September 20, 1864. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



229 



water, which must be soft as before and well aired prior 

 to using. The most suitable position is a cool room, 

 as near the glass of the window as possible. It is not 

 necessary to change the water : it may be kept pure by 

 placing a few small pieces of charcoal in it, and the glass 

 should be kept filled up as the plant takes the water up. If it 

 become offensive, however, it should be changed. Sponging 

 the leaves with rain water occasionally will free them of 

 dust and contribute to their vigour. Fresh air, also, if it 

 can be given without creating a draught, is of great value 

 in securing stiff foliage ; and light gives the colour to the 

 flowers. Warm rooms are apt to draw the foliage and spike. 

 Changes of temperature, as from a hot to a cold room or the 

 reverse, are bad ; and not less so is taking them from light 

 to darkness or the contrary. After the roots are a few 

 inches long the water may be lowered to half an inch froni 

 the base of the bulbs, as these occasionally decay when kept 

 constantly wet. An airy situation is best, and if it be 

 sunny all the better. The glass should be turned frequently, 

 so that the foliage may not draw towards the light and 

 become lop-sided, but be evenly balanced. Be very careful 

 not to disturb the roots, and not to hurry in placing a 

 support to the plant, only using one when it becomes 

 necessary. If these hints be acted upon Hyacinths will 

 bloom well in water, but they will not be as fine as those 

 grown in pots. I was formerly of opinion that if a little 

 liquid manure were added every morning to the water the 

 bloom would be all the finer. I tried it, pouring every 

 morning about six drops into each glass, and I thought the 

 blooms were better than those which had none ; but I very 

 much question whether the liquid manure was really the 

 cause. Perhaps some one will try it and communicate the 

 result. 



Hyacinths, with a variety of other early -flowering bulbs, 

 are also grown in baskets, &c, in sand, moss, and a variety 

 of other substances. The best material that I have found 

 is cocoa-nut dust ; it is light, holds a quantity of water, and 

 when mixed with an equal portion of charcoal, reduced to 

 the same degree of fineness as coarse-grained gunpowder, it 

 answers very well. If a basket or bowl is to be used we 

 first place a layer of rough charcoal at the bottom, and then 

 fill to the rim within the size of the bulbs with cocoa-nut 

 dust and charcoal, in equal parts, thoroughly incorporated, 

 on this place the bulbs, and lastly cover them so that only 

 the apex of the bulb is left above the surface. The material 

 should be kept constantly moist; and after planting, the 

 basket, or whatever it may be, should be placed in a dry, 

 cool, dark place for a month, and then be fully exposed to 

 the an- and light, so that a vigorous growth may be en- 

 couraged. If desired, the surface may be covered with Sela- 

 ginella denticulata by planting it between the Hyacinths. 



If Hyacinths are planted in moss or sand lay about half 

 an inch of charcoal at the bottom of the vessel, on which 

 place the moss, pressing it firnily down ; and on this plant 

 the bulbs, allowing the same distance between each as the 

 bulbs are in diameter. Cover these with moss, except 

 the apex, give a good watering, and keep in a dark place 

 for a month ; then remove to a light, cool, airy window, and 

 surface the vessel with green moss, which will give a cheer- 

 ful appearance to the whole. "Water overhead two or three 

 times a-week through a fine rose, with well-aired soft water, 

 to clear the leaves of dust and refresh both top and root. 

 This watering should be discontinued after the plants come 

 into bloom, when they should be watered at the root only. 

 In other respects the treatment of Hyacinths in glasses 

 filled with water, or planted in moss or sand, differs but little 

 from that of bulbs grown in pots. G. Abbey. 



(To oe continued.') 



COCOA-NUT EEFUSE FOE MULCHING 



EHODODENDEONS. 



In the Number for August 23rd Mr. Robson has given 

 some excellent instructions on the subject of watering. 

