December 23, 1875. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



563 



ing in a too crowded condition and by the unvarying appli- 

 cation of moisture aud beat, the fruiting becomes a matter 

 of the greatest uncertainty ; whereas, it the plants are vigor- 

 ously pushed on to make their growth under the influence of 

 sunshine, and subjected to a rational elidiag-scale as regards 

 heat and moisture, they can be fruited with a certainty. In 

 short, if the law of nature as regards a resting period is imi- 

 tated by different means at different seasons they answer their 

 purpose. Seven years ago we had to do with house upon 

 house full of Pine plants that should all have fruited the pre- 

 vious summer and autumn, but which instead grew on to be of 

 great stature. Their growth was arrested by rather a violent 

 process. They had a rest, with more room to allow air and 

 light to play upon them, and every one started and fruited 

 with comparative satiafaction. The want of rest, and a pro- 

 longed season of growth under the influence of heat and mois- 

 ture, had made leafy giants of them. They had no rest to 

 induce any disposition to fruit. Except under exceptional 

 circumstances, all violent, sudden, and unnatural resting is to 

 be as much deprecated as no resting at all. That maturity 

 and resting which is brought about by subjecting plants to a 

 drying and roasting process is not maturing and resting — it is 

 starving and semi-extinction. To ripen, for instance, the late 

 wood of Peach trees by drying the soil, is a putting of the 

 system to rest by laying violent hands upon its functions, not 

 by building it up and maturing it. A judicious nourishing by 

 licjuid manure, a warm atmosphere, and as much light and air 

 as possible, produce maturity and put the system to rest full 

 of latent power and vigour, which, after it has been properly 

 rested, comes into play like a giant refreshed with sleep. 



Not only is it necessary that the resting period should be of 

 Buffioient duration — it should also be complete by subjecting 

 the plant to a temperature sufficiently low and steady not to 

 excite in any way that is calculated to cause functional activity 

 which is not consistent with resting as nature rests. In the 

 case of deciduous subjects there is generally not so much fear 

 of this condition being infringed ; but in the case of plants 

 that are termed evergreen there is reason for believing that a 

 comparatively high winter temperature has too long been 

 practised, and that a season of comparative rest and inactivity 

 in their case also has not been fully recognised. More recent 

 experience proves beyond all doubt that many plants that are 

 natives of even tropical America and the South Sea Islands, 

 and other warm parts, can be subjected not only with impunity 

 to a much lower temperature than has long been the rule in 

 our stoves, but that they are actually benefited by such treat- 

 ment. We have too long kept out of the count our compara- 

 tive absence of light and the weakness of constitution that is 

 the inevitable consequence of a stimulating temperature with- 

 out the amount of siiushine that is necessary to vigorous 

 tissues ; and so Orchids that are subject to a heat that is out 

 of proportion to sunlight in winter make lean lanky leaves and 

 flowerless growths ; or if moisture is not carefully measured 

 out to the atmosphere, they, in some oases, have the juices 

 sucked out of their leaves — they become yellow, flaccid, and 

 eventually drop off when they are most required. A compara- 

 tively low temperature, with sufficient moisture in the air to 

 counteract the evil effects of fire heat, is surely a more rational 

 winter treatment, and one which allows of that rest which 

 insures a vigorous inflorescence and growth afterwards. 



All plants which have a disposition to grow in our hothouses 

 in autumn and winter indicate by their so doing that their 

 summer quarters should be cool and not roasting. There is 

 much talk of heat free of cost now-a-days, but it may safely be 

 averred that much heat has been worse than wasted in keeping 

 winter temperature rigidly up to certain and injuriously high 

 points ; and if the systems which are said to supply heat free 

 of cost lead to an indulgence in high winter temperature, they 

 ■will sacrifice at one end what is gained at the other. 



Our space counsels ua to close our remarks, but we cannot 

 do so without Baying that we consider the horticulturists' 

 golden rule to be : Ripen your season's growth properly, and 

 then give a long period of complete rest. — {The Gardener.] 



IVY. 

 At a recent arrangement for our church decoration at 

 Christmas the employment of Ivy was deprecated. Is this 

 objection prevalent? The name here is pronounced Iv-vy. — 

 Gertrude. 



