THE COTTAGE GARDENE& AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, September 29, 1857. 411 
There are two plants near the Brugmansia, each from 
five to six feet in height, blunt, pyramidal in shape, and 
the base as broad as the height, a mass of bloom for 
three months. Every half inch or so in growth presents 
you with a fresh spike of bloom, so that whilst the first 
decays and drops there are plenty more coming. I 
have also used it as the centre of two circular raised 
beds surrounded with Ivy, that the ladies have been 
pleased to name “ twelfth cakes,” and, from being 
allowed to grow very loosely, height, airiness, and a rich 
colour are thus given to the centre of the beds. I hope 
I shall not be considered egotistical if I just state how 
simply these beds have been filled. Centre, Cassia 
corymbosa; round it a ring of Salvia patens, and then a 
ring of Ageratum Mexicanum , allowed to mix a little; 
then a ring of Scarlet Defiance Pelargonium; and, 
for want of plants to make it double, the second row 
was Trentham Gem; outside of the scarlets a ring of 
the Silver-frosted plant ( Cineraria maritima) ; and 
between that and the raised sides of Ivy strong plants 
of the Golden Chain Geranium as the outside row. I 
first saw the Cassia used out of doors at Courteen Hall 
some years ago. It is best propagated by slipping off 
small side-shoots in spring, and when about three 
inches long after fresh growth has commenced, inserting 
them in sandy soil under a bellglass, giving a little 
bottom heat, and admitting a little air at night to 
prevent damping. The plants, when taken up and 
housed in the greenhouse, will retain their flowers for 
months after the leaves have dropped. They require 
very little more heat after that to keep them safe than 
a deciduous Fuchsia; but, like them, when thus resting, 
the soil should be dryish instead of wet, though not 
dust dry. 
Clethra arborea. —“A good plant produced a cluster 
of good flowers, and now there are berries of a whitish 
colour. May I expect seed, and will they ripen in the 
greenhouse?”—We have no doubt at all of the seeds 
ripening if the house has plenty of light. The plant 
never blooms much earlier than August and September, 
and is closely allied to Arbutus and Gaultheria. It is com¬ 
paratively hardy as a greenhouse plant, being a native 
of Madeira. If you wish a great many young plants 
wash out the seeds, and sow them in a hotbed in spring. 
For practical purposes, however, that is, the possession 
of nice stubby plants, those raised from cuttings will be 
more manageable and bloom earlier. 
Sparmannia Africana. —“ When I was a boy I used to 
admire this plant, with its buuches of white flowers, and 
the masses of purplish stamens within, and, though the 
foliage was a little rough, its light green presented such 
a contrast to those with dark green foliage. I never see 
it now. Where can it be got ? Is it difficult to grow ?”— 
The plant is very easily grown. Merely as a contrast¬ 
ing plant it is interesting. The last time I saw it was 
in the beautiful conservatory at Shrubland, and I felt 
pleased that even in such a place old plants are not 
turned out of sight for new. It is easily grown in loam 
with a little peat, and will be quite safe in winter in a 
temperature ranging from 35° to 45°, averaging 38° to 
40°. It is easily propagated by cuttings, and to keep it in 
something like bounds the knife should be used pretty 
freely. Any London nurseryman could supply it I 
presume, though now it is considered old and rough 
looking. 
Abutilon striatum.— “ A friend gave me a nice plant 
of this beautiful plant, and recommended it as a good 
weeping standard. How shall I treat it? It is nearly 
four feet high, but very slim, and the stem bends.”— 
Put a neat stake to the stem, and support it its full 
length. About November pinch out the terminal bud, 
and keep the plant dryish, and in an average temperature 
of 40° during the winter. About March the strength of 
the sun will cause vegetation to commence freely, and 
then, as soon as they swell, pick out all the buds along 
the stem except from four to six at the point. These 
will shoot out as many branches, and when long 
enough should be gently hasped by their middle to the 
stake, which will give the shoots a semi-pendulous cha¬ 
racter. Next season prune these shoots back to several 
buds each, and the head will be formed, and very pretty 
it will look. In warm southern counties it would do 
out of doors in summer, and would be as great a relief 
among Tea Roses as I am told the standard Honey¬ 
suckles are at the Louvre and Versailles. In growing 
mix a little peat with the soil at first; but as the plants 
get established use fibry loam and a little rotten dung. 
Shrubby Calceolarias not Rooting. — “I had a 
great basket of yellow and dark coloured ones sent me 
in the middle of August; but, though I cut them up, 
planted them in a close place, and gave most of them a 
little bottom heat too, few are healthy and likely to strike, 
and most of them are gone.”—The less heat for shrubby 
Calceolarias in autumn the better they will do. You com¬ 
menced also too early. From the last half of September 
to the third week in October I consider the best period 
for this purpose, and nothing suits them better than 
light sandy soil under a frame of glass with its back to 
the south, or under a close handlight, shaded a little at 
first. When you get cuttings sent you, you must take 
the pieces as your friends choose to send them, though, 
as in your case, much of the bulk would be too soft or 
spongy to strike well with either heat or cold. When 
you can select your cuttings wait until, by examining 
your plants, you can find nice stubby side-shoots from 
two to three inches long. Slip these off with a sharp 
knife close to the older stem ; dress away a portion of 
the lower leaves, and reduce the size of the upper ones 
if very large; insert firmly as mentioned above; water 
well at first, and merely dew when necessary afterwards; 
shade when the sun shines very brightly ; above all, 
keep close and cool, and you may calculate on losing 
something like one per cent. R. Fish. 
NOTES FOR OCTOBER. 
The rapid growth that vegetation has made after the late 
fine rains will demand attention in hoeing, forking, and 
surface stirring amongst the crops of Winter Greens , Savoys , 
Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, & c. 
A good breadth of Early York Cabbages to be planted out 
in well-dunged ground for cutting in May and June. Cauli- 
flower and Lettuce plants to be pricked out into some good 
light soil, in a sheltered convenient place for protecting them 
in winter. Cauliflower plants potted one in a five-inch pot, 
protected in a cold frame or pit during the winter, will turn 
out of their pots with a ball of roots in spring, and succeed 
admirably. 
The Apples and Onions that have been stored away to be 
examined, and any that are beginning to decay to be re¬ 
moved for immediate use. Carrots and Beet to be stored in 
sand. Parsnips keep best when left in the ground until a 
severe frost sets in, when some may he taken up and stored 
away for use during the frost. The August-sown Cabbage 
plants to be pricked out, if not already done, into beds to 
stand the winter. 
If attention had been given, as recommended in former 
notes, to the summer management of fruit trees, the re¬ 
markably fine summer and autumn weather that we have 
had for the maturation of the wood would obviate the 
necessity of further instructions; but Avhen such attentions 
had been neglected, or in undrained or unfavourable situ¬ 
ations, every facility must now be given to the ripening of 
the young wood by free exposure to the sun. The outdoor 
Vines should now be looked over, the laterals removed, 
and if two or three top joints of the shoots are green or 
unripe to be pruned off. The shoots of Peach and Necta¬ 
rine trees that have borne fruit, but have not a leading wood- 
bud, may be now cut out, for the advantage of more light 
and air to ripen the remaining wood. 
