172 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 30, 1864. 



doors, and are alike interesting, curious, or beautiful, whether 

 left in the house to bloom or removed for decorating rooms. 



Some of the annual Grasses are only half-hardy ; they 

 should, therefore, be sown from the middle of March to the 

 last week in April, in pots or pans, placing them in a slight 

 hotbed, and when the plants are strong and well hardened 

 off transplanting them into the open borders, or potting 

 them off if it be desirable to have specimens in pots. Irre- 

 spective of raising and growing them in pots, the hardy 

 species may be sown in the places where they are to remain, 

 in the first week in April, either in patches or in lines, scat- 

 tering the seeds rather thinly, and just covering them with 

 fine soil. Should the weather be dry after sowing, it is 

 necessary to water the patches in order to insure germina- 

 tion, and to keep a constant moisture in the soil, place an 

 inverted flower-pot over the seeds, or a thin layer of moss, 

 or a mat, the former and the last to be removed at night, or 

 during the absence of sun. After the plants appear remove 

 the pots or whatever else may have been employed to keep 

 the soil moist, and when of sufficient size to handle thin 

 the seedlings, distributing them, or otherwise allowing room 

 to spread. They should be thinned to at least an inch apart 

 if expected to assume their natural character. During dry 

 weather they should be well watered, or their foliage will 

 turn yellow and die off at the points, and the flower-spikes 

 will rise prematurely, and be weak and poor for the lack of 

 this element. In fact, they cannot have too much water, 

 if only they have room to grow, and the soil be of such a 

 nature that stagnant water cannot lodge in it, and so render 

 it a bog. 



The species bloom at different periods ; they should there- 

 fore be watched, and any that are desirable to dry for winter 

 should be cut either just before or just after the blooming 

 is over, for if cut too early the flower-stalk has not sufficient 

 strength to support the head, nor are they in full character, 

 and when cut when the seed is nearly ripe they are too 

 brittle, and more straw-like than when gathered and dried 

 earlier. The best time, in my opinion, is immediately after 

 the blooming, selecting a dry day, and then drying them in 

 the sun. Some dye them a variety of colours after they are 

 dried, which adds materially to their beauty as winter orna- 

 ments, otherwise dried Grasses are rather tame subjects for 

 winter bouquets. 



Appended is a list of some of the most ornamental species ; 

 the half-hardy kinds, which are to be raised and forwarded 

 in heat prior to planting out, being distinguished by an 

 asterisk. 



*Paspalum elegans. — Pretty, 1 to 1-J foot. 

 Lagtjeus ovatt/s (Hare's-tail Grass). — 1 foot. Curious 

 and ornamental. 



Pennisetum longistylttm. — A very interesting and grace- 

 ful Grass, H foot. 



P. italicum. — Pretty, 1^ to 2 feet. These two being from 

 the south of Europe should be raised and forwarded in heat if 

 intended to flower the first year. The first is very fine for a 

 neutral or centre bed,- the plants being raised and grown on 

 one season, protected from frost in winter, and planted out 

 in the spring of the following year. Its graceful foliage 

 and elegant inflorescence entitle it to a prominent position 

 amongst its congeners. 



Hoedeum jttbatum. — A curious Barley-headed Grass, 

 having a rosy tint. It is a biennial if not a perennial, 

 flowering the first year. 1 to 1-J foot. 



*Soeghum bicolok. — Tall, yet graceful. 2 to 3 feet. This 

 will not do outside in cold exposed localities. 



*Teichol«na eosea. — Beautiful, the inflorescence having 

 a rosy tint. 2 feet. The same remarks apply to this as the 

 preceding. 



Setaeia maceochsta. — Fine and graceful. 2 feet. 



Avena sterilis (Animated Oats). — Very curious. The 

 seed-vessels resemble a fly, and are furnished with a long, 

 jointed awn, which twists about when subjected to moisture 

 or dryness, and it is on this account an excellent hygrometer. 

 2£ feet. 



Ceeatochloa pendula. — Pretty. !'■£ to 2 feet. 

 *ChLOBIS POLYDACTYLA, eadiata, baebata, ffmbriata, 

 and sttbmutica, are all remarkable on account of their for- 

 mation, A. radiata being very curious. 1 foot. 



