4M 



JOUIiNAL OP UORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



[ Juna 13, 1867. 



Utoat tbe miciaie of September, and not later than the 

 omI ci the mouth, the plants should be lifted very carefully 

 vith a fork, on a damp day if possible. Preserve the old ball 

 ^lire, bot shake away the looae soil ; then place them in nine- 

 iDch pots, affording liberal drainage, and using a compost of 

 OD0-third loam from rotten turf— that from a pasture where the 

 Boil is a rather strong yellow loam is to be preferred — one-third 

 thoionghly decomposed cowdung, and a like proportion of rough 

 or thiee-parts-dccayed leaf mould, with the addition to the 

 lAole ol about one-sixth sharp sand. The loam should be 

 torn in pieces with the hand, the cowdung should be so dry as 

 to be easily broken with a spade, the leaf mould ought to be 

 passed Ihxongh a three-quarter-inch riddle to free it from sticks, 

 ■ad nil should be well mixed and incorporated. The soil must 

 lie well worked in amongst the roots, and the plants ought 

 not to be potted deeper than they were before, or only very 

 little. They may, after potting, be placed in a cold pit, a gentle 

 •wstering and a slight syringing overhead being given, and the 

 tame kept close and shaded for a few days until the plants re- 

 cover from i>otting so as to endure sun and air without flagging. 

 After they have become again established, air should be given 

 rery freely whenever the weather is mild, and protection must 

 be afforded them by mats placed over the lights. They may 

 temain in the cold pit or frame until the close of November, or 

 oren later if the weather be mild, when they should be re- 

 mored to a cold and airy greenhouse, where they cannot have 

 too light and roomy 3 position. The plants must be watered 

 to keep them gently growing, in fact the foliage should not be 

 allowed to flag ; no water, however, is to be given until the soil 

 becomes dry, then afl'ord a watering sufhcieut to show itself at 

 the drainage. This is the grand secret of watering, for it is 

 positively injurious to water a plant when the soil is wet, and 

 it is equally liurtful to allow it to droop from the soil being too 

 dry. As regards temperature, it is sufiicient during winter if 

 the plants be kept from frost ; even a few degrees below 

 freezing with a dry atmosphere will be better than a few 

 degrees too much heat. Protection from frost is all they re- 

 quire, and air on all favourable occasions. 



In February the plants may be shifted into 12-inoh pots, 

 employing the compost already mentioned, and this is all the 

 patting I consider necessary for subjects intended to be planted 

 out in the flower-garden. Let the plants continue in a cool 

 house until the end of March ; then place tbem in a cold pit, 

 and let them remain there until the end of May, giving air on 

 all favourable occasions, and keeping them as cool as possible, 

 bnt protecting from frost. Sometimes when I have had little 

 room I have not potted tbem early in spring, but have fed 

 tbem with liquid mauui'c instead ; but the plants were not so 

 fine as those which had had a shift. 



The ground where Humeas are to be planted should have a 

 liber&l dressing of manure and leaf mould, or holes, each suffi- 

 ciently large and deep to hold a barrowful of the compost 

 named for potting, should be dug for the plants. After planting 

 gire a good watering. 



if specimens are required for the greenhouse or for other 

 porposes, some of the most promising plants may, early in 

 Januaiy, be potted in 12-inch pots and kept in a cool house. 

 By the end of February they will h&ve filled the pots with 

 roots ; they may then have a final shift into 15 or 18-inch 

 pots, and nt this potting the soil may be rougher but not 

 richer, though the loam may be ot a stronger nature. They 

 flhonld be carefully watered uutil the roots are working in the 

 fresh soil, and may after February have a sprinkling of water 

 overhead night and morning, but nothing Bpproacbing to a 

 close atmosphere. Of air and light they canuot have too much, 

 and they cannot be kept too cool so long as they are merely 

 protected from frost. They must have plenty of room, and if 

 inclined to grow on one side more than another the pot should 

 be reversed, placing next the liglit that side of the plant which 

 eeems disposed to grow least. When they have filled the pots 

 with roots they may have liquid manure at every alternate 

 witcring, and afford a liberal supply of water when it is re- 

 qmired. If sphis appear fumigate with tobacco paper, and 

 tlirips mny be disposed of in the same manner ; but either of 

 these insects attacking Humeas show the air to have been too 

 close, warm, and dry. Keep cool, airy, and well watered. — 

 G. Abeet. 



and not to Messrs. J. Teitch & Sons as was stated. Mr. Stan- 

 dish holds the entire stock of this splendid Conifer, which he 

 is now sending out. 



