August 20, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
157 
In reference to this subject the followiog cutting has been sent 
us from the Kingston and Surbiton News, describing the plant and floral 
decorations provided by Messrs. Jackson & Son at the Mayor’s dinner in 
Kingston last week. 
“ The entrance hall was grouped on each side with growing shrubs, 
while inside the lobby were several small collections, befittingly filling the 
several corners without causing obstruction or inconvenience, and at the 
same time contrasting most favourably with the surroundings, and adding 
brilliancy to the whole. Passing along by the staircase and passage, also 
highly decorated, into the Mayor’s reception room, the eye rested on a 
most unique and complete arrangement in one of the corners, while in 
front of the pilasters stood elegant and graceful Palms, Ferns, &c. ; Cocos 
Weddelliana, Dracaena australis, and Blechnum braziliense being most 
prominent. At the extreme end was a most meritorious collection of 
rare exotics, the admiration of every beholder. In the background were 
tall Palms, relieved by a grand weeping variety of Pbormium tenax varie- 
gata ; the original variety usually grows rigid and erect, but that under 
notice has a weeping character, which, combined with the various maik- 
ings on the foliage, contrasted effectively with Crotons Disraeli and 
Wiesmannii, Dracaenas Goldieana and terminalis, and others. Lower 
down were three neatly trained specimen Heaths, two of Erica Marnock- 
iana, the centre one being a grand piece of Aitoniana Turnbulli. The 
groundwork was composed of Adiantums, from which sprang several fine 
varieties of Orchids, notably several magnificent spikes of Saccolabium 
Blumei majus, one spike of which measured upwards of 2 feet in length. 
There were also several fine Odontoglossum Rossi majus and vexillarium, 
with Masdevallia Harryana, which were conspicuous by their extreme 
beauty and curiosity. The whole was edged with well-grown examples 
of the loveliest of all the Maidenhair family for this purpose, Adiantum 
gracillimum, and made a most effective arrangement indeed. Passing 
from here through the corridor to the dining-hall, everyone must have 
been impressed with the simple but at the same time most unique arrange¬ 
ment brought about by the happy thought of utilising as a boundary wall 
of this passage one side of a building, on which had previously been 
neatly and regularly trained the Vines growing there. Just at the 
present time the foliage is of the deepest green, and the small clusters of 
Grapes added to the novel effect. At the foot, on either side, were small 
decorative plants, so that the combination seemed quite a fairy scene, 
rtther than the work of man. Thus was Nature adapted so naturally 
that even experts wondered and inquired how such an effect was brought 
about, while it formed a co j1 relief from the warm and magnificent 
dining-room, which was most elegantly arranged throughout. Every 
available Bpace was here brought into use to add to the brilliancy of the 
whole. In each of the corners were small groups; in other places Palms 
drooped their graceful foliage ; while on either side of the Mayor’s seat 
were two groups of miscellaneous plants iu semi-oblong form, and in 
each of which beautiful Orchids were very prominent. Saccolabium, 
Aerides, Oncidium, and Odontoglossum each by their beauty contributed 
their share ; while Lilium longiflorum, Ixora grandiflora, and the scarlet 
plumes of Clerodendron Koempferii, contrasted most favourably. On the 
ledge which ran the length of the dais on which the principal table stood, 
a handsome and varied collection of plants and shrubs was placed; and 
in front of the ladies’ boudoir Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, with 
Adiantum cuneaturn, were largely employed. The value of the plants 
thus employed would mount up to many hundreds of pounds ; about 800 
Perns alone were worked in. Mr. Putt ck and Mr. Sheppard were mainly 
responsible for the beautiful arrangements, and Mr. Latham, from 
Messrs. Jackson’s gardens at Hampton Court, also assisted. 
VINE VAGARIES. 
Under the above heading I would call the attention of your 
correspondent “ Thinker,” and the many other able writers on 
Vine culture that contribute to the pages of the Journal of 
Horticulture, to a circumstance in connection with Grape culture 
here which I have observed for some years, but for which I can 
on no hypothesis account. 
Some fourteen years ago we planted a span-roofed house 
with Muscats. It was found that in this high cold district they 
did not ripen well in span houses, and we determined to convert 
the house into a Barbarossa house. We shook out and planted a 
young Barbarossa Vine beside each Muscat, and inarched the 
former, which was weak, on the latter, which was strong. The 
union was in every case effectual, and the progress good. After 
a time we found that Gros Colman took the market better than 
great 6 lb. and 8 lb. bunches of Barbarossa, and we put bottle 
grafts of the former on to each Vine above the junction of the 
revious two sorts. These took hold, and now the Vines are 
earing fine crops in the house, and here comes what to me is a 
puzzle. 
