Feb. 7th, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
359 
had I not introduced some plants ■with bug on them in 
the summer, and which got from them to the vines. 
I noticed particularly when the vines were cleaned and 
redressed with the mixture the other day that it was 
just above where the plants were standing that the 
bug was on them. Anyone, therefore, afraid of using 
it so strong as recommended by Mr. Warden, will be 
sure of good results at any proportion between that 
and the proportion I use. 
I am, however, certain that no ill effects will follow 
the use of the stronger mixture, as I remember when 
an under-gardener seeing, while in active growth, 
pure coal-tar painted round the laterals between the 
bunch of fruit and the rod, the idea being to prevent 
mice from getting at the ripe Grapes, and although 
care was taken to prevent it going on the eyes nearest 
the rod, I have seen the eyes that were left to produce 
the next season crop completely smothered with the 
tar. The eyes certainly at first broke weak, but 
afterwards they were equally as strong as those that 
escaped without any tar getting on them. This was 
before Mr. Hunter, of Lambton Castle, advocated it as 
a dressing, and as far as I recollect he was the first 
that recommended its use for that purpose, I think 
in the proportion of six parts of clay to one of tar. 
The gardens here being close to the city, I have 
many gardening visitors from time to time, and not 
a few have heard about the tar from me for the first 
time, and to say they have been surprised at such a 
mixture does not adequately express the meaning of 
the sceptical look I have seen on the countenance 
of many of them. I well remember one old man 
giving me a good fating for being so injudicious 
as to adopt new-fashioned notions. Many do not 
believe it is tar that is used, but say that I am hum¬ 
bugging them and that it must be soot that makes it 
the colour it is, until I get them to look closer and 
point out to them the tar, and when they cannot rub 
it oS they then admit it, and I need hardly say that at 
the next visit they take stock of its results. 
Having more specimen Crotons than room permitted 
for their further growth, I have been using some of 
them for house decoration, and when bringing a nice 
plant of C. Disraeli from the house about a fortnight 
ago, I conceived the notion of cutting it back hard 
and painting with the tar mixture, the old bark which 
had on it a lot of the white scale which sticks so 
close to whatever it gets hold of. The results are that 
rubbing the bark a day or two since I found it quite 
clean, while the Croton is breaking all that could be 
desired, proving that it will be useful for other 
purposes besides dressing vines. — E. Dumper, The 
Gardens, Summerville, Limerick. 
- 5 ^- — 
PLANTS FOR EDGING. 
The present is a good time to increase the stock 
of several useful plants for this purpose. We are 
particularly partial to Isolepis gracilis and Panicum 
variegatum, which, if used alternately, give such a 
good finish to a group, either on an exhibition stage 
or for conservatory decoration, that they deserve to be 
much more generally employed than they are. 
Panicum vakiegatum may easily be propagated by 
cuttings. The method we adopt is to put six cuttings 
in a small 60-size pot, and as soon as they are well 
rooted, to pot them on into 48-size pots. They 
require a stove temperature, and should be grown 
in a shady position, as if exposed too much to the 
sun the variegation will not be so good. They may 
be potted in any good light sandy soil. 
Isolepis geacilis. — This may be increased by 
division, and if the stock is plentiful they may be 
divided into good clumps and potted into 48-size 
pots at once, but if smaller divisions have to be 
made, it will be better to put them in small pots 
and to pot them on after they have made some growth. 
They succeed best where they are well exposed to the 
sun, but must not be allowed to get too dry, and as 
soon as the pots are filled with roots, manure water 
should be used liberally. Although this will grow in 
a lower temperature, stove treatment suits it best. 
