586* 
JOUt^iTAL  OF  tiORTlaVLftJUE  ANt)  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
I)..>cembcr:il, 
POINSETTIA  PULOHEBRIMA. 
The  season  for  this  beawtiful  winter  floweriue;  plant  being  with  »8, 
snd  knowing  that  some  gardeners  dnd  a  difficulty  in  their  successful 
CHltivation,  a  few  remarks  on  our  mode  of  treatment  may  prove 
acceptable.  This  plant  stands  unrivalled  for  the  brilliant  colouring  of 
its  scarlet  bracts,  and  cannot  be  seen  to  better  advantage  than  when 
arranged  amidst  a  groundwork  of  Ferns,  especially  where  space  occurs 
to  enable  one  to  form  a  group  on  the  floor,  as  the  bracts  are  then  placed 
more  under  the  eye  of  the  observer. 
These  plants  when  started  early,  say  in  May,  and  grown  in  stove  heat 
all  the  summer,  become  so  tall  that  when  placed  on  a  stage  the  bracts 
are  too  far  away  for  anyone  to  obtain  an  idea  of  their  great  beauty.  At 
the  same  time  they  may  be  arranged  in  this  way  to  produce  a  good  effect, 
as  the  plants  have  a  natural  tendency  to  droop  the  bract,  either  from  its 
weight  or  the  attraction  of  light  from  the  position  in  which  they  are 
placed.  Some  plants  are  grown  so  stout  and  strong  that  they  carry  their 
heads  quite  erect.  These  (if  desired)  may  be  tied  down  so  that  they 
can  be  more  easily  seen. 
To  get  strong  plants  it  ’s  necessary  to  commence  early,  especially 
where  a  large  stock  has  to  be  worked  np  annually  from  cuttings  of  the 
young  growths,  which  give  by  far  the  best  results.  Good  cuttings  taken 
off^  with  a  heel  about  the  end  of  May  or  early  in  June,  and  rooted  as 
quickly  as  possible,  is  laying  the  foundation  for  future  success.  The  old 
stools  should  be  placed  in  a  temperature  about  60®  early  in  April,  as 
near  to  the  light  as  possible,  damping  them  occasionally  during  the  day, 
with  a  syringe  to  assist  them  to  break.  Having  been  kept  diy  for  some 
time  the  soil  in  the  pots  will  require  pricking  and  firming,  afterw'ards 
watering  each  one — after  this  water  must  be  given  very  cautiously.  The 
cuttings  should  be  taken  off  when  about  3  or  4  inches  in  length,  with  a 
heel ;  this,  if  dipped  in  silver  sand,  will  prevent  its  bleeding.  Having 
procured  some  pots,  clean  and  well  drained,  and  filled  firmly  with  a  light 
compost,  with  a  sprinkling  of  silver  sand  on  the  surface,  lose  no  time  in 
getting  the  cutting  inserted.  The  propagating  box  is  undoubtedly  a  good 
place  in  which  to  root  them,  provid^  it  be  well  heated,  and  not  likely 
to  become  too  damp,  for  then  they  are  very  liable  to  damp  oft.  1  think 
the  best  place  is  in  a  frame,  placed  on  a  good  hotbed,  plunged  in  a 
bed  of  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  or  sawdust. 
Previously  to  plunging  the  pots  it  is  advisable  to  water  the  cuttings 
with  tepid  water ;  they  will  require  very  little  more  except  damping 
over  with  the  syringe  until  rooted,  but  must  be  shaded  from  the  hot  sun. 
When  sufficiently  rooted  they  should  be  taken  out  of  the  frame  and 
placed  where  they  can  be  gradually  inured  to  more  air  and  light, 
attention  being  given  to  each  pot  daily  for  water.  The  young  plants 
must  not  be  allowed  to  become  pot-bound,  or  they  will  receive  a  check 
which  may  cause  the  loss  of  foliage. 
Potting  must  commence  as  soon  as  the  plants  are  ready,  the  first 
and  strongest  plants  into  6  and  7-inch  pots,  others  into  smaller,  while 
a  few  of  the  smallest  might  be  put  into  pans,  which  make  a  useful 
bit  for  room  decoration,  six  or  seven  plants  in  each.  We  find  the 
following  compost  to  suit  them  well.  A  barrowload  of  good  loam,  one- 
fourth  half -decayed  leaf  mould,  a  10-inch  potful  of  peat,  one  6-inch 
potful  of  soot,  two  6-iDch  pots  of  old  night  soil  or  fowls’  manure, 
one  of  pure  wood  ash,  a  little  bonemeal,  and  a  liberal  quantity  of 
silver  sand. 
