UMASS/AMHERST 312066 0333 3030 6 MHartTWMB^iTOwiwnaaiaMaaMiiiMiMMMw^^ m.-mnWtPtiwiii'tt.'Wiite' ■'ttWtra spectabilis, 373 Diervilla triflda, 686 Dietes Huttoni, 419; the cultivated, 419 Diniorphotheca nudieauUs var. gramini- folia, 287 Diona?a muscipula, 588 DioBcorea retusa, 342 Dipladenias, note on, 233 Diplarrhena Mora;, 582 Diplazium, the genus, 534 Dityogramma japonica, 534 Dodecatbeon integrifolium, 503 Dodgsoii's, Mr., Orchids, Pale of, 322 DreaaLtcanthus macrophyllus, 150, 418 Dolii.ho3 lignosus, 602 Domestic gardening, 252 Doodia, the genus, 573 Doryanthes Palmeri, 2 Dove plant, the, 574 Dover, new public park at, 415 Diaca^na Banks', 5(2; indivisa, hardiness of, 170, 243, 318 ; australis, 681 Drawing rooms, suitable plants for, 305 Dropmore, 1 Drosera dichotoma, propagating, 70 Droseras, 587 Iirjiug plants, 4 Drymoglo.-sum piloselloides, 486, 507 Dublin, notes from, 53 Dublin, spring flowers at, 304 ; parks anil garde ns about, 672 Dtipplin Csstle, Perthshire, 238 Earth, bare, 638, 695 East Anglia. weather in, 241 Kchalotte, the, 165 KcLeveria, fas iated, 71 ; retusa, 28 Economic and medicinal plants at Kew, 38 Edelweiss, the, 528, 563 Edgings, concerning, 263 Edinburgh Botanic Garden, 216, 610 Edinburgh, forest product show in, 323 Edwardsia grandiflora, 394, 441, 477 Eteocarpus dentatus, 326, 567 Embankment, on the Thames, 336 Embothrium coccineum, 462 Enemies of the Rose, 497 English names, 1(0, 609, 638 Epacris, double white, 53 Epacrises, culture of, 488 Epidendrum bicornutum, 414 ; Frederici Guilielmi, 4,67 ; Pseudepidendrum, 11 ; rhizophorum, 414 ; vitellinum majus, 462 ; Wallisi, 261 ; falcatum, 681 ; nemorale, 574 Epping Forest, 124 ; rights in, 441 Eranthemum Cooperi,412 ; pulchellum. 426 ; Regnieri, 419 Eremurus at Belgrove, 503 Erica carnea, 220, 331 ; codonodes, 213, 264 Erigercn aurant'acum, 620 Erinus alpinus, varieties of, 462 Erysimum rhseticum, 602 Erythrinas and their culture, 143 Escallonia macrantha, 82 Eucalyptus coccifera, 540 Eucharis amazonica, 144, 351 ; double, 79 ; soil for, IS, 56 ; Candida, 9 ; new, 286 ; Sanderi, 219, 238, 393 Eulophia streptopetala, 353 Euonjmns flmbriatus, 273 ; latifolius , 82 ; radicans, 556 Euonymuses, 5S6 Euplexia lucifera, 548 Eurya latifolia variegata, 290 Eurybia argophylla, 326 ; Gunni, 603 Evergreens, transplanting, 289, 339 Everlasting flowe rs, 12G Exhibitions, Crystal Palace, 478; Royal Horticultural, 479 Exocarpus cupressiformi", 4E6 Exochorda grandiflora, 394 Experiment among hardy flowers, 311 Experiments, remarkable, 147 Fabiana imbricata, 394, 424 Fences, boundary, 185 Fences, note on, 20 Fein ba=ket, a novel, 4^6 Fern fronds, the beauty of youug, 485 Fern pot and flower bowl, 415 Ferns, best cultivated, the, 9, 67, 78, 129, 186, 218, 316, 340, 379, 395, 418, 486, 606, 634, 673; list of, with coloured fronds, 486 ; collecting hardy, 634 ; filmy, and frosts, 17 ; for boueiuets, 186 ; new. 60 ; hardy, 677 Ferula communis, 221 Feverfew, new yellow, 188 Ficaria grandiflora, 377 Fir tree, a curious, 290 Fireballs, 449 Fire Bush, the, 463 I'ii'e in mansions, 36 Firs, Lee, the, 683 Fisheries Exhibition, 148 Flora and landscape of iladeira, 354 Floral aiTangtments, artistic, 534 Floral deceaations, improvement in, 369 Florist, labours of the, 445 Florists and their foil)les, 410, 417, 444, 445, 461, 489, 629, .596 Florists' flowers fifty years ago. 243 ; iu spring, 214 ; notes on, 363 ; wintering, 141 Flower baskets, filling, 467 Flower beds, surfa'e stirring of, 224 F'lower colours, 605 Flower farms in New Jersey, 132 Flower garden, colour iu the, 2, 21, 7'\ 116 Flower painting, 101 Flower shows, ttxiufr", 636 Flower vases, filling, 3 5 Flowering trees at Byfleet, 540 Flowers, alpine, 614 ; arranging, 305 ; blue spring, 398 ; by post, 124 ; col- oured sprig, 410 ; cut, packing, 506 ; dressing for exhibition, 645 ; early open air, 28 ; early spring, 144 ; from Cornwall, 28 ; florists', fifty years ago, 243 ; florists', in spring, 244 ; florists', wintering, 141 ; hardy for cutting, 7 ; hardy in J.inuary, SO ; ill famelbng, 652; in Alarch, 3J8; natural wearing, 184; New Year's Day, 28; opjn air, from Ireland, 278 ; rare hardy, 401 ; scented combination of, 60 ; single, 369 ; tpring, 199 ; spring at Uoole House, 394 ; true blue, 272 Fined walls, 403 Forcing, hurry in, 285 Forcing in frames, 142 Forest produe.ts, show of, 323 I'orestry for April, 3 8 ; for June, 491 Forests and hailstorm-', 72 Forests, protection and growth of, 37" July 7, 1883. THE GARDEN INDEX Forsythia suspprisa, 1S5 Forge t-me- 11 ots, fnrced, 284 Fortune's yellow Ros°. 236 Francisceas, note on the, 180 Frames and houses, 92 Freesia odorata major, 213 ; varieties of, 331 Frcesias, four kinds cf, notes on, 290 ; note on, 54 ; seedling, note on, 4 French Anemones, 440 Fritillaria oranensis, 392 Fritillary, the Snake's-head, 401 Frost, the laie, 49 Fruit and vegetnble markets, 104 Fruit borders, drainin?, 190 Fruit crop, the, 50S 530 Fruit crops in Suffolk, 432 Fruit culture, profitable, 73 Fruit, dried, 25S Fruit from primitive forms, 296 Fruit growing for market, 47 Fruit, ke€p n?, underwater, 20 Fruit prizes, 5^7 Fruit, preserving, 579 Fruit prospects, 101, 433, 501 ; retaidicg the bloom, 125 Fruit, Rupsian, 98 Fruit, storing, 92 Fruit tree borders, cropping, 282 Fruit trees, feeding, under glass, 311 Fruit tree grubs, 191 Fruit trees in hedges, 206 Fruit trees, management of, 432 ; shelter for, 74, li6 Fruits evaporating on a small scale, 70 Fruits in Madeira, 354; in season, 101, 125 ; market, 530, 579, 586 ; Persian, 507 ; success with email, IS Fuchsia, Mrs. Caunell, 344; Mrs. Mar- shall, 197 ; Mrs. Rundle, 256 ; Pheno- menal, 420 Fuchsias, standard, 167 Fuel, a new, 5C9 Fuel, smokeless, 265 Fungi, preeervation of, SO ; in pits, 575, 588 Fungus ou evergreens, 52, 80 Funkiagrandiflora, 646 Funkias, note on. 187 Furze and its varietiee, 477 G. Galanthus Elwesi, 106 Garden, abit of, 21 ; ahardy, 4S3 ; alpine, colour In the, 281; an interesting small, 439 ; appointments, 432 ; catalogues, 185; changes. 280; colour in the, 21, 75, 115 ; design concerning, 99 ; de- stroyers, 360 ; edgings, 383 ; furniture, exhibition of, 344 : novelties anil fashions, 404 ; plan of a, 299 ; screens, 312 ; wailS) 372 ; walls, materials for, 400 Gardeners'Benevolent Institution, 72,148 Gardeners, duties of. 147 ; food for, 147 ; self-help for, 6. 147 Gardenia citriodora, 9 ; intermedia, 350 Gardroing catalogues, 99 Gardening, domestic. 252 ; spring, at Belvoir, 379 ; styles in, 6 ; window, es- say on, 420 ; district, a, 553 Gardens, rock and wall, 131 Garlic and Shallots. 120 Garrya elliptica, 126; elliptica fcemina, 272 ; elliptica grafted on Aucuba, 257 ; elliptica. striking, 264 Gases, flue, deadly effects of, 324 GauUheria Shallon, 3(0 Genista hispanica, 503 Gentiana acau' is, 398, 5GS ; vema, 426, 523 Gentian, great yellow, ISO Gentians, raising seeds of, 557 Geranium arnienum, 510 Geraniums, bardy, 545 Gerard and Parkinson, 277, ?03 Gerardanthus tomentosus, 520 Gesnera macrantha, 197 Ghent International Show, 192, 365 ; notes from the, 3S7 Gladiolus failure, 30, 82, 140, 164, 200 ; gandavensis, 56 ; planting in January, 152 Glasnevin, notes from, ?8S, 573 Glasshouses, cleaning, 38 Glazing, lead bar, 178; nmplex, 170 Gloriosas, culture of, 373 Glory of the Snow, the, 236 Gloxinia, The Daimio, 551 ; Miranda, 551 Gloxinias, diseased, 603 ; from seed, 77 Godetia Duchess of Albany, 113 ; rubi- cunda spleudens, 117 GooseberiV caterpillars, 544 ; crop, the, 579 Gorse, note on the, 16 Gourds and their culture, 558 Graft influences, 289 Grafting, mistakes in, 144 ; top y. bot- tom, 529 Grape, Abercairney, 433 ; Alicante, 252 ; Canon Fall Muscat, 360 ; Duke of Buccleuch, 96, 150, 191 ; Golden Queen, 501 ; Pearson's Golden Queen, 347 ; seedlings, variability of, 259, 319 Grapes, Abercairney and white Lady Downes, 360 ; a crop of, 483 ; best black and white, 530; cr^f eking, 209; curing, 471 ; dates of introduction of, 320; different treatment needed by, 149 ; history of, 360. 403 ; late, in cool houses, 19 ; notes on, 48 ; packing, 410, 529; qui 5k returns with, 101; two bunches of, to a lateral, 410 ; well pre- served, 347 ; what is a crop cf ? 410 Grasmere, notes from, 508 Grass plant, the, 561 Graveyard gardens, 415 Green fly, destroying, 124 Greenhou'e Rhododendrons, 4 Greenland Poppies, 502 Grevillea annulifera, 418 Greyia Sutherlandi, 311, 346 Grubs on fruit trees, 205 ; note on, 433 Guano for Roses, 465 Gmlder Rose, the forced, 325 Gutta-percha pads, 38 Gymnogrammacalomelanos gracilis, 551 ; gloriosa, 486 Gjnura aurantiaca, 106 Habrothamnus Newelli, 144 Habranthus pratensis fulgens. 533 Hackney, open spaces about, 192 Hcemanthus albo-maculatus, 28 Hailstorms and forests, 72 Hairbell and Bluebell, 500, 523, 569 Halesia tetraptera, 509 Hamamelis virginica, 345 Haplocarpha Leichtlini, 116 Hardy foliage for hardy flowers, 363 Haricot Beans. 474 ; culture of, 430 Haveiland Hal!, Norfolk, 157 Heated walls, 468 Heaths and their culture, 102. 195; hy- bridising, 178; seedling, l79;winiLr floweiing, 8 Heating by steam, 178, 284, 309 ; Can- nell's system of, 147. 177 ; roof, 256 ; top, '275, 283, 310 ; in li'^uses, 246 Heavenly Bamboo, the, 327 Hebeclinium atrorubens, 304; ianthl- num, 304 Hedges and screers, 263, 307 Hedges, fruit trees in, 206 Hehanthenmm rosmarinifolium, 510 Helianthemums, 596 Helicodiceros crinitus, 347 Heliotrope Dore Albert Delaux, 411 ; Swanlty Giant, 435; the winter, 189; Roi des Nuires, 581 Heliotropes, 589 Hellebores, 106; from Devon, 113 , note on the, 185 ; six-petalled, 200 Helleborus argutifolius, 220 ; foetidus, 311 ; maximus, 244 ; maximus and angustifolius. 222 ; niger altifolius, 49 ; niger angustifolius, 152. 276, 281, 331. 362; niger maximus, 199, 6C0;nigrr. varieties of, 325 ; niger with six sepals, SO Helvella, the genus, 474 Henfreya scandene, 273 Hepatica, double white, 244; the blue, 189; variabilis, 297 Ilepaticas, 223; and Cyclamens, 185 Heracleum, golden leaved, 500 Herbs, culinary and salad, 119 Herrenhausen Botanic Garden, 173 ; hardy trees at, 264 Hesperocallis undu'ata, 117 Hesperothiron californicus, 399 Heterotoma lobeiioides, 487 Heuchera americana, 272 ; Richardsoni, 545, 599 Hibbertia Cunningharai, 53 Hibiscus lamberti, 79 Hill of Howth, flowers from, 372 Hobart Town, gardening at, 466 Hollies, 586 ; notes on, 49 HoLy. the, 26 Hollyhock, cuUure of the, 498 ; disease, 526; fungu?, 464 Home of La^liaelegans, the, 461 Home nursery, advantages of a, 434 Honeysuckles, 139 Hoop Petticoat Daffodils, 426 Hornets and wasps, 176 Horticultural buildings, show of, 416 Horticultural club, 552 Horticultural lectures, 483 Hose-in-hose Cowslip, 460 Hotbed, a lasting, 187 Hothouse, heating by steam, 412 Houses, drainage and ventilation of. 120 Hoya imperialis, 56 ; linearis, 345 ; Pax- toni,5lO Hoyas, notes on, 55 Hudson River, on the, 677 Hull Botanic Garden, 295, 385 Hurstside, Muulsey, 110 Hyacinth Pink Perfection, SOD ; Sou- venir de J. H. Veen, 300 Hyacinth, culture and selection of the, 374 ; outdcor, 326, 399, 427 Hyaeiuthus candicaus, forced, 179; in pots, 109 Hybridism on chance seedlings, 500 Hyd angea insects, 177 Hydrangea rosea, 561, 576 Hymenocallis macro Stephana, 300 Hypericum empetrifolium, 116, 141 ; Hookerianum, 159 ; nepalense, 159 ; triflorum, 158 Hyper.cums, shrubby, 158, 200 Iberis gibraltaiica hybrida, 326, 481, 498 Imantophyllum miniatum spleudens, 298 ; varieties of, 238 ; Mrs. Laing, 3fc9 Impatiens Sultani, 50, 331, 409, 457, 462, 594 Indoor decoration, foliage for, 123 Injurious insects, remarks on, 543 _ Insects, injurious, book on, 514; mining, 145 ; on Hydrangea, 177 ; remedies for, 386 ; rout feeding, 145 ; Rote, 214 Ipsea Fpeoiofa, 1(5 Ireland, planting waste land in, 122 ; re- afforesting, 322 ; the late frost in, 70 ; tiee planting in, 26, 413 Iris bloEsoms, the time of, 501 Iris cristata, 439 ; dichotoma, 510 ; florentina, 501 ; hybrids, 437 ; Pavonia, 503 ; persica, 304 ; reticulata, 172, 238. 244,325; Susiana and its allies, paper on, 437 ; juncea, 682 Irises on the Grass, 273; bulbous, 580; English. 582 Irish Horticultural Society, 17 Iron and steel, to pro'ect from rust, 445 Italian market, an, 3«6 Ivies, miniature, 523 ; notes on, 49, 644; ornamental, 581 Ivy, prickly, 184 Ivy under trees, 553 Ixias from Guernsey, 533 Ixiolirions, 436 Ixora parviflora, 326 Ixora?, leaf spotion, 197 J. Jamesia americana, 533 Japan Persimmoo in the South, 97 Jasmine, the Golden Japan, 131 Jasminum gtacillimum, 131 ; nudiflorum, 139 Journal of Botany, the, 46 Juglans prajparturiens, 97 Juncus 7ebrinu3, 233 Jun-^ flowers at Floore, Weedon, 576 Juniperus chinensis, 257 K. Ka^mialatifolia, 311 : poisonous, 212 Kelton Hall Pea.b culture, 402 Kennedya Marryattiana, 28, 79 ; rubi- cunda, 304 Kensington Garders, 528 Kenwood, Albany, Orchids at, 292 Kerosene for posts, 212 Kerria, double-flowered, 139; japonica, 194 Kew Gardens, 575 ; early opening of, 192 Killerton, 35 Kleiniarepens, 155 Knap Hill Primroses, the, 393 Kola nut, the, 18 L.. Labels for plants, 124 Lachenalia Nelsoni, 257, 278, 290 ; tri- color, 238 ; pendula, 142 ; pendula and quadrjcolor, 9 ; reflexa, 172 ; stoloni- fera, 167 Lacher alias and their cultui-e, 142 ; notes on, 197 Lady's Slipper Crchids, 531 Lady's Slippers, hybrid, all the, 58 Lffilia autumnalis grandiflora, 44 ; ele- gans, 461 ; grandis, 412 ; harpophylla, 171, 211 ; majalis, 416 ; monophylla, 345 ; purpurata, 525, 574, 581 ; super- biens, 171 Lambeth Palace grounds, 324 Landscape gardening, notes on, 99 Lapageria, propagation of, 209; shoots dying, 420 Lapag«rias, 369 Lathyrus Sibrhorpei, 545 590 Lattenbury Hill House, 396 Lavatera arborea variegata, 114 Law Courts, hea'ing tlie new, 5 lawn mowers, 438, 460. 537, 661 ; and long Grass, 483; fallacies about, 370, 415 ; single-handed, 356, 415 tawn weeds, 57, 124, 139 Lawns, draining and turflng, 200 Lawn trees, select, 539 Layia elegans, 116 Lead bar glazing, 178 Leaves, big, 580 Leaves from the Southern Alps, 460, 490» 572 Lecture on the Amarj Ills, 313 ; on plant adaptations, 323 lectures at the K. H. S. meetings, 542 Leed's (Mr.) parden, 451 Leeks, large, 156 Lent Lilies and their varieties, 288 Leontice Leontopodium, 297 Leschenaultias and their culture, 180 Lessons from Nature, 586 Lettuces, sowing, 570; summer, 454 Leucopogon Canninghami, 79 Lewisia rediviva, 522 Lichen, freeing Orchids from, 149, 190 ; onTtiorns, 654 Lilac, Charles X., 502 ; white, 431 ; prun- ing overgrown, 55t li'ies, 245; Califurnian, 370 ; small, 97 ; Day, 580 ; Water, 505 Lilmm amatum failures, 130; Browni, 113; davuricumin pots, 574; elegans guttatum, 503; longifolium var,, 547 ; Martagon and other Lilies. 32 ; pom- ponium verum, 58, 113 ; Szovitzianum, 558; Thompsonianum, 358, 372; Wash- ingtonianum, 370; white Martagon, 538; white, native country of the, 318 Lily of the Valley, 569 Limatodes rosea, 44 Limnanthes D^uglasi, 545 Linaria pallida, 545 Lisianthua Russellianus, 358 Lithospermum prostratum, 523, 556, 567 ; petra3ura,553 Littonia modesta, 502 ; Keiti, 582 Lobelia caidinalis fulgens, 190; Swanhy Blu«, 551 Longford Bridge, the garden at, 451 Lonicera Slandishi and fragrantistima, 235; fragrantissiuia, 53 ; serapervirtna minor, 558 Lorchel, the, 474 Loudon's " Arboretum Britannicum," 438 Luculia gratissima in small pots, 53 Lupinus arboreus, 533 Lychnis Viscaria tplendens, 533 ; dioica sport, 600 Lysionotus ternlfolius, 412 M. Madeira, fruits iu, 354 ; notes from, 353 Magnolia acuminata, 502 ; Campbelli, 71; in Ireland, 492; cmspicua, 138, 242 ; grandiflora, 82 ; Soulangeana nigra, 393 ; tripetala, 533 Mahogany in San Domingo, 97 Mammillaria sangninea, 411 Manchester show, the. 432 Manuals and cyclopedias, 235 Manures for bulb?, 258 March fii.wers, 318 March, the black fortnight in, 3.7 Market, an Italian, 386 Market fruit--, 508 Market garden notes, 43 Market, fruit growing for, 47; nursu-y, notes from a, 25 ; plants, 146 Markets, fiuit and vegetable, 104 Marguerite Aurora, 326; double jellow, 378 ; New Departure, 8 Marguerites, fine specimens of, 503 Marriages, happy, among flowers, 152 Masdevallia bella, 459; Chimtera, 200; cucuUata, 459 ; Harryana, 524 ; ignea Massangeaua, 62; losea, 435, 551; choice, 574; Schlimi, 345; Shultle- worthi, 11, 302, 415 ; tovarensis, 44 ; xanthocorys, 435 ; Chimseroid, 201 ; a new, 681 Massachusetts, large trees in, 70 Massangea (Tillandsia) musaica, 9 Maxillaria grandiflora, 11 ; Harrisoniai alba, 389 ; luteo alba, 467 Mealy bug, 71, 145 ; on Vines, 19 Meconopsis nepalensis, 501 Medinilla amabilis, 346 Melon, Sugar, 560 Melons and Cucumbers, 496 Melons, diseased, 548 Mentha arvensis piperascens, 432 Mertenaia maritima, 141 ; virgmica, 463 VIU THE GAEDEN INDEX [July 7, 1883 Mespilus Smithi, 502 Microglossa albescens, 143 Microstylis metallica, 2 Mignonette, double white, 54 ; well grown, 284 Milla Leichtlini, 144 Mimulus grandifiorus Brilliant, 389 ; ma- cnlatus nobilis, 117 ; moschatusgrandi- flonis, 435; Novelty, 435; radicans, 547 Miltonia spectabllis, 2S5, 344 "Minister's Garden," the, 124 Mistletoe culture, 75 Mistletoe Oaks, 157, 235 Mistletoe on Peach, 101 ; propagating, 38, 122, 131, 175, 580 ; led berried, 12S Mitcham Common, 359 Monej wort, golden, 426 Monochfetum ensiferum, 172 Morchella, the, 474 Moss fertilising, 212 Moth, OaU-leaf roller, 397 Mount Anville Paik, Dublin, sale of plants at, 322 Mulberry, Kussian, in Nebraska, 51 ; f he Russian, 515 Muscari Argsei, 117 ; atlanticuir, 401 Museum, the Natural History, 148 Mushroom beds, pipe heat for, 526 Mushroom culture, notes on, 42 Mushroom spawn, viigin, 'i29 ; stalks, 529 Mushrooms and wcodlice, 256; out of doors, 408, 592 Muiic at the Horticultural, 369 Myosotideum nobile, 462 Myosotis dissitiflora alba, 200, 440 ; not hardy, 318 ; grandiflora, 483 Myrtle, broad-leaved, 32 N. Names of plants, on, S5, 100 Nandina domestica, 328 Narcissi and PEeiido-narciss', 281 Narcissi at Dublin, 278 ; at Gunton, 393 ; from Cheshunt, 418 ; 1 ondon grown, 326; Polyanthus, 268; show of, 372; the white species, 399 ; white Trum- pet, 498 Narcissus anceps, 238 ; Bernard!, 594 ; bicolor maximus, 462 ; Eulbocodium, 115, 150,332; citrinus, 243, 317 ; capax, 347; cemuus, 238, 304, 377, 405; Ger- trude Jekyll, 31 ; T. B. M. Cameron, 392 ; lecture on the, 436 ; Leedsi Purity, 392 ; maximus, 278 ; minor, 213, 332 ; monophyllus, 28, 84, 114, 130, 164, 222, 281; obvallaris, 2J4, ^77; poet's, the, 538 ; Princess Mary, 389 ; TelemoDius, 330; tortuosus, 277, 318, 332,362, 379; viridiflorus, 189; mini- mus, 287 Nebraska, Russian Mulberry in, 51 Nectarines and Peaches, 125 Negundo. forced, 447 Nemastylis acuta, 2 Nepenthes Chelsoni, 492 ; excelsior, 551 ; Mastersiana, 492; Moiganice, 492; Ka- jah, 185 ; rare, 184 ; sanguinea, 53 Nephrodium Rodigasianum, 435 Nerine erubescens, 80 ; pudica, 412 Neviusia alabamensis, 344, 417 Newcastle, recreation ground, new, at, 415 New year, the, 23 New Zealand plants, 538 Nicotiana affinis, 311, 500 ; indoors, 420 Niereraberjiia rivularis, 188 Nomenclature of plants, 332, 378, 4C3 Notes, American, 69 Notes and readings, 5, 92, 147, 209, 245, 284, 347, 410, 445, 483, 529 Notes from Berwickshire, 325 ; from Scarborough, 30; from Coombe Wood, 596 ; from Timor, 591 ; on birds, 333 ; on plants, 439 ; spring, 223 Nurseries, Burnt Ash, 25 ; new London. 