1 
October 2. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
servatory. The baudsome-foliaged Lomatia ferntginca 
belongs to this Order. 
! Oesncra DoncJdariana. —A hybrid between the two 
: allied genera Gesnera and Gloxinia, proving that they 
I are not essentially distiuet. It is said it was raised in 
j the Glient Botanic Gardens, between Gesnera discolor 
and Gloxinia ruhra. It has the foliage and habit of the 
former, with the flowers of the form of the latter. 'They 
are rich crimson in colour, and are produced in large 
panicles on the end of each shoot. 
Kolderia Wagneriana (Capt. Wagner’s). — A very 
liandsome gesneraceous plant, with crimson stems and 
tubular red flowers. Native of Soutli America, and a 
worthy, manageable plant; evergreen, and of a good 
habit. Requires peat and leaf-mould, and the lieat of a 
moderate stove. 
Mandirolia RoezUi and M.jncturata.. — I know nothing 
of these two plants further than this, I saw them in 
flower in the Chiswick Gardens. They were sent there 
by M. Van IToutte, from Ghent. He stated, if I 
recollect right, that they had come up amongst some 
Orchids from South America. Be that as it may, they 
are two pretty plants, and, as they flower at this time of 
tlie year, they are an agreeable addition to our autumn¬ 
flowering stove plants. 'They are soft-wooded, evergreen, 
stove plants, with small foliage, and pretty, small 
Gloxinia-liko flowers, produced abundantly from tlie 
axils of the leaves. 'The colour a pale pink. M. 
picturata is spotted and stained with a deeper hue. 
They are worth inquiring after. T. Appleby. 
(To he cunlinned.) 
PROPAGATION OF TILE ORANGE TRIBE. 
(^Oonliitiied from GvI. XIV., page -IDS.) 
By Cuttings. — This is the best method to obtain 
small, early-fruiting, handsome plants, especially adapted 
to grow in small pots and greenhouses of moderate 
dimensions. This mode was formerly much more 
practised in England and Scotland than at present. Mr. 
Henderson describes his success in the Caledonian 
Horticultural Memoirs so particularly and well, that I 
cannot do our readers a greater service that quoting 
his description of his method. He says, “ 'Take the 
strongest young shoots, and also a quantity of the 
two-year-old shoots; these may be cut in lengths from 
nine inches to eighteen inches. 'Take the leaves of the 
I lower part of each cutting to the extent of about live 
j inches, allowing the leaves above that to remain un- 
i touched ; then cut right across, under an eye, and make 
a small incision in an angular direction on the bottom 
of each cutting. When the cuttings are thus prepared, 
take a pot and fill it with sand; size the cuttings so 
that the short ones may be altogether, and those that 
are taller in a different pot. 'Then, with a small dibble, 
plant them about five inches deep in the sand, and give 
a good watering overhead to settle the sand about them. 
Let them stand a day or two in a shady place. Have 
a frame ready with a good bottom-heat, and plunge the 
pots to the brim. Shade them well with a double 
mat, which may remain till they have struck root; 
when rooted, take the sand and the cuttings out of 
the pots, and plant them into single pots in the 
following compost:—One part of a light brown mould 
from a piece of ground that has not been cropped or 
manured for many years; one part peat earth, such as 
is used for growing Heaths; two parts of river sand, or 
pit sand, if it be free from mineral substances; and one 
part of rotten hotbed dung, with one p8,rt of rotten 
leaves of trees. Mix them all together so as to form a 
,1 compost soil of uniform quality. When all are potted 
j off, plunge them again in the frame, and shade them 
7 
^ for four or five weeks, or till they are taken fresh root in 
I the pot; they may then bo exposed to the light. From 
; various experiments, I found that pieces of two-year-old 
j wood struck quite well; and in place, therefore, of putting 
in cuttings six or eight inches long, I have taken off 
cuttings from ten inches to two feet long, and struck 
: them with equal success. Although I at first began to 
put in cuttings only in the month of August, I now put 
^ them in at any time of the year, except when the ])lants 
; are making young wood. By giving them a gentle 
bottom-heat, and covering them with a hand-light, they 
will generally strike root in seven w^eeks or two 
months. 'The Citron is most easily struck, and is the 
quickest grown. I, therefore, frequently strike jfieces 
eighteen inches long, and, as soon as they are struck and 
have taken roots in their new pots, they ai-e grafted with 
other sorts which grow freely. I am not particular as to 
the time either of striking cuttings or of grafting.” 
j Such is the very graj)hic and complete description 
’ given by the practicer himself of this successful mode 
! of propagating the Orange tribe by cuttings. I have 
I notliing to add to it, except, that as every one may not 
! have a frame and other conveniences on a large scale, 
[ there are two other ways of striking cuttings more 
i suitable for parties with limited conveniences. 'The 
\ first is, to take young cuttings as soon as they have 
done growing and the lower end has become a little 
, hardened. Prepare these cuttings in the same way as 
I Mr. Henderson describes above. Insert them with a 
i dibble in pure, light, sandy loam, drained with a layer 
I of broken potsherds at bottom. Let each cutting touch 
I this drainage, which greatly facilitates the emission of 
j roots. When all arc inserted, give a good watering to 
I settle the earth firmly and closely to each cutting. 'Then 
i place around the cuttings, close to the pot side, a few 
j small, clean sticks, so placed that they will prop the 
[ leaves away from touching the bell-glass with which the 
cuttings should be covered. 'This bell-gless should 
never be taken off, excepting to wipe off the damps 
occasionally, and to remove any decaying leaves. Place 
them in heat, and in tw'O months such as will grow 
will be rooted. 'The other method is, to use cuttings 
■ made the previous year, putting them in similarly in 
j autumn, and placing them in a cold frame for the 
i winter till the lower end of each cutting is calloused 
' over; then give them a little heat, and roots will be 
‘ formed, when they will push freely, and require potting 
off into single pots. 'These two methods may be practised 
j by any amateur possessing cuttings, a bell-glass, and 
a suitable sized pot. 
'The Otaheite Orange, a dwarf, small fruited variety, 
is propagated freely enough by either of these methods. 
Kept afterwards in small pot, they form Orange-trees in 
miniature, which are very handsome, and suitable for the 
front stages of the greenhouse. 'T. Appleby. 
(To he continued.) 
COTTAGERS’ GARDENS AND THEIR 
PRODUCE. 
As some little discussion has arisen of late respecting 
the term Cottage Gardener, or, rather, on what may be 
defined as cottagers’ productions at a Horticultural Show, 
I am induced to oiler a few remarks, obtained by ob¬ 
serving the general bearing the question assumes at the 
Horticultural Shows in this country, one of which, at 
Maidstone, being, perhaps, in as flourishing a condition 
as any provincial society of a like kind in the kingdom. 
Now, at this show, a wider latitude is given to the term 
“ Cottager” than Mr. Beaton ascribes to be justly duo 
to that class: exhibitors not being in any way restricted 
by their employment and a gentleman’s gardener; not 
