-

VERBENAS IN POTS. — So many of the lady readers of "The Journal of Horticulture "" are not only flower-lovers but flower-cultivators, that I suppose I need make no apology for describing a pretty experiment which may be made with verbenas. If any one takes the trouble to try it next summer, I trust she may be rewarded as was the friend of mine at whose house I saw it in the full flush of success.

This was the process: In the centre of a good-sized flower-pot filled with nicely-prepared earth my friend placed a tolerably tall stick, say eighteen inches high, and at the foot of this planted a very fine root of verbena, which was just beginning to show a few buds.

Keeping this in a shady place for a week or ten days, it began to grow rapidly. Instead of allowing the sprays to trail, as is usual, she trained up every branch by passing strings beneath, and securing them to the stick in the centre. She took the greatest care of this pet-plant, watching and arranging every vagrant runner, and moulding with skilful fingers the whole growth into a rounded and compact shape, and bringing the buds up to the top as much as possible. In a few weeks, the bush (for it now had the aspect of a densely-growing bush) was covered with a mass of the most brilliant bloom, overtopping the supporting stick, and hanging down in gay streamers on all sides. The flower-pot stood in front of the piazza, somewhat more elevated than the plants in the flower-beds around. The lady dwelt near a great city, on a road which was a favorite drive in the fine summer-days; and I cannot tell how many ladies, and gentlemen as well, stopped at the gate to inquire what that splendid new flower might be.

You may be sure that my friend felt a touch of satisfaction at such times. The color she had chosen was that vivid cherry-scarlet, which one cannot describe, but the blaze of which one sees so far off; and the shades of scarlet seem best suited for this experiment, not only for their flaming brilliancy, but for their profuse blooming. Mary Lorimer.

THE Early Goodrich Potato, of which favorable mention was made last season, fully sustains its former reputation for earliness, productiveness, and all the qualities which go to make up a first-rate market-potato; to which may be added its ability to withstand disease, so prevalent the past season. While the Sebec was a failure, and even the Jackson suffered severely in almost every direction in this vicinity, the Goodrich escaped without injury, yielding a good crop. We recommend this variety with confidence, having grown it two years.

The Harrison, another of Mr. Goodrich's Seedlings, a late or winter variety, is even more productive than the Goodrich; perfectly hardy; not affected by rot in the least; yielding immense crops of smooth, handsome tubers of the finest quality. A great acquisition. Both these varieties in cultivation require ample room (being strong and vigorous in their habit of growth) and generous culture. - Transactions Massachusetts Horticultural Society.

WASHINGTONIA GIGANTEA.

Our advice to those about to plant this tree in

their grounds is to obtain small plants in pots if possible. It is one of the most difficult of all evergreens to transplant.

PROPAGATING EUGENIA UGNI. — Eugenia ugni is propagated by cuttings of the half-ripened wood. The points of the young shoots should be taken off, when the wood has become somewhat firm, about three inches from the end of the shoot, or in the condition known to gardeners as half-ripe. The cuttings should be about three inches long, and should be cut across below the lowest leaf with a sharp knife, and have the leaves removed half-way up the cutting. They may then be inserted round the sides of a six-inch pot, half filled with crocks, and then filled to within an inch of the rim with a compost of two-thirds sandy peat, one-third loam, adding and incorporating as much silver sand as will amount to one-fourth of the whole. The pot should be filled to the rim with silver sand, and the cuttings put in up to their remaining leaves. The cuttingpot should be inserted in one of larger size; and the interval between the pots should be filled with small pieces of broken pots to within an inch of the rims of both pots, which should be on the same level; and that inch should then be filled up with silver sand. A gentle watering may then be given, and a bellglass be placed over the cuttings, so that it may rest on the sand between the rims of the pots. The pots may then be placed in a mild hotbed of from seventy to seventy-five degrees, or in any house where there is a gentle heat. Shade the cuttings from sun, and tilt the bell-glass a little on one side at night. Care should be taken not to over-water; but the sand ought to be kept moist. When the cuttings begin to grow, the bell-glass should be gradually raised, and, by degrees, removed; and the shading must be lessened, and gradually removed, in proportion as the plants or cuttings endure the sun's rays without flagging. When well rooted, the plants should be potted off. It is also propagated by layers. A vigorous shoot, layered in a small pot in spring, will be well rooted by autumn.

