8 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



January 27, 1912. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



CYPRIPEDIUMS of the cooler growing 

 section are amongst the most -beautilul aiKl 

 effective of winter-flowering orch ds. C. in- 

 signe and its many varieties, such as Hare- 

 field Hail, Sanderae, Sanderianum, Thomp- 

 Aoni, etc., are always appreciated. The^e 

 and the less distinguished varieties are not 

 only very beautiful, but last in a fresli con- 

 dition for a considerable time. Therefore, 

 where flowers are required in mid-winter, 

 they are indispensable, and should be grown 

 in quantity. The plants possess vigorous 

 constitutions, and are easily cultivated. 

 They are also capable of withstanding fogis 

 better than the majority of plants which 

 flower at this season, therefore, to those who 

 reside near large cities or towns, they are 

 mo^t desirable. C. Charle.sworthi, C. Fair- 

 rieanum, and C. villosum should also be 

 grown, as sliould the numerous varieties of 

 C. Leeanum, C. Euryades, C. Actaeus, C. 

 aureum. C. Alcibiades, C. Tlialia, C. Mmos, 

 C. Priam, C. Froilus, C. Germain Opoix, C. 

 Gaston Bulteel, and many others. 



POTTING.— All of the foregoing should 

 be potted as soon as potisible after their 

 flowers have faded, if this operation is neces- 

 sarv. I do not favour the practice of top- 

 dressing the plants, ae I believe we add to 

 the difficulty of watering by so doing. When 

 repotting afford liberal root room, with a 

 fair amount of clean crocks for drainage. 

 The compost these oypripediums succeed in 

 is made up of: two parts best fibrous peat, 

 one part polypodium fifbre, and one part 

 fibrous loam, with a liberal addition of 

 sphagnum moss. All the earthy particles 

 should be shaken from the peat, polypcdium, 

 and loam. Pot each plant with moderate 

 firmness, and keep its base just below the 

 rim of the pot, and the compost filled up 

 to the same level, so as to leave sufficient 

 space for holding water. The compost 

 should be used in a moist condition, but 

 care must be taken that it is not too wet. 



HEAT AND MOISTURE.— lliese plants 

 delight in a moist position, and must have 

 water administered to tliein, according to 

 their requirements. Kepotting offers a 

 favourable opportunity for div'ding any it is 

 desirable to increase the stock oi. I am 

 not in favour of dividing plants simply to 

 increase the numl>ers, as small plants do 

 not produce flowers as fine as plants that 

 are larger. Many recommend these plants 

 be grown in a cool house, but, to my mind, 

 it is follv to attempt their culture in a house 

 of that "description ; they will exist there, 

 but their proper place is in a moist atmo- 

 sphere in the intermediate house, and dur- 

 ing the growing season they need shade from 

 strong sunlight. 



GENERAL REMARKS.— During the wet, 

 dull weather that we are now experiencing 



it is desirable to pay great attention to the 

 airing and heating "^of the various houses: 

 sucli weather as we have had lately is alK>ut 

 the worst possible for successful orchid cul- 

 tivation.— T. Barker, West Hill Gardens. 



CONSERVATORY AND 



HOUSE. 



GREEN 



CYCLAMEN.— These handsome greenhouse 

 plants make a grand display in the conser- 

 vatory all through the winter and spring 

 months, and if they are brought on in 

 batches there is no difficulty in maintaining 

 a constant supply of flowers. A well-grown 

 plant, carrying io to 30 fine flowers, set off 

 -with f nely mottled foliage, is not easily sur- 

 pasc^ed. Cyclamens are best raised from 

 seed, annually. The older system of grow- 

 ing the bulbs or corms for several years has 

 now pretty well died out, although in some 

 gardens it is still practised with good re- 

 sults. The former system is generally ac- 

 knowledged to be the best, as tne plants 

 produce finer flowers on stronger stems. I 

 would advise sowing the seeds in two batches, 

 the first about the third week in February 

 and the second m August, llie early batch 



is best raised in heat. The compost best 

 Lsuited for sowing the seeds in is two yarts 

 loam, one part leaf-soil or peat^ and one part 

 coarse silver sand, all passed through a half- 

 inch sieve. Crock the pan well, and cover 

 the crocks with oak leaves; fill to within 

 one inch of the rim with the compost, make 

 firm and level, and sow the seeds singly and 

 evenly all over the surface, covering them 

 lightly with the compost; afterwards cover 

 the pan with a piece of glass, and this with 

 a piece ol paper until germination ensues. 

