428 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 6, 1886. 
sunshine, and be well syringed and shut up between 
four and five in the afternoon, as they delight in a 
moist atmosphere; and under such conditions will make 
rapid progress. When they have filled the cutting 
pots with roots, shift into 48-sized ones, using a com¬ 
post of equal parts peat and loam and a little sharp 
sand and charcoal added. We find pots of this size 
quite large enough for the first year, and much more 
useful than larger ones. As soon as they have rooted 
freely into the new soil they will be greatly benefitted 
by manure-water two or three times a week, and an 
occasional dose of soot-water to give them that deep 
green tint in the foliage which indicates good cultiva¬ 
tion. Sometime during September remove them to an 
intermediate or greenhouse, and in autumn they will 
well repay any attention that has been bestowed upon 
then.— H. Dunlcin. 
Balsams. —The impression given expression to at 
p. 376, that Balsam flowers become double according to 
age, is one of those old world notions that should ere 
now have been exploded. We never had finer double 
strains of Balsams than we now have, and these are 
almost invariably raised from seed of the preceding 
year’s saving, indeed, high class Balsam seed is far too 
valuable, and I may say scarce, to permit of its being 
hoarded over several years. I remember some years 
since, calling upon Messrs. Smith & Son, of Dulwich, 
to see their once famous (probably still) strain of 
Balsams, and I saw thousands of plants in pots of the 
grandest quality ; when I invited an opinion as to the 
merits, or otherwise, of old seed, my conductor smiled 
as though much amused at a notion so absurd. I have 
grown from yearling seed fot many years in large 
quantities, and the chief defect incidental, has been, 
that owing to the propensity of the strain to produce 
double flowers, it has been difficult to get seed, as those 
very double blooms do not produce seed ; so long as the 
strain is correct, it matters not how semi-double may be 
the seed producing blooms in the side shoots. Balsams 
are very beautiful in the open ground if planted out in 
fairly good soil, but that should not be too rich, as in 
that case gross leafage may be promoted at the expense 
of bloom. 1 have found also that plants turned out 
from pots and thus well established, to grow with much 
more density than will plants taken from the seed pans, 
and dibbled out with little trouble, the latter thus 
givingfar more bloom ; in either case it is well to remove 
some of the later side shoots, and to pinch the tops of 
the leading ones. It is unfortunate for the out-door 
culture of Balsams that our summers are so short, as 
early autumn frosts often do irreparable injury ; on the 
other hand a bed of Balsams may be obtained very 
cheaply.— A. D. 
Pruning the Gooseberry.— Generally, direc¬ 
tions for pruning the Gooseberry are pretty much of 
the same character, and writers who refer only to the 
garden culture of the fruit appear to forget that in 
many parts of the country Gooseberries are grown also 
for exhibition purposes. Now, there is a material 
difference to be observed in the pruning of those trees 
upon which it is intended to grow large fruits for ex¬ 
hibition and those from which fruits for the dessert or 
culinary purposes only are required. Not nearly so 
much wood should be left upon the former as upon the 
latter. Indeed, where large fruits are desired, no iveak 
shoots whatever must be allowed to remain upon the 
plant, and the strongest should be shortened to within 
5 ins. or 6 ins. of the 'wood of the previous year’s growth. 
The superabundant shoots should be taken off in such 
a manner as that the strong ones shall be left at regular 
distances from each other, and if of these many are 
suffered to remain, the plant will become overcrowded 
with foliage and new r wood, and the fruit will therefore 
be deprived of the needful light and air. Show' Goose¬ 
berry-trees are generally pruned and trained horizon¬ 
tally, and this form is advantageous, inasmuch as the 
fruit hangs clear of the branches, and is consequently 
not liable to be bruised, wdiich W'ould be the case if it 
were grown upon upright branches. Trees for ordinary 
purposes merely require thinning, and to be trimmed 
into a suitable shape, say hemispherical. The operator 
must never forget that air and light are primary agents 
in the production of fine fruit, and that unless the 
branches be kept at such distances from each other as 
will allow', w'hen the foliage is fully formed, of the 
complete exposure of the berries to these influences, the 
crop will be inferior in quality and insignificant in 
quantity. While thinning, in all cases prune to an 
outside bud, and do not cut all the shoots clean off, but 
leave about an J in. of the bottom of some to form what 
is called “ fruiting-spurs,” by which means consider¬ 
ably more fruit will be gained. As a matter of course 
Lancashire show Gooseberries, as they are termed, are 
grown for their weight for exhibition purposes. — E. JV. 
-*->X<*- 
ON PROPAGATING DOUBLE 
CHINESE PRIMULAS. 
When bleak November comes and flowers are scarce 
and very expensive, then it is that our little friend, 
Primula chinensis, delights us with its profusion of 
beautiful large red, purple, and white flowers, and the 
variety flore pleno, with an immense quantity of large 
white and double flowers. Much has been said and 
written about the double Chinese Primula, but its 
propagation has been, and is still, not generally very 
successfully practised, and both gardeners and amateurs 
in turn complain of the difficulties they experience in 
increasing their stock, while it is certainly true that 
we cannot have too many of this most useful plant. 
