THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



January 20, 1912. 



tie«. Like the sweet peas and other florist's 

 flowers, amateurs and professionals are tak- 

 ing up with avidity the cult of special rock 

 plants, and I am afraid we shall soon want 

 a ''Saxifrage Committee/' a ''Primula 

 Committee/' and a host of other commit- 

 tees to look after the interests of these 

 plants at the meetings of the R.H.S. 



New varieties are very welcome when 

 they are improvements, but they are be- 

 wildering and time-wasting if they do not 

 surpass standard varieties. What we want 

 is more definite selection instead of indis- 

 criminate seedling raising. Might I sug- 

 gest that raisers should work with a definite 

 object in view. Saxifrages that will keep 

 their colour in the sunlight. Aubrietias 

 with the perpetual habit of Dr. Mules ; 

 primulas of greater hardiness and in some 

 cases of improved colouring ; violas that 

 will for ever banish Papilio and it i-onf reres 

 from the rock garden, are just a few^ ideas 

 of many which might be brought into play. 



The meetings of the R.H.S. will probably 

 reveal many new things in rock plants^ as 

 well as among other plant gmups. We 

 shall await these with great interest. There 

 are new saxifrages we want to compare, 

 new aubrietias which we hear more of than 

 see^ wliich must have a testing with the 

 standa^rd varieties. 



It would be ai good thing if the new 

 Hardy Plant Society could occasionally con- 

 vene meetings in suitable centres, so that 

 the growers and raisers of special sub- 

 jects could bring their varieties and novel- 

 ties together, and finally settle the merits 

 of the differing forms to the complete satis- 

 faction of the floiaJ world. A <lay devoted 

 to mossy saxifrages would 1k^ of material 

 serviie to all who cherish ro< k garden sub- 

 jects, a day to dianthus, a day for heu- 

 cheras, a day to pentstemons, and so on, 

 covering in turn a vast range of subjects, 

 would assuredly settle in a large degree 

 the comparative values of the many varie- 

 ties. It would materially assist intending 

 purchasers, both in private and trade capa- 

 <.ities, to a knowledge of the better forms 

 in each plant group, without necessitating 

 previous trial^ which is enforced upon 

 many cultivators at the present time. The 

 propagation of stock for spring and e^rly 

 summer planting must<*ommence forthwith. 

 Schemes must be thought out for the 

 summer, to ensure pleasing effects. The 

 points of different varieties must be con- 

 sidered in order to obtain the b(\st out of 

 them when planted. Care should be taken 

 to ensure diversity from previous season's 

 arrangemeuts. The eye tires of sameness. 

 What is wantecl is originality in our de- 

 signs and plantings, and in this it is 

 sary to arrange for this as early as pos- 

 sible, in order to have the material forward 

 for the planting season. 



Mistakes of past seasons should be con- 

 sidered, to avoid a repetition of them. No 

 garden is perfec^t, a*nd a wide margin is 

 usually to be found to exist between the 

 '^actual" and the "ideal." To aim high 

 is as necessary in the garden as in other 

 walks of life. To use an Americanism, one 

 should "hitch their waggon to a star,'- for 

 the upward striving after the ideal brings 

 improvement^ if not perfection, and he who 

 fails is one who courts failure by sitting stiM 

 while his fellows are making the running. 



Thus we welcome the New Year, with its 

 abundance of work and its hearty promise, 

 thankful that the opportunity is given us to 

 march in the ranks of progre<5S. 



P. S. Hayward. 



PROFITABLE FRUIT GROWING for Cottagers and 

 SmaU Holdere of Land.— By John "Wright, V.M.H. A 

 G^d Medal E^say, writeji for the Worehipful Cf>m- 

 pany of Fruiterers. Fully Ulustrated. Price Is., fcv 

 post Is. 3d., from W. H. and L. CoUingridge, 148 and 

 149, Alderegat* Street, London. 



ROSES IN UNHEATED 



HOUSES. 



mbers 



more suited for un- 



roses 



heated houses than a good selection of 



growing so well in a sheltered 

 wall it is evident they would much appre- 

 . ciate the little further help of an unheated 

 structure^ where we can keep any 

 sively cold or uncongenial winds at bay. 

 But we find the ehiet fault lies in giving 

 too much protwtion in the majority or 

 cases; and more ventilation^ so as to keep 

 the plants as backward as j^ossibJe during 

 the chilly days of January and February 

 should be given. Any semblance of hurry- 

 ing the growth will assuredly mean checks 

 later on. It is not to force roses that these 

 houses are most useful^ but rather as a 

 most efficient protection from the cold days 

 and nights early in the springy which so 

 frequently spoil the first crops m sheltered 

 places. 



We can battle against insect foes and 

 mildew much better, benig able to fumi- 

 gate when necessary. Perhaps the most 

 difficult point to contend against is the 

 damp atmosphere so often experienced 

 where one has no means of drying by arti- 

 ficial hoat. A little thought and care M ill 

 iivoid this. Ample ventilation upon all 

 suitable ooc^asions, also to keep the borders 

 and soil on the dry, rather than moist side, 

 and never syringing or using water in any 

 form, except early upon clear days. 



