February  24,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
177 
bundles  of  Spanish  cork  Oak  bark  should  be  selected,  such,  not  infrequent, 
growths  that  form  a  complete  length  of  stem  (minus  the  timber).  If  these 
lengths,  of  about  4  to  8  inches  in  diameter,  were  inserted  in  pots  several 
inches  wider,  there  would  be  room  near  the  edge  of  the  pot  for  rooted 
portions  of  Davallias  that  would  within  a  few  years  cover  naturally  the 
cork,  and  with  unusual  effect  if  judiciously  guided  and  .tied  round  with 
raffia  until  rooted  to  the  cork.  I  recommend  this  style  of  easy  training 
for  much  more  general  use.  It  should  be  made  a  feature  in  every  green¬ 
house  and  stove,  when  Davallias  would  promptly  become  favourites,  for 
these  plants  thus  formed  would  be  a  most  desiral)le  change  among  table 
decorations.  The  most  perfect  distribution  of  fronds  thus  produced  can 
hardly  be  appreciated  unless  seen,  and  that  the  excellence  of  the  picture 
should  be  so  striking  a  feature  is,  I  think,  mostly  unsuspected. 
Hardly  anyone  seeing  Davallias  crouching  on  level  surfaces  of  pots  or 
pans,  or  bundled  up  in  suspended  baskets,  thickly  rooted,  with  hardly  one 
frond  seen  to  advantage,  because  on  all  sides  overlapped,  can  conceive 
what  a  revelation  a  perfectly  grown  short  cone  of  about  18  to  24  inches 
high  would  be.  A  single  basket  of  Davallia  Tyermanni  appeared  among 
a  group  of  plants  at  the  last  Drill  Hall  meeting.  The  basket  was  crowded 
with  roots  and  fronds,  and  all  effect  was  lost.  If  such  a  mass  were  pulled 
in  pieces  and  divided  among,  say,  four  or  five  8-inch  pots,  with  a  complete 
piece  of  cork  l)ranch  inserted,  and  carefully  trained  for  a  year  or  two, 
the  operator  would  be  surprised  at  the  difference.  The  sight  of  such 
objects  of  beauty  would  suffice  to  sell  them  promptly,  whereas  nobody 
would  look  at  the  basket. 
I  select  this  variety,  D.  Tyermanni,  in  order  to  accentuate  that  its 
effect  is  the  most  striking  of  all  Davallias  (the  otherwise  popular  Hare’s 
Foot),  mostly  applied  to  D.  canariensis,  from  the  contrast  in  tints 
between  the  fronds,  bark,  and  rhizomes.  D.  Mariesi  would  even  cover  the 
bark  more  promptly,  and  also  the  lovely  D.  fijiensis  would  mark  a  further 
phase  in  public  favour  were  it  only  treated  with  the  respect  and  patience 
to  arrive  at  the  results  pointed  out.  There  are  some  three  dozen  varieties 
of  Davallias  to  select  from,  but  other  classes  would  do,  including  particularly 
our  common  harcjy  Polypody,  a  class  name,  covering  also  the  striking 
Polypodium  appendiculare,  with  its  dark  rich  veins  on  every  portion  of 
its  fronds,  which  would  be  something  to  look  at  for  Orchid  lovers,  and  to 
hide  their  derelicts.  I  need  hardly  insist  on  a  change  through  Adiantums, 
but  should  like  to  name  Farleyense  and  Williamsi,  the  latter  the  most 
perfectly  formed  frond  among  Adiantums,  its  attraction  consisting  in  its 
lightness,  unconfused. 
As  the  grouping  of  plants  usually  seen  at  the  Drill  Hall  there 
seems  little  in  it  to  recommend  the  style.  You  usually  see  a  confused 
mass  of  plants,  one  jostling  the  other,  of  nearly  equal  height,  and  hardly 
one  of  them  showing  the  true  merits  of  any  one  plant.  I  should  like  to 
see  an  arrangeme^it  of  common  Selaginella  established  in  pans  and  well 
developed  for  the  groundwork,  with  spaces  provided  for  specially 
attractive  foliage  or  other  plants,  allowing  each  to  have  justice 
done  it  and  seen  thoroughly.  The  effect  of  such  a  group  on  the 
Selaginella  wouljj  probably  be  appreciated  on  all  sides.  Of  course  the 
Selaginella  would  have  to  be  grown  consistently  so  as  to  show  a  natural 
even  surface,  and  the  plants  interposed  to  show  no  intrusive  pots.^ — ■ 
H.  H.  K.,  Forest  Hill. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
The  Tubeeous  Begonia. 
