352 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
t Oc toiler 23, 1890. 
plants exposed to all weathers as short time as possible, or say not 
longer than the middle of September. None of them, whether 
large or small, should be wintered on a moist base, or otherwise 
the chances are that most of them will commence growing afresh 
long before their natural flowering period, and the flowers that 
do open be of much less value accordingly. Set the larger speci¬ 
mens on inverted flower pots, and the rest on dry greenhouse stages, 
and if the hot-water pipes are kept just warm any selection of 
varieties or a large stock of Deutsche Perle will give a long succes¬ 
sion of bloom without any being actually forced. All should be 
kept carefully supplied with water, but no liquid manure ought to 
be given till after the flowering period, and then in a weak state, 
and to the strong root-bound plants only. A judicious use of 
liquid manure and an annual light top-dressing of either turfy 
peat or light fibrous loam and flaky manure well keep strong 
old plants in a healthy growing state for many years, repotting 
being unnecessary. 
When used for wreaths and bouquets on the place Azaleas 
flowers may be taken without wood attached, as they keep 
nearly or quite as well mounted on wires, either singly or in 
bunches of three or more flowers. When sent to shops or to a 
distance or supplied to church decorators they must be cut with 
a short length of young wood attached, but the plants being 
healthy and kept in gentle heat to form fresh growth, plenty of 
young shoots are usually forthcoming from the shortened wood. I 
ought perhaps to add that formally trained Azaleas are not of much 
value for affording cut blooms, those more freely grown, whether 
as half-standards, bushes, or pyramids, being by far the best for the 
purpose. Shallow boxes are most suitable for packing the flowers 
in, these being either lined with clean soft moss or cotton wool, 
the material in either case being covered with tissue paper. Pack¬ 
ing the flowers flatly, closely, and in a single layer, cover with 
more of the paper and enough cotton wool to keep all quite 
tight when the lid is shut down. Thus packed they will travel 
equally well by rail or post. At Christmas the doubles are worth 
from 2s. to 2s. 6d. per dozen sprays, and the singles usually Is. less. 
Subsequently the prices may drop to as low as Is. per dozen, but 
will revive somewhat at Easter.—M. H. 
TREE PLANTING. 
Nothing new have I to say to the veterans among gardeners 
and foresters who have been engaged in planting so long, that any 
detailed account of the process which has rendered them so suc¬ 
cessful and their work so satisfactory to themselves and their 
employers may appear altogether uncalled for. So it is for them, 
as the right way is the only one possible in their work ; but please 
remember there are the young hands and amateurs to whom sound 
practical hints are of the utmost value, both as helping them to 
understand the why and wherefore of what they have to do, to 
avoid errors, and to render their success as full and thorough as 
possible. 
That failure is often the highway to success for an earnest 
teachable man there can be no doubt, and in planting anything less 
than success entire and perfect should be regarded as failure. One 
of the most unpleasant incidents of my planting experience was 
the failure of a considerable number of young forest trees in a 
belt, for which the trenching and levelling came under my super¬ 
vision as estate manager, but the planting was managed entirely 
by a young hand so brisk and energetic that his sole aim appeared 
to be to get over work at express speed, without giving heed to that 
thoroughness which is so essential to success. The failure of the 
trees was most probably owing to root dryness before planting, and 
looseness of soil about the roots. It was suggested that the 
trenching was at fault, but even if it had been no deeper than 
ordinary digging, instead of the sound two-spit work it was, that 
could not have caused the loss of the trees. The resolution then 
formed never to have anything more to do with joint management 
in such work is a safeguard which I commend to the attention of 
other planters. 
There can be no doubt that much exposure to the air is most 
hurtful to the roots, and through them to the trees. This happens 
when trees are lifted for the planting and are embedded tem¬ 
porarily in loose soil, so loosely that the roots become dry and 
shrivelled, and the rootlets perish. This also happens in some 
degree when trees are laid out in long rows with the roots exposed 
to a brisk wind, and possibly to sunshine, for a considerable time 
before the planters reach them. Still more hurtful is it when they 
are so laid out during a frost, and are subsequently planted in half- 
frozen soil. No fanciful conception is this, for I have seen it, and 
have also seen evidence of its baneful effects subsequently in the 
numerous failures and sickly appearance of the survivors. 
