10 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  7,  19C4. 
Sohizanthus. 
Sturdy  young  plants  growing  tcgethor  in  pans  or  pots,  where 
they  liave  been  pricked  out  to  sirrengtheii  from  seed  pots,  ought 
now  to  be  potted  permanently.  Several  plants  potted  together 
in  bin  or  Gin  pots  will  form  good  specimens.  Use  loam,  leaf  soil, 
and  decayed  manure  as  a  comport,  potting  firmly,  and  place  the 
plants  near  the  glass  in  a  cool  house. 
Bedding  Plants. 
“  Geranium  ”  cuttings  in  pots  or  boxes  may  be  kept  com¬ 
paratively  dry  during  the  pre.^ent  dull  season,  especially  in  a 
cool  house.  Pick  off  the  dead  leaves.  Stock  jrlants  of  Lobelias, 
Iresines,  Mesembryanthcmums  should  be  kept  fresh  and  healthy 
on  a  shelf  near  the  glass.  Winter  tuberous  Begonias  in  dry  sand 
or  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 
TrIfolium  alpinum. 
The  Trifoliums,  or  Clovers,  are  generally  looked  upon  as 
mainly  forage  plants;  but  there  arc  several  of  such  an  orna¬ 
mental  character  when  in  bloom  that  they  are  viewed  deservedly 
as  well  suited  for  the  flower  garden.  Among  these  we  may  well 
place  Trifolium  alpinum,  which  comes  into  bloom  about  July. 
Although  it  has  boeir  a  long  time  in  cultivation,  it  is  not  easily 
obtainable  in  nurseries,  and  it  is  a  little  time  since  I  have  come 
across  it  in  a  private  garden.  It  has  a  good-sized  head  of  purple 
flowers  and  leaves  of  the  general  character  of  those  of  the 
genus.  They  arc  described  in  a  first-class  work  of  reference  as 
h.aving  “  lanceolate  linear,  ternato  leaflets,  with  long  petioles.” 
This  is  a  good  description  in  botanical  characters  of  the  leaves. 
The  plant  is  dwarf  in  habit,  and  only  grows  3iu  or  4in  high.  T. 
alpinum  likes  a  rather  dry  soil  and  a  sunny  position.  It  is 
more  in  keeping  with  the  rockery  than  the  border.  It  is  cue 
of  the  best  of  the  Clovers  for  this  purpose.  Seeds  are  sometimes 
procurable,  and  offer  a  ready  means  of  raising  a  stock  of  plants. 
They  may  be  sown  in  pans  in  a  cold  frame. — A.  R.  N. 
Buphorbia  jacquiniaeflora. 
This  variety  of  Euphorbia  is  not  gi’own  so  extensively  as 
E.  ijulcherrima,  but  in  my  estimation  is  ecpially  as  handsome, 
though  perhaps  not  rjuite  so  hold  and  striking.  As  it  is  a 
subject  somewhat  exacting  in  its  needs,  a  few  remarks  on  its 
culture  may  not  be  out  of  place  here.  Plants  that  have  bloomed 
during  the  winter,  cut  back  to  within  18in  of  the  soil,  and 
placed  in  a  brisk  temperature,  soon  produce  a  quantity  of 
cuttings.  These  should  be  removed  with  a  sharp  knife  without 
a  heel,  and  prepared  in  the  usual  way,  and  inserted  in  wet 
sand  and  placed  in  a  gentle  bottom  heat.  Give  the  cuttings  a 
gentle  dewing  over  occasionally  to  pi'ovent  them  flagging,  and 
maintain  a  moist  atmosiihere.  By  this  method  they  will  root 
readily. 
When  well  rooted  ijot  them  singly  in  well  drained,  small 
GO-sized  pots,  in  a  compo.st  made  of  equal  quantities  of  good 
peat  and  loam,  with  a  fair  sprinkling  of  sand.  It  is  as  well 
to  warm  the  soil  before  ijotting,  and  to  perform  this  operation, 
if  possible,  without  submitting  the  ])lants  to  a  lower  tempera¬ 
ture  lor  any  length  of  time,  as  this  often  tends  to  seriously 
check  their  growth.  Place  the  plants  in  a  temperature  of 
about  Godeg  Kahr.,  and  in  a  light  position,  and  keep  the  atmo- 
fq:)here  close  and  moist  for  a  few  days,  ^\•ithholding  water  until 
really  needed,  afterwards  gradually  reducing  the  temperature 
to  GOdeg  Eahr.  when  they  are  well  growing. 
On  fine  days  they  must  be  shaded  from  the  hot  sun,  and  a 
gentle  syringe  over  with  clear  soft  Avater  Avill  benefit  them  and 
keep  them  free  fi’om  red  spider  and  other  pests.  Pot  on  into 
bin  pots  Avhen  necessary,  and  treat  in  the  same  manner  as 
stated  aboA'e,  taking  care  not  to  check  them  by  a  sudden 
reduction  of  temperature  or  cold  draughts.  Above  all  things 
p  do  not  overAvater,  as  this  treatment  they  Avill  not  stand,  it 
being  in  manj’  cases  the  cause  of  failure  in  groAving  this 
beautiful  jAlant.  E.  B.,  South  Berk«. 
Cinerarias. 
Gool,  moist  air  suits  Cinerarias,  and  the  pots  shculd  stand 
on  a  moist  base.  Keep  the  soil  healthfully  moist,  admitting 
air  to  the  structure  on  favourable  occasions.  Occasional 
vaiAorising  should  be  resorted  to  for  destroying  aphides.  The 
plants  must  be  quite  clean  before  floAvering.  Those  in  an  ad- 
A'anced  condition  may  be  encouraged  to  develop  in  a  Avarm 
greenhouse. 
Floral  Decorations. 
