Jane 3, 1869. ) 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAltDENEB. 



3«9 



Potatoes oontftin so much, beinj? too firmly set in the cells of 

 the tuber from over-ripeniag. Now, altliouyh I do not pretend 

 to the ability to refute w)iat that gentleman states, yet, if what 

 he says is correct, how is it that ihe very same sorts of Pota- 

 toes that are playing such pranks out of doors, come up so 

 well, and thrive and produce as good crops as ever in cold 

 frames, turf pits, &a. ? I have seen somo very fine samples 

 of Veitch's Improved Eiirly Ashloaf this spring ; they were 

 planted in the early part of JJeoember in leaf mould and loam, 

 and in a turf pit, with no forcing or any protection but old 

 boards and mats. Other sorts of less value as early ones have 

 turned out good crops, while out of doors there is greet cause 

 of oomplaiut. — T. Becobd, Lillesdcn Gardetf:, Uawkhnnt. 



TENDER ANNUALS.— Xo. 5. 



Besides those for which I have given fall cultural diraotions. 

 there are others very desirable for the decoration of tho green- 

 house or conservatory, and to furnish cut flowers in summer 

 and autumn. They have not had that attention piid to them 

 which they deserve, and it is remarkable that such should be 

 the case, as they are of easy culture, and well repay any extra 

 care. I now propose to treat of them briefly, giving a list of 

 those I think most desirable, and there are others not yet in 

 cultivation which I think might bo introduced; indeed, it is 

 very desirable that our greenhouses should be as gay in sum- 

 mer and autumn as they are in spring and early in summer ; 

 bnt at present during the autumn, and even late in summer, 

 the plants which figure most conspicuously are those oiua- 

 mental by their foliage. 



Of tender annuals, the following are well worthy of atten- 

 tion :— Browallia elata, flowers blue, habit erect, Ij foot ; 

 B. elata alba, white, 1} foot ; B. grandiflora, pale yellow, 2 feet ; 

 B. demissa, blue, very dwarf, 6 inches. 



The seed should be sown early in March for en early bloom, 

 but for fine plants not until April, sowing in a hotbed, and con- 

 tinuing the plants there until they are well established. Pot 

 them off, three or five in a 4} inch pot, when they are large 

 enough to handle, and transfer them to a G or 7-inch pot when 

 the pots become fall of roots. For single specimens pursue 

 the same treatment as that recommended for Globe Amaranths ; 

 it is admirably adapted for these and most other tender an- 

 nuals. A compost of two parts light turfy loam, one part old 

 cow dung or well-rotted manure, wiih a free admixture of sharp 

 sand, will grow them well. 



Centroolinium reflexum, flowers rosy, very pretty, 2 feet. 

 Soil and treatment of the Globe Amaranth. Sandy loam and 

 leaf mould, two parts of the first to one of the latter. 



Cleome candelabrum (Gynandropsis candelabrum), flowers 

 red, 1 foot ; C. cardinalis, red, 2 feet ; C. pentaphylla, white, 



1 foot ; C. monophylla, yellow, 1 foot. 



Pretty plants, requiring the same treatment as the Browallia. 

 They should have a cold pit after June, the plants up to that 

 time being brought forward in a hotbed. Single plants may 

 be grown in 4* or Ginch pots, and five or more in a pot for a 

 mass ; but in no case ought they to bloom in the pots they are 

 sown in without their being well thinned out, and then they do 

 not do so well as transplanted plants. Light rich soil is mott 

 suitable. 



Commelina cucuUata, flowers blue, very fine ; the colour is 

 very much wanted in greenhouses iu summer ; 2 feet. The 

 flower has a curious appearance, being hooded. Soil two parts 

 turfy light loam, and one part leaf mould. Two or three plants 

 may be grown iu a 6 or 7-inch pot, bnt single plants in 6-inch 

 pots are fine. 



The following Egg-plants are desirable on account of their 

 fruit : — Solanum melongena pekineuse nigrum, flowers lilac, 

 fruit black, 2 feet ; S. melongena ovigerutn, flowers lilac, fruit 

 purple, 2 feet ; S. melongena fructo-nlbo, lilac, fruit white, 



2 feet ; S. melongena fructu-luteo, fruit yellow, 2 feet ; S. me- 

 longena fructn-rubro, fruit red, 2 feet; S. melongena fructu- 

 violaceo, fruit violet, 2 feet ; S. giganteum striatum, fruit 

 striped (commonly called the spotted Guadaloupe), 2J feet. 



The seed should be sown in Miroh, or early in April, in a 

 hotbed of from 60° to 65° at night, and 70° to 7.5° by day, with 

 a rise from sun heat to 80' or 85°. For sowing, use a pot or 

 pan filled to within half an inch of the rim with light turfy 

 loam, providing good drainage. Scatter the seed rather thinly 

 over the surface, which ought to have been made fine and 

 smooth, and cover about one-eighth of an inch thick with fine 

 Boil. Place in tho hotbed, and keep the soil moist, and when the 



plants appear keep them near the glass, allowing room for them 

 to grow. When they have two or three rough leaves pot off 

 singly in small juits, and return them to the hotbed, shading 

 for a few days until established. Place the plants near the 

 glass, and admit air freely, so as to keep them sturdy — a great 

 point in the cultivation of annuals. 



