January 15, 18S7. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
315 
a 10-in. pot, and stuck a piece of Orange branch in the 
centre for them to climb on, as they appeared to 
incline that way. I gave them the protection of a 
lath-house all summer, where they grew away and 
covered the branch. In September, I moved them to 
the Palm-house, and they bloomed in October of the 
same year—the first time, I think, in the United 
States—and turned out to be Aristolochia elegans. 
The plants seed very freely, and is very interesting. 
While in seed, the pod bursts open and remains 
suspended half full of seed, the seed hanging by five or. 
six thread-like appendages, which combine into one 
higher up, and give the plant the appearance of being 
covered all over with little hanging-baskets.” 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Potting Bedding Plants. —With the present severe 
weather upon us out-doors, hands can be profitably 
employed in this department. Let the potting off of 
bedding plants be proceeded with, and the extra labour 
available will expedite the work. A good situation for 
the plants will be found on the borders of the early 
vineries and Peach houses ; being potted thus early, 
they will be sufficiently established to enable them to 
be removed to the pits before seriously interfering with 
the necessary attentions to the proper occupants. A 
word of caution : Let the roots of all the plants be 
placed in water for a few minutes before potting, in 
this way the}'' will retain instead of losing much of 
their foliage, a very great advantage at bedding-out 
time. 
The Cinerarias now require more room ; a great 
many of the earliest sowing are in bloom and give a 
bright and cheery effect to the greenhouse. Those 
coming on must receive frequent doses of liquid-manure 
water, changed as frequently as possible, and to have 
really good heads they must be turned twice a week, 
or they are apt to draw. The potting of the plants in 
the stoves may be also carried on ; in the case of such 
plants as Crotons, requiring to be reduced, bottom heat 
should be afforded them until they recover and have 
made a new growth, when they may be returned to the 
stages ; Meyenias and such-like subjects must be 
placed where they can be frequently syringed, to 
encourage them to break as freely as possible ; for 
these to flower freely they must be grown in plenty of 
light, so as to secure thoroughly ripened wood. In the 
Potting of Palms, use a good proportion of loam, 
particularly if not of too heavy a nature ; far better 
foliage is secured than if the compost is light, and they 
last so much longer. Alocasias, Marantas and Anthu- 
riums all require a rough compost with a liberal 
addition of charcoal; stagnation at the roots is fatal to 
this class of plants. Be careful in the way of watering 
with all newly potted plants, more particularly with 
creepers that have, so far, made little or no growth; in 
most cases, the rather free use of the syringe will 
suffice for the present. It is hardly necessary to say, 
that the house should receive a thorough cleansing 
before the plants are staged. This will also afford 
employment for part of the out-door staff. Our 
Chrysanthemum Cuttings, which -were in cold pits, 
have to-day been placed in a heated frame, so as to do 
away with the necessity of matting up, and also to give 
them a start into growth. As soon as fairly started, 
they will be potted off and returned to the same struc¬ 
ture, and then be gradually hardened off. 
THE FORCING HOUSES. 
Vines. —With almost continuous fogs and snow 
storms, those indulging in early forcing of Vines must 
be anything but happy with their charge, more par¬ 
ticularly if well advanced in growth, for under the 
present meteorological conditions it is next to im¬ 
possible to secure a good growth. To maintain any¬ 
thing like a high temperature, hard firing must be 
resorted to, with its almost certain attendant injury ; 
and to make matters worse, but little air can be ad¬ 
mitted to assist in the development of the foliage. 
With pot Vines much may be done by keeping the 
bottom-heat frequently renewed, to ensure activity of 
the roots. The ammonia, too, from the fermenting 
material will be of the greatest benefit to the foliage, 
and greatly assist in warding off the attacks of thrip 
and red spider, so much to be dreaded. 
Asparagus and Rhubarb. —We were fortunate 
enough to lift a good batch of Asparagus and Sea Kale 
roots last week, so that supply will not fail with these ; 
and as there is every appearance of very hard frosts, 
we shall take the precaution of putting litter over the 
crowns of Rhubarb which are required for the next 
batch. We have also put in the necessary quantity of 
bulbs and other plants for furnishing cut bloom. As 
the weather is so unfavourable, we have placed the 
Potato sets in boxes, covering them with leaf-mould, 
and put them in gentle heat that they may start 
quicker than if planted at once in the pits. 
