December 15, 1870. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



467 



ofty and otherwise roomy conservatory one of the best places 

 in which to show off and to enjoy the beauty of this noble and 

 grand flower ; but then I find from experience that even if 

 ample space be allotted to it, it is not in every conservatory 

 that it will thrive ; and when it does not succeed I think it is 

 the most unsightly of plants for such pieces. Besides, it is 

 almost certain to be doing badly when all other plants are 

 thriving. On the other hand, with favourable conditions and 

 treatment, it will succeed admirably as a conservatory plant. 



I would say to those who are about to plant Passiflora quad- 

 rangularis, Well consider your plans before doing so, for the 

 term conservatory gives a wide range of temperature — from that 

 of a cool greenhouse up to that of the stove. Some employers 

 like these structures kept at one heat and some at another, 

 and I would not advise anyone to plant this Passion-flower 

 where the temperature is likely to be for any length of time 

 below 55°; for although it will flower in a comparatively low 

 temperature, it is a stove plant, and requires a certain degree 

 of warmth quite equal to the above, even when at rest, and 

 when growing it will be better of a considerably higher tempe- 

 rature. I have grown the plant for conservatory ornamentation , 

 and with 50° of heat it may thrive f*r a season or two, according 

 to the severity of the winter, &c, but it has afterwards failed 

 to maintain a healthy appearance, and to get the wood well 

 ripened off in winter was impossible ; the foliage, likew'ise, was 

 sickly-looking ; consequently in the following spring the plant 

 was too weak to afford much bloom, and gradually became 

 weakened in constitution, total failure being the result. 



Nevertheless, if the temperature is not lower than that above 

 stated, and a higher one can be given at favourable times in the 

 year, I should not hesitate to give this Passiflora a prominent 

 position in the conservatory. I have found the plant succeed 

 well in a rich and moderately-heavy turfy loam two-thirds, and 

 one-third sandy fibrous peat. I am not sure that this is the 

 best compost to grow it in, but I know of more than one 

 or two places where this Passion-flower is growing well in a 

 similar soil. A very successful cultivator of this plant for 

 conservatory decoration is Mr. Stalker, the able gardener at 

 Hemsted Park, Staplehurst, Kant. I have several times visited 

 that place within the last two years, and I have always found 

 this beautiful plant in flower more or less, and I believe Mr. 

 Stalker has told me that he grows it in a similar soil to the 

 above ; and he gives an abundance of tepid manure water when 

 the plant is growing freely, and it flowers with him as late 

 in the year as the present time. — Thomas Eecobd, Hatfield 

 Park. 



A FEW JOTTINGS AT THE DECEMBER 

 EXHIBITION 



OP THE KOTAL HOETICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



We have had, many of us, our causes of complaint and 

 grumbling at the Eoyal Horticultural Society's sayings and 

 doings, but I think no one will deny that the Wednesday exhi- 

 bitions are a great boon, especially in the dreary winter mouths. 

 It is not merely that they bring together whatever is worth 

 seeing at those times, but that you are sure to meet some one 

 with whom you can have a chat on subjects dear to you, and 

 talk of plans and projects, of future meetings and past suc- 

 cesses or failures ; so I for one felt grateful on Wednesday last 

 (December 7th), when, after that dreary miserable Tuesday, 

 I found the Council-room gay with Cyclamens, Primulas, 

 Orchids, cut blooms of Chrysanthemums, &c. I am not, how- 

 ever, going to venture upon ground which has already been so 

 well trodden by your reporter, let me note a few things more in 

 detail than he has done, and first 



Mr. Douglas's Stand of Chrysanthemums. — Two things were 

 to be noticed in this : First, that there were some of the most 

 perfect blooms of Chrysanthemums that could be staged. I 

 very much question whether his bloom of Miss Marechaux has 

 ever been equalled. Fine, too, were Lady Talfourd, Guernsey 

 Nugget, and other good sorts. And then it was notable that he 

 had ventured upon the innovation of introducing some of the 

 Japanese varieties amongst them, and very well did Comet and 

 the Mikado, with their curious sea-anemone-like forms, contrast 

 with the more perfectly formed show varieties. Whatever Mr. 

 Douglas does he does well. 



