May is- 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



•^95 



BOCCONIA CORDATA. 



The >'euus Boccoiiia. althougli consisting 

 nt the "present day of five species, is only 

 'represented in our gardens by two, namely, 

 Bocoonia cordata, a very old plant, mtro- 

 ^Zd into this country in 1795, and Boc- 

 conia niicrocarpa, of quite recent intro- 

 duction. The genus is founded on B. tru- 

 tescens. of Mexican origin, known since 

 1739, but no longer grown. , . , . 



Bocconia cordata is a striking object in 

 the border. Individually the blossoms are 

 small On the other hand, however, where 

 nianv' of its large, terminal inflorescences 

 •ire 'seen together the effect is excellent. 

 The folia '--e alone is handsome, and when 

 the '^roui's are placed in a sloping, grassy 

 bank in proximity to the rock garden, the 

 plant will hold its own agains^ many tar 

 Inore c:)stlv things by reason of its beauti- 

 tul forage. It is always seen to the best 

 advantage when planted in a group on the 



Aptlv named the Plume Poppy, Bocconia 

 cordata i.s of exceptional value m the gar- 

 den from a decorative point of view. In 

 deep, rich soil it will exceed a height ot 

 \)h., while, even in the poorest staple it 

 <levcl()]).s no mean stature. Growing at the 

 back of herbaceous borders its effect is very 

 picturesque and distinct when associated 

 with such things as Spirani ari^foha, 

 Spiiiea Litidleyana, Arundo oonspicua, and 

 A. Donax, hollyhocks, or other tall-grow- 

 ing su))jec'ts. while, if favoured by a back- 

 ground of evergreens, its lofty spike-s of 

 bloom, often nearly 3ft. in lengthy are 

 shown off to the best advantage. 1 he great 

 paniclefs of blossom shaded from reddish- 

 brown, or what might be more aptly de- 

 scribed as burnt almond colour, to creamy- 

 Avhite. are unique, both in tint and form, 

 while the dark green of the upper surface 

 of the lobed leaves contrasts well with the 

 silveiy white of their woolly reverse gleam- 

 ing as their edges lift under the breath of 

 tbt' bi'eezc. 



In the wild garden the bocconia is a fine 

 feature, as, when once Avell-established, it 

 will hold its own with the native vegetation. 

 In the herbiceoUvS border^ how^ever^ it must 

 be kept within bounds, as it is a veritable 

 land-grabber, and, if unrestricted, its 

 suckers w.U encroach on the surrounding 

 ground, greatly to the disadvantage of its 

 neighbours. 



N'o garden should be without this excel- 

 lent ]>lant, which is at once bold, handsome, 

 :uul pictui-esqne. It is es])ecially suited for 

 'i»as.^ing. when a noble picture is secured, 

 tor pluutiug in isolated positions on the 

 l:'wii. Ill the front of shrubberies, or any 

 position where abundant room can be ";iven 

 't tor future develojunent . Two or three 

 >^pikes of bloom gi\ e l)ut litth^ idea of the 

 broad effect ]u-odueerl bv half a buiulred 

 nower-heads towering from a forest of blue- 

 green foliage. T\w nut-brown stents of tlu^ 

 ^vithered blossoms should ihmhm 



'\^^/^iy. but allowed to remain. ...... 



^wll ])rovide an autumn ])'cture as ])leasing 

 Ji-s tlie gradations of tones one obtains 

 ^i»n:er in the flow<Ms. 



MELON 



IN POTS 



It is not customary to grow melons m 

 pots; nevertheless, they can be so culti- 

 vated Avith complete success^ as I have 

 proved during the past two seasons, and 

 the fruits obtained have been equal in size 

 and quality to those grown in borders by 

 the ordinary method. 



The young plants ai e raisL^l "n small pots 

 in the usual manner, and transferred to 6in. 

 pots. For this potting, good turfy loam 

 is used, with sufficient crushed charcoal to 

 keep it sweet. The soil is made quite firm, 

 and the plants grown near the glass in a 

 house where a temperature of 70 deg. s 

 maintained, and at no ywiod of growth 

 must the heat be allowed to fall below this 



1u 



\\ lien 



<'U t 

 thev 



It may be easily raised bv root-cuttings 

 i io length. i)laced in porous soil 



(Ii,^^'^^' '^^'P^ moderatelv moist und*u- 

 ^^lass. It ^vas at one time known as Ma(- 

 '^•'^ya vedoe ■ 



stages of a house that has been filled with 

 carnations during the winter. The sub- 

 sequent treatment as regards stopping the 

 laterals, training, and setting the fruit is 

 identical with that followed with plants 

 growdng in borders. The laterals are 

 pinched at the first leaf beyond the fruif, 

 and two fru'ts are allowed to each plant. 



At no time are the plants allowed to 

 suffer for want of water at the roots. We 

 do not object to wetting the stems of the 

 plants near the soil, and no harm ever 

 comes from this practice. AVhen it becomes 

 necessary to ap])ly a to])-dressing, some fer- 

 tiliser ca^i be mixed with the loam, and for 

 subsequent feeding diluted liquid pigeon 

 manure is excellent. Carelessness in ven- 

 tilat'on will cause mildew. We shut the 



nsis. 



Wyndham Fitzherrfrt. 



rlV^f ^^^terophylla variegrata. 



llUs 

 01 tliv 



foims an exceedinglv pretty object 



larioo t ' ^^^^^ii' elearly-markcd 



an^ 1^' '^^1 +he vouner shoots and leaves 



worfi, ^^'ff"^'^"^ with red. It is well 



extended recognition.— W. 



BOCCONIA CORDATA. 



\ lunuU.nne hardy herl.aoeous plant with whitish infloroscens 



f,,.ure Careful attention is paid to damp- 

 ,,7- <low.i and svrin-ing. always usimj; tepid 

 svaUH- tor tlie purpose. ^^hvn the roots 

 r,.a< h tlie sides of the pots the final pottn.g 

 s iiiven. and a similar comi^ost is usetl. 

 with a little hone-meal ad<led. 



I strongly object to the use of oi gan.. 

 n.anure in "melon soil, as this 

 d<Micv to create «ver-rank growth, which 

 probably has more to <lo with c^TUung 

 canker than other supposed causes, btrong 

 plants, with sturdy, .short-jninte.l growths, 

 are rar..lv attacked by d sense, and invari- 

 ably produce good fruit. Vor the la.^t 

 shift 12in. pots are used, and sufficient 

 spa<-e is left at the top of the pots to allow 

 for a xap-^]voss\u^ when the fruit has 

 s<>t Our plants are not plunged in a liot- 



th. 



is 



houve earlv. to allow the temperature to 

 rise up t<)"itO<lei;. bv tbe suns heat. As 

 . fruits (oniuu.iKe to ripen, less inoi.sture 

 alloweil in tbe atmosphere and at the 

 roots, and a little more air is admitted. 



The varieties that succetnl in pots are 

 Superlative. Blenheim Orange, and The 



.1. Cardnfk. 



liatsfonl I'ark (Jardens. 



I 



; . Our' plants a7e not plunged in a hot- it ^^'j--'-^, ^.^^ 



but we stand them on boards on the shruh „. cltnation. 



Berberis stenophylla.— \lthough 



a crreat nuniher et bvhrid slirubs have been 

 rae-ed within roiciit vcars. this, which i> of 

 accidental orig^i and far removed from a 

 nove'tv. still holds its own as one of the most 

 heautifiil of them all: indeed, I have heard 

 ac-cribed as the most beautiful hardy 



— K. 



