78 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE QARDENEB, 



[ Fobraary i, 1869. 



severe froat be past. No artificial beat is required to cause 

 the cuttings to strilse root. A sheltered spot in the open 

 garden is selected, and to one part of common garden soil 

 I add one part of well-rotted dung, and two parts of good, 

 white, sharp sand. The soil is settled firmly with the back of 

 a spade, and a hand-light, or small box and light, is placed on 

 the soil, in which the cuttings are closely and firmly inserted. 



The small portable boxes which I employ are most useful for 

 the above and many other purposes ; they measure 2 feet 1 inch, 

 by 2 feet 4 inches ; the front board is C inches deep, and the 

 back board 'J inches, which gives just sufficient slope to the 

 light to carry off rain. The light is fastened to the back board 

 by hinges. One of these boxes will contain thirteen rows of 

 cuttings, twelve in a row. 



Air is constantly given the cuttings throughout the winter, 

 excepting in severe frosts, when a slight but ample protection 

 ia afforded by means of a little dry litter scattered loosely over 

 the box. 



About the third week in March, the cuttings, or, as they must 

 3aow be called, the young plants, are removed to a well-trenched 

 border, into which a layer of rotten dung, pounded charcoal, 

 and sand has been well worked, the soil being, if possible, a 

 good sandy loam. A distance of 18 inches from plant to plant 

 will afford ample space for the first year's growth. The soil is 

 settled firmly round each plant, and a stout galvanised iron 

 wire is stretched along each row, and strained tightly on two 

 Btout stakes, placed at either end. To this wire each plant is 

 fastened as soon as it has made growth enough to require a 

 little support. The wire is preferable to stakes, as it is more 

 quickly put up, has a very neat appearance, gives ample support 

 to the plants, and prevents any injury to the roots, which are 

 always to some extent in danger when stakes are used. Once 

 a- week a watering of weak liquid manure is given, and it is 

 increased in strength and quantity as the plants advance in 

 size ; a mulching of rotten dung is applied, in addition, to the 

 whole of the border in June. 



No attempt ia made to train the plants during the first sum- 

 mer, but close pinching is practised from the beginning, so 

 that a close busby base is formed before the plant is allowed to 

 attain much height. This is of the greatest importance, for if 

 it is neglected at first, hardly any after-cnlture will be effectual 

 as a remedy. To varieties of a loose straggling habit of growth, 

 two leading shoots are left, so that a compact bushy plant may 

 more surely and quickly be formed. The pinching is discon- 

 tinued as autumn approaches, by which time neat little bushes 

 of about 18 inches in height, and as much in diameter at the 

 base, will have been formed. 



Early in November the plants are removed to their perma- 

 nent position, and I need hardly say that the soil must be 

 carefully prepared to insure success. It should be well drained, 

 trenched deeply, and plenty of rich dung and some charcoal 

 ought to be well incorporated with it. The distance to be 

 allowed between the bushes will depend very much on their 

 position and intended height. If they are to be from 4 to 5 feet 

 Ligh, 5 or G feet apart will answer very well, but if it is intended 

 to take them much higher, there must be a proportionate in- 

 creaae of distance. A stake is now given to each plant, not 

 only to keep it steady and so enable it to make roots at once, 

 but for training it to in the following summer ; and as the 

 stake is driven into its place before any young roots have 

 started, all injury to the roots is avoided. A slight mulching 

 of rather long dung is given. Plants thus treated will make 

 during the winter months many roots, which will be very con- 

 ducive to a robust growth in the following season. A liberal 

 dose of guano water is applied two or three times during the 

 autumn. A slight pruning of the stronger shoots is necessary, 

 and all weak shoots aie cut clean out. 



In the next or second summer the training commences. The 

 young plants, though small, are full of vigour, and start quickly 

 into growth as the spring advances ; pinching at one, two, or 

 three eyes must begin at once, and as the bushes attain suffi- 

 cient size, the lower shoots are tied to a hoop of galvanised iron 

 wire, which is fastened to a circle of about 2 feet in diameter 

 formed by slight stakes. The tops of the stakes also serve 

 to tie the upper branches to ; for as all the shoots naturally 

 have an upward tendency, some are brought down to the wire 

 hoops, and thus the pyramid has a substantial base, above 

 which the branches rise tier upon tier, narrowing upwards to 

 the apex. 



