1876. J 
HAEDY JAPANESE MAPLES, 
39 
depth of about half an inch from the rim—not too full up to the leaves of the 
plants, but leaving the bole of the plants slightly visible. That done, the pots are 
placed in their usual place in the frame, placing a mat or two temporarily over the 
lights at night, till I have gone through the entire collection. Then, having got 
them in the frames, I put on the lights, and keep them on for a fortnight or so, 
tilting them slightly at the back, but allowing the plants no rains or artificial water¬ 
ings during that fortnight. 
After we get into the second week of February, should the weather be then 
mild, and inclined for gentle rain, I take off the lights entirely, and allow the 
plants the benefit of such rain as may fall during day-time, until the mould gets 
thoroughly soaked through—that is bear in mind, provided the rain is not' over 
heavy. Indeed, gentle rains will be found beneficial at every suitable opportunity. 
Never forget to put the lights close down at nights, and to cover with mats on 
the top of the lights ; but during the day on all occasions when the weather is open 
and mild, and the wind happens to be blowing from the west or south-west, be it ever 
so strong, take off the lights, and let the plants have a good blowing—the stronger 
the wind, the better they like it. 
After this, say from the first or second week in- February, the attention 
required will be nearly the same up to within a fortnight of the blooming season. 
Lose no opportunity of affording the plants all the pure air that can possibly be 
given them, as well as all the gentle rains during open and mild weather, but guard 
them against cutting north-east winds, which we are mostly troubled with during 
the spring months. When these occur, I should recommend the lights being kept on 
during day-time, tilting them up at the back, but shutting them close down at 
nights, and covering with mats. Here, however, I must break off till next month.— 
J. Hepwoeth, Huddersfield. 
HAEDY JAPANESE MAPLES. 
S OME fifteen years have elapsed since Messrs. Veitch and Fortune commenced 
sending home the beautiful Japanese Maples, and being as hardy as the 
f common Aucuba, they must now be plentiful. Yet how seldom do we see 
them used, as they might be, for producing pictorial effect in our subtropical 
gardens. For form and colour few plants can equal, and none can surpass, the 
lovely Acer polymorphum atropurpureum. Our largest tree, now 10 ft. high and 
as many through, has been planted out about ten years, and having withstood 
34° of frost without protection, I can vouch for its hardiness. The leaves in the 
spring unfold of a beautiful claret-purple, and they retain their colour all through 
the summer, and die off a vivid crimson. In form, the leaves are equal to those 
of the Liquidambar, but unlike that tree, their colouring matter is not affected 
by our cold sunless summers. 
Having succeeded in getting up a stock of young plants from 2 ft. to 3 ft. 
high, I threw up a circular bed in a sheltered nook, backed up by Yew trees, 
but open to the south. In the centre I planted a fine standard Holly, and 