Not only should the manager of tree planting be thoroughly 
proficient, but he must see that his orders are carried out to the 
letter, or it may happen to him as it did once to a friend of mine 
who ordered a trench to be opened along each side of a Tew hedge 
very early in the autumn, to sever all long roots and induce a free 
growth of rootlets before the trees were transplanted a couple of 
months later. The trenches were opened, but the soil was not 
replaced, so that his object was defeated, and instead cf vigorous 
growth next season the ill-used trees had a struggle for bare- 
existence. 
There is more risk of failure with trees from a nursery than 
others, and the greatest possible ca^e should be taken to thoroughly 
embed the roots in fine soil at once as the packages come to hand. 
If such soil cannot be had in a satisfactory condition damp sand or 
fine ashes answer admirably, as they envelope all the roots closely. 
If the weather is frosty the sand is well covered with litter till the- 
frost breaks. In planting the roots are spread out at full length, 
fine soil packed closely about all of them, 3 inches of soil over tho 
upper roots pressed gently but firmly down over the whole of the 
roots. A close watch must be kept to prevent injury to root, stem, 
and branch during this work. Every tree requiring support must 
have it at once, and this must be managed so that there can be o 
subsequent injury to the stem. Envelop the stem loosely with 
rabbit-proof wire netting, with the edges overlapping sufficiently to 
allow the netting to expand with the growth of the tree, and if the 
trees are out on pasture there must be a tree guard of some sort to- 
keep off cattle. 
Transplanting large specimens is always a questionable matter. 
It was with much reluctance that I recently condemned a lot of fine 
young Pinus austriaca some 8 or 9 feet in height, which are in the 
way of some garden extensions. A considerable number of this 
useful Pine are to be planted, but experience has shown that 
smaller trees answer best, for though the large ones may be trans¬ 
planted the check to growth is not fairly overcome for four or five 
years, and by then the younger trees will have shot up past them- 
and will keep the lead. The very natural desire for immediate^ 
effect has led to much costly work in the transplantation of large 
specimens, especially among Conifers, and when the work is 
insisted upon the certain result of arrested growth should be clearly 
explained, and then move the trees with as large a ball of earth as- 
possible. If a large rectangular block of soil after the Elvaston 
method can be managed so much the better for the tree, which 
must subsequently be well secured with guy ropes or wires. 
In planting fruit trees, the advice to prune at the time of plant¬ 
ing given for Apples by Mr. G. Hammond, in his admirable paper 
on page 328, may be applied to all fruit trees ; only take care to 
select healthy trees and plant carefully, and then prune at once to 
the buds whence growth is required next season, in full confidence 
that such growth will prove entirely satisfactory. Remember,, 
success does not rest upon the pruning so much as upon the plant¬ 
ing, and it is when this has been badly done that free growth has 
not followed ; it is, of course, easy to lay blame upon the pruning. 
Plant as soon as possible now, in order that the trees may make- 
some root growth at once, and so ensure unchecked branch growth 
and a plentiful supply of sap direct from the roots next spring, 
Mr. J. A. Reeves’ new sap theory notwithstanding. — Edward- 
Luckiiurst, Warrens, Harold Wood , Romford. 
CULTURE OF CYCLAMEN PERSICUM. 
Although the culture of the Persian Cyclamen has been fre¬ 
quently written about, yet the plant baffles the majority of private 
gardeners. I believe many failures may be attributed to having a 
poor strain of seed, as it is impossible to grow good plants from 
seed which has been saved from debilitated parents. Grow the 
plants how you will, they have an inherent weakness that you 
cannot remedy. Of course good culture will have to be combined 
with good seed, or satisfactory results cannot be expected. 
Next to the seed the soil is the most important consideration.. 
The Cyclamen appears to have a partiality for soil which has a fair 
proportion of lime in its composition, and where this is known to be 
deficient some old lime rubbish should be added. Sowing may be 
done at various times, but for producing good flowering plants by 
next Christmas twelvemonth, the present is a good time. The seed 
should not be sown in a haphazard manner, as on this operation 
success in the earlier stages of the plant’s progress depends. 
Procure some ordinary seed pans, and half fill them with drainage. 
Over this place a layer of flaky leaf soil, and fill with equal parts of 
leaf soil and loam, with a good addition of silver sand. Press in 
rather firmly, and fill within a half-inch of the top. The next pro¬ 
ceeding is to dibble the seeds in singly, an inch apart, and a quarter 
of an inch deep. This is exactly how the seed is sown by some of 
our largest growers, and is considered of particular importance to 
secure good results. The benefit of being an inch apart will be seen. 
