Jane 4, 1868. ] 



JOtJKNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



403 



This ttirf was carted home and used as wanted ; but, strange 

 to say, it exhibited a tendency to run togetlier into a more 

 compact body tlian other turfy soil from ground of quite a stiff 

 character, so that a much greater proportion of sand was 

 necessary to keep it open, and tho kind of sand to be had not 

 being suitable to tho composition of the soil, tho result was 

 not so satisfactory as was expected. Perhaps it may be asked. 

 How did the grass grow on it? This is easily answered ; tho 

 roots of the grass had access to tho stony medium below, and 

 the issue led me to infer that turf obtained from such a source 

 was not a fair sample of the soil, and used alone its deficiency 

 became apparent. 



In confirmation of the opinion given above, I may mention 

 a case which occurred here some years ago. Some beds of 

 Ehododendrons were made on a soil apparently the very reverse 

 of that in which the plant flourishes, it being a pale yellow- 

 coloured soil mixed with three-fourths of its bulk of stones, 

 varying in size from 3 lbs. or 4 lbs. weight to small ones, but 

 not what are either called gravel or sand, as the stones were 

 mostly angular. The ground being broken up some plants were 

 put in without any additional material, and some had a por- 

 tion of the turf taken off the same ground chopped up and put 

 around their roots, and the plants planted in the latter manner 

 did not do so well as those which had less attention paid them. 

 The ground, I may remark, was so thickly covered with stones 

 after the work was completed, that scarcely an inch of it was 

 visible. Here was an instance in which stones were evidently 

 of service in the case of one of our most librous-rooted plants, 

 BO densely fibrous, indeed, that it is not an easy matter to free 

 the roots of the earthy material they are growing in ; and yet 

 these roots seemed to find their way around and between the 

 stones that formed so important a proportion of the soil, and 

 I was led to the belief that the very stone itself furnished its 

 due share of the food the plants thrive upon ; for although the 

 latter did not succeeed so well as they might have done in a 

 proper peaty soil, they did much better than others in a good 

 rich garden soil and in a situation apparently much more in 

 accordance with their habits. — J. Eobson. 



can lay claim to much beauty ; but this particular species is, 

 perhaps, the sweetest-scented climbing plant in cultivation, 

 one truss being suflicient to fill a whole house with perfume. 



The plant generally commences to bloom in May, and con- 

 tinues more or less in beauty during the summer months. It 

 is easily propagated, and even email plants will grow well in 

 lieat and loam. — Cuaeles Robektb, Durjold Uall. 



IN-DOOR CLIMBERS. 



PERGUL.IRIA ODOR^TISSIM.I. 

 Pergitl.iria 0D0K.ITISSI3IA was first introduced into this 

 country as long since as the year 1781 ; but it is so seldom 

 met with, that I hope the following account of its merits may be 

 the means of placing it in a more favourable position than it 

 now occupies. 



Many beautiful old-fashioned stove climbers have doubtless 

 been thrown out of cultivation from the change that has latterly 

 taken place in the heating of garden structures. A few years 

 ago tan was the material in general use for supplying bottom 

 heat to Pine Apples, and large pots plunged in the corners of 

 pineries for the most p:irt contained such plants as that under 

 notice. In such a position the roots had the chance of passing 

 through the bottom of the pot and running amongst the tan, 

 while the pot was a sufficient check to induce the plant to 

 produce a greater profusion of bloom than it otherwise might 

 have done. I do not know that we have gained much by our 

 change in heating such places, except, perhaps, a little saving 

 of labour and increased neatness. In most Pine stoves bottom 

 heat is now supplied by hot water ; and where that mode of 

 heating is adopted there is hardly plunging material suiEoient 

 to cover the pots, and the dry heat underneath prevents the 

 roots from spreading in that direction. 



In the Pine stove here nothing but tan is employed for 

 bottom heat, and a plant of the Pergularia is plunged in one 

 comer. On renewing the tan a few weeks ago I found the roots 

 running amongst the tan at ."i feet from the surface, as if they 

 Jully enjoyed their situation; and I maintain that climbers add 

 great interest to such places, particularly as many of them will 

 not grow in cooler houses. 



Pergularia odorati.'ssima is an evergreen twiner which grows 

 freely when in good health, but, like some others, it requires 

 time to make a good stem before it commences to flower well. 

