358 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 5, 1887. 
Between the above dates little or no rain falls, the grass on the 
land that separates the detached woods or sholahs becomes dry and 
withered, and is at last destroyed by the annual fires that lick the 
plateau and mountain sides. Strong and cold east winds blow from the 
Mysore for months with a burning sun overhead. At the close of this 
period of trial the Impatiens plants, reduced to one-fifth their flowering 
size, hang from the branches looking as dead as anything in Nature can 
possibly look, and no one who has seen the plant in this phase oi its 
existence can do otherwise than marvel at the annual transformation it 
must undergo before it can be again seen robed in its former floral 
splendour. 
I remember having collected a large number of plants in their dried 
condition in the year 1874 or 1875 for Colonel Beddome, who was then 
Conservator of Forests in Madras, for transmission to Kew, as, he 
informed me, they had lost the plant there at that time. I never heard 
if the plants reached Kew in safety, nor have I seen it since my return 
from India, and, of course, am not acquainted with the modes of culti¬ 
vation adopted in England, but the above are the conditions under which 
it is found in its native habitat. 
Another fact which, I venture to say, points in the direction of the 
necessity foi allowing plants from arid regions under artificial cultiva¬ 
tion in England a long season of rest, is this, that in the part of India I 
am writing of all the plants above named, with innumerable examples 
•besides, never, by any chance, cross the border land between the arid 
Bamboo tract into the cooler and more moist forest region in search of a 
more congenial home. There is nothing to prevent this did Nature 
dictate such a course, yet the rigid line, as seen in the vegetation, 
between the typical Bamboo and forest tracts is sharply defined and 
inflexibly upheld, and has been so, in all probability, "for many ages ; 
and, what is still more wonderful, this line of division is not confined 
to the vegetable kingdom, but is extended to the animal kingdom also, 
the animals peculiar to one region, which are perfectly distinct, never 
encroaching on the other.— Planter. 
(To be continued.) 
ANGIOPTERIS EYECTA. 
At Blacklow House, Roby, Liverpool, this majestic Fern may be seen 
at its best. It was planted in 1863 by Mr. Banner, the present proprietor, 
in an artificial rockery, at the base of which is a pond into which the 
roots have long since found their way to the immense benefit of the plant. 
Mr. Pinnington, the gardener, has annually to cut away many fronds, 
or the plant would very soon smother its neighbours, it having overgrown 
its allotted space, though now it has fourteen to twenty large fronds 
from 12 to 14 feet long, besides many young ones. Grown in large pots 
or tubs this makes a splendid exhibition Fern, the secret in its successful 
culture being plenty of root room and plenty of water. Under those 
conditions, as at Blacklow, it is not troubled by scale, &c., as generally 
found in out-of-the way corners in old-established gardens. I mention 
old-established gardens because it is rarely seen in modern ones.— 
Bradwen. 
CUCUMBER CULTIVATION. 
(Continued from page 327.) 
Earthing the Plants. —Soil must be added to the sides of the 
hillocks or ridges as the roots extend, and may be continued from 
time to time until the allotted space is filled. It should be placed 
in the house to warm before being added to the sides of the hil¬ 
locks or ridges, and should be made moderately firm. The soil 
must be moist, so as not to necessitate water being given at once. 
Warm and moist, the roots will take to it quickly. Onlyadd sufficient 
at a time to cover the roots. 
Training. —Train with a single stem to the trellis. Let the 
lead advance about one-third across the trellis, then pinch out its 
point. This will cause the laterals to extend more quickly, and 
these should be disposed evenly over the trellis, so that when they 
have grown 12 to 15 inches they will be that distance apart, and 
their points may then be pinched. In this way proceed until the 
trellis is covered. This will give shoots 12 to 15 inches distance 
apart at their widest part all over the trellis. After the first 
stopping fruit will no doubt show on the laterals. These may be 
allowed to bear if fruit is wanted, but it is well to be as sparing of 
taking fruit in the early stages as possible, so as to have the plants 
strong before they are allowed to bear much. When a shoot is 
stopped another should be taken from as near its base as practicable, 
•so as to supplant it after fruiting, and train it in between the other 
growths, so that the trellis will be covered with shoots at 12 to 
15 inches distance, and from their base are other shoots trained in 
to succeed them in bearing, those fruiting in the first instance being 
cut out, except primaries, and even these should have a growth 
taken near them, and so keep the trellis well covered with growths— 
some fruiting, others growing to succeed them in fruit—so that the 
trellis will be covered with growths in various stages of develop¬ 
ment about 6 to 74 inches apart. Growths that have fruited being 
cut out more light will be admitted, and allow of others being 
trained in their place. All shoots not wanted must be rubbed off 
whilst small ; the less growth they are allowed to make the better, 
only allowing shoots that will be required for covering the trellis, 
and keep up a successional supply of fruit. Secure growths in all 
cases loosely to the trellis, always allowing ample room in the ties 
for swelling. Avoid making large reductions of foliage or growths 
at one time ; do it a little at a time and often. 
