5" 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



August 6, (ft* 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



COOL ORCHIDS. 



The hot weather that we are now experiencing is very trying to the inmates of the 

 cool houses, and everything possible should be done to keep the temperature a 

 few degrees lower than outside. Our cool houses are lean-to, facing south-west, 

 and thus have the full power of the sun's rays, from eight o'clock in the morning, 

 until eight in the evening ; but still it is an easy matter to keep a nice, cool, moist 

 atmosphere within, as they are much below the ground level, and reached by four 

 steps ; they are also well supplied with ventilators. About half-past eight in the 

 morning, the house receives a thorough damping with a hose-pipe, then again at 

 three in the afternoon, and if the weather be very hot, another good damping is 

 given at six in the evening ; we also dew the plants overhead, morning and evening. 

 The bottom ventilators are kept wide open the day through until evening, when 

 the air is reduced, and the top ventilators opened a little, these remaining open 

 all night when the thermometer usually drops to about 55 degrees. I am much 

 in favour of these low pit-like houses, as it is such an easy matter to keep the 

 atmosphere cool in them, and the moisture does not dry up half _ so quickly 

 as in more exposed houses. Houses that are in an exposed situation become 

 much drier than those more favourably situated, so during brilliant sunshine heavy 

 shading should be used, and then by damping the shading material two or three 

 times a day, and also occasionally damping the immediate surroundings, a suitably 



moist atmosphere is obtained. 



Ccelogyne Schilleriana, C. ocellata, are two very pretty little cool house 

 orchids, the former having been in flower for the past month ; it produces its 

 (lowers and foliage simultaneously, while the spikes of C. ocellata appear with the 

 young growths, but the flowers are not produced till the bulbs are made up in the 

 autumn. These two species may be grown together at the warmest end of the 

 cool house, suspended from the roof, and are best grown fixed on pieces of tile or 

 teakwood rafts, with a little sphagnum moss placed between the plant and the rafts. 

 They are now rooting freely, therefore a plentiful supply of water is needed. After 

 the bulbs are made the plants should be watered veiy sparsely, especially during 

 the winter months. C. cristata and its varieties are now growing and rooting 

 freely, and plants that were not repotted will require unlimited supplies of water 

 at the root, and occasional doses of weak liquid manure. Newly-potted plants 

 will not need such a liberal supply of water, as too frequent an application will 

 sour the soil. Gelogynes delight in a good syringing overhead on bright days. 

 Dendrobium infundibulum and its variety Jamesianum are not often found in a 

 flourishing condition, being often grown in too high a temperature. The cool 

 house is the proper place for them during the hot summer weather, but about the 

 end of September, when the night are cold, they should be removed to the coolest 

 end of the intermediate house to finish and ripen their growths. They are now 

 growing freely, and require to be kept thoroughly moist at the root ; but during 

 the winter they should never be allowed to become dry enough for the pseudo- 

 bulbs to shrivel. — E. Shill, New Hall Hey Gardens. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY, 



Many different kinds ofspiiceas, Solomon's seal, Dielytra spectabilis, and other 

 things that might l>e mentioned, prove very valuable to the plantsman in producing 

 a display in spring, as these force so freely. The roots can be bought very cheaply 

 in the autumn, and as the growers make a speciality of them they are generally 

 stronger and better adapted lor forcing than those prepared in private gardens. 

 It is not in all gardens, however, that the desired number of new roots can be 

 bought in each year ; therefore a stock in the reserve garden proves very useful 

 for lifting to follow the bought-in lot. To have these as strong as possible they 

 should be so planted out after having been forced that three sets of plants are 

 available, which will allow two years' growth before they are lifted again. Those 

 intended for potting-up in the autumn would be greatly assisted by soakings of 

 liquid manure, or decayed manure spread between the plants and then well 

 watered in. Spuceas in particular soon feel the effects of dry weather, and instead 

 of making good plump crowns the foliage withers up prematurely and the plants 

 are greatly weakened. We force a large quantity of Solomon's seal, as we find 

 the foliage lasts a long time in a cut state, and proves very useful in spring for 

 mixing with different flowers when fern and other greenery is scarce. 