Selaginella Keaussiana, S. Kbausslvna vaeiegata, 
and S. Keaussiana aueea are also indispensable sub¬ 
jects for the same purpose. For propagating theso 
the fresh growing tips only should be taken, and 
these put in in little patches, say six patches in a 
48-size pot. They must be kept quite close for a 
short time, and as soon as they begin to start into 
growth, they may be placed in a more exposed posi¬ 
tion. In preparing the pots, they may be filled three- 
parts full with any rough siftings, and a little manure 
mixed with it, filling the pots up with some finer soil. 
Several other sorts of Selaginellas are very useful, 
among which we should select the following:—S. 
coesia (S. uncinata), S. Poulterii, S. apoda, but these 
do not grow so quickly as the varieties of S. Kraus- 
siana, the plant grown by many under the name of 
S. denticulata. 
Tbadescantias are also very pretty for edging or 
basket work. T. multicolor is one of the prettiest, 
but is inclined to sport, therefore cuttings from the 
best coloured shoots only should be taken, and they 
will retain their colour better if grown in light soil. 
Mieania pubvebulenta forms a very nice contrast 
when used alternately with the above. To make 
nice pots of this it requires stopping several times; 
it also makes a very pretty plant if trained round a 
pyramid-shaped trellis.— A. H., E. 
-—- 
GRAFTING RHODODENDRONS. 
Without claiming to be an adept at grafting general 
stock, I may be permitted to inform your correspon¬ 
dent “ Ehodo ” (see p. 350) that the time at which 
I have succeeded best with the grafting of these plants 
is during the latter part of July and the beginning of 
August, according to the state of the wood of the 
kind to be increased. The wood should be of the 
current year’s growth, and should be at the time 
moderately firm, or it will perish by flagging. The 
stocks for grafting on should be moderately stout 
seedlings of E. ponticum, with clear stems 4 ins. 
above the soil, and should if anything be stouter than 
the scion. These should be potted up and plunged 
in ashes in the open-air for working next summer. 
From 2 ins. to 3 ins. above the surface of the soil 
is a suitable height to work the plants if wanted to 
form dwarf bushes, but for standards they may be 
worked at any desired height. For general purposes 
the dwarf stocks are the best. When the time arrives 
for grafting the plants, suitable stocks should be 
looked out for certain grafts, choosing them as near 
of a size as possible. For saddle grafting the stock 
should be headed down to the desired height, as 
level and as neatly as possible, and then be cut in 
the form of a wedge, taking care to use a sharp 
knife and to make the cuts as clean and smooth as 
possible. The graft or scion should next be taken 
up, split for a distance, and each side or half of the 
scion should be shaved to form tongues that will fit 
the wedge form of the stock, so that the edges of the 
bark will meet together, in which position they should 
be held and tied by means of a piece of matting or raffia 
grass. Great care must be taken to thoroughly secure 
the graft by winding the matting a few times round 
the stock and scion above and below the point where 
the union is expected to take place. After the grafting 
has been performed the plants should be laid on their 
sides in a cool pit or frame, and be shaded from sun¬ 
shine as well as kept close. It will also be necessary 
to sprinkle them over at least once daily, but not too 
heavily. In a short time they will be found to turn 
their heads up towards the light, and this will indicate 
that a union has been effected between stock and 
scion. Shortly after this the plant should be stood 
up and gradually inured to more light and air. 
Considerable caution is necessary in doing this, for 
if the graft is not properly united one bright hour 
might destroy all our hopes.—IF. C. C. 
MELON GROWING MADE EASY. 
