372 
April  29,  1897 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
The  refrigerating  machine,  which  is  the  smallest  size  practicable, 
was  capable  of  dealing  with  a  much  larger  chamber,  its  average  hours 
of  working  per  day  being  only  three  and  a  half.  If  an  average  of 
twelve  hours  a  day  for  the  working  of  the  machine  is  taken,  it  could 
then  maintain  a  store  24  feet  by  24  feet  by  8  feet  high,  which  would 
be  capable  of  storing  some  2000  bushels  of  Apples.  The  cost  of  working 
the  machine  on  such  a  chamber,  based  on  the  experience  gained  in  the 
recent  experiment,  would  be  2s.  2d.  per  day.  Of  course,  larger  instal¬ 
lations,  worked  with  larger  machines,  would  cost  much  less  to  work  in 
proportion  to  the  quantity  of  fruit  kept.  It  is  proposed  to  make 
experiments  during  the  coming  summer  on  the  soft  fruits  as  they  come 
in  season. 
In  that  portion  of  the  experimental  work  managed  by  Mr.  Chambers 
41  bushels  of  fruit  were  scored  in  the  chambers  for  101  days,  and 
35|  bushels  for  fifty-six  days.  Mr.  Chambers  states  that  some  of  the 
summer  Apples  left  in  the  store  until  the  close  of  the  experiment  were 
found  to  be  sound,  but  were  not  so  good  in  flavour,  and  were  somewhat 
soft.  On  the  other  hand  the  winter  Apples  were  of  as  good  flavour  as 
when  put  in,  and  were  quite  as  hard  and  sound. — (“  Times.”) 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
The  Cultivation  of  Bouvardias. 
These  beautiful  plants  are  grown  from  cuttings  taken  from  the  old 
plants,  which  after  flowering  have  been  slightly  rested,  cut  back,  and 
started  again.  A  mixture  of  fibrous  loam,  leaf  soil,  and  sand  is  suit¬ 
able  for  the  cuttings,  of  which  five  may  be  inserted  in  a  60-size  pot, 
watered  and  plunged  in  a  close  frame  where  there  is  a  bottom  heat  of 
about  75°  to  80°.  When  the  -cuttings  are  rooted  they  should  be  placed 
singly  in  “  thumbs,”  using  the  same  compost  as  before,  placing  the 
young  plants  as  near  the  glass  as  possible  in  a  moist  temperature 
ranging  from  60°  to  65°,  and  keeping  them  well  syringed. 
As  soon  as  the  roots  take  possession  of  the  new  soil  the  plants 
must  be  topped  at  the  second  joint,  repeating  the  process  until  they 
attain  the  bushy  habit  desired.  Before  the  small  plants  are  root-bound 
transfer  them  to  48’s,  taking  care  to  disturb  the  roots  as  little  as 
possible  in  removing  the  old  crocks.  The  compost  may  be  the  same  as 
before,  with  a  little  peat  and  spent  Mushroom  bed  material  added, 
passing  this  through  a  half-inch  sieve.  When  the  new  soil  is  fairly 
occupied  with  roots  the  plants  may  be  arranged  on  ashes  in  a  cool  frame. 
During  hot  sunny  days  they  require  to  be  shaded  with  tiffany,  also 
kept  well  syringed,  and  afforded  a  free  circulation  of  air.  When  the 
5-inch  pots  are  filled  with  roots  weak  liquid  manure  will  be  of  great 
assistance  to  the  plants.  Red  spider  and  green  fly  are  very  partial  to 
Bouvardias,  but  if  the  plants  are  frequently  syringed  the  former  will 
not  obtain  a  hold,  and  the  latter  is  easily  prevented  by  occasional 
fumigation. — Elveden. 
[If  this  young  man  learns  to  write  as  well  as  his  father  can  work 
there  will  not  be  many  to  surpass  him.] 
Dipladenias. 
These  are  among  the  showiest  of  all  stove-house  plants.  When  well 
grown  they  are  very  beautiful  objects,  and  whether  in  the  exhibition 
tent  or  in  the  hothouse  they  are  always  attractive.  To  begin  with, 
one  must  have  a  good  command  of  heat,  as  they  require  a  high 
temperature  the  whole  year  round.  They  are  propagated  by  mossing  a 
shoot  or  catlings.  By  the  former  method  the  strongest  plants  are 
obtained.  Select  a  strong  young  shoot  about  2  feet  in  length,  bind  a 
little  moss  round  a  joint,  and  as  soon  as  roots  can  be  seen  through  the 
moss,  which  should  be  kept  moist,  get  a  pot  split  in  halves — a  5  or  6-inch 
one  is  best — and  fit  it  round  the  mossed  joints ;  then  fill  with  equal  parts 
oE  sphagnum  and  lumps  of  peat  with  a  little  sand.  As  soon  as  the  pot  is 
lull  of  roots  the  young  plant  may  be  severed  from  the  parent  and 
eventually  repotted,  shading  it  for  a  few  days.  Cuttings  of  most 
varieties  emit  roots  if  inserted  in  a  mixture  of  peat  and  sand  and  placed 
in  a  propagating  pit  with  a  brisk  bottom  heat. 
