90 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Febrnary 2, 1888. 
student can do much as an original investigator. In horticulture we 
have abundant examples of specialists who are also first-rate “ all 
round ” gardeners, and a few visits to the gardens managed by such 
men would be sufficient to remove the antiquated prejudices that some 
people possess. Mr. E. Molyneux, for instance, has made his fame as a 
Chrysanthemum grower, but all who have visited Swanmorc Park or 
seen his vegetable, fruit, and plant exhibits at shows can testify to his 
abilities as a thoroughly practical cultivator. Mr. J. Douglas is another 
example of a similar kind. As already noted, he has long made a special 
study of Orchids, but after an hour or two in the Great Gearies Gardens 
a visitor would think that their superintendent made a specialty of 
everything under his charge. The same could be said of many gardeners 
who have made specialties of fruit or vegetables, such as Mr. Mclndoe, 
Mr. Hunter, Mr. Goodacre, Mr. Woodbridge, and scores of others who 
are very far from being one-idea men. 
Even amongst amateurs themselves, who might naturally be ex¬ 
pected to be more entirely devoted to particular hobbies, plenty of in¬ 
stances could be given of gentlemen, and ladies too, who, while select¬ 
ing one class of plants for an especial share of their attention, have yet 
an extended interest in plants generally. Baron Schroder is well known 
as a distinguished amateur orchidist, but he is almost as partial to his 
Ehododendrons and other outdoor plants, and he knows them as well. 
My experience is that the men who are contented with mediocrity 
in everything are not the men with the largest minds, nor do they, as a 
rule, attain to the best situations. It must not be thought that I 
advocate all young gardeners becoming orchidists, but if a young man 
has a partiality for any one branch of his business let him give his best 
attention to it, while not neglecting the other essential parts, and the 
probability is that he will excel. He, however, is a happy man who is 
prepared to adapt his specialty to the varying requirements of the cir¬ 
cumstances by which he may be surrounded in different situations. 
The fact is that the additional exertion needed to master any subject 
must invariably have a beneficial effect on the mental powers generally, 
for the mind requires training and developing as much as the body. 
Rest assured that when the acquirement of knowledge and self-improve¬ 
ment by working, reading, and thinking is earnestly regarded as a duty 
by young men, they will soon find that it also constitutes one of the 
chief pleasures of life. 
FLOWERING BOUVARDIAS WITHOUT ARTIFICIAL 
HEAT. 
That Bouvardias are accommodating plants as well as being very 
choice when cut flowers are in great demand admits of no doubt, but 
when a good supply of flowers can be had without the aid of artificial 
heat to flower the plants in, Bouvardias are doubly valuable, particu¬ 
larly to those who do not possess a large amount of glass room. The 
large-flowered white variety, Humboldti corymbiflora, produces an 
abundance of fragrant flowers during September and October, when 
other flowers are becoming scarce ; add to this the bright scarlet variety 
elegans and the delicate pink of Vreelandi, and you have varieties suffi¬ 
cient for an early supply of these u.seful flowers. The next question 
which suggests itself is, Where are these plants to be flowered without 
heat ? 
If plants of these varieties are on hand, having flowered last season, 
these should be at once cut down to two or three eyes if the plants are 
young, otherwise cut ‘to one eye if the stock plants are oul ones and 
freely furnished with branches. A vinery or Peach house just started is 
a capital place for them, as the moisture and daily syringings assist the 
Bouvardias to break freely into growth, or failing these a Cucumber or 
Melon house will suffice. To increase the number of plants cuttings 
should be inserted singly in small pots when procurable, those about 
2 inches long taken off with a heel answer best. A brisk bottom heat 
and the protection of handlights or a propagating frame are the best 
means of procuring quickly struck plants. The soil best suited is equal 
parts of peat, loam, and leaf soil, with a liberal use of sharp silver sand. 
When roots are formed and growth commences ventilate gradually, as 
the plants are liable to flag if exposed suddenly to the air. Remove them 
when ready to a shelf or position close to the glass in a temperature not 
less than 00° by night, with a rise of 10° during the day. When the 
plants are 4 inches high pinch out the point of the leader to induce the 
formation of side shoots, and shift the plants into larger pots as re¬ 
quired. Gradually harden them until the s' can be placed in cold frames 
toward the end of April. The stock plants should be shaken out of the 
old soil just before growth commences, replacing them in pots into 
which the roots will go eomfortably, using soil composed of two parts 
peat, one of leaf soil, and one of loam, with a dash of finely ground 
bones and some sand. Pinch the points out of each shoot when 2 inches 
long. Harden them similarly to the younger plants. 
