April 6, 1877. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTDBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



247 



bushels of good fruit, and in some seasons has nearly doubled 

 that. How many fancifully pruned trees would it take to pro- 

 duce twenty bushels, and how much ground would they 

 occupy compared to that one?" 



Now, this is only a fair way of meeting such question?, and 

 doubtless there are many who would give the preference to the 

 artificially trimmed trees ; but ask the caterer for the market 

 and he will say, " Give me quantity and quality too;" and he 

 knows full well that if he wanted a few for some special pur- 

 pose his large trees would produce them as well as small trees 

 could do by the fruit being properly thinned. In places where 

 little or no pruning is done it is not because the banefits of 

 such are not understood, but because it is thought more profit- 

 able to omit pruning and pinching. Wall and espalier trees 

 are often left rough for the mere reason that their trimming 

 would both involve labour and reduce the quantity of fruit. 



I win at some future time allude more particularly to Plum 

 trees, inviting at the same time any remarks that anyone can 

 make on the varieties that are moat extensively grown in those 

 districts famed for the growth of this fruit, together with the 

 character of the soil and other particulars. I believe a great 

 many Plums are grown in the valley of the Thames ; will some- 

 one give us a chapter on them and other particulars relating 

 thereto ? — J. Eoesok. 



FLOKIST FLOWEES RAISED FROM SEED. 



Petunias. — I bear testimony to the great value of the double 

 varieties from seed for greenhouse or conservatory decoration, 

 and the singles for bedding, producing, indeed, as stated by 

 "W. " (page 179), a "most striking effect, by planting large 

 masses of the margined and veined varieties in mixture." 



Teeeena. — The popularity of the Verbena is waning more 

 and more during each year ; its place for massing is taken by 

 foliage plants of low growth — their colour is not so soon washed 

 out as that of flowers. Every fashion has its day : it will 

 turn from the stiff, formal, monotonous flatness of the style 

 fitly termed carpet bedding as did the formal gardens of past 

 times from the devices in Box with contrasting colouring 

 materials, and shrubs clipped into every conceivable shape 

 from apes to peacocks — into the more enjoyable mixed style in 

 which a diversity of objects were so blended as to produce an 

 agreeable effect. Year by year plants esteemed for the beauty 

 of their flowers are becoming less and less valued for massing. 

 Verbenas are nevertheless very beautiful in the mass and a 

 mixed bed anything but despicable, whilst for decorative pur- 

 poses and grown in pots or pans they are well deserving of 

 culture. Plants from seed, though improving, are very much 

 behind the named kinds ; yet I have had some from seed 

 obtained in the ordinary way which have given an average 

 number of fair flowers, and some really good. 



The seed should be sown in March in pots or pans in light 

 rich soil and lightly covered, placing in a hotbed; one em- 

 ployed for raising half-hardy annuals will answer, or a Cucum- 

 ber frame, it being important that the plants so soon as they 

 appear be near the glass in order to be stocky, and the seed 

 should be sown thinly. Water must be given as required to 

 keep the soil moist, but avoid making it sodden. In the course 

 of a few days the seedlings will appear. When they can well 

 be handled pot them in small pots, or prick them 2 inches 

 apart in pans or boxes, returning to the hotbed, keeping moist 

 and shaded until established, then admit air and light freely. 

 Stop the plants at the second leaf, which will cause them to 

 branch freely. They must not be allowed to become drawn by 

 keeping too warm and close, but after they are well established 

 remove them to a cold frame, hardening off gradually, and in 

 ease of frost protecting with mats. They may be planted out 

 at the close of May or early in .June in light moderately rich 

 soil and an open situation, yet sheltered from winds. If the 

 plants are to form a mass the distance of planting should not 

 exceed 15 nor be less than 12 inches apart. All they require 

 is to be watered in dry weather and to have the shoots pegged 

 down, and stopped if required until July. They will flower 

 in late summer and continue until frost. 



If required for pots the plants must never become potbound 

 before having their final shift. The shoots should be stopped 

 at every 3 inches of growth until July. They may be grown 

 in a cold frame, or after May they may have a position out- 

 doors on ashes, open but sheltered. Due regard being had to 

 stopping and regulating the shoots, compact plants may be 

 had without resorting to the orthodox wire trellis. The flower 

 toQBBes may be removed until within five or six weeks of when 



required to bloom. Attention must be given to watering and 

 sprinkling overhead in the evening of bright days, and after 

 the pots fiU with roots weak liquid manure may be given at 

 every alternate watering. A compost of equal parts of fibrous 

 loam and leaf soil, with a third part in equal proportions of 

 old cow dung or hotbed manure, sandy peat, and silver sand 

 well incorporated will grow them well. Good drainage is 

 necessary. The plants will flower in late summer, and having 

 protection from heavy rains in a cold pit or house wiU con- 

 tinue in good condition for a long time. Verbenas are very 

 useful in late autumn as decorative plants or to cut from. 

