Janvary 5, 1895. 
THE GARDENEKS’ 
CHRONICLE. 11 
noteworthy fact in connection with the oo. 
notice is that the Medlar tree planted o 
in 1632, is still full of life and 
bears good crops of fruit annually. 
— ‘Weak or main stems, shoot fr 
the old trunk, which 
decay, and these are 
neased by zinc in order to preserve them from 
decay. 
In conclusion, I may say that the beds and borders 
reserved for flowering plants were gay with a variety 
of flowers of bright and pleasing shades of colour, 
tastefully arranged as to general effect, and that the 
kitchen garden was well cropped with a good supply 
of seasonable vegetables. I must also record m 
rian nens to Canon Warre for the kindness and 
courtesy which he extended to me on Pag occasion 
of my er, visit to Bemerton. Tou: 
THE e e, ne 
Tue Allamanda is pre-eminent as stove 
climber, or e plant, owing 19 the great ene 
of flowers t it gives; and, unlike some other 
close of the year. 
recommended, as the plant under those conditions 
is deprived of the rest that is needed to ins 
success for the ensuing year. A succession of plants 
had better be resorted to if a very long period of 
bloom is needed 
Culture —The cultural requirements are simple. 
To obtain perfect specimens of the climbing sections, 
and to show them to advantage, for home decoration, 
the shoots should be tied to 
the flowers. For bush specimens, pruning and 
stopping are viiia for obtaining the require- 
ments aimed a 
—Thi is is effected by seeds or cuttings, 
rte 
the latter — generally resorted to; seed on 
used when hopes are entertained of getting new 
ieties. The p 
any season of 
are preferable months; ‘for then a 
growth is obtained, T 
from the young shoots; 
off, retaining about three joints. Cut 
level at a joint, and inse 
60's, well drained, and filled with a mixture con- 
sisting of loam, leaf- mould, and silver-san 
75° to 80°, keeping them somewhat close for about a 
It is at this period that the future 
of the plant ought to be decided, that i is the frame- 
to pinch-out the lead to cause vie breaks below 
if wanted as a specimen. If a plant is required for 
a pillar, allow the shoot to attain pi an required 
for the one shoot, then pinch the point out, the 
uired attention and pinching being identical in 
withhold m October onwards till about 
February. This is termed the resting period, 
© Rutract 
young plants should not be subjected to such a long 
or thorough resting as old plants. If the plants 
can be subjected to a somewhat cooler temperature 
it will be to their advantage, but do not let them go 
lower than about 55°, 
Pruning.—This operation is generally carried out 
in February or March, ll back annually to 
within one joint or two of the previous season’s 
growth, introduce into more heat, and apply the 
syringe freely, but do not at this period apply much 
water at root, When the young shoots begin 
to push out, say, 2 inches, repot into the pot you 
2 will — requisite to carry the plant through the 
For ‘the final — see that the drainage i 
ood, and ase only g oam, with the addition a a 
few handfuls of Aart charcoal and silver-sand. 
Pot firmly, and keep meanwhile the plant in position, 
a free grower, therefore 
a thirsty plant. All is now finished for the season, 
except watering and syringing, which should be 
both frequent and thorough. Occasional ties to 
secure the shoots on the trellis-work may be required. 
If for specimens stake out as required, thinning the 
wood where it is ont ge overcrowded, or pinch out 
the points to retar looming period if any 
Allamanda as a 
thirsty plant, I woald therefore advise frequent 
waterings with weak liquid manure, that of the farm- 
yard being preferable, although Thomson's and a few 
rate artificial manures might with advantage be 
also used. 
inet —Black-fly, thrip, or spider are occasionally 
as, but their presence is generally 
rom lack of 
ate 
the root, or using the syringe with insufficient force. 
If either is present, I would advise a thorough 
fumigation ; afterwards using the syringe constantly, 
otherwise steaming the pipes on dull days, when it 
z 
is not advisable to use the syringe; but the syringe 
— tads — chiefly grown are — 
dersoni, Schotti, nobilis, Williamsi, and grandiflor: 
the two latter are especially good for exhibition, 
making good bush specimens, 
NEW YEAR’S DAY IN JAPAN. 
