232 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
August  30,  1900. 
TO  CORRESPONDENTS 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  mitre  Court  Cbambers,  Fleet  street, 
Xondon,  E.C.  It  is  requ'sted  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
Death’s  Head  Moth  {A.  E.  M.). — The  insect  is  the  larva  of  the 
Death’s  Head  Moth  (Acherontia  atropos),  about  two-thirds  of  full 
size,  rather  larger  in  fact  than  we  should  expect  to  find  it  at  the  end  of 
August.  It  was  probably  taken  in  a  field  of  Potatoes,  though  the  species 
does  no  doubt  feed  on  other  Solanaceous  plants,  such  as  S.  dulcamara 
and  nigrum.  From  creditable  reports  it 
has  occurred  in  Privet,  Jessamine,  and 
the  Tea  Tree.  It  is  one  of  our  most 
interesting  native  moths ;  even  yet  there 
is  somewhat  of  mystery  belonging  to  it. 
.HIschynanthus  splendidus  {F.  Roice). 
— This  is  one  of  the  brightest  plants 
that  flower  in  the  stove  during  the 
summer,  and  it  is  much  admired.  The 
genus  appears  to  be  somewhat  neglected 
at  the  present  time,  yet  some  of  the 
species  are  very  valuable,  especially  by 
affording  cub  flowers  for  vases  for  room 
decoration.  The  plants  are  of  easy 
•  culture;  brisk  heat,  a  very  rough  com¬ 
post,  and  copious  supplies  of  water  being 
the  chief  points  requiring  attention.  A. 
splendidus  (fig.  55)  is  of  more  upright 
growth  than  the  majority  of  the  species. 
The  colour  of  the  flowers  is  bright 
orange  scarlet,  deepening  to  vermilion 
with  purplish  crimson  lobes. 
Disqualifying  a  Stand  of  Hardy 
Flowers  including  Annuals  {W.  A.  8., 
Swanley). — Many  times  have  we  stated 
in  these  columns  that  a  complete  sche¬ 
dule  of  the  show  should  be  sent  where 
disqualifications  have  occurred  when  in¬ 
quiries  are  made  respecting  them.  The 
intentions  of  the  committee  can  often 
be  obtained  from  some  parts  of  a 
schedule,  but  not  in  the  least  from  a 
snip  of  two  lines  such  as  you  send.  A 
class  set  forth  as  “  twelve  bunches  of 
hardy  flowers,”  without  any  qualification 
in  any  part  of  the  schedule  would,  on 
the  authority  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  “  include  every  imaginable  hardy 
flower”  (see  page  34,“  Rules  for  Judging,” 
second  edition.  Is.  6d. ;  117,  Victoria 
Street,  S.W.).  The  offending  flowers  in 
your  disqualfied  stand  appear  to  have  been 
Sweet  Peas  and  ‘‘the  annual  Jacobea.” 
The  question  of  “hardiness”  now  comes  in  as  the  determining  factor. 
A  hardy  plant  is  one  that  passes  safely  through  the  winter  without  any 
protection,  growing  and  flowering  in  due  season.  This  the  Sweet  Pea 
certainly  will  do,  and  some  of  the  first  prize  flowers  at  the  Conference 
Show  at  the  Crystal  Palace  were  cut  from  plants  that  were  raised 
from  seeds  sown  in  the  open  ground  in  September  of  last  year,  and 
afforded  no  sort  of  protection  during  the  winter.  Sweet  Peas,  then, 
as  being  undoubtedly  “  hardy,”  would  be  admissible  in  the  stand. 
As  to  the  “annual  Jacobea,”  we  do  not  know  exactly  what  you  mean. 
If  it  is  one  of  the  varieties  of  Seneoio  elegans  we  should  doubt  its 
hardiness.  The  growing  and  flowering  of  plants  in  summer  from  seeds 
sown  in  the  open  ground  in  spring  is  no  proof  that  a  plant  is  hardy. 
This  can  be  done  with  Ten-week  Stocks,  China  Asters,  French  Mari¬ 
golds,  and  other  half-hardy  annuals ;  but  they  will  not  pass  the  winter 
safely  if  sown  outdoors  in  the  autumn  after  the  manner  of  Sweet  Peas 
and  several  other  really  hardy  annuals.  If  your  “Jacobea,”  whatever 
it  may  be,  will  pass  without  protection  safely  through  the  winter 
from  seeds  sown  in  the  open  ground  at  any  period  of  the  year,  it  would 
then  be  a  legitimate  “  hardy  ”  flower,  and  admissible  in  a  stand  of 
such  flowers.  If  it  would  not  survive  that  test  the  stand  would  be  open 
to  disqualification.  Will  the  so-called  “hardy  annual”  Senecios  sown 
outdoors  in  the  autumn  survive  the  winter  in  the  same  manner 
Sweet  Peas  ? 
Fig.  55. — HEschynanthus  splendidus. 
as 
The  Blue  Pea  (P.  6.  B.). — The  Blue  Pea  is  known  botanically  as 
Lathyrus  sativus.  It  is  one  of  the  prettiest  and  most  distinct  of  all  the 
annual  Peas  of  ornamental  character.  It  is  an  old  plant  in  gardens,  and 
yet  many  persons  have  never  seen  it,  although  it  is  universally  admired  by 
all  who  chance  to  see  it  covered  with  its  clear  blue  blossoms.  Its  culture  is 
of  the  easiest.  Seeds  sown  in  drills  or  clumps  in  March  produce  plants 
which  flower  in  July,  and  continue  in  bloom  until  late  in  the  autumn. 