The Disbudding of the Early Peach Trees 
must be carried on very slowly, only removing the 
strongest growths first, being also careful not to re¬ 
move the shoot where fruit is set, pinching out the 
point, and leaving two or three leaves. By this means 
a greater amount of foliage is secured, which can be 
readily removed when the fruit is thinned down. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Protecting Crops, &c. —In this department little 
can be done beyond protecting such crops as Endive, 
Lettuce and others likely to be injured by the severe 
weather. If the supply of Parsley be likely to run 
short, lift some of the old roots and pot or box them 
in leaf-mould, placing them in heat they will quickly 
start into growth. Celery, too, must receive extra 
covering, or it will be badly damaged, and as this crop 
is of so great service in the kitchen as well as the 
pantry, care should be taken of it. Continue the 
wheeling out of manure, leaf-soil, or other material, 
that there may be no delay whenever the weather will 
permit of digging operations being resumed. 
Pea Sticks and Stakes of kinds can be sharpened 
and stored away until required for use. We have un¬ 
nailed the Peach trees, preparatory to dressing the 
wall ; this is a necessary and important matter, par¬ 
ticularly if much infested with insect pests, as most old 
walls are. As we shall require to make new Gooseberry 
and Currant quarters, we are taking off and making 
the cuttings, after which they will be heeled in until 
required for planting.— Walter Child , Croome Court. 
FLO RICULT URE. 
Chinese Primulas at Reading.— Those who 
during the last few years have been close observers of 
what has been going on in the Messrs. Sutton & Sons’ 
London Road nursery, Reading, in the way of Primula 
improvement, will not be surprised to hear that the 
display of flowers there at the present time, exceeds, in 
interest and beauty, all former efforts in the same direc¬ 
tion; nor will they be greatly astonished to learn that out 
of ten new varieties shown at the meeting of the Floral 
Committee on Tuesday, no less than six varieties were 
considered worthy of First-class Certificates. The re¬ 
markable group of plants staged at South Kensington 
on Tuesday, and again at the Aquarium on Tuesday, 
where eight varieties were certificated, was a sample 
only of the grand lot of flowers to be seen at home, 
and under the leaden skies which prevailed while 
they were in town, fine as they were, appeared in 
nothing like such superb form as in their own admir¬ 
able houses, and under the more pure atmospheric 
conditions which prevail at Reading. Still, that half- 
a-dozen should receive Certificates at one time is a very 
remarkable accomplishment—a veritable best on record 
indeed, as far as Primulas are concerned. 
For convenience the cultivated varieties of the 
Chinese Primrose may now be divided into three classes, 
viz. : 1, Plain or Palm-leaved ; 2, Fern-leaved ; and 
3, Crisp-leaved or Moss Curled, as the new type is 
popularly called ; and each class may again be divided 
into three sections, viz. : single, semi-double and 
double-flowered. Of the double-flowered varieties, or 
those which have to be increased by means of cuttings, 
we need now say nothing, as the whole of the varieties 
grown by the Messrs. Sutton are either single or 
semi-double, and such as can be raised from seeds, and 
to these w r e will simply confine our observations. 
In the Plain or Palm-leaved class with single flowers, 
Ruby King is still the most distinct, and its rich 
crimson-magenta colour, dwarf habit, and bold truss 
thrown well above the foliage, are qualities which 
strongly recommend it both for decorative purposes and 
as a breeder. Reading Scarlet, in its section, is also 
very fine, the colour very decided, the individual 
blooms of good size and freely produced. Pearl is 
decidedly a gem, being pnre white and of fine form 
the trusses large and globular in outline, borne on stout 
flower stems well above the neat foliage. Reading Pink 
is exceedingly pretty in colour, rich salmon-pink, with a 
well-defined yellow eye, and a neat compact habit. 
