, and then shut up at three. After shutting up, syringe gently with water of the same temperature as tlie house. Temperature of Indian House, 70' to 75' by niglit, 75" to 85' by day ; Mexican House, (55' to70' by night, 70Mo85' by day. Orchids that may be in Bloom iii. August. — Aerides nobile, Quinquevulne- rum, quinqucvulueium album, suavissi- mum ; Angrecum caudatum ; Arphophyl- lum cardinale; Bulbophyllum Henshalli ; Barkeria melanocaulon ; Brassia Lan- ceana, Wrayii ; Bronghtonia sanguinea ; Burlingtonia Knowlesii ; Calanthe Do- minii, furcata, masuca; Cattleya amabilis, Candida, citrina, crisjDK, crispa superba, granulosa, Havrisonite, Harrisonias vio- lacea, labiata pallida, Lemoniana, Loddi- gesii, Mossia^, Schilleriana, violacea ; Coryanthes maculata, Cycnochcs Loddi- gesii, ventricosum; Cymbidium pendulum j Cypripedium barbatum grandiflorum, Lowii ; Dendrobium calceolaria, sangui- nolentum ; Dendrochilum filiforme ; Epi- dendrum Ph.'cniceum, vitellinum raajus j Galeandra Bauerii, cristata ; Miltonia bicolor, spectabilis ; Mormodes citrinum ; Oncidium divaricatum, pulchellura, pulvi- natum; Peristeria elata ; Phajus albus j Phalffiuopsis amabilis, grandiflora; Pro- menffia stapeloides ; Saccolabium Blumei, furcatum, guttatum ; Sobralia liliastrum, macrantha, macrantha splendens ; Stan- hopea aurea, Devoniensis, insignis, Mar- tians, oculata, tigrina, tigrina lutescens ; Trichopilia picta; VandaBatemanui, Rox- burgh!, teres. Fruit Garden. — Throw nets over fruit bushes to keep off the birds, and give a little shade to keep a few bunches hanging for a late supply. Put wasp-traps about vines and peaches, or stick a few lumps of loaf sugar among the branches, and as THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 183 long as there is any sugar left tbey will not touch a single fruit. Nail in all good shoots on wall trees, that they may have the heat of the wall to ripen them. En- courage in every possible way the ripening of the wood of the season. If any trees have been allowed to get crowded, thin them a little now to admit the sunshine amongst the well-placed shoots and spurs. Windfalls to be sent into the house every morning for immediate use. Gather fruit in dry weather, and, as a rule, not till quite ripe. Plant strawberries. Auriculas should he turned out of their pots and repotted in rich turfy loam in a very sweet state. If over potted they never do well. Keep rather close for a week after potting. Azaleas must be trained into whatever shapes they are to have when in bloom, and the plants should be set out in a shady place to ripen their wood. Specimens to be exhibited next j'^ear must be trained out now. Bedding Plants to be struck in quan- tities for next year. The great secret of keeping verbenas and petunias through the winter is to have them struck early, and either planted into boxes or pans by the middle of September, so as to be estab- lished before winter. Strike bedding ge- raniums in the full sun in open borders. Short cuttings make tlie best plants. One eye, with its accompanying leaf is suffi- cient of any scarce varieties, but mere eyes should not be put in the open border, but in pans under glass. Conservatory to be kept gay by intro- ducing a few specimen plants in good positions. Keep climbers regularly trim- med, and encourage the ripening of the wood of all hard-wooded plants, to insure plenty of bloom next season. Cinerarias to be potted off from stock suckers and offsets ; prick off seedlings ; suckers not rooted to be put in as cuttings round the sides of pots, where they will make roots in a week. Beware of slugs and woodlice, which are tremendously fond of the young plants. Chrysanthemums to be kept in order by tying out. It is too late to stop plants for out-door blooming. Dahlias are in fine condition this season, and much benefited by the recent rains. Thin the blooms, and tie out the growth regularly, or they will spread about and get snapped with the wind. Set traps for earwigs, and use the sulphur-duster if there is any appearance of mildew. Fuchsias struck now will make nice plants to bloom early next season. To keep beds in bloom remove the berries, and shorten in any too vigorous growtli ; the side-buds will push and flower soon after. Hollyhocks to be looked over, to see if tlie ties are too tight ; sometimes they get crippled by the swelling of the stem, caus- ing the tits to pinch them, where care-> lessly tied in the first instance. See that they are safely staked, so as to withstand storms. Hardy shrubs and herbaceous plants may be propagated now in quantities from cuttings and divisions. Use a liberal ad- mixture of sand, and choose a shady plot of ground for the purpose. Ro.ies of almost every kind will strike now from cuttings. Continue budding, and, if possible, choose dull, moist weather. If the v/eather is dry and hot, bud in the evening, and tie a laurel leaf over the in- sertion to give shade. Pelayyoniums should be turned out of their pots, and the old compost shaken off for repotting, but never until they have broken well after having been cut down. Give plenty of drainage, and use as small pots as possible. Sow seeds gathered this- season of all kinds of geraniums. Pansies. — Plant out from the cutting pans during showery weather, and shade till they make fresh roots. Make the last sowing of seeds the first or second week this month. Vines that have ripened their fruit to be cleaned. Where grapes are hanging give plenty of air, and keep the liouses rather dry. Melons to be kept safe as to bottom- heat, or they will do no good. Shut up early, syringe on fine mornings, and give plenty of water, except when the fruit is ripening, and then keep them rather dry. 184 TO CORRESPONDENTS. Catalogues Rf.ceived. — " B. S. Williams, Seven Sisters Road, Ilolloway. General Catalogue of New, Beautiful, Rare, and other Plants." This is one of tlie best lists we know, and contains a fine assort- ment of novelties — Petunias, Acliemines, Verbenas, Geraniums, Fuclisias, stc, ■which maj' always be seen in abundance and in excellent condition at this estab- lishment.— " E. Wolff and Son, 23, Church Street, Spltalfields. Solid Ink Pencils." We can recommend these, as Tve have tried them, and find they are ■well adapted for tall.yingplants. Writing done by them on the ordinary painted tallies is of a bright jet black, and cannot be washed off with -ivater, and as the atmosphere and damp do not appear to have any cftVct upon them, they are not likely to become illegible from confervjE or otiier causes. — '"Edwin Cooling, Mile Ash Nurseries, and 18, Iron Gate, Derby. Select List of Ferns, Stove and Green- house Plants, etc." A well-printed cata- logue, -vvith a fine collection of hardy and exotic ferns, and an excellent general list of plants. Books Received. — " The Indoor Gardener. By Miss Maling, author of ' Indoor Plants.' London, Longman and Co." This is Miss Maling's best book, and will . be found of gi-eat service to those who are desirous of growing plants indoors, but are entirely ignorant of the best way to set about it. Here will be found directions for growing and preserving plants in health in the midst of dusty, smoky cities ; minute descriptions of the best kinds of plant cases, and flower casements ; opinions upon the different plants suitable for growing in them, with ample instrueiions fur their management and propagation, besides useful liints upon the judicious arrangement of them for decorating purposes, upon which sub- ject Miss Maling is a valuable autho- rity. Those of our readers who devote their energies to the indoor cultivation of flowers, will be amply repaid for a perusal of the book, and even the general reader ■will find information and advice which is well worth the seeking. — "A Handbook of Vine and Fruit Tree Culti- ■vation, as adapted to Sir Joseph Paxton's Patent Hothouse.^. By Samuel Here- man, 7, Pall Mall East, London. Brad- bury and Evans, 11, Bouverie Street." This is a second edition, in which the reader will find many valuable additions to the text of tlie former work. Mr. Hereman is a thorough master of his subject, and gives his opinions in a straightforward, concise, pithy manner, so that we find in liis book a vast deal of desirable information in a small com- pass, as the author comes to the point at once, and never wanders from it. Pax- ton's Patent Plant-houses have acquired such a celebrity, and proved themselves valuable to the gardener in such a num- ber of instances, that it is unnecessary to say anything in their praise here; but if any one wishes to know to what a variety of useful purposes they may be applied, he has but to read Mr. Here- man's book, when, if he does not already possess one, he will at once desire to do so, for these simple, elegant, and econo- mical structures may be applied to all the purposes of the frame, greenhouse, and stove with the certainty of success. Tlie portion of the book devoted especially to the cultivation of fiuits -will be found particularly valuable to amateurs, and there are few gardeners, however prac- tical they may be, but may gain some hints from it which will be of infinite service. The lists of fruits recommended are selected with great care and judg- ment.— "Practical Remedy for Extortion and Intimidation, practised by the aid of the Superior Law Courts. London, W. H. Collingridge, 'City Press,' 117 to 119, Alder.-gate Street." In a pamphlet bearing the above title, the author sug- gests a remedy for the gross extortion which is being continually practised by unprincipled members of the legal pro- fession, to the great annoyance and cost of the community, and tlie scandal of the respectable lawyers, which happily are numerous. That such things can be done with impunity, and the perpetrators escape unpunished, is no great credit to English justice; but whenever a rascally lawyer and a needy client like to con- spire, they can perpetrate such robberies, by making a false charge against some wealthy person either of wrong profes- sional advice, an infringement of the patent law, a charge of fraud, or a charge of ultra vires where there is a trust, or something else calculated to prejudice the public mind against him ; and many a man pays a smart sum rather than put himself to the trouble and annoyance of fighting it out. So common have such things become that in the imaginary cases given by the author, the reader ■\vill fancy he remembers some of the circumstances. If this pamphlet proves the means of establishing an efficient remed}', it will have conferred a great benefit upon society, and will cleanse the THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 185 legal profession from astigma, from which they cannot at present rid themselves. Simple JiIetiiod of Taking Honet. — J.R. P. —In the "Garden Oracle" for 1863 we described a much more simple method than yours. Lift up the box ■with a screw-driver or chiael, sufficient to draw a wire through to cut any comb that may be attaclied to the crown board of the .stock. Then lift the honey-boy. away, and place it on a flat board, with- out troubling about driving the bees out. Carry it away to a cool shed or room. Darken this place slightly, and half- an-hour after taking the box, place it near a window, or similar outlet, and tilt up that side of the box which is next the outlet with a piece of wood the thickness of a black- lead pencil. The bees will rush out, and make direct for the hive. In the course of half an hour remove the wedge. Next morning put in tlie wedge again for half an hour. Any time afterwards dur- ing the same day turn the bos up, and remove what few bees remain, by wliisk- ing them out witli a feather. You are, of course, aware that honey should always be taken in briglit weather, and at mid-day. Spergula on Slopes. — W. R. Allen. — A slope on a terrace is the best of all places to show the beauty of the sper- gulas. The best for you is Spergula saginoides, and instead of sowing seed, you had best obtain turf, as it is now very cheap, Messrs. Carter liaving pro- pagated most extensively at one of their farms. This is a good time eitlier to sow seed or lay down turf of spergula. If seed, sow thin ; if turf, plant pieces an inch square, three inches apart, and beat it level. It will require to be kept well weeded at first, and be beaten once a foi'tnight all the year round for ever. You may plant anything now in the way of evergreens, Americans, and conifers, and at the end of October, deciduous trees and shrubs. Broccolis all the Year Round. — S. CM. — Sowings should be made every three weeks from the middle of March till the middle of August. The early sowings should be of .'Snow's and Lee's sprouting, i Tlie April sowings should be Brimstone, EUetson's, and Purple Cape. Then from May to July sow Granger's, Snow's, and Conning's — the last sowings should be Walcheren and Protecting. Plant for standing the winter rather close, as they are then less likely to suffer by frost. You must use a good many sorts to have a constant supply. Scarlet GERASirMS. — Eoh Roy. — As you are a disciple of the old school, and love a fine pip, procure geranium Dr. Lindley, sent out by Bull. It is the finest formed flower of any known. The petals of immense breadth. Beauty of Brixton and Rubens Improved will also suit you. Cottage Maid produces enor- mous trusses, but the pips are not re- markable at all. Seeds to be Sown in August. — R.., Brom- ley.— Yes ; this is the best time in the whole year for sowing seeds of herba- ceous plants, but theie is no time to lose, and the last week in July is a trifle better than the first week in August. From the 1st to the 10th, sow in the kitchen garden Green Colewort, Cattell's Re- liance, Early York, and Atkins's Match- less Cabbage. In the flower garden or reserve ground, Aconitiim album, A. napellus, A. Canariensis ; Agrostemma Flos Jovis, Alyssura saxatile (the best of all the yellow spring flowers) ; Anthyllis vulneriana rubra; Antirrhinum of sorts j Aquilegia of sorts ; Arabis alpina (one of the best white-flowering plants in spring); Armeria forraosa, and A. longi- aristata ; Astragalus purpureus ; An- brietia deltoidea and A. purpurea (most useful of dwarf flowering plants for spring and summer) ; Campanula gran- diflora, C. Boroniensis, C. lactiflora, and C. Carpatica, Canterbury Bell ; Cata- nanche cerulea ; Delphinium formosum, D. sinensis, and D. giganttum ; Dian- thus atrorubens, D. giganteus, D. Japo- iiicus, D. latifolius ; Digitalis of sorts j Eupatorium corymbosum ; Lupinus ele- gans, L. polyphyllus, and L. magnificum; Lychnis chalcedonicce, L. Haageana, L. viscaria ; Miniulus rivularis and M. cupreus ; Myosotis alpestris and M. pa- lustris ; CEnothera Lamarckiana, CE. Jamesii, CE. taraxacifolia ; Pentstemon campanulatum, P. cordifolium, and P. Murrayanum ; Potentilla atro-sanguinea and P. splendidissima ; Rose Campion ; Rudbeckia fulgida ; Saponaria ocy- moides ; Silene alpestris and S. Schafta ; Sweet Williams. Christin'e versus Helen Lindsay. — C. C. — We are not yet sure about the value of" Helen Lindsay as a bedder, because our plants are not old enough to be put into competition with Christine; butthecolour and habit are advances on Christine, in fact, Helen Lindsay is the best colour of all the rosy race of dwarf geraniums. Mowing Machines. — Semper Augustus. — We believe there is now no such thing as a bad mowing machine to be found in any factory. But some are better than 186 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. otliors. Wo are best acquainted with Slianks's, Green's, and Samuelson's. We used Samuelson's for five years, and were always pleased with it, and the machine is now doing duty on a cricket field, and after seven years' use is as good as ever. We use now one of Slianks's 16-inch machines, which is remarkably easy to wo rk,and so admirably made that it is scarcely possible for it to get out of re- pair, and also one of Green's little Silens Mcssors, which is useful for verges and fancy work. A child could use the last- named, and it would pay the proprietor of the smallest town plot to have one to keep his grass in better order than is possible with the scythe. In fact, the scythe itself ought to be abolished. Vermin in Fern Cases. — Lady D. N. — The specimens sent appear to have been eaten by slugs or snuils, probably intro- duced ill the soil or with the ferns when the case was planted. We have fre- quently had sucli things happen, but have always found it an easy matter to trap the vermin. We Lave placed scraps of fresh lettuce leaf under pieces of tile, and have sometimes used buttered cabbage leaves, which they are very foud of. Perhaps by seaiching the case at night you may catch the marauders at supper. But there is a very pretty wiiy of exter- minating snails and slugs in fern cases, and that is to put in a [ijw glow-worms. They light up the ferns at night with quite a fairy-like illumination, and they hunt snails and sings as cats hunt mice. Planting under Trees. —^..B. — Any of the Saxifrages will do well under trees. The safest place for them is a slope in a peaty soil, where the air is humid, but where they will not be subjected to stagnant wet in winter time. Peri- winkles are quite at home under trees, but Sedums require open sunny positions. The specimens sent are pedatifida, mus- coides, and Sternbergii. The second of these three is a beauty. As you are fund of these things yoii should secure S. pyramidalis, which is a most elegant plant when in bloom, and makes a nice epecimen in a five-inch pot. The Sednm next month. London Pride is Saxifraga ixmbrosa ; white Arabis and Aubrietia are cruciferous plants, and quite distinct from the Saxifrages, as you will see by dissecting flowers and seed-pods. By clay for the foundation of rockeries, we mean any kind of stifi^ tenacious soil. The height of the rockery averages five feet, but runs down in some places to ten, and in others rises to seven or eight, and is then broken into ledges. To kill weeds on walks sprinkle dri/ salt in dry weather, and take care none touches grass or box- edging. Various. — A. B. — Your supposed fern is Spirea ulmaria. — Sithsciiber. — The yel- low fiower is Limnanthes Douglasi ; the purple is the variegated Ajuga reptans, a charming thing for a rockery. — A. B. S. — Any old chest or box will make a fumigating case, if fitted with a lid nearly or quite air-tight ; or if that cannot be done, cover it with a wet cloth or mat when in use. Put the plants in it, and use a Brown's fumiga- tor, inserting the end of the delivery ])ipe in a hole made for the purpose, and then puff away. If you burn the to- bacco in the box you will kill the plants. Try another plan, have a vessel full of water heated to 150'. Take a plant in your hand as if you were going to turn it out of the pot, that is with the fingers on the soil, turn it upside down and dip it in the hot water, and work it up and down a few seconds, then lay it down on its side to drain in a shady warm place ; when dry it Avill probably be free of fly, and keep so for a long time, as the heat kills the insects andtlieir eggs, and does not hurt the plant. Try this first with things of sm.ill value. — C. J. R. — It is very difficult to get up the Feather grass from seed. You may get a plant in a pot at a very low price, and this, if planted out, may be increased by remov- ing small tufts with roots attached, and potting them in small pots, in sandy loam. Tliat is the way we have always managed it, and our stock is sometimes large, as we use it occasionally for fur- nishing. Atriplex hortensis rubra is an annual of which seed may be had very cheap. It is best sown in the open ground or in pots in April. It should never have artificial heat. — A. M. — You can obtain one of Pickard's, which are the best, at from two to eight guineas. If you want one made to pattern, apply to Messrs. Treggon, Jewin Street, Lon- don. Any rose will grow on a good loamy soil, so you can select according to your taste. To tell the whole story of fern sports will, we hope, be our business some day, but we could not say a word about it hero. It is a great sub- ject.— S. C. 31. — We should .advise you to have the variegated laurel inarched upon common laurel. Grafts and buds would probably fail. The first step will be to plant common laurel near it, or get a quantity of laurels in pots to inarch upon. — S. B. — " Profitable Gardening " is the book for you. THE UhUDEE §IJiDE. CULTUEE OF OXALIS. Septembee, 1863. HE majority of the species of Oxalis culti- vated in our gardens are natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and therefore require the j)rotection of a greenhouse. There are, how- ever, a few hardy species, and a few which, being natives of the tropics, require the stove. Most of them have bulbous roots, and all are of easy culture. They are not generally of a showy character, but they are all more or less graceful in habit, and a few of the species are invaluable for purposes of ornament. The Oxalids constitute a sepa- rate order in the Natural system, called Oxalidacea. The characters of this order are hermaphrodite flowers, calyx and corolla each of five pieces, stamens ten, united at their base, anthers two-celled, ovary free, live-celled, fruit a berry or capsule. The most notable physical characteristic of the family is its acidity, usually owing to the presence of oxalate of potassa ; but some of the species are bitter and carminative, and in a few cases the tuberous roots are mucilaginous and edible. The t}'pe of the order is our common wood sorrel, Oxalis aceto- sella, which abounds in the woods and shady hedgerows of this countrj', and is one of the most elegant of wild flowers. There is very little doubt that the wood Oxalis is the true Shamrock, though in the present day clover is largely used on St. Patrick's day. On a few occasions within the last half century some species of Oxalis have acquired im- portance, as supposed substitutes for the potato. 0. Deppei, introduced from Mexico in 1827, produces a root like a parsnip, which is much esteemed as an esculent. 0. tuberosa produces tubers, which, after being exposed to the sun in woollen bags for ten days, lose their acidity, and become dry and mealj^ like a potato. 0. crenata, a native of Peru, has been grown in this country as a substitute for the potato ; the tubers are small and mealy, and of a pleasant acid flavour ; but the produce is not suflicient to render the plant worthy of attention, except as a choice esculent. All the species of Oxalis are of easy culture; even the tender VOL. TI. — KO. IX. E 188 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. kinds will bear a considerable d&grec of cold, and they enjoy a remarkable immunity from attacks of insects. Generally they require a sandy soil and a shady situation, and they are easily pi'opagated by seeds, cuttings, and offsets, according to their several characters. Hakdt Species of Oxalis. — Many of the greenhouse ppecies submit to be treated as hardy plants very readily. 0. rosea may be sown in April on a shady border, and will make lovely patches of light green foliage and rosy flowers all the summer ; it is, in fact, one of the best of hardy annuals, and when treated as a greenhouse perennial may be bloomed at almost any season. The soil for this beauty should be leaf, rotten dung, peat, loam, and sand equal parts ; it never attains its full beauty in loam alone, or in loam simply improved with manure. 0. cornicuJata is a British plant bearing yellow flowers, and a very pretty subject for shaded banks and rockeries. A garden variety of it, called the " Variegated Oxalis," is one of the most curious of all the garden varieties we possess, OXALIB BLXQAKS. OXALIS DEI'PEI. the leaves being stained a deep blackish, purple or bronze, considerably richer in tone than in the well-known black-leaved clover. This Oxalis is coming into use for garden groups and beds, and merits the attention of all who are interested in the subject of garden colouring'. Other hardy species, easily grown in sandy soils and shady situations, are the fol- lowing : — Dillenii, copper-coloiired flowers ; Icevigata, purple flowers ; aensitiva, pale yellow ; stricta, yellow; alba, bulbous-rooted, white flowers; Americana, bulbous-rooted, white flowers ; and violacea, bulbous-rooted, and violet flowers. Greenhouse Species of Oiaiis. — "When grown in pots, these mostly require a mixture of turfy loam, turfy peat, dung rotted to powder, and silver-sand, equal parts of each. They must have good drainage, shade, and plenty of water while growing. During winter, the tuberous kinds must be kept dry and safe from frost, but the shrubby kinds must be kept ^ust moving in a temperature not lower than S5°, and not higher than THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 189 45°. The following are a few of the most useful greenhouse species : — Crenata, Bowie!, floribunda, pulcliella, Simsii, elegans, caprina, speciosa, tetraphylla, versicolor. 0,1'alis crenata. — The tubers of these are eaten either boiled or roasted, and by some are considered rechercM. The stalks are said to be superior to rhubarb for tarts, having a flavour resembling pine-apple. The leaves are said to make an elegant salad. For purposes of ornament, this is one of the most useful. The flowers are of a bright orange colour, and are fine and showy ; it never produces seed, and is therefore propagated from offsets. The tubers should be planted singly in small pots in April, and be placed on a gentle heat in a frame, or put in a peach-house or vinery, and be kept freely aired till May ; then plant them out in light rich soil, three feet apart. As soon as the stems have grown sufficiently to allow of earth being heaped over their stems, they must be very care- fully moulded up ; the stems will throw out fibres into this additional soil, and there the best tubers are produced. O. tetrapJvjlla produces an edible root, which may be used as a sub- stitute for the potato. This is not pai"- ticular about soil, but requires, like tl^e preceding, to be started under cover, so as to get it planted out strong when all danger of frost is over, O. Deppei is propagated by means of the scaly bulbs, which grow in a cluster round the crown of the root. To insure a good crop, plant the bulbs in small pots in March in any good sandy soil, and place in a cold frame. If kept only moderately moist and freely ventilated, without being exposed to cold winds, the bulbs will have filled the pots with roots by the end of April, when they may be planted out in the open ground in light rich soil, and in a western aspect, fifteen inches apart every way. Keep the ground clear of weeds, and give plenty of water in dry weather. In October take up the roots, and store away in sand, and prepare them for table. The tubers must be washed and peeled, and then boiled in gravy, and served up hot with brown butter sauce. Deppei may also be treated as a hardy plant, but there is some risk of loss or of unsatisfactory production. In the southern counties, sheltered borders would probably suit it, without any more protection than a covering of litter during frost. O.Jlorihunda. — At the end of February divide the fleshy roots, re- serving to each piece a growing bud. Lay them on a pan of sand, and cover them with the same material, and place them immediately on a tank, or bark bed in a stove or propagating-house, to start them in a brisk heat. In about twelve days they will be growing freely. Now prepare 60-sized pots, with equal parts loam, peat, rotten dung, and sand, turn the plants out of the pans, and pot them separately and carefully, and put them in heat again, and with very little water till they begin to grow; then cool them down, and place them in the greenhouse. If care- OXALIS COENICULAIA EUBEA. 190 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. fully hardened, they may be out of doors in May, and will make a fine bloom in a shady border. O. Bowiei requires a brisk heat to start it into growth, when the tubers are potted in spring. The soil to start them in should be loam and peat, with a little sand. This may also be planted out after being properly hardened ; but as it rarely blooms satisfactorily in the open air, we adv-ise that it be always grown under glass. Stove Species of Oxalis are few in number, and require precisely the same routine treatment as the greenhouse lands, with the exception that they must have a higher temperature. Those which require the stove are — 0. Flumieri, fruticosa, BarreUeri, and ehinensis . PiiOPAGATioN OP Oxalis. — All those which produce seed may be most easily increased from seed, as it quickly germinates if sown in pans filled with sandy soil, and placed on a moderate bottom-heat. The seedlings must be pricked out as soon as large enough, and the comparatively hardy species should be planted out in shady borders, and be taken up in October. The best time to sow the seed is the end of February, as there is then a good chance of flowering them all the same season. Bulbous kinds will furnish abundance of offsets, which sliould be removed when the bulbs are taken up. The shrubby kinds are easily propagated by means of cuttings, which should be taken in spring, and have a brisk bottom-heat to cause them to root quickly ; when rooted to be potted off, and grown on as described above for the several groups and species. EECENT FLOWER SHOWS. The Biemingham Rose Show, July IGth and 17th.— The annual display of roses at the Tovrn-hall, Birmingham, is always one of the most important exhibitions of the season, and the last one was upon a scale which did honour to the queen of flovrers. The blooms were gene- rally excellent, although, of course, among such a vast number there were many which had not yet attained their best, and many others which were past it. The new roses of 1860- ■61-62 were largely shown in the classes devoted especially to them, and formed a considerable proportion of the other collections, which may be taken as a great point in their favour. In the . nurserymen's class for iTinety-six varieties, one truss of each, Mr. B. R. Cant of Colchester took the first prize ; Mr. John Keynes of Salisbury, second ; Messrs. Paul and Son, Cheshunt, and Mr. W. Paul, Waltham Cross, equal third. The most perfect flowers among them were Madame Vidot, Frangois Lach- arme, Gioire de Dijon, President, and an immense bloom of La;lia in Mr. Cant's lot ; Marechal Vaillant, Mdlle. Bounaire, Madame Knorr, Comtesse Ouvaroff, Alphonse Karr, Beauty of Waltham, Triomphe de Rennes, Madame Boll. Madame Hector Jac- quin, Jules Margottin, Jean d'Arc, Olivier Delhomme, -Gloire de San- thenay, Souvenir de Comte Cavour, General Jacqueminot, Gloire de Vitry, Comte de I^anteuil, Baron Gonella, and Senateur Vaisse, in Mr. Keyne's lot ; and in the other collections La Boule d'Or, Eugene Appert, Souve- nir d'un Ami, Gloire de Santhenay, Triomphe de Caen, Madame Charles Wood, Prince Camille de Rohan, Louise Magnan, Baron Gonella, Eu- gene Desgaches, Comtesse Cecile de Chabrillant, Jaune of Smith, Due de Rohan, Madame Pierson, Niphetos, Due de Cazes, and Louis XIV. First forforty-eight varieties, three trusses of each, Mr. John Keynes of Salisbury, with a stand of beautifully fresh and fine flowers ; second, Messrs. Paul and Son, Cheshunt; third, Mr. B. R. Cant, Colchester. lu the class for THE FLOEAL WORLD AND QARDEN GUIDE, 191 twenty-four varieties, three trusses, Mr. Keynes was first, Mr. W. Dray- cott, Humbustone, near Leicester, second, and Mr. Gr. Batley of Ku^by, third. The class for twenty-four, single trusses, was open to nursery- men in the counties of Warw^ick, Worcester, and Stafford, Messrs. S. PerkinsandSonsof Coventry obtained the first prize ; Mr. W. H. Treen of Eugby, second ; and Mr. G. Batley, third. Mr. J. T. Hedge of Eeed Hall, Colchester, was as usual the most distinguished exhibitor among the amateurs, taking first prize for forty- eight varieties, first for twenty-four, and/econd for eighteen. In his col- lections were magnificent blooms of Comtesse Cecile de Chabrillant, Jauue of Smith, Beauty of Waltham, Reine Victoria, Madame Charles Wood, Alexandre Fontaine, Mrs. Ivivers, La Boule d'Or, Auguste Mie, Louis Mag- nan, Solfaterre. Triomphe de Caen, and Louis XIV. The second prize for forty- eight was awarded to Mr. S. Evans, gardener to C. Newdegate, Esq., M.P., Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The open classes were admirably filled, Mr. John Keynes taking first prize for twenty-four new roses of 1860-61- 62 ; the second prize went to Messrs. Paul and Son; and the third to Mr. C. Turner. Mr. J. Keynes was also first with the best new roses, six trusses, and the varieties shown were Olivier Delhomme, Marechal Vaillant, Charles Lefebre, and Madame Fur- tado ; second, Mr. William Paul, with Beauty of Waltham and Madame Furtado; third, Messrs. Paul and Son, with Madame Charles Wood. Mr. Cranston showed Louis XLV. ; Mr. Francis, General Washington ; and Mr. Cant, Madame Furtado. In the class for the best six varieties of roses, single trusses, with stem and foliage as cut from the tree, each truss to be shown singly in a vase, Mr. E. P. Francis, of Hertford, ob- tained the first prize. Ttie plants used for the decoration of the hall were contributed by the surrounding gentry ; among them were excellent specimens of Maranta zeb- rina and Cissus discolor, besides good specimen ferns of the following species: — Pterisargyrcea,Acrostichum alcicorne, Adiantum alfine, A. brasili- ense, A. cuneatum, and many others ; there were also several Caladiums, Be- gonias, Coleus Verschaifeltii, heaths, etc., and although they were not very fine specimens, yet they answered the purpose for which they were intended admirably, and formed pleasant ob- jects for the eye to rest upon when fatigued with looking at the brilliant masses of roses. Flower-show at Alexandra Park, Hornsey, July iiSnD and 24th. — The opening of this new place of public amusement and recreation was celebrated by a large horticul- tural exhibition, which took place in tents pitched in a meadow close to Muswell Hill, and from which a very pretty view could be obtained. The largest of the tents (190 feet by 50 feet) was devoted to stove and green- house plants ; the next (75 feet by 50 feet) was filled with fruit and cut flowers ; a third contained fuchsias, achimines, gloxinias, petunias, cut roses, and pelargoniums ; and in the fourth were orchard-house trees, loaded with fruit, from Messrs. Lane and Messrs. Eraser. Fine-foliaged plants were largely shown, and exhibited numerous exam- ples of skilful cultivation. Alocasia Lowii was very conspicuous, so also were many fiue samples of A. metal- lica, besides DracEenas, palms, cordy- lines, and many others, which were shown in great perfection. Messrs. John and Charles Lee of Hammer- smith obtained first prize with beauti- ful plants of Cyperus alternifolius variegatus, Cissus discolor, Caladiam Belleymei, C. bicolor, Ixora coecinea, Ehopala magnifica, Alocasia Lowii (beautiful), A. metallica, Anauassa sativa variegata, Cordyline indivisa, Theophrasta imperialis, Neottopteris Australasia, and Yucca aloifolia varie- gata. Mr. B. S. Williams was second. Stove and Greenhouse Plants were furnished in considerable num- bers, the specimens of Allamanda, Stephanotis floribunda, Gnaphalium eximium, Pleroma elegans, and various sorts of Kalosanthes being particularly fine. Prizes were offered for collec- tions, both in and out of bloom, effec- 192 THE FLOEAL WORLD A^D GAKDEN GUIDE. tivoly arranged. This contributed very much to the beauty of the show, for on every side were to be seen gigantic tree - ferns, and immense plants of Maranta, Alocasia. Caladium, Cynophyllum, and smaller plants without flowers, interspersed in the most charming manner with orchids and varioua other plants in bloom, which delighted the visitors amaz- ingly. Messrs. A. Henderson and Co. were awarded first prize for a very beautiful collection, Mr. B. S. Wil- liams of Holloway obtaining a second. Achimines were shown in plenty, and were mostly well grown ; but there were only a few Gloxinias, and those not at all remarkable for beauty. The Achimines shown were Dr. Hopf, Prench white with mauve eye, Buck- manni hirsuta. Longiflora major, Gem, Marguerita, Meteor, Grandiilora, Dr. Buenzod, Dazzle. Carl Wolfurth, Am- broise Verschaffelt, Eosea magnifica, and Longiflora alba. Mr. Monk was first and Mr. Uzzell second. Mr. Taylor was first for gloxinias and Messrs. Lee second. Scarlet Geraniums were shown in moderately good lots of six, but they were none of them thoroughly first- rate. Mr. Duke's lot was by far the best, and consisted of Brilliant, Aurora, Tom Tliumb, Kubens, Frog- more, and Masterpiece ; second, Mr. Windsor. Ferns were exhibited extensively, and most of them were well selected and admirable specimens. The tree- ferns furnished, by Mr. Williams were superb, elevated on huge stems, with huge, beautifully green, palm -like fronds. In the various collections were excellent specimens of Pteris argyrea, Pteris cretica albo-lineata, Platycerium alcicorne, P. grande, Adiantum formosum, A. pedatum, A. cuneatum, A. assimile, A. nidus, Da- vallia pyxidata, and D. bullata. Mr. Williams was first with twelve, and Mr. WooUey second. First for ten, Mr. Young ; second. Mr. Taylor. Six tree-ferns, first, Mr. Williams; second, Messrs. Lee. Mr. Young had a nice collection of Selaginellas ; in the cen- tre a pan of S. cajsium, three feet across ; also good pans of denticu- latum, Wildenovi, formosum, Stolo- nifera, and micropbylla. Ericas. — There were many finely bloomed plants shown, and also several which were decidedly inferior. Messrs. Lee had a fine plant of Ves- tita coccinea, the foliage sparkling with freshness and the plants covered with fine bunches of carmine flowers. The best ten were from Messrs. Jack- son ; among them were good exam- ples of Aitonii, Turnbulli, Nobilis, and Ventricosa Bothwelliana. Mr. Ehodes had particularly good plants of Infundibuliformis (crimson tube and flesh-coloured limb), Princeps roseum, and Parmenteri. The awards were, ten — first, Messrs. Jackson ; second, Mr. Ehodes; eight — first, Mr. Gilbert, second, Mr. Wheeler ; six — first, Messrs. Lee ; second, Mr. Rhodes. Cut Jloivers were shown in large quantities, some of the hollyhocks and dahlias being surprisingly beau- tiful. Mr. Cutbush sent superb bunches of pelargoniums ; Mr. Bragg, dahlias, hollyhocks, pansies, and pico- tees; Messrs. Downie, Laird, and Laing, hollyhocks in marvellous per- fection ; Messrs. Perry, Smith, and Grimbly, verbenas. Large collections of cut roses were from Messrs. Paul and Son, Mr. W. Paul, Mr. Francis, and ]SIessrs. Fraser. The leading amateur exhibitors were Mr. Corp, Mr. Perry, and Mr. Weymouth. A SELECTION OF HAEDT VAKIEGATED PLANTS. We have lately had the pleasure of inspecting the immense and very curious collection of variegated plants in the nursery of Mr. John Salter, William Street, Hammersmith, and as we cannot make room for a detailed report of our visit, we have thought it best to enumerate a few of the most generally useful of these inter- esting subjects, giving the preference throughout to such as are especially adapted for purposes of decoration in THE FLORAL WORLD AND QARDEN GUIDE. 193 tlie garden, greenhouse, and conser- vatory. PLANTS StriTABLK FOR EDGINGS TO BEDS, CLUMPS, OB EOCKEKIES, ETC. Ajiiga reptans fol. var. — This forms a close tufted mass of grayish foUage, and in spring produces abun- ■dance of its purphsh blue flowers. It is invaluable for a clump in front of a rockery. A. r. f. alha maculata has large leaves blotched with creamy white. A. r. f. purpiirascens is uni- formly coloured in leaf and stem alike, a deep bronzy purple, some- what of the same tone as Perilla Nankinensis. Like the others, it blooms freely in spring. Alyssum saxatile fol. var. — The well-known "variegated Alyssum." It is not quite hardy. Arabis alpina fol. var. — This is the well-known " variegated Arabis," one of the best close-growing varie- gated plants for edgings, and may be left out all winter on well-drained , soil. It is also known at the nur- series as A. albida, A. caucasica, and A. proecox. Arabis lucida fol. var. — This is the most beautiful of the variegated varieties of Arabis, and is at present very little known. The leaves are glossy, and regularly striped with rich yellowish ribs and veins. Though less reticulated, it is never- theless very much like the variety of common daisy known as Aucu-bisfolia, which is the prettiest of all the small- growing, hardy variegated plants. This Arabis is largely used as an edging at Kew this season. ; Arabis procurrens fol, var. — In character like alpina, and useful for rockeries. Ariemisea maritima, glacialis, and pinnata are elegant glaucous-leaved plants, which may be turned to good account in garden colouring ; the last- named makes a lovely edging, and they may all be propagated to any extent by means of cuttings. Ariemisea vulgaris fol. ' var. — There are two forms of variegated wormwood, one with white, the other with yellow variegation. Bellis perennis fol. var. — This is not very attractive at this time of year, but in the spring it is a charm- ing thing either for the greenhouse or the border. It should always be grown in pots extra well-drained, and in poor soil. It cannot be rapidly multiplied, but if divided in the autumn, a large stock may be got up in a few years for forming masses when it is in bloom. Centaurea caiididissima is the whitest leaved plant known, and a very grand subject for bedding pur- poses. It is not quite hardy, and must be potted up in autumn, and kept in an airy greenhouse, or pit all winter, and to have very little water. Centaurea Itagusina. — This is the finest of the race in habit, and makes either fine specimens in pots or noble lines in beds aad ribbons. It is a diflicult thing to propagate, the best way to deal with it is to keep it in the greenhouse all winter, and give it no encouragement to grow. In Feb- ruary put it in a moderate heat for about ten days, and then take off the side-shoots, and dibble them into silver sand, and place on bottom- heat. The only precaution necessary is to supply them with very little water, as they are likely to damp ofi" if kept very moist. When rooted, pot in thimble pots, using half leaf- mould and half silver sand. C. argentea, C. dealbata* C. gym- nocarpa, and C. nigra,* are all hand- some and useful for rockeries and borders, and any soil will suit them, but they like a dry position. The two we have marked thus * may be left out all winter if iu an elevated position. Chelidonium majus fol. var.-— A fine subject for a damp corner of a rockery, or where any rather coarse, but attractive plant would be suitable. Coiwallaria majalis fol. var. — This is the variegated Lily of the Valley, and one of the gems in Mr. Salter's collection. It will do well in the shady part of a rockery, but should also be grown in pots. Diplotaxis tenuifolia fol. var.— This is a first rate variegated plant for edgings and rockeries, the leaves are marked with creamy lines and blotches; quite hardy, and may be increased a(^ lib. by autumn cuttings. 