19 
July  2,  1896.  JOURj^AL  OF .  HORTICULTURE  ANU  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
food,  Plante,  however,  it  may  be  as  well  to  remember,  do  not  require 
freshly  purchased  food  every  day  or  week,  or  even  month,  so  that  the 
matter  of  purchasing  soil  is  not  so  serious  as  at  first  sight  it  might 
appear  to  be. 
I  must  say,  as  a  somewhat  old  cultivator,  that  soil  is  not  everything 
in  the  culture  of  either  Fuchsias  or  any  other  plants.  Much,  of  course, 
depends  on  the  nature  of  the  compost,  its  texture  and  components  ; 
but  of  not  less  importance  is  the  state  in  which  it  is  used  and  the 
manner  of  using  it.  I  do  not  hesitate  saying  that  a  good  gardener  and 
skilled  cultivator  will  achieve  greater  results  with  inferior  soil  than  will 
a  bad  cultivator  with  soil  of  the  most  perfect  character  imaginable  for 
the  purpose  for  which  it  is  intended. 
In  the  first  place,  soil  when  it  is  employed  must  not  be  so  dry  as  to 
crumble  when  grasped  tightly,  nor  yet  be  so  moist  as  to  adhere  to 
the  hand  after  the  manner  of  putty  or  paste.  The  mean  between 
these  two  extremes  is  not  only  the  best  standard  to  attain,  but  it  is 
imperative  that  it  be  adopted.  In  the  next  place  the  soil  must  be  kept 
in  a  sweet  yet  healthily  moist  state,  and  this  must  be  effected  by 
judicious  applications  of  water  coupled  with  efficient  drainage.  It  is 
very  easy  to  place  an  inch  or  two  of  crocks,  such  as  broken  pots  or 
charcoal,  into  the  bottom  of  a  flower  pot,  and  then  as  easy  to  throw  in 
soil  on  the  crocks  ;  but  that  is  just  what  ought  not  to  be  done.  The 
drainage  must  be  kept  clean  and  clear  by  being  covered  with  a  layer 
of  turf,  moss,  manure,  or  leaves  before  the  soil  is  placed  in  the  pots. 
That,  too,  is  imperative.  It  is  not,  however,  always  adopted  by  amateurs, 
nor  even  by  some  who  call  themselves  gardeners.  Another  point 
wherein  many  amateurs  err,  and  not  a  few  gardeners,  is  in  the  habit  of 
watering  plants  immediately  after  they  have  been  potted.  As  soon  as  a 
plant  has  been  placed  in  fresh  soil  and  in  a  fresh  pot  it  is  considered 
proper  to  “give  it  a  good  soaking.”  Instead  of  that  practice  being  proper 
it  is  very  improper.  A  plant  should  never  be  potted  when  the  old  soil 
in  which  it  is  growing  is  at  all  dry,  nor  when  the  new  soil  in  which  it 
is  proposed  to  place  it  is  similarly  devoid  of  moisture,  neither  should 
it  ever  be  watered  immediately  after  the  potting  has  been  done.  Those 
are  a  few  of  the  principles  of  culture  that  must  never  be  lost  sight  of 
in  the  cultivation  of  Fuchsias,  or  indeed  of  any  plants. — N.  G. 
OXALIS  BRASILIENSIS. 
M ASY  species  of  the  genus  Oxalis  are  charming  enough  to  be  worth 
growing  as  greenhouse  plants,  and  one  of  the  most  effective  of  them  is 
that  figured  in  the  woodcut  (fig.  4),  The  exceptional  size  of  the 
flowers  and  their  attractive  colour,  rich  rosy  purple,  as  well  as  their 
abundance  on  the  plants,  revealed  in  this  species  a  greenhouse  flowering 
plant  worthy  of  attention.  It  has  Tulip-shaped  tubers  about  1  inch 
long,  short-stalked  leaves  of  the  ordinary  Wood  Sorrel  type,  and  graceful 
peduncles  about  6  inches  high,  bearing  umbels  of  from  three  to  eight 
flowers.  It  should  be  planted  in  rich  loam  in  well  drained  pans  or 
pots,  and  started  into  growth  in  February.  The  flowers  are  developed 
early  in  June.  By  August  the  leaves  will  have  withered,  and  the  tubers 
should  then  be  kept  dry  till  the  return  of  February.  About  six  tubers 
in  a  5-inch  pot  are  sufficient ;  larger  pans  or  pots,  if  used,  may  have  the 
tubers  planted  about  2  inches  apart.  The  secret  of  growing  and  flower¬ 
ing  many  of  the  exotic  Oxalises  is  in  allowing  them  plenty  of  pot  room, 
planting  thinly,  rich  soil,  a  good  dry  rest,  and  whilst  growing  a  position 
near  the  glass  in  full  sunshine  in  a  greenhouse.  0.  bratfiliensis  is,  as 
the  name  denotes,  a  native  of  Brazil,  whence  tubers  were  sent  some 
years  ago  by  the  late  Charles  Darwin. 
AUSTRALIAN  GARDEN  FLOWERS. 
A  LOVE  of  flowers  is  a  leading  trait  of  Australian  character,  and  no 
wonder,  for  not  only  are  garden  plants  abundant  and  easily  cultivated 
everywhere,  save  in  the  “  dry  country,”  but  blossoms  of  some  kind  or 
other,  thanks  to  the  temperate  climate,  are  procurable  all  the  year 
round.  Even  choice  Eoses  may  be  met  with  in  sheltered  localities  during 
May  and  June — months  corresponding  with  the  European  November 
and  December. 
