March 2', 1890 . ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
239 
of earth visible between the surface of the water and the grass. There 
is one exception to this rule, and that is where in secluded parts of the 
lake the banks are naturally precipitous, then great variety may be 
obtained by partially broken ground with Heather and rough grass, 
jutting rocks, old stumps of trees, and if there be a stream or brook 
running into the lake on that side, additional beauty and picturesque¬ 
ness may be obtained by miniature waterfalls and cascades. This treat¬ 
ment, however, to be successful requires consummate taste and 
ingenuity. 
(To be continued.) 
LAPAGERIAS. 
There can be no doubt that these plants will bear low tem¬ 
peratures without injury, and a slight frost reaching them when 
grown under glass does not appear to injure them in the least. But 
in houses where the winter temperature is low, and the house is 
also kept as cool and airy as possible in spring, the plants are placed 
at a great disadvantage in comparison with those that are accorded 
more genial treatment. 
Under cool treatment throughout the year, or during the earlier 
months of the year, Lapagerias are naturally late in starting into 
growth, which largely influences the flowers they produce. The 
wood has no time to mature thoroughly, the flowers are late and do 
not possess that bright colour and size characteristic of good forms 
of U. rosea, while its companion, L. alba, is too often tinged with 
pink instead of being pure white. Late flowers of the last named, 
produced under cool autumn treatment, have in addition a greenish 
tinge that mars their beauty. 
To grow Lapagerias freely, strongly, and rapidly, the structure 
in which they are accommodated should be kept close and moist 
from the present time, with a night temperature of about 50°. The 
conditions favourable for starting Azalea.? and Camellias into 
growth after they have flowered are suitable for Lapagerias. They 
soon start into growth ; in fact, if the temperature of the house in 
which they are growing has ranged from 40° to 45° throughout the 
winter, they will be ready for bursting at once into growth, and 
strong shoots will soon commence to issue from the base. By 
assisting them to make their growth early their shoots lengthen 
rapidly, and partially mature the foliage before the sun gains much 
power and shading becomes necessary. Cold draughts cause the 
young tender shoots to flag nearly as much as bright sunshine 
does, therefore little ventilation is given before April, when it may 
be gradually increased until greenhouse treatment is given them 
from the middle to the end of May. The plants have thus a longer 
season of growth and abundance of time to mature their wood 
thoroughly. This is important if they are to bear flowers freely, large 
and bright in colour, or of the purest white. Gentle warmth, even 
during the close of the flowering season, will prevent their coming 
green or tinged with pink. This is certainly the result of a low 
temperature. The plants increase much more rapidly in size by the 
gentle assistance advocated than they are capable of doing by the 
cool airy treatment too often given them. 
Where Lapagerias can be planted out they make greater pro¬ 
gress than in pots. This is not because they like a large amount 
of soil for their roots to ramble in, but because they are not 
exposed to the same drying influences as in pots. Their roots 
require a cool position where a uniform condition of moisture can 
be maintained without having to be continually pouring water into 
the soil. In selecting a place for them, hot-water pipes, or any¬ 
thing else that may tend to unduly dry the soil, should be avoided. 
Tubs decay, or they would be better than pots, because they do 
not dry, however rapid evaporation may be, quickly enough to be 
a source of danger to the roots. Probably the next best method 
is growing them in large pots, and plunging these to the rims to 
prevent evaporation. 
The soil in which Lapagerias will flourish is not so important 
as many suppose, for I have seen them luxuriate in a variety of 
composts. A safe mixture, however, is good fibry loam and peat, 
broken up with the hand and used in equal proportions. To this 
add a liberal quantity of coarse sand, a few half-inch bones, a 
7-inch potful to each barrowful of soil, as well as sandstone broken 
up. The latter we prefer, because the roots cling to it tenaciously, 
and it keeps the compost sweet and porous. Press the soil mode¬ 
rately firm, for the plants do better in it than when it is light and 
spongy, which necessitates frequent applications of water. When 
the plants are limited to pots a greater per-centage of peat may be 
used, or all peat, which remains in a sweet condition for a longer 
period than a mixture of peat and loam. 
Good drainage is absolutely necessary, but the border in which 
they are growing should not be over-drained. Although they like 
moisture in the soil about their roots they cannot endure it in a 
stagnant condition. When the border is limited in size, and it is 
once well filled with roots, rich top-dressings are necessary. The 
surface should be annually removed down to the roots and good 
fihry loam supplied, with one-seventh of decayed manure, which 
will be found to assist them wonderfully. 
