THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 19, 1885. 
only remedy we have found is to watch closely and 
regularly, and kill the little white grubs by squeezing 
them between the finger and thumb.—E d.] 
Boilers and Heating Apparatus for 
Amateurs. —In answer to the enquiry by “Cl.B. ” at 
p. 206, I may say that I have a t work three Loughborough 
boilers which I think admirably adapted for amateurs 
with small greenhouses. The “ Loughborough ” has 
advantages over many others ; it can be fixed by a 
labouring man, so that there is no necessity for a 
mechanic being called in, which often involves heavy 
expenses after the boiler and apparatus have been pro¬ 
cured ; and it is so easily worked that the amateur will 
soon be gratified to find himself a good stoker, which 
is generally a difficulty with beginners. I shall be 
willing to show “ G. B.” or any one my boilers at 
work, or give any information connected with them 
that I can.— J. H. Witty, Highgatc Cemetery, N. 
—-->:£<-- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
Work in the Houses.— From now until after 
Christmas there will be little to do in the Orchid houses 
beyond the general care of the plants, but the season 
affords a good opportunity for carefully looking 
over them, and cleaning those which require it, and, 
in doing so, it is well to have a small pan of weak 
tobacco water at hand, with which to sponge any 
affected with insects, or, indeed, whether insects are 
present or not, for it is a good preventative. Sometimes 
white scale gets under the sheaths of Cattleyas and 
Lffilias, and where such is the case it is best to thoroughly 
strip the dry sheath off and well and carefully clean 
the bulbs ; the insects will then have no hiding place 
on the plant. Where the pseudo-bulbs are clean and 
there are no insects on them, the sheaths should not 
be disturbed on any account. 
We are likely to have changeable weather, and it is 
above all things advisable not to be scared at a little 
frost, and overdrive the heating apparatus to the 
detriment of the plants ; all that is necessary is to 
observe the temperature we gave in our first issue for 
December, and where the heating apparatus cannot be 
controlled without extra ventilation, it shouldbe given at 
all times. An evening visit is an important and pleasant 
part of the growers duties, but at none is it so 
absolutely necessary as in winter, as at that time late in 
the evening many important matters can be regulated, 
which would, if left unattended to, work mischief. 
Throughout the whole winter it is important to keep 
those parts of the brickwork and underneath the stage, 
which are liable to become very dry by proximity to 
the hot water pipes, frequently moistened, as nothing is 
more productive in insect pests than such dry spots. 
Bleak ends of houses and fronts where any danger of the 
inside temperature getting too low exists, should be 
protected by matting or canvas, even a very thin 
tiffany fixed a few inches off the glass keeps out 
a lot of cold, and does not exclude much light.— 
James O'Brien. 
Zygopetalum Mackayii. —I have a good 
sized plant of this useful winter-flowering Bra¬ 
zilian Orchid. It is kept in the stove amongst 
other plants, and has to stand the general treat¬ 
ment which a house of mixed plants is subject 
to. I do not think it is disturbed at the root oftener 
than once in four years, for the reason that if we gave 
it all the pot room it is capable of filling, it would take 
up more space than we can afford it. Yet it never 
fails to flower every December, and it will last and 
keep good and fresh sometimes into the new year. 
When it begins to open its blooms we remove it to the 
conservatory or else into the mansion. Our plant now 
has five spikes of good sized blooms, and it helps to 
adorn the entrance hall of its owners house, not in a 
draughty place, but near to the light.— T. W. 
-—>DK--— 
Ridiculous Names foe Fruits. —Big Bob's Baby 
is the latest specimen. Next we would suggest Big 
Bob’s Baby’s Boot, for of course it must be alliterative. 