72 Nursery, home advantages of a, 434 Nursery, Royal Kxotic, Chelsea, 72 Nursery sick fund, 410 Nuttailia cerasiformis, 220 Nymphcea Sturtevanti, 131 ; stellata, 582; the genus, 334; zanzibareusis, 290, 368 Nymphaias and their culf urc, 334 Oak, ft variegated, SO Oak leaf roller moth, the, 397 f>ak Lodge, Thorpe, 209 Oak, varie(ra Melon, green-fleshed Sugar. . Melon, Honfleur Mertensia virginica . . Mexico, roadside vegetation in Moth, Oak-leaf roller Munstead, plan of garden at 114 423 138 261 670 559 463 29 397 Nandina domeatica » .. 329 Narcissus albicans . . _ „ 498 Narcissus Bulbocodiom citrinus . . 243 Narcissus Bernardi 594 Narcissus Bulbocodium, varieties of 401 Narcissus cernuus 377 Narcissus cernuus 498 Narcissus Gertrude Jeky 11 .. .. 31 Narcissus minimus 287 Narcissus monophyllus .. .. 130 Narcissus obvallaris 377 Narcissus tortuosus 493 Nepenthes Northiana . . — 496 Nephrodium Rodigasianum . . 385 Nierembergia rivularis .. . . 188 Oak-leaf roller and caterpillar . . 397 Odontoglossum crispum (striped) . 210 Odontoglossum Rossi var. Wameri 254 Orchis longicalcarata . . . . 185 Pelargonium Comtesse de Tannber g 36 Petasites fragrans 113 Pinguicula caudata . . ™ . . 309 Pinguicula grandiflora, bulbils of 184 Plan of garden at Munstead . . 298 Plan of Professor Owen's girden .. 349 Polyanthus seedling 221 Pritchardia grandia 364 Purslane, Golden 165 Radish, early Long Frame . . Raffia ball, netted Red spider 166 265 361 Schizffia dichotoma . . -. . . 456 Selaginella grandis . . „ . . 107 Sheen Lodge, Richmond Park, plan of garden at 349 Sierra Nevada, in the 327 Sisyrinchium grandiflorum . . .. 199 Smilax aspera 220 Snapdragon, dwarf .. _ ., 544 Spinach of Viroflay 166 Spirsea callosa paniculata ... . . 247 Spiraea flagellif ormis 81 Spiraea lanceolata 247 Spirsea Lindleyana 248 Squash, Patagonian 659 Stenogastra concinna . . . . 161 Stevensonia grandif olii . . . . 32r Tagetea Golden Ring . . . . 67 Tetranychus telarius . . ■ , . . . 361 Tillandsia ionaothe -. . . ^. 151 Tree Mallow, variegated . . „ 114 Tropical riverside scene, a .. 434 Tussilago Farfara . . _ . . 113 Valves, new rotary 537 Vanda f urva _ 185 Vanda tricolor 134 Vase, flower, tastefully filled . . 305 Vegetation, roadside, in Mexico . . 29 Ventilating apparatus .. .. 179 Vespa crabo 177 Vespa vulgaris . . . . „ _ 177 Vine, a prolific, at Eoohe-sur-Yon 229 Vinery at Chiswick 207 Virginian Lungwort . . „ . . 483 Wasp, the .. 177 ABUTILON ViriFOLIDM AMARYLLIS MRS. GARFIELD BEAUFORTIA SPLENDENS BOMAREA CONFERTA BOUVARDIA PRESIDENT GARFIELD AND ALFRED NEUNER CALLICARPA PURPUREA CHRYSANTHEMUMS TISIPHONE, RINGLEADER, AND ORANGE BEAUTY COMPARETTIA MACROPLECTRON CYPRIPEDIUM MORGANI^ CYPRIPEDIUM SPICERIANUM DENDROBIUM BIGIBBUM HYPERICUM TRIFLORUM LILIUM MARTAGON AND VARIETIES COLOURED 224 312 404 84 448 540 564 356 58 202 290 158 32 PLATES. NEPENTHES MASTERSIANA, CHELSONI, AND MOR- GANI^ 492 NYMPH^A FLAVA AND GIGANTEA 384 PERNETTYA MUCRONATA, NEW VARIETIES 470 PHILESIA BUXIFOLIA 380 ROSE CATHERINE MERMET 268 ROSE CHARLES LEFEBVRE 110 ROSE LA FRANCE 180 ROSE MARECHAL NIEL 426 ROSE MARIE BAUMANN 516 SISYRINCHIUM GRANDIFLORUM 588 SISYRINCHIUM ALBUM 588 SPIR-EA DOUGLASI 246 VANDA HOOKERIANA 8 VANDA TRICOLOR PATERSONI 134 Xll THE GARDEN INDEX [July 7, 1883. H. T. ELLACOMBE, M.A., F.S.A. We cannot give a more appropriate portrait for this volume of The Garden than that of the Kev. H. T. EUacombe, rector of Clyst St. George, Devon. Mr. EUacombe was born in 1790, and was educated at Oriel College, Oxford, where, in 1812, he was enabled to add B.A. to his name. Between that year and 1816 he depoted himself to the study of engineering in Chatham Dockyard, under Brunei, and an account of his life as an engineer is given in Beamish's "Life of Sir J. Brunei," pp. 118-124, from which the following is an extract : " However much the Church may have gained by the accession of an active and earnest minister, it is certain that the civil engineering profession lost a conscientious and accomplished member. ... Of a highly respectable family in Devonshire, directly descended from Sir Hugh Myddelton .... and inheriting with his distinguished brother, General Sir Charles EUacombe, E.E., many of the engineering qualifications of their ancestor, he was unable to resist the impulses of his nature, and every hour which he could command from his more serious studies was devoted to mechanical drawing and the construction of models. While still at Oxford he submitted to Brunei the result of his stolen hours, and the delicacy, accuracy, and beauty of the workmanship at once secured the favourable opinion of the great mechanist." In 1816 he took his M.A. degree, and was ordained deacon by the then Bishop of Exeter, and served as curate of Crickdale in 1816-17. He was ordained priest in 1817 by the Bishop of Gloucester, and entered on the curacy of Bitton in that diocese. Of this parish he was curate from 1817 to 1835, when he became vicar of it, and remained so till 1850. Church restoration and extension was not so universal in those days as it is now, yet Mr. EUacombe, with indomitable energy, and in spite of many difficulties, did a great deal in that way, as well as in the building of schools and the education of the young. It is, however, with Mr. EUacombe as a gardener we are most concerned. Few men have done more to promote the culture of both hardy plants and trees than he has done. W^hen at Bitton he had a grand collection of them, the catalogue of which was published in The Garden f jr December 24, 1881. He was in correspondence with all the leading gardeners of that time; but, except in the columns of The Garden, he has never published anything on the subject. As an author, however, he stands alone as one who has published large books after he was ninety. His " History of Bitton," in two quarto volumes, was published when he was ninety-two. It may also be worth mentioning that he occupies an interesting chapter in the recently published " Keminiscences of Oriel College," by Mozley. In 1850 Mr. EUacombe was preferred to the rectory of Clyst St. George, and was succeeded in the vicarage of Bitton by his son, the Rev. Canon EUacombe, the present incumbent. Mr. EUacombe, sen., speedily rebuilt the body of the church at -Clyst St. George, and in 1860 opened a new school-house and master's residence. His name is known far and near as being the great authority on bells, and he has written several valuable treatises respecting them. He is a learned antiquarian, especially in all ecclesiastical affdirs. Though within a few yeirs of being a centenarian, he is vigorous both in mind and body, and as enthusiastic a gardener as ever. Even in the closing number of this volume of The Garden (p. 590) will be found an interesting paragraph from him on Lalhyrus Sibthorpei, seeds of which, with his usual generosity, he offers to distribute. The old garden at Bitton, more richly stocked with hardy plants than most of the brgest botanic gardens, has been the refuge as it were of many a fine plant that but for it would perhaps have vanished altogether from cultivation during the time when the bedding-oi^ fashion was rife. The Bitton garden has, however, remaiaed unchanged through all the caprices of fashion, and under the fostering care of Canon Hlacombe well maintains its reputation. It is one of the most interesting gardens in the country — one in which hardy herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees find a congenial home, and in which the climate is favourable to the growth of a host of subjects not bardy in more northerly districts. The shrub collection is particularly rich, especially that of species of Roses, which is as complete a collection as any in the country. JANUAet 6, 1S33- (* THIE Gr.A.TilD:ElJ:hoto(jraph tal:eninlii3\) with red, for that reasoning is incorrect. Combi- nations of one bright colour with a tertiary ground quickly right themselves, as people find out almost at once that the right combination is with tlie ter- tiary tints which the complementary code makes out to be discordant, but errors with tlie bright pure colours of flowers are flagrant. I should like to trouble " R. A. H. G." with just one little bit more science, after which I think we may consider make the subject threshed out, and agree to differ. Colour, when we come to the visible and enjoyable part of it, is not like form. Form is a thing which has a definite existence apart from us, but colour as we know it has no existence apart from our senses. The waves of light ether are a reality, but what we call colour is not these waves, but the effect which they produce on our senses. These wavts enter the eyes of colour- blind persons, and of persons who are blind to red, exactly as they do the eyes of others, but they produce no sensa- tion of colour. Colour is a tiling, therefore, about which it is difficult to rea- son ; it is truly a matter of taste, and as thoroughly so as the productions of the skilled cook ; no hard and fast rules can be laid down about it. The one diSicuUy we liave in deal- ing with colour is this : In the fifteenth century it became the fashion to imitate the arts of the later periods of the Roman empire instead of mak- ing progress and im- provement in such art as then existed. People ceased to follow their own taste, and all art, from high to low, became mat- ter of book learning. By processes far too long to describe here, colour faded out of everythirg cf humsn manufacture : colour became vulgar, and, as Mr. Ruskin describes, we were "legalised into grey." Compare the male costumes of even 17S2 with those of 1S82. Now, if any faculty of the human mind is allowed to lie dormant or habi- tually outraged it be- comes weak, and three centuries of bad colour- ing hav without doubt weakened the perception of colour in the northern races. This can only be corrected by following the lead of Nature and of those nations and periods in the arts of which good colour forms a feature, and al.so by following the lead of people distinguished by sensitiveness to colour. A per- son whose eye is so sensitive to colour as to be unable to look at a truss of Vesuvius Pelar- gonium for five minutes at a time without be- coming red blind for the time being is assuredly a much better guide in matters of colour than a person who can enjoy gazing at a bed of scarlet Pelargoniums or red and yellow Tulips for half an place " red, yellow, and blue flowers next each other; his purple I'an?ies, for instance, with their green foliage next his golden ones." Also, " we should be correct in placing purple alongside yel- low, green along.sjde red, and orange or golden alongside blue." If " K. A. H. G.'' likes green and red together, by all means let him have it and re- commend others to try them, but that is quite anotlier thing from saying that because green is a combination of blue and yellow, and is equal to all j ■ the colours but red, therefore it must harmonise | hour at a time. The most charitable way a THE GARDEN [Jan. 6, 1883. colourist can regard those terrible beds of red, blue, and yellow, which one saw so much of in the hey-day of the bedding system, is to imagine that those who enjoyed them were to a certain extent colour-blind, and that colour of that strength was required to produce to their eyes the pleasing sensation which would be conveyed to the mind by a combination of a quiet, soft red, primrose, and bluish grey. All that anyone can recommend for general adoption is such Combinations of colour as were formerly considered beautiful, and which are still considered so by people who make colour their study and busi- ness. The difficulty in writing about colour con- sists in the want of definiteness in the language obliged to be used, but with flowers this is to some degree obviated by known flowers having known colours, so that we can use them to give definite- ness to our descriptions. I can assure " E. A. H. G." that when my promised article on colour for bedding appears he will find many combinations recommended which cannot by any stretch of imagination be said to consist of the three primaries, as well as some which consist of these and secondary and tertiary colours as well, but I shall not recommend red, blue, and yellow as harmony of any of those combinations which his diagram would lead us to believe are harmonious. J. D. HOW TO DRY PLANTS. Me. Leo H. Grikdon, whose name is well known in scientific circles, gives the following practical hints on this subject in a recent article in the Field Naturalist : — "The very ancient adage, that if a thing be worth doing at all it is worth doing well, applies to the preservation of plants for the herbarium as much as to any great and important work cr business. ^Specimens that are no better than fragments of brown stick, or that seem effigies of plants cut out of thin brown paper, the flowers shrivelled and shrunk so as to be no longer intelligible, the leaves crumpled and doubled up, everything con- fused and mashed together, such as one may see sometimes in collections, are altogether undeserv- ing of the name. Nothing that is not dried in the best manner possible, its colours and configura- tion preserved as perfectly as the nature of the plant will admit, ought ever to be allowed a per- manent place in the herbarium, the bad may be tolerated a while, in default of better, but the further a specimen is from vivid and pleasing re- semblance to the living thing, the speedier should be the endeavour to supersede it. Specimens from abroad that cannot be superseded of course we do not speak of. In the plants within reach, none but admirable representatives of their best features while alive should be considered worthy of a place. Plants dry very variously. Some require not a moment's trouble ; others demand patience. Now and then the case is hopeless, and we are con- strained to fall back upon the pencil, and prefer drawings, coloured ones if possible. Grasses and their allies, most kinds of Ferns, plants that re- semble Heather, Everlastings, the mature leaves of shrubs and trees, call for onl}' the minimum. Those which try the patience, and can be man- aged only after considerable experience with easj' ones, arc such a.s may be illustrated by citation of the Hyacinth. To secure the best results, obt.iin first half-a-dozen pieces of stout millboard cut to about 18 inches by 12 inches. Then. gather together a hundred old newspapers, and fold them neat and square to about the dimen.sions of the millboards. Four or 5 yards of common white cotton wadding, a score of .sheets of tissue paper and as many of blotting paper, all cut to the same size, complete the apparatus. One of the boards serves for the foundation ; on this only a newspaper, then a piece of wadding, and upon this placethe specimen intended to be dried. The cotton being soft and retentive, every portion can be laid in a proper and natural waj', including the petals of the flowers. A newspaper above, two or three if the specimens have thick stems, and so on, till all shall be deposited in the way of the first If the specimens are sticky, or hairy, or of a kind that the wadding seems likely to adhere to, then, before depositing them on it, introduce a half sheet of the tissue paper. A heavy weight must be put on the top of all, sufficient tuimbed the specimens in the wadding ; then leave the whole to rest for twenty- f jur hours. All the papers must then be changed, dry ones being put in their place ; and if the plant seems to throw off a very considerable amount of moisture, such as will render the wadding quite damp, change the wadding also. A second and even a third change is desirable at the end of two or three days or a week ; and when this is made in- troduce the blotting paper, pressing again till everything is perfectly flat, and the specimens are absolutely dry. "Such is the simple process by which the writer of these lines has succeeded in the art of preserving the colours and forms, not only of robust and