74 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 5, 1889. 
A SELECTION OF GOOD 
CAMELLIAS. 
If I were called upon to name a selection of twelve 
varieties of Camellias, I should take the following :— 
Alba plena, white ; Althteflora, bright crimson-scarlet ; 
Beali, bright carmine ; Cup of Beauty, white, striped 
rose ; C. M. Hovey, bright crimson ; Lady Hume’s 
Blush, flesh ; Mathotiana.rich deep crimson ; Mathotiana 
alba, white, handsomely imbricated ; Princess 
Bacciochi, carmine, striped with white ; Reine des 
Fleurs, light carmine; Storeyi, rosy pink; and 
Woolsii, rosy pink, with white stripes. Others might 
be disposed to name different varieties, but my selection 
is made in the assurance that all are well worth growing. 
Scarcely a purchaser of Camellias cares to propagate 
plants for himself, neither does he think of attempting 
to raise new varieties from seed. Plants of Camellias 
are largely imported from Belgium and other places on 
the Continent ; they can be got nicely set with buds, 
aud then it is that the work of the cultivator comes in. 
I have known many amateurs make an attempt to flower 
Camellias, and though they succeed pretty well the 
first year, but little in the way of satisfactory blooming 
follows after, and there is a tiresome loss of buds just 
when it is hoped they will begin to expand into nicely- 
developed flowers. 
I think the most frequent causes of the loss of buds 
—the dropping of buds as it is termed—are injudicious 
watering or inattention to giving water at the proper 
time, and too much exposure to the sun, and a dry 
atmosphere. Plants in pots are generally placed out 
of doors during the summer in order to thoroughly 
ripen the wood and to assist in swelling the flower 
buds for the following season, and these actually begin 
to swell off almost before the plant is out of flower in 
the spring. An excess of water will cause the buds to 
drop, so will too little of it. The plants may be said 
to be in a state of rest during the autumn and winter 
months, and only just enough water is required to 
keep the plants alive and healthy. To shut the house 
up close soon after the plants are brought in from the 
open air is decidedly hurtful. A cool and slightly 
moist atmosphere is the best for these plants during 
autumn and winter.— R. D. 
-- 
CULTURE OF GOOSEBERRIES. 
A Chapter for Amateurs and Cottagers. 
Propagating by Cuttings or Layers. —In selecting 
cuttings, choose straight, stout and well-ripened shoots, 
cutting them into lengths of about 15 ins., and 
removing the points. Cut out all the eyes, with the 
exception of the four at the top, so as to prevent the 
formation of suckers in the future plants. Select an 
open but not too sunny position for the cutting bed ; 
let the soil be well pulverised, and plant the cuttings 
4 ins. deep, making them firm at the heel by treading. 
During the spring and early part of the summer give a 
good soaking of water occasionally in dry weather, 
to insure the soil being kept in a fairly moist condition. 
The young plants should be removed from the cutting 
bed in the autumn, and be replanted 12 ins. apart each 
way, shortening the shoots back to within an inch of 
the stem. Keep the ground clear of weeds, and only 
allow four shoots to grow on each plant. Layering is 
sometimes resorted to, but although plants may be 
obtained much quicker by this method, it is not to be 
recommended because of the liability of plants so 
obtained to produce suckers. Old wood may be layered 
in the autumn, or, indeed, at any time, all that is 
necessary being to bend the selected shoots down, cover 
them with earth, and there let them remain till rooted, 
when they may be detached from the parent plant, and 
planted at the usual time in their permanent quarters. 
To most growers the purchase of plants from a reliable 
nursery firm will be advantageous, as they cost but 
little to buy, and the returns will be much quicker. 
The Best Time to Plant. 
This is from the middle to the end of October, because 
the ground is then warmer than later on in the season, 
and if done thus early the plants will make fresh roots 
into the soil before winter. Have the ground well 
trenched, and, if possible, enriched by a bountiful 
dressing of well or half-decayed manure. If the soil is 
naturally rich, or has been regularly well manured for 
the cultivation of culinary crops, the manure may be 
dispensed with. If it is intended to grow the plants as 
bushes, mark out the ground for rows at from 6 ft. to 
8 ft. apart, and plant the bushes at intervals of 5 ft. 