194 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN aUIDE. Galeohdolon luteum fol. var. — There are two variefjated forms of this noble dead nettle. They are both worth a place in any garden. Funkia alba marginata fvl. var., F. ovaiaful. ror>'.,and F. undulatafol. ■car., are the three best variegated Funkiaa, they make fine rockery clumps, and if grown in pots will be useful for furnishing when in bloom. Gleclioma Jiederacea fol. var. — There are three variegated kinds of ground ivy ; all well adapted for bor- ders, banks, and rockeries. Gnuphalium dioiciim. — A very neat tufted-growing glaucous-leaved plant, quite hardy, suitable for edgings. Hedera helix elegantissima, H. h. ■maculata, hi. li. fol. var. snlphurea, and S. h. argeniea. — These are varie- gated varieties of the common Eng- lish ivy ; they are exquisitely beauti- ful, and when used as edgings to long ribbon lines or great circular beds, they have a very grand effect, and are lively all the winter. The last named is the best for an edging. Oxalis corniculaia rubra. — This small oxalis has leaves of a deep bronzy purple, or purplish brown colour, and when grouped with plants with silvery and golden leaves, has a very curious and quite rich effect. It grows freely, and is quite hardy. Small clumps of it have a dull and almost dingy appearance, but when used extensively and judiciously, it is one of the best of " foliage bed- ders." Plantago major fol. ruhcsceiis. — This is a plantain with purple leaves, and may be turned to account for clumps. We saw it last year in the nursery of Mr. Williams, Holloway, in a bed with variegated coltsfoot, and the effect was decidedly pleasing as well as curious. Prunella vulgaris fol. var. — A good rockery tuft, but not smart enough for edgings. Ruta graveolens fol. var. — This is a variegated form of the common Eue, and is one of the best things of the kind in our own collection. It forms a noble ornament on a raised bank, and to keep it true, it should be planted in a mixture of poor loam. small pebbles, and old mortar broken small, equal parts. In a good soil it loses its lovely yellowi«h white varie- gation, and returns to its original healthy green colour. In poor chalky soils, where gardeners have great difhctxlty in the cultivation of bedding plants, this will be found iiseful, but it is of too upright and rigid a habit to enter largely into bedding schemes. Stachys lanata.— The best of all the woolly leaved plants for gar- deners whose means are limited. Thymus vulgaris fol. var. — A very pretty gray-leaved thyme, not showy enough for beds, but very elegant in a rockery. Trifolium rubruni piciiim. — This is commonly called Shamrock, but in- correctly so, for Shamrock is Oxalis acetosella. It is a clover with leaves stained a deep purplish brown, in early spring nearly black. A large tuft on a bank has a very fine ap- pearance. Mr. Salter uses it as a bedder, and has some very pretty groups, but it is only in positions re- moved from the general display in a flower garden that it could be appro- priately used for that purpose. Veronica incana, a pretty dwarf- growing silvery-leaved plant, quite a gem. Vinca major fol. elegantissima, V. m. reiicv.lata. — Two lovely forms of the great Periw inkle. The first has creamy margins, the second is veined all over in a similar way to the lovely Lonicera brachypoda variegata. Yinca minor fol. var. argentea, V. m. fol. aurea. — The first has mar- gins and streaks of white, the second creamy yellow; they are fine for edgings, and very efl'ective in large clumps under trees. OEKAMEXTAL GBASSES. Agrostis color ata fol. var. — A fine strong-growing hardy grass, with the leaves regularly ribbed with silvery white. Agrostis vulgaris fol. var. — Makes a fine tuft on a bank. Aira cosspiiosa fol. var. — An ex- quisitely delicate grass of free growth, and a good companion to Festuca glauea. THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 195 Arundo pJwaffmites fol. var., Arundo donax versicolor. — T«'0 noble grasses for the margins of lakes and damp shady places. The second of the two needs protection in winter. Arundo Mauritanica fol. var. — I^ot quite hardy, but may be planted out all summer. It is the finest of all the Arundos, and admirably adapted for exhibition. Culamagrostis arimdinacea fol. var. — Elegantly edged and striped, grows strong, and is well worth a place in an amateur's collection. Dactylis glomerata fol. var. — A pretty grass of moderate growth, it forms a glittering tuft when grown on a bank of poor sandy soil. Elymus arenarius cjlaucus. — A very noble glaucous-leaved grass of very strong growth. Kemarkably eifective on a bank. Fesluca cjlauca. — A lovely grass of rather low growth, forming dense tufts of fine glaucous foliage. Easily propagated by dividing, does best in poor sandy soil. Melica ceridea. — A pretty com- panion to Aira caispitosa. Phalaris arundinacea fol. var. — The well-known ribbon grass, of late years much esteemed on account of the admirable use made of it for edg- ing beds of dahlias and hollyhocks at Kew. It is very beautiful on a high dry sunny bank in front of dark ever- greens. VAEIEGATED TEEES AND SHRUBS. Fuchsia corymhiflora fol. var. — Flowers as freely as the normal form, and is a very beautiful object for the conservatory. Fuchsia glohosa fol. var., F. ma- culata, and F. j^umila are three very pretty variegated fuchsias, well adapted for vases, beds, and pot cul- ture. FEUIT CULTURE-OUT-DOOE GEAPES. The cultivation of the vine {Vitis vinifera) in the open air is one of the most universally favourite amuse- ments with amateurs in the southern and middle counties of England. The care and attention bestowed upon them year after year, in spite of the fact that they are perhaps in the most unfavourable situation, and that in five years out of six the berries remain obstinately green and sour, or turn rotten and fall off*, is certainly deserving ' of better success. The proprietor, however, nothing daunted by repeated failures, prunes in the autumn, waits patiently all winter, watches with delii,'ht the bursting of the buds in the spring, chuckles over the fact tjiat a splendid crop of fruit is set, so at once sets to work, nails up the shoots, strips off the leaves which cover the bunches so as to give them the fall benefit of the sun, and to make "assurance doubly sure." buries his lately defunct " tabby " near the roots, and then with the self- satisfied air of a man who has done all that a mortal can do, he leaves the rest to the weatlier and to Pro- vidence, and is again disappointed. Snch practice as this is but too frequent, notwithstanding the vast amount of philosophy which has been disseminated of late years, and the numerous excellent practical treatises upon fruit culture which are con- tinually issuing from the press ; the wonder is that experience alone does not teach them better, but even that frequently fails to enlighten the amateur vine-grower. The point of the greatest import- ance in the out-door culture of the vine is the duration and heat of the summer. Thus, although the mean temperature of England is as high and even higher than in some coun- tries where the grape ripens without anv difficulty, it will be found that wliile England is warmer than most countries in the winter months, the heat is not nearly so great during the months of September and October, at which period the out of door vine is just ripening its fruit. This is the chief reason why the finest grapes 196 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. are produced in England under cover, because by making an early spring by means of artificial beat, the gar- dener is able to ripen bis grapes by tbe burning sun of our June, July, or August. It is therefore obvious that if we attempt to grow grapes in the open air, we must resort to every method which will have the effect of lengthening the summer, or of in- creasing the temperature to which they are exposed; and by due attention to these particulars many excellent crops of grapes have been gathered in our southern and middle counties. Position. — The position most fa- vourable for a vine is against a wall with a southern aspect. Speechly says that he found low walls from five to six feet high the best, as the plants grow stronger and afford larger grapes, because at this height they enjoy the reflected heat of the earth as well as that of the wall. But in most cottage gardens, and many others of greater pretensions, the vines are trained against the house, and when this is the case, widely pro- jecting eaves are very favourable, for besides helping to shelter the plant from frost, they throw the wet clear of the folicige and fruit, which is of great importance, especially during and immediately after the period of blooming. Soil. — Thompson tells us, in his "Practical Treatise on the Grape- vine," that the soil used for open-air culture should not be so rich as that employed for it in greenhouses, but should consist of " three-fourths light sandy loam, the other fourth to be made up of old lime rubbish, brick- bats, and burned clay with a small proportion of broken bones. In this compo:5t it will not make such strong canes as in a richer one, but they will ripen better, and have more pro- minent fruit-buds than the product of rich soil." Vines always thrive best in a soil which has a dry bottom; they may be made to grow luxuriantly and produce abundance of fruit in rich deep soils, but that which is produced on a gravelly, chalky, or schistous soil, although less in quan- tity, is invariably of a much finer flavour. In fact the soil and situation can never be too dry for the vine, tte finest grapes of the Continent being grown in arid situations, or where the sub-soil is dry. If planted even in a sttitable compost, but when the soil beneath it is rich or wet, the roots will run down deep into it, the result generally being that the grapes will rot and seldom ripen. In Devon- shire, where vines may be seen grow- ing against the houses in almost every garden, it is a common practice with those who do not possess a gravelly sub-soil, to dig a pit under the wall where the vine is to be planted, and fill it in to within eighteen inches or two feet of the surface with brick- rubbish, stones, gravel, broken pot- tery, etc. ; this management prevents the roots from running too deep, and is attended with the happiest results, as the fruit ripens almost every season, and is often in excellent condition for the table by the latter end of August. Protection. — If we wish the fruit of our vines to attain any degree of excellence it will be necessary to con- trive some means for the protection of the buds from spring frosts, which if permitted to attack them, will at least keep them back very much, if they do not spoil them altogether. Various methods are resorted to, such as covering with oiled calico, old fishing nets, tiffany, etc., and every one must use that which happens to be the most convenient ; the most in- genious contrivance, however, which is at present in existence is the in- vention of Mr. Maund, the author of the "Botanic Garden." He having observed that grapes grown on open walls in the Midland Counties are rarely well ripened, adopted the fol- lowing plan to assist the process. He provides a small glazed frame, a sort of narrow hand-glass, and of the exact shape of the span-roof of a green- house ; this is fixed against the wall, and incloses one branch of the vine with its foliage and fruit. " The open part which rests against the wall is thirteen inches wide, and may be of any length required to take in the fruit. The sides are formed of single panes of glass, seven inches wide, and meet on a bar, which may represent the ridge of a roof, the ends inclosed THE FLOEAL WOELD AND aAEDEN GUIDE. 197 by triangular boards, and having a ] notch to admit the branch. This is fixed on the branch a month before | the vine is in flower, and brings it a week earlier than the exposed. The j frame is not fitted closely to the wall, but in some places may be a quarter i of an inch from it. Tlie lateral 1 branches being shortened before it is | fixed, it does not require removal even for pruning, because I adopt the long rod mode of training, which is peculiarly adapted to my partial pro- tection system. The temperature within the frame is always higher than without ; sometimes at mid-day even from 20" to 30'. By this simple protection I find grapes may be ripened from three weeks to a mouth earlier than when wholly exposed, and this saving of time will, I believe, not only secure their ripening well every year in the Midland Counties, but also that such advantage will be available in the North of JEngland, where grapes never ripen on the open walls." The roots may be protected during the clear, cold nights of spring and au- tumn, by fern, straw, or any other kind of dry litter, which should be spread pretty thickly over the border round the stem of the vine every evening before the sun goes off, and removed every morning when the sun is shining on it. By this means the great loss of heat from radiation is in a measure prevented, and great benefit accrues to the vine; if awooden rake is used for the purpose, the ope- ration will take but very few moments morning and evening. Pkuning and Teaining. — Eyery gardener considers his own particular method of pruning and training the very best that can be adopted ; but really good crops of grapes do not de- pend so much upon any particular system of pruning as upon the gene- ral management, soil, and climate. Having shown how to make the best of the latter, and given directions with respect to the former, there re- mains not much to be said on this bead. There are two methods of pruning now generally adopted, each having its party of adhei'ents and advoc ttes; they are called respectively the spur system and the long rod system ; the old method of pruning the vine, which left it in the form of a peach-tree, is now everywhere dis- carded. Tiie spur system is, perhaps, the best of them, and is easiest to carry out ; it consists in cutting back the laterals close to the main shoot, so as only to leave the bud at the base of the lateral. A pair of pruning scissors is the best instrument for the operation, as persons when using the knife are apt to split the small length of wood left beyond the bud, which sufi'ers in consequence ; but this can be avoided by ordinary care. This pruning should be done at the fall of the leaf. If the laterals are cut back every year to one eye, in the course of years the spurs will become long and unsightly, but this can be easily re- medied, by running up one rod every year, and as soon as it has got into bearing condition, cutting one of the old rods away. The young wood should be trained close to the wall, and nailed up regularly as it advances, so that it may have the benefit during the night of the heat absorbed by the sun in the day, for unless the wood gets thoroughly brown and ripe, there will be very little prospect of any fruit in the following season. Insects. — The great enemy to the vine is the red spider. Prevention, however, is better than cure with this, as it is with all other calamities, and the diligent cultivator will take care to keep his vines in such a condition that this little pest will stand no chance of ever getting the mastery over him. Cleanliness is the magic spell which will always keep them away, and it would be well if folks would bear in mind more than they do that cleanliness is downright poison to every description of vermin , for they willrarelylive, and never really thrive, on either animal or plant which is perfectly clean and healthy. If this fact occupied the prominent position it should do, many plants which are annually lost would be preserved; keep, therefore, your plants in vigo- rous growth, and keep thera clean, and you will be rarely troubled with any pest. To keep away the red spider, then, and the mealy-bug from your vines, clean the wood well in the 198 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, spring just before the buds break ; strip oif' all the old bark which the weather and winds have not already- disposed of, and then dissolve two ounces of soft soap or Gishurst com- pound in two quarts of water ; add to it a good tea-spoonful of soot, and as much powdered sulphur as will make the whole as thick as cream, and then with a brush paint over every part of the vine with this com- position. EEDDIXG GERAmXJMS. Since my last notes on bedders, all the novelties planted out here have bloomed profusely, and have had the advantage of a magnificent season to show their best characters, and gain as good a repute as thej^ deserve. In a cold wet season a good thing may make but a poor show, and we may need to be cautious how we condemn anything not as yet generally known. 33ut in such a season as 1863 every one of our summer flowering plants has been seen at its best, and gene- rally the long drought and tlie burn- ing sunshine have been favourable to flowers. Wben last writing on this subject, I spoke of Helen Lindsay and Alexandra us the two new gera- nium.s that were competing with Christine for a place in history. I have had them both under my eye every day since the beginning of June, and now I can pretty well judge what they are likely to do for the professors of the bedding system. Helen Lindsay is a more robust grower than Christine, blooms pro- fusely, makes good trusses, lias one tone more of the lovely rose colour of Christine upon it, makes less seeds, but is a retrogression in point of form, the two top petals being narrow and slightly set apart from the others, like a pair of ears pricked up to listen to criticism. The two plants of Helen I had of Messrs. Carter have fur- nished over fifty cuttings without cutting them so hard as to stop their blooming ; in fact, they are now in pots, and after being so hard cut at while in the borders, have now re- covered, and measure fifteen inches across, with half a dozen trusses open on each of them. So my first judg- ment is confirmed, and Helen will go into my list of desirable bedders until ! some one will produce a geranium of the same habit and same colour, with broader top petals, and minus that little blotch of white which the top petals show at their base in Helen. Mr. Beaton can do this if he pleases, and having given us a stronger habit and a richer colour, it can be but the work of a year or two to remodel the form, and secure for us in lively rose colour what has been done already in salmon and scarlet. But what of Alexandra ? It is a failure quite. Messrs. Henderson announced with much complacency that " it quietly passes by Beaton's Helen Lindsay," which is quite true, and as it passes Helen by, no one will beg it to stop, but will rather hasten its passing into a quiet oblivion. Not that Alexandra is a trashy geranium. It is, in fact, a tolerably good thing of its kind, but to be tolerably good is not sufficient for any geranmm in the way of Chris- tine, for this last is so good that whatever is put forth in compe- tition with it must possess the very highest qualities, and these Alexandra does not possess, though it is a good geranium. The habit is not robust, but neither is it weak, it grows well and flowers freely. The blooms are as nearly as possible the same tint of rose as Christine, they are very sym- metrical, they are very small, and al- most every flower produces a rostrum, or say a spike of seed. I countedsixty seeds at one time on a plant which had flowered four trusses, and I said, "■If that quietly passes Helen Lmd- say, let it go. Horticulture will survive the loss of that geranium." But Messrs. Henderson made amends for this mistake, in sending out Ma- dame jRudersdorf, one of the most lovely of all the horseshoes with THE FLORAL WORLD AXD GARDEN GUIDE, 199 salmon-coloured flowerg. To liken it to Kingsbuiy Pet or Beauty of Blaekheath, would be to do it a great injustice, for it will not come into any group with. them. It surpasses all of its race in neat habit and pro- fusion of bloom, and is most unwill- ing to make seeds. The zone of the leaf is sharp and dark, and just the proper tone to show up the elegant flowers to perfection. These flowers are slightly cupped, of a bright salmon deepening to carmine at the base of the petals, and shading ofl" to white at the edges. The trusses are large and compact, the footstalks firm, and the habit so good that it will be one of the most popular geraniums whether for pots or bedding. I have another charmer of this class, JRosamoncl, from oMr. Bull, which is really of the Kingsbury Pet strain, but passes by all such, not " quietly," but with im- mense applause from all who see how it eclipses all the established salmon coloured geraniums we possess. Eosa- mond is a robust grower, making stout wood, and large horseshoe leaves. The trusses are large and the pips very nearly of the same size and shape as that most perfect of all geraniums, Dr. Lindley. Every pip is as flat as a crown piece, and about the same size ; the petals are broad, and overlap so that the indentations are scarcely perceptible, and the top petals are as large as the three in- ferior ones. The colour is bright salmon rose, veined with red, the edges whitish ; it blooms freely, and should be found in every collection, however small, as if not wanted for beds, it is a gem for pot cul- ture. So much for the present about rose and salmon coloured geraniums. I must now tell you of another grand scarlet in the style of Dr. Lindley, but with shell-like petals, and hence with cupped pips. It is called Alfred, and was sent out by Mr. Bull this season. It proves to be one of the grandest scarlets known, huge trusses, the flowers very large, and finely formed, and the colour clear orange scarlet. Such varieties as these will cer- tainly displace a few of the old fa- vourites, such as Tom Thumb, Crystal Palace, Perpetual Queen, and others of flimsy character ; but we must be cautious how we discard old friends, and be thoroughly satisfied that the new comers will do all we require of them. I purpose not to keep more than half a dozen of Tom Thumb or any of his race from this time forth ; all my stock now in the ground will be left there to perish ; but there will be a good stock of Attraction, Rig- by 's Queen, Eeidii, Cottage Maid, Beauty of Brixton, and several others of the very best kinds, together with one that is better than all, but must for the present be nameless, to take Tom's place. I had last year from Banbury a scarlet called Eclipse, which was then new to me, and I suppose new to the world, though I know nothing of its history. It has this season proved itself worthy of the name, for it eclipses all the scar- lets of the like of Tom Thumb, and will do for precisely the same kind of work, that is, for masses in beds, and ribbons averaging ten to twelve inches from the ground. This Eclipse has a small yellowish-green, nearly circular leaf, with no trace of a zone upon it. When passed through the fingers with the eyes closed a prac- tised grower might mistake it for the Qaeen ; but if compelled to reflect before deciding, he would notice that to the touch the leaf has more resemblance to velvet than that of the Queen, which feels woolly between the fingers. The peculiar firmness, yet soft feel of the leaf, would cer- tainly strike a practised hand not previously acquainted with this ge- ranium as one of its most distinctive features, and if allowed to see it after the trial by touch he would notice that the leaf is of a dull in- describable shade of green, whereas that of the Queen is remarkably fresh and lively. You will be en- abled, through this clumsy descrip- tion, to distinguish the real Eclipse when you meet with it, and I have been so far particular because I hope every one of our readers will seek it and obtain it to go with Attraction and Cottage Maid for next year's blaze of scarlet, as the'three best of moderate growth until the nameless 200 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. one appears and puts them all hors de combat. It is an easy transition enough from scarlet to crimson, but we must go once more among the Nosegays for the richest colours possible among bedding geraniums. My old plants of Inq^erial Crimson in 48-sized pots, the plants not at all pruned back last season, but simply shaken out and repotted in very sound and rather rich compost in April, have been a marvellous sight all the season. The gardeners would have begged cut- tings of me till the very stumps and roots would have been chopped up, hut I do not give cuttings, and so all they could do was to book it, and get it how and where they please. ]3ut I only told a few of those with whom I exchange notes confidentially, that in the clump of pot plants where Im- perial Crimson made such a deep rich glow, that there were plants of Merrimac, Spread Eagle, and Lord Falmerston intermixed, and that they lighted up one another so that, at a moderate distance, you could not de- tect that more than one variety was used. But it amused me when I went over the Kensington Gardens ■with Mr. Eyles, to find that he had been doing something similar. Lord Palmerston was used there this season as last, and with remarkable efiiect, and at the head of each of the beds he had put clumps of Stella Nosegay, the intense scarlet flowers of which simply added to the imperial richness of his Lordship's state costume, and, what is more, blended with it, so that, in a general survey of the ground, the mixture was not dis- cernible. As I have expressed my doubts of Lord Palmerstoyi^s wear'- ing qualities, I must say here that this season it has proved itself in every sense the finest of all the Nose- gays, and that should be praise enough, for the world does not now need to be told that for colour the Nosegay geraniums have no parallel among all the varieties of bedding plants, not even verbenas excepted. It puzzles me that amateurs have to buy so much every spring, seeing how easy it is to get up and keep a stock of any of the bedding gera- niums. It is very certain they do not follow the advice of the Floeal WoBLD to the letter, else, where there are bargains going on for hun- dreds and thousands of Tom Thumbs and such like common things, there would be money to spare to buy in a few of the novelties ; for, after all, when a good display has been secured by the use of varieties well known, there is an immense amount of amuse- ment to be had out of novelties, in flowering them, judging them, pro- pagating, exchanging, and making comparative notes ; and, even if a ievf disappointments happen, being able nevertheless to determine the exact point gained in the march of im- provement and obtaining some insight into the probabilities of the future. Experience tells me that, where only moderate quantities of any one variety is required, it is best to pot all cut- tings into thumbs in the first instance, using a good compost for the purpose, and placing the pots in a frame on a bed of cocoa-nut dust, and giving a little shade during mid-day hours. If large quantities are required, then the good old method of inserting the cuttings in the open border and in the full sun is unequalled for quick- ness and certainty, but it increases the work at the potting bench at a time when there is a terrible amount of potting to do ; whereas by putting cuttings in pots at once, they may remain in those pots till spring if needful, or may have one shift to 60's to winter in, and a time of leisure may be chosen for the ope- ration. Another advantage of the potting system is, that in the case of scarce kinds, one joint and its accom- panying leaf suffices to make a yjlant, but when the cuttings are put in the border there must be something more substantial, three or four joints at least, or a little extra drought or sun- shine may reduce them to dust. The way I root little mites of cuttings where there is positively nothing of stem to fix in the soil, is to take a short piece of stick or one of the thin chips that occur in cutting flower sticks ; this I snap gently so as to bend it into the form of the letter V. If the delicate mite of a THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 201 cutting is now pressed gently into a pot filled with a sandy compost and the V is inverted over it, and the ends of the V thrust into the soil, the mite is fixed in its place by a slight grip, and the resemblance of the thing is to the letter A, where the cross mark may be the only leaf of the cutting prevented by the legs of the wedge from rocking either way. But in this propagating busi- ness do not forget the boxes described in the Floral Woeld of 1862, p. 34. They may be made in any quantity of boxes used for packing, and in fact of the waste of the household ; and they are so much superior to pots that those who once take to them never retrace their steps. Having flowered all the new ver- benas of 18(32 and 1803, I will add here that Lord Leicjh beats FoX' hunter, is the grandest scarlet out, and has a fine constitution. Bright Eye is one of the liveliest and pi'ettiest and most profuse blooming verbenas known for bedding pur- poses, the colour clear lake with a sparkling white eye. Rijlenian is a superb scarlety crimson, with bold lemon eye, small flowers, plenty of them, compact dwarf habit. The Colonel is another fine scarlet, with distinct lemon eye, the pip not well formed but the trusses compact, the habit of the plant dwarf, and re- quiring no pegs, and the most profuse bloomer of all the scarlets. I am now making up my notes on these and all such things for the next " Garden Oracle," and hope to have something to say about them also hereafter in these pages. SiiiELEY Hi6bebd, MANETTIA COEDATA AND M. BICOLOR. Most gardeners are acquainted with the lovely crimson nodding flowers of Manettia cordata or grandiflora, sufiiciently beautiful, when well ma- naged, to make it as fine an orna- ment to the stove; as Thunbergia aurantiaca is to the greenhouse. The plant is produced from singular articu- lated tubers ; each joint, on being separated, will form an independent plant ; if these are divided early in February, and the pieces, after being potted, are plunged into a gentle bot- tom-heat, they will almost imme- diately commence growing. One of the strongest, or two or three of the smaller ones, may be selected to form specimens. A large shift suits them best, as from- the fleshy nature of the roots they are liable to damage from frequent repotting. A No. 8-sized pot will be required if a large plant is desired. The wire frame on which it is to be trained should be formed of rather close work, and attention must be paid in the outset to the training, that the plant may be made to fill the bottom WfU before it is allowed to reach the top of the frame. A sunny situation in the stove, or intermediate house, is indispensable ; not that the plant requires a high temperature, but if placed in the shade it grows too luxuriantly to allow of its flowering well, producing a great quantity of stems and leaves, and but few blos- soms. At the close of the season, say the middle or end of September, when the beauty of the plant is leaving it, let it be gradually dried ofi", and the roots may be stowed away for the winter on any dry shelf. Manettia bicolor is of still more robust habit, and it is necessary to begin early in the season with it, as the plant must be well grown before it will flower ; and by this reason it usually attains a greater size than cordata. Its chief superiority consists in the very rich colour of its flowers, the bright yellow and crimson afi"ording a beautiful contrast. Like the latter, mature plants should be dried, or allowed to sink into a state of i-est for the win- ter ; but those who did not obtain their plants till the commencement of summer wiU most likely have them now in full vigour. Such plants will be the better for all the encourage- ment they can have through the win- ter. They should be kept constantly growing, and will thus flower well 202 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. and early in the pprinp^. They have hitherto been chieily proj)agated by cuttings, which readily root under a hand-glass on a little heat. This, too, and for the same reason assigned for cordata, requires a light situation in tlie house, nor is there any material dif- ference in the treatment of either, and both will well repay the trouble be- stowed on them. The soil I find to suit them best is soft open loam and peat with a good proportion of leaf- mould, using a good drainage and sufficient sand in the compost to keep the whole mass free and open for the roots to work in. J. Geeen. THE GAEDEN GUIDE FOE SEPTEMBEE. Now that the season is nearly over, it is well to make a review of plans, stock, and applinnces, witli a view to improvements and economy. While the foliage remains on the trees, errors in planting; may he noted down for remedy, and the best places chosen for all shrubs and trees it is in- tended to plant this fall or next spring. The autumn hues, which increase and deepen as the flowers depart, give quite a peculiar interest and beauty to plantations and shrubberies, and in all arransements in regard to planting, the autumnal efi'ects of contrasted tints of foliage should be con- sidered, and for the next two months, wc have every opportunit}' of observing how much variety, and how many charming efi'ects may be obtained by a judicious as- sortment and {iroiiping of trees and shrubs. In regard to bedding-plants, the most ac- curate estimates may be formed as to the suitableness of the kinds which have been used this season, for suil and climate, and local circumstances, as well, also, as to hlendings and contrastings of colour, and the methods adopted in planting the beds. Where stock is wholly or partially raised at home, the p;ardener should now have a tolerably accurate idea of the varieties and quantities required for next season, that sufficient of each may be secured and ilo more ; for to be burdened with twice or thrice as many geraniums, verl)enas, etc., as are likely to be wanted, is as bad, or, perhaps, worse, than having; too few. Whatever alterations are to be made in garden plans, too, should be definitely de- termined at once, so that the ijround may be trenched up, and deciduous trees got into their quarters before the earth begins to cool, and walks, excavations, etc., made before unfavourable weather begins to in- terfere with such operations. Delay is a more frequent cause of failure in ever}' department of gardening, than all others pat together. Trees planted in spring, never do so well the next season, as those got in in autumn ; rotation crops of all kinds, do better on ground that has been ridged up betimes, and exposed to the autumn rains and winter frosts ; for the delun:ing rains with which our winter usually commences, are as fertilizing as manure, and no time should be lost in trenching over all unoccupied plots, and getting the ground everywhere into order. Kitchen G.vkden. — The winter stock' sown last month, will now be coming for- ward for planting out. Where onions have been cleared off, is generally the best place for cabbages for spring use, because the ground having been well-manured for the onions, is in good heart, and yet, so far re- lieved of manure by the onions, there will be no fear of a rank frrowth, such as will cause the plants to suffer from frost. Plant out, as spaces become vacant, first digging deep, and leaving the surface rough. The planting, however, must be firm, and damp weather should be chosen for it. It is too late now to sow any more winter greens or onions, and if the stock is short, it will be better to get a supply of plants, than waste time and p.atience in sowing. Thin winter spinach to six inches from plant to plant ; thin the rows of lettuce that are to stand the winter : but not severely, because, in the event of severe frosts, the plants pro- tect each other, if somewhat close together ; on the same principle, broccoli and cauliflowers left to risk it in the open ground, should be not more than fifteen inches apart each, and the ground for them should not, at this season, 'be very rich, or they may suffer in severe weather. We generally plant the spring broccoli without manure, and in the spring, as soon as they commence their new growth, give them regular waterings with house sewage, and so secure fine heads ; cabbages we treat the same, so as to avoid the necessity of manure in the autumn, which renders them tender in exposed situations. Earth up celery as the rows require it, in dry weather, but if not well grown, give plenty of liquid manure, and postpone the earth- ing-up till the plants have made good substance. This is the best time to form THE PLOEAL "WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 203 new beds of horse-radish, the crowns to be j placeforplantsthatrequlretobe well roasted planted fifteen inches deep, and six inches I before being housed. Beddin thogalum, Ixia, and Sparaxis force well. middle and six round it, every separate patch to be of a different colour. Cuttings of bedding-plants may still be taken freely, but there should be no delay, or they may not be well rooted before cold weather sets in. This and next month are the best times for striking calceolarias. Take off the young shoots from near the bottom of the stool, and put them pretty close together in five-inch pots, well-drained, and filled up to near the rim with a mixture of peat, loam, and sand, equal parts, and half an inch of piire sand on the surface. China and Narcissus bulbocodium will be useful if kept in ordinarj^ greenhouse temperature for early bloom. Stove. — Plants in free growth must be moderately well ventilated, so as to induce a stocky habit, and prevent the formation of soft, sappy wood, which will probably not ripen well. Eemove shading as much as will be safe, and place subjects that are going to rest in the coolest part of the house. See that all the winter-flowering plants are sufficieuily potted, and any that are pot-bound and must not be checked roses may also be struck now in pots in j by a shift, mulch with shet^p's dung, or the greenhouse, and they do safest under hand-glasses. A second bloom, to last till Christmasj may be obtained from fuchsias, by cutting in the young wood, and giving the plants a little heat to start them afresh. assist by means of liquid manure. Plants with ornamental foliage will be useful now that flowers are scarce. In giving water, take care to avoid a chUl, and in every case see that the drainage is perfect, as Geraniums struck early in the summer, will | there is time now to repair any small mis- no w be coming into bloom, to keep the greenhouse gay all the winter. Greenhouse. — It is most important to have the growth of all hard-wooded plants well ripened while there is plenty of sun- heat. If any subjects requiring to be re- potted have been neglected, there must be no time lost to give them a shift to enable them to make new roots before winter sets in. A border under a south wall is a good chief before winter. As the month ad- vances, let the heat of the house decline, and generally use as little fire-heat as pos- sible, especially where the stock consists chiefly of plants that will be at rest all winter. Great care, however, must be taken that soft-leaved plants do not get affected with mildew. A few tropasoluras struck now will be useful in the stove for winter blooms, and many ordinary garden k2 204i THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. subjects may be turned to account for de- coration by /i'ettinfj yoan<; plants forward, and f^ivini^ them a liberal shift before tak- ing them into the liouse. Amaryllises should be looked over, and a fuw potted, and put in a tan-bed. Oiicnrii) House. — Orchids that have quite finished their growth for the season •will require plenty of air during warm weather, to assist in ripcninr; their pseudo- bulbs, and at the same time less water must be given. But, in such a season as this, the adventurous cultivator will sometimes encourage farther growth by using a high temperature and plenty of moisture, rec- koning upon having time yet to put the plants to rest safely. Many of the Vandas, Saccolabiums, and Dendrobiums will submit to this sortof treatment very cheer- fully, and where there are abundant evi- dences of an inclination to keep growing, it is not at all advisable to check it. Young plants generally are reluctant to cease their growing, and tiiese must Iiave plenty of moisture and continued shading. But tliose that are unmistakeably settling down to rest should no longer be shaded, and there must be a decrease of temperature and of water supply. Established plants of Cattleya, Lycaste, Odontoglossum, and Laelia will, for the most part, require no more stimulus this season, but they must, nevertheless, have light but regular re- freshings from the syringe. Stanhopeas must be looked to, that they do not go too dry, which is very likely to happen if they have not been put into uew baskets this season. Orchids that may he in Bloom in Sep- tcmler. — Aerides suavissimnm ; Angrecum caudatum ; Barkeria melanocaulon, Lind- leyana ; Bletia campanulata ; Bolbophyl- lum sanatorium ; Brassavola acaulis ; Cattleya bicolor, Candida, granulosa, HarrisoniaJ, Harrisonine violacea, Loddi- gesi margiuata, pumila, violacea ; Cypri^ pedium Farrieanum ; Dendrobium Gibsoni, Heyneanum, sanguinolentum ; Dendro- chilum glumaceura ; Epidendruiu phreni- cium, vitellinum majus ; HuntleyaWaile- sia; ; Lirlia elegans Dayii, furfuracea, Per- rini ; Miltonia Candida, Clowesii major, Morelli, Morelli atrorubens, Reynellii; On- cidium bicolor, crispum ; I'eristeria elata, guttata; Phalanopsis amabilis; Fromenjea RoUisonii, stapeloides ; Stanhopea aurea, iusignis, Martiana, oculata, tigrina, tigrina lutescens ; Trichopilia picta ; Vanda Bate- manni, Lowii. Pinery. — Pines growing freely must have the aid of weak manure water, and a moist atmosphere, but the bottom-heat must be brisk if any stimulants are used. Shading may be removed early this month. Guard against forcing small plants into fruit, and to prevent it keep the plants growing by frequently sprinkling the beds and paths of the house. Bottom-heat for pines 84', those ripening to be kept tole- rably dry. Young stock to have air cau- tiously, which is best done when in dung beds by first applying a lining to keep up the heat, which will allow of giving a little air at night. Chrysanthemums may have liquid ma- nure freely now, and plenty of rain water alternately. Cuttings of pomponcs put in now, and rooted quickly on a gentle dung- heat, will make nice little plants to bloom at Christmas in the house. They must not be stopped at all, and have a rich soil to grow in. Siiort cuttings should be taken, so that there will be no necessity to use sticks to support them. Look over all large specimens whether in pots or borders, and tie out securely to make them safe against storms. Strawberries to be forced should now bo strong in pots ; shift them to pots two sizes larger, using a rich firm soil, well rammed in, and after potting keep them close in frames for a week ; then set thera out on coal-ashes, and keep well watered. Violets may be taken up from tlie bor- ders, and potted in a mixture of rotten turf, rotten dung, charred rubbisli, and road sand, equal parts, for early bloom. In taking them up do not break the root more than can be helped, and have good balls to each patch. Shallow pans of seven inches wide suit them better than pots. Put them in a frame, sprinkle and shade, and give very little air for a fortnight ; then let them be exposed to all weathers till the end of October 5 after which give them frame culture. Melo)is must have aid from bottom- heat, or the fruit will drop, and that now ripening will have no flavour. Keep the vines regular and thin, and shut up early. Bulbs. — Offsets of tulips and hyacinths should be planted at once in rich sandy- soil on raised beds. Plant in dry weather, put legible tallies to all the sorts, cover six inches deep, and keep the surface clear of weeds. No time should be lost in securing the stock of bulbs to be purchased this sea- son, as the best are usually picked out first. In purchasing give the preference to hard bulbs, the largest are not always the best, but large bulbs are to be preferred if tho- roughly ripe. Annuals, to bloom early next season, should be sown at once on hard ground, in a dry position ; if elevated above the general level, all the better. The following THE FLOEAL WORLD AXD GARDEN GUIDE. 