May 15, 1884. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
391 
the best of circumstances a matter of difficulty, both in keeping the plants 
clean and in having a proper supp'y of fruit. Arrangements should con¬ 
sequently be made whereby a succession of fruit can be secured, which 
can only be effected by plants kept moving to succeed each other in close 
order, whilst crops that are ripening in advance of the demand may be 
retarded by keeping them cooler. Much can now be done towards a late 
supply of forced fruit by bringing on the plants in cold pits, plunging them 
in ashes near the glass, and with plenty of room to allow of a free circu¬ 
lation of air, and from these plants can always be taken to fill the place 
of those ripening. Apply liquid manure at every alternate watering, and 
thin the fruits well as soon as set where extra fine fruits are wanted. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —These should now be flowering freely in the 
conservatory, and will require supplies of weak liquid manure. The 
smell arising therefrom is often objectionable in such structures, and 
some reliable artificial manure may be applied in small quantities to the 
surface. Successional batches of plants must be kept dwarf and sturdy 
by having them close to the glass and giving abundance of ventilation. 
Young plants should be potted and stopped as they require it, and the 
usual number for late autumn and winter flowering should be propagated 
without delay. These may be inserted singly in small pots, and will soon 
be rooted if stood in a temperature of 60°. As soon as they are rooted 
pinch out the points of the plants, and as soon as they have again com¬ 
menced growth place them into larger pots. 
French and Fancy Varieties. —The earliest of these will now be in 
full bloom, and will be most acceptable in houses that have to be kept 
gay now the whole of the spring-flowering bulbs are over. Care must be 
taken that these plants are free from aphides before they come into bloom, 
for if subject to fumigation afterwards their flowers will fall. Pay every 
attention to the later plants, keep them near the glass to ensure dwarfness, 
and tie out the shoots to stakes. Those rooted some time ago should 
now be potted, and if the points of the plants were pinched out as 
soon as rooted they must not be pinched again, or they will not bloom 
satisfactorily. 
Petunias. —Supply the plants now coming into flower with short 
stakes, or their shoots will fall about and look unsightly when in flower. 
As soon as the flowers are formed feeding should commence. These 
plants soon draw up weakly if not kept close to the glass and in a struc¬ 
ture that is well ventilated, and when in this condition half their beauty 
is gone, for no plants look worse when badly grown than Petunias. Do 
not employ any shade, but grow them in the full sun, stopping and tying 
out the shoots as they need it. Young stock should be potted, and cuttings 
inserted for later flowering. 
Cockscombs and Celosias. —The former, if sown as directed and placed 
in small pots, will now be showing their combs, and should be placed into 
G-inch pots. One or two crocks at the base of the pots will be sufficient, 
for the plants must be potted as low as possible ; for this purpose remove 
the lower foliage. After potting give slight both m heat, and keep the 
plants close to the glass and in a night temnerature of about 60°. It is 
important that they should be kept near the glass, even if they cannot be 
given bottom heat, or they will draw weakly, and from such plants large 
fine combs cannot be expected. Celosias sown at the same time will be 
ready for the same sized pots, but these should not be potted deeper than 
when in their smaller size. After potting place an upright stake to each, 
and syringe liberally to keep down red spider. Good loam, a third of leaf 
mould and manure, with a dash of sand will be found a suitable soil. 
Mignonette. —Where the tree forms are grown as standards and 
pyramids for flowering in pots during the winter seed should now be 
sown. It is best to sow it in 3-inch pots which have been well drained 
and filled with a compost consisting of good loam, leaf mould, and sand. 
S jw a few seeds in the centre of each pot, and after watering them stand 
them in a temperature of 60°, and cover with glass until the seeds ger¬ 
minate. As soon as they are well up thin out the plants to one, leaving 
the strongest in the centre of the pots. To grow Mignonette for winter 
successfully the plants must be gradually hardened by the time they are 
in 6-inc.h pots, and must not be checked in any stage, for if their growths 
become hard or woody they seldom grow freely afterwards. 
Roses. —Plants that have flowered must have every care and attention, 
and must not be placed out of doors, as is too often the case. They 
should have a light position in a cool house, being liberally syringed and 
watered until they can be safely hardened. If placed out direct from 
the forcing house their foliage is injured and destroyed, and instead of 
the plants increasing in size and strength for another year they will be 
feeble and only produce poor flowers, if any. Late batches that have 
still to flower should be well cared for and not be hurried forward, but if 
possible brought into bloom under greenhouse treatment. R ises dislike 
a close confined atmosphere at any time, and under auch treatment form 
long slender flowering shoots that have not strength to support their 
blooms when fully developed. Although air should be given them libe¬ 
rally cold draughts must be avoided, or mildew will soon establish itself 
upon them. Those to flower just before the border plants should still 
have the protection of cold frames, but when fine during the day the 
lights may be thrown off. If these plants are coming forward too rapidly 
remove those in the most backward condition to a more northern position, 
which will retard them wonderfully. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Sowing Seeds oj Perennials. —There are numbers of very serviceable 
flowering perennials, the seed of which ought to be sown at once. As 
a rule we are apt to delay sowing till after the greater part of the 
propagation of the summer bedding plants is completed, and a9 a 
consequence many of the kinds do not have time to become sufficiently 
strong to flower as they should do. 
