December 29, 1863. ] JOTJENAL OF HORTICULTUEE A2^D COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



5H 



go on to specify such as aie in themselves good manures, 

 but which, nevertheless, do not too quickly fall into the 

 condition of complete decay. The list of such things is a 

 Iflxger one than I can give, and I wUl coniine myself to 

 calling attention to one or two ; tliose which I recommend 

 being vegetable matters, not by any means of quick growth, 

 but which are of a tough iibry nature, have taken years to 

 attain their present condition, and during that time have 

 been exposed to all weathers. 



Moss. — Beginning with this, I must observe that the kind 

 I mean is that found on moist waste places where the land is 

 poor, and where other and more useful herbage has given 

 place in a great measure to this low but persistent plant. 

 Moss, such as is used in nurseries for packing, might very 

 often be applied to other purposes with great advantage, 

 especially to such plants as have long rambUng roots and 

 delight in sending them forth in search of that food which 

 does not exist close to their collar. Moss has long been used 

 as an important adjunct to the compost in which Pines 

 are grown, and the proportion so used is often a large one. 

 When covering the broken crocks at the bottom of a pot it 

 is often the receptacle of as many roots as can find space 

 there ; and if it should happen that plants of various kinds 

 have been plunged in a bed of Moss, the rapidity with wliich 

 the roots find theii- way into it, and occupy it, proves how 

 much they like it. Moss, also, has a quality of its own not 

 possessed by many things in which plants live and tlu-ive. 

 A Hyaciuth ^vill root and flower well in a handftil of damp 

 Moss, and that Moss can be handled and moved about with- 

 out employing a flower-pot or other vessel to hold it together. 

 Eeturning to the subject of Pines, I do not know of any way 

 of managing suckers, or, it may be, crowns that are wanted 

 for ftituj-e plants better than tying a handful of Moss about 

 their base with a piece of matting, and planting them either 

 in pots or in the bed. They root very freely through the 

 Moss and quickly become good plants. 



One of the especial purposes we apply Moss to here is, in 

 the spring when the number of bedding plants alike requhe 

 everything in the shape of a pot, and also every inch of . 

 glass. At that time we mate up a sUght hotbed often of short [ 

 grass and old loam mixed, and cover it with light leafy soil. , 

 We then sepai'ate the store-pots or boxes of Geraniums and ! 

 similar plants, and tie a piece of Moss around the root of 

 each with a small portion of soU inside the Moss, the whole 

 being about the size of an ordinary lemon. The plants are 

 bedded closely together over the slight hotbed, and pro- 

 tected in dae course for a short time, and nothing can be 

 more satisfactory than the way in which they root into the 

 Moss, interlacing it in all directions with their fibres, and 

 by degrees entering into the soil of the bed. By the time 

 they are usually removed to their final quarters for the sum- 

 mer, the shallow bed on which they obtained a slight warmth 

 to start with having subsided into the ordinary temperature 

 of the ground, they do not receive the check which they would 

 if removed from a hotbed to the open ground. Without Moss 

 I do not know how this mode of managing bedding plants 

 could be caiTied out, as on one or two occasions when we 

 were accidentally obliged to use short straw and grass in- 

 stead of Moss, the difi'erence was so perceptible as to render 

 it easy to pick out every plant not grown in the Moss ; the 

 green short grass, especially, being obnoxious to the roots of 

 the plants, although, as it is needless to say, its decay was 

 quick, and its manurial properties are by some held in repute. 

 I must, however, place it many degi'ees below Moss in point 

 of merit for the purposes mentioned above, and also for all 

 others connected with vegetation with which I am ac- 

 quainted. 



