534 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
The  Victoria  Regia  at  Regent’s  Park. 
Mr.  E.  F.  Hawes,  head  gardener  at  the  Royal  Botanic 
Garden, Regent’s  Park,  London,  writes  as  follows: — “The  Vic¬ 
toria  regia,  growing  here,  opened  its  first  bloom  on  Saturday, 
the  14th  inst.,  nearly  a  month  in  advance  of  last  year.  A  second 
flower  will  be  open  the  end  of  this  week.  The  plant  at  present 
has  several  leaves  oft  Gin  in  diameter.” 
Daisies. 
At  this  season  of  the  year  the  little  Daisy  attracts  much 
attention,  for  it  is  by  far  the  most  conspicuous  plant  on  most 
lawns.  V’^ery  often  they  are  the  only  subject  fit  for  the  villa 
plot.  Many  people  in  country  places  still  think  that  by  growing 
single  Daisies  in  rich  garden  soil,  double  flowers  are  made.  One 
Avould  like  to  know  if  this  has  proved  a  sure  method.  Thei*e  are 
double  Daisies  in  shades  of  colour  from  light  rose  to  dark  red. 
But  Avhere  are  the  .singles.*^  A  large  single  Daisy  with  bright 
pink  petals,  another  carmine  coloured.  Would  not  these  be 
acceptable  ? — D.  S.  F. 
Melon  Fruits  Ripening. 
Plants  Avith  the  fruits  ripening  must  liaA^e  a  plentiful  supply 
of  air,  and  Avater  should  be  Avithheld  from  the  fruit.  If  the 
plants  are  strong,  and  there  is  a  disposition  to  crack,  in  addition 
to  Avithholding  Avater  from  the  Melons  cut  the  groAvths  carrying 
them  half  through  a  fcAv  inches  below  the  fruit.  A  dry  atmosphere 
is  essential,  and  a  temperature  of  70deg  to  7.5deg  artificially, 
falling  about  odeg  at  night.  If  the  sun  be  poAverful  place  a  slight 
shade  of  some  kind  directly  over  the  fruit,  as  the  Melons  ripening 
become  heated,  and  do  not  mature  nearly  so  regularly  nor  become 
so  high  in  flavour  as  those  that  come  on  more  gradually.  Water 
need  only  be  giA'en  to  prevent  flagging,  and  a  slight  shade  from 
bright  sun  after  a  dull  period  is  a  much  better  Avay  of  preventing 
flagging  than  heavv  waterings  and  a  close  or  heated  atmosphere. 
—A. 
Picea  pungens,  or  the  Colorado  Blue  Spruce. 
None  of  the  evergreen  trees  has  proved  more  popular  for  orna¬ 
mental  planting  than  this  tree  from  the  Rocky  Mountains.  It  is 
of  unquestioned  hardiness,  and  is  one  of  the  coniferous  sjAecies 
which  seem  to  do  aa’cII  in  about  every  location  Avhere  it  may  be 
planteel.  Its  growth  is  as  strong  and  succes.sful  upon  poor  soils 
as  upon  the  strongest.  It  is  also  valuable  in  locations  Avhere 
many  other  evergreens  fail  to  thriA-e.  I"pon  the  eastern 
coast  of  Ncav  England  it  lives  and  thrives  close  to  the  edge  of 
the  ocean,  and  Ave  have  seen  it  groAving  in  perfection  Avhere  it 
Avas  even  covered  at  times  by  salt  spray.  One  of  the  finest  groups 
of  .specimens  Ave  have  seen  is  at  Quissett,  near  Falmouth,  Mass., 
Avhere  young  trees  Avere  planted  in  the  natural  soil  upon  the 
tops  of  rocks,  and  Avithout  the  addition  of  manure  or  neAA'  soil. 
