January 5, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
293 
be seen in many gardens during summer. The best 
results for that purpose are obtained by sowing the 
seeds under glass, and pricking them off into boxes 
or frames, so as to get them well established 
before being planted out. If the soil where they are 
planted out is on the dry side, they will come into 
flower early, but undoubtedly the finest and longest 
display will be obtained where the soil is rich and 
rather moist. They also attain their best development 
when planted at 9 ins. or 12 ins. apart. Those now in 
cultivation exhibit great variety of colouring of the 
most beautiful shades, from pure white to the most 
vivid crimson. These may be obtained in packets of 
mixed kinds, or separately in distinct and handsome 
named varieties. Of these we may mention the old 
P. Drummondi grandiflora, also the more recent 
Splendens, vivid crimson ; Splendens stellata, with a 
five-rayed white star in the centre ; Queen Victoria, 
purple ; Snowball, white; Prince Bismarck, purple, 
with a white margin ; and many others comparable to 
Verbenas in their brilliancy. 
--> 3 =<-- 
LUOULIA GRATISSIMA. 
"Where there are large or moderately large conserv¬ 
atories to fill, a good-sized plant or two of this good 
old-fashioned greenhouse subject would greatly enliven 
them at this dull period of the year. The masses of 
bloom produced by a well-grown plant is truly sur¬ 
prising, and the effect is altogether different from that 
be gradually withheld to firm the tissues, after which 
the young growths should be hard cut back, and 
watering almost discontinued till growth recommences. 
The chief difficulty with this plant ever since its 
introduction in 1823 has been its propagation. Cut¬ 
tings root slowly and with more difficulty than is 
generally experienced with other popular stove and 
greenhouse plants ; but it may be mastered, and this is 
the method pursued for effecting its increase They 
should be taken off in summer, when the wood is 
getting firm, and inserted round the sides of pots, 
using a compost containing a large proportion of silver- 
sand. If they can be kept in a close frame in the pro¬ 
pagating pit for a fortnight, and then plunged so as to 
derive benefit from bottom-heat, the emission of roots 
will be greatly favoured. Towards the spring fol¬ 
lowing the plants will be ready to pot off into a size 
much larger. 
The flowers of this species are pink, fragrant, and 
produced in large panicled cymes ; but another kind 
bears larger, pure white, and more deliciously fragrant 
blooms. It seems to have been lost sight of for some 
years, but why it should be thus neglected is difficult 
to say.— B. B. 
-- 
PARAFFIN IN THE GARDEN. 
I was pleased to see the confirmatory evidence in your 
late issues of the value of paraffin as an insecticide 
and remedy for various garden ills. Such testimony 
all cases to prevent the sparrows from attacking the 
young growths, I am inclined to think it has some 
effect on the plant during the time the young seedling 
is drawing its nourishment from the food stored in the 
cotyledons, as would be the case with the Pea. The 
paraffin is absorbed by the cotyledons when they are 
steeped in it, thus imparting, I think, the taste of 
paraffin to the young growths. No doubt as the young 
plant drew its nourishment from its own roots, so the 
taste of the paraffin would cease. I knew a wood where 
the wild garlic grew abundantly, and the rabbits during 
the spring and summer were unfit for use on account of 
the strong taste they had of the Garlic. I think Mr. 
Gaut is on the right track when he advocates that 
“prevention is better than cure,” and the application 
of the syringe with a weak solution of paraffin will be 
found a most effectual means of preventing insects 
ever getting a foothold. 
I can quite agree with “Amateur” when he says 
“ there is much to be learned by our failures”; they 
stand out as a landmark in our after-life, showing us 
what to avoid. As regards failures, or injury to plants 
by the use of paraffin, the only case that I can remember 
was the destruction of some plants of Eranthemum 
pulchellum, but that was caused by dipping, which I 
was careful not to advise anyone to do in my previous 
article on paraffin. I have no case to give where I 
have applied it as an insecticide and found it an entire 
failure, although there are some plants which I should 
not care to experiment with ; for example, I should not 
Phlox Dhummoxdi varieties. 
of other subjects, such as Camellias, Oranges, or Poin- 
settias, where old plants are preserved for years and 
treated on the cut-back system. 
