488 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 19, 1884. 
and beautiful species that it has long been a subject of regret 
that they were not better provided for. During many years they 
have been grown in small cases in the tropical house, and despite 
the best care they have never been quite satisfactory. Several 
causes have probably contributed to this state of affairs; but the 
most important ai’e the excessive heat on that side of the house 
which is next to the boiler, and the other is that where near a 
door which, being frequently opened, admitted currents of dry 
or cold air. Both these would have a tendency to render the 
plants unduly dry at times, and such extremes would effectually 
prevent their successful progress. A much better site has now 
been chosen, and good hopes may be entertained of soon seeing 
the collection in most vigorous health. A wall case has been 
placed along one side of the cool vinery, with a slate back and 
moveable glass sashes in front. Some of the Ferns are planted 
out at the base of this or between those growing upon portions 
of Tree Fern s'ems, and no doubt the case will be quickly filled. 
At present, however, the slate back has a rather bare appearance ; 
and a small portion, which has been covered with peat in a wire 
trellis so that small Ferns could be planted on it, is much prefer¬ 
able, though there is some difficulty about extending this the 
whole length owing to the space it occupies. 
In the Orchid house cocoa-nut fibre is being employed as a 
moisture-holding material upon the side shelves, and it looks 
both neat and pleasing. A slightly sloping bank is formed, in 
which are placed inverted pots, the bases of which are just level 
with the surface of the fibre. The Orchids are stood upon these, 
and as the supporting pots are of different sizes they can be 
readily and suitably arranged. The choice of material for this 
purpose is a matter of importance; and though many different 
sorts have been tried by Orchid growers, I have not seen anything 
at once so neat and so likely to answer the purpose as this fibre. 
Small coal and coke are sometimes used, but they have a sombre 
appearance. The ordinary white spar is the prettiest when clean, 
but it soon becomes green and dirty; pebble stones are also 
suitable, but the fibre is preferable in all respects. 
The temperate house is now, as indeed it always is, very 
beautiful, not with a great display of flowers, but all the plants 
seem to be so healthy, thrifty, and handsome, the general condi¬ 
tion of the paths and borders indicate so much careful attention, 
that it is quite refreshing. The grand Dicksonias with magni¬ 
ficent crowns of fronds, the gigantic Araucarias, and the hosts 
of peculiar New Holland plants have a more than ordinary 
interest. There is, however, one plant that is particularly worthy 
of note, and that is a hybrid fStreptocarpus that is likely to 
become a great favourite in gardens. It has been obtained by a 
cross between the well-known S. floribundus and S. parvitlorus, 
and is strikingly intermediate in characters. S. floribundus has 
large purplish mauve flowers, produced in moderate numbers; 
S. parviflorus has small white flowers, which are borne most 
profusely, four to six on a spike, and sometimes twenty spikes to a 
root. In the hybrid this floriferous character has been preserved, 
the flowers being, however, larger than those of S. parviflorus, 
and the colour of S. floribundus. In pans the plants are 
charming, and with such abundant flowers are invaluable.— 
Visitor. 
VINES BLEEDING. 
Without entering into any discussion as to the cause of Vines bleed 
ing I wish to add a few observations which I think bear upon the subject. 
About fifteen months ago some mischievous person wounded the large 
clear stem of a Holly tree near our house. It appeared to have been 
done with the spike end of a pick, the wood as well as the bark being 
much injured. The wound has never healed, but, on the contrary, has 
spread, both the wood and baik gradually decaying. Very rarely is it in 
a dry state, and it has been my almost daily business to note when it 
bleeds the most freely, and it is certainly not after heavy rains, but 
rather when the atmosphere is moist, or what we usually term good 
“ growing ” weather. The clearer the weather, whether during the 
winter or summer months, the less bleeding is to be observed. Whether 
this is owing to a greater evaporation from the leaves, or whether the 
much greater loss of sap during dull moist weather is due to the latter 
being more sap-attracting, I am unable to say. I am inclined to the 
latter theory, and believe the maintenance of a drier atmosphere (not 
necessarily with a lower temperature), will materially check bleeding in 
Vines. If the condition of the atmosphere does not affect the bleeding, 
how is it they (the Holly and Vines) vary so remarkably, one day bleed¬ 
ing profusely, the next day perhaps not at all 1 —W. Iggulden. 
My first notes on this subject were plaiD, and I think the way 
“Justitia” asks for proof is unjustifiable. He has re-read his remarks 
and again fails to see that I used only his own words. The question why 
some Vines bleed and others do not in one house can be answered in many 
ways if all the Vines receive the same treatment and are of different 
varieties. Again, if all are of one variety they often differ in character. 
