862 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 8, 1820. 
cover it with soil. The rains of winter will carry the 
nutriment down to the roots. Where this cannot he 
obtained, a mixture of burnt earth, trimmings from 
banks or hedgerows, turned up together and well-rotted, 
will be of great service. When this is used, lay bare 
the roots and apply it directly to them. This will 
involve more labour than the manure dressing ; but if 
the opportunity be taken to do a little judicious root 
pruning the benefits derived from it are likely to be 
persistent. Care must be taken not to go to the 
extreme with trees which had not their roots cut before. 
It would be better to do this every third year, and only 
cut back a third of the roots at one time, and not to 
cut any large ones nearer than three-fourths of the 
distance from the bole of the tree to the extremity of 
its branches. Many trees by this means would have as 
it were a fresh lease of life granted them. 
There are possibly other instances to be found where 
judicious pruning will very materially alter the 
condition of things. Apple trees, and especially 
standards, are very generally neglected in this respect, 
and get into a tangled, crowded condition, so much so, 
that neither sun nor air can penetrate into the centre of 
the trees. In these cases, much of what should be 
fruit-bearing wood is made worthless, because the fruit 
buds seldom get properly matured, and are consequently 
unable to throw vigorous blossoms, without which the 
prospect of fruit is almost nil. Those who are in pos¬ 
session of trees answering this description should set to 
work and clear out the centre, together with any mis¬ 
placed branches which cross each other. If the leading 
branches have much naked growth, they may be 
shortened back moderately. This will often cause 
young growths to shoot out from the bare wood. 
These, if shortened back during the following winter to 
from 9 ins. to 12 ins. of their parent stem, will become 
fruit-bearing spurs if regularly pruned back to a few 
eyes in after seasons. 
There are some cases where the trees will be found 
to represent worthless and shy-bearing varieties. In 
these instances, if the tenant feels pretty sure of his 
holding the lease for a few years, the very best thing 
will be to head the trees back in the autumn, and graft 
some well-known and prolific variety on them. A 
novice in this art had far better seek the assistance of a 
professional friend who would do it for him than 
attempt it himself. Where old trees are covered with 
moss and. lichen, give a dressing of strong brine 
in the autumn, applying it with a hard brush. This 
will kill the moss, and be of some service against the 
attacks of insects. Where American blight is prevalent, 
go over the trees with a spoke-brush kept just moistened 
with paraffin oil. As a safeguard against caterpillars, 
put bands of sacking, coated with grease, soft-soap, or 
tar, round the stems of the trees, but in no case 
whatever let it come in contact with the bark. Look 
after it from October to the end of December, and see 
that the bands are constantly kept in a sticky con¬ 
dition. These caterpillars mostly belong to the Winter 
Moth (Cheimatobia brumata) and others of similar 
habits. The object of placing these sticky compositions 
round the stems of the trees is to prevent the female 
moths ascending them to deposit their eggs.— W. B. G. 
-•>$«•- 
NARCISSUS BULBOCODIUM 
MONOPHYLLUS. 
The culture of this beautiful plant is now better under, 
stood than when first introduced, and instead of in a 
straggling few bulbs, it is now to be met with in 
hundreds. Being a native of Algeria, it is therefore 
the most southern variety of N. Bulbocodium. If 
planted in the open ground under conditions suitable 
for the perfect success of the common Hoop Petticoat 
Daffodil, certain failure is the result. Our extremely 
fickle and variable climate acts in a similar way upon 
plants which are accustomed to seasons of great 
drought, and, above all, to a clear and sunny sky in 
their native habitat. 
It will, however, thrive under conditions similar to 
that accorded to Cape bulbs. A frame should be filled 
with light and sandy but rich soil, and in this the 
bulbs should be planted when received in autumn. Ho 
artificial heat is needed, and the frame is more for the 
purpose of throwing off the wet than for protection 
from cold. During the actual period of growth, 
however, a considerable amount of moisture would 
stimulate rather than retard growth ; but after the 
flowering period, the soil should just be kept sufficiently 
wet to enable the foliage to complete its functions to 
the bulbs, and commence to die down ; then the soil 
may be allowed to get thoroughly dry so as to ripen the 
bulbs. Then it should be watered or allowed to get wet 
in autumn (provided the bulbs have been lifted), so as 
to encourage fresh growth, and in due time the flowers 
will appear. 
