494 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



Jtinb 29^ 1912. 



house and placed in a position where the foli- 

 age can be conveniently sprayed over several 

 times a day. K*epotting is best performed 

 imni'ed(iately .aftei^ tlie flowers are faded, 

 using a compost as for cattleyas, and the 

 plants should not be potted too firmly. 



EPIDENDEUM PRISMATOCAEPUM.— 

 This useful and handsome species succeeds 

 under the same conditions as the preceding, 

 and is therefore best accommodated in the 

 intermediate or cattleya house. The flowers 

 possess lasting properties, in addition to their 

 beauty, and is therefore a suitable subject 

 for exhibition purposes. This also is in 

 flower at this season, and when the flowers 

 are over, should it be advisable to disturb 

 the plant from any reason, the work should 

 be taken in hand. The pots, or pans, in 

 which the plants are to be grown should at 

 first be filled two-thirds full of clean crocks 

 for drainage, as it is 

 drainage should be perfect, and the water 

 pass readily away from the roots. During 

 the early stages of the growth water must 

 be sparingly given, sufficient only to 

 keep the rooting material nicely moist 

 being necessary. This dry treatment must 

 be continued until the new pseudo-bulbs 

 commence to form, and new roots are freely 

 moving through the compost, after which 

 an abundant supply of water may be given 

 until the growths are fully developed. This 

 plant also succeeds in a similar compost as 

 that advised for cattleyas, and should be 

 given a posifion where it may enjoy plenty 

 of light, but must be shaded from direct sun- 

 shine; it also appreciates an abundant supply 

 of fresh air on all favourable occasions. 

 J. T, Barker, The West Hill Gardens. 



CONSERVATORY AND 



HOUSE. 



CREEN- 



AMARYLLIS OR HIPPEASTRUMS.— By 

 this time the flowering of these fine subjects 

 is practically over, and the plants are in full 

 growth. They should be placed in a position 

 where they will have a fair amount of light, 

 but must be shaded from direct sunshine. 

 Where it is possible to give up a house to 

 their culture, a low epan-roofed structure is 

 the l>est. It should be provided with an effi- 

 cient heating apparatus, so that a brisk heat 

 may be maintained when forcing is neces- 

 sary. If this is not required, the plants 

 will come on naturally with very little heat. 

 They should be removed from the conserva- 

 tory directly they have finished flowering, 

 and if a house cannot be given up to them, 

 a good position for the plants wiJl be on the 

 back stages of late vineries, where they are 

 slightly shaded by the leaves of the vines. 

 They then have plenty 

 certain amount of heat, 

 feeders, and the better 

 whilst making their 

 will be the quality 

 the flower spikes. 



given water whenever required with liquid 

 manure alternately. Sheep droppings placed 

 in a tub makes a capital liquid manure for 

 them. Grow them on in this way until 

 about the first week in August— the exact 

 time can be determined when the centre 

 leaves have attained the same length as the 

 older ones. The plants should then he moved 

 outside and stood on an ashbed, and allowed 

 to go to rest. ' Water will only be n^fd 

 if the weather is very dry and hot. As Wie 

 bulbs ripen, the foliage will gradually die 

 off At the end of October the plants should 

 be placed on a shelf, where they will not be 

 sub ected to frost,and kept perfectly dry until 

 the flower spikes begin to appear in spring. 

 I am perfectly sure the reason so many gar- 

 deners fail to grow and flower amaryllis satis- 

 factorily is because the bulbs are not ripened 



of moisture, and a 

 Amaryllis are gross 

 they are treated 

 growth the better 

 and strength of 

 They should be 



their summer quarters at once. Where there 

 is plenty of -room in the frame ground chry- 

 santhemums are best stood in single rows 

 4ft. apart on an ash base. A stout pole 

 should be fixed firmly in the ground at each 

 end of the row, and two wires strained one 

 above the other, to secure the plants, to pre- 

 vent the wind blowing them about. Often 

 for lack of space the plants have to be stood 

 each side of the kitchen garden paths, and 

 they do quite well there providing the walk 

 is a wide one and not overhung with trees. 

