May 11, 1871. ] 



JOUENAIi OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



333 



drain, with the bottom of the border inclining to it. The 

 bottom of the border may be covered with abont 2 inches of 

 rough gravel, which must be rammed firm and afterwards run 

 with lime, adding two parts of fine gravel to one of lime, and 

 bringing the mixture to the consistency of thin mortar with 

 water. The drain should be laid on the concrete in a channel, 

 with all the border inclining to it. When the concrete has 

 become hard place 9 inches of rubble for drainage, and then 

 cover with a layer of sods grass side downwards. The border 

 may be formed of eight parts of the top 3 or 4 inches of a 

 pasture chopped into pieces of 3 or 4 inches square, one part 

 of old lime rubbish, and one part free or grit stone in lumps 

 from the size of an egg to that of a man's clenched hand, one 

 part fresh horse or sheep droppings, and presuming a part to 

 be a cartload, add ten bushels of bruised bones, the same of 

 charcoal, and five bushels of calcined oyster shells. The whole, 

 having been well mixed, should be placed in the border both 

 inside and outside 9 Inches higher than the intended or ulti- 

 mate level. It is not necessary to make more than a part of 

 the border at a time, and I only make the inside border the 

 first year, considering it very important to get the roots well 

 established in it. I find that the roots more readily take to 

 the outside portion of the border. 



The best time for planting Vines in a greenhouse border is 

 in spring, when the shoots are 1^ to 2 inches long, and the 

 roots should be planted inside. 



The kinds which succeed in a greenhouse with no heat except 

 that necessary to exclude frost and dry up damp by promoting 

 a circulation of air, are : — 



Black Grapes. — Black Champion, Black Hamburgh, Franken- 

 thal (Victoria and Pope's Hamburgh), Due de Magenta, Gros 

 Colman, and Trentham Black. The Black Muscat of Alex- 

 andria (Muscat Hamburgh), sometimes does well worked on 

 the Black Hamburgh, also Black Prince. In cold situations 

 Espiran (Esperione), and Ingram's Prolific Muscat ripen more 

 surely than any of those named. 



White or Amber Grapes. — Foster's White Seedling, Chasselas 

 Vibert, Backland Sweetwater, General della Marmora, and 

 Chasselas Royal. The White Frontignan does fairly, also Gala- 

 brian Raisin. In cold situations Royal Muscadine, White 

 Eomain, Early Saumur Frontignan, and Early Smyrna Fron- 

 tignan will suit. 



The treatment of Vines in greenhouses not differing from 

 that in vineries, and as a volume might be written on their 

 treatment, I must refer to the " Vine Manual " for particulars 

 of management. 



As regards climbers I should have a drain the length of the 

 border, and 6 to 9 inches of rubble, covering with a layer of 

 turf, and filling with compost 9 inches higher than the ulti- 

 mate level. 



The compost will, of course, difier with the Bubjeets, and the 

 kind will be named for each, but I may say that loam and 

 peat are the principal materials. They must be of the proper 

 descriptions. The loam most suitable is that of a pasture 

 where the soil is a good rich yellow or hazel loam, with a ten- 

 dency to be sandy rather than clayey. This should be pared 

 off not more than 2 inches thick, and chopped up in pieces 

 about 2 inches square, preserving, however, the finer portions. 

 The peat should be from an elevated moor, where there is a 

 good growth of Heather or Ling ; or, if the common Bracken 

 (Pteris aquilina), is plentiful, or, indeed, present, and the peat 

 is of a brown colour and full of particles of white sand, it is 

 of the right description. Avoid peat from low ground, and 

 which when wet and squeezed becomes a soapy mass, and 

 gives off inky water. The Heath on it will not be healthy, nor 

 will any good greenhouse plant thrive in it. It is well to 

 remove the Heath, pull it off, and clear away any deposit of 

 Moss or Lichen, and then pare-off the peat from 3 to 6 inches 

 deep according to its character. It should be chopped up 

 rather roughly, removing any stems or the rhizomes of Ferns. 

 Both loam and peat should be used fresh. Leaf soil is another 

 material that will be required, and it is important that it should 

 be fully half decayed, and be freed of twigs or old decayed 

 branches of trees or other timber likely to cause fungus in the 

 soil. 



Manure is for some climbers desirable, but for general pur- 

 poses is not of great importance. For borders it should be 

 fresh ; horse or sheep droppings are what I recommend. 



