June 22, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



479 



buted a nice set of sweet peas; Mr. W. A. 

 Manda, St. Albans, sent new ferns, etc. Mr. 

 H. N. Ellison, West Bromwich, interested 

 hosts of people with a collection of curious 

 cacti (set up by him for Messrs. F. A. Haage, 

 jun., Erfurt), and choice f-erns. Mr. W. J. 

 Unwin, Histon, showed Mrs. W. J. Unwin, 

 Clara Curtis, Nora Unwin, Gladys Burt, and 

 Arthur Unwin, and other sweet peas of his 

 raising. Messrs. G. Massey and Sons, Spald- 

 ing, sent a lovely lot of herbaceous pseonies. 

 Messi*s. A. W. King and Co., Coggeshall, put 

 up an artistic display of sweet peas, arrang- 

 ing th«ir flowers in stands of varying height 

 rising well above the usual bunches of bloom ; 

 Mrs. W. King, Anglian Lavender, Anglian 

 Orange, and Anglian Crimson were foremost 

 varieties. Mr. G. W. Millar, Wisbech, again 

 showed his. fine new pyrethrum Queen Mary. 



Messrs. Charlesworth and Co., Hay wards 

 Heath, put up a pretty group of orchids, 

 wherein the leading plants w^ere Odontioda 

 Bradshawise, Odontoglossum Aireworth, L.-c. 

 Canhaniiana alba, Cattleya Mossiae Wagneri, 

 and C. M. Eeineckiana. Messrs. Mansell and 

 Hatcher, Rawdon, Leeds, had also an attrac- 

 tive exhibit of orchids, and here Cypripe- 

 dium Curtisi, C. Smithi, Lselio-cattleya Mar- 

 tineti, L.-c. Eudora, and Laelia purj)urata 

 were conspicuous. Messrs. Sander and Sons, 

 St. Albans, presented a goodly group of or- 

 chids, and they had fine examples of Lselio- 

 cattleya Martineti, Cattleya gigas Sanderi- 

 ana, L.-c. Fascinator, and Miltonia vexillaria 

 Lambeauiana, with lovely white flowers. 



Mr. George Yeld, Burton Lan-e, York, sub- 

 mitted a small but verv beautiful collection 

 of hybrid and cross-bred hemerocallis and 

 irises; among the latter Asia, Purity, Sea 

 Nymph, Nero, and Geraldine were particu- 

 larly pretty. Mr. Yeld's excellent work is 

 becoming more and more important and use- 

 ful. Mr. E. J. Hicks, Twyford, displayed 

 roses finely, and his stands of Mdme. Abel 

 Chatenay, Richmond, Mdme. Jules Grolez, 

 and Frau Karl Druschki were first-rate. 



Mr. George Prince, Longworth, was a large 

 exhibitor of roses, and put up charming lots 

 of Le Progres, Lady Hillingdon, the new- 

 Rayon d'Or, Lady P'irrie, Juliet, and other 

 bright varieties. * Mr. Henry Drew, L<ong- 

 worth, displayed a nice collection of ram- 

 bling, decorative, and garden roses. Mr. R. 

 Sydenham, Tenby Street, Birmingham, staged 

 a set of sweet peas in rustic ware. 



Premier 



MEDALS, ETC. 

 Prize. — Th© Archbishop of 



York's 



M 



HoLlfff 



and 



prize for the most meritorious exhibit in the 

 show went to Mr. J. Donoghue, gardener to 

 J. Pickersgill, Eisq., Weetwood, for his group. 



Spscial Gold Medal.— For best collection of 

 orchids, to Messrs. Sander and Sons,* St. Albans, 

 i^or the best collection of decorative plants and 

 cut flowers, arranged for effect, to Messrs. Wm. 

 Cutbush and Son, Highgate. 



Large Gold.— To Messrs. Webb and Son«, 

 Uordsley, Stourbridge; to Messrs. E. W.King 

 and Co., Coggeshall; to Mr. E. J. Hicks, Twv- 

 ford; to Messrs. Bobbie and Co., Edinburgh; 

 and to Messrs. Sutton and Sons, Reading. 



Gold.— To Mesei-s. Sander and Sons, St. 

 Albans; to Messrs. W. Cutbush and Son. 

