



8G 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[February 10, 1912. 



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The Week' s Work. 



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THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



By J. Collier, Gardener to Sir Jeremiah Colman, Bart., 



Gatton Park, Surrey. 



Cgelogyne. — Plants of Ccelogyne cristata and 

 its varieties are pushing up their flower-spikes, 

 and should be afforded sufficient water at the 

 roots to keep the pseudo-bulbs plump, or the 

 flowers will be weak, and not last long after they 

 are cut. 



Pleione. — Any plants of Pleione that have 

 finished flowering and have commenced to make 

 new growth will require repotting. A suitable 

 compost consists of good fibrous loam and peat 

 in equal parts, mixed with a little powdered cow 

 manure, crushed crocks, charcoal, and silver 

 sand. Care should be taken not to break the new 

 roots on the young growth. Place the plants in 

 a position near to the roof -glass, and grow them 

 in an intermediate temperature. Afford water 

 sparingly until the roots have grown well into 

 the compost. Syringe the plants on all favour- 

 able occasions, as they are very subject to attacks 

 of red spider. 



Shading- — If the outside blinds were re- 

 moved frc m the glasshouses at the end of last 

 summer, they should be fixed in position again 

 without delay, for on bright days shading will 

 be necessary for a short time during the middle 

 of the day. The weather has been exceptionally 

 dull this winter, and the growths of many 

 Orchids are not well matured. There will also 

 be greater danger of the leaves becoming scorched 

 by the sun's rays than if the plants had enjoyed 

 brighter weather conditions. This applies especi- 

 lly to such plants as Odontoglossum crispum, 

 O. Pescatorei, and the many hybrids of these 

 Orchids, also Masdevallias and Phalaenopsis. 

 Plants of Pendrobium, Lselia, Cattleya and their 

 hybrids will be safe without shading until a later 

 period. 



Odontoglossums.— Many plants of Odonto- 

 glossums are developing their flower-spikes. 

 When the inflorescences are of sufficient length, 

 they should be tied to neat sticks and placed 

 facing the light in such a position that they will 

 grow in a pleasing arching shape, that adds 

 greatly to the beauty of these lovely flowers. 

 This also applies to Odontiodas, which should 

 be given the very lightest position in the Odon- 

 toglossum-house near to the roof glass. Search 

 night and morning for slugs, which are very dis- 

 tructive to the young succulent flower-spikes. 

 As soon as the inflorescence is about 6 inches 

 long a piece of wadding should be wrapped 

 around the base of the leaf that shields the spike. 

 This, whilst moderately dry, will prevent slugs 

 from creeping up from the stems. Plants of 

 Odontoglossum citrosmum have commenced to 



Eush young growths from the bases of the pseudo- 

 ulbs, but they should still be kept dry at the 

 roots until the flower-spikes appear from the 

 centres of the shoots, when they should be thor- 

 oughly watered and afforded more atmospheric 

 moisture. 0. grande and 0. Insleayi leopardi- 

 num should still be resting in the warm end of 

 the Odontoglossum house, and will require little 

 or no water till growth becomes active. If these 

 plants are not allowed a long season of rest, they 

 will not flower in a satisfactory manner. 



Hot-water System. — Great caution should 

 be exercised in stoking the fires. Do not have 

 too much fire in the furnaces in the mornings in 



case the weather should turn bright, as sunshine 

 would cause the temperatures to rise unduly in 

 the houses. 



Cymbioium. — Cymbidium Traceyanum will 

 now have passed out of bloom. This Orchid re- 

 sents root disturbance ; therefore, if there is suffi- 

 cient room in the pot for the plant to complete 

 its growth, it will be better to defer repotting 

 until the operation is absolutely necessary. 

 Specimens that are very pot-bound may, while 

 making their growth, be given occasional appli- 

 cations of liquid manure. Any plants that are 

 to be repotted should receive attention at once. 

