July 27, 1912 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



577 



WINTER^FLOWERING 



STOCKS- 



Wh^n suitable varieties are chosen, 

 stocks are well adapte-d for conservatory 

 decorations, as they produce a -wealth of 

 bloom. Some of the dwarf-growing kinds 

 are very useful as pot plants for rooms. 

 What could be more charming for indoor 

 decorations than well-grown plants of AU- 

 the-Year-Round stock This is a fairly 

 dwarf variety of free-flowering habit, hav- 

 ing green wallflower-like leaves. It com- 

 mences to bloom almost close to the ground, 

 and retains its foliage so as to cover the 

 soil in the pots.. ITien we have Beauty of 

 Nice producing flowers of several shades 

 of colour. When well^grown, this variety 

 attains to a height of about two feet, pro- 

 ducing long spikes which are well adapted 



gentle watering, and if the weather is hot 

 and dry, shade from the sun until estab- 

 lished. 



Stocks resent having their roots disturljed 

 when they heeome large, therefore they 

 should be transferred to pots when small, 

 those known as large 60's being of a suitable 

 size for the first potting. Prepare a light 

 rich compost, and place one plant in the 

 centre of each pot ; do not press the soil 

 too firmly as stocks make strong roots. 

 When potted the plants should he stoo<l on 

 a hed of ashes in a cold frame from which 

 the lights have been removed, as they 

 .shmdd he induced to grow as sturdy as pos- 

 sible during the months of August and 

 Septemher. When the small pots are 

 filled with roots tran^^fer the plants to 

 others of largei- size, tlu^ nhvarf-growing 

 kinds will do well in 4S's. but the stronger 

 ones should have 32's. When the davs be- 



-^SCULUS CALIFORNICA. 



A fairly old inhabitant of our gardens, 

 having first flowered in this count ly in the 

 nursery of the Messrs. Veitch. ;u Kxeter, 

 in July, 1858, this <'h<\stnut. or Paria cali- 

 fornica, as it was then knowji, istill lemains 

 an uncommon tree. 



In its native country it forms a large 

 shrub, 10 to 20ft. liigh, or a small, un- 

 usually spr-eading tree for its height of 

 SO to -lOrt. Its (-(juiiiion nam*^ is tho Cali- 

 fornian liuck-evt^ : it grows on th<' I'ppcr 

 Sacramento l?i v(M- and th<' w csttTii slopes 

 of the Sierra Nr\ada mountains. 



The leaflets are ahnost always in fives, 



3 lo oiii. long, anj noteworthy as being 



probably the smallest leaflets of all the 

 chestnut family. The fragrant wliite 

 flowers, thr(M^-(|nartor> ol' an imli across, 

 are closely arraug<vl on a { (unp ict riicemo 



^SCULUS CALIFORNICA. 



An uncommon but handsome tree, be.aring spikes of white, fragrant flowers in July and August. 



The East Lothian is also a 



for cutting. 



favourite, particularly the scarlet form, 

 ihere are also several others that make 

 suitable plants, either for cutting or for 

 conservatory decorations, as their flowers 

 are sure to be attractive during the dull 

 months of winter. 



The present is a good time for sowing the 

 sml, either in pans, hoxes, or a cold frame, 

 owt whichever method is adopted, the 

 «eeds should be scattered thinly, and after 

 givmg a. gentle watering, should be shaded 

 li-om the sun until germination takes place. 

 As soon as the plants appear shading 

 should he dispensed with, so that they may 

 grow sturdily from the beginning. When 

 the seedlings have made their second or 

 third rough leaf, they should be pricked out 

 '^itlier into a cold fr a me or in the open 

 K'ound, care being taken in doing so to 

 uuike the roots firm in the soil. Give a 



come shorter, and there is a greater rain- 

 fall it will he necessary to place the lights 

 on the frames, but so long as the weather 

 remains open air sliould be admitted freely 

 at all times ; wJien, however, the nights he- 

 come cold the frames mav be closed. As 

 winter approaches the plants should be 

 transferred in batclies to heated pits, where 

 in case of severe weathei* a litih^ heat eould 

 be turned on. 



close 



It will now be necessary to 

 attention to waterinpr. as the 



pay eiui>t^ aLLeiition xo watering, as 

 pots will he filled with roots, and if once the 

 .soil is allowed to become diy the bottom 

 leaves are sure to fall. At the same time 



care must he taken not to over-water. 

 Should green fly make its appearan<e fnmi- 

 gate at <>n<'e. When in bloom the ])lant.s 

 will be greatly assiste<] by occasional water- 

 ings Avith weak Hqnid manure, hut this 

 must not he overdone. 



fl. C. Prinsep. 



some (5in. in length ; the orange-coloured 

 anthers ai'c very <on^})i(iHi]]s. In addition 

 to the beauty ot tho fio\vt'r> a nou worthy 

 and valuable character is the lon^- season of 

 flowering, which extends fVom the ond of 

 June until August, a succession of flowers 

 continuing to open on the racemes for fully 

 two months. Tlie fruits, as in all the Pavia 

 group, are smooth, brown in colour, 2in. to 

 3in. long, and in shape sonn'A\hat like a 



small pear. 



The value of .Tlseuius calif(»rnica as a 

 lawn specimen is well shown in tlio illus- 

 tration of a tri'e at Kew . about lOfr. m 

 lieight and I'Oft. thrfuigli. 



Kew. A. OsHORXK. 



PROFITABLE FRUIT GROWING for Cottagrers and 

 Small Holders of I^nd — By John Wright, V.M.H. A 

 Gokl Mtxlal K.-<^,'iy. written fnr tlif' W4)rshi|>Jul (^)m- 

 pany of Fruiterers. Fully iUustrated. Price Is., by 

 post Is. 3d., from W. H. and L. CoUingridge. U8 ami 

 1^. ildersgate Street. Ivondon. 



