300 



THE GARDENERS* MAGAZINE. 



April 13,. 1912 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



NTH 



STOVE PLANTS. 



EMUM PULCHEL 



Blue 



flowers are not plentiful in the winter and 

 early spring months, and a good batch of 

 this' eianthemum is well worth a place. li 

 is very free flowering, and is easily propa- 

 gated now from cuttings taken from old 

 plants, and inserted in sandy soil. Place 

 in the propagating frame, and when rooted 

 pot singly into 3-inch pots and grow them 

 freely on a whelf in the Btove. When well- 

 established repot into 6-inch or 7-inch pots, 

 and grow them during the summer in an in- 

 termediate house or pit. Keep the points 

 pinched out as growth proceeds, to induce 

 a bushy habit, and when the pots are well 

 tilled with r<K)tH give \v-£H>kly applications 

 of diluted licjuid cow manure with a little 

 soot added. Where large specimens are in 

 demand the old plants may })e shaken out 

 and repotted into larger pots. A suitable 

 f<>iniK)st con.sists of two parts fibrous loam 

 to one each of le;it--*)i! and jn-at. adding 

 plenty of sharj) saiul. 'I'im' (■(>niiK)>1 ^liould 

 HM (1 in a lumpy state, and made tirni. 



\vi.\'i'i:i; - KLOwKRiNc; begonias . 



Pay special attention to the propagation of 

 sufficient numbers of these indispensable 

 ])lants at tliis time. As advised in a previous 

 calendar, carlv propagation is es-sential, and 

 the bc-t Hiat»^rial for cuttings is to Ik- had 

 from tlir earliest flowered plants tliat were 

 cut down some time back. These will have 

 ])r(Klueed new shoots, and some of them may 

 be ri'potted and again grown as speeimens 

 for eailv ^lu^^ t-ri no-. '1 he large-flowered 

 varietiv-,'. ^uch as Wint^M Ciieer, Julius, and 

 th,« likr, are not usually ^o ready to pro- 

 duce- cut t in*;s. and rvcry encouragement 



shonhl We given t lu' old |il:uits to induce 

 them t(t hreak into orowtli. 'lake the cut- 

 tings when an ineli «>r two in length, and 

 insert them in sandy soil, and place in tlie 

 propagating frame, i in mediately 1 hey are 

 rooted place on a li.j^hl shelf and pol <>fl" 

 into thuml) |>ot-^. 



CISSUS DISCOLOR.— Ah an ornamental 

 climbing foliage plant for rafters, or walls 

 in the stove, this plant i> unique. It is of 

 free growth, and. all hough good results may 

 Ix* obtained by ket^jiino- the plants in large 

 pots, the growth will be more luxuriant 

 when the plant is in a restricted border. A 

 compost of two parts loam to one each of 

 peat and leaf-soil, with sand and broken 

 charcoal added, will suit the plants, using it 

 in a rough condition. Cuttings will readily 

 emit roots if taken when three or four 

 inches long and plunged in heat. 



OTHER CLIMBERS.— All climbers need 

 close attention now that growth is active: 