205 are the best leading sorts to sow now, to be transplanted in March, to bloom in clumps or masses, wliea the bloom will be ranch finer as well as earlier than from sprincr-sown seeds : — CalHopsis, Clarkia, Collinsia, Coiivolvulus minor, Godetia, Escholtzia, Hibiscus. Iberis Kermesina, Jacobea, Larkspur, Lupinus, Neraophila, Nolana, Poppy (dwarf French). Schizan- thiis (dwarf), Sileno rubelhi and armeria, Yiscaria oculata, Venus's Lookins-u'lass. Auriculas mav be increased now from offsets ; if rooted, all tlie better ; if not rooted, put tlicm round the sides of jiots. and they will soon strike. Auriculas not yet repotted must be attended to without delay, to insure new roots before the tem- perature declines. Azaleas and Camellias to be syringed frequently, but not so much watered at the root as during previous montlis. Bulbs to be planted at once, in order to be well-rooted before winter, and the first batch of hyacinths for blooming under glass to be got into pots without a mo- ment's delay. Border Fiants of questionable liardi- ness to be taken up at the end of the month and potted, or at least one or two of a kind to propagate from, and prevent entire loss. Choice Pentstemons, Rudbec- kias, etc, are sometimes cleared off during winter. The potting of one of each will at least insure the saving of the variety. Cinerarias ought now to be strong from rooted offsets, and some will want a shift. Use good compost, moderately sandy, and plenty of drainage. Calceolarias should now be propagated in quantities. A bed in a frame is prefer- able to pans and pots, as they can be lifted out for planting with good balls, and are not so likely to die off as those wintered in pots. Carnations and Picotees, from layers, to be potted off as soon as well-rooted, and cuttings taken at once of all good seedling Diantlius in the borders. Where the pro- pagation of carnations has been delayed, they may be increased by cuttings under bell-glasses, but when raised so late they must not be expected to bloom next season. Celery to be earthed up only when it has grown to its full size. A fortnight is long enough to blanch it, and it grows but little after the earthing. Eases may bo budded on briars till the middle of October, but the earlier the bet- ter. Those entered in July have made good shoots, and should be looked over occasionally for the removal of wild buds below the work. Roses layered now, and left undisturbed till April next, will then be found well-rooted, and may be taken uji and potted forbloom the following autumn. Felanjoviums. — If the weather con- tinues wet, house the plants a little e.arlier than usual, but with air left on night and day for the first week. Ilallyhocl-s to be propagated at once. The shoots that rise at the base of the flower-stem are to be put iu as cuttings round the sides of pots. Vines forced early will now be disposed to break. Let them have a temperature of 55' to 60', not higher, till the leaves are developed. Shade the fruit that is to hang any length of time, and keep a sharp look out for vermin. THE HOLLYHOCK. Let us now offer to the reader a list of the best varieties from two separate points of view : — I. THE BEST HOLLYHOCKS FOR EXHIBITION. Beauty of Walden. — Flowers rosy carmine, colour bright and pleasing, of good shape, and closely sot on a spike of moderate height. Beauty of Waltham. — Flowers deep, rich, peach-blossom, colour full, distinct, and pleasing, petals of great substance and smoothness, closely set together, spike large and handsome. One of the best yet introduced. Excelsior. — Fawn and salmon shaded, or rather intermixed, a large, bold, and well-shapad lljwer and spike. George KeitJi.— 'Flowers rich crimson, very symmetrical. Illuminator. — Scarlety carmine, with fine proportioned flowers, borne on a spike of moderate height. Ill JL'inoriam. — Flowers crimson ma- roon, the richest and best of its colour. Invincible. — Flowers rosy tinted sal- mon, large, smooth, and of exquisite form and habit. Joshua CTrt;;-/l-e. —Brilliant cherry-crim- son colour, and shape good, the flowers well set on the spike. Lord Loughborough. — Deep ruby-crim- son petals of great substance and smooth- ness, one of the best. Lad}/ King. — Flowers bright ruby, very large, petals closely set, spike broad and handsome. 206 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. Lady Diores. — Light rosy salmon, a , full Hower, and a conapact spike. Mrs. Ch'tter. — Lii^lif pink and carmine, a smooth flower and a noble spike. Mrs. MrKenzic. — Flowers almost scar- let, close and compact, spike very tine. Mrs. Cochrane. — Deep rosy crimson, form and spike first rate. AUss Barrett. — Flowers rosy blush, of exquisite form, and well set on the spike. One of the best yet introduced. Mr. Ronke. — Pale primrose, at times almost white, exceedingly beautiful, both iu colour and form. Quite first rate. Plutarch. — Rich plum colour, quite distinct, and certainly the finest of this kind. Princeps. — Purple, very fine. Prince Imperial. — Dark shining mul- berry, new, distinct, and the best of its colour, though not equal to others of dif- ferent colours. Heine Blai/.che. — Pure white, occasion- ally a little rough, but, taken altogether, much the finest of the white hollyhocks. Roni/ Gem. — Soft rose, colour pleasing, spike fine. Shartijrove Perfection. — Peach colour, rosy base, a close well-formed fiower, and good spike. Senator. — Deep crimson, good. Sians-tead Rival. — Rich salmon rose, very large, close, and smooth. One of the finest yet introduced. ir. THE BEST HOLLYHOCKS FOR GARDEN DECORATION. Alderman. — Flowers almost scarlet, large smooth good outline, very showy. Alice. — Primrose, flowers large, spike fine. Annie. — Flowers white, chocolate base. Beauty of Cheshunt. — Flowers light rosy red, very fine. (This, one of my earliest seedlings, maintains its position as one of the bast for garden decoration.) Beaut// of Walden. — Described in List No. 1 ; also one of the best for eft'ect in the garden. Black Knifiht. — Flowers almost black, shining, and the best of the colour. Brunette. — Crimson maroon, compact and good. Empress. — Yellow, fawn, and apricot, smooth and good. Harriet. — Deep mauve, distinct and plea.sing. Homer. — Light rosy red, close, good, and very showy. Hon. Mrs. Ashley. — Lilac peach, fine spike. Lady Middleton. — Rosy crimson, shaded with salmon, very showy. Lord Jocelyn. — Bright cherry colour, large and good. Mrs. Chafer. — Described in List No. 1, good also here. Miss Nightingale. — Primrose, good. Memiion. — Light crimson, one of the finest and most eifective in the flower garden. Pink Noisette. — Pink, fine spike, and very showy. Purple Prince (Roake.) — Large, pur- ple, good colour, and splendid spike. Queen of the Buffs. — Pale bufl', smooth and good. Queen of tlve Whites. — Clear white, a smooth flower, and beautiful spike, superior to Reine Blanche for garden decoration, but not equal to it for exhibition. iZo.se Cdestial. — Delicate rosy peach, exquisite colour, and fine showy spike. Rose Gem. — Described in List No. 1, good also here. Shrubland Gem. — Fine clear yellow. Senator. — Described in List No. 1, good also here. Volcano. — Fiery scarlet, very effective. The varieties in this second list are equal to those in the first list for decora- tion, and can be bought at about one half the cost. William Paul. Iji the " Gardeners' AnnuaU' CULTUEE OF THE HYACINTH. In Glasses. — Choose solid and well- ripened bulbs ; about the first or second week in October fill the glasses with rain- water, then place in the bulbs, so that the base just touches the water ; place the glasses in a warm, dry, dark place, and when the roots are about three inches long, they may be brought to the light. As the foliiige and trusses advance, give them all the lij;ht and air you can ; when they are brought to the light, the glasses should b® filled with water to the base of the bulb ; afterwards fresh water should be given whenever that in the glasses becomes stag- nant ; turn the glasses frequently, to pre- vent ill-shaped plants. Beds or Borders. — Hyacinths will bloom well in any light soil, but to grow them to perfection, a bed should be pre- pared for them ; choose a situation that is THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 207 ■well drained, so that the water may readily- pass away. la August the soil sliould be dug out to the depth of eighteen inches, then fill in with a compost of two parts friable turfy loam, one part decayed leaves, one part rotten cow-dung, with some river sand ; all sliould be well mixed together two or three months before using, and fre- quently turned over, so that the whole may become sweet; in filling the bed, care should be taken to put in plenty, to allow for settling down, keeping the centre two inches higher than the sides ; beds of four or five feet are best ; planting may then be proceeded with. Plant them in rows nine inches apart, and about three inches deep ; a little silver or river sand should be placed beneath each hulb. They will require protection from frost by covering them with old tan or short litter, three inches tliick, which should be taken away before the buibs begin to push, when they may be protected by hoops and mats. — B. S. Williams, Paradise Nursery, Sol- loioay, N., " Catalogue of Bulbs." SEPTEMBER, 1863.— 30 Days. Phases op the Moon. — Last Quarter, 5th, Hi. 9m. mom. ; New, 13th, 4h, 42m. morn.; First Quarter, 20th, Ih, 33m. after. ; Full, 27th, 6h. 2m. morn. Weather near London, 1862. THE COUNTRr. D Sun Sun rises, sets. Moon rises. Moon sets. Rain. M BAROMETBE. IHEEMOIIBTBE. The Garden and the Field. — h. m. h. m. Aft. Morn. Mx. JVIin. Mx. Mn. Me. 1 5 13 6 47 7 58 9 52 3001. ..29-85 69. ..50. ..59-5 -03 Small fleabane 11. 2 5 15 6 45 8 2911 7 29-76... 29-62 73. ..45. ..59-0 -21 Meadow safi'ron fl. 3 5 17 6 42 9 5 After. 29-64. ..29-58 66. ..33. ..49-5 -01 Earben'ies ripe. 4 5 18 6 40 9 47 1 14 29-75. ..29-71 i71...36...53-5 -00 Peaches ripe. 5 5 20 6 38 10 36 2 8 29-79... 29-72 72. ..42. ..57-0 •00 Hawthorn berries ripe. 6 5 21 6 36 11 30 2 55 29-99. ..29-91 67. ..45. ..56-0 -00 Marsh glasswort fl. 1 5 23 6 33 Morn. 3 33 29-99. ..29-97 76. ..39. ..57-5 -00 Common ragwort fl. 8 5 24 6 31 0 31 4 4 30-07... 29-91 76. ..50. ..63-0 -00 Sunflower fl. 9 5 26 6 29 1 32 4 30 30-05... 29-98 77... 51... 64-0 •22 Dog-rose leaves fl. 10|5 28 6 26 2 36 4 54 29-99. ..2988 1 68. ..31. ..49-5 ■01 Creeping water plan- 11 5 29 6 2i 3 42 5 15 3007. ..29-95 72. ..35. ..53-5 -00 tain fl. 12 5 31 6 22 4 49 5 35 30-13. ..29-80 72. ..52. ..62-0 •01 Sycamore leaves dirty 13 5 33 6 20 5 57 5 56 30-05. ..29-91 70. ..54.. .620 -00 brown. 14 5 34 6 17 7 5 6 16 29-77... 29-73 73. ..50.. .61-5 •04 Jointed glasswort fl. 15 5 36 6 15 8 15 6 40 30-04. ..29-93 75. ..50. ..62-5 ■00 Saffron ci'ocus fl. 16 5 37 6 13 9 28 7 7 30-19. ..30-16 71. ..41. ..56-0 •00 Lima leaves turn yellow 17 5 39 6 10 10 40 7 40 30-32.. .30-31 79.. .31. ..55-0 •00 Horse chesnut leaves 18 5 40 6 8 11 49 8 21 30-36... 30-26! 71. ..41. ..56-0 •00 change. 19 5 42 6 6 After. 9 13 30-32. .. 30-23 S 74. ..50. ..620 •00 Acorns fall. 20 5 44 6 3 1 51 10 15 3022. ..30-13 72. ..55. ..63-5 •00 Syringa leaves change. 215 45 6 1 2 39 11 27 30-25... 30-20 62. ..50.. .56-0 •00 Nonesuch trefoil ripe. 22 5 47 5 59 3 19 Morn. 30-19. ..3010 60. ..31. ..45-5 •00 Great burnet ripe. 23 5 49 5 56 3 50 0 45 3007.. .29-96 68. ..46.. .57-0 •00 Wild honeysuckle li. 245 50 5 5i 4 19 2 6 29-92.. .29-79 63. ..51. ..57-0 •16 second time. 25 5 52 5 52 4 43 3 28 29-86... 29-82 68. ..44. ..56-0 •06 Ash leaves lemon coir. 26 5 53 5 50 5 7 4 48 29-86. ..29-83 70.. .52. ..61-0 •05 Ivyfl. 27 5 55 5 47 5 31 6 8 29-88... 29-83 67. ..53. ..60-0 •00 Elm leaves turn orange. 28,5 57 5 45 5 57 7 26 29-88... 29-80 68. ..55. ..61-5 1-44 Cherry leaves tui-n red. 29,5 58 5 43 6 27 8 43 29-78. ..29-67 69. ..53. ..61-0 -36 Sharp-leaved mint fl. 306 0 5 40 7 2 9 54 29-81, ..29-77 73.. .37.. .55-0 •04 Bur marigold fl. Pkobable Weather ik September. — ^Fine till the 25tb. ; then changeable ; end of the month wet. Wind generally S.W. to N.W. 20S TO CORRESPONDENTS. Cataloguks Ricceived. — "William Cut- busli and Soil, tlie Nurseries, Higligate. Descriptive Catalogue of Bulbous Roots imported from Haarlem, etc." This is an excellent list, got up with the greatest care, containing none but first-rate sorts. At the beginning of the pamphlet there are excellent directions for general cul- ture and management, with plain in- structions for selecting bulbs.—" Nut- ting and Sons, GO, Barbican, London. Wholesale Catalogue of Bulbous Roots." This catalogue is printed on a sheet, and contains a great number of varieties at reasonable rates.—" R. F. Darby, Seeds- man, Cirencester. Catalogue of Bulbous Roots." — "J. D. and H. Christie, Nur- serymen, Leatherhead. Catalogue of Bulbous Roots.'' — "Robert Porter, Seeds- man and Florist, Market Cross, Oswestry, and at Whittington. Catalogue of Bul- bous Roots." — "William Paul, Nur- series and Seed Warehouse, Walthain Ci'oss, N. Select list of Hyacinths, Early Tulips, Gladioli, and other bulbs." An admirable catalogue, containing all the best bulbs in cultivation. — " E. G. Henderson and Son, Nurserymen to Her Majesty the Queen, Wellington Road, St. John's Wood. List of Bulbs and other Flower Roots." This is a closely- printed catalogue of 52 pages, which, besides containing an extensive as- sortment of the various kinds of bul- bous loots, has some good practical remarks on the general management of bulbs, with general directions as to the arrangement of each species in beds, according to their colour, height, etc. New Garden Journal. — Wc have re- ceived the new number of the West of England Horticultural Magazine, which is a neatly got up monthly periodical of some pretensions to excellence, and has several original articles on the cultiva- tion of florists' flowers, reports of flower- shows, calendar of operations, etc. Tiie remarks upon the manner of exhibiting wild flowers at our local shows are worthy the serious attention of those ■who have the getting up of schedules, as there is certainly plenty of room for improvement in that particular. It bids fair to be a journal which will do its duty, and supply a want in that part of the countiy for which it is designed. Grapes Cracking. — I have a vine in my house (Coe's Golden Drop) which bears abundantly every year, but for several years past many of the berries split asunder just as they are ripening. Can you suggest the cause and a remedy f No other vine in the house is similarly aff'ected. — A Subscriber. [We do not know a grape so named, and therefore cannot say if the variety requires pecu- liar treatment. But it may be said generally that cracking is caused by some distress of the roots. Two or three lieavy soukings of the border with strong tepid liquid manure while the berries are swelling, will probably prevent it ; that is, if tlie border is all right as to materials and drainage. Cracked and mildewed berries abound everywhere this season, the result probably of the roots getting too dry when the plant is making great demands on them.] Protecting Expo.sed Flower-pots. — The article about protecting the outside of flower-pots with moss has been tried, and found most efl'ectual. One pot placed within another has been exposed to the blazingsun,and the moisture of the inner pot has very successfully withstood the heat. Sucli exposure has been, of course, mostlv for experiment sake. — M. B. G. Propagation of Roses. — G. U'. F. II. — To strike hybrid perpetuals in the open ground is not a diliicult though an uncer- tain method. The way to do it is to prepare a sheltered border with a dress- ing of leaf-mould and sharp sand, equal parts, and raise it a foot above the level. Tread this firm, and let it slope away to carry off water quickly. On the 1st of October take ripe cuttings and cut them in lengths of six inches, removing all the soft, sappy tops of the slioots. Take ofi' as many leaves as will make three inches of the cuttings bare at tiie bottom, and cut the base of each by a clean cut close under the bottom joint. Now put these in the ground, three inches deep, in rows a loot apart, and the cuttings four inches apart in the rows, and tread them Arm. If the weather is bright and dry sprinkle them with water every morning, and keep shaded, but do not water the bed, as if only moderately damp that will suflice. As there is generally a copious deposit of dew at night, the cuttings will pro- THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 209 bably want but little water, and should only Jiave enough to keep them fresh. Many of them will root, and in March begin to grow ; many will rot during the winter. If a hard winter follows they may be saved by covering with frames or canvas. Where frames are at hand, and a gentle hot-bed can be made U[>, the same method of making the cuttings may be adopted, but the bed sliould consist of equal parts loam, leaf- mould, and sharp sand, and be six inches deep over the fermenting material. They must be kept in the frames all the win- ter, and have air during fine weather. In cocoa-nut waste roses root quickly, but as soon as possible should be potted off, and put in the greenhouse or a pit, and the stuff for the first potting should have a considerable proportion of leaf- mould and sand in it. Tlie plan you pro- pose will answer very well if the soil is thoroughly drained ; the reason we ad- vise raising the bed is to secure the cut- tings a dry position all winter. New Garden. — W. B. W. — To furnish you with a plan in these pages is simply impossible. It might occupy hours, per- Ijaps days, and nnless we visited the ground, and made measurements in our own way, the plan would be a mere fancy. We undertake to advise on laying out and improving gardens, but we have never used these pages to fur- ther our own interests ; we despise the system of converting a periodical into a shop. We can now give you these gene- ral hints. Get all earth-work done as speedily as possible, so as to plant this present autumn. On the upper part of the ground pipes of two-inch bore will do, and the trenches had best be filled a foot deep over the pipes with chalk. Tlie cross drains at b, and all the drains in the lower levels had best be four inches diameter, and the outlet drain to carry the water to the dilch six inches. The hill, marked h, appears to us to in- terrupt the view. If so remove it, and use tiie stuff for raising the ground marked out for fruit, which appears to be very low ; some of it will come in for the lawn, which, being large, had best be in gentle undulations towards the sides, but a dead level across from the house towards b, c, where you mark the view, to be good. If j'oii can push the work on to begin planting at the end of this month, get in all the evergreens first, and by the time they are planted you may proceed with the trees. With- out seeing the soil we cannot speak posi- tively about American_plants, but gene- rally an old turf on a yellow loam will make a first-rate staple for rhododen- drons if stripped off in a thin slice with the pick. Every scrap of turf should be saved for some purpose ; that which is not wanted for American beds should be stacked up for potting. The clay taken out in making the walks will do for the walks again if burnt, and the best fuel to burn it witli is small coal ; one ton vv^ill burn fifteen yards of clay, "Profitable Gardening" contain! some pi-actical suggestions on the formation and improvement of gardens, and in the "Town Garden" the same subject is treated in respect to ornam-'utal features. By the way, the " Town Garden" is as well adapted to the wants of country gardeners as those in London, so far as concerns its cultural directions and ad- vices on earth-work, etc. Rose Fence. — Constant Suhscrihcr. — Bru- tus, now called Brennus, would not an- swer at all for your rose fence " to bo in flower and perfect immediately." You had best have common China, of at least three years old, and plant them in November next ; on your rocky soil that would do better than any hybrid per- petual ; otherwise Jules Margottin or Charles Duval would be grander, and of rapid growth. In reply to 3, we recom- mend you to get up a stock of the little blue heartsease ; it makes a charming ribbon line; many of the self and co- loured pansies to be obtained at the nurseries make nice ribbons, and any lady gardener could manage them. The pea you saw at Alexandria is Lord Anson's pea. The Iris, found at Mem- phis, may be Xiphium, or one of its varieties, but we cannot determine cer- tainly from your description. Tlie Cistus found on Anti -Lebanon was albidus. All these plants are procurable at English nurseries. PiANTiNtf OUT Beddeks. — Will you in- form me how far apart bedding gera- ;iiums should be planted ; also verbenas, petunias, supposing quantity of plants to be unlimited, etc. ; also, how petunias answer as bedders, and whether the single or double varieties flower most freely; also the names of a few of tlie most suitable, and the name of the best horse-shoe geranium. — A., Shef- field. [We might reasonably make an article on these questions, but we will endeavour to reply briefly. In the first place, then, no general rule can be given for the distances of bedders : even the masters of the art occasionally make mistakes. As, for example, at Victoria ,210 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. Park, where the bedding is generally superb, this season there is a ribbon v.'ith centre rov,' of verbena Purple King, and variegated alyssum on each side of it, and the verbena is not solid even now, through being planted too thin. The reason why no general rules can be given is because in different soils, and in wet and dry seasons, the same varieties grow differently : again, in the same soil, and the same season, different varieties grow differently. While this question was before us we went into the garden, and measured one of cur average plants of Tom Thumb, and the measurement is twenty inches across ; hence to have Tom Thumb solid by September, it sliould be about twenty inches apart every way. But we have Queen geraniums nearly three feet across, and verbenas of which a single plant covers a square yard. Generally, verbenas and petunias of ave- rage habit should be fifteen inches apart, and dwarf geraniums eighteen inches, but if put out late and small, and in a poor soil, they should be considerably closer. Of geraniums the best bedders are At- traction, Eclipse, Queen, and Cottage Maid, the last-named is at present tlie best of the horse-shoes, but a still better will he published next spring. Of ver- benas Lord Leigh is the best scarlet, Suowtlake the best white. Purple King " the best purple. Of petunias Magnum Bonum has no equal as a bedder, next to that Shrubland Rose, and the Queen. Double petunias are generally not good bedders, though, when grown in pots, they bloom more finely in the open air than under glass; we use Eliza Mat- thew, one of the noblest double petunias, as a bedder, and this season it has been grand ; but in such a season as 1860 no petunia of any kind is worth the ground it occupies. TBOP.EOLUMS.— i?. A. TF.— The dwarf nas- turtiums are capital bedders, but they are coarse, and best adapted for public gardens where the patterns are worked out on a large scale. The proper way to do them is to sow the seed in April in boxes: then pot them and let them show bloom, and then sort them out and plant in masses only those that come true. If planted out before they show bloom, those that come false spoil the affair. "We grew this season all the varieties sent out by the dealers, and, with the exception of Pearl, described as silvery white, and in reality a mise- rable flower of a pale straw, they were all remarkably good, the dark crimson and Crystal Palace Gem particularly so. They are the cheapest of all the showy bedders known, and invaluable to people who are not blessed with unlimited fortunes. Vakiegatep Plants. — Simcoe. — We can quite understand your case, for in our strong loamy soil very few variegated plants keep true for any length of time, and the only way we can keep them is to prepare the places they are planted in by taking out the soil and introducing mixtures of chalk, worn-out peat, and the sittings of the sweepings of gravel- walks. In such mixtures, such lovely things as the variegated lue, strawberry, epilobium, etc., keep as true as in pots. If you are fond of such things, keep duplicates of all ynur plants in pots. Various. — M. B. G. — Lastrea rigida. — A. A. M. — 1, Cystopteris fragilis an.sus- tata, and the best form of it; 2, C. f. dentata; 3, C. f. angustata in another form, the pinnules very i-egularly in- cised; 4, C. f., the species in its normal condition. On a good south wall sem- pervirens rose Grevillea will be a fine thing, if you like to wait some years for it to grow to a size for effect and bloom. You do not say what height you wish to carry it; if not more than twelve or fifteen feet, H. P. Jules Mar- gottin will be grand if planted in a deep rich loamy border. Otherwise, choose Felicite Perpetuelle or common Boursault. Tlie following English ferns of evergreen habit are suitable for a Wardian case: — Scolopendiums in va- riety, Polystichum aculeatum, lobatum and augulare, Asplenium marinum, A. adiantum nigrum, A. viride, A. tricho- manes, Adiantum capillus-veneris. The last named may be kept pretty close ; the others will require moderate venti- lation.— W. S. B. — The common and the tree mignonette are one and the same thing, Reseda odorata; it is cul- tivation alone that makes the difference. You allowed your melons to set too many fruit; you should have been con- tent with half a dozen on each plant. — W. M. — ^We should certainly object to showing Sehiginella Wiidenovii as a fern ; in the first place because it is not a fern, and secondly because in all well arranged schedules which include fine foliage plants there are classes for Lycopodiums. — P. M. ^.— Most of the ornamental gourds are eatable, and, when any doubt exists, it may be settled by tasting a slice, for the unwholesome kinds are in- variably bitter. In most of the seeds- men's catalogues particulars are given as to the uses of the various kijids. 'IRE QthUWE^i gyiDE. CULTITEE or CYCLAMEN. OCTOBEE, 1863. 1^ S the days contract and the sunshine falls more slantingly, and ijR t/K ^^^^ mornings become mist}-, and the nights grow cold, ^^ "l^-kTAj-^ ^^ perceive, more clearly than at any other period Vri -)/^ of the year, how complete is the succession of 'V^f^V labours and pleasures connected with a garden. It is in the autumn that we are best fitted to reflect on the relationships of the past, the present, and the future in the mind, for it is in the mind alone that the past, present, and future become entities. During the summer, the present almost wholly absorbs us, and we yield to the enchantments of the sensuous. During winter the past claims special sympathy, and we find new life and thought in the "^ storehouse of memory. "When spring has fairly opened, hope tells her flattering tale. The shadows are shortening, and amid many joys and some few miseries peciiliar to the time, we liv^e for the future, and our thoughts are chiefly of the coming summer, and the signs of its swift approach that already appear. Now, as the trees let fall their fiery leaves, and the rain occasionally lashes the pane and swells the water-courses, memory is full of the pictures of summer, anticipation is awakened for the greetings and meet- ings of Christmas ; the out-door world is still enjoyable, for the black- berries are in their prime, the woods are in their richest colours, and for days together, when the sun shines brightly, summer seems still to lino-er with us. Yet we are constantly turning from remembrances of pleasure, and from pleasures that continue, to cast our thoughts forward throu^-h the night of the winter to the morning of the new spring, and by the flowers that linger yet, taking comfort that spring will bring us plenty. So in autumn, of all other seasons, the mind is best pi-epared to compare the values of its several sensations as resulting from the contemplation of the past, the present, and the future. Nature is ready to assist iu this combination, for she gives us now glimpses of all the months. We have glimmerings of fresh green beside auburn leaves and leafless boughs, and the skies favour us with sunshine, wind, rain, warmth, frost, and all the varieties of weather that mark successively the round of the year. The gardener's work is strictly iu harmony with the mood of the yOL. VI. KO. X. L 212 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. thoughtful mind at this season. He is housing his tender plants for the winter. He is resorting to various shifts to keep garden and greenhouse as gay as possible, and he is procuring, potting, planting, etc., all sorts of bulbs, corres, tubers, and roots for a grand exhibition of sjDring flowers. "Whosoever is not doing this, must submit to be told that they have scarcely vet began gardening. There may be always said so much as this for s])ring flowers, that by universal consent they are the most pre- cious of ail that the year produces, and if they are to be weighed in the balance against summer bedders, will cause the last to kick the beam in. respect of every possible feature of intellectual interest, sentiment, and individual beauty. We select from the lovely .Erythroniums, Primulas^ Doronicums, and the rest of the spring flowers, one which might claim pre-eminence for beauty if it did not happen also to be one of the most modest, and shall endeavour to carry the thoughts of our readers forward by proposing the more extensive cultivation of the Cyclamen as a task admirably adapted to the range of practice and means of the majority of amateur cultivators, and as one of the best of all plants known for the entertainment of lady gardeners. If the enthusiasm for bedding plants would only leave its victims an hour of leisure, and a spare corner of the brain for a thought about spring flowers, we should see as many cyclamens as geraniums in all private gardens, the hai'dy kinds showing their bloom in the borders in the first flush of the spring, and the tender Ivinds filling stages and shelves in the greenhouse, and giving a coup de grace to the dinner-table and drawing-room window ; for a few flowering cyclamens beside one during a deluge in rebruary or a howling March wind, enable us to antedate the summer when it is yet very far oif, and experience some of the warmth and fragrancy already in oiu* plants. What a matchless grace is there in the cyclamen, its deep green shining leaves like a cluster of lairy shields, its delicately-tinted and deliciously odorous flowers elegantly poised on their slender stems, like banners and beacons for Puck and his playmates, the wonder is that it has not some such place in story and song as the violet, the rose, and the primula ; and indeed it would have had a first place, had Nature but have sprinkled its blossoms on our j)lains as she has sprinkled them among the slopes of the Alps and Pyrenees, and among the woods and wastes of Georgia and Cyprus. Indeed, we can almost claim Cyclamen hedermfoliiim, the Ivy-leaved Sow- bread, as a native, for it is said to be found growing wild in some Welsh localities, and in Deakin's " Florigraphia," habitats are assigned it at Bramfield, Sufi"oik ; Sandhurst Green, and Goudhurst, Kent. J)r. Deakin says of this species : — " It is frequent in the woods and shady places in various parts of Italy ; and so profuse in some districts about Pisa, as to give the surface of the grou.nd an apparent clothing, at a distance, of a delicate pink tissue." Species of Cyclamen'. — The Cyclamen takes its name from the Greek kukA,os, "a circle," probably from the circles formed by the spiral pedun- cles. In the natural system, it is classed with the Prlmulacecs, and is only distinguished from the true primulas by its peculiar outlines and the coiling of the peduncle, its formation being precisely the same, the sta- mens being attached to the lobes of the corolla, instead of being alternate to them, as in most other plants, and the capsule being only one-celled.. The species may be classed as hardy and tender. The hardy kinds are C. coum, C. JEurojpcBum, C. Jiedercefolium, C. ibericum, G. latifolium, C- THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 213 linearifolium, G. Uttorale, G. Neapolitanim, and G. vernum. The tender species are G. Fersicum and G. repandum. Culture of Hardy CrcLAiiEif. — It would be a folly to deal with hardy cyclamens as we deal with most other hardy spring flowers, because if exposed to all the rigours of the early season at which they bloom, nothing but disappointment is to be expected. Hardy c5-clamens must not be committed to a common garden border in the same way as we plant tufts of daisy and arabis, and, except in warm localities, where the soil is peaty, the border must be specially prepared for them. Those who grow Ixias, Sparaxis, and other of the nearly hardy Cape bulbs, out of doors, are in just the proper position to do justice to hardy cyclamens. A border facing south, sheltered wath a back wall or greenhouse, or enjoying some of the surplus warmth from a stove or furnace, and con- sisting chiefly of peat and leaf-mould, on a warm and well- drained sub- soil, is the place for Cyclamens, Tritonias, Ixias, the hardy Amaryllises, Alstra^merias, and myriads of the choicest flowering plants known, which need not so much the help of artificial heat as moderate protection against the scathing blasts and perishing sleets of our springs. In such a border in some parts of the south-western counties, all the species of cyclamen could be grown, but anywhere the so-called hardy kinds might be culti- vated with the certainty of success. We can promise to any of our readers who will, during this present October, make up a border for plants of the land just namerl, an amount of enjoyment far surpassing all that they have ever derived from the pursuit of gardening according to the established routine of making a grand summer display, and devoting every possible energy to the development of the bedding system. But as we cannot now pursue this subject, we will just state that, if the position is well drained and sheltered, all that hardy cyclamens require is a mixture of turfy peat, leaf-mould, and silky yellow loam, equal parts. This must be a foot to eighteen inches deep, and when the bulbs are planted, the bed should be covered with two inches of dung, rotted to powder. The season for planting is October, and every succeeding October the bulbs should be taken up and replanted, otherwise the flowers get fewer and poorer eveiy year. In planting, use silver-sand in contact with the bulb, and press the bulbs of G. coum an inch below the surface. The others press in slightly, in the way in which onions are planted. The bed should be covered during winter with four inches of tanner's bark, as a protection against frost. Culture of Greenhouse Ctclamens. — The usual method of culture is to pot the bulbs in autumn in successional batches, so as to insure a successional and long-continued bloom. The same soil as recommended for border culture answers for plants in pots, if a fifth part of silver-sand is added to the bulk. The first potting of strong bulbs should be in small pots. "When this is accomplished, place the pots containing the bulbs in a frame, and give them very little water. As soon as they begin to grow freely, increase the supply of water, but always be moderate with it, and as soon aa the pots are full of roots shift to the next size, and use plenty of drainage. We find that we can grow very handsome specimens in 54- sized pots, but large old bulbs will readily fill 48 or 32-size. Whether in greenhouse or frame, the plants must have air as often as possible, but be kept quite secure from frost, and as soon as they show for bloom let them have plenty of water. As soon as the bloom is over, set them out of 214 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. doors in a slieltcrcd and somewhat shady place, and give water moderately, keeping them almost dry for three or four weeks, yet not so dry as to hasten the decay of the leaves. We have used them in groups for the margins of beds for the sake of their richly-tinted and elegantly- formed leaves, during the early part of the summer, and very effective they have proved themselves as a relief to masses of rich colour. Gather the seed when ripe, and as soon as the leaves begin to decay give no more water. When the leaves have entirely withered, store away in a dry place the pots containing the bulbs, and so let them remain in the pots until required again for potting. Sometimes there is a little tendency in the bulbs to form new leaves, and continue growing very late in the season. This is usually the result of having too much water, as may happen in a wet season through the plants being always out in the rain. We cure this by a very simple method ; we place the plants on the top shelf of a greenhouse, and there keep them tolerably dry, and so secure perfect ripening of the bulbs. Seedling Cyclamens. — As with most other plants there are two ways of raising stock, namely, by seeds and cuttings. But we cannot devote a paragraph to the propagation by cuttings, because the method is too diffi- cult for the majority of amateurs to attempt, and too precarious to be likely ever to pay the expertest of practitioners. Nevertheless, we must ever keep in mind that division of the corm or bulb is a possible method of propagating, because should there ever be discovered a means of making that method more certain, the varieties could be more certainly perpetuated, and it might be possible to distribute those few varieties with variegated leaves which are, and have long been, in the sole possession of some half dozen cultivators. The sowing of seeds is the only method available for ordinary ptirposes, and to raise plants in tliis way is a very simple affair. Some time in February till some large pans with peat and peatdust, press it firm and water with boiling water, and put aside to drain. The next day strew over the surface about an inch depth of the dust of peat and silver-sand mixed together, equal quantities of each. Sow the seed thinly on this surface, and cover with the same mixture of peat and sand, about a quarter of an inch deep. Place these pans in a frame and shut them close. Look at them occasionally, and if they get drj' moisten them by gently dipping in a vessel of Avater, which will not displace the seed, whereas the use of a watering pot might wash it out. In the course of time the seedlings will appear, and will grow mightily if kept freely aired and moderately moist. About the middle of May place them all, except the seedlings of Persicum, out of doors in a shady place, and all the attention they will require will be to keep them free from weeds, and to give water occasionally. By the next October they will have formed nice little bulbs. Do not shift them, but let them remain in the pans, in frame or greenhouse, till March or April, when they will be a year old. Take them out carefully, and pot separately in thumb- pots, using the same soil as recommended before for potting, and filling in next the bulbs with the sandy mixture advised for covering the seed. Place these pots on a gentle dung-heat, and give the roots afresh start, and as soon as the pots are full of roots, shift to 60-sized ; keep them in the frames, give air and water moderately, and in the course of June prepare them for resting by withholding water, and when the leaves are dead store away in the pots as before described. In the October following repot them, and they THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 215 will flower the next winter or spring. There is a much quicker method of raising a stock of flowering bulbs of C. Persicum, and that is to sow the seed as soon as ripe, and to keep the plants growing all the winter in the stove, by which process they form fine large bulbs by May of the fol- lowing year, when they may be dried off and ripened, and will all flower the next spring. As to the selection of species and varieties, it is so true that all are beautiful, that we advise the lovers of these plants to secure as many species and varieties as possible. The most useful species are Persicum, coum, hedercefolium, and Earopcemn. Of Persicum there are many varieties, some very fragrant, others but slightly so, and for colours, the most distinct are alhiflorum, white ; lilaceum, lilac and white ; and odoratum, red and white. NOTES ON NEW PLANTS. ClEKODENDEON TnOMSONiE. — In the third volume of the Floral WoELD, p. 130, we gave an account of the interesting Clerodendron cruen- tum, which was then but lately intro- duced into this country by Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea and Exeter. We have now to introduce to our readers' notice another very beauti- ful species, to which the name of Thomsons) has been given. It was discovered by Mr. Barter, a botanist, and some dried specimens were preserved in the Her- barium at Kew ; but it was subsequently discovered growing in abundance on the borders of Old Cala- bar, by Mr. Thompson, who had the good fortune to in- troduce living specimens into Europe. It was first bloomed in the Botanical Garden of Edinburgh, in 1862, in a stove, where it made a superb effect by means of its numerous bun- dles of lively flowers, the calyces being as white as snow, and the corollas a bright crimson. It will either twine its long arms round another plant, or grow recum- bent upon the ground. It requires shade in a warm greenhouse, where it will grow to a considerable height, but looks best trained in the form of a pyramid. The soil should be rich and friable ; it requires frequent syringing both above and below the leaves, to keep it free from parasitical insect enemies ; and may be easily in- creased by cuttings. CLTSRODKirDROK THOMSONiR. Viola aeboeea brandtana. — The genus Viola has for its type Viola odorata, which is found abun- dantly throughout Europe, advancing even very far northward, and spread- ing itself in shady places where it is a 2]6 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. little damp, in forests, woods, beneath hed^^es, etc. It is one of the first plants which by its flowers gives no- tice of the approach of spring, and it frequently Uuwers again during the autumn. It hiiS for sisters about fifty- fire species, which are generally found in the temperate parts of the two Lemisplieres, and a very few in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Africa, Oriental Asia, and the i.dands of tlie Indian and Australian Archi- pelagos. It is one of the most na- VIOLA AEBOBBA, var. BHAITIIXAlfA. tural genera of the system, and every one recognizes the species at a glance, even tliose the most diverse. All are herbaceous, annual or perennial, but very rarely shrubby. The one we at present introduce to the reader has nothing in common with the Viola arhorea, and arhorescens of botanists ; and its arborescent state depends upon the means employed in its culture; that is to say, in suppressing carefully all the stolons or runners, and leaving only the centre one. This variety very much resembles the Violetie Brunean,vi\i\\ flowers full and equally streaked ; but in the latter it is only the interior petals which are striped. It must be grown in light dry soil, and every