180 



JOUBNAL OF HORTIOULTDEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ Maroh 8, 1877. 



debted for the accompanying illnstration of a seedling fringed 

 variety, which shows the effeetivenesg of this type of flowers. 

 Half a dozen superior named double varieties are Beauty of 

 Clapham, white veined with pink ; Snowball, white ; niamond, 

 white suffused with pink ; Patroness, white flaked and mottled 

 with purple; Prince of Wales, white and violet; and King of 

 Crimsons, a fine rich self. 



But the singles are as valuable as the doubles for cultivation 

 in pots, while for bedding, especially in light soils and sunny 

 positions, they are invaluable. For producing a rich dark bed, 

 purple shaded with crimson, few plants can surpass Spitfire. 

 Magnificent beds of this Petunia were produced at the Crystal 

 Palace a few years ago. Shrubland Rose, as before mentioned, 

 makes a pleasing mass of a distinct colour. But perhaps the 

 moat striking effect is produced by planting large masses of 

 the margined and veined varieties in mixture — plants raised 

 from seed. The " latest improvements " of these striped and 

 marbled Petunias are very decided, and those who have not 

 grown them have a treat in store. 



The seed requires to be sown in pans at the present time 

 and placed in gentle heat until the seedlings appear. The 

 plants should then be placed near the glass in a light house or 

 frame, having a temperature of .50° to .5-5'', and then be pricked- 

 off in boxes or small pots to become established, subsequently 

 to be removed to cold frames to harden preparatory to being 

 planted out. 



The soil should be light and rich, and should be well watered 

 before the seed is sown. It should be sown thinly, very thinly, 

 and be covered slightly and shaded until it germinates. Pe- 

 tunia seed is almost invariably sown too thickly, and the 

 seedlings are retained too long in a high temperature before 

 being transplanted, and a weakly growth is consequently 

 fostered. Thin sowing, light, air, and a genial temperature 

 are the essentials for producing sturdy growth and satisfactory 

 plants. 



Plants raised from cuttings require much the same treat- 

 ment, in fact precisely the same after roots are emitted ; until 

 then brisk heat and shade are necessary. 



The cultivation of plants in pots is very simple. Sound 

 loam enriched with decayed manure, and rendered porous if 

 necessary by an admixture of sand, will grow the plants ad- 

 mirably. They must not be overpotted, for Petunias are 



white, but for the reverse reason — because they are never 

 purely white. They come out of a dirty colour, and bleach by 

 degrees. Where the body colour is dark and rich as in Diamond 

 the bright yellow paste is charming; but I have never seen 

 this paste in flowers like Conspicua with violet tints. Bright 

 yellow would not harmonise with these, and Nature, who paintB 

 with an inimitable pencil, accords to them (so far as I have 

 seen) a custard-coloured paste. We must therefore either 

 accept this or discard Violets altogether. The dirty white I 

 have noticed above seems to arise from crossing the Alpine 

 with a show self. — G. Spakkes. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



KITCnEN GAEDEN. 



It is noteworthy that the last half of this month and the first 

 half of April is as busy a time as any in the year both for gar- 

 deners and amateurs. After arriving at the middle of Marchit 

 is advisable to sow and plant as many crops as possible — that is, 

 as soon as the ground is workable ou the surface. Very little 

 chance, however, has presented itself yet for seed-sowing, but 

 all should be in readiness ; and it may be that, owing to the 

 wet, the soil will not work down well. We had last week two 

 nights of frost, one of 8" and the next 11°, and if it had continued 

 for a few more nights, thougli not so severe, much good would , 

 have been done to the soil. Wet days have succeeded the frost, 

 and the soil is now worse than before. 



The crops of Onions and Parsnips should be sown, also further 

 Bowings of Peas and Broad Beans phoold be made as Eoon as 

 possible. A border must be prepared for several small seeds, such 

 as those ot Brussels Sprouts, Cauiiflowers, Lettuce, Cabbages, 

 Early Ulm Savoy, and Eadisbes. Turnips should always be 

 sown in small patches until the middle of summer, as in garden 

 ground they soon become hot and stringy. Asparagus beds 

 should be made if any sre needed, and the work should bo 

 done well, especially if they are to remain as permanent beds. 

