598 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



August 3, 1912 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



RONITIS GRANDIFLORA 



iin-wr-r ils purpose) 

 in Ihis (rn>u|> of orchids. 



now commencing to grow, and may re(iuir3 

 repotting. It should be grown in shallow 

 pans filled to quite three parts of their depth 

 with drainage mat-eriala. Only a thin layer 

 of compost is needed, and the kind used for 

 catl^leyas will answer requirements. The 

 plants should be potted quite firmly^ and be 

 suspended in a light and moist ])<isition in 

 the Odontoglossum honso. Watfi- must lx» 

 afforded sparingly until the flower l)uds ap- 

 pear and the roots enter the n-ew compast 

 freely, when an increa^sed supply may be 

 given. The other sophronitis may be treated 

 likewise*, with the exception of S. violacea, 

 which thrives better in a shady part of the 

 intermediate house, and refpures, \vh<*n in 



active growth. :in ;ilnuHi:iut >iipplv \N';itri' 



at the root . 



SOPIIRO-CATTLEYA, SOPH HO-L/KM A . 

 AND SOPHRO-rATL^ELTA HYBRIDS. 



These com[>ris-c' soini' of ths* nmst gorgeous 

 and highly coloured flowers imaginable. Un- 

 doubtedly, as WuM' f^'ors (ui :i frur scnrlct 



catt leva (or what will 



will hi^ oht'iin^nl 



So far. sonic coiwidorn diffiruHv has been 

 experienced in tiie cultivation of these kinds, 

 but many hvhrids of complieat^^d parentage 

 take some little tim<^ to understand, and this 

 most brilliant race is no exception. There 

 are somo three dozen or more of tlu\sp in- 

 teresting plants at the pre^M'ii} tini:' in exist- 

 ence, all worthy of a place even in the jnost 

 8el<*ct collection. Many will now^ comiiienco 

 to grow, therefore if any are in need of new 

 rooting material, attention should be tjiven 

 them without delay. They are best treated 

 as oattleyas. aufl will siicrci"! in a -iinilar 

 compost, and di'Ii<j^lit in a cool po^itimi, ele- 

 vated well up to liirlit in the (Mtth-va 



hoUE^. /Hiey ref|uire very careful tr-.^al incut 

 at all times, and should Ix* carefully watered, 

 as an excessive supply nuiv cause the decay of 

 both leaves and ]>seudo-hulhs. Plants that 

 are now at rest nnnt not he undulv luirried, 

 and a cof>l position in the inti-rnicfliato house 

 is the best for them. Cleanliness of the 

 plants and their surroundinofs is an absolute 

 necessity, rememberincr tint attacks of small 

 scale will do these delicate plants 

 able damange. 



summer, but a temperature of not less than 

 60 deg, is nec39sary during winter and spring. 

 The standard iorm of training will give the 



best effect. 



REMARKS IN GENERAL.— There will not 

 This is ^ presti of work in this department for a 



time, therefore devote special attention to 

 securing sufficient numbers of tjie various 

 plants required for use indoors during next 

 winter and spring. Where time allows tho- 

 roughly wash all pots with hot water, inside 

 and out, before use, and wash the crocks used 

 for drainage. It t^onietimes happen^ that the 

 outside-s of pots containing plants become 

 ocated with mosti; these al^o should be 

 cleaned. Above all things avoid overcrowding 

 and an excess of shade at this season, and 

 turn the plants occasionally to ensure symme- 

 try. The careful cultivator who is interested 

 in his work will attend to these ^mall details 

 regularly, and without such attention the 



l>est results cannot be 



While the 



irrcpar- 



BTTRLINGTONTAS. 

 ceed with these 

 would like. 



termediate 



Many do not suc- 

 orchids as well as they 

 They are free flowering, of 

 compact habit of "growth, and tlu^ flowers 

 last for a considerable time in full beauty 

 if kept free from damp. Thcv thrive in 

 small baskets, or pans, and should Ije sus- 

 nended from the roof of the cattleya or in- 



hou se , w 1 1 e re . o w i n g to the 

 amount of light and air availabV, they 

 make ^satisfai^.forv prourr--^. Tliey will suc- 

 ceed in file same kind of conipn^t us tiu' 

 preceding. Tlie dr;nna,<>e sln)u]d he ample, 

 and during the >ea-.Mn of growth a fr-e sup- 

 ply of water shnii'd he given, hut ulie!] the 

 plants are rcstin<r t his luust be ^j reatly 

 diminished, yet not altoo-cthcr withheld, for 

 if allowed to get dust-<lry thev will suffer, 

 and the growth made will be unsatisfactory 

 the following season. Small white scale is 

 very persistent in attacking the.se plants, 

 and must be kept in check by frequent spone- 

 ing._j. T. Barker, Tlie West Hill Gardens. 



