May 18, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



^97 



work: for the week- 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



CALANTHES— In the warmest hoiitse the 

 deciduous calanthes are in various stages of 

 growth. Those unfolding their leaves are 

 rooting freely towards the sides of the pots, 

 and may now lie given more water, the 

 quantity being gradually increased as the 

 plants "make further progress, but allow- 

 ing them to become dry between each appli- 

 cation. Those that are more backward 

 should be ^et by themselves, as great care 

 must still be exercised in watering. Until 

 the plants are thoroughly established it is 

 advisable during bright weather to give them 

 extra shade, in addition to that provided by 

 the ordinary lath blinds; this is easily pro- 

 vided by laying strips of tiffany or thin 

 canvas between the glass and the blinds dur- 

 ing the hottest part of the day, 



CALANTHES.— Such 



EVERGREEN CAi^AlMMl^.;^.— sucii spe- 

 cies as C. vetratrifoiia and C. masuca are 

 not very often seen, but should now be open- 

 ing their flowers, and well-grown specimens 

 of either are an ornament to any collection. 

 If they are taken from the warm houFo when 

 about to open their flowers, and placed in 

 a cool, shady position in the intermediate 

 house, they will remain in full beauty for a 

 coneiderable time. While in bloom the plants 

 do not require as much water as when they 

 are in full growth. An excessive amount of 

 water at this stage will cause the flowers to 

 become spotted and fall away prematurely. 

 The proper time to repot is when the new 

 growths are nicely advanced, which occurs 

 about a month or so after flowering. Being 

 strong, free-rooting subjects, they require 

 rather large pots, which must be well 

 drained. A comjxist as for the deciduous sec- 

 tion will answer their requirements, and they 

 may be potted moderately firm, space being 

 allowed on the surface for sufficient water 

 to thoroughly soak the whole compost. 



THUNIAS, which have grown strong and 

 are well rooted and about to produce 

 their flowering racemes at the apex of 

 the new growths, must have copious water- 

 ings at the root, and w^eak liquid manure 

 about twice a week will be beneficial 

 until the flowers expand. When in bloom the 

 flower^ will last longer if the plants are 

 arranged in the cooler atmosphere of the 

 cattleya or intermediate house. 



CHYSIS. — Such plants as C. bractescens, 

 C. aurea, and the hybrid C. Chelsoni, are now 

 in full growth, and should any require re- 

 potting this must be done at once, lliese 

 plants succeed in a compost like that pro- 

 vided for cattleyas, and should be potted 

 moderately firm, and suspended in the 

 lightest position in the house. Many grow 

 the chysis in the cattleya house, but'l have 

 had the best results when growing them in 

 the warm house with dendrobiums, and rest- 

 ing them much in the same way, C. brac- 

 tescens and C. aurea are easy species to suc- 

 ceed with when newly imported. They will 

 00 well treated as intermediate orchids, but 



tT t^^^ treated like dendrobiums. All 

 ttirough the growing season chysis are sub- 

 ^^,^^^acks of small yellow thrips, and 

 wnen these minute insects get a footing low 



if ^^"^-i peculiar funnel-shaped growths 

 « IS difficult to dislodge them. A good plan 

 8 TO periodically dip the plants in some safe 

 feticide, afterwards rinsing them in clean 



mff i^fu ^^y'^S the plants on their sides 



the water has drained awav. 

 Barker, Weet Hill Gardens. 



CONSERVATORY AND CREEN- 



HOUSE. 



mnl; ^^f^ PURPUREA.-This, one of our 

 P^P"^^^ greenhouse plants, will now 

 rSri f The bulbs flower best if 



be afo ^^^^ r^ts, yet they must not 



tag Iir^"^* One often hears it said, " Vallo 

 ihan ih^^^^^^^ better in cottage windows 

 mit fv ^- private gardens," and I ad- 



be vLvv^lf the case, vet it is not to 



^^iidered at. Often in these columns I 



J. T. 



have spoken strongly against " coddling." 

 All plantti need rest, and the resting 

 period generally follows the flowering season. 