The  greatest  secrets  in  the  cultivation  of  this  plant  are  perfect 
drainage,  flrna  potting,  and  careful  watering.  Some  growers  treat 
Poinsettias  more  hardily  than  others  after  the  plants  get  established,  and 
I  have  seen  excellent  results  obtained  both.  ways.  vVe  adopt  the  plan  of 
plunging  the  pots  on  a  bed  of  leaves  in  sawdust,  thus  getting  slight 
bottom  heat  (the  pots  being  stood  on  pieces  of  slate  to  prevent  the 
ingress  of  worms,  and  the  holes  in  the  pot  bottom  from  becoming 
choked  up),  and  grow  them  in  beat  all  the  summer  in  span-roofed 
pits,  giving  air  cautiously  on  all  favourable  occasions  to  prevent  their 
becoming  drawn.  An  addition  to  their  beauty  is  the  retention  of  their 
foliage. 
Under  the  foregoing  treatment  bracts  may  be  obtained  from  12  to 
18  inches  in  diameter.  When  fully  expanded  a  cooler  and  drier  atmo¬ 
sphere  is  preferable,  also  a  little  drier  at  the  root,  which  helps  to  prolong 
the  life  of  the  bracts.  We  remove  them  from  the  pits  about  the  first 
week  in  October,  and  arrange  them  amongst  the  stove  plants  and  Ferns. 
Daring  growth  they  must  not  be  allowed  to  become  sodden,  otherwise 
they  are  certain  to  lose  their  roots.  We  continue  rooting  cuttings  as  fast 
as  ready  until  we  have  the  required  quantity,  generally  about  300, 
which,  when  in  bloom,  vary  in  height  from  6  inches  Jo  6  feet  6  inches, 
or  probably  more.  The  old  stools  are  planted  out  on  an  old  hotbed, 
and  give  good  cuttings  in  August  for  small  pot  work. 
In  cutting  the  bracts  for  packing,  it  is  a  wise  plan  to  seal  the  wonnd 
with  a  red-hot  iron,  which  prevents  the  bleeding  that  would  otherwise 
take  place.  It  is  not  advisable  to  pnt  the  plants  away  to  rest  imme¬ 
diately  the  bracts  are  cut,  but  keep  them  rather  on  the  dry  side  to  enable 
them  to  go  to  rest  more  naturally  and  gradnally.  They  may  be  stortd 
In  a  temperature  of  40°  to  45°  till  starting  time  arrives  again,  being  laid 
on  their  sides  under  a  stage  ont  of  the  reach  of  drip.  A  warm  loft  in  a 
^iler- house,  where  such  exists,  is  a  very  good  place.  Euphorbia 
jacquiniaeflora,  with  its  long  sprays  of  intense  scarlet  flowers,  succeeds 
well  under  the  same  treatment. 
I  omitted  to  say  that  the  plants  are  greatly  benefited  by  frequent 
applications  of  weak  liquid  manure,  when-  the  pots  become  fairly  filled 
with  roots  ;  also  an  application  of  some  well-tried  fertiliser. — J.  S.  G. 
THE  BARBAROSSA  GRAPE  VINE  /T  THORNHAM, 
SUFFOLK. 
This  Vine  was  planted  about  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  ago  inside 
the  house,  which  is  60  feet  long  by  12  feet  wide,  and  about  15  from  the 
floor  to  the  ridge.  It  was  planted  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  beautiful 
crimson  leaves  for  dinner  table  decoration,  and  for  aftording  a  little 
shade  to  the  pot  plants  beneath.  The  Grape  itself,  as  your  readers 
know,  is  not  so  good  as  the  Black  Hamburgh,  but  its  long  tapering 
bunches  are  very  attractive  (especially  when  ripe).  I  have  kept  some 
bunches  in  bottles  of  water  until  the  end  of  the  following  April. 
The  space  of  3  feet  average  below  the  glass  seems  to  have  suited 
it  well.  The  warm  air  can  play  freely  between  the  foliage  and  the  glass 
No  scorching  has  ever  been  noticed  in  the  least.  No  border  was  made, 
so  there  were  no  dead  horses,  donkeys,  dogs,  cats,  or  rats  used,  bnt  which 
some  people  still  think  are  requisite  for  the  good  cultivation  of  the 
Grape  Vine.  I  do  not  know  where  the  roots  are.  They  may  have  found 
their  way  into  the  kitchen  garden,  or  taken  an  opposite  direction  and 
gone  through  stift  loam,  brick  earth,  or  blue  clay  down  to  a  good-siKed 
pond  where  they  could  regale  themselves  in  the  late  hot  summer  in 
decomposed  animal  and  vegetable  matter  to  their  heart’s  content. 
