4 THE CANADIAN HOIITICULTURIST. 



regions of the temperate zone, from both Europe and Asia. One of the 

 very finest, L. fragrantissiriia, with white petalled and yellow stamened 

 flowers, early bloom and vigorous habit, was introduced from Japan a little 

 more than thirty years ago, while L. alpigena and L. coerulea have been 

 mentioned and more or less employed for nearly 400 years. The best 

 known in gardens of the present day are the red and white Tartarian 

 honeysuckles L. xylosteum or English fly honeysuckle, L. ledebouri and L. 

 canadensis. The flowers of the last three are yellow or yellowish brown ; 

 and canadensis, more inclined to climb than other bush honeysuckles, is 

 specially noteworthy for leaves of a beautiful silvery -grey color. 



But honeysuckles have another charm in their fruit or berries, that 

 cannot be praised too mvch or too often. All through August and Septem- 

 ber these berries stand in small, thick clusters on the ends of the stiff", 

 upright bi-anches. They are red or orange, and very effective, especially as 

 shrubs with ornamental seed vessels are none too plenty. The positions 

 that bush honeysuckles should occupy on the lawn are within the outskirts 

 of the group, among the more massive and less refined shrubs. 



Bush-honeysuckles cannot be fairly classed among the most beautiful 

 deciduous shrubs, yet their vigor and general hardiness are so excellent, 

 their flowers in spring, in many species, so sweet, and the foliage of such a 

 bright, attractive green, that no lawn, and scarcely any considerable shrub 

 group, can afford to neglect their charms. After thi.s assertion I need 

 hardly say that bush honeysuckles receive too little employment at present. 



— S. Parsons, Jr., in Country Gentleman. 



MOSSING THE SURFACE OF POTS. 



Covering the surface of pots with moss is very beneficial, as well as 

 enhancing to the sppearance of the plants. A good many kinds of succulent 

 growing plants during their season of rapid gi-owth require when growing 

 in pots a great quantity of moisture at the roots. This is the case with 

 such kinds as carnations, bouvardias, heliotropes, geraniums and roses, 

 especially if grown in a house heated by artificial means, and a minimum 

 of 50 degi-ees maintained. A good many failures with roses during winter 

 ai"e caused by not supplying sufficient water to the I'oots when growing. 

 For years I made this mistake myself, but as we are daily learning the 

 nature and requirements of plants better, I find that too much water cannot 

 be given roses growing in a high temperature, having plenty of healthy 

 foliage, so long as there is sufficient porosity in the soil to prevent saturation. 

 Dryness at the roots is often the cause of mildew on plants, and is also the 

 cause of the plants producing imperfect buds. I have seen a house of rosea 

 in strong, succulent, healthy growth, allowed to get dry at the roots (not 

 sufficient to cause the shoots to wilt, but enough to check the rapid 

 circulation of the sap in the shoots,) to be covered with mildew a short time 

 after, and the cause laid to injudicious airing or to extremes of temperature, 

 when insufficient moisture was the real cause. I do not say but that mildew 

 arises often from injudicious aii-ing and firing, but I do assei't from obser- 

 vation that it also often arises from injudicious watering. 



