314 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 14, 1888. 
ARDENING ffflSCELLANY. 
Propagating- Carnations. 
In reply to several inquiries with reference to my 
method of propagating Carnations and Picotees, by 
which means the cuttings or pipings are induced to 
root as if by magic, I may state that I have a small 
threedight propagating pit, which is heated by means 
of a hot-water tank, with a 4-in. flow and return pipe. 
Slates form the bottom of the propagating bed, and are 
so placed as to be from 8 ins. to 10 iDS. above the water- 
level of the tank. The only compost used is well- 
decomposed cocoanut fibre, with about a fourth part of 
sharp silver-sand, covering the slate bottom of the pit 
to the depth of from 6 ins. to. 9 ins., according to 
requirements. The pipings or cuttings having been 
prepared in the usual way, are inserted in a methodical 
manner by simply pressing them into the propagating 
bed without the aid of a stick or dibble. Watering is 
very rarely resorted to, the humidity of the bed being 
of an equable character, rendered thus by the moisture 
given off in the form of steam, which finds its way 
through the laps or joints of the slates, which are not 
made air or water-tight. The lights are occasionally 
taken off in order to dry up superfluous moisture, and 
also to change the air, as healthy surroundings are 
absolutely essential to insure happy results. When 
treated as described, very strong robust plants may be 
obtained, ready for placing in 3-in. or 4-in. pots, in 
from about eighteen to twenty-one days. Many other 
kinds of cuttings are similarly treated .—George Fry, 
Lewisham. 
Mrs. Marryatt's Kennedya. 
Of all the Eennedyas in cultivation there are few 
who would not entitle this species, K. Marryatte, 
to the first rank as a conservatory climber. Other 
showy and handsome Kennedyas we have, it is true, 
as well as the allied Ilardenbergias ; but they are 
mostly spring or summer-flowering subjects. K. 
Maryattre is both evergreen and flowers incessantly, 
apparently as vigorously in winter as in summer, or 
more so. A specimen which was planted in a green¬ 
house at Kew a few years ago, thoroughly established 
itself in a few months, and immediately commenced 
flowering, and has continued to do so ever since, almost 
without intermission. The greatest quantity of bloom 
and the best effects are obtained by training the 
leading shoots to wires stretched under the rafters of 
the house, and allowing the laterals to hang down 
loosel}'. This they do almost perpendicularly without 
any training, and form a beautiful screen, hiding and 
separating, as it were, one part of the house from 
another. Large and bright scarlet flowers are produced 
in trusses from the axil of every leaf, giving a rich 
combination of both foliage and flowers. When these 
lateral shoots become inconveniently long, they may 
be pruned back, and fresh ones will develop from the 
leading stems. In its native country, Australia, 
slender wiry grown specimens are very similar to 
vigorously grown plants of K. prostrata, so that some 
might even consider it a form of the latter, but the 
two need not be confused after seeing this one in 
cultivation. It ripens seeds during the summer 
months. 
The Nomenclature of Fruit Trees. 
This subject, which is being agitated by some of 
your correspondents, is, I believe, one of the back¬ 
bones of horticulture, namely, the proper naming of 
trees, fruit or otherwise. There is an orchard here, 
which I think is large for a private garden, being 
between two and three acres in extent, and which, no 
doubt, was planted at some time when the naming of 
the trees had been a matter of secondary consideration ; 
for not more than two or three were named out of 
forty to fifty kinds of Apples in the orchard. As your 
correspondent “ J. S. T.” says, “it is a very haphazard 
way of arriving at tree names,” but after many years of 
study the gardener has got most, if not all, correctly 
named with the help of gardening friends and Hogg’s 
Fruit Manual, which is a capital work, and ought to 
be in the hands of all gardeners. The mode we have 
of naming fruit trees—wall, standard, espaliers and 
bush fruits—is this. Every tree is labelled with one of 
Yeats’ metallic labels (No. 5), which has two coats of 
white paint given it; when this is dry the name is 
written on with black paint, which surpasses the 
indelible ink as being plainer, and will stand the 
weather longer. For standard Roses we use No. 6 
label (except when the name will not allow), which is 
firmly wired to the iron stake which supports the Rose. 
