350 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 2,1882. 
manner, as they do in the Phyllocactuses and Cereuses. This is 
very different from the floral form in E. truncatum, 'which is the only 
instance of a tendency to irregularity in the family, the petals 
being combined into a kind of tube much depressed on one side, 
imparting a two-lipped form to the flowers. The fact has been 
overlooked, however, that in E. Russellianum the regularity of the 
flowers is one of the marked distinctive characters, and the following 
particulars will show in what respect this species differs from the 
better known E. truncatum. 
The flowers are 3 to 4 inches long with straight narrow petals, 
not reflexed as in E. truncatum. The branches are much more 
slender and not so distinctly truncated or cut at the ends of the 
joints. The time of flowerfcg, too, is quite different, being in May 
or June ; and according to Mr. Gardner, who discovered the plant 
on the Organ Mountains, i-kis found up to an elevation of GOOOfeet, 
or nearly 2000 higher than E. truncatum. The flowers are of a 
rosy crimson colour, very dear and pretty, and they are produced 
with great freedom. Mr. Gardner’s account of the discovery of 
this plant is interesting. “ Through dense masses of large Bamboos 
with stems often more than half a foot thick and GO to 70 feet 
high we had to cut our way up the Organ Mountains till we came, 
after a toilsome day’s jrMrney, to a small waterfall where we 
encamped for the night. On the trunks of the large trees growing 
near this spot I saw abundance of Epiphyllum truncatum beautifully 
in flower ; and higher up the mountain the next morning I found a 
lovely new species belonging to the same group as E. truncatum, 
and much resembling it in many points, equally large, but with a 
more graceful mode of growth and lighter-coloured blossoms, the 
stamens, too, being uniformly pink.” The plants found were sent 
to the Duke of Bedford’s celebrated collection at Woburn about 
1839, and in honour of the Duke the species received the name it 
now bears. The time of year at which this Epiphyllum flowers 
has enabled hybridisers to extend the flowering period of these 
plants fully two months—a most important advantage, and if it 
were for this alone E. Russellianum has been a valuable intro¬ 
duction. 
Between E. truncatum and E. Russellianum some handsome 
hybrids were raised about twenty years ago by Mr. W. Buckley of 
Tooting, but in the majority of these the E truncatum characters 
predominated, though a great range of colours was obtained. 
Beyond these, and seedlings from the same cross, very little seems 
to have been done with the Epiphyllums in hybridisation with the 
members of other genera. 
Returning now to the two supposed hybrids. The first, 
E. Gsertneri, was sent some years since to Haage & Schmidt by 
G. H. Gcertner from near Rio Janeiro, and was forwarded by Mr. 
Heinrich of Altona to the Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden at 
Chiswick, whence a plant in flower was taken to a meeting on April 
14th, 1885, and certificated by the Floral Committee. Dr. Yon 
Regel, in describing this plant in the “ Gartenflora,” referred it to 
E. Russellianum as a variety, and it appears to me that the same 
course should be taken with E. Makoyanum, as it only differs in 
the shade of colour. The last named was exhibited by Messrs. 
J. Yeitch & Sons at the Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting on 
April 23rd, when it was also certificated, but no particulars were 
furnished respecting its origin, though, judging by its name, it has 
come from the Belgian City of Liege. The branches are fleshy and 
jointed, like the Epiphyllums, but with the nodes less distinctly 
marked, the bright orange red flowers being produced at the tips of 
the branches, with narrow spreading petals as already described, 
and depicted in fig. 58, page 362. Allowing for a slight difference 
in colour this will also serve to indicate the character of E. Grert- 
neri. Both are interesting and attractive plants, free flowering, 
and they should constitute good companions for the Epiphyllums 
of the truncatum section as regards treatment, but flowering much 
later, like E. Russellianum. 