These  trees  wmre  planted  some  years  ago,  and  noAv  form  one  of 
the  finest  groups  of  beautiful  shaped  trees  that  Ave  have  ever 
seen.  Imdoubtedly  the  colour  of  this  Spruce  is  more  or  less 
affected  by  the  soil  in  Avhich  it  groAvs,  and  it  seems  to  take  on  it.s 
best  colours  upon  soils  of  granite  formation.  In  other  instances 
Ave  have  seen  it  entirely  change  its  colour,  from  a  dull  green 
into  a  bright  colour,  after  being  Avell  manured  and  cultivated. 
Many  groAvers  di.scard  young  trees  of  this  Spruce  because  they 
do  not  shoAV  the  blue  colour;  but  it  is  best  to  give  such  trees 
careful  cultivation,  and  then  they  subsequently  favourably  dis¬ 
appoint  the  grower  by  taking  on  a  very  distinct  and  glaucous 
hue.  This  tree,  Avith  its  companion,  concolor,  is  certainly  one  of  the 
mo.st  A^aluable  Ave  have.  The  blue  forms  of  concolor  are  very 
beautiful  in  appearance,  the  foliage  being  someAvhat  softer  and 
more  graceful  than  pungens,  and  it  is  quite  a  favourite  with 
those  AA’ho  liaA’e  groAvn  it  long  enough  to  appreciate  its  good 
qualities. — (“  American  Gai-dening.”)  [We  can  re-echo  these 
Avords,  and  apply  them  to  the  groAvth  of  this  tree  in  England  and 
Scotland,  Avhere  healthy  young  siAccimens  are  frequently  to  be 
met  Avith.] 
.Tunc '19,  1902. 
The  Judas  Tree. 
A  fine  specimen  of  the  Judas  Tree  (Avhich  takes  its  name  from 
a  tradition  that  it  Avas  on  a  branch  of  this  tree  Judas  hanged 
himself),  is  in  full  blossom  just  noAV  in  the  chaplain’s  garden  of 
Duhvioh  College.  Its  branches  are  covered  Avith  a  profu.sion  of 
purplish-pink  flowers,  very  much  like  the  Almond,  and  as  yet  there 
are  no  leaves.  There  are  not  more  than  four  specimens  of  the 
Judas  Tree  in  England  (says  “  The  Westminster  Gazette.”).  The 
one  at  Dulwich,  covered  with  its  triennial  blossom,  is  very  hand¬ 
some,  and  attracts  the  notice  of  pedestrians. 
Myosotis  alpestris  strlcta  Pink  Gem. 
This  comparatively  neAV  form  of  Forget-me-not  is  AAorthy  of 
more  extended  cultivation.  Upon  a  recent  visit  to  the  gardens 
at  NcAvton  Hall,  Chester,  the  I’esidence  of  Miss  Humberston,  the 
head  gardener,  Mr.  Wakefield,  shoAved  me  a  collection  of  Myosotis, 
all  of  wdiioh  were  very  beautiful,  but  “  Pink  Gem  ”  showed  dis¬ 
tinctive  characteristics  which  immediately  attracted  attention. 
Here  the  plant  attained  a  height  of  about  Sin,  beautifully  com¬ 
pact  in  habit,  with  averaged  sized  blooms  of  a  pleasing  soft  pink 
colour.  Pink  is  a  colour  not  too  plentiful  in  spring-growing 
plants,  and  this  fact  should  add  to  the  value  of  this  neAV  form. 
A  difficulty  is  sometimes  experienced  in  getting  good  strains  of 
Myosotis,  but  those  at  Newdon  Hall  were  all  uniform  both  in 
habit  and  colour. — Visitor. 
Melon  Fruits  SAwelling. 
