Octobeb 13, 1888.] 



TEE GARDENERS' CERONICLE. 



413 



air whenever it can be admitted with safety, and 

 keep the plants clear of green and black fly and red- 

 spider by means of mild fumigations with tobacco ; 

 but, failing this, dip the plants in some of the pre- 

 pared insecticides. 



Thorough syringing when growing is of great 

 assistance in keeping them clean. There are several 

 varieties, but those with small leaves are the freest 

 growers and flowerers. Perhaps the best are the 

 type — frutescens and Halleri maxima, whites : and 

 Etoile d'Or or Cloth of Gold, for yellow; all of 

 which are serviceable. 



Storing Bulbous Plants. — Caladiums are getting 

 over, and may be allowed to ripen off, their space 

 being better occupied with other subjects. In drying 

 off the corms it is a good plan to get the plants 

 closely together in a warm, dry part of the house, 

 and give less water for a short time ; this will stop 

 active growth, and when the ripening is nearly 

 completed they may be stored away for the winter 

 in a place with a temperature of about 60°. I have 

 been very successful in keeping these corms healthy 

 by placing the pots beside the hot-water pipes in an 

 intermediate-house ; and if at any time they appeared 

 to be too dry, a damping over with a rose pot kept them 

 right. Sometimes when I have shaken them out or 

 have left them in the pots in a cold place I have lost 

 many ; therefore it is safer to afford them a warm 

 comfortable comer. 



Bouvariias. — Whether planted out or grown in 

 pots in the usual way their treatment now will be 

 about the same, namely, the maintenance of a suit- 

 able temperature, as without a sufficiency of heat 

 their flowering season is soon over, and, moreover, 

 the flowers are of better colour and substance if a 

 temperature of about 60° is kept np, more or less, 

 according to the conditions of the weather. There- 

 fore, all plants which are intended for autumn and 

 winter flowering should now be placed where these 

 conditions, and as much light as possible, can 

 be afforded them — low houses with a steep roof and 

 a sunny side, are to be preferred, as the plants are 

 near the light and are not liable to become drawn ; 

 it is, moreover, a waste of fuel to heat a larger 

 volume of air than is required. Where this kind of 

 house is not available keep the plants well to the 

 front in a light position of the house, where, with 

 the temperature named, and by regular applications 

 of weak liquid manure or slight top-dressings of 

 some concentrated fertiliser, and care in watering, 

 good results may be obtained. Keep the plants 

 completely free from insects before they come into 

 general bloom. Late plants for succession may still 

 potted on, using, as before advised, a rich free compost. 



Dichorisandras. — Of these plants several are very 

 showy subjects, some having showy blue flowers, 

 others ornamental foliage, as in the case of D. 

 musaica, which has prettily marked leaves produced 

 on stems rarely exceeding a foot in height, A free 

 open soil of peat and loam, in about equal parts, 

 with plenty of sharp sand, is a suitable one in which 

 to grow the last-named species. The plant dislikes 

 excess of water, either at the root or on the foliage, 

 yet it must not be allowed to get very dry, being 

 easily injured by either extreme. A dwarfer and 

 more easily grown but less showy species, is 

 undata, which has crumpled or undulated 

 leaves, freely marked with longitudinal stripes, 

 or bands of silvery-grey on a green ground on the 

 upper surface ; they are reddish-purple on the under 

 side. It grows quickly, and is easily increased from 

 cuttings, which, if put in now and treated in the 

 usual way, will make nice little plants by early 

 spring. Musaica may also be increased by cuttings, 

 but careful division of the roots is the best mode. 

 D. thyrsiflora is a very different plant to the fore- 

 going, being grown for its large trusses of dark blue 

 flowers, which are borne towards the end of the 

 growth of the current year. The plant is a capital 

 grower, succeeding in almost any good loamy com- 

 post. It grows about 3 feet high, and it is surprising 

 that so distinct an autumn-flowering plant is so 

 seldom met with. It is just now beginning to flower, 

 and is conspicuous and effective. After flowering, 

 give water and air in the usual way until the growth 

 is ripened; and when it begins to turn yellow and 

 die down the pots may be laid on their sides and 

 stowed away in a corner of the Btove till next spring, 

 when they should be brought out and repotted. 