In  a  previous’  article  I  treated  on  the  Begonia  for  bedding  purposes, 
and  will  now  give  a  few  notes  on  the  culture  in  pots.  Where  tubers  are 
in  stock  they  should  be  examined  forthwith,  and  if  any  have  started  into 
growth  they  must  be  potted  at  once,  using  good  fibrous  loam  and  leaf  soil 
in  equal  parts,  with  plenty  of  sand.  The  size  of  pots  should  be  determined 
by  considering  the  after  treatment  and  the  size  of  the  tubers.  I  prefer  to 
pot  them  at  once  in  the  pots  in  which  they  are  to  flower,  the  largest  tubers 
being  grown  in  9-inch  pots,  and  by  this  method  they  give  entire  satis¬ 
faction.  More  than  usual  care  must  be  given  to  drainage,  for  when  growing 
freely  they  will  require  abundance  of  water,  which  must  pass  away 
quickly  to  prevent  the  soil  getting  sour. 
A  third  of  the  remaining  tubers  ought  to  be  laid  in  seed  boxes  full  of 
leaf  mould,  and  kept  moist  in  an  intermediate  house  until  they  have 
become  well  rooted  and  made  an  inch  or  more  of  growth.  The  large 
tubers  can  be  divided,  leaving  a  growth  to  each  half  and  dressing  the 
wounds  with  powdered  charcoal.  Keep  them  close  and  shaded  after 
potting  until  growing  freely,  when  more  air  will  be  required.  It  is  a 
great  mistake  to  force  the  Begonia  unduly  at  any  period,  especially  during 
the  early  stages  of  gi'owth.  Keat  stakes  to  support  the  growths  and 
blooms  will  be  necessary.  They  are  charming  when  arranged  with 
Adiautum  cuneatum,  and  the  temperature  and  shade  required  for  the 
latter  suits  them  admirably.  The  remaining  tubers  should  be  grown  in 
successions,  and  with  good  treatment  they  will  be  gay  with  flowers  until 
late  in  the  autumn. 
Clear  soot  water  alternately  with  artificial  manures  is  beneficial  to 
them  when  the  pots  are  full  of  roots,  but  care  should  be  taken  not  to 
give  either  manures  too  strong,  the  roots  being  easily  injured. — 
Nil  DespeeandtJxU. 
Re.juvenation  of  Old  Fear  Trees  on  Walls. 
The  season  for  nailing  is  almost  over  as  regards  Fears,  and  soon  those 
on  walls  will  be  in  bloom.  In  most  gardens  there  are  to  be  found  some 
old  trees  which  ap])arently  have  had  their  day,  and  although  they  do 
not  look  worn  out  their  crops  are  unsatisfactory,  the  fruit  inclined  to  be 
undersized  and  gritty,  not  worth  putting  upon  the  dessert  table.  Many 
of  these  trees  may  be  rejuvenated  and  turned  to  good  account  in  a  short 
time  by  cutting  back  the  branches  close  to  the  stem,  and  allowing  an 
entirely  fresh  start  to  be  made.  First  of  all,  it  is  advisable  to  attend  to 
the  roots.  If  in  old  gravelly  soil  which  has  not  had  a  chance  of  being 
manured  and  worked  properl}',  they  should  be  subjected  to  a  good  root- 
pruning  and  put  in  suitable  loam,  taking  care  to  add  a  fair  amount  of 
wood  ash  and  lime  rubble,  with  decayed  cow  manure  amongst  them. 
This  operation  should  take  place  a  season  before  the  one  in  which  the 
branches  are  to  be  cut  back,  as  it  gives  the  tree  a  chance  to  establish  itself 
firmly  again,  and  be  ready  for  prompt  root  action  when  most  necessary. 
Perhaps  the  month  of  February  is  the  best  time  to  take  off  the  branches, 
and  this  should  be  done  properly,  no  half  measures.  Cut  back  right  to 
the  stem  until  it  resembles  a  clean  liare  post,  and  leave  no  stumps  or 
snags.  At  this  stage  of  the  proceeding  opportunity  should  be  taken  to 
cleanse  it  properly  if  at  all  troubled  with  insects  or  scale,  and  I  know  of 
no  more  reliable  compost  for  the  purpose  than  slaked  quicklime  and 
soot  mixed,  and  applied  with  a  brush  into  all  crevices  of  the  bark  and  all 
over  the  bole. 
