582 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  2?,  1903. 
Aphelandi'a  nltens. 
•  A  stove  plant,  which,  were  it  only  for  the  intense  claret  colour  of 
its  elliptic-ovate  leaves,  is  deserving  of  popularity;  but  in  addition  to 
them  the  erect  stem  is  terminated  by  a  dense  bracteate  spike  of 
scarlet  flowers.  Grown  annually,  says  a  contemporary,  from  cuttings 
in  small  pots,  it  forms  a  useful,  highly  decorative  plant,  very  effective 
when  intermingled  with  lighter  coloured  subjects  as  an  edging  for 
stages. 
Freesias. 
The  be,st  locations  for  these  after  housing,  is  on  shelves  well 
up  on  the  light,  observes  “  xVmerican  Gardening.”  They  are 
now  making  satisfactory  growth,  and  some  supports  must  so-cn 
be  given.  Sometimes  their  brush  is  used  ;  other  growers  stake 
each  shoot  separately — a  big  task  where  thousands  are  grown. 
A  good  plan  is  to  cut  some  rather  coarse  mesh  Avire  netting  the 
size  and  .shape  of  the  flats  or  pans,  and  support  the  same  by  a 
couple  of  sticks  at  each  end  of  the  flats,  or  three  or  four  sticks 
round  the  pans.  Let  the  netting  be  suspended  directly  over  the 
l^lants  at  the  height  of,  say,  .six  inches  for  the  first  piece,  and 
as  the  plants  grow  fa.sten  another  piece  about  eight  inches 
higher;  this  rvill  be  found  to  support  the  plants  nicely,  and  no 
trouble  Avill  be  found  in  cutting  and  pulling  the  spikes  through 
the  netting.  These  pieces  of  netting,  once  cut  to  the  required 
.  .size,  can  be  used  each  .successive  year.  As  flower  spikes  show 
some  liquid  manure  can  be  given.  Do  not  give  it  too  strong,  or 
the  leaves  will  quickly  shoAV  brown  ends.  As  these  plant.s  aauII 
not  stand  heavy  smoke,  care  must  be  exercised  in  fumigation. 
Improving  the  Eoil. 
The  difference  between  cultivated  and  uncultivated  ground  is 
most  marked,  and  is  readily  apparent  to  even  the  most  uniniti- 
.  ated  when  the  results  are  seen  in  the  produce  derived  from  both, 
esiAecially  Avith  kitchen  garden  crops.  One  of  the  best  methods 
of  improving  soil  is  trenching.  This  process  break.s  up  the  ground 
to  a  considerable  depth,  and  in  time  the  beneficial  action  of  air 
and  moi.sture  pulverises,  ameliorates,'  and  enriches  the  soil  to 
such  an  extent  that  the  roots  of  crops  can  not  only  easily  per¬ 
meate  the  improved  medium,  but  readily  abstract  .supplies  of 
food.  Although  trenching  is  excellent,  and  proves  to  be 
•serviceable  sooner  or  later,  yet  there  are  times  Avhen  it  may  prove 
mi.sleading,  and  the  results  Avhich  folloAv  not  at  all  sati.sfactory. 
This,  probably,  is  oAving  to  the  fact  that  in  the  process  of  trench¬ 
ing  good  soil  has  been  buried  and  indifferent  subsoil  brought  to 
the  surface;  in  fact,  the  layers  of  soil  have  been  reversed.  Time 
Avill  rectify  this,  but  it  usually  happens  that  a  crop  must  be 
groAA'n  on  the  land  immediately  after.  Land  that  has  irot  pre¬ 
viously  been  trenched  is  tli©  Avorst  in  this  matter,  therefore  the 
best  Avay  to  act  is  to  adopt  the  process  kiioAvn  as  bastard  trench¬ 
ing,  Avliich  consists  of  keeping  the  soil  in  its  original  po.sition, 
but  deepening  it  all  the  same. 
