622 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Negundo. The great variations in form and colour of 

 the dainty foliage of A. palmatum is rarely if ever 

 equalled in any one species. A. japonicum has also a 

 large number of fine-leaved forms showing great diversity 

 of character. A. Negundo variegata is bright-green and 

 milk-white when forced. All may be grown in pots, and 

 successfully forced for a number of years in succession. 

 Feeding is necessary when growth is active. 



Amelanchier canadensis oblongifolia. — Dwarf and 

 shrubby ; flowers white, in great profusion. It may be 

 flowered early in February, and forced two successive 

 years, after which it should have a year in the nursery. 

 Very little pruning is needed. 



Ceanothus. — Several are valuable for their bright- 

 blue flowers. They require to be grown in pots in rich 

 soil and pruned hard after flowering. The protection of 

 a cold house or frame should be given on the approach of 

 winter. C. divaricatus is of thick bushy habit; C. papil- 

 losus, pale-blue ; C. rigidus, 7 feet high, previous year's 

 wood thickly clothed with deep-blue flowers ; C. Veitchi- 

 anus has a good constitution, is most floriferous, and the 

 flowers are dark -blue. 



Chimonanthus fragrans grandiflora. — Although its 

 yellow blossoms may often be gathered from walls in 

 January in mild weather, their fragrance and beauty are 

 always acceptable in the conservatory. 



Chionanthus virginica (the Fringe Tree) has loose 

 drooping panicles of pure-white flowers by Easter if not 

 forced too hard. 



Choisya temata may be had in flower at Christmas, 

 when its bright glossy leaves and numerous fragrant 

 white flowers are serviceable. 



Clematis. — A selection of the best garden varieties 

 should be grown in pots, co flower from the middle of 

 February onwards for several months. One-year-old 

 plants twisted round sticks, and placed in an inter- 

 mediate temperature in January, will produce from twelve 

 to twenty flowers each in six weeks' time, every flower 

 3 inches across. For directions for the cultivation of 

 specimens see p. 426. 



Corylopsis. — The catkin- like inflorescences of C. 

 pauciflora, primrose-yellow, and ('. sj,i<-nto. yellow with 

 conspicuous red anthers, may be had in February. Both 

 are twiggy bushes which require no other pruning than 

 an occasional thinning. 



Crataegus. — Red and white Hawthorns, double and 

 single, are easily forced, and make charming decorative 

 plants. Though it is possible to force specimens of con- 

 siderable dimensions, the neatest and most suitable are 

 those grown as bushes from 3 to 4 feet high. During 

 summer the shoots must be pinched back to form spurs 

 from which the flowers are produced. They may be 

 flowered in the same pots for several years, but require 

 an occasional rest in the nursery. All useless shoots should 

 be removed to prevent the plant from becoming a thicket, 



Cytisus. — Favourites for forcing. If bush plants are 

 required they should always be on their own roots; standard 

 specimens are worked on the Laburnum, but they require 

 frequent renewal. After flowering they must be cut hard 

 back, or they soon get leggy. The most useful are : — 

 C.biflorus, pale-yellow; C.Tcewcnsis, creamy-white; C.pur- 

 purcus, purple; C. scoparius,\'a.r.Andreanus, golden-yellow 

 and maroon. 



Daphne. — The fragrant flowers of several species may 

 be had in December, January, and February with little 

 forcing. Alternate years in the nursery is necessary. D. 

 Cncorum has heads 1 inch across of small red flowers on 

 every shoot ; D. Dauphini has fragrant white flowers, 



shaded purple ; D. Mezereum has flowers either deep-red, 

 pink, or white, and is sweetly scented. 



Deutzia (fig. 750).— Excellent forcers. If subjected to 

 excessive heat they require a rest every alternate year ; 

 moderately forced they last three successive years. D. 

 corymbiflora, flowers in large corymbs; D. crenata, flowers 

 in racemes 6 inches long; D. gracilis, most floriferous, and 



Fig. 750.— Deutzia Lemoinei. 



very useful either as plants or for cutting; D. Lemoinei 

 (gracilis x parviflora) is as free as D. gracilis, with the 

 large upright panicles of D. parviflora — preferred by some 

 to D. gracilis for forcing. 



Diervilla. — Several of these, such as the forms of 

 florida and hortensis, are worth a place among shrubs 

 that are lifted from the open ground annually and given 

 a little warmth under glass for spring flowering. 



Erica. — Several hardy species may be forced. They 

 should be potted up in September, and plunged in a cold 

 frame until December, when they may be removed to the 

 greenhouse. The flowers last two to three months. The 

 best are: — E. austral is, rosy -purple; E. carnea and its 

 white variety; E. lusitanica, tall, white; and E. mediter- 

 ranea hybrida, very free, 6 to 9 inches higb= 



Forsythia suspensa is very free, and forces well if 

 placed in a greenhouse. It should be hard pruned after 

 flowering. 



Hibiscus syriacus, in its numerous single and double 

 forms, may be successfully forced in a medium tempera- 

 ture. 



Hydrangea Hortensia and H.paniculata are most use- 

 ful, and are largely grown. The usual method of culture 

 for the former is to put in cuttings in early autumn of 

 strong half-ripe points. When rooted they are exposed 

 to full sun and thoroughly ripened. During early winter 

 they must be kept dry and cool. In January repot them 



