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THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Decembeb 1, 1888. 



lines catch the eye of friend " Smith," he will re- 

 member it perfectly. It shows how much depends 

 upon good staging. I have lost many a prize in my 

 time, through the bad staging of my men, when my 

 plants were far the best. Alas ! those happy days 

 are past for me, but their memory is fresh and green, 

 I am pleased to think. T. M. Shuttleworth, Preston. 



There has just occurred a similar case to that 



which '' Censor " notes at our late Chrysanthemum 

 show. On these occasions much discussion takes 

 place and valuable time is wasted over the most 

 trivial points, and it is time some one took up the 

 matter in the horticultural Press. We want a for- 

 mula of judging to guide both exhibitor and judge, 

 and such I am sure would be much valued by them, 

 and would be the means of avoiding the heartburn- 

 ing so freely engendered among the exhibitors and 

 others. E. H. Poynter, Taunton. 



LACHENALIAS FOR BASKETS.— It would be diffi- 

 cult to find anything more adapted for growing 

 in baskets for greenhouse or conservatory decora- 

 tion than these. Every successful cultivator knows 

 full well that they require plenty of light, and air on 

 suitable occasions, and by so growing them they gain 

 these two important items. By treating them in 

 this way, it reduces the labour attached to their 

 culture. The bulbs should be picked over, and those 

 of a flowering age selected. Wire baskets lined with 

 turfy pieces of loam should be used, pointing the 

 bulbs between the wires at every 2 or 3 inches ; 

 and the centre of the basket to be filled up with a 

 compost of loam, leaf-mould, and sand, finishing the 

 planting by putting a few bulbs about the top of the 

 basket. As soon as they commence to grow they 

 should never suffer from want of water, but when the 

 foliage after flowering has become ripe, they should be 

 allowed to take their rest and watering should cease ; 

 when ripened off they can be stored away in any 

 dry quarter. If grown in this way, the baskets need 

 not be disturbed for two or even three years — of 

 course this matter depending upon the quality of the 

 material used when making up the baskets. AVhen 

 in flower the baskets are completely hidden by the 

 arching foliage. The Lachenalias most commonly 

 cultivated are L. tricolor, L. pendula, andL. Nelsoni, 

 all of which are equally suited for basket-work. W. 

 Harrow, Botanic Gardens, Cambridge. 



WATERING. — In the cultivation of plants in pots 

 this is an important feature, as it is the medium by 

 which food is conveyed to the plant. It is easy to 

 see how growth may be influenced by the amount of 

 moisture taken up, for no matter how much avail- 

 able food may be in the soil, it is practically useless 

 unless there be a sufficiency of water to dissolve it. 

 All growing plants should have an adequate supply 

 of water. This varies according to the character of 

 the plant and the soil ; but those plants which have 

 hard wood and hair-like roots are more susceptible 

 to fluctuations either way than those with larger 

 roots, and which have generally more recuperative 

 power. However, it is during the winter, and espe- 

 cially in dull foggy weather, that most difficulty is 

 found in preventing loss by damping off, and to 

 remedy which we keep them dry, and often kill their 

 roots by so doing, as is sometimes the case with 

 Primulas. These losses by damping usually arise 

 from improper conditions of the air in the houses 

 rather than from a superabundance of water at 

 the root. At the same time it is quite possible 

 for a plant to go off by reason of its getting too much 

 water at the root, particularly where there is deficient 

 drainage. Indeed the roots of some plants are readily 

 destroyed by a water-logged soil, they are practically 

 suffocated by drowning, and this brings us to see the 

 advantages of giving waterings, such as will com- 

 pletely moisten the whole mass, and then disappear 

 by means of the drainage at the bottom of the pot. 

 The interstices of the soil being thus filled with water, 

 are in turn filled .with air, as the water becomes 

 absorbed or passes out. It is therefore both watered 

 and aerated by the operation when thoroughly dry, 

 and only partially so when the water has not reached 

 every part. The soil at the same time is more 

 effectively fertilised by the combined disintegrating 

 and solvent powers of the air and the water. It is 

 therefore evident that although a good deal of dis- 

 crimination is required in watering a plant, yet much 

 evil may be prevented by acting decisively, and either 

 doing it thoroughly, or not at'all, and never giving 

 driblets. By adopting this plan I have seen where 

 there was no other alteration in the course of culti- 

 vation followed, amarked improvement in a short time. 