 regulate the shoots or they will quickly be- 

 come entangled and damaged. Watch must 

 be kept for insect pest8. All climbers should 

 be kept scrupulously clean or the insects will 

 fall upon plants growing heneath them.— 

 H. T. Martin, Warren Wood Gardens. 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



THE INTERMEDIATE HOUSE.— Odonto- 

 glossum citrosmum having been well rested 

 throughout the winter, will now be pushing 

 flower spikes from the centre of the new 

 crrowths, and the plants so doing may b-c^ 

 eiven more water at the roots. They should 

 be suswnded from the rafters of the house, 

 a position in which the pendant flow;er-scapes 

 show to advantage, and where the increased 

 liffht is beneficial. The best time to afford 

 fi^6h rooting material is directly the flowers 

 are over, and as it is not a very strong-root- 

 ing subiect the receptacles should only be 

 iust large enough to accommodate the 

 plants and allow for their development for 

 two seasons. They succeed either in poU, 

 pans, or teakwood baskets, but m whichever 

 receptacle they are grown, the drainage must 

 be aWl^3 but only a thin layer of <^o«iP<>?t^ 

 necessary- rooting materials should be 



pressed moderately firm about the roots and 

 water should >>e sparingly applied until new 



roots begin to develop freely, but afterwards 

 a liberal supply of moisture is needed. In 

 the autumn, when the pseudo-bulbs are tully 

 matured, watering at long intervals will 

 suffice to keep the growths plump and the 

 roots healthy. 0. citrosmum enjoys more 

 heat than O. crispum, and others of that 

 class, and therefore r>hould be grown at the 

 cool end of the intermediate house. Direct 

 sunshine is not advisable, but the less the 

 l>lants are shaded, provided the foliage is 

 uninjured by fecorcliing, the better It 

 surprising the quantity of sunlight the 

 plants will withstand without evil eftects, 

 provided the atmosphere is kept moist, and 

 ventilation is free. After being disturbed 

 at the roots, the plants often shrivel, there- 

 fore every care is necessary, after potting, 

 not to expose the plants to too much light 

 until they are re-established. 



EPIPHRONITIS VEITCHI. — This de- 

 lightful bigeneric hybrid is now pa.ssmg out 

 of bloom, and should have attention. Many 

 growers fail to grow it satisfactorily through 

 leaving it too long in the same compost. 

 Like some of the epidendrums, it has a habit 

 of growing itself out of the compost, and 

 f^honld therefore be cut down, and the stems 

 nia<ie up again into neat little specimens. 

 As cixm as it has finished flowering is the 

 iK^st time to ])erform this operation. Many 

 grow it too cool ; I find it succeeds admir- 

 ably, at the cool end of the intermediate 

 house, grown in shallow pans, in the kind of 

 compost used for cattleyas. Water must be 

 administered w^ith great care after the plants 



have boen di'>tnil>ed . but this holds good in 

 evt-ry ea-e, and. too much care cannot be 

 bestowed upon watering newly-potted plants, 

 to whatsoever genus they belong. 



EPIDENDRUMS. . 



Th 



lon^-stemmed 



species, such as E. Wallisi, E. Endreei, E. 

 xanthinum, E. radicans, and the hybrids 

 from them, are now^ becoming active and 

 ])ushing out new roots, and the present time 

 is, therefore, favourable for repotting them, 

 .-liould it Ix- a necessity. They will all sne- 

 « . .'d in the intermediate house, and should 

 he grown in ordinary flower pots, using a 

 compost as for cattleyas. E. radicans and 

 others of rambling habit, which emit roots 

 throughout the whole length of their stem=,. 

 should have stout stakes placed in the pots 

 for support, and the plants should, as far as 

 possible, be trained into a presentable 

 shape. Being subject to attacks of red-spider 

 they should be syringed or sprayed, espe- 

 cially on the under sides of their leaves. 



INSECT PESTS.— Should an attack of any 

 insect pest develop, we may conclude that 

 tiie plant is not in its proper place as regards 

 moisture, temperature, or even shade and 

 light. A sickly plant is subject to every 

 kind of attack.— J. T. Barkee, Tlie ^Vest 

 Hill Gardens. 



FRUITS UNDER CLASS. 



FRUITING POT VINES.— The berries will 

 <if they liave not already) soon commence to 

 colour where the cultural details have been 

 properly attended to; strict attention must 

 be paid to watering, as vines must not be- 

 come dry at any time. Syringing should be 

 discontinued, and the damping down of the 

 house reduced to a minimum ; admit air 

 freely when possible, both by the top and side 

 ventilators, allowing a little ventilation to 

 remain on at night. Endeavour to maintain 

 a brisk, buoyant atmosphere, not overcharged 

 with moisture. Weak applications of liquid 

 manure and chemical stimulants should be 

 administered three or four times a week 

 until the berries have nearly finished ripen- 

 ing, w^hen they should be discontinued. It 

 may be necessary, and it is also very beneficial 

 at "the present time, to give the plants a 

 slight top-dressing, with good rich loam, 

 with a little old mortar rubbish added, llie 

 laterals may be allowed to grow more freely 

 l>efore being stopped during the ripening 

 period, but not in such a manner as to cause 

 the foliage to become dense and confused. 

 Keep a sharp loo/ out for xed spider, and, 

 shoxild it make its appearance, thoroughly 

 svringe the affected leaves with soapy water. 

 rVIaintain a steady bottom heat, with a night 



I 



temperature in the house of from 65 deg. to 

 68 deg. 



