January 24, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
329 
cautious steps till it was evident they could do without 
the assistance of the mother plant, when all connection 
was cut off and they were removed to a sheltered 
position out-of-doors, where they had but little sun. 
Finally they were removed under glas3 as soon as it 
became evident that it would be risky to leave them 
outside any longer. Most of our plants had three 
shoots each, and were layered at from 6 ins. to 12 ins. 
below these into 32-pots, but I think it might possibly 
prove a better plan to layer these shoots separately 
into 48’s. Should this be attempted, it would be better 
for a novice to tongue the layers, as is usual with 
Carnations. These layers, filling the pots with roots as 
they do, will take up almost any amount of nutriment 
in the way of liquid manure. — IV. B. G. 
-—>3r<-- 
FROST AND THE SHRUBS. 
Until the frost has completely given way to mild and 
genial weather it will be impossible to tell what ravages 
have been committed amongst plants of all kinds, as 
well as shrubs, both evergreen and deciduous. Not 
till the cold east winds of March have dried up the 
dead tissues, can the full extent of the damage done 
be fully realised. This is particularly the case with 
deciduous trees and shrubs. Evergreen subjects 
already tell too plainly where the icy fingers of King 
Frost have taken effect. It seems probable that by 
the end of March a record of destruction will have to 
be made exceeding any that has happened since the 
terrible winter of 1837-38. The frost report issued by 
the Royal Horticultural Society a few years ago will 
have to be repeated in order to get full details as to 
what shrubs are likely to withstand the severity of our 
climate in different parts of the country. Iu fact no 
such opportunity has hitherto presented itself in our 
time in the southern part of Britain. 
The most serious losses will no doubt occur amongst 
the more tender evergreen subjects which are so valu¬ 
able for the ornamentation of shrubberies, but chiefly 
in the neighbourhood of dwelling houses, and in villa 
gardens. The foliage of the Aucubas has suffered con¬ 
siderably, and so have the various forms of Euonymus 
japonicus, both green and variegated, the shoots of 
which are seriously injured. As yet Viburnum Tinus 
does not seem to be so much hurt as one would have 
expected, owing, no doubt, to the wood being well 
ripened and at rest. Passiflora ccerulea on the contrary, 
is much cut up. 
The great variety of plants on the walls at Kew, 
affords an opportunity of seeing the effects on different 
exotic subjects that seldom find their way into private 
gardens in any number. Strauvresia glaucescens seems 
completely destroyed, and the same may be said of 
Eurybia Gunnii, Escallonia Sellowiana, and E. monte- 
vidensis. Time only will tell whether the old wood 
will shoot out afresh. E. illinita and E. punctata are 
much less injured, and E. macrantha apparently not at 
all. The following, also evergreen subjects, have 
suffered severely, namely, Maytenus chilensis, Pistacia 
atlantica, Rose Fortuneana, Lonicera flexuosa, Holboelia 
latifolia, Kadsura japonica, Staehyurus prrncox, Abelia 
rupestris, Rubus australis, Solanum crispum, Photinia 
japonica, Fontanesia Fortunei, Viburnum Awafoukii, 
and Coprosma Cunninghamii. The latter is seldom seen 
in gardens, planted out or otherwise. The same may be 
said of Carpenteria californica, a shrub of great promise, 
which makes it all the more to be regretted. The leaves 
andyoungshootsofAkebiaquinatahavesuffered less than 
one might have expected, considering that it is properly 
a greenhouse subject. Only the tips of the shoots of 
Duvana longifolia appear injured at present, while the 
beautiful Choisya ternata has only lost a few unripened 
shoots, the foliage of which is bleached. The leathery- 
leaved Pittosporum Ralphii appears only slightly hurt 
as yet, but the leaves of Olearia macrodonta are 
blotched and blackened in places in a curious manner. 
