January 27, 1892.] 



Garden and Forest. 



43 



has been very gradual. In addition to tliese, liowever, a liost 

 of new forms liave cropped out as a result of selection from 

 seedlings raised in this country, and also from the numerous 

 importations that are now of annual occurrence. North Ger- 

 many, the Austrian Tyrol and other well-known localities sup- 

 ply ova- markets, but so many equally good, if not better, forms 

 are being raised from seed that we will soon be able to dis- 

 pense with collected roots altogether. A collection of plants 

 from the Austrian Tyrol, which we had the pleasure of going 

 over in flower, were plentiful in forms resembling Madame 

 Fourcade, Riverston hybrid and others, which led to the con- 

 clusion that all or most of these varieties were at one time or 

 other imported. 



Our chief difficulty with Christmas Roses in the open air in 

 England, and which we suppose will be greatly aggravated in 

 America, 'is the uncertainty of our season, especially mid- 

 winter, when the flowers are most in request. A simple cov- 

 ering of glass is of no use whatever, and if the flowers are 

 wanted for cutting, and wanted clean, they must be grown in- 

 doors, and out of the reach of frost. We believe that when 

 the plants are gently forced the tfowers are larger and cleaner, 

 and last considerably longer in water. A large group of 

 Italian forms have shown beautiful flowers for many weeks 

 now in the wild garden at Kew, and although invfsible during 

 frosty weather they are up as fresh and bright as ever when a 

 change takes place. They have been here without any special 

 cultivation for several years, and every winter brings a greater 

 abundance of flowers, which are much admired by visitors. 

 This mode of dealing with surplus stock will be found a very 

 advantageous one even in private gardens, and large quanti- 

 ties of flowers for cutting could in this way be secured, ff elle- 

 bores, at any rate the niger section, are gross feeders, and the 

 question of manure, or no manure, in their cultivation, will 

 depend largely on the nature of the soil in each particular lo- 

 cality. Where the soil is heavy and rich little or no artificial 

 feeding will be required, but where it is light or sandy a 

 sprinkling of heavy loam should be given in addition to the 

 manure. In the latter soil, and in dry seasons especially, a 

 mulching of leaves or other material during summer will be 

 necessary. Where Christmas Roses are annually lifted and 

 potted for greenhouse decoration it is essential to keep a 

 •double set, lifting them alternately, and never planting back 

 those used for the house, until all danger from frosts is past, 

 otherwise the young tender leaves are destroyed, and the 

 plants greatly weakened. 



Of the varieties of H. niger, altifolius, also called maxim us, 

 is one of the commonest in English gardens, and perhaps the 

 finest of the whole niger group. When grown in shady shel- 

 tered situations the flowers come pure white, but where ex- 

 posed they are shaded with rose on the outside, which, in our 

 opinion, enhances rather than detracts from their beauty. 

 The leaves are large, leathery, and the stalks as well as the 

 flower-stems are deep purple. 



Angustifolius is apparently an old garden-plant, the name 

 being well known in Sweet's time. It was not, however, until 

 1876 that Miss Hope's variety was recognized as the true H. 

 niger angustifolius. The flowers are quite three inches in 

 diameter, white, and often tinged with rose on the outside ; the 

 leaf-divisions narrow, and the stalks and flower-stems green, 

 sparingly spotted red. There are two other well-marked 

 forms ot angustifolius to be found in gardens. The Brocken- 

 hurst form, in which the leaf-stalks and flower-stems have 

 scarcely a trace of purple markings, usually bears two flowers; 

 the other, St. Brigid's Christmas Rose, has pure snow-white 

 flowers somewhat cup-shaped, with flower and leaf-stalks of a 

 rich apple-green. 



The Bath variety is almost intermediate between H. niger and 

 H. niger angustifolius. The flowers are large, flat, pure white ; 

 the flower and leaf-stalks spotted red, the latter slightly furrowed. 



Caucasicus is a very misleading name, there being a species, 

 H. Caucasicus, belonging to the Orientalis section. It has been 

 widely distributed in England under the above name, and it is 

 one of the most profuse-flowering varieties we possess. The 

 leaflets are coarsely and sharply toothed, and much resemble 

 the Italian forms ; flowers pure white, tinged rose on the out-^ 

 side ; the flower-stalk densely spotted red, and the petiole stout 

 and deeply furrowed. 



Madame Fourcade is a charming variety belonging to the 

 altifolius set. The flowers are nearly three inches in diameter, 

 pure white ; the flower-stalk and petiole red-spotted, the latter 

 slightly furrowed. 



