60 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 28, 1892. 
exhibition will do well to grow plants. Chemin, a French variety, 
turned out very satisfactory, being a profuse cropper with hand¬ 
some oval fruit of high quality, and this will no doubt become a 
very popular variety. 
Cabbages .—I am finding the Christmas Drumhead very useful, 
and far preferable to Savoys. Those who do not like the strong 
flavour of the latter will do well to try the former. They heart-up 
well and quickly. 
Lettuces .—Of these I found New York Cabbage far and away 
the most profitable. They are very large and solid, and I find are 
in greater request than other varieties I grow, of which I was 
most pleased with my favourite—Blond Blockhead, which I notice 
Messrs. Vilmorin have re-christened Blond Stonehead, although to 
my idea Blond Crisphead would have been more appropriate, for 
a crisper kind I do not know. Goldenbead I grew, but I do not 
like the colour ; and I prefer the crisp varieties—like Stonehead, 
Buttons’ Favourite, and New York—to the softer-leaved Golden- 
head Chavigny (an excellent variety), and many others. In the 
Cos section the new White Longstanding was a good Lettuce, and 
did not readily run to seed. It also grew to a large size, and was 
profitable. The latter quality is an important one to some people. 
Peas. —Laxton’s Charmer charmed me once more, and to those 
who want peas, and not bloated pods, it will be useful. Sharpe’s 
Triumph and Queen are two good Peas, not too tall ; the pods 
are large, but the peas are ditto. Veitch’s Autocrat, somewhat 
taller, is a distinct gain. The bloom on the deep-coloured pods is 
very taking, and it is a good cropper, with peas deep green and of 
good flavour. Laxton’s Oracle is a grand cropper, all the pods 
being in couples; pods long, with peas packed closely in 2|- feet 
high. An unnamed Pea from Mr. Laxton grew G feet high, and 
bore immense pods filled with peas, and this doubtless will be a 
great favourite with exhibitors ; but another unnamed one will live 
for many a day, or I am mistaken. It is about 3^ feet high, deep 
coloured peas, closely packed to the number of eight to ten in 
curved pods. It is the latest of all Peas, and the time the pods 
remain in good condition is very noticeable. I consider this Pea 
the greatest acquisition we have had for years. Walton Hero I 
did not like. 
Black Queen Beet has very dark foliage, and the roots are of 
deep colour. The size is medium and the quality good ; President 
Carnot Brussels Sprout is not so good as Buttons’ Exhibition ; and 
Holborn Favourite Melon is a beautiful fruit, sets fairly well, and 
will be found very useful.—H. S. Easty. 
PLANTS FOR ROOMS. 
However artistic and elaborate halls and rooms may be 
decorated and furnished they always lack finish in the absence 
of suitable plants. Perhaps there never was a time in the history 
of horticulture when plants for these purposes were in greater 
demand, or taxed the energies of the gardener to a greater extent. 
It is indeed questionable if any other branch of gardening tries the 
skill and patience of the young gardener more than the preparation 
of plants suitable for room decoration. Old hands at this business 
think little of the wholesale destruction of plants that have been 
grown for the purpose ; but to the young gardener it is dishearten¬ 
ing at first to see the care and labour of weeks and months brought 
80 speedily to a termination. The time comes back vividly to my 
mind when deep regret has been felt at leaving some fine specimen 
in a draughty unsuitable position. 
My object is to point out for the guidance of others how plants 
can be produced for this purpose. For the present these remarks 
will be confined to foliage plants, and partially to those that possess 
green foliage. It is, I think, undeniable that in the majority of 
positions plants with green foliage are most effective. Those with 
coloured foliage are often spoiled by the background or the colour 
of surrounding objects. A plant that may be a perfect specimen 
of beauty in the house in which it is grown (say a well-developed 
and highly coloured Croton Warreni), or such a conspicuous object 
in a group rising from a groundwork of Adiantum cuneatum or 
other suitable greenery, may not be so striking or effective in 
many positions in rooms as the common Aspidistra lurida or its 
variegated form. 
Ttie first object is to ascertain the taste and requirements of 
those for whose appreciation the plants are grown ; these will be 
found to vary so widely that we cannot linger to inquire into them. 
They will range, however, from those who require anything that is 
large and green to those who will have choice flowering plants 
crowded everywhere. Much can be done by steady perseverance 
and forethought to modify extremes, and it is surprising how the 
character of the plants used and the method of employing them 
can be almost entirely changed when the good taste of those to 
whom the work is entrusted has been observed. 
