December 14, 1912. 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



967 



had found that ,those varieties possessing 

 thick -mcotb, glossy leaves were the least 

 liable to the attacks of mildew. 



A free discussion followed on budding 

 Toses, lifting, and transplanting old stan- 

 dards, training, and pruning, Numerous 

 questions w^ere ably au&wered by Mr, Clark, 

 to whom. Dr. Hamilton, and the president 

 (J, H , Ralph Sm y t he , Esq . , J . P . ) , very 

 hearty votes of thanks were passed. Be- 

 gonias, ferns, calanthes, and primulas were 

 exiiibited by Messrs. Heath, Pearce, Evans, 

 and Povey, and a lovely bowl of December 

 roses by Mr. Clark. 



Reading^ 



Garden 

 tion. 



Associa 



There was an excellent attendance of mem- 

 bers at the Abbey HaU on Monday evening. 

 The President occupied the chair, and Mr. 

 H. Costin, of the University College Fruit 

 Station, Shinfi-eld, gave an excellent address 

 on "Small Fruits." 



The lecturer first dealt with the prepara- 

 tion of soil for small fruits generally, advis- 

 ing double digging as a minimum prepara- 

 tion unless the site had previously been 

 well prepared for the growing of some other 

 crop. In the process of preparation in the 

 case of heavy soils, as much road grit or 

 opening material should b? worked into the 

 under layer in order to assist aeration and 

 the percolation of water. He advieed that 

 stable and farm manure, particularly where 

 the supply was limited, be kept as near the 

 surface as possible^ if not actually applied 

 as a top dressing or mulch after planting, 

 or a good deal of the manurial value might 

 be wast-ed in the drainage long before the 

 roots re a c h e d it. Hea v y soils s h o ul d be 

 prepared early in the autumn or in spring 

 while in a moderately dry condition. 



Strawberries, raspberries^, loganberries, 

 currants, and gooseberries were respectively 

 treated on, Mr. Costin giving his experi- 

 ence on the most important points in their 

 cultivation. The life history of the more 

 important pests was given and remedies 

 calculated to control them named. 



The diKcursion that followed was one of 

 the best of the se-sion, numerous questions 

 being put to Mr. Costin with reference to 

 methods of planting raspberries, the use of 

 iasic slag on light and heavy soils, the 

 pruning of gooseberries, the applications of 

 insecticides, -etc. Mr Costin, who is to be 

 congratulated on the way he emerged from 

 the criticism in this, his maiden eifort, re- 

 <^ived a hearty vote of thanks. 



A t n ? 



exhibit of vegetables Ava^ staged 

 ^ Mr. H. G. Cox, of Messrs. Sutton and 

 ^ons, and was of great educational value, 

 tne numerous enquiries relative to the grow- 

 JJig of onions, beet carrots, parsnips, etc., 

 »eing readily replied to by Mr. Cox. 



5 



GARDENING ENGAGEMENT. 



tr^Il' ^I'^J^tin, for sonK> vears 



gJdener at Warren Wood, Hatfield 

 oeen appointed head g^ardener to the 



7^^ Frederick Leopold of Prussia, at Pots- 

 <'ani, Germany. 



head 

 has 

 Prin- 



This pretty South 

 introduced about 



Kleinia Galpini.- 



firican composite was 



twenty years ago; but, despite its desirable 

 ^^^Ti^* always been an uncommon 

 W; rl ^^""^ flowered at Kow, and has 

 a fr 11 ^''^'^ '"^"y ^i"^^^ ^'^"ce. It forms 

 f "i^^'-^"^^^^^ specimen that will reach a 

 stem ^''Sliteen inches or thereabouts. The 

 aiv. f '"^^ ^^^''^ pretty glaucous leaves, 



rt;? * succulent character. The flowers, 

 icft are borne in demise heads, a 



anH 'j^^"^^- of a bright orange 'olour, 

 W,-. ^''^^'^ produced, a wcll-flowered 



eaT '^'^^y effective. It is <i plant of 



to ^"P-''g:''ti"n and culture, if care is taken 

 , fcuard against an excess of moisture, espe. 

 clunng the summer months. The 



^ IZu^^^^-"^ '"^ green houfec is essential to 

 "t'll doing.— K. 



an 



PERPETUAL CARNATIONS. 



