586 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 31, 1885. 
purpose of preserving the pots. Cold frames and cold houses, such as 
vineries and Peach houses, should be avoided for these plants until growth 
has been brought to a standstill and the plants have rested, for 
after this no harm will be done even if they are brought gradually 
forward in such structures. But if placed in them before they 
have been exposed to a few sharp frosts they do not rest, but continue 
growing slowly, and when wanted to come forward quickly in heat they 
fail to do so. 
However early runners may be taken in the season and ripened in 
autumn they fail to start quickly into growth when introduced into the 
forcing house unless they have been exposed to a sharp frost or two. A 
few early frosts in autumn are of the greatest advantage, and should be 
welcomed by all who have to produce ripe Strawberries as early in the 
reason as possible. If a batch of plants are placed in the early Peach 
house or vinery when started before any frosts have occurred, and others 
are left outside a month longer to have a frost or two on them, and then 
introduced into gentle warmth, they will produce ripe fruit first. Frost 
sends plants completely to rest, and afterwards they will start freely and 
seadily into growth under favourable conditions. Not only is this the 
case with Strawberries for early forcing, but with Rhubarb, Seakale, Lily 
of the Valley, Spirseas, hardy Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Lilacs, and many 
other plants.— A Northerner. 
TIIE GARDENIA. 
Notwithstanding what has been written against this popular 
plant, the great demand for Gardenia blooms at all times, and the 
high price they fetch, especially at this season, testify to its being a 
general favourite. With accommodation and forethought exercised 
in preparing or retarding the plants Gardenia blooms may be had 
during the six dullest months of the year, and in point of useful¬ 
ness for decorations of every description they have few equals. 
Yet in few places do we see Gardenias get the cultural attention 
which their merits deserve or their requirements demand. Although 
they are very subject to insects it is quite possible to keep them 
clean. But seemingly some cultivators are under the impression 
that Gardenias breed insects spontaneously. This reminds me 
forcibly of a certain writer some few years ago, and, if I mistake not, 
in the pages of the Journal. To use his own words he said he kept 
a few mealy bugs on his Vines merely for the sake of experimenting 
with. But my advice to all who have to deal with either Vines or 
Gardenias is, if possible, to keep no insects—no not even to experi¬ 
ment upon. However, I have more than once been obliged to ex¬ 
periment with a cheap and effectual insecticide on Gardenias that 
were badly infested with both scale and mealy bug. This insecti¬ 
cide is petroleum, used at the rate of two wineglasses to the gallon 
of water. The principal point is in keeping the oil thoroughly 
incorporated with the water. While the operator is applying the 
insecticide with a syringe, another man should be mixing the oil and 
water in a pail with a syringe. The plants if in pots can be laid on 
their sides on a hand-barrow and thoroughly drenched, allowing the 
insecticide to remain on the plants for about ten minutes, and then 
syringe it off with clean water. When Gardenias are planted out 
we only use one glassful of petroleum to the gallon of water, and 
never find it to injure the roots. 
The Gardenia may be propagated by cuttings at almost any 
time, and although they are not difficult to strike they often re¬ 
main callused for a long time before emitting roots. Consequently 
we prefer striking them in February, the cuttings being made in the 
usual way, then are inserted singly into thumb pots in a compost 
of peat and sand. They are then plunged in bottom heat in the 
propagating pit until they are well rooted, when they may be 
shifted into 4-inch pots ; and if encouraged on with a little bottom 
heat, by the month of July or August they will be found ready for 
shifting into a 6-inch pot, which will be large enough for the first 
season. The pots should be clean and thoroughly drained, with a 
little moss or sphagnum laid over the crocks. The compost we 
prefer is equal parts of the best fibry peat and loam, with a little 
leaf mould, and an 8-inch potful of bonemeal to the barrow-load of 
soil, and sufficient river sand to keep the whole porous. The loam 
used should not be of a calcareous nature. 
In potting press the soil firmly, and keep the house in which the 
plants are growing close and moist for a few days until the roots 
take to the new soil. If properly attended to in watering, pinch¬ 
ing, and syringing they will make good bushy plants the first 
season. But should the object of the cultivator be to have speci¬ 
men plants in a short time, it is advisable to remove all flower buds 
the first year and keep the plants growing on in a little bottom 
heat. Plants intended to bloom should not be pinched after 
August. In regard to potting established plants there is a diversity 
of opinion as to when this should be done. Some growers hold 
that the best time is when the plants commence to set their flower 
buds, while others are of opinion that they ought to be repotted 
when blooming ceases, and this is the time we generally cut back 
all straggling shoots and repot if necessary. When well supplied 
with liquid manure, while making their growth and swelling their 
flower buds, repotting every season may not be found requisite. 
The Gardenia delights in a warm moist atmosphere, and should 
be kept well syringed daily, unless when in bloom, with sufficient 
light and air, which will solidify the wood, and insure a good set of 
flower buds.—A. Smith. 