 Highgate; and to Messrs. Young and Co., 

 Hatlierley, Cheltenham. 



Large Silver-Gilt.— To 

 Robertson, Dublin; :\Ir. 



and Messrs. Charlesworth 

 Heath. 



Silver-Gilt.— To Mr. C. 

 to Messrs. R. H. Bath, Wisbo< h ; to Messrs. 

 A ansell and Hatcher, Rawdon, Leeds; to 

 Alossrs. J. Kolway and Son, Langport ; to 

 ^\J-esjsrs. H. B. May and Sons. Edmonton; to 

 Messrs. W. and J. Brown. Stamford; to :Mr. 



F. Waters, Balcotnbe ; and to Mr. C. W. 

 J^readmore, Winchester. 



Large Silver.— To Mr. G. Pritice, Long- 

 worth; and to Messrs. Batchelor aii<l Son 

 Harrogate. 



Silver.--To [Nfessrs. Aldersy and Marsden 



Qk"^' "^'^'^^o": to Messrs. Seagrave and Co., 

 Sheffield; to Mr. H. Drew, Longworth; to 

 Aliss Hemus, Upton-on-Severn ; to Messrs. 

 1 Godfrev a nd Son. Exniouth ; to M 



L. Sadler. Xrwhurv; to Mr. F. A. Haage 

 J\'n., Erfurt: u. Mr. W. J. Unwin, Histon 

 V ambs; to Me^>rs. ]\Iassey and Sons, Spalding 

 Mr. C. Warner. Leicester ; and to ^fessrs 

 Jarnmn and Co., Chard. 



essrs. --v,^ 

 G. Yeld, York . 

 and Co.. Havwards 



4- 



Elli<tt T . St rv:Miage ; 



r 



ANSWERS TO 



CORRESPO NDENTS. 



Editorial Communications should be addre^ged to the 

 Editor of the Gahdeners' Magazine, 148 and 149, 

 Aldersgate Street, E.G. 



Secretariefi of horticultural eocieties are invited to 

 Bend early notification of forthcoming exhibitions 

 and meeting's, and are requested to advise ils con- 

 cerning changes of dates. 



Specimeng of plants, flowers, and fruits for naming 

 or opinion should be sent to the Editor of the 

 Gardeners' Magazine, " Endeleigh,*' Prior Park, 

 Kew, Surrey, and as early in the week as possible. 

 All i>arcielfi must be sufficiently prepaid. 



The Editor will be glad to receive photographis of 

 gardens, plants, flowers, trees, fruits, etc., for 

 reproduction in the Gardeners' Magazine. He will 

 also be greatly obliged by correspondents sending 

 early intimation of interesting local events relating 

 to hortieu'lture. In sending newspapers containing 

 matter to which they wish to draw attention cor- 

 respondents are requested to distinctly mark the 

 paragraph. 



RUST ON FERNS.— C. C. W., Clapham : 

 I should be glad of information, cause, and 

 cure, if any, regarding the rujst as on speci- 

 mens of fern fronds enclosed- Ruc^t of this 

 character appears to be a local trouble here, 

 and some gardeners will not attempt to grow 

 pteris in this district because of the trouble. 

 At present I have a fernery where plants are 

 growing freely in rockwork, and there are no 

 signs of rust on these, but a batch of 

 pteris in another house is badly affected.-— 

 We have on several occasions pointed out 

 that the "rust" that appears all too fre- 

 quently on ferns, is eiinilar to, if not iden- 

 tical with, the Begonia rust. One of the 

 mites, a species of Tarsonymus, is the cause 

 of the trouble, and it is encouraged by a 

 dry atmosphere. Infested plants should be 

 dusted freely and frequently with tobacco 

 duist, and tlie afmosphere of the house must 

 be kept moist. Another method of dealing 

 with the pest is that of dipping the infested 

 plants in a soft soap and sulphur mixture. 

 Take four ounces of soft soap and knead into 

 it as much flowers of sulphur as it will com- 

 fortably hold; add hot water and stir vigo- 

 rously till the soap and sulphur are dissolved, 

 and then add isufficient tepid soft water to 

 make up a gallon and a-half of solution. 

 Into this dip the ])lants at intervals of a 

 week; one dipping will kill the mites but not 

 the eggs, hence a second, and probably a 

 third dipping will be necessary. See that 

 the surroundings are clean, or the pest may 

 re-infe^t the ferns from other plantt>. 



