December  6,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
517 
Torenia  Culture. 
These  are  amongst  the  most  beautiful  of  softwooded  stove  plants. 
When  first  I  saw  T.  asiatica,  which  was  discovered  hy  Toreu,  a 
Swedish  clergyman,  in  China,  with  its  marbled-like,  blended  colours 
of  blue,  purple,  and  light  li'ac,  I  thought  it  was  among  plants  a  gem 
of  the  purest  water.  The  blossom  is  tubular,  and  monopetalo  is  in  its 
corolla,  which  is  generally  divided  into  four  segments.  The  two 
upper  stamens  are  conspicuous  in  the  throat  of  the  flower,  joined 
together  so  as  to  form  a  beautiful  arch,  while  the  anthers,  cohering 
and  projecting,  might  convey  the  idea  of  an  ornamental  architectural 
keystone. 
fTorenias  are  readily  raised  from  seeds  sown  in  spring,  the  plants 
being  treated  as  annuals;  but  increase  is  best  effected  by  cuttings 
when  a  plant  is  already  possessed.  They  are  easily  rooted  in  autumn, 
either  with  or  without  bottom  heat,  but  will  root  quicker  and  more 
surely  if  placed  in  a  cold  close  pit  for  a  week,  and  then  plunged  in  a 
little  bottom  heat.  But  why  take  ofT  cuttings  now,  instead  of 
preserving  an  old  plant,  and  waiting  untd  spring  ?  Simply  because, 
without  entering  upon  the  physiological  bearings  of  the  question, 
autumn  .rooted  cuttings  generally  bloom  more  profusely  than  those 
inserted  in  spring.  Without  making  the  Torenia  a  peg  on  which  to 
hang  general  deductions,  several  things  must  be  attended  to  for 
obtaining  large  plants  in  such  a  short  time. 
Our  plants  are  grown  very  rapidly  under  the  partial  shade  of  Vines ; 
the  flowering  principle  being  brought  into  operation  when  exposed  to 
more  lisht.  They  should  always  be  screened  from  very  bright  sun¬ 
shine.  The  one-shift  system,  or  nearly  so,  must  be  resorted  to,  and  rough 
and  lumpy  soil  be  used.  Those  who  shift  their  plants  frequently,  and 
use  fine  soil,  must  have  patience  in  waiting  longer  for  a  large  specimen. 
Water  must  be  given  with  judgment.  If  the  grower  cannot  water 
them  himself,  and  must  depend  upon  an  assistant,  who  gives  everything 
in  turn  its  regular  pouring  from  the  water-pot,  then  be  content  with 
frequent  shifting.  Liquid  manure  may  be  given  sparingly  the  first 
season,  liberally  the  second.  The  difference  of  treatment,  as  regards 
stimulants  in  the  first  and  second  year,  is  based  upon  the  principle 
that  if  applied  the  first  year  there  would  be  fine  growth,  but  little 
flowering.  After  the  comparative  standstill  treatment  of  winter, 
there  would  be  a  great  tendency  to  blooming  the  second  year,  and, 
therefore,  to  maintain  for  a  long  period  that  flowering  process,  growth 
hy  stimulation  must  be  continued. 
If  kept  a  second  year  in  the  same  pots,  the  plants  will  bloom 
profusely,  if,  after  examining  the  draining,  they  are  top-dressed  with 
equal  proportions  of  rough  soil  and  dried  cow  manure.  Plants  thus 
managed  exhibited  a  profuse  mass  of  bloom  in  a  verandah  from  the 
end  ot  April  to  the  end  of  Qctober.  They  were  then  removed,  as 
aphides  had  appeared.  I  find  that,  even  in  attempting  to  keep  them 
in  a  dormant  state,  the  temperature  should  not  be  below  40°, 
and  ader  the  month  of  January  they  should  have  a  little  more, 
and  all  the  light  you  can  give  them.  I  find,  also,  that  many  tender 
plants  if  inured  to  it  gradually  will  stand  much  more  cold  before  the 
days  begin  to  lengthen  than  they  will  do  afterwards.  This  fact  is  of 
importance  to  be  known  to  those  with  limited  means,  who  yet  may 
have  a  forcing  house  of  some  sort,  which  they  set  in  motion  at  the 
beginning  of  the  year,  as  there  many  tender  plants  may  get  a  lift  for  a 
couple  of  months. 
