} 
532 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. ' December 7, 1882. 
them vigorous and healthy, otherwise the foliage turns sickly, 
the wood becomes hard, and the flowers few in number. I do 
not, however, believe in keeping them growing and blooming 
year after year without giving them a season of rest. This oppor¬ 
tunity should be seized when their flowers can best be dispensed 
with, and this undoubtedly will be during summer in the majority 
of gardens. If rested and well cut back during summer, and a 
portion of the soil removed from their pots or tubs and replaced 
with rich loam and manure, they will start again freely into 
growth and produce flowers in abundance during the whole 
winter and spring. 
It is not so much of large plants that I am writing as of those 
of a suitable size for decoration in 4 and 5-inch pots. These 
plants can be grown well, and a succession of flowers produced 
through the whole year by striking batches of them. They are, 
however, most useful during autumn, winter, and spring. These 
are greenhouse plants, and thrive well under greenhouse and cool- 
frame treatment during the summer months. They will not 
flourish so well in the greenhouse during winter as in a house 
that is kept a little warmer. Under cool treatment during the 
winter their growth is remarkably slow—that is, in such houses 
where Azaleas, Epacrises, and other plants are accommodated, 
and only frost excluded. They do fairly well in conservatories 
where the temperature is not allowed to fall below 45° by night; 
but better, and continue to grow and flower with greater freedom, 
in an intermediate house where the temperature is maintained 
between 50° and 55°, according to external conditions. We give 
a number of our plants stove treatment, and very beautiful they 
are when arranged amongst other flowering and fine-foliage plants. 
While they are benefited by a certain amount of heat stove treat¬ 
ment is really too warm for them ; they grow too rapidly, and in 
consequence become drawn, which soon spoils their beauty for 
decoration. In an intermediate temperature where air can circu¬ 
late amongst the plants when favourable they grow more slowly, 
and continue to flower freely for a long time. 
To maintain a succession during winter and spring two batches 
should be propagated, one in July and the other towards the end 
of August or early in September. It is useless to propagate for 
this purpose earlier, as the plants only become tall. The cuttings 
should be inserted in thumb pots, as every one will root if placed 
in close handlights in Cucumber and Melon houses, and kept 
shaded from strong sun. As soon as the young plants are rooted 
they must be gradually accustomed to cool treatment; in fact, we 
generally have ours in a cold frame by the time they are ready 
for 4 or 5-inch pots, which is the size employed here, and the 
only shift the plants get after they have filled the small pots in 
which they are rooted. This batch we grow in cold frames as 
long as the weather will allow us to do so without checking 
the plants. Growth from the time of rooting is slow, and the 
plants are sturdy and strong with fine foliage down to the rims 
of the pots. By the time the plants have to be housed they 
are showing abundance of flowers, and average about 4 feet 
in height. To have large foliage at the base and down to the 
pots, it is necessary that the wood selected for cuttings be well 
furnished with good foliage when inserted in the small pots. 
It small side shoots are employed the foliage for some time will 
be small, in fact the base will never be furnished with bold large 
leaves. We give preference to good strong cuttings, such as can 
be obtained by removing the end of leading shoots, and then the 
plants are well furnished from the commencement. They seldom 
lose their foliage in the operation of rooting if judiciously treated. 
The plants employed in the stove are generally those propa¬ 
gated in September, which are not so forward as those rooted a 
month earlier, and are very useful in the stove after many of the 
earlier winter-flowering plants are past their best. This batch 
are small and dwarf to commence with, and continue to flower 
well on into spring before they become too leggy. As soon as 
they reach this condition they are at once cut down, and the 
strong tops again rooted. It is a good plan to root a number 
together in 5, 6, or 7-inch pots, and keep them during the autumn 
in an intermediate temperature in readiness to be potted any 
time about Christmas, so that they will be in good condition for 
replacing those in the stove when cut down. By so doing no 
gap is occasioned where a continuous supply of their flowers are 
required either for cutting or the plants for decoration. 
While growing Abutilons must not suffer by the want of water, 
and when the pots are full of roots liberal feeding must be resorted 
to. Stimulants should be given every time watering is necessary, 
by which means the plants are kept in a healthy vigorous 
condition. 
Abutilons are not particular about soil, and will do well in 
almost any compost that is rich. Good loam to which is added 
one-seventh of manure, with sufficient sand to keep the whole 
porous, will grow them well. There are many varieties worth 
growing, but the following are good and useful for decoration in 
small pots—Boule de Neige, Fire King, Violet Queen, Aurelia, 
L. Van Houtte, and Marshal.— Scientia. 
ARAUCARIA BIDWILLI. 