The following ig the text of the paper on 

 " Perpetual Carnations," read by Mr. J. 

 Gardner at the Carnation Conference held 

 under the auspices of the Perpetual Carna- 

 tion Society ou the 4th inst. : 



The peppetual-flowering carnation, as we 

 now know it, is essentially a modern plant, 

 «aud is fast gaining the position of the pre- 

 mier winter-tlowering subject for the produc- 

 'tion of cut bloome, for it ia during' the dull 

 days of the year that it is most appreciated 

 fand valued. It-s popularity is chiefly due to 

 its efeipecial beauty and utility for decorative 

 fpurposes in a cut state, and to the pensisteut 

 manner in which it has been so artistically 

 displayed at exhibitions by nurserymen and 



others, who appreciate and know its manifold 

 charms. 



Value for Decorations. 



When used in a cut fcytate for tlie purpose 

 of adorning reception rooms, dinner tables, 

 etc., the carnation is unsurpaists.ed by any 

 other flower, and but few blooms of other 

 plants continue in a fresh condition when cut 

 .and placed in water for so long a period. 

 These qualities alone are ^iulficient to render 

 it popular, without taking into account its 

 easy cultivation, for I maintain that when 

 fits requirements are understood, it is not 

 !a difficult plant to grow. For this reas-on 

 I would especially recommiend it to amateurs, 

 as I feel sure that no plant would give better 

 returns, and be conducive of greater pleasure. 



It is truly called perpetual, for the eame 

 plaints can be had in bloom for twelve 

 months, and if they are well managed g(^od 

 flowers will be produced during the wliole 

 time, which fact alone ought to gain for 

 the perpetual carnation a prominent position 

 in gardens where tlie production of cut 

 flowers in quantity is a nece!S'sity. As regards 

 its improvement. I will say little, as the 

 fact is self-evident to all who have followed 

 it for a few years that there i^ every pro- 

 bability of its improvement continuing until 

 the perpetual-flowering carnation becomes a 

 model of all that is iperfect and beautiful. 

 Not only do modern varieties l>roduce 

 superior blossoms, but in many cases the 

 habit of growth and the consititution. of the 

 plants Site distinctly in advance of the old- 

 time favourites. 



Cross fertilisation for the purpose of ob- 

 taining n^ew varieties would require a paper 



in itself, so I do not intend to discuss the 

 matter here; but thOf>e who are engaged in 

 it know the amount of patience and atten- 

 tion reqnired, and the very small percentage 

 of seedlings that are of any merit as im- 

 provements on the old varieties. A matter 

 that might Ibe taken into consideration is the 

 production of varieties with sweet scent ; for, 

 although a bloom may be ]>orfect in shape, 

 and the plants possess every good cliaraeter- 

 istic, if the flowers are t^centless tliev are 

 destitute of a most delightful charm. 



Whether they possess smootli-edged petals 

 like Miay Day, or serrated edges like Baroness 

 de Brienen, is really not an important mat- 

 ter, as there is room for both types^ each 

 appc^aling to different tastes. 



Commencing: their Culture. 



When commencing to grow perpetual car- 

 nations, it is essential to devote a suitable 

 house to them, for I believe there are more 

 failures through attempting to grow them 

 under unf avourable conditions than from anv 

 other cause. It is jnipo.>>ible to grow car- 

 nations well in an indiftVrent greenhouse 

 among a miscellaneous collection of plants, 

 for carnations, love light and air, and it is 

 neoe&sary to provide these essentials if one 

 is to excel in their cultivation. A crocd >tvle 

 of house for the private grower is a span 

 roof one, provided with a centre stage, and 

 a stage all round next to tlio outside. The 

 house nhould face to the s(;iitli so as to ob- 

 tain the maximum amount of sunshine dur- 

 ing the winter, and be fitted with a 4in. flow 

 pipe under the outside stages, with the re- 

 turns conducted under th;» centre stage to 

 maintain the requisite tcniperatuie in winter. 