The shoots are generally trained upright, especially strong 
suckers that issue from the base, and on the whole this is probably 
the best means of training them ; in fact, strong shoots should be 
trained after this fashion the first season and allowed to extend as 
much as possible. Strong shoots from vigorous plants will travel 
yards in a season. If left in this position they will break freely, 
and make a spreading head towards the extremity. They may be 
allowed to do this with advantage. But when there is space to 
fill time is lost, and the progress of the plant sacrificed by allowing 
them to remain in this position after the second season. Few, if 
any of the lower eyes will burst into growth, they may remain 
dormant for years. Shoots of this nature, or old strong shoots that 
may have been trained upright, will produce a number of strong 
growths that will extend rapidly if they are laid horizontally 
at the base, and the weaker shoots at the top trained upright. 
Plants that are bare at the base will quickly be furnished with 
strong flowering wood by this simple process. 
It is necessary to syringe the plants frequently to keep bare old 
stems practically moist for a time, until the buds swell and burst. 
A free use of the syringe is an advantage to the plants during the 
whole of the growing season, and should be discontinued only 
after the completion of growth until flowers are visible, when 
it may be continued until they show signs of expanding. If all 
the flowers are gathered a good syringing will prove beneficial. At 
the present time, on bright days, the syringe may be used twice 
daily, once will be ample on dull days. In May the syringe is used 
in the middle of the day as well as in the morning and afternoon. 
If young growths display signs of flagging during hot weather the 
syringe is used, and they soon revive. Little need be said about 
watering, suffice it that at no season of the year should the soil 
become dry. During the season of growth liberal supplies are 
needed. If once the border is full of roots weak siinulants may 
with advantage be given every alternate time they need water 
during the season of growth. Fresh cow manure placed in a tank 
with a bag of soot is a capital stimulant It should be given in a 
clear state, or strained through fine tiffany and well diluted with 
water. At this season of the year the water needed at the roots 
and for syringing should be slightly warmer than the temperature 
of the house. 
Pruning is rarely practised with these plants, although a little 
is requisite each season. This should consist of cutting back the 
shoots that have flowered to a good eye. It keeps the plants free 
from dead and dying shoots, which would be the case if that portion 
which flowers is not removed. This is all the pruning needed until 
the plants have filled the roof or the space allotted to them. It is 
a mistake, then, to allow puny growth to crowd the roof, and a 
judicious system of thinning should be practised. The shoots 
selected for removal must be cut back to a good eye, and by this 
method the space can be kept furnished with strong robust shoots 
that will flower freely and produce finer blooms than weak, short, 
stunted growths are capable of doing. If Lapagerias are thoroughly 
established they will bear more pruning than many suppose, and 
with advantage. Plants that make scarcely any growth annually 
generally flower profusely, too freely in fact, and they are much 
enfeebled. They may be restored to vigour by pruning. This is 
the only means of saving them, for if allowed to continue flower¬ 
ing they become weaker, and finally dwindle and die. 
Nearly all the pests that infest plants will attack Lapagerias. 
Aphides are partial to them, but these are readily destroyed by 
fumigating with tobacco. Thrips are troublesome, but if the 
plants are freely syringed these will be kept in check. When 
established upon the plants fumigate with tobacco smoke two or 
three nights in succession, or thoroughly syringe with tobacco juice 
freely diluted with water, to which may be added half an ounce of 
softsoap to each gallon of water, and a piece of common washing 
soda the size of a cob nut. We prefer this to fumigating, only it 
renders the woodwork of the house unsightly. A solution of any 
of the insecticides recommended for che destruction of thrips may 
be used. It should be eradicated at once, for it quickly destroys 
the foliage and brings the growths of the plants to a standstill. If 
thrips appear when the foliage is firm and leathery a weak solution 
of petroleum and water, 2 ozs. to 3 gals, of water, will soon destroy 
it without injury to the plant. The same solution will destroy 
scale, from which the plants can soon be cleared if they are syringed 
two or three times in succession during the period of rest. Mealy 
bug is more difficult to deal with ; it secretes itself behind the 
scales that protect the buds and cannot be reached with the 
syringe. Patience and perseverance in battling with it are the 
only means by which it can be exterminated. 