Moss has long been employed as one of the principal in- 

 gredients in which Orchids are grown ; and though other 

 substances arc used, by {nv the greatest proportion of cul- 

 tivators employ it in large quantities as their principal 

 medium, and some who have tried more recently-introduced 

 substances have returned to Moss again, admitting its 

 superiority. I, therefore, have no hesitation in strongly re- 

 commending Moss as one of the most useful articles on the 

 potting-bench, or, in fact, anywhere. For out-door plants 

 where the chances are that they wiU not receive at all times 

 artificial waterings when wanted, the open texture of 

 Moss admits more an* amongst the roots than is sometimes 

 consistent with their well-being in very dry weather ; but 



for plants immediately under the eye of the cultivator. Moss 

 suits itself so well to the many conditions in which they are 

 grown, and is in general so much liked by them, that I have 

 no hesitation in pronouncing it one of the most useful sixb- 

 stances we have, and in urging its adoption in places where 

 an open texture of compost is wanted. Few plants will be 

 found but what wUl assimilate to themselves such food^ as 

 can be supplied in the Moss, for be it remembered, nothing 

 presents a better medium for conveyiag liquid nourishment 

 to a plant than Moss, and I have no doubt that it will be 

 yet more extensively used than at present. — J. Eobson. 

 (To be contimied.) 



WEIGELA KOSEA FOE A NOETH WALL. 



As we are so often compelled, from w.ant of an evergreen 

 creeper suitable for back walls, or other more or less shady 

 situations, to use deciduous and other kinds of jjants not 

 very prepossessing in winter, I think many would make use 

 of the Weigela rosea did they know that it will grow, flower, 

 and do well in such situations. It has the advantage also, 

 of growing tolerably fast, so that it does not take so long as 

 is generally supposed to cover a wall of moderate size. I 

 have before stated how very readily it will strike from 

 cuttings. Shoots of last year put ia in any form, strike as 

 easily as Willows. 



It should, when first planted, have some good compost — 

 say turfy loam and leaf moidd, and, if at hand, a little peat, 

 otherwise giving more leaf mould. Cover the wall as soon as 

 possible with the main shoots. This done, take a spade and 

 chop the whole of the roots clean in two, at about 2 feet from 

 the stem, or even less, if well furnished with fibrous roots. 

 This is the main secret for the success of this beautiful plant. 

 I used to suppose the Weigela to be a very shy bloomer, but 

 in reality it is quite the reverse, and so manageable is it that 

 no plant can be forced to flower more readily or freely. 

 Cutting away the roots will induce the stronger stems to 

 break freely, and with the spray the intervening spaces can 

 be readily covered. Digging well round the roots will always 

 prevent over-lunuiance, and at the same time induce the 

 plant to bloom rather later than other specimens more fuUy 

 exposed to the influences of the sun.— W. Eaklet, Digsii-ell. 



KEW booe:. 



Cultural Directions for the Rose, by John Ceanstox, King's 

 Acre, near Hereford. London : Houlston & Wright, Pater- 

 noster Eow. 



So wide-spread is the love for the Eose, and so many are 

 they who seek for and need instruction concerning its cul- 

 ture, that anything on the subject is sure to have an exten- 

 sive sale and to be eagerly welcomed. Mr. llivers' "Eose 

 Guide " has passed into a ninth edition ; Mr. W. Pavil's 

 "Eose Garden " has appeared in a new form ; and now Mr. 

 Cranston, with a less pretentious but most useful book, 

 reappears with a second edition, improved and enlarged, 

 making a full and clean breast of it— telling all he knows, 

 and makiug every one of his readers his confidants. The 

 book is divided into two pans. In the fii'st part all the 

 necessary directions for planting, pruning, and growing are 

 given, and at quite sufScient length ; v.-hile in the second 

 inost useful and descriptive lists of varieties suitable for all 

 situations are added, together with those best suited ior 

 exhibition, bedding, climbing, greenhouse cultm-e, and 

 forcing, and all this for the small sum of Is. Gd. 



AU Mr. Cranston's directions are characterised by plain 

 common sense. Witness, for instance, what he says with 

 regard to the selection of varieties : " The first thing the 

 amateur generally does is to fix upon the varieties he wishes 

 to grow; and for this purpose the catalogue is taken in 

 hand, and those varieties described as being tlie most beau- 

 tiful and perfect in form are chosen, without any regard to 

 the habit or the hai-diness of the breed, or the nature of the 

 soil in which they are to be grown." The result, as he 

 states, is too often faUure, which is often laid upon the 

 nurseryman who supplies theui, whereas a little more care 

 or reliance on the vendor would have prevented this. With 

 regard to soU, Mr. Cranston regai-ds the dark black soil of 

 toT/n gardens as the worst, and a rich unctuous loam as 



