May 25, 1912.] 



THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE 



3 



some of the hardier species of Phoenix, planted 

 with Begonias, produce an uncommon effect ; a 

 shady position will be best for both these sub- 

 jects. 



Pentstemons and Antirrhinums.— Every 

 effort should be made to get these subjects in 

 their permanent quarters without delay. After 

 clearing the beds of the spring-flowering plants, 

 enrich the soil with manure. If the ground is 

 dry, water the beds the night previous to plant- 

 ing. Both Pentstemons and Antirrhinums are 



) ndid subjects for massing, and the best 

 varieties give brilliant effects. The soil for Pent- 

 stemons should be manured liberally, and the 

 plants will show by the length of their flower- 

 spikes and continuity of blooming how they ap- 

 preciate a cool deep root-run. Pentstemon G. 

 Home, Lady Forbes, Southgate Gem and Crim- 

 son Gem are all showy varieties, and there are 

 other good sorts in nearly every shade of colour. 



PLANTS UNDER GLASS. 



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



Woburn Place, Addlestone, Surrey. 



Table Plants. — Although fine foliage plants 

 are not employed for table decoration to the 

 same extent as formerly, they are nevertheless 

 in occasional demand for the table and for 

 exhibition purposes. Specimens in 4^-inch 

 pots are large enough for general pur- 

 poses. Evenness of growth should be con- 

 sidered, and to ensure this the plants should be 

 allowed plenty of head-room, and turned round 

 at least once a week. Codiseiuns (Crotons), when 

 nicely established in 4^-inch pots (48's), should 

 be placed on a shelf in full sunlight, or, if this is 

 not convenient, suspended from the roof in such 

 a position that the drainage water from them 

 will not drip on to plants below. Small side 

 growths should be removed as they appear, to 

 encourage a free growth of the central shoots. 

 Dracaenas, Panax, and Pandanus are all suitable 

 for use as table plants. In order to obtain the 

 best results with these, they should be sub- 

 jected to a little shade, which usually enhances 

 the colour of most Dracaenas, and variegation 

 m Panax and Pandanus is much more pronounced 

 when the plants are not exposed to the full 

 sunshine. Small Palms, such as Geonoma, 

 Cocos, Phoenix, and Kentia, revel in even 

 more shade than Dracaenas, and should, 

 therefore, be fairly heavily shaded at all times. 

 Lycopodium is suitable for covering the tops of 

 the pots when the foliage plants are employed 

 for decoration. The Lycopodium should be 

 grown in separate small pots. 



Chrysanthemums.- 

 this season of the year to keep Chrysanthemums 

 in a good, growing condition. The removal of 

 tne plants from the frames to the open air 

 is apt to give them a check, but this can be 

 avoided if careful attention is devoted to 

 watering and syringing. The plants will dry 

 quickly during bright weather, especially when 

 tne pots are becoming well filled with roots. When 

 it is not convenient to pot the plants which are 

 njost forward, a little manure water should be 

 afforded them to keep them growing freely. I 

 would advise preparations to be made for potting 

 tnem without delay, especially if the grower in- 

 tends to exhibit his blooms. Plants that are not 



tl r ^ ted often take to new soil more q ui ckly 

 n t h T Q that - have been allowed t° become 

 at+K- ' A foirly porous compost is necessary 

 at this potting, adding a moderate amount of 

 Jime rubble, wood ashes, bone-meal and well- 

 grayed horse manure, which is better than arti- 

 ficial manures at this season. Good, firm wood 

 anrf S -f n ^ lal for the P rodu ction of large blooms, 

 lata, 1S -^^ easfer *° § ive artificial manure 



later nn aiti*,,.- :- x-l _ • ° 



Great care is needed at 



11 



pot 



•u 2 inches in diameter (12's) should be used, but 

 varSii! 88 n lH ^ e J ar S e enou g h for the Incurved 

 a lit nf i Cr £i Ck . the P° ts well > as this ma y save 

 Pot fimi i Uble - ln the event of a wet season. 

