560 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



July 20, 19i2. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK 



STOVE PLANTS. 



EUPHORBIA 



be successful 



JACQUINI^FLOEA.— To 

 in the cultivation of this 



euphorbia great care must be exercised in 

 potting and watering. The later-struck 

 plants will by now have received their final 

 shift, and should be kept in a genial tem- 

 perature of about 70 deg. until well estab- 

 lished, when a cooler and more airy structure 

 should be accorded them. By this it must 

 not be understood that I recommend a cold 

 unheated structure, for this plant will not 

 thrive in a temperature below 6() deg. xV 

 certain amount of warmth should be main- 

 tained in the hot-water pipes during spelk 

 of dull weather. A stagnant atmosphere will 

 produce soft unripened wood that cannot 

 give long racemes of closely-packed flowers 

 in due season, therefore keep the air moving 

 freely about the plants, closing and damping 

 the floors and Ktagen fairly early in the after- 

 noon, and reopen the top ventilators a couple 

 of hours afterwards for the night if 

 niibl wi'atiHM ]>revailH. High feeding should 

 not Iw prai t isod, and whatever kind of 

 manure is used should be applied in small 

 quantities, and only when the pots are well 

 filled with healthy rootts. Commence with 

 liijuid cow manure, to which hae been added 

 a little soot, and later on an occasional ap- 

 plication of mild artificial manure may be 

 given. 



GLORIOSAS. — Few climbing stove plants 

 surpass these when well grown. Attend 

 closely to tying in the growths, as they are 

 rapid growers and quickly become entangled. 

 Not only are gloriosat> objects of beauty 

 when seen on the roof or pillars of warm 

 houses, but the flowers are of great use for 

 cutting. A good length of flower stem will 

 be produced if liberal culture is given. 

 Afford frequent applications of liquid 

 manure, alternated with an approved arti- 

 ficial manure from now onwards. 



HEXACENTRIS MYSORENSIS, 



This 



twining plant is a good companion to the 

 foregoing, the pendent racemes of rich yel- 

 low and red flowers blending well with the 

 orange and yellow of the glorio.sas. As the 

 plants are very susceptible to attacks of red- 

 spider and scale, it is well to occasionally 

 sponge the foliage with a weak solution of 

 insecticide to keep it in check. Propagation 

 is readily effected at any time by cuttings of 

 the half-ripe shoots. The plants should be 

 flowered in pots or a restricted border, and 

 see that ample drainage and an open corn- 

 poet is given at all timcts. — H. T. Martin, 

 Warren Wood Gardens, Hatfield. 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



THE COOL HOUSE.— At this time of the 

 year it is often a difficult matter, owing to 

 the hot and dry atmosphere out of doors, to 

 keep the temperature of this house as cool 

 and moist as desirable, but with a little care 

 and discretion it can be made suitable for 

 the plants. With the absence of the sun, 

 and the heavy showers of rain which we have 

 lately experienced, no great trouble has been 

 experienced so far this season — a great con- 

 trast to that of last year. With an outside 

 temperature of 55 to 6<) deg., and a moist, 

 humid atmosphere, such as we experienced 

 for some time, little fear need be entertained 

 of affording too much ventilation, providing 

 there are no high winds. At such times we 

 have both the top and bottom ventilators 

 open on the lee side of the houses, especially 

 so whenever the air is mild. But when the 

 weather becomes hot, and we have an external 

 day temperature, ranging from 70 to 8() deg., 

 SLs of late, and a bright sun drying the atmo- 

 sphere and the ground more and more 

 every day, it is a mistake to open 

 the ventilators to such an extent, and thus 

 admit more air than can be kept humid and 

 moist. Should the grower attempt to coun- 

 teract the dry air thus admitted to the 

 house by frequently damping the stages 



and floors, and syringing the plants over- 



head, the plants will soon show by the loss 

 of foliage, and in other ways, how they 

 resent such treatment. The best practice, 

 therefore, is to admit only as much air as 

 can be kept well charged with moisture. 

