410 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



Mat 25, 1912. 



pileas, panicums, fittonias, and lycopodiums 

 ■of sorts. Nothing adds so much to the gene- 

 ral effect of plant houses as an edging of 

 fresh, young plants in small pots, besides 

 being u&eful for decoration in rooms. In- 

 sert several cuttings in each pot so that they 

 will soon become useful. 



GENERAL WORK.— As all plant life is 

 now very active, it is essential to allow the 

 plants ample room for proper development; 

 and to rearrange them occasionally. Many 

 plants have no<w been removed from the 

 warm houses and pits to cooler quarters, 

 thus making room for setting out those re- 

 maining farther apart. Raise the best 

 specimens on pots, or stands specially made 

 for the purpose, so a« to allow the air 

 to play about them. Admit air freely 

 by the roof ventilators on fine days, but 

 close early in the afternoon, and syringe 

 heavily. A little air may be admitted for 

 two or three hours early in the evening with 

 advantage during warm weather. This will 

 keep the atmosphere sweet without lowering 

 the temperature. Give a light fumigation oc- 

 casionally to keep down insects; but care 

 must be taken that any delicate ferns, or 

 other plants, ar-t^ first removed for the night. 

 H. T. Martin, Warren Wcod Gardens. 



FRUITS UNDER CLASS. 



PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 



— The 



fruits in the early house will be approaching 

 the ripening stagfe ; maintain a free circula- 

 tion of air in the house night and day, and 

 dispense with artificial heat during bright, 

 warm, sunny days, but on sunless days and 

 at night artificial heat must be used to main- 

 tain the proper temperature. The leaves 

 should be turned aside from the fruits, so 

 that the latter may be exposed to the sun- 

 light, to ensure a fine colour and flavour; 

 discontinue the use of the syringe as soon 

 as the fruits begin to ripen, but at the 

 same time plenty of clean tepid water should 

 be given to the roots when required. It 

 does not follow, although drier atmospheric 

 conditions must prevail in the house during 

 ripening, that the soil should be allowed to 

 become dry at that period. Continue to tie 

 in and train the young growths for next 

 season's bearing; do not hesitate to remove 

 any growths that are not required, as it is 

 a common mistake to tie in a quantity of 

 growths that "wlill hiavie- to fbe cut away 

 when the autumn pruning takes place; every 

 endeavour should be made to retain just 

 sufficient growths. The fruits should be care- 

 fully examined every day when they are ap- 

 proaching maturity, and when ripe they 

 should be carefully gathered, exercising great 

 care not to bruise them, or the flavour and 

 appearance will be impaired ; place them 

 singly in shallow trays, and, if put into a 

 cool, airy fruit room, they will keep in good 

 condition for several days, if not required 

 for immediate use. 



PINE-APPLES.— Any plants that may re- 

 quire repotting should be taken in hand at 

 once. Where successional plants have rooted 

 well in the new soil, and also where they are 

 swelling their fruits, abundance of heat 

 and moisture are necessary. Thoroughly 

 syringe the plants, and close the house 

 early in the afternoon ; carefully main- 

 tain sufficient artificial heat on dull, 

 sunless days, and also at night, but it 

 should be borne in mind that the pipes 

 must not become over-heated at any time. 

 xVppIications of liquid farmyard manure or 

 ■some approved chemicals should be given once 

 or twice a we^-k. Eemove suckers other than 

 those that are required for propagation. 

 Fruits that are ripening will require very 

 little water. Admit air when possible, leav- 

 ing a little ventilation at night when the 

 weather permits. 



