MISCELLANEOUS. BEAUTY OF ANNUALS IN POTS

Otago Witness, Issue 2220, 17 September 1896, Page 8

MISCELLANEOUS. BEAUTY OF ANNUALS IN POTS

It is almost surprising what a really beautiful display of flowers can be made by the use of some of the different kinds of annua's. Take, for instance, the thunbergia, martynia, browallia, celosia, nicotiana, maize, balsam, and schiz&nthus, with half a dozen well-grown plants of each kind, and we have sufficient material to fill an amateur's greenhouse of full average size, also such a variety of form and colour as will present a picture that will put to the blush the usual contents of such greenhouses. In the back row might be placed maizs and nicotiana alternately ; the next row may consist of schizanthus and balsams alternately,; the third row of martynias and celosias ; and the front or fourth row of browallias and thunbergias, with the shoots of the latter hanging over and partially hiding the stage.

FOCHSIAS.

Fuohsias miybe readily propagated now by means of cuttings of young shoots two to three inches long, inserted in sandy soil in welldrained pots in greenhouses or warm windows.

THE KEW GARDENS.

The most expensive public gardens in the world are the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, near London, which- cost annually £20,850 to maintain. In the strictest sense they are public, for the admission to them is gratis, and their expense is provided for out of a parliamentary grant from the taxes. These gardens cover about 75 aores, and the pleasure ground connected with them extend over 240 acres. The gardens are beautifully and scientifically cultivated. In their hothouses is the most'perfect collection in the world of all manner of orchids, ferns, cactuses, and other tropical plants and trees. The palm-trees grow to the roof of the palm-house, whioh is 64-ft in height, and 362 ft by 100 ft in area, resembling a tropical forest, for bananas, cocoanuts, coffea-plants, cotton, ginger, nutmegs, and cloves all flourish there.

THE COLUMBINE.

The United States has no national floral emblem, and it is proposed to adopt the columbine. It grows wild in the region where Columbus was born, ai well as in the Rocky Mountain State. A front view of the flower shows the outline to be a beautiful five- rayed star, emblematic of the stars of the national [ flag, .while the leaf terminates in 13 lobes, the number of the stripes, as well as of the original States in - the Union*. ' While the columbine grows in many colours, three colours— the brilliant' red, pure white, and exquisite -cerulean blud — are the American variety of the flower. A' single petal of one of the longspurred variety is in the shape of a horn of .plenty, while the botanical and horticultural name of the flower is aquilegla, connected with the Latin aquila, an eagle.

MAKING HOTBEDS

. This may be done now with a reasonable prospect of success, as the sun will help to keep up the heat. Cuttings and" seedlings will do better in a moderate hotbed than in the greenhome. If possible, get some tree leaves to mix with the stable manure ; the beds will be more lasting and there will be less danger of overheating. If manure alone is used, it should be turned and intermixed several times before making it into a bed, and the more firmly the bed is put together the less rapid will be the heating, because treading drives out the air.

DIVIDING HAEDY PLANTS

This is a very good time to .divide hardy perennials, as they are now commencing to make new growth. Michaelmas daisies, perennial sunflowers, and suoh-like things are readily divided for increase of stock. Some plants grow mere freely than others, and are therefore better to divide. It is folly to disturb plants that are getting into full beauty, unless one is removing into another home. Irises, and, in fact, the majority of perennials, are better when divided about once in three years, as after that period the plants get matted and overgrown. STYRAX OBASSIA '

In the admirable paper on " Trees and Shrubs in Japan " read before the Royal Horticultural Society by Mr James Veitch some time since he refers to the great beauty of Styrax obas i* when in bloom. This is one of the tree shrubs, as it may well be designated, brought homo from Japan by M. Maries, and at the present moment two large specimens are blooming at the Coombe Wood Nursery, where* they prove singularly beautiful and attractive objects. •These trees are some 15ft in height. They carry in great profusion long racemes of pare white flowers, that are very lovely and sweetly perfumed. The leafage is very large, round, and

admirable shelter for the abundant bloom from heavy rains or sunshine. The variety precedes by a few weeks the now better known' Sfcjrax japonica growing close by. In time we may hope to see these grand shrubs in most good gardens. — A. D., in Journal of Horticulture.