 The roots may be planted just as growth commences, and be 

 covered over thinly at first, but to have a top-dressing of ma- 

 nure as they grow. Plant Horseradish it needed: it is not 

 well to let a bed remain too long, or many small crowns are 

 formed instead of large clean roots. Seakale, too, must be 

 planted if a fresh plantation is required. Globe Artichokes 

 muBt be attended tj by removing all suckers which are not 

 wanted, and levelling down the ridges of manure placed round 



tho plants for protection, and digging it in between the rows, 

 rather "tender-rooted plants. Neither must they become pot- I The suckers should be planted either to fill up the old bed or to 

 bound before being transferred to larger pots until the bloom- I make a new one. Now that the wheeling of manure is finished 

 ing pots are given. Attractive plants may be grown in 5 and | let the walks be put in order and have fresh gravel applied 

 C-inoh pots, S-inch pots being large enough for specimens i '^^^'■'' "^''^^^"J' 

 3 feet in diameter. The plants cannot endure shade or a close 

 atmosphere — " coddling " is fatal to success. They must have 

 the lightest position at command, and abundance of air. They 

 must be stopped frequently, not bruising the tips by roughly 

 pinching, but cutting oil' their tops with a sharp knife. The 



FKUIT OAECEN. 



The trees are very forward. Apricots in the south have been 

 iu bloom Eome time, but where they have been protected by 

 twigs of fir and laurel the frosf has not injured them. One ob- 

 jection to the use of these is that in windy weather they blow 

 and fro and rub the blossom, or even knock it quite off. 



habit of Petunias being naturally loose and straggling, stop- 1 Hexagon netting fixed to the top of the wall, and pegKed down 

 plug, tjing-down, and training are operations which must not j at the bottom a little distance from the wall, is better than fir 

 be neglected. Stopping may be continued until within six ; boughs. There is a very good show of bloom on most kinds of 



weeks of the time when the plants are required to commence 

 expanding their flowers. When flowering manure water is 

 necessary, and insects must be prevented by occasional fumi- 

 gations. 



Some of the newest named varieties are particularly at- 

 tractive. Dr. Hogg has been justly compared to a Gloxinia, it 

 is very distinct. Hon. A. L. Melville, Mr. Tillery, Mrs. Wright, 

 Mrs. Shirley Hibberd, Miss Harrison, Captain Thomas, and 

 Mrs. Wynne are striped and marbled iu the most artistic 

 manner, and if they prove constant will be very valuable for 

 decorative purposes. It is only fair to say, however, that 

 striped Petunias are sportive in their nature, and time is re- 

 quired to establish their permanency. — W. 



ALPINE AURICULAS. 



A SHADED body colour and deep yellow paste have hitherto 

 been contidered.iu the north particularly, as the indispensable 

 characteristics of a good Alpine. This year, I understand, 

 flowers wanting in these points are to be permitted to be shown. 

 It is not probable, however, that the discussion will drop alto- 

 gether, and a few words on the subject may be opportune. 



And first as to shaded colour. Among show celfs both 

 shaded and non-shaded flowers are allowed ; Martin's Miss 

 Martin being an example of the former. It seems, therefore, 

 unreasonable not to allow an equal diversity in Alpines — which 

 of the two is preferable is a mere matter of individual taste. 



As to white pastes, I object to them, not because they are 



fruits, but particularly on trees which produced spaiingly 

 last year. Doyenne du Comice, Bergamotte Esperen, Easter 

 Beurrr, Doyenci.' Bonssoch, Althorpe Crassane, Winter Nelis, 

 and Glont Morcean are prolific among Pears ; and of Apples 

 Lord Snffleld, Stirling Castle, Cellini, Hawthornden, Scarlet 

 Nonpaieil, Blenheim Orange, and several other sorts are very 

 full of fruit buds. Plant early Melons as soon as possible ; they 

 need particular attention in the matters of heat and ventilation. 

 There are numbers of sorts to choose from, and most of them 

 good. In vineries where the buds are breaking a little warmth 

 must be given, and the temperature kept regular but by no 

 means high tor the present. Jlr. Douglas, who is an excellent 

 Grape-grower, narrates his treatment in such a practical way 

 that if his weekly advice is followed few failures will occur. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



Plants for the flower garden should be prepared as rapidly as 

 possible. Geraniums which have been wintered in pots or boxes 

 should now be potted singly in small pots, and be afforded a 

 genial temperature until established, and then be removed to 

 cold frames. Cuttings strike freely at this season if placed in 

 beat and not shaded, but they do not flower so freely as autumn- 

 struck plants. It is only, therefore, advisable to propagate now 

 those variegated sorts which are grown for the beauty of their 

 foliage; and of these, plants raised iu spring are equal if not 

 superior to plants raised iu autumn. Cuttings cf Verbenas, 

 Heliotropes. Ageratums, itc, require to be inserted in sandy 

 soil, and be placed in a brisk moist heat and shaded until rooted. 

 Plants of these, also of Petunias and Lobelias, may be raised 

 from seed, sowing at the present time, so that the plants may 

 have as long a period as possible to attain strength before " bed- 

 ding-out time" arrives. Very useful is Verbena venosa, seed oJ 



