Aagttst 28, 1860. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



165 



who have sent us testimonials in its favour, give very different 

 results. We havo ourselves Laxton's Prolific Long-pod Pen 

 growing on our seed farms in Essex, raised from seed reserved 

 from the same hulk as supplied to all our customers last 

 season, and wo aro in a position to prove, that not only were 

 there very few rogues in the whole crop, but that the Tea is in 

 every respect equal to our advertised statements of last season 

 — viz., that " for a second early Pea, and a Pea for early sow- 

 ing in autumn, there is no Pea of a similar class in cultivation 

 to equal it." 1 We cannot hut think that "Amateur" is not 

 what he signs himself, and that he was not in a position to 

 continually inspect the Pea for himself, as we have done at 

 our farms, otherwise wo feel sure his opinion of Laxton's 

 Prolific Early Long-pod Pea would be different. We may 

 add, orders are coming in so fast that we aro afraid the 

 demand will be, as last year, far in excess of our stock. — 

 James Carter & Co. 



of England ; I would recommend the large-fruited Cypress 

 where the Pinus insignis has succumbed. — Charles McDonald 

 (in Scuttisli Gardener). 



CUPRESSUS MACROCARPA. 



Tite great Californian Cypress is one of the most ornamental 

 trees we possess, and although only introduced about twenty 

 years ago, it is already quite a tree in this country. 



Since the introduction of the Silver Fir there is no hardy 

 tree to compare with this Cypress in giving such a decided 

 change to park adornment, and to warm the winter landscape. 

 Over the United Kingdom this tree is perfectly hardy, of rapid 

 growth, noble aspect, and robust constitution. Hartweg, by 

 whom it was introduced to Chiswiek, says it formed one of the 

 noblest trees he had ever seen. Hartweg had for seven years 

 previous to that dato travelled over the great Conifera regions 

 of South and North America, had seen the lofty elegant Picea 

 religiosa, and many equally beautiful trees, and when he gave 

 such decided merit to C. inaerocarpa it was believed that it 

 would be a rare acquisition. The magnificent trees to be seen 

 over the country confirm Mr. Hartweg's first impression. 



About the name of the above tree there is some confusion. 

 Some who pretend to know insist that there is a proper dis- 

 tinction between C. inaerocarpa and C. Lambertiana. I may 

 as well say at once that I do not know the difference, if any. 

 I have grown the tree under the respective names, and the 

 trees were purchased from a nursery at the top of the list for 

 extent and correct knowledge of such plants, but I failed to 

 discover'any tangible difference. Plants grown from seed and 

 from cuttings of the same tree show a marked difference in a 

 young state, but this apparent difference disappears after the 

 growth of a few years. In this way nothing could be more 

 distinct than the Funereal Cypress. 



In regard to C. macrocarpa, thero seems no reason why a 

 synonyme should be retained, as the tree is botanically described 

 nnder the above name, and Hartweg does not refer to any other 

 •Variety ; and he knew well what trees grew in Upper California. 

 Of the first plants distributed by the Horticultural Society 

 of London two are growing at Woodstock, and are both very 

 fine specimens ; both plants were removed and transplanted 

 five years ago ; the height of the best specimen is now over 

 40 feet : the stem at 1 foot from the ground is 4; feet in cir- 

 cumference. It would be impossible to imagine anything more 

 perfect as a tree. Its cheerful green seems to warm the land- 

 scape as far as the eye can see it. 



The Cypress tribe have not hitherto occupied much at- 

 tention in landscape or park planting. Although the Cypress 

 figures in the history of Rome and Greece, this family have 

 only found a place in small gardens and dressed grounds, where 

 trees proper are not admissible. The species of Cypress of which 

 I write will rank with large trees, and it should be planted 

 everywhere in masses where dense habit and cheerful green 

 are desirable. What glorious picture and grouping will arise 

 from the judicious planting of Cupressus Uhdeana, C. macro- 

 carpa, and the upright Cypress. After this style I have planted 

 the margin of a wood, which iu a few years will add a new 

 feature to the picturesque wood of this fine park. 



On limestone gravel C. macrocarpa is the only Conifer that 

 I have seen thriving well. It is complained by some planters 

 that this tree will not stand on exposed situations. This is 

 true, and it is the last tree that I would think of planting on 

 very exposed ground, nor will it succeed on very dry ground; 

 but there is no ornamental tree that I find more accommo- 

 dating in soils suited for tree planting. 



