I 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, March 31, 1857. 
j 442 
; second growth, which is the principal cause of the failure of 
blooms. 
The seeds should now be sown if Balsams, Cockscombs, 
and Globe Amaranthus are desired for summer and autumn 
decoration. The Cockscombs to be grown with a good brisk 
bottom heat in a hotbed frame or forcing pit. A single flower- 
stalk of great strength is requisite, the protrusion of which 
l should be retarded as long as possible consistently with the 
rapid growth of the plant. The treatment they require as 
to high temperature is similar to the Pine Apple in many 
particulars. 
Chinese Primroses to be sown in light soil, and placed in 
gentle heat; when the rough leaf appears, to be pricked off 
into pans filled with equal parts of decayed leaf mould and 
silver sand. Rooted cuttings for bedding-out purposes to 
be potted off, and encouraged to grow by the application of 
a gentle heat, frequent syringings, stopping the shoots to 
• induce a robust, bushy growth, and by shading during bright 
sunshine. When well established in their pots it is neces¬ 
sary to prepare them for their final transition to the open 
ground by removing them to a cold pit or frame, to be kept 
close for a short time, and gradually hardened off by the 
admission of ah.—W illiam Keane. 
A FEW REMARKS ON PLEROMA ELEGANS. 
Those who are favoured by having The Cottage Gar- 
j dener numbers to read week after week must not only be 
interested, but much edified, by the lengthened articles 
brought before them by its numerous and very able cor- 
[ respondents, by whose unwearied exertions secrets amongst 
! nurserymen and gardeners are brought to light. Instead 
of keeping the peculiar mode of cultivating a plant or 
j class of plants to one’s self, the great aim now, and a 
I right one, is to bring it before the gardening world, that all 
: might have the advantage of knowing it, and by thus aiding 
each other horticulture is raised higher in the estimation of 
those around us. Numerous as the plants spoken of are 
in your numbers, I have noticed but few articles on the 
culture of Pleroma eleyans, and should the following hints 
be deemed worthy of a place in your paper, and at all bene- 
i ficial to any one growing that truly valuable plant, the 
object of my wilting will be gained. Whilst there are 
many perfectly acquainted with its culture, there may be 
1 some about to commence, to whom a few remarks may 
! not be out of place. But before giving its culture I may add, 
j it seems a matter for surprise that after Pleroma eleyans has 
i been exhibited for years by some of the first nurserymen of 
the day with perfect success, and admired by thousands 
of spectators, it has not yet become a plant for competition 
generally, either as a single specimen or in collections, and 
amongst the great number of greenhouse plants annually 
shown the Pleroma hitherto has been found wanting. 
In commencing the culture it would be best to order a 
plant or plants from the nurseryman, or, if present, to select 
them yourselves, as you then would be enabled to choose 
nice sturdy young plants. This is preferable to risking 
your chance by cuttings from neighbours and others, as I 
suspect not a few have found more difficulty in raising young 
plants than in all their after culture. It is also good for the 
! trade, as the many large nursery establishments cannot 
be supposed to maintain their positions unless supplied 
with orders. Having, then, procured your plants, and sup¬ 
posing them to be in 32-sized or six-inch pots requiring 
shifting, choose so many 9£-inch or 10-inch pots, drain 
moderately as for Epacrises, Chorozemas, &c., shaking some 
rough siftings of leaf mould over the drainage. The soil 
should be equal portions of peat and fibry loam, preferring 
the brown always before the yellow loam, and a sufficient 
quantity of silver sand to keep the soil open for the free 
passage of water, of which it will require a liberal supply. 
