Dicember  tj,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
515 
much  heller  to  sacri rice  all  that  are  not  wanted,  whatever  they  may 
be,  directly  they  are  becoming  crowded,  than  allow  them  to  grow 
together  to  the  destruction  of  all. 
When  planting  is  done  close  to  the  house  it  is  frequently  necessary 
to  plant  more  thickly  at  6rst  than  need  be  the  case  in  other  positions, 
80  that  a  lurnished  appearance  is  presented  at  once.  Under  the.se 
circumstances  mistakes  are  often  made,  and  when  the  trees  want  more 
room  the  whole  must  be  turned  over,  for  thinning  cannot  well  be  done 
in  any  other  way  if  due  jirovision  was  not  made  at  the  commencement. 
The  luture  even  in  these  cases  must  be  considered,  and  the  plants  so 
arranged  that  thinning  when  required  can  be  done  readily  and  easily 
without  having  to  lift  those  plants  that  are  intended  to  develop  into 
specimens  to  furnish  the  space  planted.  When  the  whole  have  to  be 
re-arranged  the  plants  are  checked  and  growth  for  a  year  or  two  at 
least  rendered  less  robust.  It  is  necessary  in  many  instances  to  avoid 
this,  especially  when  an  endeavour  is  made  to  grow  the  plants  into 
specimens  as  early  as  possible. 
Wh  n  planting,  say,  a  clump  of  Hollies,  it  is  wise  to  dispose  the 
principal  plants  sufficeutly  far  apart  that  thev  can  attain  to  lull  size 
without  having  to  be  removed  afterwards.  The  space  between  them 
can  be  filled  with  similar 
plants,  or  others  to  be  re- 
lifted  and  planted  elsewhere 
a.s  the  permanent  plants 
develop.  After  these  are 
removed  those  intended  to 
remain  will  have  attained 
some  size,  and  the  ground 
between  them  can  be 
levelled  and  sown  with 
grass  seeds,  if  this  can  be 
done  to  improve  the  view 
or  appearance  of  the 
ground.  If  not,  and  the 
plantation  looks  thinner 
than  it  is  desirable  to 
have  it,  a  few  smaller 
plants  can  again  be  placed 
for  a  season  or  two. 
Bulbous  and  herbaceous 
plants  may  occupy  the 
ground  for  a  time. 
Something  more  than 
merely  digging  a  hole, 
putting  the  roots  of  a  tree 
in  it,  and  then  covering 
them  with  soil  is  needed. 
Planting  with  a  view  to 
the  trees  developing  into 
grand  specimens  necessi¬ 
tates  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  tree  or  shrub  to  be 
planted  ;  its  natural  habit 
of  growth,  and  toe  size  to 
which  it  will  attain  under 
favourable  conditions  must 
be  taken  fully  into  con¬ 
sideration.  Many  mistakes 
are  made  through  insuffi¬ 
cient  knowledge  of  these 
mattecs,  and  also  for  the 
want  of  knowing  the  sur¬ 
roundings  and  conditions  under  which  trees,  shrubs,  and  Conifers  are 
displayed  to  the  best  advantage.  The  last  is  really  a  matter  of 
observation  rather  than  practice  and  experience,  for  much  valuable 
information  can  be  gained  bv  observing  the  conditions  and  position 
under  which  certain  deciduous  trees  and  evergreins  look  most  beautiful. 
My  advice  is  to  note  particularly  these  matters,  for  the  information  so 
gained  will  prove  invaluable  to  them  in  the  future  when  the  responsi¬ 
bility  of  this  work  devolves  upon  them.  It  may  save  many  blunders 
which  a  lifetime  would  prove  insufficient  to  rectify. — W. 
(To  be  concluded. 
Beauties  of  Blcbmond. — The  Mayor  of  Bichmond,  Sir  James 
Szlumper,  speaking  at  the  mayoral  banquet,  announced  that  Glover’s 
Island,  at  the  foot  of  Bichmond  Hill,  the  fate  of  which  excited  so  much 
public  anxiety  a  short  time  since,  had  been  purchased  by  Mr.  Max 
Waechter,  Deputy  Lieutenant  of  the  County  of  Surrey,  and  had  been 
presented  by  him  as  a  free  gift  to  the  Corporation  of  Bichmond,  subject 
to  the  present  unsightly  building  being  pulled  down  and  no  others  being 
erected  except  a  keeper’s  lodge,  and  to  the  banks  being  maintained  and 
to  the  island  being  planted.  The  announcement  was  received  with  great 
enthusiasm. 