Reading Blue represents a fine strain of the rich 
porcelain-blue flowers, which will be called blue until a 
genuine blue Primula makes its appearance. The 
colour of this strain undoubtedly marks a step onwards, 
while the habit is neat and the trusses large. The 
distinct variety known as Giant Lilac, seems, this 
season, inclined to assume a reddish hue, but is de¬ 
cidedly pleasing. Giant White is a variety not yet in 
commerce, but is distinguished by flowers of great size, 
fine form and good substance, with a clear lemon eye, 
and will surely make its mark. Another novelty not 
yet offered, nor yet named, is ivhat may be called a 
Picotee-edged flower, the centre being white with a 
broad lacing of pink ; it is exceedingly pretty and may 
lead to other “ breaks ” of much value and interest. 
The leading semi-double-flowered varieties with plain 
leaves are, Double White, a full flower, pure white 
(which does not run), good foliage and bold showy 
trusses ; Double Rose, a remarkably full double, con¬ 
sidering that it comes true from seed, of admirable 
habit, and a most pleasing flower of a rich salmon-rose 
colour ; Double Scarlet, the nearest approach to a 
double variety of the colour named, and a fine hand¬ 
some flower with good broad foliage ; Double Lilac, an 
attractive colour, and a good variety with bold stout 
trusses ; Double Carmine, very fine, and marking an 
advance onwards in depth of colour ; and a Double 
White, flaked with carmine, from which much is hoped 
in the future. 
The Fern-leaved classis rapidly increasing in numbers, 
and already includes some grand varieties. As a rule, 
they have a neat spreading habit of growth, with stout 
rigid leaves, which form a perfect green setting for the 
compact many-flowered trusses, so that one cannot be 
surprised at the demand for them for table decoration. 
Gipsy Queen is a special favourite in this section, being 
perfectly distinct. It has very dark foliage, purple 
flower-stalks and white flowers, which become spotted 
and suffused with pink. The combination is good, and 
as a table plant it is A 1. Snowdrift, pure white, is 
the earliest of all, and remains a long time in bloom, 
retaining its purity to the end. Rosy Queen throws up 
grand trusses of flowers of a delicate rose shade of 
blush, and a neat stiff habit of growth, which renders 
it very useful for decorative purposes. A rich lilac- 
flowered variety, with a lacing of white round the 
flowers, is very pretty, but not yet in commerce ; and 
a Fern-leaved blue Primula, with a fine orange eye, is 
another novelty still under probation. 
A Fern-leaved double blue—or, rather, semi-double— 
flowered variety is a decided acquisition, being good in 
colour, a well-shaped and pretty flow’er, and the habit 
of the plant all that can be desired. 
The Moss-curled or Crispifolia class, which originated 
on the Continent a few years ago, promises, in the 
hands of the hybridist, to yield some striking novelties 
at no distant date. At present the varieties seen at 
Reading are remarkable for their light green, heavily 
Moss-curled leaves, very distinct from the other classes. 
The leading varieties at present are the Moss-curled 
M hite, which has small single and semi-double white 
flowers ; and the finer variety called Moss-curled Lilac, 
which is more double, and the lilac blossoms mottled 
or spotted with white. There are other ‘ 1 breaks ” at 
Reading in this class, and ere long we shall doubtless 
have some desirable acquisitions. 
-—>:E<-- 
SYRINGING ORCHIDS. 
The method adopted by “A. C.” in doing what he 
finds most beneficial, and the common-sense tone of his 
letter, is, in my opinion, well worth imitating. In his 
experience, he finds plants do better without the use of 
the syringe. Surely this is sufficient encouragement 
for him and for others to do what they find best in 
their own case. I am one of those who believe in 
treating Orchids in what I may term a more natural 
manner, and not by arbitrary laws which are never to 
be modified by any circumstances. Well do I remember, 
when I commenced growing Orchids, the opinions and 
remarks as to what must and what must not be done. 
The contradictory theories of those I discussed the 
subject with seemed to me singularly illustrative of the 
fable of the old man and the ass, and I soon found that 
