Robert Buist

“ If there are stakes drove into the ground on each side of the beds, about three feet high, with others in the centre about eight feet, having laths or hoops from the side to the centre, formed similar to the roof of a house, so that people may walk or sit under it, the canvass or awning being thin to admit of the light freely, the effect in the time of sunshine from the brilliancy of the colours is peculiarly gratifying. ”

“ This plant is cultivated in every garden, from the humblest cottager to the loftiest prince, and by commercial gardeners in Europe extensively, for distilling rose water, and making the essential oil of roses. ”

“ Plants in general will not suffer so soon from being a little dry as from being over-watered. The health and beauty of the foliage of the plants may be much improved by syringing them freely three evenings in the week, except in moist weather, when it ought not to be done. The ravages of many insects also will be retarded, especially mildew and red spider, which will be entirely destroyed. If the red spider is on any of the plants, particularly take them aside evening and morning, and give them a good dashing with water through the syringe. ”

“ The common variety survives the mildest of our winters. The most esteemed variety is Hæmánthus, Double bloody. They should all be protected by a frame. C. mutábilis is a beautiful species; it has many shades of colour from lilac to dark purple. The flowers are on extending racemose spikes; blooming from April to June; it requires a light rich soil; is a half shrubby evergreen plant.
Chelònes. This genus belongs entirely to this continent, and possesses many fine species. It is a matter of astonishment that they are not more cultivated and sought for in our collections. ”

“ R. arbòreum albúm is very rare. R. arbòreum supérbum, flowers same shape as arbòreum, colour bright scarlet; foliage one third larger, but not silvery beneath; grows freely, and generally thought the finest variety. R. arbòrea álte-Clàrance is also very superb. There are several other varieties of minor note. A Green-house without some of the scarlet varieties of that plant, is deficient of a flower whose beauty and grandeur are beyond the highest imagination. It is a native of Nepaul in India, and when found by Dr. Wallach awakened the ambition of every cultivator and connoisseur in Europe. ”

“ This is the most favourable month for planting all kinds of garden roses, which must be done as soon as the weather opens, and the ground in a proper state. The earlier in the month they flower the more perfect they will be. Never delay planting when there is an opportunity; for if delayed until the leaves are expanding, the bloom will be much weakened, and the probability is there will be no flowers, and the plants meet with a premature death. ”

“ The plants grow freely, and produce their flowers three or four inches of diameter, from the young wood; the leaves are ovate, accuminate, smooth, entire at the base and coarsely toothed at the end. All the varieties are of the same character, and highly deserving of a situation in every collection. There is said to be a double white variety, which we doubt; it is not in artificial cultivation. H. mutàbilis flòre plèno is a splendid plant of strong growth, and will, when well established, flower abundantly, if the wood of last year is cut to within a few eyes of the wood of the previous year ”

“ In the summer season the pots must be kept out of the sun, for in a few hours the pot would become heated, dry the roots, and cause death, or a brownness of foliage which would never again become natural. Too much fire heat will hurt them. They only require to be kept free from frost, need a great deal of [Pg 91] air and plenty of light; consequently, should be placed near the glass, that they may have the benefit of all the air that is admitted. Their flowers are as varied in shape as variety or colour, but they all partake of a wax-like nature, and are very persistent. ”

“ To make them flower freely, they should be planted in poor heavy soil. From the end of this month to the middle of May, take the roots from their winter quarters to the garden, and with a spade make a hole sufficiently wide and deep to receive the crowns of the roots one inch deeper than the surface of the ground, cutting off with a sharp knife the old stumps close to the eyes. They have the finest effect in rows; plant them four feet apart in the row, and the rows six feet asunder. Individual plants of a dwarf nature look extremely well. ”

“ These last mentioned, if kept in the Green-house, will merely keep in life, but a situation in the Hot-house would cause them to flower frequently. The best method to adopt with the summer flowering kinds, is to plant them in the garden in May; they will grow strong and flower abundantly, and in the fall they can be lifted, and preserved during winter in pots. They neither grow nor flower so well as when planted out, and even a slip planted in the ground in moist weather will root in a few days, grow, and flower in a few weeks. ”

“ We remarked last month, that about this season, where it is convenient, an eastern window is more congenial to plants than a southern. The sun becomes too powerful, and the morning sun is preferable to that of the afternoon. West is also preferable to south. Some keep their plants in excellent order at a north window. But the weather is so mild after this, that there is no difficulty in protecting and growing plants in rooms. They generally suffer most from want of air and water; the window must be up a few inches, or altogether, according to the mildness of the day. ”

“ If they attempt to blaze or flame, sprinkle a little water over them; and as they consume, continue to add tobacco until the house is entirely full of smoke, observing always to do it in still, cloudy weather, or in the evening. If it is windy, the smoke is carried off without having half the effect, and requires more tobacco. The house must be closely shut up. There are several plants whose foliage is of a soft downy nature, such as Helitròpiums, Callacárpas, Sálvias, and many of the Lantànas, Víncas, with several others, that cannot stand, without danger, strong fumigation. ”

