November 10, 1863. ] JOTJENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



369 



■ performance was to cleai away the straw that was laid down 

 to presei've the fruit from grit, &c. This was taken to the 

 rubbish-heap and, with some pea-hanlm and all the Straw- 

 berry trimmings, was set on fire, and all consumed together. 

 The next work was to clear away every weed and runner 

 that was to be seen ; and from that time untU the bed was 

 littered down again for the protection of the fruit not a 

 weed or runner was allowed to exist. By the end of October 

 the plants were well stocked with fine healthy luxui-iant 

 foliage, and never as yet have they required any more pro- 

 tection than the garden walls surrounding them afford. 



Now this practice has been in force for the last eight 

 or ten years in this place, therefore I do not feel inclined to 

 give it up so long as I meet with great success. For 

 instance, the bed above mentioned yielded an extraor- 

 dinary crop of friiit this season. On one occasion we picked 

 two bushels at one time, and for three weeks little short of 

 half a bushel was picked daOy, and aU of very fine quality. 



The other kinds do equally as well in proportion. The 

 scythe took its course again this season as usual. Now (the 

 2nd of November), the plants are nearly touching each other 

 in the rows, many of them measuring 2 feet in diameter, 

 while the crowns are fii-m, plump, and well matured. — 

 J. B. C. P. 



CAICEOLAEIA CAJSTAEIENSIS. 



That the character which many plants earn for themselves 

 is as largely dependant upon cireumstanees as is the forma- 

 tion of the human character itself, becomes yeai-ly more 

 evident to those who keep an eye on the career of the various 

 new varieties of plants which are dismissed fi-om the careful 

 scrutiny of the highest tribunals with first and second-class 

 certificates. 



In responding to the suggestion of your correspondent 

 Mr. James Harris, page 33i?, regarding this Calceolaria, it 

 could be amply demonstrated, if necessary, that " cu-cum- 

 stamees greatly alter cases ;" ancl the sentence with which 

 Mr. Harris concludes bears evidence that he is well aware 

 of the fact. This knowledge any gardener who has practised 

 in widely separated localities, differing vastly in soil and 

 climate, must possess ; and notwithstanding the slashing 

 eastigations which are so very commonly administered to 

 floral committees and nursery firms for giving the weight 

 of their authority to certain plants as being suitable for any 

 given purpose, but which under some circumstances beUe 

 their character, it is productive in some minds of a charit- 

 able feeling towards the parties concerned. 



My experience of Calceolaria canariensis would justify me 

 in recommending it to all who wish to have a unique bed of 

 yellow Calceolarias. Two beds of it here have this year 

 been the admiration of all who have seen them. Not a 

 single plant gave way during the intense heat and drought 

 which we experienced throughout July and August; and 

 when the heavy rains set in it stood the dashing much 

 better than any of the others, and was gay a good while 

 after they were all but flowerless in October. The opinion 

 formed of it has led to every cutting being put in that could 

 be had. 



The beds in which it has done so well are well elevated 

 above the surrounding level, and the soil is a rich open 

 loam. Last season some plants of it that were planted in a 

 damp place where the sun left it early in the afternoon, 

 proved very similar to what is recorded of it by Mi-. Harris. 

 From this I conclude it likes a well exposed and not over- 

 damp position. In pots it is one of the finest things I have 

 seen, and yields an enormous crop of bloom ; and for small 

 beds it is likely, if it maintain its style of this year, to be 

 most useful. Edged with blue Lobelia it is very telling, and 

 being so dwarf the two suit well together. 



