280 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 2, 1886. 
THE INTERMEDIATE HOUSE. 
The question is often asked by people who are not 
acquainted with this kind of glass structure : What 
advantages does this structure possess ? I consider, 
after eight years experience with a house of this kind, 
that it is the most useful structure we have on the 
place. We have besides, a greenhouse, stoves, Camellia- 
house, conservatory, and a fruit-house ; but I would 
recommend all who are thinking of erecting only two 
houses for plant cultivation, to make them into a 
greenhouse and an intermediate-house, in preference to 
a stove and greenhouse as is usually done. Inter¬ 
mediate houses are far more useful, and a much greater 
variety of plants can be grown in them. Many so- 
called stove plants do better in this temperature than 
in a stove, while on the other hand many things that 
get greenhouse treatment are much benefitted by a 
little higher temperature at certain seasons. 
Supposing a gentleman to have only three houses for 
plants—namely, a conservatory, a greenhouse, and a 
stove. If the former is to be kept gay during the 
winter, there is great difficulty in so doing, simply 
because the stove and cold-greenhouse plants dq not 
thrive well together when in bloom, the heat w T hich 
keeps the stove plants in good condition exciting the 
greenhouse plants far too much, and injuring them to 
a great extent. Again, a conservator} 7 cannot be kept 
gay with bright flowers from greenhouses only through 
the winter ; there must be enough heat to keep plants 
growing and opening their blooms. A stove and an 
intermediate-house is a better arrangement than a 
stove and a greenhouse, as in this case some of the 
cold-house plants, such as Ericas, &c., can be kept 
a greater part of the winter in cold pits. The main 
thing to keep in view in making this type of house—- 
and in fact all glass houses—is to put in sufficient 
piping, and a sufficiently large boiler to keep up the 
required temperature in cold weather without having' 
to push the fire too much. It is much cheaper in the 
end to do this at first, as it prevents the waste of fuel 
which takes place when the fire has to be driven so fast. 
We have a house of this description here, and for the 
benefit of those who may be about to erect glass 
structures, I will name a few of the uses to which we 
put it, also a few (not attempting to name all) of the 
plants we find do well in it. It is only a small house 20 
ft. long by 18 ft. wide and span-roofed, with a stage or 
bed in the centre, side benches, two side shelves, and two 
hanging shelves over the paths. The hanging shelves 
are used through the spring for Strawberries ; after this 
for Coleuses, &c.; and in winter for Cyclamens, Primu¬ 
las, Shrubby Begonias, and any tender bedding plants. 
The side shelves are used for winter-blooming double 
and single Pelargoniums ; in spring and summer for 
Gloxinias, Achimenes, &c. Here we grow at the south 
end Tomatos in boxes, and get them ripe at the begin¬ 
ning of May; and over the roof, thinly, we train 
Cucumbers, which help to shade the plants underneath. 
Hybrid Rhododendrons of the Japanese type are per¬ 
fectly at home here ; hardy Shrubs, Hyacinths, &c. 
are forced in it; and Callas, Salvias, Libonias, Sericog- 
raphis Ghiesbreghtiana, Strelitzia Reginse, Centropogon 
Lucyanus, Linum tryginum, Monochstums, Epi- 
phyllums, Hoya carnosa, Imantophyllums, Browallia 
elata (most useful things in winter, flowering freely), 
Abutilons, Lasiandra macrantha, &c. , are beautiful all 
through the winter. It is most useful too, to bring on 
Indian Azaleas, and afterwards to make their growth in. 
Here also we grow a batch of Celosias to keep us 
going in the conservatory till Christmas ; bring on 
early Fuchsias and things of that character ; Bougain¬ 
villea glabra is wintered here, and many bulbs are put 
under the stages. Bouvardias we use largely through 
the autumn and winter, and we find that a few Orchids 
do well here, such as Cypripediums, Dendrobiuins, 
Cattleyas, Oncidiums, Odontoglossums, Zygopetalum 
Mackayii, Lfelia anceps, Lycaste Skinnerii, &c. It is 
very useful to bring on several other stove plants during 
the summer and autumn months, also for putting fresh 
propagated plants from pits into; to grow a few Capsi¬ 
cums, Prince of Wales for late work ; to put Solanums 
in to colour their berries, and a few Palms and Ferns 
in for conservatory work. 
