396 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 16, 18S9. 
the crowns about 10 inches in depth, keeping it as perpendicular as 
possible, yet making it firm to prevent slipping during heavy 
rains, and any that does fall away must be replaced. 
When the soil cracks on the surface in spring it is a signal that 
the Kale is nearly ready for cutting. The best way of securing it 
is by walking along the trench and thrusting a sharp spade into 
the bed, keeping the point in a downward position, so that a 
portion of the old root may be cut away with the Kale. This is 
no detriment to the remaining portion of the roots, as I will here¬ 
after show. It will be seen that by taking the earliest out in this 
way it is not necessary to remove the soil from the adjoining 
crowns before they are ready for use. A few beds are very useful 
on a north border, as the produce from these will be fully a week 
or ten days later than that planted in a sunny position, and a 
supply can be maintained till June. When the beds are cleared 
the soil should be thrown back into the trenches and the crowns 
inspected. Where the cut is not clean it must be made so, not 
leaving any spurs above the ground level. I have seen in many 
gardens old stumps 6 inches or more above the surface. This 
indicates bad cultivation. Seakale is often seen in a neglected 
corner of the garden instead of in a flourishing state in an open 
square. Where the trenches have been filled and manure added, 
various crops can be grown. Yeitch’s Autumn Giant Cauliflower 
I have found to do especially well, or any other crop that will be 
cleared before the month of March. 
When the crowns have made growths 3 inches long dis¬ 
budding must commence, leaving this time two, or in some cases 
three growths. It will be understood by this the cultivator will 
get a much heavier crop the second year. A good dressing of 
salt or some artificial manure may be applied when the Kale is 
fairly started into growth. In good holding ground these planta¬ 
tions will produce useful crops for ten or twelve years. 
Another word about sets. It is important to obtain them from 
one-year-old crowns for forming a new plantation. When old 
roots are taken up and cut the centre is often black. These rarely 
produce good crowns, and many failures have occurred through 
planting them when the soil has been of the best character for pro¬ 
ducing strong plants and crowns.— J. Pithers. 
[The method described by our correspondent of growing Sea- 
kale and having the finest of heads in May without artificial heat is 
not sufficiently practised in private gardens. We have seen several 
grown by him as large as the one figured, which was cut a fort¬ 
night ago. It was 8 inches long, 6 inches in circumference 
in the thickest part, and weighed within half an cunce of half a 
pound. We received a dish from Mr. Pi upart of Twickenham 
last week, and the first three heads taken and placed in the scale 
weighed 1| lb. This natural Ka'e requires longer cooking than 
forced produce, and is then tender and of the best flavour.] 
LAYERING STOVE PLANTS. 
If we wish to root the top of a good Dracaena, Croton, Ficus, or 
other plant which is amenable to this mode of elevating the roots it 
is necessary, in order to retain every leaf, that the roots be in good 
proportion to the size of the top before its severance from its 
parent. Two methods are generally practised in order to insure 
the above end ; the one by binding round the stem sphagnum 
moss, into which roots are pushed from the upper portion of 
the notch or ring made in the stem; the other and more workman¬ 
like method is to place a small pot so that the stem passes through 
its centre, the roots in due time filling the soil, with which the pot 
is filled. The only method of placing the pot in position is by 
splitting it in two and joining the two halves together round the 
stem. There is a very much simpler way of carrying out this 
method, and that is to layer the stems into pots. It may at first 
sight appear an impossible attempt to try and layer plants iike those 
in question ; but though it would not be possible to bring down 
tall and rigid stemmed plants and layer them in the usual manner, 
it is at the same time not impossible to take the pot to the layer. 
The first thing to do is to tie the piece to be rooted securely to 
a stout stake, then with a sharp knife slit up a portion of the stem 
at the place decided on. Let the tongue be rather more than half 
way through and at least 2 inches long. If so long as to reach 
nearly to the bottom of the pot to be employed for rooting it into, 
cut as much off as will take the base of the tongue half way down 
the pot. The method of fastening the latter is quite simple. A 
thin rimless pot is chosen, and its side is pressed up betwixt the 
stock and the tongue of the layer. A wedge of wood needs to be 
placed betwixt the lower portion of the pot and the stem of the 
parent plant in order to keep the former upright. Though the pot 
will generally be quite firmly held after being pressed into its place, 
it is nevertheless a safe proceeding to tie the pot to the stem with a 
strand or two of matting All that is now required is to keep the J 
soil in the pot moist, and when roots are forming to bark the stqm 
opposite the layor, or a notch may be cut nearly through the stem. 
When the pot is well filled with roots the stem is severed and the 
new plant repotted and kept close and warm until established.—• 
R. P. B. 
EVENING NOTES. 