[The correct pronounciation is I-vu. We presume that you 

 live in a midland county. The name is Anglo-Saxon, and in 



that langiiage it is spelt Ivith. We know of no reason for 

 objecting to Ivy, unless the canon issued by a Council at 

 Bracara is allowed to be an authority. Prynne in his "Itis- 

 trio-Mastix," cites other Clauuoils forbidding Christiana "to 

 decke up their houses with lawrell, yvie, and greene boughes," 

 quoting as a reason from Ovid the line " Hedera est gratispima 

 Baccho" — that is, "Ivy is most acceptable to Bacchus." — Eds] 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Violets. — It is now just upon twelve months ago that I saw 

 iu a cottage window a splendidly-bloomed plant of the Nea^ 

 politau double Violet in a pot. On inquiry I found that it had 

 been given to the parties just before it came into flower; but its 

 appearance at that dull time of the year was so suggestive and 

 its fragrance so refreshing, that I have thought a few remarks 

 upon the culture of Violets, both iu pots and planted-out, might 

 induce those to bestow on them some attention who have not 

 hitherto done so. 



I consider few ought to neglect devoting a corner to Violets 

 where they can have a little protection afforded to tbem. But 

 the principal and most successful way to grow the Neapolitan 

 is to prepare a small piece of grouud on, say, a west aspect, 

 but others will do, though perhaps not so well; dig it deep, 

 aud add a good dressing of manure if the soil is not rich (this 

 may be doue duriug the winter), aud at plantiug time add 

 a coating of fine leaf soil, and break the surface down, forking 

 the whole lightly over. When the old plauts have made their 

 growths, which will be early in May if the season is favourable, 

 take up the runners with a root to each if possible, and prick 

 them iu about a foot apart, keeping those that have roots sepa- 

 rate from the others, as there may be a difference in them in 

 the autumn. They should be slightly shaded in hot dry weather, 

 likewise watered when needful. They soon establish themselves 

 if care is taken of them. The summer treatment consists merely 

 in keeping the ground hoed and free from weeds. The littlo 

 runners which they throw out — 3ome sorts more tban others — 

 should be picked off; this adds much to the strength of the 

 parent plants, and by autumn they will become quite t tocky and 

 have formed good crowns. By the middle or end of September 

 most of them will be throwing up some flower buds, and they 

 will then be ready to plant out in different little nooks and 

 corners near the windows and paths where the sun can reach 

 them ; but the best of them ought to be taken up carefully, aud 

 if a frame can be spared for them, and be placed on an exhausted 

 dung bed — such as has grown Cucumbers or Melons — and a few 

 iuches of soil placed with that already there, the plants will 

 thrive in this admirably. They should be about 8 inches apart, 

 aud be well watered at the time of plantiug, and for a time 

 should be kept rather close. Flowers will soon begin to appear 

 of the finest quality and highest fragrance ; but it is not well to 

 allow the flowers to remain on the plauts, but they should be 

 picked and transferred to vases or glasses, and if placed in rooms 

 their fragrance will be much admired. It must be remembered 

 that during the dull winter months many leaves will damp-off. 

 These must be constantly kept cleared away, and the atmosphere 

 of the frame must not be kept too wet in bad weather, or many 

 of the flowers will decay also. Some plants ought also to be 

 potted at the same time and placed in the frame to be treated 

 as the others. Excepting when they are comiug into bloom 

 they should be placed where they will be somewhat drier and 

 near the glass, in order to have them in flower all at once. 



So far the above remarks allude to the Neapolitan variety, 

 which is the best for forcing; but there is The Czar and Lee's 

 Victoria Regina, producing large single blue flowers, both " beau- 

 tiful and sweet," and quite hardy. There are also others, such 

 as the single and double Russian varieties : the former is a 

 capital kind and ought to be grown by everyone, even if the 

 others are not. It commences flowering early in the autumn 

 outdoors, and established plants will continue to flower through- 

 out the winter. Here just after the melting of the late snow 

 the flowers sprung up, looking even fresher than ever. They 

 may be all propagated by cuttings or division. The double 

 one is useful by flowering later than those named, but its stems 

 are too slender for the weight of its flowers, which fall down 

 and are often very dirty, and on that account are not so well for 

 ladies to gather. Next there is the white one, which is indis- 

 pensable on account of its colour; it is perfectly hardy and most 

 prolific in flowers. 



A few patches planted here and there among hardy Ferns, or 

 on the little rockery among the Primroses, Snowdrops, and 

 other spring flowers, command observation by their several good 

 qualities. — 'Thomas Eecobd. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 

 The weather has been favourable, and the ground is in good 

 condition, which enabled us to plant out a row of youug Apple 



