January 2 , 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
9 
other. The situation of the buds will determine this before any branches 
are formed, and if the buds are too close together disbud them, so as to 
allow room enough for the future branches. If any side shoots are 
made lower down, either after stopping the points or before, they must 
be nipped before they form one joint, and only the leaves from which 
they issue left. All the leaves on the stem from top to bottom are left 
on the first season, but no side branches allowed, except the few at the 
top, to form the head. When the young wood gets firm, say about 
August, you may begin to cut out the buds, beginning at the bottom 
and going up progressively as the wood ripens, so that by the end of the 
first growing season all the buds on what is to form the future stem are 
entirely got rid of. This is the most essential part of the whole proeess, 
but the buds ought to be extracted—yes, that is the right word—extracted 
without injuring the leaves, for unless the buds are taken out with 
their roots, so to speak, depend on it they will trouble you afterwards 
by throwing out strong side branches; but once extracted from a 
one season’s growth no tree, I believe, has the power of renewing 
them a second time. These suckers may be safely left attached to 
the mother stools for three years or more, for they will acquire more 
strength and come sooner into use that way than if taken off sooner. 
Any time during the spring of the second season a ring of bark, 
about 2 inches wide, must be taken off the bottom of these suckers, 
and the lower down the better ; then, when these wounds are perfectly 
dry, and the upper edges of them begin to swell by the formation of new 
wood, and not before, you may earth up some good soil all over the old 
stool, till it is 4 or 6 inches above the ringed parts. Roots will imme¬ 
diately issue from the swellings of these rings, and so form you a tree 
“ on its own bottom.” By the help of these roots and the connection 
with the parent stock very vigorous healthy young trees are formed in 
less time and more handsomely than by any other process known to us, 
and in separating them from the stool work your way to the ringed 
parts and cut through them with a small saw, and this you may do 
twelve months before you finally remove your new standard.—D. 
Last week we had the pleasure of greeting our readers with the 
good old wish with which so many are familiar at Christmastide : this 
week we add the no doubt equally ancient and not less pleasant refrain— 
A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL, 
- Events of the Week.— On Monday, Jan. 6th, the National 
Chrysanthemum Society’s General Committee will meet in Anderton’s 
Hotel at 7 p.m., and the same Society’s midwinter Exhibition will take 
place on Wednesday and Thursday, January 8th and 9th, in the Royal 
Aquarium, Westminster. A conference of Chrysanthemum growers is 
also being arranged for Wednesday afternoon. 
- The Weather in the South has been somewhat colder, 
with frequent frosts and slight snow on several nights. Around the 
metropolis frosts and fogs have been prevalent, the latter on two days 
(Sunday and Monday) being exceptionally dense even for London, 
causing a remarkable darkness, which on Monday continued the whole 
day. In low districts 12° and 14° of frost have been registered, 
- The Weather in the North.—T he weather during the 
last fortnight has continued extremely variable. Some snow fell 
between December 2l8t and 22nd, and laid for a day. Frost of 5|° has 
occurred. Throughout the night of the 25th the thermometer stood at 45°; 
at 9 A.M. on the 17th, at 51° Fahr. ; a gale of wind followed within 
forty-eight hours. Generally mild and drizzly weather has been the 
rule.—B. D. 
- Presentation to Mr. Hallidav.—T he young gardeners at 
Alton Towers, as a token of the great respect they had for Mr. 
Rabone’s foreman, Mr. Halliday (who served nearly five years in the 
above capacity), presented him with an address and writing case on his 
appointment as gardener to Lady Forester, Meaford Hall, Stone, Staf¬ 
fordshire. 
- Gardening Appointments. —Mr. Richard West, late gardener 
at Preston Hall, has been appointed head gardener to Bazley White, 
Esq., M.P., Genning’s Park, near Maidstone, Kent. Mr. W. Hagon, for 
the last twelve years head gardener to James Skinner, Esq., Bramley 
Hill House, has been reappointed head gardener to A. H. Knight, 
Esq., at the same place. Mr. Charles Marr, foreman. North Marine 
Park, South Shields, has been appointed head gardener to Mrs. Liddell, 
Prudhoe Hall, Northumberland, 
- Gesnera exoniensis is a useful old plant. By lamp or gas 
light it has a telling effect, the orange scarlet flowers and dark velvety 
foliage being extremely bright. During its growing season it must be 
placed in a shaded and moist stove, as it very much dislikes either an 
arid atmosphere or bright sun. It is also partial to a good proportion 
of leaf soil in the potting compost. 