 He says that all newly-planted surfaces should be covered, 

 to prevent their cracking and hardening. There is nothing 

 so good for this purpose as the cocoa-nut refuse. I was 

 induced to try it from seeing it used in several gardens 

 last year, and noticing the neat appearance it had. By 



spreading it thickly over the flower-beds and round the fruit 

 trees it prevents evaporation, and saves the labour of such 

 frequent watering ; another advantage is that the water is 

 not wasted in running off the flower-beds on to the walks. 

 I put some of this stuff round a plant that was nearly out of 

 the ground, with its roots exposed, and some time afterwards 

 I removed it, as the bed was too crowded, and was surprised 

 to see the number of fine fibrous roots the plant had thrown 

 out on the surface where this stuff had come in contact with 

 the old ones. My neighbour's Rhododendrons are looking 

 almost dead, whilst mine are in a vigorous healthy state. 

 Both of us planted them in November ; I mixed a quantity 

 of the refuse with the earth, but he used none. I should 

 think it a good plan to apply liquid manure by saturating 

 this refuse with it, a little of which would be washed down 

 to the roots at every watering. — H. E. 



OUE METROPOLITAN FLOWEE SHOWS. 



Nothing is easier or more common than to attempt to 

 run down by abuse when argument fails ; and I therefore 

 attach very little importance to what is said by those who, 

 intrenched in their own fortifications, think to overwhelm 

 me by choice epithets. But why I am a wolf in sheep's 

 clothing I know not, except that I have used moderate and 

 temperate language, and I have the satisfaction of knowing 

 that my views are shared by some of the leading men in 

 the horticultural world. I have had, since these articles 

 were written, opportunities of meeting them — both those 

 who are exhibitors, and those who are simply lovers of 

 flowers — and have been told by one and all that my views 

 are correct; and I can only say that, if they are not so, I 

 shall be glad to see the question quietly and soberly argued, 

 but shall refuse to believe that such matters can be set 

 down by assumptions of wisdom, or sneers at the ignorance 

 of others. 



Can, then, nothing be done to improve the appearance of 

 our flower shows ? or are they to remain in their present 

 state of formality ? In considering this question I have 

 been led to a few conclusions, which may, after all, be worth 

 nothing, and to which great objections, and valid ones, may 

 be made, but which I shall, nevertheless, set forth. 



In the first place, all the three great metropolitan exhi- 

 bitions might be vastly improved by the addition of more 

 verdure, to relieve the mass of bright colouring which the 

 most of exhibition flowers present j but, instead of offering 

 prizes for Conifers and the like, I would propose that these 

 be supplied by the societies themselves. All have appliances 

 enough for this purpose ; and this is precisely the plan 

 adopted by the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, Mr. 

 Moore, the intelligent Curator of the Glasnevin Gardens, 

 always sending in some fine plants to ornament their shows. 

 I would propose that these be grouped in the most effective 

 manner before the exhibition plants are brought in, and 

 that the flowers be staged or placed as these fine-foliaged 

 plants demand. This, were taste displayed in the arrange- 

 ment, would tend considerably to do away with the formalism 

 that is complained of, but which, I think, very little strikes 

 one at the Regent's Park. 



Then I would certainly restrict the size of the pots in 

 which the greenhouse plants are shown. This has been 

 done with the softwooded exhibition plants ; and I cannot 

 understand that, with the skill and energy displayed by 

 gardeners now-a-days, it is impossible to grow hardwooded 

 plants in the same manner. I would not at once do away 

 with the large plants, but I would offer prizes for greenhouse 

 plants and Azaleas in certain sized pots, and do away with 

 one of the present classes if needed. Great advantages 

 would, I think, accrue from this to all concerned. The fact 

 is, now, that no plant, however pretty, will be grown by 

 those gardeners who exhibit unless it will bear twisting and 

 torturing in all directions, and bloom at certain seasons ,- 

 and then their size is so great that a few of them fill greenj 

 houses, however numerous, and the proprietor loses all his 

 pleasure in his garden for these enormous masses : hence it 

 is that Tineas, Eriostemous, and such-like things make their 

 appearance every year, and go the round of all the shows. 

 But where are the Ixoras, Clerodendrons, and many other 

 plants which used to be grown ? Oh ! they would not do — 



