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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  December  26,  1901 
for  the  past  year  or  two  in  rearranging  the  Vines  so  that 
he  may  have  the  one  entirely  filled  with  Madresfield  Court, 
and  the  other  with  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  a  variety  much 
appreciated  by  Mr.  Cowan.  The  plan  adopted  is  to  plunge 
one-year-old  pot  Vines  in  the  border  and  inarch  them  on 
the  old  rods  ;  by  this  means  a  remarkably  strong  cane  is 
secured  in  one  season,  and  much  more  successfully,  it  is 
believed,  than  if  the  young  Vines  had  been  planted  afresh. 
In  a  nice  span-roofed  stove  were  to  be  found  a  fine  lot  of 
'Palms,  Ferns,  and  other  foliage  plants  under  good  cultural 
treatment.  Amongst  the  Ferns  were  verv  fine  examples  of 
Goniophlebium  subauriculatum,  Davallia  bullata,  also 
Pandanus  Veitchi,  Cocos  Weddelliana,  and  on  the  roof 
Clerodendrons,  Bougainvilleas,  Cissus  discolor,  Asparagus 
Sprengeri,  Allamandas,  Stephanotis,  and  such  other  things. 
In  a  small  Tomato  house  were  found  the  remnant  of  what 
had  been  a  successful  crop,  also  a  fine  batch  of  Begonia 
Gloire  de  Lorraine,  and  winter  flowering  Zonal  Pelargoniums. 
For  compactness,  orderliness,  and  general  tidyness,  the 
place  is  much  to  be  commended,  and  we  wish  Mr.  Proctor, 
who  leaves  soon  to  fill  a  similar  position  at  Gelston  House, 
Fifeshire,  every  success  in  his  new  appointment. — W.  D. 
[Since  the  above  was  put  in  type,  Mr.  Proctor  has  assumed 
his  new  charge. — -Ed.] 
- «.*♦> - 
Flowring  Tress  and  Shrubs. 
The  following  notes  were  written  for  publication  in  May, 
when  the  shrubs  and  the  trees  were  full  of  blossoms  ;  but 
they  will  be  more  useful  at  this,  the  planting  season,  when 
the  absent  beauty  and  fragrance  of  the  flowers  are  apt  to 
be  forgotten  by  those  who  so  much  admired  them  in  the 
spring  time. 
Of  evergreen  shrubs  that  flower  during  May,  the  Aucubas 
are  interesting,  from  the  male  varieties  producing  their  in¬ 
conspicuous  yellow  and  purple  flowers,  with  the  anthers 
laden  with  golden  dust,  which,  wafted  by  wind  or  other 
agency,  fertilise  the  blossoms  of  the  female  varieties  to  a 
considerable  distance  around,  and  both  to  windward  and  lee¬ 
ward  ;  whilst  the  yellow  blotched  and  mottled  foliage  con¬ 
trast  effectively  with  the  beautiful  scarlet  berries  of  large 
size.  The  old  Aucuba  japonica  maculata  still  holds  foremost 
place  for  general  purposes. 
Sweet  Bay  (Laurus  nobilis),  often  passed  because  of  its 
inconspicuous  yellowish  flowers,  is  interesting  on  account  of 
the  volatile  oil  secreted  in  the  glands  of  the  flowers,  as  well 
as  in  the  bark  and  leaves.  The  plants  are  dioecious,  and 
where  plants  of  the  two  sexes  occur,  seeds  are  often  pro¬ 
duced.  It  is  the  Victor’s  Laurel,  called  Daphne  by  the 
Greeks,  and  was  consecrated  to  priests  and  heroes,  and  used 
in  sacrifices. 
Who  notices  the  flowering  of  the  Box  (Buxus  sernper- 
virens)  1  That  the  flowers  are  unisexual,  monoecious  ;  male 
flower,  calyx  of  four  minute  segments,  stamens  four,  inserted 
under  the  rudiments  of  a  pistil ;  female  flowers  singly,  at  the 
top  of  groups  of  male  ones1?  Broom — Cream  coloured  and 
white  Portugal  (Cytisus  pallidus  and  C.  albus)  are  charming, 
and  lighten  up  the  border  wonderfully,  but  they  are  now 
(May  6)  only  peeping. 
For  glow  the  Berberries  are  most  conspicuous.  Darwin’s 
(Berberis  Darwini)  for  its  wealth  of  rich  golden  flowers,  and 
the  Holly-leaved  (B.  Aquifolium)  for  its  profusion  of  charm¬ 
ing  yellow  blooms.  Brilliant  as  these  are,  they  pale  in  pre¬ 
sence  of  Double  Gorse  (Ulex  europseus  flore-peno),  the 
plants  being  simply  beautiful. 
In  deep  green  foliage,  smaller  but  shining,  as  common 
Laurel,  not  any  shrubs  surpass  the  Phillyreas  or  Alaternuses. 
The  Narrow-leaved  (Rhamnus  Alatemus  angustifolia)  and 
Mead’s  (R.  A.  Meadi)  have  pretty  white  flowers  produced 
from  the  axils  of  the  leaves  of  the  two-year-old. 
Laurustinus  (Viburnum  Tinus),  striving  oft  during  the 
winter  to  flower,  and  did  fitfully,  has  reserved  its  charms 
for  the  merry  month  of  May,  and  is  more  laden  with  its 
charming  heads  of  white  flowers  than  I  have  ever  seen,  being 
literally  all  in  white  sheet. 
Passing  to  deciduous  trees  and  shrubs,  first  and  foremost 
stand  the  Snowy  Mespilus  (Amelanchier  canadensis)  (Botrya- 
pium).  As  a  standard,  worked  6ft  high  on  Mountain  Ash, 
it  is  one  of  the  most  effective  of  all  white  flowered  plants, 
and  produces  pomes  or  fruits  that  are  very  refreshing  from 
the  juice. 