FIGS.— The fruit-s on the earliest trees^will 

 be ripening, so admit abundance of air l)oth 

 at the top and side ventilators; discontinue 

 syringing, and gradually reduce the supply 

 of water to the roots, but in such a manner 

 as not to allow the soil to approach dryness 

 at any time. Remove all suckers that spiing 

 up from the roots, or otherwise the sap will 

 flow t^ them rather than to the fruiting 



1 



branches. Continue to stop and tie in the 

 growths when necessary, and make every 

 effort t-o keep the foliage free from ^.ed spider 

 and other insect pests. — Henry R. Farmeb, 

 Cardiff Castle Gardens. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



THE ROCK GARDEN.— Plants like saxi- 

 ragas, aubrietias, and alyssums that have 

 finished flpwering must have all dead flower 

 stalks clipped off while any of the plants 

 that are encroaching too much on their 

 neighbours must be restricted. Every means 

 should be taken to maintain the smart ap- 

 pearance of the rockery for as long as pos- 

 sible by giving it constant attention and 

 keeping it free from weeds. Although many 

 of the more showy plants are almost over, 

 there are still numerous subjects to continue 

 the display. Some of the more ornamental 

 of these include Veronica rupestris^ V. pros- 

 trata, Campanula radiana, Hypericum rep- 

 tans, Gypsophila cerastioides, G. repens, 

 Edraianthus tennifolius. Lychnis viscaria 

 splendens fl. pL, helianthemums, and pinks in 

 variety. Do not let any of the plants suffer 

 for lack of water^ and after bright days damp 

 over the whole rockery in the evening. Vari- 

 ous subjects, like arabis and aubrietia can 

 now be rooted readilv from cuttinofs if in- 

 serted in light sandy soil on a shady border 

 or in a cold frame. 



SEED SOWING.— The present is a suitable 

 time to sow seeds of numerous plants for 

 spring decoration. Amongst the various 



kinds that should be raised now are wall- 

 flowers, myosotis, sweet williams, polyan- 

 thuses, anchusas, and campanulas. Choose 

 an open position for a seed-bed, and if the 

 soil is dry, it is an advantage to water the 

 drills beiore sowing. Delphiniums, aqui- 

 legias, and poppies can also be sown now. 



PERPETUAL CARNATIONS.— These are 

 ideal plants for outdoor flowering, and, if 

 planted in a partially-shaded position at the 

 present time, will continue to bloom until 

 late autumn. Plants in 48-size pots in active 

 growth, and already set with flower-buds 

 should be employed toensure the be^t results, 

 but during the last two seasons we have 

 utilised the old plants that have flowered 

 during the winter with complete success. A 

 bed of Britannia carpeted with Iresine 

 Herbsti is a very showy object when in 

 bloom. In addition to the above varietv, 

 Enchantress, Mrs. H. Burnett, May Day, 

 Winsor, Rose Dore, and White Perfection 

 are to. be recommended. 



PREPARAllONS FOR BEDDING.— Most 

 spring flowers have passed early this season, 

 and as soon as they can be dispensed with 

 commence to prepare the beds for their sum- 

 mer occupants. When the beds were well 

 manured in the autumn it will be sufficient 

 to dig them thoroughly, and in cases where 

 the ground is exceptionally dry it is desirable 

 to thoroughly water the soil before planting 

 is commenced. All bedding plants should 

 be in cool quarter:^, so that they will be 

 sufficiently hardened off by the end of the 

 month. It is always an advantage to have 

 as many of the plants in bloom at the time 

 of bedding out as can well be managed, and 

 during bright weather such subjects as fuch- 

 sias, heliotropes, streptosolens and lantanas 

 will be greatly assisted in the matter of 

 flower production by being kept regularly 



syringed over. In shie^ltered localities a start 

 can be made now, commencing with the more 



hardy subjects first. — J. Gardner, Batsford 

 Park Gardens. 



Dwarf Polyantha Roses in 



, — Apart from their value in the open 

 ground, where their beauty extends over 

 such a lengthened period, these roses are also 

 very desirable for growing under glass, and 

 in this way anticipating their usual season 

 of blooming out of doors. So treated they 

 form an exceedingly pretty feature in the 

 greenhouse. In order to have them at their 

 best, thev must not be hard forced, but just 

 brought on gradually. I particularly like the 

 briglit coloured variety Jessie when treated 

 in this way. — W. 



