546 
THE HARDENING WORLD 
April 27, 1889. 
would answer admirably, but unfortunately for the 
public, as well as judges and exhibitors, such a rule is 
not always observed. Then how is it possible to 
compare a collection entirely composed of tall, strong¬ 
growing subjects, with an equally large one consisting 
of dwarf plants ? There can be no question as to which 
of the two collections is the most valuable, because, in 
the first place, a much greater number of dwarf subjects 
would be required to cover the allotted space, and, 
secondly, such plants are as a rule more valuable and 
more difficult of culture or preservation. On turning 
to the class reserved for Alpines, the case becomes 
complicated and bewildering when there is no evident 
distinction made between the plants exhibited in what 
should have been, or were intended for two distinct 
classes. It is quite time that the term Alpine should 
be more strictly defined than it is at present, if it is 
intended to convey any practical, definite, or useful 
meaning to the general public through the instru¬ 
mentality of horticultural exhibitions.— Alpine. 
-- 
A GOOD ZONAL PELARGONIUM. 
One of the most useful Pelargoniums that I am ac¬ 
quainted with is Henry Jacoby. For Easter decoration 
in church, for mixing among Spiraea japonica, Callas, 
Palms, Cytisus racemosus, or Genista fragrans, this 
Pelargonium is without an equal. Cultivated in 6-in. 
pots, it is simply indispensable for indoor decoration, 
and for cut flowers especially I would earnestly recom¬ 
mend that it should be grown largely. Why it is not 
more frequently used for the above purposes I am at a 
loss to say, for its culture is of the simplest description. 
My modus operandi is to strike cuttings outside with 
other bedding Pelargoniums about the last week in 
August, then pot them up in 3-in. pots towards the end 
of September, and place them on a shelf well up to the 
glass in a cool house, where the frost can be excluded, 
the object being to keep them through the winter and 
early spring without growing more than possible. 
Place them during the last week in February into 6-in. 
or 7-in. pots, using a mixture of fresh turfy loam, with 
a good sprinkling of sharp sand, and a small portion of 
leaf-soil and dried cow-dung. Place an inverted oyster 
shell over the hole in the bottom of the pot, together 
with a few lumps of charcoal about the size of Hazel 
nuts. Next finish up with a nice quantity of broken 
potsherds, care being taken to secure the drainage by 
placing a few rough leaves or a little fibry turf over all, 
and pot rather firmly. After this is completed give a 
gentle watering to settle the soil about them, and put 
them into a heated pit close up to the glass, where the 
lights can be removed entirely during favourable 
weather. Pinch them back as soon as practicable, and 
gradually harden them off. 
About the middle of June stand them on a gravel 
walk, or, what is better, a good flagged open yard in 
the full sunshine. Attend to pinching and watering 
during the summer, care being taken never to allow the 
plants to flag ; pinch off all the bloom-buds that show, 
until they are taken indoors, before the nights are too 
chilly and frost is expected. Weak, clear, liquid 
manure should be given regularly during the growing 
season.to keep the plants healthy after they become 
pot-bound, because they appear very unsightly if 
allowed to lose their lower leaves. It also wonderfully 
improves the size and brilliancy of the magnificent 
trusses of dark crimson blooms, that will amply repay 
with compound interest any little extra trouble and 
attention bestowed upon them. 
I am no advocate of the blue-ribbon principle as 
applied to plants in general, and Pelargoniums treated 
in the manner ’described will be hard to beat for 
blooming through the dull dreary winter months with 
our English fogs, and onwards far into the summer, or 
longer if desired. They may very advantageously be 
planted round the borders—these old plants that have 
been discarded for inside work ; and this reminds me 
also, that I have not said a word in favour of bedding 
this variety out, but I can safely say that, for bedding 
out this Pelargonium is without a rival. Plants potted 
early in winter in 5-in. pots and plunged into beds at 
bedding time, or where it is practicable with a back¬ 
ground of shrubs or Ivy-covered stumps, will make a 
grand show not often seen, but when once seen will be 
a thing to be appreciated. If taken up at the first 
approach of frost, their pots washed, and taken 
indoors, they will go on blooming for a considerable 
time. In conclusion, I may say, that I consider this 
most beautiful Pelargonium among its class what 
Gloire de Dijon is among Poses — a gem beyond 
comparison.— Wm. H. Smith, The Gardens, Spring- 
field, Alderley Edge, Cheshire. 
