114 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Febraary 10, 187S 



trees of all the family may be BnocesBfnlly transplanted even 

 after they have attained to a coneiderable size, their fibrous 

 roots becoming speedily re-established in fresh soil. 



BEGONIAS FOB SUMMEE AND WINTEB. 



Attention has been prominently directed to the new varieties 

 of the tuberous-rooted section of Begonias, and their great 

 value as summer decorative plants has been pointed out. I 

 admit their great usefulness, indeed they may be regarded as 

 indispensable for summer decorative purposes ; but I would 

 not have some of our old favourites neglected, and especially 

 the species that bloom throughout the winter and spring 

 montijs. Where cut flowers are in great request, and where 

 heat is provided. Begonias should be cultivated freely, for 

 they afford an unfailing supply of elegant sprays. For this 

 purpose some of the old summer- flowering species and varieties 

 are extremely useful, as parvifolia, Digewelliana, Weltoniensis, 

 semperflorens, &c., while B. Pearcei (tuberous), for beauty of 

 foliage and flower combined, ia surpassed by few stove plants. 

 B. Pearcei is best raised from seed ; the seedlings making 

 beautiful plants, which flower the first season. The others 

 should be increased by cuttings. All of them are extremely 

 useful, and of the easiest culture. 



But I would draw attention mors particularly to the useful 

 old sorts which flower in winter. For many years I have had 

 to meet large demands for cut flowers, and without these 

 Begonias I could not have succeeded in supplying these de- 

 mands. Not only their soft quiet colours, but the profusion 

 of their flowers, and the elegance of their sprays, have been 

 found invaluable for many purposes of decoration. 



B. semperflorens is appropriately named, for it is ever bloom- 

 ing, and in winter is very valuable ; even more so is its variety 

 semperflorens Saundersii. The flowers of this are white, 

 upright, and having compact trusses. They are singularly 

 effective associated with the bright glossy foliage of the plant 

 where arranged with other out flowers. The plant is of dwarf 

 and compact habit ; and arranged with Ferns is, in the winter 

 especially, highly ornamental. 



B. insignis (Showy), is a very old favourite, and it also is ap- 

 propriately named, for its massive yet elegant semi-pendant 

 trusses are indeed striking. It is one of the most useful of 

 winter-flowering stove plants, and will afford unlimited sup- 

 plies of cut flowers from October till May. The plants also are 

 exceedingly ornamental, and besides their intrinsic beauty set off 

 to greater advantage such high-coloured plants as Poinsettias. 

 A combination of these plantd with Maiden-hair Ferns cannot 

 fail to be admired. 



B. fuclisioides is another species of great value. Its coral- 

 like pendant flowers are almost unequalled for forming a 

 drooping fringe from the margins of epergnes and other table 

 ornaments, and especially when viewed by artificial light. The 

 plants are also attractive in the stove, especially when grown 

 on single stems, showing themselves above their neighbours, 

 which they do with effect, and without doing injury to the 

 plants beneath. Placed at intervals near the margin on both 

 sides of a stage, and trained to arch over the pathway, their 

 points meeting overhead, they form a distinct and pleasing 

 feature in the arrangement — free, elegant, and blight. Plants 

 of a foot high flower most freely in thumb pots. I have so 

 grown them by hundreds for turning out of their pots, and 

 furnishing fringes to sides of hanging baskets in the con- 

 tervatory and boudoir. 



B. manicata is another fine old plant when well grown, 

 flowering in spring. The massive habit of the plant, and the 

 large foliage, being surmounted by spikes containing thousands 

 of delicate flowers, resembling a cloud by their airy lightness 

 and elegance. 



B. nitida ia also eminently worthy of culture, and in the 

 depth of winter will produce trusses of bloom not much in- 

 ferior to those of Hydrangeas. These old-fashioned plants are 

 real gardener's friends if treated in a friendly manner. They 

 require heat, and, this being provided, their culture is exceed- 

 ingly simple. 



The plants flower best when young, and they should he 

 renewed by cuttings annually, the cuttings being inserted at 

 the present time if large plants are required. Smaller flower- 

 ing plants may bo had for special purposes by striking the 

 cuttings any time during the summer. Loam, leaf mould, and 

 peat will grow them well, the last shift being into rich loam. 

 They should be grown near the glaes in the stove until June, 

 when frames heated by the sua will be suitable for them until 



September, when they must be replaced in the heated struc- 

 ture, and they will produce their flowers freely for fully six 

 months. 



