410 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 24,1894. 
become wilted, then let him plunge them in a vessel of water, 
leaving the ends of the stems outside the glass if he likes, and if 
the withering has not been too excessive the leaves and shoots will 
soon be as fresh as ever. Is not this freshening the result of the 
imbibition of water, not as vapour, but in liquid form ? and if the 
leaves take up water in its visible state why cannot the roots of 
plants do likewise ? Do not Hyacinths in glasses of water take up 
a portion of the liquid ? The subject introduced is interesting and 
worthy of discussion, as it points to the advantage of burying 
manure deeply, a practice which some persons condemn.— 
A Gardener. 
In reference to the very interesting remarks on the above 
subject by Mr. Raillem, page 388, last issue, I may mention that 
several years ago when potting a number of Lobelia speciosa for 
decorating the edges of paths and stages in a conservatory, I put 
a small quantity of quarter-inch bones over the crocks in the 3-inch 
pots the plants were put in. This was only done to about two 
dozen plants, and was the only difference to the others, which had 
the same soil, and grown on the same shelf. When coming into 
flower there was a very marked difference between those treated 
to the bones and the others. The former were much stronger with 
large dark leaves, but not so floriferous. I turned them out of 
their pots expecting to find the roots clinging and devouring the 
small bones at the bottom, but was surprised to find that not a single 
root was found touching the bones in any case. The manorial 
properties of the bones in this case must have risen in the form of 
vapour, and appropriated by the roots.—D. B., Forth Vineyard. 
SEASONABLE HINTS ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Auriculas. 
Auricula growers, whether they are those who grow for 
exhibition or for home decoration, have had a good time of it this 
year, for I hardly recollect a season in which one has had more 
enjoyment of them than in that which has now ended. 
The season, at any rate in the south of England, has been 
altogether favourable. The latter half of April, when our collec¬ 
tions were in the fulness of their beauty, was dull and cold, and 
consequently the flowers remained for a long time in perfection, 
and even now one has some good trusses of flowers which are not 
quite opened. For the same reasons the plants have done well; 
there have been but few losses, and they are now forming good 
stout foundations for their future well-being. Some of the newer 
kinds, too, such as Mr. Simonite’s Rev. F. D. Horner, the late Mr. 
Woodhead’s Black Bess, Mrs. Dodwell, and George Rudd, and 
those fine seifs Mrs. Potts and Heroine, have vigorous con¬ 
stitutions and form robust plants. I find, however, that George 
Lightbody becomes more difficult to grow. Whether its con¬ 
stitution is becoming more feeble or not I do not know, as I see 
very fine plants of it on the exhibition table, and so I can only 
conclude I do not know how to manage it. Prince of Greens 
always has been a delicate grower and slow of increase. There 
are other new green edges, but it will be some time before they 
come into general cultivation. 
Where seed is not wanted it will now be well to go over the 
collection and remove the flower stems, so as to enable the whole 
vigour of the plant to be given to maturing its crown for another 
year. The plants also should be carefully gone through, all 
decaying foliage removed, and if there be any appearance of 
green fly, the pits, or houses, or frames where they are grown 
ought to be fumigated previous to their removal. This ought to be 
done at once, and a sheltered position facing north secured for 
them. When the frames are placed where they are to remain 
for the summer the plants should be removed to them. 
With regard to repotting there have been various suggestions 
made as to the best time for performing the operation ; but I have 
come to the conclusion after more than fifty years' experience that 
it matters very little, and therefore any time from this forward 
acccording to convenience will answer. I believe, too, that the 
more simple the compost used the better will the Auriculas thrive. 
The abominable mixtures which the older florists used to recom¬ 
mend have been long since discarded, and I do not suppose there is 
now one Auricula grower who uses any of them. If a good 
strong turfy loam is employed in about three parts to one of well 
decayed cow manure and a little road grit, powdered charcoal or 
coarse sand to keep it open, nothing more is required. In repotting, 
of course, care will be taken that the pots are thoroughly clean, 
about one-third of the pot filled with broken potsherds with some 
of the coarser pieces of the loam, and then partly filled with the 
compost. Before planting each plant mnst be well examined, and 
the carrot or tap root, which in some varieties is apt to be very long, 
should be shortened ; and as very often it becomes more or less 
decayed, every piece of dark or unhealthy root ought to be cut 
away, and the wound dusted with powdered charcoal. It is 
essential that the plants be firmly potted, the soil pressed down, and 
the collar of the plant kept just above the surface. 