CELERY—SPECIAL VARIETIES. 
White Plume. —Certainly the present time must be admitted as 
seasonable for expressing opinions respecting some of the many varieties 
of useful vegetables. White Plume Celery especially has of late come in 
for a large share of attention, and the opinions are rather condemnatory ; 
but this is probably due to the expectation that the heads would be, as its 
name suggests, perfect white plumes, requiring no earthing. The first 
was extremely improbable in my mind, and the latter impractical, at 
least in our climate, which is damp and subject to severe frosts, and most 
readers will agree as to how the most perfect White Plume would fare 
with 16° of frost on Nov. 17th and over 20° on Dec. 7th ; yet I must 
admit that some heads left unearthed as an experiment have proved hardy 
under such trying circumstances, but are entirely unfit for use in every 
way, nor do I think it will anywhere, independent of climate, prove of good 
quality as recommended. I consider it has been wrongly described ; 
treating it, however, as other kinds are treated in all respects it has 
proved with us a valuable addition, growing from 18 inches to 2 feet high, 
very stout, well blanched, and solid. In flavour it is not quite equal to 
Sandringham Dwarf, nor quite so early. For cooking it is equal, if not 
superior, to any I have grown. 
Wright’s Giant White does well here. It is especially hardy, much 
more so than Major Clarke’s Solid Red. Tait’s Superlative is also an ex¬ 
cellent late variety. Williams’ Matchless Red is most hardy and a better 
keeper, but is apt to be rather hollow. Of the other varieties mentioned 
we have not had an inferior stock for some years. To keep up a constant 
supply I consider it good policy to grow several varieties, and fully intend 
to add more of the American next season. I hope I have done justice, 
and only justice, to White Plume. Your correspondent, “A Thinker,” 
may safely excuse himself of any stubbornness by giving it a trial.— 
Lathyrus. 
White Plume Celery. —Finding this novelty last spring recom¬ 
mended as an acquisition to the kitchen garden, I procured a packet of 
seed. It was sown in March at the same time as that fine red kind 
Major Clarke’s Solid Red, pricked off the end of April in the open air, and 
transplanted again in June to its permanent position. I had seen it re¬ 
commended that planting on the level and not earthing it up would do for 
it ; but while making trenches for our established red kind I thought it 
as well to make three trenches for the White Plume and earth it up the 
same ; but I also had one row planted in well-manured ground on the 
level. Altogether over 300 plants of this novelty were planted, but I am 
sorry to say I am quite disappointed with it. It has not been, I think, 
one of the best of summers for the well-doing of Celery, but White Plume 
planted on the level ground and not earthed has been no good at all ; not 
a plant of it will be used, but a few dozens of it from the earthed-up rows 
have proved useful for cooking, but for salading it is not to be compared 
with the red variety above named ; in fact, I consider it not worth grow¬ 
ing at all for that purpose. As to its hardiness, it stood a few degrees of 
frost very well, but last week’s winter weather, with 13° or 14° of frost, 
appears to have spoilt it, for all exposed leaves look putrified. The leaves 
of the red Celery look very little the worse for the frost. Major 
Clarke’s Solid Red, if true, is an excellent kind. I usually plant about 
two thousand of it, and find it keeps well till March and April. When 
well bleached its crispness and flavour are all that can be desired.— 
A. Harding. 
STRAY NOTES. 
As the year 1885 closes we are looking forward with pleasure to the 
new year’s address, and now is a fitting opportunity to acknowledge what 
a great amount of pleasure, instruction, and gratification our Journal has 
afforded me, and how eagerly its contents are read. Certainly the 
Journal has progressed and kept pace with the timps, and this is sayiug 
much in these days of enterprise. While we still keep the old standard 
writers the new and younger ones are not wanting in spirit, as their con¬ 
tributions show. To my mind the Journal is a storehouse of information 
useful for all. Let me specially commend to my younger brethren the 
several articles that have appeared on their behalf. 
Turning to our garden products, it is remarkable what an increase has 
taken place in the consumption and culture of the Tomato. The varieties 
are much too numerous, or at least so-called varieties, and I would advise 
growers when they get a good suitable variety to select their own seed. 
The Vine has come in for a good share of attention, and quite a revolution 
has taken place here, more especially in the late varieties. The troughs 
and bottles are going to do away with very early forcing, and rightly, too, 
when good late Grapes can be put on the table up to the end of April or 
the beginning of May, Grapes that the Black Hamburgh cannot equal for 
flavour. I shall never forget the Grapes at Longleat which I had the 
pleasure of seeing in November. The Muscats were of course the sight, 
because without disparaging the good quality of the Alicante, Lady 
Downe’s, and Mrs. Pince, they were not so fine in comparison. All the 
more honour to Mr. Pratt for keeping the Muscats to the front 
