November 30, 19t5 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



923 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



♦ 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



WARM HOUSE ORCHIDS.— In the East 

 Indian house, the majority of serides, sacco- 

 labiume-j angraecums, vandas, and renan.- 

 theras have practically finislied their growth^ 

 and although they are never absolutely dor- 

 mant, they require at this i&eason to be 

 treated in many respects as resting plants. 

 They have no pseudo-bulbs^ and should not 

 be kept so dry at the roots as the deciduous 

 kinds; neither should they have water ap- 

 plied to them in such quantities as when in 

 full growth. During winter it is only advis- 

 able to give sufficient water to keep the moss 

 in which the plants are growing alive, and 

 the plants plump and healthy, brides cris- 

 pum, A. Lindleyanum, and A. Waraeri should 

 not be subject'ed to the heat of the East 

 Indian house, but will be found to thrive 

 better in a temperature a few degrees lower. 

 The winter-flowering Angraecum sesquipe- 

 dale and the hybrid A. Veitchi, now showing 

 for flower, should receive more root moLs- 

 ture than those plants at rest, but the sphag- 

 num moss must not be kept in a saturated 

 condition; it should be allowed to become 

 white, or fairly dry, between each operation. 



RENANTHERA LOWI should not be ex- 

 posed to sunshine at any time, therefore 

 should be placed in as shady po.sition as pos_ 

 sible. and be shaded whenever the sun shines 

 strongly. 



VANDAS.— Vanda caerulea and the sup- 

 posed natural hybrids from it, such as V. 

 amoena, V. Charlesworthi, and Y. Mooreana^ 

 although enjoying heat when in full growth, 

 should, not be grown in the East Indian 

 house, but in a house in which a fairly high 

 temperature is maintained, with abundance 

 of air at all times. These may be placed in 

 their winter quarters, and induced to rest; a 

 temperature ranging from 55 to 60 degrees 

 will answer their requirements. Fresh nir 

 should be given them at all seasons; indeed, 

 a stagnant, stuffy atmosphere is detrimental 

 to the majority of orcliide at any season. 



ONCIDIUAI^ CAVENDISHIANUM, now 

 showing flower spikes, should be well 

 supplitS with water at the roots, while its 

 allied species, 0. Lanceanum, being at rest, 

 should only have sufficient to keep it from 

 shrivelling! The pretty O. chierophorum, 

 now pushing up its spikes, should be re- 

 moved to the warm house, where the flowers 

 will develop much better than if left in the 

 cooler division, but when the flowers are 

 fully open the plants may be returned to 

 their growing quarters, as the flowers will 

 then last for some consideraible time in good 

 condition if not injured by damp. After the 

 flowers fade afford water sparingly till 

 growth recommences, when any n-ecessary re_ 

 l)otting may be done. — J. T. Barker, The 

 AVest Hill Gardens. 



CONSERVATORY AND GREEN- 

 HOUSE. 



CHRYSANrHEMUMS.— Most of the large- 

 flowered exiiibition varieties are now o\er, 

 or have been cut for decorations. Notes 

 should h a ve bee n t ake n at t h e shows of 

 varieties of outstanding merit which appear 

 to be an advance on older kiuds, and these 

 should be added to keep the collection up to 

 date. It is not a wise policy to have a large 

 number of varieties, many of them quite in- 

 ferior and out of date, but rather the aim 

 should be to grow only the best in e-aeh 

 colour section. Flowers which have been 

 shown well at important exhibitions this 

 autumn are Frances Jolliffe, yellow, suffused 

 Jose; Mrs. L. Thome, pale ' yellow; 

 Thomas Lunt, crimson ; His Majesty, 

 deep crimson; Miss A. E. Roope, deep 

 yellow; Lady Talbot, yellow; Gladys Her- 

 **^i't, pale pink ; whilst the huge white 

 Queen Mary quite outclassed all other whites 

 in the Japanese section. Incurved varie- 

 ties are still grown by a few, and have their 

 admirers; the varieties of special merit are 

 Buttercup, Romance, Duchess of Fife, Mrs. 



