March '23, 1867. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



226 



RS with Hj-acinths in pots, will depend on the temperature of the 

 hooee or room in which they are grown. It was remarked to me 

 to-day, *' Your Hyacinths are unnsually short and stoat. I have some 

 good Bpiies, but they are slender, attenaated, and disposed to droop. 

 How is this ?" My answer is, They have had at some period of thtir 

 growth too much heat or too little light ; either, or a combiuation of 

 lx)th influences, would produce the elonsacion complained of. Tulips, 

 Narcissi, and Crocuses which are of a kindred nature with Hyacinths, 

 shoold be managed in the same way : all of them may likewise be 

 planted in beds or borders out of doors, a few inches under the soil in 

 the month of November, when the Crocuses will tlower in February ; 

 the Hyacinths, Tulips, and Narcissi in March and April. 



The next plant for consideration is the ////// ofth<: Valley. Although 

 a native plant abounding in the woods and hedge-rowa in many parts 

 of Britain, it must not be supposed that it could be suddenly drawn 

 thence and produced in the beautiful state in which it is exhibited at 

 our Hower shows. There is a major variety, selected doubtless for its 

 size at some former period, and planted in rich soil, where by gross 

 feeding the plant has attained an unusual development. The contents 

 of these pots are prepared for forcing in the following way: — Small 

 pieces or crowns are planted in beds in rich ground, and allowed to 

 remain there for three or four years till the whole bed becomes one 

 mass of roots thickly studded with flowering crowns. They are then 

 cut out with the spade into small patches to suit the size of the pots in 

 which they are grown, placed in the pots in the autumn, when, by sub- 

 jecting them to diflerent degi-eesof heat, a succession of flowers maybe 

 obtained throughout the winter aod spring. 



The Cyclamen is one of the most beautiful of spring flowers : 

 nothing surpasses it for purity and sweetness. It is a native of 

 Sicily. The plants are raised from seed, which should be sown in 

 Jane in pots tilled with equal parts of sand, loam, and peat. The 

 seed should be quite fresh to ensure germination, and requires to be 

 raised under glass. The plants will not usually flower until the 

 second spring, after which they should continue to increase in size 

 and beauty for many years. When the seedlings lose their leaves, 

 which they should not do till they are about twelve mouths old, it is 

 important that they be kept in a dry state. Moisture when in a state 

 ■of rest will certainly injure, and probably destroy them. 



We come now to the Chinese Frhmtla. This plant in a native of 

 China, whence it was introduced in 1820. It is raised from seeds, 

 which should be sown in the months of May, June, and July succes- 

 sively, in pots filled with light sandy soil, and kept under glass. "VNTien 

 the seedlings have made their tliird or fourth leaf they should be 

 transplanted into small pots, giving each plant a separate pot, and 

 removing it at short intervals into pots of larger sizes. This plant 

 does not dislike heat, but if much heat is employed plenty of air 

 should also be given, or the colours of the flowers will be washy and 

 pale. 



There is a curious and interesting fact in the history of plants 

 which the Chinese Primula sei-ves well to illustrate. There is a ten- 

 dency in most plants to vary inform, size, and colour when transferred 

 from their natural or wild state and subjected to cultivation. The 

 type of the Chinese Primrose of to-day was pink or Ulac, and not more 

 than one-fourth of the present size. By culture, through the means 

 of a rich soil and careful attendance, the size was increased, and by 

 watching for even slight variations in form and colour, and selecting 

 such as the parents of future races, the change went gradually on. A 

 break, as it is termed, was at length obtained ; that is, a departure 

 from the normal form. A standard of excellence was set up, but it 

 was found that such, although occasionally realised, could not sud- 

 denly be retained. Seeds saved from the red Primula would some- 

 times produce both red and white-flowered plants, and seeds saved 

 from white Primulas would do the same, wlule the seedlings varied 

 greatly in size, colour, and form. The break was retained, but the 

 result was uncertain. The next step was to fix the alteration. Year 

 after year plants of the altered and more approved form, closely re- 

 sembling each other, were selected and placed apart, and from these 

 alone^ seeds were saved until the altered form was fixed again ; that 

 is, seed saved fi-om red Primulas produced, with almost unerring cer- 

 tainty, red-flowered varieties ; seed saved from white Primulas, white- 

 flowered varieties — both preserving the increased size, altered forms, 

 and clear decided colours of their immediate progenitors. Take 

 another instance : — There are before you plants of the new double 

 crimson Thorn. Strange as it may seem, this is descended from the 

 common Whitethorn or May of our hedges ; but this has not happened 

 suddenly, but by a gradation of changes. Most observers will doubt- 

 less have noticed in our hedges that some of the plants produce 

 flowers of a pink tinge, though still with single flowers. This is the 

 *' break " previously explained ; this was step 1. Some of the seed- 

 lings raised from these wotdd give flowers of a still deeper colour. 