Then when some rival thinks he has something better 
than this raiser has given us, it can be called “The 
Buster of Big Bob’s Baby’s Boot,” or some such 
expressive cognomen ; or Big Bob’s Baby’s Boot Badly 
Broken, — Gardeners' Month ly. 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Horse Radish. — This is a good time to make 
plantings of this useful root, a root, which if worth 
growing at all, is worth growing well. And with this 
object in view, it will be necessary to take up a good 
lot of the old plantations to select roots from for 
making the new, which should be done as follows :— 
Open a trench 2 ft. wide and about 18 ins. deep, which 
fill up and raise to the height of 18 ins. from the 
surface with well decomposed dung and leaves from an 
old Cucumber-bed, treading the whole well together 
as the ridge is being made into the required shape. 
Then put the line down 6 ins. from either side of the 
ridge, and cover the litter with soil, thus making a 
ridge 18 ins. wide on the top, with the centre 3 ins. 
lower, then the side and end forming a sort of trough 
for the water. 
In planting select the second size roots, which, if 
they are to be had, should be from 20 ins. to 30 ins. 
long, having every little rootlet the entire length 
rubbed off, by drawing the roots through the closed 
hand covered with a piece of coarse cloth ; then plant 
them in their entirety with a long dibber, two rows, 
1 ft. apart, and 8 ins. or 9 ins. asunder in the row on 
the ridge, and slanting slightly in the interior of the 
litter, with the crowns about 1 in. under the surface. 
A planting should be made every year in proportion to 
the quantity of Horse Radish used in the year, so as to 
always have a supply of it, good in quality and quantity. 
Celery, Lettuce, and Endive Plants which 
have had a little protection in the shape of Fern 
from the effects of the recent sharp frosts should, now 
that a gentle thaw has followed, have it removed 
forthwith to a convenient place in readiness for future 
use if necessary. 
Frame Ground. —See that there is no coddling of 
the young Cauliflower, Lettuce and other plants which 
are located in this department. As advised in a pre¬ 
vious calendar, protect with mats or Ferns the pits and 
frames in which they are growing from frost when 
necessary, and take the sashes off during favourable 
weather to promote a sturdy growth in the plants as 
well as to prevent the latter from sustaining injury 
from excessive dampness. 
Herb Beds.— See that these, together with quarters 
of Spinach, Cabbages, Broccolis, Onions, Walks, &c., 
are kept free of weeds, and that a surface-dressing of 
leaf-mould, if not already done, is laid on beds of Mint 
and Tarragon, to prevent the roots from being frost- 
bound in the event of another frost setting in ; and let 
good order and judicious management be observed 
throughout this department. 
Mushroom House. —I need scarcely say that so long 
as the Mushrooms grow sufficiently fast to meet the 
demand for the same, there will be no necessity to turn 
the hot-water on in the pipes, or to apply atmospheric 
moisture in the house further than damping the surface 
of the beds with tepid water in the event of their be¬ 
coming dry. In the event of its being necessary to 
warm the pipes to maintain a minimum temperature of 
about 50°, tepid water should be distributed over the 
floor and walls, so as to keep up a humid atmosphere 
in the house. 
Woodlice are usually very troublesome in the damp 
and darkness of Mushroom-houses, and the readiest 
way of eradicating these pests is to pour boiling water 
out of a long-spouted watering-can along the sides and 
ends of the beds, especially between the latter and the 
walls, where they congregate as soon as day-light is let 
in on them, and which is the best time to apply the 
boiling water which makes short work of them. Con¬ 
tinue to collect horse-dropping with which to make up 
successional beds in the manner indicated at p. 155.— 
II. W. Ward. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Decorations for Christmas. —During the next 
week there will not be much time for any special 
work, as in this department there is always an extra 
demand for flowers and plants for decoration, which of 
course means a certain amount of labour. In selecting 
plants for decoration, it should be remembered that any 
foliage plants such as Palms, Crotons, &c., will be much 
more liable to get damaged when they are just developing 
young leaves ; therefore, those with matured growths 
should be taken, and for any purposes where hardy 
plants can be used, it will be advisable to do so. 
Flowers for Succession. —In regard to general 
work, bulbs and all other plants required for keeping 
up a succession in the forcing department must have 
attention. Another matter of importance is to see that 
all plants in a growing state are thinned out as 
opportunity occurs. If Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, 
Primulas, Herbaceous Calceolarias, &c. are given plenty 
of room during the earlier stages of their growth, they 
will form much stronger and better plants for flowering. 