Of the variety major there appear to be a large number of 

 forms in cultivation, although varying but slightly from the 

 old type. The leaves are very massive, the flowers large, 

 white, with a pale pink tinge. 



Riverston hybrid might almost be classed as a form of an- 

 gustifolius. It is said to be a hybrid, but we fail to find any 

 justification for this statement. It is a robust plant, with flow- 

 ers nearly four inches in diameter, white, tinged rose. The 

 petioles are green, and the flower-stalks red-spotted. 



Vernalis seems allied to the variety Caucasicus. The flow- 

 ers are large, white, tinged rose ; petioles green, deeply fur- 

 rowed ; the flower-stalk red-spotted. A useful form, and a 

 free flowerer. 



W. Brockbank, named as a fitting compliment to Mr. Brock- 

 bank, who has done much to make this family popular in 

 England, is very distinct, remarkable in the flowers being so 

 deeply cupped ; flowers about three inches in diameter, pure 

 white ; petiole and leaf-stalk sparingly spotted. 



There are numerous other forms equally desirable, but the 

 above will suffice to show the wealth of hardy midwinter flow- 

 ers within the reach of all. 

 Kew. D. Dewar. 



Seasonable Hints. 



nPHE propagation of stock for the coming season is an 

 •»■ operation that should be now looked after, the midwinter 

 and early spring months being specially favorable for rooting 

 many cuttings. Fine Cocoa-fibre is a very useful material in 

 the propagating-frame, both for holding plunged cutting-pots 

 and for use in such pots in place of soil or sand, since it re- 

 tains moisture for a long time and is a good conductor of 

 heat. 



I have used this fibre successfully for a variety of cuttino-s, 

 such as those of Pandanus Veitchii, Ananas, Ficus, Crotonsi 

 Calatheas, etc. It is also an excellent material in which to 

 plunge Ireshly potted plants of delicate kinds, and is a cleanly 

 and durable substance for such use. 



Bouvardias now claim attention, whether the root-cuttings 

 or tops are used. In the latter case the tips of the shoots alone 

 are valuable, and these should be quite soft and succulent. It 

 is a waste of time to put in hard cuttings of Bouvardias, and 

 for most of the single varieties, with the exception of Bou- 

 vardia jasminiflora, the system of root-cuttings is the least 

 troublesome. 



Two excellent plants that should be included in all collec- 

 tions are Asparagus plumosus and A. tenuisimus. Their 

 foliage is of special value for cutting, as it will keep in 

 water for weeks. Unfortunately, A. plumosus is somewhat 

 difficult to increase, as the cuttings seldom root satisfactorily, 

 and division of the roots is a ratherslowprocess, but if planted 

 out in a greenhouse like Smilax it will sometimes seed, and 

 then with reasonable care a stock may soon be secured. A. 

 tenuisimus is readily propagated by cuttings, which may be 

 made from almost any firm side-shoots, and will usually root 

 in a few weeks. 



Canna-seeds may be sown now, since there is an advantage 

 in sowing them early, for sometimes they are rather obdurate 

 about germinating. Many growers soak or scald these seeds, and 

 some go to the extent of filing a hole in the shell in order to 

 assist germination, but I have not found these processes neces- 

 sary. When the seed-pans are placed in a warm house and 

 plenty of moisture is given them I have lost but a small per- 

 centage of seeds. I have also tried soaking the seeds of 

 various Palms for twenty-four to forty-eight hours before sow- 

 ing, but have been unable to prove that much time can thus 

 be saved in the period of germination. 



The chief essential in the raising of Palms from seed is a 

 moderately high temperature and fresh seeds, and little diffi- 

 culty will then be found in inducing most species to germinate, 

 though the time necessary for this varies greatly with different 

 species. For instance, I have had seeds of LivistonaChinensis 

 germinate in ten days, and I also have now some seeds of 

 Attalea Cohune, the Cohune Palm, that have been planted for 

 two and a half years, and, though perfectly sound, they show 

 no sign of germination. These are, however, among the ex- 

 treme cases, though some of the Kentias are also slow, the 

 irregularity of their transmission from their native land prob- 

 ably having something to do with the variations in the time 

 of growing, and it is very likely also that some of the seeds are 

 not perfectly matured when gathered. Of course, theoperation 

 of raising Palms from seeds is an interesting one, either for the 

 amateur cultivator or for the professional, but it is well to re- 

 member that the retail buyer of Palm-seeds may not be able 

 to secure as fresh stock as the large commercial grower, and 

 consequently he may not secure so good a result. 



The cleaning of any insect-infested plants should receive 

 attention before the spring potting is done, so that the plants 

 will be in condition to go forward ; this precaution is especially 



