494 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAt.LENLR. 
[ Dece.ihe G, 1883. 
manure, you will be told. For this reason every vegetable scrap 
should be held precious, and every opportunity taken to raise green 
manure, which when dug in will add to the general stock. But let 
the rule be with all soils to improve the subsoil where it lies before 
bringing it to the surface.— Single-handed. 
(To be continued.) 
CYCLAMENS AND PRIMULAS AT READING. 
Every season has its special attraction in Messrs. Sutton & Sons’ 
trial nursery at Reading. Early in the year the Cinerarias are the leading 
feature ; Calceolarias follow, and are usually in their best condition 
about the time of the May exhibitions. Gloxinias, too, are subsequently 
found iri large numbers, with Tuberous Begonias and hosts of outdoor 
annuals and perennials a constant succession of floral beauty is main¬ 
tained. November is proverbially the dullest month of the year; but 
even then the visitor to Reading can find much to admire in the houses 
at this nursery, for the large stock of Cyclamens and Primulas is then 
fast advancing to perfection. So on the occasion of the late Chrysan¬ 
themum Show many horticulturists availed themselves of the opportunity 
to inspect the collections of these plants, and the time thus spent was 
not regretted by any of them. It is an invariable rule as regards all 
the plants taken in hand by Messrs. Suttons’ experienced growers, that 
nothing short of the most complete success attainable is deemed satis¬ 
factory, and no efforts are spared to insure this result. To obtain plump 
well-matured seeds calculated to produce plants of the best quality it is 
wisely considered absolutely necessary to give the parent plants the best 
possible treatment, and with this object in view the requirements of all 
the different races of plants of which specialities are made are most 
carefully studied. The surprising success that has been attained with 
Calceolarias has been frequently mentioned in this Journal. Gloxinias, 
too, have received their share of praise with many other notable plants, 
so that the Cyclamens and Primulas now in a measure demand silarmi 
attention. 
CYCLAMENS. 
Several large growers for market in the neighbourhood of London 
have been very; successful with these plants in recent years, and it is now 
the usual practice to obtain handsome plants in one year from the time 
of sowing the seed, a result that was never secured by the older systems 
of culture. The most experienced cultivators of Cyclamens have found 
that they require liberal treatment, a free light soil, a moist genial atmo¬ 
sphere, and copious supplies of water. This system is now adopted in 
the establishment under consideration, and the results are most satis¬ 
factory. The seed is sown in November, the young plants so obtained 
being first pricked out and then transferred into 00-size pots, and finally 
into 48-pots, in which size they are flowered. The soil consists of equal 
parts good loam and carefully prepared leaf soil with no manurial aid 
until the plants are approaching flowering, when a small quantity of the 
special artificial stimulant sent out by the firm is employed. The plants 
are all healthy, bushy, vigorous specimens ; the foliage thick, leathery, 
and beautifully marbled, while the corms are bristling with flower buds 
in all stages. It is estimated that a plant with fifty leaves as they can 
be obtained will bear as many as 150 blooms, often in successive batches 
extending over a considerable period, but with healthy plants usually in 
that proportion. 
Varieties are of course numerous, but a few of the finest are grown 
in large quantities, and conspicuous among these is the noted Reading 
Gem, which was honoured with a certificate by the Royal Horticultural 
Society in 1879. This is remarkable for the great breadth of petals, 
which gives an appearance of extreme substance to the flowers ; and 
another invaluable character is its great floriferousness, the white and 
red-tinted blooms being borne on stout peduncles well above the foliage. 
A similarly handsome variety is the White Butterfly, or, as it is also 
known, Miss Lilian Cox, but the former name is the one now adopted. 
This also has been certificated, and is one of the very best white Cycla¬ 
mens in cultivation, the neat, substantial, pure white blooms being pro¬ 
duced in great numbers. Phoenix is a grand crimson variety with large 
broad-petalled blooms and exceedingly rich in colour, bright and fresh 
in a more than ordinary degree, rendering it an admirable companion 
for White Butterfly. Several others are grown all more or less meri¬ 
torious, but these can be safely aud strongly recommended for general 
culture. 
THE CYCLAMEN GRUB. 
It may be observed that though the Cyclamen is subject to few 
diseases, and is not attacked by many insects, yet it has one great 
enemy that has proved very troublesome in late years. This is the grub 
or larva of a species of Otiorhynchus, one of the weevil family, which 
attacks the under side of the corm, destroying the roots, ultimately killing 
the plants. The great difficulty is that often no sign of the evil is 
apparent until the injury is irreparable, for a plant maybe seen in perfect 
health and advance freely until the flowers are about to expand, and 
then one morning the grower finds the leaves limp and the whole plant 
has lost its strength. Not only at Reading had this been unpleasantly 
experienced, for some of the largest market growers had been similarly 
troubled and puzzled to find a remedy for the mischief. Many methods 
were recommended, some quite impracticable and others useless, but the 
only one found effectual is exceedingly simple, and could be readily 
adopted wherever similar disasters were feared. It was found that the 
grub was introduced with the leaf soil used in the compost, and therefore 
this was very finely sifted, placed in a thin layer on a cement floor, and 
heavily rolled with an ordinary garden roller. This had the double 
effect of killing both grubs and eggs as well as any other vermin that 
might be present. Since this was tried no trouble whatever has beep 
experienced, and the success attending it has induced others to test it 
with the same result. 
