526 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 13, 190i. 
teeming population, tons of wholesome fruits are 
allowed to fall from the trees and rot when the crop 
happens to be a heavy one." 
JOHN CLAUDIUS LOUDON. 
{Continued from p. 488.) 
Previous to 1813 the Continent had long been 
closed to visitors from this country so that very 
little, practically, was known about gardening and 
kindred subjects in the interior. Owing to the 
general rising against Napoleon Bonaparte in that 
year, the Continent was once more thrown open, and 
Loudon took advantage of this to see for himself 
and collect information upon ihose things which 
most interested him. Making preparations he 
forthwith sailed from Harwich on March 16th, 
landing at Gottenburg, in Sweden. Here he was 
delighted with the country, its roads and systems of 
education ; but his peculiar temperament prevented 
him from staying any length of time, as he was 
anxious to plant himself in the theatre of the war. 
Accordingly on April 14th he found himself at 
Konigsberg, having travelled by way of Memel. In 
every direction there was no lack of evidence of the 
destructive influence of war in those days, all the 
country houses being in ruins, the roads broken up, 
and skeletons of horses lying bleaching where they 
fell. The streets of Elbing were filled with the 
goods and live stock of the country people fleeing 
from the French army passing only two miles off. 
Near Dantzic the Russian Cossacks were digging 
holes as dwelling places or huts for themselves and 
horses. After passing through Swedish Pomerania, 
and while nearing Berlin he found the avenues of 
trees leading to that city full of carriages, waggons 
and foot passengers all making for that city for 
protection. 
At Berlin he stayed for seventeen days, after which 
he proceeded to Frankfurt on the Oder. Here he 
happened to dine with several Prussian officers, who 
supposing him to be a Frenchman, remained silent 
for some time till they heard him speak in German, 
when they concluded that he must be an English¬ 
man. When he intimated that he came from Lon¬ 
don, all to a man rose to their feet, while one sprang 
over the table in his haste, and crowded round, 
shaking bands, kissing and loading him with compli¬ 
ments, as the first Englishman they had seen. From 
Frankfurt Loudon proceeded through Possen to 
Warsaw, arriving on June 6th. While travelling 
towards Russia he was stopped at TykocyD, -owing 
to some informality in his passport, and was delayed 
three months till this was rectified. From here he 
travtlled to Wilna, through a country covered with 
the remains of the French army, both men and 
animals. Three Cossacks attacked his carriage 
while entering Kosnow, endeavouring to secure his 
horses ; but they were driven off by the whips of 
the driver and servants. At Mitten he had to sleep 
in his carriage in the yard of the inn; and during 
the night was awakened by animals eating the bay 
that had been placed over his feet to keep them 
warm. Reaching Riga on September 30th he found 
the town barricaded with waggons taken from the 
French. Misfjrtune again dogged his footsteps 
between this town and St. Petersburg, where he 
was taken up as a spy while making a sketch of a 
picturesque old fort. Being hailed before the 
magistrates he felt greatly amused by the comments 
made upon the unconnected memoranda of his note 
book, when translated into Russian. 
On October 30th Loudon reached St. Petersburg, 
just before the breaking up of the bridge, and 
remained there for some months utilising his time 
to the best advantage. His next journey was to 
Moscow which ha reached on March 4th, 1814, 
after surmounting many difficulties. On one of those 
occasions his carriage stuck in the snow, when the 
postilions, unharnessing the horses, told him to 
keep the windows of the carriage close and the 
leather blinds down, and he would be safe from the 
wolves till morning, when they would return with 
fresh horses. Having no remedy he simply followed 
out their instructions with calm resignation — another 
trait in his character best brought out when labour¬ 
ing under the pressure of difficulties. Wolves there 
were in plenty, and they kept him awake with their 
howliDg. A herd of them actually rushed across 
the road close to his carriage. The wind also 
bowled, and well nigh buried the carriage with its 
occupant during the night. True to their promise, 
however, the postilions returned with fresh horses 
in the morning, and the remainder of the journey 
was completed without incident. The streets of 
Moscow were filled with the ruins of churches and 
what had once been splendid mansions, while the 
remainder were yet black from recent fire. ' News 
arrived of the capture of Paris and the entry into it 
of the allied armies ; but though this was on April 
25th the illuminations in honour of the event did not 
take place till May 5th. Loudon left Moscow on June 
2nd, reaching Kiov on the 15th. He next visited 
Cracow, Vienna, Prague, Dresden and Leipzig in 
succession ; thence on to Magdeburg and Hamburg, 
from whence he sailed for England, reaching Yar¬ 
mouth on September 27th, just a year and 195 days 
from the date he left the shores of England. 