In potting use rough and fine together, pressing it just as 
you would for Epacrises. This performance being over, where 
are they to go ? The stove being too hot, and the New Hol¬ 
land house rather too cold for them, an intermediate house 
is consequently necessary to insure perfect success. A house 
kept from 38° to 50° night temperature is the best heat, 
allowing it to range between 60° and 70° by day. No doubt 
some are obliged to lodge them in the New Holland house 
or Heath house; but should such structures be exposed to j 
a north aspect Pleroma eleyans, in most instances, is found 
to suffer from the cold, showing it by the foliage becoming | 
brown and much curled. As the newly-potted plants begin 
to grow it may be found that, although two plants stand 
side by side, the one may produce short-jointed wood, whilst 
the other produces long shoots. In the first, stop at every 
third joint; and in the second, stop every shoot of this 
year’s growth; but none of them should be stopped after 
the end of July. Tie, after potting, to neat sticks as low 
down as they can be brought, as that -will insure their 
keeping in good shape in coming years. See that they | 
are placed so as to get plenty of room all round, that the j 
sides be not injured by being too near other plants. Repotting ; 
will not be required until the following February. Having 
then prepared the same kind of soil as before, turn them out, 
and shift them into four sizes larger, and as soon as they have 
made the second shoot pinch each of the top ones off, and 
fresh stake and tie every one. Throughout the summer and 
autumn supply liberally with water, and let them grow with¬ 
out more stopping, and the cultivator may reasonably expect 
a few blooms by the middle of the following June. Should 
he, however, find, on the contrary, no bloom that year, I would 
say, Be not discouraged, for the next following seasons will 
amply repay for its want of them then. This shows Pleroma 
eleyans takes some time to become a flowering plant, and, 
consequently, must be patiently dealt with. Being then 
established in 14-inch pots, the following summer will find 
them laden with bloom, and one of the first objects of attrac- ' 
tion in the house. I would now advise repotting to be per- ' 
formed after flowering for the future, and to those not re- ; 
quiring large plants they may be kept in the same 14-inch pots 
until the next year’s flowering is over; but a shift into three 
sizes larger is preferred: soil, &c., as before. After this 
changing of pots it will not be necessary to repeat it every 
year unless large plants are in request, as Pleroma eleyans 
will do very well by being shifted every alternate year; and 
when this is practised liquid manure is necessary—either J 
sheep manure water or guano. I have seen the last men- j 
tioned, when given twice a week throughout the growing ! 
and flowering season, to agree with the constitution of the i 
Pleroma all that could be wished, imparting a fine, dark, 
glossy green to the foliage, bringing its hundreds of 
flowers perfectly expanded, and gaining for them that 
beautiful purple colour so much desired amongst greenhouse j 
plants, and which, when fully developed, presents to our 
view one of the richest varieties of plants which Mr. Lobb 
obtained for the Messrs. Veitch,of Exeter and Chelsea, from 
the sides of the Organ Mountains. When this plant is 
more generally brought before the wealthy of our country 
and the people at large it cannot fail to be called by all 
their pet, gem, beau ideal, or whatever else may be their 
favourite term. 
P.S.—I omitted saying that the Pleroma should be shaded 1 
in common with other greenhouse plants, especially when in 
bloom, as it preserves them much longer; and when pro¬ 
tected from hard winds and heavy rains I have seen it do 
well out of doors during summer.—G. Webber, Redleaf. 
GARDENING NOTES FROM THE CONTINENT. 
HAMBURGH. 
The horticulturists in the neighbourhood of Hamburgh 
have two great impediments in their way; first, the natural 
soil is a dry, hungry sand; and, secondly, they have a most 
inclement climate. Even now there are vast masses of ice 
floating in the Elbe, and the thermometer only stands a few 
degrees above freezing in the middle of the day. This 
severity of the climate renders it necessary to have double 
glass to all the hothouses, which, of course, makes the ex¬ 
pense of building them much greater, and is, therefore, a 
serious drawback to the growth of stove plants in North 
Germany. 
The Botanic Garden is pleasantly situated just outside 
the east gate of the city. It overlooks the river-like moat, 
and stands opposite to the old ramparts, which are now laid 
out as public walks. In summer it must be very pretty; 