The  Torenias  I  have  had  in  bloom  this  year  till  September 
completely  concealed  trellises  between  3  and  4  feet  square  ;  others 
are  trained  on  circular  trellises,  others  as  bushes,  3  feet  in  height  and 
3  feet  through.  A  young  Larch  or  Spruce  tree,  peeled  in  the  spring, 
with  all  the  twigs  peeled  and  retained,  makes  a  nice  support  for  all 
such  plants  to  ramble  over.  Grown  in  baskets,  and  suspended  so  that 
the  shoots  hang  gracefully  down,  studded  with  blossom,  is  also  a  very 
interesting  method  of  treating  them. 
All  my  plants  have  stood  in  a  glass-protected  verandah  for  nearly 
three  months  beautifully  in  bloom,  but  not  equal  to  the  old  plants 
formerly  alluded  to.  Fresh  potted  or  top-dressed  in  spring  they  will 
be  ready  f  r  another  summer’s  campaign.  All  of  them  were  cuttings 
a  little  over  a  year  ago,  and  potted  into  60-sized  (3-inch)  pots  in 
September,  removed  with  many  other  things  to  the  shelf  of  a  stove 
at  the  end  of  October,  kept  in  a  temperature  of  from  55°  to  60°, 
stopped  to  make  them  bushy,  shifted  into  a  size  larger  pot  at  the  end 
of  February,  moved  into  12-inch  pots  in  March,  watered  carefully  so 
as  not  to  deluge  the  unappropriated  soil  until  the  roots  began  to  work 
their  way  into  it,  then  removed  under  the  shade  of  Vines  that  had 
shortly  before  shown  fruit,  trained,  and  from  thence  taken  to  the 
verandah  at  the  end  of  May. 
I  may  add  that  the  Torenias  flourish  in  equal  proportions  of  loam 
and  peat,  with  a  dash  of  silver  sand.  The  soil  should  be  rough  and 
the  pots  well  drained.  A  few  pieces  of  charcoal  would  be  useful  for 
both  purposes. — R.  F. 
Beans  In  Franies. 
Those  engaged  in  forcing  Kidney  Beans  in  winter  know  how 
difficult  it  is  to  keep  up  a  succession  during  the  dull  months,  but 
the  season  of  this  very  useful  vegetable  may  be  prolonged  in 
autumn  by  very  simple  means  where  there  are  frames  with  a  single 
flow  and  return  pipe  in  them.  My  first  sowing  here  was  made  on 
September  17th  in  small  pots.  As  soon  as  these  were  forward 
enough  they  were  planted  in  a  long  frame,  and  are  now  giving  very 
useful  gatherings.  They  followed  Melons,  and  will  be  out  in  ample 
time  for  planting  early  Potatoes,  so  although  so  useful  they  may  be 
regarded  quite  as  a  catch  crop.  A  sowing  made  ten  days  later  is  well 
set,  and  will  follow  the  first  batch. 
I  have  a  liking  for  bone  dust  as  a  manure  for  this  crop,  and 
although  at  first  sight  it  may  appear  extravagant  to  use  a  manure  of 
this  kind,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  Potatoes  will  be  planted 
in  the  same  soil,  so  that  whatever  is  unexhausted  at  the  time  the 
Beans  are  removed  will  benefit  these.  Another  advantage  in  using 
the  frames  now  is  that  it  allows  ample  time  for  cleaning  and 
thoroughly  overhauling  forcing  houses  that  are  to  be  used  for  this 
important  crop,  whereas  had  these  hatches  been  grown  therein  there 
would  probably  have  been  the  fag  end  of  some  summer  crops  still 
remaining,  and  with  them  possibly  a  stock  of  insects  ready  to  feed 
upon  the  fresh  young  Bean  foliage. — H.  R.  Richards. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
Drill  Hall,  December  4tli. 
The  meeting  in  the  Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday  was  one  of  the  smallest 
we  have  seen  for  some  considerable  time.  However,  exoentional  size 
does  not  always  spell  excellence  of  quality,  and  the  Orchids  especially 
were  of  the  greatest  interest,  Cypripediums  being  particularly  attractive. 
