January  20,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
55 
water  pipes,  which  should  be  near  to,  but  not  in  actual  contact  with, 
the  box  or  pot  in  which  the  plant  is  growing'. 
To  those  about  to  commence  its  cultivation  I  will  now  endeavour 
to  give,  as  plainly  as  I  can,  particulars  as  to  the  system  I  would  recom¬ 
mend,  and  which  I  have  myself  proved  to  be  most  thoroughly  and 
remarkably  successful.  In  procuring  the  plants,  wliich  may  be 
purchased  at  almost  any  of  the  large  nurseries,  I  would  advise  that 
if  possible  one  each  of  the  two  most  useful  varieties — viz.,  L.  alba  and 
L.  rosea  superba,  or  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  L.  rubra,  be  procured 
and  planted,  either  together  or  sejiarately,  as  is  most  convenient.  In 
either  case  the  growths  should  be  allowed  to  intermingle,  as  the  effect 
when  the  plants  are  in  bloorn  is  much  finer  by  so  doing,  (food  plants 
may  be  procured  of  either  variety  at  a  very  reasonable  cost.  The 
older  form,  L.  rosea,  is  cheaper  than  either  of  those  just  mentioned, 
but  is  very  much  inferior. 
As  soon  as  the  plants  are  procured  a  permanent  position  should  be 
selected  for  them  to  occupy,  and  a  box  or  boxes  procured  to  fit  such 
position.  A  suitable  size  for  boxes  is  3  feet  long,  1  foot  6  inches  wide, 
and  15  inches  deep  if  for  one  plant,  but  the  length  and  breadth  may 
be  modified  to  suit  the  position  at  the  cultivator’s  disposal.  If  two 
plants  are  intended  to  be  planted  in  one  box,  it  will  require  to  be 
enlarged  either  in  length  or  in  breadth,  but  preferably  in  length. 
An  angle  of  the  house  is  usually  the  most  suitable  position,  and 
the  box  should  then  be  so  fixed  that  its  bottom  is  2  to  3  inches  above 
the  hot-water  pipes ;  this  to  be  a  clear  air  space  between,  so  that  the 
box  is  in  no  way  in  contact  with  the  pipes.  Two  inches  of  crocks, 
with  some  lumps  of  charcoal,  must  then  be  placed  over  the  box 
bottom,  in  which  a  number  of  holes  should  be  bored  to  allow  of  the 
free  escape  of  water.  On  the  top  of  the  crocks  2  inches  of  drainage 
should  be  placed :  this  may  consist  of  a  layer  of  rough  lumpy  peat, 
interspersed  with  charcoal  broken  smaller.  The  box  may  then  be 
filled  up  to  within  4  inches  of  the  top,  with  a  compost  consisting  of 
two  parts  good  fibrous  peat,  one  part  turfy  loam,  and  half  a  part  each 
of  rough  silver  sand  or  river  sand,  and  charcoal  broken  small. 
The  plants  should  then  be  turned  out  of  the  ]X)ts,  and  most  of  the 
old  compost  broken  away,  carefully  disentangling  the  roots,  and 
spreading  them  out  over  the  new  materials  in  the  box,  covering  them 
afterwards  ^yith  1  to  2  inches  of  the  same,  pressing  it  moderately  firm 
to  fix  the  roots,  and  then  giving  all  a  good  watering.  Wires 
stretched  under  the  roof  at  about  8  inches  from  the  glass,  and  6  to 
8  inches  apart,  are  best  for  training  the  young  growths  upon.  They 
will  require  frequent  attention  during  the  growing  season,  Avhich  is 
principally  from  March  until  the  end  of  July,  and  during  which  time 
and  until  the  end  of  September  too  much  water  can  scarcely  be  given 
to  the  roots,  if  planted  and  arranged  as  I  have  above  directed.  I  give 
a  very  liberal  supply  every  day  during  this  period.  From  October 
until  February  I  do  not  give  Avater  more  than  twice,  and  in  dull 
weather  only  once,  a  week. 
Frequent  syringing  of  the  foliage  is  not  beneficial  to  the  plant, 
but  a  thorough  Avashing  Avith  the  syringe  or  hose  pipe  occasionally  on 
a  summer  evening  is  of  benefit  in  clearing  any  dust,  dirt,  and  insect 
pests.  The  north  end  or  side  of  a  house,  where  the  direct  rays  of  the 
midday  sun  do  not  strike  upon  the  plant,  suits  it  best,  though  it  is  not 
very  particular  upon  this  point,  providing  it  is  suited  in  other  respects. 
