342 
THE GARDENING- WORLD 
February 1, 1890. 
covering up, just as they are when arriving to hand. I 
have been under the necessity of using such, and 
draggle-ended objects they soon became, whereas with 
a little management and forethought they might have 
been "tied” by the labourers on wet days. 
There is a great deal of warmth also in paper, and 
though I am happy to say that I have never been under 
its obligation for such a purpose, 1 would recommend 
any of your bothy readers, who may be less fortunately 
situated as regards comfort, to place a few sheets of 
newspaper under their counterpanes ; they will feel a 
benefit, and find that it will make up for a deficiency 
of blankets. — Geo. Potts, Jan., Elrnside, Northiam, 
Jan. 23 id. 
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MONTHLY ROSES. 
These are so easily managed that a few plants, according 
to convenience and requirements, may be introduced to 
a warm corner of the greenhouse. Before doing so they 
should be pruned back pretty hard to encourage the 
development of strong shoots, which will later on give 
a greater supply of bloom than plants which are simply 
grown on without pruning. Syringe the stems lightly 
once or twice a day, according to the state of the 
weather, to encourage the buds to break freely. Before 
putting them under these conditions some of the 
surface soil should be taken off without injuring the 
roots, and a top-dressing of some rich material given. 
A quantity of soil may be mixed with well-rotted cow 
or pig’s dung, or with sheep droppings, if they can be 
obtained from a pasture. When growth is progressing 
rapidly, the plants will derive much benefit by being 
watered with liquid manure. Keep them near the 
glass when once fairly started to prevent drawing, and 
avoid draughts of cold air from open ventilators close 
to them, or they will soon get unhealthy. Air may, 
however, be freely given at the top whenever the 
weather is mild. 
-- 
SEASONABLE NOTES ON 
PROPAGATING-. 
The month of February will bring an abundance of 
work for the propagator, and all the space at command 
will be fully occupied during this month with cuttings 
of various kinds, as well as with tubers and bulbs that 
may require attention. 
Passing over the general run of soft-wooded cuttings, 
such as zonal Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Heliotropes, 
Bouvardias, &e., that will have to be put in as the 
cuttings can be obtained, and which anyone may 
manage who has only the mind to try and carefully do 
the work, I will now come to plants that may be of 
more importance to some of your readers. 
Use of Sphagnum for Propagating. 
I have found by experience that the use of sphagnum 
moss is of great assistance in bringing off successful 
“strikes” of some kinds of cuttings, therefore it is 
advisable to always have a supply of this very useful 
material to hand. I do not profess to know what 
virtue there may be in this moss that causes some kinds 
of plants to root so well into it, but many plants that 
are sometimes termed difficult to root will make roots 
readily in this material when other resources have 
failed. 
Ornamental-leaved Begonias. 
Leaves of these root readily into the moss, much 
quicker, indeed, than they will do into coco-nut fibre 
refuse or sand ; and another great thing about them is 
that they are not subject to rot or damp when laid 
upon this moss, as they are when placed upon soil. 
Any sorts that are intended to be increased should now 
have attention. The leaves at the present time will be 
hard and firm, and consequently will root much better. 
Hundreds may be made from a few leaves, by adopting 
the following plan Select the firmest leaves, and with 
a sharp knife cut through all the principal ribs or veins 
on the back of the leaf in several places, according 
to the strength of the leaf, but do not cut the leaf up 
into little bits — only cut the rib through. As 
soon as this is done they should be laid quite flat 
upon the surface of sphagnum moss, and should the 
leaves be disposed to bulge up a little, they may be 
kept in their proper place by the use of a small crock 
laid on the surface of the leaf. Do not use any sand 
about them whatever, as this material will only give 
them a tendency to rot, should they become over damp. 
The sphagnum should be in a living condition if 
possible, as I have always found the rooting process 
work freer and quicker into living moss, than it 
does into that which is old or dead. The best way to 
use it is to clean all weeds, rushes, or dead portions out 
of it, then thoroughly wash it through a few buckets 
of water, afterwards laying out to allow the water to 
escape from it. The bed or case upon which it is 
intended to lay the moss should be a warm one, and 
should have a depth of at least 9 ins. of coco-nut fibre 
refuse or rough rubble upon it before placing the moss 
upon its surface. The moss should be evenly spread 
over the surface of this bed to the depth of an inch or 
so, j ust levelling the surface with the hand before laying 
the Begonia leaves upon it. 