F. Judsou, W. J. Higgs, and Lady Isabel. 

 The single varieties still increase in number 

 as well as quality, and these now in- 

 terest me most, owing to tlieir extreme 

 usefulness, since we have to provide huge 

 quantities for house and table decoration. 

 The best of these are White Pagram, Bronze 

 Pagram, Edith Pagram, Shasta, Miss Mal>el 

 Booth, and Mary Richardson, while the 

 sweetly-scented, deep pink Lady smith is still 

 flowering splendidly here outside in the ojjen 

 border. 



CUITINGS.— As the plants arc cui down 

 they should be overlooked, and sufficient kept 

 for producing cuttings; the surplus may bo 

 at once thrown away. Any cuttings which 

 are ready may be inserted in clean Ain. pots. 

 The soil should consist of two partt> loam, 

 one i>art leaf-soil, and one part coarse silver 

 sand, all passed through a half-inch sieve. 

 Place Ave cuttings in a pot, and put them 

 in a cold frame to root. Very little water 

 will be needed for some time, but the frame 

 should be kept rather close, and the cuttings 

 sprayed, occaisionally. Varieties which arc 

 slow in throwing up cuttings should be 

 placed in a late vinery or heated pits where 

 they get a little warmth; place them as close 

 as possible to the glass to encourage a sturdy 

 growth, and syringe them over each 

 morning. 



WINTER-FLOWERING CARNATIONS.— 

 — ^These are now giving a good account of 

 themselves by producing flrst-rate blooms. 

 Owing to the open autumn and absence of 

 heavy fogs, the colours are brighter than 

 usual, and the plants are growing freely. The 

 pots are also quite full of roots, and liquid 

 manure water should be given about twice a 

 week. Soot water and fowl manure, given 

 alternately, will be found excellent. 



POTTING SOILS.— The time has again 

 arrived for laying in a stock of loam suffi- 

 cient to carry through the potting operations 

 for another year. This is a very important 

 matter and one which may mean success or 

 failure' It will be found that the top spit 

 from an old pasture, which has been closely 

 grazed by sheep, is the best for this purpose, 

 not too heavy, but with plenty of fibre in it. 

 The turves should be carted and stacked in 

 layers, placing a layer of turf and a layer of 

 well-rotten manure, and to every three such 

 layers should be added a bushel of burnt 

 earth or wood ashes, while isome soot is always 

 beneficial at the rate of half a bushel to the 

 ton of soil.— Lewis Smith, Cadland Gardens. 



HARDY FRUITS- 

 BUSH FRUITS.— The pruning of various 

 kinds of small bush fruits may now be 

 undertaken. For gooseberries, the spurring 

 method in vogue at one time is not so muc.i 

 practised, but more young wood is left to 

 produce a heavier and finer crop of berries 

 the following season. When this style of 

 pruning is followed, some of the branches 

 must be cut clean out from near the ba^' 

 to make room for the young growths, but 

 sufficient space should be allowed for the 

 ready gathering of the fruits. The different 

 varieties of gooseberries vary much in habit 

 of growth ; some have a more or less pendu- 

 lous form, others are of stiff, erect growth, 

 and the pruning must be adapted to the 

 various habits. Remove partially, or whoUv, 

 from the former those shoots which, if 

 allowed to remain would, when weighted 

 with fruits and foliage, touch the ground, 

 thereby spoiling the fruits for use. When 

 pruning on the spur system, the side 

 gro\vths should be cut hard back and the 

 growths at the ends of the branches shortened 

 more or less according to the size of the 

 bush; it is advisable to leave a well-placed 

 young shoot here and there to take the place 

 of old or exhausted branches, merely shorten- 

 ing them according to their strengtb. 



RED AND WHITE CURRANTS should be 

 pruned on the spur system. Newly-planted 

 bushes should be cut back to ensure a sufli- 

 ciency of young growths to form the basis 

 of a shapely bush. 