The  best  soil  I  have  found  for  Dipladenias  consists  of  equal  parts  of 
good  peat  and  fibrous  loam,  in  pieces  about  the  size  of  walnuts,  with 
charcoal  and  sand,  adding  a  little  artificial  manure  for  large  plants.  If 
the  loam  is  of  a  heavy  nature  some  half-decayed  leaf  soil  should  be  used 
and  only  half  the  quantity  of  loam.  The  pots  should  be  well  drained 
and  the  soil  made  very  firm. 
After  potting  the  plants  are  best  placed  where  they  receive  a  little 
bottom  heat,  but  this  is  not  necessary  if  the  watering  is  attended  to  by  a 
careful  man.  When  not  growing  very  little  water  is  needed  ;  at  no 
time  do  they  require  a  large  amount,  and  it  must  always  be  given  with 
judgment.  When  the  pots  are  filled  with  roots  the  plants  can  be  assisted 
with  a  little  weak  tepid  liquid  manure  made  of  soot  and  cow  manure. 
The  training  of  Dipladenias  is  an  important  factor  in  their  cultiva¬ 
tion.  The  best  method  is  by  small  strings  connected  with  the  roof  of 
the  house,  as  these  can  be  cut  away  to  clean  the  house  or  plants  ;  in 
fact  it  is  the  best  method  for  any  climbing  stove  plant,  the  young  shoots 
twisting  around  it  far  better  than  wires.  As  soon  as  the  points  of  the 
shoots  reach  the  top  of  the  house  a  balloon-shaped  trellis  should  be  fitted 
on  the  pot,  then  carefully  wind  the  shoots  about  twice  round  it,  taking 
the  upper  part  to  the  roof  again. 
If  the  plants  are  required  for  exhibition  the  flower  spikes  should  be 
held  upright  by  means  of  a  few  tintacks  in  the  roof,  and  tied  with  raffia. 
Then  a  few  days  before  the  exhibition  they  can  be  put  on  the  trellis,  and 
the  flowers  will  be  in  an  upright  position.  After  the  exhibition  they 
can  be  taken  off  the  trellis  and  trained  to  the  roof  again,  when  they  will 
continue  flowering  much  longer  than  if  left  on  the  trellis  ;  in  fact  they 
can  be  had  in  flower  for  five  months  of  the  year,  which  is  a  great 
recommendation. 
One  of  the  reasons  why  Dipladenias  are  not  more  generally  grown, 
is  owing  to  their  being  subject  to  the  attacks  of  various  insects.  Aphis 
attacks  the  young  shoots,  and  thrips  the  flowers,  but  these  can  be  coped 
with  successfully  by  smoking  or  vaporising.  Their  greatest  enemies, 
however,  are  red  spider  and  mealy  bug.  For  preventing  red  spider 
there  is  nothing  better  than  frequent  spraying  with  soft  water  on  fine 
days.  Instead  of  the  ordinary  method  of  twice  a  day  the  plants  may  be 
syringed  four  or  five  times  on  hot  days.  A  good  prevention  or  cure  for 
mealy  bug  is  this — to  every  four  gallons  of  hot  soapy  water  add  one 
wineglassful  of  petroleum,  this,  if  used  according  to  the  directions 
below,  will  be  found  very  effective  against  insect  life.  Choose  a  dull 
day,  and  clear  out  any  plants  there  are  underneath  the  Dipladenias,  and 
while  one  man  or  boy  mixes  with  a  syringe,  another  can  syringe  on  the 
plants,  wetting  all  parts,  afterwards  syringing  with  clear  water.  If  this 
is  done  about  once  a  fortnight  through  the  growing  season  little  harm 
will  be  done  by  insects.  Three  of  the  best  varieties  of  Dipladenias  for 
all  purposes  are  Brearleyana,  amabilis,  and  boliviensis. — J.  LG.  * 
[“  J.  L.  G.”  will  be  glad  to  know  that  if  his  large  sheet  of  paper,  on 
which  the  whole  of  this  article  was  written  had  been  cut  into  four  parts, 
he  would  have  added  much  to  the  convenience  of  the  printers.] 
Crotons. 
Crotons  are  charming  foliage  plants,  admired  for  their  bright  colours. 
They  are  grown  in  the  form  of  specimens  for  exhibition,  also  for  group¬ 
ing,  as  well  as,  in  a  small  state,  for  table  decoration.  For  large  specimens 
I  do  not  think  there  are  many  to  excel  the  varieties  Queen  Victoria, 
Warreni,  Williamsi,  Prince  of  Orange,  Prince  of  Wales,  Johannis,  The 
Countess,  Andreanus,  and  volutus.  For  table  and  graceful  plants  for 
grouping  purposes,  I  think  Chelsoni,  angustifolius,  Johannis,  The 
Countess,  Aigburthensis  and  Warreni  are  among  the  most  suitable. 
