444 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 13, 1886. 
Then the drills were drawn, and the seed sown, which 
in due time came up healthy, vigorous, and strong. 
To make assurance doubly sure, I applied weekly dress¬ 
ings of soot and salt; I even watered with weak solution 
of paraffin ; and a better or more healthy crop could 
not well be imagined. But, first one by one, then in 
greater numbers, the maggot made its appearance ; 
and by the end of August there were just twelve sound 
Onions left, where there might easily have been twice 
the number of bushels. Well, after such a trial, and 
such a failure, we did not think of making another 
attempt. However, we did try again, going over the 
same routine, with the addition of burning a large 
faggot stack, and spreading the ashes and charred wood 
over the ground while red-hot; but the second season 
the result was no better than the first. The next trial 
(which was last season) we were fortunate in procuring 
a really good sound crop ; but we adopted quite a 
different method—soot and salt, and all such, being 
entirely dispensed with. Loam is rather an expensive 
commodity when it has to be carted from a distance ; 
but we must have it for our fruit trees in pots, our 
Chrysanthemums, &c., which require an annual re¬ 
potting. How we saved every morsel of this old loamy 
stuff, spreading it over the ground where it was in¬ 
tended to grow our Onions ; tve dug it in, and proceeded 
just as though there was no such pest in existence as 
the Onion fly. We have served the same piece of 
ground in like manner this season, emptying the con¬ 
tents of close upon seven hundred 10-in. pots, in which 
we grew our Chrysanthemums, and so we mean to 
continue, season after season, the addition of fresh 
material, compensating for what is known as “rotation 
cropping.” I feel certain that the addition of good 
stiff loam, if procurable, is the only way of securing a 
crop of Onions on loose sandy soils.— T. JF. B., Elstead. 
Soot and the Onion Maggot.—I was glad 
to see so many opinions expressed upon this subject in 
your issue for February 20th, and have waited in the 
hope that more of your numerous correspondents would 
have been tempted to write upon the subject. How¬ 
ever, as none have done so, I will venture to say a few 
more words upon the subject. Mr. Ward still avers 
that soot will kill and prevent the appearance of the 
Onion maggot, and that his experience is founded upon 
fourteen consecutive years practice. This is a very 
long time, certainly long enough, one would think, to 
prove the good or bad effects of anything, and, perhaps, 
I should take it as conclusive evidence ; but before 
doing so I would like to ask Mr. Ward if the Onion 
maggot was troublesome in the gardens at Longford 
Castle previous to the fourteen years he has used the 
soot with such good results, as in the answer to this 
question lays the value of the evidence. If the maggot 
was troublesome in the gardens at Longford Castle 
previous to the fourteen years Mr. Ward mentions, I 
must then give in ; and it may be that the soot which 
I have used has not been so good, or that my mode of 
applying it has been at fault. If not, the maggot was 
not present, then it goes to substantiate what I said 
in my last letter on this subject, that where the pest 
is present, no matter in what state of existence it may 
be, soot will not stop or prevent its ravages to any 
perceptible extent. Gardeners have several times said 
to me “ dress your ground with soot, and you will not 
be troubled with the maggot.” A well-known gardener 
visitedme last summer, and when I showed him my Onions 
he said, ‘ ‘ Why don’t you dress your ground with soot or 
wood-ashes ? I always do, and am never troubled with 
the maggot. ” And why was he not troubled with the 
maggot ? Because his garden, comparatively speaking, 
was a new one. The pest was not present on the place ; 
therefore, he was not troubled with it. When I told 
him what soot and wood-aslies I had applied to mine, 
he was quite surprised. As your correspondent, “ B. L, ” 
observes, it is in old worn-out soil that the maggot is 
most prevalent. Mr. Ward observed that I dressed 
my Onion ground with closet-manure, but did not say 
whether he considered it was good for Onions or not. I 
may say that I have great faith in it for most crops, but 
had never applied it to Onions before last year, and 
fromjudging those which escaped the maggot, itisasgood 
for Onions as anything else. I used to sow my Onions 
in drills 10 ins. apart, and in ground which is free from 
the maggot. I prefer this style to any other ; but 
where the maggot is troublesome, I find sowing them 
broadcast in beds, and not thinning them very much, 
the chances of getting a better crop from a given space 
is far greater than sowing them in drills and thinning 
out to 2 ins. or 3 ins. apart. Of course, I admit that the 
bulbs do not get so large ; but half a loaf is better than 
no bread, and small Onions will keep better, as a rule, 
than large ones. As I should have stated in my last, 
I always have the grouud well trodden before the 
Onions are sown, but not afterwards. — IF. C. 
-- 
THE DOG’S TOOTH VIOLET. 
Owing to the severe weather this season, it is some¬ 
what too early for these plants to flower out of doors ; 
but in pots they are now in very attractive condition 
where they have been grown in a greenhouse tem¬ 
perature and thus hastened into bloom. Few seem to 
be aware of the usefulness of Erythroniums for pot 
culture early in the year, yet they can be most easily 
grown in this way ; and when outdoor vegetation is so 
retarded, it is pleasant to have some of our favourites 
indoors, where we can enjoy their attractions. The 
Dog’s-tooth Violets are favourites with most people, 
for in addition to their freely-produced purple, white, 
and yellowish flowers, their leaves are beautifully 
mottled with brown, giving them an extremely distinct 
appearance. The best known is Erythronium Dens- 
Canis (see illustration), of which there are several 
varieties, chiefly tints of purple and white, differing 
also in the size of the flowers. This is an old plant, 
and is described by most of the herbalists and writers in 
the 16th century. It was then, too, that its popular 
and specific names originated, translations of which 
form its designation in most European countries at the 
present time. Like the others, it is a bulbous plant of 
dwarf habit, thriving in a light loamy or peaty soil in 
almost any position. E. Amerieanum has large yel¬ 
lowish flowers, and E. giganteuin, the largest of all, 
has handsome white flowers. 