Improvement  by  trenching  can  be  applied  to  all  kinds  of  soils, 
light  as  Avell  as  heavy ;  but  special  luethod.s  mu.st  also  be  adopted 
to  modify  the  effects  of  some  particular  class  of  soil.  For 
instance,  sandy  soil  is  often  too  hot  and  dry  for  the  best  results 
in  cultivation,  hence  the  addition  of  some  loam  of  a  clayey 
character,  AAhich  may  be  pounded  and  spread  on  the  surface, 
aftei-Avards  digging  it  in  when  pulverised  by  frost.  Manure  of  a 
cooling  cliaracter  such  as  coav  manure  should  be  added  to  such 
soil.  Chalk  may  also  be  added  Avith  advantage,  or  a  little  lime. 
A  clay  soil,  on  the  other  hand,  is  usually  so  very  tenacious 
that  a  dressing  of  lim©  Avill  help  greatly  in  breaking  it  doAvn ; 
but  A'ery  stiff  and  obstinate  clays  indeed  cannot  be  improved 
quickly  except  by  burning,  Avhich  Avill  cause  it  to  crumble.  The 
addition  of  sandy  loam,  road  scrapings,  or  other  gritty  material 
Avill  greatly  improA^e  ordinary  clayey  soils.  In  turning  up  stiff 
soils  for  the  Avinter,  leave  the  surface  very  rough  so  that  the 
action  of  frost  may  haA’e  free  play.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  form  it 
into  ridges,  Avhereby  a  larger  .surface  of  soil  is  more  completely 
exposed. — E.  D.  S. 
The  Poplar  Tree,  Popular. 
It  is  not  generally  known  that  there  is  now  a  great  demand  for  the 
Popla,r  tree.  Since  the  introduction  of  trams,  hundreds  of  these 
stately  and  ornamental  trees  in  Sussex  have  been  felled  and  cut  up 
into  small  blocks  to  be  used  in  conjunction  with  the  brakes  on  electric 
trams.  They  are  used  extensively  on"  the  trams  in  Brighton,  and  so 
effectual  are  they  that  the  authorities  do  not  care  about  utilising  a 
different  kind  of  Avood,  though,  as  is  generally  known,  the  Poplar  was 
not,  at  one  time,  looked  upon  as  being  of  much  Avorth,  from  a  com¬ 
mercial  standpoint.  There  are  not  many  of  these  trees  in  the  county 
noAv,  and  the  supply  of  the  blocks  Avill  soon  be  insufficient  to  meet  the 
demand,  if  such  is  not  the  ease  already. 
Ficus  dlversifolla. 
The  smaller  species  of  Ficus  are  not  mueh  cultivated  in  ordinary 
gardens,  but  some  of  them  are  suitable  for  growing  as  a  variety  from 
the  monotony  so  frequently  seen  in  greenhouses  and  conservatories. 
There  is  a  pretty  little  Ficus  in  the  Glasgow  Botanic  Gardens,  called 
F.  diversifolia,  Avhieh  is  Avorth  growing  for  the  stage  among  floAvering 
plants.  It  is  of  quite  compact  and  bushy  growth,  the  specimens  at 
Glasgow  being  only  some  two  feet  or  so  in  height.  The  small  leaves 
are  pale  green  beneath,  and  bright  green,  dotted  Avith  small  brown 
specks,  above.  They  are  narroAved  to  the  base,  but  rounded  at  the 
apex,  and  leathery  in  substance.  It  thrives  well  under  greenhouse 
treatment.  The  small  fruits  add  to  the  interest  of  the  plant. — SOL. 
