10 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 7, 1866, 
separating them. When the cuttings are placed singly in small 
pots no such check can occur in shifting the plants into larger, as 
no disintegration of the roots or soil need take place. This I con¬ 
sider a sufficient reason why the cuttings should be inserted singly 
in pots. These should be about 2) inches in diameter (inside 
measure), commonly called thumbs. Long narrow pots are the 
best, as the roots strike directly downwards, and a larger number 
of such pots can be arranged in a given space than others of the 
same capacity—wider, but not so deep. The pots should be per¬ 
fectly clean. 
When I say never use a dirty pot some persons may perhaps 
imagine I am too particular about little things ; but it is by rigid 
attention to the smallest matters that the greatest successes are 
won. In turning plants out of pots that were dirty when used the 
roots cling so tenaciously to the sides that many are broken in the 
action of removing them. This does not occur when the pots were 
clean, but the plants are shifted with their roots intact, and do not 
experience the slightest check from the operation. One crock in 
each pot is sufficient for drainage, covered with a little rough de¬ 
composed leaf soil, or, what is handier, the rough pieces taken from 
the soil in passing through a half-inch sieve, which is necessary in 
using pots of this size. Fill the pots firmly with soil, the best for 
the purpose being composed of about equal parts of leaf mould 
and light loam, with a free use of coarse silver sand thoroughly 
mixed. On the top sprinkle a small quantity of sand, to be carried 
down with a blunt dibber for the cuttings to rest on, the rooting 
process being quicker among sand than soil. The soil should be 
pressed firmly round the cutting, particularly its base, and a gentle 
watering given through a fine-rosed waterpot to settle the soil and 
sand. Stand the pots on sifted ashes for securing a cool moist 
foundation and excluding air. The lights must be kept closed 
until roots are formed, with the exception that they may be taken 
off for an hour in the morning for the dissipation of excessive 
moisture, and in the evening the glass should be wiped dry. This 
in the dull days so often experienced at this time of the year pre¬ 
vents damping. Shading will not be required. In about a month 
some of the cuttings will be rooted. The strongest-growing varie¬ 
ties are the earliest to emit roots. A little air should then be 
admitted by tilting the lights slightly at first and increasingly until 
they can be safely removed. But while some of the plants need 
air the leaves of others will flag. This is caused by those particular 
kinds not rooting quickly and strongly. These should be removed 
to a frame by themselves, where they can be kept closer than those 
which do not flag and require more air to retain that stocky growth 
which is such an advantage. Through keeping the frames closed 
little water is required during the process of rooting, yet the soil 
must be kept sufficiently moist for the support of the cuttings or 
plants. 
Another method of propagation is sometimes practised by 
persons wishing to save space. Soil to the depth of 4 inches is 
placed in a heated pit or on a hotbed, into which the cuttings are 
dibbled, keeping them closed till rooted. In this way they strike 
readily, but it is a system not to be encouraged, as the check caused 
to the plants in transferring them to pots is too severe, and the 
crowding in the bed also causes them to be drawn up weakly.— 
—E. Molyneux. 
(To be continued.! 
NOTES. 
Pea Bliss s Abundance. —I gave this Pea a trial in our orchard 
house early last year. I had about a hundred pots, six Peas in a pot, and 
fruited several good dishes from them. I found it as good, if not better, 
than American Wonder. Peas outdoors were not up to the average with 
me owing to the dry weather. 
Celery White Plume. —I gave this Celery a trial, but I find it 
will not stand the frost, and is only useful for early stewing purposes. 
Potato Earliest of All. —This was very good, and of excellent 
flavour soon as dug. It was bought of Messrs. Laing & Co. slong with 
the following, but was only used in the house this year. Laing’s Stand- 
well, a rough-skinned variety, also a good cropper and of excellent 
flavour, gave great satisfaction. For the table Cosmopolitan is also a 
good variety. 
Grapes. —I would like to hear if any of your correspondents have ever 
tried the experiment of grafting or inarching Gros Maroc on to a Muscat 
of any sort. I have a Mrs. Pince, which is not liked here, I thought of 
trying th9 Gros Maroc on this. What do some of our Grape-growing 
correspondents think.—A. J. B. 
THE BLACK LILY—EBITILLARIA KAMSCHATCENSIS. 