Harmonies,  not  contrasts,  seem  to  be  mostly  .sought  after  by 
our  London  florists.  We  avouIcI  Avelcome  notes  at  this  time. 
The  prettiest  exhibit  in  the  main  hall  at  the  Noav  York  ShoAV 
Avas  arranged  by  the  Wm.  Graham  Company.  It  Ava.s  a  pagoda  of 
Avhite  Birch  bark  pillars,  canopied  Avith  Asparagus  and  Chinese 
lanterns.  The  pillai's  Avere  studded  Avith  choice  blooms  of  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  Avith  short  stems  inserted  in  glass  bulbs.  In  the 
centre  Avas  a  pyramid  group  of  choice  Chrysanthemums  in  vases, 
and  in  the  top  of  each  pillar  Avas  a  basket  of  choice  autumn 
leaA’es. 
Thunbergia  alata. 
This  is  a  Avell-knoAvn  AA’arm  house  edging  lAlant,  having  slender, 
trailing  .stems  and  rich  yelloAv  floAvers.  Ou**  illustration  shoAvs  a 
spray  or  floAvering  shoot  of  natural  size.  The  plants  can  be  had 
in  floAver  in  June,  July,  and  oiiAvards.  Being  hardier  than  any 
of  the  other  species,  T.  alata  and  its  varieties  can  be  employed  as 
basket  plants  to  be  hung  in  cool  houses  or  Amrandahs.  Treated 
as  an  annual,  the  seeds  require  to  be  soavii  in  February  or  March 
in  pans  of  light  soil,  and  the  young  plants  are  pricked  off  and 
potted  as  they  adAmnce.  A  suitable  compost  consists  of  fibrous 
loam  Avith  a  little  peat,  and  a  lesser  amount  of  thoroughly  rotted 
manure  and  some  coarse  sand.  The  plants  may  also  be  carried 
over  from  cuttings,  but  OAving  to  their  susceptibility  to  the 
attacks  of  red  .spider  it  is  not  generally  advisable  to  propagate 
by  this  means.  T.  alata  has  tAVO  good  varieties,  alba  and  auran- 
tiaca — the  one  Avhite,  the  other  orange. 
Tropaeolum  Ijeichtlin’. 
Those  Avho  knoAv  the  pretty  iierennial  Tropaeolum  polyphyllum 
Avill  have  .some  idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  neAver  T.  Leicht- 
lini,  Avhich  Avas  .sent  out  first  by  Herr  Max  Leichtlin,  and  which 
is  said  to  be  a  hybrid  betAveen  T.  polyphyllum  and  T.  edule. 
Although  introduced  about  eight  or  nine  years  ago,  it  has  not 
yet  found  its  Avay  into  many  gardens,  although  a  brighter 
plant  than  the  older  polyphyllum.  Its  greater  effect  is  caused 
by  the  colour  of  its  floAvers,  Avhich  are  of  a  bright  orange  yelloAV, 
AA-ith  .some  red  spots,  instead  of  the  paler  yelloAv  of  T.  poly¬ 
phyllum.  It  floAAers  about  May  or  June,  and  the  foliage  soon 
dies  off  aftei’Avards,  so  that  those  Avho  plant  it  must  take  this 
into  -consideration.  It  is  desirable  for  those  Avho  AA-ant  a  ti'ail- 
ing  plant  of  comparatively  short  groAvth,  and  AA-liich  can  after- 
Avards  bo  cleared  arvay  Avithont  di.sturbing  the  roots.  Herr 
Leichtlin  assures  mo  that  it  should  be  deeply  planted,  a  foot 
to  a  foot  and  a  half  being  a  suitable  depth  at  Avhich  to  place  the 
tubei's.  It  is  hardy,  and  Arill  be  a  Aveloome  A-ariety  to  those  Avho 
care  for  the  perennial  Tropaeolums. — S.  Arxott. 
Bneouragement  of  Cottage  Gardening. 
The  folloAviiig  short  paragraph  from  tlie  Sussex  Daily  Ncavs,” 
is  a  delicious  little  tit-bit  for  those  Avho  keenly  cndeaA-our  to  assist 
amateur  and  cottage  gardeners.  The  most  gratifying  feature  is  that 
the  Avork  is  presided  over  by  one  of  the  most  influential,  scholarly, 
and  energetic  gentlemen  of  the  neighbourhood,  Avho  had  around  him 
other  notable  local  ladies  and  gentlemen.  One  could  preach  a  sermon 
on  the  subject,  shoAving  that  this  Avay  lies  the  road  for  the  cure  of  many 
evils,  and  for  bestoAving  much  happiness  'on'rural  communities.  The 
paragraph  ought  to  be  brought  before  country  clergymen  in  districts 
Avhere  such  societies  are  not  yet  in  existence.  It  runs  thus  ; — "  Canon 
Pennethorne  'presided  at  a  meeting  of  the  Heathfield  Amateur  and 
Cottage  Gardeners’  Mutual  ImproA’Cinent  Society  on  ThiArsday, 
December  10th,  and  there  Avere  [also  present  Mrs.  Pennethorne,' the 
Rev.  T.  B.  Sykes,  Mr.  W.  C.  Alexander,  J.P.,  Mrs.  A.  Aynseombe 
(hon.  secretary)  and  others.  It  Avas  reported  that  there  was  a  balance 
of  aboiAt  £18  in  hand.  The  Rev.  Canon  Pennethorne  Avas  re-elected 
president,  tlie  Rev.  A.  T.  Roots  treasurer,  and  Mrs.  Aynseombe 
hon.  secretary.  The  committee  Avas  also  elected,  and  included  Mrs. 
Pennethorne  and  Miss  Alexander.  It  Avas  decided  to  re-introduce 
prizes  for  the  best-kept  cottage  garden.” 
