HYDRANGEA PANICULATA GRANDIFLORA. 



THE notes which have recently ap- 

 peared in your columns in relation 

 to Hydrangea Hortensia lead me 

 to refer to another most useful 

 species, H. paniculata grandiflora This 

 one is probably of more value to the 

 florist than H. Hortensia, producing, as 

 it does, its large panicles of white flow- 

 ers during August and later, when flow- 

 ers of this color are usually scarce. 



It is pretty well understood that, un- 

 like H. Hortensia, this species may be 

 pruned as severely as desired, with no 

 loss of flowers. The result of close 

 pruning is to lessen the number of 

 shoots and increase the size of the heads 

 of flowers. The florist will consider 

 whether it suits him better to have a few 

 large heads or a greater number of 

 smaller ones, and regulate his pruning 

 accordingly. 



Left to grow naturally, we get our first 

 flowers in early August, but it may be 

 a useful hint to some to say that a partly 

 broken branch will bloom earlier than 

 others. A slight twist or break given a 

 branch will cause the flower heads to 

 expand sooner, and in this way flowers 

 can be had two weeks before the perfect 

 ones. 



To prolong the season, cut back some 

 of the young shoots when about a foot 



in length, which, with us, is about the 

 first week in June. New shoots will 

 form, which will ilower about the time 

 the others are over. Still another way 

 is to set out plants very late in spring. 

 By the time their growth is well advanc- 

 ed the earlier ones will be well ahead 

 of them, and this diff"erence will be kept 

 up throughout the season. 



Of the typical form, H. paniculata, 

 not H. paniculata grandiflora, there are 

 two well marked varieties, and one of 

 these, at least, should prove of value to 

 florists. I refer to the early and the 

 late flowering ones. The early one is 

 through blooming before H. panicu- 

 lata grandiflora comes in The late 

 one comes in with H. paniculata grandi- 

 flora. Neither makes the fine display 

 the latter does, but where white flowers 

 are desired the early flowering H. pani- 

 culata would be found useful. 



The hydrangeas are easily propagated 

 either by green cuttings in greenhouses 

 in summer or by layers in the open 

 ground, the cuttings and layers rooting 

 readily. By these means immense 

 quantities are raised without much ex- 

 pense, which accounts for the low rates 

 at which they are generally sold. — 

 Joseph Meehan, in Florist. 



SOIL FOR POT PLANTS. 



Any good, rich, open, garden soil will 

 answer for most plants, but a soil that is 

 suitable to grow nearly all species of 

 plants usually grown in houses is made 

 by cutting sods from an old field or 

 pasture, about four or five inches thick, 

 piling them up in a compact heap, grass 

 side down, placing between each layer of 

 sod one-quarter in bulk of manure (cow 

 manure is best, but good stable manure 

 will answer. This compost if kept moist 

 3 40 



will be fit to use in a few months. When 

 well rotted, cut it down and store it for 

 use ; do not sift it, except for fine-rooted 

 small plants, but use it in rather coarse 

 form. The sods can be rotted as above 

 and well rotted manure added when 

 used. This compost will grow almost 

 any plant, and is what is generally used 

 by all plantsmen. If sod is taken from 

 a stifi" clay, add a little sand to the com- 

 post. — H E. Gould, Sussex, N. S. . 



