258 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[April 20, 1912. 



&: 



The Week's Work. ^ 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



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



Eastwell Park, Kent. 



The Water Garden-— It is necessary, at 

 this time of the year, to devote attention to the 

 water-garden, with a view to making everything 

 neat and tidy. Strong-growing plants that may 

 encroach on their neighbours should be divided, 

 lest the abundant foliage does not allow the 

 flowers to show their full beauty. In many gar- 

 dens there are natural lakes or streams which 

 could be used with advantage for cultivating 

 aquatic plants; but where such facilities do not 

 exist, much may be done by forming Lily-ponds 

 in the lower portion of the garden, choosing, if 

 possible, a position which is exposed to the sun, 

 but sheltered from cold winds. The present is 

 a suitable time to commence this work. It is 

 •asential that the bottom of the pond or stream 

 be made water-tight, either by puddling or the 

 use of concrete. The banks of the pond or 

 stream should be planted first, leaving the 

 water plants, such as Nymphaeas, for planting 

 during the month of May. Water Lilies planted 

 in May will yield some flowers in their first 

 season. It is not desirable to lay down hard- 

 and-fast rules for the treatment of any phase 

 of gardening ; the garden-maker must be 

 guided by the situation and surroundings of 

 the spot he has selected, and this applies 

 especially to water-gardens. Many plants, such 

 as Hydrangeas, Eulalias, Bamboos, Cordylines, 

 Osmundas and other large Ferns, Astilbes and 

 Gunnera manicata, are eminently suitable for 

 planting by the waterside. Great care and taste 

 must be exercised in the arrangement of the 

 various plants used. As a rule, the tall-growing 

 aubjects should not be placed close to the paths, 

 where plants of a moderate height are suitable. 

 The tall and strong-growing subjects, such as 

 Bamboos, Gunneras, and Pampas Grass, may 

 be grouped on the banks away from the walk, so 

 that they may be viewed from across the water. 

 The flatness of a series of Water Lilies may be 

 relieved by planting small groups of grasses 

 and other plants which rise above the water. 

 In the warmest part of the pond, Richardia 

 af ricana should be planted ; if the roots are 

 sunk to a depth of from 12 to 15 inches, this 

 desirable plant will be found to be hardy in 

 many localities. Cyperus longus, Carex pen- 

 dula, Butomus umbellatus, Acorus calamus, 

 Rodgersia podophylla, Lythrum salicaria, and 

 its variety roseum, Caltha palustris, Scirpus 

 lacustris, and Poa (Glyceria) aquatica are other 

 plants which succeed on marshy banks or in 

 shallow water. Near the edge of the water the 

 many suitable kinds of Iris, Hemerocallis flava, 

 Montbretias, Paeonies, Papaver orientate, Saxi- 

 fraga peltata, and the Giant Musk, w r ill all 

 assist in adding colour during their flowering 

 teasons. If the pond has a background of 

 trees, or if there are high banks, a splendid effect 

 may be produced by planting the hardy Bam- 

 t>oos, Arundo conspicua, and the Pampas Grass, 

 interspersed with bold clumps of such flower- 

 ing shrubs as Rhododendrons (including Aza- 

 leas), Berberis stenophylla, Philadelphia, Labur- 

 num, Yuccas of various kinds, Hydrangea 

 "hortensis, and H. paniculata grandiflora ; Kni- 

 phofias, Bocconia cordata, and Lupins 



Nympho. -If Nymphaea plants have to be 



purchased, they should be ordered without delay, 

 •and preparations made for planting them 

 immediately on arrival. There is now a splen- 

 did selection of varieties, including many suit- 

 able for growing in tubs or small pools. The 

 following are a few of the best hardy varieties : 

 (rose and pink shades) colossea, somptuosa, 

 Brackleyi rosea, Marliacea carnea, Aurora, 

 William Roogue, Marliacea rosea, and Mrs. Rich- 

 mond ; (yellow) Marliacea chromatella and sul- 

 phurea grandiflora; (white) odorata gigantea, 



Gladstomana, Marliacea albida, tuberosa, and the 

 fragrant, small-flowered N. pygmaea. The 



brighter-coloured forms are very beautiful, 

 including William Falconer, atropurpurea, James 

 Bryden, Marliacea ignea, Robinsonii, and gloriosa. 

