1878. ]

89

young stock was obtained, if all has gone well, they will require more room the spring following. In this case, remove any of the bottom leaves that have decayed, and sink the plants lower in the pot. They should be grown on freely through the summer. The disrooting for propagation may take place every other year, and as the strong underground stem gets longer, a portion of it may be cut away, reducing it to inch-lengths, which will form stout plants in less time than the side-roots. When the specimens have attained a useful size, they are beautiful objects for greenhouse or conservatory decoration, in which position they may be kept wholly or through the summer months, transferring them to more warmth during the autumn and winter, where they will keep on growing. But nothing is gained by too long abstaining from interference with the roots for propagating purposes, as in this case, when the plants get strong, they will throw up bloom-stems which, looked at from a point of increasing the stock, is a serious drawback.

If ever this plant gets sufficiently plentiful, it will be a grand market subject, as a more beautiful object for halls and rooms it is difficult to imagine.-T. BAINES, Southgate.

THE FROGMORE GOLDEN PEACH.

[PLATE 469.]

OHIS handsome Peach, as its name implies, originated in the Royal Gardens, Frogmore, a few years ago, and is the result of a cross between the Bellegarde Peach and Pitmaston Orange Nectarine, from which latter parent it inherits its yellow flesh.

The fruit is of the medium size, usually a little larger than it is represented in our figure [from specimens obligingly sent us by the Rev. W. F. Radclyffe, from his gardens at Okeford Fitzpaine]. It is evenly shaped, having a shallow suture, and is but slightly indented at the crown. The skin is of a dark brownish red, when fully exposed to the sun, fading off to a golden yellow when shaded. The flesh is tender, fine-grained, and of a yellow hue, except near the stone, where it is tinged with red. It parts freely from the stone, and is of good quality, with a fine peach-flavour.

The trees are of a free and healthy habit,

and not at all subject to mildew. It belongs to the section producing large flowers, and is provided with smooth leaves, having globose glands. The flowers are of a deep pink colour, so that when in blossom the tree forms an object quite worthy of admiration.-J. POWELL, Frogmore.

MARKET PLANTS.-IV.

POINSETTIA PULCHERRIMA.

O plant is more attractive and useful as a decorative agent than the glorious Poinsettia pulcherrima, all the more valuable, because its richly tinted vermilion bracts can be had in their most lustrous radiance at Christmas, when bright colours are most acceptable, and their warmth and life contrast so well with the dreariness withoutdoors.

A few market cultivators excel in the production of this fine plant. They grow it by the thousand, and not only find an outlet for their productions in the London flowermarkets, but applications for plants come from Newcastle-on-Tyne, Manchester, Birmingham, and other great industrial centres.

The most remarkable feature is the short time required to bring these plants to perfection-about nine months. Stock plants are kept from which to obtain cuttings; these are had in May, and as soon as taken are put singly in thumb-pots, and the pots placed in a brisk bottom-heat, in one of those closeframes found in the low propagating houses in market-growing establishments, which from one year's end to the other unceasingly illustrate unremitting activities. All marketgrowing work is done at high pressure-every workman appears thoroughly in earnest. The attention is directed to the production of a certain number of things, in given proportions, at the proper time, and every day witnesses a substantial advance made towards this desired end. In about a couple of weeks the cuttings begin to make roots, and at this point they are constantly examined, and if any are found to have rooted, they are lifted out of the hot-bed, and the pots placed on a dry, warm stage, near the glass. Mr. John Reeves, of Acton, one of the most extensive and successful growers of the Poinsettia, regards this as a somewhat critical time for the rooted plants, for "singular as the statement

may appear, yet it is found to be a correct one in practice: if the young plants are allowed to remain plunged in bottom-heat, after being rooted, they are very apt to rot off close to the soil."

When the plants have rooted nicely into the cutting-pots, they are, after being hardened off a little, taken to one of those long low span-roofed houses which appear to be inseparable from the production of market-plants, and kept a little close. At the end of July, or early in August, as opportunity serves, the plants are shifted in 48-sized the blooming-pots, and this is the only shift the plants receive.

There is no mystery about the potting compost used. Some good sweet well-decomposed turfy loam, leaf-mould, and sand make up the soil. This is the regulation compost for a market establishment, with some manure added, for certain things.

From the time the plants are potted on, to that when they are ready for market, they

are treated to a routine of constant attention; and this, combined with as complete a uniformity of temperature as possible, makes up the cultural process. The plants are freely watered-this is never grudged them -and as they approach maturity a little liquid cow-manure is occasionally administered. A dry bottom is considered of the first importance, and the stages on which the plants stand are so constructed as that the water freely passes away. A generous treatment, without any pretence at coddling, is given. There is no thought of starvation or a resting process to induce the production of the magnificent bracts. "The plants are never syringed overhead, and though near the glass, they are never shaded from the sun."

As the days shorten, and the air becomes chilly, just sufficient fire-heat is maintained to impart a comfortable, but by no means heated or close atmosphere. "Air is plentifully given, at the same time, cold draughts of air should not play directly on the plants." The rule laid down by Mr. Reeves is to give plenty of air, as that intensifies the richness of colour and the solidity of the bracts.

The fitness of this temperate treatment is shown when the plants are taken to market or sent away to a distance. They bear exposure with something approaching impunity, for

some plants sent at Christmas last to Newcastleon-Tyne, and returned again through some informality, appeared little the worse for the long journey.

The white variety of the Poinsettia is but little grown for market, but the double form, by reason of its being some three weeks or a month later, promises to be extensively grown when it becomes more plentiful.-RICHARD DEAN, Ealing, W.

