764 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



October 5, 1912 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



with the I 



< 1 1 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



PREP.VETXG FOR WINTER.— We must 



now take in hand seriously the work of 

 placing plants in their winter quarters. 

 iBefore this is done it is advinable to 

 thoroughly cleanse the houses, both inside 

 and out. The glass, woodwork, walls, etc., 

 should be thoroughly scrul)bed with hot 

 water, to which some carbolic soft soap has 

 hv<'u added, as this will effectually get rid 

 of any insect pest lurking in crevices and 

 other places. 



TKMFM:HA rrUK.— I?y the end of the pre- 

 sent month we <ha!l again have reached 

 that season of the vear which neoesfiitates 



ft- 



the return to the winter treatment of the 

 plants. The temperature for the different 

 divisions was given in the first issne for the 

 present year, and during tlie present month 

 the warnith in the various departments 

 shfMilfl hi' irraduallv reduced week bv week, 

 until the iniiiimuni degree is reached. 



VI:M II.ATIOX.—Owing to the beautiful 

 weather experienced during the past week, it 



ibli' to admit air fretiv; and. 

 ased light from the sun, the 

 plants are ripening up much better than 

 seenuxl possible a short time ago. Air should 

 be admitted in all departments whi*never pos- 

 sible. Orclmls, in tlieir native habitats, do 

 n ot g ro w ill g 1 a - s c a se.> _ where fresh a i i' 

 cannot peni'trate. and .^o it is desirable thev 

 should have a supply of fresh air daily, r/are 

 sliould taken that cold draughts are not 

 admit ted . a^ t he-e ar*^ as harmful to the 

 plants tfuy air tn the cnltivator, 



SHADIXC. \ix t hr end of the nH)nth tliis 

 may he (Mitirely rrrnuvt'd ; hnt whil- t lu 

 expt^cted snnshine Ia^t-_ it i- adviMiliU 

 the long spell of sunle--> weather, to 



with care. 



ATMOSi'FIKhMC \|( M>Ti IM!. With the 



reduced temperar ill f it will !>r necessary to 



materially reiiin e ili,- anennit nf atmospheric 

 moisture; hut <>n nn aeeniint must a hot and 

 dry atmosphere i»e maint;Mne<i. If anv liou^ ' 

 feels stutTy and oppressivi\ or <'old and 

 damp, re^t ris.uted the ])lants U^i it in 

 like manner 



WATKinNli. 1 iie remarks under this 

 heading made on September 7 are also ap- 

 plicahh" tn tliis T7ioiith. Water should now b? 

 adniiiti^trrfd witli a-,, .at caution. A wet, 

 saturated eompu-^t Imi-nihii to al] orrliids 

 during the dull wintt>r months, when evapora- 

 tion takes place slowly. Those plants finish- 

 ing their growths should have the supply of 

 water at tlu' r<M)ts gradually reduced as it 

 IS a great mistake to cut down the 'water 

 supply suddenly. Plants immaturely ripened 

 only shrivel, and nevej- produce a full com- 

 plement of [lowers.— J. T. Rarkkh. The Wc^t 

 Hill Gardens. 



n )i- 



aft ei 

 it 



Use 



CONSERVATORY AND 



HOUSE. 



CREEN- 



ITIE PHrXCIPAf. WORK which needs at- 

 tention at the moment will be the selection 

 and ordering of bulbs for winter and sprints 

 display. ThcHc should be potted up direcMv 

 they arrive. Having already potted uj. 

 batches of freesias, Roman hyacinths, and 

 Paper White narci.ssus. other batidits siiould 

 ^be put Jn at intervals of a fortnight. It is 

 necessary when ordering to .select those 

 varieties which have been already proved 

 and can always be relied on. Nevertheless,' 

 It IS always advisable to try a few of the 

 newer varieties in each section Plump 

 weighty, and shapely bulbs sliould be choseii 

 n preference to larger ones. 



^'^^^^ ^^1^ exception 

 ot the Eomans and the Italians, are best ac 



-ommodated in 4iin. pot^, one bulb in each. 