Watering. —We cannot too often reiterate the neces¬ 
sity of careful attention to watering at this season of the 
year. If the roots of plants are preserved in a good condi¬ 
tion, and the soil is not made sour by saturation, the 
plants will start off freely as soon as we get bright weather. 
It is perhaps better to keep plants a little too dry than 
to over-water them at this season of the year : at the 
same time, it must be borne in mind that where the 
temperature is kept up by artificial means, plants will 
soon suffer if allowed to become too dry, and unless 
careful examination is made, it is easy to be deceived, 
as the surface of the soil will often appear moist when 
it is dry underneath. 
-- 
FLORICULTURE. 
On Raising Seedling Florists’ Flowers, &c.— 
It w’as considered fifty years ago and upwards a 
very great achievement if a seedling of special merit 
was produced ; and at that time such seedlings 
were considered, in many instances, of great com¬ 
mercial value. Seedlings of acknowledged merit, and 
possessing distinctive characteristics relative to form, 
colour, and habit of the plant, used to realise almost 
fabulous prices. From one to five guineas was charged 
for new Pelargoniums, such as Joan of Arc, Sylph, 
Garth’s Perfection, &c., and they were eagerly pur¬ 
chased at those prices; Dahlias were rarely sent our 
under seven shillings and sixpence, or ten sh illin gs 
and sixpence each. In 1839 a collection of seed¬ 
lings W’as offered by, at that time, a well-known raiser, 
viz., Mr. W. Knight, North Trade, Battle, Sussex, 
twenty-seven varieties w’ere offered for ten pounds three 
shillings, and a note was appended stating that for 
“ Knight’s Coronation—fine large dark claret, fine cup¬ 
ped petals, fine shape, well up in centre, and always 
constant ; Lord Nelson, fine dark crimson, extra cup¬ 
ped, beautiful round shape, well up in the centre, good 
habit, and always constant, price of this, fifteen shil¬ 
lings ; Miss Putt, fine yellow’, beautifully laced with 
rich red, fine cupped petals, fine shape, very beautiful, 
the best of its class, every flower being perfectly laced 
there was no discount to the trade. 
The late Mr. Samuel Girling, of Stow’market, did an 
extensive trade in Dahlias, and has paid as much as a 
hundred pounds for the stock of a seedling. I may 
mention that an old friend of mine between forty and 
fifty years ago sold him the stock of one “ Lady Stop- 
ford ” for seventy-five pounds ; this was at the time 
when seedlings of merit were eagerly sought after, 
consequently they commanded high prices. Nearly all 
the metropolitan, suburban, and provincial nurseiymen 
and florists issued annually long descriptive priced lists. 
Chubb & Miller’s (Newgate Street) list contained 145 
varieties ; Chandler, Vauxhall, 78 ; Gaines, of Bat¬ 
tersea, 194 ; Hugh Low & Co., 205; F. & A. Smith, 
Bethnal Green Road, 162 ; Catleugh, Chelsea, 131 ; 
and many of the provincial growers’ lists contained a far 
more extensive number of named varieties, all priced at 
from one to fifteen shillings each. Me may truthfully 
exclaim “ O tempora” in contrasting the prices at the 
time in question with those of the present day. One 
dozen of selected Dahlias, as per catalogue, to cost from 
one to ten pounds appears to us monstrous now, when 
we can at the present time purchase at from one to 
ten shillings the dozen, varieties that far excel those 
that have passed away with the respected raisers, yet 
doubtless, w’hose memory is still warmly cherished by 
many that survive them. 
I might enumerate in this paper all the florist flowers 
that have passed through the hands of raisers during 
the same period, and which have now become of almost 
nominal value in comparison to earlier days, when the 
raising of novelties was not so general as at the present 
time, or perhaps so universally adopted and understood. 
The fact may be regarded as illustrating the pro¬ 
gressive nature of man’s mission to increase and 
