168 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 4, 1886. 
Princess of Wales. Some of the best specimens of this nature 
have been exhibited at Walton-on-Thames, and the method of 
grafting has been described as follows by Mr. G. Masters :— 
“ If plants are wanted with stems 2J feet high growth should be encou¬ 
raged until the plants are 3 feet in height, then pinch out the tops ; leave 
about six eyes at the top to form the head, removing the others. When the 
top shoots have grown about G inches cut them off 2 or 3 inches from the 
stem ; then take cuttings (scions), cutting the ends in the form of wedges, 
and insert them in the severed shoots of the prepared plant, securing them 
with wool or bass. Keep the plants in a cool house, and sprinkle and shade 
them until the union is effected, when they may be removed to the open air. 
Grafting may be done as soon as the plants are ready, which ought to be by 
the middle of May, so that the grafts can be stopped two or three times 
and thus form a fine head. It is important that the plants are in a healthy 
ree-growing state when they are grafted, and that the work be done quickly 
yet carefully. Care should bo taken to graft varieties that flower as nearly 
as possible at the same time. Every shoot may be grafted with a different 
ariety if desirable.” 
Pompons are well adapted for standards, and are excellent for 
both exhibition and home decoration. The method of training is 
often too formal to be agreeable, the growths being closely tied 
down, showing the bending and lacing of the stems, which should 
never be visible. Mr. J. Lyne of Wimbledon has made a welcome 
departure from the lacing system. The method he adopts in form¬ 
ing the heads is to continue pinching the shoots as soon as two 
leaves are formed till the 31st of July, then let them grow as they 
will. The result is seen in the annexed engraving (from a photo¬ 
graph), the plant represented being grown from a cutting inserted 
early in March ; but as a rule Mr. Lyne recommends their being 
inserted in December. The varieties found suitable for this purpose 
are Rosinante, Dick Turpin ; White, Golden and Lilac Cedo Nulli, 
St. Thais, James Forsyth, Madame Marthe, Golden Madame Marthe, 
Sanguineum, Souvenir de Jersey, Bijou d’Horticulture, and Lili- 
putian.— E. Molyneux. 
(To be continued.) 
FISH POTASH MANURE. 
Having used this manure rather extensively during the past season. 
I have great pleasure in endorsing “ J. G.V’ remarks on it (seepage 134). 
Unlike “J. G,,” however, my applications of it have been exclusively 
confined to pot culture, such as Vines, Pines, Figs, Melons, Tomatoes, 
Peaches, &c., and with highly satisfactory results, especially Vines and 
Peaches. The former carried and finished splendidly from six to eight 
bunches each, and was much admired by all who saw them. The Peach 
trees not only finished excellent crops, but carried their foliage healthy 
till late in the season. It was also noticed during stoning time not a 
single fruit fell. I may add, all our Peaches and Grapes under pot 
culture are finished by the first week in July, beginning as early in May 
as we can get them. I find our first Peaches were gathered on May 8th 
last season. So we have to start when the weather is anything but 
favourable. 
To our permanent Vine borders we add manure annually, when we do 
so again we will bear in mind Mr. J. Gibson’s remarks and use a little 
fish potash. To those who are about to try this manure for the first time, 
I would remind them a little goes a long way. For pot Vines we find 
about a pint to a 12-inch pot is ample without the addition of any other 
manure whatever. We have so treated a lot of cut-backs, which in due 
time are to come in for early work. In our trials of this manure before 
its general application we killed by an overdose several plants, others of 
the same kind being greatly benefited by a lesser quantity. —T. W. B., 
Elstcad. 
Renovating Vines. —“ J. G. ” (page 134) gives his experience of the 
value of Norwegian fish manure for Vines and other plants. I can fully 
endorse all that he advances in its favour for Grape-growing, having seen 
Vines such as “ J. G. ” describes restored to the rudest health in a 
remarkably short space of time, but it must be admitted that several 
other important matters, such as careful ventilation and watering, were 
strictly attended to, otherwise fish or any other artificial or natural 
manure would not have worked out such an improved state of health. I 
have used a good quantity of this manure in the vegetable garden at all 
seasons of the year, but its effects are not so distinctly seen during the 
summer as in the spring and autumn months, as at that season the ground 
appears to be often too dry to bring out its qualities sufficient for the use 
of plant life. 
Last season some late Qcejn Broccolis were planted on firm ground and 
watered daily, but the drought was so severe that these plants could make 
no headway against it, and seemed to become smaller rather than grow. 
We were almost disposed to pull them up in despair, when the fish manure 
suggested itself, and we resolved to give them a trial. A quantity was 
mixed with some ashes strewn thickly over the ground, and slightly 
dug in so as to place it more within reach of the roots of the plants, and 
also to break the surface to allow a freer circulation of air and water. 