Most of the Cacti produce pollen very abundantly, and when it 
is desired to obtain an undoubted cross with other species this 
necessitates some careful watching, as otherwise self-fertilisation 
may occur, and after several years’ waiting the would-be hybridiser 
would be disappointed on finding he had merely secured seedlings of 
the parent plant. The stamens should be removed before the 
anthers burst, and as this occasionally takes place early in the 
development of the flower it is sometimes necessary to open it 
artificially. One peculiarity is that the pollen retains its fertilising 
properties for some days if placed in an air-tight vessel, and this- 
enables the experimenter to wait until certain desired flowers reach 
the necessary stage, as the stigmas do not always mature at the 
same time as the anthers.— Lewis Castle. 
LAURELS. 
No shrub that I am acquainted with is s.o useful as Laurels are 
when properly treated. They are easily increased from cuttings, make 
capital screens, hedges, grow under trees, and form specimens or 
shelter for more tender plants. Having had some experience with 
most of the varieties I will describe them and their uses. Propagation 
of all those named is easily effected in the following manner:—Select 
at the end of October shoots of the current year’s growth, not too 
strong, from 6 to 10 inches long. If the shoots are slipped off the 
branches so much the better, as a small portion of old wood is 
retained at the base of each cutting ; this is easily effected by 
bending the point of the shoot downwards, giving it a sharp tug at 
the same time. Take out the point of each cutting, which forms 
the foundation of the future plant, by forcing the new growth 
from the lower joints as well as the upper ones. When the point 
is allowed to remain intact one shoot only protrudes the first year. 
In this manner the plants at once assume a tall character. A 
position under a north wall suits them well. Chop out a trench 
3 inches deep, perpendicular in form ; at the bottom have a little 
sand, and upon this place the cuttings about 6 inches apart, the rows 
10 inches asunder. Fill the trench with soil as digging proceeds, 
treading firmly about the cuttings. Between the rows sprinkle 
some leaf soil ; this will to some extent prevent the cuttings becom¬ 
ing loose by upheaval of the soil by the frost, and the soil should 
be trodden down firmly after frosts to keep the cuttings firm at the 
base ; indeed, this is the main point to consider. At the end of a 
year the plants will need more space, taking out the points of any 
new growths, adding some manure to the soil, which improves both 
the growth and colour of the leaves. Close pruning during the first 
stages of growth produces a bushy plant, neglect in timely atten¬ 
tion to pruning the reverse. 
The common variety being the most useful for all purposes 
must have first place in the list of sorts. For formmg hedges to act 
as screens to Roses, Rhododendrons, or any plants which need 
protection from easterly winds especially, and where quick growth 
is desirable the common variety is perhaps the best. This, like all 
the family, is much improved by the use of manure at planting 
time. All the difference between good and bad treatment is soon 
manifest, even in common Laurels. The colour and size of the 
leaves quickly show how the shrubs appreciate manure applied to 
the roots ; indeed, there is no comparison between those which have 
been well planted and those which have not. Chalk in direct con¬ 
tact with the roots is quickly detected by the pale sickly colour of 
the leaves and weakly growth. Where old plants have become bare 
of leaves near the base cut them down to within 1 foot of the soil, 
or nearer if a low growth is required. By this system of pruning 
the new growths which spring from below are more vigorous than 
when the old stems and branches are left 4 and 5 feet high. The 
harder common Laurels are pruned the denser will be the growth. 
For hedge making, where neatness is the great consideration, 
rotundifolia is the best variety to plant. The growth is perhaps 
not so rapid as the common variety, but the shoots are shorter 
jointed, and when pruned the cuts are not exposed so much as in 
others, as the leaves are more numerous and shorter in the stalk, 
which hides the pruned parts more effectively. I do not think this 
variety is so hardy as the other Laurels ; the foliage showed more 
damage after the severe frost of October 2nd last year than any 
other. Especially valuable for forming sloping banks of greenery 
1 foot in height is this variety, so well can the plants be kept at this 
height by annual close pruning if the foundation of the plants was 
laid correctly in the first instance. For planting under trees, where 
a height of, say, 3 to 4 feet is desirable, forming a mass of greenery,, 
or on sloping banks, where a height of a similar nature is needed to 
form screens, the Caucasian variety is the one to plant. The 
natural form of the plant is dwarfer than the common variety, 
and the colour deeper green. The semi-weeping nature of its leaves 
also places it in a foremost position to plant fcr a hedge, a purpose 
