JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ August 3 , issi. 
100 
in work of this nature ; but be that as it may, it is to be hope! 
it will be the last. —Wm. Bardney. 
Culture of Allamandas. 
Journal of Horticulture, August 7th, 
1879 :—“ Allamanrlas are not only or¬ 
namental but useful for a variety of 
purposes, either grown as climbers up 
the roof of a stove, or for the decora¬ 
tion of the conservatory during the 
latter part of the summer. For the 
purposes named the plants produce a 
fine effect when well grown, and to 
accomplish this end they should be 
treated liberally. Allamandas are 
capable of producing flowers for eight 
months out of the twelve; they are 
easy to grow, and do not require so 
long a season of rest as many people 
suppose. Seven or eight weeks’ rest 
is sufficient. Neither is bottom heat 
necessary in any stage. They succeed 
well either in pots or planted out. We 
would recommend large pots in pre¬ 
ference to planting-out, as water can 
then be given and withheld at will, 
and the soil partially removed and 
renewed at the proper season. 
“ Propagation is effected by means 
of cuttings from the young shoots 
taken off close to the wood of the pre¬ 
vious year ; they should be inserted in 
small pots singly and placed in a 
Melon house, and must be shaded from 
the sun. They are not particular as 
to soil in this early stage. We employ 
light turfy loam with a dash of sand in 
the centre of the pot for the base of the 
cuttings to rest on. We may here say 
that the lovely species A. grandiflora 
is best managed by being grafted on 
any of the stronger species, such as 
Schottii or Wardleyana. In grafting 
it is important that the wood be ripe, 
both of the stock and the spray that 
is to be employed for the scion. They 
can be inarched similarly to Vines. 
Supposing the stock is in a 3 or 
4-inch pot it should be shortened 
well back to within 3 or 4 inches of 
the soil; any of the ordinary modes 
of grafting employed for Roses, young 
fruit trees, &c., will answer well. 
The piece employed for the scion 
should contain two or three buds, 
and after carefully fitting the two 
together they must be made secure 
with worsted where the union is to 
take place, and be then well rubbed 
over with clay or grafting wax. This 
being done they must be placed in the 
propagating frame, where they can be 
carefully attended to until growth has 
commenced and the union is complete. 
When root-action is becoming vigorous 
they should be transferred into larger 
pots. This species grows much slower 
than any of the others, but its flowers 
are produced very freely. 
“Allamanda nobilis, A. Schottii, and 
the old A. cathartica are all worth 
growing where a collection is the 
object. A. grandiflora and A. Ward¬ 
leyana are the two most worthy of a 
place. We recommend Mr. Wardle’s, 
which is named after him, and very 
frequently seen under the name of 
‘ Hendersonii.’ It will produce nearly 
double the number of flowers that 
A. Schottii will ; the flowers are as 
large or larger in size with as much 
substance, and the brown markings 
are more prominent in the throat or 
tube than in its parent Schottii, 
while it possesses the light mark¬ 
ings of its other parent cathartica. 
The young plants must be grown on 
rapidly. We might here say that the 
Allamanda can be grown too strongly 
and robustly the first or second season. 
To guard against this the wood must 
have light, sunshine, and air when de¬ 
veloping its growth rapidly to solidify 
the wood. Another important item 
is that very firm potting is required. 
The plant will then rest, and when 
cut back and again started in January 
or February it will grow freely. On 
the other hand, if not firm and ripe 
when pruned it often dies back. 
" The young plants when well rooted 
in 3-inch pots must be transferred into 
6 -inch pots, using this time loam, sand, 
a seventh of manure, and a little leaf 
soil, which will assist them to start 
freely into growth. After this potting 
the compost we find most suitable is 
rich fibry loam, a seventh of manure. 
Culture of Allamandas. 
The Garden, July 22nd, 1882 :— 
“Allamandas are, as is well known, 
useful both in pots and as roof climb¬ 
ers in conservatories during the latter 
part of the summer. Thus used, if 
well grown, they produce a fine effect. 
For this purpose they should be treated 
liberally, and if healthy and vigo¬ 
rous will keep in flower at least eight 
months out of the twelve; they are 
easy to grow and do not require so 
long a season of rest as many people 
suppose ; eight or nine weeks’ rest will 
be quite sufficient. They will succeed 
without bottom heat, but are much 
benefited by it when making their 
growth. I like large pots better than 
planting out, as in that case water 
can be given and withheld at any 
time, and the soil can be partially 
removed and renewed when required. 
