128 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 18, 1892. 
the last three weeks of their existence it was not worth while to pass 
heyond the limits of the advertisement and make this appointment. A 
proposal to postpone the appointment until after March 5th, and 
another to re-advertise the post having been rejected, Mr. Corbett’s 
amendment was put as a substantive motion, and was agreed to by a 
large majority. 
-Gardening Appointments.—M r. J. Tullett, for the past three 
years head gardener to Sir Edward Blackett, Bart., Matfen Hall, New- 
castle-on-Tyne, and previously seven years foreman to the late Duke 
of Cleveland, Baby Castle, Darlington, Durham, succeeds the late Mr. 
Westcott as head gardener at Baby, and Mr. Atkinson, foreman at 
Matfen Hall, succeeds Mr. Tullett. Mr. H. B. Brown of Boydon 
Lodge, Essex, has been appointed head gardener to A. B. Welch 
Thornton, Esq., Beaurepaire Park, Basingstoke, Hants. Mr. Edward G. 
Grist wood, for the past two and a half years gardener to General 
H. J. T. Neild, The Chestnuts, Hayes, Middlesex, has been appointed 
gardener to Mrs. Tenot, Woodstone Manor, Peterborough, and com¬ 
mences his duties on the 22 nd inst. 
- Pruning Vines.—T he greater part of the recent contribution 
to this subject by “ H. S.,” page 108, is devoted to explaining what he in¬ 
tended to convey in his former note, page 6. If my critic will read the 
original article on the subject (page 489) with an unbiassed mind, noting 
the wide range in the method of pruning recommended under different 
circumstances, I think he will see at once that he has taken great pains 
to prove facts that I have not yet disputed (always excepting the difficulty 
about training the 2 feet shoot). There is one remark, however, in his latest 
note which ought not to pass unnoticed. “ H. S.” speaks of having charge 
of vineries in which the rods are only 2 feet apart. The sooner those rods 
are reduced in number, or the spurs thinned, the better for all interested 
in their well-being.—H. Dunkin, 
- Pentstemons. —Somehow the Pentstemon has not worked its 
way in England into the popularity it enjoys in Scotland, and I wonder 
at it, for there is much marvellous beauty about many of the fine named 
varieties, and it is a plant easily cultivated. Seed may be sown now 
and the seedlings when pricked off soon make strong plants for planting 
out in May ; but a warm, dry situation should be selected for them, and 
the soil porous and free, but not too rich. We should aim at getting 
as much flower as possible, and not exuberant growth. But to see the 
beauty and form of the improved varieties, some of the best named soits 
should be obtained and grown, for as pot plants they are beautiful 
and decorative, and many of the shades of colours and pencillings 
and markings of the throat are distinct and pleasing. Young plants 
obtained now would make strong plants by May, and the propagation 
for the next year’s supply is easy, simply taking cuttings of each in 
August, striking them in a cool place, and either keeping them in 
store pots in a cool place through the winter or placing into small 
pots. The old plants also can easily be kept in a cold frame, pro¬ 
tected from severe frosts, but with plenty of air in fine weather.—W. D. 
- Jasminum nudiflorum.— This is undoubtedly one of the 
most useful of all hardy climbers which flower in the winter and spring 
months. It will grow in almost any situation, but to see it in perfection 
during the early weeks of February it requires the shelter of a wall 
having a south aspect, and a rather dry soil. A thick sandstone wall 
here is covered with this useful shrub, and it supplies flowers which are 
especially useful for cutting. It has a capital effect when a few vases 
are entirely devoted to it, cutting the shoots from 1 foot to 18 inches in 
length, and arranging a few long pieces of the common Broom (Cytisus 
scoparius) with them. These leafless shoots at the present time of the 
year are of a beautiful bright green colour. The style of growth is 
exactly suited to that of the Jasminum. It requires but little pruning. 
As soon as the flowering period is over the shoots should be thinned 
and fastened to the wall at intervals, so that the young shoots as they 
grow hang loosely from it. 
- Wistaria sinensis now requires attention in pruning, and 
those who are not thoroughly satisfied with the way in which their 
plants flower, to leave more young wood than they have hitherto been 
in the habit of doing. The long trailing shoots which are freely pro¬ 
duced during the summer months, where they are properly ripened, are 
capable of bearing wreaths of flowers. When the old branches are 
evenly covered with spurs abundance of flowers are invariably obtained 
by cutting the young shoots back to two eyes, but wherever branches 
devoid of spurs occur young shoots should be trained in to cover them. 
