Sir, - I have been interested in the articles on Tropceolum Speciosum by your correspondents W. S. and R. F. I have seen this pretty plant in all its beauty on the "rock" and wind-raked terraces referred to. All I shall say regarding them is, that they are presided over by a gardener whose intelligence and determination make everything succeed he takes in hand.

R. F.'s beds I have often seen, and can assure W. S. they are all that could be desired. And this success has been obtained in a cold, damp, ungenial soil, which may account for the "bottoming of Pea-sticks." Some years ago the beauty of these beds, and the festoons of this Tropoeolum on the front of R. F.'s cottage or miniature castle in which he resides, took my fancy so much that I desired roots and the proper treatment. I was kindly supplied with both, and set to planting in high spirits, but unfortunately I omitted the "Pea-stick bottoming." My beds went on very much as \V. S. says they do for the first year or two, but after they seemed to have met my most sanguine expectations, the roots took to travelling from home through a grass border into a private house, of which they have taken entire possession, but the beds became so poor they had to be broken up. So the "beauty" is at present a fugitive with me - in fact, a weed. This is a wrinkle in its history your other correspondents have not touched on, so I send it you, in the hope it may be of service.

Tropceolum Speciosum #1

Much has of late been said about this lovely climber; and, in my opinion, nothing in its favour has been said that it does not richly deserve. As the result of this season's experiments differs most materially from my former opinion and experience regarding it, and likewise from that of some of your correspondents, perhaps you will grant me a corner in your magazine that I may detail the mode of treatment that in my opinion brought about that result.

The lady whom I have the honour to serve was loud in praise of Tropceolum speciosum, and was most anxious to have a certain wall covered with it in real profusion that in the mean time was covered with other creepers, all of which she was willing to sacrifice for the "favourite" in question. About the 10th of June of this year (just three months ago), I was consulted about the propriety of at once removing the old occupants to make room for T. speciosum. As I was of opinion it would do little or no good before the third year, and likewise as I wished to keep on the safe side, I gave it as my opinion that the season was now too far advanced for doing it, but that if she could make up her mind to have the wall comparatively blank for two seasons, I would at once set about with the best of my ability to bring about the desired effect. I was at once authorised to proceed, which I did early the following morning, and began my operations by rooting out the former possessors. The soil, however, was extremely poor; and this evil seemed to increase as I considered I had no dung to enrich it with.

Having no alternative, and as a last resource, I resorted to the piggery; but here I was again, in my opinion, placed at a disadvantage, as all the dung there was raw and rough - so much so, that I found it impossible to dig it in in the usual way, but had to open out a trench, and, as it were, bury it in one solid mass, covering it over with a few inches of soil. All that now remained was the planting, and for this I had but sorry subjects, all of them being small, weakly, and wiry, none having grown more than 4 or 6 inches, and many of them being only bare roots. I might also mention that previously they were growing among a real confusion of other things - all growing wildly among each other - and consequently were somewhat injured in lifting, none having the smallest particle of soil in the way of a ball. In planting, I merely covered them with 2 or 3 inches of soil, and gave a good thorough soaking of water about their roots, finishing in the soil about them and leaving them to their fate. The weather being very dry (as every gardener this year knows to his cost), I gave them another soaking about a fortnight after, and never gave them another drop.

It being a south-easterly aspect, the direct rays of the sun did not reach them after mid-day, but I find all aspects almost alike dry this year. In a few weeks they gave symptoms of having penetrated into the dung, and of liking it. The result is, that to-day (September 10th) more than two-thirds of them are over 6 feet high, many of them are over 8 feet high, and some are even 9 feet 6 inches high, and still growing vigorously and flowering most profusely. They have, however, been a good while later in flowering than the others, but this can easily be accounted for, seeing they were so late in being operated upon.

J. F.