JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
180 
f March 2, 1882. 
The soil should consist of three parts good loam silted, and two 
parts sand and decayed leaf soil in equal proportions (the latter 
sifted). The whole being well mixed together, fill up the pans with 
this compost to within an inch of the rim, and press it down 
moderately firm. Sprinkle a little sand and press the surface 
smooth, next give a gentle watering to settle the soil; then sow 
the seeds evenly, and scatter some very fine compost half soil and 
half sand over them to the depth of about the eighth of an inch ; 
again smooth the surface by gentle pressing, then cover with 
brown paper, which will keep it damp, so as to obviate the 
necessity for giving water until the plants appear. Care must be 
taken that the paper does not remain on longer, or it would cause 
them to become drawn. After they have advanced a little place 
them in a light situation, shade them with any light material 
which will protect them from scorching without darkening them 
too much. Give a little water as they require it, and when large 
enough prick them out 1^ inch apart in pans of soil similar to 
that in which the seed was sown. 
When they have leaves nearly an inch in length they must be 
placed singly in 60-size pots, employing the compost before men¬ 
tioned. After potting the best place for them will be a shelf in 
a light house or pit in an open situation. Place the plants close 
to the glass. This is of importance, as if in the bottom of a pit or 
house and near together their leaves become drawn, and the plants 
not only have a weak appearance, but also will not produce half 
the quantity of flowers they will do if strong and vigorous. When 
the weather is very bright they should be slightly shaded, venti¬ 
lating freely during the day, and at night when mild. As soon 
as they have filled their pots with roots they should be transferred 
to 6 or 7-inch pots, which, for all ordinary purposes, are large 
enough to grow and flower them in. The soil this time should 
consist of three parts good loam broken with the hand, one part 
of leaf soil; add a little bone dust, and as much sand as will keep 
the w r hole porous. Pot firmly, and leave sufficient room for 
watering. The best position for them until September is houses 
or pits as already advised, up to which time the flowers they from 
time to time produce should be removed, unless early blooming 
is required. To keep the atmosphere free from damp employ fire 
heat occasionally, and if a little warmth is kept on so as to have 
the night temperature at 45° the flowers will be much larger, and 
produced through the winter in greater quantities. As the flowers 
are being produced give liquid manure freely, as it will be of 
great assistance to them. 
The double and semi-double forms of this flower are increased 
from seeds sown and managed as described in the case of the 
single varieties, also by cuttings made by a division of the crowns 
with a portion of stem attached. These strike best in small pots 
in sandy soil in a moderate heat. They must not be in a very 
humid atmosphere—only sufficient to keep them from flagging, or 
they are liable to damp. When they are well rooted transfer them 
to 4-inch pots, employing soil similar in every way to that advised 
for the single kinds. Pot them low, so as not to leave any of their 
stem bare. So treated they will thrive much better than with the 
common practice of leaving a considerable space between the soil 
and the bottom leaves. Through the summer let their treatment 
be the same as that of the single sorts, but in the winter they 
do far the best when kept in an intermediate temperature of 45° 
or 50° at night and a little higher in the daytime, with ventilation 
when the weather is suitable.—( Read before the Paxton Society, 
Wakefield , by Mr, Thomas Marsden , Gardener to Francis Hobson, 
Esq., Sheffield.) 
CALADIUM CULTURE. 
CALADIUMS are favourite plants in all gardens, as in spring 
they may be grown quickly for decoration, and long afterwards 
they continue highly attractive in both stove and conservatory. 
Some start them before shaking them out of the old soil, but 
this plan I do not consider a good one. As they multiply fast we 
generally select the strongest tubers for our use and give the 
others away. Very large tubers are potted singly at first and 
grown on in the same way afterwards. Those of medium size are 
often placed in the pots in pairs and threes, and it is always 
decided how many are to be grown together before any are 
potted, as we do not approve of adding two or more potfuls 
together subsequently. When large specimens are desired a 
number of tubers may be potted in an 8-inch pot and be re¬ 
potted into a 12-inch one; but for house and room decoration 
plants in 6-inch and 8-inch pots are most suitable, and for these 
the tubers are started in 4-ineh or 5-inch pots. The pots should 
be clean, giving good drainage ; over this a little moss should be 
placed, then some of the roughest of the potting material, and 
upon this place the tubers, potting being finished by adding the 
finer parts of the soil until the top of the tuber is almost hidden. 
