538 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 21, 1900. 
ARISTOLOCHIA ELEGANS. 
Those of us who have seen and have grown the 
above stove climber know how very interesting it is. 
Regarded as a decorative plant without the flowers, 
to me it does not appeal. True, well-grown plants, 
like anything else which is really well done, may be 
regarded from one point of view as beautiful. The 
leaves are reniform.or, perhaps, rather heart-shaped, 
with rounded corners, and of a nice though pale- 
green colour. They are produced thickly, much in 
the fashion of wall Ivy. They are not very largei 
being a few inches, either way. The stems are 
slender, and grow fast. The flowers of Aristolochia 
are commonly called the Dutchman’s pipe, from 
their resemblance to such an article. The top part 
of the corolla widens out greatly and is richly orna¬ 
mented with purple and white in a chequered sort of 
way, the centre being very dark. It contracts 
towards the throat to form a narrow tube, expanding 
a little lower into a bowl to which the flower stalk is 
attached. The “ bowl ” part is pale coloured. The 
attractive entrance is supposed, and very reasonably 
too, to act as a guide for visiting insects which crawl 
down through the narrow tube in quest of food in 
the “ bowl.” Inside the tube there are downward 
pointing hairs, which, of course, are more a help 
than a hindrance for the insect when getting in, but 
the insect, alas, discovers at an irrevocably late 
period that egress cannot be gained that way. The 
prisoner becomes alarmed, and in bustling about 
becomes dusted with pollen. As the flower fades, 
the hairs drop down, and the insect escapes only to 
repeat the operation in another flower, which it un¬ 
consciously fertilises with the pollen with which its 
body is covered. For the sake of the story, the in¬ 
terest, and the beauty, such plants are surely to be 
recommended. 
The sprays of A. elegans are pretty subjects to use 
in decorations, especially where the flowers can be 
arranged in the same manner as that in which they 
grow. Seeds may be sown in small pots in spring¬ 
time, placing the pots in a warm, moist propagating 
case. During the first season the object should be 
to secure strong and vigorous plants. Small shifts, 
moderate beat, and careful attention will all be items 
for the cultivator to consider. Insects hardly ever 
do any harm. After well ripened long shoots have 
been secured, it is necessary to cut back to within 
2 ft. from the pots, which should be of the 8-inch 
size. Winter rest is another point that must have 
due attention. Some growers, indeed, take their 
plants to a cooler house, and re-stage them in a stove 
when they want them to break.— H.D., Edinburgh. 
- 
GRAFTING THE MONOCOTYLEDONS. 
The art of grafting as applied to dicotyledonous 
plants—Pear, Apple, Plum, Rose, &c.—is familiar to 
all gardeners, but as regards the Monocotyledons, 
the process of joining two individuals has been re¬ 
garded as an impossibility. M. Lucien Daniel, a 
French experimenter, from investigations and prac¬ 
tice has seemingly succeeded in securing a complete 
union between the two lips of a comparatively deep, 
longitudinal incision in the stem of the Lily, Iris, 
Canna, Funkia cordata, and in the pseudo-bulbs of 
Laelias, and even in the very young state of Sela- 
ginella arborea. The work is the outcome of long 
and laborious work, the fruit of which has but 
recently shown itself. The grafts were made at a 
very early period. 
Cleft grafting was tried with some other Mono¬ 
cotyledons, and inarching was attempted with Caia- 
diums, but all were eventually unsuccessful. The 
conclusion come to on this point was that the 
methods were unlikely to succeed from the fact of a 
too limited surface for union. In order therefore to 
increase the surface as much as possible he tried the 
splice or whip-grafting, cutting very obliquely 
through at a point near to the apex. The top of the 
severed Vanilla shoot (the subject tried) was again 
carefully replaced and ligatured. A Phelodendron 
was also tried. In both instances success attended 
the effort. The operation was performed during the 
month of May last, and the union of the grafts in 
question is now quite complete. The nodes are 
observed to have elongated, new leaves have been 
produced and aerial roots in one instance have been 
developed. M. Daniel now concludes that all 
depends on the nature of the plants, the length of 
surface for contact, and the mode of grafting prac* 
tised with Monocotyledons, in proving the practic¬ 
ability of uniting a scion and stock. 