Pot roses that will be required for forcing duriDg the winter should be en- 

 couraged in every way. Standing in a sunny position, extrs? care must be taken 

 that they do not become dry at the roots. Continue to feed the latter so as to 

 support the new growth and keep the foliage strong. There is a danger of mildew 

 attacking the tips of young shoots, but do not wait until these are crippled before 

 measures are taken to check the evil. It is a good plan to syringe them once or 

 twice a week with a solution of softsoap and sulphur, the latter added in sufficient 

 quantities to allow of a little of it remaining on the leaves. The object should 

 be to induce the plants to make a suitable number of strong shoots ; therefore, all 

 thin and puny wood should be cut out at once, thus diverting the strength to 

 those required to produce flowers. Roses planted out under glass are somewhat 

 difficult to keep clean during the heat of summer, as red spider, greenfly, and 

 mildew soon put in an appearance where the proper cultural details are wanting. 

 Syringe freely with quassia water, or fumigate, to check the two first pests, and, 

 as before mentioned, sulphur is the best means of stopping the spread of mildew. 

 W here it is intended to pot up a batch of border carnations for early flowering no 

 time must be lost in selecting and layering the desired number of shoots. We find 

 Huchess of tife very useful for this purpose ; the colour of the flowers is pleasing, 

 they are highly scented, and do not split their calyces. By rooting the layers so 

 that they can be potted up at the end of August they become well established in 

 their flowering pots, and there is no trouble in inducing them to flower by Easter 

 >y means of an ordinary greenhouse. Gloire de Nancy is another good variety to 

 be treated in this way ; the flowers being white, they are much appreciated at the 

 season named. A sowing of mignonette (Machet) might now be made in pots for 

 flowering during the winter. Fill a number of five-inch pots with rich compost 

 and scatter a pinch of seed very thinly i n each ; cover with fine soil, and water 

 ^l^ Qn Arrange the pots m a cool, moist frame until the seedlings appear, and, 

 eSh rJ! T i R m « more sunn y Position, reduce the number of plants in 



S^JSS^IS^ 1 When ^ed to remain ~ 



23*!* n Y Spmdly SpikeS ° f obtained. 



Goodwood 



small 



many 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



l,n during the last month has made the soil so parched 



ces almost came tn a standstill, and watering was 



least move unless well SU nni;^ U \u w,y P ,ar "ed vegetables would not mal 

 hold of the soil mS£?& S Uh m<Mslu 'e> and those which had already 

 other work behind tc Z ^uS^^ This extra labour in many places 



U»ere is yet time. L tc cZ rfe CXtcnt ' and this shou,d ** made U P 



*-ue celery .hould now be planted, otherwise there will 1 



w 



>lc 



^K^iS^ST!!^ ^r h before ^ days are shon. 



ly suppl 



ng ought now to be effected. 



The forwaid 

 U and where 



seed 



; ... V 1 — 1 J / , uc au "aoie to run to 



roots will remain for a longer time in good condition Whpr* th dna lDe 



it will, however, be better to defer sowing the last 'lot till towui^Ji^ 

 end of the month, according to the district, for during mK 

 make rapid progress during the month of October and theSrlv Dart of N T 

 Red Globe is one of the best for sowing at this time of the yea? Z r l* ^ 

 and tender, and remain in good condition for a longer w^'^^^*^ 

 In the southern counties the last sowing of cabbage seed should novTtetlS 

 There are so many good varieties that it would be difficult to select th^.' 

 Veitch's Main Crop, Sutton's Flower of Spring, and Elton's Early t all 

 and will be sure to give general satisfaction. The earlier sowings shoulfS 

 pricked out as soon as they are large enough to handle, and kept CT owiii £ 

 liberal supplies of water. As soon as carrots sown in the last month are Um 

 enough to handle this should be thinned to a distance of two or three inches inthe 

 row. It will not be necessary to give these late sowings so much space as the 

 early ones as the roots will not grow so large. If the soil becomes dry waterirr 

 must be resorted to or they will receive a check. ^ 

 The present is usually one of the most difficult months in the whole year is 

 which to obtain good peas, for the hot, dry weather of July usually parches the soil 

 to such an extent that mildew sets in before the pods are formed. To guar* 

 against this do not allow the ground to become dry for a distance of at least eighteem 

 inches on each side of the rows. Watering must be repeated almost daily when 

 the weather is very hot. Late sowings should also receive attention in this way, 

 for unless the plants have a sturdy start it is impossible for them to do well. 

 Runner beans should now be plentiful, and the pods ought to be picked as the? 

 become large enough for use, for when allowed to form seed the growth of the 

 plants is seriously checked. Watering must have special attention, as the mm 

 robust the plants grow the better the results. Dwarf varieties may still be sown in 

 sheltered situations, or where protection can be given in the case of frost. The 

 latest sowings of broccoli and savoys should now be planted, taking care to keep 

 them growing till such time as the soil becomes well moistened by rains. Shallots 

 ought now to be taken up, and after being dried for a few days stored awty ia 

 a cool place. Endive for a winter supply should now be sown. Plants huge 

 enough for transplanting ought to be put out before they become crowded. Make* 

 sowing of Brown Cos and Hicks' Hardy White for winter use. Those who prefer 

 the cabbage varieties may sow Tom Thumb or any of the other small hardy kinds. 

