220 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Apeil 6, 1912 



The Week' s Work. 



ns 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



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



Eastwell Park, Kent. 



The Herbaceous Border. — Seeing that 

 most of the hardy perennial plants have started 

 into growth, any arrears of planting should be 

 completed without further delay, so that the 

 plants may become established before dry weather 

 sets in. Many choice early-flowering perennials, 

 such as Pseomes, Hemerocallis, Alstromenas, and 

 Delphiniums resent disturbance at the roots when 

 the season :s advanced, but late -flowering sub- 

 jects, such as perennial Asters, Solidago, Helian- 

 thus,' and Chrysanthemum uliginosum may still be 

 planted without detriment to their flowering this 

 season. If the soil is of a "heavy and close tex- 

 ture, a mulching of decayed leaf-soil or other 

 light material spread over the surface after plant- 

 ing is completed will be beneficial. The Dutch 

 hoe should be in constant use on the borders, not 

 only for the eradication of weeds, but to keep a 

 fine tilth on the surface, thus preventing a too 

 rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil dur- 

 ing hot weather. 



Violets. -Preparations should be made with- 

 out delay for the transferring of Violets from 

 the frames in which they are growing to their 

 summer quarters. In gardens where the sou 

 gets very hot and dry in summer, plant them 

 where they will be partially shaded from the mid- 

 day sun. If the soil is a cool, deep loam, plant 

 in an open situation. The ground, having been 

 previously trenched and manured, will not re- 

 quire much more preparation, but should be 

 lightly forked over, the surface raked fine, and 

 shallow drills marked out. If the soil is of a 

 stiff nature and lumpy, a little fine earth 

 placed in the drills will assist the plants to 

 make a good start. In the case of strong-growing 

 varieties, such as Princess of Wales, the rows 

 should be 18 inches apart, and the plants the 

 same distance in the rows, but for the more 

 compact-growing varieties, 6 inches less room 

 will suffice. Where space is limited, they 

 may be planted at 9 inches apart both ways. 

 Violets in frames should be well hardened before 

 they are planted out-of-doors, as the foliage 

 when tender is liable to become damaged during 

 bad weather. The best method of propagation 

 is by division, although, if necessary, cuttings 

 may be rooted in boxes. Only strong, healthy 

 •crowns should be selected, and the old root -stock 

 discarded. Most of the young plants are 

 now rooted, and in a suitable condition for 



which should be done firmly, be- 

 ing careful not to bury the crowns. The 

 work is best done during showery weather ; 

 if drying winds prevail the roots should be 



damped frequently till 

 9 „ _ d. An occasional dust- 

 ing with soot will act as a deterrent to slugs 

 *nd red spider, besides being a capital fertiliser. 



Hollyhocks. — Pot - plants of Hollyhocks 

 raised from seed sown last summer, and wintered 

 in cold frames, should be planted in their per- 

 manent positions without delay. Seedlings are 

 less susceptible to disease than plants pro- 

 pagated from old stools. By sowing the 

 seed in June or July, and growing the seed- 

 lings in cool conditions all through the winter, 

 they develop strong and robust plants suit 

 able for planting at this date. Plant in well- 

 prepared ground not recently manured, select in 

 a position that is sheltered from winds, as the 

 tall flower-spikes snap or twist at the base 

 easily. Place strong stakes in position as the 

 spikes develop, and tie the latter at intervals 

 necessary. 



planting 



jh 



g 



Montbretia. — In certain soils and districts 

 it is unnecessary to lift Montbretias in the 

 autumn and store them during the winter as a 

 safeguard against frost, but it is good practice 

 in any case to lift the clumps, and replant the 

 best corms" in well-prepared ground. Montbre- 

 tias left undisturbed for several years deteriorate 

 owing^ to exhaustion of the 'soil, and over- 

 crowding ^ of the plants, and the number 

 and quality of the flowers obtained from 



starved clumps 

 those produced 

 Plants that have 

 planted. Single 



bear no comparison w T ith 

 by plants treated properly, 

 been stored should now be re- 

 ^rowths should be planted at 

 from 9 to 12" inches apart, in rich, moist soil. 

