THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
5 
NS 
Teas may be treated thesame way asbow- = HALF-HARDY CLIMBERS. 
bons, having only their thin branches 
tipped. ° Hybrid ‘teas as a rule do not re- 
quiré close pruning, but those of the Lady 
Mary Fitzwilliam -kind “may be pruned 
back’ harder. 
removed, as weak shoots only produce 
weaker ones. Liven cold distriets need not 
be without their roses, flor many sorts 
will ke found to do well, such as W. A. 
Richardson, Reine Marie, Héhriette, and 
others, especially H.P. 
In frosty districts Hybrid perpetuals and 
Bourbons may be pruned early, while teas 
and. Noisette, China, Banksia, and’ others 
of more tender constitution should be left 
till all likelihood of frost is over. To 
bend down the wood checks the growth, 
to turn upright strengthens it, to remove 
some leaves lessens the vigor. Two roses 
pruned at different times will not flower 
at the same time. It is possible to re- 
tard or advance the flowering of roses by 
means of pruning or pinching at certain 
times of the year. A. succession of blooms 
may be had early by bending down the 
wood fairly early by pruning long, late 
when cut short.—‘‘The Australian Agricul- 
turist.” 
GROWING FREESIA. 
About the care of the bulbs after the 
flowers are cut, I save all my own bulbs. 
The stock I have has been grown by me 
for twenty-two years. In all that time I 
have never purchased any fresh stock, for 
the good reason that there is not any to 
compare in quality to mine, which every 
one can testify to who has seen my flowers ; 
exploding the theory that it doesn’t pay to 
save ‘your own bulbs. After the bulbs are 
done blooming the foliage is cut off; about 
2 in. above the earth, and the bulbs are 
ripened off by gradually withholding the 
water if the bench roomiisn’t needed. But 
if the room is needed, T lift the bulbs out 
_ with as much earth as possible, using a 
trowel, and put them under the bench to 
ripen off, which answers just ag well as leav- 
ing them on the bench, only it is a little 
more trouble. Then on wet days they are 
picked out of the soil and put in flats, or 
boxes, until all are done. ‘They are then 
sifted through sieves of different size mesh! 
to sort the bulbs into sizes. TI save all 
my bulbs, both large and small. The large 
ones are sold and the small onés I plant. 
Those of the large ones left unsold are also 
planted. The small ones I plant in rows, 
2 in. apart, and 1 in. between the bulbs in 
the rows. These bulbs are about the size 
of dried wax beans, and as small as peas. 
From these I cut fine flowers. The only 
difference is that they are shorter in. the 
stem than those produced from large bulbs. 
I wouldn’t think of planting bulbs so small 
of the ordinary freesia, nor would I advise 
any one else to do so.—R. Fiscurr, Great 
Neck, L.I, 
No overcrowding of shoots - 
slisuld be allowed, and all weakly growth 
‘There is always room to ‘be found among 
the hardy permanent wall plants for a few 
‘of the above class, and some of them are 
content with so comparatively little space 
as to cause no inconvenience whatever to 
them. In fact,'a few of the slender an- 
nuals, as Mina lobata and Mina coccinea, 
would do planted at the foot of a spring- 
flowering plant, such as Cydonia japonica, 
and allowed to ramble over it at will, thus 
forming an’ embellishment after its own 
blossoms have perished. Mina coccinea 1s 
of less rampant growth than M. lobata, and 
would suit the purpose admirably. True, 
its flowers are of short duration, but they 
succeed one another so quickly that there 
is: always a fair sprinkling seen on the 
plant. : ; 
A plant of sterling worth for a trellis is 
Manettia luteo-rubra (bicolor). ‘It hails 
from Brazil, and is often classed as ai hot- 
house climber, but if cuttings are rooted in 
the fall, and taken care of during winter, 
then, when all danger of frost is over, are 
planted out, they will do better than when 
grown under glass, where thrips and red 
spider attack it freely. The flowers, which 
are urn-shaped, are of a vivid scarlet and 
yellow, a very conspicuous combination of 
color. They are borne freely in the axils 
of the leaves. 