STOVE PLANTS. 



. RIVIN'A HUMILIS.— This shrubby plant 

 IS well worth growing for house and table 

 decoration because of its bright red berries 

 borne an racemes. WelLgrown plants form' 

 a pleasing contrast to the general collection 

 of stove plants, especially in the dull season 

 Propagation is readily effected either from 

 eeeds or by cuttings. If two or three batches 

 of plants are raif?ed at intervals of a month 

 or therealwuts, they will become effective 

 successionally. Like many other stove 

 plants the Rivinas will withstand a lengthy 

 sojourn in the cool greenhouse dnrinf^ the 



xpected. 



<Iaily watering is Iwing done many of these 

 <h'tail8 may well be carried out, such as giv- 

 ing each plant a turn, picking off decayed 

 loliage in\d superfluous growths. Admit air 

 ireely on fine days to ensure ishort-jointed, 

 r.jiiture wood, and properly developed leafage. 

 Staking should be attended to betimes where 

 !i'(iuired, and care taken net to insert the 

 .■>take t<K> close to the main stem of the plant 

 or the main roots may be severed. I am 

 inclined to think this is a matter too often 

 neglected. Probationers will do well to bear 

 in mind that to be thoroughly successful 

 cultivators it is very important they 

 should think of these sm-all m^atters for them- 

 Ives.— II. T. Martin, W'arren Wood Gar- 



S3 



dens. 



FRUITS UNDER GLASS. 



MELONS.— Plants that have recently been 

 put out into their fruiting quarters are 

 making rapid progress. Pay particular at- 

 tention to stopping, tying^ and thinning 

 out the young growths, and pollinate the 

 female flowers daily until a sufficient quan- 

 tity of fruits are set. Maintain a free cir- 

 culation of air in the house night and day 

 during the flowering i>eriod, and guard 

 against the use of strong stimulants until 

 after a good crop has set and the fruits are 

 swelling freely. The house should then be 

 closed early in the afternoon, well syringing 

 the plants with tepid water. Bed spider is 

 more or less troublesome to the plants at 

 this season of the year, so a sharp look-out 

 must be kept, and if discovered immediate 

 steps should be taken to eradicate it. Also 

 in many places mildew is troublesome on late- 

 planted melons. W^e find the best remedy for 

 mildew IS to lightly vaporise the plants on 

 three successive evenings with the sulphur 

 vaporiser, but air must be admitted to the 

 house early ne."t morning, or otherwise the 

 toliage IS liable to burn during sunshine 



STRAWBERRIES. -Stock layered 'into 

 three-inch pots, as advised in a previous 

 enlendar, will be well rooted, and no time 

 should }>e lost in placing them in their fruit- 

 ing pots; usesix-inch pots for the final shift 

 I he pots must be thoroughly clean, and 

 moderately drained with clean, hroken 

 erocks and rough lime rubble; mix up a 

 sufficient quantity of soil to pot the whole 

 batch of plants, and place it under cover- 

 use good fibrous loam, mixed with leaf-mould 

 or well-decayed cow manure, with a little 

 lime rubbish or road scrapings added Place 



^fft.?-^''* 'I ^^^^ .P^*' particular 

 attention when gmng them the final shift, 



1?^^= • t,^^.^ lower than 



th3 hnished surface, or otherwise this will 



induce them to form two or three crowns. 

 Make the soil moderately firm in the pots 

 using a light rammer for this purpose ; after 

 the work of potting has been accomplished 

 place the plants in a sliaded aspect fof a few 

 days until they have recovered from their 

 shitt, and afterwards they can be placed 

 in the open quarters on a gravel or ash base. 

