184 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[March 23, 1912. 



^3 



The Week' s Work. J2 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



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



Gatton Park, Surrey. 



Milton i a.— Plants of Miltonia vexillaria are 

 pushing forth flower-spikes from the partly-de- 

 veloped pseudo bulbs. At this stage every pre- 

 caution must be taken against attacks of thrips, 

 which, if not kept in check, will attack the tender 

 flower-buds, causing them to become deformed. 

 The foliage should be syringed on bright days, 

 which will not only keep down thrips, but also be 

 beneficial to the growth of the plants. The 

 syringing should be done sufficiently early in the 

 day for the foliage to become dry before night 

 arrives. The house should receive frequent mild 

 fumigations with a reliable vaporising com- 

 pound. The above remarks apply also to M. 

 Roezlii and M. Bleuana, which is a hybrid 

 between M. Roezlii and M. vexillaria. M. 

 Roezlii should be grown in a shady part of the 

 warmest house, but M. vexillaria and M. Bleuana 

 should, for the present, be grown in the inter- 

 mediate house. These Miltonias should be 

 sluided at all time* from bright sunshine. 



Dendrobium. — Plants of Dendrobium Pha- 

 henopsis Schroderianum and its varieties are de- 

 veloping new growths, and any specimens that re- 

 quire fresh rooting materials should receive at- 

 tention in this respect as soon as new roots ap- 

 pear at the base of the plants. The plants will 

 grow equally well either suspended from the roof 

 rafters or on the stage. An important detail in 

 their culture is to place them near to the roof- 

 glass, so that they may obtain all the light pos- 

 sible. If it is intended to suspend the plants, 

 they should be placed in shallow pans, preferably 

 those without side holes. Plants stood on the 

 stages should be grown in pots. It is not ad- 

 visable to repot those plants which were potted 

 last season if the compost is still good, although 

 some of the old material may be picked carefully 

 away from between the roots and replaced with 

 fresh compost. The receptacles should not be 

 larger than are necessary, as the plants do not 

 need too much rooting space. In potting, about 

 half fill the receptacle with crocks for drainage 

 purposes, and arrange the plant so that the 

 growth is level with the rim of the pot, making 

 it secure by tying the pseudo-bulbs to a neat 

 stick. In the case of specimens in pans, the 



i)seudo-bulbs should be secured to the wire 

 landle. Carefully work in between the roots a 

 mixture of three parts Al fibre or Osmunda fibre 

 and one part Sphagnum-moss. These materials 

 should be cut rather short, adding some crushed 

 crocks and a little silver sand. Pot moderately 

 firmly, and prick in some living Sphagnum over 

 the surface of the compost. The plants should 

 be watered carefully until the young roots have 

 grown well into the new compost, when water 

 may be afforded liberally. During its season of 

 active growth, this Orchid requires considerable 

 heat and plenty of atmospheric moisture. When 

 the weather is bright, overhead syringings should 

 be afforded at least twice daily. When in full 

 growth, the plants will require shading for about 

 three hours during the middle of the day. There 

 are many beautiful varieties of this species, the 

 finer sorts including Gatton Park variety, ex- 

 quisita, Miss Louisa Dean, splendens, and holo- 

 leuca. Dendrobium bigibbum and D. super- 

 biens are closely-allied species, and require a 

 similar treatment. 



THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



By F. Jordan, Gardener to Lady Nunburnholme, 



Warter Priory, Yorkshire. 