“ In propagating use cuttings made 
of the young shoots taken off close to 
the wood of the previous year. They 
should be inserted in small pots singly, 
and placed in the propagating house 
or pit, and shaded from bright sun¬ 
shine. In their early stage Allamandas 
are not particular as to soil. We em¬ 
ploy light turfy loam, with a small 
portion of sand in the centre of the 
pot for the base of the cuttings to rest 
on, and then place them in a bottom 
heat from 80° to 85° with bellglasses 
over them. I should add that A. 
grandiflora does best grafted on some 
of the stronger species, such as A. 
Schotti or A Wardiana. In grafting 
it is important that the wood be ripe 
enough both as regards stock and 
scion. Allamandas may also be in¬ 
arched similar to Vines. Let us sup¬ 
pose that the stock, in the case of 
plants to be grafted, is in a 4-in. or 
5-in. pot : it should be shortened 
back to within 3 in. or 4 in. of 
the soil. The scion should contain 
three or four buds, and after carefully 
fitting the two together, as in Rose or 
fruit-tree grafting, they must be made 
secure with matting where the union 
is to take place, and be then well rub¬ 
bed over with grafting wax. This 
done they must be placed in a pro¬ 
pagating pit, where they can be care¬ 
fully attended to until growth has 
commenced and the union has become 
completed. When root-action is get¬ 
ting vigorous they should be shifted 
into large pots. A. grandiflora grows 
much weaker than any of the others, 
but its flowers are produced very freely. 
A. nobilis and A. Schotti are both 
worth growing where a collection is 
the object, but A. grandiflora and A. 
Wardiana are the two best. The latter 
will produce double the amount of 
flowers that Schotti will, and the 
flowers are equally large, and even 
larger in size, equally good in sub¬ 
stance, and with more prominent 
markings in the throat or tube. The 
treatment that applies to the one will 
also suit the other, but graudiflora 
requires more careful cultivation. A. 
Wardiana should be propagated early, 
and the young plants must be grown 
on rapidly, but not so rapidly as to 
cause weak growth. To guard against 
this the wood must have light, sun¬ 
shine, and air to ripen it. Another 
important point is firm potting ; the 
plants will then rest, and when cut 
back and again started in January or 
February will grow freely, while, on 
the other hand, if not potted firmly 
and the wood is not ripe, the shoots 
often die back when pruned. On 
plants in 16-in. pots, and treated as 
has just been recommended, w r e have 
had thousands of fully expanded blos¬ 
soms and buds. 
“ Young plants when well rooted in 
3-in. pots should be transferred to 
7-in. ones, using this time loam, 
sand, and a sixth part of sheep ma¬ 
nure which will assist them to start 
freely into growth. After this the 
compost which we find most suitable 
is rich fibry loam and one-third sheep 
manure. In this the young plants 
grow rapidly, and should be moved 
into 12-in. pots the first season. The 
leading shoots when about 1 ft. 
From the Journal of Horticulture — 
continued— 
and sufficient coarse sand to make the 
whole porous. The young plants will 
extend rapidly, and can be shifted into 
12-inch pots the first season. The 
leading shoot when about 1 foot 
in length should have the point 
taken out and two shoots allowed 
to grow instead of one. No better 
place to train them can be found than 
under the roof of a stove, in an upright 
position. By the end of the season the 
two shoots will be strong ; they should 
be well ripened and receive a good rest. 
Our mode of resting is to withhold 
water when the wood is ripe until the 
foliage Hags. Very little water is given 
afterwards, only sufficient to keep the 
wood plump. 
“ The cultivator in pruning must be 
guided by the condition of the wood 
and the distance the shoots can be laid 
to the right and left of the pot. If 
thoroughly matured a yard on each 
side can be left. The ball of the plant 
if very dry should be partially shaken 
out and steeped in tepid water. After 
being thoroughly soaked and the water 
well drained from the soil the plant 
can be placed in a pot either the same 
size or larger, the latter will be the 
best, using the compost recommended, 
and the soil must be rammed firmly 
into the pot. 
“ Allamandas can be potted as soon 
as pruned back, but we prefer leaving 
them a time to rest after the final prun¬ 
ing. No attempt is made to wait until 
the plant breaks into growth before the 
operation is carried out. Very little 
water is needed at the root until root- 
action and leaf-growth have well com¬ 
menced. If the wood at the pruning 
time was well ripened bloom will be 
produced when the young shoots are 
about 18 inches in length. The second 
season a good quantity of bloom w r ill 
be produced. The plants will continue 
branching and flowering until late in 
the season, when rest to a large extent 
has to be forced on them. With two 
batches of plants, one started early 
and the other late, Allamanda blooms 
may be had all the year. 