For dwarf Roses we get some solid fencing wire, which 
is cut into lengths of about 2 ft., file a niche in one 
end of the wire, rod, or stake, and then wire the label 
fast to it, sticking it firmly in the ground ; there will 
be no fear of losing the name of the Rose or plant, 
whatever it may be. The first thing that is done here 
after a tree has been planted is to see that a proper 
label is affixed to it, so that in flower or fruit it may be 
determined whether true to name or not. It is a 
terrible mistake where a gardener is not sharp at 
having a tree or plant correctly named. He ought to 
think of others as well as himself, and I am sure he 
will never begrudge the time spent in so doing.— 
II. Newton, Campsall. 
Bullfinches and the Fruit Buds. 
Being employed on a Fruit plantation of no small 
dimensions, and consisting of various sorts of fruits, 
such as Gooseberries, Currants, Plums, &c, and almost 
surrounded by woods within a radius of about a mile, 
I am greatly troubled with Bullfinches and other birds, 
and wish to ask some of your readers for their opinion 
on the matter, as I am constantly hearing contradictory 
statements concerning them and their habits. For 
instance, one person will say, “ They do as much good 
as harm in eating the insects which, if the birds did 
not destroy, would spoil the foliage and fruit later on ” ; 
while another will say, “ Destroy them ’’; and yet a 
third that “ They are useful for disbudding.” To bear 
out my statement of the way in which we are infested 
with these birds, I must not forget to mention that we 
killed considerably over four hundred last season and 
they seem to be quite as numerous again now, as from 
the last week in November, up to date, there has been 
something like two hundred and seventy killed. Not 
knowing the wisest plan to adopt I appeal to some of 
your readers to help me. I shall be truly thankful for 
any useful information they can give ms on the subject. 
— H. D. T. 
Paraffin as an Insecticide. 
The properties of paraffin as an insecticide are now 
universally known among experienced gardeners. But 
amongst the inexperienced its advantages and dis¬ 
advantages yet remain unknown. Has your corre¬ 
spondent, who wrote last week on this subject, ever 
tried Bridgford’s Antiseptic Liquid for the removal of 
mealy-bug from Stephanotis and Gardenias 1 For the 
eradication of this pest] this is one of the most efficacious 
preparations yet introduced. Where Stephanotis, 
Allamanda, and similar rambling subjects are trained 
to the roof of the stove, it is necessary to remove the 
plants underneath when about to syringe with paraffin. 
On the contrary, when the Liquid is applied according 
to directions given with each bottle, all this labour is 
avoided, as it is even unnecessary to wash or syringe the 
plants with clear water after the application.— J. 
Peebles. 
Crassula lactea. 
Perhaps there are many people who at first sight 
would not recognise this plant as a near relative of the 
well-known and popular C. coccinea, which flowers in 
the summer season, as, although belonging to the same 
genus, it has rather a different appearance. It does not 
seem to be much known in private gardens, as I did 
not come across it myself until five years ago in an 
amateur friend’s greenhouse, flowering profusely. The 
trade do not seem to recognise it, as I fail to find it in 
their catalogues ; but flowering as it does in mid-w'inter, 
aud the flowers being white, I find it a very useful 
subject, both for conservatory decoration and also for 
cutting, as it keeps fresh a long time in water in a cut 
state. For two seasons I failed to flower it satisfactorily ; 
I had it standing during the spring and summer on 
tlie greenhouse stage, among Azaleas and ordinary 
occupants of that position, when the thought struck me 
that it required more sun and light ; consequently last 
spring I mounted the pots well up to the glass on a 
shelf. I also filled up a large circular pan with cut¬ 
tings, and hung it up close under the roof, where it 
remained all the summer and autumn. These are now 
flowering very freely.— J. E. M. 
Our Young- Gardeners. 
Ax one time it was an acknowledged fact that British 
gardeners held, in point of intelligence, general know¬ 
ledge and refinement, the lead among the artizan class. 
