QUESTION DRAWER. 



Palms. 



10§5. Sir, — What is the best time to 

 shift palms, and the best .soil to pot them in. 



Referred to paper on Palm Culture in 

 February issue of the C. Horticul- 

 turist. 



Clematis. 



10§6. Sir, — What is the best time to 

 plant clematis, spring or fall ? Should cle- 

 matis be pruned, and if so, at what time? 



Plant as early as possible in spring. 

 The Clematis, as a rule, requires very lit- 

 tle pruning ; cutting out the dead por- 

 tions, or shortening back the growth to 

 strong vigorous buds, is all that is gener- 

 ally necessary. If the growth is too dense, 

 thin out the weaker growth altogether 

 as required. The best time to do this 

 is in spring, just as the buds are show- 

 ing growth. 



Budding- Roses 



10^7. Sir, — What would you advise, 

 budded roses, or roses on their own roots, for 

 the amateur. 



Roses on their own roots are decided- 

 ly the best, whether Hybrid Perpetuals 

 or the more tender classes of Tea and 

 Noisette roses. 



Hardy roses when budded or grafted, 

 require to be heavily mulched with 

 manure, or sufficient soil thrown around 

 them to cover the junction of the graft 

 or bud with the stock so as to protect 

 them in severe weather ; they are also 

 very liable to canker at the point where 

 grafted. Another objection to budded 

 or grafted stock is the worthless growth 

 from below the graft, which has to be 

 kept constantly cut off, or it would 

 soon smother and eventually kill the 

 rest of the] plant. Tea and Noisette 

 roses are also best on their own roots, 

 with possibly a few exceptions, one of 



which is the well known and ever bloom- 

 ing white tea rose, Niphetos, which in a 

 greenhouse gives the best results when 

 budded or grafted on a strong growing, 

 climbing rose, such as Lamarque or 

 Cloth of Gold. 



Hyacinths and Narcissi. 



108§. Sir, — Will hyacinths and Roman 

 Narcissi flower as early potted in the soil as 

 in water ? 



There would be very little difference 

 in time of flowering these bulbs, whether 

 grown in soil or water ; condition of 

 bulbs and temperature affect both 

 methods at different seasons very ma- 

 terially. 



Cyclamen. 



I0§9. Sir,— What is the best soil in 

 which to grow Cyclamen, and how should 

 they be treated in the summer ? 



The best soil for Cyclamens is light, 

 fibrous loam, enriched with dry cow 

 manure ; use plenty of drainage in the 

 pots. For summer treatment keep the 

 plants growing for a short time after 

 flowering, then withhold water gradual- 

 ly, giving sufficient at intervals to keep 

 the plants fairly moist, without drying 

 off altogether. The plants should be 

 kept as cool as possible. A cold frame 

 and sash in a shaded position out of 

 doors, is a good place for them. Seed- 

 ling Cyclamens should be kept growing 

 steadily the first summer. 



Azaleas. 



1090. Sir, — Howshould these be treated 

 after flowering ? 



Azaleas should be repotted, if neces- 

 sary, immediately after flowering, and 

 kept in a temperature of about 65 de- 

 grees to complete their growth \ remove 



203 



