May D, 1872. ] 



JOUKNAL OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



383 



summer. In such open parallelogram tanks, say 10 or 12 feet 

 wide and 6 feet deep, if the length is more than 15 feet I would 

 place a wall across from side to side iu the middle, with 2 arches 

 near the hase, as a secmity against the walls bending inwards. 

 Some soils, as clay, ai'e more liable to influence walls than 

 loams or lighter soils. Where the tank is not to be seen, 

 nothing beats a round, or rather egg-shaped tank imder- 

 gi'ound. Where clearness of water is an object, it is well to 

 pass the rain water through two filters. — ^E. Fish. 



EOYAL BOTAXIC SOCIETY'S SPEING SHOW. 



The third Spring Show, held yesterday, was of more limited 

 extent than its two predecessors, and of a more miscellaneous 

 character ; still it was a neat httle exhibition, and, after all, its 

 ^eatest drawback was the fitfulness of the weather — now sun- 

 shine, now showers, and chilly withal. 



Of Azaleas, the only exhibitors in the nurserymen's class 

 were Messrs. Lane, of Berkhampstead, who sent some of the 

 specimens shown at Kensington in the pre\'ious week ; in that 

 for amateurs, Mr. Hill, gardener to H. Taylor, Esq., Avenue 

 Road, St. John's Wood, was first with some of the excellent 

 plants which he exhibited at the same place. Mr. Wheeler, 

 gardener to Sir F. H. Goldsmid, Bart., was second. He also 

 sent a collection of fine-fohaged plants, as Palms, Dracienas, 

 Alocasia metallica, &c., Ukewise a group of flowering plants. 



Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, contributed a fine group of 

 nine Roses in pots ; and Messrs. Veitch a more numerous one, 

 also in excellent bloom, in the miscellaneous class ; likewise a 

 collection of Japanese Maples, and another of new plants. In 

 the latter certificates were given to Adiautum amabile, Croton 

 lacteum, Epidendrum j)seud-Epidendrum, green, with a fringed 

 reddish orange lip ; E. syringothyrsus, and Acer polymorphum 

 dissectum. Along with these were Dracaena Touugii and Gra- 

 Tesia bertolonoides noticed in previous reports. Mr. Croucher, 

 gardener to J. Peacock, Esq., Hammersmith, sent a group of 

 scarce Agaves, of which A. Peacockii had a certificate. 



From Mr. Williams, of Holloway, came a miscellaneous group, 

 including fine specimens of Todea superba, Anthurium Scher- 

 zerianum, Hippeastrums, Chorozemas, and Azaleas. Along 

 with these were several new plants, as Rhopala elegantissima, 

 Agave Eoezliana, Zamia cycadifolia, and Macrozamia McKenzii, 

 all of which received certificates. Mr. Williams likewise sent 

 baskets of Purple and Pink Queen Stocks, vei-y double, free- 

 flowering dwarf varieties. A certificate was awarded for the 

 former. Messrs. Dobson and Mr. James, of Isleworth, con- 

 tributed well-flowered Calceolarias, the latter also sending a 

 group of these, Azaleas, and Cattleya Mossia in good bloom. 

 Mr. W. Paud sent fine stands of Marechal Kiel and other Roses, 

 and white-flowered white-variegated Pelargoniums, of which 

 Guinevi'e had a certificate. Lord Bacon, salmon rose shading 

 off to white, had a similar award. 



Li a collection, of new plants from Messrs. E. G. Henderson, 

 certificates were bestowed on hybrid Ivy-leaved Pelargonium 

 Emperor, with large rosy crimson flowers, the foUage, too, being 

 much larger than in the ordinary Ivy-leaf ; on Pelargonium ele- 

 gantissimum, with very small yeUow-variegated leaves, and of 

 dwarf habit; on Hedera conglomerata ; and Pimelea Hender- 

 son! alba. Along with these were several Orchids, Caladiums, 

 and other plants. Mr. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, 

 sent a collection of Funkias ; certificates were given to F. ja- 

 ponica aurea with large golden-tinged leaves, and F. Fortunei 

 with veiy distinct glaucous foliage ; also for Ii-is iberica Perry- 

 ana, differing from I. iberica iu having no yellow markings. 

 Mr. Ware likewise exhibited groups of hardy bulbous plants 

 and Alpines. 



Messrs. Iveiy & Son, Dorking, had certificates for Hedera 

 conglomerata, Polystichiun angulare proliferum Henley^e, and 

 P. a. confluens variegatum ; and Messrs. Carter & Co. for Dra- 

 ciena lentiginosa. A pretty white-variegated variety of Solantun 

 Capsicastnmi was also shown by the same firm. Messrs. Paul 

 and Son exhibited good specimens of Primula japonica, also 

 Spirsea japonica aurea with yellow-veined leaves, a neai-looking 

 variegated plant. Mr. Porter, gardener to Mrs. Benham, Isle- 

 worth, had a certificate for a large-flowered strong-growing Pe- 

 largonium called Prince CharUe, suitable for growing against 

 walls and as standards ; and Messrs. Lane, who exhibited a 

 large gronp of Chinese and other Azaleas, had a certificate for 

 A. mollis Alphonse Lavallce with orange-salmon flowers. 



CULTURE OF POT VINES. 