SELAGINELLA VICTORIE.*

NE of the most beautiful of all the Club-mosses, having the general habit and aspect of Selaginella Wallichii, to which it is closely allied, though on comparison it is seen to be distinct, especially in the branches which are evenly pinnate, like the frond of a fern, but instead of diminishing gradually to the point, as in S. Wallichii, the branch is here formed of nearly equal-sized parallel branchlets, the terminal one being of the

same size and form as the rest, resembling thus an imparipinnate leaf. The plant is evidently of scandent habit, like S. Wallichii, the old stems becoming somewhat woody at the base, and throwing out new shoots from the apex after a period of rest, the new shoot growing on as before. It has been imported by Mr. Buil from the South Sea Islands, and is known in herbaria from other Pacific stations, having been previously associated with S. Wallichii, from which the growing plants are at once seen to be distinct. It has a creeping caudex, from which the subscandent stem springs up at intervals. These stems produce the alternate ovate branches, which are flat and closely pinnate, remarkable for their symmetry of arrangement. The small ultimate branchlets are about an inch in length, terminated by a slender quadrangular spikelet, from 1 in. to 1 in. long or more. The colour of the fronds is a dark sap-green, the spikelets being somescarcely does justice to the elegance of the what paler. The accompanying figure, which plant, is from Mr. Bull's Catalogue, in which it is this year offered for the first time.-T. MOORE.

*S. Victoriæ: stem scandent, 2-3 ft. or more, continued by new terminal growths, regularly branched, becoming bare below; branches flat, ovate, very regularly pinnate, not descrescent to the apex, but terminating in a branchlet similar to the rest; branchlets 3-16th of an inch wide, simple, those of the fertile branches about 1 inch long, set about 1-8th of an inch apart, the basal ones often forked; leaves oblong-falcate, entire, the anterior base cut away, the posterior produced; midrib distinct; intermediate leaves much smaller, semi-ovate acuminate parallel; spikes slender, tetragonal, terminating the branchlets, 1-2 inches long.

capital night-flowering town plant, the gasometer, in full blow!

It was all in very sad, depressive contrast to the beautiful palace of light at Sydenham, where the air and sunshine are so free, and the glare of the noon-tide so sweetly tempered to the delicate bloom by fleecy-white light shadings, that are made to float like clouds across the open spaces overhead. Manchester, with her mighty industries, perhaps, cannot keep her air more pure, and her fogs less like an aerial soup; but she has better accommodation for intramural flower-shows than any she will grant at present, and it is but worthy of the great fame the smoke-dried city has for the quality and magnificence of these exhibitions, that she should afford the plants and the public the advantages of the best available

space.

The flowers were shown in fair condition, but all the season through, the bloom has, neither north nor south, been of so high a quality as last year; and some of the great Auriculas, notably Lancashire Hero and George Lightbody, have not put forth their splendid powers.

I hardly agree in thinking with "D., Deal," that "there was a freshness and a brightness here which would be vainly sought for among the plants at the Southern Show." There were many bright young flowers, but so there were also in the South. In fact, at Manchester Mr. Simonite, who, among other winnings, led the first two classes, had actually to largely use his London plants over again, which must, therefore, presumably, have been fresh and bright enough almost a week before. Mr. D'Ombrain also remarks that he "cannot believe in the freshness of Auriculas opened in 60° of heat, and brought up there a couple of hundred of miles, and two or three days out of their pots." Well, they somehow are brought fresh, but this is not exactly what they have gone through. The Southern growers were already forward enough for the Palace Show, so were my own flowers; in fact, many of my selfs and earlier edged flowers were too far gone, and I, for one, certainly never used 60° of heat. I fought very hard against it on sunny days, but

our Northern plants in London two or three days out of their pots before-hand. I sit up all night, and pack mine by the morning before the show. The distance, alas! I cannot deny.

It was feared there would be a short bloom for Manchester, but it is wonderful how bravely a flower like the Auricula will endeavour to come up to time. Mr. Wilson had almost despaired of getting anything out, but with a touch of kindly weather the plants were quickly ready, while other growers, who wrote to me dolefully declining labels, drew nigh on the day of the show with a goodly capacity for them.

Prince of Greens made a sensation in the hands of Mr. Wilson, indeed I have never had it or seen it so fine before. The paste, body, and edge were superb in every point, and only the poverty of the ever-weak tube stood to detract from the high beauty of a first-rate green-edged Auricula. Mr. Wilson had a bloom well done of old Countess of Wilts, a white edge, given to being small and buffy in the white, while the plant is an odd, and generally not a pretty grower.

Mr. Simonite brought his green seedling Talisman, but it has not been the sort of season. in Sheffield in which to expect any good thing to struggle up to the mark. You have to multiply wind, and fog, and frost by smoke and deadly gases, to understand the difficulties of Floriculture, in a land where green things are forgotten, except at Rough Bank. Mr. Simonite had Alex. Meiklejohn, as a white edge, which is commonly a grey; and a very distinct and fine Lovely Ann, so constantly a green edge of superior quality to the usual plants of it as to be a strain. Hardly any flower lasts so long in perfection as this untiring old sort.

There were no Lancashire Heroes worthy the old name; and Lightbody was not great, though neat and bright on some specimens. Smiling Beauty was heavyish in ground-colour, and not at her whitest on the edge. There was Ashworth's Regular, a very scarce white, pretty, but like Catharina, too small in the pip, and sometimes reflexing, but always very correctly marked. The plant is very distinct in habit, with pale, straw-coloured, mealed foliage. Frank Simonite is a lovely violet-grounded white, and was both here and in London. It has great stayingpowers, and is a truly rich addition to the class.