May  4,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
369 
BORONIAS. 
Few  hanlwooded  plants  produce  dowers  having  so  delightful  a 
perfume  as  some  of  the  Boronias,  and  on  that  account  alone  they  are 
certainly  worthy  of  being  grown  in  gardens  generally.  The  well-known 
variety  megastigma  is  espicially  noteworthy  on  account  of  its  odour, 
for  a  few  sprays  of  it  placed  in  a  glass  will  fill  a  room  with  its  pleasing 
scent.  The  flowers,  though  peculiar  in  a['pearance,  can  scarcely  be 
termed  showy;  but  being  bcrne  on  slender  shoots,  me  elegant  and 
interesting,  as  they  supply  a  pleasing  contrast  to  more  gorgeous 
greenhouse  plants.  B.  elatior  produces  rosy  carmine  flowers  very 
profusely,  and  is  a  decidedly  bright  and  pretty  variety,  which  all 
Boronia  growers  should  obtain.  Other  good  varieties  are  B.  anemonae- 
folia  (pink),  B.  crenulata  (red),  B.  Drainihondi  (rosy  pink),  B.  pinnata 
{pink,  Hawthorn  scented),  B.  serrulata  (det  p  rose),  and  B.  tetrandra 
{pale  purple),  fig.  84. 
Boronias  are  readily  increased  by  cuttings  made  from  half-ripened 
wood  or  young  shoots.  When  the  latter  are  employed  the  plants  from 
which  they  are  obtained  ought  to  bo  placed  in  gentle  heat  for  a  couple 
•of  weeks  before  the  cuttings  are  taken,  otherwise  many  of  them  will 
inevitably  “  damp”  or  decay  at  the  base  when  placed  for  the  purpose 
of  propagat’on  in  a  higher  temperature  than  that  in  which  the  parent 
p’ants  were  growing.  Insert  the  cuttings  in  sandy  peat,  surfaced 
with  sand,  using  well-drained  po*s,  covered  with  a  bell-glass,  and 
placed  in  a  temperature  ranging  between  55°  and  60°.  When  water 
is  required,  immerse  in  a  water  tank  without  removing  the  bell- 
glass.  If  all  go  well,  the  cuttings  will  root  in  a  few  weeks;  the 
points  should  then  be  removed,  and  the  potting  be  deferred  till 
young  growths  have  formed — use  pots  known  as  thimbles  for  the 
first  potting,  and  plunge  these  in  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  in  a  cool  house, 
and  subsequently  place  in  larger  pots.  When  the  cuttings  are  formed  of 
half-ripened  wood  in  summer  time,  they  will  root  if  placed  in  a 
shady  part  of  a  cool  house  or  pit,  being  of  course  covered  with  a  bell- 
glass,  or  placed  under  a  hand-light. 
In  order  to  obtain  bushy  plants  repeated  stopping  should  be 
practised  till  the  end  of  May,  then  the  shoots  already  formed  must 
be  allowed  to  grow  at  will,  in  order  to  become  sufficiently  well 
ripened  to  flower  the  following  year.  Boronias  may  be  trained  in 
•standard  form,  but  it  takes  a  few  years  to  obtain  a  good  specimen. 
For  this  purpose  select  a  few  of  the  strongest  plants  before  stopping 
has  been  done,  place  a  stake  in  the  centre  of  the  pot,  and  train  a  single 
shoot  as  straight  as  possible,  keeping  all  side  growths  removed  till  the 
right  height  has  been  attained,  then  remove  the  point  of  the  shoot, 
nnd  keep  the  resulting  growths  frequently  stopped  till  a  compact 
head  has  been  formed.  Do  not,  however,  attempt  to  get  too  largo  a 
head  in  one  season ;  let  the  last  stopping  be  done  early  in  June,  so 
that  the  growths  have  time  to  ripen,  not  so  much  for  the  purpose  of 
securing  flowers,  as  to  obtain  strong  breaks  the  following  spring,  as 
the  important  point  to  aim  at  in  growing  standards  is  first  to  obtain  a 
vigorous  plant,  then  flowers  will  come  freely  the  following  year. 
Standards  with  3  feet  of  clean  stem  and  heads  18  inches  in  diameter 
are  ideal  specimens,  which  the  cultivator  should  strive  to  produce. 
When  the  flowering  period  is  over  the  stronger  shoots  should  he 
cut  back  sufficiently  to  keep  the  plant  in  good  form,  both  in  the  case 
of  standards  and  bushes  ;  and  soon  after  young  growths  are  showing 
freely  transfer  to  pots  two  sizes  larger,  until  they  occupy  pots  as  large 
as  is  desirable,  then  with  careful  watering  and  an  occasional  top- 
•dressing  plants  may  be  kept  vigorous  for  years.  Some  growers 
employ  a  compost  formed  of  fibrous  peat  and  loam  in  equal  parts,  but 
I  prefer  good  peat  alone,  as  it  keeps  sweet  and  tough  far  longer  than 
the  best  loam;  a  liberal  addition  of  sharp  sand  and  some  charcoal 
cught  to  be  used. 
