September 23,1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 291 
so as to secure a succession of flowers ; the earliest-flowered will start 
from the upper joints and flower from each. Sericographis Ghies- 
breghtiana must be in a moist warm atmosphere and a light position 
to induce free flowering. 
The attractive plant Lasiandra macrantha produces its beautiful 
purple flowers in clusters from the points of the shoots at this time 
of year onwards. Being of straggling habit the plant should be 
treated as a climber, and though its flowers are of short duration 
they are produced in great numbers. It succeeds in peat and loam 
in an intermediate house or cool stove. Lasiandra macrantha flori- 
bunda, though dwarfer and free flowering, cannot be compared with 
the species when treated as a climber. Larger stove plants, such as 
Ixoras, that have flowers to open, should be preserved as long as 
possible, not syringing them overhead more than is necessary to keep 
down insects, as too much moisture at this season may cause the 
flower buds to drop. Dipladenias and Allamandas that have many 
flower buds should only have sufficient water to keep the plant from 
flagging. Bougainvillea glabra and Bondeletias should be treated 
similarly, and they will afford very acceptable flowers for some time 
to come. 
Amaryllises .—Beautiful free-flowering plants as these are, they do 
not receive the attention they deserve. Occupying little space and 
succeeding with fair treatment, they are worthy the notice of all who 
have a house kept at stove temperature or an intermediate house. 
They flower over a lengthened period. Hippeastrum pardinum 
flowers with regularity in the autumn and winter, and many early 
in the year. All Amaryllids require a long season of rest, not 
“ drying off,” but such as will thoroughly ripen the growths and 
induce flowering. Both the deciduous and evergreen (Hippeastrum) 
forms will ere this have completed the growth and will need rest. 
Gradually withhold water, not at any time allowing them to become 
dust dry, but supply sufficient water to keep the soil moderately 
moist, and there will be a marked difference at the time of flowering 
between the plants so treated and those kept as “ dry as dust ” 
through the winter. The deciduous forms may be wintered in a 
temperature of 50°, but the others should be kept a little warmer, 
55 9 being sufficient. TJrceolina aurea requires similar treatment to 
Amaryllis, and though it is deciduous must not be allowed to become 
dry at that season, as it throws up its flower scapes when leafless, 
and usually in October, its pendant yellow green-tipped flowers being 
very beautiful. Roman Hyacinths, Paper White and Double Roman 
Narcissus, that were potted some weeks ago may, as soon as they 
are rooted, be moved into heat to have them in flower early, placing 
near the glass, so as to render them as dwarf as possible. 
Aquatic plants—though interesting, easily grown, and flowering 
over a lengthened period—are seldom seen, and apart from the beauty 
of the flowers on the plants they are very useful for cutting for the 
base of stands for table decoration, particularly Nymphsea ceerulea, 
N. cyanea, N. dentata, N. Devoniana, and N. rubra. Nelumbium 
speciosum, Limnocharis Humboldti, Pontederia cordata, and P. cras- 
sipes are very pretty, but Nymphmas are the best. Good turfy 
rather strong loam, 12 inches in depth, will answer their require¬ 
ments, and a little more than that depth of water. A tank about 
12 feet in diameter will be sufficient for a number of varieties. 
Orchids .—Now the weather has become cooler the night tempera¬ 
ture may be reduced 5°, a high night temperature being less bene¬ 
ficial than a low one. Regulate the moisture according to the 
requirements of the plants. As many plants have now completed 
their growth water must be given very sparingly, being careful not 
to damp the crown of the plants. Plants on blocks will still require 
syringing, and those in a growing state will need to have their roots 
well moistened every morning either by syringing or dipping. Those 
having the growth completed will require damping every two or three 
days, the cultivator being guided by the state of the atmosphere the 
plants are grown in. It is natural for some Orchids to grow now. 