Stopping. —Attend to the stopping regularly two or three 
times a week when the plants are in free growth, but when the 
weather is cold, or during the dull dark days of November and 
December and into the new year, the plants will not grow much, 
and the stopping will'need to be less frequent ; indeed, the object 
at these times is to secure growth, so as to keep up root action. As 
a rule stopping should be practised one joint beyond the show of 
fruit, and in the case of vigorous plants it may be practised at the 
fruit, so as to keep the growths as short as possible. The stopping 
should be done early, merely taking off the point of the shoot at a 
joint. To allow growth to be made and then cut back is only 
wasting the plant’s energies, and giving a check to the roots. 
Remove tendrils and male flowers as they show, pinching 
or cutting them off clean, as any jagged parts are likely to in¬ 
duce decay. In the dull dark days of November, December, and 
January the fruit does not sometimes swell freely, the fruit in fact 
refusing to swell. In that case the atmosphere must be kept drier 
and the blossoms fertilised about midday, male blossoms being re¬ 
tained for that purpose, and when sufficient fruits are swelling 
remove all male flowers. 
Remove any leaf showing decay at once, as it spreads with amazing 
rapidity. Such only keep light and air from leaves performing 
those functions in a much higher degree, therefore keep as even 
a spread of healthy green leaves as possible. In removing bad 
leaves and exhausted growths leave as small an amount of stem 
or footstalk as possible, breaking the leaves off clean, and cutting 
the other away with a sharp knife close to the main shoot. If there 
is any exudation from the wounds dry them with quicklime. 
Cropping. —Crop lightly when the plants are young, especially 
those for autumn and winter fruiting. The autumn fruiters need 
not be allowed to fruit until the end of September, so that they 
will afford a full supply in October, November, and December, the 
supply then— i.e., Christmas onM'ards—being taken up by the Sep¬ 
tember-sown plants, no fruit being sought until late November or 
early December, which will allow the plants to become vigorous and 
to have made a good growth. If fruit must be taken only allow a 
very moderate crop, and at no time crop heavily if the plants are to 
give a successional supply. If the plants are from an August sow¬ 
ing the ambition of having fruit in the autumn months is great, 
and very often the Cucumbers are much weakened, not giving 
anything like so good a supply as wished in the winter. Take 
very few fruits from those plants in November, but secure as 
much strength as possible, reserving their forces for fruit showing 
early in December to give a full supply from Christmas to April. 
Happily the demand for fruit in late autumn and early winter is 
not great, so that there is no need to crop the plants injuriously, 
but it is a better plan not to crop at all, having plants in pots for 
a supply of early fruit. The January sown plants having finer 
weather before them may be cropped earlier ; still early fruiting has 
a very enfeebling tendency. 
As soon as the fruit becomes large enough cut it. Allowing 
fruit to remain is taking support that would have sufficed to swell 
other fruit of a size fit for table, but when cut if the stem ends are 
placed in saucers or soup plates with about an inch depth of water 
they will keep sound in a cool place for ten days to a fortnight. 
Feeding. —When the plants are well established liquid manure 
may be given if they lack vigour, but as a rule it will not be re¬ 
quired until they commence fruiting, when it may be given 
every alternate time water is required ; and if the plants have only 
a small rooting area, and are carrying a full crop, every time. The 
best liquid is the drainings of dung yards, cow byres, &c. It should 
be given at a temperature of 80° to 90°, and be diluted with water 
according to its strength. If thick with six times the quantity of 
water, but for ordinary purposes about half the quantity of water 
will be sufficient dilution. The variableness of the strength of 
liquid from tanks is a difficult matter to deal with ; therefore it is 
safest to use that of known strength. A peck of cowdung or 
sheep droppings to thirty gallons of water is safe. Soot is also 
good, a peck to sixty gallons of water. They may be used 
alternately. Whenever liquid is given apply it sufficiently to pass 
to the drainage. When in full bearing and the roots in full posses¬ 
sion of the bed liquid manure will be required twice a week. It is 
a good plan to water with rather strong liquid manure, and follow 
at once with a soaking of tepid water. A sprinkling of any of the 
advertised fertilisers on the surface and washed in are excellent. 
The bed being fully earthed and roots appearing on the surface 
apply a light dressing of fresh compost, adding to it an equal part 
of horse droppings that have been placed in a shed and turned over 