Add  more  soil  to  the  ridges  or  hillocks.  Let  it  be  Avarm, 
moderately  heavy,  rather  moist,  and  press  it  firmly.  GiA'e  a 
thorough  soaking  of  Avater  Avhen  the  fruit  is  the  size  of  an  egg, 
and  folloAv  in  a  day  or  tAvo  Avith  liquid  manure ;  then  mulch  lightly 
Avith  horse  droppings,  exposed  a  fcAv  days  in  a  shed,  and  turned 
over  daily  in  order  to  SAveeten  the  material.  Water  Avill  be 
required  about  twice  a  Aveek,  or  only  once  in  dull  weather.  In 
narroAv  borders  the  waterings  will  need  to  be  more  frequent;  in 
large  borders,  over  fermenting  material,  it  aauII  not  be  required  so 
often.  Remove  all  fruit  but  three  or  four  on  a  plant,  also 
blossoms,  and  afford-  the  needful  supports.  Stop  or  remove 
laterals  freely,  not  great  reductions  at  a  time,  but  little  and 
often,  not  alloAving  secondai-y  tertiary  groAvths  to  interfere  Avith 
the  principal.  Syringe  in  the  morning  and  in  the  afternoon  not 
later  than  four  o’clock,  having  the  foliage  dry  before  night,  and 
sprinkle  the  floor  about  five  or  six  o’clock  with  weak  liquid 
manure,  and  give  a  little  ventilation  at  the  top  of  the  house 
Avhen  looking  round  the  last  thing  at  night.  This  Avill  save  some 
trouble  if  air  is  not  given  early  in  the  morning.  On  bright 
mornings  commence  ventilating  about  seven  o’clock,  at  7odeg, 
and  increase  it  with  the  adAmncing  sun,  keeping  through  the 
day  at  SOdeg  to  90deg  with  bright  sun,  and  SOdeg  to  85deg  Avith 
alternating  gleams  of  sunshine  and  cloudy  sky.  Close  at  SOdeg 
to  Sodeg,  increasing  to  90deg,  95deg,  or  more.  Fire  heat  Avill 
only  be  necessary  on  cold  nights  and  in  dull  Aveather,  for  it  is 
essential  to  guard  against  a  sluggish  circulation  of  the  sap  and 
the  attacks  of  fungoid  pests. — G.  A. 
Incubation  of  Blackbirds  and  Thrushes. 
There  has  recently  appeared  in  one  of  the  provincial  dailies 
a  considerable  amount  of  correspondence  anent  the  successive 
brooding  of  these  birds  in  the  same  season.  One  party  avers 
that  the  same  nest  only  Avas  used  for  the  purpose  indicated ; 
the  others,  that  successive  neAv  nests  Avere  built  for  a  like  pur¬ 
pose.  There  is,  lioAA'eAwn-,  a  modicum  of  truth  in  both  assertions, 
but  according  to  my  oaaii  obserA'ations,  Avhen  a  pair  of  the  birds 
incubate  more  than  once  during  the  same  season  they  usually 
construct  a  ncAV  nest  each  time.  I  haA'e  also  noticed  that  Avhen 
a  nest  has  been  robbed  of  the  eggs  it  has  not  been  used  for 
another  “  laying,”  probably  OAving  to  fear  of  the  enemy. 
Regarding  the  prolificacy  of  the  blackbird  (Turdus  merula),  it  is 
recorded  in  that  interesting  Avork  on  “  Ne.sts  and  Eggs  of  British 
Birds,”  by  H.  G.  Adams,  that  in  the  year  1837,  according  to 
Mr.  Blythe,  a  i^air  of  these  birds  built  four  successive  nests  on 
an  island  in  St.  James’  Park,  London,  and  reared  soA-enteen 
young  ones.  Surely  the  first  and  the  last  nests  must  have  been 
re.spectively  very  early  and  very  late,  considering  the  time  of 
building,  incubation,  and  the  feeding  of  the  progeny  for  a  con¬ 
siderable  time  CA'en  after  leaving  the  nest.  It  is  almo.st  needless 
to  add  that  several  other  kinds  of  birds  also  haA’e  more  than 
one  brood  in  the  same  season  naturally. — W.  G. 