 By day, no matter how hot the outside tem- 

 perature may be, keep all the top ventilators 

 closed, leaving the bottom ventilators wide 

 open, but at sunset the top ventilators 

 should be raised two or three inches, and on 

 mild, dewy nights they may be left wide 

 open throughout the night. Early in the 

 morning, when the sun begins to shine on 

 the roof of the house, the top ventilators 

 must again be closed, and the shading em- 

 ployed. The excessive heat must be kept 

 back by the use of shading ; in some districts 

 thicker and heavier shading will be neces- 

 sary than in others. After closing the house 

 it should be thoroughly damped down, 

 syringing well between the pots and under 

 the stages, and, if the sun is bright, the 

 plants may be slightly sprayed overhead, but 

 care must be taken that the water does not 

 run down into the axils of the leaves, and 

 only soft, tepid rain water shoiild be used. 

 Under such treatment it is possible to main- 

 tain a temperature even lower than that of 

 the outside air in the shade. Taking the 

 cool house plants generally as a whole, they 

 are at this particular season more or less 

 inactive. The young growths of many are 

 only just pushing from the base of the last- 

 made pseudo-bulbs, so that for a few weeks 

 to come only sufficient water must be 

 afforded to keep the pseudo-bulbs plump and 

 healthy. 



THE WARMER HOUSES.— Owing to the 

 cold, sunless weather, it is essential for the 

 well-being of the inmates of the warmer 

 houses that the temperatures, especially at 

 night, be fully maintained. The whole of 

 the plants must be kept thoroughly on the 

 move, and not be allowed to receive a check 

 at this season. Therefore it is wise to care- 

 fully heat the pipes at night, so that a genial 

 temperature and moist atmosphere is main- 

 tained in each department. Houses in which 

 plants in flower only are staged may be 

 kept dryer than those in which only growing 

 plants are placed, as with a low temperature 

 and a humid atmosphere there is a danger 

 of every flower becoming spotted and spoilt. 

 —J. T. Barker, Tiie West Hill Gardens. 



FRUITS UNDER GLASS. 



FRUITING POT VINES.— Probably in the 

 majority of places fruiting vines in pots are 

 grown chiefly for early supplies of ripe 

 grapes, but in many instances they are grown 

 and allowed to fruit for later supplies. We 

 usually grow from eighteen to twenty-four 

 vines in pots to supply ripe grapes at the 

 latter end of this month. We have a two- 

 fold object in fruiting these vines late in the 

 season; not only do they help to maintain 

 a quantity of good bunches for the dessert 

 table, but they are also used here for table 

 decoration, trained to a light construction of 

 ironwork made in the shape of an umbrella. 

 Two vines are also fruited in 12-inch pots 

 to cover a large arch made with light iron- 

 work; this is fixed to a board one foot wide, 

 and the fruiting vines in the pots are placed 

 one at either end ; the rods and laterals are 

 then trained over the ironwork, and the 

 bunches are allowed to hang through. In 

 the first place the vines are grown in a 

 span, or lean-to, house, and the fruit is 

 allowed to become ripe before they are 

 trained to the umbrella or arch. Great care 

 must be exercised to detach the vines from 

 the wires of the house in which thev have 

 been grown ; the pot and the vine is then 

 removed bodily, and carefully placed in posi- 

 tion upon the arch, or trained to the um- 

 brella. This may seem to thf^ uninitiated a 

 great amount of trouble, but it is surprising 

 how expeditiously it can be done after a 

 little experience. Unquestionably fruiting 

 vines trained in this way always create a 

 great interest, and it is also a novel and 

 pleasing feature to be able to exhibit vines 

 grown in pots in the house. 



