

4 



8 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Januaby 20, 1912. 



London. 

 —R. V 



Grafting 



keeping the atrru^phere moist and close until 

 roots have formed. This Begonia needs a tem- 

 pi it are of about 55° at ni it time, alleging 

 warm air to circulate freely amongst the plants 

 at all times ; if crowded or afforded too much 

 atmospheric moisture, the leaves will be in- 

 jured by damping, a common trouble which 

 many growers experience. With regard to 

 leaf-cuttings, Mr. John Fleming, a successful 

 cultivator of this Begonia, recommends them 

 for very early propagation, inserting the 

 leaves, with about an inch of the stem at- 

 tached, in Cocoanut fibre and providing 

 shade from sunshine. Each leaf will produce 

 two or three growths, and these growths should 

 be inserted singly when large enough. v See 



Gardeners 9 Chronicle, January 10, 1903, p. 29.) 



Books: Regular Reader: Carnations and Phils, 

 by T. H. Cook, James Douglas, V.M.H., and 

 J. F. McLeod, price Is. 9d. ; Roses, by H. R. 

 Darlington, with eight full-page coloured 

 plates, price 2s. 10d., special presentation 

 edition price 3s. lOd. These works are obtain- 

 able from our publishing department ; the 

 prices include postage. The best book on stove 

 plants is Greenhouse and Stove Plant*, by 

 Thomas Baines. This work is out of print, but 

 you may be able to obtain a copy from the 

 second-hand booksellers. Perhaps ]\lessrs 1 

 Weldon, booksellers, Great Queen Street^ 



may be able to supply a copy. 



fV. /. The Handy Book on 



t , and Budding, by James Udale, 



price Id., and Grafting and Budding, by 

 Charles Baltet, price 2s. 9d., including 

 postage. — J). S. L. B. Botanic Gazette, 

 published by the University of Chicago Press, 

 Illinois, U.S.xV. Write to the Liverpool 

 Orchid & Nursery Company, Ltd., Gateacre 

 Nurseries, Gateacre, near Liverpool. 



Cape Gooseberry: Monster a. The Cape Goose- 

 berry Phvsalis peruviana having finished fruit- 

 ing should now be cut back somewhat severely 

 if the plants are to be grown another season. 

 Propagation is readily effected either from seed 

 or ( "ings. As your plants are planted in 

 a border, do not feed them until the flowers 

 appear, otherwise they will grow too strongly. 

 Keep a sharp look-out for green fly and red 

 spider, a> this plant is particularly susceptible 

 to attacks from these pests. 



Cattleya Diseased: Bola. The trouble is an 

 ordinary case of Orchid disease, and usually 

 follows as the result of some wrong treatment 

 of the plants. Improper ventilation or heat- 

 ing of the house may be responsible. Every 

 root on the pseudo-bulb has been dead for a 

 considerable time. It is not a leading bulb, 

 and probably the new growth may have roots 

 present, but it is clear that the root-action is 



% defective. Plants which are not freed from 

 the old pseudo-bulbs occasionally are liable 

 to become unhealthy. 



Cyclamen Leaves: Foliage. The rusty appear- 

 ance of the leaves has been caused by some 

 insect, probably mites. Dip the foliage in 

 tobacco water at intervals. 



Glasgow and Edini rgh Public Parks : 



R. V. G. ■/. • The addresses of the respe ive 

 superintendents are .Mr. James Whitton, 

 Superintendent of Parks and Curator of 

 Botanic Gardens, City Chambers, Glasgow ; 

 Mr. John MeHattie, Superintendent of Edin- 

 burgh City Parks and Gardens, Edinburgh ; 

 and Mr. W. W. Robertson, Holyrood Park, 

 Edinburgh. 



Grape Black Fhankenthal : J. G. This Grape 

 is synonymous with Black Hamburgh, and re- 

 quires to be pruned hard ; that is, close spur 

 pruned, when the limit of extension has been 

 reached. In this way more compact bunches 

 are obtained; it has often been proved that 

 elongated and somewhat straggling bunches 

 are developed on long spurs of this variety. 

 The Chasselas varieties of the Grape vine on 

 the contrary often produce better bunches 

 ill every respect under the long spur system 

 of pruning. In no case should the number of 

 growing shoots be excessive, as sufficient room 

 must be allowed for a proper leaf development 

 to ensure perfect finish of the bunches. The 

 leaves of the Black Frankenthal vine are of 

 only moderate size when compared w T ith some 

 of the Chasselas varieties, and this fact must be 

 taken into consideration when allowing space 

 for the grow ilis. 



