964 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



December jgjj 



WORK FOR THE WEEK- 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



ZYGOPETALUMS.— Most of these plants 

 are now growing* freely, and must receive 

 water at the roots whenever the compost be- 

 comes dry. Z. Mackayi, perhaps the bebt- 

 known species, produces its strong flower- 

 spikes at thi«> s^^&on, iand must not be allowed 

 to suffer from want of water. When flower, 

 ing is over, th.e plants miay be repotted 

 should they require it. Owing to the large 

 quantities of water they require when in full 

 growth, it will probaibly be advisable to re- 

 pot them, as the thick fleshy roots resent a 

 sour and decomposed compost. The majority 

 of the species are free-rooting and easily 

 grown, and require a fair amount of pot 

 room, with a good depth of com,posit aind 

 ample drainage. A suitable potting compost 

 is the kind advised for green-leaved cypri- 

 pediums, Z. Mackayi, Z. crinitum, Z. Lin- 

 deni, Z. Clayi, Z. Protheroeianum, and 

 several others, grow well in a warm shady 

 corner of the warm intermediate house, ele- 

 vated at this seiason of the year near to the 

 glass to receive as much light as possible. 

 Z. Maxillare and Z. m. Gauteri will tlirive 

 under the same conditions, but instead of 

 being grown in a pot, are fouud to thrive 

 best on the pieces of tree fern they are 

 usually imported upon. The rare Z. Balli, 

 now in flower, requires a course of treat- 

 ment identical with Z. Mackayi. Z. Gautieri 

 is now at rest, and should be suspended from 

 the root in the same house, and be kept 

 moderately moist at all times. The inter- 

 mediate house is also the best place to grow 

 such, bigeneric hybrids as Zygo-colax Veitchi 

 Z.-c, Wiganian^um, Z.-c. Amesianum, and 

 Z.-c. Charleswortlii. Zygopetalum rostratum 

 and Z. Eoeblin^ianum should be grown, in 

 the warm, moist, plant stove, whUst Z . 

 Burkei requires cool house treatment. Tlie 

 miniatures, Z. citrinum (Promense-a), Z. Rol- 

 lisoni, and Z. stapeliodeg also thrive when 

 susipended from the rcx)f of the cool house. 



MILTONIA VEXILLARIA. 



Plants of this 

 full e^rowtih. 



and of M. Bleuaua, now in 

 should be in a light positdoin, close up to the 

 glass in the intermediate house. They should 

 have water afforded them whenever they be_ 

 come dry, but care mu&t be taken that they 

 do Bot receive it in excess, ag there is great 

 danger of the plants losing their roots, the 

 leaves turning black, and the whole plant 

 decaying. Examine them from time to time 

 and liberate any leaves which adhere to eacJi 

 other, and any sheaths at the base of the 

 half-made bulbs, w^iich prevent the new 

 roots entering the conipo.-t may be removed, 



CLEANING PLANTS AND HOUSES 

 This work should be pushed on, and it is 

 a/dvisable to examine every plant, aud wash 

 the houses both inside and out. When doing 

 this work every care should be taken to tho. 

 roughly cleanse the laps of the glass from 

 all dirt and slimy matter. This not only 

 admits more light, but allows atmospheric 

 moisture that condenses to easily pass away 

 between the panes of glass, and so prevent 

 drip. During this cleaning we get to know 

 exactly the condition of every plant^ and, 

 should any want repotting shortly they 

 should be set on one side.— J. T. Barker, 

 The West Hill Gardens. 



CONSERVATORY AND 



HOUSE. 



GREEN- 



PRIMULAS.— Probably at the present 

 season the primulas are the most popular 

 plants we have in bloom. They remind me 

 of the lovely sweet peas, which have no re- 

 Sfpeot for persons, for, whatever mav be the 

 status of the cultivator, they yield a"^ bounti- 

 ful harvest of their beautiful flowers in re- 

 turn for the labour bestowed on them. 