 Place in a temperature of 60 degrees. ^Yhen 

 the plants are well up, and have formed two 

 leaves, they should be potted off singly. 



NERINES.— The nerines 



are among our 



most gorgeous autumn-flowering bulbs, and 

 are at present finishing up their growth. 

 Some people imagine it is necessary to crowd 

 the bulb^ in a mass to induce them to bloom 

 well, and often they are left in the same 

 pots for five or six years. If certainly is 

 necessary to confine the roots, but at the 

 same time liberal treatment and a thorough 

 rest is the best inducement to a harvest of 

 flower and spikes. Take, for instance, Nerine 

 Fothergilli major, perhaps the most gorgeous 

 of all. Large bulbs, the size of the biggest 

 hyacinth bulbs, require a 48-size pot, and 

 they should be repotted at least every three 



years. The ibest time for this is directly 

 after flowering. The bulbs then commence 

 to root freely, and soon get established, llie 

 best compost to grow them in is loam, some 

 well-decayed manure, old mortar rubble, and 

 coarse sand, all passed through an inch sieve. 



LILIES. — Order bulbs of Lilium sp^ciosum 

 and L. s. rubrum, L. s. Melpomene, and L. 



auratum. Pot them directly they arrive, 

 and place two bulbs in large 16-sized pots, 

 using loam, rotten manure, peat, and 

 coarse sand, leaving room for top-dressing. 

 Place the pots in cold frame but protect from 

 frost. 



SEED SOWING, ETC.— Many stove and 

 greenhouse subjects which are raised an- 

 nually from seed require to be sown at once, 

 such as gloxinias, begonias, Clercdendron 

 fallax, etc. General remark : Place lilies, 

 azaleas, deutz'as, spiraeas in heat, and if 

 they have been grown in pots they will force 

 readily. Constant supplies of tulips, hya- 

 cinths, lily of the valley, should be brought 

 forward. — Lewis Smith, Shoteshani Park 

 Gardens. 



HARDY FRUITS. 



RASPBERRIES.— If fresh plantations are 

 to be formed the land should be heavily 

 manured and trenched at the earliest oppor- 

 tunity to allow the necessary settlement of 

 t he soi 1 be f or e planting t a k es place. O n 

 well-prepared ground the raspberry will 

 thrive and yield crops of fine fruits for many 

 years. The most satisfactory method of 

 training the growths is on wires strained at 

 the ends to iron or stout wood posts. A 

 space of four feet should be allowed, bet ween 

 the rows, and the plants placed eighteen 

 inches apart in the row ; when established, 

 five growths should be tied out at an equal 

 distance apart. When planting spread out 

 with due care the fibrous roots, working in 

 amongst them the finer portions of soil, and 

 make firm. I have noted very little differ- 

 ence eventually between such plants as were 

 cut down to within a foot of the ground, or 

 t h ose f r om which the tips we re removed, 

 either practi.se can he carried out with c-atis. 

 factory results. Many prefer to grow their 

 plants on the old method, a stake to each 

 plant. To do so the plants should he spaced 

 out three feet apart in the row, and allowed 

 four feet between the rows ; when placing the 

 stakes in position a cord stretched at the re- 

 quired height will ensure uniformity in the 

 row. 



LOGANBERRY. 



Tliis useful fruit re- 



quires more space between the rows, at least 

 six feet and five feet apart in the row. Tlie 

 top wire should be six feet from the ground. 

 Being a strong grower and gross feeder, it 

 should be treated liberally, or the plants 

 qTiickly lose strength, and the fruits dete- 

 riorate both in size and quality. 



