February T9* 1898, 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



121 



Green Primula Flowers. 



NSWERS T 



C O R R E S PON DENTS 



Editorial communications should be addressed to the Editor of the Gardeners' 



Magazine, 148 and 149, Aldersgate Street, E.C. 

 The Editor will be glad to receive photographs of gardens, plants, flowers, trees, 



fruits, &c, for reproduction in the Gardeners' Magazine. ^ He will also be 



greatly obliged by correspondents sending early intimation of interesting local 

 events relating to horticulture. In sending newspapers containing matter to 

 which they wish to draw attention, correspondents are requested to distinctly 

 mark the paragraph. 



Snecimens of plants, flowers, and fruits for naming or opinion should be sent to 

 p Endsleigh," Priory Park, Kew, 



Surrey, and as early in the week as possible. All parcels must be sufficiently 



prepaid. 



Secretaries of horticultural societies are invited to send early notification of forth 

 coming exhibitions and meetings, and are requested to advise us concerning 

 change of dates 



Moles and Mice. — R. B. O., Carnarvon : To get rid of these pests you 

 will have to resort to traps in both instances, especially as you are not allowed to 

 keep a garden cat to kill the mice. We suggest that you obtain a pair or two of 

 owls — young cnes — and feed them, so that they will not go far away ; they will 



Editor 



Failure with Tulips in Pots. 



young cnes- 



assist you in a most marked manner to reduce the pests. 



—A. S. B., Essex : It is probable that 

 the tulips were frozen when in the cold frame ; they were then considerably 

 advanced, and the moisture collecting in the cup formed by the leaves was turned 

 to ice, or at least, the surface of it was, with the result that the peduncle was 

 damaged. When placed in heat there was not a proper sympathy between the 

 roots and the flowers, owing to the damage below the bud, and so a collapse 

 followed. The Parrot tulips are not the best for forcing. 



Potatos in Pots. — A. I. F., Bath : Where there are vineries or peach- 

 houses it is not a difficult matter to grow a few potatos in pots so as to secure 

 a few early dishes of new tubers. Select a naturally early and short-topped 

 variety and place the seed tubers on end in a shallow box, with some leaf-soil or 

 cocoa-fibre refuse under, over, and between them ; stand the box in a light posi- 

 tion in a temperature of about 50 degrees for about three weeks before planting, 

 and then they will be nicely sprouted and rooted also. Prepare sufficient ten or 

 twelve inch pots by crocking carefully, use a good loamy compost, and only fill 

 the pots three parts full at planting time. The remaining space should be filled 

 when the haulm is a few inches high. Use a li^ht and fairly rich compost for the 

 top-dressing. Guano is a fine manure for potatos grown in pots or boxes. Do 

 not attempt to force growth in a close damp house, or the result will be a lack of 

 tubers. Light and air, with a moderate amount of moisture at the roots are 

 essential for potatos in pots. Two sets in each pot will be sufficient. 



... . _ - P. T. B., Sydenham : The specimen sent was 



a most interesting one, for we have never seen such a fine development of green 

 fohaceous flowers in the primula before. Such flowers, of course, but go to prove 

 that floral organs are but differentiated leaves, though in this case the reversion is 

 very wonderful. Such a plant would have no commercial value, but it is worth 

 perpetuating as a curiosity. If you can save seeds do so and experiment with 

 them ; most of the flowers sent had aborted stamers and stigma, so that there is 

 a probability of your not being able to obtain seeds. 



Double Cineraria.— A. B., Aston: The cineraria you have seems to bs 

 rather a semi-double than a double form, so there should be no difficulty in obtain- 

 ing seeds from it. Place the specimen in a light house where the atmosphere is 

 kept drier than in a cold frame ; see that it does not want for moisture at the 

 roots, however, and allow it all the sunshine that appears, and then there should 

 be no difficulty in saving seed. You could also perpetuate the variety by means 

 of the sucker-like growths that arise from the base ; a little top-dressing of rich 

 light soil as these appear will induce them to push freely, and then they can be 

 removed, inserted in small pots in sandy soil, and struck in a close pit. After 

 once rooted they must not be coddled, however. 



Failure with Celery.— R. B. O., Carnarvon: It is probable that the 

 ground in which the celery was planted had not been properly worked and 

 manured previously. Then, after planting, an abundance of water was given 

 which washed away most of the goodness in the soil, and caused the celery to 

 grow tall, but with little substance in the stems to allow them to winter well. The 

 ground must be very rich and substantial, and water must be given the celery, if 

 the weather is at all dry ; and when a few waterings have been given, then 

 liquid manure of moderate strength must be provided until earthing-up commences. 

 It is a mistake to earth- up celery loosely, for this will allow the early winter rains 

 to penetrate and cause irreparable damage. Earth-up firmly, and finish off the 

 ridge so that the rain is shed from the plants. 



Wood-lice in Tomato House.— Subscriber : As wood-lice are natural 

 scavengers, it is a great advantage to growers to keep the houses clean, so that 

 none of the pests are harboured by dead leaves, decaying wood, &c. Toads and 

 tomtits will assist in a most able manner to reduce the lice, and consequently 

 should be encouraged. Take a number of dirty pots, some dirty crocks, and 

 dirty, but dry, moss, mix the two latter and place inside the pot, adding a slice 

 or two of cold boiled potato. Place this as a trap in the haunts of the wood-lice 

 and cover lightly with dry moss. Kill the pests by emptying the contents of the 

 dirty pots into a bucket of boiling water ; the traps should be emptied at dusk or 

 dawn. The moss and crocks will be available again as soon as dry. Potatos cut 

 in halves, and the inner side partly scooped out, also form good traps, that need 

 examination night and morning. By persisting with these means for a week or 

 two a clearance should be effected. 



Violets in Frames — C. B,, Wetherby : It is a mistake to take either 

 cuttings or rooted runners of violets for winter flowering too early. May will be 

 found soon enough. Very early propagation results in abundance of foliage and 

 small flowers. In April, when new growth commences, take some leaf mould 

 mixed with a little sand, and place this between the plants. The new runners 

 will root freely, and provide medium -sized crowns for subsequent planting in a 

 border that is cool and moist. Absolute shade all the day is neither necessary nor 

 good for the young plants, but it should be borne in mind that fairly strong loam 

 and a locality where the air is naturally cool and moist for a greater part of the 



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