In  pale  yellow  drooping  flowers,  commend  me  to  Berberis 
dulcis,  though  B.  Jamiesoni  has  still  paler,  or  lemon  coloured 
flowers,  both  being  splendid. 
The  double  Chinese  Cherry  (Cerasus  serrulata)  with  its 
pale  white  or  rose-tinted  double  flowers,  disposed  in  fascicles, 
is  particularly  fine,  and  so  also  is  the  double  Gean  (C.  Avium 
multiplex),  white  and  very  showy.  They  are  best  grown  as 
standards. 
As  a  shrub  with  showy  yellow  or  orange  coloured  flowers, 
Kerria  japonica  is  very  elegant,  having  a  graceful  habit,  sur¬ 
passing  the  double  form  (K.  j.  flore-pleno),  the  single  flowers 
being  very  pleasing,  and  the  plant  is  nearly  always  in  flower. 
The  double  flowered  Sloe  (Prunus  spinosa  flore-pleno)  has 
been,  and  is,  all  white,  and  the  crabs  are  lovely  in  bud. 
Conspicuously  in  flower  is  Pyrus  spectabilis  and  P.  fiori- 
bunda,  especially  the  form  atro-sanguinea. 
Flowering  Currants  enliven  the  shrubbery  famously.  The 
“  cake  ”  is  taken  by  the  very  charming  Beaton’s  or  Gordon’s 
(Ribes  Beatoni  or  R.  Gordonianum),  a  cross  between  R. 
aureum  and  the  more  showy  R.  sanguineum,  and  intermediate 
between  the  two  in  all  its  characters.  For  show  the  flowering 
Currant  (R.  sanguineum)  holds  its  own,  though  the  sub- 
variety,  atro-rubens,  has  deeper  coloured  flowers,  but  they 
are  smaller,  as  also  are  the  racemes.  The  variety  album  is 
particularly  floriferous  this  season,  and  the  promise  of  other 
good  things  to  come  is  singularly  hopeful,  though  only  one 
evidence  of  May  blossom  has  as  yet  been  forthcoming. 
Against  walls  the  Nude-flowered  Jasmine  (Jasminum 
nudiflorum)  has  been  remarkably  profuse  of  flowers,  and 
these  individually  large — larger  than  I  have  ever  noticed 
them  before,  and  now  the  Japanese  Quince  (Cydonia 
japonica),  with  its  deep  scarlet  flowers,  is  very  beautiful. 
It  certainly  is  one  of  the  most  desirable  shrubs  in  cultivation, 
whether  as  a  bush  on  the  open  lawn,  trained  against  a  wall, 
or  treated  as  an  ornamental  hedge  plant,  and  of  it  there  are 
several  varieties. — Arboriculturist. 
- - 
Chemical  Dressings  for  Peach  Borders. 
The  trees  are  best  pruned  and  dressed  after  loosening 
them  from  the  trellis.  Cut  out  weak,  attenuated  branches, 
and  where  feeble  thin  them  well,  leaving  sufficient  of  last 
year’s  growths  for  bearing,  with  space  between  them  for 
training-in  those  intended  to  displace  them.  Thoroughly 
wash  the  house  and  trees  with  soapy  water,  and,  if  necessary, 
apply  an  insecticide.  Aphides,  red  spider,  thrips,  and  scale 
lurk  about  the  trees  in  some  form,  ready  to  become  active, 
and  multiply  when  forcing  operations  are  commenced. 
Secure  the  branches  at  once  to  the  trellis,  leaving  space  in 
the  respective  ligatures  for  the  swelling  of  the  branches  and 
shoots.  Take  away  the  loose  surface  soil  down  to  the  roots 
without  disturbing  them,  and  supply  good  turfy  loam  in 
lumps  from  the  size  of  a  nut  to  an  egg,  with  an  admixture 
of  about  a  fourth  of  well  decomposed  manure,  not  covering 
them  more  than  two  to  three  inches. 
If  the  trees  are  disposed  to  make  long-jointed  wood,  it  is 
advisable  to  avoid  nitrogenous  manures,  also  potassic, 
especially  in  nitrate  form,  and  supply  bonemeal,  which 
will  furnish  phosphoric  acid  or  phosphate  of  lime,  tending 
to  promote  sturdier  growth  ;  and  -where  there  is  a  deficiency 
of  lime  or  tendency  to  sourness  in  the  soil,  sulphate  of  lime 
or  gypsum  may  be  used  advantageously  as  a  top-dressing. 
Apply  it  at  the  rate  of  71b  per  rod ;  or  basic  slag  phosphate 
may  be  used  at  the  same  rate.  These  substances  are  useful 
in  the  case  of  gummy  affections,  with  equal  proportions  of 
steamed  bonemeal  and  gypsum,  and  applied  at  the  rate  of 
half  a  pound  per  square  yard  at  the  time  of  pruning  the  trees 
in  autumn  or  early  winter. 
This  will  give  time  for  the  elements  supplied  to  act  on 
the  soil  and  become  available  as  food,  with  others  acted 
upon,  by  when  the  trees  start  into  growth.  On  the  other 
hand,  where  trees  have  made  too  little  wood,  and  are  more 
prolific  of  fruit  than  desirable  for  attaining  a  good  size,  the 
borders  may  be  dressed  with  a  combined  phosphatic,  potas¬ 
sic,  and  sulphatic  manure.  Carefully  examine  inside  borders 
and  supply  a  thorough  soaking  of  water  if  dry,  as  dryness 
at  the  roots  will  cause  the  buds  to  fall  later  on.  Keep  the 
houses  as  cool  as  possible,  so  as  to  insure  complete  rest. 
— S.  A. 
