March 18 . 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
383 
thing that the same idea strikes different individuals at 
the same time. Simple as the string round the rim 
appears, it was the first step to the discarding of the 
forest-stick system. I have used cord and wire for this 
purpose, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. 
U nless twisted and tied tight, both are apt to slip down 
the pot. This is totally prevented by fastening one or 
two pieces to that round the rim, transversely across the 
mouth of the pot, thus dividing the space into semi¬ 
circles, or quadrants. These cross lines are useful for 
fastening shoots to them. This is more especially the 
case when, by placing a stake in the centre of the pot, 
these crossing lines are raised a number of inches to the 
stake, twisted round it, and then fastened to the rim on 
the opposite side. This repeated, so as to have two 
transverse lines equi-distant from each other, will not 
only keep the stick firm in its place, but these crossing 
lines, either of themselves, or as the skeleton of an in¬ 
visible trellis frame, would render a great number of 
sticks totally unnecessary. Small copper wire I con¬ 
sider the best for this purpose, as when one set of plants 
were done with, it would be equally fit to commence a 
fresh series. The great outcry against sticks, however, 
will, I believe, drive us to the pyramidal instead of the 
round flat-headed mode of growth. One stick in the 
centre, and a ring round the rim of the pot, will then be 
sufficient. We shall not be able to get large specimens 
quite so early as by the stopping and keeping-the-lieads- 
close mode adopted now, but the little 1 have done in 
this direction convinces me that the pyramidal mode will 
be by far the most elegant and interesting. This holds 
true not merely as respects Geraniums, but every other 
plant, where the natural mode of growth does not indi¬ 
cate a different treatment. While sticks are to be used, 
let our friends choose the smallest and least conspicuous. 
Small willow's, one year old, answer well. I use for all 
these slender purposes the shoots of Fuchsias, after they 
have been exposed to frost, in beds, out-of-doors. In 
small places, a bed of F. coccinea, virgata, Thompsoniana, 
&c., always looks well; and if allowed to be rather 
crowded, the fine lot of small stakes yielded in winter, 
will be found no drawback to their summer’s beauty. 
In many places, little sticks are as difficult to get as 
little plants. The mode pointed out may save many a 
whittling. 
The second lot of Pelargoniums, stopped some time 
ago and pot-bound, may now be shifted; they will 
bloom in June and July. A younger lot should be 
stopped and shifted successively for late summer and 
autumn display. Small plants grown on now will bloom 
usefully in the autumn; or, in poor soil, will be useful 
for vases and baskets, as a number of small plants are 
more useful for such places than larger ones. The soil 
should be light sandy loam, with a proportion of peat or 
leaf-mould, if come-at-able, so as to be moderately rich ; 
but, as a general principle, all excitements to vigour, in 
the way of top-dressings and manure waterings, should 
be given after the bloom is set, and not before. 
R. Fish. 
CULTURE OF NEPENTHES. 
( Continued from page 356.) 
Summer Management. —The specimen alluded to in 
a former number was grown plunged in a bark-bed, yet 
that is not indispensable. They thrive equally well 
plunged in a bed of moss, provided it is placed over a 
flue, or some liot-water pipes, and kept constantly moist. 
The fact is, they require bottom-heat, and of a moist 
quality, no matter how it is generated—whether by tan¬ 
ner’s bark, fermenting tree leaves, by a tank of hot 
water, or by flues or liot-water pipes—covered with a 
bed of moss deep enough to reach up to the edge of the 
pots in which the plants are growing. Whoever has 
any of these means of generating a moist bottom-heat, 
may grow the pitcher plants. We have seen them 
grown moderately well set in a pan of water in summer 
over the pipes, and such growers as may not have the 
above-named means of bottom-beat may still grow them, 
if they have heat enough in the house, by placing the 
pots in a pan of water two inches deep, and covering the 
surface of the compost with green moss. During this 
season of the year (summer) they should be frequently 
syringed, in bright weather as often as three times a 
day, and the air around them should be kept very 
moist—almost at dew point. They require, also, the 
roots to be moist, but not actually flooded with water. 
The pitcher plants are found in the close jungles of 
India, where the sun scarcely ever penetrates; but the 
cultivator must remember that the light in tropical 
countries is most intense. In our foggy island the light, 
even in the clearest day, is very many degrees less 
bright than in that country. Hence shading is only 
required because our pitcher plants are obliged to be 
grown under glass, which may form a lens for the rays 
of the sun, and thus burn the leaves. This shade is 
best made of a kind of canvass called “ bunting,” 
stretched over the glass when the sun shines strongly, 
which will generally happen from ten in the morning 
to three in the afternoon. It is of not much conse¬ 
quence whether the shade is placed inside or outside, 
excepting that it lasts longer on the out. 
Training. — If the pitcher plants flourish as they 
ought to do, they will grow rapidly, and require support. 
Place an upright stick pretty nearly as high as the roof, 
tie or nail some pieces of deal two feet long across each 
other—that is, the lowest one points east aud west, and 
the next one north and south, and so on to the top. 
These may be placed at eighteen inches apart, and are 
to support the leaves and pitchers, and arrange them in 
a symmetrical manner. This trellis, however, can only 
be useful to free-growing species, as Nepenthes distilla- 
toria, N. Rafflesiana , and such-like. A simple upright 
rod will be sufficient for the slower and weaker-growing 
species. 
Insects. —Generally few insects are injurious to these 
plants. The Brown scale sometimes attacks them, but 
is easily got rid of by a sponge dipped in weak tobacco 
water. This is best applied in early spring. 
Winter Management. —As the days shorten, shade 
may be dispensed with, and a much less quantity of 
water will be required at the root. Syringing may 
still be performed in the morning, excepting in severe 
frosty weather. In mild winters more syringing may 
be given. Heat may be lessened 5° night and day, and 
thus the plants will have a slight cessation of growth, 
or, in other words, a degree of rest, enabling them to 
produce a stronger growth and larger pitchers the 
ensuing year. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.') 
THE ROSE FOR EXHIBITION. 
(Continued from p. 371.) 
Soil. —In our last we described a rose garden, its 
desirable situation, shelter, and draining; and, now, the 
soil claims our attention. The most ignorant cultivator 
is sensible that this is an essential point in the culture 
of any flower. Unless the soil is of the right kind, 
it is in vain to expect success : the situation may bo 
happily chosen, the garden well sheltered, and properly 
drained, but if the soil is thin, poor, and light, the rose- 
trees may exist, and even flower, but they will be weak, 
and the blooms small and ill-shaped. If, then, the soil 
in the favoured spot is of such a description as not to 
suit the Queen of flowers, means must be used to make 
it so. This leads to the question, what is the best soil 