Abundance  of  free  ventilation  should  be  given  both  day  and  night 
during  hot  Aveather,  and  above  all,  never  forget  in  sirch  weather  its 
daily  supply  of  water,  to  which  may  be  added  occasionally,  providing 
the  plant  is  healthy,  weak  liquid  manure. 
The  most  troublesome  enemies  of  the  Lapageria  are  the  common 
aphis  or  green  fly,  Avith  grey  and  black  snails  and  slugs.  The  former 
appears  to  be  very  fond  of  the  young  and  tender  groAvths,  and  must  be 
kept  down  by  fumigation.  The  latter,  Avhich  eat  the  young  succulent 
stems  as  throAvn  up  from  the  base  of  the  plant,  must  be  carefully 
Avatched  for  and  hunted  up  at  night  when  they  are  feeding  at,  say, 
from  nine  to  ten  o’clock.  If  trace  of  them  is  seen  during  the  day  it 
is  a  good  plan  to  lay  doAvn  a  little  dry  bran,  which  seems  very 
attractive  to  them,  and  near  Avhich  they  will  almost  certainly  be 
found  if  looked  for  at  the  time  I  have  stated. 
The  plant  when  in  good  health  is  a  most  profuse  bloomer,  and 
plants  treated  as  I  have  above  described  are  during  the  months  of 
August,  September,  and  October  a  dense  sheet  of  bloom,  and  from 
thence  onAvards  all  throughout  the  Avinter  a  continuous  supply  of 
flowers,  more  or  less  abundant,  is  produced ;  indeed,  scarcely  at  any 
period  of  the  year  are  the  plants  entirely  without  blooms,  Avhich  Ave 
find  at  all  times  useful  for  many  different  purposes.  For  the  filling 
of  epergnes  they  are  very  effective,  either  cut  AAuth  foliage  and  a  portion 
of  stem  and  alloAved  to  droop  over  the  edges,or  cut  Avithout  either  foliage 
or-  stem,  AA'hich  is  usually  more  convenient,  and  inserted  in  the  dish 
heel  doAvnAvards  amongst  plenty  of  Lycopodium  or  Maidenhair  Fern 
fronds.  They  are  also  very  effective  in  AATeaths  and  crosses,  for  which 
purpose  we  cut  them  Avithout  foliage,  and  Avire  each  flower  separately  ; 
also  for  bouquets  and  for  sprays  of  flowers  for  ladies’  Avear  we  find 
them  to  be  much  appreciated.  In  fact,  where  choice  cut  flowers  are 
much  in  re<|uest  I  do  not  knoAv  any  other  greenhouse  plant  equally 
valuable  for  so  long  a  period  of  time. 
I  have  not  said  anything  as  to  pruning,  for  the  reason  that  none  is 
required  unless  the  groAAdhs  become  unduly  croAA'ded,  in  Avhich  case 
the  Aveaker  ones  should  be  thinned  out.  Propagation  is  effected 
either  by  seed  sown  in  a  gentle  heat,  or  by  layering  some  of  the 
growths  in  such  a  manner  that  the  stem  and  a  portion  of  each  leaf  is 
buried  in  the  compost.  This,  however,  is  a  very  slow  and,  in  the  case 
of  amateurs,  an  uncertain  business,  so  that  it  is  best  to  go  to  a 
nurseryman  for  the  plants  required. 
After  the  box  becomes  fairly  well  filled  Avith  roots  and  the  plants 
are  established,  a  top-dressing  annually  in  April  of  fresh  compost 
prepared  as  above,  with  a  slisjht  dash  of  Beeson’s  manure  added,  will 
be  found  to  benefit  the  plants.  A  little  of  the  old  surface  mould 
should  at  the  same  time  be  loosened  and  taken  off  carefully  in  such 
a  Avay  as  not  to  damage  the  roots.  In  the  hot  sunny  weather  of 
summer  I  paint  the  glass  on  the  outside  with  a  coating  of  “Summer 
Cloud,”  Avhich  I  find  to  be  a  very  useful  shading,  and  one  not 
readily  Avashed  away  by  slight  showers. — K.  W. 
EATILY  PEAS. 
The  mildness  of  the  present  Avinter  seems  likely  to  give  us  an 
exceptionally  early  spring,  and  those  who  have  followed  the  time- 
honoured  practice  of  sowing  a  few  early  Peas  in  December  Avill, 
perhaps,  make  a  “lucky  hit,”  unless  our  treacherous  climate  once 
more  deceives  us  during  the  next  two  months. 
