474 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICtTLTUBE AND COTTAGB GABDENEB. 



[ June 30, 1863. 



Of the above, Nos. 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, are alone of any 

 UBe for bedding purposes. Nos. 4, 6, 14, 19, are especially 

 beautiful in those glorious old borders of tall herbaceous plants 

 which are still to be found in some gardens. Some may be 

 astODiehed at my inserting No. 16, which so very much resembles 

 common Bobin-in-the-hedge, but if sown in autumn it makes in 

 April and May what the children call a " pink pie " — that is, a 

 perfect semi-ball of pink flowers, which can be seen half a mile 

 off, and, as far as colour goes, quite equals the well-known 

 Saponaria ; the latter sown in spring will immediately succeed 

 the Silene, with another pink pie. 



I make these remarks in the same spirit of inquiry as Mr. W. 

 Earley, Digswell, and shall be glad to see any further suggestions 

 from correspondents of wider experience than — S. L. J., Cornwall. 



P.S. — Mr. W. Earley, Digswell, may, perhaps, say that while 

 striking out 5 from his list because of opening in the sun on>y, 

 I have myself suggested two which do so. but the usefulness 

 in other ways, and the great beauty of the scarlet Linum, and 

 the minor Convolvulus, more than make up for this great de- 

 ficiency. 



ALYSSUM SAXATILE. 



I AM glad your correspondent, " JRtjstic Roblk," at page 414, 

 has called attention to the merits of this fine spring-flowering 

 plant. With regard to the variety called compactum, I might 

 add that we have had it in general use for several years, and 

 the past spring we had some hundreds of plants of it in flower. 

 Hitherto we have simply called it A. saxatile, dwarf, not know- 

 ing it was dignified with a distinct name ; it is of very compact 

 habit, and the whole plant is covered with a half-globe of the 

 closest-packed golden flowers, which also continue much longer 

 than many other flowers of similar hue. With us it bears 

 cutting-in and transplanting at any time of the year, and always 

 yields its myriads of blossoinB at the proper time. 



Eor many years we were in the habit of propagating the 

 Alyssum extensively for planting in the beds that are in summer 

 devoted to bedding plants, the plant itself looking well all winter, 

 and flowering early in Bpring. Occasionally beds of evergreens 

 are edged with it, and nothing could look richer than some beds 

 of newly-planted rhododendrons that had an edging of the 

 dwarf variety the past spring. I find it is most easily cultivated 

 from seed, and the dwarf one comes true raised in that way ; it 

 also strikes very freely from cuttings, but of late years we have 

 adopted the mode of saving a little seed and raising a 6tock. 

 A variegated variety we are obliged to propagato from cuttings, 

 and as a variegated plant it looks well, and flowers freely ; it is 

 less compact than our dwarf, but less lanky than the old A. saxa- 

 tile. Of all spring-flowering plants none excel this for general 

 utility in dry soils. 



The Hepaticas are deservedly favourites, but somehow we can- 

 not get them to do here ; they will not endure moving twice 

 a-year and flower well, as this Alyssum does. On the merits of 

 other plants I shall at a future time more lully enter, but none 

 are greater favourites with me than that spoken so well of by 

 "EUSTIC KOEEJ." — J. EOBSOH'. 



THE TKALNING OF THE PELAKGONITTM. 



At the metropolitan exhibitions there are few things which 

 excite more surprise among the uninitiated in gardening matters 

 than the training of Pelargoniums, and, strange as it may appear, 

 even some of those who might be considered au fait in such 

 matters have not hesitated to confess their want of knowledge, 

 for but a few years back, we heard the late Mr. M'Nab remark 

 at Chiswick, " I think nothing of your Heaths, having better at 

 home ; bat how those magnificent Pelargoniums are produced I 

 cannot understand ;" and, certainly, when we look at the small ' 