Later on as the days become w^armer 

 more moistui^ may be given, but to have 

 deckles of water hanging fron/young foliage 

 is, perhaps, the most frequent cause of its 

 dropping. That it conduces to decayed 

 tips and flower buds cannot well be denied, 

 although such conditions are very grateful 

 to the growth in the 



f months ; act- 

 mg in the same refreshing way as dews at 

 that season 



Other occupants of the house should be 

 confined to those thriving under similar con- 

 ditions, for it would not be wise to attempt 

 any that could not stand a few degi-ees of 

 frost, should extra severe weather set in. 

 We should not forget that if we encourage 

 early growth we have no means of effec- 

 tually contending against the severe frosts 

 often met with at the end of February and 

 early in March. Once the days get warmer 

 growth will come on with surprising free- 

 dom, because of the shelter from chilly 

 winds and morning frosts, and it is this pro- 

 tection whi-h makes the house so valuable. 



Too often young growth is allowed to 

 touch the glass because the older wood was 



not secure<l sufficiently far away. Twelve 



to eighteen inches is not too much, and we 



can scarcely expect t'le ymmg growth to 



be safe when in contact with glass that is 

 frozen over. 



Most of the pruning is done late in 

 January, except in the case of the strongest 

 climbers, w^hich should have most of the 

 wood cu t a way soon a f te r they have 

 flowered. This will induce some longer rods 

 than would otherwise be the case, and it is 

 such wood that proves most valuable upon 

 the climbers. A few, notably William 

 Allen Richardson and Climbing Niphetos, 

 may be spurred hack instead of cutting 

 awav so f reel v. These varieties have a 



tendency to bloom over an extended period, 

 but I would not allow them to become 

 crowded. 



Before new growth commences, it is well 

 to thoroughly <'Ieanse the old wood, more 

 especially bet^ause we <an now use much 

 stronger measures than woubl be safe later 

 on. Syringing with very strong insecti- 

 cides does not find favour here, it often 

 being injurious to the roots from running 

 down the stem of the plant. 



Ventilation is rather difficult, because we 

 so frequently have a bright sun, which, so 

 far as the outdoor roses are concerned' is 

 tempered by quite a keen wind, and so does 

 not hurry the growth on so rapidly. But 

 under glass the temperature is speedily 

 raised, and we cannot give enough ventila 

 tion to counteract this unless able to put it 

 upon the sheltered side, so that it is essen- 

 tial to have these in as many aspects as 

 possible. All endeavours should be made to 

 avoid any extremes of temperature, as there 

 can be httle doubt such are the chief 

 causes of mildew. A moister atmosphere 

 can be given as the plants make progress 

 and the season allows of drying this off more 

 frequently. Roses do not need much shade 

 but, as the sun gains power, the strongest 

 ot Its glare may l>e braken. A weak wash 

 ot whitmg and milk keeps on well, and is 

 not so dark as many other washes. The 

 slightest break of glare and burning is all 

 that IS needed. 



Plenty of weak liquid manure may be 



used when growth is active, but do not use 

 It strong for the sake of applying a less 

 nurnber of times. Strong manures, more 

 particularly when the soil is on the dry side, 

 check the points of growing roots, and do 

 much harm. As the wood gets a fair length 

 al the hght and air possible is needed, also 

 a little less water. This will encourage an 

 earlier and more efficient ripening, which 

 IS essential to future blooms. 



ROSARIAX. 



HIDDEN TREASURES IN 



FLOWERS. 



There are more unappreciated things of 

 value laying around ug than things that are 

 treasured and held in high repu^. It was 

 only recently that a great orator told us of 

 his sorrow that so many books ehould lar 

 upon the shelves of our libraries unread But 

 to the horticulturist the saddest thought of 

 all must be that millions of plants of gr^at 

 rarity, beauty, and valu© grow in far-off 

 nooks unknown, whilst others grow in green- 

 houses unappreciated by som<>, and perchance 

 despised by other... Nothing in the world 

 was given to the few, but everything was 

 made for the many. The diamond which 

 Hashes in the tiara of the duchess can be 

 admired and enjoyed bv the gods in the 

 gallery, and its brilliancy is seen by them 

 more than by the wearer, but tJie choice seed- 

 ling carnation which flowers in the green 

 house of a selfish person is hidden from the 

 outer wor d and lives, and perhaps dies, with- 

 out its full worth being known. 



It seems to me that all who have uncommon 

 plants, or seedlings, which appear better than 

 ^^tTx^ ^^i^ting kinds, should communicate 

 with the Editor of the Gardeners' Magazine, 

 or some specialist in that particular kind of 

 plant, so that it may be apprai.sed, and then 

 dissaminated, if of true merit. Personally, it 

 18 one of the joys of my life to receive sp-^i- 

 men flowers of other people's carnation eeed- 

 lings, partly, I suppose, because I delight in 

 criticising the work of others, and partlv be- 

 cause I love to see good carnations. 'Few 

 ra.isere are capable of judging the worth of 

 their own seedlings, and they should invite 

 criticism. 



In the case of perpetual flowering carna- 

 tion seedlings, the present is perhaps the 

 best season to deliver judgment upon thew. 



is not good now will 

 never be of very great value. But it must 

 also be remembered tliat a perpetual carna- 

 tion seedling is not properly fixed until i* 

 IS four years old, and good cultivation dur- 

 ing that time can have a great influence 

 upon it, while bad cultivation would natur- 

 ally have the opposite effect. 



Nothing that I know of is so interacting 

 the raising of cross-br^ seedlings for new 

 varieties. It may be a petty form of ga"^" 

 bling, but then we Britishers all love the^ 

 sporting chance. 



Montague C. Allwood. 