 Use a compost consisting of two- thirds good 

 fibrous loam, one third rich, fibrous peat or 



Osmunda fibre mixed with a quantity of crushed 

 crocks. Place a double row of pot-sherds over 

 the bottom of the pot for drainage and pot rather 

 firmly. Avoid damaging the roots. Use small 

 pots, as these plants flower much more freely 

 when the receptacles are filled with roots. Plants 

 of C. insigne, C. grandiflorum, C. Lowianum, C* 

 eburneum, and their hybrids are now developing 

 their flower-spikes, and will require a liberal 

 supply of water at the roots. Take care when 

 watering these plants to thoroughly soak the 

 compost through, as nothing is more harmful to 

 them than to only wot the surface of the com- 

 post. These Cymbidiums should not be subjected 

 to too much heat. At Gatton we devote a house 

 to them, where they grow and flower in a satis- 

 factory manner. The night temperature of the 

 house during winter ranges from 45° to 50°, but 

 on very cold nights the temperature frequently 

 falls as low as 40°. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



By J. G. Weston, Gardener to Lady Northcote, 



Eastwell Park, Kent. 



Herbaceous Border. — Take advantage of 

 every favourable opportunity to complete the 

 work of manuring and digging or trenching her- 

 baceous borders to enable planting to be done as 

 soon as possible. In all th^se operations remem- 

 ber that Pseonies, Alstroemerias, Spiraeas, Liliums, 

 Aconitums, Anemone japonica and its varieties, 

 also Delphiniums, all resent severe root disturb- 

 ance, requiring usually a season afterwards to 

 become thoroughly established again. If the 

 plants are deteriorating, there is no other course 

 open than to transplant them. Strong, healthy 

 clumps should have the soil about them carefully 

 worked with the fork and incorporated with well- 

 decayed manure and leaf-mould. These plants 

 are all gross feeders, and amply repay a generous 

 treatment. Certain other perennials derive much 

 benefit from being lifted, divided, and replanted 

 in trenched ground. Solidagos, the perennial 

 Asters and Phloxes, Heleniums, Monardas and 

 Achilleas are examples of plants that require at- 

 tention in these respects annually. When a 

 plant is divided for stock purposes, only healthy 

 outside portions of the original clumps should be 

 selected. 



Perennial Asters. — Michaelmas Daisies 

 have been greatly improved during recent years, 

 and no garden should be entirely without them, 

 even though, through limitations "of space, a large 

 number cannot be included. There is a wealth 

 of good varieties suitable for all purposes, and if 

 a careful selection is made they may be had in 

 flower through the summer months into Novem- 

 ber. They are seen to the best advantage in 

 large beds or a border devoted entirely to them. 

 A border with a background of shrubs or dwarf 

 trees is suitable, but the roots of trees should not 

 be allowed to encroach on the soil wherein the 

 Asters are planted. The stronger-growing varie- 

 ties should be planted very thinly at the back, 

 placing the dwarf sorts in the front. The plants 

 should be lifted each year, the ground trenched 

 and manured, and quite small pieces of healthy 

 crowns planted afresh. The following tall varie- 

 ties are all good :— Climax, Aldeboran. Maiden- 

 hood, Robert Parker, Enchantress, Feltham Blue, 

 Mrs. Rayner, Mrs. S. T. Wright, Top Sawver, 

 and Lilian Fardell. Of those of intermediate 

 growth, Beauty of Colwall, Coombe Fishacre 

 Finchley White. Acris, Mrs. Huson Morris, 

 P*ggy Ballard, St. Egwin, with the best of the 

 A. cordifolius varieties make a pleasing selection, 

 whilst of the dwarfer sorts good forms of Aster 

 amellus, such as Bessarabicus, Beaute Parfait, 

 Framfieldii, H. J. Cutbush, Perry's Favourite, 

 and Aldenham, with A. Acris Nanus, Norah 

 Peters, A. horizontals White Bedder and 

 Thompsonii may be selected. 



Lily-of-the-Valley. -Established beds of 

 Lily-of-the- Valley should be made tidv and the 

 plants afforded a top-dressing of discarded pot- 

 ting soil or spent manure from an old mushroom- 

 bed mixed with leaf-mould and sand. If new 

 beds are to be planted, they should be prepared 

 at once. Lily-of-the-Valley will grow like a 

 weed in some districts and fail altogether in 

 others. Where a difficulty is experienced in get- 

 ting the plant to flourish, it should be planted 

 under trial in various situations. In most in- 

 stances a cool soil and shady position will be 

 found suitable. 



PLANTS UNDER GLASS. 



By Thomas Stevenson, Gardener to E. Mocatta, Esq. 