 As to water, that from a river, pond, or the clouds is 

 better than that from anv other source. Avoid 



water artificially heated, unless in winter, by filling 

 up the cisterns at night for the morrow's use ; by so 

 doing sufficient time will elapse to take the chill 

 from it before using it. If the cisterns are provided 

 with hot-water pipes, cut them off at the first oppor- 

 tunity ; and also, when there is any connection 

 with the water circulating in the pipes or boiler. 

 Such waters, if not positively injurious, are certainly 

 not in any way necessary or beneficial to plants. 

 F. Boss. 



JUDGING AT WINCHESTER SHOW.— Keferring to 



the remark in your report of this show, that the 

 decision in the large class for forty-eight blooms was 

 considered by " some persons " to be a serious error, 

 allow me to point out that there are generally two 

 sides to a question. Prom enquiries made from com- 

 petent and disinterested individuals I learn that the 

 award gave very general satisfaction until late in the 

 evening, when the 2nd prize man suddenly came on 

 the scene. I understood that no previous complaint 

 had been heard. I do not often take notice of 

 remarks of this description when they concern myself, 

 but I feel that this particular instance is one of much 

 importance to competitors at Chrysanthemum shows, 

 and should be brought before their notice in your 

 pages. With all deference to your reporter I think 

 he has not given a fair report upon this exhibit, for 

 he points out the merits of Mr. Molyneux's blooms, 

 but entbely leaves out their serious defects. The 

 Japanese blooms are spoken of as being so much in 

 advance of Mr. Flight's. They were certainly heavier 

 in point of size, but on the other hand they were 

 decidedly weak in point of freshness. In the in- 

 curved blooms, it is true Mr. Molyneux showed a 

 splendid back row, but why does not the report give an 

 account of the other rows ? — for whatever the back 

 row blooms may have been there was a great falling 

 oft' in the front and middle rows, which contained 

 many rough, uneven, and stale blooms ; indeed, the 

 whole of Mr. Molyneux's exhibit showed want of 

 freshness, which was greatly enhanced by the contrast 

 with the exceedingly fresh lot in the 1st prize stand 

 close beside them. I cannot agree that Mr. Plight's 

 Japanese blooms were " especially weak." Many of 

 the blooms were as heavy as those in Mr. Molyneux's 

 stand, while the whole exhibit was characterised by 

 its exceeding freshness and uniform good quality. 

 As I said before, this is an important decision, in 

 which size of bloom and prestige in the exhibitor 

 fade before freshness, which should be the great 

 desideratum to aim at by any person who attempts 

 to set a good example to his fellow exhibitors. I 

 would ask would stale fruit or vegetables be tolerated 

 at exhibitions ? — then why should show blooms of 

 Chrysanthemums ? Norman Davis. 



WALL FRUIT TREE BORDERS. — I quite agree 

 with "P.M." that fruit tree borders are generally made 

 too narrow, but the width they should be depends 

 almost entirely on the height of the walls and the 

 size of the garden they enclose, as where the latter is 

 large, the borders should, as a matter of course, be in 

 proper proportion. Taking the walls at from 10 — 12 

 feet, and the garden at about two acres, laid out 

 nearly square, or a little longer than broad, a 15-feet 

 border would be ample for any kind of trees, and 

 would work in with the quarters and look very well. 

 This is -what ours are here, and the 5 feet next to the 

 walls is held sacred to the roots, and is never touched 

 by spade or fork, further than just to break the crust 

 by the aid of the last-named tool, just before the 

 mulching is put on in the spring, and that is done to 

 let the water in when it rains, or the trees require it 

 artificially, as otherwise much of it would be lost by 

 finding its way off the surface or down the cracks in 

 the soil. As to the treading, which " F. M." appears 

 to object to, I rather like it, as I hold that borders for 

 stone fruits, and especially Peaches and Nectarines, 

 cannot well be too firm, as in that condition the trees 

 growing in them make less wood, and that of medium 

 strength and more solid and fruitful. With regard 

 to borders being from li to 2 feet higher next the 

 wall, the rise, in my opinion, should be ruled by the 

 conditions of the ground, whether light or heavy, and 

 also as to subsoil and natural drainage ; for if the 

 ground be light, such a rise would be bad for the 

 trees in more ways than one, as it would lay the 

 roots high and dry, and take from the height of the 

 wall, and there would in that case be much loss of 

 surface for training. Many years ago, when I took 

 charge here, I found the borders all elevated far 

 beyond what I considered they should be, and by 

 degrees, as trees were replaced and could be removed, 

 we lowered them, and continued on all round till the 

 whole was done, and the improvement has been 



great, as the trees suffer so much less from drought. 

