August  15,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
147 
let  us  see  how  far  improvement  can  be  carried  in  the  way  of 
furnishing  our  tables  with  an  article  not  always  found  in  the  best 
condition  at  all  times,  the  subject  of  the  present  chaper  being  one 
of  the  most  common  of  garden  vegetables,  nevertheless,  it  is  one  of 
the  most  popular,  and,  in  a  general  way,  one  of  the  most  whole¬ 
some,  especially  in  hot  seasons  ;  but  as  it  is  not  always  to  be  had  in 
good  order  at  all  times,  let  us  try  to  explain  how  that  may  be  done 
more  eifectually  than  at  present,  and  show  that  Lettuce,  which  is 
the  vegetable  we  mean,  may  be  had  in  good  condition  in  March,  as 
well  as  in  July  or  August. 
Like  many  things  else  in  the  vegetable  line,  especially  such  as 
are  eaten  uncooked,  quickness  of  growth  secures  one  of  the  best 
qualities  of  this  vegetable.  Its  newly  formed  leaves  collecting 
themselves  into  as  small  a  space  as  possible  to  shut  out  the  day¬ 
light,  are  in  the  most  admired  condition  when  their  whole  previous 
existence  extends  over  a  very  short  period,  as  by  that  the 
firm,  fibry  matter  which  gives  this  and  other  plants  consistency 
has  not  had  time  to  form,  hence  a  rapid  growth  accompanied 
with  other  points  of  excellence  is  what  is  sought  for  in  the 
Lettuce,  and  to  effect  this  object  the  best  ground  is  seldom  thought 
too  good  for  it. 
The  sowing  and  other  features  of  the  cultivation  being 
thoroughly  understood,  it  needs  only  to  be  said  here  that  although 
a  rapid  and  luxuriant  growth  produces  the  crispest  and  best  article 
in  summer,  it  by  no  means  furnishes  the  one  capable  of  with¬ 
standing  the  hardest  winter.  On  the  contrary,  a  more  tardy 
growth,  checked  by  the  absence  of  rich  food,  which  it  devours  so 
greedily  when  in  vigorous  health,  tends  to  prepare  a  plant  capable 
of  braving  the  storms  of  winter  better  than  the  more  mushroom¬ 
like  growth  of  the  more  delicate  article  ;  but  circumstances  of 
other  kinds  also  operate  on  this  as  well.  Cold  weather  checks 
vegetation,  however  favourable  the  soil  may  be  for  it,  and,  added 
to  this,  Nature  justly  balances  her  work  with  the  capabilities  of 
her  workers,  and  growth  to  a  great  extent  ceases  in  the  autumn, 
at  the  proper  time,  even  if  a  cold  atmosphere  does  not  intervene. 
Vegetation  in  a  measure  ceases,  and  the  previous  growth  hardens 
to  withstand  the  cold  that  is  to  come,  and  this  hardening  in  the 
case  of  the  Lettuce  becomes,  of  course,  a  defect  in  the  article 
produced. 
The  lesson,  therefore,  to  be  taught  in  the  case  is  simply  to 
place  the  plant  in  such  circumstances  as  will  insure  a  more  quick 
and  continuous  growth  than  would  be  the  case  in  winter  if  only 
allowed  to  struggle  on  in  the  open  ground,  unprotected  and 
exposed  to  all  the  rigours  and  changes  of  an  ordinary  autumn  and 
winter — say,  for  instance,  such  as  usually  occur  in  the  centre  and 
north  of  England. 
As  this  article  is  intended  principally  to  show  the  means  of 
obtaining  a  good  Lettuce  in  winter  or  early  spring,  the  ordinary 
routine  of  summer  treatment  need  not  be  gone  into,  and  that 
for  the  winter  may  be  summed  up  in  a  few  words.  In  some 
cold  pit  which  can  be  covered  with  glass  plant  a  good  breadth  of 
the  best  Winter  Lettuce  in  the  early  part  of  September,  allow  it  to 
grow  on  without  any  protection  until  frost  or  very  heavy  rains 
threaten  to  chill  the  ground,  then  put  on  the  glass,  giving  plenty 
of  air,  and  in  very  severe  weather  cover  up  with  mats  or  straw  so 
as  to  exclude  frost  in  a  great  measure,  at  the  same  time  admit  as 
much  light  as  possible  on  all  occasions,  and  the  growth  of  the 
plants  not  being  much  checked,  the  vegetable  will  have  much  more 
crispness  than  Winter  Lettuces  usually  have  when  they  are  merely 
autumn  grown  ones  kept  alive  during  the  winter. — Grower. 