Most amateur gardeners look upon the Melon 
as a “ cut above ” them, and either never try to 
cultivate it, or, trying, take so much trouble with 
it that they fail. As a matter of fact, nothing 
that requires artificial heat is more easily grown 
than the Melon, if one only knows how. In the 
first place, there should be no attempt at starting 
the seed until the winter cold has got the chill off, 
say about the first week in March. Then make up 
your hot-bed, and at once (without waiting for the 
heat to go down) place upon it, near the top, about a 
stable bucketful of soil composed of the top spit of an 
old meadow, some fresh horse droppings, and a little 
sand, mixed together, but not sifted. Upon the soil 
draw an imaginary triangle, a foot each way, and at 
each angle put in one seed. Place a sheet of glass on 
the soil, and leave your lights off until the seeds come 
through. By that time the heat will have gone down 
to about the proper temperature. Now get three small 
flower pots, plunge them in the hot-bed, and put a 
seed in each, to fall back upon in case of accident, or 
to plant out presently under another light. In the 
centre of the triangle make a round hole, and pour 
water every morning into this hole, being careful that 
no wet gets to the collar of the plants. When the 
latter have grown about 4 ins. or 5 ins., stop them, 
and when side shoots are thrown out, stop them also 
until fruit buds are formed. Do not water them over¬ 
head until the weather is really warm, and then do so 
either early in the morning or late at night. When 
the flowers are opening, leave off the watering-can 
rose, and give water only at the roots. Give plenty of 
air night and day after June, and shade from very hot 
sun. It is better to fertilize the flowers oneself than to 
leave it to the bees. By taking a little trouble, you 
may have all your Melons swelling at the same time— 
a very desirable, but not absolutely necessary, matter. 
If you like to put the sweepings of your lawn round 
your frame, do so ; they will do no harm, and in a 
cold summer will help the Melons to ripen. Having 
done all these things—have patience. The fruit will 
seem long in ripening ; still, it will ripen, if left long 
enough. My last Melon last year, grown without any 
artificial heat whatever, was not ripe till October. It 
weighed 3 lbs.— J. T. B. Wollaston, in The Field. 
GREENMEAT! 
“ Oh, who’ll write a song (now at once don’t all 
speak) 
On the Cabbage and Greens of our land? ” 
WEy, behold ! notwithstanding the task is unique, 
“ Yours truly ” will take it in hand. 
Not much comes amiss to your versatile bard, 
Providing ’tis made worth his while ; 
So he’ll sing (for a price) of his earnest regard 
For the Cabbages grown in this isle. 
Chobus. 
Then in praise of the Broccoli shout, dear boys, 
Of the “Savoy” and bold Brussels Sprout, dear 
boys; 
So suited to folk both of high and low means 
Are the Cabbage of England and England’s boiled 
Greens. 
Let others write lyrics on England’s roast beef, 
From this vegetarians shrink ; 
A “ joint,” they say, causes of evils the chief— 
’Tis, accordingly to them, worse than drink. 
But boiled Greens and Cabbage are innocent fare, 
In these no iniquities lie, 
As are hidden in meat, people’s minds to ensnare— 
Besides, they’re much cheaper to buy. 
Chobus. 
Then the Cauliflower’s virtues let’s greet, dear boys, 
And the gay summer Cabbage let’s eat, dear boys ; 
For good enough food e’en for kings and for queens 
Are England’s boiled Cabbage, and England’s boiled 
Greens! 
Meretricious is mutton, and vile is all veal, 
And pork should be always pooh-poohed ! 
Beware, too, of beef—peace of mind it doth steal 
Whenever you take it as food. 
Then fish, flesh, and fowl do not chew, but eschew, 
For all these vegetarians ban ; 
Yet I don’t mind confessing (of course entre nous) 
That I eat these three F’s when I can. 
Chobus. 
Still greenmeat is awfully gay, dear boys, 
If with meat ’tis combined every day, dear boys ; 
If served up with good joints, then your bard always 
leans 
To England’s boiled Cabbage, and England’s boiled 
Greens.— Fun. 
— — o — 
Eichobnea azueea. —In the January number of The 
Gartenflora we notice a figure of this beautiful stove 
aquatic. It is a plant of very easy cultivation, and is 
quite indispensable in a select collection of aquatics. 
It is well suited for the margin of the tank, as its 
long branches can be arranged anywhere, and it 
continues to throw up its spikes of azure-blue flowers 
during most of the season. It was introduced from 
Jamaica in 1824. 