The  practice  of  .soAving  an  early  supply  in  pots,  or  turves,  placed 
in  cool  houses  or  pits,  and  planting  them  out  in  February  as  soon  as 
the  weather  is  favourable,  is  Avithout  doubt  a  good  one  ;  in  fact  I 
know  of  no  other  plan  by  Avhich  such  early  and  satisfactory  crops  can 
be  obtained  in  the  open  air.  When  this  plan  is  adopted  the  young 
plants  should  be  protected  by  means  of  Spruce  branches,  or  other 
evergreens,  as  soon  as  they  are  planted  in  the  open  air,  as  our 
climate  is  too  changeable  to  trust  to  chance  in  such  a  matter  ;  and  if 
they  receive  a  thorough  check  through  frost  they  seldom  come  into 
bearing  much,  if  any,  earlier  than  plants  raised  from  seed  soAvn  in  the 
open  air. 
ToAvards  the  end  of  January  is  a  capital  time  in  a  season  like  the 
present  one  to  soav  early  Peas  on  a  Avarm  border.  If  the  ground  has 
been  already  dug,  I  like  to  sprinkle  a  coating  of  newly  slaked  lime 
ujjon  the  surface,  and  during  a  bright  day  fork  the  soil  over  again  to 
help  it  to  dry  quickly.  If  this  is  done  before  noon,  in  a  couple  of 
hours  the  soil  will  often  be  dry  enough  for  drawing  the  drills.  In 
most  gardens  a  AA’arm  border  is  at  command  for  the  early  crop  of 
Peas,  and  as  such  borders  are  not  often  of  great  Avidth  the  drills  can 
be  drawn  3  inches  in  deprth,  without  scarcely  treading  upon  the 
border ;  a  matter  of  considerable  importance  in  early  spring. 
AVhen  Peas  have  to  be  soaa'ii  in  heavy  land  no  useful  purpose  is 
served  by  doing  so  before  the  soil  is  fairly  dry,  for  to  stir  it  about 
Avhile  it  is  “  sticky "  causes  it  to  become  more  stubborn  still.  A 
little  old  potting  soil,  Avood  ashes,  or  cA'en  leaf  soil,  placed  along 
the  drills,  the  seed  also  being  covered  with  the  same  material, 
helps  greatly  to  forward  groAvth  after  germination  has  taken  place, 
and  as  early  Peas  are  an  important  crop  in  private  gardens  those  who 
have  a  stubborn  soil  to  deal  with  Avill  find  this  little  attention  is  Avell 
repaid. 
In  regard  to  the  distance  apart  at  Avhich  the  roAVS  should  be 
l)laced,  a  safe  rule  to  folloAV  is  to  alloAV  as  much  space  between  as 
the  height  the  haulms  usually  reach.  Spinach,  Lettuce,  or 
Cauliflower  can  then  be  grown  betAveen,  and  one  has  the  satisfaction 
of  knoAving  that  the  most  is  made  of  the  land  by  such  a  method 
of  cropping.  It  is  not  a  good  plan  to  soav  early  Peas  too  thinly,  as 
mice  and  birds  often  do  much  damage;  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  a 
mistake  to  scatter  the  Peas  along  the  roAvs  thickly  enough  to  touch 
each  other.  If  placed  about  an  inch  apart  the  distance  Avill  be 
found  generally  suitable,  but  strong  growing  midseason  varieties 
should  be  alloAved  double  that  amount  of  space. 
A  pair  of  very  early  varieties  Avhich  it  Avould  be  hard  to  beat  are 
Carter’s  Lightning  and  Chelsea  Gem.  Early  Eight  Weeks  is  said  by 
some  to  come  into  bearing  a  feAV  days  sooner  than  the  two  first  named 
sorts,  but  as  I  have  not  grown  them  side  by  side  I  cannot  vouch  for 
the  accuracy  of  the  statement.  Both  English  Wonder  and  American 
Wonder  follow  Lightning  closely.  The  Sutton’s  Forcing  is  a  great 
acquisition,  being  quite  dAA'arf,  and  I  think  one  of  the  very  earliest 
Marrowfat  Peas  in  existence.  Our  old  friend,  William  Hurst,  is  also 
fairly  early  and  a  grand  cropper,  bearing  fine  pods.  Among  the  taller 
groAving  early  varieties  Sutton’s  Early  Giant,  Dicksons’  First  and 
Best,  and  Veitch’s  Selected  Extra  Early  are  each  of  Avell-proved 
excellence. 
Both  mice  and  birds  are  foes^Avhich  must  be  looked  sharply  after. 
