January 28, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
m 
grafted in quantity. Crotons, Dracaenas and other 
hard wooded stove plants are being rooted in other 
cases. Some of the more choice species of Privet 
are also being increased in cases by the operation of 
grafting. Ligustrum macrophyllum, L. lucidum 
variegatum (also called L. 1 . tricolor) and the new L. 
Walkeri will give an idea of the fine forms being 
multiplied. Older plants of the last-named are in 
frames, and it is hoped will prove hardy when 
planted out, and we believe they will. 
A house is devoted to the cultivation of a great 
variety of plants in Jadoo fibre, and all appear to be 
thriving and happy. The development of roots is 
remarkable. There are fine pieces of Davallia 
griffithiana, Asparagus Sprengeri and A. retroflexus 
in baskets. Gardenias, Aralia elegantissima, Cro¬ 
tons and Dracaenas in the warm end are also doing 
well. Another division enjoys a greenhouse tempera¬ 
ture, all the subjects beiDg grown in Jadoo. Amongst 
them are zonal Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, Roman 
Hyacinths, and other subjects in bloom ; while good 
growth is being made by Francoa ramosa, Grevillea 
robusta, Araucaria excelsa, Lotus peliorrhynchus, 
and Ficus elastica, the latter having very dark 
foliage. Some plants stand a long time in Jadoo 
without being repotted. Such things as Davallias 
grown in baskets should have the latter dipped right 
into the tank and thoroughly watered, after which the 
plants may be taken into dwelling rooms, where they 
will stand a week without watering. This house is 
intended to show the great variety of plants that can 
be successfully grown in this material, which is being 
used as a substitute for soil, and also as a fertiliser 
in various parts of the world. Just outside are Vines 
on trial in pots of Jadoo, also Peach and Apple trees, 
well set with flower buds, while others are grown in 
loam as a check. 
Indian Azaleas and Himalayan Rhododendrons, 
the latter all white flowered varieties, monopolise 
a house. The value of the Rhododendrons for 
greenhouse and conservatory decoration, as well as 
cut flowers may be judged from the mention of such 
as Rhododendron Gibsoni, R. Lady Mary Fitz- 
william, R. Princess Alice, R. sesterianum, R. fos- 
terianum, R. veitchianum, R. dalhouseanum, and R. 
exoniense, the latter being dwarf and bushy. Many 
of the above are deliciously fragrant. In a cool 
house close by here the beautiful Lychnis Flos- 
Cuculi semperflorens flore pleno was flowering 
beautifully, thus justifying the title of ever-flowering. 
The flowers are double, and bright rose, and the 
plant is perfectly hardy, though the flowers could 
hardly be so fine in the open air in winter. Another 
stove contains a great variety of subjects, many of 
them flowering, including such as Begonia haageana, 
the beautiful Browallia speciosa major, always in 
flower, Reinwardtia tetragyna, R. trigyna, Aeschy- 
nanthus lobbianus and A. speciosus, the two latter 
being handsome basket plants, with richly coloured 
flowers. Begonia foliosa is also a pretty basket 
plant. Dracaena Lord Wolseley, an ally of D. ter- 
minalis, is not usually regarded as a flowering plant, 
but it is charming here, being dwarf, with a large 
panicle of bright purple flowers. The marbled 
flowers of Aristolocbia elegans are both curious and 
pretty. The red berries of Ochna multiflora, 
surrounded as they are by a black zone on the calyx, 
are both curious and attractive. Cassia corymbosa 
usually regarded as a greenhouse subject, is hardy 
here against a house in Exeter. Indoors it is still 
flowering. Musa Basjoo (also known as M. japonica) 
flowered out of doors last summer in Cornwall, 
where it has stood for two years, being the hardiest 
of all the Musas. 
Pelargoniums are accommodated in another house. 
Agapanthus umbellatus variegatus in some quantity 
has fine foliage. Richardia Lii tie Gem flowers very 
freely in small pots ; and beside it is the black Calla, 
Arum sanctum. The pale yellow flowers of Primula 
floribunda grandiflora are much larger than those of 
the type. Pourretia mexicana is said to be hardy, and 
Eulalia gracilis is hardy even at London. 
