October G, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



267 



Thejnext meeting was announced for November 2nd, on which day 

 large-flowered and Pompon Chrysanthemums, berried plants in pots, 

 Potatoes, and dessert Pears form the principal subjects to be exhibited. 



THE WILLOW HERB AS A BEDDING PLANT. 



Within the present month we have seen used with ex- 

 cellent effect the common "Willow Herb, Epiiobium hirsutum. 

 As a broad mass forming the centre of a large bed margined 

 with a belt of something in contrast with it, it was very strik- 

 ing, and at a distance we concluded it was the Variegated Mint ; 

 on nearing it, however, and seeing its delicate pink blossoms 

 (which, by the way, should not have been allowed to show), we 

 recognised the pale form of this old acquaintance. For all the 

 purposes for which the Variegated Mint is used this is equally 

 valuable, and, we think, rather more effective. We had not 

 before seen it used as a bedder, and as some of our readers may, 

 too, be unfamiliar with its capabilities in that way, we think it- 

 well to take this opportunity of making them known. — (Irish 

 Farmers' Gazette.) 



PORTRAITS OE PLANTS, FLOWERS, and FRUITS. 



Lissochilus Krebsii (Mr. Kreb's Lissochilus). Nat. ord., 

 Orchidacete. Linn., Gynandria Monandria. — Native of Natal. 

 Flowers yellow.— {Sot. Mag., t. 5861.) 



Calochoetbs Leichtlinii (Mas Leichtlin's Calochortus). 

 Nat. ord., Liliacete. Linn., Hexandria Monogynia. — The genus 

 was first brought to the front by David Douglas, one of the 

 martyrs of botany, but his discoveries have passed away from 

 our borders, but are now reappearing. The present species, 

 entirely new, is a native of the Sierra Nevada of California. 

 Flowers white, with a purple blotch adjoining the nectary. — 

 {Ibid., t. 5862.) 



Leptosiphon pap.viflop.us var. eosaceus (Rosy-flowered Lep- 

 tosiphon). Nat. ord., PolemoniaceEe. Linn., Pentandria Mo- 

 nogynia. — " A most lovely representative of one of the most 

 variable genera of hardy annuals." The flowers of this variety 

 are of various shades of colour, from pale to deep rose red. 

 Native of California.— {Ibid., t., 5863.) 



Passieloea akboeea (Tree Passionflower). Nat. ord., Passi- 

 floras. Linn., Pentandria Trigynia. — Native of dense forests in 

 the mountain districts of New Grenada, Ecuador, and Vene- 

 zuela. Not so beautiful as the commoner species. Flowers 

 greenish white.— {Ibid., t. 5864 ) 



Clusia odoeata (Sweet-scented Clusia). Nat. ord., Clusiacere. 

 Linn., Polyandria Monogynia. — " An inhabitant of the volcano 

 of Cheriqui in New Grenada." Flowers pink. — {Ibid., t. 5865.) 



Baeleeia Mackenii (Mr. MeKen's Barleria). Nat. ord., 

 Acanthacete. Linn., Diandria Monogynia. — Native of Natal. 

 Flowers purple. The distiict in which this Barleria is found 

 appears to be botanically little known, and to abound in novel- 

 ties. Amongst others which Mr. McKen has procured are two 

 magnificent Heaths, a Phcenix different from P. reclinata, and 

 some fine Orckiiea?. — {Ibid., t. 5866.) 



Leptosiphon eoseds. — This is the same plant as noticed 

 above. "If an exception be made in favour of the admirable 

 Phlox Drummondii, none of the annual Phloxworts are more 

 popular, or so well deserve popularity, as the plants included in 

 the genus Leptosiphon. Of dwarf and compact-habit, yielding 

 profusely their star-like blossoms of various shades, and of 

 the easiest cultivation in almost any soil, it can scarcely be a 

 matter of surprise that they have from their earliest introduc- 

 tion taken place in the first rank. For twenty years the genus 

 was represented in our gardens only by the well-known L. an- 

 drosaceas and L. densiflorus, with their white varieties. To 

 these were at length added the charming L. luteus and its 

 variety aureus, both introduced by Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea ; 

 and another, though it may be hoped not a final addition, may 

 now be chronicled in the Leptosiphon roseus, a most charming 

 plant, closely related in habit to the two last named, which it 

 equals, if not exceeds, in beauty and in usefulness. 



" This elegant and attractive little annual differs from 

 L. aureus almost solely in its colour, which is a most pleasing 

 tender rose, a shade by no means easy to represent adequately 

 on paper. Like that of its congener, its habit is very dwarf, 

 rarely exceeding 3 or 4 inches, with similarly palmate foliage, 

 the flowers being produced in clusters terminating the stems 

 and branches. The elongated corolla-tube, so characteristic of 

 the genus, is fully three times longer than the limb, which is 

 about three-fourths of an inch in diameter. In most of the 

 specimens the rose-colour is uniform, but in some there is an 

 approach to a stripe, or flake, which, however, in no degree 



detracts from the appearance of the plant. Well-grown, strong 

 plants will yield their flowers for several weeks in succession. 

