556 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



Vegetables for E 



■ / 



be perfectly sate to cut it two or three davc r " " — 

 stalk in about half-an-inch of water and iZLS, • r '- care foHy placing 

 cool place. The fruit should be of medium ff^J^ Cellar - °r some 



me siaiK, s>o mat uic uiuiuD-nail may easily oierrp ?♦ Vu lcnacr * 

 good shape and free from all marks or scratches wi ; - cy 011151 be 

 with the remains of the flower on A? 5^^* 



ii c j . °n them. Wh 



generally preferred to green ones, but I see 



ornamental arrangement several kinds"shouV be Include?^ Forai 

 to stage them on a medium-sized dish, nicely garnished S ££ 



VEGETABLE MARROW. 



The vegetable marrow [Cucurbita Pepo oviferd) constitutes one of our 

 favourite summer vegetables, and few are more quickly or easily grown ; 

 then almost any out of the way corner, unsightly rubbish or manure 

 heaps may be utilized for the purpose, producing at the same time a very 

 pleasing effect. They also make admirable screens when trained up 

 trellis work, fences, or even old buildings, and with plenty of convenience, 

 marrows may be had from the beginning of April until the frost puts 

 an end to their growth. Selection of varieties, either for home consump- 

 tion, market, or exhibition is of the utmost importance ; there is a large 

 number, many cf which are almost worthless (judged either by their 

 flavour, productiveness, or appearance) compared with the newer or best 

 selected sorts. The vegetable marrow is a moisture and heat-loving 

 plant, and during spells of hot dry weather too much water either at the 

 roots or overhead can hardly be given. If allowed to suffer [from 

 drought mildew — one of the most deadly enemies of the marrow — will 

 quickly make its appearance and greatly damage the crop. 



When means are at hand, a few plants should be cultivated under glass, 

 in houses, heated pits, or frames placed on hotbeds. For this purpose 

 seeds should be sown singly in pots two and a half inches in diameter the 

 first week in February and again in the middle and end of the same month 

 in bottom heat. Encourage a sturdy growth by placing them near the glass 

 as soon as the seed-leaves are above the soil ; pot on when ready into 

 thirty-two sized pots in a light porous soil, and support each plant with 

 a stake. For the first cutting a few plants should be grown and fruited 

 in ten-inch pots, training them up in the lightest position available in the 

 forcing house. Too much heat must be avoided, or much growth and 

 few fruits will be the result. A safe temperature will be from 55 degrees 



as a minimum to 70 degrees as a maximum with sun heat ; very little _ ... 



bottom-heat, if any, will be required. The principal growths should be Chrisantemo," and its headquarters are at Milan. On the title 



stopped, and the fruit fertilised in the same way as advised for melon?. 

 Early marrows are always appreciated, and deserve to be more exten- 

 sively forced than they are. For a succession a few lights of pits or 

 frames may be profitably employed. I much prefer a mild hot-bed for 



near 

 if 



OWQ 



are 



« greet 



free setting medium sized variety, of nice ^nnMr^l^ 00 ^^ Crcam t a 

 quality, but it must not be allowed to ^^^^ £g* 

 much of the fresh appearance will be te^Cg^l 

 green kind for forcing, and of fine quality. These varUtL SplcncW 

 good for general cultivation. A good selection of Lon' Whirt 

 Carter's Long Green are fine for exhibition purposes, during summer ^ 

 autumn, as also for any purpose. The best flavoured variety, EJ2 

 that I know, is Pen-y-byd, and it deserves a place in every garden but! 

 as a rule, it is not looked upon favourably by the judges The iS 

 Custard, when room can be found, should also find a place as it is vm 

 attractive and ornamental, especially so when ripe. ' 

 Aldenham House Gardens. 