tractable plants, but of the mo.st delicate and very many of the obdurate. Every petal, every leaflet, re- tains the form it had in life, and nine specimens out of ten keep their colours excellently. To insure the keeping of colour, it is well, if time can be spared, to change the blotting paper many times, and to dry it thoroughly before'the fire, but this need not be done until after the third day from the begin- to have their bright colours ? Visiting the stove and Orchid houses at Birdhill the other day, I was much struck with the glowing, vivid colours, fill- ing up space and hiding pots, just as in mid- summer. The secret seemed to be propagation of the best and brightest in October, and placing the cuttings in very small pots, about four in each, the colours to be contrasted. The Coleus requires very slight feeding material, the less the better, during winter. The colours were brighter thai>- several of the Orchids. — "W. J . M., Clonmel. Indoor Garden. SEEDLING FREESIAS. In a little note of mine on Freesias which you published last summer I spoke of some seedlings which I hoped to see in bloom before Christmas. I have not been disappointed. The seed was sown on May 19 and 21, 1882 ; the seedlings were found appearing above the soil on July .5, and the first bloom expanded in my greenhouse on December 10. Every seed, I think, must have germinated, and every seedling almost is now bearing bloom or bud. Last year I spoilt my chances by sowing the seed too thickly in too small a pot. Obviously, the young seedlings, in order that they may make adequate growth, must have plenty of room. On the other hand, some seed which I sowed September 16 to 23, which alsohad only just ripened, and came fresh from the capsule immediately upon dehiscence makes no sign at all, though I have tried to help it on by putting it into heat. I ima- gine that now it will not start till the spring comes. The seed which is now ', blooming was from hy- bridised flowers from F. alba and F. Leichtlini, and from F. Leichtlini and F. alba. The first (alba x Leichtlini) has given me so far a spike of somewhat large yellow flowers, which, as far as I can remember, reproduces al- most exactly the form raised b}' Mr. Smith, of Guernsey, and figured in The Garden (p. ill. Vol. XXII.), and other spikes with flowers in form like Leichtlini, but varying from pale white to pale yellow. The second (Leichtlini x alba) has so far given flowers of the form of the mother, but varying in colour ; some are nearly pure white, others pale yellow, and still others of a deeper yellow with a tendency to violet blotches, more marked than in the typical Leichtlini. This last fact tends to con- firm me in my belief that most of the forms with names are mere varieties. With the exception of the first spike mentioned, the flowers are rather small, but I have some hopes that they will grow larger when the bulbs get older, i.e., next year or the year after. I have not got to the bottom of the culture of these bulbs yet. Of the pots, taken from the same stock, potted at same time, and treated, as far as I know, in the same way, one is showing goodly growth, the other nearly dormant. There must be some reason for this, and I must try and find it out. F. Coleuaes for ■winter decoration. — Everyone admires the glorious tints of colour that may be seen during the summer months, but how seldom do we find them in winter when plants or flowers for decorative purposes are so desirable. Old plants lose their foli.ige, and too often r re victimise62), I regret to say that some additions to my copy (p. .502) were unfor- tunately dispatched too late for publication, or the paragraph would have explained itself better. However, no one reading it as it stands could sup- pose that 1 would wi.sh them to subject their i'halicnopsids to a temperature of from 40° to ir,°. I have never recommended tliem to be below GO-, and until a few years ago I thought they would be greatly damaged if placed in a lower tem- perature; repeated visits, however, during tlie winter to Mr. F. A. I'hilbrick's large and vigorous collection of these plants when they were at Avenue Koad proved to me that tlicy might bo grown to perfection much cooler. Several times I found the tliermometer in Mr. I'hilbrick's Phahenopsis house between .50° and 5.5° toward mid-day, and an unmistakably cold feeling in tlie house, and yet the plants which so thickly covered the roof would compare witli any in tlie country. The cool temperature in which they ■were kept served a good end in London, as it kept the blooms back until the fogs were gone. But I could not help thinking that such treat- ent would not answer in every Orchid house, nd that the dry, sweet, equable temperature in Mr. Philbrick's house made it an exceptional case ; it was therefore for that reason that I said they might be grown in a temperature of 50° at night, and 60° to G3° under certain circumstances. I always avoid recommending extremely low tem- peratures, knowing that the effects of a very low or a very high temperature vary so much in different houses, that the temperature which would keep a plant in perfect health in one house would be injurious to it in another, and that often without any cause being visible. It is for that reason that a grower always takes such pains to know his houses and their peculiarities. — James O'Brien. Seasonable Work. FLORAL DECORATIONS. Where early Dutch bulbs are cultivated in quantity for decorative purposes other than for the conservatory or standing in small vases in the house, it is an excellent plan to follow to some extent the system pursued by those who grow for the trade. Of course appearances have to be studied more in a private establishment than in market producing places ; and therefore in lieu of rough and ready boxes in which to bring for- ward the bulbs to a flowering stage, seed pans of goodly size (square ones will occupy least room) should be chosen. In these the bulbs can be grown more closely than in pots, and when re- quired for decorations, can be taken, bulb and all for any uses other than vases where the bulb and rootlets would be unsightly. This system will be found to be preferable to any other for the making up of what might be termed rustic arrangements, and will afford a pleasing change where much decorative work has to be carried on. Too much sameness renders decorations of any kind mono- tonous and uninteresting, and therefore should be avoided. In table decorations especially it is well to add a fresh feature occasionally. This can be done with ease ; when all the costly epergues and vases have been exhausted to give varietj', a very pretty effect can be produced by choosing a medium sized dish or a large dinner plate on which to ar- range our chosen material. For a large table select an oblong dish, such as would be wanted for a fair sized joint A slender-growing Palm, such as Cocos Weddelliana, Euterpe edulis, or Chamfe- dorea glaucifolia, having a good healthy head of foliage in a 3-inch or 5-inch pot, might be set in the centre, after whicli some sand and fresh green moss or Selaginella should be at hand. Sand should be placed around the central plant at once. Then choose, say, of the early Dutch bulbs some scarlet and white varieties of the Due van Tliol Tulips, a few bulbs of each ; two or three of the white Roman Hyacinth, bulbs, foliage, and spikes included (if the latter are not too much drawn up), and three or four small Chinese Primu- las flowering in 3-incIi pots, from which they should be removed. Fill up between these with the moss, so as to cover tlie sand, and dot in a seedling Fern or two where opportunity offers, but avoid crowding. Around the base use a few growtlis of small-leaved Ivy or other convenient material, to rest on the table cloth. Again, with the same Palm, as a change select some tiny plants of Pan- danus Veitchi and graminifolius, or growths of either will do instead of plants, likewise a few tufts of the Cyperus alternifolius. Having ar- ranged these, let us procure a few spikes of Eucharis amazonica that have say one perfect flower and another partially open ; about three of such will be sufficient with a few small leaves. To these add a few spikes of Lily of the Valley, Paper-white Narcissus, or Spiraia japonica, using for colour either the yellow or scarlet Due van Thol Tulip but .sparinglj'. As a finish a few Fern fronds around the margin would add to the effect, and a few slender trailing growths of Ficus repens reaching beyond these would be a welcome addi- tion. A slight bedewing with a syringe to either of these arrangements would tend to keep the flowers and foliage all the fresher. Other forms of arrangement could be followed out, modifiedr of course, according to the supply and other cir- cumstances. FLOWER GARDEN. Herbaceous and other plants of that class show off best in wide shrubbery borders with low evergreens to back them up, but these latter ought not to be of a kind that root far about, or they rob the former, and so spoil their growth. Rhododendrons, Berberis Darwini, B. stenophylla, and such like do not do this, and therefore shoulcl be largely made use of, as they are not only valu- able on this account, but they are more desirable than most others on account of their moderate habit and the great beauty of their flowers, which they bear so profusely in spring. For variety of foliage, Aucubas, Euonymus, and Hollies are the most suitable, and to these may be added the va. riegated Dogwood and Acer fraxinifolium, and by way of contrast to these one or two of the dark- coloured Nut, which, with its rich coppery leaves, shows up well. To make sure of old borders being perfectly free of roots from trees and shrubs near it is a good plan at this season to trench up the same, and wlien doing so to work well up around, cutting and removing all in the way As most herbaceous plants are fond of rich soil, the oppor- tunity afforded when trenching of giving a good dressing of manure should not be lost. The kind of manure most suitable for the purpose is that of a mild nature and whicli has been lying by for some time to get well decomposed. Such as this is agreeable to most plants, and may be used freely without fear of injuring the roots, but it is always best to keep it low down. INDOOR PLANTS. General •winter treatment of stove plants. — There is nothing in the whole range of cultivated plants able individually to give such a lengthened succession of flowers as a few of the best stove species, such as Ixoras, AUamandas, and Dipladenias. If so managed as to enable them to continue in bloom for the greatest length of time throughout the year of which they are ca- pable, it might almost be said that they are con- tinuous fiowerers, for it has been found that when all the conditions of cultivation are suited to their wants, that they, along with a good manj' other occupants of the stove, require only a short rest — very much less than they are often subjected to — but the length of time out of the twelve months that admits of their being submitted to enough heat to keep up this lengthened active growth de- pends upon two things, the houses in which they are cultivated being such as to admit a full amount of light, and, what is of equal consequence, their being kept close to the roof. This latter is a matter of importance not nearly so generally ac- cepted as it should be. We train Vines, Cucumbers, Melons, and other fruit-bearing plants as close to the roof as we can get them without absolute contact with the glass, with the admitted result of increasing their fertility; it is just as necessary to keep plants that are intended to produce all the flowers we can get from them in a similar position so far as proximity to the roof of the house goes. The least experienced grower of plants under glass cannot fail to have noticed the strong, healthy leaves and short-jointed wood that are formed with plants of all sorts kept with their heads close to the glass, as compared with that which results from otlicrs, identical in every way, but stood further from the roof in the same house. Such subjects as I have named and many others can only be had in flower for the full length of time by submitting them to a corresponding amount of heat, and where the houses are com- paratively dark through their construction, or the position they stand in, or where lofty, without the means of getting the plants well up to the roof, it will not do to use as much heat as will start them into active growth until the days are longer. Our own practice with houses as light as they could be made and adapted in their construc- tion to have the plants occupying them continu- Jan. 6, 1883. J THE GARDEN 1.3 ally within a very short distance of the roof, was to give all the rest that the majority of them received through the months of November, De- cember, and the first week or two in the new year, during which time there is usu- ally much less sun than after the turn of the- days, and as soon as fairly into January the tem- perature used to be raised in the night to from 65° to 70° ; by this means we had no difficulty in having the same plants of Dipladenia, AUamanda, and Ixora in flower from the middle of April until the beginning of October, or longer if the heat requisite was given them ; under the same conditions, Clerodendron Balfouri and Thomsoni, Bougainvillea glabra. Gardenias, Tabernsemon- tana, ycutellaria Mocciniana, and others of like character gave several crops of bloom alternating with growth ; consequently where the stock is in strong robust health, and has been subjected to a rest of a couple of months, preparations should be made for starting them into growth. Any examples of such things as require cutting in should be so treated at once previous to giving them more heat. Stephanotis. — Where the flowers of this general favourite are wanted over as long a period as possible, several plants should be grown. There is the advantage of obtaining larger speci- mens when planted out, but this is over-balanced by the inability to retard or push them on at will in the way that can be done when they are move- able and grown in pots ; moreover, the plant only requires a limited root space, and very large examples can be grown in good sized pots. It never succeeds so well as when trained close to the glass under the roof; we prefer thin string for thus supporting it rather than wire, as when it is necessary to remove the plant to a lower temperature to give a rest, the string can easily be taken down and the shoots wound round the trellis or a few temporary sticks. Plants that have been so rested may at once be put into active heat, distributing the shoots under the roof tolerably close. With this plant whatever cutting back is required should take place after the blooming is over. Amaryllises. — Some bulbs of these may now be started, moistening the soil sufficiently to in- duce a healthy movement of the roots. With the deciduoxis kinds wherein the ball has been allowed to get dry, it is not a bad plan to soak them in tepid water for an hour or two, as with the ordinary application of water it often happens that the top of the ball looks moist when it is dust-dry below. G-loxinias. — There are few flowers so useful as these, for with judicious management in arranging for successions they can be bad nearly all the year round ; but to have them in a condi- tion to be really serviceable for cut purposes, thej' must not be too much hurried, and whilst growth is going on they cannot be too near the glass. It is much better to start the corms at different times ; if a few are at once potted and placed at the coolest end of the stove they will come in early ; do not use the soil too moist, and let them be put in heat immediately they are potted. We have seen the corms destroyed through two or three days' inattention by leaving them in a potting shed after they have been placed in contact with the new moist soil. It is scarcely worth while now going in for named varieties of Gloxinia, as really splendid flowers both in form and colour can be had from seed. If a little is sown at this time, the plants will bloom cicely through the later months of the year after the older examples have become exhausted ; the seed should be sown thinly in a wide pan drained and filled with finely sifted soil, to which has been added a good deal of sand ; make the surface smooth and firm, so that the seeds may not get down too deep, covering them very slightly with a little fine soil, pressing gently down and putting a sheet of glass over the pan, by which means the material will retain moisture so as to minimise the amount of water necessary to be applied, a matter that it is always needful to be careful about with small seeds that require heat to enable them to vegetate. Eucharis. — Where E. amazonica and E. Can- dida are treated under the system of alternate growth and rest, a few of the strongest plants that have had a dormant period may be put into a brisk heat ; they will stand as much as most things. Tuberous-rooted Gesneras.