496 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 6, 1888. 
Dust with sulphur upon the first appearance of mildew, and rub the 
pipes thinly with the same if red spider is troublesome, rubbing quick¬ 
lime into any cankered parts. 
Strawberries in Pots. —Where there are structures specially devoted 
to forcing Strawberries, better results are obtainable than when they are 
grown in Peach houses or vineries. In the former case, and a batch 
being introduced of some early kind as Black Prince, Vicomtesse 
Hericart de Thury, or La Grosse Sucrdeat the middle of last month, they 
will now be starting, and should not be brought on too quickly, the 
night temperature being kept at 50°, with 5° more by day artificially, and 
5° to 10° advance from sun heat. Ventilate freely at and above 55°, and 
in mild moist weather admit a little air constantly, as it is important 
that the leaves and trusses be not drawn up weakly. Syringe lightly 
morning and early afternoon, and see that the plants have sufficient 
water. Aphides very often attack the trusses as they rise from the crown, 
and the house should be fumigated as necessity requires, so that they 
may be kept perfectly clean. Especially is this necessary as they advance 
for bloom, for if fumigation be then resorted to it will do serious injury, if 
not destroy the pistils, which are very tender, and too close and moist 
atmosphere will destroy the anthers. Plants that have been plunged in 
a sheltered position outdoors will need protection in severe weather, 
covering with dry litter or fern, which should not be removed so long as 
the frost prevails, the alternate covering and uncovering daily doing 
more harm than good. Plants plunged in pits or frames should be kept 
rather dry on the approach of frost, and should they become frozen cover 
them until a general thaw commences. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Those plants that are now in flower require daily 
attention in the removal of decaying flowers and foliage, for if the former 
are allowed to remain in the truss they soon spoil many more that sur¬ 
round them. These plants are very liable to damp at this season of the 
year, especially in moist localities and where fogs prevail. To prevent this 
keep the atmosphere of the house in which they are flowering as dry as 
possible, and give air with a little fire heat on all favourable occasions. 
The temperature in which they are flowering should be maintained at 
50° to 55° at night, according to external conditions, with a little air lefc on 
when the nightft^tre such as it can be done with safety. Under this treat¬ 
ment they will grow slowly and continue flowering without becoming 
drawn. Those that were housed later and have been up to the present 
time in cool airy structures will, if given the night temperature named 
above, soon be one mass of flowers. The double and semi-double varie¬ 
ties appear to do better in a temperature 5° warmer. We have just divided 
our late batch that has been kept cool, and placed all the double forms in 
heat, and in a very short time they will produce an enormous quantity of 
useful trusses for decoration and cutting. All plants that are in 3 or 4-inch 
pots, whether single or double, and required for spring flowering, should 
have a position close to the glass where the night temperature will not fall 
below 45°. If they have not been stopped the points of the shoots may 
he removed. The object to aim at is to keep the plants in good condition 
and sturdy, and then when the days lengthen and the sun has more power 
they can be potted and will be in the best of condition for flowering, which 
will not be the case if a soft growth i3 encouraged at this season of the 
year. 
Gardenias. —Where the flowers of these plants are required over a long 
period it is a good plan to insert a few cuttings at the present time. Some 
of the plants in the early batch will now be flowering or swelling their 
flower buds rapidly, and springing from below these buds and flowers 
will be found short growths that are most suitable for cuttings. Cuttings 
will root readily and quickly if inserted in sandy soil and kept in a close 
frame or under bellglasses. The main stock of new plants is grown 
from cuttings annually, and after flowering all the worst of the old plants 
are thrown away. A few are retained and grown on again for autumn 
and winter flowering ; these are not subject to much pruning. It is 
impossible to flower during these periods plants raised from cuttings 
either now or in the spring. In addition to these, what old plants we 
retain are pruned hard back, and strong clean growths are the result. 
Those now setting their buds should not have an excessive supply of 
liquid manure, or the roots may be injured and the flower buds in 
consequence deformed. Give a surface dressing of artificial manure. 
Invpatiens Sultani. —This is a charming plant for the stove at this 
season of the year, in fact through the whole of the winter and spring 
months. It flowers in such a very small state, which adds very much to 
its beauty for purposes of decoration. It is just the plant we have wanted 
for associating with Lycopods and Ferns in 2 and 3-inch pots for purposes 
of edging. In no position does it look more attractive and beautiful. 
Little plants can be grown in the pots above named, and it looks more 
beautiful in a dwarf state than when the plants are grown to a larger 
size. If large plants are wanted those grown from seed are decidedly 
the best, as they branch more freely than cuttings, but for the purpose 
recommended cuttings are best. They are flowering when taken off, and 
will flower nearly the whole of the time they are in the propagating box, 
and go on until they are too large for the purpose and require topping. 
To maintain a succession of these small plants, as soon as one batch is 
rooted another batch should be inserted ; for this purpose we retain one 
fair-sized plant, and it furnishes us with nearly as many flowering shoots 
as we require. Any moderately light soil suits it. 
