IRISH GARDENING 



155 



Herbaceous Calceolarias. 



By W. Barrett. 



The following notes, by the editor's request, 

 describe how t^alceolarias are yiowii at Bally- 

 heigvie C^astle. The ■j)hotograi)h shows a group 

 of C'alceolarias occupying the centre stage of a 

 house, 25' + IS', numbering in all 120 plants, 

 flowering in 8" and 10" ])ots ; most of the i)lants 

 are 2' 0", thoiigli some are 3' 6" ; grown froni 

 seed supplied by Dicksons, Chester- Size of 

 blooms and colouring of same leave nothing to 

 be desired. 



Their cultvire in the gardens here is as follows : — 

 The seed is sown very thinly in i)ans, in the month 

 of June, in a mixture of two parts fibrous loam, 

 one leaf soil and one sand ; very lightly cover the 

 seed, and germinate in a cool house, away from 

 any rays of sun- 

 shine ; cover 

 with some 

 sheets of glass 

 (which nxustbe 

 turned every 

 day). The seeds 

 then ought to 

 be thio igh in 

 from eight to 

 ten days. The 

 covering of 

 glass now must 

 be gradually re- 

 mo V e d until 

 dis])ensed with 

 altogether. As 

 the seedlings 

 get stronger 

 keep as near 

 the roof glass 

 as possible, al- 

 ways shading 

 from strong 

 sunshine, as 

 this would be 

 detrimental. 

 As soon as the 

 seedlings sliow 

 the second leaf, 

 prick out into 

 boxes filled 

 with the same comi»ost as before advised, 1 1 inches 

 aparteach way (let the smaller seedlings remain in 

 the pans for a few days, as they are generally the 

 most choice colours and most compact plants). 

 When the seedlings have been pricked oft' give a 

 light watering through a very fine rose, and cover 

 again with glass for a few days ; this makes the 

 plants strike root much more tpiii^kly into the 

 fresh soil. When the plants are growing freely 

 and the leaves are touching each other they need 

 to be put into pots. Plants vary in size, so the 

 glower must use his own discretion as to size of 

 pot used. We find 3" and 4" the ])ro|»er sizes 

 at this stage. As potting proceeds (same soil as 

 used ]»reviously) be very careful to take each 

 plant out of the box with all po.ssible roots intact, 

 without taking any of the I'oots of its neighbours. 

 We never use a trowel for this |)ur])ose, it is much 

 better to use one's lingers, as then you do not 

 cut the roots of the plants, which, if l)roken, 

 do not start away into growth near so quickly. 

 Never use anything for potting Calceolarias only 



Herbaceous 

 At Ballyheigue 



the fingers until the final ])otting, when the 

 potting stick will be found useful just to firm the 

 soil, but not made hard by any means. When 

 the potting is finished jjut the plants into a cold 

 frame and keep closed, as before, for a few days, 

 remembering all the time to guard against the 

 strong rays of the sun. When the plants are 

 growing freely and the pots being nicely tilled 

 with roots at least by October they ought to 

 be in 5" and 6" pots, just a good size to winter in ; 

 use the same soil as before-mentioned, only some- 

 what coarser. If one is to be successful in the 

 growing of C'alceolarias it is very essential that 

 they nxust have cool house or frame treatment 

 all along the line, and also rather moist surround- 

 ings by way of damping the bed of ashes or other 

 nxaterial on which the pots stand. Very slight 

 spraying with a syringe througii the plants after 

 a hot day is very beneficial. At all stages from 

 the earliest stages shade from strong sunshine. 



Occasional fu- 

 migating is 

 very good, as 

 H erb aceo u s 

 Calceolarias 

 are very apt to 

 attacks of 

 greenfiy,which, 

 if allowed to 

 get a footing, 

 spells failure. 

 " Prevention is 

 b e 1 1 e r than 

 cure." We al- 

 ways fumigate 

 three or four 

 times during 

 the season,even 

 without any 

 sign of fly. 

 Carefiil water- 

 ing during the 

 winter, when 

 plants are mak- 

 ing very little 

 gr()wth, is very 

 necessary, and 

 as the month 

 o f J a n u a r y 

 arrives it is 

 time to begin 

 potting into 

 " are the best 



Calceolarias 

 Castle, Co. Kerry. 



flowering pots. Pots S" and 10 

 sizes. Ciood crocking and clean pots are very 

 essential. Beech or oak leaves make line covering 

 for crocks, if just broken with the hand, as they 

 are ever so much more clean than rough loam or 

 the siftings of leaf soil. The compost I use for 

 final ])otting is as follows : — Foui- harrow loads of 

 loam, two beech or c>ak leaf mould, one old s])i'iif 

 manure, one coarse sand and a six-inch itot of old 

 soot to the above quantity of mixture ; put the 

 leaf mould through an inch sieve and break tlu; 

 loam with the hands, as this])rocess (rather than 

 sifting; loam) preserves the (ibrc. Potting finished 

 if is much better t(> move the ]»lants on to tlie 

 stage of a cool greenhouse as near the roof glass 

 as l)ossible, the latter keeps the i)lants nice and 

 stocky, also it is nauch easier to regulate the 

 watering (especially at this time, on account of 

 the large amount of soil surrounding the newly 

 potted plants, which need careful looking to) 

 than it is in a frame. In case of heavy frost it is 

 necessary to put a chink of heat in the pipes, 