Pot Vines are tmder better control, they can be gi-own in 

 less space, and if the Vines have been properly prepared, they 

 can be relied upon to produce a heavier and a more certain 

 crop than permanent Vines. The only diffictilty is, that every 

 one has not the means of growing the plants on for two years 

 before forcing them — for a crop in March we shall say ; and it 



seems to have occurred to bitt few ntu-serymcn that it would be 

 worth their while to produce a really good article for this i)ur- 

 pose. We have tried frequently to buy well-ripened two-year- 

 old pot Vmes, innocent of bottom heat, from the trade", but 

 have rarely succeeded in getting anytliing like fit subjects to 

 operate upon. After November the market is glutted with 

 " strong pot Vines," warranted to force eai'ly or late; but the 

 shrewd cultivator who wants plants to start in November will 

 make his market if he can before then. Plants for forcing 

 early must be brown and ripe in July at the latest ; and this is 

 the time to buy if we want to be sure of the article. 



Now that late Grapes can be furnished easily and in fair 

 condition till the beginning of April, a very moderate-sized 

 house of pot Vines might be made to carry the supply on nntU 

 June or July, which would obviate the necessity of starting the 

 earliest house of permanent Vines before the middle of January 

 or beginning of February. 



A suitable structure for growing and fruiting pot Vines in a 

 systematic way would be the first consideration. A lean-to 

 house or pit, 7 or 8 feet wide, with a bed along the front and 

 a path along the back, would perhaps be as economical a stntc- 

 tvire as could be devised for such a purpose, as it could be utilised 

 for Melons or Cucumbers after the Grapes were cut. Such a 

 house would accommodate one row of pot Vines set along the 

 front and trained up under the sashes. The length such a 

 house ought to be would depend upon the demand ; but as pot 

 Vines can be fruited successfully, trained a most 1-5 inches 

 apart, and as each plant might in a general way be calculated to 

 yield sis bunches, or perhaps 4 or 5 lbs. each, it wiU be seen that 

 a moderate-sized house would give a very good return, especially 

 when compared to the crops generally seen on old debihtated 

 permanent Vines, even allowing that a division similarly fitted 

 up would be required to grow a successional lot of pot Vines, 

 for we only recommend buying the plants when they cannot 

 be grown at home. 



In this paper it is more our object to advocate pot-cultiu'e 

 generally for early work than to describe the routine of culture 

 in such cases. Fifteen years ago, or more, we were impressed 

 with the utility of the pot system by seeing a splendid house 

 of pot Vines at Dalkeith in March and April, and have had a 

 hankering to put the plan into practice in a constant way ever 

 since. 



Plants that are intended to fruit in March and April require 

 to be grown two years. The first year they should be started 

 from eyes in the usual waj', and grown on liberaUy in 10-inch 

 pots through the season. When the wood is ripe, but before 

 the leaves are fallen, the plants should be shifted into pots a size 

 larger — reducing the balls just sufficiently to disentangle the 

 points of the roots. In November the canes should be cut 

 down to one or two eyes ; and by the begiiming of January the 

 plants may be again started and pushed on vnth the same 

 hberal treatment, and iu a brisk temperature, which, it all goes 

 well, should give canes 8 feet long, and ripe to the top by the 

 end of June, when they should be set out of doors behind a 

 north wall, with a few leaves packed round the pots to save the 

 roots from injury. What pruning the plants need should be 

 done in August, even though the leaves are not fallen off 

 entu-ely, and by November they may be introduced into heat. 

 After this, saving that they require strict attention in watering, 

 the ordinary vinery treatment is all that is required tUl the 

 fruit is ripe iu March. — J. Simpson, Worthy (in The Gardener). 



PORTEAITS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, .\nd FRUITS. 



Aeis^-ema spEciosuir. Kat. ord., Ai'oidea;. Linn, arr., Mon- 

 cecia Polyandi'ia. — Sent to Eew from the Himalayas. It is a 

 dicecious plant, and the females have as yet not been fertilised. 

 Tuber is as large as a potato. Spathe 5 to 6 inches long, the 

 point recvirved, deep purple, striped with white inside, greenish 

 or paler purple outside. Spadix with a flexuous filiform tip 

 nearly 20 inches long. — (Bot. Mag., t. 5964.) 



Veronica pakvifoli.i var. angustifolu. Nat. ord., Scro- 

 phulariaceas. Linn, arr., Diandria Monogynia. — A New Zea- 

 land shrub, small, and smooth. Branches slender, erect, and 

 red-brown, as are the peduncle and rachis of the racemes. 

 Flowers pale hUac, and spreading. — {Ibid., t. 5965.) 



Restkepia elegans. Xat. ord., Orchidaceas. Linn, arr., 

 G3'nandria Monogynia. — A native of Carracas. Stems tufted, 

 epiphytic, clothed with pale scarious scales distichously ar- 

 ranged. Dorsal sepal erect, produced in a straight taU, which 

 is yeUow and clubbed at the tip, white, streaked with purple ; 

 lateral sepals connate, yeUow, spotted with purple. Lip edged 