 Plants intended for bushes should be pinched 

 frequently. Chrysanthemums when growing 

 freely should not be allowed to suffer from 

 dryness at the root, 



SALVIAS.— Salvia splendens, S. Pitcheri, 

 and S. rutilans all need attention now, and 

 if shifted on into lOin. pots and treated pre- 

 cisely as chrysanthemums, and in company 

 with them they will be found to do well. Red 

 spider is often very troublesome in hot wea- 

 ther, and if not checked will cause all the 

 leaves to drop off. If the plants are watered 

 overhead every evening this will easily pre- 

 vent it. 



EUPATORIUMS.— These are very useful 

 greenhouse plants for the winter, and if at- 

 tended to now will make fine plants by then. 

 Young plants which were rooted in April will 

 now be ready for their shift into Sin. pots. 

 The compost best suited to their needs is 

 fibrous loam two parts, decayed manure one 

 part, with coarse silver sand. When potted 

 the plants should be stood outside on an ash 

 bed. The strong-growing varieties, Purpusi 

 and Petiolaire, will need a further shift mto 

 lOin. pots directly they are ready for it. 

 Eupatoriums are gross feeders; they like 

 plenty of liquid manure when well estab- 

 lished. — Lewis Smith, Shotesham Park Gar- 

 dens. 



HARDY FRUITS- 

 SUMMER PEUNING.— Pyramids, bushes, 

 and espaliers of apples, pears, and plums may 

 now be summer pruned ; probably in the late 

 and colder portions of the country, where 

 growth is more backward, it may be advis- 

 able to defer the operation for another fort- 

 night. The summer pruning of established 

 trees consists in cutting back to five or six 

 leaves all young side shoots, leaving those 

 at the end of the branch from one-third to 

 nearly full length, according to the space 

 available. Where a dense growth proceeds 

 from the spurs the weaker ones should be 

 removed. There are certain varietie.-^ of 

 apples which form their principal fruit buds 

 on the tips of the young growths, and m 

 this case an exception to the above treatment 

 should be made. These growths should be 

 left intact until they have borne fruit, when 

 they may be shortened back On young 

 trees a sufficient number of shoots to form 

 the main branches should be retained, extra 

 vigorous growths, after attaining the desired 

 length of growth, should be stopped by 

 pinching out the tips of the shoot. Summer 

 pruning when carried out on common-sense 

 principles has a beneficial effect, both on 

 the tree and the crop of fruit ; each indivi- 

 dual tree has its own particular characteris- 

 tics, and should be treated accordingly. 

 Unfruitful trees making a quantity of gross 

 growth will receive no benefit by hard prun- 

 ing; on the contrary, the harder they are 

 pruned the more will they persist in making 

 new shoots. Such trees must be treated to 

 drastic root-pruning during the early 

 autumn, and to small use of the knife dur- 

 ing the growing season. 



rested 



ANTHEMU 



■These will need 



plenty of attention now. All pl^f ^^^^^^l^/t. 

 for biff blooms have become established m 

 their Cowering pots, and are growing freely. 



should be placed to the growths 

 and all other growths should be 

 three to four to each plant 

 sufficient according to their 



be stood in 



Stakee 

 selected, 

 rubbed out, 



being quite 



strei^h. The plants should 



WALL TREES.— Pears, apples, and plums 

 crowing on walls should have similar treat- 

 ment to that afforded bushes, etc. The 

 training of young trees should receive care- 

 ful consideration; sufficient young growths 

 should be laid in to build up a shapely and 

 well-balanced tree. If the trees are ^fan- 

 trained build up the wit 

 will be no difficulty m fi ^ - • i 



in a satisfactory manner. The prmcipal 

 trouble in horizontal training is to secure 

 growths at the required distance apart If 

 the leader fails to break satisfactorily it 



must be stopped to bring about the desired 

 growths. 



