July 24, lB6fi. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



67 



the plants still ; when they are half an inch or so in height 

 make choico of the two strongest and cut the others away 

 just helow the surface, and hy the time theso havo grown an 

 inch in height tho weaker one should be cut away. 



When the pots are full of roots, but before these become 

 matted, shift the plants into 4{-inch pots, and plunge the latter 

 in a mild heat and near the glass, and on sido shoots appearing 

 pinch out their points at the second leaf, placing a small stake 

 by the leader or centre shoot, which is not to be stopped until 

 it shows for bloom, then its point must be taken out ; and all 

 the side Bhoots as they appear should bo closely pinched-iu 

 to one joint, being careful in removing tho centre from them 

 not to remove the leaf along with it. The stake should be put 

 in at at a distance from the stem, say 1{ inch, for as the 

 plant grows a stouter stake will be required, and it is desirable 

 to have it in the same hole, so that the roots may not be in- 

 jured in thrusting it in. The stem is to be neatly and loosely 

 tied to the stake, and when this becomes too short it should be 

 replaced by a longer one. If the centre show for flower take 

 out its point, and the strongest and best placed shoot proceed- 

 ing from the stopping should be trained in its place. This 

 may require to be done repeatedly before a stem 20 inches or 

 2 feet high can be obtained, and until the height of stem re- 

 quired be atttained no flowers should be allowed to remain on 

 any part of the plant, but all should be pinched out so soon 

 as they show. The leader not being pinched, or only to prevent 

 flowering, and the side shoots closely pinched, the centre 

 shoot will grow up, and when it is as high as you wish, pinch 

 it, as well as the side shoots, whenever they show for flower, 

 and this is to be continued until the plant becomes well fur- 

 nished. 



The pots being pretty well filled with roots, the plants may 

 be potted into 8-inch pots, or, if strong, 12-inch pots will not 

 be too large, as this is the last shift; but if the plants are 

 extra strong, and extra-sized specimens be desired, a 15-inch 

 pot may be employed. At this potting the soil should be 

 chopped and broken with a spade, but not sifted, as it is de- 

 sirable to have it free and open. It may consist of two-thirds 

 turfy yellow or hazel loam, and one-third leaf mould, and still 

 further to guard against moisture becoming stagnant, add one 

 part each of lumps of peat of the size of a hazel up to that of 

 a walnut, and charcoal of the same size, the whole well mixed. 

 The pots should be cleaned and efficiently drained, that being 

 of primary importance. The plants should be well watered 

 prior to potting, so that the soil may be moist at the time of 

 potting, and yet it should not be very wet. In potting, as the 

 soil is rough, it should be pressed tight, the centre of the pot 

 kept rather high — that is, the collar kept at least on a level 

 with the rim of the pot, and the surface covered with half an 

 inch or so of fine soil. The soil being in nice condition as 

 to moisture, and a nice mild hotbed at command in which the 

 pots can be three-parts plunged, the roots will soon extend 

 themselves to the fresh soil, and take firm hold of that. The 

 plants will do best in a cold pit and elevated on an inverted pot, 

 as then the water drains away freely, and they can be brought 

 the nearer to the glass. They cannot have too much air, and 

 a gentle syringing morning and evening is beneficial, they 

 being kept well supplied with water ; but anything like delug- 

 ing them is injurious. As a rule, they should not be watered 

 so long as the soil remains moist. 



I am averse to any training of the head by means of sticks, 

 wires, See., and would much rather see a smaller specimen than 

 one displaying more ingenuity in the arrangement of stakes and 

 wires than is shown in that of the head without them, it re- 

 quiring no little care and judgment (as the shoots are so very 

 brittle, and liable to part from the stem whence they take 

 their rise), in the disposal of the shoots, so as to produce a 

 good and evenly-balanced head, and it is a result that only 

 skill and practice can secure ; but if the requisite care and 

 judgment cannot be exercised, then a stout stake should be put 

 in in the place of the old stake, and it should be as high as 

 the plant is required to be. A stake half an inch in diameter 

 is not too thick. I then burn a small hole through the stake 

 on a level with the rim of the pot, and another immediately 

 above it in the opposite direction, and through these holes 

 push wires that reach 6 inches beyond the rim of the pot, and 

 a wire fastened to the points of these will form a circle, and 

 two or three more inwards from that will furnish means for 

 fastening the shoots. Six inches higher up the stake I repeat 

 the same proceeding, only the circle is C inches less in diameter, 

 and in this way proceed until the top of tho plant is reached 

 within 6 inches, lessening the diameter of the circles 6 inches 



for every 6 inches of height. This is tho way to form pyra- 

 mids ; and if we wish for a stem the process is the same, only 

 we put the first wires where the head begins. The shoots will 

 require training and tying, and, perhaps, stopping, in addition 

 to nipping off the flower-buds to make them branch ; but I 

 usually find the stopping consequent on the removing of the 

 flower-buds sufficient. 