 Some, such as M. Pottsii and crocosmiseflora, are 

 suitable for planting in large masses in the 

 wild-garden and shrubbery, or in quantity by 

 the water side. Clumps comprising one or two 

 dozen roots of the choicer sorts, such as King 

 Edmund, Prometheus, Lady Hamilton, Westwick, 

 Lord Nelson and George Davidson, should be 

 planted in the mixed flower-border. 



PLANTS UNDER GLASS. 



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



Woburn Place, Addlestone, Surrey. 



Seedlings. 

 to be 



— Very young seedlings require 

 watered with great care, especially 

 those raised from very small seeds. Such seed- 

 lings have tiny roots, and if they become 

 dry only once, it may cause a sufficient check 

 to kill them. Where seedlings are crowded in 

 the seed-pans, it needs only a little excess of 

 humidity in the atmosphere to set up damping ; 

 should this occur, the best plan is to prick them 

 off at once into other receptacles. Seedlings of 

 Begonia, Gloxinia, Streptocarpus, Exacum, and 

 Torenia should be transplanted whilst very small. 

 It is not necessary to afford much room between 

 the plants, as they do best in a frequent change 

 of soil, and it is astonishing how quickly they 

 grow. The rule should be a little more space 

 at each succeeding transplanting. The shad- 

 ing of seedlings is an important detail, and, 

 although I do not believe in coddlings plants, 

 shading is necessary during the brightest part of 

 sunny days. Strong-growing plants such as 

 Acacia, Celosia, Mediola, Asparagus, and Grevil- 

 lea may be allowed to remain in the seed- 

 pans until they are large enough to transfer 

 singly into thumb-pots, but this cannot be prac- 

 tised when the seeds have been sown thickly. 

 In the case of very small seedlings, a special 

 soil composed of equal parts loam, leaf-mould 

 and sand should be prepared for them. 



The Show House. — At this season the show 

 house is gay with Rhododendrons (Azaleas), 

 Cinerarias, Schizanthuses, Primulas, Clivias, Hip- 

 peastrums (Amaryllis), Liliums, Spiraeas, Deut- 

 zias, and forced bulbs. A dry atmosphere should 

 be maintained, and plenty of fresh air admitted 

 to keep the plants in a good condition for as 

 long a time as possible, providing shade during 

 the hottest part of the day. Tulips should 

 always be kept on the shady side of the house, 

 as the flowers expand widely when exposed to 

 bright sunlight, rendering them of little value 

 as cut blooms. 



Forced Plants. — Plants of Prunus, Labur- 

 num, Wistaria, Rhododendron sinense (Azalea 

 mollis), Cerasus and other kinds that have 

 flowered and not been subjected to much heat 

 may, with advantage to the other occupants of 

 the houses, be removed to some temporary shel- 

 ter out-of-doors. Many of these plants may be 

 forced year after year, provided they receive 

 proper attention after flowering. They should 

 not be left to take care of themselves after being 

 placed outside. If a deep pit is not available, a 

 temporary shelter may be constructed easily with 

 a few posts, battens and canvas. If placed in 

 this makeshift structure for a week or two the 

 plants will get hardened and experience very little 

 harm in times of slight frosts. Many of the 

 plants are still growing actively, and a little 

 manure water w T ill benefit them, especially those 

 that have been confined in pots for more than 

 one year. 



Pits and Frames. — As the pits or frames 

 become emptied of bulbs and other spring- 

 flowering plants, the opportunity should be 

 taken to give them a cleansing. They will then 

 be in a proper condition to receive the batches 

 of bedding plants which require the extra room 

 the pits will afford. As the season is advancing, 

 everv opportunity should be taken to remove 

 bedding plants from greenhouses, as the majority 

 of greenhouse plants require more space. 



