January  30, 1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
103 
rabbits  are  numerous.  It  is  advisable  to  use  large  cradles  for  specimen 
trees.  When  the  branches  are  compressed  they  will  grow  through  the 
wire,  and  be  eaten  off.  I  have  seen  a  number  of  young  Hollies,  Cedars, 
and  Aucubas  spoilt  in  this  manner.  The  netting  should  be  fixed  clear 
of  the  branches,  and  kept  in  position  by  three  or  four  stakes. — 
J.  S.  Upex. 
CULTURE  OF  BOUGAINVILLEAS. 
It  is  impossible  to  convey  a  fair  idea  of  the  splendour  of  the 
Bougainvillea  when  flowered  as  it  should  be,  whether  grown  in  a 
pot  as  a  specimen  plant,  trained  on  a  balloon  shaped  trellis,  or  planted 
out  in  a  confined  border  as  a  climber  for  the  roof  of  the  warm 
conservatory  or  temperate  house.  B.  glabra  is  in  my  opinion  the  best 
variety,  being  much  freer  in  flowering  than  B.  speciosa. 
Many  people  have  an  idea  that  Bougainvilleas  will  not  flower  or 
thrive  well  in  any  other  than  a  stove  house,  but  I  have  seen  by  far  the 
best  results  follow  where  they  have  been  given  much  cooler  treatment 
throughout.  I  am  speaking  more  especially  of  plants  grown  in  pots, 
although  I  have  seen  them  growing  and  flowering  profusely  when 
planted  out.  My  system  of  culture  with  Bougainvilleas  as  pot  plants 
is  to  pot  them  about  the  middle  of  the  month  of  February.  The  old 
ball  of  soil  should  be  very  carefully  removed  with  a  pointed  stick,  great 
care  being  taken  not  to  loosen  the  soil  round  about  the  stem  of  the 
plant.  The  plant  should  then  be  stood  in  a  tub  of  tepid  water  and 
thoroughly  soaked  before  potting.  The  compost  I  have  found  answer 
well  consists  of  three  parts  good  turfy  loam  to  one  part  each  of  fibrous 
peat  and  decomposed  cow  manure,  adding  a  liberal  quantity  of  silver 
sand,  bones  and  charcoal,  the  whole  well  mixed,  and  used  in  a  rather 
lumpy  state,  making  it  very  firm  in  potting.  No  water  must  be  given 
for  several  days,  and  when  it  is  applied  give  sufficient  to  pass  through 
the  pot. 
In  pruning,  the  wood  made  the  previous  year  should  be  cut  back  to 
three  or  four  eyes,  except  in  the  case  of  young  plants  which  are  intended 
to  form  specimens,  when  more  eyes  may  be  left,  provided  the  wood 
has  been  well  ripened  previously.  The  remaining  wood  should  then  be 
neatly  tied  to  the  trellis  and  the  plants  stood  in  a  gentle  warmth  to 
start  into  growth,  an  early  vinery  .being  a  suitable  place.  The  syringe 
must  be  used  freely  until  the  plants  show  signs  of  growth,  when  they 
may  be  removed  to  a  cooler  house  and  the  young  growths  disbudded  to 
one  or  two  to  each  spur.  Copious  supplies  of  weak  liquid  manure  are 
necessary  from  this  time  to  the  end  of  September,  after  which  period 
the  manure  water  must  be  withheld  and  the  plants  kept  as  quiet  as 
possible.  I  allow  the  young  growths  to  run  wild,  not  tying  them  in 
to  the  trellis  till  well  set  with  bracts. — H.  T.  M. 
YIOLAS  IN  POTS. 
Popular  as  the  Viola  is  becoming  as  a  bedding  and  garden  flower, 
it  has  not  so  far  found  favour  as  a  plant  for  pot  culture  ;  in  fact,  it  was 
stated  at  a  meeting  of  the  London  Pansy  and  Violet  Society  last  summer 
by  one  of  the  most  eminent  florists  of  the  present  day  that  it  was  simply 
impossible  to  grow  it  well  in  a  pot,  and,  therefore,  useless  to  try.  That 
this  was  not  the  case  I  felt  pretty  certain  at  the  time,  and  before  the 
end  of  the  summer  proved  that  they  could  be  grown  quite  as  well  in  pots 
as  in  the  open  border.  Some  may  say  that  it  is  unnecessary  trouble, 
and  occasionally  it  may  be  so,  but  everyone  is  not  blessed  with  a  large 
garden,  and  many  a  lover  of  these  beautiful,  if  modest  flowers,  would 
be  delighted  to  have  them  if  he  only  had  the  room. 
Well  grown  pots  of  Violas  make  useful  plants  for  standing  about  on 
rustic  or  wire  stands,  especially  if  placed  in  partial  shade.  With 
ordinary  care  in  watering,  and  a  little  tying  now  and  then,  they  will 
bloom  continuously  for  three  or  four  months.  This  they  did  with  me 
during  last  summer,  and  a  more  trying  season  could  not  well  have  been 
for  them.  When  exhibited  in  London  and  at  local  shows  they  invariably 
received  a  large  share  of  attention  from  visitors. 