 I'ependauce of course must be placed upon named kinds, yet 

 some prefer to grow plants from seed. The plants raised from 

 seed are more free in growth and not so liable to attacks of 

 aphis and thrips as are plants from cuttings. Insects may be 

 destroyed by fumigation or syringing with diluted tobacco 

 juice, one part of juice to six parts of water. 



CycLAMEN PEEsicuM.^The varieties of this come quite true 

 from seed, and young plants so raised are very much superior 

 to old plants — in fact, the latter are disappointing, young 

 plants affording ampler foliage and finer flowers. Not a few 

 of the old large corms refuse to grow when required, whilst 

 others make a great effort in August at showing leaves and 

 losing every one during the autumn. All corms after the 

 second year are too large to be grown in a moderate-sized pot, 

 and so uncertain as not to be worth keeping; besides, we have 

 half a dozen varieties from a packet of seed, and the plants 

 are so easily grown, that the growing of old corms as large in 

 diameter as the pots is not worth the trouble. All plants, no 

 matter which, are much healthier from seed than from portions 

 of the parent: hence when continuance by seed can be pur- 

 sued with a certainty of character in the progeny equal to the 

 parent, the desirability of the practice becomes apparent. 

 From a carefully selected packet of seed we are almost certain 

 to have flowers not only good but also of a new shade of colour 

 or something diverse in the foliage. In this way has originated 

 our C. persicnm grandiflorum with its beautifully marked leaves 

 and its much larger and greatly improved flowers. We shall 

 soon have all the varieties with flowers similarly fine, and not 

 a few double — no improvement to the flower, but rather a 

 disadvantage. 



The raising of Cyclamen persicum from seed has received 

 an impetus from the shortness of the time as compared with 

 former practice in which the plants can be had in flower. Early- 

 flowering plants are produced by growing them in heat up to 

 or within a short time of flowering. A temperature inter- 

 mediate between that of a greenhouse and a stove is suit- 

 able ; in fact, a stove temperature is not too warm for them 

 until advanced for flowering if plants are to be flowered the 

 same year as the seed is sown. There can be no doubt of the 

 best time for sowing the seed, when Nature dictates — namely, 

 BO soon as it is ripe. The old plants return to activity shortly 

 after the seed is cast — that is, if allowed to seed, and the seed 

 also coming into contact with a favourable medium for growth 

 starts simultaneously with the parent plants. August, there- 

 fore, is the best time to sow the seed, which should be done 

 in pans rather thinly, just covering it with fine soil, and placing 

 in a frame at a stove temperature, 05^ at night, 70 to 75' by 

 day, with a rise to 85° from sun heat, and when those con- 

 ditions cannot be secured by natural heat it must be secured 

 by artificial. It is essential that the plants after they appear 

 be placed near the glass and be kept moist, sprinkling them over- 

 head morning and evening, as the foliage does not appear to 

 suffer from damp when in a young state. Prick off the seed- 

 lings when showing the second leaf, or pot them off singly in 

 small pots and place on a shelf near the glass in an inter- 

 mediate house — a cool stove or warm greenhouse. If not 

 potted into small pots from the seed pans they must be trans- 

 ferred to 3-inch pots when the second leaf is developed and 

 others rising. Those in small pots must not be allowed to 

 become potbound, but be given a slight shift, not having them 

 in larger than l-inch pots during the winter or early spring for 

 economy of space; indeed, they will not require transferring 

 from the pans, or shifting from the small pots, until January or 

 February, and those will be sufficient to carry them up to May, 

 when they may be placed on ashes in a cold pit or frame, keep- 

 ing rather close, and protected at night with mats over the 

 lights. They should have 4inch pots in early June, and we 

 have only to ventilate moderately, to shade from brightness, to 

 duly supply with water, and to sprinkle overhead every evening 

 if the day has been bright, and to give a shift into C or 7-inch 

 pots dniing July, or if wanted in small pots this trouble may 



