January  9,  1902. 
.JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
35 
Pruning  Crowded  Wall  Trees. 
Trees  on  walls,  especially  Pears,  frequently  fail  to  bear  satis- 
tory  crops  from  tbe  fact  that  the  principal  branches  are  too 
thickly  placed.  When  this  is  the  case  spurs  become  elongated 
and  weakened,  and  fail  to  plump  up  fruit  buds.  The  remedy  is 
to  thin  out  the  crowded  principal  branches  first,  leaving  them  a 
foot  asunder,  then  thin  out  the  clumps'  of  spurs  and  reduce  the 
number  of  separate  spurs  in  each  clump.  Some  of  these  may 
also  be  shortened  back  to  buds  nearer  the  main  stem.  These 
renovating  processes  cannot  be  carried  out  in  one  season  to  the 
fullest  extent  always,  but  relief  may  be  afforded  gradually,  thus 
avoiding  severe  checks.  Fan-trained  trees  can  readily  have  the 
branches  disposed  of  in  a  fresh  manner,  so  that  more  room  is 
secured  to  them  for  the  next  season,  and  this  should  bo  done 
annually,  by  which  means  overcrowding  is  avoided  and  fruitful¬ 
ness  secured. — G. 
Magnolia  stellata. 
There  is  not  one  Magnolia  among  the  dozen  or  more  well- 
known  kinds  that  is  not  worthy  of  heading  a  fair-sized  list  of 
trees  and  shrubs.  All  have  beautiful  flowers,  many  of  them 
seed  pods  of  a  lovely  carmine  colour,  and  some,  notably  M. 
tripetala  and  M.  macrophylla,  are  renowned  for  their  magni¬ 
ficent  foliage.  Then,  one  after  another,  their  flowering  period 
extends  over  several  months,  commencing  with  M.  stellata,  in 
early  April,  and  ending  with  M.  glauca,  in  June,  or,  where 
hardy,  M.  grandiflora,  which  is  sometimes  still  flowering  in  the 
early  days  of  July.  M.  stellata,  of  which  we  particularly  write, 
is  of  great  merit.  It  is  the  first  of  all  to  bloom,  the  flowers 
opening  just  as  soon  as  frost  disappears  for  good  in  early  April. 
In  the  bud,  the  flowers  are  pink,  and  when  freshly  open  a  little 
of  this  colour  is  maintained;  but  when  in  their  prime  they  are 
white,  under  which  colour  it  is  usually  classed.  To  add  to  the 
beauty  of  the  flowers  and  to  their  lasting  quality,  they  are  semi¬ 
double.  The  dwarf,  bushy  character  of  the  growth  of  this 
species  is  much  in  its' favour.  It  can  be  planted,  says  the 
“  Florists’  Exchange,”  in  sheltered  nooks  where  a  large  growing 
one  would  not  suit,  and  in  this  way  early  blooms,  secure  from 
late  freezings,  are  obtained.  It  makes  an  admirable  pot  plant, 
flowering  profusely,  even  on  plants  but  a  foot  high.  When 
grown  in  this  way,  the  flowers  can  be  had  nicely  for  almost  any 
date  after  Christmas.  Each  flower  does  not  last  many  days, 
but  there  are  usually  a  great  many  of  them,  and,  as  they  do 
not  all  open  at  once,  there  is  a  display  for  some  time.  As 
already  noted,  the  flowers  are  semi-double,  and,  as  is  the  case 
with  all  such  flowers,  they  do  not  decay  as  rapidly  as  single 
ones. 
Late  Grapes. 
These  are  best  removed  to  a  dry  room,  where  they  will  keep 
quite  as  well  or  better  as  if  left  on  the  Vines.  The  bunches 
should  be  cut  with  as  much  wood  as  cUn  be  spared,  and  placed 
in  bottles  filled  with  rain  water,  with  a  piece,  or  pieces,  of 
charcoal  in  each,  which  will  render  any  organic  matter  innocuous. 
The  bottles  should  be  fixed  in  an  inclined  position,  so  as  to 
admit  of  the  bunches  hanging  clear  of  the  sides,  and  they  may 
be  as  far  apart  as  not  to  allow  the  bunches  to  touch  each  other. 
Keep  the  temperature  of  the  house  or  room  at  about  45deg, 
examining  the  bunches  occasionally  for  decayed  berries,  which 
should  be  carefully  removed.  The  Vines  should  then  be  pruned 
after  keeping  cool  for  a  day  or  two,  dressing  the  cuts  with 
French  polish,  patent  knotting,  or  other  approved  preparation 
as  a  safeguard  against  bleeding;  also  thoroughly  cleanse  the 
house.  Admit  air  freely  in  favourable  weather,  striving  to  give 
the  Vines  as  long  and  complete  rest  as  possible.  If  the  borders 
are  unsatisfactory  lift  the  roots  of  the  Vines,  clear  out  the  bad 
soil,  rectify  the  drainage,  and  relay  the  roots  in  fresh,  sweet 
compost  within  1ft  of  the  surface,  and  the  fibry  ones  not  deeper 
than  Sin.  Where  the  Vines  are  planted  inside,  and  have  inside 
and  outside  borders,  the  renovation  may  be  accomplished  without 
loss  of  crop  by  renewing  the  former  one  year  and  the  latter  the 
year  followng. — Grower. 
Canna  David  Harum. 
One  of  the  most  striking  Cannas  in  the  United  States  is  the 
variety  David  Harum.  It  is  of  very  dwarf  habit,  not  much  over 
3ft,  has  grand  dark  foliage,  and  big  scarlet  flowers  of  good  sub¬ 
stance  and  form,  being  broad  and  well  rounded.  It  is 
apparently  a  great  bloomer.  But  for  foliage  alone.  Black  Beauty 
is  the  Canna. 
