THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 4, 1858. 
Whenever this takes place, as in the purple Zelinda, 
for instance, growth upwards is arrested ; the strength 
of growth is immediately thrown into several side 
shoots ; and as soon as they rise to the height of the 
first main shoot, they, too, knot for bloom, and then the 
strength is thrown into other side shoots : so that in 
this variety chiefly, and also in others, though not 
quite so conspicuously, you will thus (without any 
stopping or disbudding) have a large breadth of colour 
upon nearly a perfect level. 
Before planting out, the ground should be well and 
deeply dug, and moderately enriched near the surface. 
If you enrich the whole ground too much, you will 
be troubled with a profusion of leaves. I prefer 
[ giving half a spadeful of light, rich soil, to each plant 
I when planted, and as soon as the first shoot knots 
for blooming, mulching the ground with an inch or so 
of rotten dung, which keep th6 roots cool, and saves 
I watering. 
In low sheltered places, no staking whatever will be 
wanted for the dwarfish kinds. As the position here is 
high and exposed, I generally use a feathery branch 
of larch, or spruce, of the requisite height, and give 
one tie ; as the secondary shoots come, they get among 
the twigs of the little branch, and that generally is 
sufficient to keep them firm. 
In very dry weather, they will want a good watering, 
to ensure a continuance of bloom. At all times, and 
especially if the summer and autumn are dripping, they 
will want a considerable amount of disleaflng. For 
instance, shortly after the purple Zelinda should bloom, 
there will be a few huge leaves near the top of the 
plant ; these I have shortened, or removed, so that 
more strength may be thrown into the side successional 
shoots, coming from the axils of the leaves on the 
main stem. This process will have to be repeated at 
intervals as to disleaflng, but on the one-stem method 
referred to, it is seldom that ever a shoot is cut out 
until it has finished blooming. When the blooms begin 
to fade, they must be removed, as in Zelinda purple 
especially, and also in some others, the dropped petals 
seem to be like poison to the foliage, as the places on 
which they rest get discoloured, rot, and decay. Of 
course, moderation in disleaflng must be attended to, 
so that the plants are not rendered unsightly ; but they 
can well spare a fev r of the larger leaves ; the stems, like 
those of the common Nasturtium, having an extra sup¬ 
ply of juiciness. There can be no question, that this 
moderate disleaflng ensures, along with a fair amount of 
rich surface-mulching, healthy, robust growth, and a 
plentiful production of bloom. In planting, the dis¬ 
tance should be regulated by the height and habit of 
the plant. From eighteen to twenty-four inches apart 
may be considered an average for masses. 
Towards the end of autumn, when frost is expected, 
and the flowers are losing their beauty, a little earth, 
ashes, or litter, should be placed against the stems, to 
secure the crown of the tubers from danger. If the 
roots can be thus left for a fortnight, after the tops 
are destroyed, they will keep the better for it after¬ 
wards. It this process should be inconvenient and 
unsightly, the roots may be taken up as soon as the 
tops are slightly blackened; but, in that case, the 
greater part of the stem should be left attached, and 
the roots removed to an open place, secure from frost, 
and with a fair portion of earth attached, so that the 
remaining stem will help to mature the roots. When 
these stems have thoroughly decayed, the roots may 
then be placed in earth, in a close shed, and protected 
trom frost in severe weather. I mention the above 
piocess, because I know several cases where the roots 
were taken up at the first approach of frost, the stems 
cut close oil to the tubers, and the tubers at once 
put away, that, in the spring, were either a mass of 
rottenness, or dried up like mummies, nothing but the 
skin of the tubers remaining. 
A loamy soil suits them best, and keeps them dwarf. 
If the soil is light and sandy, and a little clayey loam 
cannot be had, use a little more dung, and tread the 
soil firm about the tubers. R. Fish. 
FLUES FOR GREENHOUSES. 
Last autumn I constructed a flue, for a cold frame, of 
common chimney-pots, which has answered perfectly hitherto. 
Ericks are employed for two or three feet nearest to the fire, 
and for the turnings of the flue: the remainder is of chimney¬ 
pots, of which the wide end is turned towards the fire, and 
the narrow end thrust about four inches into the next pot, 
and jointed with common mortar. Besides facility and cheap¬ 
ness ot construction, this has some advantages over an ordi¬ 
nary brick flue.. The chimney-pots being raised on bricks at 
each joint, the air circulates freely round the flue ; from this 
circumstance, and the thinness of the material, the frame 
becomes heated immediately, and with very little fire. As 
tew joints are required, and those afford good hold for the 
mortar, the smoke is not liable to escape. 
I have now made a hotbed over the flue by filling in with 
loose brickbats and large stones to the height of a few inches 
above the level of the top of the flue ; these are covered with 
some old pantiles, upon which the bed is made, and is thus 
supplied with bottom heat. 
Any large-collared pipe tiles would, probably, answer as 
well as chimney-pots, and be obtained cheaper.—A. N. 
Me. Martin Mayes.— Died, on the 4th of April last, Mr. 
Martin Mayes, aged 57 years, of the firm of Messrs. Garra- j 
way, Mayes, and Co., Durdham Down Nurseries, Bristol. He I 
was well known, and highly respected by a large number of 
patrons, private friends, and the trade generally, and by the 
writer of these testimonies to departed worth. He had the 
credit ol raising himself by his own industry, integrity, love of ; 
nature, and constant devotion to his profession, from a friend¬ 
less lad to the proprietorship of one of the most extensive 
nurseries in England, which position he filled with the highest J 
credit for nearly twenty years. When about seventeen years i 
ol age, he had the good fortune to be engaged at Colville’s i 
Nursery, under the celebrated Robert Sweet, E.L.S.; and in j 
a few years, by his good conduct, obtained such favour, as to 
be recommended as foreman to the Durdham Down Nurseries, 
then held by Messrs. Sweet and Miller, at the height of pros- I 
perity and fame. He remained with these gentlemen until 
himself and Mr. Garraway became proprietors of that large j 
concern. He is well known to have had a sound, practical, 
and extensive knowledge of plants, and the operations of I 
horticulture in general; besides a correct taste in landscape ! 
gardening and garden architecture. Notwithstanding the j 
constant attention and time required to manage his part of 
that large business, he found time and means to collect, pre- j 
serve, and arrange a very extensive and valuable collection of 
British insects, especially the tribes of Lepidoptcra, Coleop- 
tera, and Ilymenoptera, besides a beautiful collection of British 
birds. Whilst with Messrs. Sweet and Miller, when hybridisa¬ 
tion was but little understood, and very partially practised, he 
followed that art with persevering assiduity, and raised many 
fine seedling hybrid Pelargoniums, one of which was named 
speculum Mundi (raised in 1823), and realised for that firm 
more, perhaps, than any other seedling ever sent out before or 
since. He also paid great attention to hybridising the splendid 
tiibe Amaryllids, and is well known to have been eminently 
successful. All these praiseworthy pursuits -were followed 
most earnestly, though his constitution w r as delicate, and 
health indifferent: this drawback prevented him from asso¬ 
ciating and assisting at Horticultural Meetings. With all these 
good qualities, he added that of being a warm friend to gar¬ 
deners, and a modest unassuming character. His loss to the 
Durdham Down Nurseries, where he has been so long a valu¬ 
able partner, will not be easily repaired. Such a bright ex¬ 
ample is worthy of being held up to young men, to study 
and imitate. He leaves a widow and three sons to mourn 
his loss, and feel the want of his kindness and affection.—T. 
Appleby. 