-- 5 —- 
METHODS OF PROPAGATION.* 
Since promising to prepare a paper on this subject, 
I have thought several times, that a nursery gardener 
would have been able to discourse on the above in a 
far more lucid manner than I shall be able to, I am 
afraid, but having put my hand to the plough I must 
endeavour to work out the furrow. 
As you all know, many and varied are the ways 
the gardeners adopt to increase our stock, be it fruit, 
flowers, foliage, or vegetables, and as seed is the 
most natural mode, we will dilate upon this first. 
Speaking generally, plants from seed are much more 
healthy and vigorous than from any other source of 
propagation. On the other hand we cannot always 
depend upon their coming true, though at the present 
time (thanks to our energetic nurserymen) they are 
much nearer the goal than even we could have hoped, 
owing to their selection, which means that they only 
save from the very best varieties. In a great many 
instances the best time to sow the seed is as soon as 
it is ripe, but there can be no doubt, spring is the 
most natural time, though we gardeners have to sow 
all the year round to keep a supply going in very 
many cases. Yet spring and early summer when the 
soil is fairly moist, and each day getting warmer, is 
all in favour of germination. It is after some few 
weeks of very hot dry weather during summer, that 
we have the greatest difficulty in getting many seeds 
to germinate, though a lot can, and should be done in 
the way of soaking the drills some few hours pre¬ 
viously to sowing the seed, when the soil is in such a 
parched condition. Again, we can assist nature in 
soaking certain kinds of seeds in warm water for twelve 
or more hours. This applies to such hard seeded 
subjects as Cannas, Camellias, and Nelumbiums ; 
in fact, any that have such hard casings as these, 
come through the soil in much less time had no 
steeping taken place. Shade, too, is a great factor in 
many cases, especially when seeds are sown in pans, 
pots, or boxes, but here we have them more under 
our control than in the open garden, so can give 
them the required treatment as regards water, shade, 
&c., and it is much the wisest to have your soil fairly 
moist before sowing, as a great many seeds if watered 
immediately after sowing fail to come up at all. 
Cucumbers and Melons are very apt to decay if 
watered before sprouting has taken place, and a 
bottom heat of 70° to 8o° favours quick germination 
of a great many, especially those two just mentioned. 
As to the depth that seeds should be sown, it greatly 
varies. The larger the seeds, the deeper they want 
to be buried, and such minute seeds as Begonia, 
Calceolaria, Gloxinia and many others, require little 
or no covering at all, just a dusting of sand will 
suffice; and naturally the finer the seed the more 
flat and even surface to sow upon comes home to us. 
With thtse very small seeds the greatest care is 
necessary in sowing and after treatment as well; for 
if you attempt to water with a rose can ever so fine 
before the seed has germinated, the chances are 
twenty to one (pardon the phrase) that most of it 
will be washed aside and fail altogether. It is far 
better to immerse the pot or pan in a tub of water 
nearly to the rim, so that the moisture can permeate 
or soak through the soil from the bottom upwards. 
