Febrnary 18, 1869. J | 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOOLTDRE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



121 



very far back in the history of Verbenas does the mention of 

 snch famous old sorts as Robinson's Defiance, Woodcock's 

 Magnificent, and Barker's St. Margaret, seem to take one. 



Of the few kinds which have withstood the test of years, 

 Oiant des liataiUu3 still takes high rank, its tine truss and 

 rich dark colour rendering it a valuable variety both for bed- 

 ding and exhibition. General Simpson, too, is another sort 

 whose line form is rarely approached by any now variety ; and 

 a8 a rich dark kind for massing, I know none bettor than Mrs. 

 Archer Clive, which has been in cultivation fourteen or fifteen 

 years. Victory and King of the Verbenas are both excellent 

 old sorts, with large distinct eyes. 



Amongst newer kinds, Cooling's Annie offers itself to notice 

 as the queen of striped Verbenas, the regularity and brilliancy 

 of its markings causing it to surpass all other varieties in its 

 section. More delicate than this, but hardly less lovely, is 

 Princess of Wales. Another distinct striped kind is Madame 

 Hermann Stenger, but it is a very uncertain variety, some- 

 times being very prettily striped, and at other times it is with- 

 out any markings whatever. 



Warrior may be mentioned as decidedly the best pink Ver- 

 bena I have grown. It has a robust habit, a fine truss, and its 

 colour is very deep and lasting — a rare quality in pink Ver- 

 benas, as hardly any of them will bear much hot sunshine ; 

 for instance. Perry's Exquisite, as regards size of truss, shape 

 of flowers, and delicacy of colouring, leaves nothing to be de- 

 sired, but if it is fully exposed to the burning rays of the sum- 

 mer's sun its beauty quickly fades. Madame Lefevro is a good 

 kind, and from its close, erect habit, is well adapted for bed- 

 ding, but it is likely to be superseded by Perry's James Bir- 

 beck, of last year. 



Of scarlet shades there are many good kinds, some of which 

 are too much alike to be called varieties. Lord Leigh, Mazeppa, 

 Firefly, and Lady Victoria Scott, a dwarf kind, are all distinct 

 and good ; La Grande Boale de Neige is a good white kind, 

 either for exhibition or bedding ; Mauve Queen, Startler, 

 Diamond, Meteor, a fine scarlet, William Dean, and Nemesis, 

 are all excellent varieties, of various shades of colour. 



From new kinds, which I have only grown for one season, 

 I may select Shirley Hibberd, James Day, J. 0. Ward, and 

 Thomas Harris. Several other new kinds I am uncertain 

 about, but hope to report upon them after a farther trial. — ^ 

 Edward Ldckhdbst, Er/crton House Oardem, Kent. 



stone. This is well adapted for growing many tropical plants 

 during the summer months if the soil does not in depth ex- 

 ceed 8 or 10 inches. He places large moveable frames over any 

 part of the ground, and has Peas and other early spring crppB 

 up and fit for use in a very short time. — A. T. ..,.,t 



THE DUTCH PRIZES FOR HYACINTHS. 

 It strikes me that somewhere or other there has been a great 

 blunder in the distribution of these prizes in the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society's list ; for if, as I conceive, the object of the 

 givers was not all disinterested, but that they hoped to en- 

 courage the growth of the bulb here, and so to react on them- 

 selves, I think this object will be defeated. By making the 

 prizes open these are virtually thrown into the hands of two or 

 three growers for sale, for we all know the vast difference 

 between the collections staged by one or two of our principal 

 growers and the best exhibited by amateurs ; while if the prizes 

 had been divided so as to have given amateurs a chance by 

 themselves, it might have led more to try their chances in the 

 tournament. Now I think it would not be dilficult to allocate 

 the prizes beforehand. — D., Deal. 



CULTURE OF GINGER. 



The Ginger plant is grown in tropical countries in the open 

 fields, in hot, dry, limey land, not in any way rich. It might 

 be grown in England in any hothouse or Pine house in ob- 

 long earthenware pans 2 feet long by 1 foot wide, (i or 8 inches 

 deep, and 1 inch thick, with three holes in each side for drain- 

 age. These pans could be placed on the top of the hot-water 

 pipes without doing the pipes any harm. One box of roots 

 should be retained every year to plant-out in the following 

 eeason ; the rest should be made use of whilst young. 



