356 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 5,1867V 
worse if accompanied by ripe Strawberries. In cool or late houses we 
see Roses in all their beauty, for they revel in the breezy yet buoyant 
atmosphere.—A Gardener. 
FORCING LILIUM CANDIDUM. 
I hope Mr. Cannell will comply with your wish and send a note on 
forcing this bulb, as he would be able to do it much better than I can. 
That it can be forced I have proved several times. Those having well 
matured bulbs in the flower garden can lift them in September, place 
three bulbs in 8-inch pot, stand on bed of ashes outside till frost sets in, 
they should then have a place in a cold pit. The time for introducing 
them to a heated structure must be determined by the time they are 
wanted in bloom. To flower in April and May they should be placed in 
heat from 50° to 60° early in January and February, kept near the glass, 
and carefully watered. When the flower head shows stimulants may be 
given. A teaspoonful of Clay’s fertiliser to each pot, and watered in, 
answers well, or sulphate of ammonia, half ounce to the gallon of water, 
or any approved liquid manure. When the first flower expands they 
should be removed to the conservatory and kept shaded. Associated 
with Azaleas, Roses, Spiraeas, &c., they are very effective.— George 
Price, Marston Hill Gardens. 
In reference to your remarks in the Journal, page 309, I may say I 
bought a quantity of Lilium candidum at a sale last June. They were 
planted out in a border, and the flower stems were quite 2 feet high. I 
lifted them carefully, placing five bulbs into a 10-inch pot, transferred 
them to the greenhouse, and shaded from the sun, where they opened 
their flowers as well as if they had never been disturbed. When they 
had finished flowering they were placed near a wall with a north aspect, 
kept well watered with liquid manure till the foliage turned yellow, 
when they were kept rather dry and taken into the greenhouse at the 
end of October. They were started again at the end of December in a 
temperature of 55°, increasing the heat in March to 80° by day and 60° 
night. The flower stems were about 3 feet high, with from seven to ten 
flowers on each. The first flowers expanded on March 23rd. I enclose 
specimens of flowers open now, which are not so large as the first that 
opened.—J. Bounds, Gardener to A. L. Jones, Esq., Aigburth. 
[The flowers are excellent, pure white, and powerfully fragrant.] 
NOTES FROM LARKHALL. 
Being in the neighbourhood of Bath a few days since, and having 
half an hour at my disposal, I ventured to call on Mr. Taylor, the noted 
Grape grower, feeling sure of both a courteous welcome and also of 
seeing something out of the ordinary, and, I might add, hearing some¬ 
thing in the same respect. In neither was I disappointed. That Mr. 
Taylor is an equal adept at Rose culture the commodious Rose house 
under his care fully testifies—lofty, broad, and of good length, planted 
with large bushes, the Tea-scented varieties, and laden with hundreds of 
flowers of the highest quality, while innumerable shoots of young 
growth of that bronzy hue so beautiful to the eye of the cultivator, 
surmounting broad dark green foliage innocent alike of mildew and 
other dire pests so troublesome to ordinary growers, form a feature not 
easily forgotten. That they have a course of treatment usually adopted 
for general cultivation is evident, air-giving being an important item ; 
and although in many hands such free circulation would prove disastrous, 
here under the guidance of Mr. Taylor the results show it to be decidedly 
beneficial. The chief varieties grown are well-tried favourites, such as 
Catherine Mermet, Marie Van Houtte, Souvenir d’un Ami, and Mardchal 
Niel. In the next compartment of this range of houses are the Vines 
whence came the magnificent Grapes exhibited at the Metropolitan and 
Bath Shows. As to the appearance of the Vines at the time of my visit, 
it will suffice to say that they were looking all that could be desired, 
and give such promise as to not leave the least doubt but that they are 
destined to become as noted, and I will venture to predict more so, than 
the Vines so long associated with Mr. Taylor’s name. Tomatoes in the 
next division were looking remarkably well; a superior type of the old 
Orangefield still finds favour here, and that doubtless with good reason—- 
short, sturdy, and wonderfully prolific, though the fruit is a trifle too much 
corrugated to please some ; still if quantity and fair quality are re¬ 
quired, this is the variety to cultivate. In the same house were a number 
of Mr. Taylor’s old favourites in the shape of some large bushes of 
semi-double Zonals, showing their ability to make a rich display, and 
also produce, an almost unlimited supply of useful cut flowers. Guillion 
Mangilli, Candidissimum plenum (Layton var.), Mad. Thibaut, and C. V. 
Raspail were among the best. Strawberries planted out in pits are 
giving promise of excellent crop ; although a new system to some it 
seems likely to find many imitators, like several other new departures 
introduced by Mr. Taylor, as it is evident that for producing a large 
first-class crop of fruit with a minimum of labour there is no system to 
equal it.—M. C. 
THE CINERARIA AS AN EXHIBITION AND 
DECORATIVE PLANT. 
