December  7,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
493 
good  gardener  who  has  been  accustomed  to  the  handling  of  Heaths 
and  New  Holland  plants.  In  the  case  of  very  shallow  jardiniers  we 
find  it  desirable  annually  to  replace  a  portion  of  the  old  soil  to 
maintain  a  healthy  growth. 
To  maintain  dwarfness  in  the  trees  pinch  back  the  young  growth. 
This  we  usually  do  from  April  to  middle  of  June,  and  always  with 
the  finger  and  thumb,  a  practice  followed  by  the  late  Mr.  Thomas 
Rivers  of  Sawbridgeworth  when  preparing  his  dwarf  trees  (or  fruiting 
in  pots.  In  Thuia  obtusa  we  pinch  out  the  points  of  the  young 
growth  all  over  the  plant  to  maintain  the  form  ;  this  practice  we  also 
apply  to  Cryptomeria  and  all  other  Conifers  except  Pinus.  Pinus  we 
pinch  out  the  points  of  the  irregular  growth  simply  to  maintain  the 
shape  of  the  plant.  Of  Pomegranate,  Lagerstroemia  indica,  Flowering 
Peach,  and  Flowering  Cherry  we  pinch  back  the  non- flowering  shoots 
either  before  or  after  blooming;  Wistaria,  in  July  and  August,  we 
pinch  back  all  the  young  growth,  leaving  only  four  or  five  leaves  on 
each  shoot.  Maple  and  other  deciduous  trees  are  pinched  back  at  the 
same  time  as  Thuia  obtusa,  leaving  two  to  four  leaves  as  may  be 
necessary  to  maintain  the  desired  shape  of  the  plants.  Should  a 
second  growth  be  made  the  same  rule  is  followed  of  pinching  out 
the  points. 
EARLY  FLOWERING  DECIDUOUS  SHRUBS. 
The  pithy  note  of  “  Wanderer,”  on  page  474,  reminds  me  of  a 
weak  point  in  gardens  generally  by  the  conspicuous  absence  of  shrubs 
which  flower  during  the  spring.  This  certainly  ought  to  be  remedied, 
as  some  of  the  most  showy  shrubs  in  commerce  flower  during  the  first 
six  months  of  the  year.  I  therefore  gladly  respond  to  the  suggestion 
of  *•  Wanderer,”  and  give  a  list  of  what  I  consider  to  be  the  best 
dozen,  all  of  which  may  be  kept  within  'dimensions  desirable  for 
shrubs,  as  distinguished  from  trees.  I  will  also  follow  with  an 
article  dealing  with  the  matter  from  a  broader  point  of  view : — 
Daphne  Mezereum,  pink,  February  and  March;  Cydonia  japonica, 
scarlet,  March  ;  Ribes  atro-sanguineum,  red,  March  ;  Amygdalus  incana, 
red,  March;  Kerria  japonica,  orange-yellow,  April;  Prunus  triloba, 
rose,  March  or  April ;  Lilac — Syringa  alba  grandiflora.  May ;  Phila¬ 
delphia  grandiflorus,  white,  June ;  Weigela  rosea,  rose,  May;  Forsythia 
viridissima,  yellow,  March;  Viburnum  opulus  var.  sterile,  white, 
June  ;  and  Azalea  mollis,  with  its  numerous  varieties,  May.  For 
warm  localities  in  the  southern  counties  I  would  substitute  Magnolia 
conspicua  for  the  Philadelphus,  and  Magnolia  Soulangeana  for  the 
Weigela. — H.  D.  _ 
By  asking  for  a  list  of  the  twelve  best  spring  flowering  shrubs, 
principally  deciduous,  your  correspondent  “Wanderer,”  in  the  last 
week’s  issue  sets  a  very  difficult  task,  as  a  great  many  plants  have  to 
be  excluded  which  have  qualifications  for  a  front  place  in  any 
collection.  Had  the  best  fifty  been  asked  for  the  task  would  still  have 
been  hard,  for  after  being  in  close  contact  with  the  Kew  collections 
for  several  years,  and  noting  down  really  good  shrubs  and  small  trees, 
as  they  have  flowered,  I  find  that  I  have  about  300  first  rate  kinds 
that  flower  before  the  end  of  May.  Of  course  in  that  list  there 
are  a  number  that  are  only  really  hardy  in  the  South,  such  as 
Magnolias,  others  that  will  not  grow  on  any  soil,  such  as  the  majority 
of  Ericaceous  plants,  and  others  again  which  are  still  very  rare  and 
unobtainable  to  the  majority  of  growers.  The  following  list  I  have 
selected  as  being  the  most  likely  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  majority 
of  planters,  all  perfectly  hardy,  and  all  first  rate  flowering  shrubs. 