It is a well known truism that there are many ways to 
Rome, and the same may be said with regard to the 
propagation of the double Primula, there are many 
ways of doing it, and, if done properly, they will all lead 
to its successful increase. It is not an uncommon 
thing to see them propagated in a very expensive way, 
somewhat as follows. When the plants have done 
flowering they are repotted, or if not a top dressing of 
well decayed leaf mould is given, and with a sharp 
knife a cut is made from each shoot down the root. 
1 his done, and the leaf mould (if necessary mixed with 
a little sand) is put on so as to cover that part where 
the artificial mode of propagation has been employed. 
If it has been done with carefulness each shoot will 
generally form some roots, and after the lapse of two 
months the young plants may be cut off from the old 
and useless plant. This plan is generally adopted 
and no one will object to it if only a few plants are 
required, but being such a charming subject for the 
winter season, and unquestionably one of the best 
plants for providing cut flowers for the market all 
possible, means should be employed to increase it. I, 
therefore, think it desirable to give you an idea of the 
new method of propagating it now generally adopted 
in Germany, in the hope that some of the readers of 
The Gardening World may profit by it. In the 
beginning of February the plants will have ceased to 
produce any more flowers, and cuttings ought then to 
be taken, but they must not be inserted in the old way 
or more than half of the cuttings will rot—a disastrous 
ending to a fair commencement. The great point is to 
cut the cuttings properly. They need not be more 
than lj ins. long, but looking at the transverse cut in 
the sketch sent herewith you will easily observe two 
different tissues, one surrounding the other. The 
inner one is the root producing tissue, and the outer 
portion that which is liable to rot, and thus cause the 
few roots which, perhaps, have been formed, to rot also. 
The thing is obvious, the outer layer must be cut away, 
and this is done as the illustration will show clearly 
where two or three lines are removed. The cuttings 
may then be inserted, and treated like other cuttings 
grown in a little heat, but the supply of water must 
be given with great caution. Meanwhile the old 
plants will grow on, and in the course of a couple of 
months will yield another crop of young shoots ready 
for similar treatment. — V. A. 
■ -—>X<-- 
ANEMONES. 
In order to have a good display of these handsome 
spring flowers, it is necessary to treat them as annuals, 
as vigorous young plants produce much finer flowers, 
and in greater quantity than either old beds or trans¬ 
planted tubers. To grow them to perfection they 
require good culture. A heavy coating of well-rotted 
farm yard manure deeply dug in suits them to 
perfection, and an open situation where they can have 
plenty of sun is the means of bringing them into bloom 
early. As soon as the ground is in working order, sow 
the seeds (the sooner sown the better), then the plants 
get plenty of strength, and generally begin blooming 
in August or September, and if mild, will continue 
flowering through the winter and until the following 
May. 
The seeds may either be sown broadcast or in drills 
10 ins. or 1 ft. apart, and it is an excellent plan to 
cover the seeds over with burnt refuse. It is some 
little time before the seedlings appear, generally before 
they are seen the beds will be covered with weeds, 
which must be removed by hand, and after weeding it 
is a good plan to make the surface of the bed firm, and 
always keep the plants well supplied with water through 
the summer. I have never seen Anemones doing so 
well as in some gardens in Ireland, many flowers being 
C ins. across, and these are from young seedlings. If 
it should be thought necessary to keep the same beds 
going another season, give them a thorough good 
soaking of liquid jmanure (if possible, on[a rainy day) 
any time during the month of June, then put on a 
mulching about 2 in. thick of well-rotted farm-yard 
manure, then they soon commence growth again, and 
generally flower in autumn ; but the blooms are neither 
so large nor so numerous as those from the first year’s 
seedlings. 
Their cultivation is so simple that everyone, 
gardener and amateur, who wish for plenty of bloom 
for cutting at a time when flowers are not over plentiful 
should give them a fair trial, and if their blooms 
are particularly wanted in frosty weather, it is an 
easy matter to put a few lights over part of them, and 
protect with mats. At no time should the plants be 
crowded, to have them good they should be at least 6 
ins. apart.— JV. J. Ireland, Hcadfort Gardens, Kells. 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
If by force of circumstances the bedding stuff is not 
yet potted, lose no time in getting it in hand, that it 
may be removed from the houses into the pits before it 
becomes in the way of more important occupants. One 
word of advice, and that is be sure the stock pots or 
boxes are thoroughly soaked a day or two previous to 
turning out, or the loss of the greater part of the foliage 
will be sure to follow, and what was probably a good 
lot of stuff previous to potting, will look for some time 
after anything but promising 
Begonias of most sorts are now struck, consequently 
they are removed from the propagating boxes to shelves 
which are shaded the greater part of the day from direct 
sun, to harden them preparatory to potting off, and so 
make room for other subjects which are waiting. Take 
care to have a good supply of Eupatorium AVein- 
mannianum, [cuttings of which may now be had in 
abundance, and which strike very quickly and readily. 