MUTISIA CLEMATIS. 
In several respects this is a most remarkable Composite, 
of climbing habit, and pinnatisect leaves resembling 
those of some of the Leguminosse or Pea family, such 
as the Vetches. The segments of the leaves also vary 
immensely in size on different parts of the stem, and if 
looked at apart from the plant, would hardly be 
recognised as belonging to the same species. The 
apical part of these singular-looking leaves terminate 
in branched tendrils, each branch morphologically 
representing a segment or its midrib ; and these 
branches before they unfold are coiled backwards 
instead of inwards. 
All the thirty-six known species are natives of South 
America, but only those inhabiting the warmer regions 
have the leaves so divided, others being shallowly cut, 
while some have entire leaves. All the first mentioned 
kinds are climbers, with the exception of M. viciaefolia, 
which is an erect shrub. The flower heads of M. 
Clematis are of large size, and borne singly at the apex 
of short lateral branches, or terminate the main 
shoots. From their weight they apparently assume 
a pendent habit, and have a singular appearance 
for a Composite, both from the tubular scaly-looking 
involucre, and the deep orange-scarlet rays. The disc 
florets are slenderly tubular, and two-lipped, an un¬ 
common occurrence in the order, and the object of the 
same is rather problematical. The long cylindrical tube 
formed by the anthers projects beyond the corolla for 
about f in., terminating in five hard, somewhat bristly 
points, and collects the pollen, which ultimately gets 
brushed out of the tube by the two arms of the style, 
which do not seem to open at any time, but are clothed 
on the back with short soft hairs, and resemble two 
fine hat brushes placed back to back. The style in 
time projects beyond the anther tube for nearly f in. 
The specimens from which this description has been 
taken were sent us by Mr. F. Ross, gardener to Sir 
George Macleay, Pendell Court, Bletchingley. The 
plant evidently flowers very freely, judging from the 
specimens exhibited by Mr. Ross, on two separate 
occasions at the meetings of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, at the Drill Hall, "Westminster. It is also 
easily cultivated, and planted out in a peat bed in a cool 
conservatory at Pendell Court, has outgrown the space 
at its disposal, and adds one more to the rare, curious, 
and beautiful subjects grown in that unique collection. 
-- 
WATER, ITS USE AND ABUSE 
IN THE CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. 
( Concluded f rom p. 531.) 
Atmospheric Moisture. 
It has been shown that at times transpiration is so 
great that the roots cannot supply sufficient water. In 
the case of hothouse plants, this can be obviated by 
shading and by the humidity of the atmosphere. In 
general, plants do not thrive well in rooms, owing to 
the dryness of the atmosphere. An experiment, quoted 
to prove the absorption of moisture, showed that if a 
branch with matured leaves be taken from a tree, and 
one leaf kept wet, the water from this leaf will supply 
moisture to the nearest leaves, and this when com¬ 
munication through the bark has been prevented. 
More atmospheric moisture is required during the 
growing season than when growth has been completed, 
and annuals require more than woody-stemmed plants, 
and succulents with watery stems least of all. 
To create this atmospheric moisture, the floor and 
stages should be damped down whenever dry. The 
stages should be covered with shells or something that 
will retain the moisture. Troughs or pans should also 
be placed on the pipes to supply moisture by evaporation. 
A discharge of steam into the house for this purpose is 
not commendable ; all this must be regulated by 
circumstances, for the hotter the air, the greater 
the absorption, and the more moisture necessary. In 
summer the most will be needed, in winter the least. 
In the case of cool greenhouses, they cannot be kept 
too dry during the winter, and perhaps need little 
during the summer. 
