326 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  19,  1900* 
having  been  the  first  to  cultivate  the  Potato  for  the  English  dinner 
table.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  to  Admiral  _Sir  John  Hawkins,  the 
ereat  Elizabethan  navigator,  that  we  owe  gratitude  for  the  first 
Engli-h  grown  specimen  of  that  important  tuber. 
The  Rot  al  exiles  of  the  Restoration  brought  Avith  them,  on  their 
return  to  Englai.d,  amongst  other  accessories  of  the  kitchen  garden, 
the  Bean,  Tea,  Lettuce,  and  Asparagus,  which  were  originally  grown 
in  the  Island  of  Cos,  near  Rhodes,  in  the  Mediterranean,  Haricots  or 
French  Beans  were  originally  native  to  the  East  Indies,  and  with 
r  egard  to  the  common  Broad  Bean,  its  origin  is  1  st  in  obscurity,  for  it 
is  not  found  in  any  part  of  the  globe  in  a  wild  state.  The  Tomato, 
that  has  been  cultivated  so  largely  in  England  of  late  years,  is 
exclusively  of  Peruvian  origin,  neither  it  nor  the  Cai  sicum  leing 
known  in  Europe  till  after  the  discovery  of  America.  Spinach  found 
its  way  here  in  the  first  instance  from  Western  Asia,  but  the  most 
valuable  species  has  beeu  imported  from  New  Zealand  during  th-;  past 
few  years.  Asparagus  and  Beetroot  originally  found  their  way  into 
our  island  from  the  sunny  fields  pf  Italy.  The  discovery  of  Ameiica 
i  roduced  for  the  gardens  of  England  about  3000  novel  varietits  of 
vegetation,  South  Africa  close  on  2000,  w’hich,  combined  with 
constantly  increasing  additions  from  Australia  and  other  countiies, 
bid  fair  to  endow  us  with  a  vast  cosmopolitan  flora.  Many  of  these 
will  in  course  of  time  become  thoroughly  acclimatised,  and  should  our 
civilization,  like  that  of  Rome,  ever  suffer  an  eclipse,  future  scientists 
will  disf  ute  much  more  regarding  “  What  are  indigenous  British 
l>lant8  ?  ”  in  the  year  5000  A.D.  than  we  do  about  the  original  habitat 
of  the  Apple,  the  Pear,  the  Wheat,  and  the  Plum. 
- - - 
Dwarf  Phloxes. 
It  is  not  many  years  since  the  species  and  varieties  figuring  under 
the  head  of  Alpine  Phloxes  were  comparatively  few  in  number,  and 
while  the  former  remain  about  the  same  to-day,  the  latter  have  increased 
considerably,  bringing  new  and  pleasing  shades  of  colour,  while  for 
free  growing  and  flowering  they  are  all  that  can  be  desired.  These  latter 
remarks  apply  more  especially  to  the  varieties  of  setacea  which  enrich 
our  gardens  in  the  spring  to  some  considerable  extent.  The  whole  of 
the  varieties  of  setacea,  as  well  as  frondosa,  nivalis,  and  Nelsoni,  form 
dense  prostrate  cushions,  which  in  May  and  June  are  completely  hidden 
by  the  numbers  of  flowers  produced.  Nothing  can  surpass  them  for 
effect  in  the  spring  garden,  and  where  this  is  indulged  in  to  any  extent 
some  of  these  Phloxes  should  be  among  the  number. 
For  the  convenience  of  those  desirous  of  securing  the  most  distinct 
varieties,  I  will  give  what  I  regard  as  the  best,  all  points  considered  : 
atro-purpurea,  dark  rosy  purple,  very  free  and  a  good  doer ;  The  Bride, 
pure  white,  with  a  ring  of  scarlet  spots  in  the  centre,  a  telling 
variety,  habit  very  compact,  and  an  abundant  bloomer  ;  compacta 
well  bears  out  its  name,  and  produces  rose-coloured  flowers  freely. 
Vivid  in  point  of  colour  is  the  most  effective ;  it  does  not  produce 
flowers  as  large  as  some,  but  is  remarkable  for  freedom,  while  for 
colour  it  stands  alone;  its  rigid  tufts,  studded  with  rosy  scarlet  flowers 
with  deeper  centre,  render  it  very  conspicuous.  The  foregoing  I 
consider  the  best  and  most  distinct  of  the  forms  of  setacea,  apart  from 
which  there  are  several  which  cannot  be  omitted.  Among  these  Nelsoni 
stands  flrst,  and  is  covered  with  pure  white  masses  of  bloom,  a  most 
charming  plant ;  and  frondosa,  with  rosy  pink  flowers.  All  these  are 
very  similar  in  general  aspect,  quite  hardy,  and  most  effective. 
