332 



JOURNAL OF HOETICTJLTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ May 11, 1871. 



readily in sand under a bell-glass in a shady part of the green- 

 house.— The most suitable compost is turfy peat, with a smaU 

 portion of loam, and a liberal proportion of silver sand. This 

 plant is now seldom grown for exhibition purposes. Indeed I 

 do not remember to have seen it at any of the London shows 

 since Mr. John Eraser, of the L?a Bridge Eoad Narseries, with- 

 drew from exhibiting. There is no other free-flowering plant 

 which I know that has flowers of the same beautiful blue 

 colour. It is a very effective plant in a collection, and is, I 

 think, indispensable where the size of the pots is limited, as 

 it cannot be grown to the size of a Clerodendron or Erica 

 Cavendishii. The frequent pinching of the young shoots and 

 tying them out as they require it should be attended to. 



The shoots of this species have a close upright habit, and it 

 does not make a specimen so readily as the more bushy branch- 

 ing species, such as L. formosa. Keeping the plants close to 

 the glass, and shifting into larger pots as they require it, must 

 not be neglected. It is also peculiarly liable to the attacks of 

 green fly, and may be seriously injured before the insects are 

 discovered, as they huddle together, clinging to the stem, and 

 are of the same colour as the young shoots. The best remedy 

 is fumigation with tobacco. — J. Douglas. 



DORSET FRUIT AND ROSE PROSPECTS. 



Till we arrive at May the 14th we can hardly be sure of 

 some of our fruits. At present the following is a faithful 

 report : — Apple trees are in abundant bloom, and not yet in- 

 jared. P^ars a sufficient crop, and not materially injured. 

 Gooseberries, Currants (Red, White, and Black), and Easp- 

 berries most abundant. I never had finer crops. S'rawberries 

 abundantly trussed, and beginning to bloom. Plums good, 

 and not yet injured. Cherries set, and wonderfully good. 

 Peaches and Nectarines a fair crop, and better than I expected 

 after such a cold spring in such an exposed garden. Some of 

 the trees are wholly cropped ; others have dropped their blooms 

 and fruit after setting. Trees that bore no fruit last year will 

 bear well this year, and vice versa. Moderate cropping is beat : 

 if a critical spring follows heavy cropping the tree will be 

 more likely to fail in bearing than one that either bore no 

 fruit, or was moderately cropped in the previous year. I give 

 instances. 



Last year I overcropped the Marquis of Downehire Peach : 

 this year it has dropped its blooms. Last year the Early Ascot 

 — the Eoyal Ascot is more appropriate — bore only two fruits : 

 this year it has an abundant crop. The trees are side by side. 

 It is curious that in my stable-yard, where the Palmeraton 

 Peaches (see "Florist" for M.iy) were grown, and which is a 

 protected situation, all the trees, except a fresh-planted old tree 

 of Grosse Mignonne, have dropped their blossoms and fruit, 

 ■whilst in my two other exposed gardens the trees have set 

 very respectably, some nobly. T am glad that I shall have 

 a good crop of Early A.=eot, Pine Apple Nectarine, Nectarine 

 Peach, and Dr. Hogg. They are four of the best varieties. 



As regards flowers, I can only speak of one — namely, the 

 Pose. The plants are in superb condition, in abundant bud, 

 with beautiful foliage. I hope the winds will be civil. Some 

 of the Roses show colour. From the 12th to the 20 :h of June 

 is the best time to see them here. The yellow wall Roses bloom 

 about the middle of May. They also are in superb condition, 

 and are laden with buds. — W. F. EinoLTFFE. 



PRIMULA CORTUSOIDES AMCENA. 

 In common with many others I feel much obliged to Mr. 

 Jones for his article on page 803, calling attention to the merits 

 of Primula cortusoides amosna as an ornament to the conser- 

 vatory, and the mode in which he cultivates it. One thing, 

 however, he has omitted, and I have no doubt but he will 

 remove the defect — he has not stated the character of the soil 

 in which he grows it. This is of so much consequence that I 

 am sure he will excuse my inquiring further about it. The 

 family of Primula differs so much in habit, character, and re- 

 quirements, that no general rule can be laid down for its treat- 

 ment, or rather all the kinds must not be treated alike. Our 

 common wild Primroses grow in both shady and sunny places, 

 but more commonly in the former, and are generally most 

 plentiful on soil of a somewhat calcareous nature, while the 

 Cowslip likes moisture, and often a stiff retentive soil. The 

 more rare Primula farinosa is only found in wet peaty bogs, and 

 I imagine P. amcena to be akin to this, as I suppose that it is 

 an improved form of P. cortusoides, and I would also ask if i's 



proper name is not P. cortusoides amoena ; but if it is a variety 

 of this species, it is a great improvement on the original, and 

 when flowered in the manner Mr. Jones describe.?, it must be 

 very attractive. I imagine, however, that there is some special 

 feature in the soil that renders the culture of the plant fo 

 successful. We occasionally meet with Cyclamens in a high 

 state of cultivation, and not unfrequently with them in just the 

 reverse condition ; it is the same with the Primula. 



