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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



I Oetob«r 14, 1889. 



TipiJIy, and without air are apt to make weak foliage. There 

 ahould be a change of air at least once a-dar. In dull weather 

 1«8S moisture will be required than when the weather is bright, 

 and the ventilation ought at all times to bo so regulated that 

 it will not suddenly cool or dry the atmosphere. 



The plants when forcing is commenced will need but little 

 ■water. It will be enough to keep the soil moist until they 

 «re growing freely ; the amount should then be increased with 

 •the growth, but never give water until the soil in the pots 

 beeomo dry, yet not so much so as to cause the leaves to flag. 

 Do not saturate the soil by too frequent waterings, and if it 

 Iteeoma very wet see that the drainage is cfEoicnt, and the 

 raots in a healthy state, for without good roots it is not pos- 

 Bibio to have vigorous growth and bloom. Keep the plants well 

 supplied with water until the blooming is past. 



After flowering the plants should be returned to a house 

 baving a temperature not more than '>° lower than that in 

 which they have been flowered, and he there continued for a 

 fortnight; then place them in a cooler house or pit. by degrees 

 harden them off, and when danger frcm frost is over they may 

 be plunged in ashes in an open situation, attending to them 

 with wat«r in dry weather. Some f Unts after forcing are hardly 

 worth keeping until another year, hut others flower well the 

 second year, and others again are best planted out in the 

 iMrders after they have been hardened-off. 



All plants require to be prepared in the previous year for 

 •iercing; hut this is rarely practised in private gardens, as 

 {)Unta ready for forcing can be purchased so cheaply. Those 

 best established in pots can be obtained in that way, whilst 

 tkose which can bo lifted and potted in autumn, are grown in 

 such quantities that there are always to he had compact plants 

 with good foliage, well set with buds, and which can bo taken 

 ap with balls of soil. These can he purchased more cheaply 

 ♦f nurserymen than they can he grown bj- persons only re- 

 quiring a few. All plants are not suitable for forcing, and 

 i» grow them for the purpose, care must be taken of them 

 prreviously. They should be well grown, healthy, well set with 

 flower buds, and if they are not so, and well rooted likewise, 

 .discard them.— G. Aeeet. 



BICTON. 



Ween visiting Bicton, the seat of Lady Rolle, a short time 

 ago, I saw an account in your Journal of the death of Mr. 

 Vaitch, and I could not help being struck with the idea that 

 it was worthy of record, that there was to be seen there that 

 which would be a living monument to his memory for ages to 

 03me, ia the noble Araucaria avenue which, as far as I am 

 aware, is not equalled in Britain. It contains fifty spscimens 

 'Host jttdicioasly arranged. I was informed that it was planted 

 by Mr. Veitch about thirty years ago, and was under his care 

 fer some years when in its infancy. He also had the care of 

 •the noble arboretum at the same period, but I regret to observe 

 tliit a lar(;e number of the original specimens are wanting, to 

 tke amount, I was informed, of about nine hundred. Lady 

 BsHe, who is a most liberal patron of horticulture, and is ever 

 ready to grant whatever is required, has expressed a wish that 

 the blanks should be filled up. I have, therefore, no doubt but 

 tkat tbe plantations will soon be pot in a more perfect state. 



I could not help observing many relics of the talent and 

 gaod taste of the late Mr. Glendinning. He designed and 

 planted the arboretum ; he also formed the beautiful lake, in 

 tke design of which he was most ably assisted by his noble 

 patron. When I saw it there were hundreds of water fowl 

 opon its aurtaoa and banks. Although entirely artificial, I was 

 informed that it was in some places 40 feet deep. It forms a 

 BtOBt beautiful object from the mansion, and can be seen from 

 aany parts of the extensive park, being a grand feature in the 

 Isodse&pe. — A. B., Cuikden, Bucks, 



DESTROYING WORJIS. 

 Ts answer to your correspondents " J. A." and others, in 

 your number of the 7th inst., you recommend lime water or 

 ammoniacal liquor diluted with six times its volume of water, 

 for the destruction of worms on lawns and in pots, both of 

 which are undoubtedly good ; but the limn water is not so 

 efiectaal as could be wished, and aqueous ammonia cannot be 

 applied sufliciently strong to kill without injuring vegetation, 

 ss you justly remark. Ammonia has also the additional draw- 

 boAk of being very volatile, and, therefore, quickly evaporates. 



