494 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
f June 17, 1886, 
frame must be kept more dry. If red spider attacks the plants at this 
early stage, we fear all the assistance in the universe will hardly insure a 
good crop ; but we will suppose them to have prospered so far, that a fair 
crop of fruit, half swelled or more, is for the first time noticed to be 
attacked, and then the question is—what remedy to apply ? Water is 
found unable to stay the ravages of the little marauders, and some other 
auxiliary must be put in force ; one of the best is partial shading. For 
that purpose a slight colouring the glass with limewash is useful; if this 
be used, let it be done outside, as it does not easily wash ofE with rain, 
and leaves so gradually, that the loss is imperceptible ; flour and water 
adhere loss firmly to the glass, and ought to be applied inside. This 
shading being more congenial to the welfare of the plants than to the 
insects, enables the former to advance, not so fast, certainly, as when 
enjoying the full amount of unobstructed sunshine, yet sufficiently so as 
to leave their enemies in the rear. 
Perhaps, however, this remedy is insufficient, and the enemy keeps 
advancing ; some other means must be adopted. Now we have heard 
some recommend watering with soapsuds as a cure, but somehow we 
never derived the benefit from that plan commensurate with the mischief 
it occasioned. Soapsuds usually leave a coating on the leaves of plants of 
a thick glutinous matter, which, in point of substance, very much resembles 
paint, and is scarcely less difficult to remove. It i9 therefore injurious 
to the delicate foliage of the Melon, rendering them all but useless for the 
purposes intended. Their numerous pores being all but sealed up, they 
languish and die. Dabbing on soapy lather is only another mode of 
effecting the same object, that unless assiduous waterings at the proper 
times and shading as above be able to combat the evil, recourse must be 
had to that all-important insect killer sulphur, which, however, must 
not be applied in dusting the leaves, but in placing it in such a manner 
that its fumes will act on the insect without its coming in immediate 
contact with the plant. Now in a pit heated by hot water this object is 
easily effected, as scattering some along the heating contrivances effects 
the purpose at once. Not so, however, the common dung frame, in which 
the great mass of Melons grown in the summer months are produced. 
Here something on which the warmth of the sun may act must be put 
in requisition ; for that purpose paint the inside of the box with a mixture 
of clay and sulphur, the former is simply to give it substance so as to 
adhere, for which anything else may be substituted. 
In addition to this, paint a few pieces of slate, tiles, or small pieces of 
board in the same way; these pieces lay carefully under the parts of the 
plant most affected, and the sun acting on them occasions their emitting 
that vapour so obnoxious to this insect, as it is well known that it is only 
the gas generated by this substance becoming warmed, to a certain extent, 
that proves fatal to this and other members of the lower creation, that we 
regard it almost innocuous at a low temperature ; in other words, we 
think its utility is increased the more we can smell it, which everyone 
knows is most done in a bright sunny day, or when subject to fire heat in 
some shape. As we have used these painted slates with success, we 
strongly urge on the amateur, whose plants are threatened with red 
spider, to think of that in time. Remember, we only advise their 
adoption when plain, clean, soft water has failed to stay the progress, or 
effect a cure, while he may apply both remedies at the same time ; the 
coloured slates by day, and watering all over at nights, taking care to 
remove the slates when he waters, which, however, is quickly done. We 
will not affirm that he will be able to restore plants once attacked to the 
condition of those never so afflicted, but probably he will be able to 
maintain them in sufficient health to ripen the crop; the latter part of 
which time he ought to be very careful in giving no more water than ju9t 
sufficient to maintain the foliage in health.—R. J. O. 
IVY-LEAF PELARGONIUMS. 
We are cutting trusses of the best double varieties now, and from the 
extreme beauty of the flowers, combined with adaptability as decorative 
plants—features which are as yet comparatively unknown—I am induced 
to send this note in their favour. The plants are easy of culture, pro¬ 
vided their requirements are understood and supplied ; the chief point in 
which beginners are likely to make a mistake being giving too little heat, 
at least early in the season. My experience with them is that they 
require to be kept warmer than the single varieties in order to insure 
plenty of flowers over a lengthened period. 
The best time to propagate is the present for strong early-flowering 
plants, and in August for plants to come on later in the season. I like 
strong cuttings rather hardened at the base than soft. One cutting is put 
into a thumb pot filled with light soil, and the pots are placed in a warm 
pit until a fair number of roots have been made. During the summer 
months a cold frame suits them well. The attention they require is first 
to shift them out of the cutting pots when thoroughly well rooted, and 
potting into 4£ or 5-inch pots. The soil I use is a turfy loam enriched 
with cowdung. The pots are well drained, and in potting the soil is 
made firm. This potting will carry the plants over the winter. Then 
they will require pinching at least twice—the stronger plants before 
potting, any others after they have become established. About the 
middle of September the plants are pinched the second time. An occa¬ 
sional surface dressing of an artificial manure being of much benefit to 
the plants, and may be applied about once in three weeks from the end 
of August. Stake as required. The plants should be kept growing 
throughout the winter inoaths, and if properly managed will require a 
slight dressing of manure at intervals, as above stated, right on until 
February, when they are ready to be transferred into 7 or 8-inch pots. 