The removal of the flower-buds should be strenuously per- 

 sisted in until the head is formed, and afterwards no truss 

 should be allowed to pod, but on the blooms seeding they 

 should be removed, and this is the secret of keeping the plants 

 healthy and profuse-blooming. The poU being full of roots, 

 weak liquid manure will bo of advantage once or twice a-week, 

 and it may be given whilst the plants are in bloom, but not in 

 dull damp weather. Until the pots are full of roots water 

 should be given rather sparingly, and at all times with care, 

 for a deluging of water is a certain forerunner of a stagnant 

 soil, the sequel being a sickly plant. The plants should, how- 

 ever, have the soil kept moist. 



A light and airy situation and plenty of room, ensuring 

 light equally on all sides, is desirable, and a temperature of 

 from 45° to 50° suits the plants in winter, allowing a rise 

 from sun, advantage being taken of that to admit more air, 

 and of this they can hardly have too much to prevent damping. 



Of the kinds I prefer the large-flowering, it being of stronger 

 habit and bolder in truss, but what is gained in strength and 

 largeness of truss is lost in the greater profusion of its less 

 vigorous compeer's blooms and its dense habit, and in this 

 respect I think the two kinds are in their claims nearly if 

 not quite equal, but that is a matter of taste. The two kinds 

 are the same in their requirements, but the common variety 

 is the easier managed. 



As to keeping the plants from year to year, I do not care 

 about doing so, as they are only to be kept with care, that con- 

 sisting in top-dressing in spring, and for a time stopping and 

 thinning the shoots, not permitting any to flower during the 

 summer, and keeping the flowers well thinned even during the 

 flowering season, if the blooms are expected to bo at all large, 

 not suffering any to seed. It is better to raise plants annuaUy, 

 or sow the seed in spring, and grow plants on for blooming in 

 winter and spring. They are stronger and better in every way 

 than older plants. — G. Abbey. 



GOSSIP ABOUT CANTERBURY, NEW ZEALAND. 



A fine specimen of the Pomegranate fruit has been seen in 

 Christ Church, from Governor's Bay, which shows the great 

 advantage which the inhabitants of the Peninsula have over 

 those on the plains in climate. Glycine sinensis is doing very 

 well here ; but Fortune's white variety has, to the best of my 

 knowledge, not arrived in New Zealand yet. The leaves of 

 Ailauthus, or Lady Dorothy Nevill's Silkworm tree, in a very 

 vigorous state of health, are killed by a late severe frost. I 

 do not know whence our Acclimatisation Society intends to 

 obtain the silkworms for us. Brugmansia Knightii flowers and 

 grows well out of doors here. Walnut trees have begun to 

 bear fruit well at about nine years old. From acorns sown about 

 ten years ago the young trees are bearing heavy crops. Syca- 

 mores of the same age are full of keys. Green Peas have been 

 in season with me from November 13th to April loth, a pretty 

 good spell for Green Peas to be in season. The natives of 

 Poverty Bay are said to have manufactured from Peaches, 

 Plums, and other fruits, a species of rum or arrack, which has 

 a highly intoxicating effect. We have now growing in one of 

 our nurseries a variegated Draca?na, or, in New Zealand phrase, 

 a variegated Cabbage tree, found on Mount Sinclair. A new 

 Grass has been discovered, as yet unknown to our New Zealand 

 botanists. It is described as a beautiful species, somewhat 

 resembling the ordinary Arundo conspicua, or " Toi toi," but 

 larger. It is said to be somewhat rare. Japan Lilies flower 

 very beautifully during our autumn months. Evergreens of 

 all kinds make a second growth after our hot summer weather 

 is over. Junipers and Arbor Vita;s now Beed very freely with 

 us, and the Cupressus as well. Double Petunias flower some- 

 times i inches across, and are of all shades and colours. Double 

 Zinnias and double Clarkias have now become very plentiful 

 in our gardens. 



It is contemplated to form a new horticultural garden here. 

 Application has been made by a deputation to our Government 

 for a piece of ground for that purpose, and the Secretary of 

 Public Works told them the terms on which the Society could 