E. Beckett. 



F 



Homage to the Gold 



Flower 



We have already briefly alluded to the recent formation of the Italian 

 National Chrysanthemum Society, and have now received the fim 

 number of its journal, which is, indeed, a very creditable and well printed 

 publication. The proper title is "Societa Nazionale Italiano del 



appears a list of the officers and committee, among whom we rtSK 

 several well-known names. Then follow the rules and constitution of 

 he society, from which we gather that the work and scope of the society 



frames, and this should be made principally of leaves, as such may be 

 easily lined with manure to create more warmth, if required. Abundance 

 of air should be given on all favourable occasions, but avoid cold cutting 

 winds. Later on, as the days lengthen and the weather is safer, the 

 frames may be removed altogether (of course, hardening the plants 

 gradually as much as possible beforehand) and used for other purposes. 

 Some temporary protection must be afforded the plants in case of frost, 

 but later on they may be allowed to ramble at their own sweet will, 



is based upon somewhat similar lines to those of the French X.C.S. 



The list of members amounts to about one hundred and sixty not a 

 bad start for a new society, whose first exhibition is to be held next 

 autumn at Milan, after which we may reasonably hope to see a consider 

 able increase. That the society is deserving of sympathetic considera- 

 tion at the hands of growers other than of Italian nationality may be 

 found in the fact that its members already consist of well-known chr 

 santhemum men in England, France, and Switzerland, the most familiar 

 to our readers being such names as Messrs. Briscoe- 1 ronside, Calvat, 



- - « * • ate m mm mi * * I VI* VI* I I 



and then large quantities of early marrows may be looked for weeks Cordonnier, Owen, Harman Payne, Rozain-Boucharlat, and W. Weill 

 * * - . . . . • In Belgium, M. O. de Meulenaere is still busy cataloguing and classi- 



fying the novelties year by year, and he has just issued his third supple 

 ment of novelties from every source for the years 1896-98, thus bringing 

 his previous labours close up to da*e. Mr. de Meulenaere's work runs 

 into thirty-six pages, and is a handy, well printed little brochure, similar 



in every respect to previous editions. 



The papers read at the Orleans Conference last November held by 

 the French X.C.S. have recently been reprinted and issued m separate 

 form. The subjects dealt with are diseases and parasites, fertilisation and 



manures, and composts. , 

 The last number of the same society's journal, "Le Chrysanthrmc, 

 contains an announcement to the effect that the Swiss growers are deter- 

 mined to have their N.C.S. too. Arrangements have been made to now 

 a show at Geneva next autumn, and a schedule has been prepared an 

 circulated, together with the rules of the new society, 

 is the secretary. 



With regard to the Paris Chrysanthemum Committee, the 1 st num- 

 ber of its journal contains rules and schedule for the show in Novenrwr- 

 Also articles on early chrysanthemums, the large flowered djlg MPMR 

 a report of a visit to M. Molin, of Lyons, and a list of the mem jj 

 composing the committee, which, as most of our readers are no 

 aware, has been constituted by the National Horticultural Society m 

 France. C. HARMAN 



before they can be obtained when grown in the ordinary way. If kept well 

 supplied with water, and now and then treated with some mild fertilizer 

 they will continue to bear till late in the autumn. 



For the general crop the seed should be sown the second week in 

 April in heat, and for the latest supplies, when no heat is available, the 

 first week in May. It will not be safe to plant them out in the open 

 before May 20, unless some means are at hand for protecting them. I 

 know of nothing better than ordinary handlights, as they not only give 

 the plants a good start but are just a sufficient protection against hard 

 weather. Remove the covers by day, and replace as required, taking them 

 off altogether when safe to do so. But even handlights are not within 

 the reach of all who cultivate the marrow, so that some other means must 

 be employed. A capital plan— which we often adopt— is to drive three 

 stakes, draw and tie the tops together about three feet above the plants, 

 when mats or any other protecting material may be placed over them and 

 made secure. There are many modes of preparing and growing 

 vegetable marrows, most of which produce more or less good results. 