 As regards special treatment, when once the plant has covered 

 the space intended for it all the shoots should be cut closely in, 

 similar to the short pruning of Vines. The flower trusses issue 

 from the anils of the le&fstalks, and each shoot produces, ac- 

 cording to the vigour of the plant, from three to six trusse?, 

 each compesed of from thirty to forty flowers. These are light 

 green wit& a yellow tboeat. None of the plants of this genus 



SKELETONISING LEAVES. 

 If you wish to make a bouquet, the first thing to do is tO' 

 select the leaves and seed vessels that you intend to use. If 

 you have never tried your hand at this kind of business, it 

 would be better for you to try such leaves as those of the Oak 

 or Maple, for the reason that the veins in those leaves are 

 stronger than in most others, and come out of the bleaching 

 process more perfect than thinner ones. 



When you have selected your leaves and seed vessels, brush 

 off any particles of dirt that may possibly cling to them. It i& 

 necessary that this should be done in order to insure their 

 perfect whiteness ; for if any dust or dirt adheres to them when 

 put to soak, it will be apt to stain them in their long bath, and 

 the stain thus given will be hard to efface. 



Take a wide-mouthed jar — one that will admit of putting in 

 and taking out the leaves without cracking or bruising titem. 

 Lay in your leaves evenly — the stems all turned one way, to 

 avoid getting them tangled when you take them out. 



When you have your jar as full as yon wish, pour over them: 

 warmed rain water. There should be enough to completely 

 cover them. Let them stand where they will be kept warm. 

 Change the water once a-week, at least ; every two or three 

 days would be better. Cover with a plate, or something that 

 will exclude all dust. The water should be pure. 



In two or three weeks the fleshy part of the leaves will be 

 reduced to pulp, and can be removed with a soft brush. Be 

 careful to brush away every particle of the pulpy matter. When 

 you have them skeletonised, as this part of the work is called, 

 they are ready to put to bleach. 



To prepare material for bleaching, take a quarter of a potmd' 

 of chloride of lime, and put it in some clean vessel with one 

 and a half pint of cold, soft water. Stir briskly, breaking all. 

 the lumps. When the lime has settled — and it will not take 

 long for it to do so — the solution may be poured off and bottled . 

 for use. 



"When ready for bleaching, place yonr skeletonised lea-ves in ■ 

 a large-mouthed vessel. It is necessary that the moH.th of the 

 dish be large enouth to admit your hand, as the delicate luos-likc 

 leaves break very easily, and should not be bent if it can be 

 avoided. Place the leaves in the vessel, and add enough water 

 to cover them. A tablespoonful of the bleaching solution may 

 then be added to every pint of water. If seed vessels arete 

 be bleached, keep them by themselves, as they are apt to tear 

 the lace-like network of the leaves, and add more of the bleach- 

 ing solution, as the thick stems are harder to bleaoh than any. 

 other part of a bouquet, and require more chlorids to eiiect thie 

 part of the work satisfactorily. 



A day will probably be long enough to whiten them com- 

 pletely. Take out one carefully, and you can toll by that when 

 they are sufficiently bleached. When you think they will dO; 

 remove them carefully, and lay them in a large dish filled with 

 clear soft water. Wash them carefully, and pour o3 the water ; 

 after which, rinse thoroughly through two or three waters 

 slightly warmed. They must be rinsed iree from all the 

 chloride of lime, or they will be apt to ehange to a dingy yellow. 

 When you have them washed, place them between sheets of 

 blotting paper to dry. A very short time will suffice for them to 

 dry in. Bo not allow them too get too dry and crisp for hand- 

 ling without breaking, before you form them into bouquets. 

 When you can bleaoh Oak, Maple, Beech, and such leaves well, 

 you can try more delicate ones ; and if you are careful in yonr 

 work, you will succeed in preparing some fine specimens. — 

 E. G. KEXFomj. 



DESTROYING WIREWORMS. 

 Let " Infelix " (see page 395), try a heavy dressing of lime 

 to get rid of the wireworm. I took my present place in October, 

 ISliG. Every thing and every place was infested with it. It was 

 no use to attempt to grow Celery — in fact, it was as bad as it 

 could be. I asked questions right and left, but no one conld 

 give me a cure. 1 thought I would try lime. I put, I should 

 ihink, as nearly as possible three tons per acre. Last year t 