SEEDLING FINKS.

Raising pinks from seed is interesting,' and one never knows what a seedling may be in colour or form. There are generally many more blanks than prizes, but even the poor '<■ flowers from the •' florists' " point of view are precious to those who ate indifferent to certain standards of form set up by a certain tociety or set of men. Pink seed should be sown iv a pot of light soil or in the open ground ; bat it is as well to sow in pots, and plant out the seedlings when of sufficient Bize to the positions they are to adorn.

MANY-FLOWERED ROSE (c. POLYANTHA).

This is wonderful in its profusion of bloom just now. We have it running up trees, down bank?, alongside water, and failing over sunk fences, and it seems to be equally ac home in all positions and soils. The shoots of established plants lean to the ground and root there like the common bramble, so there is no difficulty about getting any number of plants. It is a first-rate wild garden plant, and one which we think might be useful for covert in places where brambles and ' wild roses are sought. — Field.

TBEATMBST OP BEGONIAS.

Although peat is not injurious to begonias it is not advisable to employ it. Three parts loam to one part of half-decayed horse-manure, with sand added according to the character of the loam, heavy or light, will grow begonias to perfection if all other matters are right, such as supplying them liberally with water when in a free-growing state. Artificial manure would do more harm /than good at the present time. When toe plants have made good progress a teaspoonful of some approved kind sprinkled on the surface and watered would have a beneficial effect.

THE CU-CUMBER.

A garden frame in which there is ft hotbed provides suitable accommodation for cue amber plants. Many amateurs secure excellent crop] in this way, and a cucumber grown in one's own garden is infioitely more juicy than the flabby, ill-conditioned specimens bought at a shop. Cucumbers must have plenty of heat and moisture — a temperature of from 60deg to 70deg at night, with a rise of lOdeg or even more by day. Mike up a good bad of stable litter, mixed with about one-third of tree leaves. The litter must be well turned and firmly put together. A violent heat is not wanted, but & bed of even condition as to warmth and moisture. Make up a solid bed quite 4ft in height at the back, wibh a gentle slope to the front, extending the bed, too, for about a foot outside the frame. When the hotbed haß been formed, place about a barrow load of loamy soil in the centre, but the quantity of soil will depend upon the size of the frame. Put on the lights, and tilt them a little at the back to let out superfluous heat and moisture. The temperature can be ascertained by putting the hand into the bed. When excessive heat has subsided, plant, and give little waler until the roits appear through the soil. The bed must then be enlarged by addiDg more loam, and when the plants are in full bearing a little bonemeal will be helpful. Syringe every afternoon, and stop the shoots when they have run 2ft; also remove weak shoots to prevent crowding. It is essential to guard against cold draughts, but on sunny days ventilate judiciously.

GOOD DWABF PHLOXES.

The dwarf phloxes are excellent garden plants— bushy, dwarf, and bearing large heads of bald handscme flowers. Some of the newer French kinds do not grow more than 18in in height, forming dense heads of bloom, the individual flowers of decided colour.

PANSY CULTIVATION.

Mr Alexander Lister, of Rothesay, gendd un a wee bookie on the above subject. The instructions he gives are very clear, evidently a record of his own routine, which enabled him to win many prizes at leading showa. He describes his process of raising pansies from seed and by cuttings, growing the plants, keeping them free from insects, also cutting and staging the blooms. He describes Taddy's snuff as the best exterminator of red spider, sulphur and water of mildew, observing that sulphur easily mixes in water by the addition of a little spirits. Mr Lister adds short chapters on a few other flowers, and even vegetables, the last named appearing a little incongruous, but the writer ie evidently a worker alao, with small regard for conventionalities, and wishes to ba useful where he can. — Journal of Horticulture.