December 27, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
577 
at the two plants. One was considered a free-flowering variety 
and the other the shy-flowering sort. The latter was raised from 
a cutting from a plant that was condemned on this account and 
thrown away, and which was slightly rounder at the extremity of 
the leaves than the other. As the plants increased in size it 
became necessary to select one or the other. The choice fell on 
the largest plant, which was the shy-flowering one, although it had 
not displayed any disposition to flower freely up to this stage. But 
we have had no occasion to regret the choice, for during the past 
two years, although the plant has grown luxuriantly, it has also 
flowered profusely. Some of the short stubby growths have been 
regular bouquets of bloom, while the long strong growths (some of 
them 2 inches in circumference at the base) have yielded large 
trusses at every joint. 
In many gardens this plant is grown under conditions that are 
not favourable to flowering it even moderately well. The stove 
proper is no place for the Stephanotis, and under ordinary stove 
treatment I should be surprised if it did flower satisfactorily. The 
conditions of an ordinary plant stove is too warm and too moist for 
it, often too shaded, and in addition the [ lant is deprived under these 
conditions of a complete Season of rest that is of the utmost 
importance if flowers are to be had in abundance. The heat and 
moisture of an ordinary stove are certainly favourable to rapid, 
even luxuriant, growth. Anyone anxious to produce large plants 
quickly could not do better than push them on in brisk heat and in 
a moist atmosphere, but when they want flowers the treatment 
must be altered, or disappointment is certain to follow. 
I have said plants that fail to flower, satisfactorily are often 
overshaded, and this may arise, not only from the application of 
shading to the roof, but by training the shoots of the plant too 
thickly together. This course is objectionable by affording too 
much shade to the young growths, and it prevents the thorough 
ripening of the wood after flowering by the exclusion of light and 
air. This method of training provides one of the best harbours 
for mealy bug that can possibly be had. To flower the plant pro¬ 
fusely it should be freely exposed to the sun. This insures the 
solidity of the young wood sufficient to flower well and thorough 
ripening afterwards. Training, on the principles indicated, may be 
followed to prevent the shoots twining together and thus becoming 
unmanageable. The best of all methods of training large plants 
grown under the roof is to draw the shoots as they grow from the 
roof and allow them to hang from the plant in a natural manner. 
Although the shoots grow several yards in length on this principle, 
they appear to flower with greater freedom than if trained thinly 
on strings close under the roof, which is the next best method of 
training the growths of vigorous plants. If the shoots are drawn 
downwards they are kept in order with very little trouble, and 
insects are easily kept down by being able to syringe every portion 
of the plant. Drawing the shoots down so that they hang naturally 
is advised after the plant has filled the space allotted to it, or is 
sufficiently full of wood at any position under the roof. If the 
object is to fill space, then all the leading growths should be 
trained under the roof. This method allows of securing double the 
wood that would be the case if the young shoots had to be trained 
in that position as well. This means double the flowers, or nearly 
so. By this mode of culture the earliest shoots that have flowered 
can be cut close back. They invariably, in a good season, produce 
others that will flower freely. At any rate the wood can be 
thinned without much trouble when cleaning and pruning time 
arrives, and that left is needed for training under the roof. When 
once the roof is well furnished the whole of the shoots can be 
pruned close back, leaving two or three pair of leaves only on the 
current season’s wood. The cutting away of large quantities of 
wood at one time should not be practised; it should be done 
gradually to avoid a check to the roots, and thus causing quantities 
of young fibry roots to die. 
Sometimes the stove is too warm and too moist for this plant. 
The conditions generally maintained in such structures encourage 
soft wood at the expense of flowei s. If blooms are required early 
the plant may with advantage be started in a brisk moist tempera¬ 
ture, but as soon as the growths are 9 inches or 1 foot in length 
gradually lower the temperature by using less fire heat at night 
and by admitting air during the day. This means a dry atmosphere 
and firm wood. From the end of May this year we discontinued 
the use of fire heat. Air was admitted liberally during the day, 
and the house closed moderately early during the early part of the 
season. Since then the ventilators only have been closed at night ; 
during the day the structure has been aired the same as a green¬ 
house. During October and until the plant is started again into 
growth the night temperature will be 50°; in case of severe weather 
we shall allow it to fall to 45° by morning. The atmosphere for 
some time has been dry, and the plant on the dry side at its roots. 
Under these conditions ripened wood of the best quality and a 
complete rest is insured. 
