March 9, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
207 
repotting. If they have been plunged in bottom heat they should be 
returned to it for a time, 75° to 80° being sufficient, but otherwise 
bottom heat is not necessary. Clean pots and efficient drainage should 
always be provided in Vine culture. Cut-bach Vines will be accommo¬ 
dated in 7-inch pots ; those that were shaken out some time ago, potted 
in that size, have filled the pots with roots and made 18 inches or more 
of cane, should be shifted into 12-inch pots, potting firmly. Good turfy 
yellow loam, with a 9-inch potful of steamed bonemeal, a similar 
quantity of soot, and double the amount of wood ashes to 3 bushels of 
loam, mixed, form a good compost for Vines in pots. If the loam be 
rather strong add a sixth part of old mortar rubbish. Keep the Vines 
rather close and moderately moist until they are established. Train the 
canes near the glass, as they cannot have too much light, it being 
important that the growth be solidified as it is made, and the laterals 
should be repressed so as to concentrate the vigour on the principal 
leaves, which must be kept clean. 
Pines. — Slickers .—The rooting of these after potting and placing 
in a close moist pit in bottom heat will be indicated by the growth of 
the foliage, but it is as well to turn the plants out of the pots so as to 
ascertain the condition of the soil and the roots. Those issuing from 
the suckers or plants subjected to similar treatment are very tender 
and susceptible to injury from the effect of too much bottom heat, hence 
when they reach the sides of the pots a temperature of 85° is ample, 
above which there is danger. When the bottom heat is more than that 
the pots should be raised, placing some loose tan under and around them, 
so as to allow the superabundant heat to pass away. The plants must 
not be neglected for water at the roots, but none must be given until it 
is required, and then a full supply, always tepid, with some stimulant 
held in solution, as guano, 1 lb. to 20 gallons of water. 
Potting Plants .—Young stock will now make roots rapidly, therefore 
have soil in readiness for transferring them to the fruiting pots, it being 
important that they be grown without a check. Sound fibrous yellow or 
hazel loam in good sized lumps is the best material for potting, pressing 
it firmly round the roots of the plants, watering the plants with tepid 
water, and plunging them in a bottom heat of 90° to 95° until the roots 
have possession of the fresh soil, when 85° is more suitable. 
Fruiting Plants ,— These and others that are near the flowering state 
should have a night temperature of 65° to 70°, and 75° by day, with 80° 
to 90° from sun heat, closing at 85°, well damping all available surfaces 
in the house at the time. The plants may be lightly sprinkled occa¬ 
sionally, but not when they are in flower. Similar remarks apply to 
successional plants as regards damping the house and sprinkling the 
plants overhead, affording them a bottom heat of about 85°. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Tuberous Begonias. —It is a great mistake to leave the seedlings 
in the pan long after they have formed their first leaves. They 
can be readily moved with a very small stick having a forked point, this 
being inserted under the leaves, another pointed stick being used for 
loosening the soil about the roots. Use a light soil, and place the 
seedlings about an inch apart in pans. Give a gentle watering, cover 
with squares of glass, place on a warm stage or shelf in a forcing house, 
and shade carefully from strong sunshine. After about three days tilt 
the glass slightly. When nearly touching each other remove them to 
larger boxes, disposing the plants 3 inches apart each way. They ought 
still to be kept in gentle heat, and if extra fine plants are required for 
bedding out transplant to a pit or frame where the benefit of mild 
bottom heat will be received. On no account place seedling Begonias 
in small pots, this effectually stunting them. 
Old Begronla Tubers. —These do not start nearly so well when 
placed in pots as they do in boxes or beds of moderately rich soil, or a 
mixture of fresh loam, leaf soil, and old Mushroom bed manure. Last 
year’s bulbs are the best for giving a display of extra fine flowers, and 
there should be no coddling resorted to. All would start naturally in a 
pit or frame from which frosts were excluded, and if disposed not less 
than 6 inches apart each way fine plants will be ready for the beds 
early in June. Older bulbs may be similarly treated, but if the variety 
is worth preserving it would pay w^ell for being split into as many pieces 
as can be had with a shoot attached. Start these in gentle heat, divide 
* when the shoots are about 2 inches long, return the divisions to boxes, 
and keep in gentle heat till they are rooting strongly. 
Begonia Weltonlensls. —There are several species of Begonias 
that succeed fairly well bedded out ; but, as a rule, they compare badly 
with the tuberous-rooted section. The old B. Weltoniensis is a note¬ 
worthy exception, the hahit, foliage, and flowers all being good, a neat 
circular bed filled with this variety and edged with blue Lobelia being 
a welcome change. If any old plants have been wintered under a 
greenhouse stage remove what long ends there may be attached, start 
in gentle heat, and take off and place the cuttings in heat. When 
rooted top them, and soon after either place singly in 2^-inch pots 
or in boxes. If stopped a second time neat bushy plants will be 
available by the end of May. 
Two Good Blue Flowers. —Blue flowers are always scarce, but 
two old plants which give flowers of the richest blue colour are Salvia 
patens and Delphinium formosum. The former has roots much 
resembling those of Dahlias, and being wintered in a very similar 
manner can be made to produce cuttings freely now. Placed in boxes 
of soil and given the benefit of gentle heat shoots will be produced from 
the base, and these should be detached and rooted in a heated frame. 
