January 26, 1889. THE GARDENING WORLD. 343 
yet to learn that the same method is advisable for the 
production of dwarf Poinsettias. By striking the 
cuttings at the date mentioned, and keeping them in 
3-in. pots until September, I want to know what 
kind of foliage they develop in such restricted root 
room, and how they retain it. As to potting them on 
at such a time, I should not consider such practice 
beneficial to the production of good bracts ; in fact, I 
should think that was just the time above all others 
when they would resent root disturbance, i.e., when 
they are, as “S. P.” infers, forming their bracts. No, 
though as gardeners we like to find out new moves, yet 
I consider the best way to produce dwarf plants is to 
propagate some good strong points in August ; that 
saves having them knocking about from April or May, 
and they do, if properly cared for, retain their foliage. 
I have struck some dozens in August, and they proved 
just the thing for the purpose they were propagated— 
furnishing jardiniers for the drawing-room.— Pathfinder. 
Portulaca gran diflora and it3 varieties. 
These are very beautiful annuals when grown under 
suitable conditions. They present a great diversity of 
colour, from pure white to deep crimson. They 
delight in the hottest and sunniest positions, and in 
most gardens such places can be found for them. 
Anyone who will take the trouble to grow them will be 
amply repaid, for when the sun is bright and shining, 
and the petals fully expanded, those who have not seen 
them can scarcely conceive the dazzling and brilliant 
effect produced by their pretty flowers. Although 
they will succeed fairly in any common garden soil, 
they delight in a calcareous, gravelly and porous soil, 
or on rockwork. They dislike shade and cool draughty 
positions, and will stand almost any amount of drought. 
In order to get the plants in flower during the hottest 
months of the year it is best to sow the seed in gentle 
heat during the early spring months, and prick off 
into boxes, keeping the young plants close up to the 
glass in a dry position to prevent them damping off. 
After the usual amount of hardening off, transplant 
into the positions intended for them. They can also 
be sown in April, in the open ground, and will do very 
well, though they are much later in flowering, and we 
thus lose the best part of the year. Perhaps one great 
drawback in growing these generally is that the flowers 
will not expand fully, except under strong sunshine, 
hut when we do see them at mid-day in bright weather 
they fully compensate for this. The plant was origin¬ 
ally introduced from Chili during the early part of the 
present century, but has been much improved upon 
since its introduction, some double varieties having 
been presented to the public, although I think the 
single ones are far the prettiest .—Alfred Gaut. 
-=-*$<•»■- 
MEDINELLA MAGNIFICA. 
This is one of the most distinct and stately of stove 
plants, and should have a place in every collection 
where there is sufficient space at disposal to grow it 
into a fair-sized specimen ; for whether as a plant for 
exhibition or home decorative purposes it stands unique, 
and when staged among a collection of flowering 
plants, it often, if in good condition, turns the scale in 
favour of the collection in which it stands. Its style 
of growth and flowers are so unlike anything else used 
for show purposes, that a well-flowered plant always 
excites the admiration of the visitors; and its huge 
racemes of rosy pink flowers make such an impression 
when seen for the first time, as is not easily effaced 
from the memory. As the flowers last for a con¬ 
siderable time too, if not exposed to excessive heat, a 
plant may often do duty on several occasions. 
It is one of those subjects which is by no means 
difficult to grow successfully among ordinary stove 
plants, and mealy-bug, where it exists, is its worst 
enemy. The buds and joints of the shoots are a 
favourite harbour for it, and it is difficult to keep them 
clean all the time mealy-bug is in the house, which, by 
the way, is a state of affairs that should not be tolerated. 
This pest is very troublesome all the time it is enter¬ 
tained as a visitor, but it is probably the only insect 
plague, which can be thoroughly eradicated, Thrip, if 
the air of the house is allowed to get dry, will make 
its appearance, and must be sponged off, or the 
foliage will get disfigured. Special attention should be 
given to this, and when washing or moving the plants 
great care should be taken not to injure the foliage, as 
any damage done cannot be repaired quite so easily 
with this as with some plants. 