In my own case I have not been at all successful with Primula 

 cortusoides arEcena, owing to the plants having been aceidentally 

 neglected last summer, but I have seen sufficient to appreciate' 

 its merits. I think, from its appearance, that it must be hardy, 

 as most plants are which die down to the ground entirely. I 

 hope Mr. Jones will explain to us whether he uses peat in its 

 cultivation or not. I believe I am right in saying that the 

 general character of the soil in the neighbourhood of Didsbury, 

 if the same as that which prevails in the district a few miles 

 south of Manchester, is a black sandy soil resembling peat in 

 some degree in being well adapted for the growth of Rhododen- 

 drons and similar plants, and I therefore infer that it suits this 

 Primula, for a partially peaty soil is favourable to the growth 

 of the Chinese Primula, P. cortusoides, and P. denticulata ; the 

 case is just the reverse with the wild Primrose, Cowslip, and 

 garden Polyanthus. 



I may here remark that, having last year a number of spare 

 plants of P. denticulata, I planted out a portion of them 

 amongst shrubs, and I find many of them have survived the 

 past winter, sufi'ering more, I think, from worms and slugs 

 than from frost ; for although most of the plants are alive they 

 do not look so well as I should like. I hope, however, during the 

 ensuing season to try P. amcena, and with greater success than 

 hitherto. — J. E. 



GREENHOUSE PLANTS.— No. 3. 



CLiriiEEBS Suitable for Losra Roofs ok Eafters. — In small 

 gardens, or where there are not special structures for Grape- 

 growing, I would have that best and most useful of all climbers 

 — the Grape Tine. It is, I know, contrary to the advice of all 

 our best authorities that Vices and plants should be grown 

 together, but good Grapes have been grown in greenhouses or 

 plant houses fit for the dessert, if not the exhibition table. I 

 cannot see the consistency of the objection to fruit and flowers 

 being grown in the same structures. Do we not grow some 

 plants solely for the beauty of their berries ? — Solanums, for 

 instance, and others, which, however well grown and berried 

 they may be, cannot compare to clusters of Grapes either for 

 the gratification of the eye or the palate. Whether we look 

 upon them for ornament or for utility, either in the green- 

 bouse or at the dessert, the palm must always be given to 

 Grapes. Some have an idea that plants of any kind on the 

 roof are very detrimental to plant-growth, and 1 have no doubt 

 they are so when the shade is from a very close growth ; but 

 there need be nothing of this kind, for the most that we want 

 is a slight shade from the powerful rays of the sun between the 

 middle of April and the middle of September. The great evil 

 is planting the Vines too closely. I would not have them in 

 any case nearer than 3J feet apart, and not more than 4 feet 

 from each other. At this distance, no class of plants shade a 

 greenhouse too much, not even Vines, which it seems strange 

 should be looked upon as more injurious to plants than any 

 other class of climbers. They have large foliage as compared 

 to other climbers, but the leaves are not put forth until the 

 best of hardwooded plants are in flower, and before they are 

 fully developed that class of plants may with safety, and to their 

 benefit under any circumstances, be removed to a cold pit ; 

 whilst those which remain, as Cimellias and Azaleas, are the 

 better of the shade afforded by the foliage of the Vines. Then 

 in winter, when no shade is wanted, the Vines are leafless. So 

 that, taken all in all, they are the best description of climbers 

 for a greenhouse ; but they may be injurious, like any other 

 kind of climbers, when they are planted very closely together, 

 so as to cause a deep gloom. 



Presuming that Vines are planted, in addition to the inside 

 border, part will need to be outside. It is not necessary that 

 this should exceed 10 or 12 feet wide, but less will do. The 

 front wall of the greenhouse will of course require to be on 

 pillars to allow of the roots passing to the outside ; and unless 

 the bottom is rock or gravel it ought to be concreted, an exca- 

 vation being made so that the border may be about 3 feet 

 G inches deep, and the more it is above the surrounding ground 

 level the more dry and warm it will be. There should be a 