A couple of months’ further attention to pinching, staking, watering, and 
keeping the plants in a growing temperature will have secured fine strong 
plants full of flower. During summer manure should be applied in 
weekly dressings, straggling shoots pinched and tied to sticks, and the 
trusses removed as they open fully, or as wanted. August cuttings are 
harder than those which can be had now ; moreover, they can be cut 
much longer, and the foundation of a strong plant is more easily secured. 
The cuttings strike well, several in one 6-inch pot filled with light soil, 
or they may be put singly into 2£-inch pots and wintered therein. In 
any case it will be found that the cuttings will strike most steadily if they 
are placed under glass—such, for instance, as an early vinery. During 
winter do not allow the plants to stagnate in a cold house, but keep them 
growing. In February pot the plants, using 4 or 5-inch pots, according 
to the strength of the several plants. If care has been taken to pinch 
those requiring to be pinched during winter, the plants when potted will 
be stout and bushy, and will require much the same treatment as already 
advised for the earliest-struck batch. They may either be flowered as 
small plants in early summer, or if potted into 7-inch pots will make 
strong fresh plants for flowering later on. The same plants do very well 
a second year in the same pots, but though perhaps more floriferous the 
trusses are not so fine as on young plants. As to sorts, all those we have 
had during the past year or two have been good. Single varieties are more 
easily managed, and are more floriferous, but I do not like them so much 
as the double varieties either for beauty or usefulness. In addition to 
their adaptability as pot plants, some of them are very suitable for grow¬ 
ing in baskets or for drooping over the edge of stages. The stronger- 
growing kinds run very rapidly up pillars when planted ouf, and are also 
of value for covering wall. We have bedded them for several seasons, and 
though in our locality they cannot be said to have proved of great value, 
still, in singles Progress has been passable, and of the doubles the old 
Anna Pfitzer is perhaps the best. Sylphido and Madame Crousse also do 
fairly well.—B. 
SAYING LABOUR AND PLUNGING PLANTS. 
In establishments where plants are grown by thousands for 
decoration and forcing there are necessarily large numbers that 
are turned out of the houses when the weather is favourable in 
spring and early summer. These are generally stood upon walks, 
or in any position where the supply of water is convenient. To 
have these plants again in good condition for autumn and 
winter they need considerably more labour in keeping them 
supplied with water than in all other cultural requirements 
together. The labour required for this purpose in some estab¬ 
lishments is enormous, and during tropical weather very little 
other work could be done. This is a serious matter, not so much 
b 'cause other work lags behind, but to pour water into the pots 
two, three, or four times a day is injurious. 
Those who have made any study of the conditions under 
which plants thrive best as regards moisture at theT roots know 
that to have them wet and dry several times during the day is 
not conducive to health or vigorous growth. It would be diffi¬ 
cult to name any treatment more likely to bring plants to a 
complete standstill, and thus predispose them to the attacks of 
insects and disease. Plants that have to be so frequently 
watered soon display to the intelligent observer by the yellow 
sickly appearance of their foliage that something is wrong. They 
need not be turned out and examined, for the roots or feeders 
have been injured, and the supply of water and food necessary 
to maintain the foliage healthy and the plants vigorous has been 
cut off. Exactly the same results follow when plants have been 
iven insufficient to soak the whole of the soil; the lower leaves 
ag, turn yellow, and eventually fall if not removed. ft may 
be asked, Why do not the plants die when watered on such prin¬ 
ciples P Simply because the whole of thi roots are not injured 
at the same time. Those nearest the top of the ball that have 
received the water are ample to keep the uppermost portion of 
the plant alive, lingering between life and death. 
Plants succeed much better when the soil about their roots 
can be kept moist without applying water too frequently. It is 
an impossibility to keep the soil always in an intermediate state 
of moisture, therefore it remains for us to endeavour to keep the 
soil moist as long as possible after water has been applied, so 
that as long a space of time may elapse before another applica¬ 
tion is needed. This can be accomplished by preventing evapo¬ 
ration, and the best means at the disposal of cultivators is to 
plunge the pots and supply the moisture evaporated by syring 
ing or otherwise. Plunging plants in pots has been condemned 
as an unsafe system of cultivation, principally because the soil is 
liable to become satura'ed and sour from overwatering. I fail 
to see that a useful and beneficial system should be condemned 
because those entrusted with the watering carry out the opera¬ 
tion carelessly. Young men that intend to grow plants success¬ 
fully must learn to water plants as well when they are plunged 
as when they are not. Plants that are plunged to the rim in 
soil, ashes, or other material dry less quickly than when stood 
upon the surface, and even if they do become dry the|root3 are 
