138 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 29,1887. 
turn and disturb the whole mass of detached cone-scales 
and seeds two or three times during the winter months, 
and if this can be accomplished on a dry clear day, so 
much the better. 
"When wanted for sowing, the seeds may be passed 
through a J-in. riddle, thus keeping back the detached 
cone-scales, which, if allowed to remain, would cause 
even sowing to be a work of great trouble and most 
difficult to accomplish. In preparing the seed-beds, 
(which it is always preferable to have in the open air, 
and in a rather sheltered situation), let the soil be 
deeply dug over and exposed for a considerable time to the 
influence of the weather—especially frost, this having 
a most ameliorating and a moistening action. Should 
the soil be ordinary loam, let it be freely incorporated 
with leaf-soil and silver-sand, and the whole be well 
mixed together by the aid of a digging-fork. The beds 
may be formed 4 ft. in width, and any convenient 
length, and divided by shallow alleys or paths of 1 ft. 
broad. Rake well the surface of each, so as to remove 
any hard clods of earth, stones, or other bulky bodies, 
and so leave the ground in a free and fine state for the 
reception of the tiny seeds. Level the surface of each 
bed by the aid of a light roller, but, at the same time, 
make sure that the using of this does not harden the 
soil excessively, and sow the seeds thinly and evenly, 
either broadcast over the surface or in lines, as may be 
found most convenient. 
By sowing in lines a great saving of seed is effected, 
and greater regularity, at the same time, secured. The 
lines are formed about 2 ins. apart, hardly £ in. deep, 
and parallel with each other. In covering the seeds, 
great care is necessarjq so that they may not be buried 
too deeply, and to avoid this it is well to distribute the 
soil from a finely-meshed riddle, this, in the hands of 
an experienced man, being used with great freedom, 
and the sowing distributed evenly and not too deeply. 
The soil used for covering should be of a light sandy 
nature, free from lumps or stones, and moderately 
rich. No beating of the surface of the beds with the 
back of a spade should be permitted, as this causes the 
soil to bake hard and become full of rents, and thus 
numbers of the seeds are lost. Sowing should not take 
place until April or May, and dry weather must-be 
taken advantage of for the work, not for this purpose 
alone, but the formation of the beds as well. Should 
dry windy weather prevail for any length of time after 
sowing, watering may, with great benefit, be resorted 
to, and in this case is best performed by using a fine- 
rosed watering-can and rain-water, if procurable. "When 
the young plants begin to appear, shading from direct 
sunshine will be highly beneficial, and this is easily 
enough afforded by sticking a few Spruce or Douglas 
Fir branches around the beds, but particularly on the 
southern and western sides. 
The beds should be kept at all times clean and free 
from weeds, which is best performed by hand-picking 
during dripping weather, as at such a time the young 
plants are less apt to suffer from root disturbance 
caused by removing the weeds. As they will have to 
remain for one winter at least in the seed-beds before 
they are in a fitting state for planting out, it is more than 
probable—at least, if the winter be at all severe—that 
numbers will get upheaved or almost wholly lifted out 
by the frost, and in such cases a quantity of very sandy 
soil will set matters right if evenly sifted amongst them 
and washed in after the dispersion of the frost. Should 
the young plants press too closely upon each other 
during the first year, it is wise policy, for the benefit 
of the remaining ones, to thin-out a few of the smaller 
seedlings, and thus give plenty of room to those that 
are left. "When they have attained to a size sufficient 
for handling, they should be carefully lifted with a 
fork, and planted in previously-prepared brakes of good 
and well-enriched soil—not in too sheltered a part of 
the nursery ground, but where the wind can have free 
access to their stems and branches. The size of the 
plants will form a good guide as to the distance apart 
at which they should be planted ; but in most cases 
seedlings of the second year may be placed at about 
4 ins. apart in the rows, and 9 ins. from line to line. 
Spread the roots well out in planting, and under no 
pretence should cramping, bending, or maiming of 
these be tolerated, they being spread out to their full 
extent, and evenly around the collar of the stem. 
After remaining for two years in this position, the 
young plants should again be transplanted into well- 
worked and well-enriched ground, their individual 
sizes forming, at this stage of their growth, the best 
criterion as to the distance apart at which they should 
be placed. 