Acacia oleifolia elegans. — This, though not a climber, is 

 most excellent for covering roofs. It makes shoots several 

 feet long in a season, has pale glaucous green leaves, and bright 

 yellow flowers produced in great profusion, and in long suc- 



cession. My plant has rarely been out of flower during the 

 past twelve months, but its general time of flowering is from 

 September to April. It requires a compost of four parts loam, 

 two parts peat, and one part each of silver sand, and sandstone 

 in lumps between the sizes of a walnut and an egg. Being an 

 evergreen the soil must be kept moist at aU times, and should 

 be driest in April, when it is presumed the plant will be 

 pruned-in rather closely after it has g;own to the extent re- 

 quired ; and the shoots should be trained so as to cover the 

 rafters, and then be allowed to take their downward course. 

 Shoots 4, 5, or more feet long mill hang from the rafters and 

 be clustered with their golden balls of bloom. 



Bignonia jasminoides. — In habit this has the appearance of 

 a gigantic Jasmine ; the flowers are purplish. It is very free 

 in growth after it has become established, but requires patience 

 at first. The flowers are produced on the short shoots from 

 the well-ripened wood of the previous year, and the wood should 

 therefore be well ripened by keeping the plant dry early in 

 autumn, and thinning out the shoots so as to fully expose to light 

 and air those left. Prune rather freely in February, leaving 

 enough of last year's shoots to furnish the short stubby shoots 

 which usually afford flowers. Use a compost of equal parts of 

 peat and loam, half a part of leaf soil, and a free admixture of 

 sand. Water the plant freely when it is growing, but keep it 

 rather dry in winter. Of this there are some fine varieties, as 

 Alba magna, Floribunda, Rosea, and Splendida. 



Lapageria rosea. — This has both fine foliage and fine flowers, 

 and is one of the most ornamental of greenhouse twiners. The 

 flowers are large, bell-shaped, and of a blight deep rose, pro- 

 duced in great profusion in summer, usually in July and later. 

 There is a variety with white flowers (L. rosea alba). It does 

 not make any great way at first. As most of the plants sent 

 out are seedlings, they do not flower until the third or fourth 

 season. Soil, peat chopped-up roughly. Good drainage must 

 be provided, as when the Lapageria is growing and flowering a 

 good-sized plant will need a three-gallon watering-potful of 

 water daily. When not growing less water is needed, but even 

 then, as compared to other plants, the watering should be liberal. 

 The shoots should be trained-up straight, all those coming 

 from the base being encouraged, and the shoots ought to be 

 disposed rather thinly. The pruning should be confined to 

 thinning-out the old and weak shoots. 



Mandevilla suaveoleiis in a pot is poor, but planted out in a 

 greenhouse border it is magnificent. It is an evergreen, pro- 

 ducing white and sweet-scented flowers in the early part of 

 summer. The plant is a great favourite with many for its 

 sweet-scented flowers. Soil, two parts light loam, and a part 

 each of leaf soil and sandy peat, with a free admixture of 

 sharp sand. Water the plant abundantly when growing and 

 flowering, and syringe it freely when in a growing state. When 

 at rest keep it rather dry, giving no water as long as the foliage 

 remains fresh. Thin-out the shoots rather freely before growth 

 begins, or about February, and do not keep it very closely tied- 

 iu at any stage, for nothing spoils the effect of this, and, in- 

 deed, all climbers, so much as keeping them tied-up like a hay- 

 band. The shoots never look so wsll as when hanging down 

 from the rafters. — G. Abbey. 



MYOSOTIS DISSITIFLORA. 

 If I were asked to name the most lovely hardy spring-flower- 

 ing plant, it certainly would be Myosotis dissitiflora. If "G. S." 

 (see page 303} has the true variety, and will propagate it by 

 cuttings during July and August, when it will strike very freely 

 under a hand-light in a shady spot, and will plant out the 

 young plants in as dry a situation as possible, either there to 

 stand the winter or to be transferred to the spring beds after 

 bedding plants are off, I venture to say he will be delighted 

 with it. With me it has been a perfect sheet of bloom since 

 the flrst week of March, while Myosotis sylvatica is even now 

 (May let) scarcely in full bloom. I remember a strong recom- 

 mendation was given some time since in a leading gardetr 

 periodical not to propagate this plant from cuttings, but from 

 seed, in order, if I remember rightly, to produce hardier and 

 more sturdy plants to stand the winter ; but I can only say 

 that plants from cuttings have withstood the last two severe 

 winters almost without loss, certainly not two per cent, being 

 killed. " G. S. " says his flowers open of a pinkish colour, 

 from which I infer he has the true variety ; it does so, and 

 some plants, even from cuttings, more so than others, but as' 

 the flowers age they change to an azure blue ; a bed in fuB 

 bloom does not present the slightest trace of pink. By the 



