GLADIOLUS 



384 



GLASTONBURY 



situation, and drain the ground well if damp. Place a 

 layer of brick-rubbish under the soil, not less than a foot 

 deep, and not more than fifteen inches ; upon the drainage 

 place a layer of stable-litter, then throw in the soil, 

 mixing it freely with well-decomposed manure ; let it 

 settle about a fortnight, then plant the larger offsets in 

 one bed and the smaller ones in another ; the larger sized 

 four inches apart in the row, six inches from row to row, 

 and three inches deep. Plant by drawing drills across 

 the beds with a triangular-shaped hoe, and put in the 

 bulbs with the hand, pressing each pretty firmly down 

 into the soil. When all are planted, level the soil with a 

 rake. The small-sized offsets may be planted much 

 thicker, but in every other respect the same as the larger 

 sized. The reason for planting them in two sizes is, 

 because the larger sized produce such large leaves as 

 smother the smaller ones ; besides, the larger sized will 

 produce, after one year's growth, flowering bulbs, which, 

 when taken up after the growth is perfected, may be 

 sorted to plant with the older flowering ones. The smaller 

 size had better remain in the bed for two years, then be 

 taken up, sorted, and replanted in two sizes again, till 

 they are large enough to flower. 



By Seed new varieties are obtained. All that is wanted 

 are a few square yards of ground, a few roots of the best 

 kinds, but as dissimilar in habit as possible, and then, 

 when in bloom, to exercise a little taste and discernment 

 in hybridising, by impregnating the finest form as the 

 breeder of seed, with the pollen of the highest and most 

 distinct coloured male parent, removing the pollen of the 

 breeder before it bursts, and applying the pollen of the 

 male parent as soon as the anthers open. When the 

 seed is ripe gather it, and keep it dry till spring ; then sow 

 it in shallow pots or boxes ; place them in a gentle heat, 

 and when the seedlings are up give plenty of air, and very 

 moderate supplies of water. As soon as the weather 

 will permit, set them in the open air, and as the leaves 

 advance hi size give more water, and allow gentle showers 

 to fall upon them, but shelter them from heavy rain. 

 When the leaves are all decayed, take the soil and care- 

 fully sift it through a fine sieve, picking out every bulb, 

 however small. Prepare a bed in the same manner, and 

 of the same materials, as is described above for offsets. 

 Plant the seedling bulbs in it the first week in September, 

 in the same way as the small offsets. Let them remain 

 in this bed for two years ; then take them and replant 

 them in a bed fresh prepared. It is likely that some of 

 the strongest will then flower, and the very worst will 

 be worth planting in the borders. 



Summer Culture. The bulbs want very little attention 

 during summer. Keep them clear of weeds, and when 

 the flower-stems are a foot high place a stick to support 

 them, as the winds are apt to twist them off close to the 

 bulbs. When the bloom is over, and the leaves turn 

 yellow, take them up dry, and sort them, separating the 

 bulbs that are large enough to flower from the offsets ; 

 put them away in drawers marked with the name of 

 each variety, keeping them dry and cool till the planting 

 season arrives again. 



Winter Culture. In September prepare the beds by 

 throwing out all the soil to the depth of fifteen inches ; if 

 in the same situation as beds were before, examine the 

 drainage. If it is open and ready to work well, it will 

 need nothing doing to it, but if it be choked up, remove 

 it entirely ; sift it, throwing in the rough, and removing 

 the fine earthy part ; add some fresh rubble, and then 

 cover it with litter ; mix a goodly portion of thoroughly 

 decayed dung with the soil, or, which is better, renew it 

 entirely ; level the bed, leaving it a few inches higher. 

 Plant the first week in October, three inches deep, giving 

 each of the bulbs six inches square to grow in. Place 

 a thin layer of half-rotten dung upon the bed, to protect 

 the bulbs in severe frost. They will require no other 

 care during this season. 



Vermin. Mice, wireworms, and the red spider prey 

 upon them. Wireworms may be caught with slices of 

 potatoes buried in the soil, and taken up occasionally. 

 The red spider, happily, only appears when there is a 

 long continuance of dry weather. Watch for its first 

 appearance, and as soon as it is perceived, causing the 

 leaves to appear spotted, let every leaf be sponged over 

 with water impregnated with flowers of sulphur. If dry 

 weather prevails much, syringe the plants every evening 

 severely. 



