194 



joubnaij of hoeticultuee and cottage gaedenee. 



[ September li, 1871. 



in any garden, it is jast the flower for the cottager or the 

 owner of a small garden, as it yields its flowers in rich and 

 luxuriant profusion without the aid of glass houses, frames, or 

 coddling of any sort. 



There are two sections of the Phlox, divided into early and 

 late-flowering. The early-flowering section (sufl'rutioosa) con- 

 tains soma very beautiful varieties, but they are wanting in 

 the rich orange-red, crimson, and purple shades of the late 

 varieties. I find they do not thrive in the neighbourhood of 

 London so well as the late sorts. It seems to me that they 

 require a cool and moist atmosphere, as in Scotland the early 

 varieties are preferred, and most of the new varieties are raised 

 there. In the south of England it is best to grow the Decussata, 

 or late-flowering section, although it is as well to have a few of 

 the others in order to prolong the season of flowering. They 

 require the same treatment, and both sections will well repay 

 the amount of care required to keep them in good order. The 

 culture is very simple, but their wants must be attended to at 

 the proper time, otherwise success will not be attained. 



I shall begin with established plants, such as maybe obtained 

 from the nurseries. A plant in a small pot which has been 

 struck in the spring, and sent out in the autumn, will throw 

 np from the base of the stem a number of shoots. When these 

 have grown 3 or 4 inches in length all except three should be 

 taken off to make cuttings. Some light sandy mould should 

 be prepared, and one cutting inserted in the centre of a 3-inch 

 pot ; they strike root freely, especially if the pots can be plunged 

 in a gentle bottom heat in a dung frame. When the cuttings 

 are rooted, the plants should be removed to a cold frame, and 

 gradually inured to the cold ; for although the plant is quite 

 hardy, it dislikes sudden changes of temperature. Some of 

 the plants should be reserved for pot-culture, and others for 

 planting-out. 



The plants intended for pot culture should, as soon as the 

 pots are well filled with roots, be repotted in 6-inch pots, shift- 

 ing them afterwards into 8-inch pots, in which they should be 

 allowed to flower. This size I find to be the best for flowering 

 strong, early, spring-struck cuttings, and noble spikes of flowers 

 are obtained in this way, when the plants receive careful 

 attention. If the plants intended to be grown and flowered 

 in pots are from cuttings struck in the previous season, three 

 shoots may be allowed from each plant, and they should be 

 flowered in 10-inoh pots. The best compost to use is three 

 parts sandy loam, one part leaf mould, and one part rotted 

 manure. During the growiug period the pots should be plunged 

 in cocoa-nut fibre refuse, in the full blaze of the sun, but 

 sheltered from cutting winds, and be abundantly supplied with 

 water both at the roots and overhead. Occasional waterings 

 with weak manure water will be beneficial. At an early stage 

 of their growth sticks should be put in ; these should stand 

 2 feet out of the ground and be rather stout, as a well-grown 

 spike offers considerable resistance to the wind. 



For culture in the open ground, the Phlcx should be planted 

 in beds if the finest possible spikes be desired. A few plants 

 in a mixed border are a pleasing feature, and contrast well 

 with Delphiniums and other herbaceous plants, but it is not 

 easy to pay proper attention to them in such a position. Four 

 rows should be planted in each bed, with an alley between 

 wide enough to allow a man to pass along with a watering-pot 

 without damaging the spikes. It one spike only is allowed to 

 each plant, 16 inches apart in the beds will be sufficient ; if 

 three spikes, 24 inches should be allowed. Early in March is 

 the best time to plant them, and the ground should be deeply 

 trenched and highly manured. The plants will also require 

 copious supplies of water during the growing season, and the 

 beds should also be mulched with short manure to prevent 

 evaporation. 



The Phlox is not so well adapted for exhibition as the Holly- 

 hock and Gladiolus, as the flowers are apt to fade before night, 

 although when due precautions are taken I have seen them 

 stand pretty well. The best way to stage the cut spikes for 

 exhibition is to fill a small pot with sand, in the centre insert a 

 small tube full of water, in this tube place the out end of the 

 spike, and surface over neatly with green moss. A pot is 

 required for each spike. 



Grown and flowered in pots Phloxes are a grand feature at the 

 autumn exhibitions. A serious drawback to exhibiting them in 

 this way is the expense attendant on moving them to long dis- 

 tances, so that to give all a chance it would be as well to show 

 them in both ways. I will add a list of the best varieties in 

 each section. 



Early-flowering.— DaoheBa of Sutherland, Elvina, James 



Mitchell, James Neilson, John Watson, Miss Ainslie, Mrs. 

