C December i7> l8 9 8 - 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



819 



to 



or nine 



Forcing Lilacs. 



E4RLY forced flowers are always much appreciated, and none more so 

 than the Persian lilac. This old-fashioned, but ever popular, shrub ranks 

 a s one of the most valuable for forcing, requiring but a small amount of 



trouble to 



cultivator to keep in view are : The proper time to start the plants so as 

 ^ produce flowers when they will be in greatest demand, and the 

 thorough maturing of the wood during the preceding season of growth, 

 for on this depends in a great measure the success of forced plants. 



It is indispensable that the forcing should be commenced gradually at 

 first; a temperature of 50 to 55 degrees will be ample for the first week 



days. Afterwards keep the structure in which the plants are 

 placed more moist, with a corresponding rise in the temperature, but at 

 no time should more than 65 or 70 degrees be accorded lilacs. Various 

 methods are adopted in the procuring of suitable plants. Some gardeners 

 prefer to purchase the stock, or a portion of it, from a nurseryman. These 

 are usually well-grown and ripened, therefore almost certain to give good 

 returns, and such may, when over for the season, be either planted out in 

 the shrubbery, or in the reserve garden, for forcing either one or two 

 years hence. Others depend largely on plants grown by themselves in 

 various sizes. A stock of these may be raised annually or biennially as 

 required, by lifting stiong suckers from around an old tree that has 

 become established in the shrubbery. The buds which have formed 

 below the surface of the soil, and a few inches above it, should be cut 

 dean out, so that a clear stem may be secured. These may be planted 

 in the reserve garden at distances of two feet apart each way, and very 

 little attention will be required by them except to keep them free from 

 weeds. If well attended to in this respect, and kept watered in dry 

 weather, they will be in proper condition for forcing in the second or 

 third year. 



Lifting should take place early in the month of October, and the 

 plants be at once potted up, using a compost of equal parts loam, leaf-soil, 

 and sand ; afterwards the plants may be stood out of doors, and if they 

 are subjected to a few degrees of frost so much the better. Where 

 quantities of lilac are required, a few large plants may be lifted from the 

 open for forcing, and they will be found to yield large numbers of 

 deliciously-scented flowers. They may be lifted and housed as 

 required, merely retaining a good ball of soil and standing the plants on 

 the floor or bed of the house, and working in and about the roots some 

 light compost. Plunging the plants in stable manure and leaves will be 

 found advantageous, provided that these materials be well incorporated 

 and turned two or three times in the open air, to allow the rankness to 

 pass off. Syringings should be frequent, but light, more in the form of a 

 dew than of a thorough drenching, and the floors of the house must be 

 kept damp. 



M. Lemoine, of Nancy, has been most successful in the production of 

 any fine lilacs, notably several double forms, 

 is a magnificent 

 flowers : 



rubella plena, 

 there 



Apricot Culture. 



In no former season have apricots produced better crops than in the one 

 just past when the fruits attained a degree of ripeness and perfection of 

 flavour that will not readily be forgotten. The trees fairly revelled in 

 bring it to perfection, the most essential points for the the great heat, and although this latter entailed the application of a great 



deal of water to the roots at various times, the outcome of it all is that 

 the trees are in the pink of condition. The wood made is of medium 

 strength ; it has ripened up as thoroughly as the most exacting could 

 wish for, and it is also bristling with fruit buds. All this augurs well for 

 the future, and, barring accidents in the shape of severe frosts at the time 

 of the blossoming of the trees, or even after the fruit has set — when they 

 are very susceptible to injury from extreme cold — the future may be 

 looked forward to with hopefulness. 