Staking Greenhouse Plants. — In last 

 week's Calendar I advised the immediate stak- 

 ing of Souvenir de la Malmaison Carnations, but 



there is even greater necessity to do this work 

 in the case of softer growing plants. Specimen 

 plants of Calceolaria, Show, Fancy and Re^al 

 Pelargoniums should be staked and trained before 

 the plants are far advanced in flower. Nothing 

 is better for the purpose than clean, straight 

 hazel stakes; if these are sharpened to a long 

 point they may be pushed into the soil without 

 causing much injury to the roots. When staking 

 such decorative subjects as Clarkia and Schizan- 

 thus, use only one stake, supporting the branches 

 or shoots bv very fine strands of matting, tying 

 them only sufficiently tightly to keep them from 

 breaking down, or the decorative value of the 

 plants will be spoiled. 



Pot Roses. — The earliest forced plants hav- 

 ing finished blooming, may, if hardy enough, be 

 removed into the open, or, preferably, into a 

 temporary shelter, as advised for the other 

 forced plants. Their removal will allow plants 

 of successional batches to be given more room, 

 and, possibly, a good batch of the later climbin 

 varieties may be brought in under glass. Th 

 houses in which Roses are grown require very 

 careful ventilation at this season to keep the 

 plants free from mildew. Though plenty of air 

 is necessary, cold draughts must be prevented. A 

 little shade may be necessary during periods of 

 bright sunshine, but the shading must not be 

 excessive, or the Rose shoots will become soft 

 and more susceptible to mildew. 



FRUITS UNDER GLASS. 



By E. Harriss, Fruit Foreman, The Royal Gardens, 



Windsor. 



Strawberries in Pots.— Strawberry plants 

 under glass must b- examined frequently, 

 for it is now almost impossible to give 

 them too much water, and they require liberal 

 applications of stimulants. Except when they 

 are in flower or ripening their fruits, the foliage 

 should be thoroughly syringed two or three times 

 a day with rain-water. At this time of year it 

 is most convenient to arrange the plants in a 

 house by themselves ; but should they have to 

 be grown on shelves in vineries or other perma- 

 nent fruit-houses, a sharp look-out must be kept 

 for red spider. At the first sign of this pest, 

 the Strawberry plants should be moved to 

 another house, or the spider will quickly spread 

 to the permanent occupants of the house. In 

 any case, when the berries enter upon the ripen- 

 ing stage, the plants must be moved to a cooler 

 house for the fruits to mature. Admit 

 plenty of air to plants now in flower, and 

 when the fruits have set, thin them out 

 without delay, at the same time remov- 

 ing some of the older leaves from the base 

 and securely staking and tying each truss or 

 fruits. The later batches which are still in their 

 winter quarters out-of-doors are growing last, 

 and most of the plants are showing their flower- 

 spikes. Should it be necessary to retard some 

 of these plants for the latest supplies, P lun lp e 

 them again in ashes at the foot of a north wau. 

 It will be necessary to keep them well suppuea 

 with water alternated with liquid manure. 



Cherries in Pots. —Trees on which the 

 fruits have set thickly may be given some wea* 

 stimulating manure. Although the fruits may 

 have set thickly, and are apparently swei ung 

 satisfactorily, no attempt must be made to nuuy 

 them by closing the house too early, or • o\* 

 heating the pines. Admit air freely dunn 

 favourable weather, using both top and bolt' j 

 ventilators, and leaving them open, or partw j 

 open at night, according to the conditions ou 

 of-doors. In bright, sunny weather it * 11! . 

 an advantage to Sightly shade the trees d u „ 

 the hottest part of the day. Syringe the ion s 

 twice daily, and damp the paths and noor y of 

 quentlv. Cherry trees are subject to attacR* 

 black fly, a pest which may be kept in en 

 by syringing the trees occasionally wit-n _ ^ 

 containing soft soap. Keep a sharp looK-ou^j 

 small grubs, which are sometimes founa t 

 up in the leaves ; if they are allowed to j^ 

 unchecked now they will attack »w 

 later on. 



Early Pot Vines.— The vines wbicV i J 

 started early in November will now be r p ~ 

 their crops. At this period the atmosphere 

 be kept less moist than formerly, discontinu 