Mr. Cramb has told iu the " Scottish Gardener" that Pinus 

 insignis must bo cut off the list of hardy trees in most parts 



CULTIVATION OF THE MELON. 

 (Concluded from Vol. VlMl.,page 68.) 



The accompanying figure is the section of a house that may 

 be built at a small cost, and there is no horticultural purpose 

 for which it might not be employed with advantage. It has no 

 front lights, yet the glass comes so low as to give light to every 

 part. A house of this description would cost very little more 

 than an ordinary pit with brick walls, and could be converted 

 into a greenhouse or store-house for bedding plants in winter, 

 or a forcing-house for flowering plants or vegetables. A very 

 good use for such a house would be to fill it with Vines in pots, 

 starting them in the beginning of December, so as to ripen 

 the Grapes in May, and the house might then be planted with 

 Melons, to fruit in September and October. The house is re- 

 presented with four four-inch hot-water pipes for top heat, and 

 two for bottom heat, so that it might be used as a forcing- 

 house in winter ; but if for plants merely requiring protection 

 from frost, two of the top pipes might be dispensed with — 

 namely, those situated in the path (under which there is a drain), 

 and if it were not desirable to have Melons at an early season, 

 those under the beds, for bottom heat, would not be required. 

 The house would then he exceedingly well adapted for preserv- 

 ing bedding plants, and very useful for Melons, after being 

 cleared of its winter occupants. 



The house having been cleared hy the last week in May, it is 

 prepared for the reception of the Melons, which I shall presume 

 to have been raised elsewhere, and to consist of two descriptions 

 of plants — viz., one stopped and trained with a single stem to 

 run on a rafter and wires 9 inches from the glass, and others 

 stopped at the second rough leaf, and trained to run over the sur- 

 face of the beds. The border, if it consists of strong rich loam 

 approaching clay, could not be better suited for the .Melon, and 

 it will only be necessary to dig out a hole 10 inches deep under 

 the centre of each light, or 3 feet from centre to centre, and 

 exactly in the centre of the beds, and fill it with rich turfy loam. 

 Beneath each of the rafters, which are wired the same as for 

 Vines, a pit is likewise made, and filled with rich soil forming 

 a cone with a flattened top on which the Melons are to be 

 planted, one plant in each pit so prepared, and watered well at 

 the time. Should the soil be light and poor, that of the beds 

 should be wholly taken out, and replaced with 10 or 12 inches 

 of strong, rich loam. The stronger the soil the more abundant 

 and finer will be the fruit. 



After planting the house should be kept close, admitting no 

 air until the thermometer indicates a temperature of 80°, then 

 only a little, and if the temperature rise to 00° all the better; 

 only shut up by the time the temperature sinks to 85°. The 

 atmosphere should be kept moist hy syringing, between 4 and 

 3 p.m., and not later than 6 P.M., every available surface except 

 the foliage, with liquid manure, which will cause the atmo- 

 sphere to be sensibly charged with ammonia. Unless the 

 operator is experienced in applying manure water, soot water 

 is a more safe liquid. A peck of soot will make thirty gallons 

 of the most deadly poison to red spider, and a fertiliser baring 

 but few equals, and so will guano water made at the strength of 

 1 oz. of guano to four gallons of water. The plants should also 

 be kept well watered, taking care not to saturate the soil, and 

 may be supplied with liquid manure after the fruit is set and 

 swelling. The atmosphere should be kept rather drier when 

 the flowers are setting, and the quantity both of atmospheric 

 moisture, and water at the root, should be reduced as the fruit 

 approaches maturity. The labour involved in frequent water- 

 ing: maybe lessened by mulching the surface with short littery 

 manure or cocoa-nut refuse, so as not to render the operation 

 necessary oftener than once a-week. 



There "will be a plant to each rafter at 3 feet apart, one be- 

 tween each of these in the centre of the bed, also at 3 feet apart ; 

 and these producing three and four fruit, averaging 2 lbs. 

 weight each, the produce, will far exceed that obtained in the 

 ordinary mode of culture. The plants on the rafters should 

 be confined to a foot wide — that is. G inches on each side of 

 the centre wire, and this is ample for a Melon plant trained 

 with one stem. If allowed to sprawl over the whole of the 

 roof it is of little use expecting fruit from the plant? in the 

 beds, as they will be deprived of light to such an extent that 

 they cannot do much good. On the other hand, the plants on 