For pot culture it is one of the choicest. The bulbs 
■should be sorted into sizes, for this purpose, so as to 
equalise the clumps as much as possible. Potting 
should be done in the autumn, and the pots plunged 
amongst coco-nut fibre in a frame or some cool place 
where they cannot be deluged with rain. As soon as 
the leaves begin to push, they should be uncovered, and 
well exposed to light. The pots may be left in the 
frames for a time, or removed to the shelves of a cool 
greenhouse on the benches of a hardy plant house, 
where a fine show will be made during the early part of 
the year. The cooler and drier the flowers are kept, 
the longer they will last. 
The leaves are slender, usually solitary from each 
bulb in a wild state, and when they attain their full 
length they drop about on the ground. The flowers 
are white, and stand out horizontally from the top of 
the flower stalk, or droop slightly owing to a sharp 
curvature at the base of the tube. The perianth seg¬ 
ments are subordinated in effect, owing to the large size 
of the slightly inflated corona, which is more or less 
deeply and bluntly notched at the margin. For size, 
the flowers may be compared to those of the typical N. 
Bulbocodium, but the corona is much more expanded 
almost from the base. 
-- 
SEASONABLE NOTES ON 
PROPAGATING-. 
Ficus elastica. 
Unlike the Begonias mentioned in my last, this plant 
roots best in a close case. Many fail to root it success¬ 
fully, simply because they act against the laws of 
nature. There is a time for everything, and the in¬ 
junction to mind that the work is done at the right 
time applies with great force in the case of this very 
useful decorative subject. To be constantly cutting 
this plant up with the idea of making more is a mistake. 
Old plants from which it is intended to obtain cuttings 
should have all possible encouragement given them to 
grow through the summer and autumn months, and 
about the month of October should be taken into a cool 
house, in order that the wood and leaves may become 
hard and firm. If this has been done, as I previously 
advised, the shoots at the present time will be in a firm 
state, the sap within them being in a partially dormant 
condition. The cuttings of this plant always root best 
when taken from a cool house, and they should always 
be taken some time from about the end of February to 
the early part of April. Do not delay after this, as the 
sap begins to move quickly from this time, aud conse¬ 
quently the tissues and bark become softer, which 
militates against the successful rooting of this plant. 
Failure will not have to be printed upon the door of 
the house where this work is done if the following 
hints be carefully followed out. It is my way of 
rooting Ficus elastica ; others may have a different way, 
but they will never be more successful than I have 
been. First, be sure you have a good bottom heat, and 
a case with about 9 ins. deep of coco-nut fibre refuse ; 
upon the top of this spread about 3 ins. or 4 ins. deep 
of sphagnum moss that has been prepared, as previously 
advised for Begonias (p. 342). When this is ready, take 
a strong but sharp knife and cut the shoots from the 
old plants that have been standing in a cool house, 
carrying them full length as they are to your propa¬ 
gating house. Before going further, get some dry 
silver-sand and make it very hot—but not red hot—- 
either by putting it into an oven, or by roasting it over 
a fire in an old shovel. Have it in sufficient bulk so 
that it will maintain the heat for a time, and keep it 
in an earthenware saucer in readiness. Take all the 
terminal points from the shoots with about four leaves 
attached, cutting clean through just under a leaf. As 
soon as cut through, place the base of the cutting just 
upon the surface of the hot sand ; this at once stops 
any farther bleeding—a very important matter. These 
can be laid on one side while the remaining length of 
shoot is cut up into lengths of one or two eyes, as the 
case maybe. Dip both top and bottom of the shoot as 
it is cut up upon the hot sand to stop the bleeding. If 
there is a lot to do, a handy boy can dip them upon the 
sand as they are cut up by the knifeman. 