But  what  I  regard  as  the  gem  of  all  the  Alpine  Phloxes  is  P.  amcena. 
It  is  an  excellent  plant  for  effect,  and  so  continuous  a  bloomer, 
according  to  the  season,  it  flowering  in  April  or  very  early  in  May,  and 
continues  a  long  time  in  perfection.  I  have  had  this  one  in  flower  for 
six  months,  and  had  as  fine  flowers  in  October  as  in  May;  but  to  get 
this  result  it  should  be  divided  as  soon  as  it  has  ceased  flowering,  and 
planted  in  good  rich  soil.  Attend  to  watering  and  so  forth,  it  will 
speedily  recover,  and  show  signs  of  flowering  again.  Its  full  height  is 
6  inches ;  the  colour  of  the  flowers  is  a  bright  pleasing  pink,  and  to 
see  a  bed  some  40  feet  long  carpeted  with  this  lovely  plant  in  full 
flower,  is  one  of  the  prettiest  sights  in  spring.  The  only  other  that 
calls  for  mention  now  is  that  usually  sold  as  verna,  but  which  correctly 
is  reptans.  It  has  also  been  distributed  under  the  name  stolonifera, 
but  this  species  has  bluish  or  slate-coloured  flowers,  while  verna  (reptans) 
has  reddish  purple  flowers.  Both  plants,  however — i.e.,  stolonifera 
and  reptans — possess  the  same  habit,  hence  the  confusion  probably. 
All  the  varieties  of  setacea  and  their  allies  may  be  increased  by 
division  either  in  autumn  or  spring  after  flowering.  Cuttings  of  all  these 
taken  when  about  2  inches  long — that  is,  of  new  growth  and  with  a  heel 
attached,  root  readily  in  moist  sandy  soil,  in  hand-lights  or  frames  kept 
close  and  shaded.  Amcena  may  be  had  in  abundance  by  division  after 
flowering  in  May,  while  reptans  will  root  readily  if  the  runners  are 
on  the  surface  of  the  soil,  and  may  also  be  increased  by  division. 
Every  person  who  takes  an  interest  in  the  cultivation  of  these 
plants  should,  I  consider,  take  an  interest  in  making  the  best  possible 
display  of  them  also.  By  this  I  mean  that  they  ought  not  to  be 
content  by  merely  purchasing  a  plant  and  letting  it  do  its  best.  That 
is  not  gardening  in  its  truest  motives,  nor  is  it  likely  that  the  best 
results  will  be  forthcoming  for  such  scanty  pains.  Let  all  ouhivators 
make  the  most  of  the  space  at  command,  and  few  plants  form  a 
better  starting  point  than  these  Phloxes.  An  amateur  can  buy  one 
plant,  and  in  three  years  it  may  make  a  good  tuft,  but  if  he  had  put  in 
say  fifty  cuttings  each  year  in  the  manner  I  have  described  above,  and 
only  succeeded  in  rooting  half  of  them,  and  potted  them  singly  in  small 
pots,  what  a  grand  stock  of  such  he  may  possess  !  But  amateurs 
will  wonder  of  what  service  such  a  stock  may  be  to  themselves,  but  I 
will  explain.  These  Alpine  Phloxes  require  to  be  seen  in  large  spread¬ 
ing  masses  several  feet  across,  and  to  quickly  obtain  these  handsome 
floral  carpets  they  should  be  increased  freely.  Established  in  small 
pots,  and  planted  out  about  6  or  8  inches  apart  each  way,  they  would 
soon  form  a  mass  of  colour  such  as  is  rarely  seen,  and  make  the  garden 
a  perfect  paradise. — Flower  Gardener. 
— ^ - 
Notes  on  Figs. 
Earliest  Forced  in  Pots. — The  small  but  very  acceptable  Early 
Violet  and  St.  John’s  Pigs  are  now  being  succeeded  by  Pingo  de  Mel, 
White  Marseilles,  and  Brown  Turkey.  To  secure  perfect  ripening  and 
high  quality,  watering  should  be  gradually  reduced  and  syrii'ging  over 
the  trees  must  cease,  but  trees  swelling  their  fruit  should  be  assisted 
with  weak  liquid  manure  twice  a  week  and  the  foliage  be  kept  clean  by 
syringing  at  closing  time.  A  temperature  of  60°  to  65°  at  night,  70° 
to  75°  by  day,  advancing  to  80°  or  85°  from  sun  heat,  is  suitable, 
closing  so  as  to  increase  to  90°,  but  air  must  be  afterwards  admitted  to 
allow  the  pent-up  moisture  to  escape  and  prevent  the  deposition  of 
moisture  on  the  fruit,  which  settling  on  the  apex  is  apt  to  cause 
decay.  This  should  be  avoided  by  a  circulation  of  rather  warm  and 
moderately  dry  air. 