 potB and vast mass of foliage and flowers, it does almost appear 

 incredible that they could be so produced ; and, great as may 

 be the merit in growing a fine Heath, it is quite certain that 

 more expense and attention are requisite to grow a comparatively 

 fine specimen of Pelargonium. Those who have not tried the 

 experiment will laugh at the idea of Pelargoniums requiring as 

 much Bkill as Heaths ; but we have grown both, and conse- 

 quently can speak from experience ; and we are quite sure more 

 attention for the time is required to grow a perlect specimen of 

 Pelargonium than to grow a specimen Heath ; and it is rather 

 remarkable that the man who may excel in the management of 



one plant is rarely fir»t-rate at the other. In fact, hardwooded 

 and softwooded plants require treatment entirely distinct from 

 each other ; the first requires time and attention, the other little 

 time, great attention, and rich manure, for it is only by much 

 nutriment and careful management in watering, by seeing the 

 plants receive sufficient, and yet are never glutted, that success 

 in the management of softwooded plants can be rendered 

 certain. If larger pots are allowed, less attention would be 

 required, but merit would decrease in the same proportion, and 

 consequently small pots are preferred. We all know that a 

 Heath or any other hardwooded plant with its indurated 

 foliage, and comparatively small respiratory powers or surface, 

 cannot require so much aqueous support as a Pelargonium, but 

 yet they are generally grown in larger pots, and consequently in 

 larger masses of soil, How is this ? Let those who have their 

 management inquire, and we have no doubt the investigation 

 will repay the trouble. 



Various plans have been recommended for training the Pelar- 

 goniums, and doubtless the low bushes generally seen are not of 

 the most elegant form that could be conceived, but possibly they 

 are the most suitable, and hence necessity, our great preceptor, 

 has compelled us to adopt that form. Anything, however, is 

 better than the long-leggy formless things we used to see, and 

 which in some places are seen even at the present day. '.The 

 pyramidal form would certainly be the best, but nature rebels 

 against it, and it is found impossible to get plants equally 

 covered with bloom or of equal growth. It is well known that 

 the Bap of a plant in its progress rises always to the most vertical 

 point, and that in consequence it is impossible to get equal 

 growth over the whole surface of the plant ; for pinch, top, 

 depress, or do what you will, the flow will still be upwards, and 

 the growth must be strongest at the most vertical point9, and 

 there will be bloom, while the lower branches will scarcely pro- 

 duce a flower. Even on the dwarf system of training it is found 

 very difficult to insure an equal distribution of sap, as some 

 shoots, especially those upon the most central and vertical 

 brandies, are always disposed to produce the strongest shoots, 

 and it is only by occasionally removing them, or tying the 

 points below the level of the weaker 6hoots, that an equal dis- 

 tribution of sap and growth can be insured : therefore, great 

 watchfulness is necessary, and considerable practical knowledge 

 to guide aright the energies of the plant. 



It is sometimes remarked that Pelargoniums require neither 

 training nor staking, indeed there are certain writers who would 

 interdict the use of stakes altogether. Such writers, however, 

 are more to be pitied than laughed at ; they belong to a race of 

 arm-chair gardeners, who find it more convenient to teach by 

 precept than example, and whose lucubrations are more remark- 

 able for detailing what they would do than what they have 

 done. Such men are useful in their way, for even Blovenly 

 gardening is better than no gardening at all. But, once for all, 

 we may say Pelargoniums cannot be grown to any size without 

 supports ; when in free growth a rough wind would blow them 

 limb from limb ; and as for carrying them to an exhibition 

 without smashing them to pieces, it would be impoasible. That 

 less stakes than are generally used may suffice, and that they 

 may be used of a much smaller size is quite true ; but to attempt 

 to carry a plant without staking is quite out of the question. 

 Do not, however, use any more than are absolutely necessary, 

 and let them be as thin and unobtrusive as possible. The best 

 are the young shoots of the Snowberry (Symphoria racemosa), 

 and the next small tough, dry, young Willow shoots. Either of 

 these kinds will stand for a season, and when dry they are so 

 tough and wiry that they may be bent in any direction, and will 

 retain their form. 



The annexed engravings show a Bet of youug plants from the 



Re-l- Fig. 2. 



first start in October in small pots, up to a fully-formed plant. 

 Fig. 1 is a young plant just purchased from the nurseries, the 



