March SO, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



229 



Broccoli frozen, though protected by mats and Braken. It never 

 had light for some considerable time, except while I was cut- 

 ting, and not one head was injured. Air must be given on all 

 favourable opportunities, and decayed leaves removed, for if 

 these are allowed to remain they will smell very badly. 



The minimum registered here on December 25th, was 20° of 

 irost, and on the 31st, 22° of frost. 



Veitch's Borecole I find very hardy, dwarf, and thickly 

 studded with sprouts ; very tender and sweet when cooked, and 

 jaost useful now. — William Mookhan. 



PLANTS FOR TABLE DECORATION. 



Having to provide largely for table decoration during the 

 year, I send a few reBults of my observations . 



I arrange to have as small a fire or fires as possible in what- 

 ever rooms may require decorating, a strong dry heat being as 

 iprejudicial to the health of the plants as the gas. The gas should 

 be kept as low as possible till it is really required. Both of these 

 .points, though seemingly simple matters, are, nevertheless, of 

 -the utmost importance. 



The rooms here in which plants and flowers are used, pos- 

 sess the advantage of having a door at each end. They are 

 also lofty, and lighted from above, with She exception of the 

 dining-room, which, in addition to the chandeliers from the 

 •ceiling, has gas at each end. The doors at the ends are a very 

 great help to ventilation, though they must be so managed as not 

 to cause a cold draught, a strong cold draught being very injurious 

 to plants and flowers. This is a chief cause of plants suffering 

 in long narrow corridors, lobbies, and passages, a draught being 

 very trying even to hardier subjects. 



My arrangement of plants on the dinner-table is very simple, 

 though it is altered occasionally. I generally have whatever 

 plants and flowers I purpose using placed in a single line 

 down the middle of the table, usually having a large handsome 

 epergne, when filled standing 30 inches high, and consisting of 

 the top glass 12 inches across, and three side brackets with 

 -glasses 6 inches across. Then I have three or four plants on 

 each side at regular intervals. For a change, I make a double 

 row. Both ways are very effective, commencing mth the tallest 

 plants nearest the centre. Plants are also used for the side- 

 boards. 



I give the preference to plants being used rather than cut 

 blooms ; finding that with a little extra care and labour the in- 

 jurious effects of gas, fixe, and the change of air are reduced to a 

 minimum. 



I have all the plants taken from the rooms every night, or early 

 in the morning, according to the time of the company leaving. 

 They are removed to a conservatory adjoining the house and 

 gently syringed. Any plants with soft flower stems and heavy 

 tops, as Hyacinths, Cyclamens, (&"c., are placed on their sides 

 while syringing them, and a gentle shake given them to take the 

 weight of the water away. 



The stakes or sticks I generally take out so as to make the 

 plants appear as natural as possible, and I keep them shaded 

 from bright sun for a few days. The result is, that during the 

 last three years, though I have tried many different subjects, the 

 only one that suffered was a fine plant of Gloxinia Sir Hugo, 

 which I had to turn out of the pot in order to reduce the ball so 

 as to make it fi la certain vase. Attaching, as I do, the greatest 

 importance to keeping the sides of the pots covered, I make use 

 of vases or wine-coolers, placing a good layer of damp moss at 

 the bottom, and where practicable round the sides, and covering 

 the surface of the soU either with moss or damp white sand. I 

 frequently have to turn plants out of their pots, and yet with the 

 exception of that Gloxinia, they do not appear to suffer. When 

 paper covers are used I place a layer of moss on the surface, 

 finishing-off with white sand. 



I am aware of the additional time and labour my mode involves, 

 but it being my employer's wish to make a good display of plants 

 and flowers, I pursue this object with spirit, and there is the 

 satisfaction of knowing I have done my best. 



I will begin my list of plants with what I used for parties the 

 week ending February 25th. First, there was a Camellia Rubens, 

 a neat variety, of good form, and free-flowering; it is in a 

 6-inoh pot, and about a foot high. This was a gem, and is also 

 agaiu in use for the same pm-pose at the time I am writing, 

 March 2Dd. Earlier I nseda companion plant of Fimbriata, and 

 I certainly cannot see that the rooms have had any effect on 

 them. I had Acacia Drummondi, 2 feet high, a veiy suitable 

 plant for decorating, standing well; Epaeris candidissima, a 

 splendid flower, as also E. hyacinthiflora ; E. Salmonea, smaller 



but good ; and Epacris Model, true to its name. The last-named 

 is a gem, the colour being very striking by gaslight ; it has also 

 been in use to-day, As I before remarked, the sun must be 

 kept from them, otherwise a very sunny day, as was the case 

 on February 25th, will undoubtedly spoil them. Hyacinths- 

 Princess Frederick William, a noble white; Lord Eaglan, a 

 lavender, a fine grower ; and Le Prophete, a splendid shade of 

 red, aU did well and are good yet. Erica hyemalis and Wil- 

 moreana I use with good effect. One plant of Erica hyemalis 

 has been used for the same purpose for five weeks with changing, 

 and was turned out of the pot once, and yet is as fresh as ever. 