 In making the alteration I need hardly say that we 

 did not take away the top soil, but cast that aside 

 and removed the subsoil, which was a sandy gravel, 

 and the pan or bottom of this was broken up and 

 rubbish-heap stuff was worked in, which has been 

 of great benefit to the tree roots, as now they can 

 strike down and be independent of weather. As to 

 drains, their utility depends on whether the rainfall 

 can get away properly or on the natural lie of the 

 garden, whether flat or wet ; and if in this latter con- 

 dition, or the subsoil be heavy and retentive, then 

 drains that will carry off the superabundant water 

 are necessary; but instead of placing them across 

 the border, I should only have them along the 

 front, as there, with proper falls and outlets, 

 they would do all that is requisite for the 

 welfare and health of the trees. In a garden 

 that has a gravelly subsoil, or such as 

 water can pass freely through drains are worse than 

 useless, and here, except for carrying off water from 

 the surface of walks, we have not one on the place, 

 and not a particle of any kind of rubble or material 

 under one of our trees. Like most gardeners we have 

 to crop our borders, but, as I stated above, we do not 

 go nearer the wall than 5 feet or so, and we only put 

 light crops on, such as early Peas, Cauliflowers, 

 Lettuces, Parsley, and French Beans, and use some 

 for seed-sowing to raise plants for putting out during 

 summer to yield the supply of vegetables. The 

 digging we give the borders is light, and the manur- 

 ing very moderate, and the little that the roots of the 

 trees get cut does perhaps more good than harm, as 

 the severance of any strong ones leads to their 

 makingmore fibres. J. Sheppard. [Our correspondent 

 resides on a very dry soil, and in dry East Anglia. 

 Ed.] 



LOBELIA CARDINALIS.— This plant is much ad- 

 mired here for bedding purposes ; but I find some 

 difficulty in keeping the plants through the winter, 

 either in a cold frame or cool-house. The plants 

 rot in the middle during the winter, and, instead of 

 being able to divide them into numerous plants in 

 the spring, I find a difficulty in retaining even a 

 small stock. I have tried keeping them dry, moist, 

 and half-way between the two, but the results have 

 always been the same. I have several times seen 

 the advice — lift the roots, place them in cold frames, 

 and in the spring divide the roots. Does your cor- 

 respondent " J. S." find his roots rotten in the 

 centre ? I have found that the best way to keep the 

 roots, through the winter is by pulling them to 

 pieces at lifting time, placing them thickly together 

 in boxes of moderately moist soil, and placing the 

 boxes in a cold frame safe from frost. Early in 

 April the plants should be transplanted to other 

 boxes, or into the soil in a sod frame, for instance, 

 whence they can be planted direct to the beds. We 

 prefer the plants with single stems, as they can be 

 more uniformly arranged in the beds in" masses. 

 Some of the plants, when in bloom, reach a height 

 of 4 feet. The effect of such a bed, with well grown 

 even spikes of bloom, when the sun shines upon it, 

 must be seen to be realised. The bed is carpeted 

 with Antennaria tomentosa, which forms a capital 

 contract to the dark-coloured foliage and bright 

 crimson spikes of the Lobelia. 



Societies. 



EDINBURGH CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



The third annual show of Chrysanthemums, under 

 the auspices of the Scottish Horticultural Associa- 

 tion, was held in the Music Hall, Edinburgh, on 

 the 20th and 21st ult. It was opened by Councillor 

 Colston. Mr. Thomson, Clovenfords, in replying to 

 Mr. Colston's remarks, said that, as it was intended 

 next year to hold the centenary of the Chrysanthe- 

 mum, and exhibitions in connection with it would 

 be held in England, he did not see why they should 

 not next year hold a great International Chrysan- 

 themum Show. If it could be arranged that the 

 Town Council of Edinburgh would award a Cup with 

 the City arms upon it, he believed other gentlemen 

 would follow suit, and such an exhibition of Chry- 

 santhemums would be got up as had probaby never 

 been seen in the country. Councillor Colston, in 

 acknowledging the motion, said with regard to the 

 subject of the Cup that if a proper representation 

 was made to the Lord Provost, magistrates, and 

 Town Council, they would not be backward in con- 

 sidering it. At the dinner to the judges, over which 



