April 2, 



1898. 



GA RDENERS* MA GA ZINE. 



215 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



COOL ORCHIDS. 



,„ T/wianum and its hybrids should now be flowering, but any that have 

 CYMBIDIUM p^™* 11 ^ J^^g young growths , may be attended to. 



*C£? St lE5 CmE? g^OU S rofTow«>UJ also require 

 C eburneum and C » dist g urbance> and should not be repotted 



* tteDUOn: inv necessary. The old compost should be carefully picked out 

 ^/^rSng.care not to da^ the fleshy roots; and the n 



U Wh-en should consist of good fibrous loam, lumpy peat, ana cnoppea 

 ^wifl? plenty of rough charcoal, broken crocks, and silver sand o keep the 

 *T' 7 P The material must be well worked down between the roots and made 

 ^1 fa? keep ng the surface of the soil a little below the rim of the pot. 



SS&SSt tSsal* a good shift should be given that wdl suffice for 

 When the spotting /, s ^ ^ ^ hammer> ^ the plants 



Lve Tso y fifled them that it is difficult to extricate the roots without 

 ri The warm end of the cool house suits cymbidiums admirably, insect pests 

 S'less troublesome here than in a higher temperature. Water should be 

 SILlv afforded after root disturbance, but a plentiful supply will be needed 

 Iw/owth is free. Plants of the brilliant Sophronitis grandiflorum are now 

 moune from the growths that have just flowered, and all that require 

 Knotting or top-dressing should be taken in hand, using a compost of peat and sphag- 

 inequal parts. Cochlioda Noezliana, C. vulcanica, and C. rosea are also 

 out new roots, and should have fresh material given them ; if a shift is 



DO 



lending out new roots, ana snouia nave iresn material given ukw , »• « « 

 needed, pans or baskets should be used, and these suspended from the roof. 

 Cochliodas delight in a liberal supply of water during the growing season. The 

 singular Epidendrum (Nanodes) Medusae, the flowers of which last a long time 

 in perfection, is now starting to grow, and should have new material afforded it. 

 It does best in well-drained baskets suspended from the roof in the coolest 

 position, and delights in a plentiful supply of water all the year round. 



The present is a suitable time to attend to the repotting of Maxillaria grandi- 

 fiora, M. venusta, M. luteo-alba, M. prsestans, &c. They should be grown in 

 pots or pans three parts filled with crocks, using a compost consisting of three 

 parts sphagnum to one of peat. Care should be taken in the watering of the 

 ewly-potted plants, giving only sufficient moisture to keep the moss alive until 

 they have become well rooted, when they should have a plentiful supply. The 

 odontoglossum house will be found the most suitable place for them. Trichosma 

 suavis should be repotted, if necessary, as root action has commenced ; rough 

 brous peat, fresh sphagnum, and a little fibrous loam, with silver sand added, 

 will suffice over good drainage. When in active growth they must be kept 

 moderately moist, and should never be allowed to become dry at any season, as 

 they have no thick fleshy pseudo-bulbs to support them. The beautiful Odonto- 

 glossum Uro Skinneri is now producing flower spikes, and will also require atten- 

 tion, repotting or resurfacing any that require it, for new roots will soon appear 

 from the partially-developed growths. Green and black fly is sure to be trouble- 

 tome in the cool houses at this season, especially on the young growths and flower - 

 spikes of odontoglossums. A sharp look out should be'kept for thrip, and on the 

 Snt discovery of these insects the house should be fumigated with XL All 



r ; it is the safes! plan to fumigate under the directions issued rather than 

 >ver, as odontoglossums are more liable to injury from fumigation than most 

 xchids. A calm night should be chosen for the operation, taking great care that 

 he foliage is quite dry ; the atmosphere, however, should be fairly moist, as the 

 umes are then more effective. The temperature of the cool houses should be 

 rorn 50 to 55 degrees by night, with the day temperature of 58 to 60 degrees, 

 ma a further rise of five degrees with sun heat. Damping should be done as pre- 

 lously ■advised, and ventilation given freely on all suitable occasions. — E. Shill, 

 >«> Hall, Hey, Gardens. 



5T0VE PLANTS. 



■Je™ 1 lhC °| d sl : ools of Poinsettias should now be placed in the propagating 

 for th/nn ^Perature is maintained, so that they may push into 



£5m th e«E T7 ° ff a ? rdmg CU " ng f • Syrin S e them fre ^y OTer ^ead and 

 See tofoS S2, T d WatCr l pann , gly at . the r00t - When the sho °t* are 

 *oSd a uachJ \ La r 5 !°Z S ° at - th , em from the P lants with a sma11 heel of old 



•2 Zt o 'Cm , thCn n lngly ; :nt ° thumb P° tS containing a mixture of 

 1». EV&E \ ^^^^ nd .^ afs °l 1 ' * fixture of 



ofi Z\me?nW h * P u° tS u With sand ' so that when dibber 



is inserted some 



upon, 

 il too 



Pi..™ iu ■ uul[om 01 tne note tor the base of the cutting to rest 

 let fni svHnr g P °lf **, * ^ b ° U ° m heat ' be Care ™ not * keep the 



• .fcrdS \o t heS g see V ?h a f ^ 0 . CCaS f 10naUy Wa ™ Water ' also when ^ 

 P^ing mater al AnX £ a 2 * tem P e . rature approaching that of the 



ripened 8 portions of Astern in"? f t f P, ro P a g atin g then > * by cutting up the 