 Give water carefully until the roots have per- 

 meated the new soil, and spray the plant*^ 



WI 



but as the foliage develops more space must 

 be allowed to afford the plants plenty of ho-lit 

 and air. It should be borne in mind that 

 unless the crowns of the plants are fully 

 veloped and well ripened poor results will 

 follow when forcing takes place. — Henry R 

 Farmer, Cardiff Castle Gardens. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



TROPiROLUM SPECIOSUM.— This at- 

 tractive climber is not so frequently grown 

 in English gardens as it deserves to be 

 owing, no doubt, to the fact that it is diffi- 

 cult to establish in many localities. It 

 should always be given a cool position and 

 where it has failed to succeed elsewhere it 

 might well be given a trial on a north aspect, 

 as it frequently grows and tlowers freely in 

 such a situation. It can sometimes be 

 grown with success when planted under the 

 shade of evergreens, and the background 

 provided by them displays its brilliant ver- 

 milion flowers to advantage. A deep, fairly 

 light and moist soil suits this climber the 

 best, and when heavy land has to be pre- 

 pared for it, a quantity of leaf-soil must be 

 thoroughly incorporated. It requires water- 

 ing in dry weather, and a mulch of short 

 manure helps to keep it cool at the base. It 

 is best propagated by division of the roots, 



and young plants should be planted out in 

 the spring. 



ROMNEYA COULTERI. — There is no 

 more delightful subject than the Californian 

 Tree Poppy for planting in a warm and 

 sheltered part of the rock garden, or at the 

 base of a wall facing south. The flowers are 

 usually produced on the points of the new 

 shoots, and are sometimes six inches across, 

 of the purest satiny whiteness, with yellow 

 centres. The plant is quite hardy, hut it 

 prefers a fairly light, warm soil, in which it 

 produces vigorous growths that flower dur- 

 ing August and September. The flowering 

 stems should he cut down in winter, and a 

 liberal mulching of leaf-soil be then applied 

 over the roots. It greatly resents disturb- 

 ance when once established, but w^hen re- 

 moval is necessary it is best carried out in 

 the spring, just as growth is about to com- 

 mence. 



MECONOPSIS W A L L I C H I. 

 favourable conditions this handsome 



Under 

 plant 



Remove all runners as they appear, 

 pots can be placed close to^etlier for 



The 



- - ~ - — ^ ^ ^ »i ^ i J. J t._J J * V*' * -r a ■ -* fc- - 



forms a specimen fully four feet in height, 

 and when its pretty pale blue flowers are ex- 

 panded it is a conspicuous object in the rock 

 garden. During the summer it prefers a 

 fairly moist and partly shaded position, but 

 in the winter months means must be taken 

 to prevent it becoming too wet at the roots. 

 Meconopsis integrifolia is another interest- 

 ing plant, with pale yell ow flowers. It is a 

 biennial^ and succeeds under the same treat- 

 ment as the foregoing. Sow seeds as soon 

 as they are ripe, and let them germinate in 

 a cold frame. Plants growing in the wild 

 garden here have developed into sturdy spe- 

 cimens from self-sown seeds. 



SHRUBS NOW m FLO W'ER. — Among 

 flowering shrubs, those that contribute to 

 the floral display at the present time are 

 especially welcome. Several of the spiraeas 

 are gay with bloom, and of these S. Lin^- 

 leyana, with its fine arching plumes, is a 

 lovely plant, fully ten feet in height, 

 ariaefolia is another desirable kind, with 

 creamy-white flowers; while S. Anthony 

 Waterer, S. bullata, and S. Douglasi, all 

 with bright red flowers, are attractive. S- 

 Aitchsoni. somewhat like S. Liudleyana, has 

 pTotty fern-liike foliage. In the broom 

 iamily, Cytisus nigricans has tall, erect 

 spikes of yellow flowers; while C. leucanthus 

 3s a pretty, dwarf shrub with cream-coloured 

 flowers, and it is suitable for the rock gar- 

 den Ceanothus Gloire de Yersailles is 

 flowering freely, and makes a capital plant 

 tor the pergola. Hydrangea paniculata is 

 prcKiucmg its plume-like heads in profusion, 

 and Clethra arborea is studded with its 

 lovely white bell-shaped flowers. The latter 

 subject prefers rich loamv soil, with peat or 

 loat^oil added, and it thrives best in p^^''- 

 tial shade.— J. Gardner, Batsford Park 

 (jrardens. 



