404 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
February 27, 1886. 
jSTow, it is hardly possible for us to deal with 
plants in that way. We can apply to them no 
form of stimulant that does not comprise actual 
good elements, with one exception, and that is 
warmth. Even then it is difficult to class heat 
with ordinary stimulants, because it is a natural 
product, and one of the essentials of plant life 
at some stage or other of its existence. Yet 
it is certain that artificial heat is a genuine 
stimulant; it is not food, and is applied under 
unnatural conditions. Had some earlier sug¬ 
gestions as to the application of the electric 
light to plant culture been adopted generally, 
we might, with equal good reason, have said 
that light might be termed a stimulant also; 
but, of course, it would be only when thus arti¬ 
ficially applied. Practically, the only true 
stimulant applied to plants, and not found in 
the form of food, is artificial heat, because that 
produces a condition of atmosphere which is 
artificial, and hence plant life and activity is 
stimulated into growth, when without such 
application it would be at rest. 
But of all the stimulating materials or ele¬ 
ments as given, to man or to animals, there are 
none which we can offer to plants in the ex¬ 
pectation of producing healthful results. With 
these, apart from artificial heat, we can offer 
only food or real plant constituents in the form 
of ammonia or phosphates, or of some other 
gaseous compound, still further in the form of 
highly concentrated solid or liquid compounds— 
guano, superphosphates, nitrates, ammonia ; in¬ 
deed, one and all of these so-called stimulants 
are food, and really only valuable just as they 
contain more or less of assimilative food. Soot 
sown broadcast over Grass soon changes its hue 
and promotes growth, and because these results 
follow speedily the material is termed a stimulant. 
The term is only correct in so far that it has 
caused this change to occur quickly; but really 
the change has resulted from the fact that soot 
contains food elements which Grass can assi¬ 
milate as speedily as the manure can part with 
it, and that it can do at once. Really, the same 
food constituents will be found in a heap of 
ordinary stable or in other animal manures, and 
in guanos, phosphates, &c., only in the latter 
case in a more highly concentrated form, and 
thus the sooner parted with. Bones, on the one 
hand, if roughly crushed, only prove to be a 
lasting and far from stimulating manure ; but 
if subjected to a bath of sulphuric acid they 
become immediately soluble, and can be rapidly 
absorbed by plants; hence, in this changed 
condition, would be termed a stimulant, though 
really a food. 
We give plants liquid manure and call it a 
stimulant, but it is really given to supply the 
lack of nutritious matter in the soil about the 
roots. If in any other form than as food, 
although thus materially liquified, the appli¬ 
cation would be harmful rather than beneficial. 
It is well we should have a clear appreciation 
of the forms of stimulants partaken of by man¬ 
kind and those we give to plants under that 
name. Man partakes of little which is food 
when he partakes of stimulants, whereas—with 
the exception of artificial warmth, as we have 
pointed out—plant stimulants can promote life 
and growth only as they are food and nothing 
else. The most ordinary stimulant employed 
by man is alcohol, and yet he rejects presently 
almost every particle of it, assimilating none. 
Plants never do that; they emit perfumes, but 
those are the products of plant chemistry, and 
not the stimulants absorbed and then emitted 
unchanged. 
O 
- ->330 - 
GARDENING MISCELLANY. 
Mr. John Rees, for tlie last four years and a half 
foreman to Mr. Williams, at Canford Manor, Wim- 
bourne, Dorset, has been engaged as gardener to Lady 
-Llanover, Llanover Park, Monmouthshire. 
Messrs. Messenger & Co. , of Loughborough, 
have just been awarded the Gold Medal, the highest 
award, by the Society of Architects for the general 
excellence of their horticultural buildings, at the 
annual exhibition of the Society, which is being held 
this year at Sheffield. 
Royal Aquarium, Westminster.— A scheme 
has just been submitted, by their request, to the 
directors of the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, by 
Mr. Richard Dean, Ranelagh Road, Ealing, for a series 
of four exhibitions to be held during the coming spring 
and summer, and the said scheme has been adopted. 
