JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
172 
[ March 2, 1882. 
submits advice upon the selection of the most suitable. Now it 
often happens employers, or those under them, are by no means 
indulgent with regard to gardeners cutting turf for potting and 
other purposes, and in not a few cases the gardener has to be 
contented with the soil immediately below the turf—that is to 
say, the turf has to be pared off, a thin layer of soil taken from 
beneath, some other soil returned, and the turf relaid. Loam 
thus procured proves excellent for Melons and Cucumbers, and 
has to be employed for potting purposes, but being comparatively 
fibreless is unsuitable, and more skill is required in the manage¬ 
ment of plants growing in it. Few are allowed to select turf, 
but have to be contented with a corner or a strip near a hedge 
where it will not be much missed and be easily carted away. 
To a certain extent gardeners are to blame for this state of 
affairs, as they not unfrequently study their own interests, and 
without any regard to the after appearance or value of the land 
stripped. Supposing the turf be cut rather thick and the surface 
soil be thin, the strip cleared will remain barren for years, and 
the crop of weeds which inevitably result may well be an eyesore 
to those who own the land or are responsible for its good appear¬ 
ance ; whereas if the surface of the stripped land be forked over 
and a good dressing of the commonest garden soil spread over, 
and either sown with grass seeds and well rolled, or planted with 
small pieces of turf, say about 6 inches apart, not much harm 
will have been done, and the gardener will be allowed turf as 
required. 
For potting purposes I do not covet a rich heavy loam, but 
would rather be allowed to pare some of the mounds to be found 
in most old pasture meadows. This would be full of fibre, and 
could be enriched at pleasure. The turf we have actually to deal 
with is taken off heavy clayey loam, and this, if fibre was more 
abundant, would be most satisfactory. It is cut rather thick and 
in the autumn. No attempt is made to enrich it by alternating it 
with layers of manure, as we prefer to have the latter in an open 
shed, and the loam in one heap ready for anything and every¬ 
thing. If we wish to make it rich it is easily done either at 
potting time or later on by means of liquid manure. Not a 
particle of it is wasted, as, although we knock out much of the 
fibre when preparing composts for choice plants, this is em¬ 
ployed either for propagating, potting off bedding plants, sur¬ 
facing Mushroom beds, and mixing with soil for early vegetables. 
Much importance was at one time attached to particular 
mixtures of soils for certain plants, and still is, the older race 
of gardeners concocting these oftentimes with closed doors, for 
fear of the secret leaking out. All this is being gradually altered, 
and the fact is becoming generally known in how few cases any 
particular mixture is absolutely necessary. The soil may play 
an important part in any success, but much more depends upon 
the intelligence of those operating, especially when loam is freely 
employed. Not only must the drainage be good, but great care 
must be exercised in watering, and ©verpotting must be guarded 
against. Both these sources of danger, however, when fully under¬ 
stood, will prove advantages, and where the soil is largely composed 
of loam liquid manure may be more safely applied. I have never 
been very particular in my mixtures of soil. At the present time 
the greater part of our plants are growing in a mixture of two 
parts turfy loam to one leaf soil, and decomposed manure with 
coarse sand freely added. It is generally advisable to add a little 
lime to destroy worms, which are very plentiful with us, and we 
also employ charcoal, and drain most carefully in the case of the 
choicest plants. At first those growing in a peaty soil did not 
root freely in our loamy mixture, but eventually they were estab¬ 
lished. We rather overpotted young Gardenias, but I am con¬ 
fident these—Stephanotises, Dipladenias, Bougainvilleas, Alla- 
mandas, Clerodendrons, Bondeletias, Crotons, Caladiums, Eucha- 
rises, Euphorbias, Dracaenas, Begonias, Pancratiums, Abutilons, 
Marantas, Gloxinias, and many more equally as choice or 
commoner plants—can be grown without any peat. In addition 
to these we have a number of Adiantum cuneatum, A. gracilli- 
mum, A. farleyense, A. tenerum, A. formosum, and A. concinnum, 
Davallias MSoreana and D. dissecta, Gymnogramma chrysophylla, 
Dicksonia antarctica, and other Ferns; Selaginellas, Cordylines, 
Asparagus plumosus, &c., growing in soil with but a small amount 
of peat incorporated. We always endeavoured to have the soil 
when potting in a semi-dry state, and do not place it in boxes 
and baskets over the hot-water pipes or in a stokehole to become 
warm, but prefer to warm the heaps with heated bricks, thus 
avoiding unduly crumbling and baking the fibrous turf.— 
W. Iggulden, Marston. 
Rhododendron argenteum. —In the temperate house at Kew 
two fine plants of this handsome Rhododendron are now flowering. 