This plant is generally known in gardens as the “Black Lily,” an 
appropriate name, as the flowers are the nearest approach to that colour of 
any we have seen, not excepting the wonderful black Tulips we hear so 
much about. It is one of those which botanists are not at all agreed 
about; it has been put into no less than four genera—viz., Amblirion 
ramtschatcense, Sarana edulis, Lilium eamtschatcense, affine, and quadri- 
fobum, and the name given above, which is that now adopted and sanc¬ 
tioned by Mr. Baker in his “Monograph of Tulipese.” It is the old 
Kamtschatka Lily of Linnaeus, under which name it is even yet found in 
the old gardens, where we not infrequently see large patches strong and 
healthy, which in a forcible way show what these bulbs are capable of 
doing when left alone. In the neighbourhood of London it never fails 
with an annual supply of bloom on a rockery having a northern aspect, 
and growing in ordinary garden soil. We have, however, heard of it 
deteriorating and finally disappearing, although our own experience is 
quite the reverse of this. One thing it seems more liable to than the 
majority of its class, although it frequently happens with Liliums—that is r 
a periodical breaking up of the larger bulbs; but although this takes place 
and it seems by no means regular, there are always a few large bulbs 
capable of flowering left to the next year. This may in a measure account 
for the deteriorating, and disturbing the bulbs by digging to see what is 
the matter may very readily complete the operation. If grown near 
stones not deeply embedded in the soil, they should be carefully watched, 
as the bulbs seem to have a tendency to run to the sides and underneath 
the stones, when we may get a glimpse of the foliage, but never any 
flowers. From its hardy nature this is one of the bulbs that should never 
be missed from a collection of hardy plants, as it will give as great satis¬ 
faction on a partially shaded border a9 on the rockery, the latter not 
always so easily attainable as the former. It grows from a foot to 
18 inches high, the lanceolate leaves being in whorls much the same as 
in the old Martagon Lily. The flowers are bell-shaped, drooping, several 
in a head, of a deep shiny maroon black, with pretty golden stamens. 
It flowers in July and August. Native of Kamtschatka, Siberia, Japan, 
N. America, and California.—D. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
In our directions for the coming season vegetables for exhibition as 
well as for home use will receive attention. Great county shows, and 
others of that character, often draw exhibitors from a distance, and these 
generally showing high-class produce set an excellent example to others ; 
but village and parish shows were never so plentiful as they are now, 
and as fresh exhibitors are constantly arising, hints which will help 
them to increase the size and quality of their produce will be given in this 
column. 
Tomatoes. —Early fruits of these are always valued. As a market 
crop they are very profitable, the price at any season is never unremunera- 
tive, and in early spring it is always good. The earliest fruit is to be had 
from plants raised from cuttings. Where these were put in during last 
October the plants ought to be placed in larger pots at once; use a 
mixture for them consisting of three parts loam and one part rich 
manure. Give them moderate drainage, and pot firmly, afterwards 
placing them in a temperature of 60° or 65°. Here they will soon com¬ 
mence growing rapidly, and the side shoots should be taken to form more 
cuttings. These will make fruiting plants sooner than any which can be 
raised from seed, but where no plants exist seed-sowing must be resorted 
to, and the first batch should be sown at once. Two dozen plants or so- 
will make a good batch for early work, and to raise this small quantity 
the seed may be sown singly in 3-inch pots. Use rich soil, and place in a 
temperature of 65°. Keep the plants near the glass, and do not supply 
too much water until they have plenty of roots. Short sturdy growth ie 
the kind to secure at this season, and particular attention must be given to 
growing them full in the light and near the glass. Last year we had a few 
old Tomato plants left in their fruiting quarters at the end of December- 
Early in January these were trimmed in and cleaned, then a rich surface 
dressing was added ; growth soon began, and they produced ripe fruit 
sooner than any of our young plants. 
Forcing.— Hotbeds should now he formed with the materials which 
have been collected for them. Make them firm, so as to retain the 
heat as long as possible. They must be at least 3 feet in height at the 
back and 2 feet at the front, and be 1 foot wider than the frame which 
goes on the top of them. Some time ago we had a long range of frames 
made, 4 feet 6 inches in height at the back and 3 feet in front. The fer¬ 
menting material is put inside until within 10 inches or 1 foot of the top, 
soil is put on the surface, and Potatoes are planted in this with good 
results, the advantage being that the manure is all under cover and not 
exposed to the weather like an ordinary hotbed. The heat is retained 
for a long time in this way, and our early Carrots, Radishes, &c., are 
all produced in quantity from frames of the kind indicated. Sharpe’s 
Victor Potato is a good one for present planting. 
Early French Horn Carrot is the best for first crop, and French Break¬ 
fast Radish “bulbs” better than any of them in February and March. 
Attempts are often made to grow a mixture of Potatoes, Carrots, and 
Radishes in the one frame, but the plan is not commendable, as none of 
them ever come to any great degree of excellence, and a very inferior 
sample of all is the general result. We never saw Asparagus force so- 
