206 
JOURXAL  GF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  5,  1903. 
Plants  for  Walls. 
{Confiinccd  from  page  ISO.) 
There  are  often  spaces  at  the  bottom  of  high  garden  nails, 
slieds,  or  other  bnildings  that  might  be  made  attractive  at  the 
end  of  October,  through  Xovember,  and  during  the  early  part 
of  December,  if  a  few  simple  instructions  are  carried  out.  A  wall 
with  a  southern  aspect  is,  of  course,  tlie  best,  although  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  Avill  succeed  on  an  east  or  a  west  Avail,  a  fair  amount 
of  sunlight  reaching  these  sites  in  the  autumn,  and  if  the  AAall 
can  have  a  Avide  coping  either  as  a  fixture,  or  a  temporary  one  of 
Avood,  SO'  much  the  better  for  the  plants;  thei  blooms  are  pre¬ 
vented  from  getting  Avet  from  rains,  Avhich  destroy  their  floAver- 
ing  period  considerably. 
In  selecting  varieties  for  Avails  the  chief  point  is  to  consider 
the  reflexed  petalled  varieties  of  small  size,  as  Avith  these  the 
moisture  does  hot  readily  lodge  among  the  florets.  It  is  this, 
alternated  Avith  frost  and  no  protection,  that  shortens  the  dis¬ 
play.  Plants  that  flowered  in  pots  in  NoAmmber  are  better  than 
young  ones  from  cuttings  of  the  current  year,  OAving  to  the 
extra  number  of  shoots  they  produce  at  the  base.  Where  the 
Avail  is  loAv  this  is  very  important,  as  young  plants  are  not  so 
Avell  furnished  Avith  shoots  close  to  the  base  as  year  old  stools. 
Presuming  a  plant  of  Sourcei  d’Or,  Avhich  is  an  excellent  variety 
for  the  purpose,  throAvs  up  as  many  as  a  dozen  shoots  from  its 
base  this  year,  remove  four  of  these,  selecting  the  stronger  for 
retention,  of  course'.  This  Avill  prcA'ent  overcroAvding,  Avhich  is 
a  mistake  in  any  phase'  of  Chrysanthemum  culture.  The  plants 
may  be  put  out  at  any  time  convenient  noAV.  If  tbe  soil  is  fairly 
rich  and  Avell  drained,  nothing  more  is  refj[uired  than  digging  it 
up  deeplv.  Turn  the  plants  out  of  their  pots,  removing  a  por¬ 
tion  of  the  old  soil  from  the  roots,  covering  them  Avith  a  com¬ 
post  of  loam  and  half-decayed  horse  manure,  Avith  an  addition  of 
Avood  asjhes  or  roadside  refuse.  Press  the  soil  firmly  about  the 
roots  to  induce  a  firm  groAvth,  as  a  loose  rich  soil  promotes  a 
grossness  of  leaves  and  stems  Avhich,  vA'lien  but  partly  matured, 
produce  blossoms  in  too  scant  a  number  and  of  indifferent 
qnality.  The  plants  may  be  put  out  about  3ft  apart;  the 
number  of  shoots  mentioned  Avill  coAmr  this  space.  Mulch  the 
surface  Avith  horse  droppings  partly  decayed.  Nothing  is  better 
than  the  materials  from  a  spent  Mushroom  bed;  they  not  only 
enrich  the  soil  but  conseiwe  the  moisture  in  it  also.  When  the 
plants  are  groAving  freely  abundance  of  Avater  at  the  roots  is  an 
absolute  necessity  in  Avarding  off  mikleAv  attacks,  Avhich  not  only 
cripple  the  groAvth  but  spoil  the  foliage  also,  Avhich  so  much  en¬ 
hances  the  appearance  of  the  plants  and  contrasts  so  Avell  Avith 
the  flo Avers. 
Bush  Plants. 
No  method  of  cultiA’ating  Chrysanthemums  giA'es  greater 
satisfaction  than  that  knoAvn  as  the  “  bush”  .system,  Avhich  is 
really  the  pi’oduction  of  plants  that  AAill  yield  a  profusion  of 
flower  rather  than  a  limited  number  of  huge  size.  While  the 
”  big  bloom  ”  method  has  its  adA'antages,  and  I  suppose  there 
Avill  ahvays  be  enthusiasts  for  this  end,  there  is  no'  denying  the 
fact  that  a  quantity  of  floAvers  for  cutting,  as  Avell  as  plants  for 
conservatory  and  room  decoration,  is  a  method  much  on  the 
increase,  especially  amongst  the  section  knoAvn  as  amateurs  Avith 
limited  glass  accommodation. 
