58 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[April, 
prefer them in their natural colours, and 
having the scent the other loses. The gentle 
forcing they require makes the difficulty of 
getting them plentifully, for the sun, or a 
little extra heat in the houses, causes them to 
start into growth ; the blooms heads will not 
then open, but become brown and dry up, A 
north-house or pit is the best place for forcing 
them in, as it is also for most hardy things. 
All the varieties admit of being forced, and 
that named Dr. Lindley should be a great 
favourite amongst them from its large blossoms 
and free flowering habit, — J. Fleming, Cliveden. 
STANDARD ABUTILONS. 
I N this rapidly-increasing, popular, and 
attractive group of plants, the Abutilon 
vexillarium variegation is still one of the 
most effective and pleasing, its bright 
glossy flowers borne upon the slender trailing 
shoots in the greatest profusion, and its richly- 
variegated foliage giving it a high position 
amongst the more desirable of our decorative 
plants. The good qualities of this Abutilon 
are so many that it is serviceable in whatever 
way it may be used, but as it is marked by 
a very elegant drooping habit of growth, its real 
gracefulness is most fully displayed when it is 
grown in the shape of a standard, grafted upon 
a single stem of some stronger-growing variety. 
To form these standard plants procure firm 
young shoots of A. vexillarium , and healthy 
freely-grown straight stocks. Cut off the stocks 
to the height required—3 ft. to 4 ft. will be 
found a suitable height of stem, but this of 
course can be varied to suit any purpose—and 
graft them with the selected scions. Whip- 
grafting is the best mode of operating, cutting 
the scion to correspond to a similar sloping cut 
on the top of the stock, tying with matting or 
other material, and binding around the liga¬ 
ture a little moss, which is all the protection 
that will be required. If assisted by the aid of 
a genial, warm, and moist temperature, the 
moss freely syringed, and the plants shaded 
from bright sun, they will speedily unite, and 
in the course of about ten days will by degrees 
bear exposure; indeed, so marked is the 
facility with which the union is effected, and so 
free and vigorous the growth, that with or¬ 
dinary care they will soon make good heads. 
Those who have plants at command may in 
this w r ay soon have a good stock. The bril¬ 
liant drooping clusters of flowers form a 
most elegant picture when they are used 
sparsely as relief plants upon a groundwork 
either of foliage or flowering plants; they 
are equally valuable for conservatory decora¬ 
tion, and for plant groups. When carefully 
potted up in autumn, and brought indoors, the 
flowers are produced in great profusion 
throughout the winter. I know of no other 
Abutilon which flowers so freely during winter 
when grafted as does A. vexillarium. 
Abutilon Darwinii tessellation is also an 
effective variety, and desirable on account of 
its flowering so freely at all seasons.— Geo, 
Westland, Witley Court. 
SHOW PANSIES. 
f LREADY in the open air the Pansy 
flowers are unfolding themselves, and 
a continuance of the present mild 
sunny weather, followed by some soft 
April showers, will give a rare head of bloom 
by Easter-time. In a cold frame plants in 
pots have made a rare growth, and are fast 
getting into blossom. A little weak liquid 
manure given twice a week induces a good 
growth, and fine flowers are pretty certain to 
follow. 
In the open ground, the plants divided last 
September, and planted up in good soil, are grow¬ 
ing merrily, and doing what we like to observe 
at this season of the year—making a free 
growth at the base of the old stocks. Already 
the main shoots are pegged into position, in 
case rude March winds should blow, and they 
be in danger of being broken off. A top¬ 
dressing has been employed, after loosening 
the surface, so that the added soil might 
nourish the young roots forming near the 
surface. In stiff soils, or soils that are at all 
harsh (and they, unfortunately, are too com¬ 
mon in gardens), the old roots of the plants 
decay in early summer; and hence it is that 
frequent top-dressings prove so beneficial, as 
the plants re-form, and re-establish themselves 
by rooting into the added soil. 
Except under the most favourable con¬ 
ditions, it is only the strongest growing of the 
Show Pansies that should be planted in the 
open ground, the more delicate ones being 
grown in pots; and if planted out for a time 
