344 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 30, 1886. 
THE PROPAGATING HOUSE. 
Damping Off. —This term which is applied to the 
premature decay of cuttings or seedlings, is usually 
attributed to excessive moisture, or a stagnant atmo¬ 
sphere, and it is, probably, often accelerated by either, 
and especially the latter ; but the primary cause may 
have originated from quite a different source. From 
careful observations I have come to the conclusion 
that the three following are the chief causes from which 
damping-off arises. In the first place it may be 
brought about from some of the cuttings having been 
slightly bruised in making or putting them in, secondly, 
if the cuttings of any tender plants are allowed to get 
a little too much withered, they will not be able to 
revive when water is given, and consequently the 
damaged leaves will not be able to absorb the moisture, 
and therefore it will help to complete the destruction 
that has already commenced. 
The third cause is the most deadly, and the most 
difficult to deal with ; it is brought about by a fine 
thread-like fungus which spreads with great rapidity, 
and destroys every cutting or seedling that it comes in 
contact with. It is difficult to properly account for the 
appearance of this fungus ; it may sometimes arise from 
one of the causes previously mentioned, or from some 
substance that is in the soil or plunging material. If 
due regard be paid to the instructions given at p. 329, it 
may be warded off to some extent, but the most careful 
management will not always prevent it making its 
appearance. It is most destructive among soft-wooded 
cuttings, such as Verbenas, Heliotropes, Fuchsias, 
Bouvardias, Carnations, Begonias, &c., but it will also 
destroy cuttings of more substance if it comes in con¬ 
tact with them. It requires a sharp and practised eye 
to detect its first appearance. At first sight the 
cuttings may look healthy enough, but, on close 
examination, they will have the appearance of having 
been scalded just above the surface of the soil, and if 
held up to the light the fine threads of fungus will be 
visible. 
In any case where a pot of cuttings can be spared, it 
is best to remove it from the pit, if affected with this 
disease, and to stir in some hot cinder ashes in the 
plunging material where the pot has been taken from. 
Or, if it is desirable to try to save any of the cuttings, 
those that are affected should be pulled out and a little 
hot dry sand shaken over the surface of the pot; this 
will sometimes effectually check the disease. It is 
more difficult to deal with seedlings that are affected. 
The best plan will be to remove the pots to a shelf in a 
sunny position ; but, of course, there is a risk in doing 
this if the seedlings are not sufficient!} 7 established. — 
A. Hemsley. 
-- 
THE MARECHAL NIEL ROSE. 
It is often said that this Rose will not continue from 
year to year to yield flowers and keep in health as other 
Roses do. The great mistake that is made with this most 
beautiful of all Tea Roses is in planting it in a heated 
structure, and expecting it to furnish Roses from the 
month of February onwards. Under such treatment 
it is no wonder that a few years works havoc with its 
constitution. Here we have a house 24 ft. by 14 ft. 
with a single plant of Mareclial Kiel in it, and that 
house is an unheated structure. The Rose is planted 
inside the house, but can ramble anywhere with its 
roots—either inside or outside in the vegetable 
quarters. Our method of treatment is to give plenty 
of air, summer and winter (unless the thermometer 
goes below 5° or 6° of frost), and plenty of water at the 
roots, with occasional syringings in very hot weather. 
Our greatest enemy is mildew and green fly, mildew 
being the worst to contend with—the house being 
unheated. 
Last year we tried sulphide of potassium for the 
mildew, but as yet we are not in favour of it as an 
insecticide. If applied too strong it is apt to harm the 
tender foliage, and our trial of it lead us to the con¬ 
clusion that unless strong it would not kill mildew. 
Greenfly it will not kill even when strong, and another 
bad quality is that wherever it goes on white paint it 
discolours it immediately, so that where neatness is 
desired we would say do not use it. Sulphur is the old- 
fashioned cure for mildew, and we think not the worst 
yet; after syringing dust the leaves, this very soon 
stops all traces of the disease, and a syringing or two 
helps to clean the sulphur off the leaves. 