We left some Vines with two legs in the ground, one a 
Muscat, the other Barbarossa, with the bottle graft above 
their junction ; others we put on the Barbarossa below the 
junction, and cut away the Muscat, pulling up its roots as 
far as we could; in other cases we inarched or grafted, 
more properly speaking, on the Muscat, and cut away the 
Barbarossa. Thus we have some on the Muscat stock, some 
on the Barbarossa, and some on both; and while those on the 
Muscat and those on the Barbarossa are about equal as to crop, 
they are at least a month more forward than those on the joint 
Barbarossa and Muscat stocks. The latter have, if anything, 
the finest foliage and show most vigour, the crop equally heavy ; 
but while the Grapes on the single stocks are nearly black in 
some cases, and fit for market, those on the double are perfectly 
green, and whoever grows Gros Colman knows what this means. 
We have three examples of the double stock, and all tell the 
same tale. 
The stocks, where they are two-legged, are as vigorous 
and healthy as those that are on single stocks ; they have from 
four to six bearing rods like the single ones, and every May 
they are treated the same. Had those inarched on the Barba¬ 
rossa been the late Grapes I would have blamed the stock, but 
that idea is barred by the fact that the Grapes on that stock 
are as early as on the Muscat, and, as l have already stated, a 
good month earlier than those on the joint Muscat and Barba¬ 
rossa.—W m. Thomson, Clovenfords. 
NEPENTHES. 
It would probably be difficult to determine any plants more 
interesting or attractive than well-grown Nepenthes laden with 
large pitchers. We have observed that no occupants of the 
plant stove arrest the attention of visitors so quickly as a 
number of Nepenthes in baskets suspended from the roof at 
the end of the house. These plants are certainly not amongst 
the most ornamental when they are poorly grown and badly 
pitchered, they are unfortunately more generally met with in 
this condition than the reverse. I am inclined to believe that 
these plants are frequently subjected to too much shade, and in 
consequence they grow rapidly, but do not pitcher freely. Our 
plants have improved wonderfully in this respect since their 
removal from the shadiest end to the lightest. If exposed to 
the full force of the sun the foliage soon turns brown, an in¬ 
dication that the light is too strong for them. But if the rays 
of the sun are broken and as much light as possible admitted 
to them it will be found that the growth made is slower, stui'dier, 
and very much firmer, a condition essential to the production 
of large highly coloured pitchers in larger quantities than is the 
case with plants grown under almost dense shade, as is too 
generally practised. 
Another mistake frequently practised in the culture of these 
plants is to allow the growths to run unchecked, for when once 
fairly started they are not long before they reach the top of the 
house if left unchecked. When once they commence growing 
with such luxuriance they cease producing pitchers, and are of 
no real ornament in the stove. This should not be allowed, but 
directly a shoot shows signs of running it should be pinched 
back. The pinched shoot will soon break again into new growth, 
and pitchers will be again most freely produced. With a little 
judicious care in pinching the various shoots of a good-sized 
plant from time to time it will very rarely be found at any 
season of the year to be destitute of pitchers, which are really 
the interesting feature of these plants. Nepenthes should never 
be allowed to run up with a single stem, but as soon as they 
have been rooted and made a few inches of growth so as to 
become established in their baskets pinch them, and again 
directly they produce a leaf which will not bear a pitcher. It is 
surprising how soon a large bushy plant will be produced by 
this method without loss of time and pitchers, as is the case 
when the plants are allowed to grow with a single stem and have 
to be cut back to induce them to break a, r ain from the base. 
Probably N. Hookeri, N. Rafflesiana, and the large distinct free- 
pitchering variety N. Mastersiana, the most beautiful of all, are 
the most worthy of cultivation. The three produce pitchers 
of very large size, are good growers, and distinct. Many of 
| the smaller-pitchered kinds are worth a place for the sake of 
variety where any attempt is made at growing a collection.— 
SCIENTIA. 
TWO GOOD WHITE ZONAL PELARGONIUMS. 
Queen of the Belgians.— In the remarks in Journal, page 107, 
respecting Mr. Ladds’ Nursery, Queen of the Whites Pelargonium is 
mentioned. This I do not know, but it has induced me to give a line in 
favour of Queen of the Belgians. I obtained one plant early this season 
from Messrs. Cannell & Sons, and from the first was pleased with its 
string robust appearance. However, having but little heat until March 
I let the plant alone, pinching the trusses out as they formed. By the 
end of March I was able to take three strong cuttings, which soon made 
plants ; and being anxious to know what it would do outside I planted one 
out. One was kept in a pot outside without protection, and I am more 
than satisfied, not only with its free flowering, but also the pureness of 
the white flowers, not the least tinge of pink being seen. The plant in 
the cool house has been admired by all. In addition to the three plants 
