February 2, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
357 
different materials now advocated for the purpose, 
would be of great interest were the correct results 
reported and published. 
Fallacies Respecting the Weather. —Mr. Richard 
Forwards, the President of the Meteorological 
Society, in a recent address, said that among weather 
fallacies were those connected with saints’ days, sun 
and moon changes, days and certain periods of the 
year, and almanack prophets. These were remem¬ 
bered when the forecast happened, but forgotten 
when it failed. There were forty weather saints, 
the most eminent being St. Swithin, and how often 
the sign was broken was well known to weather 
students. He referred to a vast number of theories 
that were published—as, for instance, the new moon 
theory, Herschell’s, and others. The lunar cycle 
theories had all broken down. The change of the 
moon, he remarked, did not change the weather. 
There was a long array of fallacies as to animals 
and plants which Mr. Lowe had investigated. His 
own impression was that their feelings were some 
indication. The dampness made them uneasy when 
there was no sign of rain. The flowers shut their 
petals for the same reason, and the swallows did not 
fly so high. Another fallacy was that the hips and 
haws and holly berries were a sign of a hard 
winter, and that these were a provision for the 
birds. With regard to weather warnings eight out 
of ten did not fail, but all great meteorologists 
agree that weather cannot be predicted. 
The Fruit Trade of Glasgow —At the first annual 
soiree of the Glasgow and District Fruit Merchants’ 
Association, held recently in the City Hall, 
the Chairman, Bailie James Ferguson, remarked 
that the fruit trade of the city has been one of tre¬ 
mendous growth. Not so many years ago the 
quantity of Grapes brought into the city consisted 
of some 500 barrels, which supplied the city and 
surrounding districts. Last year one broker sold 
alone 104,000 barrels. This growth in Grapes also 
applies to every other kind of fruit. The trade has 
grown to such an extent that the bulk of the business 
is conducted outside the bazaar altogether, and he 
thought the time had now come when the Council 
should increase the accommodation they required. As 
regards the brokers they were a smart class of men ; 
but he considered that the conduct of the business 
was in many respects more favourable to them than 
to the merchants. Their conditions of sale are 
altogether one-sided, and do not give purchasers 
their legal rights when the fruit purchased does not 
in bulk come up to the sample shown. There is 
also a common cry with the brokers that this is the 
11 last cargo "of the season; but, strange to say, cargo 
after cargo succeed one another. 
•I- 
HOYAS. 
Wherever these beautiful plants have been culti¬ 
vated they have won golden opinions for themselves, 
and are everywhere held in high estimation for the 
beautiful umbels of wax-like flowers they carry. The 
genus comprises some fifty species, most of which, 
however, do not enter into English horticulture. The 
one that is most frequently met with is H. carnosa, 
which hails from Queensland, from whence it was 
brought about the year 1802. Like the rest of its 
congeners, this fine species really requires an inter¬ 
mediate stove temperature to grow in, for although 
in some instances it has been grown fairly satisfac¬ 
torily in a cool house, better results are always 
obtained where the warmer temperature is accorded 
it. It may if desired be grown in pots and trained 
to rafters or wires in the stove with very good 
results. 
In such a position, however, the likes of the plant 
are scarcely so well looked after as they ought to be. 
What it really likes is a nice damp wall to which it 
can cling, and from which the aerial roots that are 
freely emitted from the nodes of the stem can obtain 
the necessary moisture. We have seen plants 
clinging to a wall of this kind which were growing 
away with the utmost luxuriance and flowering 
regularly each year, and this after the roots, which 
fixed to the ground, and which originally sufficed to 
draw sustenance for the entire plant, had long since 
become inadequate as a means of supply. Indeed, 
once a plant gets well established after this fashion, 
it does not seem to matter much whether it has any 
roots in the ground or no, as the aerial roots seem to 
be capable of supplying all the nourishment needed 
for its support. In cases of this kind, however, it is 
very important that the surface of the wall should 
be kept sufficiently damp by dint of the regular and 
frequent use of the syringe. Liquid manure should 
be used occasionally instead of clear water, but when 
using this, care should be taken that it is obtained 
as free from sediment as possible. 
