July 3. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
23? 
then cover the roots with fine soil, and tread it firmly 
to them. Dig on till the space is wide enough for the 
next row. I think, in a gentleman’s nursery, half-a-yard 
might he allowed with advantage; but in sale nurseries 
they seldom allow more than nine inches from row to row. 
As soon as the space is dug and levelled, shift the line, 
chop down the soil, and so proceed till all the trees are 
transplanted. This method is much superior to the old- 
fashioned dibble planting, because, by the spade method \ 
the roots are not cramped as they necessarily are when 
thrust into a small hole made with a dibble. 
T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
The Gooseberry Caterpillar. — In page 183, it 
appears that Mr. Norris, of Isleworth, is obliged to 
employ several women to collect the caterpillars from j 
his Gooseberry plants. For two or three seasons past, j 
I have been in the practice of painting my plants from 
the ground up to the lowest buds with common train- 
oil, and have escaped all caterpillars.—J. E., Clapliam. 
CULTURE OF DAPHNE ODORA, DAPHNE 
ODORA RUBRA, AND DAPHNE ODORA 
VARIEGATA. 
A short time since, a Correspondent inquired about 
the treatment of Daphne odora, and was referred to a 
previous notice; and now, a Correspondent inquires 
about D. odora rubra and D. odora variegata —their 
flowering—the desirable mode of managing them— 
system of propagation—informing us that a short paper 
would he a boon to the amateur gardener. 
There can be no question, that among many sweet things 
these occupy no inconspicuous place, attracting rather 
by the lavish diffusion of their perfume, than anything 
very striking in their appearance. In the parlour 
window, in spring, and on the stage of the greenhouse, 
they are ever welcome visitors. In modest worth they 
may rank with the lowly Violet; and both are sweet 
reminders of that retiring philanthropy that does good 
by stealth, and would blush to find it noticed or praised. 
Propagation. —The Odora is freely propagated by 
cuttings. These succeed best when taken off in April 
or May. They are best procured at that time, as the 
plant may receive what little pruning it wants immedi¬ 
ately after it has done flowering. ’Young shoots, about 
two inches in length, cut across just where the younger 
and the older growth meet, so as just to have the base 
of the cutting hardisb, instead of soft and spongy, strike 
the most readily. Little pieces of this description may 
often be met with in a largish plant, growing from the 
sides of the large branches, and these should be slipped 
off with a heel, as it is technically called, which just 
furnishes the necessary proportion of firmislx wood for 
the very base of the cutting. \ r oung, vigorous plants 
are apt to throw up some large, succulent shoots; and 
though, for want of a better, 1 have frequently struck 
these, yet, as a rule, they should be avoided if better are 
to be obtained. Cuttings, such as those first alluded to, 
being cut clean across at the base, and two or three of 
the lower leaves neatly removed, should be firmly in¬ 
serted in silver sand over saudy peat and loam, in a 
well-drained pot, be well watered, and when dry have a 
bell-glass put over them. The cuttings may then stand 
shaded from direct sun at first in the closest part of a 
greenhouse, but will succeed better if the pot should be 
plunged in a sweet bottom-heat of from 70° to 75°. The 
chief attentions the cuttings will require are, shading from 
bright sunshine, but removing the shade as early in 
the afternoon as it can he done without, so that the 
cuttings may not be feebly elongated; as much water as 
they will require to keep them from flagging, in unison 
with due shading ; and as much air, especially in an 
evening, by tilting the bell-glass a little, as will prevent ■ 
the leaves damping or getting unhealthy. As the roots 1 
form, more air should be given by degrees, until the 
glass is wholly discontinued, first, during the night, and j 
ultimately, also during the day. Then the pots, if ! 
plunged, should be lifted out of their plunging medium, 1 
and in a few days potted separately in three-inch pots, 
and kept closish and moist in a pit or frame, until growth 
is progressing freely, when air may be freely given 
them, increasing the quantity by degrees. 
1 have struck odora rubra in the same way, and 
though I have never tried variegata, I have no doubt 
it also could be so managed. Both of these, however, 
as w T ell as odora, will make plants sooner by being 
budded or grafted on the Spurge Laurel, Daphne 
laureola, or the Daphne Mezereum, &c. As the rubra 
and variegata strike much less quickly and surely than 
the odora, and as the bits of them, in the shape of 
buds on young shoots, are much more valuable, in a 
commercial point of view, it is general to obtain them, 
when ordered, as grafted or budded plants; and it 
must also be owned that they do better, grow more 
vigorously, and bloom more profusely, than on their 
own roots. 
Two things seem necessary to present and ultimate 
success with these budded or grafted plants. I say 
budded or grafted, for that mode which is generally 
adopted may be called bud-grafting—a very small bit, 
with a bud or two, being inserted in the side of the 
stock. The first requisite is, that the stock should be 
young and healthy, from one to two years old from the 
seed, and duly established in a pot, so that there may be 
vigorous root action to start and support the scion or 
bud at once. The second necessary, is performing the 
operation in spring, or autumn, either before the buds 
have pushed, or after they have been fully formed and 
in comparative repose. And a third requisite may be 
mentioned in the shape of an auxiliary, namely, placing 
the plants when thus grafted into a close, moist frame, 
or pit, with a rise of temperature sufficient to hasten 
the junction and swell and expaud the buds. 
Some time ago, I mentioned how successful they were 
with odora rubra at Bedford Nursery, HamspteadRoad. 
Mr. Wood supplies great quantities, annually, to the 
trade. In calling there, the other day, I saw great 
numbers in open frames, budded and grafted the previ¬ 
ous autumn and spring. Most of them were in three 
and four-inch pots. The union was effected within an 
inch or two of the soil; and though the plants averaged 
only from four to six inches in height, each of them, 
from being stopped, had from three to four and six 
strong, stubby shoots. These, if allowed to grow on 
during the summer, would bloom the next spring; and 
would like more pot-room being immediately given. 
Mr. Wood stated, however, that if a fine specimen was | 
desirable in a short time, he would nip out the points 
of each shoot, and sacrifice a year, or even of two years 
bloom, to obtain a fine bushy specimen. On inquiring 
where their larger plants were, I was informed that it 
was impossible to keep them ; a plain proof of the 
general favour in which such plants are held; and an ! 
evidence that, even in these trying times, when a double 
income tax is but a trifle to the harrowing sensations 
that news from the Crimea bring to many a heart and | 
many a home, the love of the sweet-scented and the j 
beautiful in flowers remains as indestructible and per- ! 
manent as ever, because associated with our best sympa¬ 
thies, and proving even an auxiliary solace amid the 
darkest hours of sorrow and bereavement. 
Soil. —This should be a mixture of loam and heath 