Single-flO'Avered  varieties.  Pompons,  Anemone  Pompons,  and 
the  smaller  forms  of  Japanese  varieties,  .such  as  Source  d’Or  and 
White  Quintus,  are  especially  AA’ell  adapted  tO'  this  form  of 
groAvth.  Noav  is  a  good  time  to  insert  cuttings  for  this  purpose. 
Select  stout  suckers,  3in  to  4in  long,  insert  them  .singly  in  small 
pots  or  place  three  cuttings  around  the  side  of  one  3|in  pot. 
Place  them  under  a  handlight  in  a  cool  house,  shading  from 
bright  .sunshine  and  keeping  the  lights  close  for  a  time  until 
neAv  groAvth  is  apparent,  Avith  the  exception  of  removing  the 
lights  daily  for  an  hour  or  .so  to  dis.sipate  condensed  moisture. 
When  the  cuttings  have  formed  roots  admit  air  gradually  at  the 
top,  increasing  the  quantity  as  progre.ss  is  made  until  the  lights 
can  be  removed  entirely  to  induce  a  stocky  growth.  The  three 
cuttings  in  a  pot  can  be  transferred  to  larger  pots  Avhen  the 
plants  are  Avell  supplied  Avith  roots  Avithout  interfering  Avith  the 
plants.  Where  full-sized  specimens  ai'e  required,  and  space  is 
ample  to  floAA’er  them  in,  this  three-plant  .system  has  much  to 
reco'inmend  it.  The  plants  do  not  rec[uire  their  tops  being  taken 
off  so  often  to  attain  the  desired  size ;  in  consequence  the 
branches  at  floAvering  time  are  so  much  stouter,  the  flowers,  of 
course,  more  numerous  and  larger  individually,  as  well  as  ex- 
tensiAm'  in  the  sprays.  Plants  groAvn  by  pinching  the  point  out 
of  the  leading  shoots  about  tAvice  ahvays  produce  better  material 
for  cutting  than  those  that  have  their  tops  nipped  off  half-a- 
dozen  times. — K.  Molyneux. 
Plant  Nomenclature. 
The  sentiments  so  ably  expre.ssed  by  “  A  ProAuncial  ”  in  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture  of  February  26  regarding  the  vexed 
questions  of  plant  nomenclature  must  have  struck  many  ansAver- 
ing  notes  in  the  minds  of  readers.  All  of  ns  Avho  have  to  deal 
Avith  nomenclature,  either  in  cultivating  one’s  plants  or  in 
Avriting  about  them,  must  have  felt  not  only  full  of  doubt,  but 
also  full  of  indignation  that  so  much  dubiety  should  exist.  That 
there  is  room  for  a  considerable  amount  of  change  from  time  to 
time,  in  accordance  Avith  the  .splitting  uia  of  genera  for  scientifia 
purpo.ses,  is  apparent  to  many  of  us.  It  facilitates  study  and 
identification  if  there  are  marked  differences  of  structure  among 
various  members  of  a  genus  if  Ave  have  these  grouped  together. 
Yet  it  might  be  possible  to  retain  these  under  the  same  generic 
name,  but  to  arrange  them  in  groups  AA*ith,  perhaps,  sub¬ 
generic  names,  as  aa'6  have  in  the  case  of  the  cliAusions  of  a 
Natural  Order  or  a  Family.  Most  of  us  are  all  too  familiar  Avith 
this  tendency  on  the  part  of  some  to  create  a  neAv  genus  on  the 
head  of  a  minute  distinction  of  no  account  for  practical  purposes, 
this  separation  being  accompanied  by  the  application  of  a  nevv 
name  for  the  genus  so  created.  All  this  is  very  puzzling,  even 
to  those  Avho  try  to  keep  abreast  Avith  modern  botanical  literature, 
and  absolutely  confu.sing  to  those  who  are  only  in  touch  with  the 
plants  from  a  gardening  point  of  view. 
Another  very  troublesome  matter  is  the  merging  of  plants 
knoAvn  by  different  generic  names  into  one.  Thus  Ave  find  Kleinia 
and  .some  others  included  in  works  of  authority  Avith  the  genirs. 
