24 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
January  11,  1500. 
hot-water  pipes  fixed  beneath  the  central  as  well  as  the  side  stag;ts, 
the  heat  is  evenly  distributed  throughout  the  house,  and  with  proper 
attention  to  damping  and  syringing,  Palms  in  such  houses  may  be 
kept  in  superb  health. 
It  is  not  wise  to  be  too  particular  in  regard  to  temperatures  ;  the 
great  aim  should  he  to  always  have  the  pipes  comfortably  warm,  and 
to  avoid  sudden  changes  of  temperature.  If  the  thermometer  ranges 
from  60°  to  70°  at  night,  and  a  few  degrees  higher  during  the  daytime 
in  dull  weather,  satisfactory  progress  will  be  made.  During  cold 
windy  weather  the  thermometer  may  be  allowed  to  fall  several  degree  s 
lower  as  long  as  the  pipes  are  thoroughly  warm.  In  early  morning 
the  first  duty  of  the  attendant  in  charge  of  a  Palm  house  is  to  damp 
the  walls  at  the  back  of  the  hot-water  pipes,  and  the  floor  or  space 
beneath  them.  This  to  be  done  only  when  the  temperature  is  at  its 
proper  point,  on  any  occasion  when  it  is  somewhat  low  the  damping 
ought  to  be  deferred  for  a  time.  During  the  morning  after  the 
watering  has  been  performed,  and  the  temperature  has  risen,  all  dry 
places  in  the  house  should  be  moistened,  including  the  space  on  the 
stages.  Thoroughly  healthy  atmospherical  conditions  are  then 
secured.  During  the  afternoon  the  walls  near  the  hot-water  pipe® 
usually  need  damping  again,  even  in  foggy  weather,  and  the  plants 
are  then  comfortable  till  the  next  day. 
The  plants  require  little  syringing  in  the  depth  of  winter,  and 
should  only  receive  it  when  bright  gleams  of  sunshine  occur,  ( xcept  in 
the  case  of  plants  in  an  extra  dry  corner,  such  as  one  generally  finds 
in  nearly  all  houses;  in  these  cases,  when  hard  firing  is  resorted  to,  it 
may  be  necessary  to  syringe  the  plants  daily  for  a  time.  An  expert 
with  a  good  jet  syringe  performs  the  work  in  such  a  way  that  every 
particle  of  the  under  as  well  as  the  upper  sides  of  the  fronds  is 
thoroughly  moistened  without  using  enough  water  to  sodden  the  soil 
in  the  pots.  The  heavy-handed  syringer  cannot  he  tolerated  in  winter 
time.  As  the  days  lengthen  and  become  brighter  daily  syringings 
will  be  needed.  At  the  risk  of  being  considered  precise  and  prosy, 
I  have  treated  this  matter  in  detail,  because  I  know  that  it  is 
one  of  the  most  important  points  connected  with  successful  Palm 
growing. 
In  regard  to  watering  little  need  be  said,  as  the  same  care  is 
essential  when  dealing  with  newly  potted  Palms  as  with  other  plants, 
and  when  the  soil  is  packed  with  roots  far  mpre  liberal  quantities  are 
required.  Whenever  watering  is  done  do  it  thoroughly,  then  with¬ 
hold  it  till  the  soil  is  fairly  dry  again.  Immense  quantities  of  Palms 
are  now  raised  from  seeds,  both  in  this  country  and  on  the  continent-, 
and  during  the  winter  months  large  numbers  are  potted.  In  a'l 
stages  small  shifts  should  be  given.  Young  plants  in  “  thimbles  ” 
when  well  rooted  ought  to  be  potted  in  3^-inch  pots,  and  in  subse¬ 
quent  stages  transferred  to  5-inch,  then  to  7-inch  ones,  in  which 
sizes  they  are  in  great  demand  for  decorative  purposes.  Many  young 
plants  in  the  early  stages  are  'grown  entirely  in  leaf  soil,  but  larjie 
specimens  do  not  keep  in  good  condition  long  when  potted  in  such 
light  material.  A  compost  which  may  be  relied  upon,  is  one 
formed  of  two  parts  of  fibrous  loam — inclined  to  be  heavy  rather  than 
light— one  of  peat,  and  a  tenth  of  sand.  This  compost  should  he 
pressed  very  firmly  with  a  potting  stick,  and  the  surface  finished 
with  the  fingers,  always  remembering  to  leave  sufficient  space  for 
holding  water  enough  to  moisten  the  whole  ball.  If  the  soil  about 
the  root  is  moist  when  potting  is  performed,  water  will  not  be  required 
for  some  days,  then  it  should  be  given  through  a  rose,  and  in  the  same 
way  for  some  time  after. 
The  most  troublesome  insects  Palm  growers  have  to  contend  with 
are  the  small  white  and  brown  scales,  and  although  many  insecticidi-s 
are  supposed  to  kill  such  pests  without  injury  to  the  plants,  few,  if 
any  of  them,  will  really  do  so  except  when  used  at  too  great  a  strength 
to  be  safe.  If  the  plants  are  dipped  in  an  insecticide  as  soon  as  the 
slightest  trace  of  scale  is  noticed,  it  may  often  be  destroyed,  but 
when  once  these  pests  gain  a  thorough  footing  the  only  effectual  way 
of  clearing  them  is  by  the  tedious  process  of  sponging ;  then  by 
periodical  dippings  the  enemy  may  eventually  be  overcome.  The 
greatest  care  should,  howtver,  be  exercisM  in  purchasing  only  such 
plants  as  are  quite  clean,  for  even  if  the  price  is  high  they  are  cheaper 
in  the  end. 
