September 18. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
445 
yourself, nor the gardener, to put bedding Geranium- 
cuttings in pots in the autumn, or under glasses, or in 
a shaded place, or to be planted close together, even on 
a south border, because the more air and the more 
light and sun can reach them, the harder will their soft 
stems get the meanwhile, and the more hard now the 
less hardship will they suffer by-and-by. The two things 
which wero to be proved were, whether soft cuttings 
like these could stand so much sun without scorching ; 
they did stand it all; and whether, if they did, they 
would not root so freely as others of the same kind 
near them which were watered; that is, they did not 
root in fourteen days in the middle of August; but 
others, which were watered, rooted in that time; there¬ 
fore, although it may be good policy not to water very 
soft Geranium cuttings for a few days after they are 
put in, it is better to water them after that period, till 
they make roots; but, after rooting, no more water 
should be given than will just keep them going, as, if 
much water is given, or a wet season follows, the 
hardening or ripening of the cuttings will not be pro¬ 
perly done. 
VERBENA AND PETUNIA CUTTINGS. 
If you have not the proper conveniences for striking 
off as many Verbenas as you require in the autumn, 
the next best plan of all is to make so many layers from 
each kind, and keep them to strike cuttings from in the 
spring; but I would advise to put in free shoots for 
layers so late as this; not but that they might root and 
be strong enough before the end of October, but that 
you can now get abundance of shoots that are not free; 
that is, shoots which have already made some roots at 
the last joint which touched the earth; if these roots 
are not lougor than the depth of your pots, use them 
by all means, and put in the roots as if you were potting 
off rooted cuttings. Old Verbenas never, or very seldom, 
answer to be potted from the open ground. 
Petunias cannot be layered to any good purpose, and 
old plants of them are bad to lift; but 1 have often 
taken up a favourite Petunia about this time of the 
season, and after potting, and ten days’ shade in a cool, 
damp place, out-of-doors, would be out of danger; then, 
by cutting back the shoots, not at once, but at three 
different times before November, I have kept them in 
small compass, and when in good condition such plants 
furnish early and excellent cuttings in the spring. 
D. Beaton. 
Extraordinary Nut-tree. — The largest Nut-tree 
we have ever seen is growing in a cottage garden in 
Church Path, Beddington, near Croydon, in Surrey, 
occupied by Ann Payne. The trunk, for it is a perfect 
tree, is five feet high before it begins to branch. At 
the surface of the ground it is four feet three iuches in 
circumference, and at four feet from the ground it is 
two feet eight inches. At a foot above the ground a 
large swelling has been formed, such as is frequently 
seen on the Elm, and this is four feet ten inches round. 
From the top of the trunk four large arms are produced, 
the largest of which is two feet two inches round, and 
the smallest one foot seven iuches ; and the girth of the 
trunk, at the point where these four arms are produced, 
is exactly four feet. The tree has been very much 
larger than it is at present, two large limbs having been 
removed apparently some years ago; and the head has 
been more than once reduced, which gives it somewhat 
of a Pollard appearance, but even now it is from twenty* I 
four to twenty-five feet high. This season it is bearing j 
a plentiful crop, and, from what we saw, wo have no 
doubt it is a fine and rare specimen of the Gob Nut. It 
is to be regretted, however, that decay has begun upon 
the trunk, and unless its progress is arrested by plas 
teriug it over, there is reason to fear that this fine 
specimen will, ere long, become disfigured. 
HINTS IN CELERY CULTURE. 
(Continued from page 425.) 
General Culture. —With such trenches so little 
sunk, if there is not a retentive bottom, the plants can 
scarcely be over-watered in dry weather, though, of 
course, it is no use giving more than the plants can 
fully imbibe. When growing freely they will suck in 
| weak manure-water with avidity. A little quick lime 
! should often be put into the water, which will settle 
i worms, and keep slugs, &c., at a distance. If the garden 
1 is at all subject to the Celery-fly, or grub, a little soot, 
j either dry, or clear soot-water, thrown over the foliage, 
will be an advantage. In dry weather, after each water¬ 
ing, and the liquid has soaked down, a covering of 
half-an-inch of dry soil, chopped down from the sides 
and thrown over the surface, will check evaporation and 
encourage rooting upwards. By the time the plants 
are freely growing they should be examined, and every 
twisted leaf at the base, and every semblance of a sucker, 
thoroughly removed with the point of a knife ; and by the 
time the plants get the size they usually attain before 
earthing-up, they should be carefully tied up with a 
string of bass mat, or anything else, to prevent the out¬ 
side leaves from being broken, fixing the tie six or nine 
inches from the base of the plant, and so loosely as to 
give room for the leaves and plants swelling. 
Particular Treatment. — This latter measure is 
part of this. A partial blanchiug is effected by this 
tying. When not tied too tight, the centre of the plant 
is encouraged to rise and become of a good size. For 
early Celery, this tying is commenced in July; for the 
general and late crop it will be soon enough in August 
and September. The tying, therefore, in early crops, 
effects, so far, the same purpose as earthing-up, without 
any of its drawbacks. During the time the plaut is 
tied, you may water the root just as you please, and as 
it requires it. This you cannot easily do when you 
have got a foot or more of earth over the roots. I first 
saw the importance of this, by finding that beds of 
early Celery, with centres, showing the flower-stems, had 
been early earthed-up, and the roots were as dry as if 
they had been growing in the Sahara. I will suppose 
that that earthing-up was proceeded with two or three 
inches at a time, from July and onwards. I will even 
suppose that the plants received a good watering before 
the first earthing-np. It is manifest that the leaves 
would be exposed to a powerful transpiration. Dews 
and rains, unless very heavy, would not penetrate the 
earthing-up soil; the roots were soon unable to supply 
the moisture demanded by the leaves, and the plant 
revenges itself by throwing up its seed-stem to reproduce 
itself. By merely lifting the band a little higher, 
as the plant grows, there is less necessity for this 
gradual earthing-up ; and, therefore, to secure good, 
early, unbolted Celery, I conceive the great thing to 
be, not to earth-up for complete blanching more than 
three weeks to a month, at farthest, before you wish the 
plants to be used ; and this earthing to be dono at once, 
aud, at the farthest, not more than twice. With late 
winter Celery, a similar rule holds as to tying-up ; but, 
of course, they should be finally earthed up by the be¬ 
ginning of November. There is no danger of bolting 
from a similar cause then, as during the winter months, 
on an average, the foliage will absorb quite as much as 
it transpires. 
Earthing-up. —I have mentioned lime-water for 
driving off slugs, snails, &c. The earth around, espe¬ 
cially if of a clayey nature, frequently has a full com- 
