174 Journal of Agriculture. [9 March, 1908. 



Culture. 



The most suitable soil is a light loam, but in this respect the tecomas — 

 or moiSt of them — are accommodating, thriving satisfactOTily in any fair 

 garden soil. Fine specimens may be seen in the metropolitan district, 

 growing in soils varying from a light sandy toi a heavy stiff, clay loam. 

 Like most of our cultivated plants they fail under sour soil conditions, 

 lequiring a drained and sweet soil, even if poor and rather dry, to produce 

 satisfactory specimens. In poor soils well rotted stable manure should be 

 incorporated to a depth of eighteen inches, but hot forcing manures should 

 not be used when setting out young plants. 



The autumn is the best time to plant the evergreen kinds from pots, 

 affording the plants an opportunity of being established before the hot and 

 dry weather sets in. In districts where .severe frost is the rule, late spring 

 planting is best, especially for the grandiflora varieties. The young plants 

 will require to be watered and tended until established, when thev will 

 endure severe conditions without suffering greatlv. Deciduous kinds are 

 often grown in the open ground by nurserymen. Any removal direct to 

 the permanent positions for such kinds should be carried out in the dormant 

 season. 



Tecomas are propagated from cuttings of the matured growths, from 

 roots of certain kinds — radicans and its varieties for example — and from 

 seeds. Some kinds strike readily in winter from cuttings of the matured 

 growths treated in the same manner as rose cuttings, i.e., taken with a 

 " heel " and inserted firmly in sandy soil in the open ground, while cut- 

 tings of others difficult to " strike " in the open are grafted on roots of 

 the free growing kinds. Most of the tecomas can be readily increased 

 by layering the branchlets, a means of propagation frequently adopted by 

 nurserymen. Plants are easily raised from seed if available, this being 

 the usual means of raising T. Smithii, a variety which produces seed 

 freely. 



The kinds and varieties most worthy of cultivation that are obtainable 

 here include : — Cafensis grandiflora, jasminioides, radicans. sians. Guil- 

 fovlei, Mdme. Galen, Manglesii, and Smithii. 



Flower G-arden. 



Bulbs of spring blooming bulbous plants should be planted early in 

 March. In most cases no manure is necessary unless the soil is very dry 

 and poor, when some well rotted stable or cow manure, or leaf mould, 

 should be mixed with the soil to a depth of about one foot. A light 

 dressing of superphosphate and bone-dust — equal parts — is the most satis- 

 factory fertilizer for a number of bulbous plants. This should be well 

 distributed through the soil, but no hot manure should on any account be 

 allowed in proximity to bulbs. The de^pth to plant is regulaited accord- 

 ing to the size of the bulbs, small bulbs such as Ixias, Freesias, &c., being 

 found to succeed best when covered with about an inch of soil, while 

 larger kinds will require to be planted at a depth of from three to six 

 inches, according to size and genus. Light soils should be trodden to a 

 condition of firmness before planting the bulbs. 



The principles of manuring are often better known by amateur gar- 

 deners, who grow a few plants of some special kind for exhibition purposes, 

 than by professional cultivators who grow a large number of plants with 

 a view of supplying the plants or their products for sale. In the former 