POLYMNIA PYRAMIDALIS. In Polymnia pyramidalis (“ Revue Hort.," 1867, 211, with fig.) we have what in France is strongly recommended as a plant for the decoration of the summer-garden, along with ferdinandas, verbesinas, and like plants. It is of arborescent habit, attaining forty feet high or more in its native country, which is New Grenada; in the subalpine districts of which it grows in company with cherries and willows. It is of rapid growth, attaining ten to twelve feet in a season, with a pyramidal head, and large ovate-cordate hairy leaves, which endure well under sunshine, measure about twelve inches broad and sixteen inches long, and are borne on a long decurrent petiole. The flower-heads are numerous, yellow, and arranged in cymes. The plant has been grown in the garden of the Paris Museum, and was raised from seeds obtained from New Grenada by M. Triana.

WINTERING BEGONIAS. — They should be kept in a dry house; and no water should be given beyond a little now and then to prevent them drying up or flagging. A temperature ranging from forty to forty-five degrees is sufficient during winter, as they attain their greatest beauty in summer. When desirable to grow them, they must be kept moist, and in a house with a temperature of from fifty to fifty-five degrees at night, and sixty to sixty-five degrees by day, from fire-heat.

POINSETTIA PULCHERRIMA. Among the various matters that engage a gardener's attention through the different seasons of the year, that of providing a large and constant supply of plants for conservatory and in-door decoration during the winter months is one that requires a good deal of forethought and labor. There are a great number of plants now-a-days well adapted for this purpose; and, among them, Poinsettia pulcherrima has a strong claim on our attention. Its bright scarlet bracts are very effective; and they remain perfect for a very considerable time, which is a matter of some consequence.

The floral envelopes of this species are generally largest and finest on young plants with only one stem; and, as these are generally most useful for in-doors, a number of young plants should be grown every season. These are easily raised from eyes of the previous season's wood, like vines, put in early in April, and plunged in a nice bottom heat. As soon as they are rooted, they should be potted off singly into small pots, using a compost of peat and loam, mixed with plenty of silver sand. When potted, they should be returned to the frame or pit, and again plunged in a nice bottom heat, and kept rather close for a few days, until they begin to grow, when air should, at every favorable opportunity, be abundantly admitted. They should be freely sprinkled overhead with water when they require it; but care must be taken not to give them too much water at the root, particularly whilst they are plunged. Towards the end of June, or by the early part of July, they will be nice little plants, and will, if they have done well, require a shift into a larger-sized pot about that time. After they are shifted into larger pots, they will do very well in any of the vineries, if not too shaded, until September; but should be kept near the glass, that they may not be drawn. In September, they should be put into the stove, and should be carefully watered and freely syringed overhead. In due time, they will unfold their brilliant scarlet bracts. They should have every attention paid them whilst in flower. When they begin to go out of flower, water must be gradually withheld from them; and the plants should be rested in a dry part of the stove.

In the spring, the branches of the previous year should be cut down to within three or four eyes of the old wood. Shake off all the soil from the roots, and repot them into as small pots as possible; then plunge them in a nice bottom heat. When they have grown a little, and made some fresh roots, shift them into larger pots, and return them to a situation where they may enjoy a supply of bottom heat. They will then grow rapidly, and in the course of a few weeks will again require a large pot. After that, they will do in a vinery, if not too much shaded; or they may be put into the stove. These large plants will bear several heads of flowers, and are very ornamental and showy; but the bracts will not be so large as those on young plants that only bear a solitary flower-head.

M. Saul.

CHAMAECYPARIS OBTUSA.— - According to M. Briot, C. obtusa pygmæa, when grafted on C. Boursieri, yields plants which are free-growing and erect in habit; while if it be grafted on a biota or a thuja, or if it be propagated by cuttings, the plants, instead of becoming erect, spread horizontally on the ground.

INDIA-RUBBER PLANT PROPAGATING. —It is increased by cuttings. The points of the shoots should be taken off with a sharp knife; and, if it have two good joints in addition to the growing-point, it will make an excellent cutting. The leaf should be removed from the lowest joint, beneath which the shoot should be cut across with a sharp knife. The cutting is to be inserted in a small pot placed within a larger one. Use a compost of equal parts of sandy peat and loam, and silver sand equal to both. After giving a gentle watering, plunge the pots in a hotbed, and cover the cutting with a bell-glass, keeping it close, but not very moist; otherwise it may damp off. It will not be necessary to cover with a bell-glass if the house be kept close and shaded. A slight shade from bright sun should be afforded. A mild bottom-heat of from seventy five to eighty degrees is essential. When the cutting begins to grow, remove the glass, and shade by degrees. Spring is the best time to put in cuttings.