Hedychium : Monstera. Hedychiums are free- 

 growing plants ; some of them require stove 

 treatment, others succeed in the greenhouse. 

 Any re-potting they require should be done just 

 as the growth recommences early in the year. 

 As you are not sure what species it is, but that 

 the " flowers are white and sweet-scented," 

 we believe the plant to be Hedychium coro- 

 narium, a species that requires a sunny 

 position in the stove. This plant is a gross 

 feeder, and it is only by high feeding that you 

 will be able to grow it to its best. After growth 

 is finished, or about the end of October, reduce 

 the water supply at the roots and keep them 

 on the dry side until the middle or end of 

 January, when they should be shaken out or 

 potted on as required. For compost use a rich, 

 turfy loam with a sprinkling of bone-meal and 

 enough sharp sand to keep the whole porous. 



Horticultural Trade Papers : T. L. S. The 



Horticultural Advertiser, published by A. & 

 C. Pearson, Lowdham, Notts. ; Horticultural 

 Trade Journal, published by the Horticultural 

 Printing Co., Junction Street, Burnley; and 

 Nurseryman and Seedsman, Cable Printing 

 and Publishing Company, Hatton House, 

 Great Queen Street, London. 



Humea : Humea, Yorkshire, There is no disease 

 present in your plants ; the young leaves have 

 been injured by some external cause, such as 

 excessive fumigation. 



Inarching Vines : T . W. C. The best time to 

 inarch the vine is after both the stock and the 

 scion have started into active growth. Make 

 a downward cut, about one inch in length, in 

 the stock, and a corresponding incision in an 

 upward direction in the vine to be inarched. 

 Slip the tongue made in the pot vine into the 

 slit made in the stock and bind them, not too 

 tightly, with matting. Tie a small quantity 

 of Moss around the junction and syringe this 

 with tepid water two or three times daily for 

 about a week, after which time the Moss may 

 be removed. The matting may be severed a 

 few days later. Start the pot vine (Lady 

 Downes) at the same time as the established 

 vine (Black Hamburgh). The flavour of the 

 Lady Downes Grapes will probably be im- 

 proved by inarching. 



Inspection of Gooseberry Plantations : 



L. R. M. Write to the Secretary, Board of 



Agriculture and Fisheries, 4, Whitehall Place, 

 London. 



Monstera deliciosa : Monstera. The fruits 

 usually remain on the plant for a year before 

 they become fully ripe. You will be able to 

 tell when the fruit is ripe by the strong scent 

 given off and the cracking and falling away of 

 the outer wall or covering of the spadix. The 

 fruits should be cut and laid carefully in a 

 warm, dry place as soon as they commence to 

 crack ; they are not edible, however, for at 

 least a week from this stage, as, like the Med- 

 lar, they contain a tannin-like substance and 

 also numerous minute prickly bodies, which, 

 however, disappear when the fruit is dead ripe. 

 The plant thrives in an ordinary stove, and 

 should be exposed to full sun throughout the 

 whole year. It is not fastidious as to soil, but 

 prefers one rich in humus. If your plant is at 

 all root-bound, feed the roots liberally with 

 cow-manure. An excellent position for this 

 plant is on a damn wall or on a stout, wooden 

 post, to either of which the roots firmly attach 

 themselves. 



Names of Fruits : J. Harris. Castle Major. — 



E. I). Histon Favourite. — 77. L. M. Annie 

 Elizabeth. — T . R. H. A species of Tacsonia, 

 probably T. Van Volxemii. 



Names of Plants : Ignoramus. Agathaea codes- 

 tis. — Scot. No. 2 (from last week) is Rham- 

 nus hybrida = R. sempervirens of gardens. — 



F. C. The plant to which you refer is pro- 

 bably Pelargonium citriodorum. Send us a 

 specimen for identification. — C. I. Berks. 

 Buddleia asiatica. — II. S., Hat*. 1 and 2, 

 garden forms of Rhododendron arboreum ; 3, 

 Pellionea pulchra ; 4, Cypripedium insigne 

 Chantinii; 5, C. insigne.— A'. J. IF.. Peters- 

 field. Saccolabium giganteum. — IF. IF.. Dub- 

 lin. Chimonanthus fragrans. — R. T. 1, On- 

 cidium sphacelatum ; 2, Odontoglossum Lind- 

 Jeyanum; 3, Cypripedium insigne; 4, Dendro- 

 bium moniliforme • 5. Rrjuwin ran^ata 



Odour of Fallen Leaves : C. T. Several 

 fungi have a pleasant odour, some resembling 

 Rue, Tarragon, or Melilot, and it is possible 

 that their mycelium might occur in certain de- 

 caying leaves. Send us specimens of leaves in 

 which you have noticed a pleasant odour for 

 investigation. 