Senecio,  AA'hich,  eA'en  without  these,  is  of  almo.st  unmanageable 
size  for  those  Avho  Avant  toi  “  run  doAvn  ”  a  plant,  and  who  may  be 
Avell  enough  acquainted  Avith  the  general  distinctions  Avhich,  in. 
practice,  AA’ere  enough  for  distinguishing  Avhether  a  plant  Ava.s 
a  “  Kleinia”  or  a  “  Senecio.”  I  think,  hoAvever,  .so  far  as  regards 
species,  from  the  context  of  “A  ProAuncial’s  ”  article  that  he  is 
not  aAvare  of  the  guiding  principles  Avhich  have  dictated  many  of 
the  changes  in  nomenclature.  These  are,  as  I  understand  them, 
that,  as  a.  leading  rule,  plants  should  be  given  the  specific  name 
under  Avhich  they  Avere  first  de.scribed  in  a  regular  manner.  It 
has  often  happened  that  the  same  plant  has  been  described  by 
A'arious  botanists  each  unacquainted  Avith  Avhat  the  other  had 
done,  or  unable  to  identify  liis  plant  Avith  one  already  named. 
The  plant  may  have  been  intro'duced  to  this  country  under  the 
latest  cognomen,  and  may  have  become  well  knoAvn  by  it. 
Naturally,  any  change  in  the  direction  of  a  .S5’stem  founded  upon 
this  principle  of  priorit}/  aaTII  cause  confusion. 
Many  acquainted  with  these  difficulties  must  have  welcomed 
the  appearance  of  the  great  “  Index  KeAvensis  ”  as  a  means  of 
settling  .such  questions.  Some  of  us  Avere  prepared  to  sacrifice 
a  great  deal  by  cli’opping  Avell-knoAvn  names  in  favour  of  the  un¬ 
familiar  ones  Avhich  often  take  their  places  in  the  AA'ork  referred 
to.  It  AA’as  hoped  that  this  wonderful  monument  of  patient 
labour  Avould  be  accepted  as  practically  final,  and  it  Avas  pleasant 
to  notice  that  in  many  quarters  there  was  every  appearance  of 
a  fairly  general  acceiAtance  of  the  nomenclature  of  the  “  Index 
KeAvensis.”  As  Avas  to  be  expected,  .seeing  that  men  are  but; 
human  and  liable  to  err,  this  great  work  is  not  absolutely  perfect, 
and  there  are  a  good  many  errors  and  deficiencies,  one  of  the 
latter  being  the  non-recognition  of  varieties  (by  this  I  do  not 
mean  of  florist’s  floAvers,  but  of  natural  varieties  often  knoAvn  in 
gardens  by  specific  names),  a  great  draAvback  to  gardeners  and 
others  actually  Avorking  with  the  plants.  Yet,  CA'en  admitting 
that  there  are  errors  and  deficiencies,  the  “  Index  ”  afforded  one 
a  ready  opportunity  of  taking  our  stand  upon  its  authority  and 
adhering  to  its  nomenclature,  Avhich  would  in  mo.st  cases  liaA’e 
gradually  gained  recognition.  However,  it  Avas  not  to  be,  it 
Avould  appear,  and,  rather  to  one’s  surprise,  the  compilers  of  this 
Avork  have  been  “  wounded  in  the  house  of  their  friends,”  for 
the  most  serious  attack  I  have  yet  seen  upon  the  nomenclature 
of  the  “Index  Kewensis  ”  is  conveyed  by  the  changes  to  be  seen 
in  the  Amluable  little  “Hand  Lists”  issued  from  the  Koyal 
Gardens,  Kcav,  and  Avhich  give  lists  of  the  plants  cultivated  in 
that  great  national  collection.  These  changes  are  very  numerous 
and  in  many  cases  A'ery  important,  though  they  are  often  to  be 
regretted  as  tending  to  increase  the  difficulties  of  an  already 
difficult  po.sition.  One  advantage  the  “  Hand  Lists  ”  possess  over 
the  “  Index  ”  is  that  A’arieties  are  recognised. 
It  looks  as  if  Ave  must  either  throw  OA'er  to  a  great  extent  the 
great  “  Index,”  Avhich  Avould  be  very  unfortunate,  .seeing  that 
the  number  of  plants  in  the  “  Hand  Li.sts  ”  is  comparatively  .small, 
or  pin  our  faith  to,  and  adopt,  the  names  of  the  smaller,  cheaper, 
and  admittedly  carefully  compiled  “  Hand  Li.sts.”  The  necessity 