In  July  place  the  bush  plants  in  cool  pits,  leaving  the  lights  off 
entirely  when  there  is  no  danger  of  heavy  thunder  storms.  A  deluge  of 
rain  falling  on  the  plants  should  at  all  times  be  avoided ;  for  this  reason 
it  is  advisable  to  keep  standards  in  a  cool  house  throughout  the  summer, 
as  pits  seldom  afford  sufficient  head  room  for  them.  After  the  bushes 
are  boused  in  September,  give  all  the  air  possible  for  a  time,  and 
throughout  the  winter  admit  it  freely  on  all  tavourable  occasions, 
giving  just  enough  tire  heat  to  prevent  the  temperature  of  the  house 
falling  much  below  40°.  In  the  matter  of  watering,  Boronias  require 
almost  as  much  care  as  Ericas  ;  but  during  the  growing  season,  when 
the  soil  is  packed  with  active  roots,  especial  care  must  be  taken  to 
prevent  the  soil  from  becoming  dust  dry,  or  the  yc'ung  growths  will 
wither  at  the  points,  and  a  shert  time  after  the  leaves  fall  in  shoals. — 
Plantsman. 
“Familiar  Wild  Flowers.” — The  current  issue  of  this  work  com- 
prises  plates  and  letterpress  of  the  Bugle  and  Tall  Fescue  Grass,  Ivy- 
Jeaved  Toad  Fiav.  the  Spear-plume  Thistle,  Marsh  Marigold  and  Daisy, 
Agrimony,  the  Bird’s-foot  Trefoil,  White  Campion,  Daffo  lil,  Brooklime, 
and  Tufted  Vetch. 
CEANOTHUSES. 
Among  the  great  variety  of  hardy  and  half-hardy  flowering  shrubs 
suitable  for  the  open  border  or  for  walls,  none  is  more  deserving  of 
recognition  than  some  of  the  numerous  varieties  of  the  Ceanothus  ;  yet 
the}’  are  comparatively  little  grown,  probably  owing  to  the  idea  that  they 
will  not  withstand  cur  ordinary  winters  without  protection.  Such,  how¬ 
ever,  does  not  apply  to  C.  azurous,  C.  Veitchianus,  and  C.  Gloire  de 
Versailles,  more  especially  the  two  latt  r,  and  the  former  only  requires  a 
more  sheltered  position  and  a  little  protection  during  severe  frosts.  I 
have  a  vivid  remembrance  of  my  first  acquaintance  with  C.  azurcus,  which 
was  planted  upwards  of  fifiy  j’ears  ago  by  my  late  father,  against  an 
open  wall  about  8  feet  high,  in  South  Warwickshire,  facing  south-east, 
but  there  was  also  a  still  higher  brick  wall  opposite  about  12  yards 
distant,  which  no  doubt  assisted  in  sheltering  it  from  the  cutting  winds  ; 
no  other  protection,  however,  was  ever  afforded.  The  plant  grew 
luxuriantly  and  flowered  profusely  annually,  and  its  beautiful  pale  azure 
coloured  inflorescences  were  most  attractive.  If  I  recollect  aright  the 
specimen  in  question  became  non  est  many'  years  ago  owing  to  its  rampant 
growth  being  unsuitable  for  the  position. 
I  am,  however,  somewhat  consoled  for  its  loss  by  the  existence  of  a  fine 
specimen  each  of  C.  Veitchianus  and  C.  Gloire  de  Versailles,  growing  in 
the  grounds  of  two  of  the  leading  residents  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
distant,  and  I  have  the  privilege  of  enjoying  an  inspection  of  them  almost 
at  any  time.  The  former  has  been  in  position  for  several  years  against 
the  gardener’s  cottage,  and  is  a  large  plant  growing  vigorously  and 
flowering  profusely  every  season.  The  site  is  fairly  sheltered  from  the 
north-east  winds,  and  the  aspect  southerly.  Beautiful  as  it  is  I  have  a 
prejudice  in  favour  of  my  old  love,  with  its  more  elongated  and  graceful 
racemes,  also  less  rigid  habit  of  growth  of  the  branches.  The  other 
specimen  in  question,  grow  ing  in  the  adjoining  grounds,  occupies  a  totally 
different  locale,  being  in  a  border  or  bed,  occupied  by  such  other  plants 
as  Azaleas  and  dwarf  Spiraeas,  in  a  position  somewhat  sheltered  from  the 
direct  north-east  winds,  and  where  it  is  thriving  apace,  its  beautiful  pale  blue 
flowers  last  summer  aflording  a  unique  bit  of  colour  in  contrast  with  the  sur¬ 
rounding  hardy  herbaceous  flowers  and  ornamental  shrubs.  Of  C.  azureus, 
however,  I  do  not  know  a  specimen  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Birmingham 
growing  without  glass  protection,  it  evidently  being  more  tender  than  its 
congeners  alluded  to.  There  are  several  other  varieties  worthy  of 
cultivation. 
In  addition  to  the  foregoing  there  was  a  collection  of  varieties  of 
continental  origin,  grown  at  Chiswick,  and  raised,  I  believe,  by  the  late 
Monsieur  Victor  Lemoine,  but  I  do  not  recollect  if  there  was  any 
published  official  report  of  the  trials  with  them.  I  was  informed  that 
they  were  seedlings  apparently  of  the  Gloire  de  Versailles  type,  but  with 
marked  differences  in  the  character  of  their  robustness  of  growth,  foliage 