A  List  of  Rhododendrons. 
The  list  here  furnished,  though  it  is  short,  yet  represents 
exceedingly  beautiful  varieties.  The  varieties  were  noted  at 
Messrs.  Cutbush’s.  Alphabetically  they  are : — Alarm,  very 
bright  pink;  atro-sanguinea,  dark  scarlet;  Barclayanuni,  deep 
rosy  crimson;  Blandyanum,  deep  rosy  crimson;  Caractacus,  a 
very  fine  crimson ;  delicatissimum,  white,  tinged  pink ; 
Everstianum,  rosy  purple,  fringed,  and  is  a  free  bloomer ;  Kate 
Waterer,  rosy  crimson;  Lady  Eleanor  Cathcart,  this  one  of  the 
best.  It  is  very  distinct,  with  pale  rose-coloured  flowers  heavily 
spotted  with  chocolate.  Michael  Waterer,  brilliant  crimson,  is 
a  fine  late  variety.  Waterer’s  people,  of  Bagshot,  have  raised 
many  of  these  charming  hardy  Rhododendrons.  Then  comes 
Minnie,  a  fine  white,  with  chocolate  spots ;  Murillo,  dark  purplish 
crimson;  ochroleucum,  yellowish  white,  very  lovely;  Purity,  a 
showy  and  good  white  sort,  having  a  faint  yellow  eye ;  Sir  Isaac 
Newton,  dark  plum  colour,  heavily  spotted ;  The  Queen,  pure 
white,  of  waxy  texture;  and  finally,  Warrior,  a  rich  rosy 
crimson. 
Fossil  Plants. 
A  meeting  of  the  Hull  Geological  Society  was  held  at  the 
Royal  Institution  on  December  5,  when  Mr.  J.  Fraser  Robinson 
delivered  a  lecture  on  “  Paleobotany ;  or,  the  Study  of  Fossil 
Plants.”  At  the  outset  Mr.  Robinson  stated  that  some  know¬ 
ledge  of  botany  was  essential  before  taking  up  the  studj'  of  fossil 
plants.  By  means  of  carefully  prepared  diagrams  he  produced, 
he  showed  the  broad  distinctions  between  the  various  species  of 
plant  life,  and  then  went  on  to  describe  some  of  the  well-known 
plant  remains  found  in  the  different  formations,  illustrating  his 
remai’ks  with  numerous  excellent  specimens.  Inasmuch  as  cer¬ 
tain  particular  species  were  limited  to  certain  formations,  paleo¬ 
botany  rendered  valuable  aid  to  the  geologist  in  determining  the 
age  of  strata,  and  also  gave  us  an  idea  of  the  conditions  which 
prevailed  when  such  strata  were  laid  down.  The  finding  of  nuts 
of  the  Palm  tree  in  the  London  clay  (Eocene),  and  the  Arctic 
plant  remains  in  the  lacustrine  beds  of  Holderness  overlaying  the 
boulder  clay  were  quoted  as  evidence  of  great  changes  of  climate 
at  different  periods. 
Grafted  Hollies. 
The  disappointment  to  those  who  purchase  Holly  bushes, 
looking  forward  to  enjoying  the  bright  berries,  when  it  proves 
that  what  they  have  are  male  plants,  is  very  keen,  observes  Mr. 
Meehan.  There  is  no  way  to  avoid  this  excepting  by  purchasing 
plants  which  have  been  grafted  from  the  berry-bearing,  or  female 
plant.  This  fact  was  impressed  on  me  very  much  recently  when 
seeing  a  block  of  the  deciduous  Holly,  Prinos  verticillatus,  which 
had  been  produced  in  that  way.  The  little  plants  were  in  pots, 
and  not  over  a  foot  high,  and  were  quite  full  of  bright,  scarlet 
berries.  The  thought  occurred  to  me  that  such  pot  plants  would 
be  useful  in  some  way  at  Christmas,  though  being  without  leaves 
would  be  somewhat  against  them.  But  there  would  be  a  place 
for  them  then,  as  there  is  for  everything  with  bright  berries. 
But  it  is  my  opinion  that  the  common  Holly,  either  the  native  or 
the  English,  would  make  attractive  plants  either  for  pot  culture 
or  for  the  open  ground,  if  produced  as  these  deciduous  ones 
were.  These  were  grafted  during  the  winter,  the  stocks,  which 
were  seedlings,  having  been  potted  up  a  year  in  advance,  so  that 
they  might  be  in  a  growing  condition  when  grafting  was  done. 
Nursery  customers  in  America  are  continually  asking  for 
herry-bearing  Hollies,  and  how  rarely  they  get  them  I  The  usual 
plan  is  to  wait  till  one  has  borne  berries.  This  necessitates  the 
taking  of  a  good-sized  bush,  as  small  ones  do  not  hear ;  and  these 
large  hushes  will  not  transplant  safely  unless  severely  pruned. 
Those  rich  enough  and  with  places  large  enough  to  set  out  a  half- 
dozen  or  more  of  Hollies,  need  not  be  so  particular,  as  they 
would  be  tolerably  sure  to  have  some  beri-y-bearing  ones  in  the 
lot;  but  those  less  fortunate  in  the  line  of  wealth  would  have 
their  desires  met  hy  being  able  to  purchase  a  berry-bearing  one 
at  the  start.  A  lot  of  young  seedlings  should  be  secured,  potted, 
and  put  under  cover,  for  grafting  purposes. 
