208 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  (} ARDEN ER, 
March  10, 
this  ()[)eration,  and  hundreds  of  plants  may  gooff  through  putting  them 
too  deep  in  the  pots,  when  moist  soil  pressing  round  the  green  stems 
causes  decay.  Having  in  view  a  dwarf  bushy  plant,  the  points  of  the 
shoots  should  be  pinched  out,  to  encourage  a  branching  habit,  and 
the  plants  be  grown  close  to  the  glass  in  a  cool  structure  till  the  time 
arrives  for  hardening. 
So  much  for  the  Pelargoniums,  and  now  a  few  reminders  about 
the  bedding  Calceolaria.  To  many  growers  this  plant  is  a  source  of 
constant  trouble  on  account  of  its  propensity  to  die  off  in  the  flower 
beds,  thus  leaving  gaps  which  at  that  time  are  difficult  to  fill  up. 
Many  would  dispense  with  it  on  this  account,  but  we  have  no  plant 
to  take  its  place  in  making  a  display  of  bright  yellow.  The  evil  is 
often  increased  by  two  mistakes  in  treatment — viz.,  coddling  and  late 
];lanting.  At  no  time  does  the  bedding  Calceolaria  require  more 
protection  than  that  afforded  by  a  cold  frame,  covered  during  jieriorls 
of  severe  frost,  and  very  often  the  fatality  in  the  plants  during  the 
summer  can  be  traced  to  late  planting.  It  may  not  Vie  the  general 
rule,  but  still  it  is  a  common  one,  to  leave  the  Calceolarias  crowded 
together  in  the  frame  till  other  tender  plants  are  put  out  at  the  end  of 
May  or  early  in  June,  and  consequently  they  have  no  time  to  become 
strong  and  estabPshcd  before  the  height  of  the  summer,  when  they 
invariably  succumb. 
April  is  the  best  time  to  transplant  Calceolarias,  and  here  a 
difficulty  arises,  for  often  the  beds  are  tenanted  by  other  plants  at 
that  time.  I  have  overcome  the  obstacle  by  preparing  a  nursery  bed 
of  light  soil  and  digging  in  leaf  mould  and  sand.  The  plants  are 
removed  from  the  frames  before  they  get  overcrowded,  and  are  planted 
in  the  nursery  bed,  from  which  they  lift  later  with  good  balls 
attached.  With  this  treatment  I  have  had  little  trouble  through 
j)!ants  dying  off,  though,  of  course,  if  the  beds  are  at  liberty  early 
there  is  no  need  for  the  intermediate  stage.  Of  the  broad  and  narrow¬ 
leaved  varieties  the  latter  seems  the  more  prone  to  the  evil  referred  to. 
There  is  abundance  of  work  in  the  profjagating  house  just  now  in 
preparation  for  summer  planting.  In  the  case  of  stored  Dahlia  tubers. 
Nature  has  asserted  herself,  and  if  left  longer  without  attention,  they 
will  suffer.  I  have  never  experienced  difficulty  in  raising  good  strxiks 
of  these  indispensaVjle  plants  from  cuttings,  and  never  followed  but 
one  method.  The  old  tubers  when  taken  from  the  store  are  placed 
on  a  bed  on  one  side  of  a  low  span-roofed  pit,  in  separate  varieties, 
and  on  the  other  side  light  soil  is  spread  several  inches  thick  for  the 
reception  of  the  cuttings.  As  soon  as  growth  commences,  the  cuttings 
are  taken  off  and  inserted  in  rows  in  the  bed  on  the  other  side  of 
the  pit,  taking  care  not  to  mix  the  varieties.  The  two  rows  of  pij>es 
running  beneath  provide  a  little  Ixittom  heat,  and  it  is  rarely  that 
a  cutting  fails  to  root.  When  growth  commences  they  are  liftofl 
with  a  small  hand  fork,  placed  in  .5-inch  {x>ts,  and  stood  in  a  cool 
lamse,  where  they  remain  till  they  can  }>e  placed  outdoors  with  safety. 
I  requently  young  Dahlia  plants  are  grown  in  prjts  so  small  that  the 
growth  becomes  weak  and  stunted,  and  in  consequence  of  this,  the 
plants  are  some  time  before  they  get  a  good  start  after  being  removed 
to  the  beds  or  borders. 
Blue  and  white  Lobelias  will  always  be  jxipular  bedding  plants, 
and  it  is  rarely  that  the  stock  of  these  plants  is  found  to  be  too  large. 