The first year is frequently the most trying to the young 
gardener, especially if his stock of suitable plants is limited to 
commence with. It is often the case, and the first year is spent in 
propagating and growing those that may prove useful for his pur¬ 
pose. It is difficult to form a just estimate at first of the number 
of plants that may be needed, but this can be determined after¬ 
wards. As much should be prepared as can be grown and developed 
without crowding. Too many plants are as great an evil as too few ; 
time, labour, and material are wasted in addition to the risk of 
partially spoiling the whole. 
When a stock of suitable plants has been obtained the work is 
by no means difficult if the right method of procedure is practised 
afterwards. After years of experience we have come to the conclu¬ 
sion that the system so frequently practised of changing the 
plants at short intervals and supplying others of a similar nature is 
one of the worst modes of carrying out this work. This system 
results in the houses being filled with stunted specimens, which, 
every time they are used, become worse until they are unsuitable 
for any purpose. Those who have visited many gardens are 
familiar with these stunted, lingering specimens, and also with the 
remark that “We cannot keep a decent plant here, we have so 
much house-work to do.” 
To have plants for room decoration and for other forms of 
embellishment for which they may be required in the best 
possible condition and the houses filled with plants in various 
stages is not difficulo. This is accomplished by constant sowing, 
propagating, and growing plants to take the place of those 
that do duty in rooms. The end of all easily grown plants is 
the rubbish heap. When they are removed to rooms we regard 
them, generally, as lost, and fill their places with young specimens. 
When they are used for a solitary day or night the case is 
different. Orchids, Palms, and plants of slow growth or choice 
specimens are changed frequently, to do them as little harm as 
possible, being careful to select for them the best positions. We 
contrive to have two sets of Palms, one for special occasions and 
the other for general purposes, with a few extras to fill the places 
of any that become shabby. These mainly consist of quick 
growing kinds, and are given twelve months’ rest or replaced 
entirely by young stock that is being grown on purpose. 
We have mentioned the Aspidistra, and, though common, it is 
one of the most useful plants that can be grown. For filling the 
base of groups under Palms, where they receive very little hght, 
they stand for a long time without the slightest injury. In halls 
and draughty places this plant has no equal ; if a moderate amount 
of light can reach the foliage and it is kept free from dust it will 
stand in such positions the whole year round. 
Araucaria excelsa is another of those useful plants that should 
be grown in various sizes, from those in 6-inch pots to plants 8 or 
9 feet high, where such large specimens can be employed. By 
changing the plants about at short intervals, from the darker to the 
lighter positions, they can be used constantly. Instead of becoming 
shabby by good treatment and occasional syringing to remove dust 
they will grow and last in creditable condition for years. The 
plants are rather dear, and of slow growth at first ; but when 
fairly started they grow quickly if attended to in potting. This 
plant is graceful and very effective, whether small or large, when 
well furnished at the base, and proves a much cheaper room plant 
than many that are grown for the purpose. 
Cyperus distans is a graceful plant for 5 or 6-inch pots, and it 
does not exceed 18 inches in height. It is easily raised from seed, 
and is most useful during the autumn and winter months. It 
requires abundance of water, and may be used freely in groups, 
singly in light or dark positions, and when shabby conveyed to the 
rubbish heap. The seed should be sown in spring in heat, and 
when the plants are established they should be grown perfectly 
cool. This plant for many purposes will largely take the place of 
Ferns at a time when they are not, without special treatment, in 
their best condition. 
Cyperus natalensis is another useful Sedge. The same size pots 
will suit it well, and the plant is graceful either used singly or for 
raising in groups above other plants of a dwarf nature. It attains 
a height of 2 feet 6 inches, while its flower spikes rise 6 inches 
higher or a little more. The early stages of the plant’s growth 
should be the same as C. distans, but afterwards care is needed not 
to draw up weakly its long grass-like foliage. Of the two named 
this is the more graceful for light effective arrangements. 
Cyperus alternifolius and its variegated form are invaluable 
plants tor rooms, either in small pots or when grown into speci¬ 
mens. In most cases they can be used in various sizes. The small 
ones are raised by cutting away old stems and casting their heads 
in tanks of tepid water, or pegging them on to the surface of small 
pots. Shoots soon start from the centre if placed in the propagat¬ 
ing box. We have never raised them from seed, but have every 
reason to believe they can be freely raised by this method. To 
