60 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



Januaet 20, 1912. 



ANSWERS TO 



CORRESPONDENTS. 



Editorial Communication* should be addressed to th« 

 Kilitor of the Gardeneks' Magazine, 148 and 149, 

 Aliieragate Street. K.C. . , , 



Secretaries of horticultural societies are invitea to 

 riend earlv notltieation of forthcoming exhibitionfi 

 uDd mettiDg!^, and ure requested to advise us con- 

 cerniiig uliaugefi of dates 

 Sp^eiiuene ul plants, Hon-ere, and fruits lor naming 

 ur opinion t?hould be hcnt to the Editor of the 

 GAKntNEKa' Magazine, " Kndsleigh," Pnory Park. 

 Kew, surrey, and as early in Ihe week &s pocsible. 

 Ail parcels must be ouffioientiy prepaid. 

 The Ediu>r wiU be glad to receive photographs of 

 ^artieufi, plants, flowers, trece, fruits, etc., for 

 reproduction in the Gaudeners' Magazine. He wUl 

 airio be grwtly obliged by oorreiipondents eending 

 early miimation of interesting looal events relating 

 to horticuiturn. In sending newspapers containing 

 matter to which they wibh to draw attention oor- 

 reapoudent^ are requested to distinctly mark th« 



parag 



raph. 



ROSE EDU MEYER.— W. P., Stamford 

 Hill : It seems fairly evident from the letters 

 decipherable on the label that tlie rose you 

 have is a comparatively new one named Edu 

 Meyer, a hvbrid tea variety raised in Ger- 

 many 'by Laml>ert, of Trier, and sent out 

 in 19U4. It i^ a vigorous bedding variety, 

 with flesh-pink flowers heavily shaded with 

 copper and tinted with fawn. It is a pretty 

 rose, its striking colour and semi-double 

 flowers making it at once attractive and ele- 

 gant. 



FERTILISERS FOR TOMATOES.— A. R., 

 Xotts : Sterilise the soil for the seed bed by 

 heating it to 180 degrees; when cool add 

 sand and proceed to sow the i^eeds thinly. 

 The seedlings will not grow away so freely 

 at firr^t as those raised in unBterilised soil, 

 but thev will soon make up for apparently 

 lost time, and will eventually become 

 sturdier and more fruitful if cultural con- 

 ditions are suitable. If only a very poor 

 loam is available for tomatoes, the very best 

 results can scarcely be expected, but the 



soil may tbe materially improved by the addi- 

 tion of old potting soil from chrysanthemums 

 and decayed vegetable materal from the 

 refuse heap. Only under exceptional cir- 

 cumstances sbould organic manures be added 

 to the potting soil, but when such addition 

 is deemed necessary one part of old spent 

 mushroam-ibed manure to si^ parts of loam 

 will suffice. Potash, especially muriate of 

 potash, may be added to the soil with ad- 

 vantage, at the rate of about 2oz. to the 

 bushel. When the tomatoes have set two 

 trusses of fruits they should be fed with 

 superphosphate, given at the rate of one 

 ounce to three gallons of water once a week. 

 An occasional feeding with clear soot water 

 and also of liquid cow manure will prove of 

 great service, while top-dressings of ricli soil 

 should be given whenever the roots &how 

 through the soil surface. Make the soil very 

 firm, especiallv in tiie fruiting pots. 



GUANO.— a B. M., Chelsiield.— If you are 

 not satisfied you should have the guano 

 analysed as per the instructions given. We 

 must say we do not fully understand your 

 position or what it is you wish us to do for 

 you. There are various tests for high-class 

 guano, besides those of cliemical analysis, 

 and they are fairly good ones. Your sample 

 blazes up c[uickly when put on the fire, and 

 leaves a charcoal residue; it has a strong 

 salty taste, and it is neither grey enough to 

 contain an excess of earthy matter, or brown 

 enouglr to suggest an excess of moisture; 

 when damped it smells strongly of amiuonia, 

 as also it does when mixed with quicklime, 

 and all these tests suggest that the sample 

 is a good one. We shall be glad to help you 

 further if you will tell us exactly wliat your 



difficulty is. 



GARDENINO IN VICTORIA (AUS- 

 TRALIA).— T. H. P., Surrey, writes: " Hav. 

 ing been a constant reader of the Gar- 

 deners' Magazine for some considerable 

 time, I would like, through its pages, to ask 

 for opinions from gardeners as to the suit- 



ability or otherwise of Victoria, Australia, 

 for gardeners, I have had twenty years' 

 experience in very good private gardens, and 

 am thinking of going to Victoria, and there- 

 fore should be glad of some expressions of 

 opinion regarding private gardening there. 