 Pruuus sinensis, a fine symmetrical plant,' 2 feet high, a mass of 

 bloom, is, so far as I can judge, no worse than it would have been 

 had it not been taken out of the conservatory. Cyclamen persi- 

 cum rubrum is as good a plant as can be used. 



The next plants which will be ready for use are the Cinerarias, 

 of which I like the named varieties best, as they are scarcely so 

 coarse-growing as seedlings, though seedlings, if they are good, are 

 not to be despised. I have at this season used Dracasna Cooperi 

 and Isolepis gracilis, also Primulas. I intend trying Calceolarias 

 when ready, but I am afraid they will not answer. Lily of the 

 Valley grown in moderate heat makes one of the best of plants. 

 It will come in very shortly. A very sweet though simple plant 

 for variety is the vrild blue and white Violet. I have some in 

 bloom which came from the south last spring, and tbey are now 

 in use for the drawing-room. Deutzia gracilis is good for an oc- 

 casional night, but if used longer the flowers drop. Roses coming 

 in flower in AprU are good ; I have tried them before that time, 

 but they do not stand so well. Fuchsias are not to be depended 

 on more than a night. Farfugium grande is always good when 

 not grown in much heat. LobeUa speciosa is always good. 

 French and Fancy Pelargoniums in small pots are good. The 

 same character is deserved by the Ivy-leaved Geranium, and the 

 variegated one called L'Elegr.nte. Selaginella denticulata 

 and densa, as well as a newer kind Poulterii, make beautiful 

 plants.^ Of Ferns, Adiantum cuneatum, Pteris serrulata, and 

 Asplenium bifidum make good plants when they are at rest in 

 August or September. The dwarf Chrysanthemums, where they 

 can be arranged, are very fine and last a long time. About 

 the last I shall now speak of is Poinsettia pulcherrima. This, 

 grown for a few weeks in a cool conservatory, does not suffer by 

 beiag used for table work. 



The above list, though not complete, gives a variety of plants 

 that maybe grown and used for dinner-table or house decorating, 

 and what I have named I have tried here with success. 



Of cut flowers, of which I use as few as possible. Camellias 

 stand flrst. I have now in water some which have been in the 

 rooms a week, I put a lump of charcoal in the water, or a little 

 salt to keep the water sweet, and when I re-arrange the flowers 

 I cut off a small portion of the old stem. The Azaleas, Acacias, 

 TiJips, and Narcissuses are also good. Narcissus Horsfieldii is 

 grand as a large yellow, and Paper White for white. Hyacinths 

 in pots when becoming shabby may be cut and trimmerl-up, and 

 will last for a few days. Deutzia gracUis and the different 

 varieties of Epacris and Ericas last well, though it is a pity to 

 cut them. Hoses cut when about half opened are excellent. 



In summer there is plenty of variety, and therefore I prefer 

 using omamental-foliaged plants or Ferns to flowering sub- 

 jects. In the autumn the various Liliums are good and lasting. 

 Then come the Chrysanthemums. I have purposely left out 

 stove flowers, as I find they usually do not stand room-exposure 

 BO well as the cooler-house subjects, though I should not omit 

 the Linum trigynum, Erar.themum pulchellum, and Euphorbia 

 splendeus, but even these are generally grown in the conservatory 

 at blooming time. At some future period I may send additional 

 notes.. — Stephen Castle, Bent Hill Gardens, Prestwich. 



CROSS-BREEDING TRICOLOR GERANIUMS. 



I SHOULD like to see commnnications in yonr pages respecting the 

 desirability of getting, if possible, eometbing like a standard by whicli 

 yonng beginners wonld have a chance of snccess, withont having to 

 cross-breed over a series of years before they conld form for themselves 

 an opinion of the relative merits of the different Zonals, and the effect 

 they have when crossed with the Varietrated binds. It would be a 

 great boon to many, if some of onr snccessfnl hybridisers wonld name, 

 say two or three of the best Zonals, and a similar number of Varie- 

 gated kinds, with which they have been most successfnl in crossing. 

 Then we should be able to form a rule to work from, and it would he 

 a great inducement to many to make the attempt when they could 

 see that others had been snccessfnl by following the rules laid down 

 for them. If cross-breeding could he reduced more to a certainty 

 than it is at the present time, it would be a source of pleasure to 



