IRISH GARDENING 



55 



very large iJerceutage of failures cau be traced 

 to over-watering and watering with told water. 

 It is better to keep the young ]»lants on the dry 

 side than to over-water : when watering is 

 necessary it would be advisable to soak the seed 

 pan in a bucket of slightly warmed water, about 

 65° F., taking care not to wet the plants, and 

 this should be done during the morning of a line 

 bright day ; the franxe niay be kejit closed, 

 exce7)t on warm days, aiul it should always be 

 shut up about three o'clock on bright days. To 

 get it warmed by sun heat it should be covered 

 over with mats or old sacks just before sunset, 

 and left covered until morning : in this manner 

 heat sufficient will be maintained to keep the 

 seedlings growing. When the seedlings make 

 four leaves they may be potted into sniall pots, 

 using good soil, with some leaf-mould and sand 

 warmed before potting them. They should 

 be carefully removed from the seed i)an with 

 all the soil jiossible adhering to their roots, 

 potted moderately firm, and again returned to the 

 frame without delay : they will require shading 

 for a week or so from the strong sun, occasionally 

 spraying lightly overhead with a syringe or fine- 

 rosed watering can. If the soil when potting is 

 damp, withhold water at the roots for a few days. 

 Syringing or spraying will be svifficient until the 

 young jilants begin to make new roots, then they 

 may be carefully watered with warmed water, 

 more air and light being given them according 

 as the weather permits. When the roots take 

 possession of the soil they will require to be again 

 potted or ]»laced in their fruiting pots or boxes. 

 When ]ilacing them in their fruiting quarters, 

 whether it be a r2-inch i)ot or box of similar 

 capacity, place a coujtle of inches of drainage 

 at the bottom, and only lialf fill the j)ot or box 

 with warmed soil, into which the young plant 

 may be placed, and set alongside of greenhouse — 

 on the sunny side of house if convenient. When 

 they grow up, and as the weather gets warmer, 

 they may be transferred to back or north side of 

 house, so that they do not obstruct the light from 

 other plants which it may be desirable to grow 

 in same house. The single stem or cordon is 

 the best system to grow tomatoes. This is 

 accomplished by rubbing out any side shoots 

 which may a])pear, and only retaining one grow- 

 ing point, care being taken not to rub out the 

 flower s]>ike. After the first truss of fruit is set, 

 a co\i])le of inches of to])-dressing may be given 

 to the jdant, repeating this as the number of 

 fruits increase, until the ])ot is full. The top- 

 dressing should c(uisist of good loam, leaf nu)uld 

 and sand, with about a tables])oonful of iiotassic 

 sui)er])hosphate and a like quantity of bone meal. 

 It is preferable to top-dress after this manner 

 than to give too much or too rich a s<ul when 

 starting the ])lants ; too much or too rich a soil 

 would tend to ])rodvice a too vigorous growth at 

 the expense of productiveness. When the ])ot is 

 full of roots they will require ]tlenty of water 

 daily and liqiiid manure once a week. Air must 

 now be given freely, leaving a little on during 

 the night, until towards the autumn, when the 

 nights get cold, then the house must be shut up 

 early to get heated by the sun whenever possible. 

 Should the foliage get too plentiful, sonu' may be 

 removed, so that crowding is ])revented and air 

 and light admitted freely. All side growths and 

 flower spikes may be removed after August in order 

 that all the energy of the jilant be concentrated 

 on the proper ripening of the truit then set. 



W USHEH. 



Dendrobiums. 



This is a large and popular genus of Orchids 

 which contains both evergreen and semi-deciduous 

 species, and it is with the latter that I shall deal 

 in the present article. They include the beautiful 

 D. Wardianum, D. aureum, D. nobile with its 

 several distinct varieties, D. crassinode, and D. 

 Pierardi. Hybrids are numerous, and the best 

 is undoubtedly D. Ainsworthii, while D. Rolfeae, 

 D. Cassiope and D. Venus are also desirable 

 kinds. 



Cultural Remarks. — Where a collection is 

 grown it is best to devote a house or division 

 mainly to them, which will be more convenient 

 for the grower, but if only a few are cultivated 

 the warm or East Indian house should be chosen 

 for the growing season, and a cooler and drier 

 house during the resting period. As they pass 

 the flowering stage, and the new growth begins 

 to root, any repotting can be done. If they are 

 to be arranged on the stage ordinary flower i)ots 

 will prove the most useful receptacles, but if it 

 is desired to suspend the plants, then pans are 

 suggested, to which should be attached a wire 

 handle. The rooting medium consists of good 

 fibrous peat or osmunda fibre and sjjhagnum 

 moss, and the pots or pans should be filled one 

 third of their depth with drainage, over which is 

 laid a small quantity of sphagnum moss. Each 

 plant must be made fairly firm, and should be 

 held in position by a stick, as plants which are 

 unstable in their rooting material take a long 

 time to become thoroughly established. While 

 these Dendrobiums are in a state of activity an 

 average temperature of 65° Fahr. should be 

 maintained during the night, with a rise of 10° 

 or so by mid-day, while with sun heat it can 

 still rise and no harm will accrue. The frequency 

 and amount of watering will depend on the 

 season and condition of the plants. For a few 

 weeks after repotting very little direct water 

 need be given, but when the roots are seen 

 creeping towards the edge of the i)an a more 

 liberal supply should be the rule, and they ought 

 to be kept moist at the root till the pseudo bulbs 

 are fully developed. During the early stages of 

 growth shading should be used on bright days 

 for several hoiu's, but from August to September, 

 when the bulbs are api)roaching maturity, the 

 shading ought to be gradually diminished, till the 

 plants can be fully exposed to the sun. Ventila- 

 tion must be regulated according to external 

 circumstances, but an inch or so open on the bottom 

 ventilator is advisable, both day antl night. 

 l»roviding no direct draught is caused. The top 

 ventilators may also be opened a little whenever 

 the weather is favourable, but discretion must 

 be exercised in the spring, when it occasionally 

 hai)pens that cold winds and bright sunshine 

 occur contemi>oraneously. The chief factors in 

 the successful cultiu-e of Dendrobiums are a 

 warm, hiunid atmosjjhere while in active growth, 

 not too heavily shaded, and a period of repose 

 under cool and dry conditions. Black spot will 

 occasitmally appear, but this can be prevented 

 by giving projier attentit)n to ventilation and 

 temperature. To keep down red spider the 

 plants may be sprayed over, especially on the 

 under sides of the leaves, whenever the weather 

 is dry and hot. Thrip can be destroyed by 

 vai)ourising the house or spraying with a solution 

 of liquid insecticide. 



T. W. B, 