Lachenalia Nelsoni is coming along beautifully on 
shelves near the glass. A curious phenomenon is 
noticeable in plants of Primula floribunda hanging by 
its roots from the underside of shelves overhead. Seeds 
must have dropped from plants upon the shelves, 
and, slipping partly through the seams of the shelves, 
germinated there, making their exit on the underside. 
Of course, some soil or fibre on the shelves prevented 
the seedlings from getting dried up. 
Close by in another house is a collection of Cannas, 
including all the best of Crozy’s varieties, and the 
new race of large flowering hybrids. The latter are 
represented by Italia, Austria, La France, America, 
Bavaria, Wendlandi, Pandora, Duchess of Marl¬ 
borough, Edouard Andre, &c. The rootstock of 
Bowiaea volubilis is like a large green Onion. 
Amongst a collection of succulents young plants of 
the spiny Agave ferox are very noticeable. Isoloma 
Victor Lemoine has shrubby stems, and showy 
scarlet flowers, densely spotted with crimson. The 
leaves and flowers of Fuchsia triflora superba are 
larger than those of the typical form. 
(To be continued.) 
Early Peach House. —As soon as the flowers 
commence to expand the syringings which have 
hitherto been given twice daily should be dropped, 
for a drier and more buoyant atmosphere is necessary 
to procure the proper distribution of the pollen. The 
system of setting the blooms by means of the syringe 
has been recommended and even now does not want 
advocates, but generally speaking it will be found 
safer and more effective to maintain a dry atmos¬ 
phere and to artificially fertilise the flowers by 
“brushing.” Particularly healthy trees would not 
need anything more than a tapping or shaking of the 
main stem about noon each day, but it is very easy 
to brush over the expanded flowers and it is safer. 
A rabbits tail fixed on the end of a bamboo cane 
makes a first-rate brush, but care should be taken 
not to bruise or otherwise injure the delicate repro- 
ductory organs of the flowers or there will be no 
“ set.” With such mild weather as we are having 
there is no difficulty in keeping up the temperature 
of the bouses and very little need for fire heat. The 
minimum night temperature should be 45 0 Fahr and 
it will range from that to 50°. Air should be given 
as soon as it commences to rise in the forenoon, but 
cold draughts must be avoided, 
After the blooms are " set,” the syringings should 
be resumed, both with a view to clearing the tree of 
the dead flowers and also to keep down insect pests, 
and give the young foliage a fair chance. Be careful 
to use only clean soft water for syringing purposes, 
so as not to choke up the pores of the leaves with 
incrustations. A rise of two or three degrees in 
temperature may be given safely at this period. 
A Succession House should be started at once. 
This will progress in its early stages much quicker 
than the first for the Peach is naturally an early 
bloomer. All cleaning and tying of under glass 
Peaches should now be completed, as even in the 
houses that are not to be started with artificial heat, 
the buds of the trees have swollen to a size that 
renders it unsafe to handle them much. 
THE FLOWER G&RSEN. 
On all hands the stimulating effects of the abnor¬ 
mally mild winter are evident by the unusual 
forwardness of things. Nicely as the mild weather 
is pushing along the winter we shall probably have 
to lament it presently, when late frosts come to 
check and cut up the young, tender growths. Roses 
particularly are far too forward. Some of the estab¬ 
lished trees have shoots on them a couple of inches 
in length, and others that were planted last autumn 
have got over the check of shifting and are pushing 
their topmost buds very rapidly. 
The prevalent south westerly gales that have 
raged in such frequent succession to each other for 
the last few weeks have caused a good deal of 
mischief. Even where trees have not been blown down, 
branches of all sizes have succumbed to the fury of 
the wind, and there is plenty to do clearing away 
the remains. The supports of all the newly planted 
trees should be watched, and after each gale it will 
be wise to pay a visit of inspection all round to see 
that the stakes and bands are in their proper places. 