TacsoDias. 
The  Passionworts  comprise  some  of  the  most  gorgeous  of  tropical 
climbers.  In  their  habit  of  growth  the  Tacsonias  resemble  very  closely 
the  common  Passion  Flowers,  being,  like  most  of  them,  of  vigorous 
growth,  the  shoots  extending  10  or  20  feet  in  a  season,  according  to  the 
age  of  the  plant.  The  resemblance  between  the  two  genera  is  indeed 
carried  so  far  that  some  of  the  most  acute  botanists  of  the  present  day 
are  unable  to  give  the  precise  grounds  for  the  separation  of  the 
Tacsonias  from  the  true  Passion  Flowers. 
The  chief  interest  of  these  plants  centres  in  their  elegant  scarlet 
flowers.  These  are,  at  a  glance,  seen  to  consist  of  ten  segments  or 
divisions,  the  lower  portions  of  which  are  united  into  a  tube,  surrounded 
at  its  base  by  three  leaf-like  bodies  termed  bracts.  These  bracts  are 
common  not  only  to  the  Tacsonias,  but  also  to  all  the  other  Passion 
Flowers,  though  in  a  few  species  they  are  placed  at  a  considerable 
distance  below  the  flower,  and  are  extremely  small.  In  one  or  two 
species  they  are  cut  into 
hair  -  like  segments,  and 
give  a  very  interesting 
appearance  to  the  flower, 
as  in  Passiflora  ciliata  and 
P.  foetida.  These  bracts 
are  not  much  larger  in 
T.  manicata  than  in  many 
other  Passionworts ;  but 
from  the  shortness  of  the 
tube,  which  is  almost  con¬ 
cealed  when  the  flower  is 
expanded,  “  it  may  not 
inaptly  be  compared  to  an 
arm  thrust  into  a  large, 
loose  glove  ;  ”  from  which 
circumstance  it  is  presumed 
that  Jussieu  gave  it  its 
specific  name  of  manicate, 
or  gauntletted. 
The  fruit  is  not  the  least 
remarkable  part  of  the 
plant.  In  Tacsonia  pinna, 
tistipula  it  is  5  or  6  inches 
in  circumference,  spherical, 
and  when  ripe  of  a  yellow 
tint,  hanging  by  the  very 
long  peduncle  to  which  the 
remains  of  the  flower  are 
usually  attached.  The  seeds, 
are  surrounded  with  a  pulpy 
arillus  of  an  edible  nature, 
especially  in  a  few  species, 
which  are  not  unfrequently 
cultivated  for  the  sake  of 
their  fruit,  as  P.  edulis  and 
p.  quadrangularis. 
T.  manicata  may  be  increased  by  cuttings  either  of  the  old  wood  in 
spring  or  of  short  young  shoots  in  summer,  under  a  bell-glass  with  a 
little  bottom  heat.  When  grown  under  glass  most  of  the  Tacsonias  will 
ripen  seed,  from  which  they  may  be  readily  increased.  The  name  of 
the  genus  appeats  to  be  a  Latinised  form  of  Tacso,  that  by  which  the 
plants  are  known  in  Peru.  There  are  several  species. 
We  must  not  omit  to  observe  that  the  shoots  of  the  Tacsonias  do  not 
require  shortening,  but  if  they  are  too  crowded  they  may  be  thinned- 
out  while  young.  When  the  growth  is  too  rampant  and  sterile  of 
blossoms,  a  flowering  habit  may  be  induced  by  training  the  shoots 
horizontally,  or  nearly  so. — T.  W. 
Tacsonia  milltaris. 
It  is  very  seldom  indeed  that  visitors  to  the  meetings  of  the  Boyal 
Horticultural  Society,  held  in  the  Drill  Hall,  And  Tacsouias,  either  new 
or  old,  on  exhibition.  On  Tuesday,  November  20th,  however,  Messrs. 
F.  Sander  &  Co.,  St.  Albans,  contributed  T.  militaris  (fig.  132),  for 
which  the  Floral  Committee  recommended  a  first  class  certificate.  The 
varietal  name  of  the  plant  was,  we  are  informed,  given  because  the 
colour  of  the  beautifully  formed  flower  is  precisely  that  of  a  soldier's 
crimson  scarlet  tunic. 