— These are a beautiful class of plants somewhat neglected. The old bright scarlet G. Cooperi may be taken as an example, and is still a very fine kind; there are numbers of hybrids equally deserving of places. There is an advantage in starting them early, as by so doing they may be in- duced to flower twice before autumn. All they re- quire is such treatment as is needed by Gloxinias ; they will thrive in either loam or peat. The time of flowering of the winter blooming Gesneras, such as G. esoniensis and G. zebrina, will depend upon the amount of heat they have been subjected to ; where well managed they will now be very useful, their long spikes of bright flowers standing out conspicuously in the stove. They like a fair amount of heat up to the blooming period, but when in flower they will stand an intermediate temperature, not giving them too much water. When the flowers fade the plants muststill be kept warm, applying less water until the well-matured foliage dies down slowly. Lachenalias. — Where a sufficient stock of these are grown they are very useful, for, if after flowering, the bulbs are well attended to until their growth is matured, they go on increasing in size and numbers yearly. They will now be in a growing state without any artificial heat, and if put into warmth will come on apace. They are excellent subjects for hanging baskets, in which they are very effective. ORCHIDS. East India house.— The weather at present is all that can be desired for starting to surface- dress or re-pot any plants that may require it. Moderately dull mild weather is the best to do such work in, as 'under these circumstances the plants do not feel any root disturbance so much as if the weather was very cold and much artificial heat was required to bring the temperature up to the necessary heat. Care ought to be taken with the plants while they are being repotted that tliey do not suffer any unneccessary check. In places where the houses have been erected specially for Orchids, the potting shed wouldjbe somewhere in proximity to the plants, and so as they would not be required to be taken into the open air. In many places there is no such convenient arrange- ment, and all plants have to be taken into the open air to be conveyed to the potting shed ; rather than do this we would erect a temporary potting shed in the house, and do all to the plants that they required without subjecting them to a change of temperature. It may have been stated before, but it cannot be repeated too often, that it is in what may be termed the minor details that suc- cess is to be achieved or failures made. For instance, many persons either do not know how to place the drainage in a pot, or they think it does not matter how it is done, and they are careless about it. The drainage and pots should be clean, the potsherds to be put in carefully in a way that the water may run off freely. The Sphagnum should be carefullj" picked over to remove all dirt and weeds ; finally wash and lay it out to dry. Orchids resent any injury to their roots, and as a rule .all the best of them are clinging firmly to the sides of the pots. It is better, therefore, to carefully break the pot with a ham- mer rather than to turn the plant out in the usual way to the serious injury of its roots. Blany of the broken bits of potsherd to which the roots are clinging may be allowed to remain and be potted along with the usual compost. Owing to the mild weather it has not been difficult to Ijeep up the required temperature of 65°. Cattleya house. — The remarks just made referring to repotting apply equally well to this department and the cool house section. Nearly all the strong-growing Cattleyas succeed best grown in pots, with good fibrous peat and Sphagnum in equal proportions, some broken pot- sherds and charcoal being added to keep the com- post open and for the roots to lay hold of. The nature of nearly all Orchids is to lay hold with their roots to every firm substance with which they come in contact, and with a grasp so firm, that the roots cannot be removed from the sub- stance to which they adhere without breaking or lacerating them seriously. Cattleya roots will either be amongst the drainage or else clinging firmly to the sides of the pots ; few indeed of them will be amongst the compost, and yet give them nothing but drainage and the sides of the pots to grow in they would require more attention as re- gards watering, and they would not succeed so well. We are always very careful when repotting them to save all the roots ; and any young roots that are being produced from the base of the last formed pseudo-bulbs are not buried in the com- post. We have seen peat and Sphagnum piled round these to their hurt. If they are let alone they will lay hold of the material they like best ; some will run along the surface and others will push into the potting material ; and when the circumstances are favourable the roots will also push over the sides of the pots. Cattleyas like to be near the glass ; many of the shy flower- ing species will not flower if placed on the stage, but if the pots containing the plants are placed in baskets and these are suspended near the roof glass, where the air can freely circulate under, over, and around them, they will flowerfreely. The smaller growing species may be placed in teak baskets or potted into small shallow pans to be suspended from the roof. Some of them will succeed well on blocks for a time, but after two or three seasons' growth, the plants that have nothing but the bare blocks to support them soon show signs of exhaustion. When these signs are evident, place the block in a pot with the base of the pseudo-bulbs well raised above the rims, and then place round them the usual potting material recommended for Cattleyas. Cool house. — A look through some of the cool Orcliid houses in the neighbourhood of London at this season of the year shows very conclusively what a very valuable adjunct to a garden the cool Orchid house is, and how easily the plants are to cultivate successfully. It will be a surprise to many, as it is to us, to read of the fastidiousness of cool Orchids as they are grown on the Continent (see page 585). We are sure with the instructions given from week to week in The Garden anyone with an ordinary know- ledge of plants may grow cool Orchids well. The principal thing to do is to build a house for them in a cool place. If the whole truth was known it would be found that in most cases where cool Orchids did not succeed well the result would be due to too much heat in summer. It is difficult, when the houses are exposed to the full blaze of the sun, to keejidown the temperature sufficiently during hot weather, unless the shading is too thick, and in that case the plants are debilitated as much as they would be by too much heat. As far as we know the wants of Orchids, we believe they like as much light as can be afforded them ; and if the shading is left on to do more than protect from the direct rays of the sun they are injured. It was stated last week that the attention re- quired by the occupants of this house was of a very simple kind at present, but what attention they do require ought not to be omitted. A look through the house the first thing in the morning to ascertain the lowest night temperature is necessary ; during the present mild weatlier if it do2S not fall below 50° it will be all the better for the plants ; a very low temperature causes many of the delicate blooms to become damp spotted. It is easy to see whether much or little moisture will be required by evaporation, and the person in charge ought to act accordingly. Too luany, it is feared, throw water about every day, summer and winter, with no thought to the necessities of the case. Air ought to be on all night, and it may not be necessary to admit any more during 14 THE GARDEN [Jan. 6, 1883 the day. It is also necessary to look through the houses between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. to regulate the heating apparatus and see that no garden pests are enjoying themselves at the expense of the plants. FRUIT. Early houses. — If the Vines have been bent down tj a horizontal position, to insure an even break, get them tied up to the wires as soon as the most backward buds are on the move. Syringe with warm water when the temperature begins to rise. Give air at 68°, close early, and syringe again if the afternoon is fine. If inside borders are well drained, a second supply of ■water at a temperature of 80" will help the young growths rapidly forward, and old Vines will bene- fit by the addition of a little clear liquid from the tank, or a dash of guano in the water, while vigorous young canes will produce more compact " shows," and set their fruit better if stimulants are withheld. Pay timely attention to disbud- ding, or rather the removal of weak breaks, from which bunches of Grapes cannot be expected, and when the best shows become jirominent raise the night temperature to 58° or 60° on mild nights. If forcing has been commenced with fermenting material on the borders, make frequent additions, turn the whole mass, mixing the old with the new, and aim at a temperature of 70° to 75° on the surface of the soil. Where external borders have been well covered with a good hoAy of dry warm Oak leaves, and protected from wet, they will re- tain their warmth much longer than when fer- menting manure, which is objectionable, is used. Hardy fruit. — The mild damp weather which has been so favourable for pruning and nailing will have held out inducements to many to post- pone such work as top-dressing and mulching until walks and borders are in a better state for wheeling manure and compost. But so important an operation must not be longer neglected, as the timely application of a good covering to newly planted or root-pruned trees cannot be overrated. Where Pears are grown on the Quince stock and the roots have not been disturbed, the annual top- dressing of good rich manure may be wheeled out on frosty mornings as soon as the nailing is fin- ished. It is well known that the successful culture of Pears on the Quince stock greatly deiJends upon rich top-dressings ; and as the borders in course of time become too high, old top-dressing and ex- hausted soil may be forked off and placed on the vegetable quarters to make room for the new. After a few years heav^ cropping puts an end to extension ; blossom buds only are formed, and as many people are quite incompetent to thin their own fruit, the annual removal of old spurs at pruning time should not be neglected. If on wet, adhesive soils the planting of trees has not been completed, it will be better to allow them to re- main " laid in " on a dry border and well protected with litter than to attempt to plant while the ground is saturated with cold water. Push on the pruning and cleaning of all kinds of fruit trees, as the time may be at hand when it will be cruel to force men to stand for hours at a stretch against cold brick walls. Unfortunately, the winter dress- ing of hardy trees is much neglected; many trouVjle.some insects are allowed to rest in the bark and %valls from which they almost precede the un- folding of the earliest buds in spring. KITCHEN GARDEN. If directions in former calendars have been at- tended to, the first sowing of Peas will be above gr.jund. Cover them all over with coal-ash to ward off slugs, and by putting three strings of worsted (i inches above the Peas, their tops when they peep above the ashes will be saved from the depredations of birds. Get in the second lot at once, sowing such as are hard and round — wrinkled E'eas, as a rule, are the best flavoured, but not the safest to plant at present. Laxton's Earliest of All is both hard and round; therefore try it. Ringleader and VVilliam I. arc also both good standard varieties. Kuccessional sowings of Broad Beans should be made. We have no great fancy for Leviathan, but prefer early Mazagan and good, old green Windsor to any yet offered. Now is a capital time to make plantations of Horse Radish ; we merely sink the tops with an inch or trro of the roots attached to them a foot deep in good land. Get ground for Onions dug up roughly and deeply — our site for them is the Celery quarter. Where these useful esculents go off from mildew or other causes, give the land a good dressing of soot and lime, allowing it to remain on the surface until the seed is to be sown. About the second week in March will be quite soon enough to get the seed in. Sowing early in February is a mistake ; the young seedlings come up, and the March winds turn them yellow and cripple them so much that good bulbs cannot be expected. Land for Carrots should also be dug and treated in a similar manner to that for Onions. Early Vallery is an excellent variety, still a few Early Horns may be sown to draw early. The state of our Broccoli crop is most cheering, fine stout stems close to the ground, the result of sowing late and planting out directly the plants are large enough to handle. Never allow any kind of plants to become drawn or leggy before planting them out. We are cutting Snow's Broccoli in fine condition ; those allowed to stand are far superior to those laid in. Working or turning over leaves and long manure, filling tlie pits for spring vege- tables and salads will now be the order of the day. Keep up good supplies of Seakale, Rhubarb, Mushrooms, and French Beans, not forgetting small thngs, such as green Mint, Tarragon, and Mustard and Cress. Trees and Shrubs. MANAGEMENT OF HARD-WOOD PLANTATIONS. In the rearing and management of plantations, the great aim is to produce the greatest quantity of timber of the best quality on a given space or area of ground in the shortest period of time ; and to assure this result it is necessary that the best system of management be pursued. To rear hard- wood plantations so as to arrive at a profitable or satisfactory issue, it is necessary, first, that the plants should be healthy. Care should also be taken that the trees are planted in soils and situa- tions specially suited to their growth ; for, how- ever suitable the soil and situation may be for the growing of certain kinds, trees of a different sort might not thrive in the same place. Further, it is generally advisable to have the ground prepared and improved by thorough draining and loosening of the soil. Another important matter is the laying out of the plantation, in deciding upon which, the natural rise or fall of the ground as well as the exposure of the situation, should be taken into consideration, and whether the plantation is intended for profit or orna ment. Long, straight lines should, as far as possible, be avoided ; and the shelter of the sur- rounding ground, as well as of the plantation, be kept in view. The outline should be formed so that the wind or storm will not strike against too much of the plantation at once, but rather be thrown off than received in full force on a long, flat line of fence. Again, the greater the mass of trees in one enclosure the better will be the result in every way ; the plants will have more shelter and thrive better than in small enclosures, wliere storms blow right through the planting. The expense of managing large plantations is consider- ably less, and a much smaller length of fencing is required than if the same extent of ground were covered by several small enclosures. After the young trees are planted, it is necessary to see that they are not blown about by the wind and shaken at the roots. When planted in ex- posed situations, they are apt to be blown to one side, while the shaking two and fro by the wind in many cases works a hole in the ground round the collar of the plant down to the roots. When this happens, the plants should be raised erect, a little soil added and pressed down with the foot. If these details are not attended to in proper time, the air gets down to the roots, or they are saturated with water, which may be frozen, causing the death of many plants, retarding the growth of the remainder, and making them one- sided. If attention is paid to keep the plants upright during the first year, great loss will be avoided, and there will be little after-trouble from this cause. Clearing herbage. — The next operation is the keeping of the young plants from being smothered or choked with long Grass, Ferns, Whins, or growing herbage. Even, although not overtopping the young trees, this undergrowth, if allowed to remain, will destroy the lower branches of the plants, and deprive them of both sunshine and showers. On the other hand, in exposed situa- tions, it is preferable merely to cleara space round the plants, or to clear early in the season, so that a certain amount of growth may rise before winter, and afford sliglit protection to the young trees. In no case should the branches of the plants be roughly treated where profitable timber is the object in view. The smotheringof plants by rank herbage is as detrimental to their health as the want of thinning after they have grown into one another. It is equally important to keep them free and open when planted out, as in the nursery lines. When the plants are kept as above indicated, they require little attention or expense, except slight pruning, until their side branches have begun to encroach upon one another, when thinning operations will have to be considered. Thinning. — The style and ex'tent of thinning hard- wood plantations greatly depend upon the kind of trees constituting them. Some trees re- quire more room to mature than others, while some ought to be kept close together, to check their straggling habit and ramifying side branches. The Oak, for instance, requires ample space to develop itself, and as considerable revenue is derived from the bark, and in some places from the branches, as cord-wood, it should at all times have plenty of room. The Wych Elm and the Beech, on the other hand, although growing to large dimensions, and of a wide- spreading habit, should not be allowed more room than is necessary for their healthy growth, as neither the bark nor the branches are of much value. They also