Surely a plant like that just described must be far more 

 sightly than a mop-shaped standard, or the miserable straggling 

 bush, so frequently met with, and that is condemned to the 



annual removal of excessively strong shoots on the production 

 of which its vigour has been wasted. Such a plant can never 

 be looked upon with that thorough admiration which a finely- 

 shaped pyramid, laden with charming blossoms, must ever 

 command. It is certain that all real lovers of the Eose must 

 possess a refined taste, and therefore why should the eye be 

 so constantly offended by an unsightly bush, which, with a 

 little more care, might have been made to assume a graceful 

 outline ? 



I suppose it will be quite obvious that no flowers are allowed 

 to be on the plants for the first two years, with the exception, 

 perhaps, of a few late autumn blooms produced in the second 

 season. And here it is, in my opinion, that in most cases an 

 error is committed. Why should a Bose not have time to 

 mature its growth before a crop of flowers is demanded from 

 it ? If we plant a fruit tree, do we not wait till it has attained 

 sufficient size and vigour before it is allowed to produce fruit? 

 and is not this law of Nature just as applicable in one case as 

 the other ? I am quite certain that all who have the courage 

 to pick-off the llower buds during the first and second years, 

 are abundanty rewarded by the additional splendour of the 

 plant in its tnir J, or blooming season. — Edward LnoKHtJBST, 

 Eijcrton House Gardens, Kent. 



FLOWERS OF THE PAST SEASON.— No. 2. 



SHOW PELAKGONIUMS. 



The work that has been done by the hybridiser of late years 

 in regard to the Pelargonium is something marvellous. Every 

 section has its novelties, and both foliage and flowers hava 

 received touches of an enchanter's wand, making transforma- 

 tions as wonderful as any that harlequin's wand effects in 

 Christmas pantomime. In some classes, such as the Show 

 varieties, the progress, owing to the perfection already attained, 

 has not been so great as in some other sections — indeed it 

 seems to be almost impossible to excel the varieties already in 

 cultivation ; yet last year we had some very decided improve- 

 ments in this section, as this season there are in Fancies. 



I had to move all my plants last April to my present resi- 

 dence, and hence they were not in such good condition as I 

 could have wished ; however, on examination of them compared 

 with Mr. Turner's, I have made the following notes : — 



Archduke. — A painted flower, with white centre. Not a great 

 advance. 



Autocrat. — A pink flower, with dark spot in uppei petals; 

 white eye. Good. 



Captain John. — Lilac rose flower, painted ; dark maroon top 

 petals. 



Empress. — A well-shaped rose-coloured flower, with white 

 eye ; very stout in petal. 



Empercir. — A very pleasing flower, with a peculiar shade of 

 salmon pink, with maroon spot. One of the best flowers ef 

 the year. 



Example. — Eich crimson-rose flower ; good habit ; white 

 centre. Very free in blooming, and altogether excellent. 



Fervacque.'i. — Delicate rose, tinted. 



Fire/lij. — Small flower, but very bright. While not an exhi- 

 bition plant, yet very useful in the greenhouse. 



Grandee. — lilottled rose ; black top petals, rosy margin. Good. 



Heirloom. — Bright orange pink, with shaded blotch. Good 

 habit, and free bloomer. 



Hermit. — Light rose-coloured flower, maroon spot, white 

 centre. A first-class flower. 



AVfjjsnAc. — Deep rose, painted, with dark maroon top petals, 



Kiiiij of Trumps. — A pretty flower ; orange rose colour, ma- 

 roon spot. 



Legacy. — Eosy lilac, tinted lower petals. 



Magician. — Purple flower, in the way of Diadem, white eye. 



Miss Han'ey. — A painted flower ; pretty enough, but no more. 



Needle Gun. — Very bright in colour, with intensely dark 

 upper petals. 



Patrimonii. — Eosy pink, with white centre. 



Prince Consort. — Bright cerise, with a slight orange shade, 

 A good flower. 



Prince of Orange. — Dark flower, with rich deep crimson lower 

 petals. 



liohin. Hood. — A fine-shaped flower, rosy lilac in colour, and 

 a free bloomer. 



Pioh Poij. — A very fine purple flower, with very dark top 

 petals, white eye. A first-class flower. 



Soeur dc ciiaritc.—B.ich painted orange-rpse flower, \fitll 