Many  rely  on  seeris  for  their  supply  of  plants,  and  if  the  strain  can  f.»e 
dejiended  on  there  may  be  nothing  to  say  against  this  mrxie  of  pro¬ 
pagation.  I  nfortunately,  however,  many  plants  raised  in  this  way  do 
not  i>osse8s  the  dwarf,  compact,  free  blooming  habit  which  makes 
Lobelias  so  pleasing.  Having  got  what  you  require,  it  is  obviously 
a  good  policy  to  make  an  effort  to  keep  it,  and  there  is  no  better  way 
of  effecting  tliis  than  to  grow  a  few  plants  pur[X)B(;ly  for  stock  and 
propagating  from  cuttings.  If  inserted  now  in  light  soil  in  small 
boxes  or  j»an8,  and  [daced  over  the  pipes  in  a  warm  house,  covering 
for  a  few  days  with  a  square  of  glass.  Lobelia  cuttings  will  root 
readily,  and  when  large  enough  to  handle  they  may  bj  removed  to  small 
pots  or  be  pricked  olf  into  larger  boxes.  Plants  raised  in  this  v/ay 
are  invariably  more  satisfactory  than  sec-dlings. 
One  thought  suggests  another,  and  much  space  could  be  resvlily 
filled  in  giving  reminders  about  the  im{x>rtant  work  of  preparation 
for  summer  bedding.  Ihe  fault  of  being  bx)  early  in  these  orxrrations 
may  be  remedied,  but  to  be  too  late  is  olten  fatal.— H. 
SPIKyEA.S. 
The  popularity  of  these  beautiful  flowering  plants  is  still  w'ell 
rnaintainerl,  although  there  are  times  when  the  most  common  variety 
— japonica — is  places!  upon  the  market  in  such  quantities  that  very 
low  prices  are  realisefl,  and  growers  are  incline<i  to  declare  that  there 
IS  no  money  in  Spiraea  growing.  I  am  inclined  Ur  agree  with  therr» 
to  a  certain  extent;  but  only  as  far  as  this — viz.,  tlaat  they  are  unre- 
rnunerative  when  placefi  uixm  the  market  at  haphazard  times.  Let 
anyone  prrxluce  a  thoroughly  good  collection  of  plants  in  pots,  and 
plenty  ot  cut  flow'ers  at  Easter  and  Whitsuntide,  and  they  will  find 
them  fairly  profitable. 
In  all  private  gardens,  too,  they  are  of  great  service  at  these 
festive  seasons,  for  there  is  usually  a  rarge  amount  of  decorative  work 
to  be  done,  for  which  nothing  is  more  suitable  than  good  plants  of 
8.  ja|xjnica — plants  which  have  deep  glossy  green  leaves,  with  the 
feathery  plumes  rising  well  above  them.  The  newer  varieties — astil- 
boides  and  cxjrn|xicta  multiflora — are  good  in  their  way,  and  are  worth 
growing  for  the  sake  of  variety ;  but  to  my  mind  neither  of  them 
is  so  generally  useful  as  jap<.»nica,  because  almost  Vjefore  the  flower 
spikes  are  fully  develofx^d  a  brown  tinge  may  often  be  seen  at  the 
base  of  the  flower  spike,  and  the  flowers  never  tmem  to  retain  their 
purity  more  than  a  couple  of  days  after  they  are  fully  exfjanded. 
The  cultural  treatment  of  the  varietifrs  abr>ve  namerl  may  Ve 
considered  identical,  except  that  japrjnica,  being  the  more  plentiful, 
is  usually  relied  on  for  early  forcing.  Spiraeas  are  the  simplest 
jx.»8siblfc  plants  bi  grow  when  brought  on  gradually  in  a  CfjfA  or  inter- 
rae^iiate  house;  but  when  mbjecte<l  to  sharp  forcing  a  slight  mistake 
will  cause  them  Uj  cut  a  atjrry  figure,  the  leaves  becxmiing  brown^ed 
and  curled  almost  beyond  recognition.  This  state  of  affairs  is  brought 
ahKjut  by  several  causfis,  but  princifxilly  through  overwatering.  During 
the  bright  sunny  days  of  spring,  when  Spiraeas  are  growdng  rapidly,  it 
is  almost  imjx>s8ible  Uj  overwater  them,  and  this  fact  leads  many  to 
water  too  freely  early  in  the  seasf^n.  The  great  majority  of  culti¬ 
vators  wno  have  at  various  times  placed  Spiraeas  in  strong  heat  during 
January  and  February  have,  I  susi^ect,  found  a  few  of  their  plants 
curl  badly  in  the  folia'e,  and  may  not,  jxirhaps,  have  made  any  sjjecial 
attempt  Uj  find  out  the  cause.  I  have  fre^paently  watchtxi  such 
plants  closely,  and  have  found  that  if  they  are  turned  out  of  their 
jjfjtB  as  h(j<ju  as  the  brown  tinge  is  noted  in  the  edges  of  the  heaves, 
the  rfxjts,  though  white  in  some  parts,  will  be  brown  in  others. 