It is easily propagated from cuttings of the side 
shoots, and put under a bell-glass, or a close frame, 
with a good bottom heat; when well rooted, pot them 
on and keep the young plants close and shaded for a 
short time, and should they start into growth with 
only one shoot, pinch it out and others will soon come 
By doing this a stubby young plant is secured, which 
forms a good foundation for the future specimen ; and 
this breaking out of growths where only one shoot 
starts from the terminal growth, must be followed up 
through all the stages of the plant’s growth, till it 
attains specimen size. Growth should not be en¬ 
couraged late in the autumn ; on the contrary, the 
plants, by exposure to more light and air, and less 
liberal watering, should have the wood well hardened 
for winter, during which period they should be kept 
comparatively dry, and placed in the lightest and 
coolest part of the stove. Early in the new year give 
a liberal shift, 3 ins. of new soil all round will not be 
too much, using a compost of good fibrous loam one 
half, and peat and well-decayed manure, with plenty 
of sharp sand. Take care the ball of the plant is in 
good condition as regards moisture, and the soil like¬ 
wise, so that the plant need not be watered for a few 
days, only well sprinkled overhead. 
When growth commences, some training may be 
required, and when the pots are well filled with roots 
liberal watering must be the rule ; while a few appli¬ 
cations of liquid manure will help them much. If well- 
ripened growth be secured, they should flower the 
following year, from April to June, but if wanted for 
the latter period they must be kept dormant till well 
on into April. When out of flower start into growth 
and give them a final shift into 18-in. pots, following 
the same routine as before. Should the roots become 
crowded, tie them out. When these plants are well 
done they often flower from the joints from which 
leaves have fallen. They may remain for two years in 
these pots, with a top-dressing in spring, and an 
occasional application of liquid manure. After this 
they had better be thrown away in favour of younger 
specimens.— W. B. G. 
- 
NOTES ON PEACHES, ANCIENT 
AND MODERN. 
By T. F. Rivers, Sawbridgeworth. 
When the cultivation of Peaches in pots was 
systematised it became possible to test the several 
varieties, both of the Continent and of England, which 
had been hitherto known by name only, and a col¬ 
lection was formed, including as many distinct 
varieties as it was possible to obtain. I remember 
being much interested by the precocity of some of the 
sorts, the Avant Peehe Rouge and the Double de 
Troyes being ripe in the middle of July, the Early 
Anne, dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Anne Dunch, 
ripening at the end of the month. Although of little 
value as fruits, I thought they might prove valuable in 
imparting precocity to the later and better Peaches, 
and being young and curious I amused myself 
by mixing the pollen of the early and midseason 
varieties, preserving and sowing the stones of the fruit 
so treated. 
When the first batch of seedlings fruited, consisting of 
some two or three hundred trees, my father and myself 
were much interested in observing the curious diversity 
exhibited. Whether or no the mixture of the varieties 
caused this divergence, the appearance of early Peaches 
was at once an established fact, and in rapid succession 
came the Early Beatrice, Early Louise, Early Rivers, 
giving an abundance of fruit in the orchard house 
during July, a month hitherto barren of any but 
worthless sorts. With the advent of the Stanwick 
Nectarine an entirely new race, both of Nectarines and 
Peaches, was created, the rich flavour and size of the 
Syrian fruit imparting a totally different quality to the 
progeny of the ordinary Peaches and Nectarines, and 
to this mixture I owe the Lord Napier Nectarine, for 
although this was raised from a Peach, there is no 
doubt but that it inherited the Stanwick blood. Most 
of the seedlings raised from this race have vigorous 
growth and deep green sickle-shaped leaves. 
Early American Yarieties. 
In 1874 I received from Messrs. Capps & Son, of 
Mount Pulaski, Illinois, two Peaches which they 
affirmed were the earliest to ripen in the United States; 
these Peaches were the Alexander and Amsden June. 