In the open ground there will be much mischief to 
record by-and-by. The beautiful and varied evergreen 
Veronicas of Australia and New Zealand have appeared 
considerably worsted, and doubtless many of them will 
be killed outright before spring is over. V. ligustri- 
folia is evidently dead, and V. Traversii, V. epacridea, 
V. Lyallii, V. anomala, V. pinquifolia, V. buxifolia, 
V. carnosula and V. pimeloides are more or less 
browned, particularly upright and straggling branches, 
as in the case of V. carnosula, while the more sheltered 
branches or those on the ground are less hurt. Several 
of the species of Cystus have been hurt, or almost 
killed, including C. cyprius and C. formosus ; but C. 
laurifolius and C. corbariensis are not yet in the least 
injured. The foliage of Cotoneaster rotundifolia thyrsi- 
folia and C. congests is browned, and the plants may 
soon appear as if they were deciduous. The same may 
be said of Rhododendron dahuricum and Genista 
pilosa. Buddies globosa appears completely destroyed, 
and, unless the old wood breaks out again, fresh 
plantations must be made. Laurus nobilis has suffered 
but little ; but we should hardly have expected to see 
the foliage of the tree Ivy so much injured. The trees 
in the long avenues of Cedrus deodara will soon be as 
bare as a Larch if the leaves keep falling at the rate 
they have been doing for some time past. 
-- 
HORTICULTURE AS AN EM¬ 
PLOYMENT FOR WOMEN. 
Having read your leading article last week on the 
subject of horticulture as a study for women, and also 
as an employment for them, I shall be obliged if you 
will insert this reply in your journal. 
It is perfectly true that only a few women (though I 
know several such) are strong enough for the rough 
work of a garden, and this was distinctly pointed out 
in the original article ; but, at the same time, there are 
many things, such as watering, syringing, potting, &c., 
that are well within their powers, and which they could 
do, with training, as well as men. 
I think it is shortsighted of you to take any exception 
to a movement which will no doubt largely attract 
attention to horticulture, and increase the demand for 
gardeners of both sexes if it be carried out. 
A parallel movement took place thirty years ago with 
regard to cookery, which was then at a very low ebb ; 
but I have yet to learn that cooking as an employment 
has been injured by the fact that most ladies now 
know something of the art, and therefore require a 
higher standard of excellence in their homes. 
My contention is that all women, especially those of 
the higher classes, should learn enough of horticulture 
to take an intelligent interest in their gardens. They 
would then naturally employ more labour than at 
present, whether male or female, and the whole trade 
would receive an impetus. 
Some exceptional women may be able to take employ¬ 
ment without the aid of a man for rough work ; but 
many others would, as you say, need an under¬ 
gardener, as, I believe, many head-gardeners of the 
other sex now do. 
At present it is the rich only who can afford to keep 
a gardener, but if ladies understood small-fruit growing, 
orcharding, &c., as they do in America, they might 
employ many men, as well as women, on allotments ; 
and so render the country more fruitful, and the em¬ 
ployment of gardening more universal. AVe now pay 
enormous sums to America for Apples, to Portugal for 
Onions, and to France for fruit of all kinds ; surely 
there is room and to spare for the energy of both sexes 
in doing something to keep this terrible leakage of 
capital in our own country, when there is no valid 
reason—except that we don’t do it—that we should 
not supply our own wants ! Horticulture has made 
great strides within a few years, but I believe that 
there is a still greater future before it in England ; and 
I think that those who wish it well should combine to 
strengthen any movement calculated to extend the know¬ 
ledge of so delightful a science.— J. L., Richmond. 
[Our correspondent’s letter requires no rejoinder from 
us. It too plainly exposes the weakness of her argu¬ 
ment in favour of gardening as an employment for 
women.—E d.]. 
-- 
THE LAURUSTINUS AS A POT 
PLANT. 
In winters like the present the necessity of having a 
batch of plants in pots will be more evident than in 
mild seasons. The buds were developed as usual iu 
great quantity in the autumn, but rhey have never been 
able to open on account of the frost. Small plants 
flower quite as freely as large ones, so that moderately 
young plants may always be grown for pot work, dis¬ 
carding them as they get too large. Very little forcing 
will be required, as the plants naturally come into 
bloom during the winter months in mild seasons. If 
put into a temperature of 45° to 50° they will soon be 
quite gay, and the flowers will be pure white, whereas 
they are more or less tinted with pink in the open air, 
and the buds are often quite red. The plants them¬ 
selves may be used for conservatory decoration or the 
flowers cut for indoor decoration. After flowering, the 
plants may be cut hard back so as to keep them dwarf 
and bushy. If started in a pit they will be all the mor'o 
forward and set their buds earlier for next autumn. 
After the weather becomes fine the pots may be stood 
in a sunny but sheltered position out-of-doors, or 
planted in the open ground to make their growth. 
Our illustration will give an idea of the regular manner 
in which the flowers expand imder glass. There are 
several varieties in cultivation, but the flowers of all 
are white. 
