S7S 



JOUUNAL OF HOETICULTURE AKD COTTAGE GAKDHNER. 



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single specimen. A second prize was awarded to Mr. Sherratt, 

 gardener to J. Batenian, Esq., Biddulph Grange, for the 

 Bomean Ca;logyne pandiirnta, bearing three fine spikes of its 

 large flowers, green, conspicuously marked with black in the 

 lip, and which differ so much in colour from those of the other 

 species of this showy genus. A similar award was made to 

 Mr. Smith, gardener to S. Norris, Esq., Altrinchani, for a fine 

 spike of Kenanthera coccinea, a plant which of late years 

 has but very rarely found a place on the exhibition tables. 

 In this case the panicles were more compact, and the flowers 

 of a brighter colour, than usually seen. The new Phala)- 

 nopsis Liiddemanniana was shown by several exhibitors, but 

 in greatest perfection by Mr. Charles, gardener to K. Barnett, 

 Esq., Blackheath Park, his plant having two spikes, bearing 

 in all seven of its beautiful amethyst-coloured flowers, con- 

 spicuously barred with brown. For this a first prize was 

 awarded ; and second priies went to Messrs. Low, who intro- 

 duced it into this country, and to Mr. Robson, gardener to 

 G. Cooper, Esq., for smaller plants of the same Pbaljenopsis. 

 Other Orchids consisted of a fine specimen of Trichopilia 

 crispa, shown by Mr. Pilcher, gardener to S. Eucker, Esq.; 

 some good Cattleyas from Mr. Wilson, Dulwich; and Cjpri- 

 pedium Hookeriffi from the Society's Garden, from which 

 came also a new Physurus with beautiful olive green leaves 

 and white markings, Anthurium cordifolium. Perns, Lyco- 

 pods, &c. 



Although the special object of the Show was Orchids, there 

 ■were, nevertheless, many excellent specimens of stove and 

 greenhouse plants furnished by Messrs. Lee, which con- 

 tributed much to the interest of the exhibition. Among 

 them were large plants of Ehopala magnifica, oorcovadense, 

 and De Jonghi, the metallic green Alocasia Lowii, Cyatkea 

 Smithii, relieved by flowering plants, such as Azaleas, 

 Heaths, Pimeleas, Chorozemas, Boronia tetrandra, the 

 orange-scarlet-flowered Leschenaultia intermedia, Adenandra 

 fragrans, &c. For these Messrs. Lee had an extra prize ; 

 and a like award was made to Mr. W. Paul for his collection 

 of Beaton's Geraniums, which have been favourably noticed 

 on more than one occasion in these pages. From Mr. Bull, 

 too, came an interesting collection of novelties, conspicuous 

 among which were the beautiful Bertolonia margaritacea, 

 Asplenium myriophyllum, with finely-divided and very ele- 

 gant fronds ; Sauraja sarapigiensis, with ample foliage, 

 having red midribs and veins, and his curious Hose-in-hose 

 Mimulus. A variegated Sedum or Sempervivum ; Podocarpus 

 macropbyllus, with some of its shoots entirely white, others 

 simply variegated ; DracEena stricta, Anthurium cordifo- 

 lium, a noble specimen of Cibotium princeps, Zonate Gera- 

 niums, and various other plants wer» also shown by Mr. 

 Bull. 



Mr. Gardiner, gardener to E. P. Shirley, Esq., Stratford- 

 on-Avon, exhibited, in addition, dishes of Keinette du 

 Canada and Hanwell Souring Apples, of good size, and in 

 excellent condition. 



PEOPAGATING AND AFTER-MANAGEMENT 



OF BEDDING AND OTHER PLANTS. 

