I'ebruirj 3, 1876. J 



JOOBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAUDENEB. 



are now recommended to plant Sunflowers (Helianthus), and 

 the Fever or Blue Gum Tree of Australia (Eucalyptus), as a 

 preventive of pestilential diseases in marshy or malarious 

 looalitiee. 



"Chrysanthemums wtre introduced in 1761, and again iu 

 1795, and, ' like the Boses of China, the Chrysanthemums soon 

 escaped from the conservatories of the curious, and as rapidly 

 spread themselves over every part of the island, filling the case- 

 ments of the cottapers with their autumnal beauties.' It is 

 rather singular to find that the 'Winter Cherry' (Physalis 

 alkekenei) has been grown in our gardoLS as a decorative plant 

 since 1518, or above three hundred years ago ; and it appears to 

 have been commonly grown in the time of Gerard, who quaintly 

 tells us that ' the Redde Winter Cherrie groweth vpon olde 

 broken wals about the borders of fiehles, and in moist shadowy 

 places, where some conserve it for the beautie of its berries, and 

 others for the great and woorthy vertuee thereof.' 



" Philips, writing in 1821, saye, ' At present the berries are 

 seldom used with us, excepting to mingle in bouquets of dried 

 flowers, or to ornament the chimney-pieces of cottage parlours.' 



" Lobelias of the L. cardinalis section were esteemed many 

 years ago as window plants, and China Asters were also used 

 occasionally in pots and boxes for a like purpose ; while the 

 Blue Throatwort (Traehelium cceruleum) was often used as a 

 decorative plant, not only in pots, but also partially naturalised 

 on old walls, along with Snapdragons (Antirrhinum) and Wall- 

 flowers (Cheiranthus). 



" Balsams (Impatieus) have been grown in our gardens for the 

 last three hundred years, and have long been esteemed as de- 

 corative window plants by cottage florists. 



" Convolvuli, both C. tricolor and C. major, were known in 

 the time of Charles I, ; for Parkinson (102'J) tells us that he re- 

 ceived seeds of the former out of Spain, and that the flowers are 

 ' of a most excellent skie-coloured blew, so pleasant to behold 

 that often it amazeth the spectator.' 



" Succulents, as Phyllocactus (" Cactuses "), Cape Aloes, more 

 especially the well-known A. variegata introduced in 172U, and 

 many species of Mesembryanthemums, have long been culti- 

 vated in cottage windows. Another old sweet-scented favourite, 

 Aloysia citiiodora, was introduced in 1781, and is still very 

 generally gro-vvu as a decorative plant; while some of the earliest 

 varieties of fancy or hybrid Geraniums (Pelargonium) soon found 

 their way from the gardens of the florist or wealthy amateur 

 into cottage windows, where their more beautiful representatives 

 still remain, 



"The well known " .Varon's-beard " (Saxifraga sarmentosa) 

 was introduced from China in 1771, and is still one of the most 

 popular of all window plants on account of its free babit of 

 growth and vivaparoua mode of reproducing itself. Many more 

 examples might be given, but the above rough sketch is sufli- 

 cient for our present purpose. We have shown the custom of 

 employing flowers and living plants for purposes of domestic 

 and personal ornament to be an old one ; while at the present 

 time they speak a language peculiarly their own, and enter 

 largely into the expression of the joys and sorrows, the light 

 and shade, of our everyday existence. Window-gardening has 

 spread from humble cottages to the mansions in our busy towns, 

 and on all sides we have societies fostering a love for the more 

 extended culture of decorative plants among all classes of society. 

 The indoor cultivation of plants and flowers has especial attrac- 

 tions for the invalid, and the interesting employment thus 

 afforded serves to brighten or while away many a tedious hour. 

 Even a few cut flowers and fresh leaves or sweet-smelling herbs 

 kept in water, afford relief to the eye of the sufferer, and help 

 to divert it from wandering over the cheerless walls of the 

 hospital, or from peering into the deep shadows of the sick 

 room. 



" The pure and lasting taste for beautiful plants and flowers, 

 if firmly implanted in the human mind, almost invariably exerts 

 its beneficial influence for good ; hence gardening ought to be 

 made use of iu connection with all our public schools as an 

 educational appliance of the highest possible value. In Sweden 

 the elements of horticulture are systematically taught in all 

 government schools ; and we believe great results would follow, 

 from a national point of view, if the rudiments of gardening 

 and its sister art farming Nvere practically taught in this country 

 more generally than is at present the case. 



" Throughout France, again, gardening is practically taught 

 in the primary and elementary schools. There are at present 

 28,00U of these schools, each of which has a garden attached to 

 it. and is under the care of a master who can impart a knowledge 

 of the first principles of horticulture. Even in the schools to 

 which no garden is attached the theory of cultivation is taught ; 

 but it has recently been decided by the Minister of Public lu- 

 Btruction that the number of school gardens shotild be largely 

 increased, and that no one shall ha appointed master of an 

 elementary school unless he can prove himself to be capable of 

 giving practical instruction in the culture of the soil. 