Biographical Note of Loudon. —Although it is as a practical 
paper that the Journal ho'd its own, I hope the Editor will have no 
objection to a short biographical note. The following was found m 
Loudon’s note-book when he was working as a gardener :—" I am now 
twenty years of age,” he writes, “ perhaps one-third of my life has 
passed away, and what have I done to benefit my fellow men ?” Would 
that this was in the mind of more young gardeners of the present day, who 
for the most part are bent, as they say, on reaching the top of the tree 
of their calling, and justly so. But let them hear what an eminent 
writer says—“ The duty of helping one’s self in the highest sense in¬ 
volves the helping of one’s neighbours.” And Loudon’s life seemed to 
correspond with the views of the author quoted. During his apprentice¬ 
ship he sat up two whole nights every week to study, although he 
worked harder than any labourer during the day. Loudon should be a 
model for all gardeners, and from his successful life maybe learned 
what many writers have recorded in the pages oFthis Journal, that with¬ 
out persevering industry, success and distinction cannot be achieved. 
Mistakes. —Mistakes or mishaps will befall all human beings, even 
the most careful. But when they do occur they should not be taken 
for ill luck, because difficulties are the best helpers. Having charge of 
some Ferns on one occasion, I allowed a plant of the common Maiden¬ 
hair to get dry, so that the fronds were all burnt. I placed it in a 
shady corner of the vinery, watering it very carefully, and before long 
it threw up dwarf fronds of a much darker green hue than its com¬ 
panions. Such fronds being in demand for small vases, the Fern 
proved most useful.— Journeyman. 
Celosias. —Where these are appreciated in autumn seed should be 
sown at once in pans in an intermediate temperature. When the seed¬ 
lings are large enough they may be pricked singly into small pots. 
Keep them close to the glass, and let every attention be paid to them. 
Grow them as sturdily as possible ; plants that run up quickly in a 
close moist confined atmosphere seldom produce good plumes. Plants 
that were raised from seed early, and are needed for conservatory deco¬ 
ration as soon as they can be had in bloom, may be placed into 5-inch 
pots. Grow these in an intermediate temperature, and use as a compost 
loam and sand, and one-seventh of decayed manure. Supply water care¬ 
fully until they are rooting freely in the new soil, when liberal supplies 
should be given. Ventilate the. structure in which they are grown on 
all favourable occasions. 
Tuberous Begonias. —The earliest plants may be placed in their 
largest pots. Use for a compost good loam three parts, the other part 
being composed of sand, leaf mould, and manure. Grow these plants 
in a moderately cool structure, and shade them from the sun. Be careful 
not to overwater them, and, on the other hand, do not allow the soil to 
approach dryness. These plants draw up weakly, and often die if grown 
in a close atmosphere.—B. _ 
Calceolarias in the Open Air.— Since we found out the 
valuable qualities of summer flowering Chrysanthemums for flower beds 
we do not consider the Calceolaria so indispensable as at one time. The 
same colours are secured from the Chrysanthemums, and they rarely 
fail to give satisfaction, but Calceolarias are good old-fashioned flowers 
which many have still a desire to cultivate. They are easily propagated 
from cuttings in the autumn, may be kept throughout the winter with 
very little trouble, and generally appear sound and vigorous when 
planted in the beds ; but in some cases they die off in July or August— 
just, in fact, at the time they should be in full beauty. The whole of 
them may not die, but large blanks are left, and this has weakened their 
character and caused many to distrust them ; but in my opinion this 
premature decay may be averted, and if properly treated no one need be 
afraid of failing with Calceolarias. They have a dislike to artificial 
heat and coddling. To attempt to force them in spring, or even keep 
them in a very close place unheated, is apt to lay the foundation of the 
disease that is sure to sweep them off when the hot weather is ex¬ 
perienced ; but if merely kept clear of frost and perfectly cool during 
the winter and spring they will retain a vigorous condition that is not 
easily upset. There is also another cause that contributes largely to 
their failure, and that is late planting. In some cases the beds may be 
so full of spring flowers that they cannot be disturbed until they are 
over in May, and in others there is a dislike to plant any of the beds, 
whether they are empty or not, until the whole can be done ; but the 
end of May or beginning of June is too late for Calceolaria planting, and 
they should be put out before the Pelargoniums. They have then time to 
root well and make top growth before the warm weather occurs, and in 
this way they will not fail. They also succeed better in a rather stiff 
cool soil than in light dry material.—J. M. 
Celsia cretica. —For decorating the conservatory during May 
and June the subject of this note will be found most useful. Though 
introduced as far back as 1752 it is seldom found in gardens at the pre* 
sent day. 1 find the plants do well under the following mode of culture. 
Sow the seed early in March in a pan filled with loam, leaf mould, and 