We prune very little, only the very smallest and 
weakest twigs being taken away. By pruning the 
Mareclial Kiel as has been recommended by some, we 
consider that they are only cutting away good bloom to 
begin with, and in the end it is ruination to the tree. 
Rather carefully tie in the shoots and the reward will 
be an abundance of flowers. We give for a dressing 
annually, a good coat of cow and pig manure, with 
three or four times a thorough drenching of guano in a 
liquid state. The size of the plant is as follows :— 
Stem, 10J in. ; union of stem and branches, 19 in. ; 
four branches going off from stem are, 8 in., 7k in., 6 
in., and 5 in., respectively, in circumference. 
Last years yield of flowers was 3,400 ; for the year 
1884, 3,200; 1883, 3,000 ; 1882, 2,800 ; and 1881, 3,500, 
making a total of 15,900 Roses in five years. It was 
planted about fourteen years ago with eleven others, 
but we gradually cut the others away to give it room, 
and now for the last six years it has had entire posses¬ 
sion of the house. We got, in 1881, as high as 5 d. to 
Is. each for Roses taken from this plant in the month 
of July, from one of the leading salesmen of Covent 
Garden Market, not for a dozen flowers only, but for a 
few hundreds. Last years, month of July, prices 
were 5 d. and 7 d. each for several hundreds. This I 
give to show that the Roses are no mere tiny specks 
that a lady would not care to use, but blooms of good 
substance and quality. The same plant bids fair to 
keep up its good character during the present year 
from the growth it made during 1885. We therefore 
say that those who want to see a bower of Marechal 
Niel Roses in May, should plant it in an unheated 
structure, not prune it over heavy, give plenty of water 
and good food at the roots and keep the foliage clean, 
and success will crown the endeavour.— J. TV. Bayne, 
Kingston Hall Gardens, Derby. 
— 4 >=£<« 
FORCING ASPARAGUS. 
This delicious vegetable is appreciated by all, and in 
the past few years its consumption has largely increased, 
the importations still being enormous, though the home 
culture has been extended, and the markets are now 
abundantly supplied with Asparagus from Christmas 
onwards. There are few private gardens where it is not 
in demand as early as it can be procured, and fortu¬ 
nately it is very easily forced, so that it can be had 
without much difficulty as soon as required. Some will 
have been cutting for a month or more now, but there 
is plenty of time to make a start now and secure some 
valuable supplies long before it comes in naturally from 
out-of-doors beds. Where forcing is carried on exten¬ 
sively, properly constructed frames are indispensable, 
being deep enough to permit of the formation of good 
hot-beds, upon which Asparagus, Sea Kale, Rhubarb, 
and other vegetables can be hastened into condition for 
cutting, or in a few cases small well-heated houses 
with beds are provided for the purpose. In the latter 
case, the heat is usually provided by hot-water pipes, 
their advantage being that the heat is then maintained 
more regularly, and less labour is incurred in prepara¬ 
tion for forcing, all that is necessary being sufficient 
suitable material for plunging the plants in. 
Some time ago, however, I had charge of a garden 
where there was neither of these conveniences, it was 
necessary to adopt a cheap contrivance to answer this 
end, and we accomplished the task satisfactorily in the 
following manner. One of the houses, a wide lean-to, 
was kept at an intermediate temperature, being chiefly 
used to bring on plants for the conservatory, and at the 
back of this was a large stage well elevated to bring the 
plants near the glass, as the house was rather lofty. 
Beneath this stage, next to the wall, we built a simple 
wooden frame about 3 ft. wide, the sides and front were 
formed of ordinary floor boards, and the wall formed the 
back, the top was made to slope forwards slightly, and 
was covered with lids 6 ft. long hinged at the back so 
that they could be readily removed. The outlay for 
this frame was small, and it proved all that could he 
desired, giving an abundance of Asparagus with Sea 
Kale and Rhubarb early in the season. 