" Many who have no little garden wherein to grow a few 

 BWeet-scented flowers, jet manage to extemporise ways and 



means to gratify the love of nature, which appears to be nearly 

 universal. Window gardening has doubtless been practised for 

 centuries under ditliculties, and the garden poet alludes to the 

 practice in the following lines : — 



" There the pitcher stands 

 A (raf^ent, and the spoutless ttapot there; 

 Sud witnesaoB how close-pent mao re y:rets 

 The country, with what ardoar he contrives 

 A peep at nature when he can no more." — Cowrfin. 



EOOT-GRArriNG STONE FRUITS. 



Ix is common in root-grafting the Apple to make two or 

 three stocks from one seedling root. Tliia manner does not 

 work 60 well in the case of stone fruits. I find no dilHoalty, 

 however, in root-grafting stone fruits. For the Peach, Pium| 

 and Apricot I use the wild Plum for a stock. I take up the 

 seedling Plums in the autumn, being careful to break off as 

 few of the small fibrous roots as possible. I put thorn in a 

 cool cellar, packed in earth, and leave them there until I wish 

 to use them during the winter. When these roots are grafted 

 I keep them moist and do not expose to eold. I use the wholo 

 root of the seedling, from 6 inches to a foot long to make one 

 root-graft, whip grafting near the collar. The grafted roots 

 are then packed in earth, in the cellar, to be planted out, after 

 the ground has ceased to freeze, in the spring. The success 

 or failure depends greatly upon the amount of small roots upon 

 the seedling stocks. Stocks that have been once transplanted 

 are still more certain to grow when root-grafted. 



This past spring (187.5) I did some grafting with scions aud 

 stocks which had stood out all winter and had been exposed 

 to a temperature of 2(j' below zero. After the ground thawei 

 I took up the Pium stocks and whip-grafted them with Peach 

 and Plum scions just cut from the tre^s. They were then put 

 in the cellar until it was safe to plant them out. Nearly all 

 made a good growth, particularly the Peaches and Plums.— 

 Theo. Willums, Nebraska. — {American Prairie Farmer.) 



NOTES O.N VILLA a.nd SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Bedding Pl.ixts. — With the month of February comes a 

 necessity for greater activity among the stock of bedding plants, 

 and preparations must be made for potting off the stock of old 

 plants that have beenkept in closequarters since autumn. Where 

 several cuttings have been inserted in a pot or box together it 

 is not well that they make many fresh roots before being potted, 

 as the process of separation mutilates them so much that they 

 do not become speedily re-established. After potting afford 

 the plants au increase of temperature, and when doing well 

 remove them to a cooler structure, which will make room for 

 others from the stores. 



It will be necessary to increase the stock of many plants by 

 striking cuttinga, and tor this purpose the plants must be pLioed 

 in a genial temperature to induce their free and healtby growth. 

 In inserting cuttings special care is needful that they are per- 

 fectly free from aphides, thrips, or other insects ; for it is 

 astonishing how soon the young growth becomes infested, and 

 fumigation must be a frequent operation, with a moist atmo- 

 sphere, to prevent the inroads of red spider. 



If there is no regular propagating place a dung bed must be 

 made up, aud a frame placed upon it. If a bottom heat of G'J" 

 can be secured, it will be sufficient for the pots to be plunged in. 

 As a plunging medium some use sawdust, others old dried tau, 

 while a bed of leaves, if they are packed closely round the pots, 

 will answer well. 



The cuttings must be inserted as they can be had, for it is not 

 ahvaya possible to secure a very large batch at the same time ; 

 they must be well fastened in the soil aud must not be moved 

 until they are rooted. A good plan of procedure is to well draiu 

 some small pots and fill them to within an inch of the top, press- 

 ing the soil down moderately firmly, aud over this place about au 

 inch of silver sand, watering with a very fine rose untU the sand 

 begins to throw the water off. The moment the water has passed 

 through the sand and has soaked &\va,j, the cuttings should bo 

 inserted, using no stick to make holes with, but pressing in the 

 stem of each cutting with the thumb and finger, which is an easy 

 matter aa the sand is soft. The pots when filled should be gently 

 watered, and the settling of the particles of sand will fasten the 

 cuttings. As soon as the pots have drained off they may be placed 

 in the frame. 



When the cuttings start into growth after rooting, pinch out 

 their points, which will, in turn, make cuttings if required. As 

 soon as roo's are emitted the young plants should be removed 

 to a cooler temperature, and when side shoots spring out the 

 plants may be divided and potted, and grown-on for a time, 

 then gradually hardened off into cool frames. In the ease of 

 small plants such as Verbenas, one pot will root from thirty to 

 fifty cuttings. 



