December 3. 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
971 
The Stove and Greenhouse. 
Dipladenias. — It is seldom that one meets with well-grown 
plants of this genus at the present day, and this may be 
accounted for in some measure by their known susceptibility 
to the attacks of insect pests, especially scale and mealy-bug. 
Having regard to the grandeur and utility of the flowers, either 
upon tire plant or when cut and placed in vases, of water, I 
think room should be found for at least one or two plants for 
training up the rafters 1 or pillars of the stove. D. Williamsii, 
D. proifusa, D. nobilis, D. brearleyana, and D. boliviensis are 
all worthy of cultivation. The last-named species grows and 
flowers, profusely in a temperate house, and, unlike its con¬ 
geners, has small smooth leafage which is the more readily 
kept clean.. The blossoms are pure 1 white with a yellow throat, 
and are invaluable for all kind's of floral work when wired. 
The chief factors, to success in the cultivation of Dipladenias 
is not to overpot. them, and the drainage must be clean and 
open at all times. The plants will now have completed their 
m-cwwth, and may be well cleansed and placed in the coolest 
part, of the stove. The wood should be fully exposed to the 
sun:, and water must be applied spartingly during winter, both 
at the root and in the atmosphere. The best, time to repot, 
the plants is. early in. February. The compost should be used 
in a. lumpy state and consist of two. parts fibrous peat, to one 
each of loam and decomposed cow manure, adding plenty of 
nodules of charcoal and some sharp, silver sand. During their 
season of active growth a temperature, of from 70 deg. to 
80 deg., accompanied with abundance of humidity, should be 
accorded. 
Pancratiums. — Those who. grow quantities of this invalu¬ 
able plant find-no difficulty in having flowers for a, great part 
of the year, as some can bei retarded and others brought on, in 
heat as they are required. There are few stove plants, that 
excel this for fragrance and usefulness, and they are unequalled 
for wiring and making, up into, wreaths and bouquets. As the 
blossoms unfold it is very necessary to pick off the anthers 
containing pollen, or it will fall upon the pure white petals and 
discolour them. Any plants requiring a shift should be 
attended to. before new growth is far advanced, and the com¬ 
post I find to suit, them -is similar to that advised for Eucharisi 
in a. recent calendar. 
Provided the soil is sweet and the plants appear to be thriv¬ 
ing, I do not advise repotting oftener than once in two or 
three years. It is: better to confine the roots somewhat and 
feed liberally during active growth. 
Chrysanthemums. —Preparations for striking the cuttings 
of the large-flowering kinds will now be engaging attention. 
There isi nothing gained by inserting any before the second or 
third week in the present month, and 1 even then many of the 
varieties' will not have yielded the strong sucker-like cuttings 
that are so essential to. success'. Those varieties that are 
known to be shy in producing cuttings should be introduced 
into a genial warmth immediately they are cut down. It is 
good practice to leave 2 ft. or 3 ft. of the main stem of these, 
as robust, cuttings are frequently produced upon them long 
before any appear at the base. Plants having an, abundance 
of good strong short cuttings: should be placed in a cold frame, 
in. order to harden them. It should be borne in mind that the 
condition of the cutting when, inserted plays a most impoitant 
part in the cultivation of Chrysanthemums grown for large 
blooms. In taking them slip, the knife under’ the surface of 
the soil so as to ensure the wood being firm. Insert, singly in 
thumb pots and make quite firm,. A suitable compost, consists 
of two-thirds loam to. one of leaf-soil, adding a little spent 
mushroom-bed manure, wood ashes 1 and sharp, sand. Avoid 
the use of fire-heat, as far as possible, it being far better to 
keep, the covering material on the glass: during spells, of severe 
frosts.. To dispel damp from the frame, admit a. little air at 
the top of the lights for an hour or two in the middle of fine 
days, closing up. early, and syringe with a very fine spray. 