XIktisostoea FiLiTEnA.--The first-class certificate for this 

 jfjant, which waa exhibited on Tiiesdny, the 21st of May, was 

 Bwsrdsd to Mr. .John Standi'^h, of the Pvoyal Nursery, Ascot, 



A VISIT TO LEIGH PARK. 



I BECENTLY accompanied a friend to the gardens appertain- 

 ing to Leigh Park, near Havant, Hampshire, the residence of 

 W. H. Stone, Esq., M.P. ; and amidst the varying lights and 

 shades of an April day, passed a few hours most agreeably 

 amongst the objects of Nature's handiwork which are met with 

 there. 



The neat little town ot Havant, lying on the South Coast 

 Line, about seven miles from Portsmouth, is easily accessible 

 to holiday-seekers, and the attractions ol the Park are fully 

 appreciated in summer by visitors from miles around. The 

 entrances to the place are from the Portsmouth turnpike road ; 

 that which afforded us ingress is about a mile and a half from 

 Havant, and is provided with a handsome lodge, the architectural 

 design of which is the first evidence of taste which attracts the 

 eye of a stranger. After entering at this place, and following 

 a carriage drive winding amongst " ancestral trees," we came 

 to a slight wire fence separating the shrubberies and precincts 

 of the mansion from the park without. Passing this, my at- 

 tention waa first arrested by a curious-looking building, of 

 which the masonry, grey with age, proclaimed its antiquity. 

 A most intelligent guide who accompanied us through the 

 grounds informed us that this was the old library, the present 

 mansion being a modem erection, and occupying a different 

 site from that of the old house. The library is a beautiful 

 octagonal building, and its eight oriel windows contain excellent 

 paintings relating to the Staunton family, to whom the estate 

 formerly belonged. The harmonious blending and richness of 

 the colours in these windows is very attractive to the eye, and 

 the skilful workmanship displayed in the carved surroundings 

 enhances their beauty. 



From near this place a straight path diverged towards the 

 aquatic-house, where the Egyptian Paper plant (Papyrus anti- 

 quorum), Bullrushes of the Nile, interspersed with the blossoms 

 of the Victoria regia and other water plants, displayed them- 

 selves in natural perfection. The gold fish here were remark- 

 able for their tameuess as well as beauty. 



Leaving the aquarium we passed into the Orchid-house, 

 which is connected. Here are many new and rare species of 

 Orchids, some of which are very tine specimens. Of these 

 most of the names have escaped my memory ; but my at- 

 tention was forcibly attracted by a profuse-growing AUamanda 

 .Schottii trained to the roof, which it traverses. Besides look- 

 ing very ornamental, it excellently guards oft the direct rays of 

 the sun. 



Leaving this house, and going westward of this range, vre 

 passed through two vineries and a Heath-house. In the latter 



the numerous varieties were most brilliant and lovely — so 



lovely, that in gazing on the beauty of the Australian plants I 



was reminded of those lines — 



" Another Flom there of bolder hues 

 And richer sweets, beyond our garden pride. 

 Plays o'er the helds." 



I lingered amongst these charming plants, and shall always 

 retain a pleasing recollection of the Heath-house at Leigh 

 Park. Here a glass case 4 feet wide is connected, and extends 

 the whole length of the west wall. This is made serviceable 

 for many purposes as well as the protection of the trees on the 

 wall from late spring frosts, and preventing the fruit from being 

 damaged by heavy rains when approaching maturity. 



Eetracing our steps to the Orchid-house, and making our 

 way through the entiie range, we were next introduced to two 

 more vineries, one of which contained coloured Grapes, all, I 

 believe, of the Black Hamburgh kind, and admirably trained. 



The Peach-house completed this range. Two other vineries 

 were passed, and then we came to the pineries, consisting of 

 four ranges, two of them lean-to's and the other two span-roofed 

 pits. The two latter contained successions of fruiting Pines, 

 all presenting a very healthy appearance. 



Next we were shown a large and lofty stove, in which were 

 fine specimens of flowering and ornamental-foliaged plants and 

 tree Ferns — viz., two plants of Maranta Portennn, and also of 

 Maranta zebrina, two handsome specimens of Cycas revoluta, 

 Zamia Lehmnnni, Philodendron pertusum, Musa C'aveadishii, 

 in fruit, Ixovas, &c. Among the tree Ferns were Dick- 

 sonia autarciica, Alsophiia australis, Cyathea dealbata, C, me- 