It  will  be  seen  that  I  am  an  advocate  for  extension.  I  think  when 
Vines  are  confined  to,  say,  twelve  or  fifteen  rafters,  their  roots  must  be 
restricted  in  like  proportion.  This  house  requires  to  be  made  as  large 
again,  when  600  bunches  would  very  soon  be  the  crop.  The  photo  was 
taken  last  year,  with  260  bunches.  This  year  300  ripened  well,  and  must 
be  the  limit,  unless  the  house  is  enlarged.  I  know  the  Vine  at  Hampton 
Court,  which,  with  a  good  glass  cover  and  plenty  of  heat,  would  most 
likely  have  reached  St.  Paul’s  before  now,  and  would  not  the  bunches  be 
finer  and  more  luscious?  I  believe  there  is  a  large  Vine  at  or  near 
Bishop’s  Stortford. — J.  Perkins, 
[There  are  several  Vines  larger  than  the  one  at  Hampton  Court, 
including  Her  Majesty’s  grand  old  giant  at  Cumberland  Lodge.  We 
figure  the  Thornham  Vine,  because  of  the  pleasing  association  of  Grape 
and  plants  j  also  because  its  planter  is  appropriately  represented,  and 
who  can  say,  what  few  gardeners  can — namely,  that  his  terin  of  service 
at  Thornham  extends  to  forty-eight  years.  Ws  are  glad  to  learn  that 
he  is  as  active  as  he  looks,  and  regards  gardening  as  a  *'  healthy 
recreation.”  The  Vine  is  no  doubt  Gros  Guillaume,  usually  called 
Barbaroisa.l 
TERCENTENARY  OF  THE  POTATO. 
Dublin,  December  9th  and  10th. 
Ip  the  Potato  is  worthy  of  the  glorification  accorded  to  it  by  a 
tercentenary  celebration,  then,  surely,  no  more  appropriate  place  could 
be  found  for  holding  it  than  the  metropolis  of  the  Emerald  Isle.  At 
first  sight  one  might  infer  that  the  difficulty  of  working  up  a  certain 
degree  of  enthusiasm  necessary  to  success  would  be  insurmountable ;  yet 
it  is  astonishing  what  a  few  earnest  men  in  unity  can  do,  and  it  must  be 
gratifying  to  the  executive  of  the  Irish  Gardeners’  Association  to 
anticipate  far-reaching  lesnlts  as  a  reward  of  their  labours  in  inaugurating 
and  carrying  out  this  practical  exposition  of  the  culture  of  that  tuber 
which  plays  so  prominent  a  part  in  the  economy  of  Ireland. 
Before  noting  the  primary  features  of  this  Exhibition  and  Confer¬ 
ence,  further  allusion  may  be  made  to  the  principle  involved  j  for  it  is 
rather  on  this  than  to  that  matter  of  fact  £  s.  d,  with  which  we  are  so 
apt  to  measure  success  or  failure  that  an  estimate  must  be^  based. 
Whether  sufficient  has  been  gathered  to  defray  expenses  I  am  not 
qualified  to  say,  but  those  who  attended  on  the  second  day  and  heard 
the  reading  of  the  crisp,  short,  clear  address  presented  to  His  Excellency 
tile  Lord  Lieutenant,  by  Mr.  Thomas  Shaw,  the  Secretary,  and  heard 
His  Excellency’s  reply,  could  not,  1  think,  but  share  in  my  opinion  that 
tuese  eftorts  were  successful.  I  must  still  further  digress  by  saying  that 
The  Irish  Gardeners’  Association  is  composed  of  practic^  men,  men 
who  work,  and  men  who  think,  and  it  was  gratifying  to  see  the  manner 
in  which  these  men,  gardeners  pure  and  simple,  were  received  by  His 
Excellency  and  the  Countess  Cadogan,  standing  “shoulder  to  shoulder” 
as  they  did  on  the  one  platform  in  conference  for  the  commonweal.  The 
exhaustive,  kindly,  sympathetic,  and  informal  reply  of  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  evinced  the  interest  he  feels  in  the  object— the  ulterior 
object  which  has  prompted  the  good  work. 
It  was  with  a  little  misgiving  I.  approached  the  rendezvous  on  the 
closing  day,  a  cloud  of  steam  hovering  about  the  facade  of  the  Rotunda 
momentarily  bringing  Up  the  question.  Was  I  too  late,  and  weie  the 
■■  noble  tubers  ”  bfeing  •  ‘  done  ”•  m  tbeir  jackets  ?  No  ;  other  good  works 
were  progressing,  a  quantity  of  lime  being  slaked  for  the  purpose  ;  so  by 
the  side  door  aamission  is  gained  to  the  “  round  room,”  which  is  for  the 
nonce  bisected  by  what  may  be  termed  Potato  Avenue.  This  avenue, 
6  feet  wide  by  some  24  yards  long,  is  flanked  on  either  side  by  4-feet 
tabling,  groaning  under  the  weight  of  2  tons  of  most  excellent  specimens 
of  the  esculent  tuber,  piled  np  in  heaps,  heaped  up  on  plates,  and  dished 
up  on  dishes.  Truly  a  marvellous  show,  consisting  of  209  varieties. 