- Begonia socotrana.—T his is likely to become very popular 
Our plants are now unfolding their rosy pink flowers, and are very 
attractive. Those varieties raised by Messrs. Veitch— i.e., John Heal 
and Adonis, of which socotrana is one of the parents, we also grow, 
and they are a good addition, as they form a fresh class of winter 
flowering Begonias. It must be understood that these remain dormant 
during the greater part of the summer, and a’so require rather severe 
resting. If kept out while at rest they are apt to decay. 
- In addition to the above as Winter Flowering Plants 
there are Poinsettias, Euphorbias, Lily of the Valley, Roman Hyacinths, 
&c., double Primulas, Tea Roses, Marie Louise Violets, and where 
grown there are several other useful Orchids for blooming during the 
winter season. For instance, there is the old and well tried Cypri- 
pedium insigne, Lselia anceps, L. albida, several Dendrobiums, such as 
D. nobile, D. Ainsworthi, D. Wardianum, D. aureum, D. formosum 
giganteum, Cattleya Bowringiana, Cymbidium Masters!, and Zygo- 
petalum Mackayi. The above are very reasonable in price, and may all 
be grown in the ordinary plant stove.—A Young. 
- Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, sends us flowers of the St. Brigid 
Hellebore, which he considers “ without doubt is the finest in the 
family.” The flowers are large (3J inches in diameter), pure white, of 
good substance, and borne in pairs on stout stems. 
- Presentation to Mr. A. D. Christie.—A t a recent meeting 
in Warwick Mr. A. D. Christie, who was for many years head gardener 
at Warwick Castle, but who has now entered upon an engagement of a 
similar character at Ragley Hall under the Marquis of Hertford, was 
presented at the Court House with a purse of gold and an illuminated 
address by residents of Warwick with whom he has so long been asso¬ 
ciated. The Mayor (Alderman Cooke), who made the presentation, 
presided, and there were also present Alderman Stanton, Major Mason, 
Messrs. R. Laurie, Lloyd, Evans, R. Greenfield, Hammond, Wilson, Pay- 
ton, Hotchkiss, and many others. There were 120 subscribers to the 
fund. 
- Messrs. Foster & Pearson desire us to notice their new 
Beeston Greenhouse. It is portable, and so designed as to be 
erected by any handy man. The roof sashes are moveable, and can be 
fixed in any position for ventilation, while screws or similar fastenings 
are not required for making them secure. 
- Tomato Mikado.—I was captivated with the handsome 
proportions of this variety as shown in some seed lists, bought a 2s. 6d. 
packet of seed, cultivated the plants with the greatest care, and was 
rewarded with the most inferior crop I ever saw on a Tomato. The 
fruits were rarely smooth, the majority decidedly ugly, and all 
so scarce as not to pay for attention. I discarded it without the 
slightest regret.—J. M. 
- Chimonanthus fragrans.— This deciduous shrub may be 
grown as a wall climber, as it shows to the greatest advantage, and 
succeeds the best in this way. A south wall is the best, but on an 
eastern aspect it grows and flowers freely. At the present time it is 
covered with buds, and there are a few open flowers, the fragrance from 
which is charming. The flowers are not very imposing, but the time of 
the year when they open and their delightful perfume render it worthy 
of a place in any garden where winter-floweiing shrubs are appre¬ 
ciated.—M. 
- Christmas Roses. —It would amply repay any lover of this 
well known flower should he have the opportunity of seeing some excel¬ 
lent clumps in the gardens at Col. Clarke’s, Charlton House, Shepton 
Mallet. They are the finest I have ever seen, and are grown on a south 
border, planted in a good loam. The specimen blooms which I enclose 
are picked from clumps averaging between 200 and 300 blooms on each 
plant. They are covered with a small rude frame. It is evident from 
their good appearance that Mr. Woollen accords them judicious treat¬ 
ment. [The blooms received were large and pure white ; such speci¬ 
mens prove very useful.] 
- Garden Birds.—I have no doubt that the birds seen by Mr. 
Murphy searching for insects on his Chrysanthemums were coletits 
(Parus ater). The lesser spotted woodpecker has a red head and 
