JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 17, 1889. 
41 
years, very few have as yet found their way into the collections of the 
o itside world. Now, Mr. Douglas has not only a large number of seed¬ 
lings, but ha also grows Alpines, and has a very extensive collection of 
t ie best varieties in cultivation. Here, too, I had a pleasant chat about 
mv favourite flower, and he, too, felt the difficulties about seedlings. 
Take his best, Conservative. It is without doubt a very beautiful flower, 
but there is extreme difficulty in getting a good plant of it owing to its 
extreme fecundity in the matter of offsets, as Acme (Read’s) is wont to 
do. Ajax (Horner’s), of which a great deal was thought at one time, has 
degenerated and is coarse ; indeed, the more one thinks over it the more 
wonderful it seems that such flowers as Geo. Lightbody and Lancashire 
Hero were raised without any artificial aid, while all scientific hand ing 
of the flower has failed to produce anything to equal these varieties. 
As old Lacharme used to say about Roses, Nature gets up too early in 
the morning for them, and does her work before they begin. 
I need hardly say that under the care of so experienced a gardener 
as Mr. Douglas the collection of Auriculas, as of everything else I saw at 
Great Gearies, was in first-rate order, although there were some sorts 
which did not show so vigorously as others, which will be always the 
c ise where a collection comprising plants of different constitutions are 
grown. The fine autumn, especially November, may have somewhat 
siimulated growth since my visit, but we do not want to see that now, 
.as they ought to be resting. But I have no doubt that when the time 
f >r exhibition comes he will be well to the front. His collection was 
then of course in frames facing the north, but when the flowering time 
comes on are transferred to a house 50 feet long, which is filled with 
them, and must be to the lover of the flower a pleasant sight indeed. 
Thus ends this sketchy record of my three visits, which afforded me 
much real pleasure, and added not a little to my stock of information : 
f ir although I have grown Auriculas for more than half a century 
1 am not too old to learn, and indeed so many have been the changes in 
t he mode of culture that one has to unlearn a good deal of what we 
took for gospel in our younger days.—D., Deal. 
INSECT EGGS ON TOMATO PLANTS. 
In answer to the query, page 34, the most effectual remedy that I 
have tried is Calvert’s carbolic softsoap, dissolved in hot water, as it 
lakes a long time to dissolve in cold water. I have been much troubled 
with ihe white fly. and consider it the worst enemy the Tomato grower 
has to contend with. Fumigating with tobacco paper is of little use, 
having no effect on the eegs. Last year I followed it up for a fortnight, 
and in a week afterwards the fly was as thick as ever. I then applied 
the dissolved softsoap several times, and found it very effective. 
Where plants are large or planted out it will be found necessary to 
syringe them several times to catch all the pests, but in the case of your 
inquirer, it would be an easy matier to dip the plants as they are in 
3-inch pots. I should say that I had occasion to use another kind of 
softsoap, and spoiled nearly a house of Tomatoes with it, teaching me to 
use none but Calvert’s in future, which I have not found injure the 
most tender foliage. It may be had from most chemists, and instruc¬ 
tions for use are on the jars. If any of your readers can testify to a 
better remedy they will confer a favour, as the white fly is becoming 
more prevalent in many places every year. — S. T. Weight, Glewstun 
Court Gardens. 
IVY. 
The advice tendered by “Kentish Gardener” to trim Ivy on 
walls may be suitable in the southern parts of the country, and in 
other favoured places, but not in the eastern, northern, and majority 
of the midland counties. Even supposing the plants would refur¬ 
nish themselves with foliage I do not consider the advice of the 
soundest description. I cannot perceive any object in divesting 
plants of the whole of their foliage at a time when they are in active 
growth. I am perfectly aware that it requires hardships of the 
severest character before strong-growing Ivies could be injured in 
any marked degree, even by such a course. But cutting off the 
foliage is not all that is required, for it is impossible to remove the 
whole of the leaves by such a course—in fact, many small leaves or 
portions are always left, and these in turn die ; in fact, there is a 
fair per-centage of these to remove annually. Hand-picking is out 
of the question, and a stiff brush must be used, and can be with 
safety during March, just before signs of growth are visible ; but 
this could not well be done in August without injury to a large 
number of the growing ends of shoots. 