Woburn Place, Addlestone, Surrey. * 



Adiantum cuneatum. — Maidenhair Ferns 

 that have been grown for furnishing greenery or 

 for decorating conservatories should be afforded 

 a short period of rest by keeping the plants on 

 the dry side, and placing them in a cool house 

 for two or three weeks. At the end of this time 

 they may be introduced into a warm house to 

 make fresh growth. The best time for potting 

 these plants is after they have been rested, and 

 it is a good plan to pot only a portion of the 

 batch each season. Large plants may be divided 

 for purposes of increasing the stock, and plantlets 

 grown on to take the place of specimens that are 

 worn out. 



Herbaceous Calceolarias. — Since per- 

 petual-flowering Carnations and forced Roses have 

 become so popular for furnishing conservatories 

 and greenhouses in winter, the herbaceous Cal- 

 ceolarias have been somewhat neglected. But 

 these Calceolarias make a pleasing display either 

 in the cool conservatory or the show-house, and 

 should be included in the general collection of 

 flowering plants. Their cultivation is not easy, 

 for they need very careful treatment. They suc- 

 ceed best in a house having a minimum tempera- 

 ture of from 42° to 45° at night, with a propor- 

 tionate increase during the day : avoid fluctua- 

 tions of temperatures. At the present time the 

 atmosphere should be kept moderately dry, but 

 later in the season a light spraying between the 

 pots will be beneficial. If plants in 4^-inch pots 

 are growing satisfactorily, and have plenty of 

 roots, they may be shifted into 85-inch pots ; they 

 should make good specimens by May. As a 

 potting medium employ good yellow loam with a 

 quantity of flaked leaf mould and sand. Pot 

 moderately firmly, and afford water with care, 

 for although the roots must not be allowed to 

 become dry, an excess of water is frequently 

 the cause of the plants becoming unhealthy. Cal- 

 ceolarias are very subject to attacks of aphis; 

 therefore, it will be necessary to fumigate the 

 house lightly about every third week. 



Hydrangea hortensis. — Weil-rooted young 

 plants of Hydrangea hortensis should be placed 

 in an intermediate temperature to ensure an 

 early display of the flowers. They may be accom- 

 modated on a shelf of a forcing house, where 

 such subjects as Azaleas, Spiraeas, and Prunus 

 are being gradually forced. The plants were 

 potted early in the autumn, and they should have 

 made a considerable number of roots, and be in 

 a good condition generally for gentle forcing. 

 Plants that w T ere rooted later, and are still in 

 3-inch (60's) pots should be shifted into 4^-inch 

 (48's) pots without delay. For potting soil use 

 a compost composed mainly of a rich loam. Pot 

 moderately firmly, and stand the plants in a 

 cool house after the work is completed. If it is 

 desired to have the flowers of a blue tint, use 

 a little powdered alum in the water twice weekly 

 during the plant's season of growth ; it is some- 

 times recommended to use iron filings, but 

 although I have tried these on two or three 

 occasions, they have had no effect on the colour 

 of the flowers." Older plants of Hydrangea, which 

 may be expected to develop five or six trusses 

 of bloom, should not be forced for the present, 

 as there will be more room for them in the plant- 

 house later. 



Lachenalia.— Lachenalias are now showing 

 their flower-spikes, and should be assisted with a 

 small quantity of liquid cow manure each thne 

 the plants are watered. A -collection of the 

 various kinds provides an interesting display*^ 1 }* 

 the best variety for garden purposes is L. Nei- 

 sonii. The golden-amber-coloured flowers show 

 to great advantage when intermingled with other 

 decorative plants. 



The Forcing House.— Keep up the comple- 

 ment of plants in the forcing house by withdraw- 

 ing from the cold frames, according to require- 

 ments, batches of Narcissi, Tulips, Lily-of-the- 

 Valley, and other subjects that are forced into 

 flower. It should be remembered that all plants 

 'develop their blossoms quickly as their natural 

 season of flowering draws near. 



Soot and Fog. -The recent damp, l°S8T 

 weather has left a sooty deposit on the €xt ^ rl0 ^ 

 of the roof -glass, especially in the neighbourhood 

 of towns, and this should* be washed off as ofte 

 as may be necessary. 