 I am especially anxious to liave opinions 

 from those not directly interested in emi- 

 gration." If any of our readers are able 

 to help T. H. P., we shall be glad if they will 

 send us an expression of opinion on the 



PRIVATE GARDENS lOPEN TO THE 



PUBLIC. — G. W., Harrogate: In most cases 

 the well-known private gardens may be in- 

 spected free of charge if a request is made 

 in proper form to the owner. iSome owners 

 throw open their gardens upon certain daye 

 in the week or at certain periods of the year, 

 such as when rhododendrons or daffodils are 

 in bloom; if a charge is made for admission 

 on these occasions the amount received is 

 generally devoted to a charity or charities. 

 Among the gardens mentioned in your letter 

 we know that those at Belvoir Castle are re- 

 gularlv opened to the pulblic, but whether 

 there are specified times for the admission of 

 visitors to the others we do not know. 

 You could readily obtain the desired infor- 

 mation by writing to the head gardener in 

 each instance, and enclosing a stamped ad- 

 dressed envelope for reply. At the same time 

 the matter is of general interest, and so we 

 should be extremely obliged to our readers 

 if they will send us, on a postcard, the days 

 and hours during which private gardens in 

 their neighbourhood are thrown open to the 

 public. Such information regarding Rufford 

 Abbey, Melbourne Hall, Tissington Hall, 

 Beaulieu Palace, Brockenhurst, Eridge Cas- 

 tle, Farnham Castle, Groombridge House, 

 Longford Castle, Paulton Park, Knole Park, 

 Penslinrst Place, The Palace, Salisbury, 

 Tring Park, WMlton House, Taplow Court, 

 Pentillie Castle, Cote-bele, Waverley Abbey. 

 Castle Malwood, Chequer's Court, Hed.M>r 



OPEN TO ALL CLASSES. 



1912 will be a great "SWEET PEA YEAR." for interest in the Queen of Annuals is still increasing. 



Eckford's Sweet Peas, the famous Wem fjrrti of Sweet Pea Specialists have decided to give £1,000 in Cash Prizes to cultivators this year. provision 

 has been made so that every grower, large or small, may have a chance of a P*;*! e. There is no entry f^^^^ ^rT^/cofnl^^^.cx wJlSi'"®' classes and 

 conditions, may be obtained free by sending a postcard for same to HENRY ECKFORD. DEPT. 221, SWEET PEA SPECIALIST, WEM. 



NOVELTY 



OVER 200 



In view of the tremendous number of growers of 

 Cash Prizes to cultivators this year. Provision 



CUARA CURTIS {WAVHD),— A fine waved_ primrose 

 o! splendid substance ; very free flowering*, strong in growth 

 and stem ; fine for exhibition. In sealed packets, Jo seeds, 



3d. ; 2o. 6d. ; 40, 1/-. 



W , T. HUTOHINGS WAV ED).— A very fascinating 

 flower of soft cream overlaid with a delicate pink ; exceed- 

 ingly warm when bunched ; a strong grower, frequently pro- 

 ducing four flowers on long stems; of fine size and splendid 

 for exhibilion. In sealed packets, 7 seeds, 3d. ; i5,6d. ; 30. 1, -, 



OTH ELLO {Waved).— a beautiful self-coloured giant 

 chocolate, of splendid substance and robust habit. In sealed 

 packets, 10 seeds, 3d, ; 20, 6d. ; 40, 1 -. 



APPLE BLOSSOM i 1908 {W AVED).—Th\s, as its 



name implies, is a b-autiful fl wer of apple blossom colour, 

 of giani size, and, like most of the waved varieties, is a very 

 strong grower, giving long, strong stems, freijuently four- 

 flowered. In sealed packets, to seeds, 3d. ; 20, 6d. ; 40, 1 -. 



APR f COT {WAVED).— A beautiful light apricot overlaid 

 with rich cream pink ; delightful for table decoration ; one 

 of the most superb ; frequently giving fours on its splendid 

 long stems. In sealed packets, 5 seeds, 6d. ; 10, 1 



MRS, HENRY BELL (W^iveo).— A beautiful rich 

 apricot ground overlaid with a soft Link, which deepens 

 towards the edges of both standards and wings. Exceedingly 

 dainty for table or other decoration ; finely waved and fre- 

 quently four flowered ; on long strong stems ; a strong 

 grower. In sealed packets, 10 seeds. 3d, 20, 6d.; 40, 1 -. 