Suckers are freely produced from the base of old plants, and it is at all 
times a capital practice to train a few of these up the main stem, so that 
they may be ready for filling up vacant spaces which sometimes occur 
through the loss of old branches, and in other instances spurs that have 
become gnarled and long may be entirely removed to make room for 
the young shoots. 
- Banksian Boses. —When pruning and nailing creepers on 
walls and mansions at this time of the year the desire to secure trimness 
and symmetry is at all times commendable, provided it is not at the 
expense of flowering shoots, and I fancy that want of success in flower¬ 
ing these beautiful Boses is sometimes due to the fact that they are 
pruned in much the same way as H.P.’s. The real pruning of this class 
of Boses should take place directly after flowering, when the shoots 
should be cut back closely so that they may produce wood which 
will flower the following spring. The only pruning necessary now is to 
cut out very weak growth, and remove the points of shoots that are not 
sufficiently well ripened to flower.—H. D. 
- The Horticultural Club.—T he annual dinner of this Club 
took place on Tuesday, the 9th inst., at their rooms. Hotel Windsor, 
Victoria Street, Westminster, and was, without doubt, the most success¬ 
ful one it has ever held. The chair was occupied, in the absence of 
Sir John D. Llewelyn, the Chairman, by Mr. Harry J. Veitch, Vice- 
Chairman, who was supported by nearly forty members and their 
friends. Amongst those present were the Bev. W. Wilks, the 
Bev. F. B. Burnside; Messrs. John Lee, Crowley, H. J. Pearson, 
J. S. Cousins, C. T. Druery, Arthur J. Veitch, George Bunyard, 
Harry Turner, T. W. Girdlestone, C. E. Pearson, Joseph Cheal, 
P. Soper, H. Percy Hall, James Webber, George Monro, A. C. 
Wheeler, &c. During the evening a selection of most excellent music, 
both vocal and instrumental, was given under the direction of Mr. 
George Bunyard, and several good recitations were given by Mr. C. T. 
Druery and others. The Chairman, after the usual loyal toasts, proposed 
“ The Prosperity of the Club,” and spoke in strong terms of the excellent 
work which it had done in bringing together in social intercourse those 
interested in horticulture, both amateur and professional, thus ably 
filling an existing void, and he wished it many years of usefulness. 
This was responded to by the Hon. Secretary, who said that they had 
every reason to be satisfied with their position. They had this year been 
enabled to add to their small funded property, had been enabled to 
receive amongst them several of those gentlemen who had come to 
London to be present at the Boyal Horticultural Society’s meetings, 
and in many ways to advance the interests of horticulture. Mr. T. W. 
Girdlestone proposed “ The Boyal Horticultural Society,” which was 
responded to by Mr. H. J. Pearson. The toast of “ The Chairman ” was 
given in sympathetic and forcible terms by the Bev. W. Wilks, whose 
remarks elicited warm approval from the guests. Some of the friends 
contributed some excellent dishes of Apples and Pears towards the 
dessert, Mr. Bunyard sending some fine examples of Glou Mor^eau and 
other Pears, Mr. Harry Turner Cox’s Orange Pippin and other Apples, 
and Mr. Webber of Covent Garden some fine examples of Newtown 
Pippin and beautifully preserved samples of English-grown Blenheim 
Pippins, which were greatly admired. The meeting was a most success¬ 
ful one, and, it is hoped, will give a fresh impetus to the Club. Five 
new members were added, and all expressed themselves highly gratified 
at the excellence of the arrangements. 
The May Flower. 
One of the most beautiful of the Lselias, and at the same time 
one of the most difficult to grow successfully, is L. majalis, the 
Flor de Mayo, or May Flower of Mexico. Concerning this fine 
Orchid, of which an illustration is given in fig. 19, the late Mr. 
B. S. Williams wrote as follows two or three years ago, to 
accompany a handsome coloured plate in the “ Orchid Album ” 
(plate 372) :—This beautiful species would appear to have been 
discovered early in the dajs of intercourse between Mexico and 
Europe, as it is mentioned by Hernandez in 1615, and to this day 
it must be reckoned amongst the very finest plants we have in 
cultivation. For the size of its bulbs the flowers are larger than 
any other Orchid with which we are acquainted, but it has never 
been grown to the extent which its merits entitle it to. Many 