Water applied with the syringe is of great moment; 
it cleanses the leaves, enabling them to fulfil their work 
better, and is one of the most powerful preventatives of 
insect pests. The absorption of water by the leaves is 
denied by some scientists. Sachs says “rain revives 
withered plants, not by penetrating the leaves, but by 
moistening them, and thus hindering further tran¬ 
spiration.” A simple experiment, affording much 
instruction, is obtained by placing a pot in which a 
leafy plant is growing into a glass or metal vessel, sur¬ 
rounding the stem so completely as to cover the earth 
in the pot. If the soil is dry the plant withers ; if a 
bell-glass is then placed over it, the plant revives and 
withers again when it is removed. This shows that the 
withering is the result of increased and the revival of 
diminished evaporation from the leaves when the roots 
convey but little water to them. 
This principle is acted on in striking cuttings, which 
are kept close, and the atmosphere well charged with 
moisture, to prevent them from flagging till they form 
roots. Cuttings may be struck by placing the stems in 
bottles containing water. Such should be potted as 
soon as possible after striking, otherwise the roots 
elongate and become weakly. The soil used should be 
fine, kept moist, and the plants carefully shaded. 
Crotons strike readily this way, the bottles being 
plunged in heat in a propagating frame ; but the 
potting is a delicate operation, and from our experiments 
nothing is gained. 
Aquatic Plants. 
Aquatic gardening is very nice, and by the skilful 
arrangement of marsh plants a little paradise may be 
made of a small piece of water. In such places we can 
have to perfection beautiful plants like Spiraea ulmaria 
and Iris Kiempferi. The water should be kept clear 
by a constant and fresh supply. In cases where 
Conferva is troublesome, fish have been found to keep 
the water quite clear. There is a large number of 
beautiful hardy aquatics. For indoor cultivation 
nothing can be more interesting than a house devoted 
to the beautiful Nymphea and other aquatics, while 
Victoria regia, as grown in some gardens, is a marvel. 
The water will require to be heated to from 65° to 75°, 
and be fully exposed to the sun. The heat of the water 
should be different at the various seasons of the year, 
as will be found when studying the culture of the 
various aquatics. 
Concluding Remarks. 
"We must here conclude this anything but exhaustive 
treatise on water as applied to horticulture. There does 
not seem to have been much research made in this 
important branch of horticulture, and we should like 
to see the subject taken up and thrashed out. Had we 
been able we would have liked to have made some 
experiments as to the precise effect of different waters 
on various plants ; for although hard chalk water is 
not good for general culture, still there are plants which 
are decidedly benefited by it. Such water would, we 
should say, be beneficial to plants which must have 
chalk in the soil—notably, the Vine. Of course, as a 
rule, in districts where the water is hard there is 
plenty of chalk in the soil, so if you find the water 
particularly soft in any district look well to your Vine 
borders, as there will most likely be a deficiency of 
lime, and Grape growers know what that means. 
-—>X<—- 
NATIONALITY OP PRODUCTS 
On the face of the demand that all foreign products 
offered for sale in this country should be distinguished 
as such, there seems to be that only which is reason¬ 
able. When thoroughly examined, however, the 
demand becomes absurd. Were everything imported 
deceptive and adulterated, there might be some good 
reason for the proposal that all purchasers should know 
the country from whence come all possible products ; 
but it would hardly be more easy to cast ridicule upon 
suggestions of this sumptuary kind than in proposing, 
for instance, that no one shall offer for sale flowers, 
fruits, or vegetables from the Continent or the Channel 
Islands, or even from America or the colonies, without 
every such place or country being stated. We seem 
ever to be panting for protective legislation, even for 
the most trilling things ; but there is a limit to human 
endurance, and any attempt to impose conditions upon 
the free sale of garden produce from the Continent, for 
instance, would soon be scouted as intolerable. 
Our international trade has become of so competitive 
a kind. We trade with every nation and people of the 
world, and we deal in every possible object which 
people will purchase or consume in any way ; therefore 
it must be obvious that there must be some common- 
sense limit imposed to the requirements of those who so 
strongly demand the country marking of imported 
goods. Such restrictions in trade would be specially 
unendurable in connection with all that relates to 
horticulture. To require that every seedsman should 
declare whether his seeds were of home or foreign 
growth, or the nationality of his bulbs, &c., would be 
so absurd as to become intolerable. Demands such as 
these made by protective enthusiasts serve, in time, to 
defeat their aims and bring their cherished theories into 
contempt.— Y. 