 The roots should be planted in shallow baskets, 



holding two or three pecks of soil, consisting of 

 rich loam and leaf-mould ; manure is not neces- 

 sary. The roots will penetrate quickly through the 

 baskets, and by the time the latter have decayed 

 the plants will be established in the mud. 



THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



By F. Jordan, Gardener to Lady Nunbuknholme, 



Warter Priory, Yorkshire. 



Peaches and Nectarines. — These trees are 

 more forward than they have been for several 

 seasons past at this date, and in the south of 

 England especially the young shoots will soon be 

 large enough to allow the cultivator to commence 

 disbudding. This operation should be car- 

 ried out with great care, and the work should 

 extend over two or three weeks, in order that the 

 trees may not experience a check by the removal 

 of too many shoots at one time. Trees that have 

 been planted this season or root-pruned recently 

 should not be disbudded so severely as the others. 

 First remove all foreright shoots, also a number 

 of those growing from the sides of the branches, 

 in all cases leaving two well placed at the base of 

 each branch. One of these shoots will generally 

 suffice in the case of well-furnished trees, and it 

 should grow from the top side of the branch. 

 Commence to disbud at the top of the more 

 vigorous trees first, working downwards, pinch- 

 ing here and there a shoot which has a fruit at 

 the base. Many of these shoots and fruits may, 

 if not required, be removed at a iater thinning, 

 or when the weather is more genial. Young trees 

 require a rather different treatment, as in their 

 case a sufficient number of shoots must be left 

 for extension, so that the wall space may be fur- 

 nished quickly. In some cases a second shoot 

 may be allowed to remain at 1 foot or 1^ foot up 

 the branch. In the case of old trees, the leader 

 may be stopped if there is no room for its ex- 

 tension. Avoid training the shoots thickly : 

 4 inches to 6 inches apart is close enough to allow 

 sunshine and air to ripen the wood thoroughly. 

 The thinning of the fruits should be car- 

 ried out concurrently with the disbudding 

 of the shoots, removing ill-shaped and badly- 

 situated fruits first, always remembering that 

 many may fall during the stoning period, 

 and that it is desirable to have the fruits as 

 evenly distributed over the tree as possible. 



Grafting. — The weather has been most 

 favourable for grafting fruit trees, and the work 

 should be completed without delay. Examine 

 trees that were grafted recently and make good 

 any cracks in the clay by rubbing moist clay into 

 the openings. Encourage a few shoots to grow 

 on the stocks for a short time, as these will cause 

 the sap to circulate more freely. Examine trees 

 that were grafted last year, and, if necessary, 

 secure the grafts to stakes to prevent damage 

 by strong winds. 



FRUITS UNDER GLASS. 



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



Windsor. 



Melons. — The fruits on the earliest batch of 

 plants are swelling freely, and stimulants may 

 be given more frequently and at a greater 

 strength than formerly. Liquid manure made 

 from cow dung is one of the most suitable 

 stimulants for Melons, and at the final stages of 

 growth may be applied to the plants at full 

 strength. When the fruits commence to colour, 

 a drier atmosphere should be maintained, plenty 

 of air admitted when the weather is warm and 

 genial, and water withheld gradually from the 

 roots. The fruits should not be allowed to re- 

 main on the plants till they are fully ripe : they 

 will keep longer and the flavour will be much 

 improved if they are cut two or three days 

 before they are required for consumption and 

 placed in a cool room. During the hottest part 

 of the day, the plants should be shaded. The 

 stopping and regulating of the shoots of later 

 plants must receive early attention, as Melons 

 grow rapidly at this time of the year. As soon 

 as sufficient fruits have set, the lateral growths 

 must be kept removed as they appear. Raise a 

 fresh batch of plants to replace the older ones 

 when all the fruits have been cut. If wood-lice 

 have been troublesome, all the old soil and heat- 

 ing materials should be removed from the house, 

 and everything saturated with boiling water or 

 a strong insecticide. These insects often induce 

 canker to develop in Melons by eating the stems 



of the young plants. The glass and woodwork 

 should be cleansed thoroughly, and the walls 

 limewashed before planting afresh. Melons may 

 be well grown at this time of the year in 

 heated pits, without hot-beds. The rooting 

 medium should be placed near to the glass. 