OFFER FOR 



TERR^ COTTA'—A bright cerise stan- 

 dard overlaid with terra-cotta ; wings soft 

 rose ; a very showy and free flowering gar- 

 den variety, and exquisite for table ; most 

 effective under artificial light. In sealed 

 packet's, s seeds, 6d. : 10, 1/-. 



M/SS GUEST iWAVED}. A pure, 



bright, almost scif rose, robust and of giant 



size ; beautifully waved ; a bold flower ; 



exquisite for cutting and fine for exhibition. 

 In sealed packets, 5 seeds, 6d. ; 10, 1/-. 



AST A OHN {W AVeo) ,—A pretty waved 

 lavender overlaid with rose; a very charm- 

 ing flower of good si/e and substance ; a 

 strong grower. In sealed packets, 10 seeds, 

 3d. ; 20, fid. ; 40, 1 



1912. 



CERISE {W AVEO) ,—A fine bold, beautifully waved, 

 true cerise ; a very strong grower, giving generally four 

 flowers on long, strong stems ; a fine exhibition variety and 

 exquisite for cutting. In sealed packets, 10 seeds, 3d. ; 



20, 6d. ; 40, 1/-. 



SAINT GEORGE {IMPROVED WAVED) - 



This is a very charming flower ; as accurately as one can 

 describe, it is a deep, exquisite coral of giant size and 

 splendid substance ; i-^ a fine exhibition variety and frequently 

 produces four flowers on long strong stems. In sealed packets, 

 5 s- eds, fid. ; lo, 1'-. 



DODWELL F.BROWNE {Waved).— T^^'i^ is a very 

 beautiful intense bright crimso three and four flowered, 

 almost a self: a true Giant Waved variety of intense King 

 Edward VII. colour, it is in great demand for exhibition 

 atui all other purposes. In sealed packets, 10 seeds, 3d.; 



20, fid ; 40, 1 



EVELYN HEMUS (Waved).—A warm cream shading 

 to yellow with a picotee edge of terra-cotta pink ; of great 

 size and refinement; standard and wings beautifully waved, 

 and nearly always four flowered. In sealed packets, 10 

 seeds. 3d. ; 20, fid.; 40, 1 -. 

 PICOTEE, (Waved). ~A giant waved flower, pure 

 white with a beautiful picotee edge of carmine ; in most cases 

 the flowers are borne in fours on a long, strong stem *, and they 

 are well placed and of splendid substance ; a really beautiful 

 flower and fine for exhibition. In sealed packets, 5 seeds, 

 3d. ; 10, fid. ; 20, 1'-. 



SPECIAL OFFER. 



One full-sized packet of each of the foregoing 14 charming and novel Sweet Peas, 11 6 post free for cash with order. 

 One half-sized packet of each of the foregoing 14 charming and novel Sweet Peas, 6/- post free for cash with order. 



SPECIAL COLLECTIONS FOR 1912. 



VILLA (A) COLLECTION . 



50 very choice varieties, suitable for Villa ii;arden. e.xfel- 

 lent_ giant flowered sorts, most suitable for cutting an<l 

 exhibition, 25 seeds of each, 10/-, post free, casli 



wi 



ord 



er 



VILLA (Si COLLECTION , 



24 splendid varieties, suitable for exhibition, 50 seeds 



of eacli, 5 6, post free, cash with order. 



EXHIBITORS' (D) COLLECTION > 



12 (iiant Waved varieties, new and up-to-date ; fi'i*^ 

 for txhibition, 10 seeds of each, 2,9, post free, cash 



with order. 



FREE. 



A specially written booklet on Sweet Pea (irowing given with every order. Send to WEM to ensure satisfaction. . , 



Send a postcard to-day for large illustrated and coloured Catalogue. It gives full particulars of ^.11 novelties in Sweet Peas for 1912, also complete particulars 

 of ihe ^i,ooo offered in Prizes for growers kA Ki kford'^ Sweet Peas, and contains full list of all flower and Vegetable Seeds. 



HENRY ECKFORD, F.R.H.S., Sweet Pea Specialist (Dept. 221), WEM, SHROPSHIRE. 



