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JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ Kovemljei' 



the plants clean, no scale nor bug ought to remain on them ; 

 red spider will also do considerable damage during hot weather 

 in summer if syringing be neglected. Amateurs ought to 

 observe that the Camellia is comparatively hardy, and will 

 stand 20' of frost ; it is more likely to be injured by heat in 

 winter than by cold. — J. Douglas. 



FUNKIAS. 



This beautiful tribe of fine-foliaged plants, like many other 

 perennials with attractive foliage and flowers, is not sufficiently 

 taken advantage of by those who appreciate elegance of form 

 as well as colour in their flower gardens. Indeed, so rarely 

 do we find Funkias used, that it is obvious few have ever seen 

 the magnificent displays they produce in masses. Eor out- 

 door decoration of a sub-tropical aspect they far surpass any of 

 the usual sub-tropical plants, as, unlike these, they succeed 

 admirably in the coldest district. The somewhat tough texture 

 of their leaves fits them for being planted in exposed situations, 

 where tender fine-foliaged plants soon assume a ragged un- 

 sightly appearance. In habit they very much resemble the 

 dwarf form of Cannas, and have oval leaves longitudinally 

 striped with golden yellow, pure white, and deep green. The 

 flowers, which are borne on small peduncles, are slightly raised 

 above the foliage, and are principally of a puce colour. They 

 are not, however, very attractive, and are of short duration. 



In the dwarf section Funkia ovata variegata, F. lanceasfolia, 

 and F. japonica lutea variegata, are amongst the finest, and 

 seldom exceed 9 inches in height. Of the taller kinds, F. um- 

 bellata aurea variegata, F. ca?rulea, F. undulata, and F. Sie- 

 boldiana, are the handsomest, and frequently attain a height 

 of 18 or 20 inches. 



For bedding purposes, where a stock has to be secured, 

 raising the plants from seed will be more expeditious than 

 having to resort to the tedious process of dividing a few 

 crowns. The most certain mode of obtaining seed in a mature 

 state is to retain a few plants and grow them in pots under 

 glass during the summer. A greenhouse or frame does very 

 well, a little fire heat being afforded in autumn if required. 

 Sow the seed early in spring in pots or small pans filled with 

 a mixture of silver sand and peat, and if these be plunged in 

 gentle bottom heat it will soon germinate. When large enough 

 to handle, the young plants may be placed singly in small 

 .pots, or be pricked-off into boxes, there to remain until May, 

 when they should be planted out in the reserve ground. The 

 soil should be deep and rich, and the situation warm and 

 sheltered. Attention must be paid to watering liberally in dry 

 weather, as the principal object during this period is to en- 

 courage the growth of strong crowns suitable for bedding in 

 the following season. 



It is not necessary to lift the plants until the foliage has 

 died down, which generally is towards the end of October. 

 This also applies to those which may have been planted in the 

 flower garden. The roots should be carefully lifted, and, after 

 having been potted, placed in a cold frame with a covering of 

 ashes or cocoa-nut fibre. Thus treated they remain in an ex- 

 cellent state of preservation until March, when they should be 

 shaken from the pots and repotted in an open mixture of loam, 

 peat, and silver sand, in equal parts. In the potting the largest 

 crowns may be divided. The whole should be placed in gentle 

 heat, which greatly encourages free growth, and the plants must 

 be gradually hardened off and turned out with the other 

 bedders in May. In preparing the beds a rich deep loam 

 should be employed, as being most conducive to the production 

 of fine foliage, which is so much admired either when Funkias 

 are planted in groups by themselves, or along with other orna- 

 mental-leaved subjects. 



For forcing purposes during the winter and early spring 

 months the Funkias are extremely useful, supplying at that 

 time an abundance of foliage not to be obtained from 

 any class of greenhouse plants ; moreover, their usual rich- 

 ■coloured fol'aje is then of a more delicate tint than when 

 exposed duiiag summer. The timely introduction of succu- 

 lents and other fme-foliaged plants, has modified the predomi- 

 nance, and rescued our flower gardens from an undue excess 

 -of colour, but in our winter and spring flower-houses there is a 

 great deficiency of contrasting or harmonising foliage — a de- 

 ficiency which is not easily remedied, especially amongst early 

 forced roots and bulbs, the blooms of which are seldom accom- 

 panied with much foliage. Even the Lily of the Valley, which 

 is naturally luxuriant in leaf-growth, frequently produces its 

 sprays of bloom without foliage. As a means of compensating 



for this deficiency of foliage early in the year, I have found no 

 class of plants can compete with the Funkias, as they are so 

 easily forced. If they have been doing service in the flower 

 garden during the summer, it is not yet too late to secure from 

 them a display thoughdut the winter. 