It would, however, be rash to say that they retain 
the same honoured position now [!]. Other trades, 
for the last half century, have been necessitated to exert 
their energies to the utmost tension to cope with the 
invading competition, which threatened to swamp 
them on every side. It was clearly perceived by them 
that, if they would maintain their place in the great 
struggle, more was needed than a knowledge of the 
working of their tools. A gradual flow to our 
mechanical night schools was the 'result, and this is 
more and more taken advantage of every year, as the 
statistics will show. On the other hand, our young 
gardeners, for some unexplained reason, do not have 
the same opportunities. No doubt, as was pointed 
out recently in your columns, their isolation is against 
them receiving education ; but, although this is very 
true, we find that many who have this advantage 
within their reach do not in any great measure use 
it. In this city and suburbs, where young gardeners 
represent a fair proportion with other trades, we find 
that the number who attend the botany, geology, 
chemistry, and other useful knowledge] classes are not 
above an average of one or two per cent. A deplorable 
fact of this state of matters is evidenced by the necessity 
of the school deleting the teaching of “ The Science of 
Agriculture. ” which is a class eminently useful to the 
gardener. We have often seen strong endeavours 
made to try and stimulate the young gardeners in our 
bothy days, to begin a class of Latin, botany, Euclid, 
debating, &c., but, with one exception, have always 
failed ; and, I believe, this is the general experience 
of all who, attempt to do the same. At the 
same time, I have met with individuals who were 
students worthy of the name, and who now hold 
high posts in the Civil Service ; and, I believe, 
that there is something here whereby we can find some 
strength to sustain the assumption that is now becom¬ 
ing general among others as well as gardeners—viz., 
that the art is on the wane. The class of young 
recruits may not be the same as at one time ; at any 
rate, men who sent their sons to the gardening at one 
time now educate them for Civil Service situations, 
where emoluments are greatly in advance of those of 
the gardener. This is how we may, in the near future, 
contemplate an intellectual famine to fall upon us. In 
a word, we are all agreed that the intellectual capacities 
of the gardening generation that is now passing away 
was of a cast that would compare -with any of the three 
“clothed” professions.— D. C., Edinburgh. 
Indoor Decorations. 
Of late years there has been a growing demand for pot 
plants and cut flowers for the decoration of the 
mansion ; so much so, that gardeners with a limited 
amount of glass (perhaps not at all suitable for the 
purpose of growing small decorative plants) are often 
puzzled for materials to make a display satisfactory to 
their employers and creditable to themselves. The 
floral decorator has to contend with the ebb and flow 
of fashion in colours, for what he grows one season 
may not be the “ go ” the next ; and then again, he 
may be expected to produce, and have ready to cut at 
any time, flowers of a hue to harmonise with a certain 
dinner-set or the furniture, of the room ; and many a 
good old all-round practitioner has split on that rock. 
To successfully carry on the culture of decorative 
plants a stove or propagating house is of necessary 
importance, and suitably-heated low houses or brick 
pits, for growing the plants on quickly after they 
emerge from the propagating house, are also needed. 
With the possession of such facilities a stock of plants 
of a suitable size may be always on hand, such as 
Palms, Crotons, Dracaenas, Aralias, Ficus, Pandanus, 
Caladiums, Alocasias, Marantas, Grevilleas, Asparagus 
plumosus, and suitable Ferns in great variety. 
Flowering plants, such as Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissi, 
Lily of the Valley, Spiraea japonica, Deutzias, Prunus 
sinensis fl. pi., Primulas, Yallotas, Amaryllis, Callas, 
Bouvardias, Gloxinias, Gesneras, Azaleas, &c., do not 
stand indoor treatment so well as those grown for the 
beauty of their foliage ; but, still, they must be had 
for the sake of variety, and to give life and colour 
among groups of foliage plants. Some of the most 
showy subjects — namely, Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, 
Calceolarias, and Fuchsias—do not like indoor treat¬ 
ment, aud very soon present a sorry appearance. A 
good stock of Panicum variegatum, Isolepis gracilis, 
Lycopodium denticulatum, and small Ferns in 60’s 
should be kept up, for the edging of groups, &c. The 
best plants for indoors where the light would be in¬ 
sufficient for others is the Aspidistra lurida and its 
variegated form. It is surprising what a length of 
time they remain in good condition with an occasional 
sponging to free the leaves of dust, which soon con¬ 
gregates on plants indoors.— George Potts, jun. 
Reinwardtia tetrag-yna. 
I send you a few lines about this once popular green¬ 
house plant, in the hope that it may again be propagated 
to the extent which it deserves to be. Personally, I 
should welcome such an event witli a great deal of 
satisfaction, as it is a little favourite of mine. Its pro - 