- . 
ROCKWORK BUILDING. 
We have evidences on all sides of the widely diffused 
taste there is for rockwork among both owners of 
gardens and those who follow gardening as a pro¬ 
fession ; and I may add a great variety of taste and 
opinions respecting the same. Although rockwork 
is so frequently attempted, the really satisfactory ex¬ 
amples met with are somewhat scarce, it being one 
of those things which are far more difficult to 
execute in an artistic and satisfactory manner than 
is generally supposed. There are almost numberless 
gardens where the attempts made in this direction 
end finally in nothing much beyond a confused heap 
of stones or brick burrs, with a few hardy Ferns and 
the most common of alpine plants struggling for 
existence. 
In many small places anything approaching a fair 
resemblance to natural rock is, from the circum¬ 
scribed space and the nature of the surroundings, 
well-nigh unattainable. At the same time, with a 
little practical experience and taste, an arrangement 
may be carried out which can be made not only 
ornamental but a very interesting adjunct to the 
smallest establishment, and at the same lime afford 
their owners an opportunity for the successful culti¬ 
vation of a large number of interesting and beautiful 
plants in, it may be, a somewhat circumscribed 
space, thus adding very considerably to the interest 
and delights of the garden. Tbe initial cost of 
rockeries in many instances must necessarily be 
relatively high owing to the distances from which 
suitable material can be obtained; otherwise, where 
natural stone exists in the neighbourhood, or brick 
fields are in close contiguity, it will be an easy 
matter to carry out designs of rockwork cheaply and 
well. Where, as in some neighbourhoods, there are 
but few gardens without some steep banks, which 
afford extra facilities for doing it, good imitations of 
natural rocks can be carried out far more readily 
and at less expense than where level surfaces have to 
be dealt with, because the raising of artificial 
mounds may, to a large extent, be dispensed with 
by taking advantage of the natural inequality of the 
ground. 
Where space admits, large boulders should be 
made to project from the natural banks, accompanied 
by masses of fallen stone below them, and crevices 
separating the rocks, which should be bold and 
angular in outline, and abut from the side hills at 
various elevations, and the paths taken by a variety 
of twists and turns among them to the higher por¬ 
tions of the arrangement and down again by steps of 
ever varying dimensions. The summits should be 
planted with the view of securing an outline agree¬ 
able to the rest of the formation, so that, as far as 
possible, a natural effect may be produced. Where 
space is ample, intervals of a few feet or yards in 
accordance with its extent may well be introduced 
and be grassed over, with a few large boulders just 
projecting to preserve the appearance of continuity 
in the rocks. In these intervals, Narcissus, Lilies, 
and other large flowering bulbous plants may be 
suitably introduced, not forgetting a provision for the 
Meadow Saffrons in the hollows, where, in damp 
spots, they will flourish, and, when in flower, pro¬ 
duce a most charming effect. 
Where a sufficient supply of water can be secured 
and introduced at the higher levels of the work, cas¬ 
cades and rapids may be initiated and various shallow 
pools of dimensions, commensurate with the space at 
command, be formed for the cultivation of aquatics. 
The overflow from these will serve to supply those 
portions of the arrangement destined for the cultiva¬ 
tion of bog plants, where, for instance, some of the 
mosses, Sarracenias, and Iris, especially the bearded 
Japanese, which will not flourish long unless planted 
under favourable circumstances. It will add most 
considerably to the interest attached to a garden of 
this kind if a shady glen can be contrived as an 
approach and exit; the effect will be more pleasing, 
and natural. At the same time, for the cultivation 
of a very large proportion of rock plants, an open 
space free from the drip of overhanging trees is 
essential. On the other hand, if Ferns and other 
shade-loving plants are to be introduced, shady 
aspects must be provided. Where the opportunity 
affords a ravine should be made by cutting through 
a natural bank, the shady side of which will form a 
suitable home for many of the Ferns ; and the path¬ 
way through it should be constructed to give the 
appearance of walking over natural rock, even if 
gravel has to form the prevailing material. 