We are rather short of piping and cannot keep the 
high temperature up in cold weather, or we should get 
on better still in winter, but by taking advantage of 
the sun and covering the house at night, we like 
to maintain a temperature of from 55° to 60° by day, and 
10° less at night.— John Crook, Farnborough Grange, 
ON FORCING SEA KALE. 
To secure an abundant supply of this highly esteemed 
esculent, should be a matter of first consideration in 
every place where there are facilities for its successful 
cultivation. It is somewhat surprising the compara¬ 
tively small space we find devoted to it in many places, 
where large quarters are given up to Broccoli, including 
varieties which are comparatively tender and liable to 
be destroyed by frost, which frequently kills nine out 
of ten, so that the labours of the season are spoilt in a 
week or two. Ho similar disaster can befall a crop of 
Sea Kale, unless under some gross mismanagement, 
and it can be had in good condition for the table for at 
least five months, its succession being entirely under 
the control of the cultivator, so that the extra labour, 
as compared with the growth of other vegetables, is 
well expended and repaid. 
Our system of cultivation is very simple and can be 
easily followed out where there is good ordinary grow¬ 
ing soil. I have seen excellent crowns grown in stiff 
clay well manured, but a lighter staple is preferable. 
We generally grow it on the same piece of ground for 
several seasons in succession, because every piece left 
behind will make an effort to grow, and in some cases 
this proves very troublesome, at the same time an 
occasional change is desirable, and in fact imperative, if 
it is to be kept free from canker and maggot. There 
are two methods of propagation in vogue, viz., by 
seeds and by cuttings, but we prefer cuttings, and our 
plan is when lifting the crowns in the autumn to break 
off the strong roots, which are laid aside till the crop is 
lifted, when we cut them into lengths of from four to 
five inches, taking care to cut the lower part of the set 
slanting to ensure the set being planted the right way 
up, the upper end being cut straight across. 
When a sufficient number of sets are made, they are 
laid thickly in rows in either ashes or light soil till the 
cuts are well calloused and the young shoots can just 
be discerned, when we take the first favourable oppor¬ 
tunity of planting them. In taking them out of the 
cutting bed, we partly pare round the top of the cuttings, 
leaving only as much untouched as will produce one 
shoot to each cutting. This is a great saving of labour, 
for were it not done the bed of Kale would have to be 
gone over several times to reduce the number of shoots, 
whereas, under this plan, once going over generally 
suffices, and then very little requires doing. We plant 
in rows from 20 ins. to 24 ins. apart, and place the sets 
at 6 ins. from set to set. We give the ground a good 
dressing of well-decayed manure, and dig one good 
spit deep, choosing a fine dry day if possible, because 
the ground is subject, in the process of planting, to a 
great deal of treading upon, and we aim at keeping it 
in an open friable condition. 
After planting we give the quarter a slight raking to 
take out the foot-marks ; the only after-cultivation till 
lifting time comes round again is to keep it clear of 
weeds. Those who have a Mushroom-house will have 
little difficulty in keeping up a succession, while those 
who have not can put it in tubs or boxes under the 
stage of a warm greenhouse or in a stokehole. We 
have forced large quantities in petroleum-tubs cut in 
half, planting the roots in light soil and putting the 
upper half of the tub over, covering with fermenting 
material. A large portion of ours comes along natu¬ 
rally, being covered over with leaf-mould from whence 
we take it till forcing is no longer necessary. As we 
find it growing, we cover up till it is often buried from 
10 ins. to 24 ins. in soil. I may add that we sort it 
into two sizes, using the strongest crowns first, finding 
it comes proportionately stronger as the season ad¬ 
vances. — IV. B. G. 
--—- 
THE AMARYLLIS. 
In our issue of March 21st, p. 457, we gave an 
illustration representing Messrs. Veitch & Sons’ Ama¬ 
ryllis house when full of bloom, it being the finest col¬ 
lection for grandly formed flowers, high colours, and 
in every other respect which the world has ever pro¬ 
duced ; and still Messrs. Veitcli’s collection progresses, 
the aim being now that almost unsurpassable flowers 
are obtained to place many of them on a spike, and 
thus extend the show which each produces and pro¬ 
long the time of flowering. Their grand new varieties, 
which received First Class Certificates this year, well 
exemplified the clever manner in which they have 
succeeded, the following b ei g the perfection of 
Amaryllis :— 
Niobe. —Vivid scarlet with a central white, stripe 
on each segment. R. H. S., March 24th. Two scapes 
each with four flowers. 