In planting, however, the method usually adopted, 
of taking out a notch and placing the plant fast against 
the perpendicular side, will not do, as by such a course 
of treatment the roots are caused to diverge to one side, 
and when the trees are planted out permanently they 
usually topple over during the first hard-blowing gale, 
and cannot procure food from all quarters, as they 
should do when the roots are arranged evenly around 
the stem. 
The best method we know of, and one that we have 
adopted with great success, is to take out a notch on 
each side of the line, and level the ridge left by the 
latter, the centre of the crown of each plant being 
placed exactly where the line struck, and the roots 
spread evenly into the notches on each side. By so 
doing, the plants are, in a great measure, trained from 
infancy in the positions they should occupy as forest 
trees ; and as the roots then form a whorl around the 
base of the stem, they are enabled to collect food from 
all quarters, and the plants, when placed out per¬ 
manently, are far less liable to be upset during a storm. 
Propagation of this Thuja is likewise effected from 
cuttings, but these never form such well-shaped and 
fast-growing trees as such as are produced from seeds. 
However, as on many estates seeds are difficult to 
procure, and young plants have to be raised from 
cuttings, the following method may be practised with 
the best success. Early in September take off young 
shoots of the current season’s growth, with a small 
portion of the previous year’s wood, and insert these in 
sandy loam in a border facing north. In taking, or, 
rather choosing the cuttings it should be borne in mind 
that those from the southern or sunny side, and where 
fully exposed to light and air, root more freely, pro¬ 
ducing better plants than such as are taken from the 
less exposed parts of the tree. Press the soil firmly 
round the cuttings, and scatter on the ground-surface 
after they have been planted a small quantity of sharp 
sand, just sufficient to hide the soil. Should very 
severe frost set in during the winter, it may be well, 
particularly to prevent the cuttings being lifted wholly 
from the ground, to make a temporary erection, and 
cover over with a few old mats, straw, or any other 
convenient substance that will to some extent ward 
off the frost. 
The two great points to be attended to in raising 
cuttings, but particularly those of the miffy Conifers, 
are to insert them sufficiently early in the season, so 
that they may get callused over before the winter sets 
in, and to prevent the sun’s rays striking on them 
for any length of time in spring whilst forming 
roots. By the end of the second year the cuttings will 
be ready for planting into nursery lines, which 
operation is similar in all respects to that recommended 
for seedlings. Generally speaking, plants raised from 
cuttings are difficult to get to start away freely, they 
having an inclination to form a broad spreading head, 
which must be corrected by timely and judicious 
pruning at an early stage of their growth.— A. D. 
Webster. 
-- 
NEW PLANTS CERTIFICATED 
By the Floral Committee of the R. H. S. 
October 25th. 
Bouvardia, President Cleveland. 
The new variety of this name seems a great im¬ 
provement in the matter of colour on the popular and 
useful variety known as Dazzler. The specimens shown 
were dwarf and bushy, with the apex of each shoot fur¬ 
nished with a large truss of flowers. The long tube of 
the corolla is crimson, while the lamina is of a brilliant 
scarlet, and very attractive. In point of size the 
flowers are similar to those of Dazzler, and, judging 
from the specimens shown, the variety is a very 
floriferous one. Exhibited by Messrs. James Yeitch 
& Sons, Chelsea. 
ClRRHOPETALUM ORNATISSIMUM. 
The flowers of this species take first rank as to 
size, and the colours are pleasing enough compared 
with other species of this curious but generally not very 
attractive genus. The lateral sepals are suffused with 
rose, are united by their upper edges, and drawn 
out into long tails. The petals and the upper sepal 
are heavily bearded with long, black, mobile hairs, 
that become agitated by the slightest breath of wind. 
The dark or blackish red labellum is finely hinged to 
the base of the column ; and the use of the fine hinge 
was made apparent when a large house fly alighted on 
the labellum, and crawling towards the base of the 
latter it shut with a snap, making the fly a fast prisoner. 
In struggling to escape, the fly removed the pollinia, 
and carried them off on its back. Exhibited by E. G. 
Tautz, Esq. (Mr. C. Cowley, gardener), Studley House, 
Hammersmith, and awarded a Botanical Certificate. 
Chrysanthemums. 