The ground differs in quality and roots work differently, and there is a 
marked difference in the bunches or berries. Strong healthy Vines bleed 
because they are full of sap and the roots working in moisture. Weak 
Vines bleed from their inability to appropriate the excess of moisture. 
Indiscriminate pruning is said to be the cause of bleeding in large and 
mixed vineries, as all the Vines are not in a fit state at one time. If the 
Vines have all perfected their fruit and this has been cut, the foliage 
having all fallen, no mistake can be made if all be done at once. The 
evil is what I stated, but certainly if no pruning be done no bleeding will 
occur. Vines bleed whether pruned early or late, and in many cases 
when the buds are quite dormant. Pruning is thus an evil; but not to 
prune would be a much greater evil. 
To show “ Justitia ” and “ Non-Believer” that I can stop bleeding at 
will, I offer to amputate a rod of any Vine at any stage of giovs tb, and to 
heal the wound, and consequently stop the bleeding, in two applications 
with a simple substance (powdered alum), a trial of which I communicated 
to this Journal (page 195, vol. vi., March 8th, 1883), and it was copied into 
many other papers. 
If “Non-Believer” and “Justitia” visit me there will be no puzzle 
nor alarm. I cannot see where the former borrows the information that 
I blame your contributors for my own folly. I gained a practical lesson,, 
and that is something. If a crop was lost on the young Vines, the old ones 
seem to respond to make up for the loss. A few persons around here 
have come to see no Grapes, and were sadly disappointed, as such ought 
to be. Men should read more carefully, think more, be civil, and laugh 
less at others’ misfortunes. I can show a last year’s cane fiom a spur that 
carried a large bunch of Grapes last year, with fourteen bunches now 
growing, some being over 13 inches long. The old rod, which has been 
carried up in three years, has now twenty-four—that is, thirty-eight 
bunches altogether, on the shoot roof. They cost about 12s. a year for 
coal, so your readers may judge. As soon as the buds begin swelling 
stable manure is used, renewed, or added to as needed. A little fire js 
employed at night if the weather be frosty, and when the Vines are in 
bloom up to the setting and thinning. Except in very damp dull 
weather this is all the artificial heat they receive, except that a little 
rubbish is burned to expel damp.—J. E. Waiting, Grange~over~Sands. 
THE ORANGE-COLOURED OESTRUM. 
Under the popular name of Bastard Jasmine a large number of plants 
belonging to the Potato family are known, the scientific title assigned to 
them being Oestrum, from the Greek name for Betony ; but, like many 
other classical designations, its application to the Bastard Jasmine seems 
to be purely arbitrary. These plants are close allies of the Habrothamnus, 
a much-esteemed greenhouse flowering plant, the value of which is fully 
appreciated wherever flowers are in great demand for cutting. In the 
majority of the Oestrums, however, the prevailing colours are very 
different from their neighbours—mostly orange, yellow, or white—and 
being as free in growth and flowering as the others, they are equally 
deserving of a place in collections. The Orange-coloured Bastard Jasmine, 
C. aurantiacum, of which an illustration is given in fig. Ill, is a particular 
favourite with those who know it, though they are by no means so- 
numerous as might be expected, consideiing that the plant has been an 
inmate of English gardens for more than forty years. It is one of those 
neglected plants which have gradually been pushed out of sight by the 
swarms of newcomers that have in recent years been obtained from all 
parts of the world. In some old gardens where plants have long been 
prized examples of these may occasionally be seen, but there they remain ; 
for notwithstanding the enterprise of nurserymen in introducing plants from 
foreign countries, they appear to think any old plant, however me itorious 
it may be, beneath their notice. Doubtless the public themselves have- 
had something to do with this—there is such a craving, almost a craze, for 
anything new; and the fact that a plant has been in cultivation for half 
a century appears to deprive it of half its value in the eyes of many 
purchasers. 
Oestrum aurantiacum should certainly be rescued from its obscurity, 
for as a greenhouse plant it is invariably admired when seen laden with its 
abundant trusses of orange-coloured flowers. It is, moreover, most easily 
grown, needing no special attention beyond providing a well-drained 
compost of turfy loam and well-decayed manure. The growth is strong 
and quick, and if the plant is trained to the roof of a house or a pillar, 
either of which positions is suitable, it will require slight pruning occa¬ 
sionally to keep it in bounds and to remove the weak and straggling 
shoots.—W. 
FRUIT TREES—SUMMER PRUNING. 
The time has now arrived for this important work to be com¬ 
menced, and in the interests of those whose experience in fruit 
culture is limited a few remarks on the subject may be of some 
assistance. At the outset it must be stated that the importance of 
the work cannot well be over-estimated, as on it depends to a certain 
extent the well-doing of not only the current year’s crops but of that 