VARIEGATED  PLANTS. 
Wherever  the  most  attractive  species  and  varieties  of  this 
class  of  plants  are  met  with  in  good  condition  they  invariably 
command  a  large  share  of  admiration,  and  those  who  are  constantly 
engaged  in  plant  decorations,  both  indoors  and  in  the  open  air, 
know  full  well  how  valuable  they  are  for  the  creation  of  artistic 
effects.  In  nature  we  find  many  lessons  on  the  beautiful  combi¬ 
nations  of  colours  to  be  wrought  with  coloured  foliage,  not  so 
much  with  permanently  variegated  leaves  as  with  the  leaves  of 
trees  which  change  their  tints  with  the  autumn.  These  indeed  show 
what  delightful  combinations  of  colours  may  be  effected  by  the 
mingling  of  many  tinted  leaves. 
Notwithstanding  the  numerous  uses  to  which  variegated  plants 
may  be  put,  it  is  not  often  that  we  find  them  systematically 
cultivated,  except  in  the  case  of  those  wanted  for  the  embellishment 
of  the  flower  garden.  Here  the  demand  for  a  certain  number  each 
year  is  met  by  growing  them  in  batches.  An  altogether  different 
state  of  affairs  is,  however,  presented  when  we  turn  to  the  usual* 
course  followed  with  pot  plants,  grown  for  the  many  uses  they  are 
put  to  in  house  decoration. 
In  tbu  case  we  find  a  few  odd  plants  of  this  or  that  variety  of 
a  certain  species,  and  so  on  with  others  ;  but  no  attempt  is  made  to 
select  some  of  the  very  best  among  them,  and  grow  them 
to  meet  all  requirements.  I  usually  find  that  the  uses  to 
which  variegated  plants  may  be  put  largely  increases  as  the  stock 
becomes  more  extensive.  Sudden  demands  for  various  kinds  of 
decorations  do  not  always  find  us  prepared  with  a  sufficient 
number  of  flowering  plants  to  supply  enough  colour  ;  then  varie¬ 
gated  plants,  if  we  have  a  good  stock  of  them,  come  without  fail 
to  the  reserve,  let  the  season  be  what  it  may. 
Groups  of  plants  arranged  for  effect  form  a  great  feature  at 
many  of  our  horticultural  exhibitions,  and  in  many  instances 
successful  attempts  are  made  to  introduce  some  novel  style  of 
arrangement.  This  is  quite  necessary,  because  however  good 
these  groups  may  be,  the  public  tire  of  them  unless  there  is 
sometimes  a  departure  from  the  “beaten  track.”  The  idea  has 
crossed  my  mind  while  writing  these  notes  that  some  of  our 
flourishing  societies  might  do  worse  than  offer  prizes  for  the 
most  effective  groups  formed  entirely  of  plants  having  variegated 
or  coloured  leaves.  If  this  idea  was  taken  up  by  a  few  good 
exhibitors  1  feel  confident  we  should  see  some  delightful  combina¬ 
tions,  for  groups  arranged  with  such  materials  certainly  need  not 
be  deficient  in  brightness  or  lacking  in  variety,  and  a  capital 
opportunity  would  be  presented  of  showing  the  true  taste  of  an 
artist,  by  working  out  gradations  of  colour  which  should  glide 
almost  imperceptibly  from  the  deep  to  the  lighter  shades. 
In  order  to  draw  particular  attention  to  variegated  plants 
useful  for  decorative  purposes  I  propose  to  enumerate  a  few  which 
I  have  found  well  adapted  for  that  kind  of  work,  and  perhaps 
other  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  will  kindly  supplement 
my  list.  Dracaenas  and  Crotons  I  shall  leave  out,  because  they 
are  classes  of  plants  usually  kept  well  to  the  front,  their  great 
values  for  decorative  purposes  being  well  known.  Among  stove 
plants,  taking  them  in  alphabetical  order,  the  Aealyphas  first  claim 
attention,  and  a  showy  and  bright  class  of  plants  they  are.  The 
only  difficulty  about  their  culture  seems  to  be  that  of  keeping  them 
free  from  thrips,  but  with  constant  care  in  the  matter  of  syringing 
and  a  timely  use  of  insecticides  this  may  be  overcome. 
