416 



JOUENAL OF HOKTICULTTJEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ June 16, 1871. 



matter to Mr. Veitch, of Chelsea. Ha at once said that he had 

 never heard of its having been flowered, and asked me as a favour 

 to send him some of the flowers to look at. AccordinKly, next 

 year (1865), I sent him a boxful of blooms, which he acknow- 

 ledged, as you will see by the annexed letter, at the same time 

 saying that to the best of his belief I was the first to bloom 

 this most beautiful of creepers. — Feed. "Walton, St. Cuthbert's. 



" Eoyal Exotic Nursery, King's Eoad, Chelsea, S.W. 

 " 26th June, 1865. 

 " I thank you very much for having Imidly sent me the Itlooms of 

 Lonicera aureo-reticulata. The Itlooms add another charm to this 

 really pretty climber. I think yon may safely claim the credit of 

 having been the first to blossom it in this country. — Jaites Teitch." 



YouB correspondent of last week being desirous to know if 

 this plant flowers in other localities than his own, and as the 

 subject may be of a little interest to your readers generally, I 

 enclose you a sprig which I have just taken from my garden, 

 and which you will see, although only 4 inches long, has sixteen 

 bloom-buds not far from being out. The Honeysuckle, which 

 flowered most freely last year, was planted against an arch in 

 the centre of my garden seven years since. The arch is about 

 8 feet high and 6 feet wide, and the plant reached the middle 

 of it a year or two ago. It would most likely have gone farther 

 but for meeting a Eose tree growing up the other side. I may 

 add that the sprig I send was taken from the north side of the 

 arch. — Benjajiin Looeee, Kingston-on-Thames. 



[Mr. Pillar, gardener, Wiscombe Park, Devon, informs us 

 that this Honeysuckle has bloomed there in each of the three 

 last years, and is now covered with flower buds. Mr. D. Greig, 

 gardener to the Earl of Bandon, Castle Bernard, Ireland, that 

 it is now in flower against a south wall, and has so flowered for 

 three years. — Eds.] 



FORWARDING STRAWBERRIES, AND 



LAYERING FOR FORCING. 



The coldness of the weather will make Strawberries very 

 late with us this season. To forward them a little I have had 

 some sashes placed over a bank sloping to the south. Some 

 15-inch pots were inverted at the back and front, and wooden 

 rails were laid along from pot to pot, thus forming a back and 

 front sill for the sashes to rest upon. Boards being placed 

 upright from the ground to the rails at the back and front, and 

 at the ends, a good temporary frame or pit is formed. Air is 

 given by raising the sashes with a peg. 



The early ripening will greatly depend on taking all air away 

 early, so as to shut in sun heat. In dull cold weather much 

 time will not be gained by such means ; but in bright sun the 

 Strawberries will be from eight to twelve days earlier. 



I intended a lot of pot plants set with fruit, to ripen in the 

 late orchard house, but in order to prevent any break, I think 

 they must be removed at the beginning of the week into a 

 pit where a little artificial heat can be given. Some of the 

 first-forced Keens' Seedling turned out into the ground are 

 now showing bloom a second time pretty generally, and will 

 thus come in soon after the usual summer crops, and will be 

 little behind such late kinds as the Elton, still a fine Straw- 

 berry in its season, notwithstanding its acidity. 



As soon as possible runners must be layered for next season's 

 forcing. Where could time and labour now be found for out- 

 ting pegs for this purpose ? I am glad to get a small bos of 

 potsherds or small stones to place on the runners — nay, glad to 

 be able to fix each in the pot with the thumb and finger, and 

 leave it to look after itself, which even under such circumstances 

 it generally does very well. Where there is netting, the runner 

 is generally rendered all the more secure when a little stone is 

 fixed firmly over it. 



It requires no argument to prove that it is advisable to take 

 plant-runners as much as possible from fertile and productive 

 plants. From experiments conducted carefully for a number 

 of years, I came to the conclusion that the second plant on the 

 runner, though not so vigorous as the first, was the most fruit- 

 ful. This seemed perfectly in accordance with the great natural 

 law, that the extreme of luxuriance in growth is opposed to the 

 extreme of fertility. I know that some hold the opposite view, 

 and prefer the first plant on the runner as the most vigorous 

 and the most fruitful. I still hold the opinion expressed above, 

 but the run of dry seasons, and having no water to spare, have 

 forced me to act on the practice of those who differ from me, 

 and to be glad to take the first plant on the runner, or even 



any young plants at all, and I must say that these plants have 

 turned out very well. The question still remains, however, 

 and which of late years, as stated above, I have had no means 

 of further testing. Would not the second plant on the runner 

 be less distinguished for its free luxuriance and size of foliage, 

 and be more marked for smallness of foliage and abundance 

 and size of fruit ? 