D. Anbletii has a slender, trailing habit, and 

 requires support ; it grows about 6 feet high, and is 

 valuable as a climber where space is limited ; the 

 position need not be a sunny one. It flowers on 

 small axillary branchlets in the late summer and 

 autumn months, and after flowering it should be 

 treated in the way recommended for thyrsiflora. 



The plants are best kept always in the stove, and as 

 the growth is more or less annual and herbaceous, to 

 maintain the stock of plants in good condition a 

 vigorous growth should be encouraged. D. mosaica 

 and D. undata look best when grown in pans, but 

 D. thyrsiflora and D. Aubletii are finest grown in 

 pots, of a size that will admit of liberal treatment. 

 F. Boss, Pendell Court. 



The Flower Garden. 



Lawns. — The mowing machines should now be 

 thoroughly cleaned, oiled, and put away in a dry 

 place. Levelling and turfing may be done at any 

 time this month ; the sooner the better, however, 

 but do not be in a hurry to begin such work on very- 

 frosty mornings, but wait till nearly mid-day. In 

 levelling inequalities avoid using rich soil, or the 

 consequences will be a rampant growth and a patchy 

 appearance for the greater part of next year. The 

 soil should be well trodden down as the work pro- 

 ceeds, immediately afterwards relaying the turf ; the 

 latter should either be beaten down firmly or rolled 

 several times with a heavy iron roller. Where there 

 are many large trees and deciduous shrubs it will be 

 next to impossible to keep the lawn in good appear- 

 ance during the next few weeks, nevertheless leaves 

 should be swept up frequently. The same remark 

 apply to drives, walks, and other parts of the 

 pleasure grounds. 



Bockeries. — The present month is a very good one 

 for commencing new work, and also for dividing and 

 replanting many species on old rockeries; indeed, 

 the latter operation is a much more important one 

 than some persons suppose and it is not too much to 

 say that some subjects fail or are but partially suc- 

 cessful owing to the neglect of frequent division and 

 transplanting. Where past neglect has been great, 

 nothing short of a thorough renovating of the whole 

 should be attempted. In doing this the old soil 

 Bhould be taken out to a depth of 6 inches, and re- 

 placed with suitable compost, which may consist of 

 three parts sandy loam, one part leaf-mould, and a 

 liberal addition of peat for plants that require it. 

 It is impossible to enter into details regarding new 

 work in this place, suffice it to say that stiffness in 

 arrangements should be avoided, and due regard paid 

 to the requirements of the various plants, viz., sunny 

 exposed positions for those that need such, and 

 sheltered, shaded, damp, for others ; all of which may 

 be secured by the intelligent planter. Surface com- 

 posts of different kinds are also matters of importance, 

 and ought to be got in readiness before planting 

 takes place. 



Dahlias. — Take up the roots of these, and store 

 away in sand or cocoa fibre refuse in some cool place, 

 not forgetting to re-label such as require it, and to 

 examine them at intervals of a few weeks. J. Horse- 

 field, Heytesbury. 



Fruits Under Glass. 



Vines. — Examine the bunches of Grapes on Vines 

 which have matured their crop for some time, 

 removing mouldy berries before they infect others. 

 Grapes in late houses should have finished colouring 

 by this, but, where such is not the case, keep the 

 pipes steadily warm, and give air freely on all favour- 

 able opportunities. A free circulation of dry, warm 

 air is most conducive to the proper ripening of the 

 fruit. Pinch out every lateral growth, to admit sun- 

 light light to the interior of the house. Mid-season 

 Vines, from which all the fruit is now cleared, may 

 have the shoots cut back provisionally to five or six 

 eyes. 



The early house should now be pruned, if it is not 

 already done, so as to be ready for starting when the 

 time comes. In pruning, do not go too close to the 

 main stem, but rather select good plump buds, where- 

 ever they may be found. Make clean cuts, and be 

 careful not to bruise the spur. When the sap dries 

 up, rub the wonnd with a dry cloth, and dress with 

 Thomson's styptic. Rub off all the loose bark 

 from the stem with the hand, and well scrub the rods 

 and spurs with warm water, soft-soap, and petroleum, 

 using a stiff bristled spoke-brush for the purpose : as 

 from its shape it can be easily manipulated amongst 

 the spurs. Then the stems may be coated with a 

 mixture of 2 oz. soft-soap, 2 oz. flowers of sulphur, 

 to 1 quart of tobacco-water, thickened with clay to 

 the consistency of paint. 



