1880 .j 
PELARGONIUM TRICOLOR.—THE CULTURE OP WALL FRUITS. 
149 
I have omitted to mention that the Arnebia 
is of Caucasian origin, and has but one con¬ 
gener, a native of the Himalayas. It seeds 
very sparingly, three seeds representing our 
entire harvest this year; and as the whole of 
the shoots originate from a short woody root- 
stock, propagation by division is impossible ; 
nor, indeed, can cuttings be readily obtained. 
Perhaps, it might be increased by root-cuttings; 
but I strongly suspect that few who possess the 
plant, and have seen its floral beauty, as we 
have had it during this summer, would dare to 
attempt such a suicidal operation. I ought to 
add that our herbaceous borders are upon a well- 
drained tenacious clay, and each bed has a 
depth of 18 in. of fresh top-spit loam from old 
pasture-land, so that, barring a little wire-worm, 
which was not nearly so destructive as I ex¬ 
pected, our large collection of herbaceous plants 
(numbering nearly 7,000 species) has presented 
a picture of growth and vigour such as I never 
saw before.— Jas. C. Niven, Botanic Garden , 
Hull. 
PELARGONIUM TRICOLOR, 
« HIS plant, which has been also called 
Phymatantlius tricolor , is really a floral 
gem, but it is now very seldom met 
with. It is a diminutive plant, a good bush 
not exceeding a foot in height; it has elegantly 
shaped lanceolate leaves, which are inciso- 
lobate at the edges, and it has trusses of small 
flowers, the two upper petals of which are of a 
blood-crimson, each with a black boss or wart 
at its base, and the three lower petals are of 
the purest white. When well grown and well 
bloomed, it is a charming little plant. 
Being, however, a diminutive plant, it is 
also a delicate-rooting plant, and hence is 
more healthy and more permanent when grown 
in a peaty rather than a loamy soil. The truth 
is, that in a loamy soil moisture hangs too 
much about the roots in winter, and they rot 
—as happens with many other soft-wooded 
greenhouse plants, whose sudden demise some¬ 
times creates surprise on the part of the 
grower. In all such cases we should advise 
potting, for the winter season at least, in soil 
in which peat-earth predominated, and with 
drainage made thoroughly effective ; and in the 
case of the Pelargonium in question, this pre¬ 
caution, with judicious care in the application 
of water, would bring the plant safely through 
the winter, and result in the production of 
specimens which would assuredly need only to 
be seen to be admired. The plant does not in 
any case grow large enough to require a very 
large pot, and it is propagated by cuttings of 
half-ripened shoots planted in sandy peat.—T. 
Moore. 
THE CULTURE OF WALL 
FRUITS. 
No. XXI. —The Plum ( Continued ). 
^ FV^NULCHING the surface of newly-planted 
■) )/ trees, or those which have been lifted 
and replanted in the way of root- 
pruning, I consider to be an indispensable opera¬ 
tion, and one which is very superior to the plan 
of mixing manure with the compost in which 
the trees are planted, and for this reason. The 
influence of the atmosphere working upon the 
manurial substances used for the purpose, re¬ 
duces them to a condition which is very suit¬ 
able for stimulating purposes, because, being 
presented to the roots in a very gradual manner, 
and their proper ties being changed, as it were, by 
the action of the sun and air, they are far more 
likely to produce a healthy and fruitful growth, 
instead of that strong and luxuriant one which 
often follows upon the use of a compost over¬ 
charged with stimulating substances. It was 
a strong conviction of the importance and real 
utility of the operation that induced me in my 
last chapter to recommend that the surface 
should be well mulched after lifting and re¬ 
planting. I have only to add on that part 
of the subject, that the manure should be sim¬ 
ply spread on the surface, and allowed to dis¬ 
integrate ; and also, since to derive the 
greatest benefit from it, it should be fully ex- 