FRUIT TREES IN POTS.— Exercise judi- 

 cious care and attention in stopping and 



among these 



regulating the young growths on these trees; 

 expose the fruit to the sun and air as much 

 as possible, and give stimulating manures to 

 trees that are carrying heavy crops; a little 

 top-dressing with a rich loam will be bene- 

 ficial to the development of good fruits. Bo 

 not on any account allow the soil in th^ 

 pots to become dry at any time, or failure 

 will sure to follow. Keep a sharp look-out 

 for insect pests, and take means at once for 

 their eradication. Trees from which all the 

 fruit has been gathered should be removed 

 from the house, and the pots plunged in 

 ashes in the open quarters to well ripen their 

 wood. 



EARLY VINES.— Continue to admit plentv 

 of air at the top and side ventilators night 

 and day; maintain the foliage in a clean, 

 healthy condition with the aid of the garden 

 engine. Keep a sharp look-out for red-spider, 

 and if syringing will not dislodge the pests, 

 sponge the affected leaves with soapy water 

 and sulphur; give plenty of water to the 

 roots as required. — H. R. Farmer, Cardiff 

 Castle Gardens. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



THE HERBACEOUS BORDER. — Wli^n 

 well arranged and embellished 'vvith the more 

 ornamental hardy plants, this is one of the 

 most attractive features in the garden, and 

 at the present time it is unusually bright 

 and gay with bloom. The campanulas con- 

 tribute very largely to its floral beauty, and 



C. lactiflora, C. latifolia, C. 

 pyramidalis, C. pereicifolia, and their varie- 

 ties are very striking; while C. carpatica 

 and its white variety are charming for the 

 front of the border. Achillea filipendula 

 makes a fine display of yellow when planted 

 in a bold mass. Anchusa italica, Dropniore 

 variety and Opal are very desirable acquisi- 

 tions, and remain in flower over a long 



J 



period. Tlie latter is especially free-flower- 

 ing, and rather a paler-blue than the Drop- 

 more variety. Cimicifuga racemosa is a 

 splendid plant with racemes of white flowers, 

 and C. cordifolia is also effective. Clematis 

 erecta makes a fine bushy specimen, and C. 

 integrifolia is an attractive species with 

 small, deep blue flowers. Dictamnus fraxi- 

 ndla, Francoa ramosa, Heuchera sanguinea, 

 Lychnis chalcedonica, Tradescantia virgi- 

 nica, (Enothera Youngi, (E, Fraseri, poten- 

 tillas and phloxes in variety, all form pleas- 

 ing objects when in flowe/. Several of th€ 

 sea hollies are attractive plants, especially 

 Eryngium Oliverianum and E. giganteum; 

 while subjects like gaillardias, gypsophilas, 

 veronicas, heleniums, rudbeckias, helian- 

 thuses, and Chrysanthemum maximum in 

 variety, add not a little charm to the bor- 

 der. Plants like pseonies and delphiniums 

 that have passed out of flower must have 

 their flower stems removed, and every en- 

 couragement should be given to the latfi 

 subjects to develop and display their bloc 

 to advantage. 



VIOLETS.— The recent showery weath 

 has suited these admirably, and they a 

 already developing into sturdy plants. K- 

 move any runners that may form on the: 

 as growth proceeds, and, after sunny days 

 spray them over with the syringe to 

 red-spider in check. It is a good pla 

 dust a little soot around them occasionall 

 and to work this in with the Dutch hoe. 



PINKS.— These have now passed out 

 flower, and must have the dead flower stai 

 removed. The present is a good time to 

 crease the stock of plants by inserting c 

 tings or layering, but, owing to th^ir tn 

 growths, the former method is I'^c^mmend^ 

 They usually root well on a partially sh" 

 border, such as one near a north wall. 



PENTSTEMONS.— ITiese are fast deveh 

 ing their flower spikes, and due attenti 

 must be given to tying when further suppo 

 is necessary. Pentstemons are valuable su 

 jects for bedding, and they never fail to 

 pay the cultivator for liberal treatmf 

 Keep the soil between the plants stirred 

 the Dutch hoe, and upon the least sign 

 dryness afford liberal soakings of liq^> 

 manure at the roots.— J. Gardner, Batstor 



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Park Gardens. 



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