-- 
ON POTTING PERNS. 
When Ferns are commencing growth in spring is the 
best time for potting all that need this attention, but 
some judgment must be exercised in choosing the right 
period for the operation. If potted too early the plants 
do not make such free progress afterwards, and when 
done late the young tender fronds and roots are liable 
to be injured, and they are also more likely to suffer 
from the greater sun-lieat experienced. March and 
early April are suitable months for the majority of 
indoor Ferns, varying with the seasons and, to some 
extent, with the locality, for districts affect plants 
under glass as well as out of doors. It can be readily 
seen when the young fronds are unfurling and rising in 
the crown of the plant, and as root-growth takes place 
about the same time or soon after in the case of estab¬ 
lished plants, they can then be safely re-potted. Some 
Ferns will, however, make considerable frond-growth 
before any roots of the usual character are produced, 
and this is especially seen in large imported stems of 
tree Ferns, but these derive much support from moisture 
absorbed through the stem quite apart from the ordi¬ 
nary root channels. 
At one time it was quite common for peat to be 
employed exclusively for Ferns of all kinds, but though 
this is necessary for some of the more delicate species, 
it has been much less in demand of recent years, and 
loam is more freely employed. There is no doubt that 
most strong-growing Ferns, including those usually 
grown in gardens for decorative purposes, are greatly 
improved by using a good proportion of loam in the 
compost they are grown in, the only difficulty being to 
secure soil of the right character. Heavy clayey loam 
must be avoided, also any with a suspicion of iron, or 
with an excessive proportion uf sand. Old turfy loam, 
rather light and mellow from having been stacked for 
some months previous to use, is valuable, and this 
may be mixed with peat in about equal parts, adding a 
small proportion of leaf-soil and sand to lighten the 
whole, increasing the quantity if the loam is at all in¬ 
clined to be heavy. 11 should be in an intermediate state 
of moisture, but must on no account be too wet, indeed, 
it would be preferable to err in the other direction ; it 
should be, however, in such a condition that it does not 
clog, and yet is not dust-like or parched. For tropical 
Ferns the compost should be placed in the house or a 
warm potting-shed some hours before potting has to be 
commenced, as it must never be employed in a cold 
state. 
Whether pots, pans, or baskets are to be occupied by 
the plants, the first step in preparation is drainage, 
which is as essential for Ferns as for Orchids or hard- 
wooded plants. It is equally important that the 
crocks be thoroughly clean, and they must, if neces¬ 
sary, be well washed prior to use. Pots should have 
about one-third their depth of drainage for the stronger 
growing Ferns, placing the larger pieces at the bottom 
concave side downwards, filling up with smaller pieces 
and covering these with a layer of moss before the soil 
is placed in. Press the soil round the plants firmly but 
not too hard, and do not let the neck of the plant be 
low in the pot while allowing sufficient space for water. 
This applies to Adiantums, Pterises, Aspleniums, 
Gymnogrammas, Nephrodiums, Heprolepis, and most 
of the kinds grown in pots. There are, however, some 
with creeping rhizomes like numbers of the Polypodiums 
and Davallias which can be grown in wide shallow 
pans, raising a mound of light peaty soil in the centre 
upon which the Ferns are pegged. Some Davallias 
like D. dissecta can be grown on old tree-fern stems, 
only requiring frequent syringing to keep them fresh 
and healthy, and if placed in suitable positions they 
have a very elegant appearance in a house. 
After potting, it is a good practice to give a light 
syringing, keeping the plants close and shaded lor a 
few days ; but it is advisable not to give any water to 
the roots until the plants are giving indications of re¬ 
covery from the effects, even then water must be 
supplied carefully for a week or more, as if the soil 
becomes soddened before the roots get possession of 
it, they will not make satisfactory progress when 
they do start, and the effects will become evident later 
on in stunted and ill developed fronds. Free unre¬ 
stricted growth is what Ferns need to ensure proper 
development, and few plants are so impatient of checks 
as these. When in really luxuriant health, Ferns of all 
kinds are most beautiful objects, whether they be the 
strong growing Athyriums,Nephrodiums,Struthiopteris, 
or Osmundas, of out-door gardens, or the imposing 
Cyatheas and Dicksonias, or graceful Adiantums and 
Aspleniums of glass houses, and all alike amply deserve 
the little care requisite to obtain them in perfection.— 
Filix. 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
The early batch of Cinerarias will now be going over, 
and are at this stage very apt to become infested with 
green fly. To prevent its spreadingto the other occupants 
of the greenhouse or conservatory, let the plants be re¬ 
moved to a cold pit or other structure where what 
remains fit for cutting purposes can easily be taken, and 
room be made for the numerous subjects now available 
for decoration. Look to the stock of plants of the 
different kinds which may have been forced, they must 
not be turned out-of-doors, or they will be completely 
ruined during such inclement weather as we are now 
experiencing. 
Where room cannot be found for them inside, the 
hardier kinds such as Lilacs, Eoses, and Forsythia 
viridissima, may be placed in some sheltered spot, and 
a framework be placed over them, and covered with 
mats ; let them be duly attended to in the way of 
watering, and they will not suffer much. Azalea mollis 
