146 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 6, 1909. 
Three Jasmines 
- FOR THE - 
Greenhouse. 
No garden can be complete without the 
Jasmine in some of its forms, for there 
are few flowers which yield such sweet 
perfume. This sweetness has been cele¬ 
brated from the earliest times, coming to 
us 'mid legend and Oriental fable which 
have left their traces in the Aral? name of 
Jessamine. 
The greater part of the species are hot¬ 
house climbers though there are several 
which can be grown in the open in the 
southern parts of our island. But there 
are a few of them which can be grown 
with ease in an ordinary greenhouse or 
conservatory, where frost can be excluded. 
The following three are of easy cultiva¬ 
tion : — 
J. azoricum. 
This is a beautiful species haling from 
the Azores. It is of very free growth, with 
long, twining shoots excellent for cutting ; 
the glossy bright green leaves are divided 
into three heart-shaped leaflets, and every 
shoot bears beautiful fragrant white 
flowers during summer and autumn. This 
variety succeeds best when planted in a' 
small restricted border and the young 
growth trained up the roof on wires, in 
such a position it will show its full beauty. 
The plant will need pruning when well 
established, which must be done in early 
spring before growth commences. Cut 
away weak growths entirely, and shorten 
back the side growths on the strong 
shoots. 
J. odoratissimum. 
This very pretty evergreen kind is of 
dwarf, bushy habit, and flowers over a 
long period. The flowers are scented like 
Jonquils, and of a bright golden colour, 
which fade almost to white. The deep 
glossy r green foliage is carried on very stiff 
stems. This variety is easily grown in 
pots and is useful for standing in the dwel¬ 
ling house, where the perfume is much ap¬ 
preciated. It is, I believe, grown in the 
south of France under the name of Jon¬ 
quil-scented Jasmine. There is also a 
variegated form, but almost useless. 
J. pubescens. 
This is a lovely winter-blooming plant, 
yielding deliciously fragrant flowers from 
November onwards. The large white 
clusters come first at the tips, and then 
from the side shoots, so it is rarely with¬ 
out flowers. This variety is very effec¬ 
tive if trained on the back wall of a lean- 
to house, or up the roof, from where it 
can be taken down when it has finished its 
growths and trained into specimen plants, 
in which manner it is very useful. 
Culture. 
When grown in pots see that the drain¬ 
age is perfect. A compost of turfy loam 
and leaf soil in equal parts and enough 
coarse sand to keep it porous is all that 
needed. Pot the plants firmly. This 
must be done in early spring just before 
the growth commences. After potting 
place them in a house that can be kept 
close for a few days just to start them 
into growth, a vinery that is starting suit¬ 
ing them well. As soon as growth gets in 
swing give them a light airy position, 
using the syringe freely to keep down in¬ 
sects. Care must be taken when water¬ 
ing at the roots, for they refuse to grow 
in anything that is inclined to be sour or 
stagnant. .During the resting season they 
must be kept rather dry. Keep the growth 
neatly tied or if dwarf plants are needed 
pinch the leading shoots. All three varie¬ 
ties are easily increased by suckers, layers 
or cuttings of half ripe wood taken as 
early in spring, as possible. Cuttings 
must be placed under a hand-light and 
kept close till well rooted. If young 
plants of J. pubescens are grown on in a 
moist atmosphere till summer, then 
gradually hardened and ripened off in the 
open air, they will make useful little 
plants the following winter for decoration, 
very little forcing being needed to bring 
them into flower. J. odoratissimum can 
also be raised from seed, many of them 
flowering the second -season. Do not re¬ 
pot any of the varieties too often, for they 
succeed best when kept fairly pot-bound 
and fed gently with any of the well-known 
fertilisers. H. W. 
-- Q. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS: —Competitors must 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may oompete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any wayjl any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINC8 will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making the award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
following date of issue. Entries received later 
than Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OP 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers In this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
A prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ F. A.,” f jr the article on 
“Roses in Po s,” page 128. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize 
was awarded to “J. Scammell.” for the article 
on “Rain Water Cisterns”: and another to 
“ H. Arnold” for the article on “Lupiuus 
arboreus Snow Queen," page 130. 
The Cactus 
AND ITS 
Propagatior 
Perhaps one of tue most interesting 
plants is the Cactus, with its endless var 
ties and many different shapes and forn 
It is a native of the desert, and gro 
luxuriantly on the sand and plains , 
tropical countries, so it follows that 
can do with almost unlimited heat, a 
also very little water. 
By Cutting's. 
Propagation in most cases is vt 
simple, and can be done at almost a 
season of the year. There are sever 
methods of raising plants, of which, p 
haps, the most satisfactory is by cuttin' 
Cuttings of off-shoots are removed witl. 
sharp knife and laid on a sunny shelf, 
on dry sand, until the wound heals 
and roots are emitted from the call 
when they should be potted up into sm 
pots,, using a -compost of sandy soil a 
broken bricks. 
By Grafting. 
Another method of increasing stock 
by grafting, which is resorted to in ; 
case of the weaker varieties, which do i 
grow freely except upon the stock of. 
more robust species. The stocks mo¬ 
used are Cereus peruvianus, Cereus t 
tuosus and Pereskia aculeata, accordi 
to the variety intended for working. 
There are many different styles of gra 
ing, and if the scion and stock are be 
weak, cleft grafting should be adopt: 
but otherwise horizontal sections are b : 
to be made, tying them together w 
raffia, but not too tightlv, as it might 
jure the surface. It is also advisable tl 
a small, neat stake should be put in 
the soil and tied to the scion to hold 
erect. 
From Seed. 
Seed can also be sown in very saw 
soil, and placed in a shady position or 
hot-bed until germination commenr 
when thev should be exposed to the lip 
and carefully watered. But as this is l 
very slow process, it is not often adopt: 
What to Grow. 1 
A variety of the Cactus which is p - 
ticularly suited for amateurs is the Phi l - 
cactus, or leaf Cactus, which is one f 
the easiest plants to cultivate, al 
amongst the best of Subjects for the w- 
dow indoors. The blooms are large al 
handsome and of many brilliant colon, 
of which the following is a good selective 
Admiration, creamy white ; Alatus (Pb - 
iantheides), bright rose; Brilliant, vi\ 
scarlet; Ida, rich violet; Eurasian, dr: 
scarlet, magenta margin; and Olivet, 
rose-carmine, very brilliant. There . ’ 
also many others too numerous to m - 
tion. 
Young plants can easily be obtairl 
from any nurseryman, and once seciul 
the stock can be kept un and increased ■' 
taking cuttings of stems five or six inch 
in length, which should be inserted i 
sandy soil and, if possible, given a lit’ 
bottom heat. The cuttings should only e 
kept moderately moist, and never allow! 
to become quite dry. The Phyllocac 
is very hardy, and can be kept in a c-1 
