Miy 31, 1877. 1 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



403 



it has been growing for years in the open border in front of one 

 of the houses in the College Botanic Gardens at Dublin with- 

 out the slightest protection. Each year it grows into a well- 

 finished eymmetrioal specimen, bnt fails to perfect its blooms 

 before the autamn. The circumstance is snggestive of turning 

 out young plants into the open ground for the summer months, 

 and then lifting and potting them for flowering indoors. It is 

 a native of Brazil, and is usually cultivated as a stove plant. 



We have been asked if it is true that in Switzerland the 



law compels every newly married couple to plant six trees 

 immediately after the marriage ceremony, and two on the birth 

 of each child ? Wo cannot answer the question, and refer it 

 to our Swiss correspondent " A. W." for solution. In the 

 meantime we doubt the veracity of the report. 



Mk. Ernest Bergman of Paris writes to us to say that 



he heard the cuckoo at Ferrieres on the 9th of April. 



THE CAMPANULA, OR BELLFLOWEE. 



Whether the plants be employed in the decoration of beds 

 or borders, greenhouses, halls, or windows, this genus is one 

 of the most useful. The flowers are usually blue or white, and 

 are generally produced from June to September. The plants 

 are mostly found in temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and 

 North America. 



Amongst annuals C. Speculum (Venus's Looking-glass) and 

 C. Lorei, and its variety C. Lorei alba, are the best, growing 

 from G inches to 1 foot in height, and if sown in patches at 

 the front of a border, or in lines round the margin of a bed, 

 they are very attractive ; but on dry soils, and if the weather 

 is very hot, their duration is very brief, the flowers seldom 

 lasting good more than three weeks. The seed should be sown 

 in early spring, scattering it thinly and covering veiy lightly, 

 for the seed of all the species is very small, so that if a thick 

 covering of soil be placed over it, it will be a long time in 

 germinating, and possibly may not germinate at all. If a few 

 pots of C. Speculum are sown at the same time and placed 

 in a cold frame, and the seedlings thinned out so as to leave 

 eight or nine plants in a G-inch pot, a pleasing change will be 

 afforded for mixing with other subjects in a conservatory. Seed 

 may also be sown in September for spring flowering. 



The well-known Canterbury Bell (C. Medium) is a biennial, 

 and should be sown outdoors in May or June. The soil should 

 be prepared by soaking it with water twelve hours previous 

 to sowing the seed. When the plants are large enough for 

 handling transplant them into beds 4 feet wide and G inches 

 between each plant, there to remain until the autumn, when 

 they may be transferred to their flowering stations in the 

 mixed flower border or where wanted ; or if the planting be 

 delayed at this time it may be done in March. About five 

 plants in a group look very well. There is an improved form of 

 the old Canterbury Cell (C. Medium calycanthema and C. Me- 

 dium calycanthema alba), the calyx being coloured the same as 

 the corolla. These are quite hardy, and should be grown by 

 all who wish to grow Campanulas. As pot plants there are 

 few things to surpass them, and the flowers of this variety last 

 well when cut. The best plan is to pot as many plants as 

 are required in Septtmbtr, the largest-sized plants into 8-iuch 

 pots, and the smaller into G-inch, and give them the protection 

 of a cold frame durirg the winter months. They will come into 

 bloom a fortnight or so earlier than those in the borders, the 

 larger plants making handsome specimens of pyramidal form 

 2 feet in height. The smaller will be useful as table plants, 

 and when throwing up their flower spikes liberal waterings 

 with manure water will greatly improve them. This is one of 

 the finest Campanulas grown. 



Amongst perennials, of which there are a very largo number, 

 I shall only name such as I know to be good, some being very 

 dwarf and having a procumbent habit, and others growing 

 more erect, 1, 2, and 3 feet in height. The size and shape of 

 their bells also vary from the fine and handsome bells of C. Van 

 Houttei to the small ones of that dwarf species pusilla alba. 