ROYAL 



SHOW 



DONCASTER, 



July 2nd to 6th, I9I2 



73rd annual exhibition of Hoeses, 

 Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, Poultry and Fakm 

 Produce ; Jumpinu, Sheep Dog Trials, 

 Horse-Shoeing and Butter-Making Compe- 

 titions, Agricultural Education, Forestry 

 AND Horticulture. 



HORTICULTURE 



ENTRIES CLOSE MAY 3ht 



(Live Stock entries close May 20tb). 



Prize-slicets and Entry Forms will be forwarded 

 cn applicatioTL to 



THOMAS McEOW, Secretary. 



Eoyal Ag-ricultuml Society of England, 

 16, Bedfo-rd Square, London, W.C. 



ANLEY PARK, STAFFORDSHIRE 



JULY 3rcl and 4th, 191^, 



SIXTEENTH 

 GREAT ANNUAL FLORAL FETE. 



H 



£5CC in Frizes, Silver Cupe, Gold and Silver iledaU, 

 Silver Challenge' Cup, value £10 iCs., offered for 

 r Trad© Exlhibit " (for particulars nee page 7 m 



" Valuable -Special Frizee offered by the rrintipal 

 Firms in England. 

 Schedules po^t free on application to 



WM. FOULSON, Secretary. 



Town Hall, Hanley. 



w 



OLVERHAMPTON. 

 GREAT FLORAL FETE. 



JULY 9th 10th. 11th. 1912. 

 £900 IN FlUZKS. 

 Selw^dulee on application to the Secretary (post freel, 

 R. F. Amphlett, 80, Darlington Street. AVolverhampton . 



HORTICULTURAL SHOW ADVEKTiSE- 

 MEXTS are iBserted in this column at bii- 



pence per line, the minimum cbarge ^J^^^ t^L^tSte 

 lings aid Sixpence. Offices, 148 and 149, Aldere^te 



Street, London, E.C. 



EXHIBITIONS AND 



MEETINGS. 



Royal Horticultural Society. 



SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE : MAY 14. 

 Present: Mr. E. A. Bowles M-A-, 

 E.E.S. (in tlie chair); Dr. A. Vcelcker, 

 LMessTs. W. E. Le.dger, J. T. Bennett-Foe, \^ • 

 Fawcett, W. Hales J. O'Brien, J. -braser, 

 C. E. Shea, R. H. Curtis, W. B. Hemsley, 

 and F. J. Chittenden (hon. secretary). 



IRISES.— It was reported that the Coud- 

 cil had awarded a Certificate of Appreciation 

 to Mr. R. Dvkes for his work with the iri^e^ 

 which he exhibited at the last meeting 

 the committ-ee. 



ARS ENIC AL POISONING .—Dr. Voelcker 

 said that he had ascertained that the sour 

 of the arsenic in the water referred to at 

 last meeting was weed-killer. 

 TULIPS WITH FIMBRIATED EDGES.--- 



Lowdham, sent 



•h cut 



ot 



two 



tulips having their perianth pieces "i"<-''V _ 

 along the edges, which had occurred among 

 T. Gesneriana and Margaret respectneiy- 

 The plants had been marked so that xu 

 behaviour next season might be ^^c^rtai ^ 

 One or two other similarly cut-petalled p^a' 

 had been reported this season. ^ 



HYBRID ORCHID.— Mr. J. 

 showed from Mr. E. F. Clark, of Ever^ho., 

 Dorset, a flower of an orchid raised by ci^ 

 ino- l.ivUa cinnabarina and Lffilio-Cattieyd, 

 G. S. Ball. The latter is a liybrid^^^.^ff; 

 Laelia cinnabarina and Cattleya Schroder^; 

 The flower was an improved Laelia ci ^^^^ 

 barilla, large and more open in the UV, 