Spread out the roots evenly, keeping them as near the 
surface of the soil as possible, and cover them with the 
finest particles of soil at command. Fix them firmly 
in the soil by treading, and a mulching of decayed 
manure or any light litter will be very beneficial. 
Pruning. 
The first season prune back rather hard, to promote 
the production of plenty of fresh shoots, and in after 
seasons thin out the latter to at least 3 ins. apart, 
keeping the centre of the bushes more open, and do 
not allow the growths in any part of the plants to cross 
each other. Many growers shorten the shoots to 5 ins. 
or 6 ins., but thi3 we would not do unless the wood 
were very unripe or likely to touch the ground. As 
they advance in age, any unhealthy branches should be 
cut out, and if at any time there are extra vigorous 
growths likely to mar the symmetry of the bushes, 
they should either be removed or shortened back. 
As to the best time for pruning, we should say, 
without hesitation, that as soon after the fruit is 
gathered as possible would be the most advantageous, 
because the wood left for bearing, by being better 
exposed to the influences of sun and air, would be 
better ripened, aud the flow of the sap being directed 
into more restricted channels, would plump up the 
eyes of the wood. Failing this, let it be done a3 soon 
after the fall of the leaf as possible. Many will, no 
doubt, object to this on account of the damage done to 
the buds by the birds, and defer the operation until 
late in the season, trusting to ivhat tender mercies 
these depredators may have the good grace to show, and 
depending mainly for a crop from the spurs. 
Protecting from Birds and Insects. 
Dressings of lime and soot are frequently resorted to to 
protect the buds, some dusting the trees over with the 
dry powders when damp, while others mike them into 
a wash thin enough to go through a syringe or girden- 
engins; but whichever way it may be done, the best 
that can be said is that it is a nasty dirty job, and to 
be effectual must be done several times during the 
season. We have used petroleum and carbolic acid 
diluted, either of which are cleaner than the lime or 
soot, and answer quite as well, only the bushes must 
be gone over several times, because such dressings are 
liable to be washed off by the rain. We have seen 
plantations of Gooseberries enclosed with a permanent 
wire netting,'with the result that after a year or two 
they became so infested with caterpillars that the 
netting had to be removed. After all that has been 
said we think the birds are the best friends the Goose¬ 
berry has, for this reason—that during fourteen seasons 
we have scarcely seen more than that number of cater¬ 
pillars on our bushes. We have plenty of birds, too, 
but by the adoption of a simple and inexpensive plan 
we secure good crops. 
Our method is merely to draw the branches of the 
plants tight together with tarred twine (we use what is 
called pimp cordl, and leave them tied till the buds 
are so far advanced that the birds will not meddle with 
them. Generally we cut the strings about the third 
week in April, and, of course, our feathered friends 
will have what they can get at, but an abundance will 
be left to secure a good crop. If the primings were 
saved, and tied outside, the plan would perhaps be 
more effective, but with well-established plants it 
would hardly be worth the extra trouble, though it 
might be advantageous with young plants. Where 
caterpillars are troublesome hand-picking or dusting 
with white hellebore-powder must be resorted to, but 
the powder being poisonous, care must be taken in 
using it that the fruit is well cleansed from it before 
use. 
The Trellis System of Culture. 
We would direct the especial attention of small holders 
who suffer most from the birds pecking the buds out to 
what may be called the trellis system of cultivation, 
because of the facilities it affords for protecting the 
bushes and fruit against birds, and by which heavier 
crops can be taken from the same space of ground than 
on the bush system. Large growers who can keep the 
gun at work find it answer very well ; but cottagers and 
others, who cannot always be on the look-out, and are 
often so situated that the use of a gun is quite imprac¬ 
ticable, will find it advantageous to start plantations 
on this plan. 
Have the ground prepared in the usual way, mark it 
out in lines 3J ft. apart, and plant the bushes 2 ft. 
apart in the rows. If the plants have to be procured 
from a nursery, the cultivator would do well to select 
them himself, or if ordered by letter to state for ivhat 
purpose they are required, and plants will be selected 
which will best conform to this system of training. 