 'Wckly in pans or six ffich S'tftlSS? * £"* j ° intS and inserting them 

 with care very few cnL^ '^l the first mentioned is the most satisfactory, 



hatch of pffi fo r S2£ riS £• T' f be , time enou S h to start the 

 these, if well attended n g ,n h 2"^ WCek 2 Apn1 ' as the P lants ^suiting 

 « «e ms from one and a half rn f f , g l Ve u * wU1 afford s P lendid bracts 



»me treatment as pornseuL ° . g V E "P horbia jacqmnseflora requires 



* ^ pot, to he I IS I ' excepting that three cuttings should be placed 



Euchar h s^; P S ^ hen rooted w "hout dividing them P 



a^^^^i,^ to> Pf U K p A "w be attended to; 

 ^Mest bulbs u be ^Placed L?^^' 52 the ^ int ° their various ^ 

 ? lI « k Pots, and so on. A few of th « f S^S? 1 P °^' six ° f the next sized ^ 



pots, as when flower Z ***** ^ m ' ght be P otted sin g'y ^0 



K ? m P° st ^ eucharbl X ee h a t rC £2 ornan ^ntal for vases in rooms. A 



*nd broken cha rcoa added ? Th} 0 *™' ^ 0ne ^ rt leaf - soil with P^nty 

 J? ^ d «Pth of the do? nlo,- h l drainage must be ample, at least one- 



3»; l ;ttle of the ^. th ' s *»» or good fibrofs pieces of loam, 



2«J,the remainder of fhe soi ,h° n th ! s ( arrar '^ the bulbs, afterwards 



'' : a «a!f to two inch , ' ' P u the r S,Jl 1 " rm ' a » d leave a space of from 



gfar holding wate °. 1D Et ha ^ aTe 11 l^T^w °\ H Soil and th ^ lim ^ *™ 

 Jgwt momure ; therefore thef^e, X f^f' 3 ' but are ver >' ^patient of 

 ' ■ r ' v '- f U- rested in a c « of T ° f niUit 1,e Prided for. They 



y eu rou: 

 f e«ed 



^"^yi«npIy^we^S.ntrfin?^' 1 d ? T think k is S(J ^h 'to be 



and flVwer ! ? our bull >s, but it does not affect them, 



pj^f of drainage. >} >a the > nave ver y httle soil in the pots and 



rutin 



ver y Httle soil in the pots and 



* or ^iJ^S^SSSS tbem sin e Iy th — i»ch 



- to £S purring ki» ^ h* ? ° u hea ,V5 ey Wil1 q uickl y ^ot. Pitcher 



1 « >, e»iSs I ? a , US and ^ consist of HZ fih" 5 th ! COn ^ JOSt re ^ uir es to be quite 



^ are too tall shou'd I £ ^hS S rOUS P^ 1 ' Spha § num > and sa " d - Any 



ioa.d ere this have had th=ir heads removed, inserted 



in pets, and plunged in a brisk bottom heat, or they can be notched and massed in 

 the same way as dracaenas. Nepenthes require a strong moist heat with shade 

 from sun. Panax fruticosum bipinnatum, P. f. multifidum, and P. f. Victoria may 

 be propagated by cutting up the roots and stems into pieces an inch and a half 

 long ; press these into pots of sandy soil and place in a propagating case. These 

 are useful subjects for home decoration. Achimenes which were started a few 

 weeks ago should now be placed in their flowering pots or baskets, using a com- 

 post of equal parts peat, loam, and leafsoil, with sand and about one-fifth part of 

 thoroughly-dried cow manure. Achimenes look especially well in baskets, and if 

 there is convenience a few baskets should be made up to be grown in the stove 

 until coming into flower, when they will be better removed to a conservatory or 

 corridor where there is less humidity in the atmosphere. The latest plants of 

 allamanda, stephanoiis, and clerodendron should now be started, but see that the 

 old soil is thoroughly moistened through before repotting or top-dressing. All 

 stove plants which have not been repotted and which are now in active growth 

 will be benefited by an occasional application of some good fertiliser. Gloxinias 

 advancing towards flowering will require stimulants. In houses given up wholly 

 to foliage plants, liquid manure in the evaporating troughs will be of advantage to 

 the plants. Large palms in pots as large as it is desirable to afford them, and 

 which it is found difficult to water satisfactorily through the raising of the ball by 

 the roots below, need attention ; have rims of zinc about five inches deep placed 

 round the rim of the pot, pressing it about an inch into the pot, and allowing the 

 ends to overlap about three inches. By this means they can be afforded additional 

 top-dressing, and watering is a simple matter.— J. Tunnington, Ripley Castle 

 Gardens. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Seldom has the ground been in better condition for sowing and planting than 

