July IS, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



23 



splashing the soil over the plants they are rendered somewhat 

 unsightly. 



I read last year in the Journal that this plant was employed 

 by Mr. Legg of Clapham for purposes of carpet bedding, it 

 being associated with Sedum glaucum. I considered that a 

 valuable hint, for I cannot conceive a combination more chaste 

 yet more brilliant, and I shall report progress of the growth of 

 these two lovely hardy plants for garden decoration by-and-by. 



At present my plants of Nertera are just showing their 

 insignificant pink flowers in profusion, and I am sanguine 

 that a rich crop of fruit will follow. These plants were 

 wintered in a cold frame, the glass having had no covering, 

 and since March they have been plunged in ashes in the open 

 border, receiving no protection whatever. Other plants grown 

 under glasB are about perfecting their berries, and I cannot 

 imagine any low-growing plants more conspicuously beautiful. 



Plants are readily increased by division, keeping the plants 

 regularly and continually moist ; also from seed, sowing as 

 soon as ripe in a damp shaded frame, never permitting the soil 

 to approach a state of dryness. 



The three prime essentials in the cultivation of this plant 

 are coolness, light, and water. With a bed of ashes in which 

 to plunge the pots, and a hand-light or frame to afford shelter 

 in severe weather, anyone may grow Nertera depressa if he 

 will but water it freely. — W. B. J. 



NOVELTIES IN THE BOTAL GARDENS, KBW. 



Meconopsis Watj.ichi, on account of its high reputation as a 

 beautiful plant and from its long absence from cultivation, is 

 of the greatest interest just now on the rockwork. In our 

 issue of June 11th, 1874, we gave an account with a figure, 

 and to which we must now call attention. It is there said to 

 be " remarkable as being one of the very few plants, if not 

 the only one of the order, with blue flowers. It was discovered 

 in the Sikkim Himalaya by Dr. J. D. Hooker, who sent seeds 

 to the Royal Gardens, which produced flowering plants in 

 June, 1852." This plant is about 2i feet high, and the leaves 

 and stem have a very yellow appearance, from which one 

 would almost feel sure of a yellow flower ; indeed, until the last 

 few days it was supposed to be M. nepalensis, a tall species 

 with yellow flowers that has also been in bloom. It cannot be 

 said that this is anything like the celestial blue represented ; 

 the colour is, in fact, slightly inclined to purple, and not at all 

 bright. This is possibly a very poor representative in point of 

 colour, and we shall hope that such is the case until evidence 

 is given by other specimens. 



Its cultivation has been considered difficult, though that does 

 not seem really to be the case. Seeds sown in a cold frame 

 have come up well — far better than others with slight heat. 

 The young plants have had no inclination to die during winter, 

 either in pots under glass or planted out on the rockwork. It 

 seems much the best to plant out as soon as the plants have 

 become established after the first potting-off, and it might 

 even be better to prick-out in the final position from the 

 seed pot. A full supply of moisture both at roots and top is 

 evidently essential, and this is perhaps the secret of success. 

 A rather shady position will be found the best. It is more 

 than likely that the above-mentioned plant will produoe good 

 seeds, so that many who are interested will again be able to 

 possess this handsome blue Poppywort. 



Cacumis sativus var. sikkimensis, a curious and interesting 

 form of Cucumber, is fruiting in the Economic house. The 

 most striking peculiarity is the network which covers the 

 entire fruit much as in the Melon, and which renders it quite 

 characteristic. It is commonly grown in all parts of the Sik- 

 kim and the Nepal Himalaya, where it is eaten both raw and 

 cooked by the natives of all ages. It was found by Dr. Hooker 

 in Sikkim in 1848, who brought drawings and specimens to 

 England, and until then it had never been noticed either horti- 

 culturally or botanically. M. Naudin, who has made a special 

 study of the Cucurbitaceie, said when describing it that it was 

 the most remarkable variety of the common Cucumber known 

 to him. It is sometimes about 5 inches through, while only 

 1^ foot long. This, it may be mentioned, was the supposed 

 hybrid between the Cucumber and the Melon, but the distinct 

 species to which they belong have never yet been crossed. It 

 was figured and described in the " Botanical Magazine " for 

 January of this year, from specimens grown in the tropical 

 economic house last summer. 