exhibit a tendency to grow- much to rough branches and short stems, and the timber, if not of good quality, is unsaleable. The Ash, English Elm, Sycamore, and Birch require plenty of room, and are not so straggling in plantations, especially in their young state. The great point to-be kept in view in thinning hard-wood plantations is to commence in good time, and not to wait until the trees become drawn up and weakly. It is not uncommon to see plantations left without thinning until the sap- lings have arrived at a marketable size. This is false economy, for it is better for the main crop to thin in time, even if the first thinnings are of no value. The loss on the thinnings will be made up in the health and extra growth of the trees left. It is equally objectionable to continue thinning longer than necessary, with the view of deriving immediate revenue. In both cases the value of the main crop, which ought to be the principal object, is lost sight of, and the certain result is material lossintheend. Itisbysome recommended in thinning with a view to profit, that operations should commence as soon as the branches touch one another. A little careful pruning may some- times defer it for a year. The thinning of hard- wood plantations should, of course, commence- before any injury is sustained ; but not in ordinary circumstances, in the writer's opinion, before the second or third year after the side branches have met, and in no case should the operation be de- ferred until the side branches show signs of decay, or till they have closed into one another well up- the stem towards the leaders, as in such a case the trees will be deprived of the amount of such light and air necessary for their healthy growth. Hard-wood trees require more room for the spreacJ of their branches and healthy growth than coni- fers ; but the plantations are generally filled in Jax. 6, 1883.] THE GARDEN 15 with Larch, Spruce, or ScDtch Fir, as nurses for the intended crop. Under such circumstances the first thinning will generally remove such coni- fers as are encroaching upon the hard-woods. Although Firs are the best nurses for hard- wood plantations when young, and also more valuable when of small size, great care must be taken not to let them crowd or overshade the hard-woods. While their shelter is better than that of hard- woods, they are more ready to overgrow and destroy them. In the case of any hard-wood tree dying out or getting damaged beyond a chance of becoming a good timber tree, it is advisable to leave one of the nursers to take its place for the time being. Any such tree left during eaily thinnings can be removed as opportunity occurs. The great aim should be to preserve the hard- wood sorts, however irregular the appearance may be at early thinnings. Presuming that the nurses have all been removed, it is desirable to preserve the best and most healthy trees, irrespective of sorts, and never to cut a healthy, vigorous, growing tree to make room for a small unhealthy neighbour for the sake of regularity. Such thinning must in the end turn out a great loss and disappointment to the owner. A little opening or larger gap is preferable to a sickly or ill grown tree, and such openings can be rectified at the next thinning. No definite age can be given for commencing to thin for the first time, as all depends upon the soil and situation in which the trees are growing. Thinning may be performed too early as well as too late, and it may be over- done as well as underdone. Great care should be taken not to err in either direction. When hard- wood trees are mixed with Firs as nurses, they generally have to be thinned sooner than if the plantation consisted of all hard-wood trees, because the Firs, as already noted, generally outgrow and overshade the hard-woods, thereby drawing the hard-woods up into a weak state. Over-thinning. — When hard-wood trees are over-thinned, they seldom rise to valuable length, and the timber is of a rough and branchy nature, never so valuable as clean, well-grown timber of moderate length. On the other hand, trees drawn up for want of thinning are equally unprofitable, as they never arrive at proper size, neither is the timber so well grown and durable as when judicious thinning has been carried out. In many instances, where plantations have been overdrawn from want of timely thinning, the trees are bark- bound and stunted, and never reach the dimen- sions and value they would have done had they been treated so as to induce the growth of a proper amount of branches and foliage. When such neglected plantations are afterwards thinned, it is advisable to do it sparingly at first, and to continue every second or third year until they are in a satisfactory state. Roots and foliage are the main organs of nutrition in trees, and to ensure their healthy growth it is necessary that there be a proper complement of lateral branches as well as suflicient room for the ramification of their roots. In plantations, these cannot be provided without resort to thinning operations. The im- portance of tliis branch of management cannot well be overrated, and attention to it is necessary to ensure success ; and if thinning is neglecled altogether, or done injudiciously, there is but little chance of a profitable crop of timber. If the work is done in due time, and with good judgment, many other oversights in management will be thereby removed or greatly mitigated. When trees are grown entirely for shelter or ornament, thin- ning should oe performed more freely than when grown for profitable timber, the object being to encourage branch growth ; and to keep it within proper limits, pruning should be resorted to, but very little stem pruning will be necessary after the nurses have been thinned out, as it is desirable to have as much branch growth as possible towards the ground. Free thinning also shows more fully the natural habit and character of the different trees intended for ornamental purposes. They should therefore be thinned as soon as they begin to encroach on one another, and the opera- tion should be repeated at intervals as may be necessary. Bark stripping.— Hard-wood plantations should be thinned in winter, and where the thin- nings are of considerable value, as much as possible should be done before the end of the year, with the exception of Oak, which should be felled in summer and stripped of its bark. As a rule, bark stripping may be commenced in the end of April or beginning of May ; this depends on the earli- ness of tlie season. Small trees may be felled with the axe, but large trees should be rounded or " laid in" with the axe, and cut with the cross-cut saw, to avoid waste of timber. When Oak trees are to be felled and stripped of tlie bark, they should first be " hosed," or have their bark re- moved from about 2 feet of the base of the stem down to the ground. All loss of bark is thus avoided. If this is not done, the axemen, in round- ing the tree, cut away much of the best of the bark, which is lost. After the trees are felled, the bark should be removed as much as possible without lopping the branches. If the brandies are left, the trees are more easily peeled than when detached. The smaller branches onlj' should be removed before peeling, and where it is neces- sary to cut off any large branch, the bark should be stripped before doing so. IMallets should only be used in removing the bark from the smallest branches, and never, except where unavoidable, should they be used in removing the larger bark, as it is thereby discoloured, and it is advisable to strip it with the peeling irons alone. Each day's work should be collected and put on ranges as the work proceeds. The ranges should be erected on the margins of the plantations, or in the most open and airy parts of the plan- tation, to ensure as much sunshine and wind as possible, in order to accelerate the drying and harvesting before putting it in stacks. Kanges should be made from 2 feet to 3 feet high, with a slope from back to front of at least 6 inches, to prevent the water from lodging. The ranges are generally formed of forked sticks driven into the ground, with spars laid thereon to hold the bark. All of these can be obtained from the peeled wood. The bark should never be laid thickly on the ranges, or it takes long to dry, and if laid to a great depth, it requires to be turned before it is ready for the stack, which should, if possible, be avoided. All the small bark should be laid on the ranges first, and the larger baik on the top, as the latter takes longer to dry, and it also acts as a cover to the whole. Placing the bark thin on the ranges, and well raised from the ground, allows the wind to blow through under it, and with plenty of air the whole gets ready at once. As soon as a sufficient quantity is dry, it should be put into a shed or stack, where it can be chopped or delivered in the rough, as the case may be. Pruning. — As hard-wood trees require large space to develop properlj', it is necessary that their ramifying side branches should be kept in due bounds by pruning. It is not contended that pruning adds to the quantity of timber grown in one tree, but it certainly improves the quality of the timber. Pruning, skilfully and regularly con- ducted, will also assist timber trees to produce more timber of greater value than if they were left unpruned, or allowed to shed their branches naturally, which is the result of trees growing too close for want of thinning. Although, therefore, the effect of pruning is highly beneficial, when conducted with care on sound principles, pruning done in a haphazard way, or by an inexperienced hand, without supervision, is often most injurious. Pruning operations should be begun when the trees are young. If they have been looked over before being planted, it will probably not be necessary till about the third year, and afterwards, perhaps, everj' second or third 3'ear, but a good deal will depend on the special features of each case. By regular and proper attention, each sub- sequent pruning will be reduced, and the great evil of having to amputate large side branches (which is damaging to the timber, and checks the growth of the trees) will be avoided. As already stated, the great object in pruning forest trees is to prevent the overgrowth of large side branches, and to increase the quantity of sound timber in the stem of the tree ; and not only is this result attained by skilful pruning, but the trees are rendered less liable to damage from storms ; a free circulation amongst the leaves and branches is also promoted, and the trees are not so likely to be infested with Lichens, &c. There is probably no branch of wood management about which there is more diversity of opinion at pre- sent than the necessity, expediency, and effect of the different systems of pruning. Many uphold that no pruning whatever is necessary ; but the writer humbly submits that where sound timber is the object, judicious thinning must be had recourse to, and, for the same reason, pruning also cannot be dispensed with. Pruning, to be per. formed with the best results, should reduce as little as possible the foliage of the trees while shortening all straggling side or lateral branches. The majority of the lower side branches should be shortened at an offshoot, to check their growth, a couple of years before being removed from the main stem. By this reduction of the side branches, they do not increase in proportion to the main stem or trunk of the tree, and their removal makes a small wound, which soon heals without damaging the timber. It is sometimes necessary to thin the side branches of the tree, to allow the sun to penetrate and the air to pass round the whole- plant, thus encouraging healthy foliage and bark. When there are contending leaders, one should be removed, leaving the one which rises most natural from the tree (irrespective of size), and promises to make the best leader. "When to prune. — Pruning may be perr f jrmed at almost any season, provided the weather is open— mild and free from frost. The write- prefers midsummer or early autumn, and cong siders September a very good time for pruninu hard-woods. If trees are pruned in spring, whea the sap begins to rise, they generally throw out if quantity of spray round the wound ; whereas n done about the period indicated, the wounds sooe heal, with little loss of sap, while the risk of th trees being damaged by hard weather is materi ally lessened. If drives or rides have not been made in the formation of plantations, it will be advantageous to have them formed at the early thinning. Drives are necessary for the removal of timber and other purposes, and should be at least 15 feet wide. In large plantations they likewise promote the health of the trees, as they make room for and induce a current of air throughout them. Accordingly when drives are laid out, they should intersect the plantations at the places, and in the way which may be found most suitable for securing these objects, and they should be 100 yards to 200 yards apart. It is only in exceptional cases that Underwood, is to be recommended in plan- tations grcwn for profitable timber. In some districts a considerable revenue may be derived from underwood, but when thoroughly looked into^ it may be found that the gain is merely apparent, being to a great- extent obtained at the expense of the timber crop. On the other hand, there are many neighbourhoods where there is compara- tively no demand for underwood of any descrip- tion ; and where such is the case, the growing of underwood adds to the expense of management, and is detrimental to the standing trees. It is certain that ground cannot carry two crops at the same time without one of them suffering. Where there is a heavy crop of underwood, it must absorb much nourishment from the soil, and de- prive the timber trees of a great portion of the food necessary for their healthy development. Further, the roots of underwood form a network in the soil, which should be left entirely for the spread of the roots of the trees. The same reason may be adduced in favour of nur.-ing hard-wood trees with Firs instead of hard-woods, as the latter not only throw out gro-n-ing shoots from the stools, but their roots continue to spread, and thus deprive the trees of the full benefit of the ground in which they are planted. Another objec- tion to the growing of underwood amongst hard- wood trees is the ame unt of shade caused thereby, shutting out in a great measure sunlight and air, 16 THE GARDEN [Jan. 6, 1883. and thus defeating the objects of thinning plan- tations. In these observations I do not condemn tlie growing of underwood under all circum- stances, but merely in conjunction with a crop of hard-wood trees. It must be admitted that there are exceptional cases where it is advantageous to grow underwood in hard-wood plantations, as in very exposed districts ; but then only round the margins, and in well-selected masses throughout the plantation. Underwood may be grown for cover in game preserves, or in clumps for orna- mental purposes, and along the sides of drives or rides, but for the reasons above set forth in most other cases it is open to serious objection. It has been said that the ground should be thoroughly drained before planting, especially where there is any tendency to wetness. In most cases open ditches are preferable in hard-wood plantations. They should not be less than 2 feet deep, nor more than 30 feet apart. Open drains should also be run along the sides of all plantation roads and drives. All open drains require to be inspected periodically, as they are soon filled up by the falling in of the sides, growth, and decay of herbage, Sec, and it is especially necessary to overhaul them after every thinning, as manj' will be choked by the branches of the fallen trees. The distances at which hard-wood trees should be planted depend upon the soil and situation of the proposed plantation. In all cases it is necessary to calculate the size they are likely to attain in such soils and situations. Trees, if planted at too great distances apart in exposed situations, are liable to severe checks from cold winds, &c., and do not attain the height they would do if planted more closely, and sheltering one another. Thick planting is the safest method to adopt, provided thinning is attended to in proper time, before the trees injure one another. Felling. — As to the time for cutting down a crop of hard-wood timber, much depends upon the soil and the position in which it is growing. When trees are planted in inaccessible places, it is sometimes almost impossible, or may cost more than the value ot heavy timber, to have it removed. In such situations, therefore, trees should be felled before they reach full size, to render their removal possible without cutting them into unsuitable lengths. Ash is most valuable when grown to a good length, and with a clean stem, and ought to be planted in a rich loam with a dry subsoil. In favourable soils, and in moderately sheltered situations, it may be planted from 12 feet to 15 feet apart, the spaces being filled in with Fir curses, from 4 feet to 5 feet apart. From seventy to eighty years' growth will be found a profitable age to fell Ash grown for profit. Alder, as a rule, is never allowed to attain a very large size before being cut down for profit, and may therefore be planted moderately close. It thrives best in a moist soil fairly sheltered, and may be planted 9 feet to 12 feet apart, filled in with Spruce nurses from ,3 feet to 4 feet apart. When the ground cannot be thoroughly drained, it may be planted 5 feet to 6 feet apart, to avoid planting Firs as nurses. As the Alder is saleable of moderate size, before it becomes coarse, it may be felled to advantage at forty or fifty years. Beech may be planted in light soils thoroughly dry and moderately sheltered, at from i y;.rds to 5 yards apart, the spaces being filled in with Scotch and Larch Firs from 3 feet to 4 feet apart. Beech will generally be found to reach its most saleable size and quality at from eiglity to a hundred years. Birch may be planted from 9 feet to 12 feet apart, ■with Scotch Fir nurses from ."