286 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 15, 1836. 
William I., followed by Telegraph or Telephone, the two 
latter being staked, usually prove remunerative. William I. 
may be profitably grown on open ground without stakes, as 
well as Pride of the Market, Dr. M'Lean, and Yeitch’s Per¬ 
fection. Runner'Beans are always in demand, and when they 
are to be had French or Dwarf Kidney Beans will not sell. 
They may be trained up stakes any height from 8 feet to 12 feet, 
or may be grown without stakes, in which case all running 
growth must be kept closely pinched off. Our rows of 
staked Beans are disposed 6 feet apart, and the stopped rows 
3 feet apart. Between the former we grow two rows of Ash- 
leaf Potatoes and one row between the latter. Brussels 
Sprouts are always profitable, and a good breadth of the 
Aigburth should be established early. Broccoli must be 
classed as doubtful, though on firm good ground, in succes¬ 
sion to early Peas and Strawberries, they are usually hardy 
and good. Savoys and Kales may be grown as successional 
crops, being planted between Potatoes. Asparagus, Rhubarb, 
Seakale, and Mushrooms are always saleable and profitable. 
There is only a small demand for Globe and Jerusalem Arti¬ 
chokes, and Parsnips do not always find purchasers; but 
well-grown Horseradish is bought readily, and the same may 
be said of early and late Parsley. Early Cabbages only, and 
Yeitch’s Autumn Giant Cauliflowers prove remunerative 
hereabouts, the former in succession to Onions and the latter 
between or after early Potatoes.—I. M., Somerset. 
POLYANTHUSES FOR CULTURE IN POTS. 
At the outset I must explain that I do not mean the florists’ gold 
laced varieties, but those strains of mottled, self-coloured, and white 
varieties which have been advancing with such rapid strides during 
the past ten years. You printed a short note on these which I sent 
you about twelve months ago, and I then detailed the method of 
growing them which has given the finest plants. However, in draw¬ 
ing a'tention to the place which these beautiful flowers may be made 
to fill as decorative greenhouse plants throughout the early spring 
months, it may not be amiss to give a rdsume of the cultural details. 
In the first place seed should be sown at once, or if deferred much 
later it will be better to sow in boxes and raise the plants in a cool 
house. In preparing the seed bed it should be made rich with some 
light root-producing material, of which spent Mushroom bed refuse is 
a very good example. This is not dug into the soil, but is spread over 
the surface of the beds after the ground has been dug, and is then 
mixed with the surface soil to the depth of 2 or 3 inches. Treated in 
this manner the seedlings have something which they can take to 
from the first. If good plants are expected—and unless they are 
strong they are of no use for pot culture—the seedlings must be 
transplanted before they have made much growth into a specially pre¬ 
pared bed. I find it useful to have a piece of ground set apart for the 
growth of various plants. This ground has a hard bottom of coal 
ashes,.and in preparing a suitable bed for Polyanthuses a portion of 
this cinder-bottomed ground is chosen of a suitable size. On the 
cinders a layer 3 inches deep of spent Mushroom manure is firmly 
pressed down, and on the manure a surfacing of loam and manure, in 
the proportion of two of the former to one of the latter. This is also 
made quite firm. The seedlings are on the first suitable day after the 
bed has been made up—a drizzly damp day is best—pricked out in 
rows 9 inches apart, and about as much apart in the rows. 
After attention consists in giving water as it may be required and 
keeping them free from weeds. In October the strongest plants are 
lifted and placed in pots, the precaution being taken ten days before 
the time of lifting to cut down each row and between the plants in 
the rows with a spade. When lifted the plants will have capital balls 
of active roots, and should be showing a number of trusses ready to 
throw up on the first exciting cause. If the plants can be kept in a 
cool light structure, and not allowed to be frozen, they will continue 
to progress slowly through the winter. A little heat does not hurt 
them if carefully managed ; a very good guide to follow with this 
and kindred subjects being to take the average temperatures of the 
season they flower out of doors, and falling a few degrees to make up 
for the want of air which they more or less have to put up with when 
grown under glass. 
. When well grown these free-flowering strains of Polyanthus form 
quite a feature throughout the spring months, and well repay the care 
spent in bringing them on. I have found them very popular, and on 
the whole of much service. Primroses, though useful, I do not And to 
be so floriferous as Polyanthuses. At the same time they are well 
worth growing, the cultural details being the same for both plants. 
It may be noted that seedling plants are better than sorts which have 
been selected, named, and propagated by division. However, as some 
of the named varieties are quite indispensable, and some seedlings 
may be so good as to be worthy of growing on in future years, it is 
necessary to treat these so that they keep in robust health. In our 
soil we have the greatest difficulty with these, and when kept in pots 
the plants are very apt to be neglected, so that we would advise a like 
treatment to be given these as already advised for seedlings. Double 
varieties require to be dealt with in the same manner. 