Mrs. CHAPLIN AYRTON 8 the Transactions 
the Asiatic Society) says that : The 
act — feature of New Years 1 Day în in 
pan is 
mp bet h portal. very F i 
foes bas its symbolic meaning. If the spectator 
arch which this aon 
have on his right side t e- 
p 
E 
© 
F 
8 
8 
e monce- 
troubles of 
rises on each ade ‘Ate gr 
Take-Noiki (Bamboo), of zan the at 4 
venient kind is selected. 
succession of 
though conven obliges it 
enough to pass tridet, should, to acco 
symbolical meani nik debar all etil at and unclean 
things from cross threshold. In the 
centre of the ae gr formed of Pines and 
Bamboos and the eee is a group of several 
objects, most conspicuous ong which is the 
soarlet yebi or lobster (a hogia * whose 
y symbolises the back o = 
bent with years, This is sores aa * 
branches. In the Vusuri (Melia Japonica), v . 
the young leaves ge budded the old o 
still unshed. So parents — 
flourish ert Ae t and grandchildren spring 
: centre also are the graceful fron 
of the Shida, or Cirajiro (Polypodium dichoto- 
mum of Thunberg). 
apan, fronds gro 
uniformly do not suggest equality of. the sexes. 
Between the paired leaves nestle like offspring the 
little leaflets. Here and there are gohei, the quaint 
8 of paper Hypa ee me Shinto gods; accord- 
ing to some, onalised representation 
of the human form, ¢ e offerer devoting himself 
in effigy — the deities. ing to others, these 
offerings of cut paper eee. offerings of valu- 
able cloth—this 
Almost as conspicuous as the yebi is the orange- 
coloured Dai dai (the fruit of Citrus bigarada). 
There is a pun implied here, like the play og 
words in English heraldry, for the second mean 
There is a pun, too, in ece 
beside the Dai dai, for sumi rhe wage has the 
second meanin g of “ homeste e Honta 
Wara, or . aso, a species a —— is a 
memorial of good fortune. 
when the Empress Jingo-Kobo reigned, she 
cealed her husband's death lest the people should 
be discouraged in the cam inst K 
e shore for the horses, and refreshed 
by this meal they were victorious in battle. 
At the oT of the war she bore a son named 
Hachim o, from the circumstances of his 
birth, 1 A i apanese Mars. Another sea- 
weed decoration is the Kobu asin saccha- 
88 ere also is a pun on the verb yoro- kobi 
—to rejoice or pns The last decoration is 
the fuk tsumi, a square of white paper, held 
in by a red and white 1 (midsu shiki), which 
marks a present. This is to be considered a 
lucky-bag, fei its Soitat are suitable to — 
season, consisting of kachi guri, roasted e 
rae kazu-no-ko, the roe of the having 
nishin) ; ——ů — seeds of the Torreya 
era, u weets ; and kushi i 
the fruit of the Kaki Diospyros, dried on a 
Kushi kaki becomes gaki 
kawa (river) is changed in Bonide gawa. 
deco 
e 
miniatur f straw, 
9 — of bales of grain, bits of green, 
and little ornaments of every kind. The idea 
of the ship is an offering of first-fruits. “The 
Japs at Home, by Douglas Sladen, pp. 60—62. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS, 
ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISPUM WRIGLEY- 
ANUM. 
Tus HIS very distinct erys „ spotted fokii 
in flower in the collection of 
field House, Sale, eee 
The sepals and petal ; 
with light rose-purple, and bearing each large, 
irregularly-shaped, reddish-brown blotches. It was 
introduced by Messrs. Charlesworth & Co., of — 
Bradford, and made ite i fiowe 
great show of the Ro al Botanic ee of 
Manchester, at Old Trafford, cy ite, 189 
A Lone-Frowsrine CYPRIPEDIUM. 
In May, M. ee, eee Antwerp Expo- 
sition In a Tr — 
Cypri a November, ö 
. 
bition, and flowers were open upon the same raceme, 
co 