! feet to 4 feet. The Birch thrives in very poor soils, and in exposed situations, at high elevations. About fifty years' growth will generally be found a profitable age to cut down the liirch. Chestnut CHorse) sliould be planted in a good rich soil, and in a sheltered situation, at moderate elevation, at 15 feet to 18 feet apart, and filled in with nurses at from 4 feet to 5 feet apart. If the Horse Chestnut is planted in exposed situations, its foliage is sure to be damaged, and the branches, which are somewhat brittle, broken by the wind. Sim (Scotch) is difficult to grow to any length of stem, from its spreading habit, and should there- fore not be planted at too wide distances. In mode- rate soils of a dry nature, and a medium exposure, 12 feet to 16 feet, and filled in with nurses from 3 feet to 4 feet, will be suitable. Elm (English) grows more upright than the foregoing variety. Its branches are of less spread, and when planted in a good soil and sheltered situation it grows to very large dimensions. From its fast growth it should not be planted too close ; in favourable situations, 18 feet to 20 feet, and filled in with nurses from 4 feet to 5 feet asunder. As a rule, both Scotch and English Elm may be cut down with advantage at from eighty to a hundred years. Lime requires a good soil and sheltered situa- tion to be either a profitable or ornamental tree. Sixteen feet to 18 feet apart is a good distance to plant the Lime tree, with nurses about 4 feet apart. In favourable situations it may be cut down from eighty to a hundred years. Oak, when well grown, is the most valuable of all our hard-wood trees. Although it may be grown profitably as coppice wood on inferior soils, it should never be planted with the view of growing good heavy timber, except in good rich soils and at low elevations. It such situations the Oak may be planted at 15 feet to 20 feet apart with nurses 4 feet to 5 feet apart. The Oak is longer in arriving at maturity than most timber trees, and when of large size is most valuable, and should therefore never be cut down before its wood is well matured and hearted, which will be from a hundred to a hun- dred and twenty years in good soil. Chestnut (Sweet).— The remarks above made regarding the Oak apply also in a great mexsure to this tree. Poplars, of which there are many varieties grown for profitable timber, are all fast growing, and ma}' be planted with or without nurses ; in the former case, 9 feet to 12 feet apart; and the latter, 5 feet to 6 feet. Most of the varieties require good rich loam and sheltered positions, when they soon arrive at large size. If well grown, about sixty years' growth will be found advan- tageous for cutting down a crop of Poplar. "WillO'WS may be planted about G feet apart, and cut down at fifty to sixty years old. Thej' thrive best when planted in a rich, rather moist soil, and sheltered situation. Sycamore is one of our hardiest trees, growing well in exposed situations, and even within the in- fluence of the sea. This tree suits a variety of soils, and when of moderate quality, 12 feet to 10 feet apart will be suitable to plant, with intervening nurses 3 feet to 4 feet apart. As a rule, the Syca- more may be cut down profitably at about a hun- dred years old, when the timber will be of large size and high value— Arl/orictdtiiral &icicti/'s Transat'tUms. Gorse. — Though one of the commonest this is also one of the most ornamental of evergreen flower- ing shrubs. The tufted jMoturesque shape, deep green leaves and shoots, and brilliant yellow flowers render this plant a favourite with most people, and we can well excuse Dillenius for be- ing in a perfect ecstucy of delight when he first saw our commons covered with its golden flowers. Linntcus lamented that he could hardly preserve it alive in a greenhouse ; and Gerard re- lates that in Poland there was not a branch of it growing, except .some few jilants he sent, which were most curiously kept in the fairest gardens. It is usually found growing on dry, rocky, or stoney places, and though of a hardy constitution is frequently killed in severe winters. The double flowered variety is oneof the most gorgeous plants during summer, being literally one mass of bloom, which, in bright sunny weather, is very con- spicuous and beautiful beyond description. The Irish Furze is a very luxuriant upright variety with soft spines. It flowers in October, and is useful as a hedge plant.--AKGUs Webster. Kitchen Garden. FOECIKG FRENCH BEANS. Thkoughout November and December French Beans have a greater disinclination to grow than during any other months in the year, but with the_ change of the day, and the gradual increase of light and heat which we will soon experience, there will be less difficulty to get them to succeed. The present is an excellent time to sow exten- sively for fruitmg in March and onwards. Of all French Beans for growing under glass there is none to equal Osborn's Forcing. It is the earliest of the early and the latest of the late, and, further, it is dwarf and compact in habit, and most prolific — all points of the utmost importance in an under-glass Bean. There are various ways of sowing the seed and bringing the young plants forward, but modes of doing this which might be the best in April or May would not answer very well during the shortest days. For instance, when the spring is well advanced, the seed may be sown in boxes, or in 8-inch or 10-inch pots, in which the plants will bear pods ; but if this was done now, many of the seeds would be liable to decay _before they germinated, and the plants would not grow so strongly or rapidly as they will if the seed is sown in small pots, from which the plants will be transferred into larger ones as soon as large enough to handle. Our plan at this season is to fill a number of 3-inch pots half full of a light rough mixture of loam and horse droppings, and to put G or 8 seeds into each. The soil is pressed down as firmly as possible, and some of it is placed on the top of the seeds to the depth of half an inch or so. They are then placed in a house or pit in which the temperature ranges about G0°, and here they get little or no water until the first leaves are formed and a few roots have been made. This treatment prevents all damping or decaying, which must be guarded against at this season. When sufliciently ad. vanced in growth to bear and require water' they have a plentiful supply, and then they grow freely. It is a great advantage to have them near the light and in rather a dry atmosphere. As soon as the plants are 5 inches or 6 inches high, and have made half-a-dozen leaves each, it will be found that the small pots are well crammed with roots, and they should then be shifted into larger pots. The 8-inch ones are our favourites. They should be well drained, and the potting mix- ture should consist of rough loam and horse drop- pings. Fine soil is to be avoided. After potting they may be returned to their old quarters, but water should be given sparingly until the roots have taken possession of the new soil, when more must be given. Those who wish to keep up a constant supply of Beans should sow a quantity every fortnight. We have kept up a fair supply by sowing five dozen potfuls at a time, but this, of course, must be done according to the demand. At times we have placed only one of the small pot- fuls of young plants in the 8-inch one, but where space was limited we have put three small potfuls into this size. When this can be conveniently done it is a profitable way of growing them, as a great many more Beans are secured from the pots with the most plants than the others, and the space required for both is just about the same. We ha^•e generally to grow our spring Beans on back shelves in lean-to houses, but we would prefer to have them where air and light are ad- mitted on both sides, as in such a position the crop would be evcner. When in bloom the flowers should be kept as dry as possible, as the fruit forms with more certainty than when the blooms arc damp. We never allow any of the growths to fall over the sides of the pots, as this checks them; but when any of them arc so tall or weak as not to be able to stand without support, pieces of birch from old brooms are put in to hold them up. Osborn's Bean does not, however, require so much Jan. 6. 1883 J THE GARDEN 17 attention in this way as such kinds as Canadian Wonder, which cannot be grown without support. As soon as any of the pods become large enough to gather they should be removed from the plants at once, as there is nothing so much against the production of a long succession of fruit from the same plants as allowing some of the first formed pods to become old. Liberal quantities of liquid manure assist old plants to keep on fruit- ing, but we do not approve of paying too much attention to this matter, as plants are so very easily raised, and young vigorous ones are always the most fruitful. J. MuiE. Marffam. FORCING ASPARAGUS. I LIKE young plants best for forcing ; they seerc more vigorous, and require less heat to start them than older ones. Where much Asparagus has to be forced it is best to make the raising of the plants for forcing a separate affair, distinct from the beds or trenches kept to supply the table in spring. The ground for sowing the seed should be prepared now by manuring and deep digging or trenching. If the soil is of a clayey character, it must be opened, either by adding something to it, or by burning a part of it. The latter plan is not adopted so often as it might be, though there is no better — or, may I add, cheaper — way of warming and opening up heavy, cold clays. Six inches of the ashes from burnt clay spread over the surface will have a lasting effect, rendering land difficult to caltivate, and upon which some things only lingered, fertile and capable of carrying every crop usually culti- vated in a garden. The roots of Asparagus plants have not the power of making their way in heavy, unworked soil ; they are gouty-looking, and lack the penetrating power of the roots of most plants. Hence the importance of thoroughly breaking up the soil and making it light by mix- ing with it plenty of burnt or charred earth. The seeds should be sown thinly in March when the land is in a well pulverised condition. Sow in drills 1 inch deep, and, instead of dropping in the seeds all along the drill, place them in little patches 1 foot apart, 3 seeds in a patch. The drills should be 3 feet apart. When the young plants are up, and it can be seen which are taking the lead, take away all the plants but one, leaving, of course, the strongest. There is an advantage in having a power of selection, as some seeds, and the plants springing from them, possess more power from the first than others. A little artificial manure is a lielp if we are contending against time ; either guano or superphosphate may be employed, scattering it along the drills when the seeds are sown. The first year nothing but cleanly culture will be necessary. A row of Lettuces or Spinach may be grown between the rows in summer, and in winter they should receive a mulciiing of good manure, and the spaces be- tween the rows should be forked up roughly, though not, of course, to injure or expose the roots. Under very liberal culture, three-year-old roots from the seeds may be forced ; and plants that have not been transplanted usually have the strongest crowns, as they have grown on un- checked. There are several ways of forcing, but scarcely anybody who has secured good strong Asparagus can fail to make it grow. A steady temperature at the roots of about 75°, with some 10° less in the atmosphere (which should be of a genial character) will grow Asparagus of the best quality. Where there is plenty of strong roots, the best plan is to make up gentle hotbeds of leaves and manure in succes.siou. I'lace the roots as thickly as they will stand on the top, and cover with 2 inches or 3 inches of light, rich soil. Place in the centre of the bed a stick, to tell the tem- perature, and mat up tiie frame till the heads of the Asparagus are pushing tlirough. The frame must then be uncovered daily, and air must be given on mild days. Asparagus may be forced in pans, pots, or boxes, and these may, until growth has commenced, be placed in the Mushroom house, as light is quite unnecessary till growth appears above ground. Weak, tepid manure water should be given when necessary ; and at least a soaking should be given when the roots are placed in the frame, in order to settle the soil around them. The first batch that is forced in the autumn should have the tops cut off early, in order to send the plants to rest. E. H. COLEWORTS. These are most useful vegetables and always to the fore even when other varieties are killed or damaged by frost. Useful, however, as they are, they are, as a rule, but seldom grown either by amateurs or cottagers, while with market gardeners they form one of their principal winter crops. The Rosette is the best kind for early crops, as it forms compact heads early in the autumn and keeps in good condition for sometime afterwards. The hardy green Colewort seldom hearts like the Rosette, the leaves being loose and more spreading, and it is somewhat less tender when cooked. It is, however, very hardy, and will be found to be a desirable sort to grow for winter and spring use, and it seldom runs to seed. Cultivation. — Ground that has been cropped witli Peas comes in well for this crop, and some- times an old Strawberry bed which has been de- stroyed after the fruit has been picked, deeply trenched and well manured, will be found to pro- duce good crops of Coleworts : the ground, being well rested, will be sure to produce plants free from club. The ground for this crop should be deeply trenched if not done for the previous crop. Let the soil be moved from 2 feet to 2.1 feet in depth, working into it plenty of rotten stable manure as the trenching proceeds. If not trenched it must be deeply dug, so that the manure may be buried well down, which encour- ages the roots to run deep in search of food and moisture, an important consideration especially in hot dry weather. Thus treated, they will require to be but seldom watered, while crops growing upon ground slightly dug will be suffer, ing from want of moisture. Ground for the seed beds will often be found to be dry and hard ; when dug, should such be the case, give it a good watering through a coarse-rosed watering-pot the day previous to sowing the seeds, otherwise they seldom germinate until rain comes. This course of treatment will be found better than frequent waterings after the seed is sown, as waterings form a hard crust difficult for the seedlings to get through. Two sowings should be made, the pro- duce from which will carry one through the winter, furnishing a good supply from the time late Cab- bages are finished till the early crop is fit for use. After thoroughly preparing the ground, the first sowing should be made in the second week in May, using the Rosette, which will come in early in the autumn. The second or main crop should be sown in the second or third week in June to come in in good time for winter use. Sow some soot and lime upon the beds as soon as the seedlings appear above ground, which will prevent the roots from clubbing. When large enough prepare a piece of ground and prick them into it i inches apart, when they will grow short and stocky be- fore being planted in their permanent quarters. Dust occasionally with soot, which will help to destroy insects, which often injure the young plants, eating their hearts out, when they will be found to be of but little use. Wheu large enough to plant out and the ground is ready for them, plant in rows 12 inches apart and 9 inches plant from plant. Hoe frequently between the rows to keep down weeds, and if thought desirable hoe into the ground deeply some artificial manure which will be found to be beneficial tothegrowth of the plants ; or liquid manure may be applied with success, using it once a week when the plants are in full growth. Earth up slightlj' to keep them firm at the roofs, when little more will be re- quired until the crop is fit to cut. Varieties. — Use, as I have said, the Rosette, an early hearting variety, which produces finelj' flavoured heads when cooked, and also the Hardy Green Colewort, a hardy variety, which produces medium sized heads, which are very useful as winter greens. Wm. Cheistison NOTES OP THE WEEK. Ieish FOB 1883.- HOHTICULTUEAL SOCIETY'S FIXTURES As set forth in the schedule of prizes for the coming year, just issued, the dates of thtt Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland's exhibi- tions for 1883 are as follows: Spring exhibition, Thursday, April 19; May exhibition, Thursday, May 17; summer exhibition, Thursday, July 5; autumn exhibition, Thursday, September 6 ; winter exhibition, Thursday, November 22. Russian endowment of scientific re- search.