As soon as all the shoots are cut up, and the ends 
dipped, commence with the taller shoots at the back of 
the case, and make them firm into the sphagnum moss, 
tying the leaves up as you proceed, and pressing the 
moss pretty firm round the base of the cutting. In 
twenty-four hours a callus will be formed, and in a week 
a large warty callus will be well formed at the base of 
all the cuttings, and in a month the whole lot may be 
lifted, with moss and all attached, and potted right 
away into 4J-in. pots ; by the autumn the tops will 
have made splendid plants. The remainder that were cut 
up into eyes will have made nice little plants, 9 ins. to 12 
ins. high. There need be no necessity for a single 
cutting failing if this plan be followed out, but let me 
add, do not trim a single leaf off any of the cuttings, put 
them in with all the leaves upon them, and then your 
plants will be furnished to the bottom. Never attempt 
to strike them in pots if you can get the sphagnum 
moss. When put into pots, the soil contained therein 
gets dry, and the want of water is the cause of failure. 
The moss, if put into the case as I have advised, 
maintains sufficient moisture in itself to keep the 
cuttings at a nice, equable and sweet condition, and 
should they require anything in the way of water at 
any time before becoming properly rooted, just give 
them a slight skiff over with the syringe, leaving the 
case top off long enough for the foliage to become dry 
before again closing. 
I have tried these Ficus cuttings all the known ways 
—by hot beds, the shoots being pushed into loam on 
its surface ; by the old-fashioned way of tying moss 
round the shoots, making the plant upon which such a 
barbarous system has been adopted look like a number 
of drum-sticks held aloft—but nothing has equalled the 
sphagnum moss for cleanliness, quickness, and good 
financial results. One good batch of cuttings struck 
now, is worth twenty batches of driblets put in at odd 
times, and the stock plants have a chance of making a 
good growth for another season.—’ Verax. 
-->X-e-- 
Hardening Jiscellany. 
-- 
Saxifraga ligulata. 
I yesterday gathered from a plant of the above in my 
cold house some beautiful panicles of bloom of a 
glowing pink colour that greatly delighted all who 
saw them. It is flowering with me in the open border, 
but with not a tithe of the vernal beauty it takes on 
under glass. It is a very common plant in our herba¬ 
ceous borders, and because so common, I am afraid not 
nearly so much valued as it deserves to be. If some 
of our gardeners would lift some plants, pot them, and 
flower them under glass, they would be delighted with 
it. But I do not recommend anyone to bring it along 
in heat. — B. D. 
Short-topped Potatos. 
As the planting season will soon be here, when gar¬ 
deners will be busy setting and sowing the various 
kinds of vegetables, of which the Potato is one of the 
most important, I should be glad to be allowed to 
ask a question. Where space is limited, as in the 
case of small gardens, from which a supply of every¬ 
thing is required, the gardener is often taxed to the 
utmost to find space for many Potatos, and I should 
be greatly obliged if some one, from their own 
experience, will give the names of a few varieties 
possessing the same qualities as Snowdrop or Magnum 
Bonum, but with short tops, similar to the Ashleaf 
varieties, so as to economise the space at command as 
much as possible.— TV. A. B. 
The Himalayan Aucuba. 
Although introduced about thirty years ago, this 
species has never attained anything like the popularity 
which attaches to the Japan species. The leaves of 
Aucuba japonica are lanceolate, more or less acuminated 
and green ; but as far as its fruit is concerned it is as 
ornamental as its better known congener. The inflor¬ 
escence is pilose, the berries globose, and of a bright 
pearl-red, with a white spot at the apex. The fruit of 
A. japonica is oblong, and the other differences given 
serve to distinguish the two ; but it cannot be denied 
chat the two are very closely allied in form and general 
appearance. The narrowness of the leaves, however, 
and the ornamental character of the berries give this 
species a claim on the planter, and a means of furnish¬ 
ing the shrubbery with variety. It occurs in a wild 
state on the temperate parts of the Himalayas, at 
elevations of from 7,000 ft. to 10,000, ft. and grows in 
damp localities. Propagation may be effected by 
grafting on stocks of the Japanese kind, or equally 
readily by cuttings and seeds. The latter are freely 
produced, and should be sown as soon as they are ripe 
in a frame, or in boxes stood in a moderately warm pit 
or house. 
