384 



THE GABDENLnil' CHRONICLE. 



lOcTOUEIt G, ISSf. 



slowly, and the weather is too uncertain to admit of 

 what is becoming ripe being harvested in good 

 character. 



A NEW WALNUT. 



Juglans uandshurica (fig. 53).* — For the oppor- 

 tunity of illustrating this handsome, and, as far as 

 gardens go, new Walnut, we are indebted to Mr. J. 

 van Volxem, of Brussels, who kindly sent us 

 specimens. The tree is a native of Amurland, and 

 its botanical history is given in the works cited 

 below. Here we need only say that it is a 

 Walnut of very handsome appearance, the foliage 

 (much reduced in our illustration) being of a very 

 noble character. The fruit are obovate, somewhat 

 pear-shaped, the nuts much more acutely pointed 

 than in our ordinary Walnut, the shell hard 

 and very coarsely ribbed. The kernel is not 

 so good to the palate as the better kinds of 

 Walnut ; but considering that these represent the 

 effect of long ages of selection and cultivation, there 

 is reason to hope that the Mandshurian Walnut may 

 be improved in like way. If so, the gain will be 

 great, as the present tree is hardier than the common 

 Walnut, and ripens its fruits some 2— 3 weeks earlier 

 in the season. As an ornamental tree, from the 

 great size and noble aspect of the foliage (30 — 32 

 inches in length), it will be a great acquisition, while 

 its hardihood suggests it as a good stock whereon to 

 work the more tender kind. 



" The fruit," says M. Van Volxem, " ripens several 

 weeks before the ordinary kind, and the tree is 

 perfectly hardy in Belgium, where, as with us, the 

 common Walnut gets injured by spring frosts. 



Cultural Memoranda. 



MICHAELMAS ASTEE. 



The best of these are A. novae-angliai, A. 

 Drummondi, A. amethystinus, and A. novai-belgii, 

 and if dwarf kinds are required for rockwork, A. 

 alpinus and A. discolor will be found the most suit- 

 able, the last-named being very floriferous. All 

 these Asters are readily propagated by division, for 

 they spread freely. The shoots in spring should be 

 reduced in number by pulling up the weakest, so as 

 to leave only a fair number to bloom. To have 

 those in borders at their best, it is necessary 

 either to renew the soil or give the plants fresh 

 positions, the latter being the most preferable, as 

 the moving involves less labour ; and when replanting, 

 some rotten manure should be worked in below. 

 J.S. 



Hydrangea panicolata. 



This is one of the most showy of hardy plants, and 

 the wonder is, that, having been introduced some 

 years, it is not more known and grown than it 

 appears to be, as it is seldom one meets with it in 

 gardens. Not only is this Hydrangea a desirable 

 shrub for beds or borders, but it is a very effective 

 greenhouse plant. In habit it is deciduous, and has 

 small hard woody shoots, which should be cut back 

 pretty close, as pruning it in causes the plant to 

 break stronger and produce finer trusses of blooms. 

 If grown in pots, or planted out in borders. Hy- 

 drangea paniculata should have rich loam soil, and 

 the best situation for it is in the foreground of low 

 evergreens, or a bed to itself on the border, where it 

 can get plenty of sunlight. The way to propagate 

 and increase the stock is to put in cuttings of the 

 half-ripened wood, and if these are taken off with a 

 heel they strike more readily ; but they should be 

 put in under cover of a handlight in sharp sandy soil, 

 and kept close till they root. J. S. 



Plants and Their Culture. 



Selaginellas. — These form a very accommodating 

 family of plants, some of which are largely used in 

 floral arrangements, others for planting where little 

 else would live ; indeed, it would be difficult to find 

 a greenhouse without a patch of the well known S. 

 Kraussiana and S. Martensii ; and perhaps it may be 



.* Junla7ismambsh7irica,M3.ximo\v\c7., Primit. Flor. Amurcn-. 

 0859), p. 76; Cas. de Candolle, in DC. Prod., xvi., 138 (1864). 

 J. Sieboldiana, Maxiniowk-z. 



under the plant stage, or some such out-of-the-way 

 position, yet they rarely fail to live and clothe with 

 pleasant greenery the bare soil or gravel. Still, the 

 plants enjoy good positions, and where little specimens 

 are required, plenty of light must be afforded them, 

 or else they are apt to be attenuated and straggling. 

 S. Kraussiana and other dwarf-growing species grown 

 for the decorator's use are best grown in shallow 

 pans, about 6 inches over. Drain them well, and fill 

 with a light compost similar to that used for Ferns, 

 then dibble them full of cuttings, selecting nice stout 

 points of the shoots. When finished give a good 

 watering, and stand them in a light position close to 

 the glass, if in summer in an ordinary garden frame.but 



named S. apus, and the varieties densa or apoda. 

 also Browni ; these are all of a dwarf, neat habit, 

 more so, indeed, than S. Kraussiana, but not being so 

 hardy as that species, and requiring more care in 

 watering, they are less suited for general purposes 

 from liability to damp off at the centre of the mass. 

 To reduce this drawback as much as possible, avoid 

 pouring water into the centre of the plants, this 

 bears down the branchlets, and causes decay, that 

 is, if the plants are full-grown and in a matted con- 

 dition. Other low growing species are patula and 

 serpens ; both are distinct from the preceding, 

 having a more rigid and wiry habit, but are scarcely 

 so hardy. S. Martensii and its variegated form, when 



Fio. 53. — THE mandshurian walnot : LEAF greatly reduced. 



time is saved if a little artificial warmth be afforded 

 them, though it is not indispensable in the case of the 

 first-named species, which is nearly hardy, and 

 can be brought on in cold frames in the summer 

 time. To induce a dense, even growth they should 

 be several times clipped over, removing all strag- 

 gling points, so that when they are turned 

 out of the pans for use, they will be sufficiently 

 matted together to prevent their falling to pieces ; 

 and the best way to put them on or round plants, is 

 to cut through to the centre of the mass, and slip 

 the stem of the plant through the cut, they will thus 

 appear to have been grown in the pot or vase, and 

 will last good for a long time. There is also a 

 golden and a variegated variety, either of which is 

 quite distinct, and may be included in any collection. 

 Of others suitable for decorative purposes may be 



grown in small pots, make capital substitutes or 

 change for Ferns, and will stand a great deal of 

 rough usage. Other species useful for growing in pots 

 are S. caulescens and inu^qualifolia, both with Fern- 

 like branches. Of a still more erect and massive habit 

 areS. ha:matodesand S.grandis; both require a liberal 

 allowance of root-room and stove heat. There are 

 also several species which have a trailing habit, such 

 as S. Galeottii, a free growing species, well adapted 

 for growing in baskets or in pots to hang from the 

 edges of shelves. S. uncinata or coesia is also 

 suitable for this purpose. It has a metallic steel- 

 grey hue, much admired by some persons. Unfortu- 

 nately it dies back considerably in autumn. To 

 keep the stock neat frequent renewals must be made. 

 Pelargoniums. — All plants which have been cut 

 back and have since broken should be shaken out and 