A far more effeotual agent, and one not only free from the 



above objections, but possessing the strong recommendation of 

 being acceptable to most plants, will be found in a solution of 

 1 ozs. of common washing soda, dissolved in one gallon of 

 water, the solution to be applied in the evening with the rose 

 or epout, according as it may be desired to operate upon beds, 

 lawns, or pots. The strength of the solution may be varied 

 from this standard to suit the condition of the plant or plants, 

 according to the tenderness, maturity, or hardiness of growth. 

 A little experimental practice on the part of the operator will 

 soon lead to just conclusions on this and other points. Soda 

 is one of our strongest corrosive poisons, and instantly affects 

 all moist-skinned creatures, such as worms, snails, ico. A few 

 applications will in most cases prove effectual at a very trifling 

 cost.— H. G. 



OUR FLOWER SHOWS. 



"TuEiiE is no mistake .ibout the matter, flower shows are be- 

 coming; great events in our day, something looked forward to in 

 every town and village ; yet I would rather, if I dare speak the 

 truth, my man had nothing to do with then^i. I knew I shall bo 

 considered a croakinp; fellow, far hehind this enlightened ago." 



" So you are in this respect, Hurry," replied his brother, 

 " and why, I cannot understand, unless you have heen for years 

 an unsuccessful exhibitor." 



"No, I have never exhibited; my man has done so by suffer- 

 ance, it is his hobby ; the laurels are all his own when he wins 

 them. I am not sm-o they are worth the cost — think of the 

 labour and anxiety, the hopes and fears, the strange methods 

 resorted to, to gain tho required form and bloom. Ah, Frank, 

 many a gardener looks at his poor thin ducks until in the fever 

 of the excitement up to which lie has worked himself, he fancies 

 them swans ; and then when the proclamation goes forth they 

 are but ducks, what a downfall, what disappointment and heart- 

 ache ; and worse, unbelief in the fairness of the award !" 



"And he is not worth much if he does not go home deter- 

 mined to work and win another day. You speak like an out- 

 sider, once within the magic circle your feelings would change, 

 HaiT)-." 



" It should bo remembered, Frank, the outsiders far out- 

 number those within the circle. I am not sure my feelings 

 would change under any circumstances, not even if I bccam*, 

 ■what appears to me an impossibility, one of your favoured few. 

 (lur flower shows are something like poultry shows, success 

 runs ever in a groove ; it is only by some extraneous effort the 

 old is pushed aside to let in a new element. Then, too, to an 

 idle looker-on, prize-giving appears such an anomaly ; hulk often 

 wins the day, tho largest bundle of sticks carrying off the first 

 prize. Some monster plant with an unreadable name is sure to 

 have tho honour of hearing tho white card, and though every- 

 body admires it, or pretends to do so, yet few wonid have it »t a 

 gift. This successful giant travels about from town to tovm, 

 and from show to show, as long as the blooms remain, then goes 

 home a pitiful object, with its plantation of supports and im- 

 measiirable yards of string exposed to view, to be hidden away 

 in a dark corner, nine times out of ten to drop off — a natural 

 resvilt if you will push all energies in one direction, until, how- 

 ever hriliiant the success, the chance of life is small. I like- 

 wise do not admire the necessary appearance of the plants in- 

 tended to compete for prizes ; Nature is so cut in, rounded off, an4 

 tied out, that all perception of what the individual plant should 

 be is lost. Art not Nature, the gardener's skill, not Nature's 

 aided growth, is exhibited, for which I suppose committees hoU 

 up their golden prizcf. Behind my time, or before my time, I 

 must confess, Frank. I do not admire them, wouhl not have 

 them at a gift, and I ever come home with a thankful feeling I 

 have not to find house-room for them, ^^^ly should all life, and 

 grace, and charm, be cut aw,ay from them, not even a stray leaf 

 allowed to make light and shade •• That Bramble bush clamber- 

 ing over the old stone wall, and spreading forth its leaves and 

 flowers, and wild fruit, has more grace and beauty, and gives 

 more pleasure than the beautiful Stephanotis when dressed out, 

 roimded off, I should rather say, into its tub-like shape." 



" You do not know the hours of labour bestowed upon these 

 specimen plants to bring them into a blooming condition fit for 

 exhibiting," 



"No, indeed, I do not, Frank — they may be even more than I 

 imagine ; but surely that is no reason the pliints should be 

 twisted and twined, and tied and tortured, as if roundness were 

 the only form of beauty for which a prize could be gi'-en. Why, 

 our forefathers had more variety of shape in clipping their ever- 