These should be placed in the most favourable part of the house, 
and encouraged to grow without check. Air should be admitted 
according to the state of the weather; when calm and mild plenty 
of air should be admitted. Many Oncidiums and Odontoglossums 
are growing freely, and should have plenty of moisture. They will 
need careful watching for thrips, which soon seriously injure the 
young shoots. Fumigating on three or four alternate nights mode¬ 
rately will destroy them. Cease damping the floor of the Cattleya 
house after the middle of the day. Delay no longer the thorough 
cleaning of the houses inside and out, washing the rafters and every 
particle of wood with hot water and soft soap, and the glass with 
water, it not being possible to have the glass too transparent nor the 
house generally too clean. 
NOTES ON VILLA AND SUBURBAN GARDENING. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Tomatoes. —The very general heavy rains will have the effect of 
fast spreading the disease, which has already been very destructive 
in some districts. The only way to save the whole or part of the 
crop is to cut off the bunches of all fully grown fruit, whether 
changing colour or not, and to hang them up to ripen in some warm 
position. Where plant stoves are available they are suitable, but 
those who do not possess a heated structure had better hang the 
fruit in the kitchen. This early cutting of the fruit will entail the 
sacrifice of many that are only half grown, but probably if the crop 
is left to ripen naturally the whole will be lost, so rapidly does the 
disease spread. 
Make another sowing of the hardiest varieties of Lettuce to stand 
through the winter, in case the plants from the first sowing become 
too large to withstand the frost. If the first sowing of Cauliflower is 
a failure sow in boxes in a cold frame, and prick out young plants 
produced either in boxes or in a cold frame in which they are to be 
wintered. Every attempt should be made to secure Cauliflower 
plants in the autumn, as in most gardens they cannot well be dis¬ 
pensed with, as they are required to keep up the supply when the 
late Broccoli are finished. Turnips should be thinned gradually, as 
they have enemies at all their early stages of growth, and if thinned 
to the proper distance in the first instance blanks very probably will 
occur. A dusting of soot and lime will keep off birds and flies, and, 
during showery weather especially, frequent dustings of the same 
mixture are necessary in some districts to ward off the fly, which 
deposits eggs in the hearts when they are “ bulbing,” followed by a 
grub which ultimately destroys the Turnips. Thin finally to about 
10 inches or 12 inches apart if good-sized roots are required. A 
sowing made at this time will give a crop of greens if nothing else. 
Thin late-sown Carrots to about 4 inches apart. Earth up Celery 
when necessary, selecting a dry day for the operation. Draw earth 
up to the stems of Broccoli and winter greens in order to steady 
them, and this will also help to protect them. To blanch Leeks 
earth up as much as possible without the soil working down the 
inner side of the leaves. Those sown in the open, however, are 
scarcely forward enough for this operation. Thin these out to about 
8 or 9 inches apart, and as they cannot well be too big give them an 
abundance of liquid manure. Keep runners pinched off all the 
Strawberries, and on all favourable occasions hoe among them and 
all other growing crops. Caterpillars are unusually destructive 
among Cauliflowers, Broccoli, and Cabbage; hand-picking persisted 
in seems the only remedy. 
HOUSES AND FRAMES. 
Where Grapes are at all backward in ripening, or are found to be 
deficient in sugar, they will be much benefited if the fires are started 
in the morning of dull days, and on fine days in the afternoon. Have 
the ventilators open slightly all night both at the top and bottom, 
and ventilate freely in the daytime during favourable weather, the 
object being the maintenance of the necessary dry atmosphere, which 
will materially assist in the thorough ripening of the wood. 
Preparations will now have to be made to bring in all the usual 
occupants of the vineries and greenhouses, as damp cold weather will 
injure them if they remain out much longer. If the Grapes are 
thoroughly ripe, and are required to keep any length of time, they 
may be cut with two or three joints of wood attached below the 
bunches, these to be trimmed and inserted in bottles partially filled 
with water and suspended in a dry room. Soda water or seltzer 
water bottles are suitable, and should not be more than three parts 
filled. The only alternative of cutting is the free use of fire heat 