Top the rooted cuttings, pot singly, and otherwise treat similarly to 
Dahlias. The old roots maybe divided, and also planted out. Delphinium 
formosum is very effective, and if raised from seed now the plants will 
flower this summer, and much more strongly next year. Sow in a pan 
of light soil, place in brisk heat, prick out the seedlings in other pans or 
boxes of good soil, and duly harden off and plant out. If wanted to 
flower late top the plants once, otherwise there should be no stopping. 
Shrubby Calceolarias. —If these have been wintered in frames 
or pits, and either in boxes or in a bed of soil, the plants will now 
be growing strongly. The tops most probably are long enough for 
making into cuttings, and will sometimes root fairly well in gentle heat, 
though spring-struck plants are rarely so serviceable as those rooted in 
the autumn. Cuttings not being wanted top all the plants, and by the 
time they have broken afresh it will perhaps be convenient and safe to 
bed them out temporarily. 
Violas and Pansies.— It is most unwise to coddle these plants, 
and it ought soon to be possible to wholly dispense with the lights now 
over them. Supposing that it is not possible to place them soon where 
they are to flower, and also that the plants at present are not more than 
2 inches apart each way, they must soon be temporarily bedded out 
4 inches asunder, where they will develop into sturdy plants ready 
for the beds early in May. For a later display of Pansies sow seed 
thinly in pans or boxes any time during March or early in April. 
It will germinate readily in gentle heat, and if the plants are rather 
plentiful prick them out early in other boxes of good soil, and from 
these transfer to the open beds or borders. 
Sweet Peas.— Most of the newer varieties are best sown under 
glass. Planting out of pots seems also to favour a strong branching and 
more continuous habit of flowering than is the case when the seeds are 
sown where the plants are to grow. Four or five seeds in each 3-inch 
pot are enough, and these germinate quickly in a brisk heat. If those 
sown in the open are coming up badly sow more seed in pots, and 
when the plants have been duly hardened off make good the gaps with 
these. 
ivxigrnonette. —Early sowings of Mignonette are often a failure in 
the open, and the surest way of having an early supply is to sow seed 
thinly in small pots, placing these in heat. Early reduce the seedlings 
to three or four in a pot, harden off, and plant out before the soil is 
crowded with roots. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Carnations. —Plants that have been wintered in cold frames and 
are well rooted may be transferred into larger pots if they are wanted 
for flowering under glass. Place these plants singly in 6-inch pots, or 
two or three in 8 and 9-inch pots. After potting return them to frames, 
or a cool, light airy house, placing the pots on moisture-holding material. 
If frost is kept from them they will soon start into growth. Directly 
aphides make their appearance fumigate with tobacco smoke. These 
plants do well in good loam, one-seventh of decayed manure, and coarse 
sand. Cuttings of Miss Jolliffe that have been in a cool house may be 
taken off and inserted in sandy soil in pots or in a box and covered with 
a square of glass. If the box containing the cuttings is stood where 
they can enjoy slight bottom heat they will quickly form roots. 
Primulas. —To produce plants for early flowering sow seed now in 
light soil passed through a fine sieve, so that aa even surface can be 
made. The seeds should be barely covered and then watered lightly 
with a fine-rose can. Cover the pan with a square of glass and a sheet 
of paper and place in a temperature of 65°. P. obconica may also be 
sown, but do not cover the seed with soil. 
Celoslas. —For an early batch seed may be sown without delay, just 
covering it. Where Cockscombs, Balsams, Petunias, and other similar 
plants are appreciated sow seed in small quantities. 
Heliotropes. —Where standards are appreciated cuttings of soft 
wood should be inserted in 5-inch pots without delay. The cuttings will 
root freely under hand-lights in a warm house. Young plants established 
in 5-inch pots will soon commence flowering freely if placed in a light 
house where a temperature of 55° can be given them. Plants that have 
become straggling may be cut back for succession. 
Solanums. —These should be pruned back and placed in a heated 
structure until they break into growth. When this takes place reduce 
the old balls and repot the plants. Seedlings or plants raised by 
cuttings and established in 2-inch pots may he placed into larger pots. 
Keep these growing on in an intermediate temperature. 
Frunus sinensis. —Plants that have flowered may be pruned 
closely and stood in a Peach house at work until they start into growth, 
when repot if they need more root room. If the plants are in pots 
large enough reduce the balls by one-third, and place them again into 
others of the same size. Cuttings of young wood taken off close to 
where they issue from the old stem root freely in candy soil under 
bellglasses in heat. 
Deutzla grracllls. —Cuttings may be taken from any plants that have 
young soft growths upon them if an increase of stock is needed. These 
cuttings root freely in sandy soil, and may afterwards be planted in 
boxes a few inches apart. After the young plants are rooted the point 
of the leading shoot should be removed to induce them to branch. 
Capital little plants will be produced by the time the weather is 
sufficiently genial for planting them outside. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
John E. Knight, 28, Dudley Street, Wolverhampton.— Cata¬ 
logue of Seeds. 
Hogg «& Robertson, 22, Mary Street, Dublin .—Select Farm Seeds. 
Cooper, Taber, & Co., Limited, 90, Southwark Street, London, E.C.— 
Agricultural Seeds. 