runner and lateral shoot carefully picked off, unless wanted for multiplication. Serissa fcetida var. roLiis AUREo-MARGiNATis. — Ea3mpfer is the real discoverer of this plant, he hav- ing met with it in his travels in Japan, during 1690—92. He is the first author who mentions it, but we do not know who first introduced it into Europe. It is certain that it was at one time culti- vated in the gardens of Cels, at Paris, for Alton, in his " Hortus Kewensis," says it was introduced in 1787 under the name of Lycium Japoni- cum. This fact is confirmed by Curtis, who mentions it in a note. But even before this period it was cultivated in Paris in the Jardin des Plantes, under the name of Spermacoce fruticosa, or of JLysium fatidum, as indicated by Jussieu. Eut although it has had so many names be- stowed upon it, the one which it now rejoices in does not appear to be very ap- propriate, for although seve- ral authors have declared it to have a foetid smell, M. Chas. Lemaire, the editor of " L'lllustration Horticole," declares that after having examined several cultivated specimens, he was unable to detect it. The variety, foliis aurea-marginatis, is a small bush of very elegant habit, its pretty little leaves margined with gold, while its flowers are of a pure white, and are produced two and two on the extremi- ties of all the ramifications. It is a great acquisition and very decorative. It requires only ordinary greenhouse treatment. Alocasia Lowii. — This was dis- covered by Mr Hugh Low, in Borneo, and sent by him to the Clapton Nur- sery, under the name of Caladium Lowii. It flowered in a stove during the month of January last, and was THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 217 then discovered to be an Alocasia. It is one of the most desirable of the recent acquisitions, and has made a great sensation in the botanical world. Since the appearance of Alocasia metallica, there has been nothing in- troduced with such strikingly beauti- ful foliage. The leaves are of a fine bronze green on the xipper surface. nity. The principal part of the spike is close and brush-like. It will grow in any ordinary garden soil, but it never produces seed; and must, therefore, be propagated by divi- sion. Hebeclinium Mackophylltjm. — This plant is said to be much used for out-of-door decoration on the Con- and of a deep rich crimson purple i tinent, but it haa not yet been ascer- beneath, while the ribs are of a pure irory white, rt^ndering the plant a most conspicu- ous and beautiful object, so that it will become an essential in every collection of stove plants. It requires no parti- cular care, as the ordinary treatment of Caladiums will suit it. COCCOLABA TLATYCLADA. — One of the most remarkable ot recent introductions. It was discovered by Mr. Milne, during Captain Denham's voyage of H. M. S. " Herald" at Wanderer Bay, Solomon's Islands. We cannot but re- gard it as one of the most intei'esting and valuable addi- tions to our gardens, and one which will speedily become a great favourite. Throughout the year it is covered with innumerable blossoms, which are generally interspersed with bright red, and finally dark purple berries, so that, by always having either flowers or fruit upon it, it reminds us forcibly of the orange tree, although it by no means resembles it in appearance. It is of easy culture, and may be easily increased by cuttings. Delphinium Alopecueoides. — A double Larkspur, and a desirable ad- dition to our girden beauties. It ■was raised by Mr. Wheeler, of War- minster, and is quite hardy, bearing our most severe winters with impu- SEEISSA FCETIDA, VOV. F0LII3 AUEEO-MAEGINATIS. tained whether it can be applied to similar purposes in this country. If it proves hardy enough for a " bedder" it will be found a great acquisition, as it is remarkable tor its gigantic cor- date green leaves, and its large corymbs of reddish-lilac Ageratum- like liower heads. It is a native of Mexico, and was first exhibited in this country by Messrs. A. Hender- son and Co. PLOWER SHOWS OF SEPTEMBEE. Crystal Palace, Septembee Ist and 2nd. — This was an excellent show in every respect, and attracted a vast number of visitors. The tables con- taining the cut flowers and fruit were arranged along the centre of the nave, and extended nearly the whole length of the building. The fruit was in 218 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. tlie greatest abundance and perfection, the judges declaring it to be the finest show of fruit ever seen in the Crystal Palace. There were several bunches of grapes, both of black and white varieties, weighing upwards of five pounds each, plenty of peaches which weighed half-a-pound, fine figs just ripened to the bursting point, excelleut pines, melons, nectarines, apricots, cherries, etc. ; the latter especially being in good condition. Dahlias were not quite so nume- rous as usual, but were very fine. The nurserymen's flowers were larger and better than those shown by ama- teurs ; Mr. Charles Turner, of Slough, earning the principal honours with admirable collections of flowers ; his stand of 48 were all of them fine blooms, a very even lot, several being absolutely perfection. The varieties were: — Charlotte Dorling, Lord Derby, Mrs. Henshaw, Andrew Dodds, Norfolk Hero, Earl Shaftes- bury, Mrs. W. Pigott, George Elliot, Peri, Sidney Herbert, Mirfield Beauty, Mr. Stocken, Criterion, Hush Miller, Donald Beaton, Madge "Wildfire, Midnight, Count Cavour, Beauty of Hilperton, Mrs. Trotter, Bob Kidley, Umpire, Lord Cardigan, Dinorah, Lord Dundreary, Delicata, Tiger, Cygnet, Una, Seedling, Lord Eversley, Seedling No. 1, Etonia, Caractacus, British Triumph, Model, Volunteer, Mrs. Pressley, Juno, Chieftain, Grand Master, Mrs. H. Vyse, Triomphe de Pecq, Seedling Gen. Jackson, Mauve Queen, Lord Palmers ton, and Lady Pophara; second, Mr. J. Kevnes, Salisbury ; third. Mr. J. Cattell,Westerham ; fourth, Mr. J. Walker, Thame, Oxfordshire. In the class for 24 Mr. Turner was again first, and Mr. Keynes second ; third, Messrs. Saltmarsh and Son, Chelmsford ; fourth, Mr. J. Walker ; fifth, Mr. H. Legge, Edmonton; sixth, Mr. Thos. Barnes, Stowmar- ket. Mr. Turner was first for 12 fan- cies with Pluto. Queen Mab, Harle- quin, Lady Paxton, Zebra, Hcv. Josh. Dix, Summertide, Mrs. C. Kean, Garibaldi, Countess Shel- bourne, Pauline, and Fairy Queen ; second, Mr. J. Keynes ; third, Mr. H. Lesrsre. In the amateurs' class for 24, Mr. H. Thorncycroft, Floore, near Weedon, was first with a fine col- lection ; the most striking of them being Volunteer, Peri, Vestal, Mrs. W. Pigott, Juno, John Dory, and Mrs. Church; second, Mr. J. Slad- den, Ash, near Sandwich ; third, Rev. C. Fellowes, Shottesham Eectory, Norwich ; fourth, Mr. C. J. Perry, the Cedars, Castle Bromwich. Mr. Thorneycroft was again first for 12, all of which were fine ; they were Lord Derby, Admiral Dundas, Cri- terion, Hui;h Miller, Volunteer, Beauty of Hilperton, Chairman, Lord Palmerston, British Triumph, Lady Popham, Juno, and Geo. Elliot ; second, Mr. Charlton, near Leicester ; third, Mr. J. Sladden ; fourth, Mr. J. Wakeman. Eltham Park, Kent. The Ilev. C. Fellowes was first for 12 fancies, which were nicely done ; they were the Flirt, Pauline, Queen Mab, Seedling (light pink with dark stripes). Fancy Queen, Seedling (bright crimson, white tipped, fine colour, but rather coarse). Seedling (primrose, with crimson splashes) ; second, Mr. J. Sladden ; third, Mr. C. J. Perrv. New DaJdias. — By Mr. George Wheeler, nurseryman, Warminster : Mrs. Wheeler, a medium-sized, pretty flower, white tipped with mauve ; second-class certificate. By Mr. J. S. Burgess : Chelsea Hero, a flower which improves by looking at, of a curious colour, purplish- tawny, with mauve centre ; second- class. By Mr. H. Legge : first-clasa certificate for Nonsuch, a fine flower of a brownish-bufF colour, the under side of the florets being tinged with crimson ; second-class certificate for Fancy Boy, a pretty little light brown flower, splashed with dark crimson ; also for Enchantress, ground colour light brownish-yellow, tipped with a beautiful purplish-lake. By Mr. J. Keynes : first-class certificates for Anna Keynes, a great beauty, large, white, tipped with lilac ; Fanny Purchase, medium size, bright sul- phur-yellow, good ; Edward Pur- chase, rather darker than Bob Ridley; Samuel Bartlett, bright lilac, striped with dark crimson ; Polly Fawcett, there were three flowers shown, all THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 219 different in colour, yellowlsli-brown suffused with criinfiou, white tipped. Second-class certificates for Fasci- nation, piak "jroiuid, crimson stripes, thin ; John Wyatt, fine dark purplish- crimson ; Rogularity, very irregular markinijis, white, striped with dark and lii^ht purple. Gladioli were in considerable numbers, but were hardly so nume- rous as in previous years. Mr. J. Standish was first for 21 cut spikes, •with extra large flowers with broad segments ; the finest were Mrs. Dix, Edith Dombrain, Queen Victoria, Scottish Chief, Empress Eugenie, Carnata, the Dxuphin. Umpire, Kowena. Mr. Peach, and Lady Stam- ford. Messrs. Youell and Co., of Great Yarmouth, were second, and Mr. J. Cattell third. Messrs. Youell had besides a handsome collection of nearly a hundred varieties, very fresh and beautiful, which were much ad- mired. A mass of Brenciileyensis at the end of their stand was very con- spicuous by its bright scarlet colour. The Verbenas shown by Messrs. Perkins and Sons were beautifully done; they took first, third, and fourth prizes for 24 varieties, five trusses of each, Mr. C. J. Perry being second. The stand which ob- tained the first prize contained a fine selection ; they were, the Moor, crim- son ; Madame H. Stenger, pink, rose eye; Foxhunter, Heine des Amazons, pink, plum eye; Annihilator, mauvy- plum ; Magnificans, deep lilac ; Mrs. Pennington, red rose ; Rosy Morn, rich peach ; Emperor, mulberry ; Em- peror of Morocco, deep maroon; Apollo, shaded pink ; King of Ver- benas, plum, light eye; Rainbow, purple, shot scarlet; Grand Eastern, peach, extra fine truss ; Gen. Simp- son, rosy scarlet ; L'Avenir de Bel- lant, pale blush, deep eye; Geant des Batailles, Dclicatisisima, lilac; Bril- liant de Vaise, Warrior, rose, large truss; Snowflake, fine white; Earl of Shaftesbury, white, peach eye ; and Lord Rasilan. HolJyhoclcs were extremely beau- tiful, and it would be difficult to meet with a finer collection than the twenty- four shown by Mr. W. Cha- ter, nurseryman, of Saffron Walden. They were all perfectly symmetrical, and as the florets were as compact and close as possible, they left no- thing to be desired inform, while the colours were admirably selected and grouped. Mr. Chater's varieties were Minerva, Geo. Young, Mr. M'Night, Invincible, Princess. Lucifer, Acme, Chrysolite, Joshua Clarke, Hesperus, Matchless, Governor General, Lady Dacres, Queen Victoria, Princess of Wales, Illuminator, Beauty of Mit- ford. La Dame Blanche, Warrior, Pericles, James Allen, Decision, and Cynthia. 2nd. Messrs. Downie, Laird, and Laing. 3rd. Mr. Jabez Chater, Gonville Nursery, Cam- bridge. Hoses. — The dry season we have had was veryunfavourable to the pro- duction of good flowers, and there were none shown which were worthy of particular notice. Asters were shown in great perfec- tion and considerable numbers. All the stands were beautiful, but those which took the prizes were exceed- ingly lovely, and excited great at- tention and admiration. 1st. For twenty-four French asters, Mr. R. H. Betteridge, Milton Hill, Steventon, Berks. 2nd. Mr. C. Wvatt, gardener to H. Willis, Esq., Epsom. 3rd. Mr. C. Sanford, gardener to T. Thomasset, Esq., Walthamstow. — German Asters : lr Annie, medium size, pinkish-white, heavily margined with crimson. By Mr. Hopkins, Brentford : Brunette, bud", heavily edged with plum. By Mr. H. Legge : Eoundhead, deep maroon ; Euclian- tress, buff', broad peach edging, both 2jid class certificates ; 1st class for White Perfection, good size, fine form, stiff" florets. By Mr. Turner : Prince of Wales, bright yellow, 2nd class. By Mr. Keynes, 1st class cer- tificates for Anna Keynes, white, tipped with lilac, Earl of Pembroke, deep plum; Fanny Purchase, bright yellow ; 2ud class certificates for Sam Bartlett, lilac, striped with crim- son ; Magpie, rich crimson, heavily tipped witli white ; Eegularity, white, striped, and splashed with plum and lilac. By Mr. Burgess, Chelsea: Hero, tawny buff, inclining to mauve towards the centre, 2iid class. By Messrs. Bragg and Co., Slough : Gari- baldi, dark salmon; Useful, plum, rather coarse, both 2nd class. By C. Kimberley, Coventry : Messenger, lilac striped with dark crimsun, 2nd class. By Mr. Wheeler, Warminster : Watty, large, bright red. 2nd class; 1st class for Coronet, briglit maroon. Gladioli. — Messrs. Youell and Co., of Great Yarmouth, made a very beautiful display, obtaining Ist prize for twenty-four distinct varieties, all of them excellently produced. Mr. Standish was second, and Mr. Price, of Oxford, third. Asters were shown in large num- bers, but the tips of the florets of most of them were turning brown. Ist. For twenty-four, E. H. Bette- ridge, Esq. 2nd. Mr. C. Wvatt. 3rd. Mr. C. Sanford. These exhi- bitors occupied similar positions with. German asters. Hollyhocks. — Mr. Chater was first with twelve, which were Acme, War- rior, Geo. Young, Princess, Seedling of a bright rose colour, Minerva, De- cision, Eev. Joshua Dix, Carus, In- vincible, Macrantha, and Princess of Wales. 2ud. Messrs. W. Minchin and Son, Hook Norton, Oxon, 3rd. Messrs. Paul and Son. Fruit, — The show was by no THE FLOKAL WORLD AI^B GARDEN GUIDE. OO]^ means large, as there were no prizes offered i'or grapes, and but few for any other kind of fruit. There was a good display of apples, pears, plums, peaches, and other autumn fruits, a few good pines, and several excellent melons. Messrs. Lucombe, Pince,- and Co., of Exeter, exhibited a seed- ling called " Mrs. Pince's Black Mus- cat," the bunch well shouldered, and of fair size. The berry is about the same size and shape as a first-class sample of Muscat Hamburg ; the flesh is sweet, juicy, and luscious, and has a fine Muscat flavour. The society exhibited a collection of grapes grown at Chiswick, comprising, of white grapes, White Frontignan, Chasselas JSouchet, Ward's Early, Trebbiano, Muscat of Alexandria, Golden Ham- burg, Ptoyal Muscadine, lleeves' Muscadine, White Nice, and Ah- bee. The last is a most beau- tiful grape, owing to the soft rosy blush which overspreads the bunch, but it is only second-class in flavour. Of black grapes there were fine sam- ples of Black Muscat, Noir de Jura, Morocco Prince, De CandoUe (colour reddish bronze). Black Prince, Black Moiiukkn, Tokay des Jardins, Frank- enthal. Black Hamburg, Catilanesi Nera, Strawberry Scented, Mill Hill Hamburg, \nolet Frontignan, Espe- rione, Buckland's, Barbarossa, Muscat Hamburg, Oldaker's We.-t's St. Peter's, G-ros Colman, Dutch Han^- burg, and Charles liose de Falloux. CULTIVATION OF MIGNONETTE IN POTS. Amoxgst all the odoriferous plants which are cultivated for decorating the conservatory and the drawing- room, there is none more universally admired or more easily cultivated than the mignonette ; and yet it is sel- dom that we see it brought to that perfection of which it is capable, more especially during the winter and spring months. Reseda odorata, or the Mignonette, is a native of Egvpt ; it is, under ordi- nary treatment, an annual plant, grow- ing from six inches to a foot in height, and is hardy enough to stand this cli- mate during the summer months ; but it will not survive our ordinary win- ters, unless in some very sheltered situations. In order, therefore, to obtain a regular succession recourse must be had to pot or box culture, which will form the subject of the fol- lowing remarks. The beginningof February is early enough to make the first sowing for a spring supply. The soil which should be used should consist of one half loam, one fourth part dung, and one fourth part leaf-mould, well mixed together, and used in as rough a state as possible : the worms (if any should be in the soil) ought to be carefully picked out, or they will cause great injury to the plants, by stopping the drainage and disturbing the roots. The pots known as "forty-eights" will be large enough for this sowing ; and these should be prepared by placing a crock over the hole in the bottom, and laying oq this about two inches of the roughest of the soil, after which they should be filled with soil, pressed evenly and firmly, leaving the surface level within half an inch of the rim. On this the seed should be sown regularly, and, if its quality can be depended on, two dozen seeds will be enough for each pot ; they will come up stronger than if sown thicker. Sift a little soil over the seeds, and give this a gentle pressure with the back of the hand, leaving the surface smooth and even, but not " glazed ;" then give a gentle watering with tepid water, which will warm the soil and assist germination. Plunge the pots in a frame with a gentle bottom-heat, and keep the lights shut till the plants begin to appear ; afterwards admit a little air every day, if the state of the atmosphere will allow ; but at all times avoid the admission of currents of cold air, as I am convinced that mignonette suffers severely from too rash an exposure to cold winds. When the plants become a little inured to exposure, remove the lights every fine day, which will prevent them from being drawn, and better enable them subsequently to support 222 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. themselves. As soon as the seed- leaves are fully developed, thin out the plants, leaving at this time ten or twelve in eat-h pot ; this number should be retained, as they are liable to damp ofFif over-watered, and espe- cially if the weather should happen to be dull. When they have made three or four leaves, thin them out to five plants, which number is sufficient for a 48-sized pot ; at the same time stir the surface of the soil, which often becomes caked by continual watering, and thereby prevents the access of air to the roots. When the sun begins to act powerfully upon them, a tliin shading for a few hours during the heat of the day will be of great ser- vice, by obstructing its rays, which give to the foliage a yellow and un- sightly appearance. When they have grown three or four inches, they will require to be tied up, to prevent them from falling over the sides of the pot. In doing tliis, place five small stakes at equal distances close by the edge of the pot ; then pass a strip of matting with a turn round each of the stakes, and fasten it : it is necessary to leave the stakes two or three inches higher than the plants, as I have found them sometimes to require a second tie. If the roots at that time have found their way through the bottom of the pot, they must be broken off, or the plants will receive a severe check when finally removed. In re-plung- ing them, give them sufficient room to prevent their being drawn. They will require little more attention, be- sides giving plenty of air, watering, and shading, till the middle of May, when they will be in good condition for removing to the conservatory. The next sowing will require to be made about the beginning of April. The same compost as previously re- commended should be used. For this sowing, however, I would prefer 32- sized pots, and would allow seven plants to remain in each : by thus having agreaterbody of soil, it will be found to retain moisture for a greater length of time, and the plants will not be so liable to receive any check by an accidental omission of watering. In other respects, the treatment already detailed ehovdd be followed. By the middle of May, if the frames should be wanted for other purposes, the pots may be plunged in a shady place out of doors. They will come into bloom about the beginning of July. Other successional sowings should be made about the beginning of June and the beginning of August. These may bo plunged in a sheltered spot out of doors ; and, with attention to water- ing, thinning, and tying up, as pre- viously directed, they will come into bloom respectively about the middle of August and the end of October. The latter of these sowing's must be removed to a frame as soon as danger from frosts may be apprehended. The next sowing, which is to pro- vide plants for blooming through the winter months, must be made about the middle of September. A little more attention is necessary at this season of the year, in order to pre- vent them from damping off, and also to secure as much of the sun's rays as possible. The soil I would recom- mend for this sowing consists of three parts of loam, one part of dung, and one part of leaf-mould. ISly reason for using more loam at this season is, because the compost then retains moisture longer than if a less propor- tion were employed ; and thus the necessity of frequent applications of water is in great measure done away. In dull weather mignonette is very impatient of water ; and, when it is applied, it should be done in the morning, in order that the foliage may become dry before night. For this sowing I would use 48-sized pots, giving them a good drainage. In preparing the frame for their reception, it should be raised behind, so as to give it a good inclination to- wards the south, for the jmrpose of gaining the full benefit of the sun, and also of prevent ii'g drips, which arevery injurious, as the plants seldom recover from checks occasioned by their becoming very wet. The bottom of the frame should be covered with brick rubbish, and over this there should be a stratum of rough coal ashes, and again, on the top, six inches of finely sifted ashes. This must be arranged so that, when the pots are plunged, they may not be THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 223 more than nine inches from the glass. When the seeds are ve.s^etated, give as much air as possible ; and by at- tention the plants will begin to flower about the beginning of December, and keep in good condition for three months. The final sowing should be made about the beginning of October ; using the same sort of soil and pots, preparing the frame in the same man- ner as directed for the preceding, and taking great care in the watering and thinning. By the beginning of March the plants will commence flowering. When frost sets in, cover the glass with mats and loose hay, taking them off on every favourable oppor- tunity, as the young plants, when excluded too long a time from the light, will turn yellow, and damp off. I would also lay some long litter around the frame, to prevent the frost from penetrating through the sides. It may be well to mention that in thinning, the plants ought to be left as nearly of an equal size as possible in each pot, retaining the largest in some, and the smallest in others. This will give a longer succession of bloom ; and, if at any time one sow- ing is likely to be over before the next is ready, pinch out the tops of a few of them when they are beginning to flower ; this will cause them to break out again, and bloom three weeks or a month later than the others of the same sowing. The cultivation of mignonette in boxes differs so little from that in pots, and boxes being seldom used except to stand in particular situa- tions out of doors, it is unnecessary to say much on that head ; but, when they are used, the same sort of soil that has been recommended for sum- mer use will suit them very well. I would, however, prefer to grow it in pots till it begins to flower, and after- wards to plant it into the boxes, where it will continue to branch out and flower for a long time. When it has done blooming, these may (if wanted) be filled again in the same manner, and thus a constant succession will be kept up. D. DoiG. PLANTS POR A SHADY WINDOW : FAEFUGIUM GEANDE AND CLOTH OF GOLD GERANIUM. These are plants for a window with little or no sun, and it is only under window culture they attain what Darwin would call their highest de- velopment. Both plants so change, or rather so increase in beauty under the following treatment, as to appear like different species beside the parent plants grown in the ordinary way, and none are so well adapted " to make a sunshine in the shady place." One thing is essential with both plants — they must always face one iuay, always he turned the same side to the light. Take a strong plant of Farfu- guim ; shift, if required, as it must kave plenty of pot room. My expe- rience proves that, to produce the results intended, the Farfugium, con- trary to other variegated plants, re- quires a rich soil. Let it stand in a saucer of water, and about once a week add some weak guano water to it. The leaves must be occasionally looked over for green-fly, and the top dressed with fresh soil. The leaves can never have too much watering and sponging. The coarse greenhouse leaves will decay, and be succeeded by others beautifully blotched. But it is in spring it reaches its greatest perfection ; the ground colour of the leaves then is a golden buttercup yellow, veined and marbled with light and dark green, and as glossy as if varnished : a sight once seen not to be forgotten. For the cut flowers of summer, for the magnificent spikes of gladioli, or for the bright colours of the spring bulbs, it forms a fine back- ground ; or the plants may be turned out of doors, as mine now are, ia summer (to make room for flowering plants), and to harden them for winter and spring. It must not be forgotten this mode of gro« th is exhausting for the plants ; consequently a supply of young plants must be kept up by 224, THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. division, and brought to the window as the first decline. Frequent divi- sion, plenty of air, pot room, and water are the absolute requirements of its window growth. I grew Cloth of Gold last year on a shady but airy mound, and it did as well there as in a greenhouse. I am glad to say I have not put it out this year. I have seen some in the full sun get less and less, till now they are mere skeletons, where the ordinary scarlets would have been in perfection. But in the window it has round flat leaves of a pale yellow green, each leaf marked with a very dark green spot in the centre, or rather a variously-sized blotch, as though some one had carelessly touched each with a paint-brush. The leaves entirely lose their incurved shape, are as flat as a five-shilling piece, but considerably larger. Fill the upper tier of a flower-stand with Cloth of Gold, and place Cerise Unique in the centre, leave a corner below for the white-leaved Bijou, fill up with Farfugiums, and behind their broad spreading leaves, that will soon hide both their own and the neigh- bouring pots, drop pots of spring bulbs ; and whether you view these specimens of Nature's graining from the dusty road with the horrid east wind w histling in your ear, or whether from the cozy arm-chair, while pulBng " Old Virginia," you watch the mel- lowed light streaming through the semitransparent golden leaves, you will alike confess that you have, at a trivial cost, planted a glorious varie- gated bank unmatched in its contrast of foliage and of flower — " a thing of beauty and a joy for ever." Beptford. J. W. Dean. EOSES IN THE NOETH OF LONDON. Among the many articles of value in the pages of the Floeal 'Wohld, those which relate the experience of correspondents in various parts of the kingdom are not the least interesting and instructive. Whilst its columns are richly stored with essays from the practised pens of the great bghts of the horticultural world, there is still a considerable pleasure in communi- cating with others of a kindred spirit, in making suggestions and comparing notes which bear upon our favourite pursuit, and in imparting knowledge to other amateurs similarly situated which may have been derived from our own observation and experience. Many valuable treatises upon, the culture of the rose have from time to time appeared in this journal, and correspondents from almost every latitude have related their experience in its pages. Having shared the com- pany of its writers and readers from the issue of its fii'st number in 1858, I am desirous of adding a little to the friendly gossip on behalf of the queen of our garden favourites, which, so far, has been one among the many delightful features in our journey. The situation of my garden is a most delightful one, about five miles north of the Bank, and although well sheltered, with a gentle slope to the south-east, and fully open to the ac- tion of the sun, no spot suff'ers more from sudden atmospheric changes, the memorable frost of Dec. 2li, 1860, which spread such destruction over the land, having annihilated every rose in the place. In anticipation of planting a rosery upon an extended scale, 1 made two experimental beds in the autumn of last year, one en- tirely clear of trees or any kind of shelter except upon the north side ; the other surrounded within only a few feet by shrubs and large growing trees, but none so near as to obstruct sunlight and air, or scarcely to hang overhead in any part of it. The re- sults have been so striking as to decide me, without hesitation, in selecting the most open space I can find, the extreme beauty and healthi- ness of the trees in the open bed as compared with the shrivelled and sickly growth in the other one, leav- ing no doubt in my mind as to the choice of site. THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 225 Some correspondents, I see, insist upon " protection from the north, and east," as indispensable to the cultiva- tion of roses ; and one gentleman, in his paternal zeal to coddle up his pets durincj the winter, actually proposes to dress them up with a head cover- ing, the form of which he recom- mends should be taken from a grocer's sugar-bag! The idea certainly pos- sesses the charm of novelty, and oidy requires a little further development in order to imitate the grotesque effi- gies which abound in certain kitchen gardens to frighten away cats and sparrows, forcibly reminding one of the apparition of that most respect- able individual, Guido Fawkes, Esq., and only fit to be shot at. If pro- tection consists of trees and shrubs, planted at a considerable distance from the rosary, I will not object to it, but rather than have my garden defaced by such an army of scare- crows, I would, willingly risk every rose I possess. If east winds and frosts deprive you of a few plants or even delay the blooming season, you will be more than compensated by the increased splendour of your flowers and the richness of the foliage. The subject of soil and drainage has been so amply dwelt upon by abler pens, and is by this time so well understood by every amateur, that I need not add one word. My roses are never pruned, in the autumn, but are allowed to rest until March, when this operation is performed. During the month of April (and when the shoots begin to swell), is, as I consider, the most critical period with roses, and the one wherein nine amateurs in every ten never think of bestowing a thought upon them. I do not know whether or not it is a fact that gardens in the country suffer less from the inroads of insects than those in the neighbourhood of London, but I do know that amateurs generally would have far more beau- tiful flowers and luxuriant foliage if they adopted my plan of going over every tree with a small brush at this season of the year, and keeping a careful look out for depredators every day. This may appear troublesome, perhaps, but in reality it is not so. Half an hour before breakfast daily for about six weeks, with a brush and syringe, has enabled me to keep a bed of nearly 100 roses in as great perfection, and as free from enemies of all kinds, as if they had been reared in a greenhouse. The month of April and early part of May is the time when the mischief to the summer bloom takes place. Your roses at this period do not attract your atten- tion, for scarcely a leaf is to be seen, and you are unconscious of the havoc that is going on ; but a close inspec- tion would speedily reveal the vast purposes of the enemy, and enable you to forestall his plans before the destruction of a single bud takes place. When in the month of June I was rej^oicing over my collection of roses, every bloom worthy of a flower- show, and the plants pictures of health, those of many of my neigh- bours were one mass of disease and blight, whilst the unfortunate blooms looked as though they had been reared beneath the shade of a gaso- meter ! To the question as to how I could grow such beautiful roses, I could only reply that they had had attention, and herein, as I take it, is the simple secret of success with this favourite of the garden. I believe if my lot were again cast within the shadow of St. Paul's, I would still grow roses. Smoke and vermin are their only enemies, and both are within the compass of man's power to overcome. If instead of planting your roses and leaving them to take care of themselves, you will just give them a tithe of the attention which you bestow upon bedding plants, one half of the difficulties of their cul- ture within the four-mile circle will vanish. As the kinds I have grown here differ in some degree from those of many of the correspondents of the FL0E4.L WoBLD, I will briefly name them, for they were adopted by me from descriptions given in the edito- rial articles of this journal. Senateur Yaisse, must stand at the head of my collection, for nothing I have grown has approached it in magnificence. At the Crystal Palace 226 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. Eose Show it reared its proud head far above every competitor, and at- tracted crowds of admirert'. Maurice Bernardin, a rose of daz- zling beauty, colour rich vermilion, very free blonmer, and fine form. General Washins;ton, fine double flower, of a most brilliant red, and when perfect (which is not always the case), possessing the rare merit of being most beautiful when fully open. Louis XIV., not so large as Sena- teur Vaisse, but a splendid rose of rich velvety crimson, and possessing a most exquisite fragrance. Although this magnificent rose flowered freely in June, it has now (Sept. 21) seven superb blooms iubeautitul condition. If my choice of dark rosea were limited to four, tliey would be those I have described ; and if I omit General Jacqueminot, it is because I believe his match will be found, and his peculiar merits far exceeded, in one or in all of them, but I will name the rest. Madame Rivers, a rose of ex- quisite shape, colour clear flesh and very fuli, a competitor with Madame Vidot, tlie two most beautiful of their kind known. Bourbon Queen, a delightful rose, has not ceased to bloom since June to the present time. No rosary should be without it. Souvenir de la Malmaison and Gloire de Dijon, too well known to say more than that they have bloomed liere luxuriantly. Of rose colours, my selections are Victor Verdier (now without a rival), Jules Margottiii, William Grifiiths, Madame Cambaceres, and Beauty of Waltham. Geant des Batailles (an old friend) T am compelled to discard, as, despite the best of treatment, his blooms are not much larger than a crown piece. Lord Macaulay and Lord Clyde are duly entered for next e-eason ; but in the formation of my rosary it is not my intention to en- large upon too many sorts. I prefer a multiplication ot" established fa- vourites ad libitum, to the doubtful pleasure of being the possessor of every rose that lias figured in the catalogues, or even passed the award of the judges. Although called per- petuals, roses have not bloomed well this autumn in Stoke Newington, the cause of which I believe to be the excessive heat and drought prevailing throughout the months of July and August. The pages of the Floral World are not intended to palm off the merits of any one rose-grower among the many highly respectable houses in the trade ; but I should like to be permitted to say that I obtained mine from Messrs. J. and J. Eraser, of the Lea Bridge lload Nurseries, and furtiier that, as these gentlemen are personally unknown to me, there can be no harm in remarking that, for amateurs near London, their collec- tion of roses is extensive, as is also their experience of tlie kinds best suited to the climate. Tliat they are always courteous and obliging will, I think, be admitted by all who have ever spent an hour in the nursery. No one has done so much for rose amateurs who reside in towns as Mr. Shirley Hibberd, who enters into his task C071 amove, and whose enthusiasm for his art is the life and soul of this journal, over which he presides with so much zeal and ability. I have tested the soundness of his advice by my own experience, in a garden within the sound of Bow Bells, and also in one not far from the four-mile radius, and it is simply a duty as well as a pleasure that I should bear my humble testimony to my friend's merits in this depart- ment of literature, and the many obli- gationshe has conferred upon all lovers and cultivators of the rose. G. S. Woodberry Dozv?i, Middlesex. Death or Mr. ITnan Low. — We sin- .' tbe 70th year of liis .^ge. His loss not C-ei"ely rcijret having to announce the death i only will be keenly felt by all those who of the senior partner in the distinguished ; have known him in tlie way of business, firm of Hugh Low and Co., of Clapton but will be a matter of great regret to the Nursery. Mr. Hugli Low, sen., died on the \ residents in his immediate neighbourhood, 15th inst., at his residence in Clapton, in by whom he was greatly beloved. 227 OCTOBER, 1863.— 31 Days. Phases op the Moon. — Last Quarter, 4tb,7h. 24m. after. ; New, 12tb, 6h. 42m. after ; iu-st Quarter, 19th, 8h. 6m. after. ; Full, 26th, 5h. 56m. after. Weather near London, 1862. THB COXTNTET. D Sun rises. h. m. 6 2 Sun sets. h. m. 5 38 .VToon rises. Moon sets. Rain. M BABOMEIBB. THEEMOSIETBK. The Garden and the Field. Aft Ar,.rn Ml. Min. 3009... 29-99 Mx. Mn. Me. 67. ..47. ..57-0 1 7 4iir""i -02 Horse chesnut leayes 2 6 3 5 36 8 29 11 58 30-09... 3009 73. ..56. ..64-5 -02 fall. 3 6 5 5 34 y 21 Alter. 30-27. ..30-26 72. ..45. ..58-5 •00 Walnut leaves fall. 4 6 7 5 31 10 19 1 30 30-40... 30 38 64... 45... 54-5 -00 Virginian creeper turns 5 6 8 5 2b 11 20 2 4 30-38.. .30-34 66. ..45. ..55-5 •00 red. 6 6 10 5 27 Morn.l 2 33 3004. ..29-93 71. ..48. ..59-5 •05 Genista Pilosa fl. 7 6 12 0 25 0 24 2 5b 29-96... 29-95 58. ..49. ..53-5 •04 Purple violet fl. 8 6 13 5 22 1 29 3 18 30-20... 30-17 65. ..50. ..57-5 •11 Sloe ripe. [golden. 9 6 15 5 2U 2 35 3 39 30-18. ..30-14 73. ..41. ..570 -00 Birch leaves become 10 6 17 5 18 3 42 3 59 3003. ..2995 75. ..43. ..59-0 •60 Poplar and Cherry- 11 6 18 5 16 4 51 4 20 29-82. ..29-80 69. ..49. ..59-0 •15 leaves fall. 12 6 20 5 13 6 2 4 44 29-73... 29-46 68. ..46. ..57-0 -17 Hazel leaves turn yel. 13 6 22 5 11 7 14 5 9 29-78. ..29-77 63. ..47. ..55-0 •04 Ash leaves fall. 14 6 23 5 9 8 28 5 41 29-80. ..29-70 71. ..45. ..58-0 -00 Elm seeds turn yellow. 15 6 25 5 7 9 39 6 22 29-76... 29-60 74. ..44. ..59-0 -05 Honeysuckle leaves fall. 16 6 27 5 5 10 47i 7 10 29-97... 29-89 62. ..41. ..51-5 -00 Stiff Wheatgrass ripe. 17 6 29 5 3 11 47 8 10 29-60... 29-45 61. ..48. ..54-5 -16 Birch leaves fall. 18 6 30 5 0 After.l 9 19 29-65... 29-45 51. ..32. ..41-5 -70 Elder leaves fall. 19 6 32 4 58 1 1810 33 29-76... 29-85 62. ..42. ..520 -55 HazeMeaves fall. [fl. 20 6 34 I. 56 1 5311 50 29-47. ..29-20 51. ..36. ..43-5 -00 Shepherd's Spikenard 21 6 35 4 54 2 20 Mora. 29-81... 29-69 58. ..43. ..50-5 •12 Limes leatless. 22 6 37 4 52 2 45 1 11 29-50. ..29-39 58. ..44. ..51-0 -06 Beech leaves fall. [less. 23 6 39 4 50 3 9 2 33 29-32. ..29-21 59... 34... 46-5 -00 Virginian creeper leaf- 24 6 41 4 48 3 33 3 47 •29-72. ..29-66 59. ..27. ..43-0 -01 Walnut leafless. 25 6 43 4 46 3 58 5 5 -29-90.. 29-73 56. ..50. ..53-0 •08 Fleshy-leaved Golden 26 6 44 4 44 4 25 6 21 29-80... 29-55 60... 39... 49-5 -05 rod fl. 27 6 46 4 42 4 57 7 33 29-92. ..29-78 57. ..47. ..52-0 •03 European Leadworfc fl. 28 6 48 4 40 5 35 8 42 29-77. ..29-75 50... 40... 45-0 •07 Carolina Lily fl. 29 6 50 t 38 6 20' 9 44 29-97. ..29-88 53. ..25. ..39-0 ■02 Hawthorn leaves fall. 30 6 51 4 36 7 1110 39 29-81. ..29-72 51. ..43. ..47-0 •05 Autumnal Snowflakefl. 31 '6 53 4 35 8 711 23 2974.. .29-66 55. ..40. ..47-5 -00 Pear leaves fall. Peobable Weathee in Octobeb. — Bright, dry, and -warm till about the 7th ; wind'S.W. to S., then changeable with wind and rain, and occasional sunny days till the 12th J wind N.N.W. to N.N.E. From the 12th to the 24th agreeable autumn weather ; wind generally S.S.W. to N.W. From the 24th to end of the month clear cold weather j windN. to N.E. ; frost likely about the 28th. THE GAEDEN GUIDE FOE OCTOBEE. The Season. — We shall surely submit to the rigours of the winter with the more com- placency this year, that we have enjoyed a long and a brilliant summer, which has been one of the ni'St fruitful itingyour ground is the corn-field horsetail, Equi- setum arvense, a very iroublesome pest, common to damp grounds, and the ap- pearance of which is usually an indica- tion that the land needs draining. — M. (?. — Sowthe seeds in peat, and place them on a gentle heat. Australian seeds are generally dead by the time they reach England in inexjierienced hands. — M. B. Oxalis corniculata rubra. — T. B. Pen- nant.