When planted they must be tied straight to stakes 
from the first. Any odd lengths will do for the first 
year or two ; but if they do well, and are good strong 
stuff when planted, the permanent stakes will be 
required the second year. These should be from 4 ft. 
to 5 ft. in height from the ground-line, and connected 
by a tile-lath nailed on the top of the stakes. Train 
three or four leading shoots up until they reach the top 
of the stakes, and retain each season as many young 
shoots as can be conveniently tied in without crowding, 
selecting the most promising and cutting out the weak 
ones. 
When well established, and it can be done without 
denuding the plant too much of bearing wood, cut out 
a leader and train up a fresh one in its place. After 
the third or fourth year this ought to be done annually, 
so that when this plan is in full operation no leader 
will be more than three or four years old at any time. 
When the pruning is finished a top-dressing of decayed 
manure if it can be afforded should be lightly forked 
in, and indiscriminate digging with the spade should 
be avoided, as the roots are near the surface. A mulch¬ 
ing of short litter scattered over the surface early in 
May will, by keeping the ground moist, be of great 
service ; and any fruit that is left to ripen must be 
protected from birds, but this need not be done until 
after they begin to colour. 
Late Fruits. 
If late fruit is wanted a few plants can be covered up 
with Russian mats, old mats or carpets, and if large 
samples are wanted for show purposes, watering with 
clean water and liquid manure and thinning out the 
fruit must be resorted to. To this end also a few of 
the Lancashire prize sorts should be included in the 
plantation, but unless anyone has a particular fancy 
that way, they will do well to confine their selection of 
sorts to a few well-known anl approved varieties that 
are good in quality and sure bearers, such for instance 
as Crown Bob, Warrington, Lancashire Lad, White¬ 
smith, and a few others. — IF. B. G. 
-*>*<-•- 
PARKS AND GARDENS OF PARIS 
Buttes Chaumont. 
Tnis beautiful park is situated in the north-east of 
Paris, on hilly ground, above that portion of the city 
known as Belleville. It consists of about eighty-five 
acres of ground, in which is an old quarry, from which 
a great quantity of stone was taken for building 
purposes. The park, with its undulating or hilly 
ground and old stone quarry, is famous as being one 
of the two last strongholds held by the Communists 
in 1871. A marvellous improvement has been, how¬ 
ever, effected, by which this receptacle for rubbish 
and rendezvous for robbers has been converted into one 
of the most beautiful and interesting spots in Paris 
for the boldness of its scenery, with its associated trees, 
shrubs, and flower-beds. The transformation was 
effected under the superintendence of Baron HaussmanD, 
who still lives, but whose tomb may be seen in the 
Pere la Chaise, the leading necropolis of the city, a 
little to the south-east of Belleville. 
The old quarry is the chief centre of attraction for 
the visitor. In the centre is a high and bold rock, 
surrounded at the base with an encircling piece of 
ornamental water. A cascade pours down one side of 
the quarry through a miniature rocky gorge into some 
caverns below, and from thence it flows into the lake. 
A bridge connects the rocky island with the mainland, 
and is itself at a considerable height above the water, 
thence ascending by a winding pathway to the highest 
point of the island, on which is a small temple, a re¬ 
production of the Temple of the Sibyl at Tivoli. From 
here an excellent view is obtained of the park itself, 
and a panoramic view of the city of Paris. Several 
large and precipitous pinnacles of rock stand clear away 
from the rest. The top is clothed with trees and 
shrubs, and amongst them the Fiery Thorn (Cratregus 
pyracantha) and Roses are in fine fruit. The steep 
sides, almost perpendicular iu places, are clothed with a 
profusion of Virginian Creepers, now red; Clematis 
Vitalba, quite at home on the limestone ; Lycium 
barbarum, Hydrangea hortensis, with pink flowers ; 
Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber), Saxifragacrassifolia, 
Ivy, and similir subjects, which drape the rugged rocks 
with a living greenery. 
On the low grounds and surrounding the lake are 
many beautiful trees and shrubs, such as Kcelreuteria 
paniculata, Catalpa syringrefolia, and the Tree of 
Heaven (Ailanthus glandulosa), all fruiting freely. 
The White Poplar (Populus alba), the weeping Mountain 
Elm (Ulmus montana pendula), Negundo aceroides 