I confess that I was entirely incredulous, but I had the 
plants potted, and in due time they produced and 
ripened fruit; to my great pleasure it matured in a cold 
orchard house six days before the early Beatrice. The 
Alexander, although slightly clinging to the stone, is a 
Peach of high quality in every sense ; but the Amsden 
Junei ripe almost on the same day, is slightly bitter, 
and a clingstone. I did not think it necessary to 
cultivate two varieties so closely allied, and I preferred 
the Alexander. I see, however, that on the Continent 
the Amsden June is selected as being superior. I 
cannot help thinking that in some cases the two 
varieties have become changed—a very easy matter, as 
they are so much alike. Alexander, Waterloo and 
Hale’s Early are three very valuable early Peaches, and 
very distinct ; the foliage of all is easily distinguished 
by the expert, the leaves being very bright and 
lanceolate, and the wood deep in colour. Although 
the Alexander and Waterloo are earlier than the Early 
Beatrice and Early Louise, yet the hardiness and 
fertility of these two English sorts will always keep 
them in general cultivation. I am almost inclined to 
think that the Early Beatrice, if grown in the open air 
after protection during the spring, would give a 
reasonable profit. I have seen it ripen on neglected 
bushes in the last week in July out of doors, the colour 
of the fruit being so bright that I thought some 
Poppies had been overlooked. 
The Mid-season Sorts. 
The mid-season Peaches are of course well known to 
all gardeners. The great tribes or races are the 
Noblesse, Grosse Mignonne, Galande, and Madeline. 
From these types hundreds of varieties appear to have 
been raised from seed and named. The Noblesse is 
probably derived from the Madeleine Blanche, and 
reproduces itself frequently from seed. The Grosse 
Mignonne is one of the most popular Peaches in France. 
Under this name Andre Leroy enumerates no less 
than fifty-seven synonyms. There is no doubt that is 
one of the most excellent of Peaches. According to 
this French author it has two centuries of existence. 
La Quintinye, in 1680, declares that the Mignonne is 
the finest Peach in cultivation, very large, velvety and 
round, melting and exquisite, but sometimes flat and 
insipid, a fault from which no Peach is entirely free 
under certain conditions of soil and culture. In 
England this Peach has obtained so much popular 
favour that it is encumbered with synonyms. There 
is no doubt that it is worthy of the extended cultivation 
it has received, and it is to be regretted that the 
season of ripening cannot be enlarged ; the multitude 
of seedlings which have been raised from it have not, 
however, produced this desirable result. The Early 
Grosse Mignonne ripens sometimes in advance, and the 
Belle Bauce or Mignonne Tardive somewhat later, but 
the few days of difference are not of any great importance. 
There is a variety, said to be Grosse Mignonne, with 
small flowers, which I understand is sometimes sold by 
continental growers. This is a false Mignonne ; the 
true Grosse Mignonne has large, clear brilliant flowers, 
and the leaves have globose glands. 
The Galande Race. 
The Galande is another distinct race of Peaches, 
which is also encumbered with synonyms both in 
England and France. It is distinguished from the 
Grosse Mignonne by the intensity of the colour of the 
fruit. When exposed to the sun in a warm season, the 
skin becomes almost black, and one of its synonyms is 
Noire de Montreuil. It is, perhaps, hardier than the 
Grosse Mignonne, and for this reason it is cultivated 
very extensively in the Peach gardens of Montreuil, 
and is the principal market Peach. The flavour of the 
fruit, when thoroughly ripe, is very good ; but visitors 
to Paris sometimes complain that the price is excessive, 
and that a franc apiece for hard and dry fruit is too 
much, the fact being that they are gathered long before 
they are ripe. The flowers of the Galande are invariably 
small. 
The Madeleine Rouge is the prototype of our 
popular Royal George, which again seems to be the 
sport of name-givers. The English sort under this 
name is so well established that it can be easily iden¬ 
tified. The flowers are small, and the leaves serrated. 
The fruit is of the highest quality, but the excessive 
tendency to mildew renders this sort difficult to culti¬ 
vate, as there appears to be no remedy for this disease. 
The Red Magdalen and Madeleine de Courson, which 
seem to have been mixed up with the Royal George, 
have large flowers and are glandless. I am responsible 
for the introduction of many varieties of Peaches, but 
I cannot say that I have ever studied the interest of the 
wall cultivators. Wall cultivation, unless in certain 
very favoured districts, appeared to me to be a weary 
waste of labour, and my object has always been to 
provide the orchard house with fruit from day to day, 
ranging from July to the end of September, after which 
date no reasonable man need desire Peaches or Nec¬ 
tarines. 
In September, after the Royal George we have the 