In  cases  where  the  roots  are  not  exarnintxl  till  the  plants  are  in 
a  more  aflvarjce<l  state  of  disfigurement  the  roots  will  Ije  found  quite 
brown  throughout,  and  in  many  places  decaying,  the  »xjil  t/cing  unite 
wet.  It  is  also  a  matter  of  sfjme  surprise  t<.»  note  how  very  few 
rooU  have  l>een  formed  (Xjijqjare/i  with  the  entanglefl  masses  to  Ix! 
found  in  the  spring.  The  ahxjve  remarks  show  how  (xjmfiaratively 
little  water  is  require^!  early  in  the  seasrjn.  A  too  dry  state  of  the 
atmosphere  also  aggravates  the  evil,  and  although  it  is  not  wise  Uj 
keep  the  foliage  continually  saturate^l  with  moisture,  the  fhxjrs  and 
stages  of  the  house  ought  to  be  uniformly  moist. 
During  .March  and  April,  when  the  weather  is  Vjright,  strong 
clumps  will  require  immens*^  quantities  of  water.  They  should  tx) 
examined  twice  and  often  three  times  daily,  always  endeavouring  to 
apply  water  just  as  the  soil  is  beginning  to  get  dry,  then  giving  it 
copiously.  When  plants  are  placed  on  dry  stone  or  slate  stag/.-s 
saucers  placeil  under  the  pfjts  will  greatly  lessen  the  lalxjur  of 
watering,  but  should  dull  weather  prevail  for  several  cx^nsecutive 
days  it  is  a  gfxxi  plan  to  empty  the  water  in  the  saucers  and  fill 
them  again  when  bright  weather  comes.  A  weak  solution  of  sexjt 
water  is,  1  think,  the  finest  of  all  stimulants  for  Spirseas,  though 
other  kinds  of  liquid  manures  are  beneficial  when  ajqJied  rxx;asion- 
ally.  Vinerie.s  in  which  Spiraeas  can  be  set  u[xm  the  border  are 
excellent  jxxiitions  Uj  force  the  plants  in,  as  the  moisture  arising  from 
the  damp  sf/il  suits  them  Uj  fxsrfection. 
8.  aurea  reticulata  is  an  excellent  variety  for  forcing  in  both  fx.>ts 
and  borders  in  the  ojxm  air,  as  the  goldeu-strijxxl  foliage  forms  a  fine 
contrast  Uj  the  majority  of  other  spring-flowering  plants.  8.  palmata 
(scarlet),  and  its  varieties  allxi  and  elcgans  (rfsje^,  are  grand  for  jxjt 
work,  as  tney  throw  their  huge  spikes  to  a  great  heigtit,  and  these, 
(xjmbintd  with  the  large  handsome  foliage,  supply  striking  plants 
for  rcxjrn  decoration.  The  flowers,  Uaj,  are  always  useful  in  a  cut 
state  on  account  ot  their  long  stems.  It  is  not  wise  Uj  attempt  to 
force  these  varieties  rapidly,  for  they  are  seen  at  their  best  when 
brought  on  gra'iually  in  quite  a  corjl  house,  but  when  require^!  earlier 
they  will  bear  gentle  forcing  if  a  free  circulation  of  air  is  kept  up. 
When  grown  in  the  open  air  they  are  usually  planted  in  rnixexl 
borders,  and  in  such  pf.»sitions  they  are  so  effective  that  it  is  a  pity  to 
have  Uj  cut  the  flowers  for  filling  vases.  By  a  little  systematic 
management  this,  however,  may  tie  avoided,  as  the  clumjis  grow 
rapidly,  and  may  Ixs  quickly  incieasexl  when  liberally  treated.  'I'ho 
plan  I  recommend  is  to  divide  the  plants  inte  as  many  pieces  as 
possible  as  long  as  each  has  one  strong  crown.  Do  this  in  the  autumn, 
and  plant  them  in  well-manured  txjil  in  the  rcmirva  garden.  Keep  the 