— The Emperor of Russia, says the^ " Zoologist," has ordered i'2200 to be allotted from the Imperial Treasurj' to the Russian travel- ler in New Guinea and the Malay Archipelago, M. Miklucho Maklay, in order to enable him to work up the results of his explorations. His Majesty- has also ordered M. Maklay to be informed that the cost of the publication of his book of travels- will be defrayed by the privy purse. Profit from tree planting in Ireland. — Mr. G. Dodds states in the Irisli Farmers' Gazette that a few years ago, upon an estate in the county Kildare, there was drawn for thin- ning from a wood consisting of 112 Irish acres, about forty-five years planted, something near to- i'3000. Timber, principally Scotch Fir, Larch, some small Ash, and Oak. Part of this wood grows upon the Bog of Allen, consequently the land is of little or no value for agricultural pur- poses. Previous thinning, he feels sure, had paid both principal and interest for money expended. Beautiful new hardy Fern.— Messrs. Back- house send us from their nurseries at York some fronds of the most elegant variety of Polj'podium vulgare that we have ever seen. It is named tri- chomanoides, and very appropriately too, as it is more like the Killarney Fern (T. radicans) than- any other with which we can compare it. The fronds are cut into very fine segments, which give them quite a feathery look, and they are, more- over, exquisitely crisped, which adds greatly to their charming appearance. For such a hardy Fern we predict a brilliant future. The origin of the Potato.— At the last meeting of the California Academy of Sciences- Mr. John O. Lemmon reported the results of a summer's tour of botanical exploration among- the mountain ranges along the Mexican frontier of Arizona. Among his discoveries were two or three varieties of indigenous Potatoes, found grow-ing abundantly in high mountain meadows surrounded by peaks attaining a height of 10,000' feet above the sea level. The tubers were about the size of Walnuts. Mr. Lemmon brought home a supply, which will be carefully cultivated. The Seientijie Ameriean remarks that this interesting discovery goes far to settle the long-vexed ques- tion of the origin of the Potato. Filmy Ferns and frost.— It is no small recommendation, says the Irish Farmers Gazette, to the more extended culture of this charming section of the Fern tribe that the majority of those in cultivation ignore coddling and fire heat altogether, and will not wince even with the mercury inclined to touch zero. Looking in last week at that very interesting compartment — the Filmy ;Fern house at Glasnevin, nothing coulcj look more happy than the Todeas, Hymeno- phyllums, and others in their garniture of richest green, profusely beaded with diamond dew-drops, notwithstanding that in their cool and humid quarters there must have been in the previous week some fifteen or more degrees of frost. The coal trade in 1882. — The demand for coke has increased, that for gas and manufactur- ing coal has risen, and locally and generall y the household requirements have been enlarged, so that, with shipments on a larger scale than in 18S1, there has been a very great increase in the way of consumption and stocks have fallen. This IS THE GARDEN [Jax. 6, 1883. having been the case, there will be an up.vard movement in prices, especially in the case of some kinds of coal. Northumberland has not felt that demand so fully as Durham, because a large part of the output of the former is sent out of the country by sea in the summer and autumn, while the latter finds the fullest demand for its gas coals very naturally in the winter ; but in both counties manufacturing coal is dearer, and there is a tolerable certainty that the wages of the miners will be higher in 1883 than in 1882. New- castle is still the chief of thecoal-shippicg ports, sending out now slightly over 7,2.S0.O00 tons of coal and coke ; Sunderland, with .3,230,000 tons yearly, follows ; while West Hartlepool, with 1,090,000, is the only other one of the north- eastern ports that ships over a million tons yearly. LucULlA GEATissiMA. — The large bush of this grand flowering and most deliciously fragrant greenhouse shrub growing in the central portion of the cool conservatory range at Glasnevin has been unusually floriferous, and the Hydranger- Hike flower-heads, particularly large and fine this winter, from 150 to 200 being open at a time, and still plenty to succeed them. It is certainly a charming shrub, which no conservatory should be without. Now that it has been demonstrated that nice dwarf plants with fine heads of flower can be produced grown in 6-inch pots, its popularity will be largely increased, and the appearance of such plants as familiar at Christmastide as those of the gorgeously coloured, butscentless Poinsettia. — Irish Farmer's Gazette. A TEMPERANCE NuT.— The virtues of the Kola nut, as a rival to the celebrated Coca of 8outh America, in the possession of the property of enabling persons partaking of it to endure pro- longed fast and fatigue, are pretty well known, but this peculiarity does not by any means exhaust the list of the wonderful properties possessed by this West African product. Jlr. Christy, Fen- chnrch Street, has had specimens of this nut sub- mitted to analysis, and reports that it has been found to contain the same active principle as coffee, viz., caffeine, only in greater proportion than the best coffee, while it also contains the same active principle as cocoa, but less fatty matter. He therefore thinks that with proper treatment it might be able to compete successfully with those beverages, for the nuts are used to form a refreshing and invigorating drink through- out a large portion of Tropical Africa. The Olive in California.— It appears that Mr. Cooper, of San Barbara, San Diego, and other places, has demonstrated by his cultivation of the Olive that the tree thrives well and bears well in California, and also that it is profitable to culti- vate it. The trees begin to pay at three years, and when five years old will pay all e.xpenses of tillage and harvesting with a surplus, while the sixth 3'ear the crop will pay for the land, the trees, and the til- lage for the five years previous, and, with good care, the increase is larger from year to year for a cen- 1>nry longer. Indeed, there are now alive in Asia Minor trees known to be upwards of 1200 years old, and they are still in full bearing. In a pam- phlet published by Mr. Ellwood Cooper, the statement is made that some of his best trees, eight years old, produced 2000 gallons of berries to the acre, and the European standard is eight gallons of berries for one gallon of oil, so that tliis gives a product of 250 gallons of oil per acre. The oil finds a ready market at £1 a gallon, wliich gives an income of ^£250 an acre for the best eight-year-old trees in an exceptionally good year. Soil for Eucharis amazonica.— AVould any reader of The Uaudkn kindly tell mo what is the best ,=oil for this plant and the best time for repotting it ? I have got two large pots full of good-sized bulbs, one of which has at the pre- sent time got a flower-spike, but there is no sigo of more flowers, and tliis is the first that has ap- peared during the last twelve months. At present they arc supplied with a fair amount of bottom- heat.— J. W. Fruit Garden. SUCCESS WITH FEUIT. A YOUNG cultivator asks us to name or describe the essential points of success in planting a col- lection of fruit trees for the supply of a family. He also wishes to know if he can connect with such a plantation an orchard for market. In answer, we may state that all localities will admit the growing of fruit for home use, by a proper selection ; but for profitable marketing- such localities are to be chosen as have proved themselves peculiarly adapted to certain fruits or certain varieties, in order that after deducting all the necessary expenses of shipping and sale, a fair profit may remain. But in planting for home use these expenses are not incurred, the owner finding the market on his own table. To the novice who is about setting out a collec- tion of fruit for family use, we would recommend in the first place an examination, so far as may be practicable, of the orchards and fruit gardens in. the same or similar regions of country, to see what fruits grow and succeed well under fair cul- ture, and then choose these for similar ones. This will save much labour and expense in planting and then losing such kinds as are unadapted to that locality. Next, select a good piece of ground, and if not naturally well drained, provide good artificial drainage. Thirdly, prepare it well by deep cultivation, and if practicable by subsoiling, applying and working in manure as the soil may seem to need it, although the manuring given to previous crops will generall}' be best. This work having been done in autumn, the ground will be all ready for planting in spring. Or if there is time, a part of the planting of the hardiest kinds, such as "Apples, may be done in autumn, lessening the labour of spring. Fourthly, a very important part of the work is selecting and procuring the trees. In making the selection, depend on three or four sources for information, as for example, the experience of good fruit-growers in that part of the country, the catalogues of reliable nurserymen, your own per- sonal observation, &c. Get olcl proved _sorts, and avoid costly new varieties which may prove valuable or not, unless you have money to spare for experiments. If you purchase of nursery agents, deal with those only of known probity, or who can show late and ample credentials from nurserymen whose character you know to be well established. If you buy trees in autumn to set out in spring, heel them in well by filling with fine earth all jjossible interstices among the roots, and raise a bed of smooth earth around the whole to exclude mice. Fifthly, in setting out, little instruction is needed by those %vho know that the roots should be evenly spread on all sides, and the earth packed closely .imong them. Young, or one or two-year trees, if 1 feet or 5 feet high, are better than old, stiff, heavj'-topped ones. The small ones have better roots in proportion to their size, grow freely the first season without check, and if well cultivated will overtake the old-set ones by the end of the second or third year. It is well to shorten back all the one-year shoots when setting out the trees— Peach trees most freely. Cherries and Apples more siJaringly. Sixthly, and lastly, comes the most important work of all, namely, taking good care of the young orchard after it is set out. Keep the whole ground clean and mellow, and allow no weeds and Grass to grow. You may plant a hoed crop, such as Potatoes, Cabbages, &c., if you keep that crop clean by cultivation. The difference in the growth between cultivated trees and those which are neglected, is not unfrequently ten to one. But you must exercise your observation and judgment. If the growth is rank, cultivate less ; if feeble, top-dress with manure in autumn besides cultivat- ing. It is well to cease cultivating all half-tender trees before the end of summer, that the wood may ripen and prevent winter-killing. As a general rule, young trees should grow 2 feet or more yearly, and if they much exceed this, check their growth early ; and if they do not reach it, employ both cultivation and manure. If you at- tend to all these requisites, namely, well prepared ground, well selected varieties, careful transplant- ing, and good cultivation, you can hardly fail in having an ample family supply of fine fruit before many years have passed away ; and if by that time j'ou choose to plant more largely for market, ' you can judge by your own experience, and by the success of the most promising sorts, which to select for this purpose. — Conntry Gentleman. PRUNING OECHARD HOUSE TREES. Those about to commence the culture of orchard house trees would do well to purchase fruiting trees in pots to begin with ; but I have found that in the course of a few years some of the trees get scraggy and unsightly, and in replacing these it is best to purchase trees one year from the bud. I get mine in November, and as soon as they come to hand they are potted. We plunge them in Cocoa- nut fibre, where they remain until January, which is a good time to prune them. The question is, whether the form of tree is to be bush or pyramid. I prefer a few of each. In some positions the bush form works in best and in others the pyramid, and to fill up spaces in the centre border of large span- roofed houses standards come in well. A tree that has made one year's growth from the bud has a straight centre stem and usually a number of lateral branches. In order to form a pyramid about a third must be cut off the main stem and the side growths should be cut back, those near the top close to the stem, gradually leaving the lower ones longer until the lowest side growth is reached, which should be the longest, so that the tree will be of a pyramidal form to start with. A bush tree is formed bj' cutting the main stem down to within a foot of the bud, and cutting back any side growths to i inches or 6 inches from the stem. It is easy enough to form standards by cutting the side or lateral growths off close to the stem, leaving the latter the entire length. The trees ought not to be placed in a forcing tempera- ture, but be allowed to grow on slowly with plenty of air ; under those circumstances they will break freely, but they grow most freely from the highest part of the trees ; and to prevent these growths from taking more than their due share of nutriment their points should be pinched off at the fifth or sixth leaf ; this allows the lower growths to run out more strongly, but they also ought to be stopped in the same way. The second growths will not be so strong as the first, but they will be strong enough to produce fruit- ful wood — the object in view. The strongest growths will require to be pinched a second time, and the weaker ones must not be pinched at all. Anyone acquainted with Peach and Nectarine trees in pots (and it is these only with which I am now treating) will know that weak growths are fur- nished their entire length with blossom buds, the terminal bud only being a leaf-bud, and if that terminal bud is removed there will be no young growth beyond the fruit. The strong shoots are furnished with triple buds as well as leaf-buds, and usually the centre one will be a leaf bud, and the two side ones blossom-buds. If the strong shoots have to be shortened, it is always best to cut to a leaf-bud. Pear, Plum, and Cherry trees may be pinched, pruned, and trained in the same way, and they may be pruned at any time and cut to any bud. J. Douglas. Pruning Vines. — The note (p. 547) as to pruning Duke of Buccleuch and Golden Champion varieties of Vines is in exact accord with my own experience. Spur pruning, as that term is gene- rally understood — that is, the catting bnck of the side fhoots to within one or two eyes of the pre- vious yeai's pruning — does not en.sure either as many " shows " or as fine, as does pruning on the long-rod system ; and I am told that ]\Ir. Thom- son himseif finds it necessary to have a goodly length of now wood every year, to which fact no doubt must be attributed at least some portion of the credit of these varieties doing so well at Jan. 6, 1883 THE GARDEN la Clovenfords. This peculiarity is not, however, con- tined to the varieties named, as Gros Guillaume ( r.arbarossa) can only be kept in good fruitful condition for a numbar of years by constant re- newal of the rods. JIrs Pince, Chasselas Masque, and the white Frontignan also in a lesser degree possess the same peculiarity, but with enthusias- tic Grape growers this will not be accepted as a valid reason for neglect of culture of these varie- ties, the exceptional treatment needed to obtain the best results being an incentive to their ex- tended culture rather than otherwise. — H. W. PEAR GROWING FOR PROFIT. Allow me to assure Mr. Bridgeman (p. 575) that I do not claim to have a monopoly of knowledge on this subject. On the question of cordon Pear growing I simply recorded the results of my own practice, and as " S. S." particularly asked for the names of the best late varieties, those only were named that have never failed with us. Our soil is very much the same as that with which Mr. Bridgeman has to deal, and yet the " pretty toys" of which he speal^s cover the wall, and have been loaded with fruit for twelve years consecutively ; moreover, at present they manifest no disposition to give up the ghost ; therefore the question of light soil not suiting the Quince stock falls to the ground. I have indeed proved that the Quince is a suitable stock for Pear growing on any descrip- tion of soil, provided the cultural treatment is adapted to the requirements of the particular kind of soil to be dealt witli ; for instance, on our light sandy soil we find it necessary to give heavy manurial mulchings every autumn ; this re- mains throughout the year, and SDmetimes, in dry, hot weather, a supplementary mulching of long stable litter is given, and artificial watering when time can be afforded for applying it. Added to this, we every alternate year remove the whole of the mulching, prick up the surface soil, and add about i inches in thickness of new soil, again mulching with rotten manure. Of course in heavier soils there would be less of such work, and the trees would probably be longer lived, the only advantages. The success of " R. A." (p. 545, Yol. XXII.), who for twenty years has had good crops of fruit on his cordon