Grafting. — Trees intended for grafting 



that were treated as advised in the Calendar for 

 January 20, p. 39, should have the stems 

 shortened to where the graft will be inserted, 

 choosing as smooth a portion of the stock as 

 possible. Several forms of grafting may be prac- 

 tised, but the simplest methods are generally the 

 most successful. The work should be done as 

 soon as the sap commences to rise, using scions 

 which have been heeled in under a north wall, 

 or shady trees, for the purpose of keeping the 



buds dormant. The middle portion of the scion 

 is generally the best for the purpose. Whip or 

 tongue grafting is a simple method, and one in 

 much favour. It is an advantage if the stock 

 and scion are about the same diameter; but 

 if unequal, the scion should be placed at one 

 side of the stock, so that the cambium layers 

 may be in juxtaposition. Make cuts of equal 

 sizes on both stock and scion : form tongue by 

 slitting the stock slightly inwards about half 

 the length of the cut surface of the stock in a 

 downward direction, and a corresponding slit en 

 the scion for fixing the latter on the stock. The 

 tongue gives greater security in holding the scion 

 in position, and promotes a speedier union. The 

 scion should have from four to six good buds, be 

 promptly placed on the stock as soon as it is 

 prepared, and instantly bound firmly, but not 

 too tightly. Exposure of the cut surfaces to 

 wind and weather after being united militates 

 against success, and a band of either clay or 

 grafting wax is necessary. Grafting wax may be 

 purchased cheaply from any nurseryman, or clay 

 worked into a pliable state, with a little cow- 

 dung added, may be used, tying a layer of moss 

 on larger stocks to prevent the clay from crack- 

 ing. Weak stocks or any that fail when grafted 

 may be budded later in the year : budding makes 

 a neat and strong union. 



Cleft Grafting. — This method of propa- 

 gating fruit trees is not so much practised as 

 formerly, but it is still frequently employed for 

 grafting large trees of Cider Apples, the heads 

 not being so liable to become damaged by strong 

 winds. The stock is split with a large knife or 

 chisel, and held open with a wedge until the 

 scion is pushed in at the outside of the stock, 

 the graft being cut in the form of a wedge. The 

 wedge must be removed when the scion is in- 

 serted, so that the stock may close and hold the 

 graft tightly. The latter should be cut with a 

 shoulder that it may rest upon the stock, and 

 this will assist in protecting the graft from the 

 weather. Two, four or more scions may be in- 

 serted in one stock, if the latter is large enough 

 to accommodate them. 



Crown Grafting. — This method of grafting 

 is somewhat similar to cleft grafting. Select 

 a portion of the stock most suitable for inserting 

 the grafts, and, preferably, cut the top in a slop- 

 ing manner, so that the wet cannot remain on 

 it. Make a slit at the highest portion of the 

 stock, 2 or 3 inches in length, and open the edges 

 of the bark with a budding knife. Next slice off 

 the scion about the same length, and form a 

 shoulder. Run the scion down behind the bark, 

 from the top of the stock to the bottom of the 

 slit. Bind the stock and scion together, and 

 place a layer of wax or clay over them as 

 before. Two or more scions may be inserted on 

 a single stock, always taking care to see that the 

 bark is made to join perfectly on both sides, so 

 that the work may be successful. 



PLANTS UNDER GLASS. 



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



Woburn Place, Addlestone, Surrey. 



Greenhouse Climbers.— Many greenhouse 

 climbing plants are commencing to grow freely, 

 and potted specimens may require larger pots. 

 Such plants as Plumbago capensis, Habro- 

 thamnus, Swainsonia, and Bougainvillea trained 

 on walls should have their strong shoots tied as 

 they grow, allowing them a little more freedom 

 of growth as the flowering season approaches. 

 If trained on the roof, with plants on stages 

 beneath them, the shoots should be disposed 

 somewhat thinly to permit a fair amount of 

 light to reach the lower plants. Climbing plants 

 in greenhouses are, perhaps, best trained on 

 pillars or on wires up the main rafters of the 

 greenhouse, as in these cases they do not rob 

 other plants of much light. The shoots may be 

 allowed a little more freedom just before the 

 flowering period. Whenever possible the plants 

 should receive a good syringing to keep down 

 insect pests, but if this is not convenient, light 

 fumigations should be given now and again, as, 

 once the plants become infested with aphis or 

 any other insects, they are liable to make those 

 beneath them unsightly. 



pots, and grown fairly hardy. Specimens in poU 

 from 18 inches to 2 feet high will produce a good 

 truss of bloom. 