/u display is needed, six to twelve 



toulbs of each variety mav be placed in pans 

 or trays. Pans, however,* of this description 

 can always b^ made up by choi^sing a dnzen 

 ot a variety with all the trns>es developed 

 alike, turning them carefully out of their 

 pots and placing fliem close together in the 

 pan and working some soil between them 



T U LI PS . — These are invaluable, and 

 should be grown in quantity; place four or 

 five bulbs in a 4^in. pot. The Due Van Thols, 

 in several colours, are the earliest; they will 

 be followed by the Pottebakkers, also in 

 several colours. Some of the most reliable to 

 follow in siiccession will be Eose Gris de 

 [Lin, Mon Tre^ior^ White Swan, Rose Lui- 

 sante, Yellow Prince, Brutus, Thomas Moore, 

 and Keiser*s Kroon. I do not advise growing 

 May-flowering tulips in pots generally, but 

 the following varieties I have tried and 

 found them to succeed splendidly: Picotee, 

 white^ pi^k -edge; retroflexa, light yellow; 

 Inglescombe Yellow, deep yellow ; Ingles- 

 combe Pink, Inglescombe Scarlet, and White 

 Swan. These later varieties naturally take 

 a much longer time to open, but if grown 

 slowly and not allowed to become dry they 

 develop splendidly at the end of March and 

 early in April. 



NiVRCTSSI. — These should be grown in 

 large ((uantities. A batch each of Paper 

 White, (iloriosa, and (Irand Monarque will 

 l)e now ro(jting freely if potted up when ad- 

 vised, and other batches should follow these 

 in succession. 



ar* 



most 



The varieties Emperor, Em- 

 press, Golden Spur, Mdme. de Graaff^ and 

 (.^ueen of Spain are always reliable. The 

 small trumpet or Leedai sorts are always 

 iieautiful, and the best of these for pot cul- 

 ture will be Stella, Mr8. Langtry, Barri con- 

 spicuus. White Lady, and Lucifer. These, 

 however, need to be grown in good-sized pots 

 oi- pans where it is posisible to place about 

 a dozen bulbs together, as their habit of 

 irrowtli is tall. For cutting purposes they 



valuable if grown in boxes, fifty 

 hulbs in each, and brought on gently. The 

 white Pheasant's Eye (poeticus ornatus) may 

 be lifted and forced in quantity in this w^ay. 

 All tliese bulbs will require a rich fibrous 

 loam, with some leaf-soil and coarse sand 

 added, and a good -sprinkling of wood ashes. 

 When potted they should all be well watered. 

 ;ind allowed to drain, and should then he 

 >to(>d in batches, keeping each variety dis- 

 tinct with a long label at the end of each; 

 ■hen they mav be all covered with fine ashes 

 to a depth of three inches. Some of them 

 will be found to have rooted in about four 

 w*H^ks. They must be examined frequently, 

 and when any variety is found to be well 

 rooted, with the growth advancing from the 

 top of the bulb, tliey must at once be re- 

 moved or the leaves quickly become damaged. 

 Lewis Smith, Norwich. 



FOR 



of 



19 



HARDY FRUITS. 



SELECTION OF FRUIT 

 PLANTING. — As the time for planting draws 

 near, a selected list of good and well-tried 

 varieties of the various kinds of fruits may 

 be of some service. In the case of the grower 

 of a small number of trees, the number ^ 

 varieties of each kind may possibly be con 

 fusing, and I would suggest where there 

 any doubt in the matter, that th^ advice 

 of a local nurseryman or fruit grower of 

 repute should be sought as to those most 

 likely to succeed in the particular district. 



APPLES.— In order to obtain ripe fruits 

 for des^sert during the greater part of the 

 year, the following varieties may be planted* 

 Uadstone. Beauty of Bath, Langley Pippin, 

 Lady Sudeley, Worcester Pearmain, Duchess 

 of Gloucester, James Grieve Mother King 

 of the Pippins Cox's Orange Pippin, Ribston 

 Pippin. Margil, and Allington Pippin, Adam's 

 and Claygate Pearmains, and Sturmer Pippin 

 Of good culinary sorts the following can be 

 recommended: Lord Grosvenor, Ecklinville 

 JAarner's King, Norfolk Beauty Bismarck' 

 Lane s Prince Albert, Annie Elizalx^th 

 Newton Wonder, Bramley's Seedling and 

 Alfriston. There are many good dessert and 

 cooking apples omitted from the above list, 

 but it is not advisable to plant too many 

 with the idea that if one or more fails to 

 crop some of the otJiers will probablv not do 

 so: it is far better to plant fewer sorts, which 

 are reliable croppers. The above list com- 

 nses varieties which succeed in most places. 