 accommJ; lea W * s P ace of li to 2 inches to 

 ^IsT AiL t ght to P- dressi «gs ^ter in the 



quite cW* !l ey a / e p0tted > stand the P lants 

 soaking til Aether for a fortnight, thoroughly 



a^er | ot tW ^V Wat ? r *? Second or third *»y 

 should b 7" Ven i l n sh( >wery weather this 

 the plant, *? ne \ aS ™ thln S is ™ove detrimental to 

 pottino - fe n t0 - al OW them to become dry after 

 shoulcf al an , ?mgle and decorative varieties 



** th ?(& rsrfini a i^ nti - n - in p . otting as SOOn 



tners are finished, giving them practically 



the same treatment, though it is seldom necessary 

 to use pots larger than 9 inches across (16's), un- 

 less specimen plants are desired, in which case 

 12-inch pots may be employed. Plants of the 

 later-rooted batches may not require transferring 

 to their flowering pots until a week or two later, 

 using 6-inch or 8^-inch (32's or 24's) pots for 

 the single-stemmed plants, according to the size 

 and character of the flowers. 



Carnations.— Many plants of the Souvenir 

 de la Malmaison varieties are in bloom, and to 

 ensure them keeping well, a fair amount of shade 

 and a dry atmosphere are necessary. Plants of 

 later batches with blooms not yet showing colour 

 may still be helped with a little liquid manure, 

 or even a dressing or two of special Carnation 

 fertiliser, but do not use too much of this latter 

 manure, as it is liable to cause some of the blooms 

 of the varieties to lose colour. 



Winter and Perpetual-flowering Car- 

 nations.— The bulk of the spring crop of flowers 

 from these plants will have been gathered by 

 now, and where the room they occupy is required 

 for other subjects, the plants may be removed 

 to a spare piece of ground outside. If they are 

 properly cared for, they will continue to bloom 

 in the open for some time to come; if planted 

 in a border they will require considerably less 

 attention. Young plants of the earliest batches, 

 if nicely established in 54 or 48-sized pots, may 

 be removed to a cold frame, removing the lights 

 in fine weather. When sufficient growth has been 

 made, the points of the plants may be taken 

 out to induce them to break freely. In some 

 localities, certain varieties, such as Mrs. Burnett 

 and Carola, should be grown under glass the 

 whole season, thus ensuring their freedom from 

 rust, a disease to which these two varieties are 

 especially subject. Later batches should be re- 

 potted as the plants require increased room, and, 

 if the stopping of the various batches is carried 

 out on different dates, a good succession of bloom 

 will be assured. 



THE OECHID HOUSES. 



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



Gatton Park, Surrey. 



Cymbidiums. — The Cymbidiums, including 

 C. Lowianum and its variety C. concolor, C. 

 eburneum, C. erythrostylum, C giganteum and 

 hybrids, such as Winnianum, Lowgrinum, Balli- 

 anum, Lady Colman, Holfordianum, and Col- 

 maniae, are amongst the most useful of Orchids 

 and, generally, they are easy of cultivation. 

 Plants of those named that have grown to a 

 flowering stage should not be subjected to root 

 disturbance until it is found to be neces- 

 sary, as the plants flower freely and produce 

 the finest flowers when the pots are well filled 

 with roots. Specimens that have become so pot- 

 bound that there is not sufficient space in the pot 

 for the full development of the present season's 

 growth, should be repotted. Cymbidiums are 

 strong-rooting plants, and require rather larger 

 pots than most Orchids. When repotting, afford 

 the plants sufficient room to accommodate 

 several seasons' growth. If the plants are so 

 firmly rooted in their receptacles that they 

 cannot be removed without causing injury to 

 the roots, the pots should be broken, and re- 

 moved in portions. Disentangle the roots as 

 much as possible without breaking them, and 

 pick out any of the old compost that is loose 

 with a pointed stick. The pots should be pro- 

 vided with clean crocks for drainage purposes, 

 to about one^quarter of their depth. Use a 

 compost consisting of two-thirds good fibrous 

 loam and one-third Osmunda fibre, cut up rather 

 short, a little chopped Sphagnum-moss, with a 

 liberal quantity of crushed crocks and silver 

 sand, mixing the whole well together. Pot 

 moderately firmly, working the compost between 

 the roots and around the sides of the ball, finish- 

 ing so that the surface of the soil is 1 inch 

 below the rim of the receptacle. Specimens that 

 have become bare of growth in their centres, 

 and in an otherwise exhausted condition, should 

 be broken up, and the portions potted singly in 

 pote of a suitable size. Plants of C. insigne, C. 

