112 
JOURNAL  OR  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
Februar}'  18,  19C4. 
Pruning  Outdoor  Vines. 
In  order  to  continue  bearing  good  crops  of  fru.t  the  annual 
pruning  of  the  Vines  on  outdoor  ualls  and  trellises  must  not 
be  neglected.  Much  growth  is  made  in  a  season,  all  of  which 
cannot  be  retained.  In  the  ca.se  of  spur-pruned  branches,  the 
.side  shoots  must  be  limited  on  each  .spur,  and  shortened  to,  as  a 
rule,  not  more  than  two  buds.  If  the  lower  bud  is  plump  and 
prominent,  thig  only  need  be  retained.  Should  there  be  room 
on  the  wall  or  trellis  a  few  young  canes  may  be  trained  in,  not 
allowing  them  to. extend,  however,  beyond  4ft  in  length,  if  such 
an  amount  of  space  is  available.  The  young  canes  may  also  be 
utilised  to  replace  old  worn-out  branches. — F.  D.  S. 
Floral  Decorations. 
At  the  wedding,  at  the  residence  of  Justice  and  Mrs. 
McKenna,  of  their  eldest  daughter,  Isabel,  to  Pitts  Pufheld,  of 
New  York,  the  decorations  were  executed  by  Mr.  Geo.  H.  Cooke. 
The  ceremony  took  place  in  the  window'  recess  of  the  parlour, 
transformed  into  a  bow'er  of  green,  beneath  a  chime  of  white 
satin  bells  tied  with  white  satin  ribbon.  An  American  Beauty  Bose 
served  as  a  tongue  for  each  bell.  The  bride  carried  a  shower 
boucpiet  of  Bily  of  the  Valley  and  Cypripeduims  ;  the  .biides- 
maids  carried  bouquets  of  laberty  Boses  showered  with  Ijily 
of  the  Valley.  Over  the  doorways  and  mantel  were  double 
Boman  wreaths  decorated  with  white  Boses  and  Cyprif)ediums. 
The  walls  of  each  room  on  the  first  floor  were  sprayed  with 
Smilax.  At  the  wedding  breakfast,  the  library  table,  reserved 
for  President  Boosevelt  and  the  bridal  party,  rvas  decorated  with 
Lily  of  the  Valley  and  Adiantum  Farleyense. 
The  Gypsy  Moth. 
Introduced  as  an  experiment  in  silk  raising  the  gypsy  moth 
has  become  in  a  little  over  thirty  years  a  terrible  pe.st  in  Mas.'-a- 
chusetts  as  a  centre,  spreading  slightly  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
commonwealth  into  the  neighbouring  States.  It  has  cost  the 
government  of  the  commonwealth  an  enormous  amount  of  mone\ 
to  fight  it,  and  yet  to-day  it  .stands  as  perhaps  the  most  serious 
insect  pest  of  that  part  of  the  couiitiy.  Over  one  million  dollars 
w'cre  expended.  It  is  now  proposed  to  introduce  the  natural 
enemies  of  the  moth — one  of  the  parasites  that  prey  upon  it  and 
apparently  keep  it  within  bounds  in  Europe.  Benioved  from 
the  warfare  of  nature  tlie  pest  has  increased  until  quite  beyond 
the  ordinary  control  of  man.  Thus  did  also  the  San  Jose  scale 
and  the  English  .sparrow  ’with  us  and  the  rabbit  in  Australia. 
In  the  plant  world  similar  instances  are  to  be  found  ;  Anacharis 
canadensis,  for  example,'  introduced  to  Engli.sh  ponds,  has  over¬ 
run  the  bounds,  and  is  a  most  troublesome  weed.  The  balance 
■of  nature  is  not  to  be  lightly  disturbed. 
Giant  Pineapples. 
The  culture  of  the  Smooth  Cayenne  Pineapple  in  Jamaica  has 
been  attended  with  such  extraordinary  success  that  the  plants 
have  produced  mamfnotlrfruits  weighing  as  much  as  201b  each. 
It  is  said  that  these  giant  Pineapples  frighten  the  buyers  in  the 
English  markets,  wlioSo  idea  of  a  saleable  Pine  is  limited  to  one 
of  (ill)  to  811)  each.  The  popular  St.  IMichael  Pines  now  coming 
in  for  the  present  season  range  from  31b  to  61b  in  weight,  and 
meet  the  wants  of  the  dealers.  Still,  fruits  of  201b  should  com¬ 
mand  a  large  and  profitable'  sale  for  shop  window  shov  purposes 
alone.  In  one  district  just  reported  upon  it  is  stated  that  80  per 
cent,  of  the  plants  will,  on  account'  of  the  richness  of  the  soil, 
produce  monstrosities  in  Pineapples  heavier  than  the  weight 
named.  The  soil  contains  six  times  the  normal  quantity  of 
nitrogen,  and  to  this  fact  the  remarkable  vegetable  exuberance 
is  attributable.  The  soil  of  Jamaica  suits  the  Orange  as  well  as 
the  Pinapple.  Giant  Mandarins  from  the  colony  are  selling  first 
hand  at  7s  per  case  of  64  fruits,  which  is  nearly  at  the  rate  of 
Is.  6d.  a  dozen.  These  are  fancy  prices,  100  per  cent,  more  than 
is  paid  for  Spanish  Mandarins.  The  Jamaica  Mandarin  Oranges 
as  marketed  lately  are  the  finest  of  their  class  which  have  ever 
been  imported  into  the  United  Kingdom. 
Salvia  gesneraeflora. 