Until it is. seen that the cuttings are rooted close watchful¬ 
ness is necessary, and every detail must be assiduously 
attended to so that no check results. Lose no time in remov¬ 
ing them when rooted to a light, airy shelf in a pit or other 
cool structure. K. M. 
Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
The value of evergreen trees and shrubs is; more fully appre¬ 
ciated during the winter months than at any other season, 
because without them our gardens would’ indeed look empty 
at this dull time of year, and though they are not nearly so 
largely planted' as was: the case twenty-five, or fifty year’s ago, 
yet. in every garden it is necessary to have some. In, years 
past it was the hobby of many to glow representative collec¬ 
tions: of Conifers, and many of the beautiful deciduous trees 
and shrubs we are now fortunate to possess were not. known or 
obtainable, and 1 it. is: not surprising to find that, with the, host 
of flowering shrubs now at our disposal, these have become 
the more popular and far more widely grown. The reason is 
not far to seek, for with evergreen subjects we have their 
beauty all the year round, but with deciduous shrubs there is 
constant, change and variety. In the majority of cases we 
have the foliage first, then the flowers, the seed-pods in the 
form of beautiful berries, beautiful autumn tints, and with 
some highly coloured bark in winter. So it. will be seen, that 
there is. in this section an infinite variety and constant change, 
which must be more appreciated. In addition to, forming the 
necessary furniture in shrubberies, the value of evergreens is 
well known for planting as specimens on grass and figure con¬ 
spicuously for making hedges for shelter or ornament, such as 
Holly, Privet, Yew, Box, etc. 
Some of the variegated varieties of evergreen, shrubs, of 
which I propose to, mention a few of the best, are exceedingly 
beautiful, and can be used with excellent effect if planted dis- 
criminately. It is a great mistake, however, to use too many 
of these, especially when only a small space is. at command, 
as. they appear garish if overdone' instead of producing the 
necessary brightness. 
A large number of useful variegated shrubs' are to, be found 
among the Hollies, and throughout the winter when, carrying 
their innumerable quantities of berries they are highly 
attractive. Many of them are varieties of Ilex Aquifolium, 
and one of the most noteworthy is Golden King, of somewhat 
recent introduction'. It has. large leaves suffused with gold, 
quite distinct from, any other, and forms a handsome specimen. 
I. Aquifolium lutescens is not a common, form, but a, par¬ 
ticularly distinct one, and deserves, more extended cultivation. 
The young foliage is, entirely golden, and when freely laden 
with scarlet berries it forms a, most, conspicuous shrub. For 
making a, small specimen one of the best shrubs I know is, I. 
A. watereriana, which has broadly variegated golden foliage 
and forms a, shapely, spreading bush of veiy close growth. The 
Hedgehog Holly, I. A. ferox foliis aureis,, is: one of the. most 
interesting forms, having very wrinkled leaves which are 
thickly set all round the. edges with spines, giving it, a, most 
formidable appearance, anl in, the centre of the leaf is a, blotch 
of yellow. This, is a compact and not very fast, grower, and 
one of the. most, distinct. 
Among the silver-variegated ones we have several good 
forms. I. A. Silver Queen, is a well-marked and bright, form 
of bushy growth. The Broad Silver is also- good, and the silver 
variegated form of I. A. ferox should be given a place. Of the 
gold and silver forms there are excellent weeping forms, and 
few shrubs give a, better effect on grass. 
Very similar in many respects to the Hollies are Osmanthus 
ilicifolius and its varieties, but they can be readily distin¬ 
guished by their smaller foliage and different habit. The 
typical form makes, a bushy shrub from 5 ft. to 6 ft, in height 
with dark glossy foliage; and the two variegated forms., ar- 
genteovariegata and aureo-variegata, are very pleasing. There 
is. a, variety named purpureus which has young purple leaves in 
spring and again in autumn,. 
I have before mentioned the variegated Privets, and suffice 
to say that few shrubs have more beautifully coloured foliage. 