 To obtain specimens, however, that will give the maximum 

 number of flowers, it is essential with this, as with the other 

 species, indeed with all other annuals, to sow thinly, or to 

 transplant the seedlings while young to such a distance from 

 each other as will afford full space for development. When the 

 same care and attention that are bestowed on bedding plants 

 are given to the hardy annuals, then, and then only, will their 

 capabilitiesbe discerned." — {Florist and Pomologist, 3 s.,iii., 217.) 



AMATEUR MARKET GARDENING. 



It has now become a fashion for persons with independent 

 means to plant fruit trees and to sell their produce ; a few words 

 of instruction may not be amiss to such who take pleasure in fruit 

 culture and yet wish to derive some profit from their gardens. 



Apples. — These should be grafted on the English Paradise 

 stock (the French Paradise stock forms pretty trees for small 

 gardens), and cultivated either as bushes or pyramids. They 

 should be planted 4 feet apart in rows, and the central space 

 between the rows may bo cropped with light crops, such as 

 Onions, &c, for six, eight, or more years, till the trees meet. 

 Their pruning should be of the simplest ; from the middle to 

 the end of June every young shoot should be shortened to half 

 its length, and towards the end of August all the young shoots 

 that have put forth since the June pruning should be shortened 

 to three leaves. In winter a few autumnal shoots will still be 

 found that require pruning, these should all be shortened to 

 three or four buds ; and if the trees are aged and a little crowded 

 with shoots, they should be thinned with a sharp knife, and 

 this will constitute the whole of the pruning for the year. If 

 the soil be rich the trees may be planted 6 feet apart, or if 

 planted at 4 feet apart, every alternate tree may be removed 

 and replanted in fresh soil at the end of ten or twelve years. 

 In all cases the soil should be solid — i.e., not dug, and if the 

 trees bear too profusely so as to exhaust themselves, some de- 

 composed manure, about five bushels to 25 square yards, should 

 be spread on the surface in winter and left there. I have com- 

 menced with Apples because they are the fruit of the people, 

 almost a necessary of life. 



Cheeeies. — Those of the Duke and Morello tribe may be 

 planted as bushes and pyramids, 4 feet apart, with advantage if 

 grafted on the Mahaleb stock. The Heart and Bigarreau Cherries, 

 unless double-grafted, do not do well as pyramids in gardens. 



Peaes. — These should be grafted or budded on the Quince 

 stock, otherwise their growth is by far too vigorous ; they may 

 be planted as bushes, and nothing in fruit culture is more 

 beautiful than a Pear tree the size of a Gooseberry bush full of 

 large fruit ; 4 feet apart for bushes, and 6 feet apart for pyra- 

 mids will be perfect culture. 



Plums. — Next to the Apple the Plum is the most valuable 

 domestic fruit, for it may be preserved all the winter without 

 sugar or any expense, till Plums are again ready. The trees 

 may be planted 6 feet apart, and if, as is the case with some 

 soils, they make a vigorous growth without bearing fruit, the 

 trees should be taken up early in November and replanted in 

 the same place. If large trees are required, pyramidal Plums 

 may be thinned out so as to stand 12 feet apart; their produce 

 here by this course is something to wonder at ; my trees are 

 twenty years old. Pruning in all these cases must be that re- 

 commended for Apples. 



In these short and rough notes, I have given, I trust, enough 

 to guide those who wish to make their fruit gardens profitable. 

 The taste for good fruit is every year increasing, and it seems 

 as if there would always be a profitable sale for healthy fruit. 

 I have only to note that, in the first week of this month 

 (August, 1870), from 1000 to 2000 bushels of my Early Prolific 

 Plums could have been sold in Covent Garden at a remunerative 

 price ; we had not a full crop, but the few hundreds of baskets 

 sent up made me wish for more. Those who would like to 

 know a fruit salesman, may apply to Mr. John Black, Covent 

 Garden Market. 



A few words as to market-garden planting will, I think, do 

 good, and I give them as axioms:— Do not plant many varieties 

 but find out by trial — i.e., planting several sorts, one tree of 

 each sort, and closely observe them, and if you find one or two 

 or three sorts more prolific than others, plant from fifty to five 

 hundred of such a sort. About thirty years since I found that 

 one tree of Louise Bonne Pear bore a crop when some hundreds 

 of sorts failed. Our plantation of this sort on Quince stocks, 

 i for fruit for market, is now 5000 trees. And again, my Early 