Should mealy Bug have effected a lodgment in the 

 house, more drastic measures must be taken for its 

 extirpation. All the outer bark must be scraped, 

 special pains being bestowed upon the spurs. Every 

 scrap of bark removed should be caught on a sheet 

 and removed to a fire every time the operator leaves 

 his work ; and wash the stems, &c, with a hard brush, 

 two or three times with hot water to which a strong 

 dose of petroleum is added. The Vines may then 

 be painted with a mixture of 1 quart of coal-tar, 

 1 of water, made of the consistency of thick paint by 

 adding yellow clay. When painting the canes stir 

 the pot frequently. All parts of the structure should 

 be scrubbed, and the whole of the interior painted ; 

 remove the soil clean away down to the roots, and 

 top-dress with fresh loam, well dusting the roots pre- 

 viously with Thomson's Vine manure. Leave the 

 house open night and day for the present. As soon 

 as tree leaves are available the outside border should 

 be covered with them to the depth of 18 inches, 

 and thatched with Wheat-straw, giving it such a 

 slope as will cast t : ie water entirely off the border. 

 This will impart no artificial warmth, but will retain 

 much of the heat of the border during the winter 

 months. 



Younq Vines will require a considerable amount of 

 fire-heat to properly ripen the canes, and if such 

 Vines are not already pruned they should be seen to 

 at once and the plants removed from the open into 

 a cool house. Dress all knife wounds with styptic. 

 The structure for these plants should be at once got 

 in readiness, cleaning every part thoroughly ; paint the 

 woodwork when necessary. Win. M. Baillic, Litton Hoo. 



The Kitchen Garden. 



Late Potatos. — These should now be taken np 

 before the ground gets frozen, and dry sunny days 

 should be chosen for the work, digging up the tubers 

 early in the day, and allowing them to get dry before 

 picking them up. Care will be necessary to ensure 

 that no diseased ones are stored with the others. The 

 sets for next season should be sorted out, separate 

 baskets being provided for each size, and should then 

 be spread out in a dry loft or shed where they will 

 be secure from frost. To preserve the flavour of 

 those required for eating they should be stored as air- 

 tight as is possible, and secure from frost, but not so> 

 dry as to cause shrinking ; this is best achieved by 

 placing them in small heaps in a dry situation, and 

 covering them over with straw and earth. A ridge 

 or heap should be 3.} feet high ; a good covering of 

 straw drawn straight is placed over them, and the 

 whole is covered with 9 inches of soil beaten down 

 firmly ; a handful of straw may be left at intervals of 

 4 feet along the top of the ridge, projecting through 

 the soil, so that heating of the heap may be prevented. 

 Enough of the tubers should be kept out when 

 storing in this manner for a three or four weeks'supply. 

 Do not open a heap in frosty weather if it can be 

 avoided. I find Magnum Bonum is still the best 

 cropper here as a late variety, and it is of first-rate 

 quality. Our soil is naturally dry, and contains & 

 large quantity of lime. Snowdrop has cropped well 

 too, this season, and is also excellent, but the 

 tubers are more diseased than the first-named. 

 Victoria is almost destroyed with disease — scarcely 

 any tubers that are untouched. 



Lettuces which are nearly ready for use, and those 

 for the early winter supply, should be lifted and 

 placed in cold pits. Autumn Cauliflowers will also 

 require attention, breaking some of the larger leaves 

 over the heart, or placing the plants in a dry shed if 

 severe frost be anticipated. French Beans will keep- 

 nearly a fortnight in good condition if gathered dry, 

 and spread out in a cool room. W. H. Divers. Ketton 

 Hall, Stamford. 



FLOWERS AND INSECTS.— An interesting ex- 

 ample of mutual connection between flowers and 

 insects we find in the Ackerund Gartenbau Zeitung. 

 The colonists in Australia, especially the German 

 ones, brought from home fruit trees, Apples, Pears, 

 &c, but although they flowered well and abundantly, 

 they bore no fruit. Lately another colonist brought 

 bees from Europe, and the fruit trees in his own and 

 his neighbour's orchards fruited well. There was an 

 absence in Australia of the insects necessary to 

 fertilise the fruit trees, these are the bees, which are 

 now much cultivated for the sake of fertilising 

 the flowers, and for honey. 



