JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 35 
too large for general purposes or disfigured from employment for 
decoration, that it is better to propagate young plants and discard 
the others. The shoots of most hardvvooded plants will now be in a 
half-ripened condition and will root freely. Such should be inserted 
singly in small pots, and they will produce roots quickly in a brisk 
moist heat, but quite as safely in a close case in the house where the 
plants are growing from which the cuttings are taken. Plants that 
strike freely in this way are Gardenias, Taberntemontanas, Ixoras, 
Medinillas, Clerodendrons, Rondeletia speciosa, Bougainvilleas, Thun- 
bergias, Hexacentris, Dipladenias, Stephanotis, Combretum, iEschy- 
nanthus, &c. 
Allamandas, Dipladenias, Bougainvilleas, &c., when well managed 
flower continuously through the summer and autumn ; but as they 
are of strong growth and exhaust the soil before the end of the season 
a surface-dressing of thoroughly decomposed manure and liberal ap¬ 
plications of liquid manure, which will enable the plants to continue 
flowering right into autumn. Any choice varieties of Gloxinias may 
now be propagated by leaf-cuttings, which root better at this season 
than earlier when the leaves are soft. They should be inserted in 
sandy soil around the sides of the pots, keeping them near the glass 
and shaded from bright sun, being careful not to keep them too 
moist. Pot off the cuttings of Poinsettias and Euphorbia jacquinise- 
flora as soon as rooted, for the plants feel the check more keenly if 
this be deferred until the growth is more advanced. 
Ferns .—Any plants that were not potted in spring should now 
receive attention, providing good drainage, and soil that will admit 
of the water passing freely through the soil, charcoal or sandstone 
being a suitable admixture to the peat. Plants with creeping rhi¬ 
zomes, as Davallias, Gleichenias, &c., should never be allowed to 
suffer from having their creeping stems injured, as they will if they 
are allowed to extend over the rims of the pots. Ferns must never 
be allowed to suffer through insufficient supplies of water, especially 
Gleichenias, as if ever the young fronds flag for want of moisture 
they become stunted, never attaining their proper size. Tree Ferns, 
particularly Cyatheas, when allow r ed to become dry at the roots are 
disfigured both in form and colour. Insects, especially scale, must 
not be allowed to increase, or the trouble of cleansing is not only 
great but much injury is done to the fronds in destroying it. Thrips 
should be kept under by fumigation. 
NOTES ON VILLA AND SUBURBAN GARDENING. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Coleworts .—Few amateurs have realised the value of small Cabbage 
or Coleworts during the early part of the winter. It is not yet too 
late to sow a good breadth of some of the small early varieties, 
such as Cocoanut and Rosette Colewort. The plants will be ready 
to follow autumn-sown Onions, Potatoes, Turnips, Peas, Beans, 
and other early-maturing crops. Those that do not produce hearts 
will be useful as greens, and in this state large quantities are 
annually bunched and sent to the markets. If this practice of 
growing Coleworts is adopted the stems of the autumn-sown 
Cabbage may be cleared off, as they greatly impoverish the soil, 
and can be followed with either the earliest or main crop Celery. 
Celery .—Advantage should be taken of dull showery weather to 
plant out the main crop of Celery. If the ground is unoccupied do not 
wait till the plants are large, as small sturdy plants take more readily 
to the soil, becoming well established before we usually experience 
very hot and dry weather. Single lines of plants in the trenches are 
the easiest to manage. The trenches may be 18 inches wide and 
about 4 feet apart. Take out the first spit of soil without the shovel¬ 
lings and distribute evenly on each side of the trench, then tho¬ 
roughly mix a liberal quantity of well-decomposed manure with the 
bottom spit. If either the bottom spit of soil is stiff and very poor, 
or manure be scarce, throw out the shovellings, break up the bottom 
spit, over this thinly distribute the manure, and next a layer of soil 
to work in with the plants. Do not cramp the roots should there 
be no ball of earth attached, but lay them out flatly and cover firmly 
with soil. If the plants have been pricked out as previously advised 
place the flat balls directly on the manure and cover with soil ; unless 
extra large sticks are required a distance of 9 inches apart will suffice. 