 This was step 2, which we recognise in the single rose-coloured Thorn, 

 a variety found growing in a hedge at Geddington, in Northampton- 

 shire. Some of the offspring of this would be of a still deeper 

 colour — step 3, the new scarlet Thorn. A seedling or a sport from 

 this or the original May of our hedge-rowa would produce double 

 flowers, and here was step 4, the double white or new double 

 pink Thorn. Now I am not asserting that all these steps are 

 authentically recorded, but it is well known to those who are 

 practically engaged in these matters that such is the rule of pro- 

 gross i bat the origin of this new doable crimson Thorn we do 



know. It is not a seedling, but what is called a sport from the 

 double pink Thorn — that is, a branch of the double pink produced 

 flowers of this deep and beautiful hue. The branch was budded and 

 grafted, and the young plants so obtained produced flowers of the 

 same vivid colour. In the same way have been produced the many 

 varieties of the common Hawthorn ; one of the most notable, the 

 Weeping Thorn, having been selected from a bed of seedlings by 

 General Monkton. The upright-growing variety was also selected 

 from a bed of seedlings by Mr. Ronalds, of Brentford. Now, it is 

 the same with leaves as with flowers. Take the Pelargoniums befare 

 you. They are all originally produced from green-leaved varieties, 

 either from sports of the branch, or, later in their history, from seeds 

 of the sports so fixed. The first variegated Pelargonium originated 

 by a branch of a green-loaved variety producing variegated leaves. 

 This branch was cultivated till the habit became fixed. The seeds of 

 these were saved and sown, and a brood of young plants was pro- 

 duced retaining the variegation of the parent. The plants before 

 you, which are seedlings, show this tendency; on some there are both 

 green and variegated leaves. Now, to fix either character is tbe pro- 

 blem. If we wish to retain the green character we nip off all the 

 variegated leaves ; if we wish to retain the variegated character we 

 nip off all the green leaves from time to time as they appear, till the 

 plant produces leaves of the one character only. It is the same with, 

 the Aucubas before you. The green-leaved variety is the normal 

 form ; the variegated kinds are sports either from branches or from 

 seeds. This is, in brief, the process that has beeu worked out in all 

 cultivated plants where leaves or flowers show a wide divergence from 

 the normal form. I shall conclude my observations to-day with a 

 few remarks on the Camellia. 



The Camellia is a native of China, a coantry which has supplied 

 us with many of our richest horticultural treasures. The type of our 

 modem Camellias is a plant with small, single, red flowers, in which 

 the yellow stamens are pleasingly conspicuous. There are now many 

 hundred double sorts, some few of which have been introduced at 

 various times from China, but the majority have' been raised from 

 seed in Italy, France, Belgium, England, and America. Most of the 

 double Camellias are grafted on the single red or type, which is found 

 to strike easily from cuttings placed in a cold pit in sandy soil, in the 

 autumn. The grafting is usually performed late in summer, the stocks 

 chosen being two years old. The soil in which Camellias appear to 

 grow best is rough loamy peat with a plentiful admixture of sand. 

 The process of repotting should take place in summer, when the new 

 growth is pretty well matured and the flower-buds about the size of a 

 French Bean. When potting, thorough drainage should be secured. 

 Now, although the plant is nearly hardy, successfully resisting several 

 degrees of frost, it is not well suited for the open aii- in our climate, on 

 account of the cold and uncertainty of the English spring. Spring is 

 its season of growth, and it then requires a high temperature to in- 

 duce a vigorous and well-matured growth. At this time, when bloom- 

 ing and gi'owing, a plentiful supply of water should be given, but at 

 all other times, especially in autumn and early winter, water shoold be 

 given but sparingly. The premature decay and dropping of the flower- 

 buds so often complained of in Camellias, usually arises from too dry 

 a state of the roots at the season of growth, or too wet a state of the 

 roots when the growth is matured, and the plant is in a state of com- 

 parative rest. So soon as the growth is matured, it is well to remove 

 the plants from under glass, placing them on the north side of a wall 

 or hedge where they are protected from the midday sun. Camellias 

 may be planted out with advantage in the borders of conservatories, 

 where they will attain the height of 20 or 3D feet, forming umbrageous 

 trees of matchless beauty. 



The chief points to look to in their cultivation, then, are these : — 



1. To secure thorough drainage in the soil. 



2. To give heat and moisture during the periods of flowering and 

 growth. 



3. To water sparingly from the time the growth is completed till 

 the flower-buds are about the size of a pea. 



•i. To secure the leaves from being blistered by the sun, green 

 glass or Hartley's rough plate glass is desirable for the Camellia- 

 house ; if ordinary glass be used it should be slightly whitewashed iu 

 the month of March. 



We have yet to speak of Roses and other forced hardy shrubs ; but 

 these will be made the subject of another short paper on Tuesday next. 



At the close of the lecture a vote of thanks was given to Mr. Paul 

 for the interesting and insti'uctive information he laid before the 

 Meeting. 



On the table of the Council-room were exhibited the prizes offered 

 by the Proprietors of the Gardeners' Chroniele and Tun JouRNiL OF 

 Horticulture at the Great Bury Show in July next, and which 

 elicited the admiration of all present. The former is an elegant richly 

 chased silver claret jug of beautiful design, and the latter consisted of 

 two very handsome richly gilt ormolu French clocks, with panels and 

 face of painted and jewelled porcelain. 



EARLY PEAS. 

 My experience with Carter's First Crop Pea coincides \sith 

 that of your correspondent " Eonnoc." 

 Last year I sowed on a south boxderj side by side, and oa 