The copious rains that have fallen have a good deal 
handicapped planting operations, but these latter 
should be resumed as soon as the ground is dry enough 
to work upon. The capacity of drains and water 
courses has also been heavily tried, especially in gar¬ 
dens where the surface is undulating, and the paths as 
a consequence very liable to " wash.” All drains and 
water gullies on hilly paths, should be cleaned cut 
after each storm, as they soon become filled with 
sand, and are then almost useless 
Bulbs. —Where Hyacinths, Narcissi, Bulbous, 
Iris, &c., were planted in good time their growths 
are showing through the soil, and if the mild 
weather continues they will be far too forward, for 
February is usually a moDth of climatic surprises, 
and March generally comes in like a lion. It will 
be advisable therefore to have some sort of protec¬ 
tion ready in case of sharp frost, the coming of 
which does not, however, at present appear probable. 
A few boughs of evergreens stuck in the beds will 
give a deal of protection and will keep off a lot of 
frost. 
Dahlias. —An early opportunity should be taken 
to look over the roots stored away last autumn. 
Some of the tubers are sure to have been bruised, 
and rot will follow in the wake of the bruising. All 
affected tubers should be cut clean out. This will 
give a " job in the dry ” for a wet day. 
Delphiniums. —These lovely flowers are among 
the most valuable of all those in the outdoor gar¬ 
den, and, thanks to our florists, we have a wonder 
ful variety from which to pick and choose The 
plants love a deep, rich soil, not too heavy, but with 
abundant stores of plant food. Where the time can 
be given the sites that are to be occupied by Del¬ 
phiniums should be trenched to a depth of from 2^ 
ft. to 3 ft., plenty of well-rotted stable manure being 
dug in at the same time. The present is a very 
favourable time for getting such work forward. Too 
often we find the Delphiniums relegated to the 
mixed border, where they look well enough of 
course, but no attempt is made to utilise their 
stately beauty in other directions. Medium sized 
beds filled entirely with them are a striking and 
attractive feature, and one that might well be 
copied. 
Chinese Paeonies. —The splitting up of large 
clumps that have outgrown both their strength and 
the limit of their quarters may be carried on now 
with advantage. A sharp spade is all that is needed, 
but it should be in the hands of one who knows how 
to use it, and should not be entrusted to a bungler. 
If the cuts are made cleanly little damage will be 
done to the roots, and the crowns will not suffer at 
all. To make assurance doubly sure, however, the 
wounds may be dusted over with a little charcoal 
dust from the bottom of the sack. Replant the 
divisions as soon as possible, working in fresh loam 
and stable manure where it has become in a measure 
exhausted. Where the plants are growing in beds 
and borders this need for a partial renewal of the 
soil is not so pressing, but where the plants have 
been growing in narrow borders on the margin of 
shrubberies it will be very necessary to see to this 
part of the business, for the roots of the shrubs 
naturally invade the rich soil in the border. A 
thorough digging of such borders with the spade is 
not possible unless the plants are lifted, and hence 
these invading roots gain strength from year to 
year. 
—-- 
©leanings ftgim flic Dmilb 
of Sitenc^. 
The undermentioned subjects were exhibited at the 
meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society on the 10th inst. 
Bigener Orchid.—Mr. Veitch exhibited a flowering 
plant of an Epi-Cattleya (Mrs. Jas. O’Brien), 
Epidendrum x O’Brienianum, the latter being E. 
evectum x E. radicans. The male pareut was 
Cattleya bowringiana. It has been stated that in 
in these bigeners the results generally resembled the 
female parent almost entirely, but in this case there 
was a decided inclination towards Cattleya in the 
form of the lip and foliage. 
Mildness of Season —Mr. Wilks brought a 
spray of Oak leaves, still partially green, aod men¬ 
tioned that Blackberries had been lately gathered 
ripe—an unusual occurrence in early January. 
Thuya gigantea (plicata) barked — Dr. 
Masters showed a stem which had been nearly 
stripped of its bark, exposing the centra' axis as an 
almost cylindrical rod. The young wood had made 
renewed efforts to surround the latter, which appeared 
to be dead. It was received from Mr. Croucher, of 
Auchstertyre, near Crieff. 