The shows will take place as follows :—A great ex¬ 
hibition of Hyacinths, and other spring flowers in pots, 
with cut Daffodils, on Tuesday, March 30th, and 
Wednesday, March 31st. A great artistic exhibition of 
cut Roses on a novel scale, to take place on Friday, 
June 25th, and Saturday, June 26th. A great Straw¬ 
berry exhibition and fete, on Friday, July 2nd, and 
Saturday, July 3rd; and a great display of table 
decorations, bouquets, &e. on Friday, August 2Cth, and 
Saturday, August 21st. Liberal prizes are offered at 
each. This series of exhibitions will be carried out 
under the superintendance of Mr. R. Dean, from whom 
schedules of prizes may be obtained. 
Cutting- Down Gardenias. —A case of some 
importance to gardeners, nurserymen, and others has 
recently come before Mr. Hannay, one of the Magis¬ 
trates at the Worship Street Police Court. Mr. Robert 
Coombs, of Holly Lodge, Stamford Hill, one of the 
partners in the firm of Clarke, Nicholls, and Coombs, 
Wholesale Confectioners, of Hackney Wick, charged 
his late gardener, George Rogers, with having mali¬ 
ciously destroyed a large number of plants of Gardenias 
and Ficus elastica, by cutting them down just at a 
time when they were most valuable for sale purposes. 
The plaintiff some time since erected a number of plant 
houses in the rear of his residence, at Stamford Hill, 
for the purpose of growing plants and cut flowers for 
market. About the middle of January last, the pro¬ 
secutor had in his possession a large number of 
Gardenias, estimated at 1,800, many of them young 
plants in large 60-pots, dwarf and bushy, just coming 
into bloom, and a number in 32-pots, 2 ft. or so in 
height, and also well furnished with buds ; and in 
addition some large specimen plants of Ficus elastica, 
6 ft. or more in height, and laden with young growths. 
Mr. Coombs deposed, that finding the business of 
growing plants for sale did not pay, he determined to 
sell off the Gardenias, and advertised the same in the 
various gardening papers. Being dissatisfied with his 
gardener, the defendant, he gave him notice to leave ; 
and after having done so, it is averred that Rogers cut 
down, almost close to the pots, a very large number of 
the Gardenias that were just coming into flower, thus 
destroying their value for present sale purposes ; and 
also cut away the leading shoots of the plants of Ficus 
elastica. Plaintiff averred that he had not given him 
instructions to do this ; moreover, lie had distinctly 
told him that he should sell off the plants ; and he 
charged the defendant with having cut them down 
with a malicious intent, and for the purpose of depre¬ 
ciating their value. The branches cut away were 
thrown on a rubbish heap, and not in any way em¬ 
ployed for propagating purposes. The defence set up 
was that the Gardenias were foul through being 
affected with mealy bug ; that they were cut down for 
the purpose of rejuvinating them ; that the shoots of 
the Ficus were cut off for the purpose of making 
cuttings. That part of the statute under which the case 
was heard sets forth that the act of cutting down is 
with the intent to destroy ; but witnesses for the pro¬ 
secution admitted that the plants were not destroyed 
by being cut down, but simply depreciated for present 
purposes of sale. The magistrate at this point stopped 
the case, ruling that there was no proof of the 
defendant’s intention to destroy the plants ; but was 
willing to re-liear the case under another section of the 
statute, when in all probability the matter would be 
sent for trial. The defendant was allowed £6 as costs. 