Their  flowering  covers  a  period  of  from  four  to  five  months. 
January. — If  the  weather  is  mild  Erica  mediterranea  var.  hybrida 
begins  to  flower  very  early  in  the  month,  continuing  in  good  condition 
until  the  end  of  March.  It  is  an  improvement  on  E.  carnea,  and 
stands  any  ordinary  amount  of  frost  without  injury. 
February. — The  best  shrub  to  flower  in  this  month  is  Daphne 
Mezereum,  one  of  the  most  showy  and  fragrant  of  spring  shrubs.  It 
keeps  in  flower  for  six  or  eight  weeks. 
March. — This  gives  us  one  of  the  best  of  the  dozen  in  Forsythia 
8U3pensa,  and  also  two  of  the  oldest  and  most  common,  i.e.,  Ribes 
sanguineum — of  this  the  variety  atro-sanguineum  is  preferable  to  the 
type — and  the  Almond. 
April. — The  task  now  becomes  more  difficult.  The  following, 
however,  ought  always  to  be  grown — Spiraea  arguta,  Berberis  steno- 
phylla,  Cytisus  praecox,  and  Pyrus  malus  var.  floribunda. 
May. — In  this  month  we  have  Rubus  deliciosus ;  Philadelphus,  of 
which  Lemoinei  var.  erectus  is  one  of  the  best,  and  the  Lilac ;  if  one 
species  only  is  to  be  named  I  vote  for  the  free-flowering  and  graceful 
Syringa  persica. 
To  make  a  baker’s  dozen,  and  not  to  omit  a  very  great  personal 
favourite  genus,  Rhododendron,  evergreen  and  deciduous,  for  every 
garden  where  lime  is  absent. 
Although  in  each  genus  mentioned  there  are  a  great  many  other 
species,  perhaps  of  equal  merit,  I  have  mentioned  those  which  at  any 
rate  deserve  top  place.  All  the  plants  mentioned  do  well  almost 
anywhere  with  the  exception  of  the  Erica,  and  in  limestone  districts 
this  might  he  replaced  by  the  May-flowering  Viburnum  Opulus  var 
sterile. — W.  D. 
HORTICULTURAL  SUBJECTS. 
From  the  report  of  a  paper  read  by  Mr.  John  Thomson,  of 
Clovenfords,  at  a  meetirg  in  Galashiels,  we  take  the  following 
remarks.  With  special  reference  to  exhibitions,  the  lecturer  remarked 
that  in  connection  with  the  displaying  of  exhibits  at  flower  shows 
there  seemed  to  be  considerable  room  for  improvement.  Many  things 
were  set  up  in  a  very  ungraceful  and  inartistic  style,  and  were  greatly 
handicapped  thereby.  At  Shrewsbury  Show,  he  noticed  it  stated,  the 
display  of  Grapes  was  made  more  effective  and  more  pleasant  to  behold 
by  the  artistic  use  of  ornamental  plants  as  surroundings.  While  the 
individual  excellence  of  the  exhibits  had  to  be  considered,  general 
effect  should  not  be  forgotten.  At  many  shows  plants  were  set  up 
on  too  high  stages,  and  olten  the  principal  parts  on  view,  in  connection 
with  table  plants  especially,  were  the  flower  pots.  That  should  not 
be.  It  was  neither  justice  to  the  plants,  the  exhibitors,  nor  the 
people  who  came  to  see.  In  showing  Chrysanthemums,  ornamental, 
graceful  plants  of  moderate  size  ought  to  be  interspersed,  and  the 
same  remark  applied  to  long  tables  of  Ajples  and  vegetable  exhibits. 
He  would  like  to  see  that  subject  freely  discussed. 