By following this or similar treatment, and growing the plant 
in fibry loam and one-seventh of manure, with charcoal and sand 
added, the supposed shy-flowering varieties would prove themselves 
profuse enough to satisfy all. —Wm. Bardney. 
CHRISTMAS VEGETABLES. 
About this time last year, when complimented on the quality 
of our Pine Apples and the excellence of our forced Asparagus, we 
took it as a good opportunity to remark that our glass structures 
were neither so modern nor numerous as we would like them. 
The reply was, “ Perhaps not, but we always have plenty.” To 
merit this remark has been our ambition for many years, and it re¬ 
presents an accomplishment which every cultivator in the country 
should strive to acquire ; but more especially at Christmas, when 
produce is expensive in the market and much appreciated on the 
table. If ample forcing appliances are provided Asparagus, Sea- 
kale, and Rhubarb should be forthcoming in quantity at Christmas, 
and where no special constructions are supplied for the purpose 
efforts must be made to work them in by contrivances. 
To have superior forced vegetables now, apart altogether from 
forcing appliances, it is absolutely necessary that the roots be well 
grown. Weak Asparagus roots, spindly Seakale thongs, and ex¬ 
hausted Rhubarb clumps will never yield strong, juicy, and abundant 
produce. It is therefore the duty of all who intend forcing these 
at Christmas to supply themselves with suitable roots, and to do 
this several years are required ; but when forcing is converted into 
a system and provision is annually made to meet the demands good 
roots will never be wanting. Asparagus, Seakale. and Rhubarb are 
the main kitchen garden roots for forcing ; each of them gives the 
highest satisfaction on the table at this time, and the more detailed 
means of growing them have often been given in these pages. 
Next to these, as an artificially grown commodity, come Mush¬ 
rooms. They form a valuable breakfast as well as a dinner or 
supper dish, and plenty of Mushrooms, especially when open air 
vegetables are scarce, are most valued. In Mushroom growing, and 
indeed in all else that has to be in for Christmas, a great deal of 
forethought is required, and with a due amount of this properly 
applied there need be little anxiety ; failure will be the exception. 
But it is not in forcing roots alone that forethought is needed. 
We all know that herbs are luxuriant in summer and in greater de¬ 
mand at Christmas than any other time ; but their abundance four 
or five months ago will do nothing to supply the demand now 
unless quantities were cut, dried, and stored in the season of plenty. 
This may appear a small matter, but we have known many good 
gardeners considerably worried over this little omission. This is 
no season for raising and hurrying in any vegetables in the open 
air. The majority of them must have been planted some months 
previously. These include Brussels Sprouts, Savoys, Leeks, 
Broccoli and Spinach. Brussels Sprouts are quite in season at 
Christmas. At that time they may be regarded as the choicest of all 
open air greens. Although the past season was not in their favour 
they have “buttoned” well, but they have hardly gained their 
usual height. Savoys are much coarser, yet useful. Broccoli are 
not always plentiful at this time of year, even where plenty of 
plants are grown, as their “heading” depends very much on the 
weather. Frost is much against their forming, but it does not kill 
the plants and only retards them. Spinach should be almost fully 
grown before now, as it does not make much progress at this 
season. Parsley is always in great demand. Full grown plants 
are the most useful. Frost shrivels it considerably, and it may be 
necessary to protect some with hoops and mats. Parsnips may be 
left in the ground and dug as required, so long as the ground does 
not become frost-bound, and previous to this a quantity should be 
lifted and stored for use during the time the frost lasts. The same 
remarks apply to Salsafy. Roots, and bulbs, including Carrots, Beet, 
Onions and Potatoes, should be stored early in winter for Christ¬ 
mas use. Onions are important, and a good supply of them must 
be forthcoming. Until now these roots have not kept so well as 
they have often done, and as they will all be required for a long 
time they must be examined and all defaulting specimens removed. 
Mustard and Cress are great helps in salads, but they are so easily 
raised in quantity that little need be said about them.—A Kitchen 
Gardener. 
GARDEN WALKS. 
There is nothing in a garden, nor connected with it, that 
affords a greater amount of comfort or gratification than a good 
walk for in it “ beauty and utility ” ought to be strictly united, 
and in fact, it cannot justly be called a good one unless it possesses 
both these qualifications ; and for such walks as intersect the 
kitchen garden utility may be regarded as of paramount import¬ 
ance for it is reasonable to suppose that the walks in a kitchen 