Melons in Frames. — Although the fruits 

 of Melons grown in frames are not quite so good 

 in flavour as those grown in heated structures, 

 plenty of good, serviceable fruits may be 

 grown in unheated frames during the summer 

 months. The frames should be set on a hot- 

 bed of stable litter and leaves, in equal parts, 

 placed to a depth of 3 or 4 feet. The mateiials 

 should be well mixed, and placed in a heap to 

 ferment before the hot-bed is made. In making 

 the hot-bed, be careful to tread the materials 

 firm and even throughout. Set the plants in 

 mounds of soil at the head of the pit, using 

 loam mixed with a small quantity of old mortar 

 rubble. Should the soil be poor in quality, some 

 crushed bones may be incorporated. Discretion 

 must be exercised in ventilating the frames, 

 especially during changeable weather. Early in 

 the afternoon the plants should be sprayed with 

 lukewarm rainwater previous to closing the 

 frames. At night, the glass should be well 

 covered with mats, and plenty of short litter 

 placed around the sides of the pit. The latter 

 should be mixed occasionally with fresh ma- 

 terial in order to maintain the necessary decree 

 of heat. Stop the points of the leading shoots 

 when they have furnished three parts of the 

 width of the pit, and stop the laterals at one or 

 two joints beyond the fruits. When plenty of 

 female flowers are open to form a crop, pollinate 

 them, keeping the atmosphere dry. When suffi- 

 cient fruits have set, all lateral growths should be 

 pinched regularly. The fruits may be elevated 

 near to the glass on pots. 



Late Vines.— Late vines should be disbudded 

 before the shoots become too large. Be careful 

 to leave sufficient growth to ensure a good spread 

 of foliage without causing crowding of the 

 leaves. Admit air freely to all late vines when 

 the weather is favourable. Give the roots a 

 thorough soaking with diluted liquid manure 

 before the flowering stage is reached. Except 

 during the time when the plants are flowerni- 

 the house should be damped freely. Mealy bug 

 must be eradicated directly the pest is detected. 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



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



Gatton Park, Surrey. 



Lycaste.— Plants of Lycaste Skinneri and its 

 variety alba; L. Balliae, L. Gratnxae, L. 

 leucantha, L. Lucianii, L. costata, L. lasioglossa, 

 and L. lanipes will develop new growths as tne} 

 pass out of flower, and any that require new 

 rooting materials should receive attention, bpeci- 

 mens that are pot-bound should be afforded 

 larger pots, selecting receptacles sufficiently large 

 to accommodate the plant for at least two years. 

 Plants that have sufficient rooting space and wit n 

 the compost in a good condition should not be ie- 

 potted, but portions of the old rooting material- 

 should be removed from # the surface and repiacea 

 by fresh. Plants that are found to be in a oaa 

 condition at the roots or growing in sour ' compo.t 

 should be taken out of the pots, and the rooi- 

 cleansed of the old material by washing, iwj 

 should then be repotted in relatively small pow- 

 K<*p the crown of the plants a little b f lo 7 ™ f 

 rim of the pots, so as to provide plenij . 

 space for watering, as, during their pro* * 

 season, Calanthes require liberal supplies 

 moisture at the roots. After the g r ^' tn , rV 

 completed, they should be kept on tlie u _j 

 side until thev begin to develop their floors, 

 when the supply of water at the roots shouia 

 again increased. During the growing sea 

 they should be syringed frequently o. 

 head. A suitable compost for Calanthes u \j 

 fibrous loam, from which all the small P artl " 

 has been removed, and turfy peat in equa f . 

 portions, with a liberal addition of £™° ihe 

 crocks and small lumps of charcoal, ^i* ^. 

 summer months stand the plants in a snaa f— ^ 

 tion in the Odontoglossum house, and place 

 in the intermediate house for the winter. 



Phaius. — Plants of Phaius BlOTjeLP- ? ' 



Sanderianus, P. Bernaysii, P. g ran ^ lf °Srrnan, 

 tuberculosa, and such hybrids asr. 