 Primulas delight in a warm buoyant atmo- 

 sphere with a fair amount of moisture. The 

 roots }>eing very fine, the plants are conse- 

 quently good feeders, and need liquid 

 manure for their sustenance. This should be 

 given twice weekly, and sheep or deer drop- 

 pings or fowls' manure, collected and nlnc^d 



Then 



in a tub makes a splendid liquid, as also 

 does a bushel of soot placed in a bag and 

 immersed in a tub of water. It is a safe 

 proceeding for most plants to allow the tub 

 to stand of water for a fortnight before 

 using, the liquid may then safely be used 

 without further dilution, provided when one 

 canful is taken out another of clean, soft 

 water is added, whereby the tub will always 

 be full. In the use of liquid manure, we 

 presume the tub is always standing outside* 

 Therefore the cans containing the liquid 

 manure must be stood in a warm mushroom 

 house, or in the house in which it is to be 

 used, to bring it to the same temperature as 

 the house. There are many varieties avail- 

 able for conservatory decoration, and, 

 although differing greatly in habit and 

 appearance, possess much beauty. We 

 have Primula sinensis in its double and 

 single forms. 



or Star primulas, which of late have been 

 greatly improved ; and we now have almost 

 everv colour imaginable. 



PRIMULA OBCONICA, which also ha^ 

 been greatly improved, ranks next in merit. 

 Groups consisting of separate colours are 

 strikingly beautiful. It is unfortunate that 

 this primula has the reputation of being 

 poisonous to some who touch their leaves, 

 and in case certain individuals who have 

 handled them have had a bad attack of 

 eczema, I must, however, say, in favour of 

 the plant, that such cases have been few and 

 far between. Primula Kewensis is another 

 good form, its spikes of yellow, sweetly- 

 scented flowers giving us the colour we so 

 much need at this season. 



CLARKIAS. — Although generally classed 

 as half-hardy annuals, clarkias are splen- 

 did subjects for conservatory decoration. 

 Seeds should be sown now in gentle heat, 

 and when the plants are up they should be 

 placed on a shelf near the light and en- 

 couraged to grow steadily. When large 

 enough to handle they should be put into 

 3in. pots, and as the plants develop they 

 should be shifted on until eventuarlly 

 they reach 24^s. Clarkias like a rich 

 compost, and must be grown cool with plentv 

 of light and air They should not be 

 pinched, but allowed to grow naturally. 

 The best varieties for pot culture are Sut- 

 ton's Delicate Pink, Double Salmon, and 

 Firefly.— Lewis Smith, Cadland Gardens. 



HARDY FRUITS. 



THE APRICOT— The pruning of apricot 

 trees should be carried out at the earliest 

 opportunity to allow amiple time for the cuts 

 to heal over before the sap commences to 

 rise. Early pruning minimises to a certain 

 extent the danger of gumming; further, if 

 pruning is delayed severe weather may occur 

 which may defer the work till the flower 

 buds are swelling and ready to burst. The 

 pruning of apricots is carried out on similar 

 lines as that of the plum, and as the varie- 

 ties of the latter vary considerably in their 

 habit of growth and bud formation, sq I 

 find it with apricots; certain sorts make a 

 compact growth, freely studded with short- 

 jointed spurs; these may be pruned reason- 

 ably close back. Others, notably Large 

 Early Montgamet, must be allowed more 

 latitude, and not be pruned too close back 

 or a crop will not be realised. Healthv' 

 established trees of free-flowering habit are 

 liable to form masses of spurs which if al- 

 lowed to remain, flower so freely that a 

 heavy strain is put upon the trees, with the 

 general result that the embryo fruits fail to 

 swell satisfactorily; it is therefore essential 

 in cases of this description to substantially 

 reduce the number of spurs, leaving, so far 

 as possible, such spurs as are in close prox- 

 imity to the wall. To take the place of 

 aulty branches young growths from the 

 base of the trees should be laid in. Youn^ 

 trees which have not filled their allotted 

 wall space should have their centres kept 



e wings are fully dove- 

 lop^ it IS then a comparatively easy matter 

 to fill up the middle portion of the tree. 