Mr. Clarice's Cyclamens. — Who that remembers what the cul- 

 ture of this very beautiful flower used to be does not feel aston- 

 ished at the improvement that has taken place in it? It 

 used to take three or four years to make a good-sized corm, 

 while here were som9 of really good size grown from seed sown 



on January 22nd of this year, so that ten months are sufficient 

 to make good flowering corms. We have succeeded in making 

 our beeves and sheep in half the time they used to take, and 

 now we are able to do the same with our Cyclamens. What 

 next? Can anyone contrive to make Auriculas throw offsets 

 and increase more rapidly ? Who knows ? I pass on from 

 flowers to two inventions which I think deserve notice. 



Mr. Chapman's Exhibition Stand for Salads. — Intimations of 

 Mr. Chapman's intention to essay something of this kind had 

 been already given, and his ingenuity in the construction of 

 the flower and fruit cases and other inventions led one to be- 

 lieve that his promise would be fulfilled, and so it was. Avery 

 neat tray for exhibiting them is the result. Bound the edge is 

 a narrow trough in which Mustard and Cress were growing, 

 while the salad was temptingly displayed in the middle space. 

 This will doubtless be a boon to those who are fortunate enough 

 to be able to exhibit such things. 



Mr. B. Looker's Acme Garden Frame and Ground Vinery. — 

 I have already expressed my opinion, formed from personal ex- 

 perience, of the value of Mr. Bendle's plant-protectors, although 

 several have thought they are not so valuable as I believe them 

 to be ; but when I think of my Lettuces covered up with a good 

 bed of leaves, I feel that by-and-by I shall have opinions 

 strengthened. Mr. Looker's invention is a combination of 

 wood, earthenware, and glass. The earthenware is very light, 

 something in the form of chains, while the light wooden 

 frame is so contrived that, though light, it gives great stability 

 to the whole structure ; and ventilation is provided for along 

 the top, the little earthenware caps of which the ridge is com- 

 posed taking off easily, while the glass can be readily taken 

 out for the purposes of watering. I am inclined to think that 

 this little span-roofed frame will be found a great benefit to the 

 owners of small gardens, as its neatness is quite equal to its 

 usefulness. — D , Deal. 



THE POTATO AND ITS CULTURE.— No. 4. 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



In sorting seed Potatoes, cave should be taken t.o nip out the 

 weakest eyes, leaving two or three strong ones. One good stiff 

 shoot is sufficient, but one eye is not to be dependc-d upon, for 

 it may be destroyed. Tbis applies to those varieties which 

 have numerous eyes, and to those tubers not large enough to 

 make two or more sots. 



A new and most excellent variety has lately been introduced 

 into this country under the name of the Early Bose. About 

 February in the preseut year I purchased 1 lb. of this Potato, 

 comprising three fair-sized tubers. Of these I made thirteen 

 sets, each set having one eye, and I planted them in a warm 

 border under a south wall about 14 feet wide. I threw out a 

 trench 18 inches wide, and the same in depth, laying the soil 

 on each side of the trench. I then applied a compost of wood: 

 ashes, leaf mould, very old cow dung, and some well-chopped 

 turf, and as my man threw it into the trench I mixed with it 

 some of the soil which had come out of the trench, and which 

 was very light. I planted the sets rather less than a foot apart, 

 and then covered them with 4 inches in depth of soil. As it was 

 very dry I watered the row. The weather continued very dry, 

 and having little or no water, no more notice was taken of 

 the plants till they began to come up. I then watered them 

 with liquid manure (formed from sheep and fowls' dung), and 

 a week later again with clear water. When they were dry I 

 earthed them up a little, and as they advanced I continued to 

 do so till they attained their full growth. On the crop being, 

 taken up the produce weighed 301bs. of very large and middle- 

 sized Potatoes. I firmly believe if it had been a favourable 

 season the 1 lb. would have produced 80 lbs. It is an excellent' 

 Potato for culinary purposes, and when it becomes more known 

 no doubt it will be very largely cultivated. 



Myatt's Prolific Ashieaf Kidney stands next in my estimation, 

 both for cropping and for flavour, and is more suitable for dry 

 summers than any variety I know. I grew it extensively this 

 season in a very dry situation, where the soil is of such a 

 texture that it may be termed as light as ashes ; I had a very 

 good crop, and the tubers were of fair size. 



It is a very bad plan to grow year after year the same kinds 

 of Potato, and in the same situation, for they will assuredly 

 degenerate, and if this course be persisted in will dwindle away. 

 I should recommend after the Potato of one sort has been grown 

 in the same garden or field for two years, it shouldbe removed 

 for a time, and grown in just the opposite kind of soil. In some 

 ' instanoes the soil varies even in the same garden. I have 