The  buds  will  push  out  plentifully,  three  or  four  from  each  old  branch 
base,  and  then  it  is  simply  a  matter  of  taking  the  best  in  the  nearest 
position  for  training,  removing  the  others.  In  two  or  three  seasons  the 
trees  will  be  fairly  started  again,  clean  and  strong,  ready  to  bear  first-rate 
fruit  as  a  young  tree.  The  varieties  I  have  seen  most  successfully  treated 
Fig.  27.  Fig.  28. 
West’s  Patent  Pot  Kim.  (^Seepage  164.) 
by  the  above  method  were  Marie  Louise  and  Easter  Beurr6.  Both  bore 
good,  clean  fruit  the  third  season,  and  were  upwards  of  twenty- four 
years  old  when  the  work  of  rejuvenation  commenced. — R.  A.  Anderson, 
Alnwick  Castle  Gardens. 
Covering  Walls  and  Fillars. 
As  we  travel  about  visiting  places  and  gardens  one  cannot  help 
noticing  a  number  of  bare  walls,  pillars  and  outhouses,  which  might  be 
made  objects  of  beauty  by  the  aid  of  flowering  or  evergreen  climbing 
plants. 
Ivy  will  only  be  given  a  passing  word,  as  it  is  so  familiar  to  everybody 
that  it  needs  no  comment  from  me.  It  will  thrive  almost  anywhere,  and 
being  evergreen,  always  looks  well,  especially  the  variegated  forms.  To 
keep  it  in  trim  it  should  be  cut  back  close  to  the  wall  each  year  in  the 
month  of  March  or  April. 
Ampelopsis  Veitchi  is  an  excellent  hardy  climber,  and  when  once 
planted  will  require  very  little  attention,  as  by  nature  it  clings  tightly  to 
the  wall  and  requires  considerable  force  to  detach  it  when  necessary.  It 
grows  quickly,  and  for  autumnal  beauty  is,  in  my  opinion,  scarcely  equalled 
by  anything  we  have,  certainly  not  excelled.  The  leaves  of  this  variety 
are  much  sought  after  for  dessert  dishes  and  table  decoration. 
Ampelopsis  hederacea^is  a  close  ally  of  tbe  foregoing,  differing 
from  it  in  habit,  also  size  and  shape  of  leaf.  It  is  best  adapted  for 
covering  lofty  pillars  and  verandahs.  The  main  branches  should  be 
secured  by  means  of  wire  trellises  attached  to  the  pillars  or  to  the 
verandah  by  the  use  of  nails  and  shreds,  pruning  being  done  much  on 
the  same  lines  as  that  prac.ised  on  the  Grape  Vine. 
Wistaria  sinensis  is  a  grand  deciduous  tree,  and  produces  its 
racemes  of  sweet-scented,  pale  blue  flowers  in  the  months  of  April  and 
May  in  the  south  of  England,  and  occasionally  flowering  again  during 
August.  The  white  variety  is  very  charming.  Pruning  may  be  done  as 
with  Ampelopsis  hederacea. 
Roses  are  excellent  for  our  purpose,  and  their  fragrance  is  always 
refreshing  after  the  toil  of  a  hot  summer’s  day.  That  grand  old  Rose 
Gloire  de  Dijon  must  still  be  included  in  a  good  list,  although  it  is  apt  to 
become  bare  towards  the  base  as  it  increases  in  age.  Banksian  Roses  are 
very  attractive,  and  should  be  in  every  southern  garden.  Other  excellent 
and  well-tried  varieties  are  W.  A.  Richardson,  Reve  djjOr,  Boule  d  Or, 
and  L' Ideal. 
Clematises  are  excellent  climbers  and  bloom  profusely.  Two 
plants  of  the  .lackmanni  section,  alba  and  Duke  of  Edinburgh, 
adorned  the  verandah  of  a  vicarage  I  am  acquainted  with,  and  the 
vicar’s  wife  attended  to  them  herself  with  fostering  care,  the  gardener  not 
being  allowed  to  touch  them.  Clematis  indivisa  lobata  is  a 
deciduous  climber,  and  produces  its  flowers  on  the  wood  of  the  previous 
season’s  growth. 