The foliage is now tailing fast, which is a reminder that we have 

 arrived at that time of the year when it is the rule to take a survey of the 

 fruit trees generally, with the view of ascertaining what may be required 

 in the shape of new trees to make good any deficiencies. The apricot 

 must, of course, be included ; more so, perhaps, than any other fruit tree, 

 as owing to the bad habit it has of losing main branches it is necessary 

 to give constant supervision in this respect if the walls are to be kept 

 well clothed. Neglect of planting means in many instances that in 

 course of time great blanks on apricot walls will occur, which take 

 several years' growth to efface, and much loss of time and crop follows 

 as a natural sequence. The present is also a good time to effect the 

 lifting and transplanting of trees which stand in need of a check owing 

 to their making strong growth. This has the effect of restoring them to 

 fruitfulness, and the remedy is often necessary in the case of apricots 

 planted in soil enriched with manure with well meaning, but mistaken, 

 kindness. 



With regard to planting, although I live in a district most favourable 

 to the growth of the apricot, I find it very necessary to plant young trees 

 frequently to provide against contingencies. This I do by putting in 

 maiden trees wherever wall space will allow, and train them myself, 

 when I always have trees to fall back upon in case of a death, or in the 

 event of a tree becoming decrepit or worn out. Trained trees I do not 

 buy unless absolutely compelled to, as they take a whole year in which 

 to recover from the moving, and I find maidens give more satisfactory 

 results. These latter grow away quickly, and frequently form far better 

 trees in one year than purchased trained trees do in two. By growing 

 trees at home in this way the risk arising from loss throueh lifting is 

 largely minimised, as they but seldom fail, while the lifting and trans- 

 planting can always be accomplished earlier in the season than is the 

 case when trees have to be procured from a distance. I find it an excel- 

 lent plan, before planting new trees, to remove as much of the old soil 

 from the border as can be conveniently done, and without unduly dis- 

 turbing the roots of adjacent trees. I also take the precaution to have 

 plenty of lime rubble and wood ashes mixed with the new compost. 

 Farm or stable manures we ignore entirely, and when stimulants are 

 required artificial manures are given on the surface during the growing 

 season. 



With regard to trees which have made too strong growth from the 

 fact of their having been planted in a too rich compost, the sooner such 

 are lifted and replanted the better taking care at the same time to 

 prevent a recurrence of the evil by replacing the over-rich soil with that 

 of a poorer description, to which calcaieous matter has been added. 

 The quantity of the latter that should be used will depend entirely on the 

 nature of the loam, as some soils require very much more than others to 

 keep them open. I find the apricot does best in a compost consisting of 

 two-thirds fairly heavy loam, and the remainder made up of wood ashes, 

 lime rubble, and a fair quantity of brickbats broken small. This should 

 be thoroughly consolidated before the trees are planted by repeated 

 trampings, or even ramming it if necessary. This will prevent gross 

 growth being made ; it also ensures the trees coming early into bearing, 

 and the fruits produced by such are always of the best quality. If the 

 lifting and transplanting be properly done in the way of following up 

 and preserving the principal roots and fibres as far as possible, and by 

 laying them out afresh in compost such as has been described, or that ot 

 a similar nature, according to the means at command, they should give 

 no further trouble in this direction. 



Madame Lucie Lemoine 



bearing long panicles of bouvardia-like white 



Whether for 



variety, 



these are of immense value for cutting purposes, 

 arranging in vases for the embellishment of rooms, or for bouquets and 

 buttonholes, they are equally effective, and will last a long time. Other 

 good double varieties are Madame Jules Finger, Leon Lemoine, La Tour 

 dAuvergne, Virginite, and many others, including the purple-flowered 



Of singles, Charles X. is still one of the best, although 

 are other varieties which will amply recompense the cultivator 



for any trouble he may bestow upon them. 



Stoneleigh. 



H. T. Martin. 



The Amateur Question. 