Cyclamen.— If seed has not been sown it should be done without 
further delay, and very good flowering plants will be produced by next 
autumn and winter. The seed pans must be well drained and filled with 
light sandy soil, upon which the seed should be scattered and then lightly 
covered with very fine leaf soil and sand. After sowing give a good, 
watering, and place over the pans a square of glass and plunge in bottom, 
heat until the seed germinates, and then gradually expose the plants to 
light and air, and place them close to the glass on a shelf where the 
night temperature can be kept about 60°. Those having young plants 
from seed sown during the month of July, and now growing freely in a 
cool structure, should place them where the temperature will not falL 
below 45°, keep them close to the glass, and by the end of the month they 
will be sturdy plants that can be placed in 2-inch pots. We have just now 
a number of plants that were raised for late spring flowering, and which 
received a check through removal from a warm to a cool structure. These 
are now starting fairly well, and have had as much of the old soil 
removed from them as possible and new supplied. The blooms will be 
removed and the plants grown in a temperature of 50° ; the largest 
will be allowed if we require them to flower in spring, and the smallest 
will be grown on for early flowering next autumn. If any extra fine 
forms appear amongst the seedlings remove the flowers for some time, 
and allow them to come into flower in spring for the purpose of supplying 
seeds ; by this means only can a good strain of fine varieties be obtained, 
and the seed from them can then be relied upon. 
Prinmlas. —Plants that have been flowering in the conservatory since 
the end of October, and have tall flower stems, should be removed. They 
will soon come into flower again, and will be in good condition in a few 
weeks. We can keep these plants in much better condition by removing 
a few of the worst weekly, and by giving them a light position and. a 
little more air (after they become hardened) than what we can give 
them in the conservatory, they soon produce strong flower trusses 
again, much finer than they would in the other position. A top-dressing 
of rich material, or alight application of artificial manure to the surface 
of the soil, is very beneficial. 
Chrysanthemums. —Plants that have flowered, of varieties that it 
is necessary to retain for cuttings, should be placed in a light' airy 
position under glass, a late Peach house being a capital place for 
them. Any shoots from the base that have become weakly while 
the plants have been flowering should also be cut off near the base, 
and these will break strong growths that will be all that can be desired 
for cuttings after a while. Strong, robust cuttings are most important, 
and if the stools are not taken care of after flowering it is impossible to- 
obtain them. Some of those grown as bushes, or that have produced one 
or two flowers in a small pot, generally yield us our strongest and best 
cuttings. The cuttings are often very few and weak from those plants 
that up to the time their flowers were thoroughly developed had every 
shoot that appeared at the base removed, and have been exhausted as well 
by flowering. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Protecting and Planting Roses. —We usually find it advisable to 
perform much of the work of planting of the new and replanting of the 
old Rose bushes and standards during November. Unfortunately the 
weather has much interfered with the operations, as it is very unwise to 
touch hea7y land when constantly in a wet state. Where frosts are apt 
to prove very destructive among Roses, the simplest method of pre¬ 
serving standards consists of lifting and bedding them where they can 
be conveniently protected with rough litter or bracken. Lay them in a 
sloping direction and closely, yet so that they can be removed and 
replanted without injuring many of the young rootlets they invariably 
emit in these positions. Mulch the ground about them with rough 
litter, and whenever severe frosts are expected shake a liberal quantity 
os the same material over the stems and heads. Dwarfs may also be 
benefited by a mulching of litter or rough manure from the stable yard. 
Dwarfs or standards newly received from the nurseries may either be 
laid in for the winter or properly planted, as the weather permits. 
Occasional transplanting greatly improves Roses, and is not so much 
practised as it ought to be. The position may be the same, providing a 
quantity of decayed manure or a mixture of manure and fresh loam be 
well and deeply mixed in with the old exhausted soil. Roses delight in 
a good deeply dug soil, and if the whole of the ground is not double- 
dug for them it is advisable to make the holes wide and deep, the bottom 
spit being enriched with manure. Planting should keep pace with the 
digging, or otherwise the newly moved soil is liable to become saturated 
with moisture and unworkable for some time to come. If planted on 
the lawn the turf should not be returned about the roots—at any rate 
to within a foot of the stems. Beds may be formed with the standards 
4 feet apart each way, and between the dwarfs can be worked in. 
Should the latter only be planted these may be about 3 feet apart each 
way. Most dwarfs bought in are generally worked on the Manetti 
stock, and by burying the junction of the scion with the stock the 
former soon emits strong roots, and thus become independent of the 
stocks. Unless deeply planted the life of the plant will be short. Those 
who last season neglected to plant their dwarfs sufficiently deeply 
should at once plant deeper, the next best plan being to heavily soil 
over the exposed stocks. Roses budded last year may be moved now, 
but it is not advisable to disturb those successfully budded this season. 
Before planting, the roots of all kinds of Roses should first be lightly 
trimmed, then be distributed evenly in good fine soil, this being made 
moderately firm. Extra long shoots may be shortened in order to lessen 
oscillation ; but pruning should not yet be attempted, and standards 
should be staked at once. Plant Briar stocks for budding next season 
in rows at least 3 feet apart and 18 inches asunder in the rows. 
Climbing Roses. —Now is a good time to renew the soil about these, 
and also to replant where vacancies occur. The soil near walls and 