As tho pots become full of roots transfer to others a size 

 larger, and continue the plants in the hotbed, or in a house 

 having the requisite temperature, placing them near the glass, 

 and where they can hovo air freely. The plants should be re- 

 peatedly potted until tliey are iu 6 or 7-inch pots, and then it 

 is well not to be too liberal iu tho jJotliug, but to keep them 

 rather pot-bounJ until the plants flower end set thei^ irnit ; 

 then place them in pots 8 or !) inches in diameter, if large 

 specimens are wanted, using a compost of two parts loam from 

 turf torn in pieces with the hand, and made rather fine, but not 

 sifted, and une part old cow dung, or well-rotted and dry hotbed 

 manure, adding plenty of sand, and providing good drainage. 



The plants after June are best grown in a cold pit, keeping 

 them close, so as to maintain the proper temperature, and yet 

 admitting air freely and early. In tho afternoon give a good 

 syringing overhead, and shut up by the time the temperature 

 has falliu to 75°. To have fine large fruit these should be 

 thiuned to three for a plaut in a 7-inch pot, five for a plant in an 

 8-iiJch pot, and so on in proportion to the size of plant or pot. 



After the pot at tho last shift becomes full of roots liquid 

 manure should be given at every alternate watering, and tho 

 plants should be well supplied with clear water as well. Tho 

 foliage must not be allowed to flag. 



Insects are very injurious to the Egg-plants. Green aphis 

 fastens on the young shoots, leaves, and blossoms, not sparing 

 the young fruit. This is, perhaps, due to the pUnts being 

 kept at too great a distance from the glass in a badly-venti- 

 lated structure, and with too little encouragement from potting 

 frequently and a moist atmosphere. On this account, from ex- 

 perience, I advocate their being grown in cold pits or frames 

 in June and afterwards, as they can there be more easily fumi- 

 gated with tobacco. Fumigation should be resorted to on the 

 first appearance of the aphis, and persisted in as it re-appears. 

 The red spider likewise often renders the plant leafless. As a 

 remedy for this, syringe twice a-day with soot water made 

 from 1 peck of soot in 30 gallons of rain water, stirring the 

 whole well up, and using the liquid clear ; also sprinkle the 

 paths, walls, and other surfaces twice daily, and especially the 

 plants at the time of closing the hoiiso or frame-lights. 



The plants may be removed to the house they are to decorate 

 when the fruit are about the size of a bantam's egg, and they will 

 swell oontiderably larger ; in fact, they may be grown fine in 

 a greenhouse if the seed be sown and the plants forwarded in 

 a hotbed, and removed to the greenhouse when in Ginch pots, 

 in June or July. The beauty of these plants is their fruit, bnt 

 they never look so well as when the fruit is accompanied by 

 handsome foliage ; therefore, preserve it it possible by keeping 

 down aphides and red spider, and the fruit will be large and 

 fine in proportion to the fohago. They cannot have too light 

 and airy a position. 



ludigofera endecaphylla, flowers scarlet, plant trailing, 1 foot ; 

 very elegant. I. enneaphylla, purple, trailing; fine for vases, 

 as is the preceding, or for pot culture. I. diphylla, purple, 

 6 inches. I. linifolia or flax-leaved, red, 6 inches. 



The plants must be raised in a hotbed, and it is best to sow 

 the trailing sorts in small pots, placing a few seeds in each, 

 and thin out to three plants in a pot, shifting them into pots a 

 size larger as often as those they occupy become filled with 

 roots, and this must be repeated until the plants show for 

 bloom. They must have a position near the glass, sprinkling 

 or syringing them with water frequently so as to keep down 

 red spider. A compost of equal parts of sandy fibrous loam 

 and sandy turfy loam is most suitable, good drainage being 

 given ; and for successful culture a stove temperature is 

 needed, though they succeed iu a warm greenhouse when for- 

 warded in a hotbed, and advanced for flowering before being 

 plf.C3d in the greeuhonse. 



Ipoma;* coccinea, scarlet, twiner, 6 to 10 feet. There is a 

 variety of this with yellow flowers. I. grandiflora, white, 6 to 

 8 feet ; I. hederacea superba, blue and white, 6 to 8 feet ; 

 I. limbata elegantissima, centre violet, mwgin white, C to 

 8 feet ; I. Quamoclit, red, and there are its varieties alba and 

 rosea, having respectively white and rose-coloured flowers, 

 8 feet ; I. rubroccerulea, blue, and a white variety, I. rubro- 

 co^ralea nlba, 8 feet. 



These are fine for pillars and similar positions, and in pots ; 