I have said nothing regarding the woolly aphis, about which 
Auricula growers had so great a scare some few years ago. De¬ 
struction seemed impending over our collections, and the most 
gloomy forebodings of Auricula growing were placed before us. 
One looks back with some amusement on those days, as we have 
come to the conclusion that this once-dreaded pest does little or 
no damage. Still, if in repotting a colony of them is found around 
the collar of the plant they should be brushed away ; but nothing 
else need be done, and I am quite sure that more plants were 
destroyed by the remedies that were applied to them than would 
have happened if they had been left alone. I generally keep one 
frame for the freshly potted plants, into which they are removed 
after they have had a good watering with a fine rose. This frame 
is shaded and kept close for a few days ; after that air is freely 
given. Water will, of course, be supplied from time to time, 
according to the character of the weather. The use of glazed 
pots, which is now so common among Auricula growers, saves a 
good deal of trouble in this respect, as they do not so readily 
absorb the water given. 
Carnations and Picotees. 
As before said, I have for some time given up the cultivation 
of these in pots, and have had more to do with the border varieties 
than I formerly did. These, after being wintered in small pots, 
were planted out last month, and have made good progress. The 
bountiful rains have been very favourable to their growth. I have 
already staked mine, and as the flower stems grow this must be 
done, or otherwise damage will ensue. With the exception of 
weeding, tying up the flower stems, there is little to be done for 
the next month or so. 
Gladioli. 
These are all, or ought to be, well above ground, and I Lave 
never seen them come up better or more regularly ; the beds will 
require to be weeded, and when the plants are about a foot high 
liquid manure may be applied. It is of no use applying this when 
the spikes are formed, but should rather be used for the purpose of 
adding vigour to the root before this process takes place. Here, 
too, nothing more will be required until later on, when perhaps 
stakes will have to be placed to them. 
Pansies. 
I only grow some of the fancy varieties in pots, and turn 
them out into the border after they have done blooming. The 
prolonged drought of last year was very destructive to mine, and 
the difficulty we have in the south of growing them was greatly 
intensified. I do not expect a repetition of last year, but I have 
questioned whether it might not be better when they have done 
flowering to cut them down and plunge them, pot and all, in a 
border and take cuttings as they develop themselves. I have 
hitherto been contented with the somewhat lazy method of pulling 
the plants to pieces in September and then repotting them, but I 
am inclined to think that better results would be obtained by 
depending more on cuttings. 
Ranunculuses. 
It has been a glorious time for this moisture-loving root, and 
my two beds look most promising, and as if I should be rewarded 
for the care taken of them by an abundant bloom. I am much 
surprised that they are not more grown, and even in Scotland, 
where Lightbody, Kilgour, and others used to grow them so 
successfully, and where so many good seedlings were raised, I 
believe they have gone nearly, if not quite, out of cultivation. 
This is a pity, for a more beautiful sight than a bed of these 
elegantly shaped flowers with all their brilliant hues of colouring 
can hardly be imagined. 
Roses. 
This will now be a busy, and to some Rose growers an anxious 
time. The plants have made during the past few weeks vigorous 
growth, but have not advanced much as far as I can judge towards 
flowering. There is the greatest possible contrast in this respect 
between them now and this time last year. Thus there was com¬ 
paratively little growth in the wood, but a rush towards blooming ; 
this was, I think, easily accounted for. In May we were in the 
middle of the drought, rain had not fallen for two months, we had 
had abundance of brilliant sunshine, and as there was no moisture 
at the roots to encourage growth, the plants were driven to put 
forth their energies into the flowering buds. This year we have 
had such copious supplies of rain that I imagine the temperature of 
the ground must be much lower than it was in the middle of last 