Early  Forced  Planted-out  Figs.— Trees  started  about  the  new 
year  have  the  fruit  advanced  in  swelling,  and  a  mulching  of  sweet 
decayed  manure  about  an  inch  thick  is  of  immense  service  in 
encouraging  surface  roots  and  supplying  nourishment  not  likely  to 
induce  grossness.  Such  mulching,  if  kept  in  a  moist  but  not  constantly 
saturated  state,  and  added  to  from  time  to  time,  will  be  full  of  active 
feeders  by  the  time  the  trees  need  most  assistance,  in  order  to  perfect 
their  crops ;  and  some  substantial  chemical  food  every  three  or  four 
weeks,  or  more  distantly  according  to  requirements,  will,  other 
conditions  being  favourable,  secure  sturdy  growth  and  good  results  in 
the  first  and  second  crops.  Trees  in  borders  of  limited  extent,  and 
those  of  short-jointed  fruitful  habit,  will  require  copious  supplies  of 
water  or  liquid  manure.  Syringing  may  be  practised  twice  a  day  in 
bright  weather,  occasionally  in  dull,  maintaining  a  genial  condition  of 
the  atmosphere  by  damping. 
During  favourable  weather  the  ventilation  should  be  free,  with  the 
object  of  securing  stout  growth,  and  thick,  healthy  foliage.  Care  ought 
to  be  taken  to  admit  all  the  light  possible,  duly  attending  to  pinching 
the  growths,  rubbing  off  the  superfluous,  and  thinning  out  all  the  over¬ 
crowded  shoots.  The  temperature  should  be  maintained  at  60°  to  65° 
at  night,  70°  to  75°  by  day,  advancing  to  80°  or  85°  from  sun  heat, 
closing  so  as  to  run  up  to  90°  on  fine  afternoons,  but  admitting  a  little 
air  before  nightfall,  as  pent  up  moisture  is  deposited  on  the  foliage  and 
fruit  during  the  night,  and  favours  fungoid  pests. 
SuccESSioNAL  Trees. — Tiecs  started  during  February  or  early  in 
March  will  require  attention  in  disbudding  or  thinning  the  growths, 
regulating  the  terminal  and  successional  shoots,  and  stopping  the  spurs 
at  the  fifth  leaf.  In  order  to  secure  a  good  and  certain  swelling  m  the 
first  crop  fruit,  it  is  excellent  practice  to  pinch  the  growths  somewhat 
closely,  or  to  three  or  four  good  leaves,  and  afterwards  reduce  them  by 
disbudding,  so  as  to  prevent  overcrowding,  repeating  the  stopping,  if 
necessary,  at  the  fifth  leaf.  It  is  not  advisable  to  bring  the  trees  on  too 
rapidly  in  the  early  stages  of  growth,  55°  to  60“  at  night,  and  65°  by 
day,  advancing  to  70°  to  75°  from  sun,  with  moderate  ventilation,  and 
above  admitting  abundance  of  air,  as  it  is  very  import^it  that  the 
foliage  be  of  good  substance.  When  the  trees  aie  in  full  leaf  the  night 
temperature  should  be  maintained  at  60°  to  65°,  70°  by  day,  allowing  a 
rise  to  80°  or  85°  from  sun  heat,  closing  early  with  abundance  of  moisture. 
Late  or  Unheated  Houses.  —  The  trees  having  had  attention  in 
thinning  the  least  fruitful  growths  and  the  old  and  bare,  so  as  to 
afford  space  for  the  successional,  it  is  desirable  to  allow  the  shoots  for 
bearing  to  grow  somewhat  loosely  with  their  points  to  the  light. 
Stopping  must  play  an  important  part  in  cool  houses.  Pinch  at  the 
fourth  or  fifth  joint  on  the  young  wood,  which  will  assist  the  swelling 
of  the  fruit  and  induce  the  trees  to  break  and  produce  short-j  unted 
wood  from  the  base  of  those  in  bearing,  but  do  not  allow  more  shoots 
to  remain  than  can  have  full  exposure  to  light,  reducing  them  by  timely 
attention  to  disbudding.  Ventilate  freely  at  and  above  50°,  advancing 
to  65°  from  sun  heat.  The  border  should  be  brought  into  a  moist 
condition  if  dry,  afterwards  mulch  lightly  with  short  manure.  Figs, 
however,  in  nnheated  houses  do  not  require  nearly  so  much  moisture 
as  those  in  heated  structures,  but  an  occasional  damping  will  be  neces¬ 
sary  to  maintain  a  genial  condition  of  the  atmosphere,  ventilating  freely 
on  all  favourable  occasions,  especially  in  the  early  part  of  fine  days,  so 
as  to  secure  sturdy,  short-jointed  wood  and  well  developed  leathery 
foliage. — Grower. 