 Sanderi, and C. Hookerianum, should, if it is 

 necessary, also be potted at this season. The 

 work should be done in a similar manner as 

 advised for the others, but the compost should 

 consist of two-thirds Osmunda fibre and one- 

 third good fibrous loam, with the other in- 

 gredients added. All these Cymbidiums grow 

 well in the cool Odontoglossum house. The 



newly-potted plants should be afforded extra 

 shade and very moderate supplies of water until 

 the roots have become re-established. Syringe 

 between the pots several times each day during 

 the summer, and spray the plants overhead at 

 least twice daily during fine weather. Well- 

 established plants should be afforded abundant 

 supplies of water at the roots. The foliage 

 should be sponged frequently with a suitable 

 insecticide, as a preventive against attacks of 

 scale insects, which, when numerous, are very- 

 difficult to eradicate. C. tigrinum and C. 

 devonianum should be grown in shallow pans, 

 and suspended from the roof-rafters of the inter- 

 mediate house. ( Seedling Cymbidiums should 

 also be grown in an intermediate temperature, 

 and afforded fresh rooting material frequently, 

 and every encouragement given them to grow 

 until they reach the flowering stage. 



THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



By F. Jordan, Gardener to Lady Nunburnholme, 



Warter Priory, Yorkshire. 



Hardy Vines.— It is not too late to plant 

 Vines out-of-doors. For preference they should 

 be grown against an old brick wall or gable-end, 

 as bricks are warmer than stone. Besides furnish- 

 ing Grapes, out door Vines are very ornamental 

 subjects, and are well worth cultivating for 

 their decorative effect alone. They are at their 

 best in old-established gardens, and indeed are 

 seldom planted in modern gardens. Vines on 

 walls are forward this season, and look promis- 

 ing. They will require early attention in dis- 

 budding, stopping and tying of the shoots. Com- 

 mence disbudding as soon as it can be seen 

 which shoots will produce the best bunches, 

 and leave only one shoot to each spur, unless it 

 is desired to furnish more wall space. Stop the 

 shoots at the first joint beyond the bunch, and 

 secure them as close to the wall as convenient, 

 that they may receive as much warmth as 

 possible. Frequent waterings may be required 

 during dry weather, as the .-oil at the foot of 

 a warm wall soon becomes dry, and liberal ap- 

 plications of liquid manure may be afforded at 

 frequent intervals. Mildew is one of the worst 

 pests that attack Vines in the open, and, when 

 once the berries are affected with this disease, 

 they may as well, if much disfigured, be cut off, 

 as even after the mildew is killed its effects re- 

 main. Some form of sulphur should be applied 

 as a preventive, but, should the mildew appear, 

 there are several good specifics on the market, 

 and these also contain sulphur in some form or 

 another. Good varieties of hardy Vines are the 

 old Dutch Sweetwater, Royal Muscadine (white), 



and Gammy Noir and Reine Olga (black varie- 

 ties). 



Cherries. — In most parts of the country 

 sweet Cherries, such as Kentish and May 

 Duke, also Morello, have set their fruits. 

 Examine the trees carefully for the presence of 

 black aphis and maggots. If the former pest be 

 detected syringe the infested parts with some 

 approved insecticide. Maggots will be found 

 hidden away in curled leaves, which should be 

 pinched off the trees and burned. Tie in the 

 leading shoots, and pinch the young wood, if 

 they are not required for extension, to form 

 spurs. Cordon trees will require all the side shoots 

 pinched, but the leaders must be allowed to ex- 

 tend unless the trees have reaehed their full 

 limit. The foliage of the Cherry often turns a 

 yellow colour at this season. Where this is 

 noticed the trees should receive a good dressing 

 of soot at the roots. The soot should be lightly 

 forked into the soil, which should be well 

 watered afterwards. One or two applications 

 will generally cause the foliage to again assume 

 its natural colour. 



Morello Cherries. — The points of the 



choots of these trees must be kept clean at all 

 costs, or the shoots will become crippled, and 

 may even die. The trees may be disbudded 

 when they are well furnished, removing all back 

 and foreright shoots, also any others that are 

 not required for furnishing the trees. Pyramid 

 and bush-trained trees do well in almost any 

 position. In gardens where the trees lose the 

 tips of the shoots in the manner indicated, it is 

 a good plan to pinch in all the young growths 

 to the fifth or sixth leaf. p Few branches die 

 when this practice is adopted, compared with 

 those that are not pinched. Both the Morello 

 and the sweet Cherries should be mulched with 

 stable litter. A good syringing applied in the 

 morning is of great assistance to the trees. 