With this object in view, while rifting the crowns, the 

 strongest and best matured should be selected, having pre- 

 viously prepared a nice compost of loam, peat, silver sand, 

 and a sprinkling of leaf mould. In this they should be at once 

 potted, using 48-sized pots for the largest single crowns, or 

 three may be placed in a 6-inch pot. After potting give a good 

 watering, and place the pots in a cold frame with a covering 

 overhead, as recommended for lifted plants. In three weeks 

 the plants will have become sufficiently established in their pots 

 for a few to be removed into a forcing pit with a humid atmo- 

 sphere, where a temperature of not less than 60° can be main- 

 tained. Under this treatment they make rapid growth, and 

 soon develope their leaves. Successional lots maybe introduced 

 into heat as required. The first, however, if placed in heat at 

 the beginning or towards the middle of November, will be 

 found very useful in December, and under ordinary treatment 

 will retain their pleasing hues for a considerable length of 

 time. The plants which have been thus made use of should, 

 when done with, be carefully attended to with water, and 

 be planted out in May in the reserve ground to recruit their 

 energies ; they again form vigorous plants well adapted for 

 forcing the second year. — 3. M. C. 



MORE ABOUT EOSES. 



My Eoses this year have been very good : out of eight hun- 

 dred plants I have had very little occasion to find fault with 

 any of them. The season has been far from favourable for 

 fine blooms, many of them rotting-off when only half grown, 

 which, I suppose, is owing to the wet. 



Amongst summer Eoses the following have been very good : 

 — Baroness Eothschild, Victor Verdier, Scinateur Vaisse, La 

 France, Duke of Edinburgh, Charles Lefebvre, Dr. Andry, 

 Francois Louvat, Alfred Colomb. The last-named I could not 

 get to bloom to my mind on the Manetti stock, though it was 

 first-rate on the Briar. Prince [?] Christian is a poor addition 

 to our light class of Eoses, but beautiful whenhalf expanded. I 

 do not know how it is, but I can never get Savier Olibo good, 

 except from maiden plants. Amongst the autumn bloomers 

 the following are very fine : — Auguste Mie, Victor Verdier, 

 Madame Eugenie Verdier, La France, and the ever-faithful 

 Gloire de Dijon. 



I had my plants much affected with mildew in July, and 

 reading in Mr. Cranston's book that soot was an effectual 

 remedy, I thought I could not do better than give it a trial ; so, 

 procuring a quantity, I gave my plants a dose, which I certainly 

 meant to kill or cure. After leaving it on for a couple of 

 days (too long, I am afraid) I proceeded to syringe it off, when 

 I found it had not only cured them, but very nearly killed 

 them as well, it having killed all the young shoots, and turned 

 all the leaves quite brown, and when touched with the hand 

 they all crumbled to bits. In future I shall be more cautious 

 in the use of soot. I have no doubt it would stay the ravages of 

 mildew if given in time, and not overdone. 



Some Eoses are much more liable to mildew than others ; I 

 have several plants of Lord Eaglan, which is always affected 

 with it. All being well, I intend kicking his lordship out of my 

 collection next year, as I believe him to be guilty of bringing 

 the pest amongst my favourites.— T. J. Haekison, Farmloii. 



Dahlia Colibi as a Beddek.— As this fine bedding Dahlia 

 is so little known, and consequently but rarely grown, I am 

 induced to make a few remarks respecting it. About three 

 years ago a friend strongly recommended it to me as being the 

 best bedder of the day. I therefore ordered one dozen plants 

 and gave them a trial ; and I was so much pleased with the 

 result that in the following year I filled, or rather planted, four 

 large beds, and the effect was such as to arrest the attention 

 of everyone who approached them. So pleasing was the dis- 

 play when massed, that many were the inquiries, What have 

 you here ? Dahlia Colibi is of sturdy growth and a most pro- 

 fuse and continual bloomer; height 2 feet ; colour a rich orange 

 scarlet. The flower is of good form and substance, and does 

 not show the eye till some days after it is at perfection. I can, 

 and do without the slightest hesitation, recommend Dahlia 

 Colibi to all, particularly to those who, like myself, require a 