THINNING PEACHES AND NECTA- 

 RINES.— F. R., Chatham: Kindly tell me 

 what would be a fair crop of peaches and 

 nectarines for ti^ees- covering a wall space 

 about ten feet high and twelve feet wide. 



Where the conditions are satisfactory, and 

 the trees are in good health, peaches should 

 average one fruit to every square foot of 

 space occupied of the tree, and nectarines 

 about one fruit to every nine-inch square. 

 Thus your peach trees filling a space lOft. by 

 12ft. should carry 120 fruits; rather more if 

 the tree is very robust; somewhat fewer if 

 it is not growing freely. A nectarine occupy- 

 ing a similar space might carry 212 fruits, 

 or thereabouts. When thei'e is a good set 

 of fruit the aim should to so thin them 

 that they are as evenly distributed as pos- 

 sible all over the tree. Some consideration 

 must also he given to the size of the variety; 

 the smallest nectarines may "vvell be left a 

 little closer together on a vigorous and well- 

 fed tree, wluli^ the largest peaches should be 

 thinned rather more severely than the 



M. G. E., Pinner: 



jnedium ones. 



ASPARAGUS BEDS.- 



What is the bo>t method of dealing with 

 asparagus teds at this season of the yearr— 

 Cutting should cease by the end of tlie month, 

 and the l>eds be then carefully weeded and 

 given a dressing of nitrate of soda at the 

 rate of one ounce to the square yard. It the 

 weather is dry, water the nitrate in. A 

 similar dressing a fortnight later will prove 

 beneiHcial. and if you have liquid farmyard 

 manure at disposal give the »)od> a good 

 soaking with it between the nili at- dressing, 

 and then once a week for a month after. 

 The aim should be to encourage strong 



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There is no Fertilizer 

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 all - round results 

 Canary Guano. It is 

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 Amateur 



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Growers all over 

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ensure lull par- 

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Sold by practically all Seedsmen in Tias, 

 6d., Is., and 2s. 6d., and in Bags (141b.) 

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Manufactured 



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growth, as it is only by so doing that fine 

 crowns ar^» built up for next season's crop. 

 Such encouragement is altogether better 

 than piling wet manure on the beds in the 

 late autumn after the growths have been 

 removed. Put cstakes at the corners of the 

 beds and some at intervals along the sides, 

 and attach cords thereto, running the cords 

 across and also round the beds, at about 

 three feet from the ground; this will prevent 

 damage to the growths by wind and heavy 

 rain. * 



SPECIMENS OF DEAC.EXA SAXDER- 

 lANA." E. D., St. Neots-Can you tell me 

 how some groAvers manage to get such useful, 

 tall specimens of Dracaena Sanderiana in 

 32-sized pots, and sometimes even in 4^'s.? 

 Do they cut back old plants for the purpose?— 

 Tlie useful examples of Dracaena Sanderiana 

 so often seen where plants are freely used 

 for decorating, are produced by placing 

 three, four, or fiv<' young, newly-rooted 

 plants together, tlu- talletst in the centre, 

 and growing these in brisk heat and a moist 

 atmosphere. One stake is used, and the 

 growths are "slung"' to it. When a fair 

 size has been obtained, a hardening-off pro- 

 cess is carried out, and the specimens are 

 s.nin Ht to stand rough usage and exposure. 

 \Vc have ^eon Dracaena Sanderiana used 

 freely out of doors during the summer in sub- 

 tropical gardening. 



THE SOUECE OF SAFFROX.-P. B., 

 Newquay: No doubt you know that many 

 Cornish j^eople have a liking for Saffron cake ; 

 I believe saffron is the product of a crocnin, 

 V)ut am not at all sure how it is produced. 

 A few words of enlightenment will greatly 

 oblige.— Saffron is obtained from Crocus 

 sativus, an autumn-flowering species that was 

 once cultivated extensively around Hinton, 

 in (\imhridt^cshire. and especially round 

 Saffron Walden. in Essex. At the ]nvsent 

 time Spain provides most of the saffron in 

 commerce. Saffron is a drug as well as a dye, 

 and is obtained by picking the stigmas and 

 part of the stvle; thf.=e are picked in early 



