Isovem'ber 2S, 1839. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
457 
i 
SPIRiEA JAPONICA. j 
-+- a 
fy JN 
7VTEVER perhaps in the history of this country have so many 
-LI schemes been advanced for cropping land to prove remunerative 
as at the present time. Fruit-growing is a general topic of conver¬ 
sation, and we hope that good will result; in fact, we are confident on 
this point, for the subject has advanced to such a stage that it will 
mot be allowed to fall again into the background. While our attention 
us directed to a subject of such national importance as the pro¬ 
duction of our own fruit, there are many who have land that will 
not be able to enter into this enterprise, and might do worse than 
consider the culture of other plants and roots that we have to 
-import annually. The Spiraea is one of those that can be grown as 
well in this country as on the continent. At the present time we 
rely almost exclusively on imported plants, and this is to be 
regretted when equally good clumps could be grown at home. I do 
mot for one moment think that it would pay those who live in the 
neighbourhood of towns where labour and land are dear to produce 
•those they need for growing in pots for the market or for supply¬ 
ing cut flowers. But there is abundance of land of a light sandy 
mature near our coasts, and extending a few miles inland, that is 
now growing nothing but coarse grass and weeds which I have no 
•doubt could be obtained for a low rent per acre, and could soon 
be rendered sufficiently fertile to grow these plants to perfection. 
'To set aside what we may at present regard as waste land, there is 
■plenty under cultivation that would be suitable for these Spiraeas, 
dhough occupied at the present time with crops that do not yield 
one-half the return that could be thus obtained. As growers have 
xelied so long upon continental plants they might be prejudiced at 
'first against those grown here, but this could be quickly overcome 
by proving that they would flower profusely. All that is wanted 
are good clumps that will throw up plenty of large bold spikes of 
inflorescence. 
The reason sandy soil is advocated is because it is easy to work, 
and quickly rendered fertile by the addition of manure. Planting 
and lifting could be done at almost any time, and for the latter the 
soil could be shaken out of the roots so much easier than soil of a 
heavy or moderately heavy nature. This is not all, the crowns 
would ripen earlier and better on light than heavy land. Light 
sandy soils are rarely, even during the dryest of weather, destitute 
•of moisture. While they appear dust dry on the surface they are 
usually moist below, a condition that would suit these plants admir¬ 
ably. We have abundance of land in this country very similar in 
overy respect to that upon which they are grown in the neighbour¬ 
hood of Ghent. 
A large stock of plants could quickly be obtained when once a 
start was determined upon, and it is almost needless to enter into 
particulars how a stock could be raised and suitable plants for 
forcing produced without loss of more time than is really necessary. 
In nearly all undertakings some time must elapse before a return 
could be looked for, and the cultivation of Spiraeas is no excep¬ 
tion to the rule. The best, perhaps, and unquestionably the cheapest 
method of raising a stock quickly would be to obtain from some 
large grower of flowers for the market his stock of plants after he 
has cut the flowers from them, which plants in the majority of cases 
are thrown out. Any grower would rather dispose of them for a 
trifle than throw them away. These if planted thickly together in 
rows until autumn would be suitable for cutting up for stock. If 
No, 492 .—Vol.sxIX., Third Series, 
they could be left until the autumn following, a larger and better 
stock would be at hand to start with. Plants that flower profusely 
outside one year are in the best possible condition for lifting in 
autumn, cutting up and planting for forcing in the following year. 
After the plants flower weak crowns are produced, and these need 
one clear season’s growth in which to attain a flowering size. 
Spiraeas placed out thickly together after forcing, even if left 
until the second autumn before they are divided, have seldom any 
but small crowns. Being planted closely together prevents 
the crowns developing sufficiently. When lifting for forcing 
there are generally some clumps that are not strong enough for 
flowering, and these are reserved for dividing and planting again. 
When good sized pieces are planted suitable portions can often be 
cut from them, and do well for planting for the next year’s stock, 
but if the clumps were grown specially for the market their 
appearance would be destroyed if cut at lifting time. 
Stock plants may be lifted at any time from the end of October 
or after the foliage has died away, and may be divided ready for 
planting. Roots that have flowering crowns may be cut very small 
and planted out 8 or 9 inches apart each way and allowed to flower. 
The crowns will increase rapidly after flowering, and be good for 
planting in autumn 1 foot apart and 14 or 15 inches between the 
rows. Small roots to start with generally make the best shaped 
clumps. The roots selected have seven or eight crowns each, and 
are planted as the work of digging the ground is proceeded with. 
The soil is firmed about them by pressing it with the foot after 
the clumps are placed into position. The crowns are as near the 
surface of the soil as possible, being only just covered. Manure 
is spread on the ground and dug in as the work of planting pro¬ 
ceeds. Old manure, or that employed with leaves for hotbeds, is 
preferred. 
The position selected should be an open sunny one, and the 
ground in the early part of the season must be kept free from 
weeds. After the plants begin growing the hoe should be fre¬ 
quently used. It encourages rapid growth early in the season, 
which is a decided advantage in the development of large crowns 
early in the autumn. 
For years we have prepared plants for forcing in the way 
advocated, and have never been disappointed with the manner 
in -which they have flowered ; in fact, they have been forced as early 
and produced as many flowers equally as fine as any we have been 
able to obtain from imported clumps.— Northerner. 
THE ARRANGEMENT OF COLOURS. 
Colours may be divided into two classes, the warm and the 
cold. Warm colours are scarlet, red, crimson, pink or rose, yellow, 
and orange ; cold colours are blue, purple, lilac, and white. Now, 
if these colours are all mixed indiscriminately, without any regard 
to effect, though the garden will undoubtedly be variegated and 
mottled enough, yet the pattern will be confused, and except by 
chance there will be no breadth or depth of colour for the eye to 
rest upon. We shall much sooner be weary of looking upon such 
a scene, where every part presents the same discordant features. 
This was the great defect of the regularly mixed flower border. 
The eagerness with which the more modern fashion of grouping 
masses of colour has been taken up and followed by the owners of 
gardens proves that the association of colours in harmonious 
arrangement is felt to be a good desirable to be attained, and yet 
how often is this desideratum left to chance ! The gardener having 
plants, of colours various enough in all conscience, makes an 
arbitrary selection. His resolve goes no further than this—“ I 
will have this bed scarlet Yerbenas, that bed purple Petunias, the 
other yellow Calceolarias ; this little bed shall have blue dwarf 
Lobelias, that large one blue Salvia patens, a third scarlet Salvia 
fulgens, a fourth scarlet Pelargoniums ; yonder little one shall 
No. 2148.— Vol. LXXXI., Old Series. 
