1&4 



JOUENAL OF HOETICOLTUKE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



[ Febraary 27, 1868. 



snre, thongh not in so striking a manner as the former. - 

 Edwabd Lucehukst, Egerton House Gardens, Kent. 



HARDINESS OF CONIFERS. 



As everything just now relating to^he hardiness of different 

 kinds of Conifers is of interest, and being asked by a subscriber 

 at Uttoxeter to state through The Journal of Horticultuke 

 the plants that stood the winter of 1807 here, I will now do so. 



The following Conifers withstood the winter well — viz., 

 Cupressus Lawsoniana, C. argentea, C. gracilis, and 0. erecta ; 

 Pioea nobilis, P. Nordmanniana. P. lasiocarpa, P. pinsapo, 

 P. magnifica, which is almost identical with Picea nobilis ; Cryp- 

 tomeria japonica, Ketinospora lycopodioides, Araucaria im- 

 brieata, Cedrns deodara, Wellingtonia gigantea, Thuja Lobbi, 

 Abies Albertiana, and A. Douglasii. The last three grow rapidly ; 

 the Thuja grew between 4 and 5 feet last season. 



Taxodium sempervirens, 36 feet Irigh, lost 3 feet of its 

 leader by weight of snow, but has started another, otherwise it 

 was not injured. Pinus insignis shared the same fate as Cu- 

 pressus macrocarpa. — E. Chiity, Oatlands Park. 



CENTAUREA CANDIDISSIMA PROPAGATION. 



This is generally admitted to be one of the best, if not the 

 very best, of silvery or white-foliaged plants grown for bedding 

 purposes at the present day ; and though there are few gardens 

 in the country where it is not to be found, still, as a rule, it is 

 so in more limited numbers than its great beauty and utUity 

 entitle it to be. Placed in conjunction with flowering plants 

 either in or out of doors it forms a striking contrast to them, 

 while it has also the good quality of being effective from the 

 day of planting till the end of the season. There are several 

 reasons, however, to one or other of which may be mainly at- 

 tributable the plant's not being more plentifully grown. There 

 is, first, what many have found to be its difficulty of propaga- 

 tion. This I believe to be more imaginary than real. At certain 

 seasons and under favourable circumstances this plant is quite 

 as easy of propagation as most other bedding plants. I have 

 on several occasions attempted to increase the stock of this 

 Centaurea by putting in cuttings in September from strong 

 plants growing in the flower garden ; and although I was rather 

 particular to have a small piece of " heel " attached to the 

 cuttings, and to treat them afterwards in strict accordance with 

 my ideas of their several requirements, I was wofuUy disap- 

 pointed in the result, for only a very small per-centage of the 

 number emitted roots, and of those that did so the majority 

 feU an easy prey to damp during winter. This, to me, very 

 galling circumstance might have been averted had some other 

 treatment been pursued. I should like to know if success has 

 crowned the efforts of any who may have attempted the propa- 

 gation of this Centaurea so late as September, and, if so, by 

 what treatment, as autumn is the season cuttings are to be had 

 in the greatest abundance. 



From repeated trials made at different seasons of the year, 

 I have come to the conclusion that the spring and early summer 

 months — say from March to July, are the best time to attempt 

 to increase the plant. For this purpose it is necessary to have 

 some old plants in pots ; if several years old, all the better. 

 If it is not intended to grow such in pots for another season, 

 let the points be taken out of the strongest shoots ; and if the 

 plants be placed in just a very little heat a luxuriant crop of 

 excellent shoots will soon be produced all down the stems. As 

 soon as a number of these attain the length of 3 inches cut 

 them off close to the stem, or, better, secure a small heel to 

 each. With a sharp knife smooth the ends of the cutting, and 

 remove carefully the larger and undermost leaves by cutting, 

 not tearing, them off. Plant the cuttings either singly in small 

 pots, or a number in larger ones, using soil of a light nature, 

 with about halt an inch of silver sand on the surface. Plunge 

 the pots in a gentle bottom heat, where the top temperature 

 may range from 60° to 70° ; give no more moisture than is 

 necessary to prevent flagging ; and in two or three weeks, if 

 due attention has been paid, there ought to he as many plants 

 as there are cuttings put in. 



As other young shoots become strong enough for cuttings 

 sever their connection with the old plants, and treat similarly, 

 until enough be secured, or the old plants cease to produce. 