BLACK CURRANTS require a different 

 mode of pruning. The young growths on 



iully-grown bushes should not be shortened, 

 with the exception of weak growtlis, which 

 should have the tips removed; the oldest 

 branches should be cut clean away, so as 

 to give the bush a shapely appearance, and 

 leave the other branches sufficiently wide 

 apart to allow free access of light and air 

 when in leaf. Growths arising from the 

 roots should be preserved, as these will in 

 due course take the place of those removed. 

 A strong, free growth should be encouraged 

 by surface manuring, as tliLs will insure 

 giKxl^sized Iw^rries, and act as an antidote 

 to the bud mite, which has become a scourge 

 to the black currant in many parts of the 

 country. So far, no c^^rtain cure or anti- 

 dote seems to liave been discovered; to a 

 certain extent the pest may he kept under 

 by spraying witli quassia and soft soap, or 

 by dusting tlie bushes with dry lime and 

 sul])hur. After a personal trial of these 

 remitlies 1 cx)nsider it the l)est plan to grub 

 up and burn the affect txl bushes, and re- 

 plant with a clean stock on ground not pre- 

 viously occupied by black currants. 



GOOSEBERRY AND CURRANT BUSHIvS 

 should be dressed with some mixture to pre- 

 vent the birds taking the buds. One of 

 the best preventives I have used is a 

 solution of Bentley's quassia extract, used at 

 the rate of half a pint to three gallons of 

 rain-water, with a little freshljr^slaked 

 lime and some soot added. The dressing may 

 have to be repeated during the winter. — W. 

 Messenger, Woolverstone Park Gardens. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



PEAS. — If room ifs available under glass for 

 a small batch of peas, it should be taken 

 advantage of, for nothing will be more appre- 

 ciated next spring, weeks before any outside 

 crop is fit to gather. Both pits and cool 

 houses are suit^tblc tor tiicir culture. Ways 

 .are various in which the seedlings can be 

 raised and grown; perhaps tlie l)est and most 

 accoinmodating plan is to sow the seeds 

 direct into ten-inch pots, particularly if they 

 are to fruit in tlie said pots. Otherwise, if 

 they are to be planted out in the borders 

 of the houses early in the year, it is better 

 to sow four seeds in 6()-sized pots. In the 

 larger pots mentioned, u^ a few piece** of 

 crock, and a email quantity of coarse, dried 

 manure above to prevent clogging. For 

 compost mix three part's decaying turf, one 

 part of leaf-soil and mushroom-bed manure 

 with a small quantity of burnt garden refuse; 



place this mixture firmly in the pots to 

 within four inches of the rim, and presiS eight 

 seeds into the soil in each pot, covering 

 them with the finer particles. Eventually 

 thin out to the five strongest plants, and fill 

 the top space with occasional tofj-dressings 

 as time goes on. PUu^e the pots in a quite 

 cool and well-aired house, and never hasten 

 growth. Later on stake, tie, and syringe as 

 required. Reading Giant and Edwin Beckett 

 iue first-rate marrowfat varieties for this 

 purpose. 



BROAD BEANS.— These may be treated 

 in the same way as peas, but especial care 

 is necessary at the flowering period, as only 

 a fresh and buoyant atmosphere will ensure 

 a good " set." Pinch out the tops previous 

 to the flowering stage. 



MUSHROOMS.— The earlier beds should 

 now be in good bearing, and care must be 

 taken not to overheat the house, or only 

 partial crops will result. Maintain a uniform 

 temperature of 50 degrees, and the beds will 

 bear for a longer jjeriod, and the quality of 

 the mushrooms will be superior than if sub- 

 jected to greater heat. Well protect bedvs in 

 cold sheds by placing extra coverings on 

 them. 



SALSIFY AND SOORZONERA should now 

 be carefully lifted and placed in fine soil 

 under a wall or hedge facing north ; if severe 

 frofsts are expected, place litter over the 

 store, but remove during mild weather, 



CHICORY.— Bring a sufficient quantity 

 forward by placing plants a few inches apart 

 in any dark, warm place. Seakale, too, will 

 now be found to force f|uite easily. — ^Gkorgk 

 Ellwood, Swanmoro Gai'dens. 