The best results with the Luculia are obtained by 
planting them out in a bed of good fibrous loam, with 
an admixture of peat, taking care that there is efficient 
drainage. Of course, when grown in this way, care 
should be taken to give it a good position with regard 
to light, so that the evergreen foliage may be properly 
developed, the wood ripened, and, finally, the flowering 
buds well set in autumn. If crowded or overshaded by 
taller Camellias or other shrubs, the upper branches 
only can be expected to bloom, while naturally it 
forms a branching round-headed bush, flowering from 
the apex of every strong shoot. It lasts in beauty for 
some weeks, and when out of flower may be cut hard 
back according to the dimensions required or the space 
at its disposal. A certain amount of pruning is, how¬ 
ever, necessary to keep the bush in shape, and also to 
encourage the production of strong shoots for next 
year’s flowering. Plants of any size may be obtained, 
from 2 ft. to 9 ft., as may be required. 
Should there be no convenience for planting it out, 
it may be grown in pots or tubs according to size, so 
that when out of flower its presence may be dispensed 
with in the conservatory. Then there is this advan¬ 
tage, that any position may be given it while growth 
is being made. The same compost will be suitable as 
when planted out—namely, good fibrous peat and 
loam ; but an adequate quantity of silver-sand should 
be given in order to maintain the porosity of the soil, 
which is liable to become impervious through much 
watering. "When flowering is over, the latter should 
will go a long way to convince those who still doubt 
its merits, or who have not given it a trial, that its 
use is of great importance in the garden. “W. D. ” 
affords us very valuable information when he states 
that by its use he has been able to produce good sound 
crops of Carrots, where they had refused to grow before 
applying paraffin. It is this confirmatory evidence 
that convinces others who may he placed as your corre¬ 
spondent was, and which induces them to give it atrial. 
Many are the insecticides and other means that have 
been tried to prevent the ravages of the Carrot maggot 
(Psila rosre), but none have proved so cheap and 
effectual as paraffin when applied as directed on p. 229. 
There are hundreds of amateurs and gardeners 
throughout the country who have the greatest difficulty 
in getting Carrots and Onions to grow. "With the 
latter, resort is often had to autumn sowing to prevent 
the ravages of the maggot of the Onion fly (Anthomyia 
Ceparum), and by this means Onions can often be 
grown satisfactorily when spring Onions altogether fail, 
but they have not the keeping qualities of spring- 
sown Onions. "When visiting some gardens in the 
autumn, I saw whole breadths of autumn-sown Onions 
being taken off by this maggot, causing great vexation 
and disappointment to the gardeners after all the 
trouble they had taken. Had paraffin been used as 
directed, I do not think they would have been dis¬ 
appointed after their labour. 
Mr. Gaut, p. 243, does not think that steeping the 
seed of Peas in paraffin would have any effect on the 
young growth as it comes through the ground, and he 
is borne out in that idea by “ W. D.” ; but although 
the taste of the paraffin may not be strong enough in 
care to syringe a plant of Odontoglossum Pioezlii with 
paraffin, to kill the yellow thrip, to which this Orchid 
is so liable. 
I could, however, point to a great many mistakes 
that have been made with paraffin. I once saw a large 
vinery in which all the Vines were killed to the ground 
by painting them with paraffin, and a case where a 
houseful of Pelargoniums was killed by syringing 
Peach-trees overhead with a strong solution of paraffin. 
These are landmarks to he avoided. I regret I cannot 
tell “Amateur” if wireworms would be killed by the 
application of paraffin without injuring the plants, but 
I fancy if they were not killed by the paraffin they 
would soon seek “freshfields and pasturesnew\ ” A good 
trap to get rid of wireworms in the ground is to bury 
piecesof carrot, and examine themdaily, when the worms 
will be found burying themselves in the carrot and can 
then be destroyed. 
As regards watering Tomatos in pots or in the open 
ground with a mixture of paraffin and water, I may say 
that I have never tried it, but would have no hesitation 
in doing so did occasion require.— A. Wright. 
-- 
APHELANDRAS. 
These comprise a genus of stove plants that seems to 
have fallen somewhat into disrepute of late years, but 
which under good cultivation will amply repay the 
grower by the showy appearance they make amongst 
other plants. Some of the species have beautifully 
variegated foliage, independent of the fine spike of 
flowers they produce on the top of the stem. They 
thrive best in a good stove heat, and during the 