PRIMULAS. 
To supply the large demand for seed of these popular plants several 
houses are devoted to Primulas for seed-bearing, many beautiful varieties 
being represented. Much improvement has been effected in the forms 
of these plants, for numerous rich shades of crimson, purple, and rose 
have been obtained, besides the pure white strains and celebrated “blue ” 
type. A compact stocky habit and large trusses of well-formed flowers 
are now the prevailing characters of the different strains, whether of the 
ordinary round-leaf or Fern-leaf groups, and in these points there is 
little room left for advancement. Fresh tints of colour are, however, 
being continually raised, while new races are being formed of the crisp¬ 
leaved and dark reddish purple-leaved types, which will impart con¬ 
siderable variety to collections. Prominent amongst the deep-coloured 
crimson forms are Ruby King with very large neatly formed flowers, 
intensely rich crimson, and several fine crosses between Chiswick and 
Swanley Reds, free and early-fiow T ering forms having been thus secured. 
The Fern-leaved Prince Arthur, which was obtained by crossing the 
round-leaved form of that name with Swanley Red, is also a handsome 
dark crimson variety of very great promise. Purpureum is a fine purple 
form ; while amongst the lighter-coloured forms Rosy Queen is especially 
noteworthy for the soft delicate pink hue of the flowers and their great 
size. A magnificent new white Fern-leaved variety is Snowdrift, which 
is one of the earliest to flower, and has neatly formed literally snowy white 
blooms in dense trusses. This will undoubtedly become a great favourite. 
Some handsome seedlings of the alba magnifica type have been raised, 
together with several curiosities, of which more will doubtless be heard 
another season. The Mauve Queen may be mentioned, as a distinct 
shade of colour is furnished by it that some people would probably 
admire. An attempt is also being made to form a race of Picotee-edged 
varieties, and some steps have already been advanced in this direction, 
for varieties have been raised with white flowers distinctly edged witb 
pink, but these at present are not yet fixed, though there is plainly room 
for some notable achievements. 
It may be added that the Cinerarias are extraordinarily vigorous, this 
year, and we have never seen plants with larger and more finely deve¬ 
loped leaves. They certainly are most promising, and a grand display 
is expected early next year.— Visitor. 
A VINERY OF THE FUTURE. 
When on a visit to Bath a few days ago I ventured to trespass on the 
good nature of my late Esteemed neighbour, Mr. Taylor, at his new home in 
this beautiful city. Having previously heard that a vinery very similar to 
the one at Longleat was beiug erected under his supervision for that 
enthusiastic and successful cultivator, J. Chaffin, Esq., I was not a little 
curious to see it in course of erection, and through the kind permission 
of this gentleman I not only did so, but was enabled to discuss every 
detail of its construction with my old friend, into which he freely entered 
with his usual frankness and good nature. 
The position of the garden is a somewhat elevated one on the north¬ 
east side of the city. It declines somewhat abruptly towards the west. 
The vinery being situated on this side of the hill, about 50 feet below the 
site occupied by the mansion, which is about 100 yards distant, it is 
consequently partially sheltered from the north and north-east, but not 
sufficiently so, I think, to screen it from the good influence of the sun’s 
early rays. It is span-roofed, about 140 feet long by 30 feet wide, and is 
divided into three unequal compartments. The ridge runs as nearly as 
possible north and south, the southern end perhaps inclining a little to 
the south-east. It is built on substantial walls of stone and brick, which 
are not, I believe, arched, the intention being to form the borders inside 
so as to shelter the roots. 
Owing to the irregularity of the ground the excavation required at 
the northern end is considerably more than at the opposite one, and the 
house, instead of being built quite level, dips considerably to the southern 
end. This arrangement, without being perceptible, not only admits of 
the rain water gutters being fixed regularly along the plates from end to 
end and facilitates the rapid flow of water, but it also allows the hot- 
water pipes which are to be heated from the southern end being laid 
perfectly even with the courses of brickwork on the walls, and at the 
same time will secure a regular and even flow in each pipe throughout 
the range without resorting, as far as I could see, to a single unsightly or 
irregular bend or elevated pipe. This to some may appear a trivial 
matter scarcely worth notice, and yet in a house of this magnitude it is a 
most essential and economical one. The pipes, which are 4 inches 
in diameter and ten in number, are arranged perfectly level with and 
parallel to each other at regular intervals over the floor ; additional heat 
will also be obtained from the mains, which are laid under the central 
pathway. Provision is, of course, made by valves for heating each 
compartment separately. Duplicate boilers, each capable of heating 
3000 feet, are to be fixed at such a level as will insure every pipe being 
placed well above the boiler, and thus secure a rapid flow and return of 
water. These boilers, which have been manufactured by Messrs. Hartley 
and Sugden, may be called, not inaptly, hooded tubulars. They appear 
to be strong, well made, and calculated to last many years. 
The fixing and arrangements are entrusted to Mr. Flint of Bath, and 
most simply and efficiently does his work appear to he done. The wood- 
