406 
THE GARDENERS- CHRONICLE OE AMERICA. 
but careful surveys of the soil and subsoil should first 
be made, to ascertain whether they are suitable for 
the advantages to be gained by this method. 
These are some of the conditions that need to be 
understood in the preparation of the soil for tree plant- 
ing. 
The method of blasting for and setting trees is 
about as follows, depending somewhat upon the char- 
acter of the soil, depth of hardpan, etc. : 
The holes are easily made by driving a pointed steel 
bar, l T j to 4 feet, as the depth of the hardpan calls 
for. The bar should not be driven entirely through 
the hardpan, but within from 6 to 12 inches. A one- 
half pound stick of 20 or 25 per cent, dynamite is 
primed with cap and fuse and carefully lowered and 
tamped. The first six inches of earth should be tamped 
very lightly and the balance should be tamped as 
tightly as can be done with a wooden tamping stick. 
The charge is now ready to explode, which is done by 
lighting the fuse. After the explosion, a barrel-shaped 
chamber is usually found 12 or 18 inches below the 
surface. This should be filled to a proper depth for the 
tree with rich humus-bearing earth and the hole is 
reach'. Set the tree and fill the balance of the hole 
with rich earth and it has every chance to live as far 
as its root bed is concerned. — American Cultivator. 
IN THE GLASS HOUSE, MONTH TO MONTH. 
(Continued from page 404.) 
be obtained -from any of the first-class, nurserymen 
who advertise in the Gardener's Chronicle and who 
will gladly give advice as to the most suitable varieties 
for forcing. When they arrive, usually out of pots, 
shake most of the old soil from the roots and- re-pot 
into about the same size pot they were in before, as 
overpotting is disastrous, compost to consist of good 
sod, no manure but a six-inch pot of bone to every 
wheelbarrow load of soil, also the same quantity of 
lime. For further particulars, read each month's ar- 
ticles ami full instructions will follow in due course. 
The name orchid sends a thrill of horror through 
many people who ought to know now that they are 
the easiest plants in the world to grow. They cer- 
tainly withstand a lot more abuse than a- rose or car- 
nation will. They can be grown in the rose house on 
a side bench- -very easily in winter without causing 
mildew on the roses. I know it because I have grown 
both and am doing so today with success. My Cattle- 
yas are thrifty and my roses have not a speck of fun- 
gus disease on them. Try a few Cattleyea Trianae. 
Buy imported pieces from any reliable orchid man, 
cut the dead pieces out and leave under the rose bench 
for a week or ten days. Don't worry about their suf- 
fering from want of water. They will take all mois- 
ture necessary for their maintenance and will send 
out a few nice white roots. When they are seen do- 
ing this, get a few clean shallow pots with holes at 
sides for orchids, for in the spring you will need the 
bench room, and when the Trianaes have finished 
their blooming you can suspend them from the roof. 
Place a few clean broken pieces of pot in the recep- 
tacle and place the base of the plant therein. Then 
pack around a little Osmund's fibre mixed with a few 
bits of charcoal. Make all firm enough so you can 
take hold of the plant itself without loosening it and 
will then thrive. Give a little shade with paper or 
cheese cloth for a few days and they will not be much 
trouble afterwards. Other necessary notes will fol- 
low. 
se::ecio clivorum. 
A S a result of various explorations in China we have 
at the present time a greater wealth of plants avail- 
able for outdoor decoration than ever before known, and 
it is more than likely that our gardens will be still fur- 
ther enriched by the acquisition of floral treasures from 
that region. While perhaps the most notable additions 
have been made to the trees and shrubs, quite a number 
of valuable herbaceous plants have been introduced also. 
Senecio clivorum is one of these and is a plant which 
should become widely known, t )ne naturally associates 
the name of E. II. Wilson with Chinese plants and this 
is one of his introductions of a few years ago. 
While it succeeds fairlv well in the herbaceous border 
under certain conditions, its rightful place is by the 
waterside or in a moist spot in the wild garden. Here 
it appears to striking advantage, especially when planted 
in bold groups. 
The growth is most luxuriant, the individual leaves 
being a foot or more in diameter borne on long, stout 
stems, whilst the flower stems, which rise well above the 
foliage, will attain a height of four to five feet. The 
inflorescence is flattened and much branched, the indi- 
vidual Cinerario, like flowers, being three inches or more 
across and of a striking orange-yellow shade. The 
flowering season is in August. Its robust appearance de- 
notes that it is a gross feeder, and the positions for it 
should be thoroughly prepared. Break up the soil to a 
depth of two feet, incorporate a liberal dressing of well 
decayed manure and the results will amply repay. 
Seeds germinate readily and the seedlings grow rap- 
idly. Sown early in the year they will make good flower- 
ing plants for the following season. 
H. E. Downer, i 
the budding of lilacs. 
CUMMER is the season when the propagation of lilacs 
by budding may be undertaken to advantage. As is 
well known, the close relationship between the lilac and 
the privet permits of the use of the latter as a stock. As 
the privet roots so readily from cuttings, all the stocks 
that are required may be had by looking ahead of the 
budding season a little. It is possible to set out privet 
cuttings in spring and have them rooted and growing in 
time to bud them the same season, though one year root- 
ed cuttings are such as are generally used. 
As the rule for budding is to do it when the sap is sub- 
siding somewhat in its flow, and the privet is a late 
grower, it is often well toward September when the work- 
is done, and this is particularly the case with young 
plants. 
It is best to place the bud as close to the ground as 
possible to lessen the chance of a privet growth below it 
at any time. The lilac bud rarely fails when the work 
is properly done, and where spring opens the privet stock- 
above the bud should be cut away, where a strong shoot 
of the lilac bud may be expected. The following year 
should see a strong plant of lilac. It should then be 
transplanted. This is the time to see that no buds are 
visible on the privet stock, below where the bud of the 
lilac was placed. Should any appear, cut them out, and 
when planting, set the plants so that the lilac itself is an 
inch or two beneath the surface of the ground. With 
this care but little chance of a privet growth from the 
root need be expected. — Florists' Exchange. 