— The hairy plant with blue flowers sent in the box is Echium vulgare. But you speak of one flower at the top of the stem which we do not understand. — F. L. — Looks like Epilobium angustifo- lium, but we cannot speak with certiiinty from a crushed fragment an inch long. THE November, 1863. CULTUEE OF CLIANTHUS, HE Glory Pea of Australia and JS'ew Zealand is one of the grandest ornaments of the sandy wastes and barren hillsides of those interest- ing countries, and among the first objects to arrest the attention and claim the admiration (^ of new settlers when they make excursions ^ into uncultivated districts. There are probably many species in the interiors of those countries of which we shall hear accounts, and obtain specimens as the spirit of adventure brings to light the botanical resources of these new homes of the Anglo-Saxon race. IS'one of the species of Clianthus have been long in this country, and the best of them is quite a recent intro- duction. In Don's " Diehlamydeous Plants" (1832), three species are described under the generic name Donia, namely, Bonia piinicea, D. sjyeciosa, and B.formosa, and that they were then not known in cultivation is proved by the remark, " Should ever any of the species be introduced to our gardens we should recommend," etc. etc. The genus was first named in honour of Mr. George Don, of Eorfar, and was afterwards renamed from the Greek Kleios, glory^ and anthos, a flower. The Clianthus is one of the showiest members of the great natural order Leguminosce, and closely resembles the Sutherlandia of the Cape, and the Kennedya of Australia, both in structure, habit, and appear- ance. The species of Clianthus known include the three just cited from Don, and two others named respectively carneus and magnijicus. The J), speciosa of Don is the species now known as G. Dampieri. They are all herbaceous or sub- shrubby, evergreen if sufficiently protected during winter, but deciduous if exposed to a low temperature ; but when they become deciduous they are in danger of perishing. C. carneus is a free-growing shrubby species from the Philippine Islands, producing flesh coloured flowers. C. puniceus is also shrubby, and nearly hardy. It is a native of New Zealand, and was introduced in 1832. It produce 5 gorgeous crimson flowers, and is a very noble object when in bloom. C. formosa is an herbaceous species, of procumbent habit, native of the north- VOL. VI. — NO. XI. M 236 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. west coast of Australia. The species which claims pre-eminence for beauty, the speciom of Don, now known as C. Dampierl, originally dis- covered by Dampier in 1699, introduced to this country in 1850, and flowered for the first time in March, 1858, by Messrs. Veitch, of King's Road, Chelsea, and figured in the Floeal "World in August of the same year. The species of Clianthus are not attractive except when in bloom, their pinnated leaves are dull in colour, villous or pubescent ; and in the case of C. Dampieri are positively dingy, as if covered with dust. Their habit of growth, too, is generally without grace, and there is a special need for the exercise of skill on the part of the cultivator to make the plants as presentable as possible. When grown in a pot C. puniceus makes a tolerably compact shrub, but has no beauty when out of bloom. But as it is so nearly hardy, a very good place for it is on a wall facing south in a very dry position, where it will require some protection during frosty weather. Instances of success attained in the cultivation of this plani out of doors have been several times detailed in the pages of this work, and recently (May, 1863), we heard that the Eev. F. riemyng had had one out of doors for years in the highlands of Dumbartonshire, where it blossoms beautifully, and last winter was only once protected with a mat at night. G. jDampieri is as hardy as puniceus, but has not yet been much grown out of doors. But as it has ceased to be a rarity, and its culture is now thoroughly imderstood, it may be classed with half hardy plants suitable for walls, and must be considered one of the grandest subjects known for such purposes. All these plants are found growing on dry sandy soils, and the cultivator will therefore understand that in every case a very complete drainage and a soil consisting of loam, peat, sand, and small nodules of charcoal will be most suitable for them. During winter they must have but little or no water, be kept well aired during fine weather-, and have no encou- ragement to grow ; in fact, starving is the only safe treatment then, as the slightest tendency to grossness will result in disease, and perhaps death. But with these precautions there will be found no difficulty in growing any of the species, and the routine to be described for the treat- ment of C. Dampieri will be found applicable to all, except in such few particulars as will be determined by the habits of the species. Culture of 0. Dampieri. — If seed cannot be obtained, cuttings of young shoots in spring may be struck under bell-glasses, in sand, on a heat of 70°. It will be necessary to guard against damp, hence the glasses should be taken off daily and dried before being replaced ; and as goon as the cuttings have roots they should be potted separately in 60- sizedpotSjin peat two parts, and silver sand one part, with plenty of drainage, and have every encouragement to make a quick growth, with plenty of light and air after they have been potted a week. But the best plan to raise stock is by sowing seeds. These will not always germinate unless steeped for twenty-four hours in water, at a tempera- ture of 100°. In a propagating-house this can be easily done by putting a pan over a tank ; where no such convenience exists, it must be attempted by means of a ve'Sscl placed beside a fire. We have raised seeds without steeping, by burying them a few days in the plunging material of a pine pit. After the steeping sow them singly in 60-sized pots, in peat one part, and silver sand one part. The reason for sowing singly must be understood by the cultivator. If this plant is shifted frequently to larger THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEJ^- GUIDE. 237 and larger pots, it will be sure to suffer injury at each shift by having its roots wounded. The roots are brittle, and as they always run down among the crocks the plant cannot well be shifted with safety after it has attained to any considerable size. Therefore we begin with seeds in 60-sized pots, and from these make one shift to 48's, or put them direct from the 60's to their blooming pots, or plant them in a border. The best season to sow the seeds for those having command of all needful appliances is the month of January, which gives the cultivator a long season to grow a fine specimen for blooming the next year. Those who cannot command heat to start the seed and to grow the plants on until the season is sufficiently advanced to allow of hardy treatment had best not sow till April, when the seed having been steeped twenty-four hours may be sown in pots, and the pots shut up close in a frame fully exposed to the sun. When the seedlings are up they must be kept growing by generous treatment, and as soon as they have advanced some- what beyond the seed leaves they must be syringed on fine mornings regularly, and have as much air as can be allowed with safety. As soon as they have filled their pots with roots shift to the next size, or put in blooming pots at once. Sicmmer Culture. — Suppose a fine specimen is required, then we should use a pot not less than fifteen inches diameter, and prepare it by arranging the drainage with the greatest care three inches deep. The best soil for the purpose is a mixture of turfy yellow loam three parts, turfy peat two parts, silver sand one part, and broken charcoal one part. This well chopped over will be a light but nourishing material, and it will never be retentive of moisture. If the loam is of that soft texture called by gardeners" silky," and contains plenty of fibre, four parts of the loam may be used, and the peat may be dispensed with. The best place for the pot is in a cool conservatory border, or a border under a wall facing south-east. When we say " in" the border, we mean that the pot should be plunged, with some large hollow tiles underneath it to prevent lodge- ment of vv^ater. Or the plant may be planted in the border, in which case it must be of a similar soil to that recommended for pot culture, and be thoroughly well drained, for anything approaching to stagnant damp is death to the Cliantlms. If the specimen is to be flowered in a pot, place the pot so that it will be sunk in the soil of the border two-thirds of its depth, then fill in the soil and press firm to within a sufficient distance of the rim of the pot to leave room for the ball of roots. Turn the plant up and transfer carefully to the large pot, fill in firmly roimd the ball, and give good watering. As soon as by its new growth it becomes evident it has " taken hold" of the soil in the pot, give air fre- quently, and during the height of summer have air on night and day. Train the growth right and left on a flat trellis a foot and a half from the glass, syringe frequently, and when the plant has made some progress give it weak manure water once a week till the end of September, and then cease ; and after that date reduce the supplies of water, so as to get the roots comparatively dry. The season is now ended, the plant will grow no more, and we enter upon the JVinter Culture — the principal point in which is to guard against damp.. As soon as the plant is fairly at rest cut back the growth mode- rately, so as to have if possible all the rods of equ;l length, but do not cut-severely. This process will help to ripen the wood. Turther help 238 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. must be rendered by giving as much air as possible, keeping the roots nearly dry, keeping the house cool, and protecting by means of fire only sufiicient to keep out frost, and occasionally dispel damp. If the soil in the pot has got at all pasty, remove the top surface to the depth of an inch or more, and replace it with clean silver sand. This will prevent any fogging at the collar. Management for Blooming. — The cultivator will have to be very cautious that the plant is not induced to commence growth too early in. the spring. It must have very little water till it has made a fair start, but after that it may have plenty ; and as it advances into bloom the growth must be carefully trained, the leaves must be frequently syringed, and it must have further aid from weak manure water. When in bloom it will repay all the care that has been bestowed upon it ; a fine specimen is one of the grandest sights possible among flowering plants, and Clianthus Dampieri may fairly rank next to the most lovely exotic orchids in point of beauty and interest. The flowers come in large drooping clusters, they are truly papilionaceous but extravagant in outline. The standard or vexillum, in common with the other parts of the flower, is an intensely vivid crimson colour, but has a deep black blotch on its lower part, the wings are narrow and in shape like elephant's tusks, and the keel is prolonged and crescent- shaped, and about the same length below as the standard is above. On a well-grown plant the flowers will measure four and a half inches in length from the summit of the standard to the termination of the keel. Clianthus Dampieri, like its predecessor puniceus, is regarded as a perennial, and that no doubt correctly. But the finest specimen ever exhibited, and Avhich was grown by Messrs. E, G. Henderson, of St. John's "Wood, perished after its first season of bloom, after having created a sensation among the admirers of fine plants as an extraordinarily splendid object for several months in succession. Enemies. — All the species of Clianthus are subject to attacks of thrips and red spider. It is for this reason chiefly we recommend the free use of the syringe as the plant is advancing into bloom, and after the bloom is over. The only way to prevent attacks of these vermin is to grow the plants quickly, they are then not likely to be troubled. But if the cul- tivator finds it impossible to prevent red spider, our advice is, burn the old plants as soon as they have flowered, and keep up an annual succession of plants from seed. EOSE GOSSIP.— No. Y. SHOWS FEOM AK AMATETJK POINT OP VIEW. Theee are two methods of writing upon any subject. The one is to state opinions and information in practical and appropriate language, and to throw out suggestions for the consi- deration of others in a frank and kindly spirit. The other is to put forth ideas as original in long-winded phraseology, ideas that have appeared before, and in grandiloquent terms to announce as discoveries principles which the veriest tyro would be ashamed not to know. It is easy to decide to which of these two systems a communication upon Eoses, signed " G. S.," may be properly referred. The substance of that paper has not only appeared many times in the THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 239 Floeal Woeld itself, but in nume- rous other places ; nor was it surely necessary to inform the readers of that miscellany how to grow roses in a " delightful situation, five miles from the Bank," with all the other accessories described as pertaining to " S. G.'s" garden ! The mystery would have been " how not" to grow them under such circumstances ? It is reasonable to suppose, too, that they were not ignorant of the colour and character of SenateurVaisse and other varieties enumerated by the writer, considering they have been fully de- scribed several times during the past two years, nor of the value oicleanliness and attention as important elements of cultural success. Had " G. S." been able to enlighten them a little from his own practice, on the methods of overcoming difficulties such as in- ferior soil, polluted atmosphere, and want of space, it would have been a difi'erent matter. However, as the writer of the article upon " Protec- tion, etc.," audi believe of most others upon suburban roses, except those by Mr. Hibberd himself, I must beg to inform the would-be facetious "Gr. S." that he is not imbued with the true spirit of a rose lover (and I think other rosarians will agree with me in this), or he would not attempt heavy jocularity at protecting by any means a tender variety, raised per- haps with patient solicitude and skill, from a puny cutting to a noble bush. It would appear, however, it is to the shape of the protecting medium *' G. S." demurs. I can well believe that the sight of " an inverted grocer's sugar bag" in any material would be disagreeably suggestive of times when lie was evidently more familiar with Guy Fawkeses than grammar. But as I do not wish to turn the pages of the Floeal Woeld into a controver- sial arena I will refrain from further comment on " G. S.'s" lucubration, recommending that the next time he is smitten with the cacoethes scrihendi he should be more liberal of original ideas, and less so of adjectives, and return to the subject of this paper. Now that rose shows for the sea- son have gone by, it may not be amiss to examine whether such exhibitions exercise all the influence they ought upon the progress of the flower, or realize the good eflects they might for the benefit of cultivators, profes- sional or amateur. It cannot be denied that a rose show is one of the most fascinating spectacles a lover of flowers can enjoy ; nevertheless it is by no means (as it is too often made), the best place for amateurs to form opinions, or decide upon selections. Being surrounded by many adventi- tious circumstances, the appearance of a rose in the stand is no criterion as to its value in the rosery. As a test it is far inferior to the actual grounds of a first-rate nursery, where the plants are seen in their na- tural characteristics, with their defi- ciencies or excellencies alike patent to observation. One of the most prominent fail- ings in the present method of showing is that it affords no means of ascer- taining the habit of growth, or the real character of the flower. A few leaves are dexterously plugged out into a graceful form, the blooms are drawn together if more than one, so as to conceal defective centres, the whole resting upon a groundwork of fresh moss, which shows ofi" colour and size to the best advantage, en- abling also the trickily disposed to interpolate foliage without detection. Indeed, colour and size are the only features really displayed by this system of preparing the stands, and to them other points of a higher order have of late been unhesitatingly sa- crificed. To judge the character of varieties accurately they should be exhibited in phials of water, or some other transparent vessels. In this age of decorative ingenuity, there could be little difficulty in inventing some artistic and appropriate design. They should be only single stems, with foliage, buda, and blossoms exactly as cut from the tree. Con- noisseurs and cultivators would then see what they were about, for the habit of growth, and style of wood and foliage, would inform the expe- rienced of the probable qualities of varieties from their affinity to kinds already known. Such a plan would be especially valuable with respect to 240 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. the noveltie?. It would, moreover, be seen whether they carried their flowers firmly up, an important habit in actual culture, the want of which cannot be detected in the stand. Again, the uninitiated must not imagine that prizes indicate the grade of merit and skill among trade exhi- bitors, and consequent value of their plants. Some of tlie largest and most celebrated firms, as Messrs. Yfood and Hivers, never enter into the lists, and others of note are not always in a position to cut for exhibition at a precise tirae, thoiigh at others they could perhaps surpass the takers of prizes. An illustration of this fell under my own notice a few days before the Crystal Palace Show. In Messrs. Fraser's rose ground I ob- served several blooms of this year's novelties, much finer in .quality than on the " tables" at the Palace, and some which were not there at all. Rose grounds are very much in- fluenced by the nature of the seasons, whether wet or dry, early or late, according to soil and locality. It requires a very large number of plants to be able to cut a sufficient number of perfect blooms on any given day, and this by the way is the reason Mr. Hedge, of Colchester, carries ofi" so many prizes in the classes for amateurs. He has an im- mense stock from which to furnish his boxes, and his success should encourage amateurs to plant roses in plenty. One thing is certain, that in the long run the most prizes will go to the largest collections. Tiie principles upon ^^ hich awards are allotted are likewise open to ob- jection, particularly as to roses shown in pots. At present a few possessors of huge specimejn?, which must be of old varieties to attain the requisite size, carry all before them year after year, and show after show. It ought to be a maxim as unalterable as the laws of the Medes and Persians, that no plant should be adjudged a prize & second time during the same season. This arrangement would widen the area of competition, and afi'ord a chance of success to the owners of smaller specimens. By offering a series of rewards, too, for plants in smaller pots, new kinds would be sooner brought under experiment and retained or discarded, according to merit, relieving the catalogues of a host of unworthy names, and the growers of incumbrances to valuable space. Moreover, the " schedules" might be extended and improved in the interests and for the encourage- ment of amateurs, upon whom, after all, the support of floriculture mainly depends. 1 would venture to suggest that a section be established at our great metropolitan shows specially for amateurs residing in the vicinity of " Smoketown," say within four miles of St. Paul's on the one side, and Whitehall on the other. The classes should consist of 24's, 18's, and 12's for those keeping, and those not keeping a gardener, respectively. It is scarcely possible to estimate the impetus that would be given thereby to rose growing in localities where it is at present seldom attempted. It has often been a matter of sur- prise to me that the managers of the Crystal Palace have never instituted an autumnal rose show, on a similar scale of importance to that in the summer. There are many beautiful roses only in perfection in the autumn, which are in consequence rarely seen. There are others which display an intensity of colour, and precision of contour at that season of the year, far surpassing in beauty tht ir summer bloom. Besides, such an exhibition would be a boon to less experienced cultivators by bringing under notice late blooming kinds, enabling them to select those sorts capable of afibrd- ing the greatest amount of flowers from a limited rosery. It would fur- thermore give to the unsuccessful at earlier shows an opportunity of re- covering lost laurels. However, space warns me to con- clude these remarks, which are the result; of viewing the subject simply as an amateur. They are not dog- matically laid down, but intended as suggestions for furtlier popularizing and extending a taste for cultivating " England's national emblem, and Flora's choicest gem." W. D. Peioe. Somerton, Oct. 1. 241 POECING FLOWEES. The forcing of flowers, in the correct acceptance of the term, is the pro- duction of blossoms at a season quite distinct from that in which the plants ■would bring them forth if left to natural influences, and in the suc- cessful working, requires — First, a full and decided maturity of all the various organs of the plant. This infers a previous development at least perfectly healthy, if not luxuriant ; for it will be found that the beauty of the forced flowers depends very much on the growth of the foregoing season, and will be rich or meagre, all other circumstances being the same, in an exact proportion to its vigour. Secondly, the plants to be operated on should be thoroughly established before their introduction to an elevated atmosphere, that they may have acquired the means of im- mediately supplying the necessary aliment to meet the demands of an increased circulation and accession of new parts. There is a great diff'e- rence even in the limited number of plants that are usually subject to this treatment, in the time required to effect a perfect re-establishment : some of them may be obtained in a pi'oper state in a few weeks, while , others will not bear to be forced until they have received a year's prepara- tion. The first class consists of bul- bous-rooted and herbaceous plants, which form an entirely new set of organs in each season ; and the latter includes roses, rhododendrons, and other hard-wooded plants tliat have a more persistent system. These are absolute in requiring to be potted at least six months, so as to allow them to form a season's roots before being forced. The next essential point of ma- nagement lies in the manner of apply- ing the necessary heat, and on it the success of the whole may be said to hinge ; for whatever care or skill may have been expended, any misap- plication here will render it all void. The increase should be brought about in a gradual manner, so as to re- semble as nearly as possible the ad- vances of spring, whose functions it is intended to anticipate. The ab- surd practice, so prevalent a few years since, of removing a plant from the open air in the depth cf winter to a temperature of some 55' or 60% and of which some traces even yet remain, must appear preposterous when we consider the object sought by the change. Was ever so great a diflerence known to occur in a day and a night at an part of the year, or any portion of the world ? This, or whatever else is so violently opposed to Nature's laws, must be erroneous in practice. The temperature above- mentioned (55" or 60'), is that in which most plants will expand their flowers ; and to reach it from the average temperature of our winters, at least two intermediate stages are necessary. The first, of about 35°, is usually aiforded by a cold frame ; and the nest, of 45', or greenhouse temperature. After a suitable stay in each of these climates, which will vary with the nature of the plants-— say, for the soft- wooded or herbaceous class ten days or a fortnight, and for the others a little longer, they may be safely introduced to the highest temperature. In the ordinary and proper development of the organs of a plant the action commences with the roots, and proceeds gradually up- wards, as displayed in the bursting of the leaf, the formation and ex- panding of the flower-bud, and finally, the perfection of the seed. This is the natural course of the vital energy, but wheii the plant is placed at once into a comparatively high tempera- ture the action commences in the stem or above the roots, an abortive production of leaves or flower-buds is made, which, from the inaction of the roots aud consequent want of food, after lingering for a time, neces- sarily wither and die. Hence the propriety of a gradual application of heat, that the excitement may begia at the proper place, and be continu- ously increased until it reaches the perfecting point. The only other matter of conae- 242 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. quence connected witli the subject, relates to the proper supply of water. This, as part of the stimulative system adopted in forcing, should be subject to the same rules which regulate the supply of heat. It should be given in the same limited manner at first, and increased witli the increase of temperature resulting in a full supply every day at the period of blooming. It is only necessary to add that a considerable diminution of both heat and moisture will be required imme- diately after the expansion of the flowers, in order to prolong their existence and preserve their bril- liancy. This is easily effected by the usual plan of removing them to a cooler place, where their loveliness will be more enjoyable tlian in the close humid atmosphere of a forcing- house. Ed. PEUIT CULTIJRB.— THE STRIWBERRT. In the paper on Strawberry culture published in the April number of the Flokal World, we enumerated all the important points connected ■with the routine cultui'e of out-door crops, and promising further notes on forcing, the selection of varieties, etc., we now redeein that promise, and for convenience of reference group the several departments of the subject requiring to be treated under separate heads. Strawbeekies in Pots. — Straw- berries are grown in pots with great success by many cultivators who have no means for forcing them, as the term forcing is generally under- stood. The advantages of pot culture are that a crop can be secured con- siderably earlier than in the open ground, by the help of a common frame, or in a peach-house or un- heated orchard-house, or, in fact, by the help of glass of any kind, how- ever inelegant, provided it affords some shelter, and admits an abun- dance of light and air. We will first describe a method we have ourselves pursued, for the purpose of proving and comparing a number of distinct varieties when we have had no room to make plantations of them. We secured well-rooted runners, which had been pegged down in small pots early in the season ; and, as soon as the pots were filled with roots, the runners were separated from the parent plants, and at once put into fruiting pots. As we know of but one way to pot strawberries, we will de- scribe it here once for all; so that, ■whenever potting is referred to, it may be understood that we do not mean shifting on to larger and larger sizes, but jdacing them as soon as they are fairly rooted in the pots in which they are to fruit. For all ordinary purposes sis-inch pots are large enough, but in some cases nine- inch pots may be used, in order to secure a late crop of large berries, as those in the large pots will not fruit so early as the others. The stuff for potting should consist of one-third rotten dung, and the other two- thirds stiff loam, with plent}^ of fibre in it. Whatever the soil of the place, the cultivator must endeavour to pre- pare a mixture as nearly as possible answering this general description. In sandy or chalky districts, the clearings of ponds and ditches, turf from roadsides, and other similarly nourishing and tenacious materials, may generally be had, and in clay countries turf and dung will mellow the staple ; and, if need be, a sixth part of broken brick, or charcoal, or grit from the sifted sweepings of gravel walks, may be added to pre- vent the soil in the pots from be- coming a cement, for before we have done with it we intend to have it well hammered. We have had so much to do with tenacious clays that we never fail to use as much as we dare in all composts, and in potting straw- berries we usually make the compost thus : — One part rotten dung from a cucumber or melon pit, in which the crop has been completed. This is generally in a buttery state, and the fibre completely broken down. One part rotted turf, which has in the THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 243 first instance, been taken in a thin slice off a loamy pasture, and sub- sequently stacked up till the whole mass has become like an elastic felt ; one part clay which has been a long time exposed to the atmosphere, and the top crust of which has pulverized into small crumbs, and these top crumbs to be preferred to the stiff material underneath. Lastly, half a part of bricks, tiles, or charred rub- bish, broken to the size of horse beans. This mixture is well chopped over, and used in a sufficiently moist state to become solid with pressure, yet is not sticky to the fingers ; better a little too dry than a little too wet. The next necessity is a wooden ram- mer. The best rammer we ever used was the stump of an old box tree burnt at one end into a round knob, and at the other made neater for handling by a binding of tarred cord. The pots, the compost, the rammer, and the plants being ready, we give a lad the task of putting in the crocks and filling the pots two-thirds full of soil. The crocking must be done with care, for, if the drainage is not perfect, the plants vrill make no return. We prefer two inches of drainage, but can do with one good hollow crock fitting nicely over the hole, hollow side downwards. We take one of these pots, partially filled with the compost, and ram the soil quite hard. The exact amount of soil to allow room for the ball of roots must be learnt by experience, and about that there will be no difficult}^. The plant is turned out upon the hard bed of soil thus formed in the pot, and the pot is filled in with the left hand, while with the right the rammer is plied all round till the plant is at last embedded in a sort of earthen wall, and there will be in the six-inch pot as much soil as is usually put in one double the size. Though to tell this much has oc- cupied some space, the doing of it is a very simple matter, and it is almost the only serious task in the whole routine of growing a crop of straw- berries in pots. When potted the plants are all set in a frame, liberally sprinkled with water, but not to wet the earth ia the pots quite through, and are then shut up and kept shaded for a few days. The object of shut- ting them close is to prevent them feeling any exhaustion by the potting process, a very important matter as regards the crop ultimately, for I have found by experience that plants that ha,ve never felt a check gave much finer frxiit than those that have been carelessly dealt with in some part of their growing career. If showery weather follows a few days after the potting, take the lights off and expose the plants to it ; the soil in the pots will thus get saturated much more effectually than can be done by means of the waterpot, and in little more than a week from the time of potting the plants will show, by their improving appearance at the crown, that the roots have begun to push into the soil that was rammed ai-ound them. After ten to fourteen days' stay in the frame, remove the pots to an open position where all the winds of heaven wnll blow upon them. The best flooring is one made of laths or spars placed an inch apart, and kept firm by means of cross pieces. Worms will never get into the pots while they stand on such an open bottom, neither will the roots work through the bottoms of the pots. When lacking a convenience of this sort we have plunged them in a bed of coal-ashes or cocoa-nut dust, in which position they do not so fre- quently require water ; but the other method is preferable, the heat of the sun on the pots — provided they never suffer for want of water — causes the formation of plump crowns, and with- out plump crowns there will be no plump fruit. In a very short time after the pot- ting the leaves of the plants will begin to meet across, and weeds will make their appearance amongst them. As soon as the leaves of any two plants touch, the whole stock should be looked over, all weeds removed from the pots, and more room allowed. If the weather is hot and dry mere watering will not suflSce to keep them in health, they must have frequent syringing underneath the foliage to keep down red spider, and to encou- rage a vigorous growth. As we sup- 244 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. pose the pots to be exposed to the sun, care must be taken that the roots are not scorched. This will happen if the weather is excessively hot and dry, as in 18G3 for instance, or if the ■watering is nei^lected. An occasional tap on the pots with the knuckle be- fore giving water will, by the sound, tell the cultivator what is the state of the roots ; if the sound has anylhinj^ of a " rins: " i^i it, the roots may be in danger ; in which case mulch with dead leaves, tan. or straw, or plunge in coal-ashes. But there will be no fear of scorching till the pots are full of roots, and with good management it is an evil the least of any to be feared. Some time about the middle of October, the plants should be put in winter quarters, and to prevent injury to the roots by frost, the best way is to plunge them. Now, here mischief is just possible, for plunge-beds are too often made in a very careless way, so that they are water-logged all winter. If the plunge-bed has a rubble bottom and a drain to carry off water, it M-ill do for the strawberries ; if it is merely a bed of ashes on a bottom of rin- drained clay, then adopt the plan recommended by Mr. M'Ewen in his capital treatise on Strawberry Culture, and which he describes thus : — "Have artificial banks formed, at an angle of about 40°, and in these banks form shelves sufficiently wide apart to pre- vent one row from shading the other. Such banks gather a vast amount of heat by day, this, together with the dews hj night, aided by syringing, tends to ripen the plants thoroughly." Generally from the beginning of Sep- tember till taken in-doors, the plants wUl take care of themselves as to watering, but they must have water if there is a long continuance of dry weather, and during long- continued rains it will be well to shelter them with spare lights set on large inverted pots, or to lay the plants on their sides. It is a question now what is to be done with them. They may be brought forward early -nithout the aid of heat, or they may be forced in the proper sense of that term. We have several times fruited pairs of all the varieties we could procure, and a very agreeable pastime it has proved, independent of the advantage of a large supply of fruit, and the making acquaintance with their habits and comparative excellencies. The simplest method was found to be to get the plants established in pots as first described, and early in December remove them to a bed of earth in a lean-to with low roof, facing full south.* The bed was, in the first in- stance, covered with six inches of half-rotten dung, and on this the pots were placed sufficiently far apart that the leaves could not meet, and where they woiild have thorough ventilation from front shutters opening the whole length of the house. They require but little water till they begin to make new growth at the turn of the year ; but, as soon as the season has sufficiently advanced to cause a new growth from the crowns, they must have abundance. Early in March they are showing bloom ; there is then plenty of sunshine, and during bright mornings they can be well aired. Now is seen the advantage of bedding them on dung, for by this time they have rooted through the pots into it, and the rich green hue and immense size of the leaves fore- tell that, if they fruit at all, they will fruit nobly. There must be plenty of air given from the time the blooms expand till the fruit is gathered, but the two most critical periods are when the bloom is fully expanded and when the berries are colouring. At such times air and sunshine are most es- sential to their well-doing, and the first must be proportioned to the second, the more sun the more air, and vice versa. Water ovei'head at all times, except at these two critical periods ; but, while the bloi^soms are in their full beauty, water v;ithout a rose on the pot, pouring the water on the soil only. As soon as there is a good show of fruit water overhead, and if the later blooms are injured by it, no matter: you have a crop, and must swell it freely, and, if the trusses are well filled out, the last blooms that open may be sacrificed, * See article entitled "The Lean-to," page 113 of the June number of the Floeal ^Vokid. THE FLORAL WOELD AXD GARDEN GUIDE. 245 When the berries begin to colour again cease watering overhead, but keep the roots well supplied, give plenty of aii', and the fruit will have a fine flavour. This same plan adopted for fruiting a collection of varieties is, we are satisfied, the best for an early crop of any one, two, or three kinds ; if grown for market, it may be well to fill a house or pit at once ; if grown for private use, put in a dozen plants at a time at intervals of a fortnight, begin- ning the first week in December, and continuing till the last batch is housed. A capital way of using up the spare spaces next the gutters on the borders of a Paxtonian orchard- house is to spread a layer of dung, and put in a lot of potted strawberries. Every possessor of an orchard-house should grow strawberries in pots, as, being plants of humble growth, the crop may be secured without inter- fering, or but slightly so, with the space devoted to the trees ; but the space usually left vacant near the bottom of the lights is the best, be- cause there they are very near the glass. Old frames answer admirably, and probably a fortnight might be gained in advance of out-door crops by using calico, or " scrim," instead of glass, stretched on laths over old boxes or brick pits ; but the last hint is given at guesswork, and not by knowledge, for we never ti-ied it. Where the runners have been allowed to root as they please, and no pains have been taken to secure an early supply of young plants, the system of shifting on is, perhaps, pre- ferable to the "one shift" system which we follow. We have only to say respecting this that large shifts are preferable to small ones, and that the plants will ultimiitely do much better if the stuff is well crammed into the pots than if merely pressed in with tlie fingers. At this time of year strawberries will be found in many gardens in 60-sized pots, which they have now filled with roots. If these are to be fruited in pots, they should have a shift at once to six- inch pots, and be set in a sunny place till required for forcing; but they will never make such a crop as plants that were got into fruiting pots in July or early in August. We shall return to this subject next month in order to treat upon forcing, about which cultivators are not at present anxious. As many of our readers have not yet procured their stock for potting and planting, it may be well to remind them that a very complete descriptive list of strawberries, by Madame Vilmorin, will be found at page 31 of the third volume of the Flokal Woeld, which may be referred to with ad- vantage until we can submit a fresh list, brought up to the present time. The best of the many new straw- berries is one which has been fruited for the first time this season by Mr. Webb, of Calcot Gardens, Heading. This variety is called " liefresher." Some of the berries sent to us weighed two ounces each, the shape globose, the colour deep crimson, the fiesh dull crimson throughout, and remark- ably rich, juicy, sweet, and with a delicious aroma. For general pur- poses there is still nothing to surpass British Queen, and that should be secured first, and take the lead where- ever it thrives ; and it does not suc- ceed in some soils that suit other strawberries. A few other varieties of sterling usefulness, and pretty cer- tain to crop well wherever there is a fair chance of a strawberry of any kind prospering, are the following : — Black Prince, early; Keen's seedling, early; La Constate, mid-season, su- perb in every respect; iiivers' Eli^a, mid-season, very fine; Sir Harry, late, as it is not fit to eat till nearly black with ripeness ; Magnuj^ Bouum, late, and should be tried where British Queen does not answer ; Compte de Paris, one of the best for preserving. S. S. 246 THE MANAGEMENT OF GREENHOUSE RHODO- DENDEONS. These beautiful plants are, beyond question, the most ornamental objects a greenhouse can contain in the early spring months, exceeding even the azaleas when flowered in perfection, their large and ample foliage heighten- ing to a degree of unsurpassable love- liness the vivid or delicate tints of the very specious flowers, to say nothing of the noble habit of the plant itself: how is it then that we so seldom meet with them, so rarely indeed that their presence is rather the exception than, as it should be, the rule? I know no other reason to be assigned than the too frequent complaints of a failure in the flowering. To prevent, as far as possible, the recurrence of these disappoLutments is my object in this paper ; for I hold it unpar- donable in those possessing a know- ledge of the proper management of a tribe of plants having so many claims to attention, to sufi'er them to fall into disrepute from neglecting to make that necessary knowledge known. The management of rhododen- drons is in itself extremely simple when understood ; yet, to explain it, I must be allowed to go through it in a concise manner. These, like most other American shrubs, delight in light fibrous heath-mould, and should be allowed plenty of it, for they are not fond of frequent shift- ing: repotting should be performed immediately after blooming, that is to say, as soon as the flowers begin to fade ; all the additional stimuli are then thrown into the production of a rich luxuriant growth, on which are based all future expectations ; while growing the plants should be kept in a temperature of about 55" or 60', and receive a very liberal supply of water : this usually occurs about the latter end of April and beginning of May, sometimes a week or two later, according to the period of flowering, and the formation of the new wood generally occupies from three to four weeks. After which follows the most particular point of their management : if the watering and warm tempera- ture is continued beyond the period necessary for the due completion of this first growth, another production of new wood immediately follows, which is the sole cause of the non- production of flowers : the prevention of this second growth is what conse- quently requires the cultivator's most particular attention, and is almost the only important point in their culture. It must, however, be observed that it is necessary to get the first formed wood as large and strong as possible, or puny and few will be the flowers ; but it is also equally necessary to discontinue the watering, and to place the plants in a cool situation out of doors immediately it is completed : to do this exactly at the right time requires some considerable amount of practical skUl ; but, when once ascer- tained correctly, everything is per- fectly easy ; the plants then only require just enough water to preserve them from flagging during the heat of summer ; and at the usual time of housing plants, a warm situation in the greenhouse should be secured them. If an early bloom is required, they may be placed in a gentle heat directly after Christmas, though this is better avoided, from the trouble it causes to properly check and ripen the first growth ; because, at that early period of the season in which, forced wood will be produced, it is not safe to place them out of doors, and a greenhouse is seldom cool enough to prevent the second growth. It must be understood, all that has been said relates only to mature flowering plants. The propagation and management of young plants being more particularly a nursery- man's business, I have said nothing of it, though there is no material diSerence, except that, as it will of course be desired to have them as large as possible in the shortest pos- sible time, the second growth may be encouraged rather than prevented. Anglicus. 