trees, ought to be sufficient evidence of the merits of the system and suitability of the Quince stock were it not that we gardeners are such notorious copyists, that we take for granted — without proving for ourselves — the saying of some would-be-great authority that the Quince stock is only suited to heavy soils. W. W. H. LATE GRAPES IN COOL HOUSES. A GENERAL Opinion prevails that really late Grapes, to keep in prime condition, fit for dessert after Christmas, require a great amount of fire- heat to bring them to perfection, and thus many owners of gardens are deterred from planting not only the most valuable of market Grapes, but, what is of more importance to many, the only varieties that can be kept for mid-winter desserts, the very time when home-grown Grapes are most appreciated. There is no lack of Vines or vineries, but in nine cases out of ten Black Hamburghs, or other equally thin-skinned Grapes, are planted ; and in October and November, during the damp, muggy weather that usually accom- panies the fall of the leaf, these kinds turn mouldy and drop off, no matter what precautions are taken to preserve them, for although a dry, buoyant atmosphere will do much to lengthen the season of even these popular summer Grapes, it will not make the supply of good sound Grapes a certainty after the beginning of December, when home-grown Grapes are practically over, even in many fair-sized gardens. Now, this is intolerable after the number of years during which really good late keeping sorts have been before the public, and, where judiciously managed, have done away with the necessity for verj' early forcing. After trying and testing most of the late sorts in cultivation, I find Lady Downes to be the best late black Grape in cultivation, and the true Mus- cat of Alexandria the best white companion for it. As a proof that these can be kept in good condi- tion until the new year, I send a small bunch of each from a vinery that is in the usual meaning of the term unheated ; it has only a flow and re- turn 3-inch pipe in it, and these are a long waj from the boiler, a saddle one of by no means re- cent date, and which, having to heat a quantity of piping besides, those in the vinery are never any- thing more than warm; therefore the mainten- ance of anything like the temperature supposed to be necessary for the varieties of Grapes mentioned is out of the question. Yet as regards any loss from decay I can safely say that there has not been a dozen berries cut out of the entire house, though it contains a heavy crop of moderate sized bunches. I would by no means recommend the use of .S-inch pipes in vineries or in any other houses, larger ones being better. The examples of fruit sent are merely to show the possibility of having home-grown Grapes fit for dessert early in the new year with simply ordinary appliances such as are available in most gardens. But I may add that really late Grapes should have compart- ments to themselves. There should be no pot plants in such houses, and if this were done there would be no difticulty in keeping the fruit sound, for that in question had no fire heat at all until many consider it time for late crops to be ripe, and then, as has just been explained, heat was ap- plied, but in a very mild form. Sfiijichl, GosjHirt. James Groom. [Better Grapes than those sent to us by Mr. Groom could not be desired. They were as plump and fresh looking as Grapes just ripe, and their flavour excellent.] Strawberry Pelissler.— In the Rei-ue Bar- ticoU for 1880 (p. 298) there is a note about this Strawberry by M. E. A. Carrifere, who saj's that the variety was obtained by a gardener at Leotoure of the name of Pelissier. It is said to be a large-fruited and long-bearing Strawberry. Dr. A. Miran, of Lectoure, states that it was ob- tained about 1873 or 1874. It likes a half-shaded situation, in which it yields larger and more fruit than in the full sun. It bears from April 15 till August, and again in October. It came first into the trade in the autumn of 1880. We have it, but have not yet been able to judge of its merits. — J. H. Krelage, Haarlem. Mealy bug. — " Gobi am '' should give his Vines a thoroughcleaningwhenatrest ; paintthem with Fir tree oil at the strength of half apintof the oil to a gallon of warm water. When they have started into growth give them another dressing of the same, but be careful not to allow it to get on the young growths ; when the berries are set, tie a small piece of cotton wool round the stem of each bunch which will prevent any bug from getting amongst the fruit. If time can be spared, it is well to hand-pick the Vines once a week. This done year after year will thin their numbers considerably ; but in the case of old Vines it is impossible to clean them. Lime is a useless remedy ; it does the Vines no harm, but it will not kill the mealy bug. We tried it on a house of old Vines some four or five years ago, and the year following the experi- ment the bugs were as numerous as ever. — J. R. "Cobham" will find a mixture consisting of a quarter of a pint of paraffin to four gallons of water perfectly safe and effective ; an ounce of soft soap added is an improvement, as it causes the mixture to spread over the plant instead of standing in drops, as it does if paraffin and water only are used. In syringing with this mixture, the syringe must be drawn full and again dis- charged into the vessel, then quickly refilled and discharged on the plant, repeating this until all is used ; as the oil rises to the surface immediately the mixture is still, it must always be kept in motion. When I came here I found a vinery badly infested with mealy bug. The fruit was just ripe, so I got it cut as quickly as possible, and commenced syringing with paraffin and water, thoroughly saturating every part of the house and everything in it. This was repeated twice a week for some time, then once a week, until the leaves were ofE the Vines. After prun- ing, two ounces of soft soap were dissolved in two gallons of water, and a quarter of a pint of paraffin was added ; one person kept this mixed with a syringe, while another dressed the Vines with it, working it well into all crevices, and round the spurs with a large paint-brush. The wood and glass were washed, the wall coated with hot lime wash, and before the Vines were started the house was again syringed with paraffin and water. As the season advanced a few bugs began to appear ; the Vines were then looked over fre- quently, and every bug that cculd be seen was killed. If not well looked after at this season, thev increase so rapidly that they are soon as plentiful as ever. After the fruit was cut, the same treat- ment as that given the previous year was com- menced, and the number of mealy bugs seen the following summer was very few indeed, and for the last two years not one has made its appear- ance.— W. Crane, Quarterton-n Park, Malloiv. Propagating. AZALEAS. W^hen Azaleas are forced earl}' into bloom the young shoots produced at that time strike root far more readily than when growth takes place at the natural season, a remark which also holds good as regards many other subjects; indeed, a commoQ practice, and one justified by results, is to place the plant from which cuttings are wanted in a somewhat higher temperature if possible than that in which it has been growing for two or three weeks before taking the cuttings off, jast to drav/ out the young shoots a little and weaken them, as roots are produced more freely in that case .than on stout succulent shoots. In the case of sub- jects that strike root easily, such as Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, &c., of course good stout cuttings are preferred, as they naturally form a more vigorous specimen than that from the weaker shoots, but with difficult subjects the case is different, the principal aim being to get the cut- ting to push forth roots. Azaleas cannot be classed amongst plants very difficult to root, nor, on the other hand, do they belong to the easiest to man- age in that respect ; but, as has been stated, cuttings from foiced plants strike more readily than those taken from shoots produced later in the season. They should consist entirely of the current season's growth ; catch it between the finger and thumb, then pull it steadily downwards, when it will come clean away as it were from a socket, thus giving a good base for the cutting from which roots are produced in less time than if cut off. Of course if the entire shoot is of an inconvenient length it must be cut to reasonable proportions ; but, in any case, leaves that would be buried either wholly or partially when inserted, must be removed before- hand ; on no account, however, take off more than is absolutely necessary. An extreme length of 5 inches or 6 inches is quite sufficient, and even then it will, no doubt, be found that the smaller cuttings strike first. In Selecting the pote, those 5 inches in diameter will be found a convenient size if they are to be put in a close case, but if under bell- glasses of course the pots must be chosen to suit the glasses. As it is necessary to keep the cuttings perfectly air-tight, they are more commonly covered with bell-glasses than other- wise. The pots should be filled to within 2 inches of the top with broken crocks, rough at the bottom, and gradually becoming finer, till the uppermost layer consists of pieces that pass readily tlirough a sieve with a quarter of an- inch mesh, but from which the dust is removed. For soil, take peat, sifted through the sieve just named, and add to it a liberal quantity of sand — the amount will be influenced by that which the peat naturally contains, but in any case the soil should be very sandy. The compost must then be pressed down firmly in the pots. 20 THE GARDEN [Jan. 6, 1883. leaving just room enough for a slight layer of sand on the top. All is then ready for the Insertion of the cuttings, and care must be taken that the base rests solidly — that is to say, do not make the hole with the dibber so •deep as to leave a vacancy just at the base of the cutting, as in that case it is very likely to shrivel up ; also take care to press the soil firmly about the buried portion, as attention to these little matters tends greatly towards suc- cess. Where bell-glasses are used a good way is to press the edge of the glass in the sand before commencing to insert the cuttings, as the mark thus formed serves as a guide as to how near the edge the cuttings may come ; but even then do not let them come too close, as, should the foliage spread ■out a little, it will be difficult to take oS and put on the glasses without bruising some of the out- tings, although I have often noticed this pecu- liarity that those crushed down by the glass have been the first to root. When finished give a thorough watering through a fine rose to settle the sand and fill in any interstices that may exist. After such a watering leave the glasses off for a little time to enable the foliage to get somewhat ■dry, when they must be put on, or if in a small frame the lights must be shut down. The cuttings, ■when callused, will do well in a stove with a little bottom heat, but as the season ad- vances and shoots are produced in a lower tem- perature, a proportionately less degree of heat must be maintained for the cuttings. A safe plan is to keep the latter in a slightly higher tempera- ture than that in which they have been grown at whatever time of the year they are put in, and in all cases the same principle should be carried out. When rooted they must be hardened off by de- grees and then [potted in peat soil, using small, well drained pots. Illsects. —When preparing the cuttings keep a sharp look out for thrips, as if but two or three are allowed to remain on them they increase so rapidly in close cases as to soon do a great deal of damage. The pretty little Azalea rosieflora is readily propagated in this way, and plants so ob- tained form dwarf dense bushes, and are far more attractive than when grafted on a bare stem some inches high, although by the latter method the rate of growth is quicker. T. AMERICAN NOTES. Ill-flavoured Tomatoes. — Many complain that their Tomatoes are sour. AU^Tomatoes are sour, if we may judge from oar own experience, that are grown in rich soil. We want a maximum of fruit and a minimum of leaves and stems if we would have sweet Tomatoes— by which is mean not sweet literally, but less acidity. Tomatoes raised in light, rather poor soil in a sheltered or warm situation are always sweet in favourable seasons, while those raised in rich soil or in partial shade are always sour. A rank growth of foliage shades the the fruit densely and interferes with the development of the saccharine principle. Tomatoes raised in poorish light soil will ripen also ten days earlier than those raised in rich soil. We know this from actual test during the present season. If large, showy Tomatoes are wanted, regardless of flavour and time of ripening, then the rich soil and the rank growth are needed. — Rural New Yorh'T. Pinching back Peas. — The American Gardiii gives the experience of H. .J. Seymour in pinching back Peas to increase their productive- ness. They liad already begun to show blossoms, when six hundred plants were counted off in a row and decapitated. New branches came out abundantly near the ground, and from the axils of the leaves. They blossomed and fruited more abundantly tlian theirneighbours, although aweek later. They were saved for seed, threshed, winnowed, and carefully measured. The six hun- dred pruned plants yielded five plump quarts, while the six hundred unpruned ones in the ad- .oining row yielded but four scant quarts. The advantage was in increasing the crop and prolong- ing the season. The result would doubtless vary with variety, soil, season, and depth of planting. Cure for scale. — Ordinary bar soap scraped and rubbed into a paste at the rate of 20 parts of soap to 10 parts of water, 30 parts of kerosene, and 1 part of fir balsam, will make, when diluted with water, an emulsion good enough for all purposes, as the slight cream which in time rises to the sur- face, or the flakiness that often follows is readily dissipated by a little shaking. Soap emulsions are, however, less satisfactory and efficient than those made with milk. Emulsions with milk may be made of varying strength, but one of the mostsatis- factor}' proportions is two parts of refined kero- sene to one part of sour milk. Ordinary condensed milk may also be used by thoroughly stirring and beating in an equal or varying quantity of kerosene. Tlie diluted emulsion when prepared for use should be finely sprayed on to the insects to be killed, its strength varying for different insects or plants, and its effect being enhanced when brought for- cibly in contact with the insects. Of mucilaginous substances, that obtained from the root of Zamia integrifolia, a plant quite common in parts of Florida and from which the Florida arrowroot is obtained, has proved useful as an emulsifier. These emulsions have been used with success against the cotton worm without injury to the plant, but their chief value depends on their efficacy against the different scale insects which affect Citrus plants. Experience so far shows that such plants do not suffer from its judicious use, but that it must be applied with much more care to most deciduous fruit trees in order not to injure them. Keeping fruit under water.— Dr. Hexa- mer says that some years ago when he had more Apples than he could store, he hired a cellar of a neighbour and put in it several hundred barrels. When he came to take them out he found water in the cellar 3 feet or 4 feet deep, and concluded they were adead loss, till he examined them. Some weeks afterwards he found them in excellent condition, better than those which the water had not reached. The result was ascribed to the low temperature and exclusion of air, to which we would add a uniform degree of cold and freedom from the fluctuations caused by air currents. We suppose the water was near or at the freezing point. Well up in botany. — Yes, she visited the country and considered herself superior to igno- rant common cultivators. She waslearned in botany, and with lofty airs told farmer D. she knew every plant that grew. The farmer coming from the field one day plucked a cluster of blossoms and carried them to the house. " Do you know these blossoms ?" he asked of her. " Oh, yes, of course I do," she re- plied. " They are very rare, and so beautiful; too sweet for anything. I am familiar with these flowers ; these grow on trees in the woods." "What is their name ?" asked farmer D. " Why — really — I can't recall their botanical name just now; but I suppose you have some vulgar name for them." " Well,' replied farmer D., " we ignorant farmers call them Potato blossoms." The buyers all want red Apples.— They say they sell the best. This fancj' for colour has given Baldwins a boom, as they are red and handle and ship well. There is another advantage for the fruit — the tree is hardy and a constant bearer. I do not like the Apple to eat, but on ac- count of its market value and the hardiness of the tree and strong bearing propensity ; in an orchaid of 100 trees I would plant seventy-five Baldwins. Too many varieties of fruit are a nuisance. They make an endless amount of work, and many kinds, while they have a value for home use, are unsuited for keeping or shipping. They do not pay. The Esopus Spitzenburgh, I think, is the daintiest flavoured Apple that grows. Fences must go. — Village improvement, as discussed \