All  the  attention  required  after  sowing  is  to  stake  each  clump  with  a 
few  bushy  twigs  about  2  feet  in  height.  The  three  to  four  seeded  pods 
are  curiously  winged  along  the  back.  This  species  has  long  been  grown  in 
South  Europe  as  a  forage  plant,  bnt  its  beauty  ought  to  guarantee  it  a 
welcome  in  all  good  flower  gardens. 
Gloxinias  from  Leaves  (Tyro)  — The  propagation  of  Gloxinias  from 
leaves  is  very  simple.  Fill  some  pots  or  boxes  with  a  light  compost, 
cotering  with  a  coating  of  silver  sand  ;  press  it  firmly,  and  see  that  it 
is  properly  moistened.  Next  decide  on  tbe  varieties  you  are  desirous  of 
increasing.  Select  the  old  leaves  or  those  fully  matured  for  the 
purpose.  A  sharp  knife  is  then  required  to  cut  through  a  juncture  of 
the  main  veins,  choosing  the  largest  for  the  purpose.  The  leaf  should 
then  be  laid  flat  on  the  surface  of  the  pot  or  box ;  at  each  spot  where  it 
is  cut  place  a  stone  sufficiently  heavy  to  keep  the  leaf  flat  on  the 
surface.  Another  method  is  to  take  small  leaves,  and  insert  them  in 
pots  by  the  petiole  or  stalk.  The  pots 
and  boxes  must  be  placed  in  a  warm 
structure,  where  roots  will  soon  form, 
and  by  the  end  of  the  autumn  small 
tubers,  which  must  be  saved  till  next 
season.  As  they  are  very  sniall  many 
people  keep  them  in  the  pots  all  the 
winter,  and  repot  them  as  soon  as  they 
s‘.art  in  the  spring. 
Propagation  of  Coleus  Verschaffelti 
(C.  N.  M.). — -The  cuttings  should  be 
inserted  now,  taking  off  the  growing 
points  about  3  inches  long,  and  inserting 
singly  in  3-inch  pots.  They  will  root 
readily  in  a  temperature  of  70°  if  kept 
close,  moist,  and  shaded.  When  the 
roots  reach  the  sides  of  the  pots  the 
Coleuses  should  be  transferred  to  6-inoh 
pots,  taking  out  the  points  of  the  shoots, 
and  be  kept  in  a  house  with  a  tempera¬ 
ture  of  not  less  than  50°  at  night  during 
the  winter,  giving  no  more  water  than 
enough  to  keep  the  plants  fresh.  In 
March  yon  may  make  cuttings  of  every 
available  shoot,,and  in  a  hotbed  they  will 
speedily  root.  When  they  are  rooted  shift 
them  into  larger  pots,  keep  them  well 
stopped  so  as  to  have  them  bushy,  and 
encourage  growth  by  affording  plenty  of 
heat,  moisture  and  light,  either  in  a 
frame  with  a  gentle  heat,  or  in  a  house 
ranging  from  55'’  to  60°  at  night,  and  70° 
to  75°  by  day,  and  80°  or  more  from  sun 
heat,  admitting  air  freely.  By  May  they 
will  be  fine  plants.  Harden  them  gradu¬ 
ally,  and  do  not  plant  out  before  the 
first  week  in  June. 
Burning  Clay  (K.  C.  S.). — The  mode 
of  raising  and  burning  is  as  follows  : — 
A  strip  of  land  is  broken  up  in  very 
dry  weather.  The  earth  is  thus  broken, 
or  it  may  be  said  torn  up  in  immense 
rough  masses  or  clods,  as  much  as  a 
can  carry,  which  are  admirably  adapted  to  form  walls  and 
supports  for  the  mass  of  fire.  By  this  means  heaps  of  nearly  200 
solid  yards  may  be  readily  burned.  The  earth  being  broken  up  the  fires 
are  formed  on  the  spot,  the  workmen  placing  a  certain  quantity  of  dried 
stumps  of  wood  of  sufficient  solidity  to  maintain  a  body  of  heat,  and 
enclosing  the  mass  with  large  clods.  These  are  carried  by. hand;  sub¬ 
sequently,  as  they  get  more  distant  from  the  fire,  a  barrow  is  used,  and 
beyond  that  a  one-horse  cart.  It  is  important  to  have  the  sides  of  the 
heap  as  upright  as  possible,  not  conical,  because  the  heat  always  makes 
for  the  highest  place.  An  important  point  in  burning  is  to  supply  the 
fire  sufficiently  fast  to  prevent  its  burning  through,  and  yet  avoid  over¬ 
laying  it,  which  might  exclude  all  air,  and  put  it  out.  Practice  will 
indicate  the  medium.  When  tbe  lire  shows  a  tendency  to  break  through, 
the  outside  of  the  burning  mass  is  raked  down  and  more  earth  added. 
If  the  ground  is  very  dry,  and  no  rain  falls,  the  men  are  obliged  to  feed 
the  fire  almost  constantly  night  and  day  ;  but  when  there  is  moisture  it 
may  be  left  for  five  or  six  hours,  but  seldom  longer.  Something  depends 
on  the  current  of  air.  A  strong  wind  would  blow  the  fire  from  one  side 
and  out  at  the  other.  This  is  guarded  against  by  placing  hurdles  inter¬ 
laced  with  straw  as  a  guard  to  windward.  The  size  of  the  heap  is 
limited  by  the  height  to  which  a  man  can  throw  up  the  soil,  and,  of 
course,  the  diameter  must  be  proportioned  to  the  height  to  prevent  its 
slipping  down. 
man 