Kentias  are  undoubtedly  more  largely  grown  than  any  other 
species  of  Palm,  and  either  for  private  or  commercial  establishments 
they  stand  unrivalled  for  decorative  work.  Belmoreana  and  Fosteriana 
are  the  best  varieties  ;  the  former  is  usually  preferred  to  the  latter  on 
account  of  its  more  elegant  fronds.  Cocos  Weddeliana  still  maintains 
its  position  as  the  best  among  the  small  graceful  formed  section,  but 
Geonoma  gracilis  is  well  worth  growing.  Areca  lutescens  is  a 
beautiful  Palm,  but  unfortunately  does  not  last  well  in  rooms. 
A.  Baueri  and  A.  sapida  are  noble  as  large  plants  for  conservatories, 
as  they  produce  such  bold  leaves.  Cocos  plumosa  is  a  gem  among 
species  which  grow  tall  and  slender,  without  undue  spread  of  frond_ 
If  we  add  to  the  above  list  Latania  borbonica,  Corypha  Wagoniy 
Phoenix  canariensis,  P.  rupicola,  Raphis  flabelUforrnis,  and  Seaforthia 
elegans,  I  think  for  decorative  purposes  we  could  not  well  improve 
upon  it.  Other  choice  and  rare  species  there  are,  of  course,  but  such 
cjme  only  within  the  reach  of  a  lew. — Plantsman. 
LATE  SPRING  PLANTING. 
When  I  read  the  remarks  by  “  H.  R.  R.”  (on  page  571)  under  the 
above  heading,  I  said  to  myself,  surely  there  is  such  a  thing  as  riding 
a  hobby  to  death;  and  how  this  poor  animal  has  been  kept  going  up 
to  the  present  by  dint  of  whip  and  spur  I  know  not.  Certainly,  to 
read  the  bulk  of  the  articles  on  planting  fruit  and  other  deciduous 
trees  which  one  comes  across  in  the  columns  of  the  horticultural 
press,  one  would  arrive  at  the  conclusioi  that  the  proper  time  for  this 
operation  docs  not  extend  beyond  a  fortnight,  or  at  the  most  a  month, 
in  the  autumn,  and  that  to  attempt  to  plant  at  any  other  time  is,  as 
your  correspondent  calls  it,  a  makeshift. 
Unfortunately  for  nurserymen  no  one,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  attempts 
to  confute  these  statements  about  early  planting,  and  consequently 
the  amateur  works  him  or  herself  up  to  a  pitch  of  frenzy,  and  writes 
to  the  nurseryman  about  the  second  week  in  November,  saying  that 
it  is  too  late  to  plant  fruit  trees,  and  that  the  order  which  has  been 
given  must  be  countermanded  ;  upon  which  the  nurserymen  smiles  a 
sickly  smile,  and  after  using  his  blue  pend  to  cancel  the  order, 
dictates  a  letter,  as  soothing  as  he  can  make  it,  to  his  customer, 
explaining  that,  with  the  best  of  endeavours,  it  is  out  of  the  question 
that  all  one’s  customers  can  be  supplied  in  one  week,  and  so  on  and 
so  on. 
But  what  are  the  facts  of  the  case?  I  believe,  with  your  corre¬ 
spondent,  that  there  is  a  time  in  the  early  autumn,  when  the  leaves 
have  changed  but  are  still  on  the  trees,  when,  given  sufficient 
moisture  in  the  soil,  deciduous  stock  may  be  transplanted  with  every 
certainty  of  success,  and  when  they  will  make  fresh  roots  so  quickly 
as  to  be  established  in  their  new  quarters  before  winter  sets  in.  For 
many  years  past  we  have  supplied  fruit  trees  to  local  allotment  holders 
and  market  growers  during  the  early  part  of  October,  frequently 
during  the  Goose  Fair”  week,  which  is  the  first  week  in  the  month  , 
the  trees  have  been  lifted  in  full  leaf,  and  we  have  sometimes  thought 
that  they  must  suffer  in  consequence;  but  not  at  all  ;  they  are  taken 
by  cart  the  moment  they  are  lifted  and  planted  again  as  promptly  as 
possible,  and  we  have  never  heard  of  one  of  them  dying. 
Everv  practical  gardener  has  had  the  same  experience  in  removing 
trees  early  in  the  season  from  one  part  of  a  garden  to  another,  and 
most,  or  many  of  them,  have  written  to  the  horticultural  press  upon 
the  subject.  But,  my  good  friends,  of  what  use  is  the  information  to 
the  general  public  ?  Not  every  gardener  would  care  to  drive  to  the 
nearest  nursery,  have  his  trees  lifted,  and  see  that  they  were  replanted 
the  same  day,  either  by  daylight  or  candlelight  ;  whilst  to  the 
ordinary  planter,  who  is  tolerably  happy  if  his  trees  get  planted  the 
same  week  that  they  are  lifted,  the  information  is  of  no  use  whatever; 
for  if  the  trees  lifted  thus  early  are  not  replanted  at  once  their 
bark  shrivels,  and  they  suffer  considerably,  even  if  they  do  not  die. 
We  must  atlmit,  then,  that  this  very  early  planting  is  out  of  the- 