Concerning the remarks on the above subject in your issue of the 3rd inst. I 

 cannot accept " the common sense view of things" as set forth. As regards the 

 National Chrysanthemum Society's definition of an amateur I fully appreciate the 

 advice given by Judge Martineau as to " having the rules relating to amateurs 

 amerded for the purpose of making them more intelligible." This, no doubt, will 

 now done. I suggested such an alteration when the schedule for the present 

 year was under revision by the committee appointed for that purpose, but it was 

 n °t then considered that such alteration was necessary. In your issue of October 29 

 you say 4 * the ambiguity has arisen in consequence of a want of appreciation 

 on the part cf a section of the committee of the fact that all cultivators who do 

 ot grow for sale are amateurs. n I, as one possessed of this "want of apprecia- 

 l0 n, cannot accept this, as, despite the " combined wisdom of some fifty or sixty 

 the most distinguished horticulturists in the United Kingdom," the definition of 

 « amateur as laid down by the National Rose or Dahlia Societies, I submit that 

 ° Professional gardener {i e. 9 one gaining his livelihood by gardening), or anyone 

 ^ploying a gardener, can rightly be termed an amateur. It is a misnomer that 

 av . e Con tended against for years at annual and other meetings of various 

 ^cieties which I have attended. This is an opinion shared by a large majority of 

 I al^T^ 1 hundred members of the National Amateur Gardeners' Association. 



so fail to see why you should consider it any injustice to disqualify anyone who, 

 ^Pon giving up possession of his garden, .^hould sell the plants growing in it, or 

 stf T n an yone selling seedlings raised by himself. Both, I maintain, would be 

 aJ C . tra( ^ transactions. In the former case, if he did not choose to take them 

 thM ^ m ^ e cou ld give them away or leave them for his successor ; and in 

 latter he could make an exchange with any nurseryman willing to distribute 



Awaiting further correspondence on the subject, 

 East Finchley. 



Stoke Edith Gardens. 



A. Ward. 



A. Taylor. 



Blackened Potatos. 



-~.%wij^u ruiaius. — My experience with Chancellor has been similar to 



bere°* ° Ur conres P ondent A - D. (page 784, December 3*. Grown in the gardens 

 qual m a ^ ee Ply*dug medium loam, it cooks white and floury, and is of splendid 

 mi | lt y* We tried it for two seasons in ploughed land on the farm, some three 

 heav* nt » ^oth in a heavy loam and in lighter soil ; in each case we had 

 fl»v ^ Cro P s °f ^ ne tubers, which, on being cooked, turned black, were without 

 H,n° Ur and wortlll ess. For this reason we had to discard it. Its parent, Magnum 

 d u ™> * n d other varieties grown in the same field with Chancellor, produced 

 dr -n<shed tubers, which never blackened.— S. P , East Angtia. 



Is the Onion Surface Rooting? 



With regard to this question, perhaps I did not make it quite clear that it was 

 not so much deep digging as deep manuring the lecturer spoke against. Cottagers 

 were advised the onion was only surface rooting, and consequently could not take 

 advantage of manure dug in a spit deep. I am very pleased to find 

 the question has already received replies, and hope other growers will have some- 

 thing to say about this matter. As the question is solely one of onion cultivation, 

 Mr. Riddell's remarks (cultural) prove my contention, viz., that under cultivation 

 the onion is deep rooting. I also observe (vide Mr. Riddell) that "food does 

 create roots," at any rate in the case of onions, for it lengthens and multiplies 

 them, and that notwithstanding the bait of bonemeal and sulphate of ammonia 

 used for surface dressings. — S. P. 



Under the above heading I perused with interest some remarks in your issue 

 of November 19, page 752, by 44 S. P.,' and, among other things, I noticed my 

 name mentioned in connection with an article I wrote on exhibition onions last 

 spring. All I wish to say now is that I adhere strictly to what I then wrote, 

 and, as the proof of the pudding is in the eating, I shall be most happy to send 

 your correspondent, if you will furnish me with his name and address, a few 

 specimens which were grown precisely under the conditions I then laid down. 

 He will then be able to compare ours with any the lecturer may care to bring 

 forward ; and I may mention we experienced one of the most trying seasons I 

 have ever had to contend with as regards drought. — E. Beckett, ELtree. 