THE WTNEBERRY.— Tliis fruit is worthy 



of more extended culture. Its highly attrac- 

 tive fruits are of much value for mixing with 

 red currants when the raspberry crop is over 

 or for preserving. The growths should 

 trained to wires similar to the loganberry 

 height of wire, tive feet, thi-ee feet apart in 

 the row, and five feet between the rows. Tlie 

 fruits are very much relished by the birds, 

 and therefore have to be protected. 



STANDARD AND BUSH PLUMS. — The 

 birds have commenced stripping out tlie 

 buds, and spraying will have to be resorted 

 to, to prevent their depredations. Where 

 growth is thick on standard trees, badly 

 placed growths and dead shoots should bf 

 cut away. Bush trees, if properly attended 

 to during the summer months, will require 

 very little pruning. The young breast shoots 

 and others for forming fruit spurs need les> 

 severe cutting back than is the case wit!; 

 apples and pears. To obtain crops of hioh- 

 class fruits the branches should be so di>- 

 posed that light and air has free admissi^ii 

 to all parts of the tree. Young trees makiii^i 

 too vigorous growth should be lifted, root- 

 pruned, and replaced in original .position. 

 As a preventive of injury by birds takiug 

 the buds, spray the trees with a mixture of 



lime, soot, and nicotine compound. By add- 

 ing half a pound of Russian tallow to eacli 

 peck of unslaked lime, the mixture will 

 adhere much better and longer. — Vi, 

 Messenger, Wolverstone Gardens, Ipswich. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN- 



LEEKS. — A small quantity of leek setds 

 should ibe immediately sown where early or 

 August leeks are required, deferring tlie 

 sow^ing of the autumn ones till the second 

 week in Februarv. Sow the seed in Gin. 

 pots, using a nice light sandy compost ; an 

 excellent place for germination is a vinery 

 just started; in fact, this will suit the yoiin^ 

 plants for some time. Prick off the seedlings 

 into boxes of similar soil when large enough, 

 and place in a position near the glass- 



ONIONS. — Where large, early bulbs are 

 required, seeds must be sown in soil as ad- 

 vised for leeks, but using boxes instead of 

 pots. E xcel len t onions are o b t a i ned for 

 later use by sowing the middle of February. 

 The boxes should be very carefully crocked 

 to ensure perfect drainage; just cover the 

 seeds with the fine soil, water well in, and 

 afterwards go carefully with the water-pot. 

 When the seedlings are large enough to 

 handle, prick them off into other boxes at 

 two inches apart in a well-prepared 

 compost of two parts loam and one part 

 each of leaf soil and spent mushroom-bed 

 manure, adding enough sand to keep tlie 

 whole open. 



PEAS. — A few boxes i^hould be sown for 

 an early supply, choosing a dwarf-growin? 

 variety which can be planted out later in 

 a frame; treated this way it will be observed 

 that a freer growth will result than from 

 sowing direct in the cold frame, 



POTATOES.— Providing these have been 

 sprouted in boxes, no time must be lost in 

 placing some in pots and boxes as the case 

 may be. Use a rough, light compost, and 

 cover the sets with two inches of soil, top- 

 dressing with similar soil as the shoots ap- 

 pear. A peach house just closed will be an 

 ideal place for potatoes. Here we place three 

 sets in a 9in. pot. 



TOMATOES.— Make a sowing of seed in 

 6in. p{)ts for a succession to the autumn-sown 

 ones. Use a light soil, consisting of loain- 

 leaf-soil, and sand in equal parts. Water 

 well in, and place the seed pot on a shelf 

 near the glass in a temperature of 55 to ^ 

 degrees. As soon as the seedlings show their 

 first true leaf, pot off singly into thumb 

 pots, adding rather more loam to the com- 

 post this time. Place near the glasf?, 

 avoid excess of water, both at the roots aiin 

 overhead. 



CUCUMBERS.— ^eeds of these should 

 sown singly in small 6f)-sized pots, arid 

 plunged in a hotl>ed to germinate ; f ailio? 

 this, fill a water trough on the hot-watof 

 p'pcg with cocoanut-^fibre or leaf-soil, aiid 

 plunge the pots therein. Quiet germination 

 must be encouraged, or the seeds will rot.^ 

 George Fllwood, Swanmore Park Garden?- 



