272 THE COTTAGE GARDENER. [July 31 . 
difference in temperature and humidity on the western 
and eastern coasts of our own island. Glasgow and its 
neighbourhood possesses a higher mean temperature 
than Edinburgh and East Lothian, and yet, owing to a 
clearer sky and drier atmosphere, the latter is the better 
corn-producing country, while the former excels, it may 
he, in grazing properties, from its proximity to the 
Atlantic, and the haze and drib-dribble which is humour¬ 
ously said never to be absent there. Hence, no doubt, 
the old adage, founded upon the principles of commercial 
interchange, and with some exceptions applicable to 
most of our island—“ Carry corn to the west. Drive 
cattle to the east.” R. Eish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC STOVE PLANTS. 
Allamanda neriifolia (Nerium-leaved A.).—The 
fine genus of Allamanda has several species that are 
amongst the best of our stove climbers; and are equally 
handsome, whether planted in the border of the plant 
stove and trained up the rafters, or grown in large pots 
and trained to a globular trellis. The noble specimens 
exhibited in pots at the Metropolitan exhibitions are 
examples of successful culture by the latter method. 
Yet, on account of the size they attain, and the room 
they occupy, it is only in places where the houses are 
large, or numerous, that such noble plants can be 
successfully produced in bloom. Hence, cultivators 
who have only one stove, and that, perhaps, a small one, 
are obliged to forego the pleasure of growing Allamandas 
at all. We have, however, the pleasure to announce to 
persons so situated, that there is a new Allamanda 
suitable for their circumscribed room or means. We 
allude to the one, the name of which is at the head of 
this paper, viz., Allamanda neriifolia. This plant has 
leaves about four inches long, verticillate, that is, in 
whorls round the stem; the flowers are, it is time, but 
small compared with its gigantic brethren, yet large 
enough to be showy and attractive. They are frequently 
produced upon plants a foot high, and numerously when 
they are two feet in altitude. Each flower is nearly 
three inches long, and one-and-a-half inch wide. Like 
all the rest they are of a bright yellow colour. The 
plant is a low stove shrub, not a climber, and is, when 
in bloom and well managed, a truly handsome object. 
Price 7s. 6d. 
Culture. —Soil—loam, peat, and leaf-mould, in equal 
parts, with a due portion of sand added to keep it open 
and pervious to water. 
Propagation. — By Cuttings. —The best are made of 
the young shoots with two joints. If a quantity is 
wanted, the stem may he cut into lengths of one joint 
each, and then split into as many parts as there are 
leaves; the bud at the base of each leaf will grow and 
form the new plant. The cuttings with two joints, how¬ 
ever, soonest make good strong plants. The leaves of the 
two-jointed should be cut off the lower joint, and those 
of the top joint left on. The 5-inch pots for the cuttings 
should be effectually drained, filled to within one inch 
of the rim with the usual compost, the remaining inch 
with pure white sand. This should be watered from the 
fine rose of a watering pot to make it firm. Plant the 
cuttings round the edge of the pot in the usual way, and 
place them in a propagating house upon a heated bed of 
sand, or fine charcoal, or sifted ashes, whichever is most 
convenient or easily procured; covered with hand- 
lights, with a moveable top, keep them close during the 
day and night, but they should have an hour’s fresh air 
by taking off the tops of the glasses every morning to 
allow the damp to evaporate. They can then be watered 
il they require it, any dead or dying leaves removed, 
or any other little attention they may require. They 
will root in about six weeks, and should then be potted j 
off into small pots, and kept for a month longer under j 
the hand-glasses. After that time they may be repotted \ 
in a size larger pots, and be placed upon a shady shelf near 
the glass of the stove. When they have reached the 
height of tliree or four inches, nip out the top buds, to 
cause them to make bushy plants. 
Summer Culture. —Whilst the plants are young they 
must be carefully attended to. Never allow them to flag 
from the want of water. Syringe them gently over head 
every day, and repot frequently. When the shoots are 
five or six inches long, place as many sticks as there 
are branches in a sloping direction from the plant, 
bring the shoots carefully down towards them, and tie 
them to the sticks. The centre of the plant will then 
be open, and when fresh shoots protrude from the 
bottom, top them, and tie outwards the next tier of 
branches, so as to form the bush into a compact hand¬ 
some form. Keep each shoot firmly tied to the stakes. 
The second years’ plants will bo fit to flower, if happily 
every care has been bestowed upon them. After they 
have done blooming, cut them down, give no more water 
until fresh roots and shoots are beginning to push forth ; 
then top dress them, place them in gentle heat, a tan- 
bed is the best, and let them make fresh shoots before 
winter. 
Winter Culture. —The only difference between the 
treatment for this season and the last, is to give much 
smaller supplies of water, and to keep the house ten 
or fifteen degrees cooler. This will give a season of rest 
equally as necessary for stove plants as for the hardy 
shrubs in the op>en air, though not to that extent. 
Gordonia javanica (Javanese Gordonia).—This lovely 
shrub is now in flower here. It was exhibited at the 
last Chiswick Exhibition, and obtained the Knightian 
Silver Medal. It is a neat-growing low bush, flowering 
freely when only a foot high. The flowers are -white, 
about the size of a half-crown. The anthers are numer¬ 
ous, and of a golden colour. The contrast between the 
two colours rendering it a showy object, even at a consi¬ 
derable distance. 7s. Cd. Culture and propagation the 
same as the Allamanda. T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
MR. GLENNY ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
The discouragement of seedlings by the authorities at 
Chiswick has well nigh banished them from the Horti¬ 
cultural Shows there. Our notice of the seedling tent 
at the last exhibition must be “ a beggarly account of 
empty ” tables. There were only four or five Fuchsias, 
of which we shall say a few words; two or three worth¬ 
less Petunias, very large and very flimsy; and some 
Pansies in pots, perfectly disgraceful to any gardener. 
Of the fuchsias which were contributed by Mr. Turner, 
Diadem was the best; it is the one already noticed ns 
reflexing as much as a Martagon lily; we wish the 
petals were wider, but it is a very decided improvement 
on the red varieties. L’Elegant is a pale variety, not 
very novel nor very striking, it reflexes about as much 
as Elizabeth. Black Prince is a red variety, with very 
long sepals, which reflex rather gracefully, but require 
the bunches to be horizontal for them to hang free ; as 
a variety it may be grown, but there is nothing to place 
it high among our present favourites; there is not 
contrast enough in the colour, nor width enough in the 
sepals to make it a favourite, although it reflexes a little, 
and rather gracefully. It is to be regretted that so fine 
a field for the exhibition of seedlings should have been 
lost to the floral world by the discouragement given at 
Chiswick, and, unless some steps be retraced by the 
Society, wo fear the exhibitions hero will fall off. There 