A word of caution may be given as to purchasing named varieties. 
I have had both Primroses and Polyanthuses sent with names and 
only fit for the rubbish heap. Doubtless the vendors would think 
them worthy of naming, but until both plants are better known than 
they are at present new growers will do well for themselves to be sure 
of what they are buying before investing in many named varieties. 
A variety which it is almost impossible to obtain is the true double 
crimson. It is most difficult to keep, and in trying to obtain it I have 
found the best way to proceed in making a purchase was to ask for 
a bloom from the would-be seller, and in most cases the bloom for¬ 
warded has not been the true variety. Beside an inferior crimson, 
various shades of purple are sold for the old crimson. It is remark¬ 
able how many double sorts there are. I have met with two white 
double, several yellows, three shades of lilac, several purple shades, 
beside a few intermediate colours. Of Polyanthuses we have only 
two doubles, one almost black and the other an edged variety.—B. 
MELONS. 
I HAVE read with interest the able aiticles upon Melons that have 
appeared recently in the Journal. I also have grown a few for the past 
two years in a simple manner, a brief description of which may interest 
some of your amateur readers. 
Two years ago my employer was offered the use of a lean-to green¬ 
house, 24 feet by 10 feet, adjoining the garden here, but belonging to an 
unoccupied house. Not knowing how long it might be in our hands, I 
did not increase my permanent plants, but decided to grow a few Melons 
in summer, with Chrysanthemums, bedding plants, &c., in the winter. 
The house in question has very deep front lights (4 feet) resting upon a 
wall 18 inches high from the ground line. It is heated by four rows of 
3-inch piping along the front, about 6 inches above which is a stage 
18 inches wide, on a level with the wall plate ; a path 34 feet wide runs 
parallel, and a stage leaning to the back wall completes the house. On 
the front stage I grew the Melons, fixing boards 9 inches wide to keep in 
the soil, and a layer of leaves to prevent it falling through amongst the 
pipes. On the 12th of May I closed the house, putting in the soil to 
warm, and on the 13th put out the plants which I had grown on in a 
frame. For about ten days I employed the fire gently to give them a 
start, after which I discontinued it except on a few cold wet days. Air 
was admitted carefully, the house was closed early with a good syringing 
(excepting when the plants were in flower) running the heatup to 100°, 
sometimes 110°. On several occasions at six o’clock in the morning the 
glass stood at 57°, but generally about 62°. 
The plants grew vigorously, not making large leaves, but solid, and I 
was never troubled with either red spider or canker. I top-dressed them 
twice, and the depth of soil at finish was 8 inches. From eight plants I 
cut nineteen fruits weighing from 1J lb. to 3j- lbs. Hero of Bath and Hero 
of Lockinge produced my largest fruits, Earl of Beaconsfield the 
smallest, but one of which my employer pronounced the best he had ever 
tasted. The dates are from a diary of 1884. Last season I was a little 
later.— J. COPSON, Down Avipncy. 
I have read with much interest the two excellent articles on Melons 
by Mr. Bardney (pages 206 and 245 of the Journal), particularly his 
reference to the disease called “rot.” I agree with your correspondent in 
attributing low temperatures as the cause of this evil. 
Several years ago the glass department over which I had then charge 
included the Melon pits, in one of which the plants were affected by this 
disease in a very striking manner. The Melons were planted in the usual 
way. The soil was ordinary loam, with a small addition of horse droppings, 
and was pressed quite firm. After planting, I received orders from my 
superior to guard against strong firing, to give abundance of air on all 
favourable occasions, to aim at a slow sturdy growth, as he said they were 
in the habit of growing too strongly and going off. Under this treatment 
—the weather being mild—they made rapid progress, but were still very 
soft. To prevent, as we thought, further grossness, the fire heat was 
reduced, and bottom beat dispensed with. A few days more and they 
were at the top of the trellis, being trained on tbe single-stem system. 
At this stage they appeared very healthy, which led seme visitors to 
remark that they were the best they had ever seen. Had they favoured 
us with a visit about a week or ten days afterwards they would have 
beheld the sad spectacle of nearly all the plants they admired so much 
being carried to the rubbish heap, as in a few days the stems “melted 
away,” turning quite soft from top to bottom, and consequently causing 
the collapse of the whole plant. Although we knew that over-grossness 
was the cause, we did not know how to prevent it in this particular house, 
as they did very well in other houses. Since then my experience has 
taught me that the cultural treatment adopted in the above case to prevent 
the disease was in reality the cause of it—too low a temperature and too 
much moisture.—D. B. 