 Tripoli onions should now be sown. We have found none so good for an early 

 supply as the Queen, and these followed by the Rocca, will give a supply Urn 

 the end of April until the spring-sown ones are ready for use. — II. C. PRiWtr, 

 Buxted Park Gardens. 



FRUITS UNDER GLASS. 



By this time the bulk of strawberry plants for next year's forcing should I* 

 ready for potting. Where they have not yet been cut away from the old pkn 

 this should be done at once, and the pots stood for two or three days in a ihady 

 place, not under trees, where they will soon recover irom the slight check mi 

 receive. A slight dewing over with the syringe now and then will assat m pre- 

 venting flagging, and, as soon as the runners show signs of being self-suprwtjj, 

 potting should be commenced, as they take to the soil much better when not q«c 

 pot-bound. Of course, in judging as to their fitness for removal, the latei»« 

 the layering season and the backwardness of the layers should be taken into . «• 



sideration, as nothing is gained by potting before the roots have tilled the 



r ru^ «. A ir»^ ~( \^^a c ,.,r«»#»iv r*n the state of the soil Hi 



wilt 



OCbcf 



The welfare of the plants after potting depends largely on the state of the wi 

 which they are put, and it ought to be moist enough to keep the plants fm% 

 out heavy waterings until the roots are moving in the new soil, and, on the 



pasty 



freely 



should have some of the finer particles removed, as the more fibrous the mm 

 better it will suit the plants. I do not advise the use of much manur < 

 potting loam ; indeed, I rarely add any but a little broken up rnaterm 



. 1 _ _ ... t._ a . • fis £ tr T T imp rather 



musnroom oea wan a very slight sprinkling 01 mxh. ^»a«v * 



and am not very particular as to the form in which it is used, provu ea 

 fresh as to burn the roots. The pots used should be clean, dry. ana *ci ^ 



but 



icomtesse 



ocked. 



v iridy. 



1: 



uui ,u3u uic nine uie iruus are wameu ; iui m^aii^, * • ~ . ^iM^fatt cr*** ■ 



La Grosse Sucree are wanted fur very early work, five-inch pots 

 but if wanted from March onwards, I prefer six-inch pots, ana ^ ^ 

 layered and biggest plants of Royal Sovereign I propose using a s. ^ ^ 

 Have sufficient of the roughest soil placed level and well rammed • ^ 

 to such a height that when the young plant is placed in P^ lon J A ^ ^ 



only slightly below the level 



pot 



rTering f 

 a second 



; leniy 



waici, a.5 niuDg me pots too mil 01 son w r-- . 

 water, or to the disagreeable necessity of going over the oaten 

 watering. After potting, set the plants ^f^ for ^ V D ^ o?ashe> in tbeir Jflj^ 



not let them remain long before setting them on a 



bear it ™ U 



the evenings of hot parching days. Should mildew nave 



:r suffer for w»* ' , 



clear soot «ur wjj 



>v » attacked tbe F** 



plants, they should be dipped in a mixture of nowerso ► 

 tween the time of cutting them away from the old P » nls nJc 



they are easy to handle while in 



of Howers of »*J"£ m 



dipp^ 



ing easier, it dusting with dry sulphur is pn»w«r. " " . 



should be damped first, and the sulphur powder distributed 

 over them.— J. C. Tallack, Livermere Park Gardens 



«d 



infrnt 



Root and Stems. -Why does the root 01 »quei*JJjJS£ 

 *— ^' casing always strike ear Awards ? "^J^ \\T*« *T 



I the other day, and by him no th g 



seemed to be nothing marvellous in the undouhtea u _ . s ;iSC ^l«^j 



which also and simultaneously breaks from the seea m ^ ve g«»^ 



because it is understood that light b*f 8 * -i, t?fSS m» not at 

 reason also the root invariably turned from we ngn ioIogVt c 

 We have thus raised a very interesting point in P ian ' t hc rood 

 l)e well if the scientists would clearly elucidate, n wh** 

 that renders light to them repulsive ? \ l *\ c ih %£Zly the same 



and leaves come into the light to find oxygen 

 elements to existence, and practically as much piaJ 

 potash, and nitrogen are for the roots in W* 

 interest,— A. D. 



food in p-ysCL- 



1 food sub,*-- 



SOll. 