PEARS.— The quality and flavour of many 

 varieties of pears is largely influenced by 



the stock on which they are worked, and the 

 position the tree occupies, and these various 

 factors- have to be considered by the planter 

 To afford a succession of dessert pears require? 

 a number of varieties owing to the short 

 season of many of the earlier ones. The 

 season of some of the most valued pears such 

 as Doyenne du Comice, may be considerably 

 extended by planting against walls with vari- 

 ous aspects and in the open. Grown as 

 cordons, several pears may be planted in a 

 small space, and the fruit is usually line 

 and of good quality. The following will 

 give an extended season : Beurre Giffard 

 Williams' Bon Chretien, Triomphe de Vienne' 

 Mdme. Treyve, Louise Bonne of Jersey Conite 

 de Lamy, Dnrondeau, Beurre Hardj^/ Beurre 

 Superfin, Emile d'Heyst, Marie Loui&e, 

 Doyenne du Comioe, Pitmaston Duchess, Glou 

 Morceau, Winter 'Nelis, Josephine de Malines. 

 Olivier de Serres, President Barabe, Beurre 

 Easter, Bergamot d'Esperen, and Duches&e de 

 Bordeaux. There are several pears of recent 

 introduction that are of good promise, and 

 which ma3^ after further trials, become 

 standard sorts. 



APRICOTS.— The apricots worthy of culti. 

 vation are not numerous. The old favourite, 

 Moorpark, is so liable to lose its branches, 

 that it is not advisable to plant it in quan- 

 tity. Grosse Peche is mnch more vigorous 

 and healthy, and a richly-flavoured variety. 

 Other good sorts are : Hemskirk, Shipley's, 

 and Large Early Montgamet. — W. Messen- 

 GEE, AYoolverstone Park Gardens. 



THE KITQHEN GARDEN. 



CAULIFLOWERS.— The young seedlings 

 should now be large enough to prick out. 

 Cold frames or handlights are to be pre- 

 ferred for them^ though no coddling must 

 ever be attempted. Tlie frames will be 

 necessary when much wet and damp weather 

 occurs^ when the Tights should be placed 

 over. Plenty of air must be admitted at 

 all times, excepting during sharp frost, when 

 the frames must be closed, and matted if 

 necessary, for the night. Use only just 

 ordinary loam for the plants, as rich soil 

 would tend to produce strong growth, which 

 is not required til] the spring arrives. Use 

 a little burnt garden refuse when pricking 

 off if the soil is heavy. Make still another 

 sowing under glass in frames. . 



CABBAGES.— Continue to plant these out 

 in various aspects for a continuous supply, 

 not forgetting a batch of the most forward 

 plants of 



an 



war] 



-_ early variety on 

 border facing south ; these have a happy way 

 of turning in at unseasonable times, and 

 from January onwards many dishes can be 

 cut. Those planted on the maincrop onion 

 beds are doing well ; ply the hoe freely, and 

 give a scattering of soot and burnt garden 

 refuse to ward off slugs. Later on "the plants 

 should be moulded or earthed up to make 

 the stems safe and cosy. Continue to plant 

 out later batches, setting early varieties at 

 fifteen inches apart, and the larger varieties 

 two feet apart in the rows, and eighteen 

 inches from plant to plant. 



PEAS.— With the most favourable weather 

 still continuing, these will remain a long 

 time fit for use; they are even flowering at 

 the moment as freely as in May. It must 

 not be expected that the whole crop will 

 finish, therefore means must be employed to 

 gain as many as possible. Firstly, top each 

 plant BO as to throw all energy into the pods 

 formed ; secondly, give water, if necessary, 

 to fill up the pods and hurry the growth of 

 later pods and flowers; thirdly, if in ex- 

 posed positions, shelter the rows, even leav- 

 ing the older rows of sticky and bine on the 

 cold side. 



LETTUCES are in fine condition. Take 

 care of all, even if it means lifting some, 

 and storing them in cold frames. Prick off 

 autumn-sown ones in various asp^ects for 

 spring supplies, and work the hoe in all tlu^ 

 quarters. 



ENDIVE.— Take up and store the forward 

 plants in rougli frames, and hasten later 



plants.— Geo. Ellwood^ Swanmore Park 

 Gardens. 