The  prospects  of  horticulture  in  general  seemed  good  at  the  present 
time.  They  had  horticultural  societies  ever  on  the  increase  and 
additions  being  made  to  the  number  of  horticultural  papers,  but  it 
was  still  a  great  matter  of  regret  that  so  many  of  the  nobility  and 
gentry  were  forced  to  reduce  their  gardening  establishments,  and  in 
many  cases  sell  the  produce  of  their  gardens.  Huge  additions  were 
constantly  being  made  to  already  huge  horticultural  establishments 
round  London  and  elsewhere,  the  growth  of  Grapes  and  Tomatoes 
especially  being  tremendously  increased. 
After  commenting  on  the  benefit  and  importance  of  the  people 
getting  fruit  fresh,  Mr.  Thomson  again  protested  against  the  pre¬ 
ferential  railway  rates  granted  to  foreign  produce,  and  noticed  that 
preliminary  meetings  are  being  held  in  London  in  connection  with 
the  making  of  arrangements  for  this  country’s  horticulturists  being  fitly 
represented  at  the  exhibition  in  Paris  in  1900.  Whether  it  was,  as 
some  alleged,  the  fickleness  of  our  climate  which  made  us  excel  in 
horticulture  or  not,  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  British  horticulture 
could  not  be  excelled  if  even  equalled,  and  he  trusted  British  horti¬ 
culturists  would  be  well  represented  at  the  exhibition.  The  speaker 
advocated  gardeners  supporting  the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent 
Institution  and  the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund,  the  objects  of 
which  he  stated. 
He  saw  no  reason  why  much  more  of  the  fruit  and  vegetables  con¬ 
sumed  iu  this  country  should  not  be  produced  at  home.  In  the  nine 
months  ending  September  last,  they  imported  Potatoes  to  the  value  of 
£1,421,014.  He  considered  that  most  of  this  money  might  have  been 
kept  at  home  and  spent  on  Potatoes  grown  in  our  own  country,  and 
proceeded  to  notice  the  relations  of  employer  and  employed  in  the 
horticultural  industry,  and  the  increase  in  the  number  of  ladies 
entering  it,  and  then  went  into  some  details  regarding  the  growing  of 
various  plants. 
Mr.  Thomson  closed  by  remarks  on  questionable  practices  in  con¬ 
nection  with  showing  at  competitions,  and  an  iucitation  to  horti¬ 
culturists  to  use  every  endeavour  to  overcome  the  many  difficulties 
they  had  to  contend  with,  to  cultivate  an  artistic  taste,  and  to  put 
forward  even  more  energy  and  skill  than  in  the  past  to  insure  the 
very  best  results. 
MALAYAN  RHODODENDRONS. 
The  few  species  of  Rhododendron  which  have  been  discovered  in 
the  Malay  region  have,  in  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Veitch  of  Chelsea, 
produced  a  large  number  of  hybrids,  a  selection  of  which  would  be 
found  worthy  a  place  in  any  garden,  for  in  addition  to  there  being  a 
wide  range  of  brilliant  colours,  it  is  rarely  they  are  without  bloom,  iu 
fact  they  may  almost  be  called  perpetual  flowers. 
The  species  that  have  been  instrumental  in  bringing  about  this 
race  are  R.  malayanum,  which  has  dull  red  flowers;  javanicum,  with 
orange  flowers  ;  jasminiflorum,  with  white  ;  and  multicolor  having 
flowers  of  various  hues.  In  addition  to  these  there  is  R.  retusum, 
a  species  from  Java,  having  small  scarlet  flowers,  which  has  not  been 
greatly  used  by  the  hybridist  but  is  well  worth  growing.  They  can 
be  easily  grown  from  cuttings,  and  flower  well  in  small  pots,  some 
varieties  being  more  ready  to  produce  flowers  than  growth.  Planted 
out  in  peaty  soil  they  grow  better  than  in  pots,  and  flower  quite  as 
freely. 
Being  naturally  small  growing  bushes  they  are  better  than  many 
Rhododendrons  for  planting  in  small  houses.  A  house  with  a  minimum 
temperature  of  50°  is  most  suitable,  though  they  can  be  grown  in  a 
house  5°  lower. — Kewite. 