 \V hen the operations of pruning, cleansing, 

 and refas ening the trees are completed, 

 clear up all prunings and the remains of 



the summer mulch. If the trees are in ned 

 of a top-dressing, remove the soil to a 

 of three or four inches, and apply i 

 good rich loam and lime rubble, and to thi. 

 may be added bone flour, if the trees are in 

 an exhausted conditou. As the apricot U 

 liable to losts of branches in the summer it 

 is advisable to keep a reserve stock of voune 

 trees to replace any losses which may 'occur 



THE PLUM.— As previously mentioned 

 the pruning, training, etc., of the plum ig 

 similar to that of the apricot, and should 

 succe-ed that of last-named. Fan-tra-inine 

 is the usual method practised, and to form 

 a shapely, well-balanced tree the branches 

 must be equally distributed over the wall 

 space, and overcrowding must be strictly 

 avoided. The lateral growth on young ex- 

 tension shoots may be slightly shortened 

 back, say, to witliin two inches of the main 

 growth. With some varietieis it is not ad- 

 visable to cut back too hard, otherwise, iu 

 many instances, no further growth take.s 

 place, and the branches are devoid of fruit 

 spurs. AVhen planted in congenial soil . 

 growth may be too vigorous, and, although 

 the young shoots may be left a reasonable 

 length, a certain amount of shortening back 

 must take place, both to encourage lateral 

 growth at the lower portion of the alioot, 

 and also to preserve the balance of growth on 

 both wings of the tree. — W. Messenger, 

 Woolverstone Park Gardens. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



DIGGING AND TRENCHING.— The time 

 has arrived when these operations should 

 be pushed forward with all possible expedi- 

 tion. Whenever the weather and ground k 

 favourable, advantage should be taken of 

 the opportunity for proceeding with the 

 work. When done early the soil will be 

 greatly improved by the atmospheric influ- 

 ences to which it will be exposed through- 

 out the winter. A portion of the ground 

 should be trenched each year wherever pos- 

 sible, particularly for peas, beans, onions, 

 and cauliflowers, relying on the deep-worked 

 celery ground for the tap-rooting subjects, as 

 parsnips, carrots, and beet. This latter area 

 can, as the celery is cleared, be deeply in^ 

 over often through the winter to well pul- 

 verise it. During the later digging a dress- 

 ing of soot, old lime rubble, and burnt gar- 

 den refuse should be liberally applied, par- 

 ticularly on heavy soils. 



TOMATOES.— The more forward of the 

 young seedlings will now require shiftin.? 

 into 48-sized pots. The weaker plants m 

 thumbs can safely be left without being re- 

 potted till the new year. Use a nice com- 

 post of two parts turfy loam, one part of 

 leaf-soil and a dash of coarse grit. After re- 

 potting replace them on a shelf near the 

 glass, where they will have the assi^-tance ot 

 a temperature of 55 degrees or thereabouts: 

 after watering in, keep on the dry side for a 

 few weeks. Plants ripening their fruits 

 should receive much the same treatment, 

 once a week will be found quite often enougli 



for applving water. . 



CUCUMBERS that are now fruiting must 

 b© cropped very lightly at this reason to 

 maintain healthy-beaxing wood continuously- 

 The. air must contain a certain amount oi 

 humidity, the glass be kept quite <^^^f\ll 

 admit every ray of light possible, and tnt 

 temperature be maintained between 60 an<i 



Introduc 



e 



65 degrees at all times. 



MINT AND TARRAGON. — . ^ 

 batches of these herbs at intervals into t^h 

 forcing house or warm pits. Boxes are p 

 ferable for mint, where only small q^']^^^ 

 ties are required, otherwise made-up 1^ 

 are the most desirable. Mustard and cres. 

 should be sown at intervals according to re 

 quirements. Endive, seakale, chicory, an«i 

 rhubarb should be introduced son^^^J,^; 

 liberally into the forcing H^^^^ers tor uie 

 approaching festive season and the _ 

 Year. It may also be very advisable to tas^ 

 up a quantity of the more forward-IwKing 

 broccoli plants and place them m pits, 

 even fruit hou«s, for the time being, 

 have a good, supply later on.— Geoege 

 WOOD, Swanmore Park Gardens. 