These good old plants are not cultivated so well and exten- 

 sively as their merits deserve. I cannot conceive how the full 

 winter supply of cut flowers can be produced without them, 

 and therefore I call attention to them at a seasonable time 

 for raising a supply of plants, as supplemental to the useful 

 articles which have recently appeared on the more modern 

 type of Bummer-flowering varieties. — A Northern Gaedeneb. 



PRUNING ROSES. 



[We pubhsh the following letter from a correspondent, with 

 a reply from one of our contributors, as it opens the whole 

 question of pruning Roses ] 



As you have sent me a query from " E. P. B." as to the 

 proper method of pruning Roses on the Manetti stock, and aa 

 the question is one of great importance to Rose-growers, I ask 

 yon to publish the letter with the following answer which I 

 venture to send ; at the same time I am obliged to confess 

 that with the present very fickle and uncertain season it ia 

 difficult to give definite advice. 



" I shall be obliged for advice as to pruning my Roses. They 

 are all dwarfs on Manetti stocks. They are in three lots. 

 No. 1, planted lust year and untouched. No. 2, plants planted 

 here November, 1874, moved January, 1876. They were moved 

 direct from their former quarters ; about half an hour out of 

 the ground. No. 3, a lot from a nursery received last week. 



" State of different lots— No. 1 now making strong shoots. 

 No. 2 shooting out, but not so strong as No. 1. No. 3 the 

 usual nursery stock, but very strong. No shoots pushing. The 

 aspect is E.S.E. When are they to be pruned, e-nd how? 

 Some say the lower you cut them the better. I dread cutting 

 a bare stick for fear of no shoot resulting. Tell me when I 

 am to prune them, and to what extent (they are all H.P.'s). 

 I pruned No. 1 lot last year in February. It was the worst 

 season for Roses that I can remember — cold, wet. The young 

 shoots were first cut up by the dry parching weather in April, 

 and the poor blooms washed out by the subsequent r^ins. 

 Despite the weather I had magnificent blooms on Abb6 Bra- 

 merel (which, by the way I do not see among the chosen In the 

 Journal of Horticulture], Annie Wood, and Alfred Colomb. 

 These three seemed to disregard weather. The elevation h(r8 

 is 450 feet, and now, though we have had some frost, the Tar- 

 tarian Honeysuckle is in leaf and the Mezereonin flower. It 

 is not easy to know how to manage in such variations of tem- 

 perature. — E. P. B., Co. Dublin." 



Here there are three classes of Roses to deal with, bat I pre- 

 sume all are on the Manetti stock. The first planted last year 

 and untouched. I am obliged to ask, Untouched this year, or 

 untouched from their first planting ? If never pruned at all 

 they may have been very materially injured ; if it only means 

 that they have not been pruned since their first growth I would 

 say, Do not be afraid of the knife ; in fact, I should give the 

 same advice in both cases, but should fear if they never were 

 pruned since first planted that they will not break kindly now ; 

 still as they are on the Manetti it is far better to cut well back, 

 thin-out very weak shoots altogether, and do not be afraid 

 even if you see no eye at the base ; if only the plants have 

 made good roois they will be sure to push. 



No. 2, plants put out in November, 1874, and moved thia 

 January. As the season is forward and they have been moved 

 carefully they are not likely to have received much check. I 

 should recommend you to leave them for ten days or a fortnight 

 longer, or about the middle of February, and then prune aa 

 you would have done if you had not transplanted, but rather 

 more severely. Cut out all weak wood ; prune the strong to 

 five or six eyes, the medium to three or four. 



Next, No 3, as to new nursery stock. Plant them as they 

 are, or rather, if you have planted them, leave them aa they 

 are tUl the season has further advanced. If the weather con- 

 tinues open there wUl be an inchnatiou to form roots, but new 

 buds will not be formed for some little time, probably not till 

 the middle of Mp.roh ; but about the second or third week in 

 March prune back severely, the weaker shoots remove alto- 

 gether, the stronger prune to three or four eyes. I know some 

 will say I am recommending a severe measure, but experience 

 has oonviuoed me that "spare the rod and spoil the child" 

 ia an adage true with regard to Roses, and in some oases, it 

 not moat, utterly fallacious aa regards the child. Rosea will 

 answer under Eevere treatment, but children seldom. 



