Winter Garden 



( 447 ) 



Wistaria 



WINTER GARDEN. 



A cool plant house of considerably larger dimen- 

 sions than the ordinary conservatory is generally 

 dignified by the title of winter garden. Such a 

 structure should be beautiful from an architectural 

 point of view, and in keeping with the mansion to 

 which it is attached. .Sometimes the winter 

 garden is not connected with a mansion, and when 

 this is the case the designer has more scope, and 

 not infrequently takes so great an advantage of 

 his opportunities that the result is a structure of 

 elegant appearance, but quite unsuitable for the 

 cultivation of plants. If plants cannot be grown 

 in a winter garden the structure does not justify 

 its existence. 



The internal arrangement of a winter garden 

 may differ considerably from that of a conservatory, 

 indeed, it should look like a garden under glass, 

 and not merely a place for the display of pot plants 

 cultivated elsewhere. There should be broaxl paths, 

 beds planted with fine examples of trees and 

 shrubs from the warmer temperate regions, aud 

 one or more spaces where a party of people might 

 take afternoon tea amid beautiful surroundings, or 

 in the case of a public winter garden, a space for 

 a small band and the listeners. 



Suitable plants must be selected or failure will 

 assuredly follow. Those requiring a high tempera- 

 ture and moist atmosphere must be tabooed. 

 Remembering that it is during late autumn, winter, 

 and early spring that the winter garden is most 

 popular, affording welcome shelter and genial 

 warmth, planters should rely mostly upon ever- 

 green subjects, such as Acacias, Araucarias, 

 Camellias.Eucalyptuses, Himalayan Rhododendrons, 

 Proteas, Indian Azaleas, and Bamboos, with a few 

 Palms, notably Trachycarpus excelsa, T. martiana, 

 Phoenix dactylifera, P. humilis. P. reclinata, P. 

 rnpicoli), Jubaca spectabilis, Chamserops humilis, 

 Livistona chinensis, Khapis flabelliformis, and R. 

 humilis. Ferns of many kinds should find a place, 

 especially Dicksonia antarctica, Cyathea dealbata, 

 C. medullaris, lirainea insignis, Lomaria procera, 

 Aspidium falcatum, Pteris umbrosa, P. serrulata 

 varieties, P. tremula varieties, Platycerium alcicorne 

 (in baskets or on blocks), Polypodium juglandi- 

 foliun;, P. vulgare varieties, Scolopendrium vulgare 

 varieties, Woodwardia. radicans, Gleichenia cir- 

 cinata, G. c. Mendelii, G. c. Spelunca;, G. dicarpa 

 varieties, G. flabellata, Nephrodium molle, N. m. 

 corymbiferum, Nephrolepis cordifolia pectinata (in 

 baskets), Todea barbara, and T. Fraseri. There 

 are many others. 



The beds for the permanent subjects must be 

 well drained, and have a good depth of broken 

 bricks and potsherds in the bottom, this being 

 covered with turves ere the soil is put in. A peaty 

 soil suits the majority of subjects, but it is easy to 

 arrange the plants together in accordance with 

 their likes so far as soil is concerned. If strong, 

 well-grown specimens are planted, a winter garden 

 soon looks furnished. The introduction of water, 

 alone or in combination with rocks and bog, 

 always forms an attractive feature in a large house. 

 Aponogeton distachyon should always find a place 

 in the little pond, as it will riower throughout the 

 winter. 



Winter liliiniii tee Iliiiiiiniielis eirginica). 

 ll'i.iler <'/i>rrr . Mitelielln repent). 

 Winter (.'rests fir Hnrliiireii mill I inerienii Crrss). 

 Winter Daffodil (set- fiternberyia In fen). 



To enter into the details of design and planting 

 and selection of subjects for a winter garden 

 would occupy more space than can be spared in a 

 work of this kind, and this note must con- 

 clude with a brief reference to overhead furnish. 

 ing. Plants in baskets should have their place, and 

 be suspended well out of the reach of people passing 

 beneath them. Whether flowering or foliage 

 plants are used they should be light, graceful, 

 and more or less drooping. For training to the 

 roof there is ample material to select from, but 

 Semele androgyna, Acacia riceana, Asparagus 

 plumosus, A. retrofractus, A. scandens, and Tea- 

 scented Roses ought not to be omitted. Passifloras, 

 Tacsonias, Coboeas, and Hibbertia dentata are also 

 useful. 



WINTER MOTH (see APPLE ENEMIES). 



WIREWORMS. 



Because of their toughness and appearance, the 

 grubs of most species of Agriotes (or Elater), a 

 genus of beetles, are known as Wireworms. The 

 beetles are commonly referred to as Skipjacks, or 

 Click Beetles, but both these titles are used in con- 

 nection with other genera than that under notice. 

 Wireworms are voracious feeders, and do much 

 damage to root crops, to Carnations, and to many 

 subjects that have fleshy or thickened roots, or 

 rhizomes. The species found most destructive are A. 

 lineatus, A. obscurus, and A. sputator, all of which 

 feed near the surface, but remain concealed in the 

 soil, so that often the first indication of their presence 

 is the collapse of the plants attacked. In the 

 perfect beetle stage the species are not destructive 

 to plants 



Many are the remedies that have been advocated 

 for wireworms, but in all cases the unfortunate 

 gardener whose land is infested must be persistent, 

 and exercise patience. Gas lime, fresh from the 

 works, liberally applied and lightly pointed in, is a 

 famous remedy. If, in addition, the land so 

 dressed is not cropped for a year, any wireworms 

 escaping the gas lime will be starved out. Where 

 the wireworms attack a valuable crop the applica- 

 tion of nitrogenous fertilisers, such as nitrate of 

 soda, and soot, will not only assist the plants, but 

 be distasteful to the pests. In gardens, and especi- 

 ally those of small size, traps made of hollowed 

 halves of Potatoes, pieces of Turnip, Carrot or 

 Parsnip, each with a wooden skewer attached, may 

 be effectively used. The material should be buried 

 1" or so, leaving the skewer standing well out of 

 the ground. A daily examination of the traps, and 

 destruction of the wireworms caught, will soon 

 reduce the pest. 



WJSTARIA (syn. WISTEHIA. GBA.PE- 

 FLOWEK VINE). 



Handsome, hardy, deciduous climbing shrubs 

 (ord. Leguminosse). Propagation, by layers of 

 young shoots, which should remain one year 

 before being detached. Soil, rich, sandy loam. 

 Wistarias in the young state are very slow growing. 



Winter (iree ii (SIT 1'ijrola). 



Winter Green, Aromatic or Creeping (sec Gaul- 



Winter Green, Cliirkn-eed (KIT Trientalii). 

 Winter Hantliorn (see Ijm/mf/e/nn distafhyon). 

 Winter Kn-cet (ire Origanum). 

 Winter Wolf* Ilitue (gee I'.ninlliis lii/emnlii). 

 ll'i.itaria, Tuberous-rooted (gee Apios tuberosa), 