Plumbago rosea. — This warm greenhouse 

 or stove plant is very useful for furnishing a 

 supply of bloom during the winter or early 

 spring. The present is a suitable time for pi 

 pagating a batch of plants, the young growths 

 striking very readily if inserted in a light, tumlv 

 soil and plunged in the propagating frame. If 

 rooted three in a pot and potted on in this way 

 they make better plants than when grown singly. 

 A fairly light, peaty compost suits them best. 

 They grow very well during the summer months 

 in a warm pit, but must be shaded a little durin^ 

 the hottest part of the day. The young plants 

 should be pinched two or three times during the 

 growing season to induce a bushy growth, but 

 stopping must not be done late in the season or 

 the shoots will not attain sufficient strength to 

 produce good flowers. 



Humea elegans. — Late plants of Humea 

 elegans may still be potted on, large 32s or 24 

 size pots being the most suitable receptacles. To 

 secure good specimens, the plants must be grown 

 under fairly cool conditions and watered with 

 great care, the roots being impatient either of 

 an excess or deficiency of moisture, causing th 

 foliage to quickly turn a yellow colour. To en- 

 sure inflorescences of a good colour, the plants 

 should occupy a light and well-ventilated hoiiM 

 during the period of flowering, or they may be 

 placed out of doors in a somewhat sheltered posi- 

 tion, taking care to cover the pots over to pre- 

 vent the foil drying too quickly. 



Plants in Frames.— With the lengthening 

 days and increasing sun heat plants in fran 

 must be ventilated freely. This applies more 

 especially to subjects that have been in th« 

 frames all the winter. Those that have recently 

 been placed in frames to harden them must be 

 ventilated with caution. 



Solanum Wendlandii may be grown either 

 as a climber or in pots. Young shoots may be 

 rooted now in gentle heat, potted on into 4^-inch 



THE FLOWEE GAEDEN. 



By J. G. Weston, Gardener to Lady NorthcotB: 



Eastwell Park. Kent. 



* 



Roses: Hybrid Perpetuals. —After this 

 date the annual pruning of Hybrid Perpetual 

 Roses may be carried out, pushing the work to- 

 ward or delaying it, according as the locality is 

 early or late. Roses generally are in a very ior- 

 ward condition, having produced shoots, in many 

 instances, several inches long. This fact may in- 

 duce some to prune too early, in which case the 

 shoots produced after pruning will also be liable 

 to severe injury from late frost in April and 

 May. The pruner should possess a wide know- 

 ledge of the habits of growth of the different 

 varieties. The first thing to do is to cut out all 

 old and decaying wood, the next to remove weak 

 shoots and inside growths, finally cutting back 

 the remaining shoots. The extent of this " cut- 

 ting back " must be governed by the purpose 

 for which the Roses are grown — whether for ex- 

 hibition, for garden decoration, or solely for pro- 

 ducing large quantities of blooms. When the 

 Roses are required for exhibition, hard pruning is 

 necessary to produce a limited number of flowers 

 of extra" quality rather than a good quantity ol 

 average blooms. Always prune to a bud pointing 

 outwards, as this tends to keep the middle ol 

 the bush open, and to allow the whole of tne 

 plant to benefit from the sunshine and air. As a 

 general rule, the weaker growers should be cu 

 fairly hard, the strong growers being left wiw 

 several more buds on each growth. An o o 

 fashioned method of dealing with very strong 

 shoots of some varieties, and where the situatio i 

 allows of it, is to bend the shoots over, pegg™» 

 them down about 12 or 18 inches from n» 

 ground— retaining practically the whole ot " 

 shoot, except the unripened tip. These stro h 

 shoots, if well ripened, will flower nearij w 

 whole length, greatly increasing the n umbei 

 blooms over a given space. I have followed - 

 practice on borders where standards were p ai ^ 

 at intervals, with verv satisfactory results, -i , 

 the pruning is completed, clean up the beds ' • 

 borders, and if the Rosebeds are cut out on 

 the edges should be neatly cut with the eug £ 

 knife. Lightly fork over the beds, dl ^ in ^ the 

 any manure left on the surface as a mule i, 

 latter being objectionable to many people 

 the Roses are out. See that all labels ar^ . q 

 their proper places, and substitute new o 