 Many practice taking out wide trenches and filling them three parts full 

 with manure, placing the soil on the top. This is a very good plan, 

 especially on very dry and exposed sites, and where water is not 

 plentiful ; but I much prefer just the apposite method of making up 

 ridges about three feet in height and four feet in width, and for 

 this purpose anything and everything in the way of rubbish, such as 

 old hot beds, &c, may be utilised. We make it a rule to clear up 

 rubbish and soil yards for the purpose, forming them in the most con- 

 venient spot vacant. We allow a distance of three feet from plant to 

 plant, giving each two or three shovelfuls of loam and leaf soil to afford 

 them a start. The plants will require stopping and pegging down for a 

 week or two ; then, with the exception of giving them plenty of 

 water, no other attention will be required. Any unsightly heaps may be 

 treated in the same way, and not only will they yield profitable returns, 

 but give a pleasing and refreshing effect. Some people, to avoid trouble, 

 sow the seed where they intend the plants to grow ; this is a poor 

 method, and not to be recommended. Far better to sow in pots, even if 

 the cultivator has no glass, as one has much better control over them, 



and few plants are more delicate and less able to take care of themselves 

 in a young state. 



Vegetable marrows for shows held during May, June, and the early 

 part ot July, form an invaluable dish in a collection of vegetables, but 

 atter this time only m very large collections should they be included; 

 sun m many shows prizes are offered for single dishes, and generally 

 speaking very fine display is produced Frequently among amateurs and 

 but^hfJ « & C C °l rse vari «ies seem to be the first consideration, 

 n Si" 01 t0 be ^ouraged, as quality should be the principal 



the two should b gCnerally exhibited « P airs ' and Hke ™«mbErs 

 looked after and ^teW* ahke as P oss i_ ble - r . The y sh ° uld be 

 great care beincr hL ./ as soon as the fruits are formed, 



during the time thev ar* m 



erreard 



Coleus as Pot Plants. -The introduction of the tuberous 



much to help kill the taste for coleus, once so strong. No douw u ^-j 

 because these plants were rather done to death, especially in tnc r> ^ ^ 

 pyramids and bushes at exhibitions. But seed stocks give p« ww >^ ^ g 

 beautiful things that are really charming as greenhouse plants. 1 » ^ 

 show at Reigate two or three plants, each about sixteen inches mo ^ 

 from seed, that had superb leafage, wonderfully coloured, wm ^ ^ 



created a sensation a few years back. Myriads of foliage P ,an * n * p, Mtt Woo* 

 half-a-gtiinea each that were not nearly so beautiful as these coleus . 1 ^ g 

 freely and seed freely. Those who do not care to save seed can pui ^ 

 the seed be sown in warmth in February, numerous plants result. ^ 



The Birch for Avenues.— The 



doubt, one of the 

 is not more 

 avenues in the park. 



beautiful object! in the British ^^^^^ jim 

 seen employed either in tbc ^ P^ure ^m*. 



ornament*! 



with its drooping habit, tufted growths, and white trunK " chestaf* 

 interesting. At Broxton, or rather between Broxt« »d BicMn^ ^ 



™ - • , height, 



u»vc seen, near Harthill there is one tree aoout ; ^ tn v ii Wt 



a trunk three feet in diameter seven feet from the ground. 



The trunk 

 several trunks or 



u IH ih;ucs iu a neignt ot eighteen feet, ana men iu. v ~- ZL7*mw*U in diameter. j~ 

 branches forming a head covering a space of over twenty yards ^ th» 



pendulous habit of the birch is shown off effectively very *** 



The geological formation is red sandstone, forming a way ™ hb ^1 ur . 



spo 



:,lin gj or when cutting, otherwise their 

 *>uld one be outgrowing the other, it will 



soils of this nature the birch is sure 

 avenue— Cestjuan 



, j 



to succeed, and w 



ould 



uruntlfj* 