“ They are all singular, many of them beautiful, and some splendid; yet they have never been popular plants in our collections. The leaves are almost of every shape and form; their habits vary in appearance. Some of them are straggling, others insignificant, and a few grotesque. When they are well grown, they flower in great profusion; the colours are brilliant, and through the genus are found of every shade; yellow and white are most prevalent. Each species continues a considerable time in flower. The flowers are either solitary, axillary, extra axillary, but most frequently terminale ”

“ Never allow any quantity of water to stand in the flats or saucers. This is too frequently practised with plants in general. Such as Cálla Æthiòpica, or African Lily, will do well, as water is its element, (like Sagittària in this country;) and the Hydrángea horténsis, when in a growing state, will do admirably under such treatment. Many plants may do well for some time, but it being so contrary to their nature, causes premature decay; a fœtid stagnation takes place at the root, the foliage becomes yellow, and the plant stunted; and in the winter season, death will ensue. ”

“ Where there is mildew, after syringing the plant, dust it on the affected parts with flowers of sulphur, and set them for a few days where they will be sheltered from the wind, after which wash off the sulphur. If the cure is not complete, renew the dose. Always sweep out and dry up the water in the house when any is spilt. The succulent plants will be in want of a little water about once a week, but do not overwater them, as there is not heat enough to absorb much moisture. If the soil is damp, it is quite sufficient. ”

“ If the shutters are omitted till late in severe frost, it will so reduce the heat of the house, that you cannot overcome it by fire until near midnight; and when done, the fire or fires have been made more powerful than they ought to be, proving uncongenial to the plants that are near the flues. The air, as above directed, having been taken off the house at one o'clock, as soon as the mercury begins to fall in the thermometer, kindle the fire, and supposing it is anthracite coal, in twenty minutes, with a good drawing furnace, the heat will operate in the house. ”

“ The best situation for most plants while in flower, is where they are shaded from the sun, and fully exposed to the air. Primroses, both European and Chinese, flower best, and the colours are finest when the plants are in the front of the house, and entirely shaded from the sun. The Chinese Azàleas and Rhododéndrons require, while in flower, a similar situation. Have all the shoots tied naturally to neat rods, and keep them clear from others by elevating them on empty pots, or any other substitute. See that there are no insect upon them; for they make a miserable contrast with flowers. ”

“ The corolla is about four inches in diameter, composed of six petals; the outer are reflexed, the flower of the largest, though splendid in beauty, exists only one day; but to compensate for that, a plant will produce flowers for several weeks; and where a bed of them can be collected, they will bloom in profusion from July to September. They like a light rich free soil. Lift the bulbs in October, and preserve them as directed in that month for Tuberoses. Be sure that they be kept dry, and secure from frost. A bed of these should be in every garden. ”

“ Where such mode has been pursued, the plants will have got over their first growth, and the foliage look yellow and decaying, thus throwing the plants into a state of inactivity, when nature herself commences her most active movements. The temperature should not be under 60° nor much above 75°, without admitting a little air by the top lights. It will not do yet to give air by the front sashes, the wind being cool, and a current in the house would be hurtful. The sun is not so powerful but the heat can be kept down by the air given from above. ”

“ There are above one hundred species of them in cultivation in Europe, differing in variegation, margin, shape, and size of the leaves; some are only prickly on the margin of the foliage, others prickly over all the surface. In Europe they are all hardy, but with us few or none of the varieties are so. If they become acclimated, they will be a great ornament to our gardens, being all low evergreen shrubs. The most common and conspicuous varieties are the hedgehog, striped hedgehog, white edged, gold edged, and painted; the flowers are white and small, berries yellow or red ”

“ For the names of more of the finest varieties, with their colour, see Catalogue at the end of the work.
When the roots become very large, they ought to be divided, and in dry seasons they require to be liberally supplied with water to keep them growing. If their growth is obstructed, the flowering will be imperfect. Where they are grown to any extent, it would be advisable to put up a large hot-bed about the end of March, and plant them close together therein, about the beginning of April, which would immediately cause them to grow. ”

“ There are no shrubby plants cultivated in pots that are benefited by the hot sun from this period to October. A north aspect is the best for every plant, except Càctus, Aloe, Mesembryànthemum, and such as go under the name of succulents. Where there are only a few, they should be conveniently placed, to allow water from a pot with a rose mouth to be poured frequently over them, which is the best substitute for the syringe. Dáphne, Coronílla, Fúchsia, Caméllia, Primrose, and Polyánthus, do not agree with a single ray of the sun, through the summer. ”

“ The species and varieties that have a red ground, with black or dark crimson stripes or spots, generally bloom during the whole summer. These, though scarce in the collections of the country, will in a few years root out those whose flowers are of such short duration, and by their blooms charm us half of the year. ”

“ M. itálica maculàta, blotch leaved, are very fine shrubs; and M. tomentòsa, Chinese Myrtle, is a magnificent erect growing shrub, with a white down over the foliage; the flowers are the largest of the genus. When they first expand, they are white, and afterwards change to purple, so that there are beautiful flowers of several shades of colour on the plant. We have not the smallest doubt but this species will become in many instances as plentiful as the common myrtle. It is more easily grown, but cannot stand much exposure to the sun in summer. ”