FOREIGN NOTICES. 



187 



tliat they thrive to admiration in a bojj under some 

 trees, within a short distance of where I write. In- 

 deed, our soil beinfj sandy, I could not obtain full 

 crops until I adopted an annual system of top dress- 

 ings. In applying this my practice is to remove a 

 couple of inches of the surface soil with a draw hoe 

 in December ; then to apply a couple of inches of 

 compost, and finally a coating of soil, to prevent 

 lo.»s by desiccation. I never dig over the surface of 

 these things, but use the spade full depth to witiiin 

 a reasonable distance, generally cutting a little off 

 the extreme points of the roots annually ; this en- 

 courages the surface roots, and has a tendency to 

 check superfluous spray at the same time that 

 steady growth is ensured, through the medium of 

 the top dressings, and sudden vicissitudes of drouth 

 obviated. There is undoubtedly much waste of 

 manure in many cases, extra quantities being often 

 applied when perhaps mere permanency of mois- 

 ture at certain periods is the desideratum. Of 

 what use would any given amount of manure be to 

 the Black Currant or celery crop, if the plant is to 

 be subjected to a continual lack of moisture? Ro- 

 bert Errington. Oulton Park, July 10. Gard. 

 Chron. .... 



Propagation of Pinks, Carnations, and Pi- 

 coTEKS. — Although the finer varieties of these beau- 

 tiful flowers require great care in their cultivation, 

 and will often disappoint the amateur, their great 

 beauty will yet insure the patience and skill neces- 

 sary for their successful growth. I yesterday saw 

 a handful of carnations in a friend's hand, and won- 

 dered that eff'orts are not made to grow them in 

 greater profusion. Many are disgusted with the 

 losses which occur from bad management in their 

 first attempts to get a collection, and give up the 

 pursuit ; but this is not wise. A season or two 

 will make the grower more skilful and fortunate. 

 Seeing these flowers advertised, an amateur orders 

 a lot, and pays perhaps 21. or 3/. for a dozen pairs. 

 These come probably from a distance, not in pots, 

 as they ought to do, but with their roots exposed, 

 and before they can be placed in a safe position 

 they have suffered much injury. A wet season 

 then comes on, and the young plants, not being 

 strongly rooted, rot in the ground. If they escape 

 this catastrophe, they often throw up only a mise- 

 rable flower, unworthy of notice ; no grass, as the 

 offsets are technically called, is produced ; and 

 sometimes the original plants will turn yellow and 

 die. When, after all his trouble, the would-be 

 grower finds his dozen pairs reduced to about half 

 the number, he despairs of becoming an adept in 

 the art of flowering these plants, and retreats, 

 leaving the field to more fortunate, because more 

 patient, rivals. Now, try another season at all 

 events, and, without incurring fresh expense, pro- 

 pagate from the stronger varieties which yet sur- 

 vive ; in this way you will advance more confidently, 

 and at length overcome difficulties which arise from 

 want of experience more than from any peculiari- 

 ties inherent in the flowers. 



Common pinks and carnations are increased easily 

 by cuttings taken off at a hard, well developed joint, 

 and planted in a shady situation in the garden ; if 

 under a hand-glass, success is more sure. But we 

 have known great quantities rooted without that 



aid, by being preserved for a few days from the 

 sun, and kept moist. The soil should be sandy, 

 and the cuttings fixed in it, so that it shall press 

 firmly upon the cut portion. But this plan will not 

 do for finer sorts of carnations and picotees, and 

 the safer way is to propagate these by layering. 

 So many directions have been given for the perform- 

 ance of this operation, that anything further on the 

 subject may appear to be superfluous ; but as ama- 

 teurs are yearly rising up and commencing their 

 apprenticeship, such information must be continu- 

 ally renewed. The principle of layering is to ena- 

 ble a cutting to take root without its connection 

 with the parent plant being quite dissevered, on the 

 plan in which inarching and similar operations are 

 performed. A cutting often dies, because, from 

 some cause inherent in itself, or external to it, its 

 power of elaborating sap is not strong enough to 

 enable it to form roots ; and this power is increased 

 and rendered certain in a layer, because it derives 

 its juices from the parent plant. An incision is 

 made upwards at a joint, to the extent of about 

 half an inch, and a section of the stalk or stem is 

 thus presented, similar to the portion inserted in 

 the soil in the ease of a cutting, only it is half the 

 substance or thickness. This cut portion is then 

 firmly inserted in fine soil, and fastened securely 

 with a peg. The layer then forms roots from two 

 sources; from its own vital mechanism, as in the 

 case of a cutting, and from the assistance derived 

 from the original plant, of which it still forms a 

 part. When rooted the layer is cut off and potted, 

 and henceforth its growth is self-sustained and in- 

 dependent. 



Where a great number of young shoots are 

 available for propagation, a very gentle heat should 

 be created by means of a bed of leaves or cut grass, 

 on which a small frame should be placed. Sandy 

 soil must then be put in, to the depth of six inches, 

 and the cuttings, with all their leaves, firmly fixed 

 as directed above. The glass being put on, the 

 frame should be kept close for a week, and shaded 

 for a day or two ; and solar light being gradually 

 admitted, the young plants will form roots more 

 rapidly than in the open ground. Extremes of 

 drouth and moisture must be carefully avoided, 

 since the one will rot the plants at the cutting, and 

 the other will cause the soil to contract and leave 

 the cutting bare. Failures must be expected at 

 first, but soon as great a certainty will character- 

 ise these operations as most others. This is the 

 proper time for pursuing either of the above me- 

 thods. H. B. Gard. Chron. 



Dahlias. — These fine ornaments of large gar- 

 dens are now beginning to flower, and require 

 some attention, to ensure gocd blooms and a healthy 

 arowth. Some cultivators prune extensively, so as 

 To have only one leading stem, and but few laterals, 

 until the plant has attained a good height. That 

 only one shoot should be trained in the early 

 management of the dahlia is doubtless the best 

 treatment, but to what extent laterals should be 

 suppressed is an affair of taste, which the amateur 

 must regulate for himself. The plan recommended 

 in the Calendar of the Chronicle is the best for 

 making the most of a dahlia, and displaying its 



