September 22, 1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 273 
Celery as I do ; but there are others of lesser pretensions who do 
not, and for whose benefit I will briefly detail our mode of 
operations. 
It must be borne in mind that the Celery is not erect-growing, 
as if left to itself in the open the outer leaves will gradually open 
out and assume a horizontal position, and will split or crack off 
when an attempt is made to bring them up to the position in 
which they are required to protect the heart. When, therefore, 
the plants are growing strongly, whether intended for early or 
late supplies, all suckers and the very smallest outer leaves are 
pulled off cleanly, and the first earth worked in around them to a 
depth of about 3 inches. This is either performed a few hours 
after a heavy rain, or, in the case of dry weather prevailing, after 
a heavy watering has been given. Where but little manure was 
dug into the trenches liquid manure should be freely used, or a 
good dressing of soot and lime, with a small portion of salt added, 
dusted along the rows prior to watering both at the first and 
second earthing. This mixture acts as a fertiliser, and also to a 
certain extent as a preventive of slugs and worms, which in most 
cases do much damage to the Celery. In about fourteen days 
another light earthing is given, care being taken not to be in 
advance of the inner leaves, and also not to unduly press in the 
outer stalks about them. Yet another earthing is performed, com¬ 
pleting finally about three weeks before the Celery is required for 
use, or, in the case of the later supplies, whenever frost is imminent. 
At the third earthing the soil is worked rather more closely 
and firmly about the leafstalks, which at the final operation are 
brought closely together and the soil worked round tightly with 
the hand, the ridge being rounded off so as to throw off the rains. 
It is not advisable to bury much of the foliage, and in order to 
preserve the heart from the soil it is a good practice to tie up the 
leafstalks with strips of matting slightly above the soil line, 
untying immediately after the earth has been applied. This I 
find preferable to holding by the hand. After the two first earth¬ 
ings especially, the drier and lighter the soil employed is the 
better, and for this reason dry weather should always be selected 
for the operation ; and where the soil is naturally very stiff either 
lighter soil, sand, or coal ashes should be worked around the 
Celery, enclosing this with the stiffer soil. It is a difficult matter 
to protect the plants from slugs and snails. We are using soot and 
lime freely, but another season I hope to be able to thoroughly 
dress the ground with quicklime some time prior to digging the 
trenches. 
Celery, as many of us know to our cost, is far from being hardy, 
and if the foliage is destroyed by frost the stalks soon decay. 
Various methods of protecting are resorted to, the simplest and 
best probably being two broad boards nailed together in the form 
of the letter V and inverted over the tops, removing them during 
favourable weather. Dry fern or bracken will here be used when 
required, and much may be done with rough litter and branches 
of evergreens.—W. Iggulden, Marston. 
CLERODENDRON FRAGRANS. 
There is no sweeter-scented, more floriferous, or more orna¬ 
mental Clerodendron in our gardens than this. It is rarely the 
name is to be found in nurserymen’s lists, nor do we see the plant 
often in gardens ; and all this is very surprising, as it is one of the 
easiest plants to grow anyone could possess. In shape its leaves are 
not unlike those of the Vine, but they are rougher and thicker. In 
habit it is dwarf and branching, and the flowers are produced in 
Ixora-like clusters at the end of every shoot. It grows quickly and 
bears stopping well—so well, indeed, that it is a great advantage 
to stop it frequently, as the shoots which this readily produces 
soon bloom. One plant which we have been trying is now bearing 
its third crop of bloom since March last. This has been secured 
by cutting off the preceding blooms as soon as they were opened, 
and thereby causing the back buds to produce flowering shoots. 
A rich compost is needed, and the temperature I have found 
best suited for it is that of a stove, but in summer I should think 
it would do well in any conservatory. As yet the flowers are 
each about the size of a sixpence, quite double, with very thick 
wax-like petals, pale pink in colour, and as strongly scented as a 
Gardenia, only their fragrance is suggestive of almonds. It is 
most easily increased by cuttings, which will root freely in a 
little bottom heat at any time of the year. Plants in flower may 
be had in any size pot. Handsome plants can be grown in 8-inch 
pots, and specimens fit for showing may be had in a few sizes 
larger.—M. M. 
HYDRANGEA INVOLUCRATA VERA. 
Like the Clethra referred to in another column, this plant was 
flowering freely in the Antwerp nursery. It is totally distinct 
from all others of the genus, and is decidedly ornamental both in 
foliage and flowers. The prevailing colour of the trusses is blue, 
but the expanded flowers are brighter. The plant is a native of 
Japan, and was introduced, named, and described by Siebold 
some years ago, but has for some reason or other remained scarce, 
and is seldom seen in gardens. The protecting involucrated bud 
is very remarkable, in this respect being totally dissimilar from 
all other Hydrangeas. The hardiness of this plant has also been 
established, as it has endured without the slightest injury the 
extreme severity of the last three winters, and has flowered freely 
Eig. 4G.—Hydrangea iuvolucrata vera. 
every year. It is of low and rather close growth, rarely exceeding 
2 feet in height. A flower truss is produced by every growth, 
and is suitable for the margins of shrubberies or borders of hardy 
flowers. 
LESSONS OF LIFE FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 
Having given the readers of the Journal of Ilorticvlturc a 
brief narrative of my life, I now come to notice some of the lessons 
learned by the way. This will be done with a view to guide and 
encourage young gardeners and others anxious to progress. 
The occupation of gardening is honourable and respectable : to 
men of energy who have sympathy for what is natural and beauti¬ 
ful it is pleasurable and exalting. The pleasures derived from 
well-kept gardens and gardening pursuits are second to none, 
except those of religion and social life. Some young men have 
no tastes—no talents for gardening. Their natural instincts and 
desires tend in other directions. There is no accounting for the 
differences of taste and inclination. Circumstances and associa¬ 
tions lead some young men to commence gardening who have no 
real love for it. A life of service and activity does not suit their 
notions of independence and self-gratification. Such men have a 
very hard and_uphill 4 battle to fight through life, for unless a love 