Now let us take 
Propagation by Division, 
a most certain and safe way of increasing one's stock 
if carefully carried out at the proper time. It is 
best done in autumn or spring just as growth is 
starting, and includes many of the herbaceous 
* A paper read by Mr. J. Mayne, garJener to the Hon. Mark 
Rolle, Bicton.at a meeting ot the Devon and Exeter Gardeners' 
Association on March 16th. 
flowering perennials, Cannas, Dahlias, Gladioli, 
Tulips; in fact, a host of things come under this 
heading; and we might for convenience sake add 
Potatos, Artichokes, Shallots, Rhubarb, &c.; while 
we multiply various plants from root and stem- 
suckers. The Raspberry furnishes us with the 
former, as well as the Filbert, Rose, Lilac, and 
lastly, though it is unnecessary for one to mention it, 
the Elm. But I do not consider this an advisable 
way to propagate, unless it be the Raspberry, as 
such plants are so liable to throw up many another 
sucker, to the detriment of the parent plant. The 
luscious Pineapple supplies us with stemsuckers, 
Those springing from the soil are not so desirable. 
Propagation by Runners 
is a very expeditious way of increase, and we have 
only to note how soon a large stock of Violets or 
Strawberries can be got, especially the last named. 
Three or more plants on one runner can be had, if it 
is necessary to do this with a new variety, or one 
that may be scarce. On the other hand, if good 
strong plants only are required for forcing or plant¬ 
ing a permanent bed in the open, one only should be 
taken, and this nearest the parent plant, pinching the 
point out of the runner so as to throw the sap into 
this one plant, which otherwise would have been 
shared between three or four, with the result that 
all would have been more or less weak. Of course 
wet weather suits runners much the best, as, if it is 
very dry, few or no roots strike into the soil; but 
by aiding with fresh soil or the watercan, a different 
state of affairs is soon apparent. 
Layering. 
This, too, is a convenient way of increase, and one 
the gardeners often fall on with such plants as 
Carnations, Magnolias, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, &c., 
and it is usually performed on large shoots or 
branches by bending them down and bringing them 
in direct contact with the soil. A little preparation 
of the shoot to be operated on is of course necessary. 
This is done with a sharp knife, by cutting in an 
upward direction nearly halfway into the shoot, and 
pegging the same into the soil, care beiDg taken that 
the slit is kept open by a little stone or piece of 
wood, or else the cut pieces would again unite. This 
is termed tongueiDg, and, generally speaking, is best 
performed about October, especially among hard- 
wooded plants; and by the following autumn the 
layers should be ready to sever from the mother 
plant, and placed in new quarters. It is best to give 
new soil and of a sandy nature when layering. A stake 
is sometimes necessary to tie the shoot, slightly 
bringing the same to an upright position, but not 
enough to try the shoot where it has been cut, or it 
may break. 
(To be continued.) 
EUCHARIS GRANDIFLORA. 
Considerable difficulty is often experienced in 
getting this plant to thrive. In some places it may 
be seen growing almost as free as weeds, and in 
others after every attention has been pa : d to the 
plants, they look sickly and good-for-nothing. It 
delights in a good loamy soil with plenty of sand 
and about one third of well decayed leaves. If the 
plants are in bad health now, the best plan is to 
shake them out and carefully wash the bulbs and 
roots with warm water, keeping a sharp eye for mite 
and maggots. They should be firmly potted, only 
just covering the bulbs, and placed in a warm and 
shady place where the atmosphere can be kept 
thoroughly moist, and the temperature not below 
7o Q at night. They will then make roots rapidly 
and may require a shift, for they should only be 
a'bwed small pots to start in. They should be kept 
growing until late in the autumn ; then they may be 
given a rest by lessening the water supply, only just 
giving sufficient to prevent them flagging. In the 
spring they may be started again, being careful not 
to get the soil sour or they will rot. If they were 
not in a too exhausted condition the previous spring 
they should now begin to show flower, but they may 
go on until the summer or even autumn without 
flowering, as they seem to have no particular season. 
Where a suitable position can be provided they often 
do well planted out in a warm house. The soil 
should be of an open nature, and plenty of drainage 
should be underneath to allow the surplus water to 
pass off and not become stagnant. A little liquid 
manure will be found to aid them considerably when 
growing. The best for this purpose is that made 