Paragon. —Brilliant scarlet with whitish central 
star. R. H. S., March 24th. Two scapes each with 
four flowers. 
The Queen. —White, veined and washed with deep 
rosy crimson. R. H. S., March 24th. Three scapes 
each with four to six flowers. 
Basilisk. —Very large orange -scarlet with small 
greenish star. R. B. S., March 25th. Two scapes 
each with four flowers. 
Ne Plus Ultra. —Rich scarlet with white star. R. 
B. S., March 25th. Two scapes each with four 
flowers. 
Perfection. —Rosy crimson with a white central stripe 
on each segment, one of the finest in form yet raised. 
R. B. S., March 25th. Two scapes each with four 
flowers. 
Lady Howard de Walden. —The purest white yet 
obtained. R. H. S., April 14th. One scape with six 
flowers. 
Prince George of Wales. —Deep scarlet, shaded with 
crimson, broad white central band on each segment. 
R. B. S., April 22nd. 
A utumn Charm. —Leopoldi x reticulata, a grand thing 
with ornamental foliage and lovely pale rose flowers, 
veined and netted with rosy carmine. 
These represent the very highest point of grand 
florists’ flowers, and in this direction Mr. B. S. 
Williams, who is an old Amaryllis grower, and also 
devotes a house to them, has made good progresss in 
dark blood-red varieties of the Ackermanii breed, 
and his hybrids with A. reticulata, Airs. Wm. Lee, 
Airs. Garfield, and Comte de Germiny, lovely winter and 
spring, nay, almost perpetual blooming things, with char¬ 
ming white and rose veined sweet scented flowers are very 
fine. Airs. B. S. Williams is also a charming variety. 
But not alone does the fame of the Amaryllis rest on 
these grand novelties and their immediate predecessors, 
the ordinary strain as exemplified in the varieties well 
known in our gardens, are much prized for their easy 
culture and the beauty of their flowers. 
For forming groups by themselves, for mixing with 
other plants in bloom, the Amaryllis is very effective, 
and of it in its decorative capacity we are glad to be 
able to give an illustration prepared from a very clever 
water-colour sketch, made by an occasional contributor 
to our columns, Air. J. Udale, Shireeliffe Hall 
Gardens, Sheffield, and which includes A. Jolinsoni, 
A. vittata, and one of the hybrids of A. aulica. 
The Amaryllis is very easy to manage, if only given 
fair treatment and a comfortable place in the house, 
when either growing or resting, but too often, after they 
have done flowering, they stowed away in sheds or under 
stages where nothing but the great store of vitality in 
theirbulbsenablesthemtolive. Afterbloomingand mak¬ 
ing their growth, and when the time for a little rest is 
shown by the loss of the leaves, it is best to put the 
bulbs away on a shelf in a cool intermediate house, 
where water can be entirely withheld from the deciduous 
kinds until the flower spikes appear ; but where the 
evergreen or partly deciduous kinds, such as the 
hybrids of A. reticulata, A. aulica, &c., can be given 
water now and then. The kinds requiring such treat¬ 
ment readily show themselves by retaining their 
leaves or reluctantly losing them. During flowering 
and growing, the Amaryllis require water in the 
usual way, and, where convenient, a gentle bottom heat 
helps them while making their growth. 
But now there is still further hope for their more 
extended culture out-doors in favourable localities, as 
the experiments made by Alessrs. lvelway & Son, of 
Langport, Somerset, who have often exhibited speci¬ 
mens of their strain of Amaryllis, and had them much 
admired. With respect to their culture, Alessrs. 
lvelway say:—“AVe have about 50,000 Amaryllis of 
all ages, and in every stage of growth, 5000 of which 
were planted in open borders in June, 1884, they 
appeared to do well in the autumn of the same year, 
and last winter we covered them with straw-chaff only 
to the depth of about 4 ins. They did well during the 
summer of 18S5, and many of them bloomed well; we 
have covered these again this winter with straw and 
chaff, and we expect next summer to get a good lot of 
bloom from them. AVe have also about 20,000 that 
were planted in the ground in frames unheated in 
1882-3-4, they have bloomed well during the past two 
