THE GARDENING WORLD 
174 
February 27, i.904. 
Embothrium coccineum.—'There is no shrub, probably, which 
has evoked more admiration when seen in flower than this mag¬ 
nificent South American specimen, and, though introduced to 
this country somewhat over fifty years ago, it is as yet ex¬ 
tremely rare in British gardens. In the south-west it is no 
doubt hardy in the open, but around London, given the pro¬ 
tection of a wall, it> will succeed well. Some little care is, 
however, necessary. It should be given a wall which is shaded 
from the sun, and also from cold winds, and the compost for 
planting in should consist of peat, leaf-soil, fibrous loam, and 
sand, and frequent, soakings of water should be given when 
the weather is hot and dry. There are many other beautiful 
shrubs for the purpose which should be mentioned, some of 
which I shall describe in my next notes on this subject. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. A. E. .Thatcher. 
The Stove and Greenhouse. 
Fuchsias.—Old plants that are still resting may now le 
j limed, potted up, and started into growth, f uchsias delight 
in a. light, porous soil, and should not be potted boo firmly. 
The' compost should consist of two parts leaf-soil (used flaky ), 
one of fibrous: loam, and half a part of decomposed cow or 
horse manure, adding a few shovels of wood ashes and sharp 
sand. In pruning, cut. back the wood made last, year to within 
three or four buds, of its base. If it is desired to leave the shoots 
longer for the extension or proper balancing of the plants, 
then several inches more may be retained, provided the wood 
is quite ripe. Place in a temperature of about 55 deg. or 
6U deg., and well syringe overhead twice daily. Avoid over- 
watering at the roots 1 , but little will be needed until new roots 
permeate the fresh soil. 
Yeung plants struck from cuttings inserted last autumn and 
kept gently growing all the. winter should be given liberal 
treatment,.and shifted on as required. Cuttings will now root 
readily-, and will make nice.useful stuff for late summer flower¬ 
ing if treated liberally from now onwards. 
Tuberous-rooted Begonias.--These should be brought out 
from their .winter quarters and examined, then potted up. A 
compost, of equal parts loam, leaf-soil, and decayed manure, 
with sand or road grit added will suit well, using it. in a. lumpy 
condition. Do not pot these' too firmly. Placing a good 
sprinkling of sharp sand or powdered charcoal at the base of 
the tubers when potting up will prevent their decay. 
No water should be given beyond syringing overhead until 
the young growths appear, or the soil will become sour before 
rooting commences. A light position in a genial tempera¬ 
ture, of about. 60 deg. should be accorded them. Seed may 
now be sown, 
Adiantuiu cun 3 at urn,—These will now be throwing up new 
fronds, and any potting up or dividing contemplated should be 
attended to without delay, or the tender fronds will be injured. 
I do not advocate the repotting of these plants every year; 
if done every .other year it will be ample. If it is decided not 
to shake them out and repot them, a slight top-dressing of 
rich peaty soil should be given at this time, and as growth ad¬ 
vances give frequent applications of liquid manure, soot water, 
or guano water. These may be .applied alternately in turn 
with clear water throughout the summer with marked results. 
Climbers.—Hoof and pillar plants in the stove or green¬ 
house will now be resting, but. no time should be lo'st in per¬ 
forming the necessary pruning, top dressing, or potting up, as 
the case may be, before growth commences. If the specimens 
are planted cut in confined borders, then the top soil for an inch 
or two should be carefully hand-forked and removed, replac¬ 
ing it with some maiden soil. Specimens in pots should re¬ 
ceive a shift onwards, and top dressed as considered necessary. 
Plants that have not been shaken out and repotted for a year 
or more will naturally need more feeding during the coming 
season of growth than others, as the soil will have become 
impoverished. Prune back fairly bard to well-matured wood 
such climbing plants as Fuchsias, Bougainvilleas, Cleroden- 
drons, Passifloras, Allamandas, and allied subjects, always bear¬ 
ing in mind that immature wood cannot produce a wealth of 
blossom. 
To promote free root action simultaneously with top growth, 
a course of treatment should be accorded as nearly allied to 
nature as circumstances will permit. K. M. 
Achimenes. 
The Achimenes are a very showy free-flowering race oi 
plants winch are of very easy cultivation. 
they can hardly be called tuberous-rooted, but I am not 
quite sure about it, however. Their roots are very curious, 
and are formed of a. number of little scales, [Rhizomes or 
underground stems with leaves in the form of modified scales. 
—En.J 
Achimenes! can be had in bloom for a considerable length of 
time! by starting them in, batches! at intervals of a week or two. 
They seem to thrive best in a, mixture of loam, peat, leaf- 
soil and spent. Mushroom, manure, with a, liberal amount of 
silver sand to keep, the mixture light and open. The earliest 
batch should be started in February, and then at intervals, so 
a,si to get a, succession of bloom. The February batch, with 
good cultivation,, will come into, bloom during June. 
M lien potting the roots be sure and give, them very good 
drainagei, then, fill the pots nearly to the top with tliei above- 
mentioned mixture, and cover the roots with about 1 in. or 
so of compost'. The roots should be placed about 1-J in. or 2 in. 
apart. 
When, potted place them in a brisk stove temperature where 
therei is plenty of moisture; keep them growing in a warm 
temperature! until they are about to open their bloom, when 
they may be placed in a cool conservatory, where the blooms 
will last much longer than if they were kept warm. 
Some gardeners prefer to start; the roots in pans, or boxes 
before they are potted into their flowering pots or pans., but 
I do not, think anything isi gamed by so doing. When the 
young shoots, have grown to about 4 in. to, 6 in,, in height they 
should be staked, sot as, toi support, them and .so keep them 
good-shaped plants. Always keep them as near the glass as 
possible or they will become weak and spindly. When the 
pots have become full of roots they will require copious sup¬ 
plies of wafer, and a, little weak manure water given occa¬ 
sionally will greatly benefit them. 
Achimenes make a, most, lovely and charming basket plant 
for the conservatory, a,s when so, grown they form a perfect 
ball of bloom, if the centre, shoots are staked up, and the sides 
allowed to hang down ; they ■should be grown, in open wire- 
work baskets,, so that a few roots may be pricked in round the 
sides, of the. baskets. When in, full bloom and well grown they 
are a perfect picture. 
When the plants, have done, blooming they may be taken 
into a. cool house and gradually ripened off, but, on no account 
withhold water too suddenly or they cannot possibly form 
good roots for the next season. 
W lien, they are dried off store the pots away in a cool dry 
place, but if they are shaken,.out, of the soil the roots, must he 
stored away in dry sand or some such, material or they will 
waste away completely. 
1 here are a, great many varieties to. be had now, including a 
very large range of colour, including shades, of crimson, 
scarlet, white a,nd blue, etc. 
Achimenes come into bloom at a time when there is plenty 
of bloom in the house®, yet they brighten, up the conservatory 
wonderfully and are well worthy of any labour or trouble be¬ 
stowed upon them. Japokica. 
The employees of the seed, floral, and nursery departments 
of Messrs. Ben lleid and Co., Ltd., held a. most enjoyable “At 
home ” in the Cafe Royal, Aberdeen, on the 11th inst. 