CULTIVATION OF FIGS. The best specimens of this fruit are raised under glass; but good ones can be grown in the open air by proper attention. The tree requires a rich and rather moist soil. It succeeds well on the back wall of a grape-house, and does not seem to be injured by the shade of the vines. Another good way is to put the trees in tubs or boxes, and start them in the house; and when the weather becomes fine, in May or June, set them out, keeping them well watered through the season. They may be grown and ripened in the house in tubs or pots. An occasional watering with manure-water will be beneficial. Another mode that we have followed with success is to set the trees out in spring, as soon as the frosts are over, in a good rich soil, where they will not suffer for moisture, exposed to the sun; and then let them stand until there is danger of frost again in autumn, when they should be taken up and put in a house or other cellar, secure from frosts. This operation is to be repeated yearly, and it will give very pleasing results. The trees will ripen one crop certainly, and, in very favorable seasons, two crops. The brown Turkey fig is a good variety for this purpose.

BLACK WARTS ON PLUM-TREES. Whenever these appear on the trees, they should be immediately cut off, even though it does leave a considerable wound. The succulent warts afford a breeding-place for the curculio, the active destroyer of the plum. Some recommend the free use of salt; but we do not believe it to be a preventive against the warts. They are caused by a diseased state of the sap. We think, in time, the black wart will entirely disappear. We wish we could say the same of the curculio. While the plum is not one of the very best of our summer fruits, still many persons are quite fond of them, and wish they might be made to flourish as in years gone by.

-

NEW GLADIOLUS. The best of the last year are, Princess Alice, lilac, lightly tinted with rose; Norma, white, sometimes very lightly tinted with lilac; Uranie, white, striped with lovely carmine-rose; Mozart, lively rose, largely tinted with violet, and flamed with deep carmine; and Semiramis, rosy carmine ground, largely flamed with deep carmine.

We publish the following letter from an esteemed correspondent, whose critique is eminently just:

To the Editor of "The Journal of Horticulture."

ALBANY, March 19, 1868.

Sir, — I have read with much interest the article in your journal headed "Zonale Geraniums; " but, when I came to the conclusion of it, I was much startled by the remark, “that there is considerable difference of opinion, whether this genus or these genera should be known as geranium or pelargonium; that English gardeners are pretty much divided on that question." Divided on what? I am simply stunned, confounded, at this disclosure, and from such a quarter! "In this country, all the zonale, variegated and others, are known under the head of 'geranium.'' This last appellation is rather more consistent than the British one. If, however, British gardeners do not know any better, that would not reflect much credit on their botanical knowledge. But what crowns all, and upturns all my feeble notions, not of botany, but of common sense, is, that it is only affectation to designate a plant by its proper name; that it is only of late years that an attempt has been made to change the name and confuse matters.

Now, I should like to know from your correspondent or correspondents, from any place, when the name of geranium has been changed for pelargonium, or vice versâ. Since some fifty years, I have more or less been in contact with plants, gardeners, affected or unaffected botanists; and I confess, to my shame, that it is the first intimation I have had of such a change, if any change. In my opinion, what has confused matters is not botanical affectation, but the ingenuity of the inventors. I use this paraphrase not to affect too much bluntness in calling things by their proper names; otherwise I would be more explicit. Your correspondent says, "All the zonale, variegated and scented, are all known under the name of ‘geranium ; "" but are they geraniums proper for that reason? No: no more here than in England, or anywhere else, where the same confusion exists, and from the same cause.

What is it affectation to call things by their proper names? Is it affectation to call a pelargonium, pelargonium ?

I resume, and insist that there is no affectation in saying that a geranium proper is very different from a pelargonium proper. Geraniums, as ornamental plants, are very little known, and less cultivated; they are all, or mostly all, herbaceous, perennial, biennial, or annual plants: whereas pelargoniums are nearly all shrubby plants; at least, the kinds we cultivate, such as P. zonale, P. inquionans (Ciconium zonale, Cor. Ciconium inquinans, Andrius). I abridge my reflections, and remain yours very respectfully. L. Menard.

THE gardener of Mrs. T. W. Ward of Canton, Mass., has kindly communicated the treatment by which he has so successfully bloomed Bougainvillea spectabilis :

"The following method of cultivation I have found to be very successful: As soon as the plant is done flowering, it should be cut back to within a few joints from where it started the previous year; then taken out of its pot, part of