February 21, 1889. J 
■JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
159 
and zebrina, striped foliage and scarlet flowers. These and several other 
varieties are catalogued by the leading seedsmen at quite cheap rates. 
The seed being excessively hard requires to be first placed in a jar 
of water and plunged in a brisk bottom heat, or set on the evaporating 
troughs for not less than twelve hours, this softening them and materially 
hastening germination. From the warm water they ought to be trans¬ 
ferred to pots of good loamy soil previously warmed, and at once 
plunged in a rather brisk bottom heat. The seedlings usually come up 
irregularly, and they ought to be potted off in the same manner, so as 
not to interfere with any not up or sufficiently advanced to be moved. 
If kept in heat the seedlings are soon fit to shift from 24-inch to 5-inch 
or rather larger pots, and thus liberally treated strong plants will be 
available for bedding-out in June. Strong clumps lifted from the open 
ground last autumn, or any that have been kept in large pots for con¬ 
servatory decoration, may be started into growth now or a month later ; 
and these, when the shoots are a few inches long, may be freely divided 
and potted off. Divisions in common with seedlings must not be kept 
badly root-bound in small pots or the growth becomes stunted. 
Acacia lophantha. —Quite young plants of this good old greenhouse 
plant are very effective in mixed beds or dotted among other dwarf 
fine-foliaged or flowering bedding plants. They can easily be raised 
from seed, but this being nearly as hard as that of Cannas must be 
similarly treated in every respect, the young seedlings to be first 
pricked off singly into 2^-inch pots and kept growing in gentle heat. 
They soon require a shift into 5-inch pots, and may be grown in a green¬ 
house during May preparatory to planting out in June. A light, 
loamy compost suits them. Two-year-old plants kept in pots flower 
freely in a conservatory, but the seedlings before they have branched 
strongly are the most ornamental. 
Erythrina*. —A bed wholly planted with these in variety present 
when in flower a unique appearance, and they are well adapted, filling 
isolated beds in pleasure ground or for using with sub-tropical plants. 
In some positions the old stools may be wintered in the open, a covering 
of leaf soil, ashes, or cocoa-nut fibre being all the protection needed. 
As a rule the safest plan is to lift them and store on a dry floor in a cool 
house. If started in heat they will form numerous shoots which, when 
about 3 inches long, may be taken off with a heel attached and placed 
singly in small pots filled with sandy, peaty soil. Plunge in a brisk 
bottom heat, cover with handglasses, and dry the latter daily to prevent 
damp attacking the cuttings. E. Crista-Galli is the most commonly 
grown, and if seed of this can be procured a stock of plants can soon 
be raised. It must be first soaked similarly to Canna and Acacia seed, 
and the subsequent treatment may be identical. 
Eucalyptus globulus. —This has not long retained popularity, owing 
probably to its not proving generally hardy. At the same time a few 
young plants are of service for mixed beds and partially filled shrub¬ 
beries, the glaucous foliage contrasting well with darker shades [of 
colour. They can only be raised from seed, and this should be sown 
now thinly in pans of sandy peaty soil, and duly plunged in a brisk 
bottom heat, a square of glass placed over the pans hastening germina¬ 
tion. The seedlings may first be pricked out thinly in pans, or placed 
singly in small pots, being eventually shifted into 5-inch or rather 
larger pots. They may be grown to a good size prior to planting out, 
but the plants are not so effective in the first season as they are when 
kept in pots and placed out early in the following May. 
Ficus elastica. —Where sub-tropical bedding is carried out on either 
a large or small scale the “ Indiarubber Plant” ought to be freely used 
either in mixed beds or grouped thinly, having a showy groundwork to 
display them to the best advantage. Old conservatory plants intro¬ 
duced into heat will soon afford a number of cuttings. Every leaf with 
a short length of wood attached will strike root, but the progress of 
these plants is slow, and side shoots are preferable. First take off the 
top of the main stem and strong branches, preserving three nearly or 
quite fully developed leaves, and cut to a joint below these. Dry the 
wounds with the aid of dry silver sand, and insert firmly in the centre 
of small pots filled'with light sandy soil. Fasten the leaves uprightly 
with the aid of a light stake and raffia, plunge the pots in a brisk 
bottom heat, cover with a bellglass, and avoid over-watering. The 
side shoots when about 5 inches long to be taken off with a short slice 
of old wood attached and treated similarly to the tops. All ought to 
be kept growing in gentle heat, and given one shift, being eventually 
hardened off prior to planting or plunging in the open in June. 
Hollyhocks. —A taste for these is reviving, and many more would be 
grown if it was more generally known that it is possible to easily raise 
and flower seedlings in one season. A packet of seed obtained from a 
reliable source contains a good per-centage of showy varieties, but those 
who wish to flower them this year must lose no time in procuring and 
sowing it in a pan of fine sandy soil. If this is set on or plunged in a 
gentle hotbed and covered with a square of glass the seedlings will 
appear in a fortnight, and these being gradually exposed to more light 
and air may first be pricked off carefully into other pans of soil and kept 
growing in gentle heat. Before they crowd each other they ought to be 
placed singly in small pots and gradually hardened off. Whi'e in a cool 
pit or frame the strongest ought to be given a shift into 5-inch pots, and 
it is these which under further liberal treatment will form fairly strong 
flower spikes. All should be planted out in May, or before they become 
badly root-bound. Even the smaller plants will frequently flower in a 
favourable season. Seedlings are less liable to disease than are those 
obtained by striking side shoots much as Dahlias are increased. 