It is exceedingly desirable when giving an opinion on our 

 experience of plants similar to this, that the soil and position 

 ' in which they have been proved should be named. I have 

 ' learned to deal rather tenderly in giving an opinion on new 

 bedding plants, having tried a vast number of some of the 

 sections at least, and am well satisfied if one in a dozen 

 jH-oves worth growing. Yet, from former experience, I can 

 easily believe that some which I have found next to useless 

 ■here may be first class in soUs and climates the reverse of 

 'that in which I have proved them. As an illustration of 



this, it may be stated that on the cold clay soil of Hertford- 

 shfre I always found Geranium Improved Progmore far 

 superior to Tom Thumb ; while here, nearly on a level with 

 the Firth of Forth, in a light deep loam and dry bracing air, 

 Tom Thumb is far superior to Improved Frogmore. So, 

 again, with some Verbenas which did exceedingly well on 

 the cool clayey soil, but do no good here, and vice versi-. It 

 is no doubt with a knowledge of such facts that Mr. Harris 

 pronounces so judiciously and cautiously on this Calceolaria ; 

 and I should wish to do the same. Were it necessary to 

 illustrate any fm-ther, I might say that C. Aurea flori- 

 bunda is quite second-rate here, while with Mr. H. it is 

 first-rate ; and so I believe it is in the west of Scotland, 

 where the soil is heavier and they get more of the " Scottish 

 mists " from the Atlantic. Hence it becomes very undesu- 

 able to pronounce sweeping condemnations with regard to 

 bedding plants in particular, because pit plants are gene- 

 rally subject to cu'oumstances more alilce aU over the country. 

 One gardener looking at the merits of a plant thi-ougb the 

 influence of a certain description of soil and climate, might 

 insist against the evidence of another who views it under 

 ou'cumstanees the very reverse ; and the two might battle 

 about it just as reasonably as if they were to pronounce on 

 its size while they looked at it through the different ends of 

 a telescope. On this account our opinion, to be reaUy in- 

 structive, should be accompanied with the nature of the soil 

 and climate in which flower-garden plants are proved. 

 Another point to be taken into account is that any given 

 plant may, from causes which it would be difficult to name, 

 succeed one year and not the next, so that we should not be 

 in haste to judge it not suitable or otherwise even to our 

 own cfroumstances. — D. Thomson. 



NOTES ON GLADIOLUS CULTUEE BY AN 

 AMATEUR. 



I HAVE read with considerable interest the remarks in 

 many of yonr recent Numbers on the cultivation and diseases 

 of this attractive and favourite plant. As I have had the 

 good fortune to have grown it successfully for many years, I 

 venture to lay the simple process of my success before my 

 brother amateurs, assuring them that there is less difficulty 

 in cultivating the Gladiolus than there is in gi'owing Dahlias 

 or even choice Kidney Potatoes. I am the more emboldened 

 to do this, because by a simple apphcation I saved my plants 

 this year and secured a good display ot bloom. I ought to 

 tell you first that my locality is a cold wet part of Lanca- 

 shire. 



Well, when I first saw the complaints this year in your 

 pages that Gladiolus-beds were showing unhealthy symptoms 

 of decay, leaves turning prematurely dry, &c., I looked at 

 my beds and found many of the plants slightly affected at 

 the tips of the leaves, and the leaves themselves of an 

 unhealthy colour. I at once gave the surface of the beds a 

 good mulching of old rich manure, and during droughty 

 weather gave the plants lots of water, which, of course, 

 percolated through the top-dressing ; and I assure you the 

 change in the colour and the substance of the leaves soon 

 expressed the grateful thanks of the bulbs below, and in due 

 course an ample display of bloom followed. However, to 

 describe my annual course of treatment I ought to begin, 

 as they say, at the beginning. 



I was induced to invest in a dozen bulbs by a London 

 seedsman when the price was a much greater matter of 

 consideration than at present. I took them with di-ead, for 

 I feared the management would be beyond my abUity. 

 Well, I had a splendid show of bloom, which was greatly 

 admfred by my envious neighbours, accompanied by the 

 usual sage nod of the head and remai'k, " Oh, yes, they are 

 all very weU, but you'U see you can't keep them through 

 the winter." After the blooming was over my plants 

 remained verdant without the sKghest signs of going to 

 rest. Cold weather and frost began to appear, and yet no 

 signs of the plants ripening-off naturally, as I knew they 

 ought to do ; and equally well I knew that if they did not I 

 might say good-bye to them. So without more ado I lifted 

 each clump and deposited the lump of sod, bulbs, and stems, 

 unbroken, into the dry soil of an exhausted Melon or 

 Cucumber frame, and had the gratification to see the stems 