The strongest and earliest-struck plants will be ready for 

 planting out by the end of Mny; the weaker and late-struck 

 ones should be grown in pots all the year. Such will be excel- 



lent for conservatory decoration during the winter months, and 

 will make splendid plants for planting out of doors by the fol- 

 lowing May. 



Another reason, as I think, which partly accounts for the 

 comparative scarcity of this plant, is depending too much upon 

 plants lifted from the ground in autumn for the following 

 year's supply. This is a plant that does not generally succeed 

 well when lifted. The woolly leaves and stems retain so much 

 moisture, that it is with difficulty that a general decay by 

 damping can be prevented. If the lifting of plants from the 

 ground has to be resorted to, let it be done early in the autumn ; 

 endeavour to secure a ball to each, and pot carefully, as the 

 roots are brittle and liable to breakage. If it is not foimd 

 practicable to follow the advice given by Mr. Fish in a late 

 number of the Journal — viz., to plunge such in bottom heat, 

 lot the majority of the leaves be cleanly cut off, so as to admit 

 as much air as possible to the stems and necks of the plants, 

 place in an airy position in a cool house, and give water only 

 on the appearance of the stems becoming shrivelled. 



The Centaurea will thrive well in any soil that is not too 

 much exhausted. — J. A., WaUhottse Gardens. 



A SELECTION OF GLADIOLUSES. 



RED, CREMSOK, &C. 



* Meyerbeer 

 •Marechal Vaillant 

 *EmpL-reur Napoleon 



* Prince of Wales 

 •Bernard Palissy 

 *Sir W. Hooker 



James Veitch 

 ♦Fulton 

 ♦Newton 



The Colonel (Standish) 



John Waterer 

 ♦Ensign (StanJish) 



Samuel Wcjmoutli (Standisb) 



Carminata (Standish) 



Byron 



Achille 



Madame Engrne Verdier 



.Julia 



Dr. Hogg (Standish) 



SHADES OF ROSE AND PINK. 



♦Adolphe Bronguiart 



♦Milton 



♦Eelicien David 



♦Nocmie 



♦Rev. Mr. Berkeley 



♦Madame de Sevigne 



♦Sir Josepli Paston 



*A})ollou 



Madame Vilmoi*in 



Leonardo da Vinci 



Madame Bassevillo 



Comte de Momy 



Le Poussiu 



The above list of sixty varieties contains the cream of all the 

 Gladioli at present in cultivation — not, of course, including the 

 novelties of the present season, and not yet tried in our country. 

 The thirty marked with an asterisk are, as far as my experi- 

 ence goes, the most choice of all. It will be seen how very short 

 we are of good straw-coloured and yellow flowers. I am longing, 

 and indeed hoping, to see an irruption of yellows some day, 

 something akin to that glorious burst of yellow Picotees and 

 Carnations which emanated some seven or eight years ago from 

 Mr. Smith. — J. F. Lombard, Ihtblhi. 



Linne 



Due de Malaioff 



Stuart Low 



SHADES OF VIOLET AND LILAC. 



♦Impcratrice Engenie 

 ♦Thomas Moore 



Walter Scott 

 ♦Cherubini 

 ♦Adtle Sonchet 



Flore 



Peter Lawson 



Lady Morgan (Standisli) 



Blair AtLol (Standisli) 



STRAW AND ORANGE SHADES. 



James Carter 

 Opliir 



WHITE GBOUXDS. 



♦Shakespere 



♦Eorydice 



♦Madame Furtado 



♦Eeine Victoire 



♦Madame Kabourdin 



♦ Princess Mary of Cambridge 



♦Lady Franklin 



♦Anais 



Princess of Wales 

 ♦Belle Gabrielle ^ 



Ednlia 



Madame de Vati-y 



Malie Dumortier 



Madame Binder 



THE VIOLET FAMILY. 

 We are beginning to see and hear something about Violar 

 lutea and montana as hedders for the coming season. I have 

 tried Viola eoruuta Purple and Mauve Queen, and have put 

 quietly a patch of each in their proper place, the herbaceous 

 border. Mv experience of them tells me that is the place 

 for them. It may be that I have not hit upon the right treat- 

 ment of these wonderful Violas, or it may be that our northern 

 latitude is too much for their delicate constitution ; at all events 

 they are of no use here as bedders. I intend to try Viola 

 lutea and montana. Should they serve xae as the above- 

 named have, I shall put them along with tie others aad let 

 something else occupy their plase. 