The Cineraria should be classed amongst the most useful of our 
winter and spring flowering softwooded plauts. With a succession of 
plants we can have them in bloom from November until May. For cutting 
purposes they are most useful, the flowers lasting for weeks when cut, 
and for decoration the plants are most valuable in the winter months. I 
have heard it said they are not worth growing, they are always covered 
with green fly, Ac. Mv answer is, The cultivator is to blame if such is- 
the case. One cause of failure is not keeping them growing in the 
early stages. They should never be root-bound. Keep the green fly 
away by fumigation, as prevention is better than cure. To grow them 
for exhibition they require very careful culture from the time the seed 1 
is sown. The best plants I have ever seen were exhibited at the Liver¬ 
pool Spring Show of 1885 by Mr. Stephenson, gardener, Park House, 
Waterloo, Liverpool. They were grown in 10-inch pots. The tallest of 
the plants, pots included, did not exceed 20 inches, some measuring 
3 feet in diameter, with flowers in abundance, of good form and colour,. 
There are three chief points the cultivator should aim at. The first is 
strong healthy foliage ; secondly, dwarf well-shaped plants ; and thirdly, 
good flowers and plenty of them. To get good flowers is a point worth 
studying. 
To have the plants ready for exhibition in March I sow the seeds 
early in May—that is, for flowering the plants in 10-inch pots. Of course, 
at some shows exhibitors are limited to 8-inch pots ; if such is the case 
they would be early enough if the seed is sown six or eight weeks later. 
The seeds can be sown in pots, boxes, or pans, but I prefer the latter. 
Half fill them with drainage, and fill up with finely sifted leaf mould 
and sand, press down lightly, and sow the seeds thinly on a level surface, 
cover very lightly with sand, give a light sprinkle of water with a fine- 
rose, and place in a temperature of 55° to 60°, place a piece of glass over 
the pans, and shade from sun. Be careful in watering when the seedlings 
come up, as they are liable to damp off, especially when sown too thickly. 
When the seedlings have two or three leaves prick them 4 inches apart 
into boxes. Be careful in moving the plants at this stage. Get all 
the soil possible with the roots ; if not attended to in this respect it 
might be the cause of them remaining dormant for a long time. The 
compost at this period of their growth should not be too strong, but 
gradually strengthen it every time of potting. What I think suits them 
best at this time is a compost of three parts leaf mould, one of loam, 
with a little soot and sand added, plenty of the last named, I think, 
is most beneficial ; do not press the'soil too firmly in the boxes, place them 
in frame, and keep close for a few days. Syringe lightly over on fine- 
mornings and early in the afternoon, which will be sufficient water 
until their next move. Ventilate night and day in favourable weather, 
and fumigate them moderately every two or three weeks. The leaves 
should be dry when that operation is performed. 
In a few weeks shift them into 4-inch pots, using the same compost as 
before with a little manure added. Keep the neck of the plant up above 
the soil ; potting too deeply with careless watering is, in my opinion,, 
the cause of so many damping at the collar later on. Examine the 
plants at intervals to see if they require potting. The chief point in their 
culture is to keep them growing. If they get root-bound before the 
final potting it gives them a check from which they never properly 
recover again. The next shift would be into (5 or 7-inch pots, the same- 
compost as before, place back in frame, and shade on all bright days. 
Take great care in watering the plants from this time onwards, for if the 
soil gets sour it stops their progress at once. Sprinkle the plants 
daily with clear rain water, and fumigate occasionally. Give the plants 
all the light possible on dull days, and keep them close to the glass. 
The last potting into 10-inch pots would be about the beginning of 
October, using the same compost as before with a little of Clay's 
fertiliser added. Place 2 inches of good drainage in the pots, and have 
the soil moderately dry. Do not pot too firmly, and keep them near 
to the glass, giving all the light and air possible in good weather. Take 
them out of the cold frame as the weather becomes colder into a pit or 
greenhouse. I should never let the temperature fall below 45°, nor rise, 
above 50°. Syringe only on fine mornings. As the pots become full of 
roots occasional doses of liquid manure will benefit them. I use cow 
manure, soot, and sheep manure, put it in a bag, and let it stand in a 
tub of water for a few days, when it will be ready for use. Every 
alternate watering will be quite often enough for the application. Discon¬ 
tinue shading from November until they flower, and shade from sun to 
keep the flowers fresh. Thin some of the weakest buds where there 
are too many, and prepare stakes painted green, and stake when re¬ 
quired. Take great care in packing the plants when going to a show,, 
and take a couple of extra plants in case any are damaged in transit.— 
W. Roberts, Hwyngwern Hall, Machynlleth. 
ANTHURIUM VEITCHI. 
Ten years ago this magnificent and distinct Aroid was introduced 1 
to this country from Columbia, and though from a natural slow increase 
jt is not yet frequent in gardens, there are some grand specimens in cul¬ 
tivation now. One of the finest of these is the superb example in Baron 
Schroder’s collection at The Dell, Egham, which is depicted in the illus¬ 
tration (fig. 62) prepared from a drawing of this celebrated plant. It 
has three dozen beautiful leaves, not 2 feet and 3 feet long as they are 
generally described in books or catalogues, but 4 and 5 feet in length 
and showing the peculiar rich metallic green colouring and regularly 
waved surface to perfection. Many of the ornamental-leaved Anthi » 
riums, like A. Warocqueanum, A. crystallinum, A. regale, and A. mag- 
nificum, must be included amongst the most handsome of fine-foliage 