Plants  in  5  and  6-inch  pots  are  very  effective  for  grouping,  and 
when  they  have  lost  their  bottom  leaves  it  is  an  easy  matter  to 
take  off  the  tops  and  root  them  in  bottom  heat.  It  is  also  a  good 
plan  to  shift  some  of  the  leggy  plants  with  single  stems  into  larger 
pots,  as  they  are  useful  for  dotting  about  among  a  groundwork  of 
Ferns,  which  serves  to  bide  the  bare  stem  at  the  base.  Equal  parts 
loam  and  peat  or  leaf  soil,  with  a  little  sharp  sand  added,  is  a 
compost  in  which  they  succeed  admirably.  The  plants  ought  to  be 
kept  close  to  the  glass,  and  receive  only  a  slight  amount  of  shade. 
Macafeeana  and  macrophylla  are  the  most  showy  varieties. 
Alocasia  macrorhiza  variegata  is  a  very  bold  and  striking  plant  not 
quite  suitable  for  growing  in  large  numbers,  but  if  a  few  specimens 
can  be  cultivated  they  have  a  noble  appearance  when^  arranged 
among  groups  of  other  plants  for  special  occasions.  Like  all  the 
Alocasias  it  requires  abundant  drainage,  a  rough  open  soil, 
consisting  of  lumps  of  fibrous  loam,  peat,  and  c'^arcoal,  with  a  fair 
proportion  of  sphagnum  moss.  Then  with  plenty  of  water  at  the 
roots  daring  the  growing  season  and  a  little  bottom  heat  there  is  no 
difficulty  in  growing  it  well. 
Aralias  Veitchi  and  Veitchi  gracillima  cannot  well  be  left  out 
of  my  list,  for  although  not  particularly  showy  pknts,  they  are 
extremely  elegant  in  appearance,  and  supply  peculiar  shades  of 
colour,  which  harmonise  well  with  many  other  variegated  leaves. 
Sandy  loam,  fibrous  peat,  or  good  leaf  soil  instead  of  the  latter, 
used  in  equal  parts,  with  the  usual  quantity  of  sand,  form  a  suit¬ 
able  compost ;  in  other  respects  ordinary  stove  treatment  should 
be  given  the  species.  •  •  n  r 
Begonias  of  the  Rex  type,  which  are  grown  principally  for  the 
beauty  of  their  foliage,  are  indispensable  for  room  decoration,  as 
they  have  quite  a  distinct  character  of  their  own,  and  are  so  easily 
grown  and  propagated.  I  have  raised  hundreds  from  leaves  by 
simply  notching  the  leaves  on  the  under  side,  then  laying  them  on 
pans  of  sand  and  weighting  the  leaves  with  small  pebbles.  If 
these  pans  are  placed  in  a  Cucumber  or  propagating  house,  the  sand 
being  kept  regularly  moist,  many  young  plants  may  be  raised  from 
a  single  leaf.  ,  ,  j  i.  c 
CaladiuiDs  are  well  known  to  be  some  of  the  handsomest  or 
stove  plants  grown  for  the  beauty  of  their  foliage,  and  being  some¬ 
what  prolific  in  varieties  I  shall  forbear  to  particularise  them,  as 
every  variety  enumerated  in  the  catalogues  of  trade  firms  of  repute 
is  worthy  of  culture.  Many  of  the  newer  varieties,  however,  far 
surpass  the  older  ones,  and  the  length  of  the  purse  the  gardener  has 
to  draw  on  must  usually  determine  which  varieties  he  shall 
procure.  All  should,  however,  work  up  a  good  stock  of  argyrites, 
that  fine  old  variety  with  miniature  leaves.  Turfy  loam,  leaf  soil, 
and  peat,  with  a  little  decomposed  manure  and  sharp  sand,  are 
ingredients  which  when  mixed  form  an  excellent  compost  for 
