214 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUfiE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 25, 18(9 



mixture seems to have sent them elsewhere from the Laurels. 



It is astonishinR how quicklv field mice, when numerous, will 

 clear off every bit of bark and even of alburnum from a clump 

 of Laurels. In this neighbourhood these mice are, if anything, 

 more injurious to young trees than even rabbits, and are worse 

 to exterminate. 



To protect young trees with clean stems of from 2 to 3 feet 

 in height, we have seen no plan so simple and so effectual as 

 taking a small handful of straight wheat straw, placing it 

 round the stem, and fastening it with a band in two or three 

 places. We notice that where this was done about three years 

 ago, the band for fastening being merely three or four straws, 

 the straw is beginning to fall from the stems, which would not 

 have been the case if small tarred cord had been used. During 

 that time not a stem has been touched, though those unpro- 

 tected were well bitten and peeled. A bundle of straw would 

 protect many young trees, and when neatly done there is 

 nothing unsightly in the appearance. It would be easy to 

 daub the straw, but it seemed perfectly effectual for the allotted 

 purpose when used alone. 



The bedding Pelargoniums, X-c, in pieces of turf are doing 

 BO -well that we have a lot of turf ready to be cut to pieces and 

 filled the first wet and stormy day, and we have prepared a 

 bed for them. Potted-off lots of Mrs. Pollock and similar 

 Pelargoniums for bedding, giving them at first a little bottom 

 heat after fresh potting. As soon as we have a mild day we 

 shall move Camellias, &e., whose blooming is nearly over, into 

 a vinery at work, that they may make their growth and set their 

 buds early, and thus come into bloom next winter early with- 

 out any forcing. Most other shrubs, and even bulbs and her- 

 baceous plants, will, to a certain extent, come into bloom early 

 if their growth is perfected early. 



Forcing gently into lloom, and making hotbeds for propa- 

 gating, are now matters of importance. It is a good time now 

 to put in cuttings of Verbenas, and to sow seeds of Lobelia 

 speciosa, Amaranthus, and Perilla. Cuttings of Lobelia, &c., 

 are generally more true than seedlings, but then the seedlings 

 give less trouble. With a good hotbed strong Lobelia plants 

 may yet be had from seed before the middle of May. Our 

 Calceolarias in the pit in which they were struck are a perfect 

 thicket, and we are a little afraid to move them as yet. 



Among a great many plants needing potting, we must at- 

 tend to 



Gloxinias and Caladiums. — We grow fewer of the former 

 than we used to do, as at all times, even when in bloom, after 

 starting them, they do best in a close, moist, warm atmosphere. 

 Like the -ichimenes, they keep vrell in their pots all the winter, 

 laid on their broadsides to avoid drip, beneath a stage where 

 the temperature is from 4")° to .jo", and as soon as they begin 

 to move they should be shaken out of their pots, allowing all 

 the sou to go away, and be potted in sandy loam three parts, 

 and one part of peat and rotten cow dung. When potted 

 firmly a little water may be given, just a little round the tuber, 

 hut the soil of the pot should be little watered until the earth 

 is filled with roots. Extra watering at first is verv prejudicial. 

 Beginners, until used to it, had better use smalfpots at first, 

 and repot when full of roots. Any place with the requisites 

 above mentioned, will do where tiie temperature ranges from 

 55° to 65°. Such plants do remarkably well in a vinery until 

 a drier atmosphere is wanted, as the Grapes colour and ripen. 

 We have had them do very fairly in front of a greenhouse and 

 conservatory, with the front lights kept shut and shaded ; but 

 even there they were not quite at home. The leaves delight in 

 more closeness and moisture of atmosphere. Small bits of 

 charcoal in the soil and drainage are much relished, and after 

 the pots are full of roat-?, weak manure-wateringg, especially of 

 the cool kinds, as cow dang, will be much enjoyed. 



Caladiurns, though requiring as much, or rather more, heat 

 when growing, are more accommodating as house or conserva- 

 tory ornaments when the leaves reach perfection. In a moist 

 plant stove they do tolerably well if planted out, resting them- 

 selves and growing on with but little of our superintendence. 

 When grown in pots they do better for having a season of com- 

 * plete rest after the leaves fade and decay. The roots left in 

 the pots, which is the best plan, can hardly be kept safe, even 

 when the pots are laid on their broadsides, if the temperature 

 is often below 50°. Any dryish place where this is secured 

 vrill keep them safe after the soil is pretty dry. In such cir- 

 cumstances many will now be moving, and all may be repotted. 