 Murray, Mrs. Thorn, Mrs. Austin, Mrs. Hunter, Pladda, Robert 

 Hannay, The Queen, William Linton, Waverley, William Blair, 

 The Deacon, and W. W. Piatt. 



Late-flowering. — A. F. Barron, Amabilis, Aurantiaca superba, 

 Aurore Boreile, Comtesse de Chambord, Liervallii, Madame 

 Barillet, Madame Guillotteaux, Madame La Comtesse de Fer- 

 naudona, Madame Billy, Madame Domage, Mdlle. Hermine de 

 Turenne, Mdlle. Marguerite de Tnrenne, Miss Macrae, Mens. 

 Joseph Heim, Mdlle. Muret de Bort, Mons. W. Bull, Mens. 

 Malet, Mons. Veitch, Madame Delamare, Mons. Marin Saison, 

 Mons. Guillotteaux, Mrs. Laing, Princess Louise, Queen 

 Victoria, Souvenir des Femes, Triomphe du Pare de NeuiUy, 

 and Venus. — J. Douglas. 



GRAFTED VINES IN AN IRON-STOYE-HEATED 

 HOUSE. 



Wheke the aid of hot-water pipes or flues is dispensed with, 

 few seasons have been so unfavourable for the production of 

 fine Vines and Grapes as the present ; yet I am happy to state 

 that my Vines and Grapes are finer than ever. During the 

 cold sunless days the iron stove has done duty in place of sun 

 heat. I must here remark to brother amateurs who may use a 

 stove inside, that the draught should be perfectly good in rough 

 and windy weather, otherwise, should any smoke or sulphur 

 escape into the house it will damage the fohage, or possibly 

 destroy it in a short space of time. 



It must be remembered I have no costly border — simply the 

 garden soil trenched about 2 feet deep, the top and bottom 

 being well mixed together, adding a small quantity of bone dust 

 and broken bones saved from time to time from kitchen scraps. 

 Where the Vines are now growing there existed a plantation of 

 Gooseberry trees for between seventeen and nineteen years. 

 I send for your inspection some of the leaves, and I ask if they 

 are not highly satisfactory in substance and size. I may add 

 that the eyes for next year's fruiting project from the canes 

 like nuts. A shoot of the black Lady Downe's is also sent. 

 Of this I have several shoots showing fruit at two separate 

 joints, the produce of green canes of this year's growth, the 

 result of stopping. 



Last'year I wrote the Eoyal Ascot did not with me perform 

 as stated in giving fruit from the green wood of the current 

 year's growth ; this, I now find, was owing to the Vines I had 

 sent me being overstrained in forcing them to obtain a stock in 

 the least possible time, and consequently the vigour and con- 

 stitution of such plants was for a time destroyed. I have it 

 this season fruiting nicely in No. 4 pots upon canes grown last 

 year out of doors. Some of the canes cut down to the soil of 

 the pot this spring are doing well, and I hope to ripen the fruit 

 upon them in January next. I advise amateurs to adopt this 

 Vine for pots. By forcing some early in the spring, keeping 

 some back, and a third lot to fruit from the green wood, a good 

 succession of Grapes may be had from one glass structure 

 without much cost or trouble. 



In growing the Vines to fruit from the green canes I subject 

 them to the highest possible culture, using a soil very far richer 

 than that employed to produce my pot Vines in general. Ima- 

 gine the green canes of the Eoyal Ascot for this treatment to be 

 gross-feeding softwooded plants, I treat them to old decayed 

 night soil and light loam having a portion of lime in it. Poultry 

 dung and bone dust I also find useful. Every third or fourth 

 watering may be with manure water made from night soil, 

 poultry, or sheep dung ; old hotbed manure may also be need, 

 and as a change guano water, for all plants thrive better with a 

 change of food. 



I also send a leaf of one of the American Vines. Is it not 

 handsome in foliage ? This Vine gives eatable or wine-making 

 Grapes which will ripen out of doors in the early frosts of 

 winter. The Grapes make a good preserve. The Vine is a 

 rapid grower. When planted against a wall, fence, arbour, 

 trelliswork, &c., it is very handsome. It is a singular fact that 

 if well watered it thrives as well in sand as in common garden 

 soil. I have two sorts of this Vine, the other having a plainer 

 leaf and more robust ; in fact the two together, with some other 

 American Vines, are not yet in full vigour, as I only received 

 the small cuttings last May, and then after they had been col- 

 lected from various places, and had travelled in a tin case over 

 four thousand miles to Sheflield. 



In this cold sunless time (at all events in this locality), the 

 use of fire heat usually helps to produce red spider. I have been 

 SO fortunate as to escape its visits. The following is my practice. 