Propagating Ficus elastica. —Some few 
years ago, Mr. G. "Westland, then of Witley Court 
Gardens, recommended the increase of plants of Ficus 
elastica by grafting on to the thick roots of any variety 
of the common Fig that might be available. He said 
that “grafting could be performed at any time when 
grafts are proem-able during the winter and spring 
yiaytks. So quickly and certainly is a union affected 
that the mode of grafting signifies but little, so long as 
the root and scion are fitted to each other and slightly 
bandaged ; no mastic is required. Any portion of the 
Ficus with a couple of buds will grow ; but when a 
moderate supply only is required, a sufficiency of scions 
with terminal buds is easily procurable by the in¬ 
troduction of a few old stools into a brisk humid 
temperature. ” After grafting was performed they were 
put singly in small pots in a light soil, merely covering 
the stock, and plunged in a brisk bottom-heat, excluding 
air for a few days by a covering of glass. They soon 
establish themselves, and, as soon as possible, require 
to be potted on to grow into size. Mr. Westland held 
the opinion that “ the time saved and the vigour pro¬ 
duced by grafting are important to those who grow 
largely for the market.” Have any of our readers 
experience of the grafting process ? 
The Narcissus Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society will hold three meetings during 
the coming season, viz., on March 2-3rd, April 13th, and 
April 27tli, the proceedings at which will be conducted 
as follows :—The committee will meet in or near the 
Conservatory at 11 a.m., when a list of tlie specimens 
sent in for examination, and of questions for discussion 
will be presented. The committee will first determine 
what specimens and questions it will take into consider¬ 
ation, and thereupon be adjourned in order that the 
members 'may examine the specimens. At 1.30 p.m., 
the committee will reassemble and proceed to the dis¬ 
cussion of the specimens, &c., according to the list 
previously agreed upon. It is hoped that those interested 
in the Narcissus, will send up to one or other of these 
meetings any new forms or specimens of any interesting 
species or varieties which they may possess. All such 
specimens should be sent in so as to arrive at South 
Kensington not later than the day before the meeting, 
in order that they may recover from the journey before 
they are submitted to examination. They should be 
addressed “ The Royal Horticultural Society,” Narcissus 
Committee, and each specimen should bear a label 
(waterproof) with the sender’sname, and some number or 
token by which it may he recognized, and be accom¬ 
panied by a statement, sent by post or otherwise, of the 
inquiry which the sender desires to put to the com¬ 
mittee, and of any facts which may guide the committee 
in their decisions. The committee will also be glad to 
receive communications or enquiries relating to the 
natural history and culture of Narcissus, also suggestions 
for investigation, in order that the work of the committee 
may be made as broad and useful as possible. Such 
communications should also be addressed to The Royal 
Horticultural Society, for the Narcissus Committee. 
—t-»33<-- 
MR. B. S. WILLIAMS’ NURSERY. 
The show-houses in the Loudon nurseries are now 
getting gay again until the influx of show} 7 spring¬ 
flowering plants, and amongst those which may be 
visited with profit and pleasure, all the more so by 
reason of the cold and gloomy character of the weather, 
is the Victoria and Paradise Nursery at Holloway, 
where the display of brightly coloured and fragrant 
Plyacinths, Cyclamens, Daphnes, &c., in conjunction 
with Chinese Primulas and a host of other miscellaneous 
subjects, in the large conservatory at the top of the 
nursery is quite pleasing and refreshing. To a true 
lover of plants, spring in a nursery as in a garden is a 
most enjoyable period, the continuous improvement 
made in the appearance of the plants, as with the aid 
of increasing light, and a more genial condition of the 
atmosphere the plants assume their summer garb, 
being a constant source of interest. Mr. "Williams has 
been for so many years closely connected with the 
Orchid interest, and takes so much care to have always 
something good in flower to show his visitors, that one 
instinctively asks to see the Orchids first. Going 
through tire collection a few days ago, we 'could not 
help remarking how well the plants have wintered, and 
how grandly very many of them are showing those 
indications of future beauty, which are so dear to every 
Orchid grower. The fine specimen Cattleyas and 
Lcelias are sheathing superbly, and when the hundreds 
of C. Mossiae, and C. Meudeli are in bloom at no 
distant date, what a sight they will be ! The large 
specimen Vandas are in grand condition, and already 
bristling with flower spikes. On no previous occasion 
have we noticed the Phalrenopsis in such a thrifty and 