Diseases. The bulbs sometimes are attacked by a kind 



of dry rot, which turns them into a powdery substance, 

 prevents them sending forth roots, and then the tops, 

 if they have made any, turn yellow, and the whole plant 

 perishes. There is no known remedy. To prevent its 

 spreading, remove the infected bulbs, and a portion of 

 the soil near them. 



GLASS is the best agent employed by the gardener to 

 exclude the cold, whilst the light is admitted to his plants 

 which are natives of hotter climates than that in which 

 he cultivates them. Now that the excise-duty is re- 

 moved from glass, the gardener is enabled to employ the 

 best, and a thicker kind than formerly, when the duty 

 was high in proportion to the good quality and weight. 

 Anxiety to obtain the beet glass for hothouses, &c., is 

 every way laudable ; but the benefit sought for is 

 frustrated if it be not constantly well cleansed. The best 

 glass, if dirty, allows fewer rays of light to pass through 

 than inferior glass kept bright. A thorough cleansing 

 should be given both to the outside and inside twice 

 annually, during the first weeks of February and of 

 October, and a third cleansing, on the outside only, at the 

 end of June. In proportion to the deficiency of light 

 does the plant under glass become, in the gardener's 

 phraseology, drawn ; that is, its surface of leaves becomes 

 unnaturally extended, in the vain effort to have a 

 sufficient elaboration of the sap effected by means of a 

 large surface exposed to a diminished light, for which a 

 less surface would have been sufficient if the light were 

 more intense. Taking into consideration the conse- 

 quences of breakage, and other contingencies to be 

 avoided as well as secured, we consider glass of 21 ounces 

 to the square foot, and in panes of 18 inches by 12 inches, 

 the substance and size most desirable. Rough plate- 

 glass is desirable, because, without diminishing the light, 

 it reduces the danger of scorching the leaves. 



GLASS CASES are of various kinds. One is formed 

 of glazed wooden frames, fitting together, to protect 

 espaliers, wall-trees, or shrubs too large to be covered 

 with a hand-glass. 



Another glass case is made for protecting a single 

 branch. It is thus described by Mr. Maund, the author 

 of that most useful periodical the Botanic Garden : 



" Grapes grown on open walls in the midland counties 

 are rarely well ripened ; therefore I provide a small 

 glazed frame, a sort of narrow hand-glass, of the shape 

 of a house-top] in miniature, to fix against the wall, 

 and enclose one branch of the vine, with its fruit and 

 foliage. The open part, which rests against the wall, is 

 thirteen inches wide, and may be of any length required 

 to take hi the fruit. The sides are formed of single 

 panes of glass, seven inches wide, and meet on a bar 

 which may represent the ridge of a roof, the ends en- 

 closed by triangular boards, and having a notch to admit 

 the branch. This is fixed on the branch a month before 

 the vine is hi flower, and brings it a week earlier than 

 the exposed. The frame is not fitted closely to the wall, 

 but in some places may be a quarter of an inch from it. 

 The lateral branches being shortened before it is fixed, 

 it does not require removal even for pruning, because I 

 adopt the long-rod mode of training, which is peculiarly 

 adapted to my partial protection system. The tempera- 

 ture within the frame is always higher than without, 

 sometimes at midday even from 20 to 30. By this 

 simple protection I find grapes may be ripened from 

 three weeks to a month earlier than when wholly exposed, 

 and this saving of time will, I believe, not only secure 

 their ripening well every year hi the midland counties, 

 but also that such advantage will be available in the 

 north of England, where grapes never ripen on the open 

 walls." 



Lastly, there is the Wardian-case, to cover plants 

 growing hi rooms, preserving to them uniform moisture, 

 and excluding dust. To prevent the dew which is occa- 

 sionally deposited inside the glass, it is only necessary 

 to open the case frequently, for a few minutes, to render 

 the temperature within similar to that outside. They 

 are not intended to exclude the air, and are now made 

 very ornamental. 



GLASSWORT. Salico'rnia. 



GLASTONBURY THORN. See CRAT^OUS Oxv- 



CANTHA PRjECOX. 