It is surprising how quickly the roots will begin to 
appear from those portions of the leaf which were cut 
through ; and almost as soon, a nest of little crowns 
will begin to form upon the surface of the leaf, directly 
opposite to where the root action is taking place. In 
a month’s time the bed will be a mass of roots and 
young crowns just pushing up into leaf, and where a 
quantity is the desired object these may be split up into 
several, pottiDg them into small pots, using light sandy 
soil, keeping close for a week or ten days, when they 
will be gradually inured to ordinary stove temperature. 
This system is the most successful I have ever adopted, 
and those who have never given it a trial I would 
advise them to do so. Begonias root best without 
being shut up in a case. — Verax. 
-- 
MANCHESTER BOTANICAL AND 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The annual report of the Council, submitted to the 
sixty-second annual meeting of the proprietors, held on 
Tuesday in the Town Hall, showed that the income 
from subscriptions was about £1,000 less than the pre- 
cedingyear. That had given the Council grave concern, 
and induced them to issue a circular in the autumn 
with a view of ascertaining the opinions of the public 
as to what extent they might depend upon futuie 
support. The replies had been satisfactory 7 , the report 
stating that £2,400 has been promised up to the present 
time, and with a vigorous canvass it is hoped that the 
whole amount (£1,000) will be obtained before the next 
annual meeting. The Council base their appeal on the 
broad public grounds of public service for the public 
welfare. With regard to the future, the horticultural 
features will be nearly the same as last year, and the 
musical days will be Friday and Saturday in each week. 
On the other days in the week the Gardens will also be 
open to subscribers and their families. The individual 
season ticket is reduced from one guinea to fifteen 
shillings. The extent of the advantages offered to the 
public depends upon the amount of the society’s income, 
and this is determined in a great measure by the 
number of subscribers. The Council suggest that the 
members should make known as widely as possible that 
for an annual payment of two guineas the resident 
members of a family can participate in the privileges 
set forth in the list of arrangements for the year. The 
following are the provisional arrangements for 1890 : — 
Spring flower show at the Town Hall, March ISth ; 
second spring flower show at the Town Hall, April 
29th ; national horticulture exhibition, at the gardens, 
May 23rd to 28th ; Rose show at the Gardens, July 
19th ; fruit and flower show at the Gardens, Saptember 
12th and 13th ; botanical lectures at the Gardens, by 
Mr. Leo Grindon, every Tuesday evening during the 
months pf June, July, and August. In addition to 
these a Chrysanthemum show will be held ; also the 
exhibitions of the National Auricula, Tulip, Carnation 
and Picotee Societies will be held. The times and 
places will in each case be duly announced. 
-■*>$**■- 
LIOUALA GRANDIS. 
This fine Palm forms a small tree about 6 ft. in height 
when at its flowering stage, but is of very slow growth, 
and consequently takes many years to reach that size. 
From a very early stage it is admirably adapted for 
decorative purposes, because the leaves assume somewhat 
of their characteristic form. The blade is nearly 
orbicular, strongly plaited, and very shallowly divided 
at the margin into bifid lobes, quite different from what 
we are accustomed to amongst fern-leaved Palms. 
Large plants would carry about twenty leaves in a head, 
but small plants would be furnished with half that 
number. The leaves in the young state at least have 
the peculiarity of growing more in the centre than at 
the margin, making them concave. This does not seem 
to be constantly the case, for some individuals have flat 
leaves or nearly so. Those with concave leaves can be 
altered artificially so that the concave surface may 
become convex. This may not only be more to the 
taste of many cultivators, but it will also prevent the 
lodgment of water in the hollow surface, which may 
collect there from the use of the syringe. 
EXHIBITING COLLECTIONS OP 
VEGETABLES. 
