328 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 31, 1867. 



into 32's, or 6-inoh pots, then into 8-incli, and lastly into 

 11-inch pots, during tbo same season. The canes were very 

 strong, and would have borne six or eight hunches each in 

 1866, but were allowed to bear only three or four bunches. 

 They were twisted round the pillars which support the roof of 

 the orchard-house. As soon as the fruit was ripe I repotted 

 the Vines in 13-inch pots, using the same compost — namely, a 

 mixture of turfy loam, horse-droppings, and a few crushed 

 bones. In the present season they had each from five to eight 

 bunches, which were well coloured, especially those of the 

 Trentham Black, which has always coloured with me better 

 than the Black Hamburgh. 



When I stated the weight of the bunches, I also ought to 

 have mentioned the number of them and the age of the Vines. 

 Each caue showed, perhaps, from twenty to thirty bunches, 

 and would have borne from ten to fifteen, but at the risk of 

 losing the crop of fruit next year. I prefer a few good sized 

 bunches, with large berries at the same time, rather than a 

 large number of bunches on which the berries will never swell 

 to their full size, nor will the Vine carry a crop the following 

 year. The young wood on these pot Vines is as strong as that 

 in the vineries, where the Vines are planted in a prepared 

 border. 



I was tempted yesterday, on seeing in the Journal the weight 

 of the Jersey Chaumontels, which were grown in the grounds 

 of Mr. G. H. Herman, of Jersey, to weigh two General Todtle- 

 ben Pears, which I grew in the orchard-house in an 11-iuch 

 pot. The weight of one was 18ozs., and that of the other 

 14 ozs. It is a fine-flavoured dessert Pear, and is nearly ripe. 

 — James Douglas. 



MANAGEMENT OF HARDY CONIFERiE. 



The latest introductions among hardy coniferous plants com- 

 mand a ready sale at extravagantly high prizes, perhaps more 

 so than any other class of out-door plants. This, to a certain 

 extent, is a proof of the popularity of this interesting tribe 

 of plants, while their adaptability to our somewhat precarious 

 climate is now scarcely doubted. At many noblemen's and 

 gentlemen's places throughout the couutry tine collections and 

 numerous stately specimens are to be met with ; but, on the 

 other hand, there are also to be seen at not a few places trees 

 exhibiting a leggy and iin symmetrical appearance that might 

 have been handsome and noble-looking specimens. To inquire 

 inf^ the cause of this is the only object of my making the 

 following remarks. 



The question may be asked here. Whether the present style or 

 arrangement in the planting of coniferous plants to any extent 

 differs from that which was practised twenty or thirty years ago, 

 when individual collections were more limited, and the hardi- 

 ness of m.any of the kinds was much doubted. Where ground 

 is hmited, and it the collections are from time to time being 

 added to, there is certainly no remedy for the close-planting or 

 grouping-system ; but if, on the contrary, space is no object, 

 why persist in planting trees, even in this country, within 

 20 or 30 feet of each other, that are known to attain the enor- 

 mous height of from 300 feet and downwards in their native 

 countries ? Of course anything approaching the above-men- 

 tioned height from these trees is not reasonably expected in 

 thiB country ; nevertheless a sufficient space, which in nine 

 eases out of ten is denied many of our most graceful trees, 

 ought to be allowed, that they may not become one-sided, top- 

 pling-looking objects, but handsome and perfect trees. 



A respected writer in a contemporary lately gave some excel- 

 lent advice on the stem and branch-pruning of certain coni- 

 ferious trees and shrubs. Such advice must be welcomed by 

 those who find their choice Cedars of Lebanon, Deodars, etc., 

 clasping each other in fond embrace, denjing for the future a 

 free passage between. The pruning of many of the cone- 

 bearing trees has long been considered a rather dangerous 

 operation, and I believe it to be so still, unless practised by 

 very experienced hands. However, it is my opinion that if 

 more space were allowed, as already stated, there would rarely 

 beany necessity for either stem or branch-pruning. Not long 

 since I had the pleasure of visiting a nobleman's place where a 

 clever writer on horticulture presides. Here I observed several 

 trees — what I took for Cedrus deodara — I should think, up- 

 wards of 40 feet high, and they were somewhere about 30 feet 

 apart. These trees are planted in a straight line, and form part 

 of a gigantic hedge to all appearance. In another part of the 

 grounds a number of Wellingtonias had been recently planted ; 



these are planted also in a line, behind a ribbon-border ; the 

 distance apart is not more than 30 feet, and I think not that 

 from the line of plants to the edge of the path. The object of 

 the planter in this case might have been protection to the 

 bedding plants ; however, be that as it may, it is certainly not 

 an example for intending planters of this tree to follow.— 

 W. H. C. 



CULTURE OF PLANTS FOR SPRING FLOWER 

 GARDENING. 