Repotting Vines : E. S. The vines may be 

 afforded pots two sizes larger than they are 

 now occupying, and the work should be 

 done at once, as the plants will de- 

 velop fresh roots before the time for forcing 

 arrives. It would be better to allow the vine 

 to break into growth naturally in March. In 

 repotting, reduce the balls of old soil con- 

 siderably by means of a pointed stick. Shorten 

 the roots with a sharp knife. Place potsherds 

 to the depth of a couple of inches in the bot- 

 tom of each 10-inch or 11 -inch pot, arranging 

 the large pieces at. the base and the small 

 ones at the top. Cover these with pieces of 

 thin turf or half-rotted manure in order to 

 prevent the finer particles of soil from choking 

 the drainage. Use a compost consisting of 

 five parts of the best loamy soil obtainable 

 and one part each of old lime-rubble or wood 

 ashes and horse-droppings, with the addition 

 of a 10-inch potful each of soot and bone- 

 meal. In potting, work the compost well into 

 the space between the roots and the sides of 

 the individual pots with a flat, blunt rammer, 



so as to make the new soil moderately firm 

 about the roots. The compost should be used 

 in a fairly dry condition. Afterwards give 

 sufficient water to moisten the whole ball of 

 earth and roots. When the bunches of Grapes 

 have been thinned give copious supplies of 

 weak liquid manure, with occasional surface 

 dressings of a suitable plant food before apply- 

 ing clear water. 



Schomburgkia undulata : Enquirer. The fail- 

 ure of your plant of Schomburgkia undulata to 

 develop its flower-spike is probably due to too 

 much moisture at the roots after the completion 

 of the season's growth. At that period very 

 careful watering is needed, only sufficient mois- 

 ture to keep the pseudo-bulbs plump being re- 

 quired. The tieatment of Schomburgkia should 

 be similar to that afforded Cattleyas ; there- 

 fore, they should enjoy plenty of light and 

 air and an intermediate temperature, avoid- 

 ing at all times a hot, stagnant atmosphere. 

 Schomburgkias are shy-flowering Orchids, and 

 especially when the growths are not strong or 

 matured thoroughly. Foggy weather may 

 have the effect of destroying a tender flower- 

 spike. Grow the plant under cooler condi- 

 tions, in a light, airy situation, afford water 

 with care, and the plant should then flower 

 satisfactorily. 



Stock Beauty of Nice : T. W. C. The plants 



are attacked by Peronspora parasitica. Your 

 best plan would be to remove and burn all the 

 plants which show traces of disease, and to 

 spray the remainder with liver of sulphur solu- 

 tion at a strength of 1 ounce in 3 gallons of 

 water. 



Sulphate of Iron : J. S. It is improbable that 

 applications of sulphate or iron will cause your 

 Apples to assume a deeper colour. But if you 

 wish to test its effects for colouring, its appli- 

 cation will do no harm ; 2 ounces mixed 

 with about half-a-barrow load of dry, fine soil 

 will be sufficient for each 6 square yards of 

 ground, making the first application when the 

 leaf-buds are bursting. 



Vine Unhealthy : Interested. There is no dis- 

 ease present in the portion of vine received. 

 The unhealthy appearance suggests eel worm 

 at the roots, which causes the latter to present 

 a warted or rusted appearance. 



Violet Leaves: E. R. f Salisbury. The Violets 

 are attacked by Cercospora viola?. It will be 

 best to spray the plants on alternate days with 

 a solution of liver" of sulphur. Admit fresh air 

 to the plants as freely as possible. 



Communications Received. -X. Y. Z— J. H., Abing- 

 don— €h G.— E. G. \V,-G. S.-G. M. & Co.-T. h. S.— 

 E. A. P. D.-G. F. & Son-J. H.-G. G., Southgate- 

 G. B— R. D. D.-L. G. C.-T. 8.- A B. D.- S. A.- A. 0. 

 — E. H. J.-E. M.-E. M. H.-F. M. -W. C, Exeter- 

 W. R. D.-W. G. M.-C. C.-T. M , Denmark C. O7 

 A. B., Ventimfclia-D. C.-J. E. C- S. G. D., Pennsyl- 

 vania -G. P. M.-F. J. R.— R. W. N.- W. B. -E. P.- 

 R. A. R.-H. T. G., Ottawa-W. R.-F. R.-K. A. T.- 

 G. A., Versailles— A Journeyman -H. H. R.— A. B. Wf- 

 O. <£ Co , Ltd.— W. F.— Ins- A. W. P.- Practice- Z- Y. 