 But all plants do not rest in winter and 

 grow in summer, neither can any line be 

 drawn as to the- nature of the plants which 

 need rest at any given time. Thus the 

 Nerine rests in summer, and the vallota 

 grows in summer. Moisture is the principal 

 agent which stimulates activity. Therefore 

 to encourage growth we give moisture, and 

 to allow the plant to rest we withhold it. 

 Fresh air is life to all plants, and it works 

 wonders when properly regulated. We some- 

 times see the vallota grown in a stove or 

 vinery in a temj^erature of 80 degrees, cod- 

 dled and forced to death, and people wonder 

 why the bulbs deteriorate and fail to bloom. 

 The cottage window provides a slight protec- 

 tion from frost, and in winter most house- 

 wives give their window plants little water 

 until the spring, and active growth returns. 

 They then w^ater whenever the plants need 

 it, and the result is a perfect rest in winter, 

 a quick growth in summer, and a forest of 

 spikes in August and Septemlx^r. We grow 

 our vallotas hero in slightly heated pits on 

 ash base, and after flowering they are 

 not given water, but the cool base pre- 

 vents them becoming dust-dry. When active 

 growth sets in, as at present, the plants are 

 examined. Bulbs that require a shift are 

 potted, while others not requiring more 

 root room are cleaned and top-dressed. They 

 will need a quantity of water with liquid 

 manure twice weekly until the flowers are 

 over. The flower spikes will appear at the 

 beginning of August, and the plants should 

 then be moved to the conservatory to open 

 their flowers. We grow them three and four 

 bulbs in an 8-inch pot; large bulbs will 

 easily produce two spikes each. 



MALMAISON CARNATIONS.— These are 

 by now at their best, and the quality of the 

 blooms is very good owing to the light and 

 sunny spring! when the buds were develop- 

 fng. It is most essential to propagate as 

 soon as possible directly the flowers are over 

 or cut. The plants should not be allowed 

 to suffer from want of water, or red spider 

 will make its appearance at once. Choose a 

 cold frame, place thei-ein a bed of soil, com- 

 posed of, loam, leaf-soil, and sand. Select 

 some plants of each variety, choosing those 

 with the least number of growths (the i>est 

 plants should be selected for growing on^, 

 the growths to count as plants that will be 

 required. Turn them out of the pots with 

 the roots intact, and plant in the prepared 

 beds. Trim the Ixittom leaves from each 

 growth, and cut with a sharp knife below a 

 joint well down the stem, and draw the knife 

 towards vou and upwards for about an inch 

 to the next joint; bend the growth inwards 

 and downwards so that the heel thus made 

 stands out; peg each growth firmly in the 

 bed with short wire pegs, and cover the 

 centre of the old stool, and stems with a sandy 

 compost. The border varieties Cecilia and 

 King Arthur are also best layered in this 

 way. Keep the frames close and shaded for 

 a few weeks, damp over frequently, and th<^ 

 layers will root in about six weeks. The 

 l^est plants kept for specimens should be 

 shifted into lO-inch pots and stood outsuh^ 

 for a time.— Lewis Smith, Shotesham Park 



(Jardons. 



HARDY FRUITS. 



GOOSEBKKRY 



CATEKriI.LAK. 



This 



pest has already made its appearance on 

 the goosel)erry bushes, and, unless active 

 measures are promptly taken to suppress it, 

 the bushes will soon be stripped ot every 

 particle of foliage. Where gooseberries are 

 inore or less isolated, hand-picking is the 

 most effectual remedy, but where a number 

 of bushes are gmujied together, and the at- 

 tack IS general, «.praying with Hellebore 

 powder, soft soap, and water, or dusting 

 over the bushes (when damp) with Hellebore 

 powder, are the best remedies. Anotlier 

 method I have practised with success is to 

 knock off the caterpillars with a strong force 

 of water, either by means of a hose-pii>e or 

 garden engine, .and as each bush is cleared. 



a man follows \Vith freshly slaked lime, and 

 dusts the stem of the bush and the ground 

 underneath. The lime kills the caterpillars 

 and acts beneficially on the soil at the .same 

 time; it is necessary to apply the lime im- 

 mediately the pest is removed. Bed spider, 

 one of the worst enemies to contend with, 

 is early becoming troublesome; sulphide of 

 potassium at the rate Oi one and a-lialf 

 ounces to a gallon of water, with sufficient 

 s:jft soap to make the mixture adhere to 

 tlie foliage, ■ will be found an efte<'tual re- 

 medy for tliis pest; only with gooseberries 

 is it advisable to spray with so strong a 

 soluti<m of sulph'de of potassium. 