Wherever this branch of gardening is carried out to any 

 extent, I would recommend the selection of a piece of ground 

 to be devoted solely to the culture and propagation of stock, and 

 to have a reserve garden in case of need. This is not absolutely 

 necessary, for most of the plants will do in any border, or be- 

 hind a hedge in any part of the garden, so as to afford shade if 

 wanted ; but it is much better to have the plants all together 

 when attending to them. Common garden soil I find suitable 

 for most ; however, this sort of soil is easily altered to suit any 

 particular plant. 



I will now direct the reader's attention to the flower garden 

 in the month of May. About a week before the removal of the 

 plants, and if the ground should not be thoroughly wet with 

 recent rain, all the everpreens must be watered, and each of 

 them cut round to the depth of the spade, pressing the soil to 

 the plant. This operation makes the soil adhere to the roots, 

 and the plants are moved with good balls to the ground, and 

 planted in their summer quarters, receiving shade and water 

 for a time. If this operation is done carefully, they only suffer 

 a very slight check, from which they soon recover. The same 

 precaution is necessary when they are transferred to the flower 

 garden in autumn, and they should be pruned into shape i£ 

 required. 



IVallJloweiv next claim consideration, as the garden would 

 lose effect without them, and one can scarcely have too many, 

 as they are among the earliest to bloom, and they fill the air 

 with their delightful perfume. They grow in common garden 

 soil, and move well at any time. The double varieties require 

 a richer soil than the single. Cuttings put in in the beginning 

 of May make fine plants by autumn, but the single varieties 

 can be raised by hundreds if seed be sown in April, and the 

 seedlings transplanted when large enough, keeping them pinched 

 as required. 



Abjssiim sa.ratile compnclum is a pretty, dwarf, yellow-flowered 

 perennial. A bed of this plant, edged with a blue Crocus, has a 

 very pretty effect. It moves well, and grows in common soil 

 in any corner. It is propagated by cuttings immediately after 

 removal. 



Iberii scmjjenurena (Candytuft). — The treatment is exactly 

 the same as for the preceding. It is a dwarf, white-flowered 

 plant, very free, blooming through April and May. When pro- 

 pagated by cuttings these must be put in early. I generally take 

 off the cuttings in March, and insert them in finely-sifted soil 

 with a little sand added, on a shady border. They are trans- 

 planted when struck, and kept pinched until August. 



Myosotis, or Forgot-me-not, is so well known that description 

 is unnecessary. I may, however, remark that two-year-old 

 plants bloom much earlier than the current year's seedlings, and 

 last longer in bloom. 



Viola coriiiita is useful for summer as well as spring de- 

 coration. It has been in bloom with me since last April. I 

 contrive to plant it where it is to remain. It may, however, 

 be divided and planted at any time, or propagated by cuttings or 

 seeds ; the first two modes are to be preferred. 



Patmir.i. — Of these I have only the Cliveden Purple and Blue ; 

 I find them very free blooming and early, and they need rather 

 a rich soil to grow in. They require planting rather deeply, and 

 pegging down, or the wind blows the shoots off close to the 

 ground. They are propagated by division or cuttings ; in either 

 way they will do better with coarse sand or road-drift added to 

 the soil. Care must be taken to protect them from the ravages 

 of mice and snails. 



Daisies. — The red and white are the strongest growers 

 with me, and are nearly always in bloom. They are very 

 effective as edgings or lines if planted thickly. They are easily 

 increased by division, as the smallest piece will grow if shaded 

 from the midday sun. The mice are troublesome where Daisies 

 are. 



Polyanthus. — Of this I grow the mixed varieties, which are 

 in bloom as early as a Crocus. They Uke a rich soil to grow in, 



