154 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 20, ISdO. 
more than forty years ago, before the time arrived for experts like 
Dr. Schlich and his distinguished predecessor Sir Dietrich Brandis 
to come to the country. He could, therefore, tell any of Dr. Schlich’s 
■students that might be present that the life of a forester in India was 
not only a career of importance, but that it was one full of interest 
and of real enjoyment.— (^Xature). 
PERPETUAL FLOWERING CARNATIONS. 
JUDGiNd by the rarity of well-grown examples of perpetual-flower¬ 
ing Carnations it is easy to believe that the culture is not generally well 
understootl, while border varieties are much more largely grown. The 
time is now fast approaching when the propagation should receive 
attention from those who wish to have first-class plants for next 
autumn’s flowering ; a few words of advice therefore are here given. 
It is generally well known that to build up healthy vigorous specimens 
of any plant an early start must be made with robust healthy cuttings, 
and the truth of this is as applicable to the Carnation as to any plant I 
know ; those therefore who require fine plants in 8-inch pots should see 
to it at once. By an early start I mean that cuttings should be inserted 
from the middle to the end of February, others following in quick 
succession. To obtain cuttings of the right stamp it will be necessary to 
turn attention to the stock plants without delay, as should these be in a 
temperature of 45° to 50° it will be beneficial to give a rise to 55°, with 
an additional rise by sun heat. The object of this increased temperature 
is to produce what may be termed “ growing cuttings ”—that is, cuttings 
which have been comparatively quiet for some weeks past, and which 
will quickly answer to a rise in the temperature. These active or 
“ growing cuttings ” are much surer in the rooting process when pro¬ 
duced as above named than would be the case were they detached and 
inserted in their semi-dormant state, while if produced in too high a 
temperature they are more liable to damp while still in the cutting 
frame. To prevent damping in the early Carnation cuttings daily 
attention is essential, with judicious applications of water at all times, 
admitting air according to circumstances, and whether bright or 
dull, but on no account close the frame directly after watering. In 
taking the cuttings I always prefer those I have attempted to describe 
—viz., “ growing cuttings; ” these may be 5 or 6 inches in length, and 
preference always given to those which can be had with a heel attached, 
■as these are, so far as my experience goes, less liable to damp in the 
early stages. 
A suitable compost for the cuttings will be found in equal parts of 
good loam and well decayed leaf soil, with a liberal addition of sharp sand. 
The pots should be drained to one-tbird their depth and the drainage 
cocoanut fibre refuse ; afterwards fill up with the soil to within three- 
quarters of an inch of the top of the pots, press somewhat firmly, and 
add half an inch of clean washed silver sand on the surface. I prefer 
the latter quite dry, so that it may, when the cuttings are inserted, 
run down beside them. 
Many prefer thoroughly watering the soil prior to inserting 
the cuttings, by which means the sand is confined to the surface, and 
in my opinion debarred from performing the functions intended, 
especially as Carnation cuttings are inserted IJ inch deep. 
Another important item is the propagating frame and the amount of 
bottom heat necessary. In respect to the former any kind of frame that 
can be kept close will suit, while a uniform bottom heat of 65° will suffice 
for their requirements. Plunge the pots in cocoa-fibre refuse, and then 
give a thorough watering, leave them uncovered till the cuttings have 
become dry, and then place the lights on and keep them closed. Cuttings 
thus treated should not in the temperature cited require any more water 
for a week at least at this season of the year ; the cuttings, however, may 
be examined daily in the morning, and if the foliage is wet remove the 
lights for an hour. When another watering is necessary it is a good 
plan to give it in the evening and leave the cuttings uncovered during 
the night, though later in the season such a step would not be altogether 
prudent, as flagging may ensue. 
Overcrowding the cuttings both in the pots and when plunging them 
must always be avoided, for nothing is more conducive to damping. 
Where but limited quantities are required it is a good plan to insert 
•cuttings singly in small thimble pots, from which they may be shifted 
into larger sizes. In a month or so the majority will be rooted, and not 
A day should be lost in placing them singly into 3-inch pots, using good 
loam and leaf soil in equal parts, to which add of well decayed manure 
about one-sixth, and a like quantity of sharp sand or grit, always 
potting firmly, and give a thorough watering when the operation is 
completed. By the time the young plants have taken to the soil they 
will need stopping, that is pinching with finger and thumb the top of 
the plant, but not removing more than to the first joint; this will cause 
the plant to break from below, and when the breaks are an inch or so 
long the plants may be shifted in large 48's or 5-inch pots, using soil of 
•the same kind and in similar proportions cut somewhat rougher than 
before. From the time the young plants are first potted a temperature 
of from 50° to 55° will suit them, and during these early stages keep 
green fly and the like at bay. In these latter sized pots they will be 
safe till the first or second week in June, when they should be ready 
for 8-inch pots and for standing outside on a bed of coal ashes, having 
been previously staked. Attention to small details in the earlier stages 
is the forerunner of success, this, coupled with day to day watching 
and careful watering, till the roots have taken to the final shift will 
invariably result in healthy plants and plenty of early blooms. Too 
often these plants are propagated much too late in the season, with the 
result that they are making growth when the buds shou'd be forming, 
and Carnations that have not set their buds, or arc in process of setting, 
by the end of September will be of little use for producing many 
flowers during the ensuing winter, and to late propagation may be 
traced much of the disappointment arising out of these plants failing 
to flower during the winter months.—J. H. E. 