The next consideration is the position they are to occupy during the 
summer, and to flower in later on. We plant ours in pits following a 
crop of Potatoes, by levelli'ig the soil which contains a plentiful supply 
of decayed leaves ; adding a small portion of peat and some bone dust 
we get a compost which suits them well, and they grow vigorously 
and flower freely. Much depends upon the growth made by the white 
variety for the future flowering. The stronger the growth in reason the 
finer the trusses. Plant sufficiently low in the pit to allow of a free 
growth, so that the points of the shoots will not rub against the glass, 
or they are more liable to be destroyed by early frost in October, this is 
why pits are better than cold frames. The middle or end of May is a 
good time to plant them, allowing sufficient space between them, and 
as the current year’s plants will not make more than half a dozen shoots 
from the bottom this will guide the planter as to the distance. The 
growths should not be toppal more than twice, or succeeding growths 
will not be so strong. Keep the pit nearly close for a few days until 
new roots are formed, and shade from bright sun until growth is fairly 
started. Admit air gradually as growth advances until the lights can 
be removed. Give the plants a vigorous syringing every afternoon ; 
supply water freely to the roots, which may be supplemented when the 
flower buds appear by liquid manure not too strong. If black aphides 
attack the points of thj shoots, as they sometimes do, dust the parts 
affected with tobacco powder in the afternoon, and syrinee off in the 
morning. Repeat this in a day or two until the plants are clean. Towards 
the end of August place on the lights, giving abundance of air, gradually 
reducing it as the flowers expand and the nights grow colder. Towards 
the end of September cover the lights with mats to protect from early 
frosts. The centre or extrt me point of each branch will produce the 
first blossoms. If care be exercised in cutting the blooms side growths 
will be produced freely, which will’in turn flower abundantly. By this 
treatment of the plants in pits of this character we have been able to 
cut flowers freely until the middle of November in a mild autumn.— 
E. Molyneux. 
OUR NATIVE FERNS. 
I WISH to say a few words on the above plants, and I for one 
am niuch obliged to those friends who have been the means of re¬ 
minding the lovers of Nature’s beauty that there are in the British 
Isles plants of such beauty, and we have them in such variety that they 
appear as if intended to suit all tastes. The distinct varieties may be 
counted by hundreds, and I believe I am within the bounds of truth in 
asserting that no other country with only nineteen genera of Ferns and 
only forty-three species possesses so many distinct varieties as the 
British Isles. Yet these beauties of our native land seem to be far 
from attracting that share of attention they ought, and in our esti¬ 
mation deserve to do. No doubt there are some reasons for this, and 
I am rather inclined to think one is to be found in the non-appear¬ 
ance month after month of any reference to them or their merits in 
such journals as yours and others. We sec one or two advertisements, 
but seldom a word to commend them to the public. I hop >. you will 
pardon me if I suggest that a short paragraph in your valuable paper 
two or three times a year would not be out of place, and no doubt 
would be acceptable to many of >our friends. I can speak for myself 
that the first thing I look for in the Journal, or any other horticultural 
paper, are the Fern notes. I was much pleased recently to learn that a 
bequest has been made to the Royal Gardens at Kew. A gentleman at 
Usk bequeathed 4000 British Ferns, representing over 1000 named 
forms, so that those who have the opportunity of visiting those gardens 
will have the gratification of seeing and judging for themselves the 
merits of our native Ferns. 
I will now refer to several other causes which I think have helped 
to put our native pets in the sh.ade of late. Mr. F. W. Stansfield 
says some years ago classes specially for British Ferns were not un¬ 
common in e.xhibition schedules ; but these are in many schedules now 
supplanted by the extremely indefinite hardy Ferns, a term so vague 
that disp-.tes as to its meaning .are as common as exhibitions, and I en¬ 
dorse Mr. Stansfield’s opinions. But they suggest something further to 
my mind. I would ask. How much has bad judging had to do with the 
present way of scheduling Ferns ? for I can assert from my own experi¬ 
ence that that few who are called in to judge in these parts know the 
difference between hardy e.xotic and British Ferns, and this explains to 
my mind the reason for schedules being altered to hardy instead of 
British Ferns and exotics. Then again, supposing there are twelve 
plants staged as hardy, and half of them are exotic, how many judges 
are there vvho could tell whether the exotic plants were hardy or half- 
hartly 1 I rather fancy, if put to the test, they would be found want¬ 
ing. I would suggest that such a state of things ought to be altered, 
so that the public may know when they are looking at a class of plants 
whether they are British or foreign, and I believe by so doing we 
should increase the knowledge and love of our native Ferns in no small 
measure.—J. Eadon, Ileelvy, Sheffield. 
UNDER GARDENERS AND EXHIBITORS. 
I H.\.VE read Mr. R. AVeller’s letter with great interest and j)leasure, 
and beg to assure him that it is a matter of great regret to me that I 
am unable to look at this subject through his eyes. He will, I know, 
excuse me when he reflects that dulness of vision was a characteristic 
infirmity of an illustrious namesake of his own—the immortal Sam of, 
Pickwickian fame. 1 am, however, shocked and grieved to find that I- 
an obscure under gardener, am classed by Mr. R. Weller with prot 
fessional agitators. Alas ! in the words of the great poet, “ To wha 
b.ase uses do we come at last! ”— An Undue Gardener. 
As your con’cspondent, Mr. R. AVellor, states, “Under Gardener’' 
certainly does put the dark side uppermost, anil perhaps goes a little 
too far in his opinion of head gardeners, but at the same time I believe 
that many young men really have cause to grumble a little at the way 
they are treate.l. Perhaps “ Umlcr Gardener” is one of the unlucky 
ones, but I believe that many head gardeners are very kind to their young 
men, an 1 when such is the case there is much more encouragement for 