As soon as taken up the roots should be peeled, then put 

 into stoneware jars, after which hot syrup, made of good sweet 

 brown sugar, should be poured on the roots until the jars are 

 quite full. I cannot say how the syrup is made, nor do I think 

 it is ever made so well in England as it is in the West Indies, 

 where the Ginger is always made use of when in a young state ; 

 whereas the Chinese is too old, stringy, and hot. 



I may here mention the heated ground that C. Wykeham 

 Martin, Esq., M.P., has adopted at Leeds Castle, near Maid- 



PEACH CULTIVATION.— No. 



•iJ 



, 1 i ji 



Eksovatino Old Trees. — Old trees very often become Tveflk 

 in wood, deficient in bearing wood, though plentifully furniRhpd 

 with a number of weak short shoots, aud exhibit a prepppdcjr- 

 ance of old worn-out branches. This is a very common con- 

 dition of Peach trees as seen in garden.s. It very often res ultB 

 from cropping the border excessively, in consequence of which 

 the roots doBcend, or if they rise they are cut off by the spade in 

 digging. The digging is not confined to that part of the border 

 which is at a distance from the stem, but the part nearest, the 

 wall and the stem of the tree is employed for various purpoeea, 

 and is dug or otherwise disturbed, so that the most essential 

 portions of the roots — the fibres — are cut off. Now, as fine 

 fruitful trees are desired, this practice must be abandoned. 

 Another cause of the bad condition of Peach trees generally is 

 laying-in too much wood, and cutting out none or but little of 

 the old wood, so that there is often more than double the 

 quantity of bare old wood than is needed, and it deprives the 

 young shoots of nourishment, as all the old wood must be 

 supplied before the sap finds its way into the young wood. 

 Overbearing and the want of manurin-?, watering, and keeping 

 free from insects likewise contribute to the premature decay oi 

 the Peach tree. 



There are other causes of the decay of Peach trees, such as 

 the borders being deep, badly drained, and improperly con- 

 stituted ; the wood is then long and sappy, never or seldom, 

 ripening well, and fine perfectly-ripened fruit is an exception. 

 Sometimes the growths are long aud weak, and are certain to 

 die back every winter ; and there are other cases of debility, 

 the results of improper treatment, one of the most general 

 being that the growths arc weak and fall a prey to mildew. 

 These cases might be added to considerably, and even then 

 there would be others attributable to peculiarities of soil and 

 various circumstances. 



Before attempting anything with Peach trees in the condition 

 above referred to, the border must first be examined and put 

 in a proper state. If the border is irremediably bad a new 

 border must be made, but in this it will be a question whether 

 it would not be desirable also to plant young trees in place of 

 the old ones. If the trees are old, and the branches very thick 

 and bare, with no prospect of speedily replacing them, I should 

 prefer young trees; indeed, I would recommend such for, all 

 new borders, as they will in a short time cover a large extent 

 of wall, aud their produce will be finer than that of old.\(^m- 



out trees. 



The best and only means of renovating old trees when the 

 border does not require to be renewed, is to take out a.senii- 

 circular trench about 'i feet from the stem, making it About 

 2 feet in width, and as deep as the roots extend. This should 

 be done early in November, or from that time to the middle of 

 December. All roots thicker than a straw should be out. off 

 close to where the soil is left undisturbed, or 3 feet from the 

 stem. If, from the appearance of the roots, it is evident that 

 they have gone down by the wall, remove the loose soil from 

 them or down to them, and work under the ball at such a depth 

 from the surface as will allow of your keeping under the bulk 

 of the roots found at 3 feet from the stem. Move only a portion 

 of the roots at a time, out oil all that go down, and before 

 undermining another part place slates or some material that 

 will prevent the roots descending ; then replace the .old soil 

 with fresh, and in this manner proceed with the whole, filling 

 the trench up again with fresh soil, using no part of the old, 

 and placing fresh soil over the roots. If the roots are deep, 

 and will be covered to a greater depth than 3 inches, lift the 

 tree altogether, preserving all the soil practicable, and after 

 using means to prevent the roots going downwards, snch as 

 slates, old flags, or concrete, place sufficient soil in the hole to 

 raise the tree, so that when it is planted the upper fibres wiU 

 not be covered more than 3 inches, for it is well to have the 

 tree slightly raised above the surrounding level. The soil 

 most suitable for filling up the trench and placing over the 

 roots, or if the tree is lifted for planting, is the top 2 or 3 inches 

 of a pasture, turf included, where the natural soil is a rich, 

 rather strong yellow loam. This must be chopped up, and to it 