“ If desirable to extend the plant 
two shoots, one on either side, should 
again be left at pruning time a yard 
or more long and trained horizontally 
as before ; the other shoots should be 
pruned back to one or two eyes like 
Vines on the spur system. Plants can 
in this way be extended until they fill 
the whole side of a house. The syringe 
is sometimes necessary if the small 
yellow tlirips makes its appearance in 
the points of the shoots, which if 
allowed to remain soon does much 
damage. Nothing is better than the 
syringe to keep down this insect, it 
does not like water. With plenty of 
moisture in the atmosphere and the 
plants growing rapidly there is little 
fear of its attacks. In our mode of 
treatment the syringe is seldom used 
—never after the first flowers make 
their appearance. 
“ The Allamanda while growing re¬ 
quires liberal applications of water, 
and is much benefited with liquid 
manure when the pots are full of roots. 
It is something wonderful what a large 
amount of growth the plants can sup¬ 
port with limited root room, provided 
they are liberally supplied with water 
and their wants attended to in other 
respects.—W m. Bardney.” 
From the Garden— continued— 
in length should have their points 
nipped out, and two shoots should be 
allowed to grow instead of one. No 
better place to train them can be 
found than under the roof of a stove 
in an upright position. By the end of 
the season the two shoots will be well 
ripened and should receive a good rest. 
Our mode of resting is to withhold 
water when the wood is ripe until the 
foliage flags, and very little is given 
afterwards — only just sufficient to 
keep the wood plump. The pruning 
before starting into growth must bo 
in accordance with the condition of 
the wood and the distance the shoots 
can be laid to the right and left of the 
pot; if thoroughly matured, a yard on 
each side may be left. The ball of 
earth, if very dry, should be partly 
shaken out and steeped in tepid water. 
After being thoroughly soaked and the 
water well drained from the soil, the 
plant can be placed in a pot the same 
size or a little larger than that it was 
in, using the compost recommended, 
which must be rammed firmly into the 
pots. As soon as pruned back the 
plants may be potted, but I prefer 
leaving them for a time for rest after 
the final pruning, but the plants 
should not be allowed to break into 
growth before they are potted. Very 
little water is needed at the roots 
until root - action and leaf - growth 
have well commenced. If at the prun¬ 
ing time the wood was well ripened, 
blooms will be produced when the 
young shoots are about 18 in. in length. 
“ The second season a good quantity 
of blooms will be secured, and the 
plants will continue branching and 
flowering until late in the season, 
when they should be allowed to rest. 
With two batches of plants, one 
started early and the other later, 
Allamanda blooms may be had all the 
year round. If it is desired to extend 
the plants, two shoots, one on each 
side, should again be left at pruning 
time a yard or more long, and trained 
horizontally as before ; the other 
shoots should be pruned back to one 
or two eyes like Vines on the spur 
system. Plants thus managed may be 
extended until they fill the whole side 
of a house. Syringing will be neces¬ 
sary if the small yellow thrips makes 
its appearance on the points of the 
shoots, for, if allowed to remain, it 
soon does much damage; nothing is 
better than syringing to keep dowm 
this insect. It dislikes water. How¬ 
ever, with plenty of moisture in the 
atmosphere and the plants growing 
rapidly, little fear need be entertained 
of its attack. Under our mode of 
treatment the syringe is seldom used 
—never after the first flowers make 
their appearance. Allamandas while 
growing rapidly require liberal appli¬ 
cations of water three or four times 
daily, and are much benefited by appli¬ 
cations of liquid manure when the 
pots are full of roots. It is wonder¬ 
ful what a large amount of growth 
these plants can support with but 
limited root room, provided they are 
liberally supplied with w r ater, and 
their wants in other respects are 
attended to. — D. D., Nash Court, 
Faversham, Kent." 
[We cannot properly refuse to comply with Mr. Bardney’s re¬ 
quest, and we have the less hesitation in reprinting the article 
since it is a record of sound and successful practice that will be 
useful to new readers. The article was originally written by our 
special desire after having seen the admirable manner in which 
Allamandas were grown by Mr. Bardney, and possibly our com¬ 
mendatory note at the foot of the paper influenced “ I). D., Nash 
Court, Faversham," in the selection of a subject for pilferiog pur¬ 
poses. We may add that this is by no means the first instance 
that has been brought to our notice of the alleged concoction of 
articles from our pages. Unscrupulous writers who impose on 
editors in this manner can only be characterised as literary para¬ 
sites, and when discovered should no longer be permitted to 
“adorn” the pages of public journals. We have ourselves been 
victimised once, and the writer was informed that no further com- 