To  grow  them  well  it  is  best  to  start  with  well-rooted  cuttings  in 
October,  placing  in  3-inch  pots  with  a  compost  of  loam  two  parts,  leaf 
mould  one  part,  and  a  good  dash  of  sharp  sand.  If  a  cold  frame  can  be 
used  so  much  the  better,  plunging  the  pots  to  the  rim  in  coal  ashes  to 
protect  the  root  as  much  as  possible  from  frost.  Water  carefully,  not 
allowing  them  ever  to  be  dry  or  in  a  very  wet  condition  ;  use  the  lights 
only  when  rain  or  severe  cold  prevails,  and  above  all  things  avoid 
coddling.  About  the  second  or  third  week  in  February,  weather  per¬ 
mitting,  they  should  be  placed  in  their  flowering  pots,  using  a  compost 
of  two  parts  loam,  one  well  decayed  cow  manure,  one  leaf  mould,  and 
sufficient  sand  to  keep  the  whole  open.  If  this  can  be  mixed  a  few 
weeks  before  it  is  wanted,  and  turned  over  once  or  twice,  so  much  the 
better. 
For  flowering  use  32-sized  pots,  drain  well  and  be  sure  to  cover  the 
crocks  well  with  moss  or  fibre.  Pot  moderately  firm,  return  to  the 
frame  for  a  week  or  two  until  the  cold  winds  are  passed,  and  the  plants 
are  started  into  growth,  when  they  may  be  placed  out  of  doors.  Should 
aphis  attack  the  plants,  one  or  two  syringings  with  a  solution  of  soft- 
soip,  4  ozs.  to  the  gallon  of  water,  will  keep  them  clean,  but  as  this  is 
injurious  to  the  flowers  it  must  not  be  used  within  a  week  or  ten  days  of 
a  show,  or  if  the  plants  are  wanted  for  any  special  occasion. 
In  choosing  varieties  a  little  care  is  needed,  some  flowering  so  much 
more  freely  than  others.  The  habit  of  the  variety,  a  point  of  great 
importance  with  some,  need  not  be  considered  so  much  when  growing  in 
pots,  as  a  rambling  grower  detected  as  a  bedder  can  with  a  little  tying 
be  made  into  a  beautiful  specimen.  Varieties  likely  to  answer  the 
purpose  best  are  Archie  Grant,  Ardwell  Gem,  Carissima,  Craigie 
Countess  of  Kintore,  Duchess  of  Fife,  Goldfinch,  Iona,  Lady  Dundonald, 
White  Duchess,  Border  Witch,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  cultivation  ; 
Christiana  (perhaps  the  most  free  flowering  of  any  last  year,  it  carried 
from  fifty  to  sixty  flowers  on  one  pot  for  over  six  weeks),  Mary  Scott, 
Blue  Gown,  Sweet  Lavender,  Sylvia,  Vestal,  and  Blush  Queen.  Other 
varieties  may  do  equally  as  well,  but  there  is  one  or  two,  notably  Tara 
and  Charm,  which  will  give  no  satisfaction. — W.  B.,  Woking. 
HYDRANGEA  INVOLUCRATA  VERA. 
We  are  not  surprised  to  hear  that  “Journeyman  ”  has  not  seen  this 
Hydrangea  (fig.  16),  as  it  is  rarely  grown  in  this  country.  It  is  hardy, 
distinct  from  all  others  of  the  genus,  and  being  decidedly  ornamental, 
both  in  foliage  and  flowers,  it  is  worth  cultivation.  The  prevailing  colour 
of  the  trusses  is  blue,  but  the  expanded  flowers  are  brighter.  The 
plant  is  a  native  of  Japan,  and  was  introduced,  named,  and  described 
FIG.  16. — HYDRANGEA  INVOLUCRATA  VERA. 
by  Siebold  some  years  ago,  but  has  for  some  reason  or  other  remained 
scarce,  and  is  seldom  seen.  The  protecting  involucrated  bud  is  very 
remarkable,  in  this  respect  being  totally  dissimilar  from  all  other 
Hydrangeas.  The  hardiness  of  this  plant  has  been  well  established,  it 
having  endured  without  the  slightest  injury  several  severe  winters,  and 
has  flowered  freely  every  year.  It  is  of  low  and  rather  close  growth, 
rarely  exceeding  2  feet  in  height.  A  flower  truss  is  produced  by  every 
growth.  The  plant  is  suitable  for  borders  of  hardy  flowers  and  the 
margin  of  shrubberies. 
CARROTS  FOR  EXHIBITION. 
During  the  past  few  years  the  cultivation  of  Carrots,  especially  for 
the  purposes  of  exhibition,  has  advanced  to  an  extraordinary  degree, 
while  at  the  same  time  equally  great  strides  have  been  made  in  the 
varieties.  Not  very  long  ago  only  two  or  three  forms  were  available  for 
showing,  whereas  now  we  have  at  least  half  a  dozen.  The  specimens  of 
the  various  types  seen  at  our  leading  shows  act  as  a  stimulus  to  the 
thousands  of  gardeners  who  visit  them,  and  many  depart  with  the  fixed 