POT FIGS.— The fruits will be swelling 

 away freely now, and the day and night tem- 

 perature should be slightly increased. Create 

 plenty of atmospheric moisture by frequently 

 damping* down the house and syringing tlie 

 plants; copious supplies of water will be 

 necessary, and the soil in the pots should not 

 approach dryness at any time. Give stimu- 

 lating liquids occasionally, to accelerate the 

 swelling and full development of good-sized 

 fruits. If red spider is troublesome, syringe 

 the plants several times with a solution of 

 sulphur, or dust the affected pai-ts with dry 

 flowers of sulphur. When the fruits com- 

 mence to ripen, drier atmospheric conditions 

 must prevail ; but, at the same time, it should 

 be borne in mind that the roots of the plants 

 should not be allowed to suffer for want of 

 water under any circumstances. 



STKAWBEREIES.— Continue to introduce 

 batches of plants into heat, to maintain a 

 succession; give clear liquid manure alter- 

 nately with pure watei% unless the plants are 

 disposed to make too much foliage, when 

 stimulants of any kind must be moderated. 

 ITiin out the fruits to the required numher 

 as soon as set. Gather fruits which are ripe 

 daily, laying them carefully in single layers, 

 in shallow^ trays or baskets. 



PINEAPPLES.— Plants that have been re- 

 cently potted should be watered carefully 

 until the roots have permeated the new com- 

 post; lightly spray the plants daily, and, as 

 the season advances, admit air more liber- 

 ally as weather permits. Maintain a dry 

 atmosphere where the plants are ripening off 

 their fruits, with a temperature o: 85 deg., 

 allowing a rise of 10 deg., with sun heat.— 

 Henry E. Fabmer, Cardiff Castle Gardens. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



E A R L Y -F L O W E R I N G S H R U B S . — Tli ese 

 have burist into blossom imusually early this 

 spring", and varions siibiects are quite gay, 

 and especially full of floVer. The floweriiio; 

 currants, form picturesque objects on. the out- 

 skirts of the shrubberies. Nuttallia cerasi- 

 formis is producing its racemes of greenish- 

 white flowers with great profusion. The mag- 

 nolias are a mass of bloom, a large group 

 of Magnolia stellata forming an especially 

 fine picture. Tlie forsvthiad are flowerine: 

 abundanlly, and a huge bed of F. suspeiisa 

 against a background of dwarf pines is a 

 very picturesque sight. Shrubs like tlie 

 forsythia^ and Chimonanthus fragrans 

 should be pruned back closely immediately 

 after flowering. 



ANNUALS.— Those that have been re- 

 served for outdoor sowing should be sown uow 

 that the surface ^oil can be raked down 

 finely for their reception. It is advisalile w 

 sow "where the plants are to flower, au" 

 afterwards to thin them out to a smtaoi^, 

 distance apart. Bare spaces m the fro"^ 

 the flower borders and shrubberies are sui 

 able for manv annuals, while those "itenoe 

 to produce blooms to use in a cut state enoi 

 be given a border to themselves, .'-'a^^'lj' 

 godetias, nigellas, coreojisis, and iiugnone 

 are suitable for sowing outdoors at tne \' 

 sent time. 



SUMMER BEDDING . kts --Fuel.- 



sias, pelargoniums, swamsonias, 

 and calceolarias that are estabhshefl in r ^ 

 from which tliey will be planted out, 

 be removed to cold frames eo as to n. 

 them off slowly. As soon as they a ^.^ 

 customed to the change, give pl^n^:| ' -^^ 

 and remove the lights entirely duiii g 



weather ; attend to the pin^^^i^^, ,peci- 

 shoots so as to produce neat Dusuy i^^^^^ 



mens. Hardy annuals in oo^*^'. /'j that 

 frames, can be placed outside, P^*^^';" ff ^rded 

 adequate means of protection can w a _ 

 in case of frosty nights, lobelias and P^^^^ 

 thrums that are grown for edging P h 

 can either be grown in shallow dc 

 pricked off in cold frames near tne k 

 where they will make stui^y /^"'^onf.b, 

 can gradually be hardened oft.— J- 

 Batsford Park Gardens. 