 The Chimney Campanula (C. pyramidalis) is an old and 

 well-known plant, its erect style of growth, if on a rockery, 

 forming a very striking contrast with Seduma, Saxifrages, 

 and other plants. In some parts of the country this Cam- 

 panula is grown in pots by cottagers with some rivalry. Each 

 tries to fxool his neighbour in producing the tallest and most 

 handsome spikes, attending them with the greatest care, some 

 of the spikes of bloom being 4 and 5 feet in height, and when 

 at their best, about the end of July or August, a few of these 



plants in front gardens or on window sills are very attractive, 

 and will find very few equals. The mode of propagation is 

 by cuttings, which are produced round the base of the plant 

 when in bloom, inserting four or five round a 5-inoh pot, 

 placing in a shady spot, and keeping them moist till rooted, 

 then dividing and potting into their blooming pots, usually 

 G, 7, or 8-inch, according to their strength, and placed in the 

 open nir. The main point to ensure a good spike the succeed- 

 ing lummer is to have a good crown of leaves to the plant 

 before winter sets in. They are left outdoors all the winter 

 months except when frosty, when they are brought indoors, 

 to go out again on the return of better weather. The soil is 

 similar to that used for potting Geraniums or Fuchsias. 



Another old favourite for window decoration is C. garganica, 

 a trailiug kind with pale blue flowers, very suitable for fus- 

 pcnding in a window or as a b?.skct plant. I have found that 

 by potting it in soil composed with half peat the growth is 

 less straggling and the flowers are of a deeper blue. It is 

 usually increased by cuttings or division. C. carpatica (blue) 

 and C. carpitica alba make effective bedding plants, and 

 clumps of them in mixed borders are very telling, growing 

 from ',) inches to 2 feet in height according to the quality of 

 the soil. If seed be gathered as soon as ripe and sown it will 

 germinate freely and afford blooming plants the next summer; 

 but division in spring is the best mode of increase when a 

 sufficient stock of it is obtained. 



One of the finest of herbaceous perennials is C. Van Honttei, 

 either for pots for exhibition or for borders. Its large dark 

 blue bells are very handsome. The Peach-leaved (C. persici- 

 folia) and its varieties are also good. C. coronata, C. coronata 

 alba, C. glomerata, C. latifolia, C. lactiflora, C. nitida alba, 

 C. grandiflora, C. pubescens, and C. aggregata, are all worthy 

 of a place in the garden, and will flourish well in the open; 

 but if planted near or under large trees the growth will be 

 very poor. When the flower spikes are rising a few neat 

 stakes should bs put to those that require support, for rough 

 winds will blow them about and damage them, and if the 

 weather should prove very dry a few good waterings will be 

 beneficial to them in prolonging their season of bloom, and a 

 supply of blue and white flowers at any time is very desirable. 



There are a few more species that are worth special atten- 

 tion, their dwarf growth being very suitable for an open 

 rockery or for pots. C. pusilla and C. pusilla alba are perfect 

 gems, only attaining a few inches in height, but a profusion of 

 bloom. C. Cymbalaria, C. fragilis, and C. muralis are of a 

 procumbent habit. If in pots they flower freely, growing over 

 the pots, hanging down, and completely hiding them ; but to 

 grow them well they must have no coddling. Protection of a 

 cold frame in hard weather, dividing and repotting in good 

 loam and leaf soil in February, and plenty of water when re- 

 quired, especially when in bloom, is all they want. 



There is another species that is often trodden under foot on 

 commons and waste lands in Britain, growing in foUtary 

 patches, and throwing up its humble spike in July or August, 

 often when all the grass and other horboge near it is burnt np 

 with drought, and that is the Harebell (G. rotundifolia). If 

 a few bits of this plant are taken up when in flower, potted, 

 and taken care of, it is surprising what a beautiful object is 

 produced. If grown-on with liberal treatment in 8-inch pots, 

 masses laden with hundreds of bells will be produced from 

 July to the end of September. A few twigs placed round the 

 edges of the pot help to keep the stems erect. It is usually 

 in a wild state about G inches in height, but under cultiva- 

 tion it grew 2 feet in height. There aro many other species 

 of this fine genus of plants, but all the above-named are 

 good. — A. Hakdinq. 



BULLFINCHES AND SQUIRRELS. 

 I CAN fully corroborate the opinion that bullfinches are most 

 mischievous in a garden. Will some of your readers tell me 

 the best mode of trapping them, dead or alive ? I object to 

 the use of a gun, because the shot often damages trees and 

 plants. Squirrels are arrant and cunning thieves in a garden. 

 I have known them to show great ingenuity and tact to get at 

 wall fruit, carefully avoiding traps on walls and in their track, 

 and then reaching the fruit by stretching their arms through 

 the net. A gardener told me that he could not have believed 

 that they could reach so far if ho had not seen them in the 

 net of doing what he suspected some boys to be guilty of. I 

 know by experience that they do great damage to Larch and 

 other young trees, and I also know by experience that squirrels 