By conducting water along the sides and among 
the rocky stones the effect will be more natural. 
All pathways connected with rockwork should be 
winding. The sinuosities thus created will give a 
most varied number of aspects. One thing of the 
utmost importance to many alpine plants is efficient 
drainage ; for they will not thrive in soil with stag¬ 
nant water. Therefore, when building up a home for 
them see that it is carried out so that this will be effici¬ 
ently secured for the parts of the work destined for 
plants impatient of stagnant water. Obviously there 
is a large number of plants to which these remarks do 
not apply, and which are not at all fastidious in this 
respect. 
A few words respecting the placing of stones and 
building up of large boulders may not be out of 
place, because the stability of the structure and well¬ 
being of the plants is largely dependent upon how 
this is done. Supposing, for example, we are 
putting a large flat stone into position, at the back of 
which it is contemplated to place material for plant¬ 
ing in, it should be fixed firm in the solid earth in¬ 
clining inwards, because if otherwise fixed the 
weight of soil behind it will sooner or later push it 
over. Then again, if it is sought to execute a bold 
overhanging piece of work, dig out a slanting trench 
in the solid ground and upon the outside surface 
place a large flat stone so that the centre of gravity 
is within the base on which it is to rest, at the same 
time protuding beyond its base sufficiently to allow 
the building upon it of other layers of stone to bring 
it to the desired height. Every succeeding stone 
may be made to project further forward provided 
that the same rule as to the centre of gravity 
is adhered to in every successive layer. By these 
means and by filling up the work with stones and 
soils as it progresses, a bold projecting rock can be 
built without aDy fear as to its stability. It may 
well be remarked that these overhanging crags 
ought not be overdone, because they will form dry 
corners which the rain will seldom reach, thus 
rendering extra attention with the water pot 
necessary. 
These remarks are equally applicable to both large 
and small rockeries, for upon their having a good 
foundation depends the stability of the structure, 
however extensive or diminutive it may be. As it 
frequently happens that builders of this work are re¬ 
stricted to brick burrs or similar material, a few 
words respecting the method of dealing with them 
may not be out of place, remarking at the same time 
that from a cultural point of view they are possibly 
of the least value, because of their hardness. Neither 
rain nor the roots of plants can penetrate much of 
this stuff. Natural stone absorbs more or less mois¬ 
ture according to its character. Some kinds appear to 
afford various plants nourishment; at all events they 
root well on them, and seem more at home than 
on any artifical productions which are serviceable in 
building up a home, but contain no storehouse from 
which the plants can serve themselves. 
Hitherto I have been dealing with a side bank on 
which to construct rockwork. I shall now turn to 
where a flat surface has to be dealt with ; and if it 
is purposed to raise it much above the surrounding 
level more than ordinary care must be taken to 
secure its stability, because as is well known that 
however firm freshly moved earth is made by tread¬ 
ing and ramming, it will sooner or later subside and 
cause rockwork erected upon it to tumble in all 
directions, so that what at the outset presented a very 
creditable appearance may ultimately become just a 
confused heap of stones. For this reason every part 
of the structure should have either a direct or in¬ 
direct bearing upon the solid ground. This can 
easily be managed, either by rough arches or iron 
girders being introduced to form bearings as the work 
is carried up. In many instances it will be found 
best to fill up with earth and draining material as 
the work progresses, leaving sufficient space for the 
soil in which the plants are to be grown till after the 
completion of the structure. 
I now propose to deal with brick burrs or similar 
material, and as strength is required to hold the mass 
of material together cement will be the best article 
to use. When the whole thing is complete, with its 
fissures, pockets and ledges, in or upon which the 
various plants are to fihd a home, daub it over with 