Although late in the day, may I be allowed to say a 
word on this subject ? At p. 227, I see it is suggested 
to Mr. Holmes (in answer to his appeal for suggestions 
as to the shows to be held at the Aquarium this year) 
that he should point out to the judges that they should 
take into consideration effective arrangement in award¬ 
ing the prizes. This will, I am afraid, cause a feeling 
among exhibitors from a distance that they will not 
be able, only at very great expense and trouble, to 
compete on equal terms with those who reside near to 
London. Parsley, being the first, lightest and best 
subject that one cun very well take for garnishing, has 
the fault of soon getting flabby in the hot days of 
summer, and only looks well for one day. Moss after 
being picked, however nicely arranged afterwards, does 
not look so well as Parsley. 
It is a great improvement, I think, as we now see 
most vegetables arranged on the tables, in various ways, 
with the space between each nicely covered over with 
Parsley, instead of the vegetables being put on plates 
and dishes as we used to see them at our best shows. 
To avoid the use of the plugging Parsley, I, two years 
ago, made a stand on purpose for exhibiting twelve 
dishes of vegetables at the Shrewsbury show, and 
planted it with Selaginella, leaving spaces vacant f or 
the dishes to fit in. The dishes were then filled with 
soil formed into different shapes to suit the various 
vegetables to be put on each, and were afterwards 
planted vith moss, so that when ail the dishes were 
put on the stand it formed a complete mass of growing 
moss. Along the front and ends of the stand I planted 
trailing kinds of Selaginellas mixed with Isolepis 
gracilis and Panicum variegatum, which drooped down 
about 2 ft , and the stand was tilted from behind to the 
desired angle. 
All wbo saw the stand remarked what an improve¬ 
ment it was, keeping so fresh till the end of the show. 
The committee, however, has now decided against 
growing moss being used for staging vegetables .upon, 
because, as some of the exhibitors have suggested, it 
gives local men an advantage. I admit that it is an 
advantage to make our collections attractive, but as 
the judges informed me they would never think of 
allowing one point for effective staging when it was 
their work only to judge the vegetables, I gave my 
vote in committee in favour of the moss being dis¬ 
continued, owing to the time and trouble it takes as 
compared with the use of Parsley. 
If not out of place I would here suggest to all who 
have the arrangement of vegetables at shows, that 
instead of having them arranged on a flat staging, to 
have it raised about 1 ft. (according to the width) at 
the back, sloping to the front. I saw this, plan in use 
at the Leicester Abbey Park show last summer, and 
must say that for effect it has a great advantage over 
the old method of arranging them on flat stages, as 
one can then see all without walking close to them. 
— J. Lambert, Oasloio. 
-- 
THE BLUE GUM TREE IN 
DEVON. 
I was talking the other day with a gentleman in the 
neighbourhood of Exeter, about the Blue Gum Tree 
(Eucalyptus globulus), which seems to rejoice in the 
climate of Devon, and he mentioned a curious fact. 
For his amusement mostly, he keeps a model farm, 
and, being a man of a very observant nature, he 
generally has some experiment or another in hand. 
He told me that his pigs, which had suffered from 
swine fever, have never once shown symptoms of it 
since he had the Eucalyptus globulus growing alongside 
the piggery. The anti-malarial properties of the Blue 
Gum are well known, but I have not heard of their 
being serviceable in this way before. He is now raising 
seedlings to plaut out on a larger scale, having much 
faith in these “ medicine trees.” 
One of the finest specimens of gums in this country 
is the handsome tree in Powderham Park, on the Devon 
estate. It is Eucalyptus coecifera, is about 60 ft. in 
height, symmetrical in growth, and has none of the 
lanky out-grown appearance that E globulus so often 
wears, It must be not less than fifty years old, I 
should say by the look of it, and it appears to be quite 
at home in that beautiful park, True, nature is kind 
there, for, but a stone’s-throw further away, in the 
American garden, Camellias bloom freely in the open, 
the only protection they have being neighbouring 
Canifene and woody slopes behind them. Perhaps I 
shall have a further word to say about shrubs in the 
neighbourhood of Exeter in an early number.— 
Devoniensis. 