Cheystjet/s aueet/s. — A handsome variety with golden 

 spikes. 6 inches. 



Anthoxanthtjm geacile. — Graceful. S to 9 inches. 



Brizopyeum sicttlttm. — Elegant; foliage shining light 

 green, plaited inflorescence. 9 inches. 



Eleusine cokacana (Five-horned). — Curious. 1J to 

 2 feet. 



E. indica. — Graceful, with immensely long horns. 1 foot. 



E. oligostachya. — Very singular and striking. This is 

 three-horned. 



Elymus cafttt-Medtts^:. — Graceful. 2 to 2-i- feet. 



Ageostis elegans. — A very pretty species of the lightest 

 possible appearance. 



A. laxifloba, graceful ; A. plttmosa, flowering in plumes ; 

 A. pulchella, with nothing more pretty about it than the 

 rest of the Agrostises, are all charming for bouquets either 

 green or dried. 



A. nebuxosa. — One of the most beautiful if not the most 

 graceful of the smaller Grasses. 1 to 1-1 foot. 



jEgilofs cylindrica, with curious knotted inflorescence, 

 is both curious and pretty. There is a prevalent opinion 

 that it is the wild form of the cultivated Wheat ; but having 

 grown it some years I am certain man never was indebted 

 to this plant for the " staff of life." Botanists refer the 

 wild Wheat to a form of iEgilops ovatus — viz., J3gilops 

 triticoides. I may state, however, that iEgilops ovatus does 

 not assume another form so far as my experience goes ; and 

 as for the degeneration of the Wheat plant into an iEgilops, 

 as asserted by Galen, it seems to require confirmation. Should 

 any of your readers come across the alleged wild type of the 

 Wheat plant (iEgilops triticoides), producing seed, I should 

 esteem it a favour if they would send me a few seeds through 

 the Editors. 



Eeageostis cylindeiflora. — Pretty, li foot. 



E. elegans (Love Grass). — Fine. 2 feet. 



E. megastachta. — Elegant and very pretty, li foot. 



Beiza geacilis. — Very pretty and curious. 1 foot. 



B. maxima ok ma joe (Large Quaking Grass). — 2 feet. 



B. geniculata. — A charming species. Fine for bouquets. 

 9 inches to 1 foot. 



*Holcus sacchaeatus. — A stately plant, alike graceful, 

 elegant, and ornamental. It produces a fine effect in mixed 

 borders, and is desirable on account of the changeable 

 character of the foliage and its delicate perfume. There are 

 over a dozen varieties of the species all more or less advances 

 on the parent, except that they do not grow so tall. It should 

 be sown in heat, and put out in a forward state, otherwise it 

 will not flower. 



Zea oe Indian Corn is a stately Grass for mixed borders, 

 being bold and handsome in foliage, attaining a height of 

 from 3 to 7 feet. There are numerous varieties varying in 

 habit and with different coloured heads of corn. For these to 

 do well it is desirable to sow the seeds, three or so in a 

 24-pot, and grow the seedlings in a gentle heat, so as to plant 

 them out in May in a forward state. " G. Abbey. 



At some future time I may add an article or two on 

 " Cultivated Grasses," especially those employed for laying 

 down lawns, with a few hints on the best kinds for parks, 

 meadows, &c, about gentlemen's houses. 



EULES EELATING TO HTACLNTHS GEOWN 



IN GLASSES. 

 These rules may be learnt in five minutes, and if followed, 

 will, I am persuaded, be attended with satisfactory results. 



1. If you choose your own bulbs, look for weight as well 

 as size : be sure also that the base of the bulb is sound. 



2. Use the single kinds only, because they are earlier, 

 hardier, and generally preferable for glasses. 



3. Set the bulb in the glass so that the lower end is almost, 

 but not quite, in contact with the water. 



4. Use rain or pond-water. 



5. Do not change the water, but keep a small lump of 

 charcoal at the bottom of the glass. 



6. Fill up the glasses with water as the level sinks by the 

 feeding of the roots and by evaporation. 



7. When the bulb is placed, put the glass in a cool dark 

 cupboard, or in any place where light is excluded, there to 

 remain for about six weeks : the roots feed more freely in 

 the dark. 



8. When the roots are freely devoloped, and the flower- 