247 CULTUEE OF CAMPANrLA PYEAMIDALIS. In response to the request made in the last issue of the Flohal World, I now send you my mode of treatment of Campanula pyramidalis, one of our noblest greenhouse ornaments, but which is so rarely seen as to be quite a novelty, old-fashioned flower though it be. A pair of campanulas, a blue and a white, upon an exhibition table indeed, if well grown, would create a sensation ; and as decoration for a hall or staircase, or drawing-room, are equally magnificent and rare ; yet nothing is more simple than the ■whole routine of their culture ; they are, indeed, all but hardy ; they will live out of doors in this North of England, but they scarcely make such beautiful pyramids as those wintered indoors, owing to their throwing up too many stems. The objection to their more extensive cultivation seems to be an idea that such fine flowers are diiEcult to treat, and the fact of their requiring three years' nursing before flowering ; but who that has trained a pyramid fuchsia, or raised seedling bulbs or shrubs,would shrink from this ? Let it be known that there is no flower that is more certainly and easily cultivated with ordinary care and appliances ; and these noble pyramids (seven or eight feet in height, and clothed from top to bottom with flowers) may as often be seen as pyramid fuchsias, and giving variety to the conservatory at a sea- son when fuchsia hues often pre- dominate too largely. Procure a sixpenny packet each of blue and of white Campanula pyramidalis seed, sow in hotbed in March, and you may have a hundred plants, or, if these are too many, sow half of each, and, if good, the remaining seed will vege- tate a year later. Prick off the young plants into large seed pans, and their rapid growth will compel you to re- pot them, and in this, and in liberal treatment for three years, is all the secret there is, only let the treat- ment he liberal. Pot when they show that they require it ; drain the pots thoroughly, and, with this one pre- caution, you need not stint them of anything solid or liquid which you can conceive of richest and most nutritious. Good fat loam and old hotbed manure, equal parts, with a little sand, is not too good for their last potting before flowering, but in their younger state less manure wUl suflice, and its place be filled up by leaf-mould or peat. However, they are so accommodating as to do well in any soil that is not absolutely poor or stiff. In their growing seasons, and while flowering, or preparing to flower, stand the pots in pans of water. Three or four pottings may be required in a year, and they may stand out of doors all the summer, till they are running up their flower stem ; then they may be taken in, but not placed in a window, or one- sided light, as, if carried straight, they require no sticks or supports ; under a glass roof, or out of doors, the stem shoots up as straight as an, arrow. They continue for three months or more in great beauty, but decaying flowers must be neatly cut out once a week. I had three plants come into flower about the middle of July, and they are still very beautiful in this middle of October, and for several weeks I cut off each plant more than a hundred decaying flowers. Two others I had which became infested with thrips, and these I have now destroyed, as they were losing their beauty. I always throw away plants that have done flowering, as, though they will shoot after being cut quite down, they never make beautiful plants. I keep up a succession of plants, and don't require to make use of them for second flowering, though I see friends to whom I have given plants do this, but the grace of the pyramid is not there, though they give a profusion of flowers. When I have more plants than I require for indoor decoration, and for giving to friends, I use them as centres to pincushion beds, taking care to plant only such low-growing bedders around them as will not hide their beautiful pyramidal proportions. These make very handsome and 248 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. striking objects in gardens of good size, though, out of doors the stem rises little more than half the height of indoor plants. If put out in May, before the flower-stems rise, they carry up strength and toughness, for though mine is as exposed a situa- tion as can be found in England, I have now four campanulas out which have had no supports, their lithe stems bending before the blasts that have so sadly disfigured tall fuchsias, dahlias, etc. Campanulas may be potted for the last time in twelve-inch pots, just before the flowers open ; this should be a liberal shift in every sense of the term, as a three or four months' abundant flowering requires much support from nutrition. Liquid ma- nure may be give twice a week from tlie first rising of the flower-stems. Care should be taken in potting or handling the plants in all stages of growth not to break off" the leaves, as these are very brittle, and any muti- lation seems to aff'ect the symmetry of the plant in its last stage of growth ; the more the foliage is pre- served, the more truly comes out their peculiarly graceful pyramidal shape. A. A. Penrith, Cmnherlaiid. THE PEESEEVATION OE BEDDING PLAINTS. Theee is a method of preserving tender bedding plants, such as ver- benas, scarlet geraniums, etc., through the winter, which, though not new, deserves mention, and much more general adoption than it receives at present. From its universal appli- cability, and the great success at- tending its employment, I think this neglect can only arise from the method not being sufficiently known. It is simply to build up a bed of peat about eighteen inches or two feet in height, in the manner of a common hot-bed, only continuing the outer sods a foot higher than the interior, to form a wall on which the lights are to rest. These walls must be made secure with stakes driven through them, and a slight curb placed on the top, and the job is complete. The plants are then planted at regular intervals over the bed, and with the lights on and the attention to covering, etc., usually given to pits. will bid defiance to the severest weather of our winters. It will be seen the method is inexpensive, as the peat will be in an excellent state for using in the following summer ; and the plants themselves occasion far less trouble, as they require no water after the first application at planting ; and from being well esta- blished in the soil are enabled to withstand uninjured a degree or' cold that would be fatal to them in pots. In fact, tliough it should happen that some of the branches catch a little frost, it is next to impossible that tlie roots or lower parts of the stem can, from the amount of radiated heat that will be given off" from the body of the bed whenever the external tem- perature is below that of the bed. The plan is one which seems u^icu- liarly suited to the amateur culti- vator, as it simplifies and renders easy one of the most troublesome points ia his practice. Hortulanus. SEDTJM EABAEIUM. This nearly hardy sedum, raised by Captain Trevor Clarke, and sent out by Messrs. Carter and Co., of High Holborn, in 1860, proves to be one of the most useful and easih^-managed subjects, for autumn display, and ad- mirably adapted for clumps, jardiuets, and to succeed geraniums and other THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 249 summer flowers in windows and in tlie conservatory. We tried a circle of it in pots in a clump consisting wliolly of potted plants, and from the begin- ning of September to the end of Oc- tober it made a beautiful display of its large corymbs of rosy pink flowers, which are the more attractive from being supported by an ample glaucous foliage, the leaves on strong plants averaging five inches in length and two inches in width. We were agreeably surprised on our visit to the Eoyal Horticultural Gardens on the occasion of the autumn show, on the 9tli of September, to see it used in the same way in the five noble jar- dinets that adorn the main walk in the great conservatory there, Mr. Eyles having detected the value of this sedum for decorative purposes, and turned it to good account to group with asters, and other late- flowering plants adapted for masses. We are the more anxious to give prominence to this sedum, because our lists of plants flowering in Octo- ber are meagre, and in all our great towns the ordinary bedders have usually run their race and lost their beauty by the end of September, and as the chrysanthemums are then scarcely forward enough for display, whatever can be used to fill up the gap is to be valued, and grown ac- cordingly. Sedum fabarium is a strong grower, forming a stout stem, on which is produced a terminal head of pale rosy flowers. It can be pro- pagated by cuttings in spring with the greatest ease, and is not at all particular about soil, provided the pots in which it is grown are well drained. In a rich sandy soil the heads of bloom will be large and well coloured, but in a very poor soil, the plant will be sure to bloom, though, of course, with less vigour. It needs at all times a sunny situation, and in winter very little water. It is cer- SEDUM FABAKITTM. tainly a good companion to that most elegant of all the hardy sedums, S. Sieboldii, but, unlike that, grows best in the open air all the summer, whereas S. Sieboldii should be kept under glass the whole year round. THE CULTURE AND EOECING OF LILY OF THE YALLET. The Convallaria majalis, or lily of the valley, is an elegant and delicate scented plant, which has long been held a favourite ; though from the circumstance of its not being a native of hot countries, is not likely to be the lily of the valley mentioned by Solomon. Notwithstanding the fra- grance of the flowers when fresh, they have when dried a narcotic odour ; and if reduced to powder, will excite sneezing. An extract prepared from the flowers or from the roots, partakes of the bitterness as well as of the purgative properties of aloes. A beautiful and durable green colour 250 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. may be prepared from tlie leaves with lime. This little plant is very common. in the woods about Woburn, in Bed- fordshire, and from wheneetheLondon markets are supplied with the flowers. It also grows in abundance in Essex, and at Cromehurst, near Croydon, and in some of the southern counties of Scotland. In Essex it is to be found to the extent of several acres in one place, on a soil of a very close loamy texture, mixed with clay. The situations which it seems generally to inhabit are somewhat marshy. In such places the plant will grow and thrive amazingly, producing heads of pure white flowers full six inches long. They should be planted in a situa- tion and soil similar to that I have just described. Before planting dig over and well break the ground about nine inches deep, then plant the roots about four inches apart all over the surface of the ground, giving them a gentle press down with the thumb and finger, and then cover them about four inches thick with the same sort of soil. On forming new plantations of this plant I select all the flowering buds from my stock of roots, which I plant by themselves, but in the same way as I do the others. If equal quantities of each can be had there will be equal quantities of flowers for two or three successive seasons, after which they should be all taken up, the roots divided, and replanted in the same way. If neat- ness is desired, as well as a stock of good plants producing a plentiful supply of flowers in their season, the above is the easiest and most certain method that I am acquainted with. It may be well to state that at the time of replanting it will be requisite to leave a sufBcient quantity undis- turbed for the purpose of lifting for forcing during the winter months. It is rather surprising that this plant has not been cultivated with better success. The reason of this, in my opinion is, that it has been killed by too good treatment. From the early period at which the lily of the valley naturally flowers, few plants are more eligible for early forcing. As I have been rather successful, both as regards general cultivation and winter forcing, I will now endeavour to give a brief outline of the practice I have pursued in forcing. I pot them in ;:i2-sized pots, filled to within three and a half inches of the rim with rich loam, upon which the roots are closely placed, and then covered about two inches in thickness with equal parts of leaf-mould and sand. They are then well watered, so as to settle the mould about the roots. I then place them on a shelf near the glass in a moist stove or forcing house, the temperature of which may range from 65' to 75", and take care that the soil does not become dry. When they are so far advanced that the plants show their heads of flowers, I remove them into a warm greenhouse, still placing them near the glass, until as they advance in growth they are with- drawn by degrees into a shaded part of the house, from whence they are removed to the drawing-room as re- quired. When I remove one lot of plants from the forcing-house their places are immediately filled with others, which are similarly treated, and thus an ample succession will be kept up. Care and attention are re- quisite in lifting and selecting the plants for forcing. They require a minute examination to distinguish those that will flower from those that will not, the only difference being that the buds of the former are more round and short than those of the latter. I cut off" the flowering buds with as many roots to them as pos- sible, and after I have obtained a sufficient number the rest are care- fully replanted, taking care that none of them are lost, for those which will not flower one season may do so the next. i). Watt. 251 BULBOUS FLOWERS IN WINDOWS, I SHOULD be much, obliged if ia your in- teresting Floral Wokld yoa would kindly inform me whether the Agapanthus umbellatus is likely to bloom with me as a window plant. My house is situated at a corner, in the main road, aspect south and east, exposed to great heat in summer, great cold in the winter. Gas is used in the shop below. The air I consider im- pure, in spite of a strong current of air through the house whenever any wind is blowing. I am quite a window gardener, with not an inch of garden or out-door place to stand a pot, besides window ledge or tiles, where they are then ia constant danger of being blown down. I inclose a list of bulbous plants I have, tried both with the idea that it may useful in assist- ing you to advise me what bulbous plants to try, and also that it may be useful to others similarly situated. Of course I have tried numbers of her- baceous plants and seeds, with plenty of failures. I have planted a number of fresh ones (bulbous), this year in pots. The following is a list of subjects that have been attempted in 1862-1863 : — i *jif* means bloomed well, ** means bloomed poorly, * means did not bloom at all. Tritonia rosea*, Tigridia pavonia*, Lilium longifolium*, L. clialcedonicum*, L. aurantiacum*, lancifolium rnbrum*,^*, L. tigrinum*j|f*, L. candidum*^*, su- perbly, Oxalis speciosum*, Iris persica*. Iris Lusitanica*, Iris pavonia*, Gladiolus Byzantinus*^|t*, G. hybrid courantii ful- gens*, G. ramosus** tirst year, *se- cond year ; G. Brenchleyensis*, yellow crocus*j(t*, purple crocus*, Narcissus poeticus*,^*, N. pseudo-narcissus*, N. Grand Monarque*,^.*. Jonquils and Tulip Van ThoU double, two out of six bloomed poorly ; Star of Bethlehem, Oruithogalum, and Hyacinths did well. [The two names which follow here are unintelligible. They appear to read, " Belg. Gael, no bloom ; Alb, hardy.] Allium moly*^).*, Anoma- theca cruenta*.jt*. "Window Gardener. [Tlie best part of this communication is that which is " conspicuous by its ab- sence." The writer is not at all despondent, but after so many failures is prepared to " try, try, try again." We confess to some litttle perplexity in attempting to advise him, because we know there may be many reasons for failure in the culture of bulbs, apart altogether from the cir- cumstances ander which our fiiend of Walworth Road is placed ; and we cannot of course go through the list seriatim, and lay down rules for each particular class of bulbs. But as bulbs are among the most useful of subjects for windows, we will endeavour to make a few practical re- marks, and first for the subject oi potting. If tbis is not properly done, the bulb may fail to throw up its flowers, although a good bulb always contains its flowers ready formed in an embryonic condition. The pots, boxes, baskets, or what else ia which tbey are to be grown, should have perfect drainage. Over the hole in the pot lay one large hollow crock, or oyster- shell, hollow side downwards ; on this pile a few smaller pieces carefully, and then put in a handful of crocks of the size of hazel- nuts. On this lay two or three pieces of turf torn to the size of walnuts, or if no turf, put a handful of the most fibrous por- tion of cocoa-nut waste. The compost to fill up should consist of silver sand, one part, friable yellow loam, one part, dung rotted to powder and quite free of worms, two parts, all well chopped up and mixed together. Let the pot be nearly filled with this mixture, and pressed in moderately firm. Now take a hyacinth bulb, and press it down into the soil, and fill in round it, so that when the pot is filled to within half an inch of the rim, the bulb will be half in the soil and half out. If the soil is pressed into the pot as hard as a pavement, the bulb will rise on one side and look un- sightly, because of the resistance the young roots will meet with, and if the stuff' is too loose, the pot will not contain sufficient to nourish the plant ; so a moderately firm condition of soil is needful to hit the happy mean, and this must be a matter of expe- rience. Tulips, Crocuses, Irises, Tritonias, and Ornithogalums in pots and boxes should be quite covered with soil ; large bulbs of Narcissus may be pressed in par- tially, the same as hyacinths. Next, as to watering. Give very little at first ; keep the pots or boxes in a window, or in a shel- tered place outside, where they will neither be nipped by frost nor urged into too rapid a growth by artificial heat. As soon as the leaves and spikes rise fully, give plenty of water, and occasionally sponge the leaves with tepid water, but with great care not to snap or bruise them. While the flower- spikes are rising, let them be fully exposed to daylight ; if kept on mantel-pieces and sideboards, the flowers will lack colour and the leaves will be blanched, but when the bloom is full out, they may be placed any- where as desured for ornament. Afi«r- M 2 252 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. treatment. When they have finished their bloom, throw them away. This is really the best advice we can give our friend and all others similarly situated. But if win- dow gardeners will keep their bulbs, they must treat them according to the direction.? given in many places in past issues of the Flokal World. There is one more point of some importance, and that is selection of hidhs. In the first place, if the bulbs are not soiind and hard — size is of less conse- quence—they will never flower well. Hya- cinths are extra lai-ge this season, but we doubt if they are any the better for that. We advise our correspondent to buy of first- class dealers only. The cheap bulbs sold by cornchandlers and miniature seedsmen are the sweepings of the^jnarkets. Then, as to species and varieties. None of the iris, agapanthus, and lilium are suitable for windows where there is much dust, and the atmosphere is loaded with the impuri- ties caused by gas-lights; for this reason, that before they flower they make a long- continued leaf-growth, and during this period they suffer in health, and are pretty well exhausted before the flowering season arrives. But bulbs which throw up their flower spikes at once are well adapted for such a purpose, because the flowering is over, or neai-ly so, before the health of the plants is seriously affected. Therefore, we advise our correspondent to indulge freely in hyacinths, crocuses, snowdrops, and tulips, and he may add winter aconites. Narcissus poeticus, Naixissus bulbocodium, and a few of the cheapest amaryllis, but other kinds he must take at his own risk. We are glad to learn that Lilium candidum bloomed beautifully. Now, tliat is in itself a flower-show for a London window. The plant should now be refreshed either by a shift to a larger pot, or by the careful re- moval of some of the old soil, and replacing it with fresh, and of the kind recommended above. By the way, we have plants of Lilium Japonicum now (October 27), in full bloom in our own windows, being the first blooms of offsets taken up in spring from one of our peat-beds, j THE GAEDEN GUIDE EOE NOVEMBEE. Those who intend to enjoy the sight of well-bloomed beds of bnlbous plants must now set to work in earnest, and get every bulb into the ground. The more they shoot while kept dry the more are their energies exhausted; and if the blooms are not deteriorated — as they are pretty sure to be — the bulbs themselves will be weak- ened, and will be poor the next year. Lord Mayor's Day is the day for planting tulips with the majority of London growers; in Lancashire they are a little earlier. The remark about planting applies also to pur- chasing. The best are sold first; as the season wanes, the dealers have only the leavings of others who were on the look out in time, and who had the pick on the first arrival of the bulbs. Add to this the uncertainty of the weather at this time of year, and there are three good reasons for attending to the bulbs at once, even to the neglect, for a week or two, of other matters. Planting is now going on in all directions. In this work delays are dangerous. Trees got into their quarters at once, even if they have not quite shed their leaves, will at once make fresh root, for the ground is warm, and get well established before se- vere frosts set iu. Order at once whatever fruit trees, roses, etc., you may require, and have the ground prepared, so that they may be planted immediately on arrival. Laying in by the heels is a mis- chievous practice, and should never be resorted to, except when unavoidable. It is bettex', however, for trees to lay in than lay out; the air acting on their exposed roots does immense injury; but the danger of laying in is that, regarding them as " safe for the present," the planting is often deferred till they have actually struck out roots ; and lifting them to their places destroys the new roots, and compels them to a second effort when planted. Kitchen Garden. — Wherever digging and trenching are required, let it be done without delay ; every additional day's ex- posure of the soil to the action of the weather is a benefit to it; generally speak- ing, it is not well to manure in autumn, because the winter rains wash the best of it away, but manures should have atten- tion, and this is a good time to clear out the muck pit, and pile the stuff in a heap, and throw over it a few inches of soil or burnt clay. In dry frosty weather it should be chopped down and turned, and again soiled over to preserve its virtues and at the same time sweeten it for use. Turf should be stacked, and clippings collected for burning to make dressings of manure for beds and boi'ders. The general work of the kitchen garden is but a continuation of last month, to which we refer to avoid repetitions. Those who are inclined to venture a few speculative crops should THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 253 BOW Mazagan beans, Dillistone's Early, Sangster's Number One, and Early Em- peror peas. If they get through the winter they will produce a few early dishes, tut there is the risk, not only of severe weather, but of the attacks of slugs and snails, and where these vermin ai-e allowed to riot on the ground winter sowings have little chance. Broad, well-drained slopes are of great value for winter sowings and for bedding out lettuce, broccoli, and cauli- flower for the winter; and with the help of reed or thatched hurdles for shelter, late and early supplies of vegetables and salad- ings may be secured, and will alwaj's pay well. Turn gravel walks, clean and turn plunging beds, make a clearance of corners devoted to rubbish, especially where there is an accumulation of old pea-sticks and timber, as it is among such stuff the vermin take shelter, to issue forth in spring and destroy the seed crops, and bring disgrace upon the small birds. Orchid House. — As the season de- clines, the temperature of the house must be reduced, but this must be done with great care, because many fine species will soon be showing bloom. In the first place, look to the Cattleyas, and remove them to the coolest end, and let them have a tem- perature averaging 70' by day and 60'' by night, in order to induce a perfect state of rest. If in a higher temperature than this there will be a further growth of the plants at the expense of the next bloom. With these group Cycnoches, Lycastes, and Cata- setums, which are all likely to suffer if kept gi'owing now in too high a tempera- ture. Orchids now pushing for bloom will require liberal heat and moisture, and these may be grouped with Dendrobiums and Aerides in a temperature of 80' by day and 70' by night. As soon as any of the Barkerias, Cycnoches, Cyrtopodiums, Phajus albus, Pleione maculata, Wallich- iana, and other deciduous orchids begin to shed their leaves, they should be placed in the cool end of the house in the most sunny position that can be found for them, and there have but little water. This treatment will cause them to ripen their pseudo-bulbs, and their aftergrowth and flowering will be more vigorous. On the other liand, Vandas, Angrfficums, Aerides, Saccolabiums, and Phalainopsis must never be allowed to get very dry at the roots, even when at rest, as they shrivel and lose their lower leaves. These species, more- over, require but a short period of rest. Variegated orchids require great care from this time till March, only give enough water to keep from shrivelling. [Unavoid- ably omitted last month.] Orchids that may he in hlonm in Ocioler Angraicum bilobum ; Barkeria Lindley- ana; Bletia campauulata; Burlingtouia Kuowlesii ; Calanthe vestita rubra oculata; Cattleya Candida, guttata, Harrisoniai, in- termedia superba, marginata ; Cypripe- dium Farrieanum ; Dendrobium Gibsoni, Heyneanum sanguinoleutum ; Iluntleya Wailesice ; Lajlia elegans var. Dayii, fur- furacea, Perrini ; Miltouia Candida, Clowesii major, Morelii, llegnelli ; Pha- lajnopsis amabilis, grandiflora ; Pleoine maculata, Wallichiana ; Stanhopea ocu- lata ; Vanda Lowii. Flower Garden. — Whatever is of too tender a nature to bear exposure to frost should be got under cover without delay. Glioice pansies, carnations, auriculas, and phloxes require the shelter of a frame or coal pit. Dahlias should be taken up, tallied, and stowed away out of the reach of frost, moisture, and heat. Get a supply of rose-stocks at once, if you intend to graft or bud for yourself next season. Plant in good loam, and stake them se- curely, or run light hazel rods along the rows and secure their ends to stout up- rights, and tie in the stocks to them. Bulbs should be planted as soon as possible, both in beds and borders. Cheap mixtures of hyacinths and tulips serve every purpose for general decoration of the borders, and the dealers will make good selections for those who are not familiar witli the pro- perties of the several sorts. A bed of standard roses is an excellent place for a display of hyacintlis regularly planted in clumps between the trees. Take up dahlia and marvel of Peru roots, and store away when quite dry. Gather any seeds that remain out, and dry in-doors. Set about any intended alterations at once, that the consequent planting may be done before we get frost and snow. Well-rolled turf and gravel and trimly-kept borders are very necessary now that the colours are declining, and the garden is resuming a skeleton condition in which outlines and surfaces are nearly all that remain to give pleasure to the eye. In selecting ever- greens and deciduous shrubs for decorative purposes the colours of their foliage at this season should be taken into consideration. Fruit Garden. — Prune and plant as weather permits. Give special attention to wall fruit, and where standards have got crowded thin out tlie heads, but be very cautious about cutting large boughs off healthy bearing trees. Bush fruits should be pruned, and the ground forked over between the rows. Burn the prunings and strew the ashes over the newly-forked surface. Red and white currants must be 254 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. cut back to skeletons ; the chief of the fruit-buds being at the junctions of the new wood with that of last year; leave only three or four joints beyond that point, and Cut clear away at the base every branch that is ill placed or that chokes up the centre. Black currants do not like the knife. Trim the branches to regular dis- tances, and shorten the longest back to good joints, but preserve plenty of young wood, leaving the plumpest branches nearly their full length and cutting all weak ones clean away. Treat gooseberries in the same way; they never bear well if severely pruned. Scrub old apple trees that are infested with blight with a strong brine, rather warm, and stop the holes with a mixture of clay, sulphur, soot, and cow- dung, beaten together into a tenacious paste. Put stakes to everything fresh planted, or, better still, three lengths of tarred rope fastened to pegs driven firmly in the ground. Geeenhouse. — There is great danger of overcrowding the plants newly housed, owing to the numbers that are propagated during summer. It would be better even to destroy surplus stock than to spoil a whole collection by cramming too many plants into a limited space. Give plenty of air, but guai'd against sudden night frosts. Withhold water as much as pos- sible to induce a state of rest in the plants, but allow nothing to get dust-dry, for that is an injury to the tender roots, on which the plant has to depend in a great measure to sustain itself. The first frost is generally severe ; if, by accident, any plants get caught by it, keep them shaded and occa- sionally sprinkled with cold water, but remove the shade as soon as they show signs of recovery. Plants in bloom should be kept safe from cold nights, and when- ever watered it should be with tepid water. Green-fly is very apt to attack soft-wood ed plants at this season, and the moment the pest appears tobacco smoke must be re- sorted to. Keep up the heat among pines, but give as much air as possible. Do not push any into undue growth, or they will suflPer severely on the accession of colder weather. Do without fire as long as you dare, but use a little in foggy weather to cause a circulation of air. Be gentle with plants that are to be forced; if put into heat too suddenly the bloom-buds will fall off or burst. Auriculas. — Damp is now their great enemy, and yet water must be given, if they want it, at the root. Keep the glass over them, and give air liberally. Remove dead leaves, and guard against drip. Azaleas. — Keep cool, or they may start too soon ; a few may be started very gently for the first bloom. Camellias are now in fine bloom in many places, and only need moderate pro- tection to keep them gay. But, as they are not yet wanted, those showing colour must be retarded as much as possible to keep them back till the chrysanthemums are over. Chrysanthemums to have plenty of water and no more liquid manure. By keeping the backward plants out to the latest mo- ment which it is safe to do so, they will come in usefully as a succession to keep the conservatory gay till after Christmas. Cinerarias have now their seasonal ordeal to pass through, and must have every proper attention, or mildew will eat them up. Sulphur them if there is the least sign of the plague, and give plenty of air. Get specimen plants into shape, and put the early ones into their blooming pots; stop ten days after shifting. Dahlias. — Take up at once, or as soon as the frost has spoilt their beauty. A few dahlias, which we took up on clean stems by disbudding rather late in the season, are now nice standards in pots, and will make a show under glass for some time to come. This may be a useful hint to those who have heavy demands upon them to keep conservatories gay. Fuchsias done blooming to be left out as long as possible to harden the wood, and those for specimens next year to be started gently as soon as they have shaken off their leaves, preparatory to repotting in a month's time. Standards must be kept slightly on the move all winter to make sure of them. Fuchsias stored under stages had better not be pruned, except just the points of the longest shoots, as it causes them to break before they are wanted. Late-struck plants will be in nice bloom now for the conservatory, and cuttings may now be put in for early plants. Geraniums potted from the borders to be pruned in, but not severely, suflScient only to remove the soft sappy growth, as severe pruning would cause them to grow again too quickly. Those for special pur- poses and for early bloom should be cut in close, and put in bottom-heat for a month. If any remain out get them up before they melt into a jelly, and give them a warm berth for a week or two, to enable them to get hold of the new stuff in which they are potted. Poor sandy stuff for all bedders that are merely to be kept, as the less growth the better. Pelargoniums have been pretty free from disasters hitherto; but the season of mildew is upon us. Use fire-heat by day THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 255 only during frost and damp, train and stop, water sparingly; do not wet the foliage. Tulips to be planted at once. Lord Mayor's Day is the commencement of the session among the fanciers ; if planted earlier they break ground too soon in the frost; if later they flower weakly. But bedding tulips may be planted any time from the 1st of October to the middle of November. Rose stocks to be planted at once. Ee- ject all the gray bard-barked briars; the best are those with formidable spines and a greenish bark. Plant roses for blooming next season; a stiff, well-manured soil suits them best, and, except in very cold districts, the more open the position the better. Scarlet salvias may be kept in bloom a considerable length of time, in a warm light place in the conservatory, especially if rather pot-bound, and kept in vigour with manure water. Vines breaking to have air cautiously, as a chill may result in disease of some kind hereafter. If red spider appears on vines planted inside, give the roots a liberal watering, in addition to the other means of eradication ; a vigorous growth will prove as powerful a preventive as any special ap- plications of Gisliurst, etc. Where grapes are still hanging keep the atmosphere dry. Violets potted now, by taking up strong runners, will bloom early and be of service. Us.e plenty of charred rubbish to lighten the compost, which should be rich. Wall trees to be pruned, and as much good wood as possible laid in. Hollyhocks of choice kinds should be taken up and potted, and a few of the shortest shoots taken from each and put round the sides of pots as cuttings: they will root without the aid of heat in a frame or pit. Carnations and Picotees to be kept com- paratively dry, and very freely aired. Prepare the compost for next season's potting by chopping over two parts yellow loam witli plenty of fibre in it, one part rotten cow-dung, and a half part of fine siftings from old plaster or road sand. Lay this up in a ridge, and let it be several times turned during the winter, especially with a view to get the whole mass two or three times frozen through. Lobelia cardinalis and its kindred should be taken up and planted in boxes to keep OTer winter in frames, or separate tlie shoots and pot the offsets separately, or four or five together, in 48-sized pots. Grass turf.- — This is the best time ia the whole year to lay down turf. Secure for garden lawns turf of fine quality and close growth, containing a good proportion, of clover. Generally speaking, the best turf is obtained from commons where it has been continually eaten close. The ground must be firm on which the turf 13 laid, or it will sink in places during thft winter. When laid let it be well beaten and the joints closed. Orchid-house. — All orchids requiring rest now should have less water and a cooler and drier atmosphere, and a more liberal ventilation, than in the growing season. Evergreen kinds will require a moderately warm position. It is at this time of year that rot and spot begin their havoc in the orchid-house. Both these maladies are the result of improper treat- ment by the cultivator, one cause of both diseases being the continuance of too high a temperature with much moisture, during the period when the plants ought to be at rest, and another frequent cause is too much damp when the temperature is low. The drip from the glass falling on the pseudo-bulbs frequently causes rot, and whenever rot appears the parts afi'ected should be cut clean away, and the parts filled up with sulphur. Discolouration of the pseudo-bulbs is one of the indications of approaching rottenness. Spot appears to result frequently from cold draughts passing through the house when there is much vapour and the plants are damp. Eemoval to a drier and warmer air will generally stop its ravages; but as soon as the growing season returns the plants that were affected should be started in a brisk heat and have every possible encourage- ment to grow, and they will generally grow out of it. In preparing for the winter wash all the glass and woodwork of the house. Orchids that may ie in bloom in No- vember.— Angrsecumbilobum, sesquipedale; Barkeria Skinneri ; Burlingtonia amoena^ Knowlesii; Calanthe vestita; Cattleya in- termedia superba, labiata, maxima; Cypri- pedium Farrieanum; Dendrobium album, Gibsonii,Lowii, Huntleya, Walesiaj; Lycaste Skinneri ; Ltelia elegans v. Dayii, furfu- racea,Perrinii; Miltonia Candida: Oncidium Forbesii, Pleoine maculata, Wallichiana ; Sophronites grandiflora; Stanhopea oculata. 256 KOVEMBEE, 18G3.— 30 Days. Phases of the Moon.— Last Quarter, 3rd, 31i. 34m. after. ; New,lltli, 71i. 59m. morn. First Quartei', 18th, 3h. 5m. morn, ; Pull, 25th, 9h. 2m. morn. Sun rises. h. 6 55 6 57 6 58 Sun seta. 10 11 12 13 14 7 18 15 7 20 16 7 21 17 7 23 18 7 25 19 7 27 20 7 28 21 7 30 22 7 32 23 7 33 24 7 35 25 7 36 26 7 38 27 7 40 28 7 41 29 7 42 30 7 44 h. m. 4 33 i 31 4 29 4 27 4 25 4 24 4 22 4 20 4 19 4 17 4 16 4 14 4 13 4 11 10 8 Moon rises. Moou sets. 7 6 5 3 2 1 0 59 58 57 56 55 54 3 53 Aft. 9 9 10 111 11 15' Morn.' 0 19: 1 25! 2 33^ 3 41' 4 53 6 7 7 22 8 33 9 39 10 34 11 18 11 54 Aft. 0 1 0 31 0 57 21 42 2 22 44 9 39 17 2 0 8 8 22 9 41 Weather near London, 1862. BAEOMETEK. THKEMOMETEn. After. 11 0 0 50 Morn. 1 15 0 19 1 38 2 2 2 27 2 56 3 32' 4 12 5 1| 5 55' 6 54' 8 28 9 18 9 59 7 5710 33 9 110 59 Mx. 29-83. 29-95. 30-03. 29-99. 29-99. 30-07. 30-24. 30-28, 29-71., 29-35.. 29-62.. 30-02.. 30-10.. 29-90.. 30-05.. 30-16.. 30-34. . 30-31.. 30-11.. 30-15.. 30-16.. 29-90.. 29-72.. 29-71.. 29-66.. 29-51.. 29-59.. 29-72... 29-63... 29-74.., Min. ..29-79 ..29-89 ..29-98 ..29-95 ..29-98 ..30-01 ..30-14 ..30-27 ..29-51 .29-33 .29-40 .29-82 .29-92 .29-87 .30-00 .30-07 .30-26 .30-20 .30-09 .30-10 .30-05 .29-80 .29-64 .29-67 .29-56 .29-47 .29-43 ,29-69 ,29-59 ,29-69 Mx. Mn. Me. 55. ..49. ..52-0 60. ..42. ..51-0 57... 34... 45-5 58.. .40.. .490 51. ..33. ..420 48...33...40-5 44. ..30.. .37-0 50.. .40. ..45-0 53. ..37. ..45-0 49... 28... 38-5 48. ..20. ..34-0 47.. .19. ..33-0 40. ..23. ..31-5 47. ..31. ..39-0 45. ..37. ..41-0 50... 34... 42-0 49. ..30, ..39-5 46... 35... 40-5 43. ..30. ..36-5 41. ..33, ..370 45. ..25. ..35-0 43. ..18. ..80-5 44. ..20. ..32-0 44.. .29. ..36-5 40. ..30. ..35-0 42. ..25. ..33-5 51. ..26. ..38-5 52. ..38. ..45-0 46. ..27. ..36-5 48. ..31. ..39-5 Rain, THE COUKTEr. The Garden and the Field. '01 1 Sycamore leafless. •00 I Hazel leafless. •00 Hornbeam leafless. ■02 iLilac leafless. "60 I Cherry leafless. •14 (Birch leafless. •00 Hooded crow arrives. "01 Ash leafless. "08 Primroses fl. ■00 Arbutus unedo fl. [fl. •00 1 Nidularia campanulata •00 Plane leaves fall. ■00 Apricot leafless. ■00 Beech leafless. ■00 I Larch leaves fall. ■00 Various agarics fl. Wych hazel fl. Pyracautha berries turn orange. Lam-istinas fl. Mespilus-crusgalli ber- ries ripe. Grolden plover arrive. Sweet scented coltsfoot Larch leafless. Oak leafless. Redwings arrive. Elm leafless. Fieldfares arrive. Stock doves arrive. [fl. Probable Weather in November. — A generally fine month, with frequent returns of summer weather. From 1st to 15th warni, sunny, with occasional light showers ; wind S.W. to S.E. From 15th to 30th frequent light frosts, with clear skies and little rain ; wind N.W. to N.E, In northern districts snow and frost, with ■wind N.N.W. to N.E. after the 15th. CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS IN NOVEMBEE. 3rd, 4th, and 5th.— Milton Hall, Hampstead Eoad. 4th. — Woolwich. 9th. — Hackney Eoad. 9th and 10th. — Stoke Newingfon. 9th, 10th, and 11th.— Mile-end Road. 11th and 12th. — Commercial Eoad, Peckham. 11th, 12th, and 13th.— Agricultural Hall, Islmgton. 18th and 19th.— Eoupell Park, Brixton Hill. 257 TO COEEESPONDENTS. Catalogues Received. — " George Walker Dixou, 48a, Moorgate Street, London, E.G. Catalogue of Flower Roots." A neat list of useful bulbs. — " William Paul, Nurseries and Seed Warehouse, Waltham Cross, N. Descriptive list of Strawberries and Grape Vines." A very- useful catalogue, containing all the best varieties known. — " A. Godwin and Son, Rosarium, Railway Station, Aslibourne, and at Collyoroft. Descriptive Cata- logue of Roses." A carefully-prepared list, with accurate descriptions. — " Paul and Sons, Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, Herts. Descriptive Catalogue of Evei-- greens, Deciduous Trees, Conifers, Ameri- can Climbing and Herbaceous Plants." A first-rate and very useful list, as it contains both the botanical and English names, together with some practical re- marks, pointing out the best positions for placing them, according to tlieir capabilities for standing severe weather, their habit, etc. — " John Cranston, King's Acre Nurseries, near Hereford. Descriptive Catalogue of Selected Roses." A fine list of roses, intelligibly arranged and faithfully described. — " Sutton and Sons, Royal Berks Seed Establishment, Reading. Autumn Catalogue of Bul- bous Flower Roots." This catalogue not only contains a good list of bulbs, but an excellent assoi'tment of miscel- laneous plants. — "Ambrose Verschaffelt, Rue du Chaume, 50 a Gand (Belgique). Catalogue of New Plants for the Autumn of 1863 and Spring of 1864." The nume- rous and interesting novelties issued by this enterprising and successful horti- culturist are in this catalogue divided into three sections ; First, plants suitable for cultivation in the stove ; second, plants for greenhouse culture ; and third, plants which may be cultivated in the open air. Fekn Collecting. — I am making a col- lection of British and foreign ferns, both in the ferneries and preserved specimens. Please inform me the best books of refer- ence to procure to assist me in naming them, and the varieties of each kind, together with the price and publishers. — A. B. S., Torquay. [For your purpose small hand-books, with one exception, will be of no use at all ; that exception ■we make in favour of " Moore's Hand- book of British Ferns," third edition, published by Groombridge,at Ss. Among hundreds of manuals of British ferns, that is the only one worth serious at- tention, and it is remarkably complete and accurate. We should recommend next Lowe's " British and Exotic Ferns," 8 vols., £6 6s. ; Lowe's " New and Rare Ferns," £1 ; and Lowe's "Native Ferns and their Varieties," now publishing in .sl)illing parts by Messrs. Groombridge. We have Mr. Lowe's work in constant use, and have compared the figures and the ferns together hundreds of times, and have but rarely had to question the fidelity and beauty of Mr. Lowe's plates. We regret that the text is meagre, but that happens to be the fault of most good picture books. Sir W. J. Hooker's "Century of Exotic Fern.s," published by Reeve, at £5 5s., may be added as a luxury; its scope is too restricted for general usefulness. Lastly, obtain from Mr. Pamplin Smith's catalogue of ferns, and Moore's Index Filicum ; these will cost only a few shillings each.] Avenue in Suburban Garden.