GR^VJ^TED FRUIT TREES.— Trees grafW 

 this spring will by this time have formed a 

 perfect union. The clay and ligatures 

 should be removed before injury occurs to 

 the expanding union. Where the grafts 

 have failed to join, a well placed growtli 

 may be detained for summer budding^ or 

 for grafting in due season. Well established 

 and vigorous trees headed back for graft- 

 ing form a considerable amount of spray 

 growth. This should be removed to throw 

 the whole energy of the tree into the de- 

 sired channel. The new grafts should each 

 have a stake and tie as a safeguard 

 against strong winds. Where a consider- 

 able number of large trees have been grafted 

 and it is not possible to afford the time for 

 applying the stakes, the risk of loss by 

 wind may be largely diminished by stopping 

 the leading shoots. Every effort, however, 

 should be made to give the necessary sup- 

 port to the new growth. — W. Messenger, 

 Woolverstone Park Gardens. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



CAEEOTS. — It is very advisable to make 

 another sowing now of the Shorthorn forme 

 of carrots, to maintain a regular supply of 

 nice small tender roots, appreciated so much 

 oa the dining-room table. Take special care 

 with the drills, drowing them rather deeper 

 than usual, to receive a good eupply of old 

 potting soil previous to sowing the se^s. 

 Cover the seeds with similar material, 

 making it nice and firm if at all dry. This 

 little care will contribute much to the suc- 

 cess, particularly in dry weather. 



RUNNER BEANS.— Where a good demand 

 has to be met, a ©owing should now be 

 made. Sow in a shallow trench similar to a 

 miniature celery trench. Where pickling 

 this delicious vegetable is practised this sow. 

 ing will be found to yield young, succulent 

 pods in profusion at the right time. Gather 

 them quite young and dry. Cut them up ae 

 for immediate cooking, place in layers in 

 earthenware jars, and cover each layer with 

 ordinary salt. Repeat this practice h\l the 

 jar is full; tie down, and store in a cool 

 place, 



PEAS.— There is still good time to eow 

 those if care is taken in the preparation ot 

 the ground. Sow early varieties, as well as 

 late ones, the former often being fit to gather 

 from seven to eight weeks hence. We have 

 found Sutton's Early Giant excellent tor a 

 quick late crop. Peas will, of course, neea 

 mulching and spraying during dry autumn 

 weather. Sow also Sturdy, Gladstone, ana 

 Autocrat. 



SPINACH.— Sow the ordinary ^^^'^^^^ 

 spinach every ten days in various parts oi 

 the garden. Sow also the spinach t>f^^ii 

 sure and plentiful supply is required, 

 variety raised from seed sown now wm 

 not run to eeed till late spring next year. 

 It bears transplanting with impunity 

 thinning out. . , 



LETTUCE.— Make regular sowing ot bo^^ 

 cos and cabbage varieties, and ^n^rd ^S^^^\ 

 slugs when the plants are quite^ 1"^^ ii^.^e 

 sowing of new lime, broadcast, deters these 



^ENDIVE.-Good breadths of tbi^ ^bouU 

 now be sown, as from this sowing line, lu J 

 developed plants will be ready for blanca 

 ing when good lettuce are ^^^^Jf 

 scarce during the late autumn, feow 

 Batavian and curled varieties, 

 one foot apart and an inch in depth. J^ ^^ 

 a sharp look out for slugs when g^^^^^^^ 



taking place. When large ^^<^"ff. ;J 

 handle plant out on good ground, t t ee 

 inches apart. Ground previously occup»^ 

 by potatoes forms an excellent site. ^ 

 CELERY.— The earliest batch ^^l^^L 

 need a little soil drawn up to <^J^^^^^%^^^^^ 

 blanching process. Previous ^o/^\^,^^^X,.ot'^ 

 pull off all smaU leaves and side sn 

 from around the base. Give a dressi^ 

 soot, and water in if dry ; then PJ?^ geo. 

 mould up after the stems have dried.— 

 "PrTiirr^rtn ftwanmrtTA Park Gardens. 



Draw dnUfi 



is 