Next, with regard to the mode of treating the runner plant 

 for forcing, I have tried many modes. I have taken off the 

 runner juat as it began to show the protuberance of roots, and, 

 leaving 2 inches of the runner to help to fasten it, have pricked 

 it out in rich soil in a bed, watered and syringed, and shaded 

 until it was growing freely, and then raised the plants with 

 little balls and potted them at once. JAs some successful forcers 

 do, I have taken to the beds 6-inch pots, well drained, filled 

 with rich soil to the rim, fastened a runner in the centre 

 of the pot, and cut its string when fairly established. The 

 only objections which I know to this mode are two — first, the 

 labour and time involved in carrying the pots and soil to the 

 Strawberry beds and then back again ; and secondly, watering 

 such a number of large pots, especially if water is distant and 

 scarce. Then, again, there is the tendency in such cases for 

 the roots to quickly reach the sides of the pots, whilst much of 

 the soil inside is slightly permeated by small fibres ; whereas 

 in such cases I do not think that the fibres can be too nu- 

 merous or too thoroughly interlaced through the whole of the 

 soil in the pot. Hence, I recommend all beginners to layer 

 their runners in small pots (the size called 60's), and when 

 these are well filled with roots to cut the connecting runner, 

 and move therii at first for a few days to a shady place, watering 

 them, then transferring the plants to larger pots without break- 

 ing the ball, the outside and inside of which is laced with 

 fibres. When the fibres then reach and cluster round the 

 sides of the pot, it is quite certain that the centre of the ball 

 is filled with fibres or feeding mouths. As to the size of the 

 pots, I have used for small kinds, and those which I wished 

 to mature early, in order to be forced early, what are called 

 48 and 40-sized pots. This season, though these did fairly, 

 what are termed 32's, about 6-inch pots, answered the best. 



Then, though stating what most likely will appear mere 

 reiteration, still for the benefit of inquirers I may remark, that 

 several things more are important in the way of preparing the 

 plants for forcing. First, The soil should be somewhat rich 

 and stiff, rather than sandy and light. Second, In potting, as 

 the plant will sink a little, the bud should not be lower than 

 the rim of the pot ; and the soil round the sides cannot be 

 packed too firmly, using a blunt spatula, or piece of wood, for 

 the purpose. Thirdly, A little shade may be wanted at first, 

 but full exposure to the sun as soon as possible, and the pots 

 to be set on a hard bottom that the roots may be forced back 

 on themselves instead of encouraged to pass out at the bottom 

 of the pot. Any runners should be nipped off as they appear, 

 and the pots should not stand so closely together as to prevent 

 the sun and air acting freely on their buds. Fourthly, Water- 

 ings and syringings of clear water may be used as needed, 

 until the roots come pretty freely to the sides of the fruiting- 

 pots, and then weak and diversified manure-waterings will be 

 relished, no flagging ever being allowed. Lastly, As the short 

 days and waning sun of autumn come, give no more water than 

 is absolutely essential to keep the plants from being distressed, 

 the ripening of the buds being then of more importance than 

 mere growth. If it can be done, not only the pots but the 

 plants should in winter be protected from heavy rains and 

 severe frosts. When starting, the rise to about 60° should be 

 gradual. These hints are chiefly for the benefit of beginners 

 who wish for an outline of the conrss they had better follow. 

 — E. F. 



NOTES ON ROSES. 

 It is too early at present to describe the infants, as is desired 

 by your correspondent " Spectator." Even some of the old- 

 established Eoses have not bloomed yet in their character. 

 Among the old Eoses blooming abundantly and first-rate are 

 Gloire de Dijon, CiSline Forestier, Empereur de Maroc, Prince 

 Camille de Eohan, Maurice Bernardin, Jules Margottin, the best- 

 habited of all Eoses; John Hopper, Felix Genero, and Marguerite 

 de St. Amand. Others, as yet, have exhibited green centres and 

 fimbriated edges. Madame Trifle (Tea), Louis Yan Houtte, 

 Baron Chaurand, and one or two more, have died. I shall be 

 able to describe in a short time the following :— Madame 

 Chirard, Madame Creyton, Mdlle. Eugenie Yerdier, Madame 