— G^. S. — The miserable lime trees you contem- plate removing were probably planted too deep, and inundrained soil ; perhaps merely planted in holes, which we do not consider as planting at all. From your description we suppose the meadow in which the avenue is to be planted is at a lower level than the banks of the river close by ; if so, the infiltration of water will keep the ground always wet, and the only really safe way of forming an avenue would be to form a drain of two- inch pipes, and then raise the soil in the form of a terrace or continuous plat- form above the general level, thus — ^ >.^^ and plant on ^ this, making the walk along tie centre. Perhaps the gi'andest tree known for an ave- nue is the Deodara cedar, but you would have to wait years for effect. Wellingtonia is well adapted also, but slow in growth. The trees you think of, such as poplar, beech, etc., we could not recommend, but if expense is an object, and you want to realize the effect speedily, use Ailanthus glandulosus, or, to bo very grand, and make a dashing affair of it at a small cost, copper-leaved beech. Pardon us again saying that the trees imist be planted, not merely stuck in holes. To give interest to this walk, the inclosed meadow ought to be liberally planted as an arboretum. Fruit Trees foe Garden at Exmouth. — Polly. — It is almost a pity to use up the clay in making foundations for walks, for it will make very bad foun- dations unless burnt ; and if you want 258 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND QAEDEN GUIDE. 1 good fruit you can scarcely do better than mix some portion of the clay with the surface loam, which will enable the trees the better to keep thrifty in such close proximity to sandstone rock. We believe the following will be a good selection to add to what you have, to give variety and succession in each of the several classes: — For the walls — Elruge Nectarine ; Tardive d'Orleans Apricot ; Green Gage, Jefferson, Coe's Golden Drop, and Goes late red Plums ; Morello, Belle Magnifique, and early purple Guigne Cherries ; Josephine de Malines Pear. To grow as bushes the following Apples. — Beaiity of Kent, Braddick's Nonpareil, Cellini, Cox's Orange Pippin, Juneating, Golden Harvey, Newtown Pippin, Lord Suffield, Reinette du Canada, Ribston Pippin, Waltham Abbey, Knight's Downton Pippin. Plums. — Early Prolific, Reine Claude Vioiette, Lawrence's Gage, Reine Claude de Bavay, Prince Englebert, De Montford, Mirabelle, Belle de Septem- bre. Cherries. — Royal Duke, Arch- duke, Black Tartarian. The three best strawberries for you are Keen's Seed- ling, British Queen, and La Constante. We must not recommend dealers. Your stations will do admirably. Extermination of Plantains from a Lawn. — H. A. begs to inform A. B. C. that a certain and effectual remedy for the extermination of the plantains from the lawn is to put coarse salt on the crown of the plant, and by no means to cut it. It should be done in the after- noon. Of course whenever a stray one comes up, persevere in the salt, but never allow a spud or knife to touch them. H. A. has a large lawn, and having entirely destroyed them, as well as the daisies, it is now a most beautiful piece of turf. Planting Out a View under Trees. — A. B. S. — The best way to block out the objectionable view will be to plant under the trees box, privet, Taxus cana- densis, red dogwood, and common green holly. In front, if there is anything like an open space, plant aucubas, va- riegated hollies, common juniper, and Chinese privet, which bear partial shade well, but never so well adapted for being completely shaded as those first mentioned. Three years ago a poor nian asked our advice about planting out an obnoxious view by means of some sort of undergrowth, and as the shrubs proper for the purpose were beyond his means, we advised him to plant first a lot of dead tres-sturaps, four to six feet high, and then cover them with ivy and Virginian creeper. This autumn we have seen the plantation, and it is a most beautiful affair, and the view through the stems of the trees is completely in- te rcepted. Various. — A. B. S. — Your fern is Nephro- lepis exaltata, unquestionably the finest fern for the centre of a vase or fern- case. — J. Symon. — A vinery will do very well for a few greenhouse ferns ; in fact, they may be grown anywhere if safe from frost in winter and roasting sun in summer. Your specimens are — 1. Com- mon harts-tongue, Scolopendrium vul- gare ; 2. A»plenium adiantum nigrum ; 3. Polypodium vulgare ; 4. Blechnum spicant, starved ; 5. Cystopteris fragilis. — Irishman. — It cannot be of any benefit to you for the paper to be published, unless your name and address appears with it, else how are you to obtain the aid you seek ? If you write on the sup- position that we could receive and trans- mit, it is a mistake ; we could not do it, Selaginella apoda would not grow on the outside of your case, but the common Ly- copodium denticulatum might. The beet ferns for you are Asplenium marinum, Scolopendrium vulgare, Adiantum cunea- tum, and assimile, Lomaria antarctica, Doodia caudata, Cystopteris fragilis, Polypodium cambricnm, and Lastrea spinulosa. All these are cheap, and may be obtained of any nurseiyman. — Burford. — Roses may be rooted in water by taking half-ripe shoots in June and July, making them into cuttings, with a joint at the base, and inserting them in phials of water, and wrapping the phials round with flannel, to ex- clude the light, and placing the phials in a window. When the joint at the base of the shoot begins to put out little claw-like roots, the cuttings should be at once potted in sandy peat or leaf- mould, and be placed on a gentle bottom-heaf. It is a very unsatisfactory way of raising roses. — T. P. Crick- howell. — Sigma's hoes are supplied by Mr. Powell, Hurst Green, Sussex. We quite forget who is the maker of the Canterbury hoe ; perhaps Gidney, of East Dereham, Norfolk, may know something about it. — Mrs. A. A. — The blue flower is Lobelia raraosus, the other Leptosiphon densiflorus. There is no "pocket-book" on exotic ferns. — 3Irs. D. Rayleigh. — Probably the pa- tent fuel sold by Carman, of Newgate Street, might answer, or charcoal broken the size of walnuts. THE CASDEn ©ySBE. Decembee, 1863. ^J'F any of our readers wish to know how to make a fortune, '^ without being mere money-grubbers — how to pursue busi- ,,. ness without extinguishing every genial sentiment, or ^C becoming sordid in calculations of gain and loss— we » advise them to engage in editing a horticultural periodical. It is the best fun ever invented, for all the other realities of life arc decked out in romantic habiliments, and an editor goes through life decked with a kind of " delirium trimmings," while he is at the same time as prosaic an individual as the aged dame who obtains her bread by turning a mangle. A periodical is only another kind of shop whereat there is something to be sold— say at the figure of fourpcnce— yet all the customers come with the smiles of friends ; and while you take their money, and order a new carriage, and commission Mr. Equestris to buy a stud of thorough-bred greys, you arc in the attitude of a favourite at an evening party, and all you say and do is intended to set other people saying and doing, so that out of the playful tattle there may be eliminated as much real wisdom as will suffice to give excuse next day to speak of the affair as " a feast of reason and a flow of soul." This 1'loral World is nothing more nor less than a commercial commodity ; those who don't like it don't buy it— those who do like it pay for it ; and_ there is an end to the matter as to the business of the shop. Yet the chink of the money is music to both parties, and we shame all the rest of the ■world's buyers and sellers by shaking hands with each other, and taking mutual interest in each other's affairs. It is said— and it is not for us to gainsay it— that the Floral World is the best book ever yet produced for people who really love gardening, and wish to pursue it as a recrea- tion out of which may be "extracted both commercial and intellectual profit ; and there is a very general desire to put on our unworthy heads a wreath of laurel, in token of appreciation of our labours by thousands and thousands of readers. There can be no doubt this is a very admirable publication. While we have it to sell, we must follow the good old rule of crying up our own wares, even if we abstain from that other rule of crying down other people's. But our great modesty compels us to VOL. VI. — NO. XII. '^ 260 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. decline the laurel wreath, and he content with the fourpence — for this very proper reason, that it is the customers who deserve praise for the success of the undertaking, and if there is to be any sort of testimonial, it must go to our readers, and not to us. Just look back on the pages published during the past twelvemonths, and see how the readers of the work have contributed to it, not only their pence, but their experiences. There was never wanting among tlie friends of this work those who were both able and willing to add to the stores of horticultural knowledge ; and if it had not been so, we should long ago have been found out to be but poor fallible flesh and blood; whereas, by their aid we keep our position of presumed infallibility, and perpetuate on our own counter a greater delusion than the Ghost, or the Crystal Globe, or the profession of fraternity with gorillas. Once we had to ask the timid ones to speak, and they did speak ; now we have to thank them for the aid they gave us, and to hope that amongst our myriad supporters there remain still a few who might follow the example set them, by contributing to the shop some part of the stufl" they intend themselves to purchase, l^ot that we are ourselves worn out. No. We are about fifty years younger at the end of six years' work in these pages than when we begun. Being younger, we have more enthusiasm, and, per contra, have more to learn, and shall set about learning it if our friends will continue to shower in their fourpences, just to keep us at school. If any of our readers could peep into our budget, and see what new things we have in store for them, what revelations we intend to make, what excellent vegetarian dishes we are about to provide for their intel- lectual digestion, they would rush off to their booksellers and multiply their orders by fifty, on the principle that one cannot have too much of a good thing. But we will take our risk about the circulation ; it has always been brisk enough to keep our toes warm ; and so, smiling at the office door like polite shopkeepers, we bethink ourselves of the compli- ments of the season, and once more wish all our readers and contributors A Meeet Cheistmas and a Happy New Yeae. WATER SCENES. When I pass a print-shop on a frosty day, I inwardly condemn the man to death who persists at such a season in exhibiting pictures of nymphs or naiads, or any of that class of creatures, dabbling their pretty feet in crystal streams, or wading chin deep in blue lakes that make one shudder. Printsellers have no feeling for mankind, else they would never torment people who peep into their windows with pictures of nude Venuses shivering on slippery oyster- shells when the wind is in the east, and if your nose touches the Avindow-pane the sensation is like having the tip suddenly shortened by a razor— any more than they would hang up representations of blazing forges, and burning mountains, and interiors of lime-kilns in the month of July, when you wish you. were a dog, only that you might go along with your tongue out, and take a sip at every puddle or horse-bucket, to preserve the palate from a state of incandescence. So it m^y be quite out of season now to talk of water scenes ; and we cannot so much as put a title to this paper THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 261 without first casting all the blame ou our " esteemed correspondent," Jemima Wells, who says she will have a pond in the garden, thono'h she does not know where the water is to come from, nor how it is to ba kept when obtained, nor whether it should be in the main walk, on the grass- plot, or on the top of the mound which faces her bed-room window. Now, nine-tenths of our time go to the service of the ladies, and the other tenth to charity; so it will be according to custom if we try to help Jemima with half-a-dozen words of advice, and defy all the mascu- line readers who want to know about roses, fruit-trees, orchids, and other sucli rubbish. If we had a plan of Jemima's garden, showing all the levels, we might indicate the precise spot for an ornamental pond, and on the other hand we might fail to indicate the precise spot through sheer ignorance of the nature of the surrounding scenery. "We must, therefore, deal with the subject in a general way, and say first of all, that water may be intro- duced in any part of a garden or wilderness ; but the tvay in which it is done must be determined by the nature of the locality. Suppose the pos- sessor of a garden wishes for water at the summit of a hill, then if he would have a pond or a lake, the chances are in favour of the affair becoming a source of merriment to critics of landscape. But a bubbling fountain would be very appropriate to the top of a hill, and not long since we sat beside a crystal soring on the brow of a heathy eminence at Oak- shott, in Surrey, and counted the species of plants the water had coaxed there. jS^atural springs frequently emerge on high grounds, and in a grand garden the charm of a fountain on the side or summit of a hill may be made quite appropriate, even if the water supply for it has to be secured by artificial appliances, such as the working of a ram at some distance off, and the conveyance of water to the spot by pipes under ground. Once get the water up there, provide a stone receptacle for it, and lead away all overflow in the form of a rivulet, and nature will soon plant the margins of the fountain and the rill with curious wild flowers, and the birds of the district will make the spot a favourite haunt for bathing, drinking, courting, and of course for morning and evening con- certs. The fountain on the hill at Oakshott flows over a rough oak cistern, fixed there by the villagers to preserve a depth of water for dipping. It is almost hemmed in on three sides with tangled vegetation, most of it lovely and rare, and the shallow rivulet it makes in its course down the hill is completely matted with sundew, lichen, lycopo- dium, Scutellaria, bog pimpernel, and other of the choicest vegetation of heathy bogs. If it could be transferred with all its accessories to some great garden it would be considered one of its choicest features, and per- haps attract more visitors than it might be convenient to admit gra- tuitously. So if Jemima wishes for water at the top of her favourite mound, it must be in the form of a fountain, and she may indulge her fancy to any extent to make it grotesque, picturesque, or severely simple. In the main walk water is equally admissible, but then we must have an architectural fountain or basin. The style of the house, the terrace, and the grounds must determine the style of the fountain. If the house is a very plain edifice and the grounds would need to be described as "neat" rather than "grand," we should prefer a plain stone moulding, a few graceful curves, and trust more for effect to the sparkle of the water and the grace of the accompanying vegetation than to sculpture or fanciful 262 THE ELOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. rockeries. A fountain in a main path, within view of the drawing- room windows, or readily accessible from the house by a short walk, should certainly present itself to the eye in a very distinct form, and should con- stitute a feature in the scene. If so small as to be invisible until the visitor almost tumbled into it, and so mean in character as to have no more dignity than belongs to an accidental detail, every person of cul- tivated taste would condemn it as an absurdity. If too grand for the place it would be equally absurd ; in fact, if it cannot be well done, as circumstances require, it should not be done at all, for paltry waterworks are more obnoxious than paltry earthworks, and betray more quickly whether lack of means or lack of taste is to be accredited with the failure. Rustic waterworks may be introduced in rustic scenes very appro- priately, but to dispose rustic forms and proportions with propriety and effect demands quite as much taste and judgment as the plan of a grand architectural fountain. If a supply of water can be obtained for a por- tion of the ground appropriated to ferns, rockeries, and green recesses, it can be made much of, both for the greater display of the sparkling stream and for assisting such of the plants as require it, by leading it about in the form of a rivulet down a succession of cascades, terminating in a rocky pool at the outlet, and this rocky pool may be made bewitchingly beautiful by planting it with bur-reeds, flowering rushes, lady ferns, osmundas, arundos, and other aquatics of graceful forms and luxurious habits. Happily for the possessors of villa gardens there is no need to call in an architect or engineer for advice on any waterworks of moderate pretensions, for the fitting of a fountain, according to the laws of hydrostatics, is a matter within the capacity of any respectable plumber, and Mr. Frederick Ran- some, of Ipswich, will supply, in imperishable stone, fountains, basins, and statuary in any and every style, from the most severely classical to the most grotesquely rustic, and sheets of patterns may be obtained through the post by asking for them, and supplying a stamp to frank them through. In " Rustic Adornments," which Jemima of course pos- sesses, we have given some rules for the introduction and use of water in scenery, and to that work we must refer those who wish for more infor- mation than can be given in a magazine article. But it may be well here to say, that for a fountain there must be a reserve of water at a higher level than the fountain itself. In London this is easily accomplished by constructing a cistern in some elevated part of the residence, and securing a supply to it from the ordinary water-pipes. Then from the cistern there must be another service to the fountain. If the house is far re- moved from the fountain, it will be better to place the cistern on the sum- mit of a tower, shed, summer-house, or other structure, as the longer the supply-pipe the more will the play of the fountain be lessened by friction ; for though water will always rise in a pipe to the level of the point of de- parture, it requires time to do so, and friction reduces the rapidity of the flow, and hence the force with which a fountain will play cannot be de- termined solety by the difference of altitude between the jet and the cis- tern. If the supply-pipe is one hundred yards in length, the height of the fountain will be reduced one foot below what it would attain if the supply were close beside it. Suppose that, according to the respective levels of the jet and the cistern, a fountain ought to ri.se ten feet, we have only to remove the cistern to a distance of one thousand yards to THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 263 nullify the whole effect of the descending force of the column of water, and, consequently, destroy the jet altogether. To determine the adjutage is easy enough by experiment with a leaden nozzle, which can be pressed or opened to the dimensions found to suit the circumstances, and this course is absolutely necessary where the engineer has no ready means of ascertaining the power of the head. As a rule, the adjutage, or opening of the pipe, should be one-fourth the size of the pipe itself, but every fountain should be supplied with a series of adjutages to produce different forms of jets, as the force of the head may vary, or as the caprice of the possessor may determine. To increase the force of a fountain it may be placed at a, comparatively low level, yet the lower the level the less is its dignity, audit is generally much better to adapt the head to the level than the level to the head, for a fountain constructed with taste is too expensive and important an affair to be placed anywhere but in a conspicuous position, that is if it is to form any part of the garden scenery. Once set the stream flowing, and it may be turned to many uses after it has splashed and glistened in the form of feathers, baskets, parabolas, and true lovers' -knots ; the outflow may be arrested at points where water is required for strictlj^ horticul- tural purposes, to save that everlasting fetch- and-carry -which is the bane ■of many an otherwise good garden, and after that the wilder parts of the ground may have the benefit of a rill where watercresses would grow and the robins would wash themselves. But after all this we may not have answered Jemima's question ; but the fault will be hers, not ours, for she leaves us to guess at the data, which none but her can supply. It is a case of circular sailing, in which you know a ship tirst goes some thousands of miles out of her way in order to avoid adverse currents or icebergs, or to get round the earth in a direction of its least circumference, and so iu the end actually gain by losing. So by circular sailiug perhaps we may yet arrive at the port to which Jemima directs us, and wdth this hope we will now take to ponds, which are not held in much esteem by earnest navigators. A pond, Jemima, is nothing more nor less than a great hole filled with water. Your gardener can make one for you Avith the help of a few labourers; and as gardeners are not constantly in practice at pond- making, a few advices from our pen may be received by him compla- cently, especially if you tell him it was at your request we undertook the subject. There is only one position proper for a pond in a garden, and that is somewhat remote from the house, and on the lowest level of the place, where it will naturally receive much of the rainfall. A pond is a minia- ture lake ; it must be in the natural style, no matter what its size or shape, and hence costly architectural accessories are not needed. In choos- ing a site for the pond, give preference, if possible, to a position w^here two or more walks meet at the junction of the dressed grounds with the wildest portions of the scenery. In marking out the boundary, throw the greatest extent right and left of the principal approach to it, or the principal view of it. Suppose, for instance, that the walks lead from the terrace or dressed lawn through a belt of evergreens towards the wilderness, at some point in this progress the pond will appear in the scene ; and on the side next this approach it should be so extended as to show the greatest possible extent ; and the whole of the planting of a 264. THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. nature to obstruct the view should be on the margin most remote from this first and principal view. Kg. 1. Fig. 2. Suppose our principal view is from A (Fig. 1), which we will con- sider to be the site of an elevated part of the lawn, to which we resort for a view of the country. If the pond extends its greatest diameter from B to C, the eye has the fullest range of its boundaries — none of its extent is lost. But suppose the longest diameter happens to be as in Fig. 2, then, however spacious the extent of water, it is foreshortened to the eye, and appears paltry. But to destroy the severe formality of right angles, the general direction of the foreshore may be oblique to the line of vision, without loss of space, provided the obliquity is not at a low angle, and the form of the whole is irregular. This may be illustrated by a sketch from a pond made by us, a few years since, in a garden in a very pretty western suburb. Instead of a circle or a square, we bent the pond round upon itself, so that the whole extent cannot be viewed from any cue point. The margin next the principal view was left quite open, so as to allow the whole of the surface of the water to impress its character oa the scene. The planting on the open side was arranged so as to partly THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 265 obstruct the view of the distant village, which now appears as if set in a frame- work of leafiaess. "We must not now attempt to describe the style of planting, or the various materials available for such work, because vre have ah'eady ex- ceeded the limits we assigned ourselves for a few considerations of general interest. But we will return to this subject next month, and endeavour to throw further light upon it. But it is needful that a few practical remarks should be made in reference to the earth-work of a pond. When the site, size, and shape of the pond have been determined, a dead level must be marked on stakes placed at a few points of the boundary, and to this level all work must be regulated, no matter what the intended depth, or what the variations of that depth in different parts of the same pond. "We can illustrate the necessity for making a dead level by a case that lately came under our observation. A landscape-gardener marked out a place for a pond in a very pretty place he was engaged in planting and deco- rating, and the superintendent of the works, a man well experienced in every branch of horticultural industry, trusted to guess-work instead of using a .spirit-level in taking out the stuff for the pond. The result was, that when the first heavy rainfall came the pond filled, and was about one inch deep at one end and five feet at the other. It had to be emptied, the outfall pipe raised, the bottom lowered, and the whole of the banks lowered from nothing at the deep end to five feet at the shallow end, which you may be sure was a much severer task than first lowering it properly would have been. Suppose the workman makes an excavation, supposing he is working to a dead level, and the result is the line A B. !N'ow let the water into the pond, and the result is the line C D. Under some circumstances it would appear as if the water in this case lay all aslant. This necessity for a dead level is a separate affair altogether from the scenery of the banks ; for the banks may rise into knolls, steeps, mounds, or what else, with the greatebt propriety, and, in facr, it adds very much to the beauty of a sheet of water if it is enclosed on one side by shelving banks and rising grounds ; but these may all be con- sidered in the first instance in relation to the dead level, which the water will always present, and the excavation for a pond must be conducted with a view to that dead level from beginning to end. Another matter calling for remark is, as to supply and waste. If placed in the lower part of the grounds, at the time the drainage is efi'ected, all the drains can be made to converge to one main, which will convey the water to the pond. The outflow should be on the opposite side, to convey the water to a lower level. The level of the water will be determined by the position of 0, the outfall, and this will be deter- mined by the highest point to which the supply S can be carried, and this highest point must of necessity be the lowest in the whole set of drains in communication with S. The larger the pond the greater must 266 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. be the difference between the level of the supply S, and the outfall 0. If these approximate too closely to a dead level, then the flow will be so sluggish that the water will soon get foul. There is always one resource available for remedying defects of level or supply, and that is, to raise or depress O, so as to quicken or slacken the flow of water towards it, and to secure the possibility of altering 0 at any time, there should be a quick fall from the outlet to the drains, brooks, ditches, etc., etc., that are to receive the waste. S. H. EXHIBITION'S OF CHRTSANTHEMUMS. Although we have had such a de- lightfid summer, which has brought ns an almost unprecedented abun- dance of general crops, the season has not been considered by chrysan- themum growers favourable for that particular flower ; and the reason of this is, that the dry weather which occurred during the early part of the summer was just at the time when the chrj-santhemums make their most vigorous growth : they wei*e there- fore kept in check, and at last made their growth so late, that man)' plants which usually open in the early part of November have refused to bloom at all, and the buds have rotted ofl" when half expanded. This has been the case very generally round London, and only those who have greenliouses and fire heat at command (which makes them to a certain extent inde- pendent of the season) have been able to get their flowers properly bloomed in time for the metropolitan shows. The cultivation of the chrysan- themum has, however, received a great impetus by the formation of the Amalgamated Metropolitan Chrysan- themum Society, who have made the experiment of a monster chrysan- themum show, which took place at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, on November 11, 12, and 13, and proved a very fine and successful exhibition. The building is admirably adapted for a promenade, and the London public are indebted to the promoters of the scheme for establishing an agreeable festival at the dullest period of the whole year. The music pro- vided was in good taste, and well adapted to the occasion ; the grand organ played its part at intervals, several volunteer bands performed during the day, and each evening an excellent concert of vocal and instru- mental music added to the enjoyment of the visitors. The display of plants and flowers was, perhaps, as fine as has been ever brought together under one roof. The plants were staged on long tables running almost the entire length of the hall, with wide spaces between for promenading ; along each side of the hall was a fine bank of palms, ferns, and other plants with ornamental foliage, which had been kindly furnished for decoration by various nurserymen. The cut blooms were arranged on long tables in the galleries ; these were staged in great numbers, and generally with considerable skill, most of the stands being selected with good judgment, and the individual flowers placed so that they displayed each other's beauties to the greatest advantage. Both plants and flowers were mostly very fresh, and admirably produced. In the former department the gentle- men's gardeners occupied the fore- most position ; but the amateurs were not far behind. The finest collection of sis plants in the whole exhibition were those shown by Mr. Glover, gardener to E. C. Lepage, Esq., Tulse Hill, Brixton ; they were grown as bushes, and were marvels of excel- lent training and profuse blooming. Prince Albert, in this lot, was a marvel of colour, and conspicuous for its beauty ; Chevalier Domage was a mountain of gold ; Dr. Maclean a superb mottled rose; Vesta, Jewess, and Trilby were all fine examples of perfect cultivation. Mr. Howe, of Stoke Newington, exhibited a superb THE FLOEAL WORLD AND aARDEN GUIDE. 267 specimen plant of Lady Hardin;?, covered with beautiful blooms, prov- ing beyond a doubt that this variety is one of the best which has yet been raised. The specimen plants of poin- pones were very excellent, Mr. Ward (gardener), of Tottenham, and Mr. Parker (amateur), of Stratford, pro- ducing the finest specimens. Among tlie nurserymen, Mr. Forsyth, of Stoke jM'evvington, took the lead both with plants and blooms ; a magnifi- cent specimen of Lady St. Clair Ijeing especially worthy of admiration ; and Mr. Oiibridge, of Sr,oke JSTewington, had a fine plant of Beaute du Nord, which was conspicuous among the highest-coloured varieties by its glow of fiery crimson. The collection of plants which most particularly claimed universal admiration was Mr. Whitbread's group, staged for effect. It comprised six standards and about a dozen pyra- mids and bushes, and was unques- tionably the best display of the kind ever yet accomplished. They Avere grouped with admirable taste and skill, and formed such a brilliant mass of colours, that they were conspicuous from every part of the building. The varieties were : Standards — Mus- tapha, St. Thais, Antonius, Helene, Cedo NuUi, and Bv^b ; Bushes — An- tonius. Queen, Alma, White Christine, Mad. Eugene Doraage, Salomon, Gen. Canrobert, and Helene. At Stoke Newington the society maintained its reputation for always having the leading local exhibition of the season. It was the seventeenth show of the oldest Chrysanthemum Society, and was, all things considered, worthy of its predecessors. Here may be always found some of the best plants and blooms of the season, and perhaps the largest collection of really beautiful cut fiowers to be found at a local show. One of the most interesting features this year was brought out by the extra prizes offered by Mr. Shirley Hibberd for the new varieties since 1860. These prizes had the effect of bringing to the show magnificent plants of Lord of the L-les. Lady Harding, Lord Ranelegh, White Christine, Orange Perfection, Draco, Golden Eagle, llifleman, The Globe, and Lady St. Clair, and of establisliing their repu- tation as thoroughly first-class and desirable varieties. The South Essex Ciirysanthemum Society held their exhibition at Eokeby House, Stratford, on Nov. 16, and it was highly satisfactory in every particular. This society makes itself conspicuous by the great perfection to which its members brmg their standard pompones. There is aivrays a long row of them standing down the centre of the room — strikingly beau- tiful objects, rivalling in beauty the finest standard roses. No other so- ciety we visit can produce such stand- ards as the growers round Stratford, wlio take an honest pride in this department of their exhibition. But perhaps the society at Brixton know best of all how to make a chrysanthemum show thoroughly at- tractive and charming. This they effect by showing with the chrysanthe- mums, stove and greenhouse plants, etc., and fruit ; the manner in which the exhibition is conducted being deserving of all praise. The present season's display, which took place on the 17th and 18th November, was decidedly superior to any of its pre- decessors. The large room of Christ Church Schools, Brixton Hill, was appropriated to the plants and flowers, and the small room to fruit and vege- tables. At the end of the large room opposite the entrance, the specimen pompones were staged upon a raised gallery occupying the whole end of the building, and made a gorgeous mass of colour. Along each sideof the room were tables covered with crimson cloth, upon which the large flowering chrysanthemums and stove and greenhouse plants were placed in alternate groups, looking very beau- tiful by contrast. A broad table along the centre of the room was set out in the following manner: — Down the middle was placed a row of tree mignonettes, which diffused a re- freshing fragrance over the room; on each side of them were rows of beautiful pyramid pompones, and outside these the cut blooms and a large number of beautifully bloomed ' plants of PrimiJa Sinensis : the whole 268 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. room had a rery beautiful appear- ance, viewed as a whole, and tlie individual objects exhibited were of very high merit. The chrysanthe- mums were all that could be desired ; and among the stove and greenhouse plants we noticed excellent collections of Begonias, and fine examples of Croton longifolia variegata, Caladium Chantini, Pandanus variegatus, Pteris argyrea, Dracaena terminalis, Cissus discolor, Cyanophyllum magnificum, Maranta zebrina, and a lovely spe- cimen of Lycopodium erecta, besides five plants in bloom of Zygopetalum Mackii, Allamanda Schottii, Acacia pleroptera, Cjpripedium insignis, Cattleya Harrisonii, Cypripedium vcnustum, and Phenocoma prolifera Barnesii. Among the fruits there were first-rate specimens of Apples — Sturmer pippin, E-usset, Blenheim orange, Wellington pippin, Royal ru8set. Five-crowned pippin, Ribston pippin, Alfrestcn, Fearn's pippin ; JPears — Incomparable, Chaumontel, Brown beurre, Cassante de Mars, Gansell's bertjamotte; Grapes — Black Hamburg, Black Prince grown out of doors, Cliaptal ; Melon — Grolden egg, etc. The Temple Gardens were as gay as usual at this time of the year, Messrs. Broome and Dale having done their utmost to make a fine display for the entertainment of the crowds of Londoners who annually honour them with their presence. Mr. Dale's little garden is admirable in every respect, and glows with masses of brilliant colour. Mr. Broome's dis- play in the open ground is not so good as in former years ; but his border of specimen plants under can- vas is very fine, having a profusion of all the best show varieties, mostly in very good condition. Mr. Dale's display in the open ground is re- markably good ; the bank which skirts the east side and head of the garden presents a grand display of colour ; the disposition of the plants, rising from pompones in front to giants of seven or eight feet high at the back, and the eflfective combina- tions and contrasts of colours, are all worked out in a masterly manner, and prove that Mr. Dale's taste is quite in keeping with his ex- perience. The varieties which, have been most extensively shown this year at the various exhibitions, and which may therefore be termed the fa- vourites of the season, are : Plants, large varieties — Dr. Maclean, Trilby, Jewess, Vesta, Prince Albert, Cheva- lier Domage, Beaute du Nord, De- fiance, Alma, Christine, Golden Christine, White Christine, Insigne, Rifleman, Arigena, Annie Salter, Pilct, Lord Ranelagh, Draco, Queen of England, Lord of the Isles, Lady Harding, Orange Perfection, Golden Eagle, The Globe, Lady St. Clair. Pompones — Cedo Nulli, Golden Cedo Nulli, Lilac Cedo Nulli, Duruflet, Gen. Canrobert, Canary Bird, Mrs. Hutt, Salomon, St. Thais, Attila, An- dromeda, Helene, Surprise, Bob, Mrs. Dix, Madame Pepin, Madame Car- nac, Mr. Astie, Reine des Anemones, Antonius, Astrea, Perle, Marguerite de Wildemar, Madame Chalonge, President Morel, Brilliant, Rose Trevenna, La Sultana, Trophee, Aurora borealis. Cut Blooms, large varieties — Nonpareil, Novelty, Ray- mond, Dr. Brock, Lysias, Gen. Slade, Queen of England, Alfred Salter, Bacchus, Jardin des Plantes, Alarm, Lucidura. Rifleman, Dupont de I'Eure, Lord Elgin, Beverley, White For- mosum, Little Pet, Yellow Formo- sum. Ion, Antonelli, Anaxo, Chinese Orange Incurved, Arigena, Cassan- dra, Themis. Plutus, Favourite, Her Majesty, Helen Lindsay, Fabius, Hermine, Golden Hermine, Chris- tophe Colurab, Aimee Feriere, Golden Trilby, Goliah, Beauty, Lady St. Clair, Madame Andry, Cherub,Glory, Nil Desperandum, Mrs. Wm. Hol- born, Cassy, Golden Eagle, Miss Kate, Sylphide, Gen._^Harding, Lady Harding, Penelope, Nonpareil, Alarm, Favourite, Count Cavour, Snowball, White Globe. Anemone flowers— Lady Margaret, Louisa Bonamy, Nancy de Sermet, Marguerite d'An- jou. Calliope, Handel, Margaret of Norway, George Sands, Madame Go- derau, Gluck, George Hock^ Fleure de Marie. Cut blooms of Anemone flowered pompones — Madame Sentir, Perle, Astrea, Queen of Anemones, THE FLOKAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 269 Mr. Astie, Rose Marguerite, Mad. Montels, Mrs. F. Smee, Roquelaure, President Morel, Mad. Chalonge, Mad. Carnac, Regulus, Toinette, Antonius, Marguerite de Wildemar. Mr. Salter's winter garden is this year as interesting and more attrac- tive than ever. It is here that the lovers of the clirysanthemum meet once a year for a grand feast of flowers, and to make notes and com- parisons of the progress made in this particular branch of floriculture. Apart from the critical points which arise from the inspection of new va- rieties, the general display is the most artistic of the kind ever accom- plished, and the winter garden pre- sents at the present time a grand picture — the result not simply of a brilliant display of colour, but the combination with chrysanthemums of fine conservatory trees and shrubs, and groups of plants with variegated leaves. jVIr. Salter has this year adopted a method of growing chry- santhemums in a much dwarier manner than has yet been done. Some time during the summer he made the discovery (which, doubt- less, many others have also made) that tying up the plants was a great waste of time, and he therefore adopted the following method, to save time : Instead of tjing up the stems, lie bent them down and in- serted a few pegs to keep them close home, and growing round and round the stool. In due time the plants were taken up and potted, and by means of bass the twisted branches are brought round the pot and over the surface, and the result is a squat mass of vegetation of the shape of a common circular hassock. The pot is completely hidden, not a stick is required, and when the flowers open the whole breadth of colour is seen above the green ground-work of the foliage, just as in the best exhibition specimens, but with a thousandth part of the trouble. The number of new seedlings of great merit in Mr. Salter's collection is very consider- able. Our visit was a little too soon, as some of great beauty had not yet been named ; but as the notes we made may be of some service to our readers we append them, and com- mence with Prince Alfred, the finest formed flower after Queen of Eng- land, but a sort of Arigena colour, or say lilac-crimson, with whitish reflex. This will be one of the grandest flowers of the race, and admirable for specimens and cut blooms. Ve- nus, larae incurved rosy-lilac, or Alfred Salter colour, and evidently a much more massive and telling flower than Alfred Salter — a real gem among the seedlings. Princess of Wales — this is a very novel colour, and a finely-formed flower ; the colour may be described as transparent pearly-peach, very fresh and clean, and the florets incurving grace- fully ; the flower of full size, on stiff strong wood, and an ample and healthy foliage. Lord Clyde is the most striking of all in colour, and is most appropriately named. It will remind the rose-grower of Messrs. Paul's new rose of the same name, and at exhibitions it will rank with Prince Albert, Lord Pal- merstou, Triomphe du Nord, and others of the high-coloured section, of which the last few years have pro- duced sume very fine examples. Lord Clyde is a strong grower, a large, half-globular flower, broad, incurving florets, colour rich deep crimson, with, white tips. It is one of the best of the series for 186i. Another good novelty is Bernard Palissy, lively reddish-orange tipped with gold. Wonderful Improved is a great ac- quisition in the way of colour, and a decided advance on the qualities of its noble parent. General Baiubrigge, cinnamon, incurved, not a showy, but a very high-toned flower, that will cut well and enjoy a leading place. St. Patrick, an improved Dupont. Sir George Bowyer, yellowish-white, and as we think second-rate, but Mr. Alfred Salter thinks it 7!l 1, and we will leave it to the growers to deter- mine between us. Jupiter, rich red with orange points, a remarkably fine flower in every respect, the form superb, and the colours very striking, equal in its way to a prime bloom of Jupiter Dahlia. Yellow Hermine, good ; Seraph, primrose, deepening to gold at the centre, extra fine; 270 THE FLOEAL WORLD AXD GARDEN GUIDE. Shakspere, bright red ; St. Margaret, orange-anemone ; Lord Brougham, rosy -purple, flue ; Florence Night- ingale, rosy-blush ; Stonewall Jack- sou, red; Margaret Vatcher, lively chestnut. THE GREAT MYSTERY OE A'INE CULTURE. The grapes shank — what shall we do with tliem ? The mildew icill rage in spite of Gishurst, Parmentier, and every other nostrum ; can an honest gardener sleep at night after a day's worry with tlie mildew ? If he does sleep, it will be to dream of mildew, and feel it adhering to the tips of his fingers, and covering his eyes with a morbific film. Then the vines refuse to grow, or grow at such a rate that there is no chance of the wood ripen- ing; or they die suddenly, as if se- cretly severed ;it the root; or the bunches drop prematurely, or they are deficient in flavour when ripened as far as they will ripen. Surely the gods ought to be invoked to aid the man whose duty it is to grow grapes in the midst of all these difficulties. There must be a great mystery in it ; for, look you, at such a place not far oif, the vines grow as if by magic, they make immense leaves, plump wood, large bunches, the bunches ripen, have a delectable flavour; the wood ripens as hard as flint, and beautifully brown, as if stained by some trickery. Yet there is nothing apparently different in the circum- stances of the two houses : tliey both get enough sun ; they both contain good sorts — perhaps tue same sorts — but somehow they grow in one and perish in the other. There must be a mystery. Of course there is a very great mystery, mystery of mysteries ; and who can fathom it ? Suppose we lay in wait, and secretly watch our rival, who seems to be on such excellent terms with the gods who help him. We shall see nothing in particular. To be sure, he gives plenty of air : he never syringes the bunches : he allows the leaves of his vines to shade the fruit ; he stops and trains regularly ; and in these points there may be much to cause the difference, because we syringe the bunches, in the fond hope of swelling them; we are afraid to give air, for fear of reducing the tempera- ture and risking the ripening ; we let the long rods hang about, so as to make one job of the tying, instead of niggling at it perpetually. And yet these little attentions give our favoured rival very little trouble ; he appears almost to let the grapes grow as they like ; he is never in a fluster with them, never engaged in tanker- ing with strong manures, or fingering the bunches to detect the first traces of blight and shanking. Yet there is evidentlj'^ a mystery, because though air, and shade, and careful use of the syringe may be of importance, our vines refuse to grow properly, refuse to fruit, refuse to ripen their wood. These minor attentions cannot make all the difference. Let us see — the vine is a gross feeder, all the world knows that ; so we gave ours lots of dung to grow in. contrived the border should always be moist, and we did — yes, we did use a few carcases chopped up in the border. I^ow, just for the sake of gaining knowledge, we will get our friend Mr. Successful to lift a vine, that we may see what sort of fat stuft" his are gi'owing in — fatter it must surely be than the border that refuses to comply with our wishes. Well, there is a mys- tery certainly : those fruitful vines have nothing at all to grow in ; this certainly is an example of the inter- vention of the gods ; no use now to talk about horticulture ; let us go to oracles and divinatons, and expend a trifle on the arts of magic. When we say they have nothing at all to grow in, we mean, of course, nothing comparatively ; the border lies high and dry. What a violation of our well-established postulate of the vine being a gross feeder and a lover of moisture ! The materials of the bor- der are mostly hard and tough, such as we should use for the bottom of a THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 271 walk, not certainly to grovr vines in. Look here— for every spadeful of loam, there is at least a spadeful of broken bricks, flint stones, and sandy rubbish. Ah ! bones have been used pretty freely, and the roots of the vines are matted about them, and they run in a thick network among the bricks, and sand, and nodules of old mortar. This is the magic, then, — the vine grows fat on starvation. Would such a result be obtained with- out the use of abominable sorcery ? ]?