(JOOSI'IiKHRA' MILDEW,— It is at tliis 

 season that the American goost^berry mil- 

 dew can be recognised in its first stages by 

 the white powdery appearance at the tips 

 of the young growths, spraying the affected 

 bu.^ihes'and their immediate neighl>ours with 

 the sulphide of potassium wash will check 

 the spread of this disease, and -^liould the 

 weather be showery a sec<md or third apjili- 

 cation may be necessary to effectually check 

 further damage. If an attack is discovered 

 it must l)e notified to tlie Hoard of Agricul- 

 t u re . 



(iOOSEBEERIES GROWN AS CORDONS 

 should have all side growths pinched back 

 to three or four leaves, only extension 

 growths being left intact. An occasional 

 syringing with clear water will ]irove bene- 

 ticial and probably ward off an attack of 

 red spider, and a good mulching will pre- 

 serve moisture in the soil and assist the 

 swelling fruits. 



I.OdAXlJERRY AND WIXEHKRRY. 

 The tirst-named usually throws up a number 

 of young growths, and from four to six 

 (according to space at command) of the 

 strongest should be selected and tied in, the 

 remainder being cut out. The wineberry is 

 not so prolific in growth, but it may be 

 necessary to thin out some oi the weaker 

 growths^ retaining three or four of the best 

 placed. Estal>lished plants require high 

 feeding, and a rich mulch should 1h' applied, 

 while liquid manure, soot water, and guano 

 are good stimulants, and if the mulching 

 materia] is lacking, watering with either of 

 these will materially assist the plants to 

 carrv a heavv crop of fruits. 



WINTER ' MOTH AND OTHER LEAF- 

 EATING CATERPILLARS. — When the 

 apple blossom has fallen the trees should be 

 spravt>d : lead arr^nate is the best ]K>isou 

 for the pc>t>. and 3lb. of lead arsenate to 

 1(K) gallons of water will be a safe quantity. 

 Lead arsenate paste can be obtained, and is 

 a useful form to use, as it is reliable in 

 quality. If aphis are troublesome the lead 

 arsenate may be used in conjunction with 

 quassia extn'u t or a similar preparation, and 

 should the weatlier be showery a second 

 s]]raying w^ill be necessary. 



PROTEariNG MATERIAL FOR WALL 

 TREES may now be removed. The borders 

 should bie kept moist .and well mulched. 



Peaches and nectarines should be syringed 

 tiei'ly duriiii*- dry weatlier. and all in-sect 

 t^' niu^t lie kejit under by frpf|uent spray- 

 -W. Mkssfxokk. \\..:olv<T-i<.iit' Park 



(iardens. 



I 



n)L'>. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



CROPS.— Insuflicient 

 a fi'e<juent mistake 



THIXNIX(; TIIK 

 thinning is often 



made in connection witli vegetable crops. 

 In a season so dry as the oresent 

 a certain amount of care Ttni-t 

 cised. and thinning be dune 

 ])eri<>d>. A1 the time of writing 



six weeks' drought. When 

 parsnips hnally, leave them nine 



had 



pres 



a t t wo 

 we have 

 thinning 

 inches 



apart, carrots four to six inches apart, ana 

 onions the same, as many of these will be 

 required in the young state. If dry weather 

 prevails at the tinu' of thinning, endeavour 

 to water each line immediately, and ply the 

 through the crops afterwards. Peas 

 beans should be thinned where thick, 

 using those that ar<^ pulled for filling up 

 any gap that may occur: give a watering, 

 and lightly dust "with soot. Lettuce should 



hoe 

 and 