 However done, they do best in a hotbed, as one of leaves covered 

 with tan. When we have plenty of room we pot them at once 

 where they are to produce their line foliage. As room at this 



season is valuable, however, we often pot them into fresh com- 

 post, in smallish pots at first, and repot again and again as the 

 roots come to the sides. The last plan is best for beginners, 

 or when you must depend on a careless waterer. One great 

 element of success is not to have the tubers just beginning 

 growth surrounded with cloggy soil ; the watering must be in 

 proportion to the growth of the roots, and little or none given 

 until they are at work. Hence the small pots are safest where 

 the watering is not done with care and judgment. If the roots 

 were not well ripened, or if kept too cold and damp, they will « 

 be apt to rot ; and if there is a rotten or decayed spot it should 

 be cleanly cut out, and scraped and filled up with charcoal dust 

 and lime. It at all bad we would lay the tuber in a shady 

 place, and repeat the dose before potting. We have even 

 fastened a piece of oiled paper round such parts to keep the 

 damp out until the scraped wound was cauterised and healed. 

 Such a sore on the side may thus be got over. If at the top 

 whence the buds come it would be fatal, just as when the tuber 

 of a Dahlia is frosted at the crown. If kept well, however, the 

 Caladiums will generally turn out sound. Sandy loam two 

 parts, old dried cow dung or leaf mould one part, and heath 

 soil one part, with some nodules of charcoal, will grow them 

 well if assisted when in the bed with manure-waterings. It 

 the loam is rather inclined to be stiff, hall a part of silver sand 

 will be necessary. After final potting we often sprinkle some 

 sand on the surface, to be washed down with the waterings. 

 They rejoice after potting in a bottom heat of from 85° to 90°, 

 and a top temperature of from 05 to 70°, with a rise from 

 sunshine, but shaded then. Air in sunny days should be given 

 early, however little, as the falling of condensed moisture on 

 the leaves greatly injures them. In fact, syringing them with 

 anything but the purest water injures their appearance. 



Dahlias. — Placed a lot on the floor of the vinery to bring them 

 on for cuttings and dividing the roots. By placing a good root 

 in a hotbed in time any quantity of cuttings may be obtained, 

 which with a point and a joint to cut to will strike freely in a 

 hotbed. In taking away one or both the leaves at the base of 

 the cutting be sure you leave the bud untouched. The more 

 cuttings you take from a plant, the less likely will the last 

 taken be to bloom extra freely, however well treated. If you 

 merely divide a tuberous root, so as to leave a piece of tuber to 

 each shoot, and pot these, and put them in a slight hotbed, or 

 other warmish place, until rooted, the more likely will they 

 be to bloom freely and early. If anxious to try experiments 

 you will find many useless pieces of tuber after such cutting- 

 up, and if you graft on these young shoots without tubers, and 

 place them in a hotbed, the shoot will be rather stronger than 

 if rooting without such help. We have tried this with different 

 kinds of grafting, but perhaps side grafting and cleft or wedge 

 grafting did best. Where there is much to do people must be 

 content with making cuttings of such extra shoots. — R. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECER^ED. 



William Paul, Paul's Nurseries, Waltham Cross, Loudon, N. 

 — Cataloiiue of New Roses, Pelargoniums, Camellias, Azaleas, 

 Uolbjhoeks, dx. 



John Salter & Son, Versailles Nursery, Hammersmith, Lon- 

 don, W. — Descriptive Catalogue of Clirt/santhemmns, Daldias, 

 Paonies, <£c. 



W. RoUisson & Sons, Tooting, London, S.W. — Trade Cata- 

 logue of New and Choice Snflwooded Plants. 



John Morse, The Nurseries, Dursley, Gloucestershire. — 

 Catalogue of Cuttings of Dahlias, Chrgsuntheniums, Pelargo- 

 niums, and Miscellaneous Stove and Greenhouse Plants. 



T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, London, N. 

 — Catalogue of PerenniaU. 



W. Deans, 2, Canongate, Jedburgh. N.B. — Catalogue of 

 Forest and Ornamental Trees, Sliruhs, Fruit Trees, dc. — Cata- 

 logue of Seeds, Implements, dx. 



Downie, Laird, & Laing, Stanatead Park, Forest Hill, Lon- 

 don, S.E.. and 17, South Frederick Street, Edinburgh. — De- 

 scriptive Catalonve of Florists' Fhnvers, dc. 



J. A. Bruce cSt Co.. Hamilton, Ontario. — Catalogue of Agricul- 

 tural, Garden, and Flou-er Seeds. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Mauch 24. 



Arrivals of foreign produce have been more limited during the last 

 few days owing to the boisterous weather which has prevailed. Forced 

 vegetables are now in excess of the demand, and prices must recede 

 unless a great improvement take place in the demand Hothouse Grapes 

 are becoming scarce, but the new ones ard close at hand. Stran berries 