As  regards  to  the  cultivation  of  Crotons.  They  should  have  a 
well-heated  house  to  themselves  wherever  it  can  be  provided.  The  pipes 
should  not  be  overheated,  but  a  good  temperature  maintained.  When 
the  pipes  are  few  in  the  houses,  they  have  to  be  too  highly  heated  for 
the  well-being  of  the  plants. 
Crotons  in  their  growing  season,  which  is  about  eight  months,  require 
a  temperature  from  70°  to  75°  at  night,  rising  to  85°  or  90°  during  the 
day,  with  sun  heat.  Daring  the  winter  months,  60°  at  night,  rising  5° 
during  the  day,  will  suffice.  Crotons  should  be  frequently  syringed  to 
prevent  the  appearance  of  thrips  and  red  spider,  which,  if  allowed  to 
increase,  spoil  the  foliage  and  deprive  the  plants  of  beauty. 
As  regards  soil,  I  have  seen  the  following  used  with  the  best  results  : 
Good  fibrous  loam,  adding  one-third  each  of  peat  and  coarse  sand,  with  a 
small  quantity  of  Thomson’s  or  Clay’s  manure.  The  pots  must  be  clean 
and  well  drained.  Crotons  require  copious  supplies  of  water. — W. 
[If  this  correspondent  has  kept  a  copy  of  his  communication  he  will 
find  how  great  is  the  necessity  for  more  care  in  composition  ;  he  must 
also  allow  twice  the  space  between  the  lines.  It  is  a  pity  that  Buch  a 
good  penman,  and,  we  believe,  plant  grower,  should  not  take  more  pains 
in  the  directions  indicated.] 
Euphorbia  jacquinia:flora. 
The  Euphorbia  is  one  of  the  most  showy  and  useful  of  our  winter- 
flowering  plants,  which  deserves  to  be  more  widely  cultivated  in  private 
establishments  where  there  is  a  demand  for  cut  flowers.  It  will  stand 
the  dry  air  of  rooms  remarkably  well,  and  what  is  more  beautiful  for 
table  decorating  or  for  ladies’  sprays? 
All  plants  that  have  been  resting  should  be  placed  in  the  stove  at 
once,  if  not  already  there,  giving  them  a  thorough  watering,  also  keep¬ 
ing  them  well  syringed,  when  they  will  soon  break.  When  the  growths 
are  from  3  to  4  inches  long  take  them  off  with  a  little  hard  wood,  and 
insert  singly  in  “  thumbs,”  or  five  cuttings  round  a  60-size  pot.  They 
strike  well  in  a  compoBt  of  equal  parts  loam,  leaf  mould,  peat,  and  sand. 
Place  them  in  a  propagating  frame,  with  bottom  heat  of  about  80°  ; 
shade  from  bright  sun,  and  do  not  keep  them  too  moist,  or  they  will  damp 
off.  As  soon  as  they  are  rooted  give  a  little  air  during  the  day,  and 
open  the  frame  fully  at  night,  which  will  prepare  the  plants  to  endure 
the  air  and  sun  of  the  plant  stove.  When  they  are  well  rooted  pot 
singly  in  well-drained  60’s.  Stop  the  plants  when  they  have  grown 
about  6  inches.  From  three  to  four  shoots  will  be  sufficient  for  flower¬ 
ing,  if  long  racemes  of  flowers  are  desired.  Keep  the  plants  close  to  the 
glass  in  the  plant  stove  or  intermediate  house.  When  they  have  filled 
their  pots  with  roots,  and  before  they  are  root-bound,  transfer  them  to 
54’s,  using  an  extra  part  of  loam  to  the  above-named  compost.  Water¬ 
ing  must  be  carefully  attended  to  at  all  times. 
The  plants  may  be  further  shifted  into  32’s — a  suitable  size  to  flower 
them  in.  See  that  they  are  properly  crocked,  using  a  compost  of  two 
parts  loam  to  one  part  each  of  leaf  mould,  peat,  and  spent  Mushroom 
bed  refuse,  with  a  dash  of  sand  ;  stand  the  plants  on  a  moist  cool 
base,  and  keep  the  syringe  playing  freely  amongst  them.  As  socn  as  they 
begin  to  form  their  flowers  is  the  time  to  commence  feeding,  liquid 
manure  being  preferable  to  top-dressing.  When  the  flowers  are  half 
expanded  the  plants  should  be  removed  to  a  drier  house,  say  a  warm 
conservatory,  as  they  are  liable  to  damp  off  in  a  moist  atmosphere.  Old 
plants  may  be  planted  against  the  back  wall  of  a  lean-to  house,  where 