 The stages sh oul d be c o ve r e d a\ i t h fi n e 



shingle, or small cinders with the ashes eiited. 

 out. Both top and bottom ventilators must 

 be made to open outwards to the fullesit 

 extent. 



The l>est way to make a start is to procure 

 some strong plants in small pott^ from a 

 nurseryman who makes a speciality of the 

 section. These can be obtained early in 

 March, and if correctlv treated will make 

 fine bushv ulants that will commence to 



plants that will commence 

 flower in October. In subsecjuent years, with 

 the exception of ])urchajsing any novelties 

 that are required, it is preferable to raife 

 one*s own stock. The best time to commence 

 this work is during the latter part of De- 

 ber. and from then until March the pro- 

 cess may continue. Cuttings rooted after 

 March are not forward enough to make 

 good plants to bloom early in the following 

 winter. 



It may be worth mentioning that we ob- 

 tain good results by propagating in August, 

 taking the cuttings from plants growing in 

 the open garden. The growthis are generally 

 firm and well matured at that season of 

 the vear, and we have found them make 

 1>etter plants than those rooted in 

 winter. By propagating in August, strong 

 plants in GO's are obtained by October; these 

 are kept in a cool house during the winter, 

 and after the turn of the year are potted on, 

 and grow away rapidly. 



the 



Propagation. 



The method of ])ro]>agation I advocate 



is intended for private growers who 

 only require a few hundred plants, 

 as market growers, who produce many 

 thousands, have their own special methods. 

 When taking cuttings^ it is essential 

 to oWain tliem from olants that are 

 vigorous and free from disease, so as to 

 ensure the continuance of a healthy stock. 

 Those from the centre part of the stem are 

 the best ; they should be removed when 

 about Sin. long, and prepared in the usual 

 way. It is most important to take really 

 good cuttings, as weak, thin growths fail 

 to make good plants. We obtain good re- 

 sults by inserting them singly in small thumb 

 pots filled with a fine compost consisting of 

 loam, leaf-soil, and silver sand in equal 

 parts. Plunge the pots in fibre in a propa- 

 gating frame, with a bottom heat of 60 de- 

 grees and a overhead temperature of 55 

 degrees. Give them a thorough watering in 

 \vith a can to which a fine rose is fitted, 

 and keep the frame fairly close until they 

 are rooted. Just admit a little air in the 



morning for an hour or two, and at the same 

 time dry the glass to remove condensed mois- 

 ture. 



It is desirable to shade the cuttings lightly 

 from bright sunshine, and give a gentle 

 spray with the syringe if required. Under 

 such conditions they root readily in from 



three weeks to a month, when thev should be 

 gradually exposed to more air. Of course, 



this treatment varies a little according to 

 circumstances. Shift the young plants on 



into 60's, using more loam and less sand in 



the compost, but make sure that they are 



moist at the root before being potted, and 



grow them on in a temperature of from 50 



degrees to 55 degrees. 



Some growers prefer to root their cuttings 



The question to-day is not " Shall we Spray," as every 

 gardener knows he must Spray, but ** What machine 

 or syringe shall I spray with ? " All the world answers, 



"four oaks: 



which have won 30 

 Gold & Silver Medals, 

 many in open conipeti- 

 ti'-^n with other makes. 

 The machine illustrated 

 is the Four Oaks Gold 

 Medal Knapsack Spray- 

 er, ^S/-. No rubber 

 valves. Complete Cata- 

 logue of Spraying and 

 Lirnewashing ^Machines 

 and Syringes of every description free on application to 

 the Sole Manufacturers— THE FOUR OAKS SPRAYING 

 MACHINE CO., No. 3 G, SUTTON COLDFIELD. 



i 