In  an  interesting  work  on  New  South  Wales,  published  by  the 
Government  printer  of  that  colony,  a  writer  says  that  of  recent  ye  srs 
gardening  has  become  exceedingly  popular  about  Sydney  and  some  of 
the  country  towns,  and  gardeners,  professional  and  amateur,  exhibit 
remarkable  skill  in  the  art.  There  are  several  horticultural  societies  in 
the  city  and  suburbs,  and  *  others  in  the  country,  which  are  chiefly 
connected  with  agricultural  societies.  At  some  of  their  exhibitions 
may  be  seen  wonderfully  good  specimens  of  flowers  and  ornamental 
plants  difficult  to  excel,  perhaps,  anywhere.  The  Eose  seems  to  hold  ils 
owa  as  a  favourite,  although  the  Chrysanthemum  has  many  admirers. 
The  Eose  succeeds  to,  perfection,  and  is  one  of  the  easiest  and  most 
satisfactory  of  plants  to  grow,  for  it  will  withstand  a  severe  drought 
and  much  ill-treatment.  The  Tea-scented,  and  those  termed  Hybrid 
Tea-scented,  are  by  far  the  most  floriferous,  and  consequently  have 
become  the  favourites. 
The  Chrysanthemum  seems  to  be  perfectly  at  home  in  almost  all 
parts  of  New  South  Wales,  and^  strange  to  say,  and  quite  contrary  to 
the  general  impression,  it  succeeds  wonderfully  well  in  the  dry  atmo¬ 
sphere  of  the  inland  parts  of  the  colony,  provided  it  can  be  supplied 
with  water.  There  is  generally  great  competition  amongst  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  growers  at  the  horticultural  shows,  and  some  remarkable 
flowers  are  frequently  exhibited.  The  Camellia  thrives  exceedingly 
well,  and  is  a  useful  ornamental  plant,  even  when  not  in  full  bloom. 
After  it  becomes  fairly  well  established  it  needs  but  little  attention,  and 
will  in  time  attain  a  considerable  size.  There  are  many  varieties  of 
Bouvardia  in  cultivation,  and  they  all  succeed  remarkably  well  in  most 
parts  of  the  colony.  They  blossom  continuously  for  many  months 
during  the  year,  and  the  more  the  flowers  are  removed  the  belter  the 
plants  seem  to  blossom. 
Carnations,  Pinks,  Picotees,  and  all  members  of  the  Dianthus  family 
thrive  to  great  perfection,  and  are  very  useful  and  ornamental  flower? 
for  the  garden.  The  variety  of  Carnation  most  preferred  is  that  known 
as  the  “Tree,  or  Perpetual-flowering,”  which  blooms  for  the  greater 
FIG.  4.— OXALIS  BRASILIENSIS, 
part  of  the  year.  Bulbs  and  tuberous-rooted  plants  succeed  admirably 
in  different  parts  of  the  colony,  and  many  of  them  need  little  or  no  care 
after  they  are  once  planted.  They  may  be  left  in  the  ground  year  after 
year  with  impunity,  unless  it  is  thought  necessary  to  thin  them  out. 
Great  quantities  of  Daffodils,  Lilinms,  Jonquils,  Hyacinths,  Snowflakes, 
and  Snowdrops  are  grown  by  the  nurserymen  and  florists  for  sale  during 
the  season.  Some  of  them  thrive  best  in  elevated  cooler  parts  of  the 
colony.  Hippeastrums  succeed  admirably,  and  without  any  care. 
Pelargoniums  were  at  one  time  great  favourites,  but  although  still 
grown  largely,  interest  in  them  seems  to  have  fallen  off  considerably, 
the  reajon,  probably,  being  that  they  can  be  grown  so  easily — almost 
like  weeds,  if  permitted.  The  same  thing  may  be  said  with  respect  to 
many  other  kinds  of  plants  which  are  giass  house  treasures  in  some 
countries.  Indeed,  several  plants  which  have  been  introduced  for 
ornamental  purposes  thrive  so  well  that  they  have  become  great  pests, 
as,  for  instance,  a  Lantana,  from  China,  and  the  Prickly  Pear,  which  has 
spread  to  such  an  extent  in  some  parts  of  the  colony  that  vast  tracts  of 
country  have  been  ruined  by  it  for  pastoral  purposes.  The  Sweetbriar, 
also  a  garden  favourite  in  some  countries,  has  thriven  almost  beyond 
control ;  and  the  common  Blackberry  has  become  a  nuisance  in  some 
places,  and  most  difficult  to  eradicate.  Numbers  and  numbers  of 
species  of  beautiful  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowering  plants  grow  in  great 
perfection, 
Mangolias  of  various  kinds,  Azalea",  Ehododendrons,  Cactuses, 
Abutilons,  Palms,  Yuccas,  Bamboos,  Berberis,  Cratregus,  Daphne, 
Jacaranda,  Deutzia,  Dracajuas,  Gardenia,  Hibiscus,  Hydrangea,  Lasi- 
andra,  Spiraea,  annuals  of  almost  every  kind,  perennials,  and  beautiful 
creepers  of  wonderful  variety  are  quite  at  home  in  the  various  climates 
of  the  colony,  some  parts  of  which  may  fairly  be  regarded  as  a  floral 
paradise. — J.  Plummer,  Sydney. 