^o! as well e'spect a man to grow strong and hale on ship's biscuit, oat- meal porridge, or any similar coarse, hard, plain fare, as for vines naturally to luxuriate in such unmitigated rub- bish. Just as rich living, luxurious habits, shelter from the exhaustive influences of fresh air, and a renun- ciation of fatigue as wasteful to the frame, promotes the health and strength of the human system, so deep, damp, unctuous borders, full of good living, must be good for vines ; and we had better have them fail through circumstances we cannot trace or control, than resort to witch- craft to ensure their growth in mix- tures of lime, loam, and sand, and brick-bats. Mr. Successful says his border is only two feet deep ; below that it is as hard as a rock with con- crete. He says the bottom slopes away to a drain, so that water cannot lodge among the roots. He says, further, that if the border wants en- riching, he can mulch it with dung, and the roots will get enough by percolation to keep them in the fullest vigour. He says, it is air the roota want more than water, warmth more than nourishment ; for his vines can extract goodness out of old bones, lime rubbish, and burnt clay, just as goats extract nutriment from withered leaves and dead twigs on the barren common. Seeing is believing, cer- tainly ; but who will believe that the splendid appearance of Mr. Success- ful's vines is to be attributed to the causes he cites as sufficient? Not we. Garbage has not been recom- mended in vain : the vine is a gross feeder. We shall go on in the old track, and hope to discover the causes of failure elsewhere. Such are the experiences and cogitations of Mr. Slowcoach, the unsuccessful vine- grower. Perhaps further reflection and observation may convince him that there is really no mystery in the culture of the vine, and that, so far from sorcery being available, prac- tical common sense is much to be preferred. We will at least wait patiently to see if his opinions undergo a change in the matter. TSE-TO-TUM. HOW TO EORCE FEEXCH BEA:N'S. PEEiJfCH beans are generally grown in pots, and sometimes in boxes ; but the best of all plans is to grow them in open beds, nicely warmed, and of sufficient extent to give a regular succession of produce. We will, iiow- ever, first consider their cultivation in pots ; and here, as in almost every other thing, gardeners difl'er in their practice — some obtaining fine crops in a very off-hand way, while others only attain the same object by a com- paratively laborious and unnecessary process. These parties sow their beans in 4-inch pots, five or six beans in each pot, and when they have attained sufficient size (got the first rough leaf)j shift them into the larger, or fruiting pot. For this purpose 11-inch pots are generally used ; but for a crop in the depth of winter, if good soil is used, 8-inch pots will be found sufficiently large. The mode of procedure is this : — Having drained the pots, place in the bottom of each a layer of good rotten dung, and then fill them two-thirds full with prepared compost. If the soil is warm, and your plants in a fit state, you may proceed to pot them ab once, keeping the seed leaves or cotyledons level with the rim of the pot ; but if not, place the pots in the house until the soil gets warmed, and then you may proceed with the potting. The soil should be pretty dry at the time 272 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. of using ; but, if it is not, do not press it too firmly in the pots, as Prench beans like a free, open soil, through which they can receive plenty of water, and yet not have it stagnant in the pots. When the soil in the pots gets full of roots, fill the remain- ing portion. Tnis will be about the time the plants are in bloom, and will add very materially to the SAelling of the produce. With beans in boxes much the same treatment is pursued as to draining, soiling, etc. Some persons use boxes of large size, nine to ten inches square ; but I have found boxes six to seven inches wide and deep, and three to five feet long, the most convenient for general use, and, with a judicious supply of liquid manure, quite large enough for the purpose. Now, a more expeditious plan is to take the full-sized pols or boxes, drain and fill them two-thirds full with manure and soil, and sow the beans at once where they are to stand, using plenty of seed, so that the strongest plants may be selected and the others destroyed. Another plan is to sow a quantity of beans thickly in a pot or box, and trans- plant them when of sufficient size ; and this is not a bad plan. The treatment which the plants require is, first, that the temperature should not fall much below 55' during the night ; neither is it desirable that it should much exceed 60'; therefore, from 55' to 60' may be considered a suitable night temperature. Through the day, in dull weather, the heat may rise to 65^ or 70', and with the sun heat to 80' or 90', taking care to keep the atmosphere moist, and, ex- cept in the two darkest months, to syringe copiously both in the morn- ing and evening. Some persons object to syringing while the plants are in bloom ; but that is nonsense, for I never found daily syringing interfere with a good crop of beans ; but you frequently see the want of the sjriuge result m a troublesome crop of thrips or red spider. As the beans progress in growth, it sometimes happens that a part of the shoots will become spindly and long-jointed ; should such be the case, stop them at once to the lowermost joint — indeed, an occa- sional regulating with the finger and thumb will add materially to the pro- duce. Water, as we have remarked before, must be plentifully supplied, and weak manure water, especially while the crop is swelling. Ventila- tion cannot be too copious, either by night or day, so long as cold draughts are avoided ; but it must be recol- lected French beans are scarcely more hardy than cucumbers, and therefore the air giving must be regulated with caution. Should insects be likely to become troublesome, add some sulphur to the water you syringe with, and for thrips or fly some tobacco-water ; for, after all, I find these old-fashioned remedies both cheaper and more certain in their efi'ect than the " Gishurst Com- pound," which is not to be trusted with tender-foliaged plants. From the preceding remarks, it will be per- ceived the chief requisite in the suc- cessful cultivation of the French bean as a forcing plant is a rich soil, brisk, moist heat, and a free circulation of air. With these healthy foliage is a necessity, and free-growing plants are rarely much troubled with insects. On the score of soil it may be re- marked, it should be fresh maiden loam. Sometimes the soil of cucum- ber or melon beds is used ; but that is not to be recommended, as in it the plants get full of insects, possibly from ova deposited in the soil ; neither do they gro«v so freely, as in some cases we have seen them refuse to grow in old soil at all, and in one particular instance crop after crop was tried with the same result. A friend of the writer's used to collect mole-hiUs, and mix the earth with old mushroom soil; indeed, two parts fresh loam and one part the dung of an old mushroom bed, is as good a mixture as can be used for growing this esculent. P. THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 273 ROSE GOSSIP.— No. VI. CATALOGUES. Few tilings are more calculated to indicate the advance made in flori- culture during the last few years, and the still increasing taste for its pur- suit, than the elaborate and well got up catalogues issued annually by the great nursery firms. Many of these go far beyond the mere purposes of trade, and abound not only in well- arranged matter for the instruction of amateurs, but display a consider- able amount of literary merit, and scientific research. A collection of good catalogues upon various subjects forms 80 important an addition to a floral library, that at the risk of tres- passing somea-hat upon the editorial province, and without the design of invidious comparison, I am induced to select some few rose catalogues, •which appear to me to possess dis- tinctive features of interest and utility for those engaged in cultivat- ing that pop,ular flower. I should recommend amateurs to obtain them all, together with Mr. Hibberd's treatise on the rose in " Garden Fa- vourites," and Mr. Cranston's little work, " Cultural Directions for the Hose." These, bound up with some pages of blank paper for observa- tions and remarks, will constitute a volume of reference, or vade mecum, replete with as much valuable infor- mation as can well be required or obtained. It may be as well to pre- mise that all the lists hereafter no- ticed, have useful cultural directions and remarks prefixed to every section, whether of the summer clasr^es, or continuous bloomers ; and that the kinds most eligible for pot culture, pillars, or for exhibition, are pointed out in some special way. To begin with the lists in the order in which they came to hand, Messrs. Wood and Son's (Maresfield, Sussex) is usually the pioneer, being published early in September. The old-established reputation of this firm is a guarantee for an unexcep- tionable collection, and one note- worthy feature in their catalogue, which I wish were generally imitated, is that the number of the nursery tally is afiixed to the description of every variety, thereby saving trouble in writing orders, and, what is better, enabling visitors to the grounds to make a tour of inspection at their leisure, without the restraint of an attendant for the purpose of explana- tion. This season, also, the letter T has been appended to such varieties as have been found, or are likely, to succeed in the vicinity of towns. There is, likewise, a very numerous selection of "teas," many of which are obtainable of a half specimen size, suitable at once for forcing, or growing under glass. Mr. William Paul's (Waltham Cross), as might be expected from his writings on the subject, is a very com- plete and able catalogue, in which he has made a closer analysis of the various classes by dividing the H.P.'s into three sections, two of which, Bourbon perpetuals (might be ex- tended I think) and those resembling in character Gloire de Rosamene, are new. Town roses are indicated in this list, and the habit of every variety is pointed out. Mr. Cranston (of King's Acre, Hereford) has always a remarkably well got up catalogue, of a very ex- tensive collection. H.P.'s and Bour- bons are each divided into two sections, according to merit. The habit of every variety is added as part of the description ; and a most interesting feature, in which this list is alone, is that the names are given of the raisers of the newer intro- ductions. Town roses, however, are unfortunately not pointed out. Messrs. J. and J. Eraser (Lea Bridge Eoad) have included their rose list in the general catalogue, though of sufiicient importance to form one of itself. This arrange- ment, however, aS'ords amateurs an opportunity of becoming acquainted with other objects of garden and greenhouse decoration, as well as with. 274 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. roses. For instance, there is a short introductory article on the cultiva- tion of the phlox ; a select list of orchard-house trees ; and, indeed, eighty-four paj2;e3 of descriptive letter- press of shrub?, fruits, and flowers, etc., from the most ordinary to the most recherche. Here, again, that most desirable feature of specifying town roses by the letter T, has been adopted this season. The collection consists only of the choicest sorts, space being too valuable so near the metropolis to render it worth while to cultivate by-gone or inferior va- rieties, but the favourites are culti- vated in large numbers. There is one point to be gleaned from all these catalogues of particxilar encourage- ment to the lovers of the rose, whether they intend to become culti- vators, or to replenish their stock, viz., that a considerable reduction has taken place this year in the price of plants. * "With the numerous features of excellence remarked upon above, it would appear, perhaps, that little more could be desired on behalf of amateurs, which, indeed, is the fact, so long as the system of alphabetic arrangement is employed. That has, however, always appeared to me a somewhat loose and unsatisfactory basis. "Would it not be preferable if a more accurate method of classi- fication could be brought abovit? Suppose, for example, certain leading kinds, distinct in habit of growth, were selected as types, and their seedlings, and those of similar cha- racteristics referred to them. We might then have, among others, the robust, upright growers, the long, vigorous growers, the dwarf growers, the slender, free growers, the short- jointed growers, the twiggy growers, etc., and the smooth-wooded kinds, and the kinds with spines like a hedgehog's back, divided from each other, and forming distinct sections, so that if the habit of one of a class were known the rest could be deter- mined, and so adapted for special purposes. There are some styles of growth that never succeed in certain localities. I do not know one, per- haps, of the growth and habit of the " Geant," that thrives satisfactorily close to London. Wm. Griffiths, again, is by no means a successful type to venture upon in unfavourable localities. At present, " free," " vig." and "robust," convey very little reliable idea to those unacquainted with given varieties. Ophirie, Jac- queminot, Jules, Victor Verdier, Louise Darzin8,Gloire de Santhenay, and others, are all described as " vigorous," yet how different the characteristic growth of each. A similar looseness of desci-iption, I have remarked before, pertains to the shape of flowers. It would, however, re- quire greater experience, a longer acquaintance with the flower, and a wider field of observation than falls to the lot of amateurs to execute the task thoroughly. Mr. Wm, Paul or Mr. E-ivers might accomplish it, nay, I do not despair even of one day seeing the able and apcomplished pen of Mr. Hibberd himself engaged in the undertaking. W. D. Peiob. Somerton, Nov. 11. ON SPEIN& BULBS.— AEUM DEACITNCULUS. In the dark of the November days, in murky fogs, and still unceasing rain, we bury our bulbs in the dank earth. Above them shall howl the savage blast, " from thrilling regions of the thick-ribbed ice;" while far beneath them shall the frost-king delve and clutch them in his stony hands. Little semblance bear the rough, hard bulbs to the light tracery of leaf and stem — to the tints, delicate as the blush of maidenhood, rosy as childhood's cheek, gorgeous as the hues of heaven's prismatic bow — which shall burst from them at the call of spring. Speak they not lovingly to us of our own change — of the time when "the fulness of glory that is to be revealed " shall be unfolded to us by the Great Spirit THE FLOKAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 275 who fashioned and sustains alike the planter and the planted? Blessed memories of childhood, how come ye troopinj^ back at the thought of spring's first liowers ! — of eager watchings, while the first green spike of snowdrop and of cro- cus developed, the one into its timid bloom, the other into its golden blaze, till the tulips spread their Tyrian dyes beneath a warmer sun — of strolls over sunny uplands, across breezy downs, along the winding river, to seek in greenwood shade its primrose stars, to search for violets in the tangled copse, or homeward turn, wreatlied with fragrant hawthorn boughs. Well do I love summer's garniture of bloom — dearer to me is the music of colour thaa the music of sound ; but were I compelled to choose, I would sooner surrender summer's lavish wealth of flowers, than give up the sweet, the simple playmates of the joyous spring. When bulbs are brought into the house, the pots are so filled with roots thnt it is impossible to insert a stick without destroying many, to the in- jury of the flowers, and the perma- nent injurv of the bulb for tlie cext season. Yet, in a window, without a stick, beside their untidy appearance, they lop about in all directions, and run the risk of being broken wb^n their blooms are in their finest and heavie:f. — Now that gardeners have a little breathing time is a good opportunity for cleaning frames, lights, and the under sides of stages, and other places where vermin harbour. In the stove there is often great need of such work when there is no time to do it. Auriculas to be kept clean, and to have not a drop more water than will just keep them alive. Azaleas to bloom early, to have very moderate bottom-heat, and be syringed daily. Those still at rest to have a rather dry air. Bulbs to be planted at once if any re- main out. Use plenty of sand about them to prevent rotting, as the ground is very wet and cold. Camellias will not stand so much heat as azaleas. As you can get time clean the foliage of specimen plants. Carnations in pits to have as much air as possible, and little or no water. On fine mornings take the lights off. Keep them very clean. Cinerarias will want plenty of air to prevent mildew. Choose bright mornings to water, and get tlieir leaves dry before shutting up. See that specimen plants are in good shape, and peg out the leaves if necessary. Forcing.— Kq&'^ asparagus going for succession. Rhubarb, seakale, and French beans will soon be in request. Lay a few picked tubeis of early potatoes on a warm flue to sprout for planting over dung-heat, and get a bed or two ready. Bush fruits should be planted, potted, pruned, and manured. Burn the prunings, and if the ashes are not wanted for any particular purpose throw them round the roots of trees; they are powerfully fertiliz- ing. Gooseberries and currants may be lightly forked between to mix the manure with the soil, but raspberries should have three or four inches of dung, not very rotten, laid over the piece, and the soil be- tween them should not be dug at all. Orchard-house trees may b^ pruned at once, and washed with a solution of eight ounces of Gishurst to a gallon of soft water. Azaleas and Camellias claim attention now that we have little else to depend upon to keep the conservatory gay. A little pains now bestowed in training and dis- budding will repay, and camellias are so heavily set with buds that, generally speak- ing, it would be most unwise to allow all to remain. We have seen lately bushels of buds removed in some places where a moderate show of fine flowers is preferred to a mass of indifferent ones, the profusion of which will weaken the plants. Bulbs not yet planted must be got in, and as they are unusually fine tijis season, purchases may yet be made. We always advise early purchasing and earlj' planting; but if we would ever excuse delny it is now, the stock being in such prime condi- tion that the bloom is sure to be satisfactory, though the after growth n ay be weak through their remaining out of the ground too long. Cucumhers must be thinned if the plants are more than moderately fruitful, or they will fail to give a succession when the fruit may be most desired. Carnations and Picotees. — The young stocks look amazingly well tliis season. They require plenty of air and very mode- rate watering, and be kept chan. Cinerarias and Calceolarias for speci- mens may now want a shift ; they must on no account get pot-bound, or they will bloom prematurely. Water on fine morn- ings, and beware of green-fly and mildew. Climbers in greenhouses may now have special attention to reduce their dimensions. Lay in wood for next summer's bloom, and clear the walls and trellises. Evergreen shrubs planted now must be heavily nmlched with dung to keep frost from their roots. Pelargoniums to be cautiously watered and allowed to rest. Specimens may be tied out, and stock struck late may be sliifted and kept growing. JRoses may be planted now during dry weather; the ground to be in good heart, deeply trenched, and well manured. On THE FLOEAL WOKLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 279 loamy land broken up from grass roses do better than in ordinary garden soil, and those who grow for show should either use turf liberally or break up meadow ground for their best plants. Get in briars quickly before the best are gone. Manettis layered during summer may now be divided and planted out in rows for budding next season. Rhuharh and Seakale put in to force. We object to the usual plan of blanching rhubarb as spoiling it; unless it is acid it is worthless, and the blancliing system as followed for the markets only produces a mass of vegetable pulp without beauty or flavour. Forced Peas and Beans. — Tom Thumb is the best of all peas for forcing; sown now and grown in pots with French beans it will give a good return. Those who force for Covent Garden sow in October and November.* This pea is of dwarf branching habit, and of very little use for out-door work, being tender _in con- stitution. Greenhouse and Consekvatoky. — Chrysanthemu ; s will keep the houses gay till after Christmas, when the first lot of forced shrubs, especially azaleas, will come in to take their place. In the conservatory "whatever flowers are at command may be made tiie most of by judiciously inter- mixing with them good plants of Yucca, Ac icia lopliantha, camellias, and others possessing characteristic folitge. Hard- wooded plants in the greenhouse must Lave as much air as the weather will allow and as little water as possible, as we may soon expect severe frosts. The thermo- meter should not descend below 38'. Soft- wooded plants will be subj ct to mildew if the house is at all damp, and must have fire-heat during foggy as well as during frosty weather. Shift any specimen plants that are in need of increased root-room. Peach 2s to fruit early must be frequently syringed, and have as little fire-heat as possible, but the heat may be allowed to rise, with plenty of ventilation, during sunshine. Ericas must have air at every opportunity, and, if forced with other Howering shrubs, must have the coolest place in the forcing pit, and be very gently stimulated. Greenhouse temperature 40' to 45.^ Stove. — We suppose the cultivator to be able now to furnish the conservatory with showy specimens of Euphorbia Jac- quiniflora, Poinsettia pulcherrima, Gesnera zebrina. Begonias, Luculias, Camellias, etc., etc., from the stove. But there must be a succession, and one of the first things to consider now is how to make the stove available, not only for the preservation of its ordinary inmates, but to forward fur- nishing plants for other structures. Plum- bago capensis, cytisuses, azaleas, and camellias should therefore be introduced at the coolest end of the stove, if there is room for them ; a few roses may be forced with them, and many ornamental-foliaged subjects will be found useful if in a clean and healthy state. Mixed stove selections must now be kept rather cool, as growth is not desirable. Keep the atmosphere of the house sweet by giving air on fine days, and be careful to remove dead leaves, mosses, and liverworts in pots, and whatever impedes the circulation of air or engenders unwhole- some vapours. All plants approaching a state of repose to have little or no water. Plants in active growth must be watered with caution; let them have enough, but see that they do not stand in pans with stagnant water about their roots, or in wet places in the midst of mildew. Tempera- ture of stove 50' by night, 60" by day, with a rise of 10' during simshine. Orchid-house. — In collections where there are now only a few orchids in a growing state, the foi"cing-pit may be turned to account to receive them, so as to allow of the cooling down of the orchid- house, and securing thereby a complete state of repose for the plants, which is scarcely possible if there happen to be a few fine specimens pushing into bloom or in an active state of growth. It is at this time of year we see the full value of divi- sions which can be respectively devoted to orchids from different climates and requir- ing now different temperatures. Orchids at rest to be kept comparatively cool and dry; 50' by night and 60' by day will be sufficient. Variegated orchids must have very little water now, and, if in a warm house, will do better without than with bell-glasses; they are indeed generally kept too close. Rot and spot are diseases peculiar to this season, and are the result of too much moisture in the house or of drip from the glass. Orchids that may he in bloom in De- cember.— Angr£ecum bilobum, eburneum, eburneum superbnm, sesquipedale; Arpho- phyllum spicatum; Barkeria elegans and Skinneri ; Bletia Shepherdi ; Brassavola Digbyana ; Burlingtonia amcena; Calanthe vestita rubra oculata; Cattleya maxima; Warscewiezii ; Caelogyne Gardneriana, media ; Cymbidium giganteum, Mastersii ; Cypripedium insigne, insigne Maulei, pur- puratum; Dendrobium album, monilifo. me; Dendrochilum glumaceum ; Epidendron vitellinum; Grammatophyllum speciosum ; Lselia acuminata, albida, anceps, Maryanii, 28a THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. pedunculnris ; Leptotes bicolor ; Lycaste Deppeii, Skiuneri, Skinneii alba; Miltonia Karwinski ; Odontorrlossum maculatum, membranaceiim ; Oncidium Barkerii, bi- callosum, Cavendisliii, iucurvum ; ungui- culatura ; Pliajus grandifolius ; Scbom- burgkia crispa ; Sopbronites cernua, gran- diflora, violacea ; Zygopetalum brachype- talum, Mackayii. TO COEEESPONDENTS. Catalogdi-s PiECEiVED. — " George Smith, Tollington Nursery, Ilornsey Road, Lon- don, N. Catalogue of Pelargoniums, Fuclisias, I'etunias, Dahlias, etc." Mr. Smith has acquired a deserved celebrity by the numerous superb fuchsias he has introduced to the horticultural world, and the list will be found particularly rich in that department, although it is excellent in all other respects, tlie plants being faithfully described. — "Eugene Verdier, 6, Pate des Trcis Ormes, Boule- vard de la Gare d'lvry, xiii" Arrondisse- ment, Paris. Catalogue of Gladiolus and New Roses.'' M. Verdier's name is sufficient guarantee that the varieties he recommends are worthy the considera- tion of the lovers of these charming flowers. — "Supplement au Catalogue General des Phintes." This list contains . a large number of new roses and gla- diolus.— " Pridham and Sanders, Col- lege Grounds, North End, and Sion Nursery, White Horse Koad, Croydon. Descriptive Catalogue of Ornamental and Flowering Trees. Evergreens, Flowering Shrubs, etc." Evidently prepared with great care to suit the requirements of those amateurs who occupy villa gardens. The selections of Roses are first-rate, and the same may be said of the cllmbeis. — "Holland and Baylcy, Bradshaw Gar- dens, Chadderton, near Manchester, Descriptive Catalogue of Carnations, Picotees, Pansics, Pinks, Auriculas, etc." A first-rate list of florists' flowers, all of them divided into sections and classes, according to the manner in which they are exhibited. *' Adam Forsyth, Rectory Road, Stoke Newington, N. Descriptive Catalogue of Chrysanthe- mums for 1864." A very complete and neatly got up list, containing all the best sorts now in cultivation. Chaumontel Peak Failing. — I have two fine trees of the Chaumontel pear against a wall with a western aspect, which have lieretofore borne a great quantity of fine ' healthy fruit; but for the last three or four years the fruit begins to have black spots on the greater part about a mouth before it is fit to gather. The soil is of a rich clay, loamy character. It is well drained. Will you kindly give me your best advice what had better be done to correct it ?—A. P. [We are afraid the roots of these trees have lately found their way into some cold ungenial soil, and they are probably too large to lilt and replant on platforms. Probably root-pruning will be the only efl'ectual remedy. But we should be inclined to remove all the surface soil from their roots, lay the top roots bare without injuring the fibres, and then fill in with fresh soil, consisting chiefly of turfy loam, with about a fourth f)art of rotten dung added. This will cause a plentiful growth of surface fibres, and, if the trees are simply poor, will quite restore therij and, if getting diseased through pushing their roots into a bad soil, will do some- thing to recover them.] Cassia Cortmeosa. — Captain Boardman hns been a constant subscriber to the Floral World for many years, which induces him to troiible the Editor with the request that he will kindly tell hinr the name of the inclosed shrub, which has been three years in the open ground against an east wall. It is now in full bloom, and spreads a space of many feet. Any information as to the culture, soil, etc., etc., most desirable for this beau- tiful plant will greatly oblige. [The plant is Cassia corymbosa, a valuable subject for late summer and autumn decoration, either for pots or the open ground, as it continues to produce its large axillary trusses of rich orange blossoms far into the winter. Cuttings tiiken very early in January or February, insetted in silver sand, and placed in a gentle warmth under a bell-glass, will root in two or three weeks, and with liberal treatment will make fine plants for the decoration of the conservatory throughout the autumn or for beds in the open ground. It usually requires the protection of the greenhouse through the winter months. We have not heard before of its remaining out of doors all the winter. Does it do so without pro- tection ? Cassia corymbosa has been much used this season as a bedder in, Paris and with very great success.] THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN" GUIDE. 281 Bf«onias and Coleus IX Gbkenhouse. — E G. Gretton. — By means of great care, especially in admiiilsteriu^ water, these plants may be wintered in houses that are only cnoupch heated to keep out frost. But it is not at all a satisfiictory way of manngine; tliem. They are ge- nerally very dilapidated before the return of sprin'^, and some losses may happen through damp. The fact is, both begonias and coleuses ought to be always moist at the root, and this con- dition requires enough warmth to keep them just moving and to prevent mil- dew. In a house so heated as to be never cooler than 40' all winter they may be kept without difficulty, and then should be kept nearly as dry as geraniums. But to do them justice tiiey ouccht to have an average tempera- ture of 50' all winter. Coleus Verschaf- felti never iieSd be kept by those who have not much glass room, because plants can be purchased in spring, at a •cheap rate, and, by a little promptitude in propagating, a large stock may soon be got up by the aid of a good dung bed. It is one of the easiest things known to strike quickly from side-^;hoots one to two inches long. Eenovatino Old Gooseberry Trees. — S. C. M. — Gooseberry trees may be moved at any age, if done with care and early in the season. Some of them may lose a branch or two in conse- quence, and the next summer t!ie fruit will be small. To renovate the tree.=, cut out a few of the leading branches to the base, and at the satne time manure the roots liberally. "We should cut back severely one season and transplant the iiest. In the meantime it would be Avell to cut a trench half round every tree at fifteen inches from the stem and two feet deep, and till it with fresh rich soil. This v>ill cause the formation of new roots on one side of all the trees, which will be a great help the next season in the moving. Another im- portant step with a view to the future should also be taken now, and that is to put in a lot of cuttings so as to get up a stock of young trees, and allow of the destruction of the old ones if they refuse to be renewed. SiLENE Pendui-a. — Having seen a bed of Silene pendula in full flower last season, and being de>irous of liaving a bed another season, I sowed a quantity of seed in August, but got only about thirty plants, and lately have sown twice again, but they do not come up well. Is there any peculiarity about the mode of growing them; they are very hardy I under- stand ; please say, and oblige, V. [The Silenes are all hardy, but make a much better show in the garden when treated with a little of the care bestowed upon tender annuals. 8. pendtila is a native of Sicily, where, when growing wild, the seeds have the aid of more warmth in germinating than they can have iu our gardens iu spring or autumn. "W"e advise V. to sow S. pendula in pans in February, and place the pans in a cold frame ; when the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out an inch and a half apart, in pans filled with light rich soil, and keep them under glass till they begin to get crowded, then plant them where they are to bloom. The old Silene armeria is one of the prettiest annuals we possess.] Ptrius Scabesula. Wild in Scotland. — ■ Inclosed is the frond of a farn found upon the Gildon Hilts in Roxburghshire, which as yet has not been named by any one who has seen it. Oan you telL us what it is ? One gentleman declares it to be "Pteris scaberula," which I think it certainly is not^ and how could it have been found where tiiis one was? There has been only one plant found, which is now in the fern-house at Floors • Castle, near Kelso, and makes a beau- tiful specimen for pot culture, the light feathery foliage being unlike most ii3ritish ferns. "W"e are at present read- ing several volumes of tlie Floral Would, and deriving much pleasure and profit therefrom ; " Rustic Adornments" has long been a standing favourite here, so that I scarcely feel as if addressing a stranger to-day. — Isahella Bruce, Slo- garle, Lauriestoion, Castle Donglas. [We were not in doivbt one moment as to the name of the fern sent. It is our old friend Pteris scaberula in a somewhat attenu- ated form, as if it had grown in rather a dark place. Our correspondent will, perhaps, be startled when v.'e say that we doubt if it v/as found growing wild anywhere in Britain. We were once conversing with Mr. Sim on curious fern findings, and he said, "I frequently have stove and greenhouse ferns sent to me as having been found growing wild out of doors." If any evidence of the actual finding of this fern can be fur- nished u?, we will gladly publish it ; if the find can be authenticited, it will be a most interesting affair ] Vines in Pots. — I have got some young vines in nine-inch pots, two years old this winter, and I do not know whether to give them vinery or gi-eenhouse treat- 282 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. ment in spring, as T should like to fruit tbem in pots. If you will be kind enough to tell me how to treat them from the first (how to prune, etc.), you will oblige, J. W. [We ought to know more about the state of these vines in order to advise our friend with a fair prospect of " hitting the nail on the head." After two years' growth pot vines may be either in the form of long canes or dwarf bushes. If they were cut back to two buds at the end of the first season, and one of these only allowed to grow, they are now pro- bably six or seven feet high, the canes strong and well-ripened, and from top to bottom furnished with jjlump buds, from which fruit may be expected. We will suppose them to be in this case. We should now shift them into fifteen- inch pots, and at the same time cut them back to within nine buds of the base. Whether they go to vinery or green- house must depend upon the sorts grown, and whether the gr.apes are wanted early or late. That point the cultivator must settle for himself. But to manage them with a view to make them handsome and fruitful bushes we would allow only four bunches the first season, and take these four from the four top buds, stop- ping one point beyond the bunch, and the other buds to be stopped when four inches long. As soon as the bunches are firmly set, give strong manure water once a week till they begin to change colour, say one pound of guano to twenty gallons of water. At the end of the season these vines will have strong stems and four spurs each, which must be cut back to the fourth or fifth bud from the sti-m, and then only two buds are to be left on each, namely, one at the end to give a bunch, and one at the base to give a new shoot for one ne.xt season. Another way to fruit these would be to cut them back very slightly, to drop the pots the vines are now in into larger pots or tubs, and fill the space between them with half dung and half loam, let them ripen all their bunches, and then destroy the vines. Window Gardener. — Your letter came after the pages were filled ; but we make room to advise you to procure a supply of cocoa-nut fibre refuse, which will make you independent of the nur- serymen who refuse to sell you a bit of compost. Mix the refuse with the loam in the proportion of half and half, and your bulb will grow nicely. Instead of crumbling the mould off the turves, you take out of the skylark's cage, put the turves in an oven long enough to kill the grass, and then use fibre and loam to- gether. Various— r. P. P. — Your plant is Golden Rod, Solidago Virgaurea. — Rocklands. — Clipped furze is generally very effectual in keeping mice from bulbs ; some gar- deners use powdered rosin for the same purpose, and we believe with good effect. — F. L. — Phlnx Drummondii. — — Subscriber, Bedford. — Onosma cchio- ides. — F. F., Dublin. — Your ferns are, 1, Polypodium scohipendroides ; 2, Pla- tyloma rotundifolia ; 3, Polystichum angulare raultifidum ; 4, Todea pellu- cida. We cannot make room now to give the native places of these and the others. — A B. — If the leaders of the dis- taffs push too hard to be kept back hy pinching, let them grow to the end of the season, and then shorten hack with the knife. An// soil will suit Virginian creepers. We saw a splendid specimen lately growing in a heap of slag and ashes from a foundry. — J. Symon. — We will name your ferns next month. We have not time now to disentangle the confused heap of greenstuff you have so kindly crushed into an envelope for us. — Subscriber. — We suppose by " mountain heaths" you mean such things as British Ericas ; if so, you may cut tbem down as soon as the best of their bloom is over ; if they were mown down, it would not much interfere with the next year's bloom, if done as soon as they first begin to get shabby. — 7K P.— You may defer planting the trees till spring, as the ground is not yet drained. Your strawberries ou^iht to do well after such a preparat on of the soil. We know of no betteredglng forkitchen-gnrdeii walks than some sort of cheap tile, to be found at the nearest pottery, or bricks put in diagonally, thus III. If you fol- Icw Mr, Cutliill's plan, you need not manure your straw berries now.' — Your letter came to hand after the pages were all filled : reply next month. — Polly. — Your letter on Greenliouse came to our hands on the 23rd, too late to make room for reply, as it cannot lie disposed of in a word — Sussex. — We cannot advise without knowing the size of the house; perhaps one of Carman's stoves might answer. — T. Co/«o». — The yellowish-green leaf is Gardenia angus- tifolia ; the Cyclamen is Europeum in its ordinary foini ; the Eriostemon-like plant we do not know. — Old Sub. — The number was almost printed before your letter came. New York Botanical Garden LibrarY 3 5185 00232 4882 MAR . 70 iiiiiiii iiii iu 11 11 J i I iii r iiiiiiii«^^^^^^ iillipiil in [Uifiijjti'*j''''*'i''*i*u^ ^'iiyiUf'ii*. «. iv £ ill lip