In  the  floral  section  Veitch’s  winter  flowering  Begonias  were  the 
brightest  feature.  Fruits  and  vegetables  were  fair  in  numbers. 
Fruit  Committee. 
Present :  G.  Bunyard,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ;  with  the  Rev.  W.  Wilks, 
and  Messrs.  H.  Markham,  G.  Norman,  E.  Beckett,  J.  Smith,  F.  Q.  Lane* 
H.  Balderson,  G.  Wythes,  0.  Herrin,  G.  Woodward,  W.  Farr,  W.  Bates,’ 
S.  Mortimer,  A.  Dean,  J.  H.  Veitch,  W.  Pope,  J.  Wright,  G.  Keif,  e! 
Shaw  Blaker,  W.  Ponpart,  H.  Esling,  J.  Cheal,  and  J.  Willard. 
Messrs.  Dobbie  &  Co.,  Rothesay,  contributed  a  collection  of  fourteen 
varieties  of  garden  Turnips,  of  which  the  best  were  Bobbie’s  Model 
and  Bobbie’s  Golden  Ball.  The  exhibit  included  also  a  number  of 
varieties  in  which  Model  was  plainly  observable  as  a  parent.  Prom 
the  same  firm  came  magnificent  examples  of  Leeks  Bobbie’s 
Champion  and  International  Prize;  they  were  very  long,  of  fair  girth, 
and  well  blanched.  Messrs.  H.  Cannell  &  Sons,  Swanley,  sent  some* 
handsome  Parsnips  Cannell’s  Prizewinner.  They  were  clean,  of  good 
colour,  and  of  very  large  size. 
Pear  Charles  Ernest  was  contributed  by  Messrs.  Jas.  Veitch  &  Sons, 
Chelsea  ;  the  fruits  were  clean  and  attractive  in  appearance.  Mr.  J. 
Watkins,  Withington,  Hereford,  sent  a  dish  of  Crab  Quaker  Beauty. 
It  is  an  American  variety  of  large  size,  yellow  with  a  bright  red  cheek. 
Mr.  Watkins  sent  also  Apple  British  Queen,  a  very  handsome  variety 
that  should  attain  to  a  large  measure  of  popularity.  Mr.  G.  Woodward 
gardener  to  Roger  Leigh,  Esq.,  Barham  Court,  Maidstone,  showed  a 
dish  of  Pear  Nouvelle  Fulvie,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  flavoured 
varieties  in  use  in  December. 
Some  time  back  Mr.  W.  Crump,  gardener  to  Lord  Beauchamp, 
Madresfield  Court,  Malvern,  offered  to  send  Grape  Black  Morocco  for 
comparison  with  the  new  Diamond  Jubilee.  The  true  Black  Morocco 
was  in  evidence,  but  Diamond  Jubilee  was  conspicuous  by  its  absence. 
The  following  resolution  relative  to  the  sad  illness  of  Mr.  Philip 
Crowley  was  proposed  by  Mr.  Alex.  Dean  and  seconded  by  Mr.  H. 
Balderson  :  — “  This  committee  learns  with  profound  regret  of  the 
resignation  by  Mr.  Philip  Crowley  of  the  office  of  chairman,  which  he 
has  so  long  and  so  admirably  filled,  and  hereby  records  its  sense  of  the 
great  loss  sustained  by  such  resignation.  This  committee  further 
desires  to  tender  to  him  in  his  illness  its  sincere  sympathy,  and  to 
express  the  earnest  hope  that  under  medical  skill  he  may  yet  be 
restored  to  health,  and  once  more  occupy  his  former  position  at  this 
table.” 
Floral  Committee. 
Present  :  W.  Marshall,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ;  with  Messrs.  C.  T. 
Druery,  H.  B.  May,  G.  Reuthe,  J.  Jennings,  J.  Hudson,  J.  F.  McLeod, 
C.  J.  Salter,  C.  R.  Fielder,  C.  Jeffries,  J.  Fraser,  J.  D.  Pawle,  C.  E. 
Pearson,  C.  E.  Shea,  R.  Wilson  Ker,  and  H.  Turner. 
Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Chelsea,  were  represented  by  a  most 
handsome  exhibit  of  winter-flowering  hybrid  Begonias.  The  plants,  in 
3 -inch  pots,  were  about  a  foot,  and  had  been  raised  from  cuttings 