The flowers of H. carnosa as well as of H. belta 
and H. Pastoni are well adapted for the making of 
button-holes or sprays, and are usually much sought 
after for this purpose. The thick leathery leaves 
also are distinctly ornamental as they are unique in 
character. H. c. variegata is a variegated form of 
the first-mentioned species. The propagation of 
both may be readily conducted by means of cuttings 
which should consist of nice firm growths of the 
previous summer’s formation. These should be 
taken in spring, a compost of peat and sand, and 
kept close in a propagating frame, or other place 
where a brisk bottom heat is obtainable. Potting on 
must subsequently be performed as occasion 
requires, the compost used being composed largely 
of peat, although a little good loam and charcoal may 
be introduced with advantage. 
H. bella. —A great deal of difference will be noted 
between the habit of this plant and that of the pre¬ 
ceding species. Both H. bella and the closely-allied 
relative, H. Pastoni, are of weakly-growing habit; 
they are both much dwarfer and inclined to be 
almost shrubby in habit. They may be cultivated in 
a very pretty and effective manner by fixing some 
pieces of the trunk of dead tree Fern or virgin cork 
in the pots or pans in which they are growing, and 
allowing them to ramble over these as they will. 
They may also be grown exceedingly well in hanging 
baskets. As a rule, a warmer temperature than that 
required by H. carnosa is necessary to ensure their 
well-being. Like H. carnosa, however, they may be 
easily multiplied by cuttings although H. bella, from 
its weakly habit, is frequently grafted upon some of 
its more robust and stronger growing congeners—a 
proceeding that is usually attended with great suc¬ 
cess. As has already been stated, H. bella and H. 
Pastoni are very closely allied to each other, 
although they may easily be distinguished the one 
from the other by the difference in the leaves, those 
of the latter being more acuminate in shape, lighter 
green in colour and less fleshy than those of the 
former. 
H. imperialis. —This fine species is not often 
met with outside the bounds of botanic gardens, but 
it is a truly noble plant notwithstanding, and has 
much that should recommend it to the notice of the 
gardener. Special interest attaches to it from the 
fact that it is the largest flowered member of the 
genus, and that it is worthy of any praise that could 
be bestowed upon it would be readily conceded by any 
person who had once seen an umbel of its beautiful 
reddish brown flowers, each individual bloom of 
which is, as a rule, between 2 and 3 in. in diameter. 
It is by no means difficult of culture and may be 
grown in a mixed plant stove among an ordinary 
collection of the subjects usually to be found there 
with the greatest ease. We have seen it thrive 
remarkably well when grown in pots, and the 
growths simply tied to wires in the ordinary way. 
Treated in this manner it is easier to withhold the 
water from its roots, and thus give it the necessary 
rest during the dull part of the year, than when it is 
planted out in a border; for borders, as every gar¬ 
dener is aware from practical experience, have an 
awkward trick of catching and absorbing a lot of the 
drip from the roof of the house—the natural conse¬ 
quence being that they lie in a sour and sodden state 
the whole of the winter through. 
While the Hoyas are extremely impatient of a 
water-logged heavy soil about their roots during the 
winter; care must be taken that they are not 
allowed to get too dry, or the leaves will commence 
to shrivel and this, of course, is dangerous to the 
well-being of the plant. None of them, moreover, 
require much shade, as will be clearly evidenced by 
the leather-like consistency of their leaves. They 
should, therefore, be grown in a position where they 
will receive an abundance of light. Much of the 
disappointment that is caused by the reluctance of 
many plants to flower is the direct result of the want 
of the great essential “ light.’’ How often do we see 
plants grown in the darkest and most out-of-the-way 
corner of the house instead of the lightest. This and 
the other mistake—a too free use of the watering 
can, are principally accountable for the remark that 
is so often heard, " My Hoya never flowers.”— G. 