Before commencing the forcing season, we prepared 
a good quantity of stable manure and leaves, which 
was placed in the frame to a depth of about 3 ft. ; the 
roots were introduced at intervals and covered with a 
layer of light finely-sifted soil, 3 ins. deep. This was 
well moistened with tepid water from a rose-can, and 
very little further attention was needed beyond propping 
up the lids occasionally for ventilation, or seeing that 
;? the soil did not become too dry. Asparagus we usually 
% obtained fit for cutting within three weeks or a month 
| from the time the roots were started ; but we have cut 
I a few heads in a fortnight, and there is much difference 
; as to the quickness with which the shoots are obtained 
dependent upon the way they have been prepared and 
their strength. They can be now purchased very 
cheaply each season when required, and this suits some 
establishments better than growing their own roots. 
"Where, however, there is an outdoor quarter of the 
kitchen garden devoted to this crop, as is usually the 
case, I have found the following plan the most con¬ 
venient. Annually, or every alternate year, according 
to requirements, some seed is sown in rows to keep up 
the stock ; then, if the seedlings are duly transplanted 
and liberally treated, they will, in three or four years, 
be large enough for yielding the ordinary outdoor 
supply. When it is thought of forming a new bed, an 
old one being destroyed for the purpose, we cut rather 
sparingly from the latter the season before, give a very 
liberal top-dressing, and allow plenty of growth to 
strengthen the roots. Then we take what we require 
of these in the following autumn to be forced, and after 
undergoing that operation they are thrown away. 
This has proved the most economical system, but some 
prefer young roots for the purpose ; but there is not 
much difference in my experience, as if the old roots are 
suitably prepared as stated, and were not previously 
absolutely exhausted, they give quite as good results. 
—B. T. 
-- 
AR ALIAS FOR TABLE 
DECORATION. 
Geacefct. plants are always in request for this pur¬ 
pose, and that it is difficult to make a suitable selection 
is evident from the very different kinds of plants 
entered in classes provided for them at exhibitions. For 
several years there has been a growing favour for those 
with finely divided light looking foliage, instead of the 
bolder but too obstructive plants that are better suited 
for groups than tables. We have a few narrow-leaved 
Draccenas and Crotons, with such Palms as Cocos 
Weddelliana or Geonoma gracilis that are indispensable 
for the work ; but perhaps the most elegant of all, and 
certainly the most generally admired, are the Aralias, 
at least the species or varieties that have leaves with 
narrow divisions. Of these the most slender and grace¬ 
ful are Aralia Yeitchii and its variety gracillima, the 
latter being the lightest and most charming plant in 
cultivation; the leaflets which radiate from the top of 
the leaf-stalk, being thread-like in fineness, while they 
are very slightly broader in the ordinary form which 
was the first introduced. 
It seems as if some confusion had arisen respecting 
the variety named above, for in some gardens a totallv 
distinct and less beautiful form is grown under that 
name, the leaflets much broader and more like the 
older A. reticulata, sometimes it is also named gracilis; 
the true form once seen cannot, however, be mistaken 
for any other. Next to these two must be ranked the 
charming A. elegantissima, which has greenish brown 
leaves and white midribs, the leaflets are very narrow 
and graceful. A. leptophylla has rather drooping dark 
green narrow leaflets, but broader than t those already 
named. A. reticulata is a graceful plant, but the leaf¬ 
lets are still wider in this ; it is chiefly valuable for its 
vigorous constitution, being more readily increased than 
the others, and it is on this account much employed as 
a stock to graft the delicate varieties upon. Osyana is 
somewhat like A. leptophylla, but the leaflets are rich 
green with brown ribs. These are half-a-dozen of the 
best for table decoration, and should have a place 
wherever really light and elegant plants are required. 
These Aralias must be grown in the stove, aud 
though not difficult to obtain in satisfactory condition, 
they, need more attention than many other plants. 
The compost should consist of loam, leaf soil and sand, 
or peat may be substituted for the leaf soil, but in 
either case the loam must be light and sand} 7 . Give 
the pots good drainage, and be particularly careful that 
the plants are not placed in sizes too large for them, or 
they soon suffer. Sixty and forty-eight sizes are large 
enough for the majority of the plants, unless they are 
required as specimens, when they become too large for 
the table. The stronger sorts are increased by cuttings, 
but A. Yeitchi and gracillima are grafted on stocks of 
A. reticulata, as they do not give so much satisfaction 
in any other way.— IV. 