The results of this experiment are that we shall have a good number of 
heads to cut when other Broccolis are becoming scarce. Where small 
patches of ground only have to be dressed it is necessary to mix the 
manure, owing to 'its dry and dusty nature, with some damp material, 
such as fine soil or wood ashes, otherwise a large per-centage will be 
carried away by the wind. 
For potting purposes it is useful, Tomatoes and Strawberries especially 
being very partial to it, the roots being quickly attracted to the surface of 
the soil when an occasional sprinkling is given. We are about to use a 
quantity for dressing a large tennis lawn which is in want of some stimu¬ 
lating material, and I believe it will have the desired effect.—S. B,, 
Newbury. 
THE CYCLAMEN. 
This plant has now become moat deservedly popular, and I am of 
opiniou that of late years among flowers very few have been more 
improved by hybridising and selection. If a packet of seed is pur¬ 
chased from a reliable source it is safe to say that 80 per cent, of the 
plants will produce flowers quite up to the standard for ordinary 
decorative purposes, so that if a few plants are raised at different 
times and a selection made of the best a beautiful and choice collec¬ 
tion can be obtained. 
Now is a good time to purchase and sow the seeds in order to 
have the plants in flower next year at this time. Twelve months ago 
I sowed a packet of seeds, and the bulk of the plants are now in 
bloom, and are giving great satisfaction. I sowed the seeds in a pan 
of well-drained sandy loam, covering them to about twice their 
thickness, press the soil down firmly, cover them with a layer of 
moss, water well, and place them in a Cucumber house or frame. The 
seeds are some time in germinating. This arises from two causes ; 
in the first place the seeds are hard, and when they begin, to ger¬ 
minate a small corm is formed, from which the leaves spring, and 
rooting commences at once. As soon as the little plants are large 
enough to handle they should be pricked off an inch apart into pans 
or pots, using sandy loam as before. Gently water and shade them 
for a few days if necessary, but do not keep them in too hot. a tem¬ 
perature ; about 60° is sufficient. They will grow slowly, but in time 
will throw up three or four other leaves, according to the swelling 
of the corm. When these have grown sufficiently each one must 
be taken up carefully and put singly into thumb pots, drained 
properly with finely broken drainage, using this time one-third sifted 
leaf soil to the two of loam and sand. Pot only moderately firm, for 
the roots are yet very tender and but just cover the corm. When 
they become established there move them to a shelf near the glass in 
a vinery at work, as the temperature of the Cucumber house will be 
too high, and induce the leaves to run up at the expense of the corm, 
and cause them to become stunted. 
As soon as they are well rooted they will need a shift into large 
60’s, using soil mixed as before, but only just cover the. corm. 
Examine them often in the matter of watering, for they will not 
thrive if over-watered. They will soon be rooting well into the new 
soil and the corms increasing in size, although the foliage will not 
show much sign of that. The usual ventilation given to the Vines 
will suit for the present. Look out for green fly at this stage, which 
attacks the under surface of the leaves, and apply the usual remedy. 
Red spider is an enemy they are subject to, and daily syringing will 
be necessary. When the plants have rooted fairly from the last 
shift put them into 48-size pots, and some of the best wiil need small 
32’s. The soil now must be different, as it will not be necessary to 
pot them again before flowering. I have found the following pro¬ 
portions to answer well :—3 pecks of turfy loam partly decayed, 
with silver sand added according to its condition, 1 gallon of dried 
cow manure sifted through a sieve of quarter-inch mesh, and 1 gallon 
of charcoal dust. Mix it well with the hand. Pot them firmly this 
time, leaving just a sight of the corm above the soil. Water well 
and return them to the same place. After they become established 
here the time of year will have arrived when they can be plunged in 
coal ashes in a frame not more than a foot from the glass. Give 
them sufficient room so that the air can pass freely amongst them, 
and a little can be left on at night when the weather is warm ; but at 
all times a good growing temperature must be kept up. They will 
be found to do well in this position until they, are taken in the houses, 
which will be about September, and after this time they vil appear 
to cease growing in the foliage, excepting that of getting la ger and 
thicker ; but in reality the corms are hastening to maturity and storing 
up material for flowering. Soon the minute flower buds will be seen 
at the crown of the corm, and at this time and through the winter 
water must be given sparingly but judiciously, for if too much is 
given the flower buds die, and if too little the flowers come small 
and sometimes deformed. 
By the end of the following January, if all has gone well, most 
of the flower buds will be rising above the foliage and showing 
colour. This will be a good time to introduce a few into a little 
higher temperature if wanted early, otherwise they will gradually 
come into bloom and last a long time. Their handy size and bright 
colours with a neat compact growth renders them a most useful class 
of plants for various modes of decoration. In locking over my 