Remove all suckers from the plants previous to planting, and the 
latter operation, unless dull weather prevail, is best done towards the 
evening. In either case well water the plants, and sprinkle them over¬ 
head frequently till established. 
Other Necessary Work .—During showery weather proceed with all 
possible dispatch with the final transplanting of winter greens, 
Brussels Sprouts, Savoys, and Broccoli. Plant in drills as much as 
possible, the better to admit of water being freely supplied should 
they at any time require it. A loose soil does not suit any of them ; 
all light soils should therefore be well trodden previous to planting. 
A firm rich soil is requisite for the present sowings of Lettuce; 
make small fortnightly sowings, and avoid transplanting as much 
as possible. Thin out Runner Beans where crowded. Those to be 
grown without stakes should be topped at the second joint, and any 
side shoots that follow at one joint each. Abundance of strong 
spikes of bloom will follow this pinching-back, and the earliest 
Beans are usually taken from those so treated. 
GREENHOUSES AND FRAMES. 
Auriculas .—Now is a good time to repot these ; very early potting 
induces autumn blooming, which is undesirable. Shake the soil 
clear of the roots, shortening back the main root, and repot 
firmly, employing soil consisting of three parts turfy loam to one of 
leaf soil, with a good addition of silver sand and a few^small pieces 
of charcoal. Single crowns give the best trusses ; and pots of suitable 
size for the strongest plants are those 5 inches in diameter, and 
others in proportion, which should be clean and carefully drained, 
covering the crocks with very fibrous loam well beaten, and failing 
this with moss. Place them in a cold frame, either facing the north, on 
better still, on the north side of a wall. Water them in the course of four 
or five days, and keep them close till they have commenced to root 
afresh ; after which more air should be given. Attend carefully to 
the watering, and pick off decaying leaves. Auriculas may be propa¬ 
gated by division when there are two or more main growths, or the 
strongest offsets may be taken off and either pricked out into well 
drained boxes or in small pots, in each instance sufficiently deep to 
admit of being covered with squares of glass. Use light sandy soil, 
water sparingly, and to prevent the plants damping off wipe the 
glass and give air for a short time every morning. AJhigh tempera¬ 
ture and dry atmosphere are very injurious to Auriculas in any stage 
of growth. 
Azaleas .—Repotting Azaleas when performed by either careless or 
inexperienced persons often ends in the gradual death of the plants. 
The proper time to repot is when they are making fresh growth, as 
then the root-action is the most brisk. Large shifts should be avoided^ 
and as a rule a pot about 2 inches larger in diameter is sufficient, the 
soil to consist of three parts good peat to one of good^fibrous loam 
with a liberal addition of silver sand and a sprinkling of charcoal. 
If good turfy loam is unavailable use all peat. Carefully drain the 
quite clean pots, placing a thin layer of the roughest soil over the 
crocks, next a little finer soil; and when the thoroughly moist ball is 
in position gradually work the soil round it, ramming it down with 
a potti ng stick at the same time, and finishing off evenly and firmly 
allowing about the depth of the rim of the pot to admit of watering 
properly. Remove the plants to the warmest part of the house 
shade from bright sunshine, and syringe frequently. In about three 
days give sufficient water to thoroughly soak the soil, and at no time 
after should it be allowed to become dry. Badly rooted and unhealth 
plants should have all the sour soil carefully pricked off and the plants 
repotted into as small pots as possible. Cut or pinch back any long 
strong growths, as they are both injurious and disfiguring. 
Mignonette .—Plants intended to be grown into specimens for bloom¬ 
ing during the winter should not be allowed to become rootbound, 
but should receive an occasional small shift till they are in 9-inch or 
10-inch pots, either being suitable sizes in which to flower them. 
Suitable soil consists of three parts turfy loam to one of well-decom¬ 
posed manure, with a good sprinkling of mortar rubbish. When 
potting the soil cannot well be made too firm, and at no time should 
the plants be allowed to become dry at the roots. Place a light stake 
in the centre of the triplets intended for pyramids, taking up the 
leading shoots only, pinching out the bloom spikes as they form, and 
