236 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



buds often causes them to drop the buds and start another 

 growth. 



Look over the begonias and where large specimens are 

 wanted, give the larger and more vigorous looking ones 

 another shift. .Allow them plenty of room antl keep well 

 up to the light. 



Continue to put in poinsettia cuttings, as late struck 

 ones make beautiful low pans. .\ little heat at night in the 

 tropical house will not be amiss by the end of August. If 

 it grows too cool and damp at nights, fungous spots quite 

 often appear on the foliage. It is also safer to have a 

 little heat in the rose house at night with plenty of top air. 

 Dusl air-slacked lime under the foliage at night after 

 syringing. Light dusting of flowers of sulphur over the 

 bench occasionally acts not only as a preventative for 

 mildew and other fungotis diseases, but we have now 

 found that there are fertilizing qualities in sulphur if not 

 over done. A little scattering of bone meal on the benches 

 will be beneficial and a little later on, a nuilching of cow 

 manure, providing that the plants are growing vigorously. 

 Give plenty of air and water well when the manure is 

 applied, which prevents the foliage from burning. 



Plants in flower just now are allamandas, Adainia 

 versicolor, anthuriums, dipladenias, McdiniUa Curtissii. 

 Stcl^ltanotis tloribunda. lucmantbus. They will finish 

 their flowers within a short time and require drying off 

 gradually. 



Milfoiiia vcxiUaria will now need looking over and if 

 any require ]x>tting, it should be attended to at this time. 

 Fill the pots at least a third with drainage, as they are 



shallow rooters. An intermediate temperature is what 

 they should be given. Keep them at the closest end of 

 the house after potting. Have them raised close to the 

 glass and a moist atmosphere maintained. I'ern root and 

 sphangum moss make an e.xcellent potting compost. Some 

 people have great success by adding a little partlv decayed 

 oak leaves. Take care not to over water after potting. 



Some of the odontoglossums and odontiodas also need 

 looking over for repotting, but as they flower over a long 

 ])eriod, they cannot all be potted at once. Get them just 

 as they are starting into growth. L'se a compost as for 

 vexilariums and treat similarly regarding watering and 

 moisture. The temjierature, of course, needs to be lower. 



Some of the early flowering cattleyas are finishing up 

 their growth. Give all the light possible without scorching 

 the leaves. Keep C gigas up close to the glass and near 

 the ventilators, as they ripen their bulbs better in that way. 



Pot vines that will be forced earlv will now be ripening 

 their wood and need to be gradually dried off, but do not 

 o\-erdo it. Keep the wood firm. 



Tlie gra|)es are well advanced towards ripening and 

 should have plenty of air. In the earlier stages of color- 

 ing a good idea is, about the hottest part of the day, to 

 close the house down for about half an hour and lightly 

 miii>ten the floor, and sweat the house slightly. This helps 

 to bring on that rich bloom which all cultivators of the 

 grape love so well to see. Great care luust be e.xercised 

 not til overdo by leaving the house shut too long, as it will 

 do damage very quickly. These little tricks are all right if 

 done by a careful luan. 



Cerastium and Sempervivum 



RICHARD ROTHE 



B 



FLONGING to the order Cayyophyllca, cerastiuius 

 are low growing, creeping .\lpine plants, dis- 

 or trravish white foliaee of 



tinguished by silvery 

 small ovate lanceolate form 



The handsomest of the gar- 



den species are Ce^rastimn tomentosum, a native of the 

 mountainous districts of Southern Europe, and Cerastium 

 Hirherstcini't. hailing from Caucasia. In gardens abroad 

 both have been freely used for edging and for car])et bed- 

 ding. We class both among the indis]K'nsables when 

 lilanting ojien sunny rockgardens and dry walls. In vivid 

 color arrays, vernal, pure white is a strong note. The 

 blossoms of rockcress, hardy candytuft and Phlox subu- 

 lata alba, vanishing away by the middle of May, those of 

 the Cerastiums take their place. Light, fluffy, ])layfully 

 moving in a gentle breeze, the glistening white masses of 



flowers of cerastiums for near and distant eflect are im- 

 excelled. 



Thriving best in rather liyht sandy soil and being very 

 resistii)le as to prolonged droughts and mid-Suiumer heat, 

 cerastiums are useful as ground cover on arid, sunny 

 slopes. Collectors may be interested in the following 

 species: Cerastriiin alpiimm, identical with Cerastium 

 rillnsum ; Cerastium Boissieri and C. grandillorum, the 

 latter a silverv white, large flowering type of strong 

 growth and about six inches in height. 



( Continued on pui^e 2.v ) 



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