192 
CONTEMPORARY WRITINGS. 
line of a very successful practice : — Secure 
well rooted early runners ; plant tliera two feet 
apart, in deep, rich, loamy soil, in an open part 
of the garden ; constantly remove the runners, 
to strengthen the central crown or heart, which 
thus attains a large size, being fed by strong, 
healthy leaves. This crown, in the fruiting 
season, throws out many flower stems, which 
are vigorous, and bear numerous blossoms, 
which set freely, and ripen off" a good crop of 
large fruit, which from being fully exposed to 
sun and air, acquire a superior flavour. 
Hexangular flowered Camellias. — 
The Chinese possess Camellias of various 
colour, which produce hexangular -shaped 
blossoms ; these varieties are highly prized by 
them. Every attempt, however, to introduce 
them to this country has hitherto been in- 
effectual ; the plants always proving to be like 
our imbricata. Mr. Fortune, the collector of 
the Horticultural Society, when in China, again 
attempted it, and sent over several, one pre- 
sented to him, the others purchased when in 
bloom ; the former plant has bloomed, and 
proves, as before, to be like imbricata ; none 
of the latter are likely to flower this season ; 
but on an old plant of imbricata. growing in 
the garden of the Society, a bloom having the 
hexangular character in a decided manner has 
been produced. As the Chinese are so 
famous for stunting and starving their plants, 
does not this indicate that cultivation has 
something to do with the matter ? 
Epiphyllums. — These are the flat-stemmed 
Cactuses. To grow and flower them success- 
fully, adopt the following method : — Cut away 
the least desirable of the old shoots, and if the 
plants are large, some of the weakest of the 
young ones also ; this is to be done after 
flowering is past in the spring. They should 
then be repotted into a compost of free loam, 
with sharp gritty sand and small lumps of 
charcoal intermixed, and used in sufficient 
quantity to render the compost porous. Place 
them into a hothouse, or warm pit, where there 
is plenty of air, or else in a warm greenhouse, 
or a warm place at the window, and let them 
have air freely. Keep them all this time well 
watered, occasionally applying weak manure 
water. When the shoots have reached their 
full size, or nearly so, begin to reduce the 
quantity of water, and when the shoots feel 
firm, and have done growing, set them out in 
a hot place exposed to sun, but protected from 
wet. Plants thus ripened, will always flower 
well ; they require to be kept moderately dry 
until they come into flower ; and can be forced 
or retarded so as to produce their flowers in 
succession during winter, spring, and the early 
part of summer. 
Black Italian Poplar. — This tree, (the 
Populus monilifera,) though not possessing 
any remarkable beauty in its habit, has yet the 
property of quickness of growth which renders 
it very desirable in some situations. For in- 
stance, in the neighbourhood of cities and 
manufacturing towns, where the mansions and 
gardens of wealthy proprietors are sometimes 
necessarily near to buildings, and other un- 
sightly objects, such as mills, tall chimneys, 
&c, there is no tree which will so quickly 
grow up to form a screen as this kind of poplar. 
In good soil, where there is also a fair degree 
of moisture, it will produce shoots of five or 
six feet in length annually, and thus, in four or 
five years, will have reached from twenty to 
thirty feet in height. In this way it soon sup- 
plies shade and shelter to the suburban resi- 
dent, and also concealment from the intrusive 
gaze of surrounding neighbours, or hiding or 
shutting out from view unsightly objects of 
whatever kind. 
Grafting Roses. — In grafting roses, which 
is best done before the shoots begin to grow in 
spring, the following is found to be a very 
successful plan: — Select the stocks of such 
dwarf roses as were budded the previous year, 
and in which the buds have failed, or, wanting 
these, take small well-rooted and established 
stocks of any free-growing kind, such as the 
common dog-rose, than which there is none 
superior for the purpose. Clear away the soil 
from the stem, so that the graft may be below 
the surface of the ground ; and cut off the top 
of the stock, with a sloping clean cut, as low 
as will admit of the graft being so placed. Put 
on the grafts by a mode similar to common 
whip-grafting, but on the highest side of the 
stock ; a second tongue is to be formed of the 
bark of the graft, with a very thin piece of 
wood, and this should be long enough to cover 
the sloping cut, and fit even with the bark on 
the lowest side. The scion is then to be tied 
on carefully, and, as is usual, the bark of stock 
and graft kept quite even on one side. Clay 
or grafting wax is then to be put securely 
round, and well closed at top and bottom, and 
the soil is then to be drawn again up to the 
plants, so as to cover the clay, leaving the top 
of the graft exposed. If in the open ground, 
they are now left to their fate, being merely 
kept clear of weeds ; but if in pots, should be 
set into a cool frame, and duly watered. By 
this neat way of grafting much better plants 
are obtained than by the ordinary mode, as 
the second tongue takes firm hold of the top 
of the stock, and a clean and perfect union 
takes place. Grafting is not so desirable a 
mode of propagating roses as budding ; but 
the plan here given is applicable to other 
plants, and is much the best way of grafting 
anything at all delicate. 