This  plant  is  one  of  the  handsomest  during  the  winter  and 
early  spring  month.s,  producing  a  profusion  of  bright  scarlet 
flowers,  which  are  useful  for  cutting.  The  cultivation  is  e'a.sy, 
and  it  succeeds  out  of  doors.  Lifted  in  autumn,  the  plants 
flower  in  the  spring.  As  with  other  plants  of  the  order,  it 
enjoys  liberal  siqiplies  of  water,  but  of  course  these  must  bo 
given  judiciously.  This  Salvia  may  be  propagated  by  cuttings 
in  spring,  which  may  be  potted-cn,  or  p’aced  in  the  open  ground 
during  June. 
Leition  Verbenas. 
Old  .stock  p'ants  of  Lemon  Verbenas  and  Lantanas,  which  are 
now  in  a  state  of  partial  dormancy  in  a  cool  house,  should  be 
started  up  bj'  applying  a  little  more  heat  (.says  the  “American 
Florist'’).  It  they  were  grown  in  i)ot.s  during  the  previous 
summer,  they  will  need  a  shift  to  a  larger  pot ;  in  this  case, 
renew  some  of  the  top  soil,  and  repot  in  good  rich  soil.  In  a 
few  weeks  a  lot  of  cuttings  will  be  ready,  which  root  easily  in 
the  .sand,  and  will  make  fine  3-inch  stock  for  the  spring  trade. 
The  stock  plants  of  Lemon  Verbena  should  be  grown  in  pots  the 
year  through.  Some  growers  prefer  to  plant  them  out  during 
the  summer,  but  lifting  checks  them  too  much,  and  they  start 
into  growth  too  late  in  the  .season  to  make  useful  cuttings. 
They  are  deciduous,  but  if  grown  in  pots  they  will  start  up  early 
and  produce  abundance  of  soft  growth  in  plenty  time  for  pro¬ 
pagating  for  spring.  Anthericums  should  also  be  shifted  to  a 
size  larger  pot  and  started  to  growing  in  a  moderately  cool 
house.  Plants  in  4  and  5-inch  pots  will  make  good  .stock  for 
vases  and  verandah  boxes.  Cuttings  taken  now  for  next  season 
will  root  easily  in  the  sand. 
lionicara  tatarica  grandiflora. 
This  is  the  season  to  make  cuttings  of  the  many  shrubs  pro¬ 
pagated  from  hard  wood  ;  and  when  engaged  in  the  work,  and 
you  come  to  the  Tartarian  Honeysuckles,  get  all  you  can  of  the 
Lonicera  tatarica  grandiflora.  All  of  the  bush  Honey.suckies 
(says  Mr.  Meehan,  in  the  “Florists’  Exchange”),  as  thi.s  class  of 
Loniceras  is  called,  are  of  value,  but  I  do  not  hesitate  to  place 
at  the  head  of  the  list  the  grandiflora.  These  Honeysuckles  are 
valued  for  two  things  chiefh’  :  their  pretty,  early  spring  flowers 
and  the  coloured  fruit  which  follows.  Of  the  many  varieties  in 
cultivation,  the  colour  of  the  flowers  varies  from  white  to  pink. 
Grandiflora  has  pink  flowers,  and  it  produces  the  largest  blooms 
of  the  deepest  piidi  colour  of  any  sort ;  it  is  the  most  showy  of 
all.  The  bright  berries  of  these  bushes  charm  many.  They 
ripen  very  soon  after  the  flowers  disappear,  and  adorn  the 
bushes  until  quite  late  in  summer;  and,  fortunately,  birds  do 
not  disturb  them.  The  flowers  are  produced  on  the  twigs  of  the 
previous  season,  so,  a.s  is  well  understood,  pruning  .should  be 
done  soon  after  the  flowering  is  over.  But  be  careful  not  to 
prune  heavily,  or  you  will  not  have  as  many  bright  befries  as 
you  wish. 
A  Nursery  in  Colorado,  U  S.A. 
Nestling  at  the  foot  of  the  E-ocky  Mountains  of  Northern 
Colorado,  with  rugged  foot-hills  stretching  north  and  south  as  far 
as  the  eye  can  reach,  and  with  lofty  peaks  ever  displaying  their 
snowy  summits,  is  situated  the  beautiful  city  of  Boulder.  Here, 
also,  is  located  our  seed  establishment,  trial  grounds,  &c.,  more 
than  a  mile  above  sea-level,  far  above  the  clouds,  nearer  the 
.sky  than  any  similar  institution  in  the  world.  Abundant  sun¬ 
shine,  a  never  failing  stream  which  irrigates  our  grounds, 
together  with  good  soil  and  favourable  climate,  make  a  rare 
combination  of  conditions  not  to  be  excelled  for  the  growing 
and  ripening  of  good  seeds.  Within  twenty-five  miles  of  our 
nursei'y  gradations  of  altitude  are  met  with,  covci'ing  a  range 
of  nearly  ^9, 000ft,  reaching  a  inaximum  altitude  of  more  than 
I4,000ft  above  sea-level.  This  brings  within  our  reach  plants 
of  the  arctic  regions,  plants  of  the  sub-alpine  swamps  and  bogs, 
trees  and  irlants  from  dry  hill  sides  and  well  watered  valleys, 
and  from  the  rocky  cliff  and  arid  plains.  Perhaps  nowhere  in 
the  world  in  so ‘small  a  radius  is  it  possible  to  find  a  natural 
collection  of  trees,  shrubs,  and  plants  of  such  infinite  variety 
and  remarkable  beauty  already  inured  to  a  rugged  climate,  from 
which  may  be  selected  flowers  suited  to  every  situation  where 
plants  can  exist. — D.  M.  Andrews,  nurseryman. 