Harmful  effects  of  Humea  elevens.  , 
In  thg  struggle  for  botanical  existence  one  plant  Avill  crush  out  a 
weaker  felloAV  by  depriving  it  of  light  or  air,  by  throttling  it  or 
.  starving  it ;  but  Avhile  all  these,  and  many  other  methods,  are  familiar 
to  the  evolutionist,  it  has  not  been  generally  known  that  one  plant 
may  poison  another.  An  apparent  instance  has,  hoAvever,  lately  been 
noticed  in  the  plant  called  Humea  elegans,  which  exhales  a  powerful 
odour  like  Russia  leather.  It  was  found  that  when  placed  in  a  green¬ 
house  near  a  Peach  tree  a  comparative  burning  or  withering  of  the 
young  Peach  leaves  in  its  neighbourhood  Avas  the  result.  It  did  not 
inhabit  the  same  soil  as  the  Peach,  but  even  Avhen  some  distance  from 
it  seemed  able  to  exercise  a  harmfuF  effect,  Avhich  at  last  resulted  in 
stripping  the  Peach  of  all  its  young  leaves. 
Galtonia  candlcans. 
This  noble  Lilieaeeous  plant  should  require  no  formal  introduction 
to  any  professional  gardener,  yet  Ave  bring  it  forAvard  now,  Avhen  neAv 
beds,  borders,  and  shrubberies  are  being  made,  in  the  hope  that  even 
more  plants  of  such  a  beautiful  subject  may  find  a  station  in  erstAvhile 
vacant  places.  Placed  in  beds  along  with  Tritomas  or  any  scarlet  or 
crimson-floAvering  outdoor  plant,  Avhose  display  is  made  during  August 
and  September,  the  Galtonia  furnishes  a  splendid  contrast.  The 
illustration  on  the  opposite  page  shoAvs  a  natural  size  inflorescence, 
and  the  spotless  Avhite  bells  all  droop,  as  shown.  The  strong,  fleshy 
stalks  rise  upright  from  the  succulent  foliage,  a  yard  or  4ft  high.  The 
bulbs  delight  in  a  deep  sandy  loam,  Avith  Avhieh  is  incorporated  leaf 
mould,  or  similar  humic  material.  Once  in  place,  they  need  not  be 
disturbed  for  three  or  four  years.  The  present  time  is  suitable  for 
planting.  Sometimes  the  plant  is  cultivated  in  pots,  and  flowered  in 
the  open  air.  They  are  thus  useable  on  formal  fronts  and  forecourts. 
For  protection  to  the  planted-out  bulbs  in  winter,  eoA'er  the  crowns 
Avith  flaky  leaf  mould. 
The  Grassy  Transvaal. 
The  Grasses  are  the  most  conspicuous  feature  of  the  Transvaal 
flora,  at  least  in  the  high  veldt.  Succulents  are  practically  confined  to 
rocky  kopjes  and  randjes  (ridges).  Bulb  and  corn-producing  plants 
abound  among  the  Grasses.  Trees  and  shrubs  are  scarce,  as  a  rule, 
but  evergreen  Proteas  and  other  bushes  or  small  trees  occur  on  kopjes 
and  randjes,  and  there  are  dAvarf  Avoods  nSar  water.  In  the  moist 
veldt  Grasses  are  eight  or  ten  feet  high.  About  50  genera  and  130 
species  of  Grasses  are  knoAvn  to  science  in  the  Transvaal.  Of  the 
genera, as  many  as  44  are  seemingly  indigenous,  a  fact  accountable  to 
the  isolation  of  the  country,  and  unlikely  to  continue  mueh  longer. 
Andropogons  and  Anthistirias  are,  perhaps,  the  commonest  Grasses  of 
the  high  veldt.  Bermuda  Grass  (Capriola  dactylon)  is  frequent  beside 
roads,  in  laAvns,  and  cattle  kraals,  and  seems  to  be  introduced  by 
cattle,  Avhich  are  fond  of  it.  The  Reed  (Phi’agmites  vulgaris)  is 
common  along  streams.  A  rainless  Avinter  of  four  to  five  months 
(May  to  September)  and  a  fair  rainfall  (25  to  30  inches)  the  rest  of 
the  year  has  developed  the  habit  of  producing  bulbs,  tubers,  and  corn. 
Many  of  the  plants  floAver  Avithout  rain  having  fallen  for  months,  but 
the  heavy  doAvs  may  help  to  start  the  groAvth.  To  some  extent,  also, 
the  neAv  Grass  comes  without  rain. 