Campanulas. —There are few more effective plants in the mixed 
border during the early summer months than C. Medium calycanthema, 
blue, and the white variety, C. pyramidalis. White and blue varieties 
are also remarkably showy, but are not perfectly hardy, and require to 
be wintered in cold frames. Fill well-drained pans with fine light soil, 
sow thinly, press the minute seeds into the soil, and very lightly cover 
with fine sandy soil. Water through a fine rose, cover the pans with 
a square of glass, place in a handlight or frame, and keep them moist, 
close, and shaded till the seedlings appear. When the seedlings are 
large enough to handle prick them off thinly in pans or boxes of fine 
soil, and when growing freely gradually expose the plants to all weathers. 
Before they are crowded plant them about 12 inches apart each way on 
a fairly rich border. In the autumn some of the strongest of the 
medium varieties may be potted for an early display under glass, the 
bulk of the two pyramid sorts being also similarly treated, some for 
flowering in pots, and the remainder returned to the borders in the 
spring. 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses. —Last season’s seeds of these ought 
to have been sown early in April, while the seed saved this year 
may be sown directly it is ripe, at which time it germinates more 
quickly and surely. Sow in pans of soil as advised in the case of the 
Campanulas, and as it is rather late place the pans in a slight hotbed. 
The seed of both often germinates very irregularly, and it may be fully 
twelve months before all have started, consequently the soil in the pans 
must not be shaken out, but the seedlings as soon as they are large 
enough to handle should be pricked-off in pans of good sandy loamy 
soil and returned to the frames till of good size, when they should be 
planted out. They delight in a well-worked and fairly rich soil, the 
position best suited to them being shaded from hot sunshine. The 
Alpine Auriculas are principally grown in the open, and among these 
are many very attractive sorts. The Gold-laced Polyanthus is the most 
generally preferred. 
Carnations and Picotees. —Where a large number of cut flowers are 
roquired a considerable number of seedling Carnations and Picotees 
should annually be planted out. These will yield a number of blooms 
during the seas n following sowing and planting, but it is the next 
season when they flower so profusely and to such an extent as to almost 
exhaust the plant, hence the necessity of annually raising more seed¬ 
lings. A packet of mixed border varieties will sometimes produce 
60 per cent, doubles, while the singles are frequently the brightest in 
colour and find favour with many. Sow the seeds in pans or boxes of 
good loamy sandy soil, cover lightly, water through a fine rose, cover 
with squares of glass, place in a "cold frame or very gentle hotbed, and 
shade from bright sunshine. Directly the seedlings appear remove the 
glass, gradually harden them, and when they have formed their second 
leaves prick them off thinly or about 4 inches apart each way in boxes 
of fine loamy soil, and return to the frames till they are re-established. 
Finally transplant to a deeply dug bed or border, which will better 
suit them if it received a liberal dressing of loam from old Cucumber 
beds. The plants may be arranged about 9 inches apart each way, 
and must be carefully protected from slugs. 
Aquilegias and Delphiniums. —These are usually sown on warm 
borders, but are with greater certainty raised in cold frames. The seed 
may be sown in boxes or pans of good soil, and the seedlings eventually 
be pricked-out on a good border and shaded from bright sunshine for 
a few days. They may be transplanted to the mixed border either in 
the autumn or spring. Delphinium formosum is one of the brightest and 
best, and this if sown early will flower the same season. 
Wallflowers and Stocks. —There are no better known or more 
popular plants than these. This is as it should be, seeing how easily 
grown as well as hardy and free-flowering they are. Of Wallflowers 
the best we have grown is Yeitch’s Dwarf, a compact rich-coloured 
sort; and Covent Garden Blood Red is also very good. Harbinger is a 
good brown sort ; and for bedding purposes especially the Belvoir 
Castle Yellow is much liked. The double German Wallflower produces 
large spikes of bloom, the majority of which are very double. The 
Stocks to be sown at the present time are the Brompton well-known 
hardy sorts and the Emperor, the latter not being perfectly hardy. All 
may be sown on a warm border, or if the soil and position be cold and 
unfavourable in handlights or odd frames. Draw the drills shallow 
and about 5 inches apart, coveriug the seeds with a little sifted light 
soil. Prick out the seedlings before they are crowded on a good border 
and about 6 inches apart each way. In this manner strong bushy 
plants will be obtained, which may either be transplanted to the flower 
beds in the autumn or be allowed to flower where they are. The 
Intermediate and East Lothian Stocks frequently stand the winter, 
especially if the position be well drained. They are extremely service¬ 
able either for autumn or spring flowering. For the former they should 
be sown late in April on slight hotbeds, and for spring flowering June 
is quite early to sow. 
Sweet Williams. —These are again becoming popular, and where well 
grown are very showy and useful. The single varieties are preferred, 
the seed to be sown at once on a warm border or under haodlights, and 
be treated in every respect similarly to the Wallflowers. We prefer to 
plant in masses, and they thus prove surprisingly attractive. 