CALIFORNIAN FRUIT. 
I HAVE read with interest the articles that have appeared recently 
in your valuable journal on emigration of gardeners. The enclosed, 
written on the spot, may be of interest to your numerous readers. It is 
taken from the Francisco Examiner of December 29th, 1889, and 
certainly is most encouraging to those seeking knowledge on emigra¬ 
tion to those parts, and I trust it may catch the eye of him who sailed 
January 4th in the “Wyoming” for America.— Alfred Outram, 
Victoria and Paradise Xurseries, Upper Holloway, London, N, 
It is a matter of great astonishment to all strangers arriving in 
California that there exists here in the vicinity of a flourishing city an 
utter destitution of all garden culture, and especially of those culinary 
vegetables so necessary to the comfort and health of its inhabitants. 
At this time there is not in the vicinity of the city one acre of cultivated 
ground devoted to this object, while on the other hand the few vegetables 
brought to our markets command such exorbitant prices that a much 
larger portion of gold might be obtained from the earth by the culture 
of esculent vegetables than the average obtained by digging for gold at 
the mines ; in fact, it may be deemed an absolute certainty that some 
scores of the persons now idle or engaged in branches of business that 
have become overdone and stagnant might realise ample fortunes by the 
healthy occupation of horticulture, a business which affords immediate 
return to those who engage in it. We might also refer to fruits and to 
the total deficiency of orchards in our vicinity from which this city might 
be amply supplied in lieu of the present dependency for the paltry 
quantities we receive from the distant missions. A few bushels of 
indifferent Pears and Apples, bruised by the transportation from distant 
towns, are all that our markets have been favoured with, for not a tree 
of even these commonest fruits is to be found adjacent to our city. As 
to Peaches, Plums, Cherries, Grapes, and other fine fruits, we should 
absolutely forget that any such existed were it not that some of these 
are to be met with in a dry state. All these varieties of fruits could be 
successfully cultivated here, and would serve greatly to increase the 
comforts of a California home. The smaller fruits—such as the Straw¬ 
berry, Raspberry, Blackberry, and Currant—are found growing natu¬ 
rally in different sections of the country, thus affording proof of the 
appropriateness of the climate to the growth of the finer varieties so 
generally cultivated in the Atlantic States and Europe. We have 
hitherto been pressing onward in the erection of stores and dwellings 
for all branches of mercantile business, in order that there might be 
ample room for the multitude arriving and for the storage of all 
merchandise. These points seem now to have been attained, or at least 
sufficiently so for the present, and we may now consequently spare the 
time for some attention to the gratifications and comforts of life.— (The 
San Fratichco Examiner^ _ 
Mr. Leonard Coates, Napa Valley Nurseries, writes :—“ During 
1888 were exported from California 65,000 tons of fruits, divided as 
follows :—27,000 tons green fruits, 20,000 tons canned fruits, 10,000 tons 
dried fruits, 8000 tons raisins, representing an equivalent to 137,000 tons 
of green fruits. This does not include the very large items of Oranges 
and Lemons, consisting of thousands of tons, or of Almonds, Walnuts, 
&c. ; nor does it include the enormous consumption in California. Add 
to this 20,000,000 gallons of wine, the total of 1888 vintage, where 
Australia’s output is, I believe, about 3,000,000 gallons, and it is a fairly 
good showing for a desert.” 
PRESERVING VEGETABLES. 
For some years Messrs. Carter & Co., High Holborn, have adopted a 
method of preserving vegetables for exhibition purposes which has 
proved very satisfactory. It has been gradually improved and patented, 
and they are now enabled to produce excellent samples of all the chief 
vegetables. A display of these in the office window at Holborn 
evidently proves extremely attractive, for on several occasions we have 
seen quite a crowd of spectators, who are evidently puzzled by the 
appearance of fresh-looking Peas in midwinter. For seed shops such 
specimens are especially well adapted, and it is for this purpose they are 
recommended. One great advantage they possess over models and 
ordinary artificial preparations is that they faithfully represent every 
peculiarity of form distinguishing the variety, and they are thus in a 
sense of educational value from a gardening point of view. 
The method being a patent one of course Messrs. Carter do not 
explain the whole of the process, but the principle is that after the 
vegetables have been prepared they are coated with a thin wax-like 
substance, which resists the action of heat however, and this hermeti¬ 
cally seals the specimen, protecting it from the air, and consequently 
ensuring its preservation for an indefinite period. The substance is 
then coloured in e.xact imitation of the vegetable enclosed, and a further 
coat of a transparent varnish prevents the colour fading by exposure. 
