256 THE FLOKAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



Henderson and Son, and was shown by them at the Eoyal Horticultural Society's 

 special exhibition of June 16. 



LoBF-LiA spEcios.v PROPAGATING. — W. Simpson. — To keep this true you must 

 keep up your stock by means of cuttings. In a season like tliis they are difficult 

 to get, but we adopt a system which has never failed us yet. After the bedding 

 out is done with, we talie about a couple of dozen of plants, and turn them out in a 

 bed of rich soil, in a ratlier shady corner. If the plants are strong and growing 

 vigorously, we do not trouble about their flowering once, but if weak we do not let 

 them flower at all. Dut supposing them to have flowered the first week in August, 

 we go over the bed and remove the whole of the flower-spikes. If the bed is dry, 

 we give it a liberal soaking a few days after cutting the plants back, and we soon 

 have a fine batch of cuttings re;idy for taking off". We do not suppose that you have 

 a batch of plants turned out, therefore your best plan will be to cut a few plants 

 back where they will be least noticed, and keep them well watered until they 

 furnish you with a supply of cuttings ready for propagation. 



Wasps in Yinery. — Anxious Inquirer. — Your proposed plan of putting each 

 bunch of grspes in a muslin bag would no doubt prevent the wasps getting at, and 

 eating the berries, but it is by no means the best method to adopt, or the simplest. 

 Bags should never be used where any importance is attached to the preservation of 

 the bloom, for very few people care to eat grapes w^iich have the appearance of 

 having been under the influence of the blacking-brush. Your best plan will be to 

 procure some thin canvas, and stretch it over the opening of the ventilators, and 

 keep the doors shut. The canvas must not be woven so tight as to prevent the 

 admission of air ; Haythorn's hexagon net is first-rate. The meshes are large 

 enough to admit plenty of air, but too small to allow the passage of wasps, and the 

 large flies which are nearly as destructive to the grapes. This can be done with less 

 expense and labour than making the muslin bags, with the additional advantage 

 that the beautiful bloom which so highly enhances the appearance of grapes is not 

 rubbed off. The spotted appearance of some of the berries is caused, no doubt, by 

 your syringing them. Some growers advocate syringing grapes, and say they 

 cannot keep the red spider in subjection without doing so. We must sa.j that we 

 have seen none so thoroughly well finished as those which never received a drop of 

 water upon them. Syiinging grapes spoils their appearance, more or less ; it is 

 against nature, and therefore wrong. 



Raising Chinese Primulas for Successional Flowering. — Zadj/ G. — Having 

 given instructions frequently, we now, for the sake of change, take the following 

 from Mr. B. S. Williams's catalogue : — Taking them all in all, these are the most 

 valuable winter flowering plants in cultivation. They commence to flower in the 

 early part of November, and by care a succession may be kept up till the spring 

 is far advanced. For bouquets also they are almost invaluable. Sow in March, 

 April, May, June, and July (with great care, for although so easily raised in the 

 hands of some, it is nevertheless a great difficulty to many, who in many instances 

 too hastily condemn the quality of the seed), in pots filled to within half-an-inch 

 of the top with sifted leaf-mould, or what is better, with thoi'oughly rotted manure, 

 which has been exposed to all weathers for a year or two. Leave the surface 

 rather rough, and sprinkle the seed thinly upon it, not covering with soil ; tie a 

 piece of thin paper over the top of the pot, and place it in a warm house or hot-bed. 

 When the soil becomes dry, water the paper only ; the seed will then germinate 

 in two or three weeks ; after which, remove the paper, and place in a shady place, 

 potting off when sufficiently strong into small pots and place near the glass in a 

 frame or greenhouse. The above method of raising the seed is always followed by 

 one of our largest growers for Covent Garden Market, and never fails. One caution 

 is necessary : never use peat mould or any soil liable to cake on the surface or turn 

 green, as a loss of the seed is a certain consequence. 



Lavender Hill.— It is not likely that any other rose will do better than the 

 one you have already. Why not clothe the railing with Virginian Creeper ? It is 

 a glorious plant for the purpose. 