Mrs. J. "Wright. —Raised in 1886, this evidently 
promises to be a very fine thing, and an acquisition 
amongst white kinds, belonging to the Japanese 
section. The flower heads measured from 6 ins. to 
7J ins. in diameter, and were pure white, with the 
exception of a few of the outside florets which exhibited 
a tint of purple. The florets generally are reflexed and 
slightly twisted. On the whole the 'heads present a 
bold and fine appearance. Exhibited by Mr. G. 
Stevens., F.R.H.S., St. John’s Nursery, Putney. 
Marie Ouvray.— The flower heads of this Japanese 
variety measure generally about 5 ins. to 5J ins. in 
diameter, and are deep, that is, the florets rise up and 
become again recurved towards their apex. They are 
of a deep reddish purple on the upper surface, but 
becoming revolute along the margins, hide the pale, 
almost white, undersurface. The flower heads are 
somewhat massive, but not very broad at present, but 
the same may improve, as the variety was only sent out 
this year. Exhibited by Mr. "William Holmes, Framp- 
ton Park Nurseries, Hackney, London. 
-- 
THE WARWICK ROAD NURSERY, 
COVENTRY. 
Messrs. Perkins & Sons have a world-wide repu¬ 
tation for the manufacture of floral bouquets and 
emblems, and it is at their "Warwick Road establish¬ 
ment where are made those beautiful examples of floral 
designs which figure so conspicuously at the principal 
shows in the United Kingdom, and which in recent 
years have been so greatly admired, and, I might say, 
envied. 
The Messrs. Perkins have this season. achieved 
a most remarkable success, having taken upwards of 
seventy first prizes forbouquets, wreaths, sprays, button¬ 
hole flowers, and other floral devices. The great secret 
of their success is to be found in the skilful manner in 
which the individual flowers are grouped together 
without displaying undue crowding or thinness, and 
the perfect harmonising of the colours used. On 
entering the Messrs. Perkins’ establishment recently I 
found a staff of young people—the sons and daughters 
of members of the firm, I believe—busily engaged in 
making up floral designs, and the expert manner in 
which their nimble fingers handled the flowers was a 
revelation to me. Some were dividing the flowers, 
others wiring them where necessary, while another set 
were puttingthemtogetherartistically, andamasterhand 
gave the finishing touch. From the quick manner in 
which this was being done it was quite evident that 
they were no novices at this—I may call it—delightful 
work. The firm finds a ready sale for an immense 
number of these floral devices, and of button-hole 
bouquets alone thousands are sold in the Birmingham 
Market Hall, where in the centre aisle the Messrs. 
Perkins have a stand which is the admiration of 
everybody. 
I noticed that the flowers principally in use just now 
are Camellias, Eucharis, Bouvardias, Chrysanthemums, 
Tea Roses, Lapagerias, double Primulas, Odonto- 
glossums, Oncidiums, &c., and foliage of various trees 
and shrubs with bright autumn tints is brought into 
requisition with great taste and judgment, and 
produce a most beautiful effect when used with proper 
discretion. Above fifty plant houses are devoted to 
the culture of flowers suitable for this work, and some 
5,000 Chrysanthemums in 16-in. pots will presently 
yield immense quantities of blooms. Bouvardias 
occupy three large houses, and include a great quantity 
of a variety noted in your columns last week at p. 106— 
viz., President Cleveland—which is a grand thing, and 
fully up to your description. Three good houses of 
double Primulas prove invaluable, whilst immense 
quantities of Maidenhair Fern are required, so that 
one is not surprised to find house after house devoted 
to its culture. There are also houses of Tea Roses, 
Orchids, Camellias, &c., and all are large and well 
adapted for the purpose in view. These structures 
were designed and built by the firm, their practical 
knowledge having taught them the exact kind of house 
which is most suitable for their work. 
In addition to the plants under glass, the Messrs. 
Perkins annually grow over 30,000 dwarf and standard 
Roses, and an immense quantity of fruit trees of all 
the leading and most popular sorts. I could say much 
more about what I saw at "Warwick Road, but, perhaps 
the brief notes I send you will suffice to give some 
slight idea of the extensive manner in which the cut- 
flower trade is carried on by this enterprising firm.— 
Rusticus. 