Narcissi. —These may safely be lifted, divided, and replanted at the 
present time, provided, however, the weather is sufficiently mild. If 
this is done carefully, the tender roots not being much denuded of soil, 
and not injured by cold winds, the removal will not interfere with the 
flowering either in this or the next season, whereas bulbs transplanted in 
a dry state frequently fail to flower in the second spring following. 
Clumps of the common Daffodils lifted in the woods and planted near 
the stems of Apple trees are greatly improved by the change, and fine- 
masses of flower annually result. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Raising Early Vegetables under Glass. —If we depended on 
the Cauliflower, Lettuce, Celery, and Brussels Sprouts sown and grown- 
entirely in the open ground, it would often be well on in summer before 
we had much produce ready, but while raising our main crop plants in 
the open we invariably give many of our earliest crops a start under 
glass, and this is such an advantage that it should be generally prac¬ 
tised. The majority of gardens contain frames, hotbeds, pits, or 
vineries which offer facilities for rearing a quantity of young plants, 
and no time should now be lost in taking full advantage of them. 
Shallow boxes of a size convenient for handling are better than pots 
for sowing in. They should be slightly drained and firmly filled with 
light rich soil. Sow the seeds rather thinly, and cover to a depth of 
not more than half an inch. Until the plants appear it does not matter 
how far they are from the glass, but when once they are through the 
soil they should be kept close to the glass to prevent their becoming 
long and straggling. Celery does not germinate or grow so quickly as 
Cauliflower, and it may be kept in a little more heat than these. Where 
large early spring Onions are required for exhibition or other purposes 
seed may be sown in boxes and the plants subsequently grown on in 
them until they are 3 inches or 4 inches high, when they may be planted' 
out in a warm corner in the open. These Onions will be far in advance 
of any sown in the open ground in the usual way. Early Leeks, too, 
may be raised in this fashion ; in fact, it is the only way to secure them 
large by July or August. We sometimes sow Onions and Leeks rather 
thickly in boxes in February, and transplant into other boxes in March, 
when robust plants are obtained for turning out about the end of April. 
In raising all these plants it is very important that they do not receive 
any checks from sudden fluctuations of temperature. 
Tomatoes. — Plants raised from seed sown early in January are now 
several inches high. If sown singly in small pots let them remain in 
them a little longer ; but if sown in a 6-inch or 8-inch pot turn them out 
and pot singly. Many make a mistake by potting and growing their 
Tomatoes in too rich soil, which induces superfluous unfruitful growth. 
The plants at this time should be kept in a temperature of 65° to 75°, and 
if placed well in the light they will soon begin to show flowers. The 
largest fruiting sorts are seldom the best for a first crop, some of the 
smaller ones coming in several weeks earlier, and a few of these should 
be grown where Tomatoes are wanted early. The main crop of Tomatoes- 
for summer culture should be sown as soon as convenient, as one of the 
secrets of succeeding with them is to have the plants up early and of a 
good size to begin fruiting in the best of the seasons. We sometimes 
sow the seed in a shallow box, and pot the plants singly when 4 inches or 
5 inches high. Those who acted on our advice last autumn and inserted 
cuttings of Tomatoes will now have plants 1 foot or 18 inches high. 
This is the condition of oure, and they have been transferred into 
10-inch pots and placed on the back shelves of a vinery and Pine house- 
to fruit. From these we expect a crop by Easter, and after that the 
supply will be continuous. 
Early Potatoes. —Those in frames are strong, but care must be 
taken that the lights are not lifted on the windy side, as the foliage i& 
soon injured, and then the tubers will be deficient. Cover the frames on 
frosty nights. The seed tubers ot the earliest varieties are now- 
beginning to push freely, and we like to retain the first shoots ; but they 
are useless if much drawn, and they should be treated so as to make the 
shoots sturdy. This may be done by picking them over, laying them out 
in a single layer, keeping them all with their growing ends uppermost, 
and placing them fully in the light. Sheds may often be found suitable- 
for them, and if not they may be laid out in a frame, as it is a great 
advantage to have the early tubers in good condition for planting. If 
the weather is favourable a few scores of sets may be planted at the- 
bottom of a south wall or in some other sheltered position where 
protection may be applied to them if necessary. We have sometimes- 
found these early plantings very useful, and in other seasons they have 
been almost a failure, but as we have always plenty of sets we never 
fail to try for an early crop. 
Parsley. —We do not recollect ever having so much good Parsley as 
we had in 1888. It grew luxuriantly, and the season appeared to favour 
it, but it has died to a great extent now, and it will not be abun¬ 
dant for some time. It will therefore be necessary to economise until 
growth occurs. Remove all decayed leaves from the plants, and if any 
great deficiency is indicated, wash the old leaves clean, and dry them for 
flavouring. At the same time, sow a few short rows of Parsley seed 
for an early supply. It will take the seed some time to germinate at 
this season, but the plants are sure to appear, and many of them will 
be ready for transplanting in April. These will give the main summer 
supply, for the old plants all run to seed as the season advances, and 
young plants must take their places. Soot is our favourite manure for 
Parsley. We dig it into the soil before sowing, and sprinkle some on 
them afterwards, and we are never troubled with failure. 
Increasing Rhubarb. —Rhubarb is amongst the first roots to start 
into growth in the open, and where it is desired to increase it by divid- 