My thanks are due to Mr. J. Smith for his particulars concern¬ 
ing the introduction of Araucaria Bidwilli, as they remove what 
now appears to be an error of very long standing. Professor Dyer 
is responsible for the statement that one of the two plants of 
this Araucaria brought home by Mr. Bidwill was purchased by the 
Duke of Northumberland for one hundred guineas, as, when cones 
were produced by the specimen at Kew, he exhibited them before 
the Royal Horticultural Society March 5th, 1873, also before the 
Linnean Society, and included the above particulars in some re¬ 
marks upon the history of the species. These observations were 
quoted in the Gardeners' Chronicle , the Journal of Horticulture , 
and Nature , but the “ other paper ” referred to by Mr. Smith attri¬ 
buted the purchase to the Duke of Devonshire, though not in 1872 
as Mr. Smith states, but in 1873 and subsequent to the meeting of 
the Royal Horticultural Society mentioned above, and it is, there¬ 
fore, doubtlessly simply an incorrect rendering of the original state¬ 
ment. The particulars I gave I have repeatedly heard men¬ 
tioned at Kew, and, as far as I am aware, the published state¬ 
ments had never been corrected until Mr. J. Smith cleared the 
matter up. Professor Dyer is, however, so noted for scientific 
accuracy that it is impossible to understand how he could have 
been led into so strange a mistake. Perhaps he can explain it.— 
L. Castle. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
SOUTH SHIELDS.— November 29th and 30th. 
The above Show was held in the Free Library Hall, Ocean Road, 
under circumstances that augur well for its future prosperity and 
permanency. The Society has received an amount of support and 
encouragement from the local tradesmen and gentry that was never 
anticipated. Last January a few gentlemen, including Mr. Thomas 
Binks, Mr. Adam Hope, and Mr. John Wright, formed a committee. 
Others soon followed, and before the day of the Show they had £100 
collected. They offered £00 in prizes this year ; hope next year 
to offer £100 at least. In framing their schedule they made Messrs. 
Cannell’s catalogue the standard as regards the classes of the 
flowers. This arrangement was found to answer well, and gave great 
satisfaction. 
The Exhibition was publicly opened by J. P. Wardle, Esq., Mayor 
of South Shields. He was also supported by J. T. Etringham, Esq., 
the President of the Society. The Show was considered very fair, 
and better than ever was seen in Shields before, many of the exhibits 
equalling those at metropolitan shows. 
For the group of Chrysanthemums, fine-foliage and other flowering 
plants, Mr. Henry Smad, gardener to J. C. Stevenson, Esq., No. 1, 
Westoe, was deservedly first. His collection comprised Chrysan¬ 
themums, Palms, Zonal Pelargoniums, and Coleus, all neatly margined 
with Ferns. Mr. East, florist, Westoe, and Mr. Whiting, gardener to 
E. Walker, Esq., Shot Tower, Newcastle, took the remaining places. 
For six large-flowering Chrysanthemums the Society offered £3, 
£2, and £1 respectively for first, second, and third. Mr. Corbett, gar¬ 
dener to W. N. Liddle, Esq., Bernwell Hall, was first with neat trained 
specimens of Mrs. Dixon, Mrs. G. Rundle, Julia Lagravere, &c. Mr. 
Blanchard, gardener to Dr. Gibb, Sandfordy Lane, Newcastle, was 
second with fine plants that might have been improved by a little 
more training. Mr. Smail third with smaller but very even plants. 
For three large-flowering specimens Mr. Corbett was first with 
Argend, Mrs. Dixon, Mrs. Rundle; Mr. Smail was second with similar 
varieties ; and Mr. Allen, gardener to Henry Wilson, Esq., Westoe, 
was third. Mr. Corbett was first with Pompons, remarkably fine 
specimens, including Cedo Nulli and others. For four Japanese Mr. 
Blanchard was first with Elaine, James Salter, Peter the Great, and 
Fair Maid of Guernsey. 
In the miscellaneous plants class Cyclamens, Primulas, and Zonal 
Pelargoniums were well shown, and in a collection of greenhouse 
plants Mr. Smail staged some very well-grown Camellias. 
Cut Blooms .—For twelve incurved Mr. Brown, gardener to Mrs. 
Joicey, Whinney House, Gateshead, was first with good varieties of 
Mrs. G. Rundle, Fulgore, Mrs. Dixon, &c. This exhibitor also took 
first for twelve reflexed, twelve Japanese, and twelve bunches of 
Pompons. These included the chief varieties in each class. Mr. 
Annison took first for six incurved, six reflexed, and six Japanese. 
Messrs. Wilson, Allen, and Whiting also showed well in these classes. 
Three stands of Japanese, incurved, and reflexed blooms not for 
competition were kindly sent by Mr. Milner, gardener to Mr. Newall, 
Ferndene, Gateshead. These were by far the best among the cut 
flowers, and were much admired. Mr. Watson, Fenham, Newcastle, 
Messrs. W. Fell & Co., Hexham, Mr. W. East, Westoe, and Mr. W. 
Marshall, Florist, Mariners Cottages, South Shields, exhibited stands 
of plants for decoration, including stove and greenhouse and coni- 