Another Brazilian plant more often seen 
as a roof or pillar climber in a warm con- 
servatory than in the open air as a summer 
trellis plant, is Stigmaphyllon ciliatum. Its 
blossoms are borne in panicles of clear yel- 
low flowers, slightly fimbriated; and so: 
stro.gly does it bear resemblance to the 
flowers of Oncidium varicosum: as to merit 
the name of “orchid vine.’ The writer, 
when visiting the nursery of Henry A. 
Dreer, Riverton, N.J., last summer, was 
agreeably surprised to see this most inte- 
resting plant outside, and flowering nicely. 
Two meritorious plants of Australian 
origin are Sollya heterophylla and Hibber- 
tia dentata; the former often called the 
blue-bell creeper, on account of its droop- 
ing blue flowers. The latter has foliage 
of a deep bronze color, with large poten- 
tilla-like flowers of bright yellow. Both 
are evergreen, and well woithy of a trial. 
A little peat or leaf soil should be added to 
the soil when planting. 
A slender but quick-growing trellis plant 
is Rhodochiton volubile, from Mexico. It 
bears very singular flowers in great num- 
bers. The calyx is of a blood-red color, 
while the corolla is nearly black. This 
plant is easily raised fromi seed every year,* 
and requires much’ the same treatment as 
its near relative, Maudandy scandens. 
One cannot omit to mention two at least 
of the Tropeolums, for who that has seen 
that lovely Chilian plant, T. speciosum, in 
bloom, will soon forget it? The brilliant 
scarlet flowers show up most effectively 
against its green foliage. It is not particu- 
lar with regard to aspect, providing it is 
planted in a cool, moist soil. Tropezolum 
canariense will prove itself a worthy com- 
panion for the last-named, with its many 
pretty little yellow flowers.: 
‘Perhaps it is needless to say that all the 
foregoing plants should be pot grown, so, 
that they may, receive mo check when 
planted out at the earliest opportunity — 
Enwin' Marrurews, in the . “Florists’ 
Exchange.” 
PRIMULAS. 
Points of importanée’in the culture of 
all primulas are a good’ drainage in seed 
pans and pots, an abundance of pure air, 
and timely ventilation and the’ use of a 
sweet, sandy, very porous, non-baking soil. 
Good ‘primulas cannot be grown in a loam 
that has a tendeney to bake, to form a 
solid mass every time it becomes a little 
dry. A good sandy compost, partly de- 
composed sod and some gritty leaf mould. 
in equal parts make a good mixture for 
primulas, nice for ‘the seeds and fit for 
the plants in‘pots. The seeds should be 
covered but lightly, preferably with finely 
sifted moss. As soon as the plantlets can 
be handled; when two or three true leaves 
have been made, a transplanting into trays 
becomes necessary. In the case of young 
primulas, a’potting up of the plants at 
this stage does not offer the advantages 
that a pricking off would. Even. another 
transplanting ‘after this, as soon as the 
plants appear crowded, into boxes, instead 
of pots, will render their treatment easier 
and will give greater assurance of entire 
success. Then when they have reached a 
size requiring a 3-in. pot, it is time enough 
to begin pot culture. In potting primu- 
las, especially the Chinese, some extra care 
should be exercised to set the plants deep 
enough to keep them from listing to one 
side or falling over when sprinkled. The 
very flexible neck of the plant, unable to 
carry the heavy crown in an erect posi- 
tion, should be under ground, but only 
deep enough to secure firmness, and not too 
deep, which would cause the crown to de- 
cay. During the summer primulas fare best 
in a frame out of doors, where, in the mat- 
ter of watering, shading, and ventilation, 
they are least liable to suffer from ex- 
tremes in these essentials. In’the fall they 
should be kept there and out of the green- 
house as long as ever the weather allows, a 
cold frame with close-fitting sashes being 
at that time a much better place for them 
than a steam-heated greenhouse. 
PROPAGATING DAPHNE 
~CNEORUM. 
The hardiness of the Daphne cneorum, 
together with its half-prostrate growth 
and lovely, sweet-scented, rose-colored 
flowers, or rose in the bud and pink when. 
expanded, have made it a plant much used 
for the bordering of beds of larger growing 
shrubs, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, and 
kalmais. The flowers come in early spring, 
and for sweet odor can hardly be excelled. 
This daphne delights in a light, sandy soil. 
Tn fact, it may be all sand for planting in, 
if a good mulching of manure be placed © 
