May 1», 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
389 
found no one that seems acquainted with Marsa. Yet it is a very hand¬ 
some variety, purple, flaked white, with twisted florets in the centre ; 
the blooms are of good substance and keep well.—A Notts Grower. 
SHEFFIELD AND WEST RIDING 
CHEYSANinEMEM SOCIETY. 
The second quarterly general meeting of the above 
Society was held on Thursday evening last at the So¬ 
ciety’s meeting rooms, Mra. Webster’s Jluseum, Orchard 
Street, Sheffield, Mr. Jno. Ilaigh in the chair, when 
an excellent paper was read by Mr. Joseph Walker 
on “ Specimen Plants, How to Grow and Train Them,” 
for which the essayist received much well merited 
applause, with the unanimous and cordial thanks of 
the meeting. There was a good attendance, and 
several new members were added to the list already 
on the books. The Hon. Sec., Mr. W. Iv. Woodcock, 
read letters he had received, stating that a party of 
members from the National Chrysanthemum Society 
had been arranged to visit Sheffield on Saturda.y, 
May 19th. The letters were received with very lively 
satisfaction by all members present, and a Committee 
was appointed to make the necessary arrangements 
for ensuring the comfort and convenience of the 
visitors during their short stay in Sheffield, also for 
according to them a truly Yorkshire greeting from 
the patrons and members of the S. and W.R.C.S, 
—W. K. W. 
NEW GLASS RANGES AT BYRKLEA’. 
The engraving represents a range of glass hous:s 
Messrs. Foster and Pearson are erecting for Hamar 
Bass, Esq., at Byrkley, Burton-on-Trent. A new 
kitchen g.arden is being formed there of considerable 
extent. It is situated on one of the highest parts of 
the old Needwood Forest, and has a slight slope 
towards the south and west. The subsoil is stiff clay, 
which has caused considerable expense in preparing 
the ground. The main range of greenhouses is 
330 feet in length, and consists of plant house 
40 feet by 30 feet and 22 feet high in centre, four 
vineries each 34 feet by 16 feet 9 inches, two Peach 
houses each 31 feet 9 inches by 12 feet, two Rose 
hous s each 31 feet 9 inches by 12 feet, two green¬ 
houses 28 feet by 18 feet 6 inches, and two stoves or 
Orchid houses 28 feet by 18 feet 6 inches. At the 
back of range are cool Orchid house 30 feet by 12 feet, 
fernery, and all the conveniences irsual in a large 
establishment. As the ground falls very much at left 
hand end, the space under some of the houses has 
been utilised for Mushrooms, root stores, and other 
purposes. There are two ranges of half-span pits, as 
shown in the illustration, each 100 feet long, which 
will have ample heat for all purposes. The whole of 
the houses will be heated by three of the Chilwell 
Nursery boilers, made in the improved form with steel 
tubes. The work has been carried out under Robert 
Edis, Esq., architect, London, and the whole of the 
details have been carefully arranged with the advice 
of Mr.,Bennett, Rangemore Gardens. 
INCREASING CROTONS. 
The present is a good time to increase the above, 
especially by mossing the stems, as they emit roots 
more freely at this season than at any other time 
during the year. It is a simple process, and is espe¬ 
cially recommended where plants are grown out of 
bounds or are becoming tall and unsightly. Good 
plants may be obtained in six or eight weeks in this 
way. In the first place make an incision by just 
running the knife round the stems 6 or 7 inches below 
the point, as circumstances will permit. Some sphag¬ 
num moss must be at hand, also a pan containing 
sharp silver sand with a slight admixture of leaf soil. 
The moss should first be moistened, when sand, Ac., 
may be intermixed with it, then take as much as will 
form a ball round the incision about the size of a 
hen’s egg when tied on closely and securely with 
raffia The plants should be placed in a brisk heat 
where shade from bright sunshine can be afforded. A 
Cucumber house suits admirably, and there the plants 
will fill the pots with roots in about five or six weeks. 
Cut off the stems immediately below the moss, and at 
once place them in 4-inch pots. In about fourteen 
days they will bo ready for repotting, and may be 
exposed to more sun in order to colour them. By the 
above means well-furnished plants are obtained better 
than from cuttings. 
Crotons prefer good fibrous loam and peat in equal parts, atlding 
plenty of sand and charcoal, especially for plants in small pots for 
table decoration, &c. The plants colour better in a compost containing 
loam than in peat alone. I have found picturatus, interruptus, majes- 
ticus, Queen Victoria, Weismanni, longifolius, an<l longifohus aureus, 
amongst the best varieties for table plants, although there may loe som& 
new ones I am not acquainted with.—J. 1’. 
Fig, 51.—glass .RANGES AT EYRKLE.Y 