This species appears to be the first of the rich collection of Hima¬ 
layan species to expand its flowers. One plant has thirty trusses 
fully expanded, and each truss produces from twenty-five to thirty 
flowers. The blooms are about 2£ inches in diameter, of a bright 
rose-colour when in bud, and by the time they are fully expanded 
are a creamy-white colour, with streaks of purple in the centre—W. K. 
WINTER MIDGES. 
These little creatures that are frequently to be seen flying in 
troops about sheltered spots in gardens when few insects are astir 
are commonly supposed to be indicators of approaching fine 
weather. From my observations upon them I can scarcely say 
that their appearances are of much import as a weather prognostic, 
but they seldom come forth if there is rain or snow falling, or 
about to fall speedily, and they have a marked preference for calm 
weather. One circumstance is particularly notable—that they like 
to perform their aerial dances by twilight, though they may some¬ 
times be seen at various hours of the day. I imagine they give 
the preference to the evening shades because then any hungry 
birds are unlikely to attack them, roosting time having arrived. 
These midges, two-winged flies, mostly of the genus Chironomus, 
are produced from maggots that feed upon dung and refuse, hence 
in no way injurious to the garden. But it is difficult to under¬ 
stand where these winter parties come from and where they go to 
afterwards, for we cannot think they have only just emerged from 
the pupal stage of life. On Sunday, Feb. 19th, I noticed a party 
of these, which must have consisted of several hundreds, disport¬ 
ing in a nook formed by an angle of a paling, though they now 
and then rose above the level of the paling, and as high as 8 feet 
from the ground. On watching them it was perceivable that they 
executed three kinds of movements ; generally they went round 
and round in a mazy circle, but occasionally they went up in a 
body and again descended. Also they sometimes performed a 
spiral dance, revolving, while moving up and down a foot or two. 
—J. R. S. C. 
EARLY PEAS. 
At all times of the year Green Peas are very acceptable, but 
the earlier in the year they can be had the more they are appre¬ 
ciated. For our earliest supply— i.e., from January to March, 
when lamb is plentiful and Peas are scarce—we shall undoubtedly 
always have to depend on Spain, Portugal, and other countries in 
the south of Europe for Peas, because sunshine is necessary to their 
well-being, and without which they cannot be brought to maturity. 
No matter what degree of artificial heat they may be growing in, 
if this is wanting failure, or at least only partial success, is sure 
to be the result. It is only, therefore, waste of time, labour, and 
trouble to attempt forcing them too early in our climate. They 
may, however, be had by the first week in April, and where the 
resources for forcing are ample they may in that month be pro¬ 
duced in abundance ; but where proper structures and appliances 
are wanting the idea of Green Peas in April worth the name 
ought not for a moment to be entertained. As regards the best 
kind of structure for growing them in at this period of the year 
little need be said. Suffice it to say that it must be very light, 
with ample ventilation top and bottom, together with a suffi¬ 
cient amount of piping to be able to command a temperature 
of from 50° to 60°. Although the latter degree of heat should not 
be attempted to be maintained in the absence of sunshine, it may 
with the aid of the sun be exceeded 5°, or even 10°, but beyond 
this it is not safe to go if the best results are desired. 
We now come to the question as to which are the best varieties 
to grow under glass. Many prefer the dwarf-growiDg kinds, such 
as McLean’s Little Gem and Blue Peter. These are very well in 
their way and very accommodating, for the simple reason that 
they may be grown on shelves close to the glass and require no 
staking ; but strictly speaking they are not the most profitable for 
an early supply, and for the reason that many pots must be grown 
to afford a good dish. They will do very well for frame culture 
but not for pots. If a prolific crop is desired recourse must be 
had to the tall varieties ; and, speaking from experience, I can 
honestly say there is none better than William I. By making a 
sowing of this variety the first week in January they will be fit 
to gather the first week in April—that is, supposing they have not 
been grown in too high a temperature with insufficient ventilation, 
as the flowers are almost certain to come blind. My method 
consists of sowing eight Peas in a 3-inch pot, the same being filled 
with good turfy loam and leaf soil. The seed is covered with 
about half an inch of finely sifted soil, and after being well 
watered the pots are placed over the hot pipes. Here they remain 
four or five days till the seed germinates, then they are placed on 
shelves near the glass. In a fortnight from this time they are 
again shifted into 10-inch pots, employing as before a compost 