A good compost consists of loam and leaf soil in about equal 
proportions, with plenty of sand added. 
After potting no water should be given until growth commences, 
unless the soil is dry, which is not likely to be the case if the pots 
are plunged in some moist material such as sawdust, tan, or 
leaves. 
They start very freely into growth when plunged in a bottom 
heat of 70° or 80°. As many beds are made up for propagating at 
this time a corner of this can generally be spared to start a few 
Caladiums. As soon as the leaves are 6 inches or so high the 
plants may be safely placed on a shelf in the stove. With 
careful watering they will soon grow rapidly, and as soon as the 
leaves are fairly robust and the roots plentiful they may be trans¬ 
ferred to the large pots. At this potting rough soil and half- 
decayed manure, with the usual quantity of sand, should be used 
and placed in firmly. 
After the second potting if the plants can have the assistance of 
a gentle bottom heat for a week or ten days it will be a great 
advantage, or a warm close corner in stove or pit will suit them 
almost as well, care being taken that they do not receive any 
severe check. As the roots run into the fresh soil and the leaves 
develope they may be brought into a light position, but they should 
never be exposed to powerful sunshine, as this destroys the colour 
of the leaves. During the spring months little shading is needed. 
When the leaves are cf good size and the pots are full of roots 
liquid manure may be applied two or three times a week, and 
the plants must be kept near the glass with plenty of space to grow 
regularly. During the best of the summer months the plants 
may be placed in the greenhouse or conservatory, and late in 
autumn they may again be transferred to the stove. 
Where only a few plants are grown the whole may be started 
into growth at once, but when several dozen potfuls can be grown 
a dozen may be started now, and the same number a month 
hence. As the names and descriptions of the best Caladiums 
appear in most nurserymen’s catalogues they need not be given 
here.—M. M. 
KITCHEN GAH.DEN. 
It is desired in most gardens to obtain a supply of new Potatoes 
from the open ground as early as possible, for which purpose a 
breadth of Yeitch’s Asbleaf, Myatt’s Prolific, or similar early varie¬ 
ties, should be planted, choosing a south border or some other 
sheltered position ; and a single row, planted at the base of a south 
wall where protection is afforded the trees, will advance the time 
of lifting by ten days or a fortnight. The general planting of 
the early varieties of Potatoes should be deferred for another fort¬ 
night or three weeks, particularly in the north; but as the sets are 
sprouting fast they should be spread out thinly, and every possible 
'care taken to preserve the first shoots, especially of the kidney 
varieties. We prefer kidneys of the Ashleaf type, giving preference 
to those previously named and Mona’s Pride, also for second early 
the old Lapstone and Covent Garden Perfection are admirable ill 
every respect. In ordinary kitchen gardens space is not generally 
available for late crops of Potatoes, neither is it desirable to grow 
these in such places, because the soil is too rich, inducing luxuriant 
growth, and though the crop be heavy the quality is not equal to 
that of Potatoes grown in less rich soil and more open situations. 
Plant whole sets and of good size, as these afford better results 
than small sets, the sprouts being reduced to one for a medium¬ 
sized set, and two, or at most three, for a large one, planting 12 to 
15 inches apart in rows 30 inches asunder. The second early kidneys 
should be given 6 inches more distance between the rows. 
Where the soil is not too wet Asparagus beds may be lightly 
forked over, and the alleys prepared for Cauliflower plants w'hich have 
been wintered in frames. The plants, having been well exposed, 
will be hardy, and may be placed out at once, or should the weather 
prove unfavourable it may be deferred another fortnight or three 
w r eeks. When the requisite quantity of Asparagus roots are taken 
up for forcing, the number of that destroyed should be ascertained 
and a corresponding quantity planted annually; and although it is 