Again, I object to trimming in August on the ground that at 
that period of the year everything about a garden is in the best 
possible condition, or should he, and to remove the healthy luxuriant 
foliage from a wall or building covered with Ivy would, if even for 
a very short time, be a great eyesore to the majority of people. In 
this respect there is no parallel between trimming in March and 
August. Trimming at the latter date is principally advocated on 
two grounds—first, the greater length of time the plants are 
furnished with green healthy foliage ; and secondly, that by 
cutting in March the plants present a straggling untidy appearance 
for at least the winter six months. If trimmed in March, just 
before growth is visible, the plants are refurnished with light green 
foliage by the close of April, especially if warm, genial, and showery 
weather prevails. If the plants are trimmed in August, even in 
favourable spots, they would not be well furnished in much less 
time, if any, than a month. Even by this system side growths will 
push even earlier than 'would be the case by cutting during March, 
and thus there would be little difference in this respect during the 
summer. These certainly are removed by trimming in August, 
w'hile if done in March it is necessary to remove them by the aid of 
a pair of pruning shears during September. To have walls of Ivy 
in the best possible condition throughout the season, without shoots 
projecting for several of the summer months, we cut off all shoots 
that are visible about the beginning of July, and again towards the 
end of September. Not only are side shoots removed then, but all 
leading shoots that have refused to cling sufficiently to support 
themselves through the winter. 
The Irish Ivy is no doubt the best for furnishing large walls or 
buildings, and clings on the whole well. For small walls, however, 
it is not the most suitable. When Ivies have been established on 
walls for a great number of years they are very liable to be brought 
down by heavy falls of snow, especially if the snow catches the 
upper portion as it falls from the roof ; in fact, the time comes 
when the growing shoots are so far from the wall that it is easily 
loosened. We often see iron rods and other contrivances adopted 
to secure it again in position, but very rarely does it fasten itseli 
again, unless it can be allowed to travel upwards. The best 
method of dealing with such cases is to cut the Ivy back to where 
it has a firm grip of the wall or building. These spaces are quickly 
refurnished. The best of all plans when Ivy gets in this condition, 
or trimming has been neglected for a series of years, is to cut the 
whole close off at the base, or nearly so. Shoots will be made 6 or 
7 feet in length the first season—in fact, the Irish Ivy would 
furnish a wall thoroughly in three years 15 to 20 feet high, which 
if trimmed annually would remain in good condition for many 
years. 
The most rapid-growing Ivy of all is Hedera Rsegnieriana ; but 
unfortunately, it is not one of the best to cling, yet with a little 
patience it can be induced to do so. It is surprising how rapidly 
this variety will cover a very high wall. We have started it up 
two trees, but as yet it fails to cling. It is a grand Ivy—a giant 
in appearance, with its large bold foliage, which renders it one of 
the most conspicuous amongst plants suitable for covering large 
walls or buildings. Many of its leaves, which are nearly heart- 
shaped, are often 7 inches in length, and 5 or 0 inches wide. It is 
imposing on a moderately high fence where it can be allowed to 
hang over the other side in a natural manner. For slopes or banks 
where very few other plants will grow the Irish Ivy forms a close 
carpet, and certainly surpasses the one last considered in appearance. 
For low walls, for covering vases, stones employed in rockeries, 
H. csenwoodiana is decidedly the best. It is a good grower, climbs 
well, and its small but closely formed, deeply cut and beautifully 
marked foliage, renders it a very telling object. No Ivy with which 
I am acquainted gives such a natural appearance when planted to 
form a groundwork on slopes or shady places where hardy Ferns 
are planted. It enhances the appearance of Ferns whether they 
are evergreen or deciduous. This is not all, for it is not necessary 
to plant the Ferns so thickly as would otherwise be the case. It 
would be difficult to imagine anything more lovely than one of the 
crested Scolopendriums rising above a groundwork of this Ivy, or, 
if we take one of the Athyriums, say Athyrium Filix-fcemina 
coronatum or Athyrium Filix-fcemina corymbiferum, the effect is 
no less beautiful. There are many positions in a garden in which 
these Ivies could be more generally used. 
But there is another class of Ivies, the tree form, that are 
worthy of more general cultivation. Many of the variegated forms 
are beautiful in shrubbery borders, especially so when covered with 
berries. They are admirably adapted for town gardens, as they 
bear smoke without injury. Even standards amongst dwarf shrubs- 
are very effective. Nearly all kinds of Ivy will assume the tree 
form, even the Irish variety, and we have a few positions in which 
it flowers profusely every year and looks well, but better still when 
loaded with rich purple or nearly black berries. H. baccifera lutea 
is a very striking Ivy when laden with its yellow berries.— 
A City Gardener. 
MAGNOLIA CONSPICUA. 
It is just 100 years since the Chinese tree, known as the 
Yulan, was introduced to England. It is therefore entitled to a place 
amongst the older introductions from that interesting country. In 
large gardens around the metropolis the tree is fairly well known, 
but it is not so frequently seen in country gardens as might be 
expected when its claims are duly considered. It is one of the most 