 This is a subject possessing a large amount of interest to 

 those who are !ond of plants, and of great commercial im- 

 portance to those who gain their living by their cultivation 

 and sale. What an amount of pleasure does the amateur 

 experience in wateliing the little cuttings day after day, 

 until he sees by their inclination to grow, that they have 

 formed roots, and are to a certain extent independent of 

 his care and watchfulness. By the gardener who re 

 quires a large stock of bedding-out plants, whose space is 

 limited, and who bos not the convenience of a propagating- 

 house, the following simple plan of making a propagating- 

 bed will be found useful. In the first place procure four 

 stout oak posts, these are to be let into the ground one in 

 each comer, at distances varying according to the size of 

 the frame and bed for propagating. The two back posts 

 should be left about 2 feet (> inches out of the ground, and 

 the two front posts about 18 inches above it. When the four 

 posts are firmly fixed in the ground nail on the top of them 

 four good pieces of wood, about 4 inches Vjy 4 inches, to form 

 the sides or bed on which the frame is to rest. Care should 

 be taken to measure the bottom of the frame before the 



cross-pieces are nailed to the posts, so as to have them of 

 the exact size of the frame. Cross-pieces should then be 

 put on to form the bottom of the bed, space being left 

 between the cross-bars so that the heat may come through 

 the bottom. After the pieces have all been put in the proper 

 place, and the whole nailed together securely, the frame 

 should be placed on the top. About 2 inches of broken 

 bricks is then put in the bottom, and above this another 

 layer of finer broken bricks or charcoal ; but there must be 

 no dust or dirt amongst it, the object being to keep t^e 

 bottom as porous as possible, so that the heat may pass 

 freely through, and be regularly distributed over the bottom 

 of the bed. Next place 4 or 5 inches of some light, porous- 

 material in the frame for plunging the pots in ; this com- 

 pletes the internal arrangement of the bed, A lining should 

 then be built about 3 feet wide on all sides of the frame, 

 leaving the space under the firame open — i.e., there must be 

 no manure or leaves pushed under the bed. The lining 

 should be built up square with the four posts on which the 

 fi'ame rests. The materials best suited for this purpose are 

 two pai'ts leaves, and one part good stable manure. The 

 lining should be built up to within 6 mches of the top of the 

 frame, plenty of water being used as the work proceeds, and 

 well trodden to consolidate it as much as possible. As the 

 lining sinks, which it will do in a day or two after it has 

 been made, more leaves, &c., should loe placed on the top, 

 and this should be continued till it has become firmly set. 

 In about five days from the time the linings are finished 

 the bed will be ready for receiving the cuttings. 



The object in leaving the open space below the bed, is — 

 First, to cause the beat to be regularly distributed all over 

 the bottom of the bed. Secondly. By these means the 

 whole of the plunging material becomes wai'med alike, or 

 nearly so, and the centre of the bed is nearly as warm as 

 the outsides. Thirdly. There is no fear of burning, nor of 

 any rank steam getting into the bed. The hot steam is 

 confined in the chamber below the bed, and comes regularly 

 through all over the bottom. Another great advantage is 

 gained by a propagating-bed in this way — namely, no 

 worms, nor any other insects can get in. I find the best 

 material for plunging in is the cocoa-nut refuse sifted 

 through a fine sieve. It is very free from smell, is very 

 light, and keeps the pots nice and moist, and never becomes 

 soddened. To keep them sweet and clean the lights and 

 the woodwork of the frame inside should be washed about 

 once a-fortnight. Much depends on this. Before this 

 washing is commenced the cutting-pans should all be taken 

 out and put into another frame, to prevent injury, and after 

 the frame is cleared of all the pots and pans, the fine plung- 

 ing material should be scraped back from the sides of the 

 frame all round to let the water pass freely through the 

 bottom without wetting the cocoa-nut refuse. After the 

 sides have been washed this may be put in its place again, 

 and the cuttings brought back. Once a-week the linings, 

 will want stirring up, and fresh water, manure, leaves, ,&c. 

 should be added, but care must be taken in doing this not 

 to let the cold air into the chamber. If this is done much 

 heat is lost, and the cuttings that are in the frame at the 

 time receive a check which will cause many of them to 

 damp off. Cuttings of Verbenas will readily strike in a 

 frame of this sort in four or five days. Cuttings of these 

 are put in, struck, and boxed off', and make good plants ic 

 less than a fortnight. In a two-light frame, 8 feet by 5 feet, 

 mounted on four posts, and managed as above described, 

 since the second week in March I have struck about 15,000 

 plants of Verbenas, Lobelias, &c. — J. Wills. 

 (To bo continued.) 



EFFECTIVE COMBINATION OF COLOURS. 



I HAVE now a combination of colours coming out at the 

 same time, and that a time when the newness and freshness 

 of colour is cordially appreciated, which may be worth 

 recording. Two large plants of Borberis Darwinii, one mass 

 of golden flower, crown the summit of a small piece of rock- 

 work ; between them the perennial white Candytuft forms a 

 mass of pure white, and below is a sheet of the Aubrietia 

 grandiflora. The tender green of Griselinia littoralis flanks 

 one of the Berberries, and in the full sun the effect is very 