 during the present month, for the mild winter enabled all digging to be done in 

 good time, and the exceptionally dry weather has been all that could be desired for 

 pressing on with work. The cold winds and frosty nights have retarded the 

 growth of cauliflowers and peas, but where these have.not already been planted the 

 first favourable opportunity should be taken advantage of. All small plants, such 

 as onions, lettuce, parsley, &c, must be planted with care, and if the weather be 

 dry should have a gentle watering in the morning that the surface may dry again 

 before nightfall. Potatos may now be planted in most districts. It is, however, 

 well not to be in too great a hurry with these, especially in low-lying districts 

 that are subject to late spring frosts, for when the young growth is cut down it is 

 seldom that satisfactory growth is made afterwards, the tubers being usually 

 small. The distance allowed between the rows of these must greatly depend on 

 the variety and the quality of the ground. Here we plant the early ones two feet 

 six inches, and the strong-growing kinds three feet, which is not too much. April 

 is always a busy month in the kitchen garden, therefore all work that can be 

 done early will prove a great help later on when everything is in active growth. 

 Where making new asparagus beds is contemplated, the work should now be 

 taken in hand ; in some gardens it is not necessary to drain, as this is done 

 naturally, but where the land is cold and composed of a stiff loam or clay, it 

 becomes absolutely necessary to make special preparations if fine heads are to be 

 produced. Instead, however, of going to the extra labour and expense of taking 

 out the ground and filling in with rubble, make the beds on the surface by raising 

 them eighteen inches above the surrounding ground. The soil underneath should 

 be broken up to allow as much of the surplus water as possible to pass through in 

 winter, and so prevent the earth from becoming sodden. Those who can afford 

 to wait may sow seed, but where it is necessary to have a supply quickly planting 

 had better be resorted to. It is well to have a stock of young plants always in 

 readiness by making a sowing each season. A sowing of the early kinds of 

 broccoli should be made on a warm border to yield a supply of early plants ; the 

 same may be said of such varieties of cauliflower as Autumn Giant, Autumn 

 Mammoth, Early Giant, Pearl, and Magnum Bonum. Brussels sprouts and 

 borecole should also be sown. It is a good plan to sow several varieties of the 

 latter, for should the winter prove severe some will survive ; here Sutton's 

 Favourite does well. 



Scorzonera is seldom seen except in large gardens, and then it is not always 

 grown well. It is perhaps one of the most difficult roots to bring to perfection, 

 on poor ground, that the gardener has to deal with. Those who have found any diffi- 

 culty in growing good roots would do well to make holes with a dibber from a fcot 

 to fifteen inches deep, and fill them with fine soil, which should be pressed down, 

 sowing three or four seeds in each, afterwards thinning the plants to one at each 

 station. Salsafy may also be grown to perfection in the same way, but where the 

 ground is in good condition there should be no difficulty in growing either of these 

 when sown in drills about fifteen inches apart, and treated in the same way as 

 parsnips. A small sowing of chicory may be made about the middle of the month, 

 but it should be liberally treated, otherwise these early sowings are apt to run to 

 seed. Celery for the main crop should now be sown on a slight hotbed ; 

 celery ought not to receive any check from the time the seedlings appear 

 above the soil until the plants are fully grown, for if they do it is seldom the stems 

 are of much worth, being pithy and tough. A sowing should also be made on a 

 warm border where the soil is rich ; plants from such sowings are always pre- 

 ferable for late crops. Make sowings of mustard and cress, radishes, lettuce, and 

 other salads, that there may be no blanks Watering newly-planted subjects 

 requires great care at this time of the year, for when it becomes necessary to do 

 this the nights are usually cold, and if watering be done m the after-pvt of the 

 day, the temperature of the soil becomes so reduced that the plants suffer seriously. 

 When it is necessary to water, always do it in the early part of the day, that the 

 plants do not suffer thereby. See that the hoe is worked between all growing 

 croos where there are any signs of weeds, as fhis will not only keep them m check, 

 but^ F°wth of the plants.-H. C. ftuNSEP, Buxttd 



Park Gardens. 



FRUITS UNDER GLASS. 



Routine work in vineries will now occupy much attention, as, once well started, 

 growth is very rapid in the early stages, and prompt attention must be given to 

 disbudding, tying down shoots, fertilising the flowers of shy -setting varieties, and 

 thinning the bunches, as each of these stages are reached. In disbudding, an eye 

 should be given to the matter of overcrowding, as m many cases far too many 

 shoots are left on, and these not always the best placed. No growth should be 

 permitted for which ample room cannot be found without crowding, as weight 

 and finish of crop depends far more on the proper development of the principal 

 leaves than on any other thing. Take Muscats, for instance ; and we find that 

 unless we can have fairly large primary leaves and finish them up properly, the 

 fruit is never of the best ; and when shoots are crowded in at something like one 

 foot apart, the vines are sure to break weakly and to show poor bunches next year. 

 I use the' Muscat of Alexandria as an instance, because some of its inherent 

 failings, such as shyness of setting and predisposition to shanking, make growers 

 — fU.,Uri,r on^iVkiic tn nhtain a good show of bunches, and to ensure this, far too 