FORCING ROSES. 
How often our amateur friends make a mistake with 
these. I think the most common error is impatience 
at first, and this also applies to the bulk of our 
hardy shrubs when introduced for early blooms. 
We are far too apt to forget that in very few cases 
indeed does Nature work in the same hasty manner 
we attempt with our forced Roses and other plants. 
Not only do we fail to get the blooms any sooner by 
this, but we also lose a large number as well as 
much quality in those obtained. Start slowly, 
merely keeping away the unkind influences of our 
climate during January and February. After this 
time the sun power, with a very slight rise of 
temperature, will be far more effective and rational. 
One of the chief items needed in forced Roses is 
well finished wood of the previous season ; without 
this we cannot hope for satisfactory results. Why 
should we imagine that badly or insufficiently 
ripened wood will succeed under glass and with 
totally artificial treatment, and yet not be surprised 
at failures with the same wood in the open ? 
Then the class of soil used is often much richer 
than is necessary, and we should find the plants 
doing better in one of more loam and less concen¬ 
trated manure. Firmer potting is also essential, and 
although we advise good drainage, there is no 
necessity for this to be so complete as with plants 
that need little water and a quick outlet for same. 
So long as the hole is not stopped up, and surplus or 
stagnating water can escape, the end is gained. Too 
porous a soil, and too quick a drainage, means con¬ 
siderable risk of drought; at all events we get 
extremes that are far from favourable to Roses. The 
temperature, particularly at first, is generally much 
too high. If you want early Roses you must per¬ 
force start early, or else run risk of keen disappoint¬ 
ments in the way of blind growths. Forty degrees 
is ample for the first month, and with a rise up to 
fifty during the second month we are likely to get 
better results. After this another ten or fifteen 
degrees will not matter. When we consider the 
matter, this is really what our Roses enjoy in the 
open ; only we, by the aid of glass, give them pro¬ 
tection from the unkind changes of weather, and with 
a little fire heat, get what is practically June and 
July weather in March and April. No matter what 
plant or flower we may take in hand, we seldom 
succeed to any extent unless we follow the conditions 
they have chosen in their natural habitat, and which 
must surely be the one most suitable. Follow this, 
and then with the help we can give them of freedom 
from sudden climatic changes, we can get better 
blooms than in a natural state. 
Forced Roses must be clean, free from insect foes 
and such disastrous diseases as mildew. Here, 
again, we have a great advantage over plants in the 
open ground. Sunshine and wind are not under our 
control, but we can regulate the heat, and also give 
weak fumigations and artificial showers of insecti¬ 
cides with the syringe, so keeping down insects and 
avoiding the main causes of mildew. Atmospheric 
changes first, and the extremes in water supply are 
undoubtedly the main cause of mildew and all other 
ills to Roses with the exception of insect pests. I 
even think, at times, that they have considerable 
bearing upon the presence and destructiveness of 
insects also, and no doubt the fact of our plants 
being out of health renders them less able to battle 
against attack from enemies, let them be what they 
may. We notice it the more because, growth being 
checked, the insects so soon affect that remaining. 
A freer use of clear tepid water through the syringe 
and a moister atmosphere than a large number of 
my amateur friends affect would undoubtedly be a 
great help to forced Roses. Nor do they feed 
atmospherically so much as I practice. 
We all know how much benefit plants derive from 
a little moisture in the air after a dry and parching 
time. This is plainly visible both in the open during 
a summer shower and under glass when perchance 
we have let the plants get drier than should have 
been the case. I believe we can help them much by 
atmospheric feeding. We do so with Melons, 
Cucumbers, Grapes, etc., then why not with our 
forced Roses. A healthy, glossy, and more natural 
appearance is imparted to the leafage of Roses when 
a little manure water has been allowed to evaporate 
from dry walls and walks, and so long as we keep 
the pores of the leaves clear and open, I have great 
faith in the ammonia rising from manure water used 
in the manner described.— Experience. 