Calochortus citrinus is flowering in the Orchid-house porch, 

 where also have been several other species, as well as in one of 



the herbaceous beds. This, which is the most recently figured, 

 must be an excuse for calling attention to the decorative value 

 of the genus, which includes also Cyelobothra as a sub-genus. 

 Some are as brightly coloured as many of the very fugacious 

 Irids, but have the advantage of lasting several days. It has 

 recently been mentioned in a contemporary that they last a 

 long time in water. They appear of easy cultivation, though 

 likely to do best where, being planted in the open ground, they 

 can have the protection of glass during very wet weather when 

 at rest. 



Theropogon pallidus is a newly introduced plant, figured in 

 the " Botanical Magazine " last year. IthasLily-of-the-Valley- 

 like flowers, with a pinkish tinge and a slight scent of some- 

 thing like cinnamon. The leaves are very narrow, with much 

 the aspect of Ophiopogon. It is a native of the Himalaya 

 Mountains, where it is a common plant. 



Kniphofia caulescens has been flowering in the herbaceous 

 ground, and in the opinion of one authority is the finest of 

 all. It is still very rare, from the fact that it will not divide 

 like the other species. After attaining its arborescent habit 

 the leaves and flower spikes lose a very considerable amount 

 of vigour. If the development of its characteristic stem is 

 thought most important, then the loss of handsome flowers 

 and foliage must be borne. To produce the most ornamental 

 effect it is necessary to keep the head low down, so as to be as 

 near to the roots as possible, for the purpose of being well fed. 

 It may safely be said that, like most of the Aloes, the top may 

 be cut off and rooted without trouble. A safer method of pro- 

 cedure is to produce the roots before amputation, either by 

 tying a bundle of damp moss round the stem, or by any other 

 method that may suggest itself as best under the circumstances. 

 A great advantage in taking off the top is that the old stump 

 will give a stock of young plants. 



N.OTES ON THE TWEED VINEYAKD. 



Many of your readers will know that the principal crops of 

 Grapes at this place are growing in five span-roofed houses, 

 200 feet long and 24 feet wide each. The crops in these this 

 season are much superior to what they have been in previous 

 years. All the Vines are now bearing to the extreme top of the 

 rafters. The thinning, which employs half a score of men for 

 twelve weeks every season, is just finished. The first thinned 

 Grapes are nearly fully swelled. Of course it is quite out of the 

 question to give a calculation of the number of the bunches, 

 but the weight of many may be guessed pretty accurately. 

 Lady Downe's, of which there are nearly two housefuls, are a 

 magnificent crop. Few of the bunches can finish under lib., 

 and scores of them will approach 3 lbs. This is very fair for 

 this variety. Alicantes are heavier in the bunch, and just 

 about as abundant. Next to those two Gros Colman is perhaps 

 grown most extensively amongst lates at present, and right 

 well it looks ; but Barbarossa will very soon be more plentiful 

 than any other late variety excepting Lady Downe's. 



At first the south house of the chief block of vineries was 

 wholly planted with Muscats. They succeeded very well, but 

 it was found that they did not pay quite so well as YineB which 

 produced black fruit. In the latter end of 1874 a young cane 

 of the Barbarossa was inarched on to every Muscat stem. 

 Last year the top part of the stock was cut away, and the 

 growths which the Barbarossas made were of a first-class 

 description ; so strong indeed was the young wood that at 

 pruning time from 6 to 8 feet of it was left to fruit this season. 

 On many of these lengths there are now half a dozen bunches, 

 and excellent clusters they are both in form and size. They 

 will average from 4 lbs. to 7 lbs., and not a cane has missed a 

 crop. The splendid crop they are carrying is not more worthy 

 of note than the young wood they have made this season. 

 That between the top of last year's wood and the top of the 

 rafter on many of them is so thick that it can scarcely be 

 spanned with the hand. There is another thing connected 

 with these Tines worth mentioning — every top has the support 

 of two roots. The young canes of Barbarossa, instead of being 

 left in the pots when inarched, as is done in most cases, were 

 turned out of the pots and planted about a foot from the 

 Muscat root ; the top is cut off the latter, and both stems join 

 one another about 3 feet from the ground. 



Amongst new Grapes Pearson's Golden Queen is promising 

 well ; Waltham Cross, a late white, has been tried every season 

 since it was sent out, and it has as often completely failed. 

 Mr. Douglas must be extremely unfortunate with the Duke of 

 Buccleuch (see page 493). On scores of rods of it here this 



